I had the immense pleasure of meeting Jennifer Brodeur, the founder of JB Skin Guru while giving a conference in Montreal a few years ago. We were both there to inspire a younger generation of women to take risks and go for their dreams. Her vision and determination inspired me greatly.
And just like that, we hit it off. It was the serendipitous call of synchronicity.
She is a trailbalizer and a visionary. All heart and soul.
As the creator of an eco-conscious line of holistic beauty products, Jennifer never compromises on her standards: whether it be product ingredients or packaging. Everything is well thought out, organic, and of the highest quality. When possible, she also sources her ingredients and materials locally and her gorgeous packaging is made of recyclable materials.
Her beauty products are the fruit of many years of research about the benefits of certain plants, including the peony root extract. I had the chance to use products from her Peoni line and have been thrilled with the quality. No perfume, no harmful chemicals, just nature doing her wonderfully magnificent thing.
In addition to having things in common in our personal lives, what really drew me to Jennifer were her values: hard work, determination, perseverance, and passion. Loads and loads of passion. She’s not afraid to get real and to talk about some of the challenges she faced while building her brand. Because that’s what true leaders do; they lead from a place of open-heartedness, authenticity, and emotional truth. No sugar coating it. No hiding the tough, difficult, and sometimes downright ugly stuff. It’s precisely this honesty and her non-nonsense willingness to share her story that makes Jennifer a trailblazer and a visionary.
We should all be taking notes.
Immensely curious and intellectually savvy, Jennifer studied the benefits of the peony root extract in Chinese medicine and discovered that it has many benefits, including keeping the skin balanced and well hydrated. It’s also a super antioxidant that contains anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties.
Today, her services are in demand by local and international celebrities, including Karine Vanasse, Oprah Winfrey, and Michelle Obama. Her products were featured in Oprah Magazine’s favorite things, no small feat.
But all this glorious success didn’t happen overnight. It’s the fruit of twenty years of dedicated, nose to grindstone hard work. According to Jennifer, overnight success is a myth, just like the idea of anti-aging beauty products. “I don’t believe in miracles or anti-aging. I think it gives people false hope. Growing old gracefully should be considered a privilege to be embraced not denied.”
A wellness warrior, Jennifer also offers holistic nutritional tips to her clients to improve the overall quality of their skin. Asked if she has some practical tips, here are some suggestions that she generously shared:
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Drink plenty of water;
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Get adequate sleep. A lack of sleep will actually worsen existing skin conditions, accelerate the aging process and cause dehydration.
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Cut back on sugar. It’s brutal for the skin. It also causes redness and puffiness;
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Eat plenty of those greens. Broccoli is a natural skin supplement and we should have plenty of it regularly;
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Make sure you get adequate Omega 3’s and zinc, whether it be in your diet or via supplements;
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Add a B vitamin to your supplements;
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Exercise regularly. It does wonders for your complexion;
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So does doing something you’re passionate about;
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Become literate with labels and read the ingredients on the cosmetics you use. Stay away from harsh and harmful chemicals;
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Use a non-abrasive washcloth to remove your make-up. She recommends using a soft baby’s washcloth;
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Do what you love. Rake risks! This will make you glow from the inside out.
Jennifer has some exciting new organic products on the horizon and we look forward to much more from her at her amazing team over at JB Skin Guru.
Thanks Jennifer!
JB Skin Guru products are available via her website, Amazon, and selected merchants.
