Born and raised in the bustling streets of New York City, I was a shy but adventurous kid throughout my early years. When I turned nineteen, I had a full life ahead of me and no clue as to what I wanted to do with it. 

And then the job opportunity came.  

I got hired as a bartender at a low-budget, off-broadway theater. It was a small, and seemingly insignificant. What I didn’t realize was that I was part of the creative beginning productions by Diane and Randy Weiner, who would later become award winning writers and directors of some of New York City’s best, most characteristic Broadway shows and musicals. Some of their best works include Hair, The Donkey Show, Sleep No More, The Box and so many more.  

As a young adult, I got to witness these directors’ artistic process almost every day for over a year. To me, their work was the most fascinating craftsmanship of the arts. The way a story was woven together, then directed, then brought to life for nightly shows with vivid voices, props, wigs, costumes, makeup, and hair to bring out the individuality of each character was extraordinary. I was in love!

Although I was originally a bartender, I began to assist in the show’s hair and makeup artistry more and more. Despite the time-constraints of putting together a show and fulfilling my server duties, I loved the job. There was so much heart, character, and creativity poured into the process, and I enjoyed more than anything getting to be a part of it all. 

What inspired me most through this job wasn’t just the hair and makeup. It was the ability to creatively direct; that is, tell a story.

Out of this, came my love for hair and makeup art, and I made the decision that I was going to work for New York City’s top hair and makeup brand: Bumble and Bumble & Makeup Forever.

As I worked underneath and alongside some of the industry’s greatest hairstylists and makeup artists, I diligently poured myself into all the intense classes, with a special focus on haircutting, styling and makeup art. 

Between the stressful days of cutting hair on a busy salon floor, teaching, continuing my own education, and being a new mom, I started to spiral into anxiety, exhaustion, and even illness. I developed chronic sinusitis, polyps, skin cancer, and not too long after that, a drastic case of alopecia areata. 

Something in my daily life had to change. 

Finding the raw food lifestyle was the best thing that’s ever happened to me. The philosophy of health and preservation finally made more sense than any other diet or lifestyle plan. I personally call it a lifestyle since it’s a consistent string of choices, not a temporary band aid fix for health problems. In all honesty, I think it should be called the “preservative and chemical free” lifestyle, since its core beliefs and practices revolve around the idea of choosing foods and products that are as clean and natural as possible.

What I came to find is that it wasn’t just the food that aided me, but the science and health methods behind the raw food lifestyle that taught me what I needed to do best to love and care for my body. The education was the key to my health success, and I spent hours and then years researching the lifestyle. It was hard work, but worth every ounce of effort. I investigated cooking, ingredients, fitness methods, chinese traditional methods, recipes, I spent long mornings talking to manufacturers and distributors at farmer’s markets and small mom & pop businesses across the U.S

After changing my diet over fifteen years ago, I went about changing other small things, like swapping out my toothpaste and deodorant for something natural. Eventually I started adding in natural beauty tools and techniques, an all-natural eye rinse, supplements, teas and much more. This too led to my vigorous search for top of the line high-quality (by high-quality I mean exquisite ingredients) hair products and skin care. Here began my health and wellness adventure. I struck home on something like magic, and ever since then I have wanted to share it with the world. 

This is why I call it my superpower

So there it is, this is why I call it my superpower. To me, having control over being able to take care of my body gives me a sort of freedom. After I started changing my life, I felt better. Refreshed. Invigorated. Empowered. The entire thing was more of an internal satisfaction above anything else. There were no shortcuts to pursuing my health, but it was worth it to feel lively, clear-headed, and energetic again. After I made these health changes, my chronic anxiety, exhaustion, sinus, and hair loss diminished. I felt like a new, fresher, better version of me.

Other areas of interest and inspiration that often tie into my work are art, photography, movies, cinematography, music, fashion, food, interior design, and eccentric people. See my production portfolio here www.crystalcarrerohmu.com

I firmly stand by my mission to only feature natural clean beauty products in my studio. If I can make them in my kitchen, then they are healthy enough and worthy to sell in my studio. Each and every product has gone through a trial process personally by me. I must make sure I believe in the brand mission and I find the brand to be credible and true. I’ve done personal research on ingredients and formulas, and most importantly although products are clean and naturally crafted they must work and preform as promised. I chose them not because of great packaging or promises, but simply because they work yet still deliver the purest, highest quality ingredients. Every product I ever endorse in my shop has been hand-selected personally and truly by me.