Jessica Morelli Of Palermo Body Shares Her Beauty File

Inspired by her grandmother’s commitment to living holistically and using fresh ingredients and natural remedies, Jessica Morelli started making natural soaps by hand in 2008. Since then, Jessica’s passion for natural skincare has transformed into Palermo Body, an all-natural line of scrubs, soaks, oils, masks, serums, and of course, soaps.

With Palermo Body, Jessica brings us a collection of products that nourish the skin effectively without hurting the body or the environment. Jessica sources the ingredients herself, making sure everything’s natural, good for the skin, and environmentally conscious. And she still makes the products herself, creating small batches by hand in Brooklyn.

We asked Jessica about her daily routine, including her skincare and wellness regimens, plus any advice she has. Here’s what she shared:

MORNING SKINCARE:

I use a few spritzes of our Hydrating Facial Toner followed by our Regenerative Facial Serum. Occasionally I do a quick morning mask, (I call it my Minute Mask) to cleanse and brighten my skin.

BREAKFAST:

On the weekdays I eat overnight oats or have a smoothie (either kale or almond banana). And it’s followed by coffee, of course. On the weekends I eat eggs, potatoes—the works.

NIGHT SKINCARE:

For my face I have the same routine as the morning. However, I generally use a more liberal amount of each product at night. A few nights a week I’ll also opt for a steam or mask before applying our serum and toner duo.

For my body, I’ll either use one of our body scrubs once or twice a week, or our Hydrating Body Oil on my still-dewy skin. If I’ve used a body scrub, then there’s no need for body oil, since our scrubs are very moisturizing. Otherwise, I choose our Hydrating Oil since it’s scented with a grounding blend of essential oils that helps me wind down.

SUPPLEMENTS:

In my almond and banana smoothies I use The Beauty Chef’s Organic Inner Beauty Powder in chocolate—yum. In my kale smoothies I use Amazing Grass’ Green Superfood Organic Powder. And in my açaí bowls I add beet root powder. I also make my own golden milk blend (turmeric, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and black pepper).

FITNESS:

Yoga is what does it for me. I feel like I’m not only exercising my body, but I’m exercising my mind as well. I am a healthier, happier person when I practice yoga regularly.

TECH:

I’m an Apple lover. And I use the Adobe Suite and photo editing apps for business-related things.

HAIR:

I love New Wash, REVERIE’S Hair Oil, and Oxalis Apothecary’s Mineral Mist.

DERMATOLOGIST OR FACIALIST?

Facialist! I go to the amazing Hillery Sklar in Brooklyn. That’s not to say there isn’t a time and place for doctors, but I always treat holistically before going to the doctor. I don’t see them very often for this reason.  

WELLNESS:

I believe wellness starts with a mentality and it relies more on our mental health than our society currently wants to admit. It’s natural for us all to go through ups and downs, and I like to focus on ways to encourage myself to get back on track rather than chastise myself for falling off the wagon.

MY BEST PIECE OF BEAUTY ADVICE:

Get sleep, drink water, eat well.

MY BEST PIECE OF LIFE ADVICE:

First you crawl, then you walk, then you run.

BIGGEST BEAUTY MYTH:

That you can stop aging. We’re all going to age and, like wellness, it’s a frame of mind. I focus on preventive aging rather than anti-aging, and what I can do now to keep my skin healthy and glowing. Later that will translate into how age affects my appearance.

MY CHARLOTTE:

Both of my grandmothers. My Nonna Vincenza inspired Palermo by instilling natural values in me from a young age. She was an exceptional lady. She looked at ingredient lists, composted everything she could, ate a clean, healthy diet, and really cared about what she would bring into her home. I wanted to tribute my brand of natural products to her by naming it after the city where she was from in Sicily, and Palermo Body was born.

And my Grandmother Dorothy, the tenacious woman who gave me my drive. Growing up she always challenged me and, although difficult at the time, I think she did it because she saw strength in me that I didn’t know was there. She is fiercely independent and has never conformed to traditional standards of how women should behave. It’s something I’m continually learning from her.  

READ THIS NEXT

Check out some of our favorite Beauty Files: Helena Christensen, Kristen Shaw, and Bobbi Brown.

FIND BEAUTY AND WELLNESS EXPERTS

Read client reviews, book appointments, and get advice from the experts in Charlotte’s Book. Only the best cosmetic doctors, skincare gurus, nutritionists, and fitness and wellness professionals make it into our book.