July 23, 2025 • 48 mins
When esthetician Albina Mastrangelo moved from sun-drenched southern Italy to frigid Canada, she never anticipated that the climate shock and cultural adjustment would trigger devastating cystic acne that no commercial or prescription product could fix. Her breaking point? The moment her boyfriend couldn't find a clear spot on her face to kiss.
That heartbreaking moment launched Albina on a mission to create her own solution. Despite lacking formal chemistry training, she researched natural ingredients like chamomile, tea tree, and specialized compounds that fight inflammation. But formulating the recipe was just the beginning—she faced rejection from countless labs unwilling to produce small batches until a chance connection with a chemist who had fond memories of Italy opened the door to creating her first product.
The transformation of Albina's skin became the foundation for what is now an extensive natural skincare line featuring innovative delivery systems that ensure potent ingredients penetrate deeply. What makes her approach special is her holistic philosophy that beautiful skin requires more than topical treatments. Throughout our conversation, she shares practical wisdom about sleep routines, stress management, and nutrition's profound impact on skin health—from omega-3 rich foods that reduce inflammation to antioxidant-packed berries that protect against premature aging.
Whether you're struggling with problematic skin or simply want to maintain a healthy glow as you age, Albina's journey from personal crisis to skincare success offers both inspiration and practical solutions. Discover her natural approach to skincare that addresses both surface concerns and the deeper factors that influence your skin's appearance at www.albina.ca.
Together, we'll build Healthy Cells, and a Healthy You!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Janet Walker (00:18):
Thank you so much for joining us, you feeling
confident.
Welcome listeners to HealthyCells Healthy you I'm your host,
janet Walker.
In this special episode, I'm onlocation.
You're going to hear theamazing story of the creator of
a natural skincare line that cangive you the skin you've always
dreamed of.
Welcome to Healthy Cells.
(00:43):
Healthy you.
I'm your host, janet Walker.
I've been working in thehealthcare community for over 30
years and for 20 of those yearsI've also worked as a writer
and producer for the WindsorBroadcasting award-winning
national PBS, health informationTV shows, american Health
Journal and Innovations inMedicine.
We've interviewed thousands ofdoctors, scientists and
(01:04):
researchers on every topicrelated to health, medicine and
medical technology.
Thank you, kids.
I'm also a new host forWindsor's award-winning podcast
entitled Better Wellness.
Thanks for joining me today inbeautiful Toronto, canada.
(01:42):
I'm your host, janet Walker,and I'm at the day spa of
esthetician, reflexologist andnutritionist Albina Mastrangelo,
owner of Albina Skin CareStudio and founder of the
Natural Albina Skin CareCollection.
Albina has over 25 years ofexpertise in the field.
Her approach integratesholistic skincare, relaxation
(02:06):
techniques, meditation andreflexology.
Her techniques, combined withher products, offer relief from
skincare concerns, pain andstress, all the while promoting
rejuvenation.
Albina's research anddedication to skincare led her
to produce a line of productsusing the highest quality
(02:26):
natural ingredients.
Welcome to the program, albina.
Thank you for the invitation tovisit.
Albina Mastrangelo (02:33):
Thank you for having me on your podcast.
I sincerely appreciate yourvisit and I'm excited to support
your listener in any way I can.
Janet Walker (02:43):
Wonderful, I can.
Wonderful, I detect an accent.
Where are you from originally?
Albina Mastrangelo (02:48):
I'm from Italy, the south part of Italy,
calabria, and I've been hereabout, I will say, 30 years.
That's a long time.
I love Italy because I grew upthere, but I also love Canada
because it's a wonderful region.
Janet Walker (03:10):
Albina, you've been in the skincare industry
for decades and your productline came about through your own
personal and amazing story thatI would love to share with our
listeners.
Tell us about why you started ajourney to create a solution
for your own problematic skin.
Okay, yes, absolutely.
Albina Mastrangelo (03:28):
When I arrived in Canada the first time
from Italy, I was impressedwith the size of this country.
I remember my town.
It's so much more tiny and wehave everything close by and
(03:49):
here you need a car to goeverywhere.
And when I looked around Ithought, wow, this is going to
be great.
Going to be great.
I start to embrace the bigdreams and maybe building a life
(04:10):
full of opportunity.
And I didn't realize thatadjusting to such a different
place than back home wasactually full of challenges At
the time.
I just got married, I wastrying to learn a new language,
(04:32):
I was adapting to a new way ofliving, new people, even
different food compared to thesmall town where I come from,
and I was adjusting to adifferent climate.
I was so cold at the timebecause I arrived, I believe, in
(04:52):
I think it was about October,November, so it was the core of
the winter.
Janet Walker (04:59):
So very different from that Mediterranean climate
you were used to?
Albina Mastrangelo (05:02):
Oh, absolutely Very different.
And I remember when I arrived Ididn't even have the proper
clothes or the proper shoes, andthen, when I started to feel
the freezing cold, the firstthing I did I went shopping, and
it was a good excuse to buy newclothes.
(05:25):
But having said that, all thosefactors I think know stress can
affect your body, and thelargest part of our body is your
(05:52):
skin.
So I started to experiencecystic acne and it wasn't just a
cosmetic issue.
It eventually became a seriousconcern.
Eventually became a seriousconcern and my acne became so
inflamed and so painful it wasgetting worse day by day and was
(06:13):
not just affecting myappearance, because at the time
I was already an esthetician wasaffecting me also on a business
level, and I started to lookfor answers.
In fact, I even consulted myown doctor, which he sent me to
(06:34):
a dermatologist and he gave mesome strong medication which
they were affecting my digestivesystem, and he sent me to some
clinic to have some injectionspecifically into my skin to try
(06:55):
to bring the inflammation down.
But honestly, janet, whatever Iwas doing was helping me for a
bit, but then the acne wasstarting again and was quite
intense.
That affected me even on apersonal level.
Janet Walker (07:16):
Was there any one defining moment where you said,
okay, that's it, I have to finda solution.
Albina Mastrangelo (07:25):
Actually, yes, janet.
It's funny that you asked methis question because it was a
moment that gave me a strongpush to make a change for my and
was on a personal level.
I remember one day I was withmy boyfriend at the time, which
(07:50):
then became my fiancé, and hepointed out that he couldn't
even kiss me because I could notfind a single clear spot on my
face to give me a kiss, and thatdevastated me.
I felt sad.
(08:12):
I felt defeated.
I was getting very anxiousabout this because it also
affected my work as a specialist.
It was causing anxiety.
I was there to help clients toachieve a beautiful, healthy
skin, and instead I wasstruggling with my own skin.
(08:36):
And how will I be perceived bymy clients?
Would they trust my expertiseif my own skin was in crisis?
Janet Walker (08:50):
You know what I mean, I understand what you're
saying.
You know there's the sayingphysician heal thyself.
So your clients could bethinking well, how are you going
to make my skin clear if youcan't even make your own skin
clear?
Albina Mastrangelo (09:04):
Exactly that's how I felt.
I was losing my confidence andmy trust in myself, and at one
point I could not take thisanymore because it was affecting
me on so many levels.
It was affecting my personalrelationship and my personal
self-confidence with my life andmy work, and at that moment I
(09:30):
decided that it was time to takethis matter into my own hands.
Janet Walker (09:36):
So then, with your background as an esthetician,
but without a formal educationin science or chemistry, you
embarked on a journey to createa solution for yourself, because
there wasn't one that existedeither prescription or
(09:57):
non-prescription on the shelf.
Is that right?
Albina Mastrangelo (10:00):
Yes, exactly .
I knew I had to take controland I was trying to figure out
what to do because medicationwere not working for me,
products over the counter werenot working for me, so I started
to do my own research.
I said there must be a solution, because I am an esthetician
(10:24):
and I was always proud to be anesthetician.
I went to school, I learnedwhat to do and how to help
people with concern like my own,and I was using even
professional products on themarket and I was not getting the
(10:46):
results.
So I said something needs totake charge of this situation
and I need to be the person incommand to find the solution.
So I started to spend countlesshours in libraries and even
(11:08):
online researching activeingredients that could truly
target cystic acne.
So about how many years ago?
I was at the time, testing evena homemade recipe and I was
(11:33):
experimenting formulation on myown and I'm not a chemist, but I
have the insight within myselfto try to find a solution and a
winning recipe.
I was trying to pick up evencertain ingredients from Eastern
(11:55):
market to find the rightformulation to create recipe,
but I didn't have a complete,all the complete resource to
bring it to the right recipe andat one moment I put a
(12:32):
formulation together and I knewI had the right recipe.
I just need the right chemistto put it together so I can
bring it to life.
Janet Walker (12:46):
So you had told me the story about how you
actually found your chemist andhow you were pretty close to the
end of your rope for that partof the process.
So share that story with us.
I think people will enjoyhearing it.
Albina Mastrangelo (13:00):
Yeah, it was kind of intense for me because
I was reaching out labs thatchemists will request in order
to create a formulation.
(13:33):
In fact, when I was callingthem, the first question they
will ask me is how many?
And I will say I just need thisrecipe to have done for my skin
(13:54):
so I can use for myself and Ican clear up my acne.
And they will just stop, listenand then say to me again we
needed to know how many, becausewe only create a large batch
order for our clientele and ifyou cannot buy that, we cannot
(14:20):
provide you with the formulation, even though you have the
recipe in your hands.
Janet Walker (14:28):
So here, after all of that time doing research,
the library I'm sure internetwas minimal at that time
internet information you finallyhave what you think is the
thing that's going to help youand no one wants to make it
because you can't order, say, athousand or 10,000 bottles.
Albina Mastrangelo (14:47):
Exactly.
I thought I exhausted all myoptions because I spend so much
time reading books, calling evensome people in Italy that I
know they have a very wellbackground in chemistry and they
(15:11):
will recommend me herbs that Ican pick up from markets and
just ground those herbs andcreate the right recipe.
But I still needed the chemistto produce in the right lab.
And when everybody were hangingup on me, I felt that my hope
(15:38):
was going down the drain.
And I remember I had one namestill to call on the list.
I remember it was about 5 pmthat afternoon and I thought,
okay, let me call the lastperson on the list and, god
willing, maybe I should do alittle prayer before I call this
(16:00):
person, because I'm reallyhoping that he will listen to my
request and he will be kindenough to produce a small batch
that I can use for my skin.
So here I was, making my lastcall and he was listening
without interrupting me andwithout asking me the question
(16:25):
how many units do you need forthis recipe?
And I was talking and tellinghim please do not hang up on me,
listen to my story and pleasesee if you can find in your
heart a way to help me and hewas quiet and only once he say
(16:52):
where are you from?
Your accent remind me of mygirlfriend, many, many years ago
when I visit Rome, and she waswonderful.
When I visited Rome and she waswonderful, she showed me Rome
and she showed me all thesebeautiful places and I remember
(17:13):
that, like it was today.
What a beautiful place.
I would love to talk to youabout it.
Why don't you come one day andyou can tell me more about Italy
and all the beautiful place?
That will bring me back to mypast and to the beautiful woman
(17:35):
that I met in Italy.
Wow, yes, and that, honestly,janet, was my opening to have
this dream come true and have myrecipe come to life.
Janet Walker (17:51):
So, here in the middle of all of this science
was love.
Love that he had from his pastis what opened the door, opened
his heart to actuallymanufacture a small batch that
allowed you to produce yourfirst product, exactly exactly.
What an amazing story.
Albina Mastrangelo (18:11):
Yeah, I was so grateful and excited and I
was actually looking forward tomeet this person because I love
Italy and I travel in Rome and Iknow that Rome has so many
beautiful places and I waslooking forward to talk to him
(18:34):
also about Calabria and maybeget some help for my skin and
get this recipe alive that I canhelp myself and I can get the
confidence and I can get myboyfriend to look at my skin in
a way that he can just kiss meand love me just as I am.
Janet Walker (18:57):
So how was that first meeting with that chemist,
and was he someone who became apart of your ongoing journey to
produce these products?
Albina Mastrangelo (19:06):
Yes, that was such a great moment for me.
When I reached the lab, thesecretary looked at me almost in
a weird way because thisparticular chemist he deals with
a very I just want to say hedeals with very high end
(19:34):
products and she looked at melike who are you that can enter
his conference room without thefee that everybody pays?
Because, honestly, I found outlater that you have to pay $500
just to enter his conferenceroom and be able to speak to
(19:56):
this chemist.
And when she ushered me intothis meeting room, I noticed
this man at the end of this longsolid wood table that dominated
the room like was an authorityspace.
(20:19):
That made me feel almost shyand made me feel like I stepped
into a world far beyond my own,if you know what I mean.
I was a newcomer to the countryand I felt like I was thrown
(20:40):
into this unfamiliar setting.
And this man wastes no time andhe points out to sit at the end
of the other table and hestarts to ask me questions about
Italy and I was kind of shybecause my English was still raw
(21:02):
and it was actually unpolished.
But I did my best length of thetable and he came right where I
(21:27):
was sitting and he stood up infront of me and looked at my
face and he was analyzing myskin.
I felt like his eyes looking atme, almost disgusted and blurt
out what's wrong with your face.
That looks terrible, wow.
And in that moment, withouthesitation, janet, I responded
(21:49):
yeah, that's exactly why I needthis recipe to be made and I
need the help.
And if you can help me to makethis recipe, I know in my gut
that this recipe will be thesolution for my skin.
He took the paper off my handsbecause I was holding the recipe
(22:13):
in my hands, and he started tolook at this recipe carefully,
this recipe carefully, and aftera couple moments, he nodded and
he said this is an intense butan interesting recipe and, yes,
can be done.
I'm going to make a small batchfor you and even add a few
(22:36):
additional active ingredientsand let's get your skin cleared
up.
You are a beautiful girl andthat looks terrible on you.
You need to get your skin back.
I'm going to help you with that, just like I will do that for
that girlfriend in Italy.
Janet Walker (22:56):
Wow, wow, that's amazing.
That's almost like divineintervention.
You know someone being put inyour path that cared for you,
cared for you as a person, andit started a skin product empire
.
Amazing to talking about yourproducts and skincare.
(23:21):
So once you received that smallbatch, did you achieve the
results you were hoping for foryour own skin?
Albina Mastrangelo (23:31):
That's a very good question.
Let me first tell you how thisproduct was formulated, because
the ingredients to me they wereoutstanding and they were fresh
and natural.
I remember in my recipe I hadingredients like chamomile,
(23:52):
because, you know, chamomilehelps with the skin irritation,
had the camphor because camphoris very calming.
I had camphor because camphoris very calming, it's a good
toner.
I had tea tree because, youknow, tea tree is like a topical
antibiotic, a naturalantibiotic compound.
(24:14):
I also had the salicylic acid,which you know salicylic acid
helps with the production of oiland helps to remove any excess
of dead skin.
I also add these ingredients,which helped a lot, and there
was an ingredient that Iresourced through a person that
(24:35):
I knew had a background inchemists, and this ingredient is
called ACE-Net and it's acompound that fights
inflammation and diminishes theformation of dead cells, because
(24:56):
a dead cell, mixed with oil andbacteria, can create cystic
acne as well.
So the product became acocktail of great ingredients
and that really made a hugedifference in my skin.
(25:19):
My skin is not perfect, thereis always room for improvement,
but I can tell you that productbrought my skin to a level that
everybody noticed the difference.
Nice, yeah, and my strugglewith the severe acne that was
(25:41):
covering practically my wholeface was gone felt that my
clientele got so interested infinding out about it that they
wanted to have the same productsfor their kids and even for
(26:11):
people that were experiencingadult acne.
So that's when I became soexcited about creating more
products and getting otherproducts on the market that will
help people with so many otherconcerns.
Janet Walker (26:29):
That's an incredible story, really amazing
.
And before we talk a little bitmore about your skincare line,
I know that you also have abackground in health and
nutrition as a coach, and partof having healthy skin is having
a healthy lifestyle.
So what are some of theimportant lifestyle habits that
(26:52):
can help us maintain healthyskin?
Albina Mastrangelo (26:55):
That is a great question.
See, taking care of your skinis more than just having the
right product.
It's like you said it'sbuilding a very good lifestyle
and creating good daily routinesthat will help your skin from
(27:18):
inside out.
Things like caring.
I'm just going to be tellingyou what I do.
Maybe that will help yourlisteners to understand the
things that they can do to makea difference from inside out.
(27:40):
As you know, water is soimportant to drink every day,
and good habits like carrying awater bottle with you and sip
throughout the day, or infuseyour water with the lemon, with
the cucumber, so even with berryfor a refreshing twist to the
(28:01):
water, it's a nice way to drinkwater regularly.
For me also, using a sunscreenis a non-negotiable, but you
still need to receive vitamin Dfrom the sunlight sunlight.
(28:21):
So even spending 10-15 minutesoutdoor, it's so important to
get your level of vitamin d highto a point where your skin will
benefit from it.
See, stay consistent with yourroutine.
Keeps the the skin radiant.
A healthy diet for healthy skinis so important, so plan meals
(28:44):
with the skin-loving ingredientsand then create a good sleeping
routine.
Set a consistent bedtime andwind down with calming activity
like reading or listening tosoothing music is essential.
(29:06):
Avoid the screen at least onehour before bed to prevent blue
light disruption is veryimportant.
I use a silk pillowcase to evenminimize friction on my skin
and I try journaling and deepbreathing exercise to de-stress
(29:28):
myself, not only during the day,but I make a habit of doing
that and also going to bed 30minutes early to input all these
good wind-down habits.
I also engage in hobbies thathelp me to relax, like painting,
(29:49):
gardening and dancing.
I love dancing.
I go at least once per week andI always find activity to
explore with friends at leastonce or twice per month.
I listen to uplifting podcastslike yours, janet.
Thank you, your podcasts are sooutstanding.
(30:13):
Learning is so important andtaking care of yourself and your
skin, you have to surroundyourself with the positive,
uplifting people.
Energy is contagious and alwaysengage with people that uplift
you rather than drain you andthat can make a huge difference
(30:38):
in yourself, which your skin isthe mirror of what's going on
inside of you.
Exercise, finding activity thatgenuinely brings joy, like
walking, yoga, swimming it's soimportant.
Janet Walker (30:57):
I find this fascinating that when we think
about how we're going to carefor our skin, we start by
thinking about okay, whatproducts are we going to use to
clean it, to moisturize it?
Okay, well, you know, sunscreen, even drinking a lot of water?
We've heard that, but to meit's just incredible how all
(31:20):
these other life factors thatyou've been speaking about, all
these other bedtime routines andtaking care of our bodies
inside and out, impacts our skin.
I don't think people realizethat.
I didn't realize that.
Albina Mastrangelo (31:37):
It's incredible Absolutely Even
cutting down alcohol.
It's important.
I'm Italian, I love my wine andI don't mind having
occasionally a nice glass ofwine.
We used to make wine back home.
I would love to drink wine withmy meal every day, but I
(31:57):
understand wine can beinflammatory.
But I try to have herbal tea atnight.
I try to have a healthy habitlike meditation, mindfulness
(32:27):
teas.
Sticking to a good skincareroutine is so important.
Janet Walker (32:45):
So this full body approach to skincare is going to
have the benefit of actuallyimproving many other things in
your life your gut if you'reeating, well, you know your
heart if you're exercising.
So taking care of your biggestorgan, which is your skin, is
(33:08):
going to take care of all theother organs in your body.
It's really an interestingapproach to skincare.
Before we move away fromtalking about healthy lifestyle
for skin, you mentioned healthydiet.
What would be a good, healthydiet for our skin?
Albina Mastrangelo (33:28):
That's an interesting question because
there are so many ingredientsthat will improve your skin from
inside out and, in my opinion,the best diet for healthy,
glowing skin is to have in yourdaily food ingredients like
(33:50):
omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, walnuts, chia seeds.
All these ingredients will helpto hydrate the skin and reduce
inflammation.
Also, antioxidants like berries, leafy greens, citrus fruits
like oranges, has great vitaminC.
(34:11):
All this will protect prematureaging of the skin and will
boost even collagen production.
Proteins, rich food, are soimportant as well.
Like I, eat a lot of eggs,grass-fed meat.
If you are a vegetarian, maybeopt for legumes.
(34:31):
Obviously, be aware of thelectin.
Obviously be aware of thelectin, but all those
ingredients will support yourskin.
Collagen, will supportregeneration of the skin, will
help to repair your skin.
Healthy fats are so important,like avocado, nuts, free-range
(34:53):
butters, extra extra virgincoconut butter, extra virgin
olive oil, the Mediterraneandiet use it a lot.
Even seeds omega-3 supplement.
If you don't have a lot ofthose oils, then the right
supplements will help tomaintain skin elasticity and
(35:14):
will help to maintain themoisture of the skin.
Obviously, water.
Like I said, if you don't drinkenough water, try to have
cucumbers, watermelon, celery.
There is a lot of water inthose items that will create
plumpness and will make yourskin more radiant.
Your skin more radiant.
(35:44):
Even collagen boosting foodlike bone broth.
If you cannot put good collagenin your coffee every day, which
I do, that then have bone broth.
Sip on bone broth on a dailybase.
Even some cottage cheese willprovide essential amino acid for
the skin elasticity.
Green tea Green tea is packedwith the polyphenol, the
fight-free radicals, and alsoprotect against some damage.
(36:08):
So herbal tea is so important.
And let's not forget darkchocolate, because a chocolate
to me, if you choose dark, highquality chocolate, you get so
many flavonoids.
That helps to improve hydrationand circulation.
(36:28):
Also, coffee Some people don'tdrink coffee and I understand
that, but for me, having a cupof coffee, but for me, having a
cup of coffee, it's so importantand I know it's full of
antioxidants.
Obviously, in my opinion and Iknow there is sensitivity to
some stimulants, but they arealso full of antioxidants, yes.
(36:51):
So diet it's so important, justto be careful, because you need
to learn that some other foodscan cause a lot of problem on
the other hand.
Janet Walker (37:03):
You know, what's interesting is that not too long
ago I interviewed Dr StephenGundry.
He's a well-known name.
He's sort of the guru of dietfor gut health and brain health,
and all of the things that youmention are good foods for your
(37:24):
skin, like polyphenols andgrass-fed meats and all these
other things were the samethings that he talked about and
that are in his book theGut-Brain Paradox.
So I guess science is sort ofcatching up to the idea that
this good food list takes careof not only your gut, not only
(37:48):
your brain, but even your skinand even reducing inflammation
for your whole body Exactly, inreducing inflammation for your
whole body, exactly.
Albina Mastrangelo (37:58):
Inflammation plays a huge role in premature
skin, in acne and in skinsensitivity.
That's why I always say stayaway from processed food.
They're high in preservatives,they're high in refined oil and
they cause inflammation.
Sugar, simple carbohydrates,will cause a spike in blood
(38:22):
sugar and will lead in breakoutof collagen, which is so
important for your skin andalready decrease as we age.
Alcohol dehydrates the skin anddisrupts the natural process to
repair.
Even dairy.
If you eat the wrong dairyproduct and you abuse cheese and
(38:47):
you abuse, you know, even thewrong yogurts, because a lot of
those yogurts on the market theyhave a high level of sugar that
can trigger hormonal imbalance.
It can contribute to irritationof your skin, to acne.
Janet Walker (39:03):
So it's really important to read labels and
look for those low sugarproducts.
Even in the dark chocolate.
Look for the ones that don'thave added sugar.
Important.
Albina Mastrangelo (39:15):
Yes, simplicity is the best thing to
look for Ingredients that youcan pronounce, ingredients that
you can understand.
Janet Walker (39:24):
You talked about quite a few of the ingredients
in your products.
What are a couple of the keyingredients and how are they
sourced?
Albina Mastrangelo (39:33):
Great question.
See, for me it's important tohave purity and effectiveness in
the product, so I try tonaturally source ingredients.
I like to use ingredients thatthey're botanical, that they
have essential nutrients andalso scientifically backed up.
(39:56):
I use ingredients like vitamins, protein, anti-aging amino
acids.
We use collagen, elastin.
We use essential emollients,lipids, aha, which is alpha
hydroxy acid.
That's like a lactase acid.
I don't know if you are awarethat Cleopatra used to bath in
(40:19):
milk.
They didn't know why, but thatwas because of the lactose acid
in the milk.
My grandmother used to bath mein wine, which I thought she was
crazy, and that's because thetartaric acid in grapes keeps
your skin healthy.
Lemon has a citric acid, so youknow all this.
(40:42):
Aha acids that come from fruitsare very good.
The hyaluronic acid is soexcellent for your skin.
There is a place in Japan thateverybody seems to stay young
and they realize that that wasactually the hyaluronic acid in
their food that they were eatingevery day.
(41:02):
They kept their skin young.
So we have a plant-basedhyaluronic.
It's an excellent ingredientbecause it will plump the skin.
After the age of 50, we loseabout 50% of our elasticity.
Therefore, hyaluronic acid,it's excellent because it plumps
(41:22):
up the skin.
If you look at kids whenthey're really small, they have
those cute cheeks and that'sbecause they have so much
hyaluronic acid in their skin.
So it's important to applydaily and hyaluronic acid.
We have animal base and we haveplant base.
(41:43):
Animal base comes from the combof the rooster and we have a
plant base coming from thetamarind, which is an exotic
fruit.
So our ingredients are naturaland healthy and they help to
hydrate, to repair andrejuvenate the skin.
(42:05):
We use jojoba oil, lemon, lime,citric acid as a preservative.
And I have to say another thingthat I think that's a standout
for me that I'm so proud for myskincare.
We have a system, a technologywhich we call a liposomal
(42:25):
lecithin delivery system.
That is a microscopic capsule.
Think about microscopiccapsules.
They transport activeingredients deep into the skin,
ensuring the effectiveness andthe absorption of the
ingredients.
That is amazing.
(42:48):
And this delivery system, it'sincorporated in the product.
That's why I'm so proud of ourskincare line the product.
Janet Walker (42:59):
That's why I'm so proud of our skincare line
Wonderful.
So from that first product,that anti-acne gel, your product
line is now extensive.
On your website, I counted atleast 15 skin and hair products,
from facial and acne productsto skin repair and body lotion,
and even a conditioning shampoo.
What was it that inspired youto create such an extensive
product line?
Albina Mastrangelo (43:18):
So, yes, the reason why, janet, is because I
got so excited about theresults I got of my skin.
I wanted to learn and grow moreand I wanted to help others
with the skin concern, and I'maging as well, so I wanted to
(43:40):
keep my skin healthier andyouthful.
I wanted to create product thatwill tackle different range of
concern, like loss of elasticity, dullness, inflammation like
(44:03):
loss of elasticity, dullness,inflammation and that was the
reason why I looked intocreating anti-aging products and
that's when my anti-aging kitwas born, where I prioritize
powerful ingredients that madethe difference on the skin.
Janet Walker (44:18):
Well, I know that just in the short time that I've
been with you, you've beenhaving so many clients in and
out and phone calls.
People love your products andthey use them time and time
again.
It's not a one-time purchase,so I've seen for myself.
People love your products.
Albina Mastrangelo (44:37):
Yes, I put high quality, effective
ingredients at the forefront todeliver real result, because I
know how hard it can be when youstruggle with the conditions
that impact your life, and Iknow that these days, like I'm
(44:57):
in my late 50s now how importantit is to feel confident and to
walk with your head high,because every day, people
sometimes they look at you and,based on the way you look, they
create an opinion of you.
So I was really interested increating products that makes a
(45:23):
difference.
Janet Walker (45:25):
Well, I was so inspired when I heard your story
and so excited that you werewilling to let me come to Canada
and talk to you, and you evengave me a couple products which
I've been using the last coupledays.
They are amazing.
So once I go back to the US, amI still going to be able to get
(45:47):
your products?
Do you sell them strictly inCanada or do you also ship to
the United States?
Albina Mastrangelo (45:56):
I ship it everywhere Whoever needs a
product.
That is simple and, I believe,effective.
I love to send the product andI will do my best to make sure
they have it anywhere in theworld.
Janet Walker (46:15):
That's wonderful.
Well, you know, albina,normally I do not do personal
testimonials when I interviewsomeone that produces products,
but I will say that when itcomes to facial cleansers, I'm
pretty careful.
I have decent skin, I have niceskin that I try to protect, and
(46:37):
I have tried facial cleansersfrom just mild soaps to quite
expensive products, and I alwaysfind that they'll clean my skin
, but my eyes will burn if Idon't tightly shut my eyes.
Your skin cleanser since I'vebeen using it this last few days
(46:58):
, not only does it reallycleanse my skin and even take
off my makeup, but it doesn'tburn my eyes.
I couldn't believe how much Iloved that product.
Albina, we're out of time today, although I can continue
talking to you for another hour.
In fact, we talked a little bitabout your reflexology and some
(47:21):
of the other services, so I'mhoping that we could have you
back for another episode at somepoint in the future.
Albina Mastrangelo (47:29):
Yes, janet, I'm so happy that you came and
see me today.
I'm really grateful and I wouldlove to talk about reflexology
in the future, because it's suchan incredible treatment and
modality that can help so manyof your listeners.
(47:51):
Thanks again for coming.
I really appreciate you and Ihope to see you again.
Janet Walker (47:59):
Well, I hope to see you again too.
Listeners, you can learn moreabout Albina and order products
at wwwalbinaca.
That's A-L-B-I-N-A dot C-A, andI'll have links to her website
in the show notes.
Thank you so much for joining us, you feeling
confident.
Welcome listeners to HealthyCells Healthy you I'm your host,
janet Walker.
In this special episode, I'm onlocation.
You're going to hear theamazing story of the creator of
a natural skincare line that cangive you the skin you've always
dreamed of.
Welcome to Healthy Cells.
(00:43):
Healthy you.
I'm your host, janet Walker.
I've been working in thehealthcare community for over 30
years and for 20 of those yearsI've also worked as a writer
and producer for the WindsorBroadcasting award-winning
national PBS, health informationTV shows, american Health
Journal and Innovations inMedicine.
We've interviewed thousands ofdoctors, scientists and
(01:04):
researchers on every topicrelated to health, medicine and
medical technology.
Thank you, kids.
I'm also a new host forWindsor's award-winning podcast
entitled Better Wellness.
Thanks for joining me today inbeautiful Toronto, canada.
(01:42):
I'm your host, janet Walker,and I'm at the day spa of
esthetician, reflexologist andnutritionist Albina Mastrangelo,
owner of Albina Skin CareStudio and founder of the
Natural Albina Skin CareCollection.
Albina has over 25 years ofexpertise in the field.
Her approach integratesholistic skincare, relaxation
(02:06):
techniques, meditation andreflexology.
Her techniques, combined withher products, offer relief from
skincare concerns, pain andstress, all the while promoting
rejuvenation.
Albina's research anddedication to skincare led her
to produce a line of productsusing the highest quality
(02:26):
natural ingredients.
Welcome to the program, albina.
Thank you for the invitation tovisit.
Albina Mastrangelo (02:33):
Thank you for having me on your podcast.
I sincerely appreciate yourvisit and I'm excited to support
your listener in any way I can.
Janet Walker (02:43):
Wonderful, I can.
Wonderful, I detect an accent.
Where are you from originally?
Albina Mastrangelo (02:48):
I'm from Italy, the south part of Italy,
calabria, and I've been hereabout, I will say, 30 years.
That's a long time.
I love Italy because I grew upthere, but I also love Canada
because it's a wonderful region.
Janet Walker (03:10):
Albina, you've been in the skincare industry
for decades and your productline came about through your own
personal and amazing story thatI would love to share with our
listeners.
Tell us about why you started ajourney to create a solution
for your own problematic skin.
Okay, yes, absolutely.
Albina Mastrangelo (03:28):
When I arrived in Canada the first time
from Italy, I was impressedwith the size of this country.
I remember my town.
It's so much more tiny and wehave everything close by and
(03:49):
here you need a car to goeverywhere.
And when I looked around Ithought, wow, this is going to
be great.
Going to be great.
I start to embrace the bigdreams and maybe building a life
(04:10):
full of opportunity.
And I didn't realize thatadjusting to such a different
place than back home wasactually full of challenges At
the time.
I just got married, I wastrying to learn a new language,
(04:32):
I was adapting to a new way ofliving, new people, even
different food compared to thesmall town where I come from,
and I was adjusting to adifferent climate.
I was so cold at the timebecause I arrived, I believe, in
(04:52):
I think it was about October,November, so it was the core of
the winter.
Janet Walker (04:59):
So very different from that Mediterranean climate
you were used to?
Albina Mastrangelo (05:02):
Oh, absolutely Very different.
And I remember when I arrived Ididn't even have the proper
clothes or the proper shoes, andthen, when I started to feel
the freezing cold, the firstthing I did I went shopping, and
it was a good excuse to buy newclothes.
(05:25):
But having said that, all thosefactors I think know stress can
affect your body, and thelargest part of our body is your
(05:52):
skin.
So I started to experiencecystic acne and it wasn't just a
cosmetic issue.
It eventually became a seriousconcern.
Eventually became a seriousconcern and my acne became so
inflamed and so painful it wasgetting worse day by day and was
(06:13):
not just affecting myappearance, because at the time
I was already an esthetician wasaffecting me also on a business
level, and I started to lookfor answers.
In fact, I even consulted myown doctor, which he sent me to
(06:34):
a dermatologist and he gave mesome strong medication which
they were affecting my digestivesystem, and he sent me to some
clinic to have some injectionspecifically into my skin to try
(06:55):
to bring the inflammation down.
But honestly, janet, whatever Iwas doing was helping me for a
bit, but then the acne wasstarting again and was quite
intense.
That affected me even on apersonal level.
Janet Walker (07:16):
Was there any one defining moment where you said,
okay, that's it, I have to finda solution.
Albina Mastrangelo (07:25):
Actually, yes, janet.
It's funny that you asked methis question because it was a
moment that gave me a strongpush to make a change for my and
was on a personal level.
I remember one day I was withmy boyfriend at the time, which
(07:50):
then became my fiancé, and hepointed out that he couldn't
even kiss me because I could notfind a single clear spot on my
face to give me a kiss, and thatdevastated me.
I felt sad.
(08:12):
I felt defeated.
I was getting very anxiousabout this because it also
affected my work as a specialist.
It was causing anxiety.
I was there to help clients toachieve a beautiful, healthy
skin, and instead I wasstruggling with my own skin.
(08:36):
And how will I be perceived bymy clients?
Would they trust my expertiseif my own skin was in crisis?
Janet Walker (08:50):
You know what I mean, I understand what you're
saying.
You know there's the sayingphysician heal thyself.
So your clients could bethinking well, how are you going
to make my skin clear if youcan't even make your own skin
clear?
Albina Mastrangelo (09:04):
Exactly that's how I felt.
I was losing my confidence andmy trust in myself, and at one
point I could not take thisanymore because it was affecting
me on so many levels.
It was affecting my personalrelationship and my personal
self-confidence with my life andmy work, and at that moment I
(09:30):
decided that it was time to takethis matter into my own hands.
Janet Walker (09:36):
So then, with your background as an esthetician,
but without a formal educationin science or chemistry, you
embarked on a journey to createa solution for yourself, because
there wasn't one that existedeither prescription or
(09:57):
non-prescription on the shelf.
Is that right?
Albina Mastrangelo (10:00):
Yes, exactly .
I knew I had to take controland I was trying to figure out
what to do because medicationwere not working for me,
products over the counter werenot working for me, so I started
to do my own research.
I said there must be a solution, because I am an esthetician
(10:24):
and I was always proud to be anesthetician.
I went to school, I learnedwhat to do and how to help
people with concern like my own,and I was using even
professional products on themarket and I was not getting the
(10:46):
results.
So I said something needs totake charge of this situation
and I need to be the person incommand to find the solution.
So I started to spend countlesshours in libraries and even
(11:08):
online researching activeingredients that could truly
target cystic acne.
So about how many years ago?
I was at the time, testing evena homemade recipe and I was
(11:33):
experimenting formulation on myown and I'm not a chemist, but I
have the insight within myselfto try to find a solution and a
winning recipe.
I was trying to pick up evencertain ingredients from Eastern
(11:55):
market to find the rightformulation to create recipe,
but I didn't have a complete,all the complete resource to
bring it to the right recipe andat one moment I put a
(12:32):
formulation together and I knewI had the right recipe.
I just need the right chemistto put it together so I can
bring it to life.
Janet Walker (12:46):
So you had told me the story about how you
actually found your chemist andhow you were pretty close to the
end of your rope for that partof the process.
So share that story with us.
I think people will enjoyhearing it.
Albina Mastrangelo (13:00):
Yeah, it was kind of intense for me because
I was reaching out labs thatchemists will request in order
to create a formulation.
(13:33):
In fact, when I was callingthem, the first question they
will ask me is how many?
And I will say I just need thisrecipe to have done for my skin
(13:54):
so I can use for myself and Ican clear up my acne.
And they will just stop, listenand then say to me again we
needed to know how many, becausewe only create a large batch
order for our clientele and ifyou cannot buy that, we cannot
(14:20):
provide you with the formulation, even though you have the
recipe in your hands.
Janet Walker (14:28):
So here, after all of that time doing research,
the library I'm sure internetwas minimal at that time
internet information you finallyhave what you think is the
thing that's going to help youand no one wants to make it
because you can't order, say, athousand or 10,000 bottles.
Albina Mastrangelo (14:47):
Exactly.
I thought I exhausted all myoptions because I spend so much
time reading books, calling evensome people in Italy that I
know they have a very wellbackground in chemistry and they
(15:11):
will recommend me herbs that Ican pick up from markets and
just ground those herbs andcreate the right recipe.
But I still needed the chemistto produce in the right lab.
And when everybody were hangingup on me, I felt that my hope
(15:38):
was going down the drain.
And I remember I had one namestill to call on the list.
I remember it was about 5 pmthat afternoon and I thought,
okay, let me call the lastperson on the list and, god
willing, maybe I should do alittle prayer before I call this
(16:00):
person, because I'm reallyhoping that he will listen to my
request and he will be kindenough to produce a small batch
that I can use for my skin.
So here I was, making my lastcall and he was listening
without interrupting me andwithout asking me the question
(16:25):
how many units do you need forthis recipe?
And I was talking and tellinghim please do not hang up on me,
listen to my story and pleasesee if you can find in your
heart a way to help me and hewas quiet and only once he say
(16:52):
where are you from?
Your accent remind me of mygirlfriend, many, many years ago
when I visit Rome, and she waswonderful.
When I visited Rome and she waswonderful, she showed me Rome
and she showed me all thesebeautiful places and I remember
(17:13):
that, like it was today.
What a beautiful place.
I would love to talk to youabout it.
Why don't you come one day andyou can tell me more about Italy
and all the beautiful place?
That will bring me back to mypast and to the beautiful woman
(17:35):
that I met in Italy.
Wow, yes, and that, honestly,janet, was my opening to have
this dream come true and have myrecipe come to life.
Janet Walker (17:51):
So, here in the middle of all of this science
was love.
Love that he had from his pastis what opened the door, opened
his heart to actuallymanufacture a small batch that
allowed you to produce yourfirst product, exactly exactly.
What an amazing story.
Albina Mastrangelo (18:11):
Yeah, I was so grateful and excited and I
was actually looking forward tomeet this person because I love
Italy and I travel in Rome and Iknow that Rome has so many
beautiful places and I waslooking forward to talk to him
(18:34):
also about Calabria and maybeget some help for my skin and
get this recipe alive that I canhelp myself and I can get the
confidence and I can get myboyfriend to look at my skin in
a way that he can just kiss meand love me just as I am.
Janet Walker (18:57):
So how was that first meeting with that chemist,
and was he someone who became apart of your ongoing journey to
produce these products?
Albina Mastrangelo (19:06):
Yes, that was such a great moment for me.
When I reached the lab, thesecretary looked at me almost in
a weird way because thisparticular chemist he deals with
a very I just want to say hedeals with very high end
(19:34):
products and she looked at melike who are you that can enter
his conference room without thefee that everybody pays?
Because, honestly, I found outlater that you have to pay $500
just to enter his conferenceroom and be able to speak to
(19:56):
this chemist.
And when she ushered me intothis meeting room, I noticed
this man at the end of this longsolid wood table that dominated
the room like was an authorityspace.
(20:19):
That made me feel almost shyand made me feel like I stepped
into a world far beyond my own,if you know what I mean.
I was a newcomer to the countryand I felt like I was thrown
(20:40):
into this unfamiliar setting.
And this man wastes no time andhe points out to sit at the end
of the other table and hestarts to ask me questions about
Italy and I was kind of shybecause my English was still raw
(21:02):
and it was actually unpolished.
But I did my best length of thetable and he came right where I
(21:27):
was sitting and he stood up infront of me and looked at my
face and he was analyzing myskin.
I felt like his eyes looking atme, almost disgusted and blurt
out what's wrong with your face.
That looks terrible, wow.
And in that moment, withouthesitation, janet, I responded
(21:49):
yeah, that's exactly why I needthis recipe to be made and I
need the help.
And if you can help me to makethis recipe, I know in my gut
that this recipe will be thesolution for my skin.
He took the paper off my handsbecause I was holding the recipe
(22:13):
in my hands, and he started tolook at this recipe carefully,
this recipe carefully, and aftera couple moments, he nodded and
he said this is an intense butan interesting recipe and, yes,
can be done.
I'm going to make a small batchfor you and even add a few
(22:36):
additional active ingredientsand let's get your skin cleared
up.
You are a beautiful girl andthat looks terrible on you.
You need to get your skin back.
I'm going to help you with that, just like I will do that for
that girlfriend in Italy.
Janet Walker (22:56):
Wow, wow, that's amazing.
That's almost like divineintervention.
You know someone being put inyour path that cared for you,
cared for you as a person, andit started a skin product empire
.
Amazing to talking about yourproducts and skincare.
(23:21):
So once you received that smallbatch, did you achieve the
results you were hoping for foryour own skin?
Albina Mastrangelo (23:31):
That's a very good question.
Let me first tell you how thisproduct was formulated, because
the ingredients to me they wereoutstanding and they were fresh
and natural.
I remember in my recipe I hadingredients like chamomile,
(23:52):
because, you know, chamomilehelps with the skin irritation,
had the camphor because camphoris very calming.
I had camphor because camphoris very calming, it's a good
toner.
I had tea tree because, youknow, tea tree is like a topical
antibiotic, a naturalantibiotic compound.
(24:14):
I also had the salicylic acid,which you know salicylic acid
helps with the production of oiland helps to remove any excess
of dead skin.
I also add these ingredients,which helped a lot, and there
was an ingredient that Iresourced through a person that
(24:35):
I knew had a background inchemists, and this ingredient is
called ACE-Net and it's acompound that fights
inflammation and diminishes theformation of dead cells, because
(24:56):
a dead cell, mixed with oil andbacteria, can create cystic
acne as well.
So the product became acocktail of great ingredients
and that really made a hugedifference in my skin.
(25:19):
My skin is not perfect, thereis always room for improvement,
but I can tell you that productbrought my skin to a level that
everybody noticed the difference.
Nice, yeah, and my strugglewith the severe acne that was
(25:41):
covering practically my wholeface was gone felt that my
clientele got so interested infinding out about it that they
wanted to have the same productsfor their kids and even for
(26:11):
people that were experiencingadult acne.
So that's when I became soexcited about creating more
products and getting otherproducts on the market that will
help people with so many otherconcerns.
Janet Walker (26:29):
That's an incredible story, really amazing
.
And before we talk a little bitmore about your skincare line,
I know that you also have abackground in health and
nutrition as a coach, and partof having healthy skin is having
a healthy lifestyle.
So what are some of theimportant lifestyle habits that
(26:52):
can help us maintain healthyskin?
Albina Mastrangelo (26:55):
That is a great question.
See, taking care of your skinis more than just having the
right product.
It's like you said it'sbuilding a very good lifestyle
and creating good daily routinesthat will help your skin from
(27:18):
inside out.
Things like caring.
I'm just going to be tellingyou what I do.
Maybe that will help yourlisteners to understand the
things that they can do to makea difference from inside out.
(27:40):
As you know, water is soimportant to drink every day,
and good habits like carrying awater bottle with you and sip
throughout the day, or infuseyour water with the lemon, with
the cucumber, so even with berryfor a refreshing twist to the
(28:01):
water, it's a nice way to drinkwater regularly.
For me also, using a sunscreenis a non-negotiable, but you
still need to receive vitamin Dfrom the sunlight sunlight.
(28:21):
So even spending 10-15 minutesoutdoor, it's so important to
get your level of vitamin d highto a point where your skin will
benefit from it.
See, stay consistent with yourroutine.
Keeps the the skin radiant.
A healthy diet for healthy skinis so important, so plan meals
(28:44):
with the skin-loving ingredientsand then create a good sleeping
routine.
Set a consistent bedtime andwind down with calming activity
like reading or listening tosoothing music is essential.
(29:06):
Avoid the screen at least onehour before bed to prevent blue
light disruption is veryimportant.
I use a silk pillowcase to evenminimize friction on my skin
and I try journaling and deepbreathing exercise to de-stress
(29:28):
myself, not only during the day,but I make a habit of doing
that and also going to bed 30minutes early to input all these
good wind-down habits.
I also engage in hobbies thathelp me to relax, like painting,
(29:49):
gardening and dancing.
I love dancing.
I go at least once per week andI always find activity to
explore with friends at leastonce or twice per month.
I listen to uplifting podcastslike yours, janet.
Thank you, your podcasts are sooutstanding.
(30:13):
Learning is so important andtaking care of yourself and your
skin, you have to surroundyourself with the positive,
uplifting people.
Energy is contagious and alwaysengage with people that uplift
you rather than drain you andthat can make a huge difference
(30:38):
in yourself, which your skin isthe mirror of what's going on
inside of you.
Exercise, finding activity thatgenuinely brings joy, like
walking, yoga, swimming it's soimportant.
Janet Walker (30:57):
I find this fascinating that when we think
about how we're going to carefor our skin, we start by
thinking about okay, whatproducts are we going to use to
clean it, to moisturize it?
Okay, well, you know, sunscreen, even drinking a lot of water?
We've heard that, but to meit's just incredible how all
(31:20):
these other life factors thatyou've been speaking about, all
these other bedtime routines andtaking care of our bodies
inside and out, impacts our skin.
I don't think people realizethat.
I didn't realize that.
Albina Mastrangelo (31:37):
It's incredible Absolutely Even
cutting down alcohol.
It's important.
I'm Italian, I love my wine andI don't mind having
occasionally a nice glass ofwine.
We used to make wine back home.
I would love to drink wine withmy meal every day, but I
(31:57):
understand wine can beinflammatory.
But I try to have herbal tea atnight.
I try to have a healthy habitlike meditation, mindfulness
(32:27):
teas.
Sticking to a good skincareroutine is so important.
Janet Walker (32:45):
So this full body approach to skincare is going to
have the benefit of actuallyimproving many other things in
your life your gut if you'reeating, well, you know your
heart if you're exercising.
So taking care of your biggestorgan, which is your skin, is
(33:08):
going to take care of all theother organs in your body.
It's really an interestingapproach to skincare.
Before we move away fromtalking about healthy lifestyle
for skin, you mentioned healthydiet.
What would be a good, healthydiet for our skin?
Albina Mastrangelo (33:28):
That's an interesting question because
there are so many ingredientsthat will improve your skin from
inside out and, in my opinion,the best diet for healthy,
glowing skin is to have in yourdaily food ingredients like
(33:50):
omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, walnuts, chia seeds.
All these ingredients will helpto hydrate the skin and reduce
inflammation.
Also, antioxidants like berries, leafy greens, citrus fruits
like oranges, has great vitaminC.
(34:11):
All this will protect prematureaging of the skin and will
boost even collagen production.
Proteins, rich food, are soimportant as well.
Like I, eat a lot of eggs,grass-fed meat.
If you are a vegetarian, maybeopt for legumes.
(34:31):
Obviously, be aware of thelectin.
Obviously be aware of thelectin, but all those
ingredients will support yourskin.
Collagen, will supportregeneration of the skin, will
help to repair your skin.
Healthy fats are so important,like avocado, nuts, free-range
(34:53):
butters, extra extra virgincoconut butter, extra virgin
olive oil, the Mediterraneandiet use it a lot.
Even seeds omega-3 supplement.
If you don't have a lot ofthose oils, then the right
supplements will help tomaintain skin elasticity and
(35:14):
will help to maintain themoisture of the skin.
Obviously, water.
Like I said, if you don't drinkenough water, try to have
cucumbers, watermelon, celery.
There is a lot of water inthose items that will create
plumpness and will make yourskin more radiant.
Your skin more radiant.
(35:44):
Even collagen boosting foodlike bone broth.
If you cannot put good collagenin your coffee every day, which
I do, that then have bone broth.
Sip on bone broth on a dailybase.
Even some cottage cheese willprovide essential amino acid for
the skin elasticity.
Green tea Green tea is packedwith the polyphenol, the
fight-free radicals, and alsoprotect against some damage.
(36:08):
So herbal tea is so important.
And let's not forget darkchocolate, because a chocolate
to me, if you choose dark, highquality chocolate, you get so
many flavonoids.
That helps to improve hydrationand circulation.
(36:28):
Also, coffee Some people don'tdrink coffee and I understand
that, but for me, having a cupof coffee, but for me, having a
cup of coffee, it's so importantand I know it's full of
antioxidants.
Obviously, in my opinion and Iknow there is sensitivity to
some stimulants, but they arealso full of antioxidants, yes.
(36:51):
So diet it's so important, justto be careful, because you need
to learn that some other foodscan cause a lot of problem on
the other hand.
Janet Walker (37:03):
You know, what's interesting is that not too long
ago I interviewed Dr StephenGundry.
He's a well-known name.
He's sort of the guru of dietfor gut health and brain health,
and all of the things that youmention are good foods for your
(37:24):
skin, like polyphenols andgrass-fed meats and all these
other things were the samethings that he talked about and
that are in his book theGut-Brain Paradox.
So I guess science is sort ofcatching up to the idea that
this good food list takes careof not only your gut, not only
(37:48):
your brain, but even your skinand even reducing inflammation
for your whole body Exactly, inreducing inflammation for your
whole body, exactly.
Albina Mastrangelo (37:58):
Inflammation plays a huge role in premature
skin, in acne and in skinsensitivity.
That's why I always say stayaway from processed food.
They're high in preservatives,they're high in refined oil and
they cause inflammation.
Sugar, simple carbohydrates,will cause a spike in blood
(38:22):
sugar and will lead in breakoutof collagen, which is so
important for your skin andalready decrease as we age.
Alcohol dehydrates the skin anddisrupts the natural process to
repair.
Even dairy.
If you eat the wrong dairyproduct and you abuse cheese and
(38:47):
you abuse, you know, even thewrong yogurts, because a lot of
those yogurts on the market theyhave a high level of sugar that
can trigger hormonal imbalance.
It can contribute to irritationof your skin, to acne.
Janet Walker (39:03):
So it's really important to read labels and
look for those low sugarproducts.
Even in the dark chocolate.
Look for the ones that don'thave added sugar.
Important.
Albina Mastrangelo (39:15):
Yes, simplicity is the best thing to
look for Ingredients that youcan pronounce, ingredients that
you can understand.
Janet Walker (39:24):
You talked about quite a few of the ingredients
in your products.
What are a couple of the keyingredients and how are they
sourced?
Albina Mastrangelo (39:33):
Great question.
See, for me it's important tohave purity and effectiveness in
the product, so I try tonaturally source ingredients.
I like to use ingredients thatthey're botanical, that they
have essential nutrients andalso scientifically backed up.
(39:56):
I use ingredients like vitamins, protein, anti-aging amino
acids.
We use collagen, elastin.
We use essential emollients,lipids, aha, which is alpha
hydroxy acid.
That's like a lactase acid.
I don't know if you are awarethat Cleopatra used to bath in
(40:19):
milk.
They didn't know why, but thatwas because of the lactose acid
in the milk.
My grandmother used to bath mein wine, which I thought she was
crazy, and that's because thetartaric acid in grapes keeps
your skin healthy.
Lemon has a citric acid, so youknow all this.
(40:42):
Aha acids that come from fruitsare very good.
The hyaluronic acid is soexcellent for your skin.
There is a place in Japan thateverybody seems to stay young
and they realize that that wasactually the hyaluronic acid in
their food that they were eatingevery day.
(41:02):
They kept their skin young.
So we have a plant-basedhyaluronic.
It's an excellent ingredientbecause it will plump the skin.
After the age of 50, we loseabout 50% of our elasticity.
Therefore, hyaluronic acid,it's excellent because it plumps
(41:22):
up the skin.
If you look at kids whenthey're really small, they have
those cute cheeks and that'sbecause they have so much
hyaluronic acid in their skin.
So it's important to applydaily and hyaluronic acid.
We have animal base and we haveplant base.
(41:43):
Animal base comes from the combof the rooster and we have a
plant base coming from thetamarind, which is an exotic
fruit.
So our ingredients are naturaland healthy and they help to
hydrate, to repair andrejuvenate the skin.
(42:05):
We use jojoba oil, lemon, lime,citric acid as a preservative.
And I have to say another thingthat I think that's a standout
for me that I'm so proud for myskincare.
We have a system, a technologywhich we call a liposomal
(42:25):
lecithin delivery system.
That is a microscopic capsule.
Think about microscopiccapsules.
They transport activeingredients deep into the skin,
ensuring the effectiveness andthe absorption of the
ingredients.
That is amazing.
(42:48):
And this delivery system, it'sincorporated in the product.
That's why I'm so proud of ourskincare line the product.
Janet Walker (42:59):
That's why I'm so proud of our skincare line
Wonderful.
So from that first product,that anti-acne gel, your product
line is now extensive.
On your website, I counted atleast 15 skin and hair products,
from facial and acne productsto skin repair and body lotion,
and even a conditioning shampoo.
What was it that inspired youto create such an extensive
product line?
Albina Mastrangelo (43:18):
So, yes, the reason why, janet, is because I
got so excited about theresults I got of my skin.
I wanted to learn and grow moreand I wanted to help others
with the skin concern, and I'maging as well, so I wanted to
(43:40):
keep my skin healthier andyouthful.
I wanted to create product thatwill tackle different range of
concern, like loss of elasticity, dullness, inflammation like
(44:03):
loss of elasticity, dullness,inflammation and that was the
reason why I looked intocreating anti-aging products and
that's when my anti-aging kitwas born, where I prioritize
powerful ingredients that madethe difference on the skin.
Janet Walker (44:18):
Well, I know that just in the short time that I've
been with you, you've beenhaving so many clients in and
out and phone calls.
People love your products andthey use them time and time
again.
It's not a one-time purchase,so I've seen for myself.
People love your products.
Albina Mastrangelo (44:37):
Yes, I put high quality, effective
ingredients at the forefront todeliver real result, because I
know how hard it can be when youstruggle with the conditions
that impact your life, and Iknow that these days, like I'm
(44:57):
in my late 50s now how importantit is to feel confident and to
walk with your head high,because every day, people
sometimes they look at you and,based on the way you look, they
create an opinion of you.
So I was really interested increating products that makes a
(45:23):
difference.
Janet Walker (45:25):
Well, I was so inspired when I heard your story
and so excited that you werewilling to let me come to Canada
and talk to you, and you evengave me a couple products which
I've been using the last coupledays.
They are amazing.
So once I go back to the US, amI still going to be able to get
(45:47):
your products?
Do you sell them strictly inCanada or do you also ship to
the United States?
Albina Mastrangelo (45:56):
I ship it everywhere Whoever needs a
product.
That is simple and, I believe,effective.
I love to send the product andI will do my best to make sure
they have it anywhere in theworld.
Janet Walker (46:15):
That's wonderful.
Well, you know, albina,normally I do not do personal
testimonials when I interviewsomeone that produces products,
but I will say that when itcomes to facial cleansers, I'm
pretty careful.
I have decent skin, I have niceskin that I try to protect, and
(46:37):
I have tried facial cleansersfrom just mild soaps to quite
expensive products, and I alwaysfind that they'll clean my skin
, but my eyes will burn if Idon't tightly shut my eyes.
Your skin cleanser since I'vebeen using it this last few days
(46:58):
, not only does it reallycleanse my skin and even take
off my makeup, but it doesn'tburn my eyes.
I couldn't believe how much Iloved that product.
Albina, we're out of time today, although I can continue
talking to you for another hour.
In fact, we talked a little bitabout your reflexology and some
(47:21):
of the other services, so I'mhoping that we could have you
back for another episode at somepoint in the future.
Albina Mastrangelo (47:29):
Yes, janet, I'm so happy that you came and
see me today.
I'm really grateful and I wouldlove to talk about reflexology
in the future, because it's suchan incredible treatment and
modality that can help so manyof your listeners.
(47:51):
Thanks again for coming.
I really appreciate you and Ihope to see you again.
Janet Walker (47:59):
Well, I hope to see you again too.
Listeners, you can learn moreabout Albina and order products
at wwwalbinaca.
That's A-L-B-I-N-A dot C-A, andI'll have links to her website
in the show notes.
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