In At My Vanity, Tata Harper, the Columbia-born, Vermont-based skin-care entrepreneur, as passionate as she is no-nonsense, offers up her favorite tips on everything from skin care to lip color to how to age gracefully.

Women in Harper’s home country typically start a preventative regimen early, she says, but the same doesn’t hold true stateside where many women only start to think about anti-aging products in their 30s. “Latin American women love daily beauty routines and pampering,” said the 36-year-old. “Here in the U.S., it seems most would prefer less products, or one for everything!”

My favorite facialist is Julia March in New York City.

A common myth is that you need to use chemicals to have effective skin care. And that’s such BS. They’re used so all these really cheap synthetics can go in the product. But you don’t need them.  

My least favorite scent is wet farm dog. We live with, like, 10 dogs. When they’re wet, believe me, we make sure they’re out of the house for a while.

The best spa treatment is the Body and Mind Energy Restoration at Las Ventanas al Paraíso, in Los Cabos, Mexico. It’s three hours of bliss.

For more on Harper click here.