Summer Imbalance -- The Season of Pitta

I am still reading Absolute Beauty by Dr. Pratima Raichur and loving it! Ayurveda just makes so much sense to me. The more I learn the more "A ha!" moments I have.

For instance, dosha significance and imbalance. You can read more here about doshas. Pitta energy is increased in the summer (heat, fire) so it stands to reason that Pitta-types may become imbalanced during the hot season. My daughter is a Pitta and she has been more irritable, mood-swingy, out of sorts this whole summer. On the other hand, I (a Vata-type) live for summer. I am happier, more at ease and definitely more comfortable when it is warm out and can seem to handle much hotter temps than anyone else in my family.

So, now that we know that, what can we do about it? Well, like I reported via Dr. Raichur our diet is the easiest and most physical thing to change, so start there. Pitta’s require cold, moist, heavy foods for balance. Healthy sweets, milk (but not sour yogurt), fresh fruits and veg, and whole grains among them – and avoid hot, spicy, dry foods.

Pitta is strong-willed and fiery by nature so excessive activity and high tempers (and temperatures) will only exacerbate the imbalance. Pittas operate at their best under calm, compassionate, loving conditions. This may be easier said than done, as it is not in most of our nature to be super patient and loving toward someone who is irritable and grumpy. But trust me, if you can find it in you to pull this off, it really works.

Today I came across a great article on the subject by Monica Bloom. Check it out.

My intention with Absolute Beauty was to do a review once I’d completed the entire book, but this isn’t that kind of book.  Absolute Beauty is more of a guide for life, not just another way of achieving a beautiful complexion (though that is included in the book). I can read an entire chapter for the second or third time and get more out of it with each reading. So….I will most likely be posting here several times on this book, and Ayurveda, as I learn more. It truly is fascinating and a totally different way of looking at life and taking care of yourself.

Organic Skincare Review -- Skin

A couple of months ago Stephanie Simkins sent me several samples from her Skin line to try out. Some new, some just new to me.

I always love using Stephanie’s products. They seem so pure and fresh, because they are. Maybe this is because Stephanie is no slouch when it comes to organics – a nutrition consultant, herbalist, and organic caterer when she is not creating fabulous organic skincare.

Well, these new products did not disappoint. Let’s start off with Plumberry Body Lotion – the name kind of says it all. It is as fresh, summery, light, and delicious as it sounds. We could be talking about cheesecake here ( and Plumberry does smell good enough to eat) but this lotion is no cream puff. It may be light but does the job of hydrating dried-out summer skin.

Next up, foaming Skin Naked Foam Unscented Shave Cream and Wash. This foaming wash comes in a pump bottle and is so gentle it can be used on face and body. Seriously, my super sensitive skin had no issues with this wash. But the best part? Shaving! A friend (thanks Ellen!) clued me in to the wonderful-ness of using Skin Naked Foam Wash for shaving and it truly does make a difference. Razor glides across skin, no irritation or bumps left behind. I actually look forward to this part of my shower now.

About mid-June my skin started to feel very dry and sapped, and I dreamed of a big (I’m talking BIG) jug of very basic body lotion that I could slather on my skin at a moments notice. As I was conveying these feelings to my friend (again, thanks Ellen) she filled me in on the new larger sizes of body lotion from Skin. Skin Naked Skin Unscented Lotion comes in an 8 oz pump bottle and can be used on face or body. Now this is the kind of multi-tasker we all need to have around for summer, or any time of year. Works on kids and adults, and those who are scent sensitive.

Feet really take a beating in summer months and mine are no exception – dry and rough. Skin Peppermint Foot Scrub, applied after a good sloughing with a sugar or salt scrub (I like Belletare Body Scrub), really gets things back under control. Another foot note: the shoes my daughter wore in my sister’s wedding last month gave her a blister on her big toe that ended up kind of making the bottom of her foot peel. It was really weird and, since it looked irritated, I certainly did not think sloughing was in order. We used to Skin Healing Calendula Salve that Stephanie had included in the samples and guess what…better practically over night. By the next morning things looked much better and the problem was completely resolved in just a matter of days. Planning to keep a little jar of this on hand at all times.

Skin products are all free from harmful chemical ingredients.

What I'm Reading Right Now

Obviously, I've been doing a little more reading than writing as of late, which I intend to turn around in the next day or two.  Our time away was super fun and a great break from reality, but "re-entry" always leaves me sapped, drained, kaput...

Anyway, I have been reading (more like studying) my book on Ayurveda and its connection with beauty written by Dr. Pratima Raichur -- if you did not catch my interview with Dr. Raichur check it out now.  I have long been fascinated with Ayurveda.  The whole thing about disorder and disease manifesting itself in your aura/energy before it makes its way to an actual physical problem is absolutely enthralling and fits in well with the part of my personality that would love to be a control freak. ;)

Slated for the near future is my review of the book (spoiler:  I think it's awesome!) where I will share more of Dr. Raichur's wisdom.  Also, a post is in the works of how we used Ayurvedic principles to cure my son's eczema. 

But for now, while I am greasing my writing wheels (and getting reacquainted with my treadmill) take a look at this site I have been lost in for a taste of Ayurveda.  It's is called Kerala Ayurveda and it is super interesting and inspirational.

Hope you are having a great summer!

Organic & Natural -- The Best Measure of Safety

Recently a commercial came on the TV advertising a drugstore brand of shampoo as “natural”. My son asked, “Do you think it really is?” Smart kid. Even my 10 and 7 year olds are on to greenwashers.

My reply was “No, it’s not.” Why was I so sure this shampoo being touted as safe and natural contained ingredients from the list I won’t use? Experience. Then I started to ponder how I would have viewed this commercial back when I was getting started with safe cosmetics. Would I have believed it was natural and wanted to try it? Maybe. Which led me to a troubling thought…Do you have to be a green beauty expert, or at least very well versed in green beauty labels, to be able to spot a truly safe product without a ton of inspection?

My personal foray into going green in the beauty and personal care department is what led me to become a writer on the subject. But I fully understand that not everyone can, or even wants, to take this course. Some of us simply want to buy safe products for ourselves and our families, but the process needs to be simplified and trustworthy to make it a reasonable venture.

After a lot of consideration I have come up with a few ideas on how to do this. Putting myself in the position of someone who is getting started as a natural cosmetics purchaser (me 5 years ago) I tried to imagine how I would like to go about verifying the safety of products I may want to purchase. Well, first off, it would be quickly and easily. One universal label that we could trust would be the far and away best means of confirming a product’s safety, but since I am not going to set up my own certification body (for now, at least) it will have to be something else. A telephone line? Website directory? Both?

I guess my IDEAL (meaning the quickest, easiest, always accurate) means of identifying a safe product would be an online database of products/brands with a clearly, yet simply, defined safety rating system (for super quick id-ing on the fly), with complete ingredient listings and, the ever important, user reviews. Instant customer support for unanswered questions would also be a huge bonus. And all of this would be compiled and submitted by unbiased sources (green beauty experts, product users…) not the manufacturer of said product.

Now I would really love to hear from you all on this. You are the natural cosmetic and personal care product purchasers. It is your opinion I would love to hear. Let me know what you would like to see as a means of qualifying the safety of a product. I look forward to your ideas!

Vacation Skincare

Well, we are up in the Rocky Mountains for a little vaca and it is gorgeous, relaxing, restorative, and ...dry.

Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. But coming from the plains, where the heat and humidity are sky high this time a year, this drier climate is a bit of a shock to the system. And by sytem I mean skin and hair. Actually my hair is easier to manage up here (read: less frizz) and a little extra John Masters Organics conditioner post-shower really does the trick.

But my skin is another story. It does err on the dry side and I was totally out of my cold weather moisturizer. A little Weleda Almond Moisturizer would feel sooooooo good right now.

Luckily I threw in my sample bottle of Soapwalla Face Serum, and use this under my usual Lavera Calendula Face Cream. Working like a charm.

Last night I used straight milk as a facial cleanser. Yep, the organic 2% we bought for our morning cereal. It worked, my skin felt clean after rinsing and not all dried out. And this morning I woke to the smoothest skin! A quick rinse with warm water, another coat of moisturizer and I am all set for the day.

Hope you all are having a fantastic summer! Any great vacation skincare tips you'd like to share with the rest of us??

Image:  OneGreatClick at Flickr.com, Creative Commons license.

Organic Skincare and Allergies

You Asked...

I am looking for a great cleanser, moisturizer & exfoliant. My skin is combination – has been very bumpy as of lately & not looking so great since I stopped nursing my daughter. I am 34 and I do seem to need a good amount on moisture but I occasionally break out. I have a lot of food allergies (peanuts, treenuts, apricot, passion fruit, chamomile) and I am having a hard time finding products w/o toxins that also do not contain these ingredients. Is there anything you can recommend?

Natural, nontoxic skincare is always safer for our skin and overall health than products that contain harmful chemical ingredients. But certain natural ingredients can be irritating to some skin types.

I also have combination skin, leaning toward dry, but will get some clogged pores if I use the wrong products (e.g. too heavy) and like you am sensitive to certain ingredients that are normally considered perfect for sensitive skin types, like aloe. Through some very careful experimentation, I have found that products with a low percentage of aloe (toward the bottom of the ingredient list) do not bother my skin. Since you have these food allergies you should be especially cautious about such experimentation. Many facial moisturizers contain palm, almond or apricot kernel oil.

Jojoba oil is a plant extracted oil and is perfect for all skin types because it is the type of oil most closely matched to our skin’s own naturally produced oil. Jojoba is light, yet deeply hydrating, and won’t clog pores.

Dr. Alkaitis Day Cream contains Jojoba oil and Shea butter, no tree nut oils or other ingredients you are allergic to – you may view the entire ingredient listing here. I have never personally tried the Dr. Alkaitis products because they are aloe based, but my friends who have love them. This would be a great choice for moisturizer for you, but avoid the night cream as it contains Chamomile.

Another way to go with moisturizer, or if this moisturizer isn’t providing quite enough hydration, is a facial oil. You may apply facial oil along with a facial moisturizer, or use on its own. All Things Pure Eye Oil is Jojoba based with Evening Primrose and Vitamin E – I have been using this on my entire face, neck and décolletage under my regular moisturizer. Makes skin super soft. Rosehip oil, I like Trilogy 100% Organic Rosehip Oil,  is also lightly hydrating and it provides anti-aging benefits and helps to heal spots and blemishes. Just avoid using if you plan to spend a lot of time out in the sun due to its high content of Vitamin A.

You could check into Evan Healy Rose Vetiver Day Moisturizer, a light grease-less facial moisturizer. This one does have a bit of macadamia nut oil but it is further down in the list. Use with caution depending on your sensitivity level.

Evan Healy Serums may also be good for you. Sea Algae Serum is a sheer, lightweight moisturizer and skin-protector, and Rosehip Serum is a bit more hydrating. Use on their own or under moisturizer. Caren Online offers Try Me! sizes which are like samples but provide enough of the product for one week’s use, and at a very affordable price. This is a good way to check out some of these products without a big investment.

As for a cleanser, Lavera Basis Gel Cleanser is great when skin is dirty or for removing sunscreen or makeup. If skin isn’t actually in need of a good cleansing, try rinsing with warm water and following up with toner. Cooled green tea is both soothing and refreshing. Check out my article on summer toners for more ideas.

Another gentle cleanser for you may be Evan Healy Rose Cleansing Milk. A gentle cleanser that works to balance the skin, keeping oiliness in check without drying.

Exfoliation is key in keeping bumps at bay and skin looking radiant. My favorite all time exfoliant is a simple sugar and milk mixture that can be used on face and body. Combine about a ¼ cup of organic sugar with a tablespoon or two of organic milk – enough to create a thick kind of paste. If you like your exfoliant a little runnier, add more milk. Gently massage the mixture into face and body while showering and rinse off. Skin is left so silky smooth. Always be gentle when exfoliating and never exfoliate broken out or otherwise irritated skin.

Hope this helps. If you need any further info on any of the products I have recommended, please let me know. And if I come across more products without the unique ingredients you are allergic to I will let you know.

Image:  Margaret Anne Clarke at Flickr.com, Creative Commons license.

Twistbands -- The Modern Day Scrunchy

You remember scrunchys – those big comfy hair ties that we all wore in our hair (and on our wrists for easy access) back in the 80’s and 90’s. Well, we know those are way out of style at this point, but sometimes I still wear one around the house because they don’t pull on my head and hair like a regular hair tie. Still, I would not wear one out in public.

Well, the answer to this mini-dilemma has arrived…with Twistbands! Jessica Frandson created these cool-looking and comfortable hair ties out of pretty elastic trim. These bands are super soft and stretchy, don’t pull and give you a hair-headache or dent-head. And they look super stylish in your hair and on your wrist.

Jessica sweetly sent me her latest Twistband hair ties in Tie Dye, and my daughter and I love them. It is hard for me to get my daughter to put her hair up in the summer heat (or when eating syrupy pancakes) because she has a very sensitive scalp. But these soft bands keep her happy, and the pretty factor doesn’t hurt either.

Jessica included her latest Twistband creation, shoe laces. Made from the same stretchy fabric as the hair ties, you thread Twistband Shoe Laces into your favorite tennis shoes and never have to tie them again. They look super cute too. Below is a photo of the laces in my daughter’s shoes.

Twistband also carries headbands. Yep, made of the same cute and comfy fabric. Can’t wait to try one of these and order up some hair ties for my friends! That’s another thing, Twistband products are all very affordable: hair ties, $10 for 3, headbands $4 each, and shoe laces, $10 a pair. Give ‘em a try!