Natural products are not the same as their chemical counterparts. The unpredictability of nature requires understanding and patience. We have not been conditioned to appreciate patterns, fluctuations and cycles of life, therefore we find ourselves slightly off kilter as we strive to reconnect to our natural world. Oils harden in the cold. Cream may separate in the heat. Butters granulate. The shelf life is about four seasons. Our conditioning has embedded a notion of perfectionism as we navigate, especially in our expectations. We want quick results. We want them now and we want them perfect…

If you have ever worked a craft show, (similar to trade shows) you know the sounds of set up.  Dollies rolling across bare cement floors, skids being unwrapped, clangs of curtain rods echoing overhead, harried vendors intent on transforming their allotted space into a unique shop zone.   It was a set up day in Winnipeg.   We had claimed our temporary home, unloaded the skids, spilling bins sporting identification labels: Office.  Signs.  Electrical.  We laid the carpets, hung the curtains, snaked electrical wires into position.  We reassembled the birch shelving with our eyes closed,…

"Salt is bad for you.""It increases blood pressure." "It absorbs the water from your system.""Salt causes kidney stones." Has this ‘salt shocking’ duped us all?   Table Salt is indeed a culprit and confirms the necessity of salt warnings.  But salt is not all salt. Salt, as we commonly know it, NaCl or sodium chloride is used everywhere and in everything.  There are more than 14,000 uses for salt from deicing our winter roads, to industrial applications of soaps, detergents, plastics, PVC’s, to consumption in common Table Salt.  The ‘salt warnings’ are against Table Salt.  This type of salt,…

‘Macho Man’?  ‘Metro Man’?  Modern Man?  Not sure?   No matter who you are, you will love us. If you like natural, subtle scents, and a good clean feel, read on. If you are concerned about your food choices, you are most likely concerned about your skin nutrition. This is a good thing.  You will especially love us if you are a ‘one stop shop’ sort of guy. You will love us if you find perfumes overwhelming and if sunscreen stings your skin.  You will love us if you have a dandruff issue, if after shaving your skin is overly irritated and you have tried so many different products. Whether your…

“I have to be careful what touches my skin.  I am so sensitive.”  I hear this lament fairly often.  If this is a song you sing, you may actually be the lucky one.   Yes, it may be frustrating that every cream or lotion you try is irritating.   Every time you apply a sunscreen your skin screams.  Every time you try the soaps in commercial places your hands rebel.  Perhaps you have inherited this tendency from poor Aunt Nona who forever complained.  Perhaps your father always suffered with eczema, like you do now, and you figure it is in your DNA and there is little you can do.  It is true, our…

“Have you ever heard of ‘Devil’s Itch'?" the phone-in customer asks. “No, but I am looking it up as we speak.” I scan the horrors of ‘skin on fire’. “It happened to me”, she continues.  “I had sunburn and the itching started after I showered.  It felt like ants crawling inside me.  It was a hell.  I called to tell you that your zinc oxide saved me.  Nothing else worked.  Any cream or lotion I applied made it worse.  Yet your zinc worked.”   This phone conversation surfaces in my mind several months later in Prince George, BC.  A beautiful silver-haired, elegant, woman enters the booth, wide-…

While surfing for winter tips, I found some interesting suggestions.  While I did not agree with everything said, (some of the recommended moisturizers would do just the opposite), I liked the main tip categories and decided to share some with you. When appropriate, I suggest some Earth to Body products to help. 1. Stay cozy but at a comfortable temperature:  Too warm a room will dry you out.  Our soy candles can help provide a calming Zen atmosphere but moisturize at the same time.   Don’t hesitate to use a humidifier if you have one.  Or take a nice Dead Sea Salt spa bath! 2. Sunscreen in…

10% off on all candles from now until Dec 25th while supplies last. The Western world based cultures sometimes refer to the ‘solstice’ holiday as ‘Christmas’, the date settling on December 25th.  There are many theories as to the date, one of course, being the birth of Christ. This day is now celebrated worldwide. The Winter Solstice is the day of the shortest time between the sun rising and the sun setting. This year, 2016, the solstice is on December 21st. Many holiday customs are borrowed from the solstice.  Most of us take these traditions for granted, not realizing their history.  It is…