Our Mission
To help others regain vitality and confidence with nourishing care.
Our Values
We're thankful to age, as not everyone gets to.
We know healthy skin is happy skin.
We teach our kids to nourish life.
We eat our fruits and vegetables.
We help one another in times of need.
We laugh together.
About Us
Juventude is the unintended outcome of my unexpected life journey. My whole life I’ve been a self proclaimed naturalist and ‘annoyingly healthy’, even going so far as forcing my mother to sit through a 3 hour car ride of me reading about the benefits of eating beans. Something she still reminds me of frequently even 30 years later.
So, at age 37, when I was diagnosed with estrogen driven breast cancer, still too young to even get mammograms, I was shocked. There was no family history of breast cancer. No genetic mutation. I was healthy and active. I ate well. And, most importantly, I had two adorable young children to care for. My oncologist described it as ‘shit bad luck’ and likely ‘influenced by environmental factors.’
Treatment & Awakening
With a team of Johns Hopkins oncologists behind me, I became what my medical oncologist called an “uber maximizer”—someone who embraces every possible measure to fight disease. I immersed myself in learning about how chemotherapy works, what I could do at home to support recovery, and how to reduce the risk of recurrence. The most powerful lesson I took from that time: antioxidants are my heroes. I remain deeply grateful to the medical professionals and researchers who’ve dedicated their work to understanding the healing power of plants.
Recovery & Rebuilding
After a year and a half of grueling treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation, and seven surgeries, I had survived—but my body showed the toll. I had lost my hair, my skin was thin and discolored, and my face had visibly aged. As I began to heal physically, I shifted my focus toward thriving, not just surviving. I turned once again to research—this time into integrative medicine and non-toxic, plant-based healing approaches.
A New Path
Inspired by the philosophy that Western medicine pulls the weeds while integrative oncology nourishes the soil, I began transforming my home and routines. I used resources like the Environmental Working Group’s app to remove toxic products from our household and searched for gentle, effective alternatives. I tested countless self-care products, seeking those that supported collagen and hair growth without interfering with my ongoing medical treatments.
Plant Power, Proven Results
With two of my own chemotherapy drugs derived from plants—one from a mushroom and another from Yew tree bark—I already knew that plant-based medicine was both real and powerful. Over time, through trial and error and deep research, I found what worked. Five years later, friends and family constantly ask how my skin looks so healthy and my hair so full. They see the results, but not the journey.
Why Juventude
Juventude is the result of everything I’ve learned—the clean, antioxidant-rich skincare and haircare I trust, with none of the harmful ingredients I avoid. It’s about helping others RENEW their skin and hair and, for my daughters who are now approaching puberty, creating products that PROTECT them from unnecessary environmental toxins.
I hope Juventude empowers others on their own journeys to health, healing, and self-care.