the truth serum

Have you discovered Ageist yet? It’s a digital publication designed to “shine a light on a new mindset and way of living” for the over-50 crowd. It’s fresh, empowering, and immensely fun. Ageist and its founder, David Stewart, have captivated Lisa and Kari for some time.  Both are inspired by his immense curiosity, and his emphasis on finding your purpose over passion to help others So, when David asked to talk to Kari about oil-based skincare, clean beauty, and how Kari came to be a believer. She was delighted to jump right in. Cue the conversation!   David:  Why is...

This is the time of year I love to think of small things to give to friends.  I’m that person who cannot sell what they don’t love and I love to share the things I do. Trust me, nobody on my list will ever get a fancy jar of roasted red pepper anything, in my mind, they are the vegetable menace.  So, for all my friends who may read this, go on and eat those red bell peppers, I won’t be the one diminishing the supply! I’m going to make this simple and call out the “what” it is and “why” I...

Laura, our Head of Marketing, was looking for something that was easy to make and easy to pack for a picnic. She wanted something healthy yet filling and "summery".  She turned to "Plant Power Bowls" by Sapana Chandra for some inspiration. The KG team met Sapana last year and everyone fell in love with her and this book. Laura instantly became a huge fan of this and wanted to share. Note that she didn't make the cashew dressing but instead just used some good olive oil and lemon.    Watermelon and Arugula Bowl Ingredients: 2 Big Handfuls of Arugula  2 cups cooked...

When Laura, our Head of Marketing, learned we were doing a lip whip named after Georgia O’Keeffe, she was happy. One, because she loves Georgia O’Keeffe and two because she is a native New Mexican. In fact, when Kari made her trip to New Mexico last year, Laura gave her a list of “don’t miss” foods and restaurants to keep Kari and her husband full and happy for days.   During these recent weeks of staying safe at home, Laura’s revisited her New Mexican roots by making Posole, one of her favorite dishes.  Posole is a spicy corn stew traditionally made...

Living in Seattle, we feel a deep connection to our surrounding mountains, lakes, forests, and Puget Sound. After all, Seattle's known as the Emerald City in Washington, the Evergreen State. That's a lot of green. So perhaps being conscious stewards of our environment is simply part of our DNA.   We at Kari Gran wholeheartedly embrace the idea of "eco-luxe." We aspire to be as kind to our planet as we are to our skin. We were championing Green Beauty long before it became the latest buzzword in the beauty industry. From the first cup of (sustainable) coffee in the morning to...

When I was 47 and saw 50 in my sights, I decided to finally get serious about exercise. Pilates and yoga became a serious commitment.  A decade after that, I stopped coloring my hair, made it through the gross grow out, and three years later, I’m finally not shocked when I see my reflection. Last year, at 61, I was recruited to be a “celebrity” dancer for a big charity event here in Seattle called Seattle Dances. This event is for Plymouth Housing, an organization that provides hope and housing to the homeless. This event represents 90% of its yearly...

Ever wondered what the term “Green” Beauty actually means? The green beauty movement started from a growing awareness of the harmful effect’s conventional cosmetics and skincare products may have on our skin, our bodies, and our environment. The green beauty barometer survey shows more and more women are paying attention to ingredient labels, wanting to make sure the products they purchase are good for the planet as well as their skin. Defining Green Beauty Products Surprisingly, there is currently no FDA set of standards or regulations that brands must meet to label themselves as green. This makes it tricky for...

This Sunday, March 8th, is International Women’s Day.  It’s a day to celebrate women and the positive impact we make in the world, socially, culturally, economically, and politically.   We've come a long way, baby, but there is still much to do. How Kari Gran Is Contributing. This year we’re especially excited about how we’ve chosen to commemorate this occasion. We’re teaming up with our friends at Grove Collaborative to introduce a fresh new Lip Whip color!  We’re calling this latest lip whip Georgia, sold exclusively through Roven (a subsidiary of Grove Collaborative.) The best part?  All proceeds from sales of...

Ask three people what clean beauty means, and you’ll probably get three different answers. It seems like a good time to share our point of view.                  What Clean Beauty Means to Us At Kari Gran, we believe clean beauty is simple. It’s the idea that we shouldn’t have to worry about what’s in our beauty products and how it might affect our health or our environment. It’s about combining organic, non-GMO and naturally derived, and ethically sourced ingredients into simple, yet effective products that make us feel good—and are better for the...

What do you look forward to on Valentine’s Day? A romantic dinner? A fun girls’ night out? Or do you just ignore all the hoopla and carry on? The one part of this holiday that I really enjoy is the chocolate part. The darker the chocolate, the better. 80% or more does the trick.  Still, it’s not a good idea for me to have an entire box of chocolates around, I tend to struggle with stopping at one. I’m trying to make healthy choices every day with what I put into my body, and an entire box of chocolate spells...