Calming candlelight. Warm (not hot) soy wax to moisturize the soul. Light a soy candle, enjoy its mystery. And then decide whether to go further and massage the warmth onto the skin, leaving the skin silky smooth,  the hands, the legs or everywhere. Soy wax is NOT hot.  It caresses the skin. Traditional waxes are paraffin (not recommended), and the lovely beeswax . (always a wonderful candle choice). But cosmetic grade soy is a massage for the skin. You are never too old to enjoy being spoiled. Enjoy your soy candle just as a candle or as a body wax too. For yourself. Your mother.…

What can I say? Our argan oil IS the absolute best. Last month, when our argan oil order arrived to Canada from Morocco, Health Canada decided to hold it for testing.  “Why now?", I pondered.  "This is a first."  The answer will become clear in a moment. To my knowledge, we were the first company to import Argan Oil into Canada. We have been with the same reliable and trusted broker for over 8 years. He is our liason to a respected co-op in Morocco. Our customers have always exaulted the quality of this argan oil. We we have stayed with the same reliable Fair Trade co-op. We do not have…

Are you about to transform on Halloween and paint yourself into your latest fantasy? Or is your little one begging you to paint their face into their superhero or superhorror?  I thought it would be a good time to give you a head’s up on the makeup, which could be toxic to the skin. Some things to consider before you dive in... The FDA does recommend a few simple steps. Applicable in Canada too!! 1. Follow all Halloween face paint directions carefully, including warnings against using around the eyes. 2. Don't decorate your face with products, paints and colorings that aren't intended…

 This is not the first time I have written about sunscreen. It frightens me so. Last year I vented in  'Dear Cosmetic World, Am I a Bad Mother?' Now is the time of year when everyone here in the north is thinking about protecting themselves from the hot summer sun. It IS wise to protect ourselves.  But HOW we do it is important. Is My Sunscreen Baby Safe?   Sand box, slides, castles and climbers Children creating the playground scene Running, stumbling, tykes a tumbling All slathered and lathered in sunscreen Under the guise of being a good thing Adults smother their kids in this chemical…

A lip caress with with raw brown sugar and a little oil. What could be sweeter? Sugar acts as an exfoliant, removing dead skin cells, making your lips soft. The perfect pucker. Sugar scrubs can be delightful for the whole body, but I particularly like the idea for the lips. Whatever we touch to our lips, we taste, so it might as well be pleasant. The following is a recipe (verbatim) I found in Alive Magazine. (Here is another I found online, but same idea) 1. Soften dry or chapped lips tenderly exfoliating with a brown sugar moistened with a few drops of olive oil. 2. Apply to lips and let…

This was our first and most successful visit to the Filberg Festival. (Comox, Vancouver Island) Thank you Vancouver Islanders. We loved our booth in the woods and who could not love you? At this fabulous festival I heard a ‘first account’ tamanu story. Since the oil itself is fairly new to Canada, we are all still learning about its miraculous properties. I have read and studied about this special nut oil, been delighted to sponsor our Tamanu Trivia Contest and have heard success stories from our customers on facebook , twitter and email. But I still love to hear stories from the horse’s…

A beach. A riverbed. A desert. An ocean floor. Sand, sand and more sand. Those tiny gritty eroded rocks. Those small loose granular grains that can do absolute wonders for our feet. A perfect match. ‘Wriggle the sand between the toes. Rub the sand against the soles.’ Luxuriate in nature’s natural exfoliant that helps soften the feet and remove the dry skin buildup. Exfoliation reduces aging. So for younger and healthier looking feet, walk that beach or sit near the waters edge and dig tunnels with the toes. Don’t stop there. Sand the hands. Build a castle, or bury yourself as far as…

I remember meeting a customer from Somalia. This young man came to Alberta, Canada ( where it is especially dry) three years ago and experienced quite a shock to his skin. It was like a vacuum had sucked away all his moisture, leaving his lips dry, cracked, and bleeding. The doctor gave him Vaseline for his dry lips, told him not too talk so much and also advised him to keep his tongue father back in his mouth. This would help prevent his lips from being so dry, he explained. If the poor man had had better English would he have dared to ask for a demonstration? When he told me of his…