Believe it or not, Latin women have tons of similarities with Japanese women - both of them enjoy taking care of their looks and it is very important to always look good.  Their lifestyles revolve around family and decades-old traditions and it is very important to “fit” in the society, including following the latest fashions.  In Latin America as well as in Japan, it is common to see people wearing the same design, as if it were a national uniform.  Latin culture in the form of flamenco and tango is very popular right now in Japan. 

Lorena is no stranger to the beauty industry with more than 12 years of experience.  She is also an avid traveler and has lived and studied in Japan, a country that influenced her life.  Lorena is one of those women, who while in Japan explored the ancient Japanese culture, fell in love with ikebana (what she calls as the most beautiful meditation) and loves Hello Kitty and delicateness and harmony of the Japanese beauty style.    

Other sources of inspiration for her are the Ayurveda traditions and the fascinating, yet little known, Mayan traditions. Her grandmother and a neighbor, a descendent of Mayan Indians, taught her the traditional beauty and health recipes.  Lorena also worked closely with the lady who is considered to have found the Day Spa industry in the US, Noel Pascua de Caprio.  While working with Noel in the spa, Lorena learned aromatherapy, relaxation and well being techniques, skin care and many other disciplines suited for the stressed women of today. Armed with this interesting background and her passion for beauty and wellness in harmony with Nature, it was natural for her to transition to the world of personal wellness. 

The MYNIPPON Team recently met with Lorena and tried to learn more about her adventures in Japan and how it has influenced her perspective on health, beauty, and a spiritual lifestyle.

MYNIPPON:  We understand that you spent about a year in Japan and consider it to be a life-changing experience.  Could you please share with us what was so unique about Japan and how have you used that experience?  

Lorena:  Before I went to Japan, it seemed like a far-off place that I knew nothing about.  Of course, as a little girl I admired Hello Kitty and in some ways it helped me create a mental image of a Japanese woman – charming, elegant, playful, and cute.  I also grew up looking at calendars and catalogues of gorgeous Japanese women and always admired their beautiful skin and shiny hair as well as their natural and well defined figures.  When I arrived in Japan I was pleasantly surprised to see that my image of Japan was not wrong.  The friends that I made in Japan were absolutely wonderful women and great friends. Japanese women are very proud of their femininity like Latin women.  Thus, they take tremendous care of their bodies by using high-quality products.  As you might know, Japanese society also emphasizes natural, pure, fresh, and clean attributes in everything.  This is true for their personal care products as well.  

I also had several opportunities to go to Japanese hot water springs or onsen and I was absolutely mesmerized by the utmost attention Japanese women paid to their bodies and the extraordinary attention to detail in these facilities.  The products used, the manner in which they were applied, and the almost ritualistic approach to body care fascinated me.  Everything in an onsen is perfect - its decoration, the products used and the food are decorated in a timeless style characterized by harmony. I have tried to incorporate those attributes of Japanese life in the lifestyle that Lindisima propounds.  We want women to be feminine and have all the qualities that women should have – charm, grace, elegance, and playfulness; things that I saw in a Japanese woman.  All of this and an endless connection with Nature.

MYNIPPON:  We understand that you grew up in Ocotepeque, a tiny village in the tropical mountains of Honduras before you moved to the United States.  What did you learn about beauty and wellness as you were growing up?

Lorena:  I grew up in western Honduras and also on the north coast.  When I was growing up in Ocotepeque, which in an Indian dialect means “hill of pines” during the 70’s, life was still simple.  Ocotepeque is located in one of the clouded forests of Central America, so I had plenty of pure air and lived in perfect harmony with Nature.  As years have gone by I have seen how deforestation has affected the region and this has made me very concerned about protecting natural resources and using natural products in our daily lives.

As I was growing up, though regular cosmetics were popular, we in our family were still not influenced by "chemical cosmetics."  My mother made her own soap and we used herb infusions as toners.   Most of us would use only natural products, prepared at home.   Like Japan, we also sought fresh, natural, and pure products.   The recipes and wisdom of my grandmother have inspired me to emphasize to all the women that I work with that they have to first understand their own bodies very well.  Secondly, they should study how different products work.  Finally, she has to carefully determine a unique combination of products for herself. 

MYNIPPON:  It seems that you have traveled extensively in Europe and Latin America and you are constantly in touch with women all over the world listening to their health and beauty problems and helping them unlock their inner and outer beauty.  We have been told that this approach was developed by you, while you spend some time in India.  Can you please describe your experiences in India and how it has influenced you as a wellness expert?

Lorena:  I am glad you mention this.  India has such a rich cultural past and for a variety of reasons the country is still fairly isolated from the rest of the world.  One good outcome of this is that consumer culture has not penetrated India yet.  As soon as you go out of the metropolitan area, people still live rather simple lives.  Since women still do not have access to modern-day consumer products or they are too expensive, they still rely on herbs and natural products to prepare concoctions for themselves.  This, of course, is different in the cities such as Delhi and Bombay. Every time I go to India, I stay with a family that has its roots in Ukhlana - a small village in North India.  They all grew up practicing Ayurveda because the grandfather, who was an Ayurveda physician, made everyone work in the pharmacy (their own laboratory).  Thus, everyone in the family is familiar with herbs and minerals.  I have also had a chance to travel in other parts of the country and I have used the beauty techniques and recipes that I learned.  (Related: Bollywood actress Neha Dhupia)