I’ve always been inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit. I must get it from my great grandmother, an extraordinary woman (and personal inspiration) who came to California as a mail-order bride from Italy where she became a mother of 7 and made a living growing grapes with my great-grandfather. She believed in achieving more, so she went to the bank, took out a $10,000 loan and started our family heritage in the wine business. She became one of our country's first female entrepreneurs seeding well-known wine brands Franzia and Gallo.

Growing up with such a deep family history in winemaking ignited my passion for botanicals and cultivation. I joined the industry myself (I developed Cupcake Vineyards and many others), and it was that journey that eventually led me to start Saint Jane. Infusing all of this knowledge of botanical ingredients and the power they hold, and channeling female empowerment from my great grandmother’s story. 

So where does beauty come into the mix? I’d always had a passion for cosmetics and had my eyes set on Sephora, the leader of innovation. I interviewed in 2007 and became Sephora’s 1st unpaid MBA intern. (I was paid in makeup, which was fine with me!) I learned the business, I soaked up every moment, I dove in head first. This eventually led to my role in Creative Marketing for Kendo. It was an incredible opportunity to build Sephora exclusives like Marc Jacobs, Disney, and Elizabeth and James. 

When I created Saint Jane, I wanted it to feel like a beautiful marriage between my two biggest passions, beauty and botanicals. The journey has led me here, to building Saint Jane and crafting botanical and nutrient-rich formulas that transform the skin. 

Seeing this brand in Sephora stores and on sephora.com is a dream come true. I got my start there 13 years ago and it's surreal to see my own brand on it’s shelves. They took a chance on me then, and now they are taking a chance on Saint Jane. I couldn’t be more grateful. 

Every day I go to work and channel the fierce courage of my great grandmother. I think about all she accomplished when it wasn’t normal as a woman to pursue entrepreneurship. She had the guts to take the risk. I’d like to think that some of that spirit is in Saint Jane, inspiring women to be powerful, transformative, and to change the world.

Meet Renata Helfman, a philanthropist, clean beauty advocate and an inspirational addition to our Saint Series. Always searching for ways to share her knowledge and help those around her, Renata began volunteering with cancer patients at Cedars Sinai in 2011 and was surprised to learn that the hospital did not have a beauty program in place. Specifically, she made it her mission to bring beauty, compassion and human touch to patients in need through offering complimentary, personalized, and oncology-sensitive beauty and skin care services. That’s when she founded Lipstick Angels. Renata shared her story with us, and we know you’ll find it just as inspiring as we do. 

Q: What inspired you to start Lipstick Angles?

A: I started Lipstick Angels because I was looking for a way to give back simply as a volunteer. I was a busy makeup artist working around the country and when I looked for an opportunity to work with cancer patients in a hospital setting I could not find one, so I took it upon myself to create it.  It definitely was not easy but the organization always had a life of its own from day one. I am so happy that now there is a venue for other makeup artists and aestheticians to give back in this capacity and of course an organization that is looking at people living with cancer with a mind, body and spirit connection.

Q: Because of the Pandemic, you’ve had to pivot and find new ways to reach cancer patients virtually.  Can you tell us about it? 

A: Yes, I am so incredibly excited that we have launched a virtual platform for our classes and private sessions. We can now send our patients a wonderful variety of skincare , make up and wellness products directly to their homes .We then set up a private Zoom call for them to work directly with a Lipstick Angel. We feel that this is a unique opportunity to expand our footprint and be able to reach more and more cancer patients in need. We are thrilled that we will be able to do this even when we go back into the hospital and have more options for patients to connect with us.

Q: Makeup and beauty can be transformative, especially for those who are going through Chemo. Can you share some of your favorite moments since starting Lipstick Angels?

A: Well, there are so many incredible moments. But I can remember one that always sticks out. I was actually working with this beautiful woman in the infusion center while she was getting her chemotherapy and tears came to her eyes after I showed her how she looked in the mirror. When I asked her if she was ok she just said that she was so happy that today she was not going to hide in the car when she picked her daughter up from school, she was going to go in and get her. This was a huge moment for our organization to understand how cancer affects the whole family and I always see that little girl’s face and how she must have felt seeing her mom come into the school and get her and feel like herself again.

Q: You are an advocate for clean beauty.  Why is using clean beauty/skincare important for you?

A: Clean beauty for me is very personal. When I discovered all of the chemicals in the personal care items almost 20 years ago my life really changed for the better. I was suffering from some health issues and I knew I had to clean up my act and learn what was really going into my body. Thinking about it now, who could have imagined how important it would be for my career now working with people living with cancer. There is no reason for anyone not to be educated about what they are putting on their skin ( it is your largest organ) but as a cancer patient you have to be even more careful about everything you do. Staying as healthy as you can imagine is vital to keep your immune system strong so you can get through the chemotherapy and or radiation.

Q: How can we support and get involved with Lipstick Angels?

A: There are lots of ways to support Lipstick Angels. If you are a makeup artist or aesthetician and you are interested in volunteering please visit our website Lipstickangles.org. You can also make a tax-deductible donation on our website - every dollar helps us deliver our programs around the country! Also, supporting brands like Saint Jane who we have partnerships with is such a beautiful way to show your support and receive the gift of beauty yourself.

Q: What are your secrets to self-care and balance?

A: I think that’s the key is definitely balance in everything in life. It is a hard lesson to learn but I will say if you can be kind to yourself and others and let yourself color outside of the lines once in a while it is a really good thing!

Q: If you were to be anointed into sainthood, what would it be for?

A: I hate to say it but I think I would be the Saint of Overworking! I don’t look at it as a negative at all, I just love what I do and get excited to get up every day and lead this organization with all my heart and soul. 

Bonus Q: What's your favorite SAINT JANE product and why do you love it?

Life can be stressful. We believe that stealing moments of self-care for yourself whenever you can is so important to recharge your battery, soothe your soul, and relax your body. When was the last time you took a moment for yourself to just...be? Self-care is so much more than a good bath and a calming skincare routine, but it's a great place to start. It may seem small, but it can make all the difference.

We asked Sunnie Brook, celebrity hair stylist, beauty expert, and a busy new-mother how she incorporates Saint Jane into her nightly routine to melt away stress and prep for a restful night's sleep.

STEP 2: Brighten and depuff under eyes.

Next, layer on Bright Repair Eye Cream on your under eyes using your ring finger and gentle tapping motions. Concentrate the product on any dark circles or discoloration and tap the access over any fine lines and wrinkles and down onto the orbital bone and surrounding eye area.

This eye cream visibly corrects the intensity of dark circles and with 10% active Vitamin C, while calming botanicals work to de-puff delicate under eyes. Green Tea and Grapeseed deliver rich antioxidants for a calm, well-rested look.

Pro Tip: Store this eye cream in the fridge for even more of a cooling, de-puffing effect and a soothing experience.

STEP 3: An ultra-luxe bath.

This step is one of our favorite ways to use Luxury Body Serum. Run a hot bath (bubbles optional!) and dispense 3-5 pumps of Luxury Body Serum directly into the water. The nutrient-rich formula will permeate the water and envelope your skin for a restorative experience. 

Soak for at least 30 minutes (or longer if it's been one of those days). Allow the serum infused water to absorb into the skin and bask in the vanilla-bourbon sensory experience. 

Pro Tip: Give yourself a rub-down while soaking! Massage your hands, feet, calves or anywhere you feel tension. The potent hemp extract in the serum works wonders to soothe muscle fatigue. It's the ultimate in self-care

On damp, post-glorious bath skin, apply Luxury Body Serum here, there and everywhere. Massage into the skin until fully absorbed.

This serum is a vitamin-rich super blend packed with 28 potent botanicals delivering omegas, and exfoliating fruit acids into the skin. The blend is the perfect balance of rich hydration and gentle exfoliation to reveal the most radiant, silky soft skin.

Pro Tip: This body serum can be used in so many different ways. Try using as a cuticle treatment, or a leave-in hair oil for head to toe benefits. 

The body serum is super rich but absorbs really quickly meaning you can jump right into your pajamas, put on a sleep mask and crawl into bed.

Taking the time to treat your body to these simple self-care steps will help clear your mind, and relax your soul for the most deep, restful sleep that you deserve.

Pro Tip: Have trouble falling asleep? Listening to a meditation app or a soothing sound machine helps to calm your body and relax your mind. 

There are few things we love more than indulgent self-care rituals. Taking a few moments out of a hectic day for yourself can do wonders for your mind, body and soul to rejuvenate for whatever comes next. These moments of calm were top of mind when we formulated our Luxury Body Serum, rich with 28 potent botanicals like Grapeseed, Avocado oil, and Sunflower oil to deeply nourish the skin. These botanicals combined with radiance boosting actives like Pink Grapefruit and Blood Orange reveal softer skin by gently exfoliating for a lit-from-within glow. It’s quickly become an award-winning, self-care staple.

Luxury Body Serum, because of it’s clean, efficacious ingredient list can be used for more than just a post shower, body hydrator. You can incorporate this multi-purpose product into so many different self-care rituals, but here are our 3 favorite out-of-the-box uses:

A Luxury Leave-In Hair Treatment

Remember those 28 potent botanicals we were talking about? They are really healthy for your hair too. The concentration of Avocado oil in the serum can help to nourish, repair and strengthen hair strands. Hydrated hair strands mean less frizz and more shine. 

How-to: On clean, damp hair apply 1-2 pumps and warm the product in your hands. Comb through your mid-lengths to your ends with fingertips and work the product in evenly. Style as usual. You can also apply a small amount onto dry, styled hair when you need a boost of hydration or to tame fly-aways.

A Nourishing Cuticle Oil

We have been LOVING at-home manicures lately and cuticle care has been a big part of our routine. Dry, cracked cuticles can be really problematic. The botanical-rich oils in Luxury Body Serum are perfect for alleviating dry cuticles, especially in winter. In just a few-minutes you can refresh your manicure and keep your fingertips looking healthy.

How-to: After a manicure, or between manicures, apply 1 pump of Luxury Body Serum onto your fingertips and massage into your cuticles and nail beds for 2-3 minutes in circular motions. After the product has mostly absorbed, massage the excess into your hands (for extra hydration)

A Soothing Soak

It’s no secret how much we love a luxurious bath. It may be our top choice when we have some time for self-care. Luxury Body Serum is a big part of our bath routine. Not only do we slather it on damp skin after, but we love to add it to our bath water and have a deep soak. The botanical oils permeate the water and allow for deep absorption, leaving behind silky soft skin and relaxed muscles. Heavenly.

How-to: Run a warm bath and dispense 4-6 pumps directly into the water. Soak for at least 30 minutes (or longer depending on the day you’ve had!).

Mix up these gorgeous cocktails inspired by the botanical ingredients found in some of our cult favorite Saint Jane skincare products. We're thoughtful and meticulous about sourcing and selecting each clean, potent ingredient that goes into our skin-saving elixirs. Designed to calm skin-stress, boost radiance and leave behind an iconic lit-from-within glow, we blend ingredients worthy of worship (and a signature cocktail!)

Speaking of calm, we can’t think of a better way to unwind throughout the holiday season than with a soothing skincare routine and something super festive to sip. Here’s what’s currently in our shaker…

Pomegranate Maple Fizz + Luxury Beauty Serum

Can you guess what this bubbly cocktail and our Luxury Beauty Serum have in common? Pomegranate is a powerhouse antioxidant that has been used for centuries for its natural benefits. We infuse Punica Granatum (pomegranate) seed extract into our Luxury Beauty Serum formula to help promote cell regeneration and fight the free-radicals that cause skin aging. Pomegranate is a dream botanical for both dry and oily skin types because of its small molecular structure that allows deep absorption into the skin delivering hydration where needed and soothing skin irritation.

Pomegranate Maple Fizz Recipe

Smoke and Cinnamon Old Fashioned + Luxury Body Serum

Warm, classic, and luxurious are just a few words that come to mind when we think of Bourbon cocktails and our iconic Bourbon-vanilla scented Luxury Body Serum. One of the best bits of feedback we get on our body serum is the delicious scent and what a beautiful experience it is for the body and the soul. We combined 28 potent, botanical-rich ingredients to deliver deep hydration and a boost of radiance to the skin. A real selfcare experience comes from the Vanilla Planifolia (bourbon vanilla) fruit extract for the senses and full-flower hemp extract helps to deeply calm the skin and tired muscles.

Smoke and Cinnamon Old Fashioned Recipe

Grapefruit and Thyme Mocktail + The C-Drops

Something bright (and alcohol-free!) for your glass and your skin. We adore Citrus Paradisi (Pink Grapefruit) as one of our citrus alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) ingredients in The C-Drops for its potent, brightening properties and a high concentration of Vitamin C. Grapefruit works to gently resurface the skin, revealing fresh radiance and a smooth canvas to better absorb the serums and hydrators you apply next. Think of it as creating a clean slate for the skin, revealing a brighter glow and a more even tone and texture.

Grapefruit and Thyme Mocktail Recipe