Top 5 Reasons Why I LOVE Arbonne

Good day all!! Hope you're all having a fabulous day and enjoying the beautiful fall weather!

I just had a quick conversation with a new friend out in Florida. As many of you know, I am an Independent Consultant with a beauty/wellness brand called Arbonne International. This new friend of mine has a friend who is involved in the business, and now my new friend (we'll just call him "Smarty"!) is looking to incorporate Arbonne products into his makeup artistry business. So, as I started telling Smarty a little about why Arbonne is great for a makeup artists business, I began to realize exactly why I LOVE these products and the company. I'd love to share my top 5 reasons with ya!

1. Ingredient/Formulation Policy. Arbonne is not made with just ANY ingredients. We are botanically based, meaning that we use plant, flower, fruit, vegetable, and herb extracts to create our products. We also do not include mineral oils, synthetic dyes or fragrance in our formulations. Lastly, we are 100% vegan friendly, and most of our products are gluten free! I love that we really ARE creating pure, safe, beneficial products!

2. The products that we create promote beauty and wellbeing from the inside out...literally! We have a crazy product range from nutritionals, to skin care, to cosmetics, to detoxification, to aromatherapy...and our products are for all ages! We have men's skin care, womens, acne care, anti-aging, and even a baby line. There is no one who can't use Arbonne products. Our full range truly brings health and beauty together, and helps you create a beautiful body from the inside out...which is something that not many lines have managed to do.

3. I'm a makeup artist. And as I was telling Smarty, Arbonne allows me, as a makeup artist, to offer my clients products of superior quality that they can't find in stores. My clients must order directly through me because they can't just go to Macy's, Nordstrom, or even CVS to get these products. In my business, this also strengthens my relationship with clients because they are constantly relying on me to find out what's new, what's out, or what they can use for certain concerns. I offer them something EXCLUSIVE that they aren't getting anywhere else, and I truly la-la-love that!!

4. These products WORK!! Simple as that! Arbonne fuses beneficial, clean ingredients with cutting edge technology and proprietary ingredient blends to create effective products that deliver REsults! My favorite Arbonne technology is our Opti-light technology found in the cosmetics...creates a flawless complexion, and is a fave of makeup artists, photographers, and all of mankind!! ;)

5. Lastly, Arbonne allows me to help others. Whether by offering product solutions for a clients skin or nutrition concerns, by offering an income solution for a stay at home mom or someone who is unemployed, or offering a career change to someone who has fallen in love with the beauty and wellness industry...ARBONNE lets ME (little old Melissa Wilson from little old Rhode Island) be a part of something bigger. It allows me to teach and train others how to do the same. And THAT is what I love the most!!

So there you have it! My top 5 reasons why I love Arbonne! Hope that you might discover that you love it too!!

Are Natural Products Important To You

So many cosmetic and skincare brands have jumped on the bandwagon of creating "natural" products that eliminate the use of ingredients such as parabens, sulfates, artificial fragrances, and other additives that prove to be harmful. Within the past few months, many brands have either released or revamped product lines in order to stay in line with the trending market of natural product lines.

Personally, it's very important to me that I use a clean product line on my skin and hair. The way that I look at it is that my skin is the largest living organ of my body, and it protects all of my other vital organs. And just like I should feed the inside of my body healthy things to keep my organs performing in top condition, I should do the same for the organ on the outside, too.

So! My question to you is: do you find it important to use products that are natural, or contain natural ingredients?

Do share!

Five Tips for Fabulous Skin

So you say you want to have great skin, huh?

Well, there are five easy, basic actions that you should take daily to keep your skin looking fab.

Step 1: Drink PLENTY of water...I drink at LEAST 32oz of water on a daily basis. A hydrated body equals hydrated skin.

Step 2: Eat well...a diet rich in minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants will keep your skin looking its best.

Step 3: Wear SUNSCREEN...simply put, protect your skin from the sun's harmful UV rays. FACT: 90% of what you will look like in the future is based on external factors. Soooo...WEAR SUNSCREEN!!

Step 4: Keep your skin clean...always wash makeup off of your face at night. Every night that you go to sleep wearing your makeup, aging of the skin will increase. And we all know that's not cool. So make sure you wash your face off at night, and if your skin calls for it, wash it in the morning too.

Step 5: Use products that are CORRECT for YOUR skin...if you have oily skin, why use products for dry, chapped skin? Or if you're dry, why use products that target acne? Make sure that you are using a skin care regimen that is specifically tailored for YOUR skin type. If you are unsure about that, seek out the help of a PROFESSIONAL...and by professional, I mean someone who has been trained and preferrably has been to school to specialize in skin care.


There you have it! Follow these five easy steps, and follow them consistently, and I can assure you that your skin will stay looking its best.

Food For Though: Skin Care vs. Cosmetics

As many of you know, I am an Independent Consultant with Arbonne International, and I am building a business through that company. My business is still growing though, so currently, I do still work a full time job. For my full time job, I manage a beauty department for a national chain store. Every week, we get our sales reports in, and this tells us how each area of our department is doing. The main areas that I focus on are skin care and cosmetics. I'm not sure how other stores or beauty departments sales figures look, but one thing that I've noticed every week for the past few months now is that cosmetic sales always seem so much higher than skin care sales.

This got me wondering: What is more important to you ladies? The instant gratification of using cosmetics, or the long term benefits of using skin care items?? HMMM!!!!

Now, for clarification, cosmetic items would be considered your foundation, powder, concealers, etc. Skin care is considered to be cleansers, toners, moisturizers, eye creams and such. In the mass market (drugstores, department stores, etc.), companies are constantly coming out with new cosmetics that are formulated to clear breakouts, control oil, hydrate the skin, and fight the signs of aging...basically, watever your skin concern is, there will be a makeup that will cover it up! But what about good old fashioned SKIN CARE?? Do you ladies still find it important to cleanse, tone, and hydrate the skin with cleansers and moisturizers formulated for your skin type and concerns? Do you find it important to simply take care of your skin so that your face can ultimately become "makeup optional"?? Just a curious question that I've been wondering for a little while!!

Personally, I'm huge on skin care. I think its really important to actually care for the skin by cleansing it and keeping it hydrated. I also think its important to protect it by using SPF and other ingredients that will help it during the aging process (I WILL age gracefully gosh darn it!). Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my cosmetics! On any given day, the least I wear is bronzer or blush, mascara, and a good lipgloss (Arbonne Lip Polish in Posh is my color of choice (; ), but I still find it more important to care for my skin so that I don't feel that its necessary for me to leave the house wearing makeup. Plus, I feel that since your skin IS in fact your body's largest organ, good skin is a sign of good health.

So fill me in ladies!! Whats more important to you, wearing cosmetics or having an actual skin care regimen? I'd love to know!!

Just A Random Beauty Though...

I'm constantly exposed to a large variety of beauty products. My full time job as a Beauty Advisor at a national retail store exposes me to a lot of economy brand proucts. By economy brand, I mean brands such as L'Oreal, Neutrogena, Revlon, etc. I also work with premium French brands such as La Roche Posay, Vichy, and Lierac. Other brands in the premium category include Clinique, Estee Lauder, and Lancome. In my personal venture as an Independent Consultant with Arbonne International, I am exposed to products in the ultra premium product category.

While at work today, I began thinkin to myself...

In the past, I've used economy products. Personally, I would find that these products would work for a little while, but the results that I would see were not consistent. I'm very oily and prone to acne, and when using economy brands, my skin would be great one minute and then break out again. My mom is always shopping for something, and she would order Philosophy's Microdelivery Peel, as well as other Philosophy products. This is when I began to notice the difference in my skin when using premium skin care products versus economy brands. The texture of my skin began to change. Instead of excessive oil and pimples, my skin began to look clear and smooth. At one point, I had landed a Consultant position at the Clinique Counter in Manhattan. When I began to use their 3-Step skin care system and cosmetics from this brand, I began to notice a huge difference in how my skin looked. The oil in my skin was controlled, but I wasn't using a bunch of products with salicylic acid that were creating reverse effects on my skin (too much salicylic acid will absorb the oil in your skin, and eventually trick your sebaceous glands into producing MORE oil...leading to MORE breakouts. The result is NOT cute). I also noticed that when I used better quality cosmetics on my face, the results were much nicer as well. The makeup wore better. The eye shadows had stronger pigment and did not look chalky or wear off during the day, as some economy brands do.

For the past few months, I've been using ultra premium Swiss skin care products from Arbonne. And let me tell you, I've noticed a major difference in my skin. Now, I'm not being biased because I'm and Independent Consultant. I'm being honest because I've worked closely with a number of different brands, and I've also used a million different products. I have not had a problem with lots of oil or major breakouts since I've started using these higher quality products. When I wear makeup, I find that it looks and feels incredibly natural on my skin. In fact, the ingredients in the cosmetics actually benefit my skin rather than clog my pores and increase breakouts. I think I'm just finding that products that are better quality, and made with better ingredients are just better for me.

So, my though at work today was what do most women prefer? Do most women look for a great price on their skin care and cosmetics? Or, are consumers more partial to the quality of their beauty products?

Did You Know...??

Did you know that 90% of visible aging is caused by external factors? The main cause of skin aging is not time or family genes, but it is actually from the sun's UV rays.

So what does this mean to you??

Well, this means that you are able to PREVENT 90% of the aging that will happen to your skin simply by using sunscreen!

Do you use sunscreen on a daily basis?

Skin Care.....So What?!?!?

So, I work as a Beauty Advisor for a national retail store. It is part of my job to talk to people about skin care, products, and building a regimen. I want to educate my consumer. Its not that I push products on people, but its very common that they come to me looking for a solution to their skin concerns. This is where a consultation comes in. During a consultation, I try to get to the root of their problem by asking questions, like if they have any pre-existing skin conditions such as rosacea, eczema, etc., if they are sensitive at all to any specific ingredients or fragrance, and I discuss their skin type (dry, normal, combo, or oily). I also like to find out what it is that the client or customer is currently using, and why they are looking for something else...and to my chagrin, what I find is that people aren't really using much of anything!!! Let me elaborate:

It is unbelieveabley common for people to tell me that their skin routine consists of them just "splashing water" on their face to cleanse it, or even using a simple bar of soap. Water alone does not remove dirt (do you just use water to wash your body in the shower?), and bar soap normally isnt pH correct to your skin (skin has a normal pH of 4.5-6, whereas a bar soap has a pH of around 9-10...can we say DRY SKIN?!)

A normal skin care routine usually consists of a quick and easy three step process: Cleanse, Tone, Moisturize. At times, depending on your skin condition or concern, a fourth step of "Treating" the skin may be added. These steps, when used for your specific skin type and concerns, have been clinically proven to improve the quality and health of your skin. However, I speak to so many people on a daily and weekly basis, and its so suprising to find out how many people are NOT following these three steps.

There are all sorts of excuses as to why people do not properly take care of their skin: "I dont have time", "I cant afford it", "I'm not really into beauty". Let me give you the one reason why you SHOULD find a little extra time, money, and interest for taking better care of your skin.

Your skin is the largest living, breathing organ of your entire body. Your skin acts as a barrier to all of your internal organs, and protects them against external environmental aggressors. Your skin probably does the toughest job of all your other organs...without your skin, your organs will be exposed, and you will not survive...you don't see people walking around without skin, do you? People spend so much time and money on methods to keep their insides healthy (sure, you SHOULD be taking care of your body from the inside out), however, no one seems to think about taking care of themselves from the outside in.

By making a daily habit of Cleansing, Toning, and Moisturizing your skin twice each day, your skin and body will thank you. Some would ask: "Twice each day??!! Isn't once each day enough?" The answer to that is an honest "NO". The cleansing process in the morning prepares your skin for the day. If done correctly, it will remove any impurities that have found your skin overnight, prepare your skin to recieve moisture and makeup if you wear it, and it will also protect you from external aggressors such as pollution, and the sun's harmful rays which cause Cancer. When done at night, the cleansing process will remove all the dirt and debris that have found your skin throughout the day, prepare your skin for treatment (anti-aging, acne, etc.), and ultimately correct and improve your skin concerns.

So, the moral of this story is take care of your skin!! If you already are, then GREAT JOB!! But if you are someone who just "doesn't have time, money, or interest", my professional recommendation is that you find it. Those three steps could actually improve your life, and in some cases, save it.

Welcome!

Hello there, and welcome to my blog!! Let me introduce myself...

My name is Melissa Wilson. I'm 24 years old, and I am located in Rhode Island (for now!!). I'm a licensed cosmetologist and skin care specialist. I have been studying the beauty industry for almost six years now, and this is something that I am very passionate about. As a cosmetologist, my focus is on hair, skin, and nails, however, my main interest lies with hair and skin. This is because the two go hand in hand: people notice you from the neck up (in most cases lol) when they first meet you, and if you are confident that you look your best, then you will be confident in any situation. I am also very passionate about the health of your skin and hair. Your skin is your body's largest living organ, and your hair is an appendage of the skin...so take care of it!!!

So, let me tell you a little bit about my experience. I worked as an assistant in a salon while in cosmetology school. This means that I shampooed clients for stylists, swept up hair after their cuts, and basically did all the work that nobody else wanted to do. Once I became licensed, I became a stylist. I've worked with many different product lines, and have attended many different trainings for hair styling services. I have worked under and next to numerous stylists, whom I have learned a great deal from. I've also met a lot of great people. My interest in skin care and cosmetics came about while I was living in New Jersey. I began working at Macy's Herald Square in Manhattan as a Clinique Consultant. The knowledge that I gained from working as a Clinique Consultant, combined with my Cosmetology training, gave me the fundamentals I needed in order to speak confidently to others regarding their beauty concerns.

I have been trained in numerous hair care and skin care lines, and I take special interest in learning about what makes each line different and effective. I make it a point to further my experience and education. I am constantly attending trainings, seminars, and tradeshows, or just reading books and online articles about the industry. In addition to my cosmetology and skin care training, I also went to school for Marketing, and am working towards my degree in the field.

Currently, I work as a Certified Beauty Advisor for a national retail store. I also work part time as a Stylist in a salon. I provide hair and skin care services. In addition to those two endeavors, I own and operate a home based online skin care business. I'm quite a busy girl!! In my spare time, I enjoy sleeping (gotta get the beauty rest!!), learning, spending time with friends and family (and my Chihuahua Macho!), and just trying to enjoy life in general.

...So there you have it!! That's Melissa Wilson in a nutshell!! Please feel free to check back on my blog regularly. I plan on posting LOTS of useful information here for anyone interested in the beauty industry, or in the marketing/sales industry. If you have any questions, or if I can help you in any way, please let me know! Hopefully, you will enjoy my blog, and find the content here very useful.

Thanks for reading!!!