About us

OUR collection

AZ Naturally was created from a desire and passion to create only the most natural of products, organic when available, and using the cleanest ingredients found in nature. We believe everyone should be able to access skincare products that will create beautiful, radiant and healthy skin.

We offer a unique line of handcrafted botanical skincare products. Our specialty is producing luxurious, gentle and essential formulas using the amazing properties of plants and animals (in our tallow products) for healthy, beautiful, and ageless skin. Our products are made in-house from natural, organic when available, sustainable and ethically-sourced ingredients. Even our packaging is eco-friendly and recyclable, protecting our planet.

We are aware of the amount of toxins lurking in many products on the market and are committed to giving your skin the nutrients it needs. Just like nutrient-dense foods fuel the body, nutrient-rich skincare products fuel the skin. What you put on your skin, which is your largest organ, gets absorbed into your bloodstream. This can lead to hormone disruption and cause various health problems. Our ancestors didn't buy expensive face creams.... they went into nature and foraged for the ingredients. We consider ourselves ancestral artisans.

We have always gravitated toward natural face creams, realizing there are many products on the market that have one or more ingredients that we know shouldn't be on the skin. We knew we had to make our own blend of oils and use only the purist ingredients that Mother Nature provides. So we set out to create the most amazing face and body moisturizers, lotion bar, salve and lip balms. Our herb infused oils are made in-house with home grown herbs that we infuse in either organic jojoba oil or organic extra virgin olive oil.

MY story

I have no idea how I became so passionate about overall wellness — from what I would eat, how I would exercise and what I would put on my skin. Well, actually, it was probably ignited by the lifestyle my dad chose. He loved to farm and spend time in nature. He also would take 8-10 mile walks back when it wasn’t cool. On the family farm in upstate New York, my dad grew everything from greens, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, herbs, fruit trees…. you name it! If it began as a seed, he would plant it. He made sure everything was organic — never sprayed anything artificial on our food. He would teach me things about what foods were healthy and made certain I took various supplements daily. Starting from the age of nine, I took 30 pills a day. I know that sounds crazy, but I have to say I was never sick until I stopped the supplements when I was eighteen.

Fast forward to today and I see many of the qualities I hold dear stem from my dad. For instance, I eat organic, drink clean water, exercise daily (mostly hiking), and DO NOT take any supplements except for Shilajit and Quinton Minerals. Unfortunately, many of the foods today are so different from the foods I grew up with. It takes a little effort to make the time to read ingredient labels for everything I purchase — but, I do it! I know the benefits of putting the best quality foods into my body. While I cannot live in a bubble and avoid many of the toxins in the environment, I do my best to control the few things I can.

One thing I do control is making sure I put products on my skin that are as close to nature as possible. After all, our skin is our largest organ and possibly gets the worst assaults. From the chlorine in the water when we shower to the toxic chemicals in many of the skincare products, it’s no wonder there are issues that arise ranging from hormonal to actual skin issues like eczema and psoriasis. While I do not think eczema and psoriasis are only from what we put on our skin, they are definitely exacerbated.

In addition to the standard American diet and the impact that has on our skin, hormone-disrupting chemicals are prevalent in many of the skincare products on the market. Many popular lotions, creams, deodorants, soaps and shampoos contain hormone disrupters — chemicals that either mimic the effects of hormones in the body or interfere with the function of your hormones. Some of the worst chemicals are phthalates (pronounced tha-laytes) which mimic estrogen and get stored in your fat cells. According to the Guardian, researchers have linked phthalates to asthma, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, breast cancer, obesity and type II diabetes, low IQ, neurodevelopment issues, behavioral issues, autism spectrum disorders, altered reproductive development and male fertility issues. Even the word “fragrance” is a concern as it may indicate various chemicals that are not identified on the labels. There are many more toxic ingredients that I am not going to list here but if you look at the ingredient label of your favorite lotion or soap and you see more than 4-5 ingredients, you know there are dubious chemicals lurking in them.

When I attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition over 10 years ago, I became exposed to the many products on the market that are hazardous to our health. As a result, I have been making my own skincare products for many years. I recently decided to share them with people other than friends and family (although I still do that :)) Hence, I created AZ Naturally, named after my grandchildren Ava and Zach.

My products are made with the most natural and organic ingredients (when available) and lots of love which benefit all skin types.

 

Education and Certifications

I am a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, having earned a certification as a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. I received certifications as a Pilates Instructor, Yoga Instructor and Quantum Health Practitioner. I have created a line of natural and organic skincare products called AZ Naturally.