When former beauty queen Blaire Kessler was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 she found her calling. With no family history of cancer and an extremely healthy lifestyle she began to ferret out all possible causes of her cancer. The results of her mission are a truly inspiring survivor story and an ultra fab toxin-free line of beauty products, Pristine Beauty, Inc. Look for Blaire and her fabulous products on an upcoming segment of Good Morning America. Until then, we'll get to know her right here on the SPOT.What is your first memory of beauty products?
I was 4 years old and my mom was in her bedroom going through her extra makeup which she kept in a shoebox in the top of her closet. She had this bright blue eye shadow that I remember thinking that I just HAD to try. I begged my Mom to put some on me. At first she said no but after I badgered her a bit more she relented and proceeded to apply the disco blue color on my little eyelids. All I could think was “WOW…now all I need is some of that bright pink lipstick in the bottom of that box and I will be SET”…she applied and I thought I looked GOOOOD!!! These days I have given up the bright pink lipstick, yet I still on occasion whip out my Bare Escentuals Glimmer Blue Moon eye shadow and turn things up a notch!!!!
At what age did you start wearing makeup?
Other than just play… I was able to wear lip gloss when I was 12
If you could apply only one product for the next month what would it be?
I would apply my moisturizer Hooray For Brallywood Butta. It makes my skin luminous.
If we are talking cosmetics….It would be my Bare Escentuals black eyeliner (you can do so much with eyeliner…clean line for a classic look or smudge for a Smokey eye.)
If you could give one product to all women in the world what would it be?
My 100% natural deodorant Take A Whiff! …It doesn’t contain harmful propylene glycol or aluminum chlorhydrate which is proving to be toxic and it has a pro-biotic in it that inhibits bacteria under the arm. Plus, it contains ingredients that stimulate the lymphatic system and nurtures the body!!!
If you could ban one harmful ingredient from all beauty products what would it be?
There are many, but the most harmful is Parabens. You may have heard about how you should avoid parabens in the products you buy, but you might be wondering why you should do so.
First, let’s look at where you might find parabens and what products they are normally in. Parabens can be found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, cleansing gels, personal lubricants, topical pharmaceuticals and toothpaste. They are also used as food additives in some products. Basically, a huge percentage of the products you buy for everyday use contain some form of paraben.
One of the most important reasons I would ban Parabens is that they can mimic the hormone estrogen, which is known to play a role in the development of breast cancers and being a young breast cancer survivor who exercises, eats right and doesn’t have cancer in my family it is hard to say whether having slathered chemically laden….or paraben laden products on my body for years might have played a role in my early diagnosis.
I was 4 years old and my mom was in her bedroom going through her extra makeup which she kept in a shoebox in the top of her closet. She had this bright blue eye shadow that I remember thinking that I just HAD to try. I begged my Mom to put some on me. At first she said no but after I badgered her a bit more she relented and proceeded to apply the disco blue color on my little eyelids. All I could think was “WOW…now all I need is some of that bright pink lipstick in the bottom of that box and I will be SET”…she applied and I thought I looked GOOOOD!!! These days I have given up the bright pink lipstick, yet I still on occasion whip out my Bare Escentuals Glimmer Blue Moon eye shadow and turn things up a notch!!!!
At what age did you start wearing makeup?
Other than just play… I was able to wear lip gloss when I was 12
If you could apply only one product for the next month what would it be?
I would apply my moisturizer Hooray For Brallywood Butta. It makes my skin luminous.
If we are talking cosmetics….It would be my Bare Escentuals black eyeliner (you can do so much with eyeliner…clean line for a classic look or smudge for a Smokey eye.)
If you could give one product to all women in the world what would it be?
My 100% natural deodorant Take A Whiff! …It doesn’t contain harmful propylene glycol or aluminum chlorhydrate which is proving to be toxic and it has a pro-biotic in it that inhibits bacteria under the arm. Plus, it contains ingredients that stimulate the lymphatic system and nurtures the body!!!
If you could ban one harmful ingredient from all beauty products what would it be?
There are many, but the most harmful is Parabens. You may have heard about how you should avoid parabens in the products you buy, but you might be wondering why you should do so.
First, let’s look at where you might find parabens and what products they are normally in. Parabens can be found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, cleansing gels, personal lubricants, topical pharmaceuticals and toothpaste. They are also used as food additives in some products. Basically, a huge percentage of the products you buy for everyday use contain some form of paraben.
One of the most important reasons I would ban Parabens is that they can mimic the hormone estrogen, which is known to play a role in the development of breast cancers and being a young breast cancer survivor who exercises, eats right and doesn’t have cancer in my family it is hard to say whether having slathered chemically laden….or paraben laden products on my body for years might have played a role in my early diagnosis.
The jury is still out on how and why parabens might affect development and growth of both babies and adults. But we have decided to get rid of any products that have it and replace them with products that don’t. There is no harm being careful with this kind of stuff…remember, things that were deemed safe in the past then came back to bite us all when we were told that they actually caused all sorts of diseases… when they are safe alternatives available and avoidable in the first place.
What is your favorite skincare ingredient? My favorite skincare ingredient is for sure Rose Hips Seed Oil. This oil is in all of my products because it is, frankly, a ROCKSTAR!
I use it in my No Scary Hairy because it improves the texture, restores moisture and balance, nourishes and rehydrates dull dry damaged hair and skin.
It is in my Hooray for Brallywood Butta because it has the ability to heal and fade scars and even out hyperpigmintation on the skin. It restores and repairs burned skin and is renowned as being the BEST most effective anti-aging oil available on the market. It alleviates fine lines and wrinkles and premature aging. In my opinion everyone should be researching their current products looking to see if this totally FAB ingredient is present and if it’s not…well then log onto http://www.shoppristinebeauty.com/ and get yourself some pretty things that regard Rose Hips Seed Oil as sheer royalty.
What is the last product you created?
The last product I created is a truly 100% natural sunless tanner where the DHA is derived from sugar cane. It is NOT stinky and does not streak. Plus it has so many antioxidants and truly nourishes the body unlike many products on the market that contain chemicals and may be potentially toxic. It should be out on the market by the end of the year.
Who is the business woman you most admire?
Oprah Winfrey. Seems logical and easy to say her but I really mean it. She got where she is by a lot of determination and hard work and she uses her success to help others and give back. That is a driving force for Pristine Beauty. We are a small company right now and we believe it is important to reach out and give to others. That is why we donate a portion of the proceeds to the Young Survival Coalition and the Cancer Prevention Coalition with every purchase all year long.
Whose beauty do you most admire?
I most admired Farrah Fawcett beauty. Honestly, I thought that she was awesomely beautiful when she was younger and even throughout her cancer treatment - not just in her physical features but I admired her beauty in the way she approached life. She had a strong spirit and a strong mind which made her business savvy and well-liked. Her love of life and will to live was undeniably as beautiful as her physical appearance.
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