GREEN JUICE 101 // Beauty from within

Before I made skincare I made a lot of juice. Now I make a lot of skincare and a lot of juice. For me these two things go hand in hand.

Much of the beauty movement has been totally isolated from 'wellness' or internal well-being. As if acne, dermatitis, and any number of skin conditions are purely external. With the rise of green beauty we are starting to see the connection - that beauty - goes far beyond what is being slapped on your face, and is actually a reflection of what is going on internally. Of course we acknowledge that this internal state extends beyond food. The face also captures the emotional state of health and happiness. We've all seen the girl who might not be classically pretty, but  radiates beauty with attitude and aura. 

Which is all that really counts.  

There is nothing in the world that can open the floodgates to all of these worlds like green juice. Mineral rich, filled with vitamins and nutrients absorbed directly to the blood stream a properly made green juice can hydrate and fill you on a level that most people never experience. It helps alkalize your body, reduce inflammation, and can lead to improving any number of ailments. It also makes you happy! Because most of us walk around on the verge of dehydration, and are mineral deficient, green juice works like a more easily absorbed multivitamin and is totally invigorating. 

While making an investment in your own juicer might seem a little intimidating, start small. If you can find a juice bar - even Whole Foods - that will make a juice for you, go that route first. Fresh is absolutely the best and usually less expensive! While cold pressed (aka most bottled juices) are great, many of them are high pressure pasteurized and loose the vitality that you find in fresh. 

Here are our Top 5 Green Juicing Tips 101 

1 - Start Light. Most people don't have the palate for a hard core green juice right off the bat, and you want it to be enjoyable. Use celery or cucumber as a high water content, low sugar base. Two large cucumbers or 1/2 head of celery make about a 16oz juice. 

2 - Add a Little Green. Kale, spinach, collard greens, chard. These are all great sources minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, and a little goes a long way. Until your palate develops start with one or two leaves or a small handful.  Many people make the mistake of juicing a whole head of kale on their first round, and its just too intense (and not necessary). You only need 1 or 2oz of this juice. 

3 - Add Herbs. Herbs are the great detoxifiers. Parsley, mint, and cilantro are all favorites. One handful is enough. This will only yield .5oz to 1oz juice max. 

4 - Add Citrus. Lemon is great and balances out the flavor of the greens. If you think you're making a salad of sorts- the acidity will help cut the bitterness of the greens. We also love using orange, lime and grapefruit. 

5 - Add Spice. A sprinkle of cayenne, or juicing 1inch chunk of ginger or jalapeño is a way to boost the digestive and immune boosting properties of the juice. It also makes it taste extra delicious. 

**On fruit** While fruit juicing tastes great, we encourage starting green! High water content fruits like watermelon, melons, grapes, apples, pineapples etc are all amazing in the juicer and we love to add them from time to time, but we believe that the real impact comes from a mostly green juice. If you really can't handle all green try to stick to 4oz or less of the sweeter juices. 

Mostly, have fun with it! There are no rules in juicing, and if you can invest in a juicer there is really something so fulfilling and empowering to doing it at home. I have a Hurom juicer. It is easy to clean, and has slow press mechanics that work well. 

xx