Back on the Horse

Lauren’s Favorite Skincare Routine:

• SUPREME CLEAN. Wet face and cleanse
• TIGHTEN+GLOW. REFINING MIST. Spray and pat
• TRANSFORM. ACTIVE NOURISHMENT GEL. Apply 2-3 pumps
• META. ULTIMATE TX CREAM. Apply on face, neck, chest
• CONDITION. RAINFOREST REPAIR BALM. Apply a very small amount to cheeks, neck, under eyes and massage into skin.

Fair skin, the arid desert climate and a life spent on horseback meets breast cancer.  Sounds like a pitch for a bummer of a movie?  Nope, it’s the true story of our hunter-jumper/magazine publisher friend Lauren Del Sarto.  She gives falling off the horse and getting back on again a whole new meaning.

I met her about a year ago when JustUs decided to advertise in Desert Health News.  A girl after my own heart, Lauren decided to start a magazine when she was north of fifty.  When we first sat down for lunch, I brought her our desert routine but didn’t expect her to be quite as happy as she was to receive it.   Then she told me her story. 

In 2019, Lauren received a breast cancer diagnosis and a treatment recommendation.  What I love about her is that isn’t that person who sits across from the doctor and says, “Sure doc.  Whatever you say.”  No.  She says, “I heard you, and I’ll get back to you.  Thanks for providing a jumping off point.” 

Lauren is a total project person, and one of the busiest I know.  She left that office visit and immediately bought herself a binder, some colored tabs, opened a spread sheet and got to work researching the very best that Western medicine and alternative approaches had to offer.

Ultimately, Lauren found cryoblation (freezing of the tumor).  It’s a fascinating less invasive treatment and was perfect for the precise tumor she had.  She wrote a wonderfully informative piece entitled “Choosing to Chill.”  If you need a reminder course on how to keep your cool while doing research that might save your life, read this piece.

She goes through her entire journey, which included a massive detox and the tossing out of any bad-for-you skin products, which for Lauren was everything.  Then, she couldn’t find products that inspired her and shopping for skincare wasn’t at the top of her to-do list, so her skin suffered as she was undergoing preparation for treatment.  I met her when her cancer journey was behind her, but her skin was still annoying her, and she still hadn’t found “natural” products that did anything for her. 

She took a chance on JustUs and now glows and cheerleads for JustUs like we’re paying her. We’re not.  She’s just that generous – and loves the many never-before complements on her complexion she now receives. She also did some free R+D for us and tried our Smooth Glow Body Oil on her favorite horse’s tail.  

His name is Tristan, and he’s a good sport.  We had a hilarious time at Tahquitz Equestrian Facility shooting.  

For skincare in our challenging desert climate, Lauren relies on “the green stuff” aka “Condition,” along with the rest of the basic anti-aging routine.

Not bad for a girl who was too busy to glow.