Living Well With Amy Liu, Founder and CEO of Tower 28: On Cult-Favorite Skincare, Clean Beauty + Representation

In a space where clean beauty can often feel clinical or exclusive, Tower 28 is a breath of fresh air—welcoming, playful, and rooted in purpose. At the helm is founder and CEO Amy Liu, a seasoned beauty executive turned visionary entrepreneur who launched the brand in response to a deeply personal need: safe, effective products for her eczema-prone skin that didn’t feel like a prescription.

What began as a mission to make clean beauty more accessible has grown into something even bigger—a cultural reset. Tower 28 is now not only the first and only makeup brand to be fully approved by the National Eczema Association, but a leader in building an inclusive beauty space where everyone feels welcome, seen, and celebrated. With bright packaging, serious skincare cred, and a community-first approach, Liu has created a brand that’s just as joyful as it is thoughtful.

As an Asian-American founder, Amy is also helping shift the narrative around representation in beauty—showing that identity can be both deeply rooted and wonderfully fluid. Her products are a reflection of her lived experience growing up in L.A.—a mix of California ease, high-performance formulation, and a whole lot of heart.

We caught up with Amy to talk about building a brand with purpose, redefining sensitive skin, the rituals that keep her grounded, and what “living well” really means as a founder, mom, and modern beauty leader.

Living Well With Amy Liu, Founder and CEO of Tower 28

Tower 28 has such a clear voice and mission—what was the first spark that made you feel like this was the brand you needed to build? Tower 28 was born from my own personal experience as someone battling eczema. I’d spent years working in the beauty industry, on a lot of exciting brands and products! But my personal routine always had to stick to clinical, uninspiring products because I never knew what would irritate my sensitive skin. That’s when I saw an opportunity to create a brand that’s designed for sensitive skin, but made for all.

You named the brand after a real lifeguard tower in Santa Monica, symbolizing a safe space. Why was creating a “safe space” in beauty so important to you? Growing up, I never felt represented in the beauty space, especially as an Asian-American living in the midst of the blonde hair, blue eyed beach culture in LA. The idea of a lifeguard tower as a symbol for safety really resonated with me because, just like at the beach where anyone and everyone can enjoy it, I wanted to create a brand where everyone would feel welcome. Beauty should feel inclusive of all skin tones, skin types, budgets, and beauty philosophies, and that’s what we’re setting out to build with Tower 28.

What were some of the earliest challenges you faced getting Tower 28 off the ground—and how did you move through them? One of the biggest challenges was breaking into an industry that is notoriously saturated with competition, especially when we had no built-in audience or influencer backing. We overcame this daunting entry into the beauty market by having a very clear point of differentiation from the start, and staying in our lane in pursuit of our mission. 

The clean beauty space is crowded these days. What do you think sets Tower 28 apart at the formulation and brand level? I’m really proud of the work we’ve done to deliver clean, yet high-performing products that are 100% safe for sensitive skin. We’re proudly the only beauty brand whose entire range of skincare has earned the approval of all three major organizations focused on sensitive skin: the National Eczema Association, the National Psoriasis Foundation, and the National Rosacea Society.

But what also really sets Tower 28 apart is that it’s fun! A lot of brands that cater to the sensitive skin community can feel clinical and a bit boring. We’ve made it a priority to create products that not only work, but also bring joy—through vibrant packaging and a welcoming inclusive vibe that makes sensitive skin feel seen and celebrated.

You’ve created some real cult favorites—what’s one Tower 28 product you think is still underrated and deserves more love? To be fair, our SOS Recovery Cream does get a lot of love, but it’s honestly one of our products that I couldn’t live without! It was always a struggle to find a simple, reliable moisturizer that actually worked for my sensitive skin. This one checks all the boxes—it’s loaded with ceramides and hyaluronic acid, absorbs quickly, and never feels sticky.

If someone’s new to the brand, where should they start? What’s your go-to ‘starter kit’ for a first-time Tower 28 customer? For skincare, I would recommend starting with our SOS Rescue Spray: it’s our hero product that works wonders for any sort of angry skin you might experience (thanks to the key ingredient, Hypochlorous Acid!). And for makeup, you can’t go wrong with our BeachPlease Tinted Balm for an incredibly easy pop of color that works for both lips and cheeks.

What’s your go-to beauty ritual when you’re short on time but need to feel pulled together? I keep it simple! I start by refreshing my skin with a few spritzes of our SOS Rescue Spray, then follow with the SOS Recovery Cream to lock in hydration for the day. Next, I apply our SunnyDays Tinted SPF for lightweight coverage and sun protection, followed by a quick dab of Swipe Concealer to brighten up my under-eyes. I add a wash of BeachPlease on my cheeks for a healthy flush, then layer our new GetSet Blush on top to lock in the color—it doubles as a setting powder, which I love. To finish, I swipe on a little MakeWaves Mascara and ShineOn Lip Jelly, and I’m good to go!

You’re a mom, a CEO, and a founder—how do you actually prioritize wellness day-to-day?Wellness is all about boundaries. It’s something I’ve had to be intentional about, especially with everything I juggle. I make sure to take time for myself in the mornings, even if it’s just a quiet coffee or a walk with my dog. And spending time with my family helps me stay grounded. I also remind myself that I can’t do everything at once, and that’s okay!

As an Asian-American founder, how do you think representation in the beauty industry has shifted since you launched? Representation in beauty has definitely come a long way, but there’s still more work to be done. Since launching Tower 28, I’ve noticed a meaningful shift—more diversity on shelves and in marketing, which is so important. I’m proud to be part of that progress, but I also hope we continue to amplify diverse voices—not just as a trend, but as a lasting and genuine change in the industry.

I also think we're starting to broaden the definition of what diversity looks like. For example, there was once an expectation that if you were an Asian founder, your brand had to be rooted in traditional Asian ingredients or rituals. But that narrative is evolving. Tower 28 is a reflection of who I am—an Asian American founder—and it’s shaped just as much by my California lifestyle as it is by my cultural identity.

You’ve landed on major shelves—Sephora, Credo, etc. What advice would you give to early-stage founders about navigating retail partnerships? Relationships are key. Retail partnerships are about much more than just the product. It's about connecting with the team, understanding their needs, and showing up as the best partner you can be.  

What’s one belief or value that you hold close, no matter how much the world around you changes? I believe in doing business with integrity. Reputation is everything, and I strive to make decisions that align with my values, even when it’s difficult. I truly believe that you earn your reputation, and that’s something that will always guide my actions.

Complete this sentence: Living well means…

Living well means embracing the journey, being kind to yourself and others, and making sure your actions align with your values. It’s about balance: finding joy in the small things, making time for the people who matter, and staying grounded while pursuing your dreams.

The post Living Well With Amy Liu, Founder and CEO of Tower 28: On Cult-Favorite Skincare, Clean Beauty + Representation appeared first on The Chalkboard.

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The #1 Mistake Women Make With Their Hormones (And How to Fix It Instantly)

I used to think I was doing everything right.

Clean eating. Regular workouts. Consistent sleep.

One day, I'd wake up clear-headed, energized, and feeling my best. The next? Struggling with bloating, mood swings, fatigue, and an unpredictable menstrual cycle. No matter how long I slept or how diligently I followed wellness habits, I still felt exhausted and off-balance.

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Like many women experiencing hormonal imbalances, I spent years treating isolated symptoms—taking countless supplements, tweaking my diet, and constantly changing workouts—hoping to find the missing piece.

But here's the truth: it's not your willpower or routine that's failing you—it's the way you've been taught to approach hormone support. Today, we're uncovering the #1 mistake women make with their hormones and the simple, powerful shift you can make right now to balance hormones naturally—starting from within.

The Mistake: Chasing Symptoms Instead of Supporting Systems

The most common mistake women make with their hormones is trying to fix symptoms in isolation—treating bloating, fatigue, irritability, or poor sleep as separate issues. But hormones don’t operate in a vacuum. They’re part of a finely tuned system impacted by everything from blood sugar levels and gut health to cortisol, inflammation, and sleep quality.

When you treat symptoms one by one—cutting sugar, swapping workouts, adding yet another supplement—you’re not addressing the bigger picture. What your body truly needs is support at the system level.

Experts agree: lasting hormonal balance comes from a whole-body approach, not a symptom-chasing strategy.

The Fix: A Whole-Body Approach to Hormonal Health

This is where Hormone Harmony comes in. Unlike formulas that target just one hormone or symptom, Hormone Harmony was developed to rebalance the body across multiple systems that directly impact hormonal function—stress, metabolism, digestion, and detoxification.

Formulated by a nutritional scientist and verified by a clinical advisory board, it takes a multi-pathway approach designed to work with your body, not against it.

What sets Hormone Harmony apart:

+Ashwagandha and Rhodiola help regulate cortisol, your body’s primary stress hormone.
+Chaste tree berry and wild yam support estrogen and progesterone balance, easing PMS and perimenopausal symptoms.
+Broccoli sprouts and rosemary extract promote detoxification to help clear excess hormones and reduce bloating.
+Berberine and gymnema support blood sugar stability and insulin sensitivity—key for energy, cravings, and metabolism.
+Chamomile and vitamin B6 calm the nervous system and support more consistent sleep and mood.

Each ingredient is carefully selected for how it supports—and synergizes with—your body’s natural hormonal rhythms. Free from GMOs, soy, gluten, artificial sweeteners, and fillers, Hormone Harmony delivers clean, plant-based support formulated with women’s health in mind.

With more than 2 million bottles sold—and one purchased every 15 seconds—it’s a solution that’s clearly resonating with women looking for a more natural, effective way to feel better in their bodies.

Why Early Hormone Support Matters (Even If You Feel “Fine”)

It’s easy to think hormone health is something to deal with later—when symptoms become unavoidable or menopause hits. But hormonal shifts often begin much earlier, and by the time we feel them, our body has already been working overtime to compensate.

Fatigue. Mood swings. Cravings. Cyclical bloating. These signs may be subtle, but they’re messages—and the earlier we respond, the better. Hormone Harmony is designed to support your body before symptoms escalate, giving your system what it needs to stay steady through every stage of life.

Whether you’re noticing the first signs of change or feel like your body’s been off for years, now is the time to support your hormones in a way that actually works.

What Else Can You Do?

Adding a supplement like Hormone Harmony is a powerful starting point—but it works even better when paired with small, sustainable daily habits that help reinforce internal balance:

+Build blood sugar-friendly meals with protein, fiber, and healthy fats
+Prioritize sleep, especially between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. when hormone repair is at its peak
+Choose exercise that matches your energy, not depletes it
+Practice daily stress management—even five minutes of breathwork or screen-free time counts
+Support detoxification through hydration, cruciferous vegetables, and regular digestion

Together, these shifts help you reset your hormonal foundation and sustain balance long-term.

Tired of Managing Symptoms? Try Supporting the Root

You've already tried cutting sugar, swapping workouts, and adding supplement after supplement, but symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, bloating, and poor sleep persist. Why? Because these symptoms are interconnected signs your hormones need deeper support—not quick fixes.

Hormone Harmony offers a science-backed, natural supplement designed specifically for women's hormonal health. It addresses the root causes of hormonal imbalance by targeting your body's stress response, blood sugar stability, digestion, and detoxification pathways—so you can stop chasing symptoms and start feeling steady, energized, and balanced again.

If you're searching for a natural way to balance hormones, reduce bloating, and regain control of your body, Hormone Harmony is the lasting solution you've been looking for.

The Path to Hormonal Harmony Starts Here

You don’t have to wait until things get worse—or until you’re older—to take your hormone health seriously. If you're feeling off, your body is already asking for support.

Whether you’re navigating your 30s, preparing for perimenopause, or simply tired of not feeling like yourself, this is the moment to stop managing symptoms and start building real hormonal support. You deserve to feel good—every day

All material on The Chalkboard Mag is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health-related programs. This story is brought to you in partnership with Happy Mammoth. From time to time, TCM editors choose to partner with brands we believe in to bring our readers special offers

The post The #1 Mistake Women Make With Their Hormones (And How to Fix It Instantly) appeared first on The Chalkboard.

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What’s In Our Cart for the Sephora Spring Sale 2025: Clean Makeup Edition

The Sephora Spring Savings Event 2025 is officially underway, and it’s the best time of year to stock up on clean beauty essentials. Whether you’re refreshing your everyday routine or trying that cult-favorite product you’ve been eyeing, the sale is the perfect excuse to revamp your makeup bag with formulas that are clean, effective, and skincare-forward.

We’re sharing the clean makeup must-haves we’re adding to cart this season—from hydrating foundations to featherlight blushes—each one formulated without questionable ingredients and designed to enhance your skin’s natural radiance.

If you’re searching for the best clean makeup to shop during the Sephora Spring Sale, start here.

Best Clean Foundation at Sephora Spring Sale
HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA
Triclone Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation with Fermented Arnica

Comparable to Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, but with even more glow, this clean foundation is one of the most impressive complexion products we’ve tried this year. It offers breathable, medium coverage with a luminous, skin-like finish and includes fermented arnica to help calm redness and support skin health while you wear it.

Best Talc-Free Setting Powder
Kosas
Cloud Set Loose Translucent Talc-Free Setting + Blurring Powder
Shade: Translucent Candy

A clean setting powder that does it all—blurs, sets, and subtly brightens. We’re loving the Translucent Candy shade, a barely-there pink that gives an airy, lit-from-within effect without flattening your skin’s natural glow. This talc-free powder is perfect for setting makeup without dulling radiance.

Must-Have Clean Face Mist
Tower 28 Beauty
SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray with Hypochlorous Acid

This hypochlorous acid facial mist has been in constant rotation for us—perfect for pre-makeup prep, post-workout refresh, or calming skin during travel. It’s become a staple in our skincare and beauty routine thanks to its soothing, balancing benefits for sensitive and breakout-prone skin.

Most Natural-Looking Skin Tint
Summer Fridays
Sheer Skin Tint with Hyaluronic Acid + Squalane

Looking for the best clean skin tint at Sephora? This one tops our list. Lightweight, dewy, and barely detectable on the skin, it delivers a sheer wash of coverage while hydrating with hyaluronic acid and squalane. The result: your skin, just a bit more even and refreshed.

Best Hydrating Makeup Prep
ILIA
The Base Face Milk Essence & Lightweight Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid

Part moisturizer, part essence, this multitasking prep step helps plump and hydrate skin before foundation. It’s a skincare-first formula that leaves behind a soft, dewy base—ideal for layering under your clean makeup routine.

Best Clean Concealer with Skincare Benefits
Tower 28 Beauty
Swipe All-Over Hydrating Serum Concealer

This serum-infused concealer is the one we reach for when we want real coverage with a weightless finish. It blends seamlessly under the eyes, around the nose, or over blemishes, without ever feeling heavy or cakey. Plus, it hydrates as it corrects.

Best Clean Highlighter for a Natural Glow
Saie
Glowy Super Gel Lightweight Dewy Multipurpose Illuminator

For that glass skin glow without the shimmer, this water-based gel highlighter is a standout. Use it under foundation, mix it with your base, or tap it on cheekbones for a sheer, radiant effect. It’s the kind of glow that makes people ask what skincare you’ve been using.

Most Talked-About Brow Gel Online
Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez
Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting and Laminating Eyebrow Gel

This viral clean brow gel lives up to the hype. It sculpts, lifts, and holds brows in place with a flexible formula that never flakes or stiffens. If you’re going for that soft, laminated look, this gel makes it effortless.

Best Clean Contour ProductRare Beauty by Selena Gomez
Soft Pinch Liquid Contour

This clean liquid contour is incredibly easy to use—even for beginners. It offers buildable pigment, a skin-like finish, and seamless blending for subtle sculpting that enhances without overpowering. Perfect for everyday wear or a more polished evening look.

Best Cream Blush for a Dewy FinishMERIT
Flush Balm Cream Blush

Minimal effort, maximum impact. This clean cream blush glides on smoothly and leaves behind a natural-looking flush that’s easy to build and impossible to overdo. It’s portable, foolproof, and blends beautifully over bare skin or foundation.

Shop Smarter: Clean Makeup Picks Worth Grabbing During the Sephora Spring Sale

Each product in our cart offers a thoughtful balance of performance and purity—clean formulas that deliver real results without compromising on finish, texture, or wear time. Whether you’re diving into clean beauty for the first time or adding to a well-edited routine, these Sephora Spring Sale picks are a great place to start.

The post What’s In Our Cart for the Sephora Spring Sale 2025: Clean Makeup Edition appeared first on The Chalkboard.

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Living Well with Marie Veronique: Founder, Formulator, and Industry OG of Holistic Skincare

Before “skin barrier” became the buzzword of the decade, before microbiome-friendly was a label slapped onto every serum, and long before clean beauty became a multi-billion-dollar category—there was Marie Veronique. A former chemistry teacher turned visionary formulator, Marie has been quietly (and brilliantly) leading the skincare conversation for over two decades with a rare blend of scientific rigor and holistic wisdom.

She’s not chasing trends—she’s been setting them. From creating one of the first non-nano zinc oxide sunscreens to developing technically complex formulations that actually support skin function, her approach is less about hype and more about long-term skin health. Marie’s perspective goes beyond the surface, treating the skin as part of a beautifully interconnected system—and it shows in every product, every protocol, and every piece of education she shares.

Living Well with Marie Veronique

Can you take us back to the beginning—what first sparked your passion for skincare, and what led you to create Marie Veronique? We start our life’s work for selfish (as opposed to altruistic) reasons, in spite of what people like to think about themselves. I had acne as a teenager, which was psychologically devastating, and nothing on the market worked. In my 30’s I developed rosacea and was given products recommended by a dermatologist, which also didn’t work.

These conditions are, as scientists like to say, non-trivial. They can profoundly affect your self-esteem, and inhibit your ability to lead a full and fulfilling life. Sometimes you just have to find solutions on your own, so that’s what I’ve tried to do. 

As a woman in science and business, what unique challenges have you faced? How has being a female founder influenced the way you run your company? If I were struggling to succeed in a male-dominated field like engineering I might have a different story to tell, but honestly, I am in an industry where women lead the way, or at least share the spotlight. I have noticed that reverse prejudice exists in the case of the men who enter the beauty field though —somehow the expectation is that they will be competent, whereas women have to work harder to prove themselves.  

But still, challenge builds character, and I grew up in the 1950’s when gender bias was so prevalent we didn’t notice it. Fortunately, I was a young adult in the ‘60’s, when we did. So I am a feminist of course, and it makes me more than furious when I think of women doing stellar work in science being cheated of the recognition they deserve, as happened to Lisa Meitner, the great Swedish physicist. Einstein called her “the German Marie Curie.”  

In terms of running a company, knowing an entrenched unfair rewards system still exists makes you aware of and very desirous of recognizing women who do good work that deserves rewarding. But really, I like to think I recognize and reward good work across the board–good work is good work after all.  

Your products are technically complex—what’s one of the most exciting scientific breakthroughs you’ve incorporated into your formulas? The most exciting are still yet to come, but I am not quite ready to reveal all. I can leave you with a teaser though. What is the one thing everybody, and I mean everybody, wants? If my products could do one thing for your skin, what would it be? The real scientific breakthroughs still await us, but they’re just around the corner.

With skincare science evolving rapidly, what’s one area of research you’re most excited about? Well, what everybody in the Bay Area is working on of course. This area is a mecca for longevity research, which is expanding and changing many fields and taking us in many different directions. For example, the Buck Institute in Novato has been investigating aging with respect to the role played by protein misfolding in Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline for a few years now. Related fields, such as skin aging, beg for more exploration by dedicated scientists. I intend to be more deeply involved in this type of research, especially in connection with skin aging. How does skin age, and what can we do to slow down the rate? Those are the questions that keep me awake at night.

If you could give people one timeless piece of skincare advice, what would it be? Wear sunscreen. The science behind that advice is that the number one cause of skin aging is DNA damage from sun. This is the hallmark of aging known in the longevity field as genomic instability. 90% of wrinkles and sunspots are caused by sun exposure, most of which falls into the category of premature aging.  

Bottom line: if you don’t wear sunscreen your skin will age faster than it needs to. You can prevent premature aging by wearing zinc oxide only sunscreen every day.

If we were to peek into your personal skincare cabinet, what products and rituals would we find? 

Daily: MARIE VERONIQUE Vitamins C+E+Ferulic Serum + Barrier Restore Serum, followed by Protective Day Oil + Barrier Lipid Complex, followed Zinc oxide sunscreen.

Nightly: MARIE VERONIQUE Soothing B3 Serum + Barrier Restore Serum, followed by Rejuvinating Night Oil + Barrier Lipid Complex, followed by Multi-Retinol Night Emulsion. 

You can see I am big on oil blends. Not to mention the three must haves– Vitamin C and sunscreen by day and retinol at night.

The term 'clean beauty' is often used but can be ambiguous. How does Marie Veronique define 'clean beauty,' and what criteria do you use to ensure your products meet this standard? I much prefer that our products meet standards of high performance efficacy and safety. “Clean beauty” is a phrase more often employed to create unnecessary alarm over non-issues than to deliver useful information. I think the next generation of formulators, busy creating products based on scientific research that produce demonstrable results, will not concern themselves with playing to empty marketing hype. I hope to see, in my lifetime, “Clean beauty” go the way of snake oil salesmen gambits. Actually, snake oil is beneficial as it’s high in Omega 3, 6 and 9 EFAs. Dear consumers, buy snake oil, and be skeptical of clean beauty claims that serve no purpose except to scare you.  

Are there any novel or unconventional ingredients you've incorporated into your products recently? Yes.  

Oh, what, you want more? Yes, a range of dipeptides, enzymes and liposomes. 

Beyond skincare, what are some of the wellness rituals or habits that keep you feeling your best? I take many supplements every day, including all the longevity ones like quercetin, NAD+ and so on. I also take Stamets 7–the mushroom extracts Paul Stamets recommends. I am an admirer of his work. I row 4,000 meters a day, walk everywhere, eat salad for breakfast most days.  Some days I put bacon in the salad. I am not a Puritan.

Are there any books, people, or experiences that have deeply influenced your philosophy on skincare and wellness?  

Books - 

Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We Don't Have To by David A. Sinclair 

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, and Nexus, both by Yuval Noah Harari

Fall, or Dodge In Hell by Neal Stephenson

I am a big fan of science fiction.

People: my kids

Other: My cat, Fat Eddy.  Every day I learn something new from her.  

With so much marketing-driven skincare, have you ever faced skepticism from consumers or the industry for taking a more scientific, less hype-driven approach? How do you navigate that? Haha, I sense a compliment in there and I am taking it. It’s a point of pride for me to be a hardline skeptic, and frankly skepticism requires a level of science knowledge hypers don’t have. 

Bottom line, adherence to scientific principles is just good business. Science based skin care is the future.  Brands still fumbling in the “clean beauty” space will very soon be regarded as quaint and charming artifacts, like alchemy or Wiccan rituals. They cannot compete against science-driven skin care products and treatments that deliver results. 

Complete this sentence: Living well means…

I'll give you Polonius’ advice to his son Laertes: “This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”  

The irony is of course Polonius didn't follow his own advice, and met a bad end.  

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The Cult-Favorite Olive Oil From Flamingo Estate That Has the Food World and Celebs Obsessed

We’re calling it: this is the best olive oil money can buy.

You’ve seen it on the countertops of chefs, celebrities, and food editors alike—splashed across the pages of Vogue, Bon Appétit, GQ, and The New York Times. But this isn’t just hype. Flamingo Estate’s Heritage Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the real deal—bold, complex, wildly aromatic, and unlike anything else on the market.

This isn’t olive oil. This is liquid gold.

Pressed from a single-origin Autumn harvest, this blend is made exclusively for Flamingo Estate by Philip Asquith, a fourth-generation olive farmer in Ojai, California. Grown on a family-run farm that follows organic, sustainable, and biodynamic principles, every drop of this oil reflects a deep reverence for the land, the season, and the craft of making something truly exceptional.

Flamingo Estate, the brand behind this cult-favorite, has redefined what it means to live well. What began as a hedonistic garden in the hills of Los Angeles has blossomed into a movement—one that celebrates radical pleasure, regenerative agriculture, and the luxury of living in rhythm with nature. Every product is rooted in intention—and this olive oil may just be their most iconic yet.

The flavor? Grassy, vibrant, and perfectly peppery. It’s the finishing touch that turns a simple slice of bread or bowl of pasta into a restaurant-level moment.

Once you’ve tasted it, there’s no going back.

Why Truly Fresh, High-Quality Olive Oil Is So Hard to Find

Most of the olive oil on supermarket shelves is mass-produced, blended from multiple sources, and often sits in warehouses for months (or even years) before it reaches your kitchen. Even bottles labeled as “extra virgin” can be misleading—many are diluted with lower-quality oils or lack the flavor and health benefits that come from fresh, organic, single-origin olive oil. That’s why small-batch producers like Flamingo Estate are changing the game. Unlike industrial-scale brands, they focus on purity, freshness, and sustainability—and you can taste the difference in every drop.

+Grown and harvested by Philip Aquith, a fourth-generation olive farmer who knows that exceptional olive oil starts with exceptional farming.

+Hand-picked at peak ripeness and cold-pressed immediately—ensuring maximum flavor and the highest concentration of polyphenols (the powerful antioxidants that make olive oil a superfood).

+Made from rare, single-origin olive varieties that are almost impossible to find in the U.S., including Columella, Nocellara del Belice, Cailletier, and Lechin de Sevilla.

+Completely unblended—meaning you’re tasting oil from a single harvest, unlike mass-market brands that mix lower-quality oils from multiple sources.

+Stored in dark glass bottles to protect against oxidation and preserve its vibrant color and bold, peppery flavor.

This is real olive oil, the kind that actually delivers the health benefits, depth of flavor, and rich texture that supermarket brands simply can’t match. It’s why top chefs, food editors, and design lovers alike keep reaching for Flamingo Estate.

Sustainability You Can Taste

Some brands talk about sustainability. Flamingo Estate lives it—literally from the ground up. This olive oil isn’t simply organic; it’s the product of regenerative farming, a practice that goes beyond sustainability to actively rebuild soil health, nurture biodiversity, and create a closed-loop system that supports the environment. Every single bottle represents a commitment to farming that gives back more than it takes.

+Grown on a family-run farm using generational expertise and time-honored techniques.

+Regenerative agriculture practices that enhance soil fertility, improve carbon capture, and promote long-term ecosystem health.

+Hand-harvested and cold-pressed immediately—a crucial step that ensures every drop retains its vibrant nutrients and antioxidants.

+No-waste farming philosophy—olive press leftovers are transformed into compost tea to nourish the trees and attract pollinators.

+Naturally irrigated with pond water full of beneficial microorganisms, supporting plant health while conserving water.

This isn’t just about making the best olive oil possible—it’s about honoring the land, supporting small farmers, and creating a product that’s as good for the planet as it is for your plate.

The Flavor That Changes Everything

Once you taste real, fresh olive oil, you’ll wonder how you ever settled for anything less. Flamingo Estate’s Heritage Extra Virgin Olive Oil doesn’t just  pair with your food—it transforms it. This oil is meant to be savored, drizzled, and celebrated in every bite.

+A deep, grassy aroma that instantly signals its freshness.

+A bold peppery kick—the mark of an oil rich in polyphenols and antioxidants.

+Bright fruit notes that balance the intensity and add depth.

+A luxuriously silky texture that enhances everything from fresh salads to roasted vegetables to a simple piece of warm, crusty bread.

This is the kind of olive oil you don’t just use—you plan meals around it. It turns even the simplest dishes into something special, and once you’ve had a taste, you’ll never go back to the bland, flat supermarket stuff again.

The One Gift Everyone Loves

In recent years, Flamingo Estate’s olive oil has become my go-to housewarming gift, and without fail, it’s always a hit. There’s something about giving a bottle of really good olive oil that feels thoughtful, indulgent, and special—because it’s something people actually use and appreciate. It’s the kind of gift that instantly elevates someone’s kitchen and introduces them to what olive oil should really taste like.

It also helps that the bottle is beautiful, making it feel like more than just a pantry staple—it’s a conversation piece. And if you want to take it to the next level, Flamingo Estate offers curated gift sets, like The Garden Tour and The Chef’s Kiss. They also offer customization, which turns a single bottle into an even more memorable experience. And let’s be honest—who doesn’t love a personalized gift? This extra-special gesture is perfect for marking a milestone, celebrating a new home, or just surprising someone with something both practical and luxurious.

A Bottle Worth Getting Now

Here’s the thing about Flamingo Estate’s olive oil—it doesn’t stick around. With limited seasonal production and small-batch harvesting, each release is unique, fleeting, and highly sought after. Special editions, like their Limited-Edition Garlic Olive Oil, are only available in 400 bottles. 

There’s something about knowing your bottle comes from a single, carefully tended harvest that makes it feel even more special. It’s not just another grocery store staple—it’s an experience, a connection to the land, and a reminder to slow down and savor the good things. If you’ve ever wondered what truly exceptional olive oil tastes like, this is your moment. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll never look at olive oil the same way again.

And if you love it as much as we do, you’ll want to stock up—because once it’s gone, it’s gone until next season.  Flamingo Estate is offering Chalkboard Mag readers an exclusive 10% off with code CHALKBOARD—available for a limited time from April 3–17.

This story is brought to you in partnership with Flamingo Estate. From time to time, TCM editors choose to partner with brands we believe in to bring our readers special offers.

The post The Cult-Favorite Olive Oil From Flamingo Estate That Has the Food World and Celebs Obsessed appeared first on The Chalkboard.

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More Exclusive Than an It-Bag: The Limited-Edition Fragrance You Have to Join a Ledger to Own

In a world where fragrance shelves are overflowing and launches come by the dozen, Ffern continues to defy every industry norm—quietly, artfully, and seasonally. The British brand is not only beloved for its meticulously crafted natural perfumes, but for its rare and poetic approach: each fragrance is released just once, in harmony with the solstices and equinoxes, and only to those who’ve joined its now-legendary ledger. It’s not a subscription. It’s a ceremony.

For Spring 25, Ffern co-founders (and siblings) Owen Mears and Emily Cameron set out to reinterpret one of perfumery’s most storied blooms: violet. But this is no powdery vintage echo—this is violet reimagined in the wild. Anchored in orris root and lifted by lemon zest, peppermint, jonquil, jasmine, and a breath of woodland air, Spring 25 is equal parts fairytale and fresh awakening. It’s verdant, luminous, and surprisingly bold—like childhood joy wrapped in moss and mystery.

We sat down with Owen and Emily to talk about the craftsmanship behind this release, their love of nature’s rhythms, and the slow, intentional philosophy that guides everything from scent design to sustainability. What unfolds is a portrait of two creatives building a business with purpose—and an invitation to experience spring not just as a season, but as a feeling.

Ffern isn’t just a fragrance brand—it feels more like a secret society, with the ledger as the only way in. Why did you choose this model, and how does it shape the way people experience each seasonal release?

Our approach stemmed from our love for the seasons and nature - to honour this, we had to make the model as sustainable as possible, finding ways to tread lightly. By making just enough fragrances for the members named on our ledger (as well as a few bottles for our archive), we’re able to maintain our own high natural and ethical standards, minimizing production and waste by ensuring that we’re never making more bottles than we need.

Our core mission at Ffern is to help connect people more to nature - hence being guided entirely by the seasons to create four unique fragrances each year, releasing them at each of the equinoxes and solstices, when the seasons turn.

Our members have really taken to experiencing fragrance this way, and over the years their feedback, often so personal, has been better than we could have ever imagined. We’ve found that people love waiting for each seasonal release, they feel the turning of the year more, and find the fragrances bring them closer to nature’s ancient rhythms and cycles. The ephemeral nature of our fragrances seems to only heighten this experience.

Spring 25 feels like a poetic tribute to the fleeting beauty of violets. What was the inspiration behind this particular fragrance?

For spring, we truly began with violets. We’d used violet leaf absolute before, in the fig accord we made for Autumn 23 - it’s this incredible dark green liquid, like a magical potion, that has that unmistakable powdery, sweet, fresh floral note. Lots of people think of violet as an old-fashioned note, and we wanted to modernise it, finding our own spin. From here, we imagined this sunlit spring woodland - like something in a fairytale. A place where velvet moss gleams on silvered branches… A clearing, carpeted with purple flowers. Violets in their natural habitat.

Some perfumes command attention, while others whisper. Where does Spring 25 sit on that spectrum? Is it meant to linger in the air or be discovered up close?

All our fragrances are made with very high quality natural ingredients - because of their molecular complexity these evolve quite differently with each wearer, shifting and developing over the course of the day. Some ingredients will fade as others come to the fore - it's highly personal, and delightfully unpredictable.

Saying that, we do think Spring 25 is one of our bolder fragrances - mainly because of that strong focus on one ingredient we talked about above. To us, the floral punch of the Violet leaf really makes this one stand out - in our blend with other spring florals, like jonquil daffodil, jasmine and orris (made from iris root), but with touches of cleaner notes like peppermint and lemon, it sings out so beautifully. It’s really joyous!

What’s the ‘surprise’ note in Spring 25—the one that lingers in the background but transforms the entire composition?

It has to be the orris - an incredible ingredient that takes years to make. Its scent is suede-like, with something of milk and earth, and it has its own hint of violet, which makes it pair so well with the violet leaf. In Spring 25, the orris adds a depth and velvety texture that anchors the fragrance’s lighter, sparkling aspects - it was our final addition, and really elevated and enriched the fragrance.

What we love about orris, is that it remains deeply rooted to the soil in which it’s grown, as well as to the people who tend to it. After three or four years of flowering, the scentless roots are dug up by hand, and are matured for another several years. Once mature, these roots are powdered, mixed with water and distilled by steam to produce a semi-solid oil, known as orris butter.

Lizzie Riches’ artwork Violet plays a central role in this release. What drew you to her work initally, and how does Violet reflect the spirit of Spring 25?

We’ve admired Lizzie Riches’ luminous portraits for years. The way her characters embody nature, its light and the spirit of the seasons… In some ways they reminded us of Cicely Mary Barker’s Flower Fairies, the botanically accurate watercolours that illustrated our childhoods.

Lizzie’s depiction of Violet is cherubic, and as fresh as spring itself. Against lilac skies and springtime oaks, she is bathed in pale yellow sunlight. We love the white violets that Lizzie has chosen for Violet’s doublet - contrasting so effectively with the posy of purple ones. It’s an ethereal and unexpected touch that with the Jennie Wren and hovering Meadow Brown, lends a delicacy to this aspect of our springtime fairytale - and illustrates the precision and meaningful choices that drew us to Lizzie’s work.

What was the single most important feeling you wanted to capture in Spring 25? And how do you think it differs from past releases?

This season, we really wanted to evoke the nostalgia of childhood stories - those feelings of excitement, joy and discovery. That unadulterated sense of wonder, with little touches of darkness and mystery woven in.

What moment of the day do you think Spring 25 is best worn? Is it a morning fragrance, an afternoon scent, or something to savor at night?

We hope that between its verdant and velvety facets, our Spring 25 fragrance can carry wearers through the course of the day. Our fragrances are inspired by moments in nature, particular moods, ingredients, memories and feelings - we don’t typically create them with one time of day in mind. That said, this is a fragrance that sits really beautifully on a spring morning… We can’t wait to wear it come May, when the season is at its best!

If you could describe Spring 25 in three words—not the notes, but the emotion of it—what would they be?

Verdant - awakening - mystery.

To experience Spring 25 for yourself, you’ll need to join Ffern’s seasonal ledger—an exclusive list that opens ahead of each release. Bottles are crafted in limited quantities for members only, so once they’re gone, they’re truly gone. To reserve yours, visit ffern.co and join the ledger before the next seasonal turn.

The post More Exclusive Than an It-Bag: The Limited-Edition Fragrance You Have to Join a Ledger to Own appeared first on The Chalkboard.

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