BRAND LOVE ❥

FURTUNA SKIN

Agatha Relota Luczo
Founder & Chief Creative Officer

INSPIRING STORIES WITH AGATHA RELOTA LUCZO~ FOUNDER & CCO OF FURTUNA SKIN

• HOW IT STARTED~ It seems like everyone I have interviewed quit their day job to follow their dreams, so tell us about your journey

My career in beauty began at the tender age of 16 when I started working as an international model for brands like Chanel, YSL, and Hermès and appearing in magazines like Vogue, W, and L'Officiel.
During this time, I worked with the most sought-after makeup artists, skincare experts, and physicians, acquiring an extensive understanding of products, ingredients, formulations, supplements, and regimens to help care for my skin and overall health and well-being.

When I was pregnant with our first child Rosalia (I’m now a mom of four!), I was told that what you eat can impact your baby, and I soon realized that this applied to the skin too. Through our pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene, I learned that certain ingredients had been found to absorb directly into the bloodstream. I got rid of almost all of my products but couldn't find anything made from naturally derived ingredients that were also efficacious. I knew La Furtuna Estate, our family farm in Sicily, could unlock something special with its bountiful botanicals and thousands of olive trees. And through my decade-long modeling career, I knew exactly the types of products I wanted to formulate.

I started working with Kim Walls and our distinguished Estate botanist and ecology expert Pasquale M. Marino, lovingly called Mimmo, to create Furtuna Skin. Working so closely with Mimmo means that everything we do to create the high-performance products we are known and loved for respects the natural ecosystem and protects plant biodiversity. Because on top of creating incredible skincare with results you can see and feel, I’m committed to using Furtuna Skin as a force for social and environmental change. That’s what motivates me each day to do what I do.

OLIVES as MUSE ~(how did you end up with a 700 acre olive farm, it sounds so romantic.. so walk us through that and what it looks like to carry on the family heritage & what inspired you to start a brand)

When my husband Steve was very young, his grandmother told him about the magical land where she was born before she moved to the United States. She told him stories of running streams you could drink from and how incredible the land was. It was in Corleone, Sicily. After hearing these stories, Steve promised his Nona to one day find the land on which she was born, and together we went on this journey. After much searching, we discovered the wild plot of land––roughly .5 of an acre– that included the foundation of her tiny home. We also found an amazing community, but like many towns in rural Sicily, work was hard to come by. We worked to secure over 750 acres of organic farmland surrounding the little family plot, now known as La Furtuna Estate, brought in experts like Mimmo, and started creating sustainable solutions to work the land. We soon became the largest private employer in the area.
Olives and EVOO are definitely our muses! La Furtuna Estate is a treasure trove of more than 12,000 olive trees, some of which are from 600 to 1500 years old. I’m also part Croatian, where olive oil has been used for centuries for medical and cosmetic purposes. EVOO, in particular, has so many skincare benefits. First, it’s a powerful moisturizing agent with an amazing absorbent ability to slip into the skin. Plus, it also helps maintain moisture, which balances out hydration levels. EVOO contains some of the most effective free radical fighters. Its antioxidant properties help protect skin from UV damage, while its high oleic concentration helps repair damage that has already been done. Antioxidants also help support your skin cells’ ability to regenerate properly, which can mean fewer fine lines and wrinkles long term. EVOO’s high vitamin content nourishes your skin with essential nutrients you may not get through your everyday diet or other skincare products. Finding good-for-skin ingredients that fight bacteria is not always easy, but EVOO is known for its exceptional purifying powers. Removing any trouble-making bacteria from the skin is essential for anyone with sensitivities and prone to acne. EVOO can help fight the bacteria that cause problem skin, and studies have shown a decrease in acne production. But not all EVOO is created equal, and you have to pursue the highest quality available to reap its benefits. This is one reason I became a double-certified olive oil sommelier––I want to continue to help raise the bar and set the global standard of excellence so everyone can benefit from this incredible product. Regarding Furtuna Skin’s EVOO, every year, we test and evaluate the 12 varieties of olives on La Furtuna Estate for their levels of polyphenols, sterols, and other essential nutrient components for the skin. We select the best varietals ensuring our EVOO is perfectly balanced and optimized for skin health. As a result, our EVOO is 66% more potent with polyphenols, 8% more potent with sterols, and 3.4x lower in Free Acid than other EVOO on the market for superior skin protection and nutrition.

WHAT MAKES FURTUNA SKIN UNIQUE?

What makes Furtuna Skin stand out is the potency of our ingredients that drive the performance of our products. Thanks to the richness and biodiversity of La Furtuna Estate, our wildly potent plant ingredients are packed with powerful bioactive nutrients for the skin. To preserve their incredible potency, we use the Soundbath® Extraction innovation to extricate the nutritious ingredients without damaging them — solving the age-old problem of creating consistency and potency in organic products. First developed by the performance-driven pharmaceutical industry to optimize the strength of active ingredients, this pioneering extraction technology has been brought to the beauty world by Furtuna Skin, rendering conventional methods that overprocess and overheat actives obsolete. It is the most efficient way of extracting the beneficial ingredients without damaging them — a radical improvement over conventional methods that often use harsh solvents that are bad for the environment and the body.

MORNINGS LIKE THESE Breakfast & Furtuna Skin

I always start my day with a shot of Furtuna Skin’s LXR06 on an empty stomach, warm water, lemon, and hot black coffee. I shower quickly to avoid drying out my skin. Then I use our Transformation Set, which contains three fast-acting, multi-purpose products that deliver the results of a typical 6+ step skincare routine in three easy steps. I moisten a cotton pad with our Acqua Serena Micellar Cleansing Essence and sweep it across my face until the pad comes away clean. I love the fact that you don’t have to rinse. Then I apply two pumps of our Porte Per La Vitalità Face and Eye Serum to my fingertips and blend into my face and under my eyes. It’s multitasking and illuminating while protecting against damage and dehydration. I complete my routine with our cult-favorite Due Alberi Biphase Moisturizing Oil, combining botanically infused olive oil and nutrient-rich olive leaf water to leave the skin impossibly plump and glowing. Next, I usually make breakfast consisting of a bowl of fruit or eggs with avocado, prepare our children for school, and make them breakfast and lunch. We leave the house by 7:45, and I am back home by 8:45, ready to begin work.

BEAUTY SECRETS?

Taking one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on an empty stomach consistently for the last five years has transformed my hair, skin, and nails. I also have more energy and mental clarity than ever before. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

WHAT LIGHTS YOU UP?

My husband and our four children! When they go to bed, I always tell my kids, “Thank you so much for choosing me to be your mom.” It’s a privilege to shape these incredible human beings.

LOCAL GUIDE~ SICILY (warning ..you’ll want to book a flight ASAP)

Some of my favorite Sicilan restaurants are Ristorante da Vittorio, a seafood restaurant with impeccable sea views and a menu to match, and La Madia–– a bastion of Sicilian cuisine––where every dish is made from the freshest, seasonal ingredients. Altri Tempi is another great spot for traditional Sicilian dishes. I can't resist visiting the bakeries in Sicily and highly recommend Zimbardo Bakery.

Sicily is full of old artisan workshops and stores. Caltagirone is known for its beautiful, colorful ceramics. The town of Modica is a must-visit for its delectable chocolates. Palermo is full of great artisanal shops for souvenirs you'll treasure forever. When there, I love to walk along Via Ruggiero Settimo, a bustling shopping street, until I reach Teatro Massimo, a grand opera house located on the Piazza Verdi.

Sicily has so many beautiful beaches; picking a favorite is hard. I recommend heading to Lo Zingaro Nature Reserve, the first nature reserve in Sicily, for a day trip. The hiking is spectacular, and the reserve has six pristine turquoise beaches. Another beach called San Vito Lo Capo is not too far away, which is also beautiful. I would also visit Scala dei Turchi. There's nothing like a refreshing swim in the azure water against the backdrop of that white rock formation––it's breathtaking! When I'm not staying at La Furtuna Estate with my family, Verdura Resort on the island's southwest side is a go-to. It's close to a charming seaside town called Sciacca and 30 minutes away from Scala dei Turchi.
Other tips include spending the day discovering all Palermo has to offer, like the Palatine Chapel (Cappella Palatina) and the Fontana Pretoria Church of Santa Catarina. About an hour away is Cefalu, which I always recommend everyone visit. Other must-visits include Erice, a beautiful medieval town near Trapani, and the Valley of Temples in Agrigento.

ZEN ZONE~
I am based in Paris right now, so either a facial with Sophie Carbonari or a massage at Suisen Paris, which offers incredible treatments inspired by shiatsu.

CURRENTLY DAYDREAMING~

We’re currently preparing for our next product launch, which is happening in October. Watch this space!

SHOUT OUT~ Brand founders you admire

I adore Pat McGrath and her makeup line, which is beautifully formulated, pigmented, and easy to use.

• WORDS OF WISDOM~
Trust your instincts but know your limits.

MY POINT OF VIEW ❥

As a Makeup Artist & Serum Conniseur , I’ve been in love with FURTUNA since they launched. After reading Agatha’s Q & A, I am even more of a brand enthusiast.
I don’t know about you, but I definitely just put Sicily on my vision board + I wonder if I can get an invite to those olive fields!! If you’re not sure where to start in your FURTUNA SKIN journey, they offer an incredible DISCOVERY KIT with your choice of 4 products to try in mini size.. My absolute favorites are the LXR06 OLIVE OIL, CLEANSING OIL BALM and of course BIPHASE MOISTURIZING OIL~ a beautiful serum. I loved my chat with Agatha, I hope you did too. Raise your hand if you’re booking a trip to ITALY ASAP!!
I LINKED A CODE BELOW FOR SHOPPING INSPIRATION. FEEL FREE to reach out with questions.