News — handmade

Find us here this spring! New event! PARK: Promoting Arts & Redefining Kulture Edmonton, Epcor Tower, Mar 4-6th. Make it Show Edmonton! (Mar 24-26) One of a Kind Show Toronto (Mar 29 - Apr 2) Make it Show Calgary! (Apr 7-9)  

I'll admit a natural spray isn't as effective in deterring the bugs as a DEET based repellent, but i'd much rather have a couple bites and know that what I put on my skin is healthy and won't build up toxins in my body. I was turned off commercial bug repellent years ago, when a bottle of muskol from a camping trip had leaked on to our hardwood floor and ACTUALLY took the finish off the floor! It peeled it off like I had applied paint remover or taken a heat gun to it. YIKES! Insane that we put this on our skin, no wonder that stuff kills bugs on contact!

I used to think the richest product for our skin was a lotion, but surprisingly it's not and I'm about to tell you why. Lotions have a high concentration of water (generally 50% of the content), which makes them cheap to produce, but also hard to keep shelf stable without spoiling, hence they have lots of emulsifiers, preservatives, and stabilizers, many of which are toxic substances and known carcinogens. Yuck. 

Our bodies are 80%+ water, so wouldn't a water-based product be nourishing? Surprisingly the answer is no. The reason is, our bodies were meant to be hydrated from the INSIDE out through drinking fluids and consuming healthy, juicy foods. Our skin doesn't really like water. In fact, our skin has a layer of oil that our own body produces to protect us from the environment. It's called sebum. Without it, our skin cracks, and dried out from exposure to wind and water. Think of professionals who have their hands in water all day or must wash them several times a day such as health professionals, cooking staff, etc. If water were nourishing to our hands, they should have the softest skin of anyone! But they don't, not without slathering on lots of creams, all day long etc.

So, if lotion isn't the most nourishing for our skin, what is? Products that contain mostly oils, plant butters, and waxes are the best for our skin as they mimic the action of the sebum. e.g's being salves, body butters, body oils, creams (with a low water content). Body butters are excellent moisturizers that work hard and provide lasting protection throughout the day. Check out our rich moisturizers in our online shop such as our Whipped Cocolicious Body Butter. It smells like chocolate heaven! 

 The Oil Cleansing Method sometimes referred to as OCM is a way of cleaning your skin without using soap!

It's especially beneficial for the face and one of the most natural and simplest ways to let your skin glow! The concept behind it is 'like attracts like'. i.e. Oil dissolves oil. Your skin produces natural oils called 'sebum' to protect itself from environmental factors which include: dryness, pollution as mentioned above, but also to keep ON healthy bacteria and yeasts and keep OUT unhealthy or unwanted bacteria and yeasts. When we strip that protective layer off your skin too often with soaps, it not only causes our body to produce more oil, but it makes your more vulnerable to colds/flu bugs and/or infections as well.

[caption id="attachment_1941" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo credit: Brick & Bubble[/caption] We are excited to announce that our company is changing names!! We have chosen a new name that we hope will better reflect the work that we do. We wanted a name and logo that captures our desire to promote the power of plants in healing and nourishing the skin. Our products are FULL of plant-based ingredients, such as our own herbal-infused oils, wild herbs, locally grown oats, and more. We have always strived to include as many locally grown ingredients as possible and will continue to do so. As part...