The medicine cabinet takes on a whole new personality in all of our homes. For some, it's exactly as its advertised, suspended above the bathroom sink. For others, a pile of makeup palates on your nightstand, or bottles of supplements in your kitchen cabinet, maybe even tinted moisturizers that have found a home in the console of your car.
The Medicine Cabinet Series was created to give you a unique look at the everyday lives of a diverse group of women from around the country. Dive in for a candid approach to wellness unlike any other.
The Medicine Cabinet Series: Jen Auerbach
Co-Founder of Clary Collection from Nashville, TN
BINTO: Tell us a bit about your daily wellness routine.
Jen: I wake up around 5 am with my 3 year old, stumble [laughs] to the bathroom, brush my teeth, put on my cleansing oil from Clary Collection, and stagger downstairs in the dark to take my BINTO supplements.
After giving birth I had such bad hormones in terms of my skin, and my adrenals were blocked. As new moms, lot of us don’t know which vitamins to take, and we’re so guilty of overtaking the wrong things. When I went to Suzie’s talk, she said BINTO is something we customize for you, and I thought: Genius! That’s really one of the most helpful things you can offer, especially to someone who’s probably taking all the wrong things. Plus, the market is so oversaturated. You don’t know the purity of what your taking or the science behind those products.
I also like to have lemon, ginger, and turmeric tea in the morning- it really does wake me up. If I’m feeling really tired, I also use a little bit of rosemary oil. I infuse wild rosemary from my garden in oil, and I’ll put it on my neck and wrists. It’s a true fact rosemary can heighten the senses and wake you up- don’t use it four hours before going to bed, it’s very strong!
BINTO: What product can’t you live without?
Jen: Honestly, I’m allergic to a lot of things, that’s why I started my own company. During mine and my business partner’s pregnancies, we couldn’t really find labels we could trust. We started this business with the idea that if we couldn’t pronounce the word, we wouldn’t put it on our skin. My go to product is the Clary Collection balm, I use it for bug bites, eczema, sunburn, dry lips, dry hands… I would turn my car around and go home and get it if I forgot it. It all purpose, really.
BINTO: What was the defining moment when you realized you could take your health into your own hands?
Jen: It was pregnancy.
My business partner, Adriel Denae, was one of the first people I met when I moved to Nashville- I didn’t know anyone. I was living in New York, and my husband dragged me here, so I told him to give me a list of his friends to invite over to play poker. This beautiful- 8 months pregnant- women walks through the door and absolutely smashes the game of poker. I was like, she’s amazing and she’s going to be my new best friend.
We started talking, and she was saying how daunting pregnancy was because she kept finding products filled with chemicals or that advertised they were organic when they really were not. I told her how I have an allergy to lipstick and keratosis pilaris in my arms, so we started Clary. I got pregnant shortly after, and it really took over and became a legitimate business. We only use 5 ingredients in our products, and it’s really for the whole family.
BINTO: Have you seen your wellness routine evolve over the years?
Jen: I think back to my 20’s and all the crap I put on my skin- fake tan, sunbathing without a hat on, putting that Hawaiian Tropic all over you before you sat in the sun. You’ve got to keep a hat on- you get one face! I always say whether it’s your diet, your hormones, or replacing lost vitamins, it’s never too late to learn wellness. Ever.
Now, there’s not one chemical I keep in my house. I went through my kitchen cupboard and took out every product with chemicals so people could see what most households keep, then I threw them away. It’s like your makeup cupboard, you’re a hoarder- and women like to hoard cleaning products. I have a homemade cleaning recipe- an all purpose spray for the kitchen. It’s with vodka, castor soap, lavender, and baking soda. It’s so simple.
"I always say whether it’s your diet, your hormones, or replacing lost vitamins, it’s never too late to learn wellness. Ever."
BINTO: Do you use BINTO? Do you stick to your routine?
Jen: Yes, If I don’t take it I start to feel it. It’s noticeable for me, I get lethargic or my skin breaks out. It’s probably the one thing I’m most consistent with!
BINTO: Favorite supplement in your pack-Go!
Jen: DHA, for sure.
BINTO: What’s your favorite health or wellness product for your baby?
Jen: If I run out of my own product, I will use Weleda for skincare. My child had terrible reactions from certain diaper companies, so I went with the bleach free and color free brand Bambo. WaterWipes are really good, as well.
BINTO: How do you take your routine on the go?
Jen: Honest Hazel has these eye patches that are amazing. I will not get on a plane without them! I also carry my Clary travel oils for dry skin, my Clary travel balm, and my BINTO packs.
BINTO: Do you feel like there is something you’re still searching for in your wellness journey?
Jen: I try to follow brands that educate you. Part of my journey as a consumer is not to buy brands just because they look pretty, but finding companies like BINTO or my own, which show you the whole process of what your taking. We show you exactly how each we make each product in house, by hand. I love that, with BINTO, Suzie shares her purpose behind the brand. The evidence and the proof- it’s so hard to find a product that’s backed with scientific proof, and that’s what BINTO does. It provides such an education and that’s what I love.
The Clary Collection and BINTO are actually collaborating on two products. Suzie came to us about doing a Clary for BINTO renew oil, which is great for stretch marks. During pregnancy, I had a lot of stretch marks and that renew oil was my savior. When your stomach grows while your pregnant it’s so itchy! Any pregnant woman will say the same thing. I lathered my belly in that renew oil. The nursing balm is great because you can use it on your lips and boobs, and you don’t have to remove it before breastfeeding because it’s organic. It’s been tried and tested many times!
