Exciting News: Our New Name and Brand!

We are so excited to share that The Foundation for Living Beauty is now officially the Living Beauty Cancer Foundation! In recent months, the Living Beauty team and board have been working to implement a brand update that we feel better represents the organization that we have grown into for the past 19 years.

Inspired by Living Beauties

Our new brand and aesthetic were created with Living Beauties (the women we serve) in mind. As we have grown over recent years, the stories they have shared with us and the connections we have made with the women we serve have inspired us to bring new light and life to Living Beauty to represent the vital work that we do.

Elevating Our Brand

We have worked to elevate the brand and make sure that the light and energy that Living Beauties bring to every program shines through in our updated logo and new colors. With elements of the earth’s energy and the warmth that we have experienced with one another at retreats in mind, we chose four new beautiful colors.

Our new color palette. Four different sized circles, each a different color: lavender, cream, sage, and terracotta.

Updated Logo with Meaning

We have also updated our logo! The lotus flower is still the main focal point. It is a symbol of perseverance and beauty shining through the murky waters of life and represents the resilience of Living Beauties. The ribbon in the middle represents the cancer journey and resembles a woman sitting in the lotus yoga position. The thinner lines are used to improve connection and symmetry.Logo featuring a lotus flower at the top center. Below, the text 'Living Beauty Cancer Foundation' in a clean, modern font.

Celebrating Growth and Connection

Living Beauty Cancer Foundation has seen such amazing growth in recent years, and we are so excited to have had so many amazing Living Beauties, donors, supporters, and facilitators on this journey with us. Our new brand represents the connection between all of us and the beauty that all of you bring to this amazing organization.

Support Our Mission

If you would like to support the Living Beauty Cancer Foundation and help provide vital wellness and support services free of charge to women with cancer, you can become a monthly donor!

Interested in Learning More About Our Programs and Services?

Learn more about Living Beauty’s programs and services here.

Read About our Beauty of Change Fashion Show and Cocktail Party!

On October 26th The Foundation for Living Beauty held our Beauty of Change Fashion Show and Cocktail Party fundraising event! The event was in partnership with two amazing women-owned fashion brands, Everviolet which makes lingerie designed for women with cancer, and StyleEsteem, which makes beautiful turbans and headpieces. The stunning pieces from both of these brands were modeled at the event by our Living Beauties, the women with cancer that we serve!

 

 

It was a truly inspiring evening as guests heard the stories of two of our Living Beauties Ali Spuck and Erin Gershik, who is also our board chair! Watching our models strut their stuff on the runway in front of 100 people was so exciting and moving as we had watched their confidence grow tremendously from the morning rehearsal to the evening show! It was so exciting and moving to see the sisterhood they share with each other on their cancer journey and their courage when modeling the beautiful lingerie and turbans.

 

 

We are so grateful to all those who supported the event as well as our amazing sponsors City of Hope, UCLA Health, Thrive Causemetics, Printspot, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Lemon Drop Cookie Shop, and Exnihilo Paris. And a very special thank you to Kiera Kotler from Everviolet and Sonya Keshwani from StyleEsteem for partnering with Living Beauty and allowing us to feature their amazing fashions!

 

 

To learn more how to support The Foundation for Living Beauty and our mission to educate, uplift and empower women with cancer visit www.livingbeauty.org/get-involved/donate!

 

 

Meet Living Beauty Executive Director Nancy Davidson!

Nancy Davidson is the Foundation for Living Beauty’s Executive Director! We are so grateful for her commitment to growing the organization and expanding our reach to serve even more women!

Keep reading to hear from her about her time at Living Beauty!

 

Nancy (second from the left) with Living Beauties at our golf tournament!

Hi, I’m Nancy, the Executive Director of The Foundation for Living Beauty. I have spent more than 35 years in non-profit management, and I love what I do with Living Beauty! Once I met Amie Satchu and learned more about Living Beauty, I knew this was where I wanted to be. I have been with the organization since 2016, and we have grown and changed so much in that time! From around 300 women then to more than 1,400 women now, our programs and services have evolved to meet a growing and more geographically diverse sisterhood.

I love our Living Beauties. I love the fact that they are willing to share their journeys with us. I love the connection we have with them, and the changes I see in their lives as they experience wellness retreats, workshops, movement classes and sisterhood events. I’m proud that we are making a difference in their lives during such a challenging time, and that we are there to experience both the highs and lows with them and walk beside them.

Speaking of our Living Beauties, I am so excited about our upcoming Beauty of Change fashion show on October 26th! Our lovely beauties will model lingerie created for women with cancer by everviolet. Not only is it a beautiful event, but it is a self-affirming, confidence-building, amazing experience for women who are embracing their new normal after cancer. There’s never a dry eye in the house, and I love bringing this experience to our women and to our supporters!

I’m so grateful to be with Living Beauty, and with the amazing team of women who make everything possible. Indyra, Ariana, Mariella and Jade are the best, and together, we are creating magic!

Living Beauty Debuts a Brand-New Overnight Retreat!

Last week, twenty-two Living Beauties gathered at the beautiful UCLA Lake Arrowhead retreat center for our first-ever Elemental Overnight Retreat led by the amazing Kristin Dwan! The retreat was specially designed by Kristin and Indyra, Living Beauty’s program director, to take Living Beauties on a journey through the five elements exploring their healing powers. What is even more special about this collaboration is that Kristin is a Living Beauty herself and while attending a retreat at Lake Arrowhead in 2022, her and Indyra were inspired to create the Elemental Retreat. Six months later the seed of an idea that they planted at that retreat came to fruition and the rest is history!

 

Kristin leading Living Beauties in a workshop about our inner child and how our conscious mind is formed as a child.

 

The retreat was created around the 5 elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. Each element has specific qualities that can be harnessed to help anyone on their journey through life and more specifically for our Living Beauties their healing journey after cancer. At the retreat, we used Earth to ground our intentions, Water to cleanse and feel them, Air to dream and clear your mind, Fire to activate and Spirit to connect and level up your healing intentions.

 

Each of these candles represents an element. Kristin used them to call in the elements during our practice. The candles surrounding the elements represent a Living Beauty and her intention for the retreat.

 

Everyone Living Beauty created a seed (or intention) for the retreat that they spent the 3 days focusing on bringing into existence. Kristin helped guide them through this process by leading Living Beauties in hypnotic journeys, breath work, reiki, healing time in nature, a bonfire to cut cords with worries and create a clean slate, and deep connection and sharing time with each other.

 

After the retreat one Living Beauty stated, “I have a new sense of self. I feel lighter than I did when I first got here. I am extremely overwhelmed with love and acceptance. This is exactly what my heart needed.”

 

We are so grateful to Kristin for bringing her expertise in Hypnotherapy, Reiki and navigating the elements to The Foundation for Living Beauty! You can learn more about her practice and get in contact with her by visiting www.thehealingwoods.com. As always Indyra created and executed an amazing retreat and we can’t wait for the next one!

 

 

If you are a woman with cancer, click here to learn more about how to become a Living Beauty and participate in retreats like this one! To donate to The Foundation for Living Beauty and help provide more programs like these to women with cancer please visit www.livingbeauty.org/get-involved/donate/.

 

 

 

Meet Living Beauty Program Director Indyra Flores!

Indyra Flores is the Foundation for Living Beauty’s Program Director! Her role at the foundation is to create and execute all of the amazing holistic wellness programs we offer to women with cancer. We are so grateful for her dedication and the incredible work she does!

Keep reading to hear from her about her job as Program Director for Living Beauty!

Hello Living Beauty Community!

I am the program director here at this amazing organization that supports women with cancer through holistic programming. I am so fortunate to be a part of creating the experiences that make up what Living Beauty is about. My background in psychology, energy work and body work helps me see the healing process as a holistic experience; one that addresses the body, mind and spirit. I also use a trauma-informed approach when creating programs for Living Beauty; keeping in mind the taxing experience of cancer treatment. I believe that ultimately, the healing journey is the path where we remember the connection we have to our Selves. There are so many ways to find that, and I am so grateful for the knowledgeable facilitators that join our Living Beauty family to help guide you there.

I enjoy what I do so much! I love helping people find the tools they need to heal, find the connection with each other and themselves.

I am entering my 10th year here at this wonderful organization. I look forward to serving you for many more!

~Indyra

Announcing Our New Living Beauty Marketplace!

The Foundation for Living Beauty is so excited to announce the official launch of our Living Beauty Marketplace! You can now shop the collection of amazing goodies here and all net proceeds from your purchase go directly to providing holistic wellness programs and support services to women with cancer!

 

The Foundation for Living Beauty aims to educate, uplift, and empower women with cancer and cancer survivors. Proceeds from your purchase on our marketplace help to further our mission and reach even more women who need the support we provide. The goal of our marketplace is to feature women-owned brands and provide products that are designed for women with cancer in mind.

 

Our marketplace includes lots of exciting items such as Living Beauty branded clothing, tote bags, hot drink cups,  water bottles and more!

 

 

We also have specially curated items on our marketplace from our sponsors. You can purchase items from Everviolet, a woman-owned lingerie company that creates products specifically designed for women with cancer. You can purchase The Untamed Elemental Oracle Set, a beautiful oracle deck created by artist Tasya van Ree who is a generous supporter of The Foundation for Living Beauty. We also have jewelry from Lee Brevard available for purchase designed by a Living Beauty highlighting the lotus flower that is on our logo!

We are so grateful for your support and happy shopping!

 

You can shop the Living Beauty marketplace and learn more about the brands featured in this post by visiting www.livingbeauty.shop.

 

Board Spotlight: Beauty Expert Holly Moore!

 

We are so excited to highlight Holly Moore who has been a member of The Foundation for Living Beauty Board of Directors since 2018!

Holly Moore is currently the Vice Chair of The Foundation for Living Beauty Board. Her public health background, specifically in relation to women with cancer, and her expertise in the beauty and skincare industry have been an extremely valuable addition to Living Beauty!

As an organization for women with cancer, we know the side effects that certain cancer treatments, like radiation, can have on the skin, including sensitivity, redness and even burns. We also know the potential negative impact that certain chemicals and ingredients can have on our bodies whether we are ingesting them in food or absorbing them through skincare. Holly’s background helps the foundation connect with different skincare and beauty brands that share our understanding of the importance of self-care through beauty products as a form of wellness, and the desire to cater to the unique needs of an immunocompromised population such as women with cancer. Recently, Holly was featured in an online publication in Oprah Daily called “What ‘Clean Beauty’ Means Now.” You can read the article here.

 

Holly at an event with our corporate sponsor Stella McCartney.

 

We asked Holly a few questions about her role with Living Beauty and her amazing contributions to the beauty industry. Keep reading to learn more!

 

What made you want to be a part of the Living Beauty board?

While studying for my Master’s in Public Health in 2011, I took a class on women’s health policy, and I dedicated most of my class research to understanding the socioeconomic impacts of cancer on women in the United States. I was fortunate to have a supportive professor who encouraged me to map the policy landscape of this disease by analyzing what support networks and research groups existed, along with their missions. During this mapping process, I noticed a significant gap in groups that focused on the emotional and social well-being of women going through the experience of cancer. Specifically, organizations that sought to empower through education as a way of uplifting women.

 

Flash forward seven years; I had the privilege of meeting Nancy Davidson, Executive Director of The Foundation for Living Beauty. When Nancy walked me through the mission and vision for Living Beauty, I couldn’t help but feel that this was the missing organization I had been searching for. I immediately volunteered my time and any resources I could share. Several conversations later, Nancy invited me to join the Board in 2018, and I’ve been honored to support Living Beauty ever since. In 2023, I’m proud to have been appointed Vice Chair of the Board.

 

How has the “clean” beauty industry changed in the past few years since you started The Ingredientist, and what makes you excited about the future of the beauty and skincare industry?

Regarding industry change, the short answer is: it’s complicated! I started in the entrepreneurial and “indie” beauty sector, but I don’t tend to associate with the term “clean” anymore. That’s not to say that I look down on it nor underestimate the power of claiming “clean” as a movement, but as a conscious and science-backed concept, it’s misused and diluted as it’s gone mainstream. I wish that weren’t the case because it ruins the original intention behind “clean” for everyone, which at a minimum, is to signal to consumers that the formulas are vetted against environmental health touchpoints for safety.

 

From a regulatory perspective, there is no universal legal definition of “clean,” so it is entirely up to the brand’s interpretation of the term, which can breed consumer confusion from company to company. From an ethical perspective, the term is sadly often utilized by brands in a marketing act called “greenwashing,” or when “clean” formulation, standards, and sustainability claims are false or misleading.

 

The Ingredientist is a science-driven branding and product development consultancy. I embody the equivalent of a Director of Product Development for multiple brands. When it comes to vetting a new client match, rather than rely on the term “clean” to determine alignment, we go beyond to look at the “business ingredients” of the brand ranging from their mission, vision, supply chain, products, marketing, and education. Across the brand’s “business ingredients,” we look for a commitment to progressive principles, which determine quality, ethical, and sustainability standards.

 

All this is to emphasize why it’s so important to have brands rooted in cosmetic science. I ensure that the science is authentically communicated across the “business ingredients”, in particular when it comes to product positioning, marketing, and education. Founders, executives, chemists, and marketers can speak different languages, so translation across stakeholders becomes a key priority for me to get everyone aligned.

 

I’m most excited about technology in beauty and its implications for ingredient sustainability and skincare solutions for various conditions. Microbiome research is a keen area of interest for me, and I think we will see some serious innovation happening there in the next few years. I’m hopeful for this research mainly for promising solutions related to caring for immunocompromised skin, which can be the case for many people going through the experience of cancer.

 

Can you tell us about your involvement with facial spa, Cheeks + Co., and the inspiration behind the face serum you created called Tidalshift?

Cheeks + Co, a modern facial spa in Pasadena, CA (with more locations coming in 2023 and 2024), is redefining the spa experience by encouraging each client to reclaim “a space for you.”

 

Cheeks + Co is the first public-facing product development partnership for The Ingredientist. So I’m thrilled to talk openly about the immensity of work that went into the branding, product formulation design, and ingredients chosen. Over 16 months leading up to the launch in December 2022, I worked directly with the Founder, Tina Uzzardi, to conceptualize the skincare brand and create a product pipeline that physically embodies the spa’s mission and gives people the tools to further self-care at home through skincare.

 

Before I jump into the product, I want to touch on the inspiration behind the brand. When Tina and I landed on the concept, it was an “aha” moment! We kept returning to what it means in a modern scenario for our skin to face the elements daily, especially in a rapidly changing world as far as climate is concerned. Themes of strength, resilience, adaptability, and momentum were constantly on our minds. Then we zeroed in on the extreme biodiversity of California as a way to illustrate the variety of elements we can weather in quick succession (plus, Tina is a California native). Within two hours in California, you can go from below sea level in a hot, arid desert to freezing conditions at over 6700 ft elevation in the mountains. Tidalshift, the debut product, was realized in understanding how climate fluctuations and environmental stressors affect the skin. #facetheelements is the brand hashtag for that reason. Plus, each product in the line will have assigned geo-coordinates as a fun discovery moment that leads to an iconic place in California that inspired the product creation.

 

Tidalshift, inspired by McWay Falls in Big Sur, is an ocean-blue, skin-strengthening serum that provides foundational benefits for all. It works by helping to fortify the skin barrier function and delivering an intense protective panel of antioxidants that help to safeguard against stressors. Tidalshift replenishes the dermal reservoir with ceramides, amino acids, phytonutrients, and essential fatty acids. Lastly, it replaces three types of serums (hydrating, antioxidant, and brightening) by combining them into one incredible super-serum through advanced formulation. Tidalshift is designed for the momentum of modern life and having the skin strength to weather it. It’s got a beautiful, uplifting scent called “Lavender by the ocean.”

 

We are so grateful for Holly and her commitment to Living Beauty! You can learn more about her work by visiting www.theingredientist.com.

Thrive Causemetics Named New Product After Our Original Living Beauty Joni

The Founder of The Foundation for Living Beauty, Amie Satchu, and her mom Joni.

The Founder of The Foundation for Living Beauty, Amie Satchu, and her mom Joni.

 

Thrive Causemetics has launched a product named after our Original Living Beauty, Joni!

We are so incredibly excited to announce that Thrive Causemetics has launched a new shade of their Infinite Waterproof Eyeshadow Stick and named it after Joni, our original Living Beauty and the beautiful mom of our founder Amie Satchu! Amie was inspired to start The Foundation for Living Beauty as a way to help Joni on her journey with Multiple Myeloma. The Foundation was created to give women with cancer access to free wellness and support services that would improve their quality of life after a cancer diagnosis.

 

Thrive Infinite Waterproof Eyeshadow Stick in the shade Joni, a beautiful shimmery blue.

Thrive Infinite Waterproof Eyeshadow Stick in the shade Joni, a beautiful shimmery blue.

 

Thrive Causemetics was founded by CEO Karissa Bodnar and is a brand that is passionate about empowering communities. Through their Bigger Than Beauty™ program, Thrive partners with nonprofits and for every product purchased, they donate to help communities thrive. They are a generous supporter of the Foundation for Living Beauty providing free products to our Living Beauties, helping to improve the quality of life of hundreds of women with cancer!

We are so excited to be able to honor our guiding light, Joni, in this way!

 

 

In 2005, Amie Satchu honored her mother Joni’s journey with Multiple Myeloma by creating the Foundation for Living Beauty. The “Original Living Beauty” Joni was the kind of person whose spirit radiated love and acceptance. She made everyone feel like she was your best friend. With her mother as the driving force, The Foundation for Living Beauty was born and Amie’s mission to provide emotional and physical support to women with cancer became her central focus and passion.

Although the Foundation’s original intent was to focus on “look good, feel good” events, it rapidly became much more, meeting the complex emotional and physical needs of women cancer patients, called “Living Beauties.” Living Beauty was born out of a need to find community and holistic wellness programs that weren’t available at the time. What started out as a small sisterhood that created healing energy for one another, has since grown and transformed into over 150 wellness events a year, serving over 1200 women. The essence of our programs has remained to this day: that the power of community and addressing the mind, body and spirit are an essential part of the healing journey.

Through Joni’s personal journey, a social worker herself, the organization has learned the value and importance of creating a strong support system for the women it serves and understands how that support can impact their quality of life and health outcomes.

Joni’s graceful and vibrant spirit transcends time. Her legacy lives on in the magic that is The Foundation for Living Beauty. We are honored to celebrate her and each and every Living Beauty!

 

Living Beauty Founder Amie testing out the new product!

Living Beauty Founder Amie testing out the new product!

 

When asked about Joni, Amie shared the love, light and legacy that her mom left with The Foundation for Living Beauty.

“Those who have met my mother know what kind of outrageously beautiful soul she is. Through her 8-year cancer journey, she inspired us all by transforming her pain and suffering into hope. She inspired a community of women to let light filter in through the cracks of the darkness of a cancer diagnosis.

The Foundation for Living Beauty took shape by responding to her need and longing for quality of life in the physically and emotionally exhausting cancer journey. With the advancement of cancer treatments, more women are left struggling to understand how to live with the taxing effects long term. I have great pride that my mother’s legacy is the guiding light that allows Living Beauty to educate, uplift and inspire these women to thrive and heal along their cancer journey. It is also this guiding light that leads our Living Beauties out of the emotional isolation of cancer and into each other’s supportive and nurturing arms.

Mommy, thank you for the gift you have left us. Your spirit will always shine on as our eternal Living Beauty.”

–Amie Satchu

You can purchase the Infinite Waterproof Eyeshadow Stick™ in the shade Joni here!

You can learn more about how to support The Foundation for Living Beauty and the vital work we do to support women with cancer here.

 

Being There for an Urgent Need – The Cassandra Fund

Living Beauty Cassandra

The Cassandra Fund is a donor-supported fund at Living Beauty Cancer Foundation used to support women with cancer when they are in a difficult spot.

We know that there are many difficulties that can arise when a woman is dealing with cancer. Even with the best health insurance, sometimes it becomes challenging to simply put food on the table, be able to get to an appointment or be able to cover the mortgage. When the difficulty of having cancer is exasperated with an urgent need just to survive, The Cassandra Fund, named after a former Living Beauty, is there to support.

We’ve been talking about this fund both in and out of our organization recently, mainly because the number of urgencies we’re being presented with for women with cancer seems nonstop at the moment.

We have been fortunate to help a number of women with critical needs and one of those women is Susan.  When Susan was in treatment for advanced colon cancer, she was living in a shelter with her elementary school-age daughter.  The Cassandra Fund was able to provide critical treatment medications to Susan and clothing and shoes for her daughter so she could attend school.  The fund has also provided Susan with groceries, and during the holidays has supported her family through the Holiday Angels program.  The Cassandra Fund helped Susan when she needed it most.

That’s the purpose of The Cassandra Fund.

The impact of the fund is to make life just a tad bit easier for women like Susan by covering the cost of an urgent need, up to $500.00.

We are grateful to all of you who actively support this fund. Without your donations to it, we’d be unable to be a resource when times get even more difficult. Donate to the Cassandra Fund here.

Meet Rebecca Little the Photographer Behind “Beauty is. . .”!

Rebecca Little photographing Living Beauty Anita in Jewelry from G.H. Wilke & Co. Jewelers

 

Rebecca Little is a Pasadena-based photographer specializing in photographing women and making them look and feel beautiful in front of the camera! Rebecca has been a long time supporter of The Foundation for Living Beauty. She has donated her time not only taking photos at our fundraising events and programs but also photographing our Living Beauties at Day of Living Beauty, an event focused on giving women with cancer the opportunity to be pampered by having their hair and makeup done and beautiful professional portraits taken. Rebecca donated her time and talent to Living Beauty yet again in support of our “Beauty is . . .” campaign showcasing the stunning jewelry by G.H. Wilke & Co. Jewelers and modeled by our Living Beauties. Keep reading to find out more about Rebecca’s experience working on the campaign!

 

Rebecca Little, Photographer for “Beauty is. . .”

FFLB: How were you first introduced to Living Beauty and what drew you to our mission?

Rebecca: I met Nancy when she joined the Pasadena Chamber and that was more than a few years ago. She was doing what she does best and spreading the word about the foundation and the good work they do.

The Foundation’s mission is much needed. They help so many women and offer advice, camaraderie, and a range of free programs. I’ve heard directly from the Living Beauties how much they value the support they’re given. To be with other women going through the cancer journey and be able to share and commiserate is invaluable.

 

FFLB: What was it like working with Living Beauties as models for the photographs?

Rebecca: The women were so fun to work with! They were thrilled to be modeling the amazing jewelry and getting their portraits taken. They would hang out after their photoshoot to catch up with their friends as they arrived for their sessions. The mood was upbeat and it was a beautiful day.

 

FFLB: How do you think modeling this jewelry and having their photos taken impacted the Living Beauties who participated?

Rebecca: First, it’s a thrill to wear this gorgeous jewelry. Each piece Tracy brought out was more beautiful than the next. You feel so glamorous and pretty, and the ladies were all oohing and aahing over what they got to wear. Then to see yourself represented authentically and beautifully in a portrait can be such an esteem booster, especially if you’re not feeling your best or you’ve had multiple surgeries. It was important to me to bring out the best in each woman and make her feel beautiful.

A huge thank you to Rebecca for donating her time to this campaign in support of The Foundation for Living Beauty and women with cancer! You can check out Rebecca’s website and portfolio here. To read more about the campaign and Traci Wilke from G.H. Wilke & Co. Jewelers click here.