Reiki, Yoga, Breath, Beautycounter

Consultant Jen Kessenich Tells Us Her Story

Westhampton-based Jen Kessenich is an arbiter of wellness: She spends her days running her small business eagleOM, where she leads corporate businesses through vinyasa flows, teaches yoga for golfers (to help increase range of motion, flexibility and endurance), and even holds classes for wee ones to exercise shavasanas and downward dogs. Her stance on living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t end with the yoga mat, and she recently joined Beautycounter as a Consultant. Here, the mother of 4 tells us how she came to start her relationship with safe beauty. Read on for her story.

“I have always been a self-proclaimed product junkie. I have a vivid memory of sitting with my grandmother and seeing a lipstick commercial appear on the television. The spokesperson for these magical beauty sticks kept referring to its target audience as “women”. I was probably four years old, and knew that this product was not meant for me, but I wanted it. This was my earliest memory of coveting a product.

As I grew older, my fascination didn’t waver: In junior high, I got a job as a babysitter and saved all my money to buy department store make up. When my friends were still buying Bonnebelle at the drugstore I would sashay up to the Clinique counter and buy Raspberry Glace without skipping a beat. I had perfect skin – and a skincare regimen – from the time I was 12 years old. My mother and her friends would ask me about product.

When I was 18 years old, I found out I had malignant melanoma on my throat. Despite my lily white complexion, I was my mother’s constant beach companion. My childhood summers were spent burning and peeling. I had a mole on my throat for years but my grandmother told me it was a beauty mark so I believed her. I didn’t know the difference between a safe mole and a cancerous mole, but luckily it was caught in time and I am cancer-free. I still love the beach, but now I sit under the umbrella and wear sunscreen.

About 5 or 6 years ago, I had my ah-ha moment after inhaling some toxic chemicals during a spray tan. I realized that holding my breath while getting misted with tanning solution, wasn’t preventing chemicals from penetrating my skin. From there on out I made a conscious decision to try and use safer products. I would try to pick products with simple labels, with the hopes that the simpler the design, the more natural it was. But, when I would investigate, I’d realize I had fallen for marketing ploy and plain brown wrapper filled with a chemical-laden formula.

Just recently, I was at a friend’s house, and I commented on how great she looked. She was using Beautycounter and told me to try it. She said that it went with my whole vibe. I am a Reiki Master and a Yoga teacher, I teach golf fitness and Yoga for golfers, mediation and breath work, and council people on how to get healthier through juicing and clean eating. The mission statement of my business is “to bring balance, clarity and well-being to all walks of life and to help you live from a place of wholeness that is your birthright”. Simply stated, I do what I can to help you feel better. Part of feeling better, especially for women, is having the confidence that they are doing something really great for their own well-being. Great skin makes you feel good. Using products that have no contraindications to your health makes sense to me. Using safe children’s products on kids makes even more sense.

I love that Beautycounter’s mission is in line with eagle om’s. Beautycounter’s mission statement promises that “We will never exploit industry loopholes that allow companies to keep secrets. We tell you everything.” I say: Tell me everything. I am a sponge and ready to absorb it all. I am just starting my Beautycounter adventure and I have to say, I feel better already.

www.jenkessenich.beautycounter.com