Agent Woman

[ey-juhnt woo m-uh n]

adjective 

A woman with tenacity, confidence, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a distinct point of view when it comes to holistic beauty and wellness. Women that our founder, Jena Covello, admire most. 

Artist, photographer, and one of Jena's closest friends, Ayla El-Moussa, is the co-founder (along with her husband) of 25th Century, a design studio based in California. The creative is inspired by the mystic beauty of nature, which influences the DNA of her work. Meet Agent Woman, Ayla El-Moussa.

Name: Ayla El-Moussa

Instagram: @ayla.elmoussa

Beauty Icon: Monica Belluci and Carmen Dell' Orefice.

Favorite city for inspiration: London!

Introvert or extrovert: Major introvert.

Daily uniform: Something comfortable, yet edgy. Also, always a good lingerie set because even though no one sees it, it's like a little secret power under it all. 

 AM ritual: I'm pretty low maintenance in the morning in terms of beauty. I wash my face with cold water and then apply a moisturizer. I alternate between Dr. Barbara Sturm or Agent Nateur's Holiwater. I brush my hair and go downstairs to making coffee with my husband, which is my biggest and best ritual. We discovered Demeter Coffee Beans, which are insane. Once coffee has been made, we sit in the living room and chat about all kinds of random things. It's really special.

 PM wind down: PM is where I spend the most time on beauty and skin. I will usually cleanse or exfoliate my skin and then I will ZIIP my face with 3 different treatments. Then, I apply a sheet mask by SK II, which is my favorite (put it in the fridge an hour before applying). I alternate between holi-water and holi-c duo and P50 with Augustine Bader Cream. Jena recently put me onto this amazing Retin-A from Paris, so I will use that every other Sunday. I top it off with the By Terry lip balm and then I try to brush my hair for a solid 5 minutes with two different brushes to stimulate growth. 

Secret skill: I make the best Hummus and Babbaganoush you will ever have. It beats my dad's and grandmas. 

Best Advice you've ever received: I was recently talking to an incredible woman who said, "There is no one like you. You are the best you there is. We are all gods and you can be better, but only if YOU want."

A mistake you've learned from: I'm always learning from mistakes, but the recent big ones are getting better at communication and not being embarrassed to talk about money. 

To your younger self:  Remember the story of the ugly duckling, well, that's you.

A wellness expert who has significantly helped you: My parents. A naturopath, a Weston Price Practitioner, a biodynamic Beekeeper, a Waldorf Teacher, and a Shaman. They are both extremely tapped in.

Favorite wellness/beauty book: Well Being by Danielle Copperman. It's not considered a "wellness book," but it should be. I also love The Boudoir Bible by Betony Veron.

Three things you're really into right now: Depth Psychology especially revolving around sex and pleasure, Demeter Coffee from Deep Valley, and Axel Vervoordt Interiors.

How are you managing anxiety in light of the COVID-19? I'm such an introvert anyway that its been somewhat normal. Going on long beautiful drives through the hills of Malibu or escaping to Joshua Tree has helped. Also, not getting caught up in the panic has been the magic ingredient. 

Is there a COVID-19 silver lining for you? This "pause" has allowed me to really realize what is important. And of course the recovery of nature.