I had the opportunity to speak with and interview Ms. Dana Jackson, the founder and creator of Beneath Your Mask.  As a skincare enthusiast and blogger, I have tried countless skin care lines and products. Many of the products I have tried have been aesthetically pleasing and well-formulated, and some of them have truly improved my skin in specific, targeted ways.  However, I never encountered a line comprised entirely of powerful, effective, healing, dynamic multi-taskers until I tried Beneath Your Mask.  Having tried samples and minis from various lines, I am very occasionally inspired to buy a standout product here or there; never have I felt compelled to immediately get a full size of every product in a line—until I tried Beneath Your Mask.  Every. Single. Product. Beneath Your Mask is the magic that results when a commitment to health and wellness meets a life of luxury and exquisite beauty decadence. If you have not yet read my review of the Beneath Your Mask experience, I encourage you to find out more about what all the fuss is about here.

On her website, Ms. Jackson shares the most vulnerable, beautiful story of personal transformation that I have ever read. I am not going to attempt to summarize it because it is perfect and true the way it is.  You can find Ms. Jackson’s story in her own words here. I guarantee that reading it will deeply enrich your reading of and excitement about the interview below, and if you keep your heart open, it just might help you feel more connected to your fellow human beings as well.

Through her battle with lupus, Dana realized, “The most important and hardest work has been taking off my mask and facing myself. I realized that God could heal me once I removed my mask and revealed my true self — not because He wasn’t willing to before, but because I hadn’t been willing to be vulnerable and humble enough to receive that healing. Hence my company name, Beneath Your Mask.”  Though fully embracing our true selves is difficult, “Beneath that mask lies a beauty that transcends being defined by society’s approval.”

Interview with Ms. Dana Jackson

Interview with Dana Jackson

Melissa (M): How has your battle with lupus informed your ideas about beauty and shaped the woman you are today?

Dana Jackson (DJ):  My battle with lupus really goes back and starts with beauty; I ended up getting diagnosed because I was going to the dermatologist and having what I thought were strange skin reactions to a prescription, but it eventually turned out to be lupus.  My battle with lupus resulted in me gaining 100 pounds of water weight; my skin was stretched to the point of pain and I got all sorts of stretch marks.  My hair fell out.  My eyes were swollen shut. I had visible lupus-related rashes.  As part of my treatment, I had to be on steroids and my face swelled up from that.

I had always valued brains over beauty, and I really didn’t devote that much of my energy or attention to beauty—until it was taken.  With my symptoms and treatment side effects, I felt like I looked like the Michelin Man, and I was extremely self-conscious. Being brought to that point deepened my sense of compassion, and I started seeing the beauty in things not traditionally considered beautiful.  When I left my life as a business manager in the music industry in Atlanta to go for lupus treatment in Los Angeles, I took one bag and the one pair of shoes that still fit me.  I left all my “stuff,” the material trappings of success behind, and its significance in my life diminished greatly.  Nothing material defined me.

Lupus took away all the “supposed to be’s” about beauty, status, womanhood, and by helping me let go of all of those pressures, eventually let me be comfortable in my own skin.

M: Can you tell me a little about what was missing in your former life as an entertainment business manager in the music industry despite all the glamor and material success?

DJ:  Looking back now, what was missing was purpose.  I am a go-getter and faced with a challenge, I could always get a specific result, as I am very resourceful. I was successful in my work, but I was working 20-hour days.  You have a huge team around entertainers, and to work well with them, you have to care about whatever they do and make it a huge priority.  I was spending tons of time and energy on ridiculous things that were in no way life or death matters.   So much of my energy and nearly all my time went towards superficial matters for people who were living in a bubble.  This was a stressful, around-the-clock job that just felt empty.

I started praying for purpose and I got diagnosed with lupus.  God answered my prayer, but not in the way I intended. I always tell people now, be very specific in your prayers.  Lupus was God’s way of stripping away things I overvalued and leading me to my greater purpose.

M: You describe a strong link between vulnerability and strength. Can you speak about their connectedness?

DJ: I am thankful that God sees enough in me to give me this opportunity (through the hard work of healing physically and emotionally) to make dramatic changes in myself and my life.  Not everyone has the opportunity to do that.  Now I look for the good and the beauty in everything.  Even in a pile of discouragement, I look for the small gems of value that I can take away.

M: How do you thrive in the face of lupus?

DJ: I try to make lupus a small part of my life.  I will say I have the diagnosis of lupus, but not that I “have lupus.”   I have taken supplements and incorporated Chinese medicine, but that’s really only a small part of what matters.  What impacts my health more than anything is my mood and stress levels.  The most important and the hardest part of thriving is the self-work.  That makes the biggest difference, but trying to change who you’ve been for thirty years is not easy.  There is no shortcut there, but it offers the best rewards.

M: Can you tell me the story of how and why you created Heal Whipped Skin Soufflé?

DJ: In 2011, I was in the hospital in critical care, had gained 100 pounds, and my skin was stretched beyond capacity to the point of extreme pain.  My mother was trying to soothe my skin, and we had to keep things very simple.  After discharge, I eventually lost a great amount of weight and was left with purple stretch marks over my body.  I started looking for solutions and came across Bio Oil, but I wasn’t satisfied with all the ingredients.  I started researching healing ingredients.  At first, I used them individually, but my style has always been go-big-or-go-home—I wanted something that did it all.  I began combining the ingredients I had researched and through many iterations, I eventually created this beautiful formula, Heal.  I made it for myself but gave some to loved ones at the holidays, and to this day, those people stockpile it, afraid of running out.

M:  When did you know you wanted to share your products with people more widely?

DJ:  I knew I wanted to create a line in 2013/2014.  I just didn’t have time, because I was still working in the entertainment industry.  I had a vision of Beneath Your Mask, but I just didn’t know the when and how, and there were other logistical issues like maintaining health insurance.  Eventually, the company I was working for was bought out.  I knew I wanted to launch my line, but it was still a huge act of faith.  I have invested literally every resource I have into launching Beneath Your Mask.  There are no investors, no backers, it’s all me. I’m paying for everything myself, putting everything I have and more into this.  Launching a business on your own is incredibly stressful, and I have to manage stress carefully or my symptoms (of lupus) will flare.  I’m striving to not take everything about my business so personally when, at the same time, Beneath Your Mask is literally my heart, sweat, and tears, my everything.

M:  How have you decided what ingredients to include in each product and where to get them?

DJ: Before I would choose an ingredient, I would research it and investigate where it’s naturally grown.  I wanted to source my ingredients in their most natural state from their natural habitat.  I really insist on the most therapeutic form of each ingredient, which means I source from dozens of different countries to get the very best.  This makes a huge difference in the therapeutic value of each ingredient and hugely amplifies what my finished products can do for skin.  I share everything I can about ingredients because I want Beneath Your Mask products to be completely transparent for customers.

M: What are your favorite things about each of your products?

DJ:  Heal Whipped Skin Souffle—this is bigger than a product. I created it in an act of self-acceptance and healing, and I didn’t intend to sell it.  People fell in love with how well it works. Ultimately, Heal helped give me a bigger perspective on life and helped me find my purpose.

Polish Detoxifying Body Scrub is unlike any scrub I’ve ever used. It’s not harsh, yet it’s extremely effective and doesn’t leave skin dry, it’s so luxurious, and I love how soft it makes my skin.

Indulge Body Elixir offers immediate soothing of itchiness, you name it.  I love how it instantly absorbs into my skin yet feels so indulgent.

Nourish Hair and Skin Serum does everything for skin and hair.  I love the scent, the glow, the hydration.

M:  What’s on the horizon for Beneath Your Mask?

DJ: We will be coming out with several new products:  a face mask, a face wash, a face toner, and a face serum.  We will be exhibiting at the Indie Beauty Expo in New York, which we’re beyond excited about!

Dana Jackson of Beneath Your Mask

The post Beneath Your Mask Founder Dana Jackson: An Exclusive, Candid Interview appeared first on The Beauty Librarian.

Beneath Your Mask, ecoluxe skincare line

Let’s talk about Beneath Your Mask, the phenomenal new skincare line from Ms. Dana Jackson.  If you haven’t read her personal story about her life-threatening battle with lupus and how that led her to start Beneath Your Mask, you are missing out on some powerful inspiration.  Please do yourself a favor and read it!  After you read her story in her own words, check out our exclusive interview here.

Ms. Jackson originally became interested in skin care out of a deep desire to heal the damage done to her skin by lupus-related weight changes and harsh medical treatments (i.e., chemotherapy).  She wanted products that were highly effective yet safe, non-irritating, and non-toxic such that they would not tax the immune system. Unable to find non-toxic products with the power to heal her skin in stores, Ms. Jackson decided to create them herself.  Through her exhaustive work as a formulator, Beneath Your Mask was born.  Each product in the line is crafted to restore and rejuvenate skin (or hair) while reversing the harmful effects of exposure to environmental toxins, health challenges, and stress.  The line—comprised of Polish Detoxifying Body Scrub, Indulge Total Body Elixir, Nourish Skin & Hair Serum, and Heal Whipped Skin Souffle–bridges the worlds of clean beauty and ultra-luxury and deep healing.  Using any one of these products is like a mini-trip to the spa; the scents, which are amazing and transporting, come from pure, steam-distilled essential oils.

In terms of the active ingredients in each of the line’s four products, Dana literally scoured the world to find the most restorative organic botanical actives available anywhere, such she sources her carefully-selected ingredients from 25 different countries.  All Beneath Your Mask products are free of phosphates, parabens, sulfates, toxins, GMOs, and synthetic colors or fragrance.  In one more example of exquisite attention to detail, every product comes packaged in dark violet Miron glass to lengthen its lifespan and increase the potency of active ingredients.

Now that you know a little about the “creation story” and uncompromising standards driving Beneath Your Mask, let’s visit each product.

Polish Detoxifying Body Scrub

I did not think I could love a body scrub.  I was wrong. Polish has the most divine texture of any scrub or exfoliator I have ever tried. The scent is exotic and alluring, and that is just one aspect of its considerable appeal.  On dry skin, Polish is a satisfying salt scrub exfoliator with nice initial grit that gradually transforms into a luxurious hydrating oil as you rub it in.  What you get is serious exfoliation and with a luxe hydrating finish.

I have very sensitive skin that generally cannot handle scrubs, but I fell so in love with Polish upon experiencing the way it melts into a rich oil, that I could not resist also using it on my face, multiple times.  Even with my sensitive skin, it was fine. You see, if you are in the mood for something gentle, Polish melts into a luscious liquid gold almost immediately when it contacts water. The result is a scrub that is miraculously adaptable and appropriate for all areas of the body (even the face) and all skin types (even sensitive). This kind of versatility is truly unique. With Polish, you can have anything from gritty exfoliation with a smooth finish to a rich and luxurious, face-appropriate cleansing oil. Either way, you get an amazingly nourishing, healing, and detoxifying formulation that leaves skin soft, smooth, and hydrated.

Polish is the first and only scrub I have ever loved. I have tried my share of products, and nothing else on the market even approaches it. A true multitasker, Polish is full of an array of healing ingredients to tackle signs of aging, inflammation, blemishes, free radicals, scars, stretch marks, and more.  In short, Polish is blow-your-mind wonderful.

INGREDIENTS: *Dead Sea Salt, §Aloe Vera, **Colloidal Oatmeal Flour, *Avocado Oil, Bentonite Clay, *Grapeseed Oil, *Sweet Almond Oil, †Golden Jojoba Oil, *Lemongrass Essential Oil, **Lavender Population Essential Oil, §Vitamin E, *Tea Tree Essential Oil

*CERTIFIED ORGANIC

** ORGANIC

†WILD HARVESTED

§NON-GMO PLANT SOURCED

Indulge Total Body Elixir

Beneath Your Mask Indulge Total Body Elixir is aptly named.  This revitalizing, nourishing, and protective blend is a far cut above any other body oil I have seen or tried. Rather than scrimping on high-quality actives and/or using lots of unpronounceable fillers (as so many body products do), Indulge Total Body Elixir knocks it out of the park with a results-driven blend of 19 pure and carefully-chosen plant oils.  These high-quality plant ingredients include, to name a few, Baobab Seed Oil from Senegal (hydrates, firms, promotes elasticity), Pomegranate Seed Oil from Israel (powerful antioxidant, diminishes both wrinkles and blemishes), Camellia Seed Oil from China (balances, maintains healthy pH), Sea Buckthorn Berry CO2 Extract from Germany (fabulous for taming inflammation and promoting healing), Macadamia Nut Oil from the US (reduces inflammation and promotes healing), Tamanu Oil from Madagascar (anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibiotic, and antioxidant properties), Myrrh Essential Oil from Kenya (anti-aging, revitalizing on a cellular level), Geranium Oil from Egypt (tightens skin, boosts UV protection, astringent and anti-inflammatory), and Carrot Seed Oil from India (balances and protects skin, offers rejuvenating effects).

What results is a multi-tasking, skin-transforming elixir bursting with a dynamic blend of anti-aging, balancing, healing, and antioxidant actives as well as beta-carotene and vitamins A, C, D, and E.  In addition to all the beneficial actives, Indulge is formulated to match skin’s natural lipid balance. I have never seen a body oil with such an impressive, beautiful ingredient deck. Indulge is the first and only body oil to impress me enough that I immediately wanted to put on my face.  (Yes, all things Beneath Your Mask are so well-formulated that I inevitably start applying them to my face.) Having used this decadent elixir on my face and body, I can tell you that Indulge absorbs easily, imparts a subtle radiance, and imbues skin with an incredible softness and smoothness.  Moreover, like all Beneath Your Mask products, Indulge is quite healing; it has helped calm irritation I had been experiencing and has also been soothing and non-aggravating for my blemish-prone skin.  In my mind, Indulge is green beauty’s premier body elixir.

INGREDIENTS: *Sunflower Oil,  *Baobab Seed Oil,  *Grapeseed Oil,  *Apricot Kernel Oil, **Camellia Seed Oil, †Golden Jojoba Oil, *Macadamia Nut Oil, *Sweet Almond Oil, *Tamanu Oil, *Pomegranate Seed Oil, †Sea Buckthorn Berry CO2 Extract,  *Ylang Ylang Essential Oil, **Lavender Population Essential Oil, *Grapefruit Essential Oil, †Myrrh Essential Oil, *Geranium Essential Oil, †Carrot Seed Essential Oil, *Lemongrass Essential Oil

*CERTIFIED ORGANIC

** ORGANIC

†WILD HARVESTED

§NON-GMO PLANT SOURCED

Nourish Skin & Hair Serum

Nourish is a comprehensive repairing and balancing treatment that achieves versatile benefits for both hair and skin in one magical blend. The ingredients are amazing and offer a wealth of ingredients both individually and together.  Here are just some of the highlights in this blend of 15 oils: Hemp Seed Oil from Canada (softens and strengthens hair, calms and pumps skin), Safflower Oil from Austria (promotes thickness and shine in hair, fights acne with high levels of linoleic acid), Rosehip Seed Oil from Chile and South Africa (revitalizes and reduces dandruff, provides hydration as well as antioxidants and essential fatty acids for skin), Macadamia Nut Oil from the US (prevents moisture loss and reduces hair’s brittleness, anti-inflammatory), Pomegranate Seed Oil from Israel (reduces build-up and dandruff, fends off free radicals and reduces skin inflammation), Neem Oil from India (increases manageability, prevents against acne scars), Lemongrass Oil from India (prevents dry scalp and hydrates skin), Lavender Oil from France (prevents hair shedding, antibacterial for skin), Tea Tree Oil (prevents build up in hair, protects against skin infections including acne while reducing inflammation), Carrot Seed Oil (strengthens and prevents split ends, healing and rejuvenating for skin) Sage Oil (combats hair loss, acts as an antifungal/antimicrobial/antioxidant/anti-inflammatory while providing hydration), and Rosemary Oil (balances scalp and stimulates hair growth, stimulates cell renewal and helps to heal problem skin) and Cedarwood Oil from Morocco (contributes to hair growth, protects and hydrates skin).

How does Nourish perform?  Nourish actually leaves my hair looking healthier—providing subtle sheen and sleekness without leaving a greasy residue or buildup. In addition to smoothing fly-aways and restoring luster, Nourish also boosts hair’s manageability, conditions, and even successfully prevents dandruff when used on the scalp.  I have definitely noticed a difference. The benefits of Nourish for skin are every bit as remarkable.  As someone with dehydrated skin prone to blemishes, I love the way Nourish hydrates skin while balancing it, prevents blemishes, reduces redness and inflammation, protects from free radicals, and rejuvenates–all in a single formula.  Without question, Nourish lives up to its growing reputation as the most comprehensive skin and hair serum ever made. Beneath Your Mask Nourish Skin and Hair Serum can do it all; I have come to think of it as my complexion and hair cure-all.

INGREDIENTS: *Hemp Seed Oil, *Safflower Oil, †Rosehip Seed Oil, *Macadamia Nut Oil, *Pomegranate Seed Oil, *Neem Oil, *Lemongrass Essential Oil, **Lavender Population Essential Oil, *Tea Tree Essential Oil, *Peppermint Essential Oil, *Thyme Essential Oil, †Carrot Seed Essential Oil, *Sage Essential Oil, *Rosemary Verbenone Essential Oil, *Cedarwood, Atlas Essential Oil

*CERTIFIED ORGANIC

** ORGANIC

†WILD HARVESTED

§NON-GMO PLANT SOURCED

Heal Whipped Skin Souffle

Can you imagine a decadent whipped skin soufflé that hydrates and heals the driest of skin (even cracked skin), soothes away irritations and redness, minimizes signs of aging by promoting skin’s elasticity, and protects skin from free radical damage, all while also healing blemishes and marks left behind?  It sounds too good to be true, but I found it all in Beneath Your Mask Heal Whipped Skin Souffle.  Heal is one of the most nourishing moisturizers I have ever tried, and it’s also an incredibly effective healing skincare product.  My skin is always in need of some sort of healing, and Heal Whipped Skin Souffle always delivers; moreover, Beneath Your Mask’s Skin Souffle heals my skin where other high-profile healing lotions and creams have failed.

Of all my skin woes, the worst and most stubborn issue I deal with is cystic acne across my jawline. The blemishes take forever to heal, and even once they finally resolve, they leave behind angry red marks that can take months to finally disappear. I tried countless products to no avail until I used Heal Whipped Skin Souffle. This luxurious and creamy soufflé is the one and only product I have found that helps heal my cystic acne; not only that, it is so healing that it rapidly minimizes acne marks as well.  I have been amazed.

Keep in mind that Heal, the best acne treatment I have found, is not even specifically targeted to acne; it is just extremely effective at healing troubled skin, whatever the trouble may be.  Having tried dozens upon dozens of reparative skincare products in my efforts to heal lupus-related inflammation and adult acne, I have never found a product that restores my skin like Heal does.  How does Heal achieve its incredible results?  With a superb formulation that includes Shea Butter from Ghana (nourishes and reduces inflammation), Vitamin E from Spain (fends off free radical damage and assists in healing), Grapeseed Oil from the US (regenerative and anti-aging), Avocado (speeds up healing) and Sweet Almond Oils from Kenya (softens, draws out toxins), Golden Jojoba Oil from Israel (balances skin’s pH and treats acne), AEA Certified Pure Emu Oil from the US (anti-aging, anti-oxidant, and brightening effects), Lemongrass Oil from India (reduces inflammation), Lavender Oil from France (antibacterial and antioxidant), and Tea Tree Oil from Australia (treats acne, cuts, sores, and irritation).  All these carefully-sourced ingredients come together in a synergistic blend in Heal to deliver incredible healing results. In a line full of exceptional products, Heal has rightfully earned its place as Beneath Your Mask’s hero and most beloved product.  Heal Whipped Skin Souffle has got to be one of the beauty industry’s best-kept secrets; Heal is a gem for anyone with vulnerable or imperfect skin (read, anyone).

INGREDIENTS: *Shea Butter, §Vitamin E, *Grapeseed Oil, *Sweet Almond Oil, *Avocado Oil, †Golden Jojoba Oil, Pure Emu Oil, *Lemongrass Essential Oil, **Lavender Population Essential Oil, *Tea Tree Essential Oil

*CERTIFIED ORGANIC

** ORGANIC

†WILD HARVESTED

§NON-GMO PLANT SOURCED

CONCLUSION:  I give my highest recommendation to every product in the Beneath Your Mask lineup. This is a line you are going to want to experience for yourself; your skin and your senses will thank me!

Beneath Your Mask lineup

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