balancing act

Going green, while worthy, responsible, and admirable, isn't always aesthetically pleasing. So we were thrilled to come across Clark's Botanicals, a brand-new skincare line that combines botanical ingredients and a homeopathic philosophy with gorgeous greenliterally AND figuratively speakingpackaging. "I never understood why there had to be trade-offs: If it's botanical, make sure it smells like cardboard or throw it in a drab bottle. Not my cup of tea," says Francesco Clark, who developed the line with his father, a doctor trained in homeopathic medicine, after a diving accident in 2002 left him paralyzed. The damage to Clark's central nervous system kept him from sweating, which led to chronic breakouts. When neither over-the-counter products nor Western medication were able to heal his skin, he decided to create his own all-natural line. "Clark's Botanicals is based around the idea of rebalancing skin and making it look the healthiest it can be," he says. All of the products contain jasmine absolute, an extract that rebalances skin and boosts collagen production. And they're all paraben-free. The kudos are starting to pour in: Not only is Madonna a fan, but Clark recently won a Rising Star award from the Fashion Group International. And he's got still more up his sleevethough he's not giving out the details just yet, a Clark's Botanicals facial will be on the menu at a new spa that's launching soon in New York. Clark's Botanicals is available at Henri Bendel, C.O. Bigelow, Studio at Fred Segal, and www.clarksbotanicals.com.



podcasts