Our Founder

Once the most highly paid fashion supermodel in the world, Astara's CEO, Sunny Griffin, has devoted her career to beauty and health.

Born in Baltimore and raised in Towson, Maryland, Sunny graduated from Hood College, in Fredrick, Maryland in 1962 - the same year she was chosen as one of Glamour Magazine's 10 Best-Dressed College Girls in America. Soon after, she appeared in the August 1962 issue of Glamour, and continued on to Cornell University for graduate studies in speech and drama.

In 1966, Ford Model Agency declared Ms. Griffin as the highest-paid fashion model in the world. Over her illustrious career, she has graced the covers of Harper's Bazaar, Woman's Day, Red Book, Ladies Home Journal, Family Circle, and Saturday Evening Post, to name just a few. She modeled for numerous famous names including Ralph Lauren, Saks Fifth Avenue, Clairol, Avon, Seagram's, Timex, Wrangler, Virginia Slims, Naturalizer, Maidenform, and Tab.

Sunny enjoys the distinction of being photographed by renowned photographers Richard Avedon, Francisco Scavullo, Hiro, James Moore, and Bill Helburn, among hundreds of others. In 1969 she co-starred with Dustin Hoffman in the 20th Century Fox film, "John and Mary".

Sunny's knowledge in matters of beauty, fashion and fitness - so necessary for a top model - led to numerous other offers. Soon she was chosen as the corporate spokesperson and Director of Beauty and Fashion for Avon Products Inc. After that post she worked for three years as a correspondent and part-time co-host for "Good Morning America", frequently doing pieces on health and beauty. She also traveled the country on media tours for Germain Monteil Cosmetics and Dupont Lycra.

In 1995, Sunny realized a life-long dream and moved to the mountain town of Telluride, Colorado. There she discovered that the extremely dry air of high altitude was so hard on her skin that she felt it was aging her prematurely. All of Sunny's exposure to the world of cosmetics and beauty lead her to the realization of a desperate need for a botanical skincare line with truly live constituents. To achieve this, she became a serious student of raw foods. It was at this time that Sunny's vision became reality. She married her experience in nutrition, health, and cosmetics, and in 1997, Astara Skin Care was born.

To this day, Sunny and the Astara Skin Care team continually strive to bring to market the best and most current skin nutrition science.

Ms. Griffin is very active in the community as well as with nutrition, and overall health through fitness and exercise, and imparts this aspect of her lifestyle to the Astara brand. She participates in many charitable events - including modeling for the last 12 years in the Telluride AIDS Benefit Fashion Show - as well as outdoor activities such as extensive hiking, climbing, and skiing. She has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania, The Mont Blanc in France, and Aconcongua, in Argentina.