Nichole Van Croft, Miss October, 2000

Nichole Van Croft, Miss October, 2000Nichole Van Croft is no ordinary Southern belle, and it's written all over her skin. Her German ancestors introduced the use of herbs for beauty purposes in Florida, a practice that has rubbed off on Miss October. "I read medical books all the time," says Nichole, a native of Jacksonville. "I must have 10 zillion herb and physiology books from my mom. But even before I knew my family's history I had a little garden and grew peppermint and other...