Mandy Aftel, Founder of the Artisan Natural Perfumer’s Guild

Long before we knew we were leaving carbon footprints, and back in the days when drinking bottled water was tres chic, there was Mandy Aftel; owner and founder of Aftelier , the founder of the Artisan Natural Perfumers Guild creating fragrances that used only 100% natural ingredients. Most perfumers and corporations eschewed this methodology; natural and organic materials were expensive and volatile. The difficulties of obtaining only the finest ingredients, distilling essences and creating natural fragrances were not deterrents to Aftel’s mission – to disprove the popular belief that natural fragrances could never achieve the status of ‘fine fragrance’ which used synthetics in their composition. Aftel founded Aftelier, her own company and pioneered the way for the dozens of new fragrances popping up, hyping that their scents are greener and cleaner.

Today, many of these companies are touting their organic fragrances, claiming that they are certified by this organization or that, but few can stand up to the quality of Aftelier fragrances.

Formerly a psychotherapist and currently an author of six books, Aftel began her interest in perfumery just over ten years ago. She was researching the area for her next novel, where the main character was a perfumer. She recognized she had found her calling and started a revolution that we now take for granted as part of our environmentally conscious culture. In fact, one of the most interesting facts about Ms. Aftel’s many accomplishments is that she is working outside parfumery– in conjunction with large corporations such as Glaxco-Smith and with Clean Well to develop ‘green’ scents for consumer products.

Writer Hunter S. Thompson said, “The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There’s also a negative side.” While Thompson may have been exaggerating and focusing on the bad and the ugly, we are apt to agree that the music business lifestyle can wreak havoc on your skin, whether you’re a performer, a publicist, or a promoter, and regardless of your age.

The business demands a lot from your body. There’s late night parties and events, early morning meetings, lots of transoceanic travel, and hours upon hours under hot lights with layers of make up. The lifestyle puts your skin through the ringer and can –gasp!!- make you look much older.

In order to live the lifestyle and maintain skin that looks as fresh and smooth as it did when you were 21, Beauty News decided to come up with a regimen to target the specific needs of women who rock ‘n roll all night and party every day!

The Leather Pants Dilemma!
When you’re a rock chick, be it performer or industry insider, you need to be able to wrestle in and out of those skintight leather pants, so smooth, creamy skin is an absolute must. The 1-2 punch of Gabriel Couzian’s Washing Oil and Highly Nourishing Body Cream will assist with such a task. With its crisp, clean scent and light texture that melts into your epidermis, the cleanser and cream combo will keep your skin softer than a baby’s rump.

Available at Fred Segal. www.bliss.com and www.gabrielcouzian-usa.com

Glow, Baby, Glow!
Your skin has to be more than soft; it needs to glow like a Goddess’s during photo shoots for all those magazine covers you’re going to appear on. Drizzle a few drops of Nuxe Oil Gold Shimmer on your arms and legs, and your sexy skin will shimmer like molten gold.

Available at Henri Bendel, NYC and Beauty Collection, LA and www.nuxe.com

When we think of Mexican food, visions of diet-busting Margaritas and cheese-laden entrees come to mind. But believe it or not, there is such a thing as nutritious and low-fat Mexican fare! In honor of Cinco de Mayo, this May 5th, when all things Mexican are ‘caliente” , I’ve created the menu below, which gives you a variety of healthy and delicious tapas-style Mexican eats and treats to indulge throughout the year. (We’ve even included recipe links for each item for our FoodNetwork lovin’ D.I.Y. readers).

Buen Provecho! (Enjoy your meal!)

Sizzlingly Sexy Cinco de Mayo Spread

Beverage: Sangria – This fruit filled medley of wine is sure to pucker up those taste buds while also giving your bod a healthy dose of heart-healthy anti-oxidants. My personal favorite (note: easiest) Sangria recipe consists of simply pouring a mixture of red wines in a pitcher and adding fresh strawberries and plums to the mix. For the more refined wine-drinkers out there, check out this Low-sugar Sangria recipe.

Appetizers: Dip Trio with Soy and Flaxseed Tortilla Chips – A spread of various dips all focusing on fruits and veggies is sure to fill up your guests, while keeping their diet in check. Read on for my tasty dip recommendations:

Tomato Salsa: The chunky tomatoes in a tomato-based salsa are full of Vitamin C as well as the cancer fighting antioxidant, lycopene. And if you like your salsa hot – you’re in luck! Recent studies have shown that eating spicy foods gives your metabolism a calorie-burning boost. So add an extra hot pepper to your bowl of salsa and start burning!