Overcoming the Fear of Pinterest and other Social Media

I admit it, most social media overwhelms me at times.  I am from the era where people communicated in person or by telephone and letters. 

But I am also not one who is stuck in their ways and afraid of new things.  So when Facebook came along and marketing experts said you need to have your skin care studio on Facebook, although I hesitated for a while, I finally jumped in and went full steam ahead with it.  Then it was blogging, so here I am.  BUT Pinterest was a different story.  A few months ago I was told you have to be on Pinterest...so I went onto Pinterest to check it out...it was sensory overload for me.  "Not for me" I said.  But it kept coming up in conversation after conversation that Pinterest is the place for businesses to be and would be the perfect venue to showcase my skin care product line. 

So I took the plunge.  I am there and you can find me at http://www.pinterest.com/botanicalsrenew .

 I think I am catching on and maybe soon I will even learn to love it, I just hope I don't fall down the rabbit hole.

Tea Time

Let me start off by saying I am a coffee lover.  It is part of my morning ritual.  The aroma fill the house and gets me going  BUT as fall approaches I think about cocooning in the evening with a cup of hot tea.  Through the dark winter months there is nothing more soothing, warming and nourishing to my soul than a cup of herbal tea. Of course herbal teas are so much more than that.  I will discuss different herbs and there healing properties in future posts.  This fall I started experimenting with different blends.  My husband who has never been a tea drinking accepted a cup one evening of my Sweet Dreams blend that I created using Chamomile, California Poppy, Valerian Root, Linden Flower, and a few other hersb.  He told me the next morning it was the best nights sleep he had in a long time. 

So I am now making my Sweet Dreams tea blend available at the Renew Botanicals Wellness Boutique.  I will be adding other tea blends in the very near future and don't forget my elderberry syrup kit to fight cold and flu.

So, make your self a cup tea sit back relax and enjoy your evening.

Herbal Workshop: Herbs for Healing the Skin & the Gut

When I opened the Wellness Boutique one of my goals was to offer lectures, classes and workshops to introduce people to different healing modalities.  Since the skin is our largest organ everything we do will have an effect  on the skin.  As part of my ongoing quest to provide education into a holistic way of looking at skin care please join Master Herbalist Olivia Fite and myself for this engaging and informative workshop on herbs that promote healing of the skin and digestive organs. 

We will discuss the wonders of herbs such as calendula, marshmallow root, plantain and much more... Learn simple ways to incorporate these remedies into your life and medicine cabinet. Snacks and Q & A will be provided.

Please RSVP to Olivia via email: oherbals@gmail.com
$15 - Thursday, January 30th @ 6:30 pm-8pm

The Truth About Antibacterial Products

Finally, after 30 years of sitting on a ruling the FDA announced that unless manufacturers can prove that antibacterial soap is safe and more effective than using soap and water it will have to be removed from shelves by 2016.

For me as a holistic skin care practitioner this is great news, only I wish it hadn't taken so long and I wish it would go into effect sooner, but later is better than not at all. 

For those of you wondering what is wrong with antibacterial products here are some facts, the ingredient in these antibacterial products, Triclosan can:

• The can create antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria - The World Health Organization calls it "a threat to global health security"
• Some studies have found that, in animals, triclosan appears to interfere with the body's regulation of thyroid hormone.   If this is the case in humans, too, there are worries that it could lead to problems such as infertility, artificially-advanced early puberty, obesity and cancer.
• It may cause allergies

• It is harmful to the environment.  It is still found after going through sewage plants and has been detected in streams and other bodies of water where it disrupts alga's ability to perform photosynthesis.  

The bottom line is using triclosan as an antibacterial wash is really no more effective than good old hand washing with soap and water according the the Center for Disease Control...just use soap and wash for about 30 seconds...singing the alphabet song if you like.

In my skin care practice and when I make my skin care products I never use any product or  ingredient that may harm humans, animals, or the environment and many like myself have been fighting long and hard to get these harmful products off the shelves.  So a small victory but a victory nonetheless.

Skin Care for Men

During the holidays I introduced a line of aftershave lotions for men.  These were not your typical alcohol drying aftershaves.  While there is some alcohol present in the herbal tincture, the herbs themselves are moisturizing and anti-inflammatory.  More than half of the aftershave is composed of soothing aloe juice.  At present three scents are available composed of my essential oil blends.  Terra Firma which is a deep earthy, smokey blend; Awaken, a fresh blend of lime and bergamot, a little spruce and cedarwood; the last is a classic Bay Rum.

With the overwhelming success of the aftershaves. I am working on expanding a line just for men.  Some men have expressed the idea of a face and body lotion in one while others like the idea of two separate products.  Do you have a preference?  I would love to hear what you think.  Are there other products you would like added to the line?  Beard Oil? Mustache Wax?  I'm all ears.

Why You Shouldn't Avoid Oils

Most of us, especially people with oilier skin will do anything to avoid using oil as part of their skin care routine.   Unfortunately, oils have gotten a bad rap.  Oils, or what we usually refer to as lipids when discussing skin, create a barrier protecting your skin against the elements.  Damage to this barrier occurs daily, so maintaining an effective barrier requires a continuous application of products containing lipids. For example when oils are applied on the skin it prevents dehydration not only at the surface but at the deeper levels of the skin.  In addition, lipids increase the water resistance of the skin which is quite important as it obstructs water-soluble pollutants from penetrating into the skin.  Moisture loss may result in dry, scaly or even cracked skin, bacteria-related acne, eczema, rosacea-type inflammation, atopic dermatitis and/or skin congestion, among other problems. Lipids also help to soften the skin, to smooth it and to provide elasticity.The crucial aspect should always be the support of the natural skin regeneration.  There are many different oils on the market.  And though all oils will create this important barrier, not all oils are necessarily beneficial to the skin such as mineral oil, which is a petroleum based oil.  Different oils have different benefits and are appropriate for different skin types.  Therefore when I am mixing a serum for oily skin I would not use the same carrier oil that I would use on dry skin.  Speaking of dry skin, many people with dry skin feel they need very thick heavy moisturizers.  Again, this is not the case.  It is the oils, butters and extracts that are in the moisturizer that are going to improve your skin.  Generally, most moisturizers are thickened with gums and waxes which are not bad for your skin but do little if nothing to moisturize your skin.  

So put those fears aside, try a serum or body oil you will be so happy you did.

Six Month Anniversary

It seemed fitting at the six month anniversary of the opening of Renew Botanicals Skin Care Studio and Wellness Boutique that I start blogging again.  Yes, it has been six months and what a six months it has been.  Setting up the new skin care studio was a snap since I have been doing it for 23 years,  but setting up the new wellness boutique was new for me.  I had a blank canvas to work which presented so many great opportunities.  Lots of blank white walls gave me the idea of showcasing a different local artist every month.  Getting to work making my organic toxic free products took up a good deal of time but what fun it was mixing and creating new skin and body products.  I expanded my aromatherapy and herbal practice and have quite a nice apothecary right here in the shop.  Then there was the search for artisans who make products that I don't.  They all had to meet my strict criteria of safe non toxic ingredients.  Not only did I find wonderful products to carry but I have met the most wonderful people:  Marie from Unearth Malee Soaps who creates palm oil free organic soaps, Robyn from Shear Miracles Organic Hair Care (my hair never looked so good) and Frances from Petal Pushers who makes the most amazing organic deodorants.

 

As summer turned to fall I started to settle in and  now we are winding up the busy holiday season.  I look forward to the new year and keeping you all up-to-date on tips for skin care, aromatherapy, herbs and more.