What you wear on the top half of your body is important, because you want the focus to be on your face when you are interacting with people. So of course you want to make sure your skin looks its best, particularly the skin on your face. Therefore, good skin care is essential to one’s image.

Heliotrope founder Jonathan Plotzker and Fanny

Heliotrope San Francisco specializes in high-quality, all-natural skin-care products with a focus on local suppliers and simple, organic ingredients. Founder Jonathan Plotzker’s experience in product development and his work with small-batch chemists and aromatherapists throughout the Bay Area have brought clean, well-made, fragrance-free skin care to the market. I recently sat down and had a chat with Jonathan about his company’s approach.

What inspired you to create Heliotrope? 

I’ve been in retail in the Bay Area a long time, including a long stint at Bare Escentuals—back when skin care was the focus of the company. After I left my last corporate job, I thought, “how can I do what I like, selling a product I’m proud of, and work with people whom I respect?” I was pondering this when I happened to find myself in need of an unscented shower gel—and discovered it was impossible to find. Voilà, I found my newest calling.

Tell us about some of your favorite Heliotrope products.

I have so many favorites—I regret that I can’t use them all every day. The three I can’t live without are: the Shea & Beeswax Hand & Cuticle Therapy for my hands, the Aloe & Coconut Oil Moisturizing Liquid Hand Soap for every sink in my house, and the Cucumber & Aloe Healing Serum for my face, which cools and heals the skin when I’m feeling like I need some extra help. (I use it as an aftershave, too!)

Do I have to stop? What about the Olive Leaf & Neroli Moisturizer for my face? It’s rich but sinks in quickly, and the olive moisturizes while the neroli (essential oil of the orange blossom) helps reduce any redness and is a natural anti-inflammatory.

I can’t wait to try those; they all sound wonderful! And for those who can’t visit the store in San Francisco, I’m so glad you can order your products from the web site. What makes Heliotrope’s products unique?

First of all, we strive to use the best ingredients we can. Second, we produce everything locally—so your San Francisco Bay Area readers know that their purchasing power supports the local economy, keeps local people working, and saves on transport costs. Third, we don’t add any perfumes (or any other ingredients you wouldn’t want to use on your skin). Last, we’re affordable—our most expensive skin care product comes in at around $40.

I’ve heard you mention that with skin-care products, natural is better. What exactly is the definition of “natural” when it comes to skin-care products?

Well, the word “natural” is used a lot nowadays. Our goal is to use as much plant materials with as little processing as we can. That being said, a lot of perfectly natural, healthy ingredients are the result of processing—essential oils need to be distilled, for example; we need to get at the ingredients somehow (i.e. lavender oil), since we can’t just add whole lavender plants.

Another example is our use of plant-derived ingredients rather than lab-grown ones: we use decyl glucoside, a derivative of coconut oil, to make our gels lather; most shampoos and body washes use sulfates (industrial products) which dry the skin.

You mentioned that your products do not contain fragrance, but the soaps I purchased recently came in some yummy scents. If you don’t use fragrance, how do you attain the delicious smells in some of your products?

We use essential oils whenever we can—most of our facial care just smells like its delicious ingredients, with no perfumes (artificial or otherwise) added. Our bath and body care products are pretty much fragrance-free. We do add essential oil-based fragrance to our soaps and candles (although our fragrance-free soap is a best seller)!

There are so many products that make all sorts of claims to make our skin healthier and to make us look younger. What advice can you give us to help narrow it down and to demystify skin care?

It’s easy—your skin is your biggest organ, and it needs to be fed & cared for like every other part of your body. First and foremost, that means keeping it hydrated—both inside and out: drink lots of water AND moisturize to keep the hydration in. Second, it means only using what’s good for you—you wouldn’t put mineral oil in your body, so why would you want it in your hand lotion? It’s a petroleum derivative and doesn’t belong on your skin (besides its fossil fuel parentage, it clogs your pores)! We don’t believe in ‘miracle cures;’ we believe that all our skin’s needs can be addressed with what we find in nature.

That is very good news! Now before I let you go, summer is approaching. What advice can you give us on summer skin care? Do your products contain sunscreen, for example?

Unfortunately, we don’t produce any SPF products ourselves—YET. It’s a highly regulated, very difficult nut to crack. The small-batch local chemists and aromatherapists we work with do not operate on the kind of scale necessary to make sunscreens and deal with all the legal technicalities. Instead, we carry a few other high-quality sunscreens in our shop (the top-ranked offerings listed on the EWG database). They use physical screens (titanium and zinc) rather than chemical (oxybenzone and so on).

What do you do if you want to avoid the white face associated with natural sunscreens? Do what I do – be smart, wear a hat, stay out of direct sunlight at midday. I’m lucky fedoras are back in fashion.

Heliotrope San Francisco www.heliotropesf.com
1515 Church Street
San Francisco, CA 94131
(415) 643-4847

What's not to love?

Sure, maybe it reached its peak of viewership a few seasons ago. Yes, some of the professional dancers have become arguably more famous than the B, C, and D-list “stars” they are paired with. (Maxim and Karina, anyone?) Yes, it’s cheesy and geared toward a middle-American taste level.

But you know what? I can’t stay in a bad mood when I watch “Dancing with the Stars.” Ever. It makes me happy. And maybe I could stop there, but there are so many more reasons why I love DWTS.

Let’s start with the costumes. More glitter, spangles, feathers, sequins, than you can shake a satin glove at. And then there’s the what the women wear! Zing!

But seriously folks, for someone who is attracted to all things shiny, I’m drawn to the show like a raven to a rhinestone button. The costumes and makeup are enough to make a drag queen blush.

And of course, there is the dancing. This season has a noticeable increase in talent level, where in previous seasons there was always a Cloris Leachman or a Steve Wozniak to face palm over. So the dancing is incredibly fun to watch.

What else? It’s inspiring to watch many of these stars, most of whom have never danced before, learn and improve under the tutelage of their partners, and many of them become really good dancers.

Finally, there is a lot of shirtless and near-shirtless manly goodness to gawk at.

And now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to practice my salsa moves.

And once you've got the hang of it, add a patterned pocket square!

Navy suit, white shirt, solid color tie. Easy, right? And so boring! Guys, it’s easy (and fun) to create great-looking shirt and tie combinations by mixing patterns. Here’s how to do it:

Rule #1
Vary the weights between patterns, pairing large with small. For instance, a small check in your shirt with a larger check in your tie.

Rule #2
Start with the dominant color in your shirt and select a tie that has a background or accents in that color.

Rule #3
Try opposites on the color wheel; they get along very well. Orange with blue; red with green; purple with yellow; and so on.

None of us can afford to go out and buy a new wardrobe every season or even every year, but you can feel as though you have when you spend some time shopping in your own closet. 

Use it or lose it.

If you haven’t worn something in a year or more, get rid of it. It’s taking up valuable space in your closet and keeping you from seeing the good stuff. Consider taking better items to sell or consign, and putting the money toward new purchases.

Break up your suits

The matchy-matchy suit is no longer the business attire of choice for most women. But you don’t have to get rid of suits that still fit you and are in good condition. Take the jacket and put it over a dress, or pair it with some trousers and a colorful blouse. Take the bottom piece and put it with a blouse, topping it with a cardigan instead of the jacket.

Update an outfit with accessories

A new handbag, pair of shoes or just a scarf can do wonders to bring an outfit in line with the season’s trends. So can some great new jewelry. How about adding a colorful, fun belt to a dress?

Start with the basics

Your wardrobe should be built on a foundation of basics, many of which you probably already own. A classic, well-fitting pair of trousers. A sheath dress. A pencil skirt. Jackets and cardigans. Start with these and add “fun” items like trendy tops, prints, and colorful accessories. 

Create clothing capsules to get more outfits

A clothing capsule is a group of 5 to 8 items that all go together in terms of color and style, and with which you can create multiple looks and outfits. For example, a black pencil skirt + a print blouse in teal, beige and brown + a brown jacket + a teal cardigan + a beige v-neck sweater + a pair of jeans = at least 10 cute outfits!

Lack of attention to the details

Your work is impeccable, so shouldn’t your clothing be as well? Otherwise it sends a conflicting message to your clients, coworkers and boss. Are your clothes clean and pressed? Shoes clean and polished with heels in good shape? Stray threads trimmed? Buttons intact? If you aren’t paying attention to these details, how will you inspire trust in your clients, coworkers, and boss that you are paying attention to details in your work?

Not being current with your image

You don’t need to go out and buy a new wardrobe every season or even every year. Just adding a few current pieces every few months will help keep you looking sharp and with the program. A stylish new jacket or some accessories of the season are sometimes all it takes to freshen up a look. A dated hairstyle or outfit may send a message that you aren’t up-to-date on other vitals like technology or the cutting edge of your industry. There’s nothing wrong with wearing classic clothing, but even the most classic styles need to be updated from time to time.

Poor grooming habits

This is another way to pay attention to details, but rather than your clothes, grooming is about more personal details. Hair neat and in place? Nails neatly trimmed or manicured? Breath socially acceptable? Women, are you wearing an appropriate amount of makeup? Studies have shown that women who wear a moderate amount of makeup at work are considered more trustworthy and competent. And men, facial hair in the workplace is a touchy subject, so if you choose to wear it, make sure it is neatly trimmed and well-kept.

Dressing for yourself rather than the client

There is nothing wrong with expressing your personality through your wardrobe, but keep the culture of your industry in mind. Someone working in law or finance will have more limited opportunities to get creative with their clothes than someone who works in graphic design or in the arts. Again, it’s about inspiring trust in your clients, respect from your co-workers, and confidence from your boss. Keep a jacket handy for those unexpected meetings when you want to elevate your look and feel extra confident.

Too much skin

If you want to get noticed for your work, then you need to steer clear of plunging necklines, tops that bare too much arm, skirts that are too short, or clothes that are too tight and revealing. Lots of us put in hours at the gym or tanning salon, but work is not the place to show off those tanned and toned legs and arms. You may be proud of your cleavage but is it really the thing you want to be admired for at work?