[I] remember my first experience with Origins, the natural skincare brand, as a kid back home in Texas. It came to our local mall and I used to go in at least once a week to try all their products. I found that being in the store made me feel like I was already the world traveler I dreamed of being…from there I carried with me an understanding of the earth and how to naturally take care of your skin like a true sophisticated woman. Fast forward 15 years and here I am, sitting high up in the Manhattan sky with the team from Origins talking about doing just that- making a video discovering some of the origins of their natural ingredients for their new Plantscription Anti-Aging Power Serum all around the globe. It was a dream project!
Origins found two talented and knowledgable co-hosts for us to film on this journey together – Kim Mance , a travel writer, and Candice Kumai, a three-time cook book author, health journalist and TV personality.
The first leg of the trip would take us to France with an always welcome overnight stay in Paris (obviously). We headed up to the Brittany coast to the Côtes-d’Armor, an area along the northwestern edge of France famous for its pink granite islands and rocky shores, where we found our first ingredient: Crithmum. I’ll let our two co-hosts Candice and Kim tell you more about that special ingredient here.
At times, filming in this charming area of France, I felt like I was living in a movie. Every window had the perfect explosion of flowers, all the locals were smiling as they walked home with their daily baguette, and the shops carried only the best local cheeses and produce…and a few other treats. It was a simple way of life where everything was just in its place. Taking photographs and making videos has led our lives to really amazing places and experiences. Here are a few behind the scenes images of our journey to France and the discovery of Crithmum ~
Day 1: Getting to know the girls and their beauty routine.
Below, Kevin shoots time lapses outside our hotel window of the Paris skyline for the intro to France.
Day 2: Heading out in the early AM to the coast after some freshly baked croissants at a cafe around the corner. I learned recently (thanks David Lebovitz) there are two types of croissants: “croissant au beurre” which is made with pure butter and “croissant ordinaire” made with other fats. Croissant au beurre is straighter while croissant ordinaire is much more curved and there is a HUGE difference in taste…definitely worth seeking out the buttery kind… it’s Paris after all.
We arrive at Perros-Guirec and spend the first day exploring the local areas, town, and vistas.
Day 3: On the hunt to discover the Origins ingredient Crithmum which, seen below, grows in-between the stone cracks of the ocean’s rocky shore.
After we finished filming Candice put together a picnic from the local market to really enjoy the simple flavors of France and cheers before we headed off on the 2nd leg of our #DiscoverOrigins journey….
