Meet Your Maker: Jaime Schmidt of Schmidt’s Deodorant

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: deodorant is one of those essential products that needs to work! (No gal wants to clear a room because her well-intentioned, natural deo was a bust.) As you may have seen in our last post, we were very happy to discover that Schmidt’s Deodorant is one of those go-to, dependable products for everyone interested in using a healthy, natural option.

Jaime Schmidt, Schmidt's Deodorant

That’s why we were psyched to ask Jaime Schmidt, founder of Schmidt’s Deodorant, some questions about the natural deodorant biz and the Schmidt’s process. Read on to hear from Jaime, the natural deo master herself: she discusses her process for selecting scents, the future of the natural deo industry, and a bunch more.

Schmidt’s Deodorant has truly glowing reviews. What makes your formula stand out among other natural deodorants? How did you develop it?
Thanks! There are a few things that stand out about the formula. First is the ingredients and their sourcing: we use only the highest quality ingredients available. Then there is the production, which not only requires a specific combination of ingredients, but a very careful and “secret” process that gives us the great consistency and hand feel we’re looking for. This took over two years of R&D for us to get it exactly right. Of course, we put a great deal of effort towards our packaging as well: we want to ensure a positive, new kind of experience with deodorant.

Let’s talk about the “science of smell” and how your ingredients like baking soda and natural plant powders absorb wetness and fight odor. How does that work?

One key is to allow for the body’s natural process of perspiration – we don’t include chemical ingredients like other deodorant brands that are designed to keep you from sweating – rather, we use plant-based powders and top-quality baking soda to absorb the wetness if you do sweat.

These ingredients you mentioned, and more, help to balance our body’s natural odor in a more health-conscious way.

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Meet Your Maker: The Gurus Behind Healthy Beauty Boutique Follain

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The world of green beauty is growing, but it can still be a bit elusive at times. You have to order your new organic lip color online, praying (praying) that the actual shade matches the swatch on your computer screen. You have to hightail it across town to Whole Foods to restock your favorite shampoo so you don’t look like a swamp creature the next day at work (it’s either that or resort to your old sulfate-riddled shampoo lurking in the medicine cabinet…never surrender!).

So, what do you do when when you unexpectedly stumble upon a complete cornucopia of your favorite natural skincare and beauty products, laid out in a beautiful space, curated by green beauty pros that you’ve revered and followed for some time?

Uhhh, freak out, obviously!

That’s what I did when I discovered the temporary Follain pop-up boutique earlier this year at Union Market in my home city of Washington, DC.

Literally, I went out for home fries and and came home with RMS Beauty “Un” Cover-Up in shade 11, ILIA Tinted Lip Conditioner in Arabian Knights, and a whole lot of inspiration and happy vibes from the incredible Follain team.

If you’re not familiar with Follain: it’s an absolutely beautiful, Boston-based shop that stocks healthy skincare, haircare and cosmetic products. They carry 30+ of the best natural U.S.-made lines, like Soapwalla, Herbivore Botanicals, Farmaesthetics, and so much more. While the DC pop-up is closed for the time-being, they’ve expanded to a second shop in Nantucket, and best of all, you can get the Follain experience anywhere: their online shop is live!

Follain-ladies

I had a complete fangirl moment over the team behind Follain, founder Tara Foley and director of health and safety Holly Moore. I’d been a longtime fan of Tara’s insightful green beauty blog, The NATURAL CHEMYST, so it was a real treat to meet these two healthy beauty savants. They are some of the most knowledgable women I’ve met in the biz…they truly understand every facet of green beauty and have so much knowledge and experience to share: packaging, product, ingredients. They are deeply committed to making real change in the personal care industry as a whole, shedding light on the harsh chemical ingredients in mainstream products and celebrating the wholesome, healthy and effective natural ingredients in the lines they curate and carry. They’re already well on their way!

Anyway, enough fangirl-ing…I’ll let you hear about this shop’s wonder straight from Tara, Holly and Ashley, the Follain team. Read on to discover how Follain’s refillable soap program is spurring positive behavior change in Boston, a list of these healthy beauty pros’ favorite products, some AWESOME DIYs, and a bunch more.

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Talkin’ tans, toners & more: Q&A on Edible Facial

Ever wondered how to (safely) fake a tan worthy of a Floridian grandmother, or make your own all-natural deodorant? You’ve wondered BOTH, you say?! Well, look no further: today, we’ve got a Q&A that covers all that & more over on Edible Facial, the blog written by the always-inspiring and positive Sarita Coren (thank you, Sarita!). Check out an excerpt below and read the full ramblings here.

Organic beauty products

What are you using right now to cleanse and tone your skin?

KATHRYNE: I am using several products on rotation, including Acure Facial Cleansing Creme Argan Oil + Mint with Acure’s Seriously Hydrating Toner. I use this combo if I have had a particularly sweaty day and feel grimy. If I have had a low key day, I will simply use a warm washcloth and then moisturize. I have also been really in love with Angel Face’s Lavender Aloe Toner for a fresh midday pick-me-up.

JENNIFER: For cleansing, I’m using Osmia Organics Black Clay Facial Soap, morning and night. It’s gentle, nourishing and effective. When I feel a bit of build-up, I cleanse with Acure Organics Brightening Facial Scrub – usually a few times each week. It’s a very gentle exfoliant with clay and lemon peel, so it has just the right amount of grit!

For toning, I love Herbivore Botanicals’ Balance Facial Toner. It’s gentle, refreshing and smells INCREDIBLE. I love me some neroli-scented spritz!

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