Bad-Ass Beauty Crusader: An Interview with Alexis Krauss
Where are you from originally?
I grew up in a small town on the New Jersey shore called Manasquan.
I’m a Libra
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a Marine Biologist. Maybe I still will be one day. I’m so in love with Sylvia Earle
What experience opened your eyes to the truth about beauty? Can you tell me a bit about this process?
I read an article in the NY Times about plastic microbeads in personal care products and just how detrimental they are to the environment. I had no idea that my face wash was damaging ecosystems nor did I know I was scrubbing my skin with plastic. It was a real wake up call for me and I started to realize just how little I knew about the synthetic ingredients I was putting on my body and washing down the drain every single day. The education began one ingredient and one product at a time.
How did you and Jess meet, and what made you decide to start the blog together?
We first met in February of 2014 at a cafe in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. I reached out to SW Basics about trying their microplastic free exfoliant and Jess, who was working for SW Basics at the time, brought me product samples. We immediately hit it off and started discussing ways in which we could use our platforms as an artist and an activist to change the beauty industry. We launched Beauty Lies Truth this past summer. Our primary goal is to build a #truthbeauty community and empower consumers with the knowledge they need to make smarter and more sustainable choices.
Where would you like to see BLT heading in the next year?
We just launched a Kickstarter to pre-sell our #TRUTHBEAUTY bags. Ideally we’d love to build a legit e-commerce platform where we can sell curated makeup and skincare bags. We want to partner with as many natural beauty brands as possible so that we can get their safe and effective products into the hands of women and men for much less than the cost of buying the products individually. We also want to keep expanding the blog and generating engaging and informative content.
Renewable energy. We need to start taking some serious action on climate change and converting every household to renewable energy is pretty damn good way to start. People need to continue mobilizing against oil and gas and really ramp up their support for cleaner, greener power.
You are songstress in a band called Sleigh Bells. How has your musical journey inspired your personal journey with BLT?
Music and education have always been my passions. I’ve bounced back and forth between them my entire life. When I left teaching public school to become a full time musician I knew it wouldn’t be long before I would have to find a way to use my platform as an artist to educate and empower others. Luckily I found Jess and together we were able to unite our strengths and launch BLT.
Ever think about starting your own beauty product company?
I’d rather spend my time supporting the incredible alternative beauty companies that already exist.
How do you think we could more effectively use weed oil in beauty products? I’m really into this idea, personally.
Me too! Jess is the one to talk to about this. She has actually done a ton of research on this and is currently experimenting with incorporating weed oil into DIY skincare. You have to check out the article she wrote about Constance Finley, one of the pioneers of medicinal cannabis oils.
http://www.beautyliestruth.com/blog/2015/1/constance-and-me
What is your general hair MO?
I keep it pretty casual unless I’m doing press our going out to something special. I let it air dry and get wavy most of the time but when I’m feeling fancy I’ll blow-dry and straighten it. I moisturize with coconut oil on a regular basis and love dry shampoo. Lately I’ve been spending most of my free time climbing so my hair has spent a lot of time up in a pony-tail. Brooke Burbee cuts and colors my hair. She is my everything! I’m not proud of coloring my hair cause I know how awful it is but I’m just not willing to give it up yet. Non-toxic, all-natural color technology can’t get here soon enough!
What are your favorite hair product companies?
I’m a big fan of Innersense Organic Beauty and La Tierra Sagrada. I’m kinda obsessed with your 3rd Day Bangs Powder and Liquid Gold Hair Butter.
Soundtrack of your life. What is on it?
Ok here is a very abbreviated list from birth to 29 in no particular order: Paula Abdul, Etta James, T-REX, Sam Cooke, Bruce Springsteen, Hole, Weezer, Fiona Apple, The Smiths,The Little Mermaid, The Good Life, David Bowie, The Beatles, Blondie, The Shangri-Las, Interpol, Murder City Devils, Patsy Cline, Beyonce,The Clash, Edvard Grieg, LCD Soundsystem, Robyn, Cyndi Lauper, Belle and Sebastian, John Coltrane.
Are you a reader? What are some books you have read recently and loved?
I should read more. Most recently I’ve loved “The Sixth Extinction” by Elizabeth Kolbert, “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed, “How to Rock Climb” by John Long and “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” by Neil Gaiman.
What do you do to unwind after an insane day of traveling, rocking and crusading?
Ideally one of, or a combination of the following things: play with my pup Riz, climb plastic or real rocks, escape into the wilderness whenever possible, cuddle on the couch with my fiance, eat ice cream (or cookies), listen to Radiolab, hang with my mom, drink red wine, cook a simple yet delicious meal, practice yoga with a girlfriend.
5 year plan. Any big changes or plans?
Make a really great record (or two), hike and climb the world, revolutionize the beauty industry, buy a house in Upstate New York, help my Mom open her dream business, get married, fight climate change, get another dog and maybe have a baby.
If you could meet, shake hands, and pick the brain of any woman in history, who would it be?
Theo Colburn. She recently passed but she’s my hero. Beyonce too.
Tell me a bit about #truthbeauty and how we can help you spread the word about it at HTHG.
#TRUTHBEAUTY is our plan to make the safest and most effective skincare and beauty products affordable for everyone. Check us out on Kickstarter and tell everyone you know. Together we can take back the power and change the beauty industry! Xoxo
Photo Credit Christian Torres and Petra Collins.
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