In Fiore’s Julie Elliott shares her skincare secrets.
“I believe in perfumery as medicine,” says Julie Elliott, founder, CEO and chief formulation officer of In Fiore, the San Francisco-based apothecary filled with powerfully potent handcrafted skincare and fragrances. “Scents are an expression of a plant’s healing power and the healing power of fragrance,” she continues. “When we inhale a scent, specifically essential oils, they pass through the olfactory pathway and activate our body’s capacity to heal by optimizing the vagus nerve’s healthy function—the communication link between our brain and our body.”
Elliott launched In Fiore in 1999, long before the words “clean” and “natural” were de rigueur in the beauty industry. While she’s inspired by old-world apothecaries, Japan’s rituals and strict standards have a deep impact on In Fiore’s ethos as well. “Everything I know about the importance of rigorous vetting of ingredients I learned from my Japan team,” she says.
Vis Claire Supreme firming eye cream.
Elliott attracted international recognition last year when In Fiore launched Fleur Vibrante Serum Serate, a uniquely textured balm that represents a new era for the brand. “It was a labor of love,” she says. “The final formulation took 52 rounds to nail. I think I cried for three days once we nailed the formula.”
Never one to rest on her laurels, Elliott’s latest creation—a trio of herbal supplements that combat stress, stimulate the lymphatic system and increase immune response that she developed with Dr. Kevin Spelman—is bringing the brand to new heights. “Each supplement is underscored by the energetic effects of flower essences for total body, mind and spirit integration,” she says.
Tangiers Baume Pour Le Corps
Morning
After splashing her face with alternating warm and cold water, Elliott presses a mix of Agent Nateur’s powdered vitamin C with In Fiore’s Vitale Toning Flower Essence into her face, neck and decollete. “I then go make my espresso and allow some time to absorb,” she says. Next she applies In Fiore’s Fleur Vibrante Serum Cerate followed by the brand’s Complexe de Fleur Cellular Renewal Complex. She finishes with In Fiore’s Vis Claire Supreme Firming Eye Complex. After dry brushing her body for up to 15 minutes, she takes a 30-minute contrast shower for a lymphatic boost. Lastly, she applies her brand’s Calendula Solution Botanique to her entire body.
Fleur Vibrante Serum Cerate
Evening
Elliott starts her nighttime routine with a four-minute facial massage using In Fiore’s Lustra Illuminating Cleansing Essence before applying the brand’s Treate Gentle Cleansing Emulsion to emulsify the oil without stripping the skin and disrupting pH balance. Then, she rinses with warm water for two minutes, followed by cold water for two minutes. “This helps stimulate circulation and lymph to revitalize skin,” says Elliott, who performs this ritual four or five times per week. On alternate nights, she’ll do a simple cleanse and a mask, either Jan Marini’s Skin Zyme or Evan Healy’s French Rose clay mask.“Next I apply Fleur Vibrante Serum Cerate to my face, neck and decollete to seal in skin’s natural moisture and replenish the lipid barrier.” After applying her eye cream, she takes a therapeutic bath—filled with sea salt or kosher salt—one hour before bed. ”Baths can dry out the skin, especially as we age,” she says. “So I follow with one of our rich body balms to replenish and nourish the skin.”
Photography by: PHOTOS COURTESY OF IN FIORE
