The Art of Beauty
Radiate Your Beauty
Japanese Beauty Rituals
Yuzu is similar to lemons but contains three times the Vitamin C of lemons. The Japanese have used Yuzu's powerful antioxidants for over 1,500 years to brighten, smooth, and improve skin texture.
The miracle combination of Sake and Yuzu provided generations of Ozawa women, including my mother, with distinctively clear, smooth skin.
The New East-West Formulation
After marrying my father and moving to the United States, my mother didn't have access to Yuzu, so she substituted lemons. Ever resourceful, Toshiko united her Eastern ritual with Western ingredients, and the new East-West formulation continued to work its magic for my mother.
Mothers Know Best
Sadly, I followed none of my mother's skincare rituals or practices.
Instead of embracing our powerful family secret, I placed my faith and money in mass-marketed products and looked down on anything homemade. Worse yet, I wrote the book on sun damage going back to my teen years on the beaches of Okinawa, where my skincare ritual consisted of attaining the darkest possible tan. My tanning fixation lasted well into my 40s - and like many Baby Boomers, I used iodine and baby oil to "protect" my skin.
My mother tried in vain to warn me away from the sun and persistently pushed her Saké and lemon formulation on me to improve my skin. But I wanted no part of it. Please! She made it in the kitchen!
Rediscovering the Family Secret
Your Best Self - At Any Age
Connecting with Our Inner Beauty
Connecting with our Inner Beauty, our spirit within, generates a radiance that can't be replicated. Cultivating that connection changes our presence and purpose, and we naturally radiate the Beauty that uniquely and authentically belongs to each of us.
The best part? Aligning our Inner Beauty and Outer Beauty takes less than one minute a day.
I use PureJūnLife Pure Essence in the morning and evening, after washing my face and before moisturizing. While gently nurturing my skin with this natural treatment, I close my eyes and connect with my Inner Beauty - my True Nature - by repeating a personal affirmation.
I experience a state of grace while communing with myself in the present moment. The benefits of this short, private ritual grow collectively over time, nourishing both my skin and spirit.
Small Batches, Naturally Infused
The PureJūnLife formulation comprises four infused ingredients: Fermented Rice Water (Sake), Whole Organic Lemons, Whole Yuzu, and Organic Plant-Based Coconut Glycerin, a natural humectant that attracts moisture to the surface layers of the skin.
PureJūnLife Pure Essence is made in small batches, or Jizaké (Gee-Zah-Kay) in my home. The Jizaké/small-batch skin treatment takes months for each formulation to infuse and is limited in quantity.
Your Personal Affirmation
Each bottle of PureJūnLife Pure Essence includes helpful guidelines on how to create your personal affirmation, as well as suggestions for mantras and positive affirmations to get you started.
I invite you to connect with your Beauty through this Pure Essence and prepare for a fresh beginning with each rising and setting sun.
We all know people who seem to effortlessly draw in others – these "people magnets" glow with joyful confidence and positive energy that feels irresistible.
People who are connected to their inner Beauty naturally radiate outward Beauty.
The spirit in our Beauty resides in each of us. When we connect deeply with our true nature, we feel synchronized and balanced – and we can't help but glow with that same joyful confidence.
PureJūnLife Pure Essence is a skincare ritual that joins the Essence of our inner Beauty to our outer Beauty.
Pure Essence is born from generations of Japanese rituals and nature-based Beauty, believing that a woman's face – like her spirit – must retire each night cleansed and pure in preparation for a fresh beginning with each rising sun.
My mother, Toshiko, was known for her flawlessly radiant skin that belied her age. How did she keep her skin so beautiful decade after decade? Because she followed the skincare rituals ingrained into every Japanese woman's life: She stayed out of the sun. She used simple, nature-based products, and she patted those products on her face instead of rubbing and stretching her delicate skin.
My mother's skincare practice also included one secret, a secret rooted in her mother, Katsuko Ogata's family business: the Yama-cho ("Mountain-Town") Saké brewery. My mother had been the lucky recipient of generations of Ogata women who passed down their Jizaké (Gee-Zah-Kay) "small-batch" skincare formulation combining the magical qualities of Saké and Yuzu (You-Zoo), a native Japanese citrus.
The healing properties of Saké are based in the rice mash, called "Saké-Kasu" (Saw-Kay – Caw-Sue), which forms during the Saké filtration process. Saké-Kasu contains numerous amino acids, vitamins, enzymes, and minerals that help to maintain hydration, improve skin elasticity and diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Kojic-Acid, another key component of Saké, fades skin discoloration and brown spots.
It wasn't until my late 30s that I rediscovered the family secret. One day, I ran out of my pricy skin toner, so I broke down and used the Saké/Lemon concoction my mother had left behind during one of her visits. I was surprised at how fresh my skin felt afterward and made it part of my cleansing routine. Thankfully my ever-optimistic mother had left behind many bottles hoping that I would someday come to my senses.
A few months later, I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in a while. She leaned in to scrutinize my face and asked, "Are you doing something different to your skin?" I replied, "No . . . except I've been using some stuff my mother made."
She shook her head. "Well, you should continue using it. Your skin looks great . . . and you should listen to your mother more often."
The light bulb flashed over my head. My mother's wish finally came true; I had finally joined another generation of Ogata women to benefit from my family's Saké brewery secret.
Now in my 60s, and despite the many years of sun damage I've inflicted on myself, my skin is smooth-textured and practically free of age spots. Whenever I receive a compliment on my skin, I send up a prayer of gratitude to the wise Japanese women in my family who left me this precious gift.
The PureJūnLife formulation is comprised of four infused ingredients: Fermented Rice Water (Sake), Whole Organic Lemons, Whole Yuzu and Organic Plant-Based Coconut Glycerin (a natural humectant which attracts moisture to the surface layers of the skin).
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FAQs
Do you accept returns?
I prepare each bottle of PureJūnLife Pure Essence with my personal intention for your best experience. As a home-based craftsperson, please understand that I currently don't offer returns and exchanges. Replacements are extended only to customers who receive damaged items. If this applies, please reach out to essence@purejunlife.com within one week/7 days and include photos of damaged items.
Can I only use PureJūnLife Pure Essence on my face?
Pure Essence can be effectively used on other parts of the body. I use it on my hands and recently started using it on my forearms. As with any new skincare product, I recommend you do a patch test before using Pure Essence to ensure that it works well with your skin.
Will PureJūnLife Pure Essence dry out my skin?
The Pure Essence infusion combines the oils from the skins of the whole Lemons and Yuzu, as well as Organic Plant-Based Coconut Glycerin, a natural humectant that attracts moisture to the skin's surface layers. The combination of the Lemon and Yuzu oils and Glycerin delivers moisturizing properties to the skin. I have not experienced any dryness, but everyone has different skin types and needs.
Is there anything special about the PureJūnLife Pure Essence bottle?
Pure Essence is packaged in airless pump bottles, which creates an airtight chamber and preserves the antioxidant properties of the four infused ingredients: Fermented Rice Water (Sake), Whole Organic Lemons, Whole Yuzu, and Organic Plant-Based Coconut Glycerin. The airless pump bottle also protects Pure Essence from outside impurities and extends the shelf life. This type of bottle is more expensive, but I think that we are all worth it!
Are PureJūnLife Pure Essence bottles reusable?
I have reused my personal airless pump bottle for lotions and other liquids. Once the bottle is empty, using a sanitized stick type of tool, push the disc all the way down to the bottom and refill. A word of caution: only refill the bottle if you believe you can properly sanitize the bottle and re-purpose it. A video on reusing airless pump bottles can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOM3aO3l6do
Is the bracelet in the photo included with Pure Essence?
The jade Juzu (Japanese Buddhist prayer beads) in the photo is one of a kind and belonged to my mother, Toshiko. Although the Juzu itself is not included with Pure Essence, Toshiko's spirit definitely is!
Should I do a patch test before using PureJūnLife Pure Essence?
A patch test for sensitivity is always recommended before using any new skincare product, including PureJūnLife Pure Essence. Start with a patch of skin that can be comfortably left alone for up to 24 hours, such as the skin of the inner arm. Wash the area first and apply a small amount of the product to the patch of skin and cover the area with a band-aid. Wait 24 hours before removing the band-aid. A video can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJU9gpwUEMU