Green Options

I have always loved the idea of aromatherapy and at times (headache, extreme stress…) have tried it.  But the idea of having to 1) research which essential oils are appropriate for which need, and 2) buy and combine said oils without coming up with something obnoxious, sounded like more than I wanted to take on.  And even though essential oils can be very beneficial they are also very potent and care needs to be taken when using them.

Not long ago Stancie Wilson reported on Nuworld Botanicals Aromatherapy Personals on her blog Fig+Sage, and I just had to try them.  They are little rollerball vials that combine aromatherapy and acupressure, along with health benefits of antioxidants, vitamins and 100% certified organic essential oils.  Nuworld Botanicals uses a base of 100% certified organic Jojoba oil to dilute the essential oils for safe use.

Its safe to say most of us are cluching our wallets tighter these days and for those of us who refuse to compromise quality and purity in our beauty products despite these economic times, there is hope!  Follow one or all of these tips below to avoid falling victim to cheap and toxic beauty buys in the name of saving a buck.  

1). Open Your Cupboard

Keep it simple and affordable by getting back to the basics.  Know exactly what you’re putting on your skin and you’ll save some dough in the process:

The Top Five Secrets of Indian Beauty

Slumdog Millionaire is a great movie. Uplifting and heartwarming, without being cheesy. But let’s be honest for about 45 seconds, shall we? Freida Pinto is a total babe. I’m a straight woman and I’m halfway in love with her. Want to know her beauty secrets, other than unfair genes? Here are five, for starters.

1.  Aromatherapy

Most of us know the benefits of aromatherapy, but it’s useful to know the individual benefits of the plants, herbs and fruits used in this wonderful form of alternative medicine. Basil, for example, helps with digestion, while cinnamon acts as a stimulant and lemongrass helps reduce cellulite. Florapathics has an extensive selection of aromatherapy products with prices as refreshing as their ingredients.

Beauty counters, at this time of year, are stacked with goodies and gifts promising to help you (be more beautiful), help the environment (by ensuring the ingredients are harvested with care) and help others (by making a charitable donation for each item purchased) so how do you choose between them?

With green living, homeopathy and natural alternatives growing in popularity, soap makers are springing up around the world, concocting magical creations of coconut and lime in gleaming, glycerin-infused goodness that cleanse the body, mind and soul. 

Oh, and your hands too!

Growing up in my house, ‘handmade’ soap consisted of my mother gathering up all the remaining bits of bar soap from the shower and bathtubs, tossing them into a container with some water and shaking it up.  “Voila, hand soap!” she would state proudly.  But her objectives were to save money, not create a luxurious lather to soothe and soften the skin.  And, trust me, an acrid amalgum of Dial and Irish Spring was anything but soothing! 

But today’s handmade soaps are a beneficial blend of nourishing nutrients, rich with essential oils and alleviating aromatherapy that care for the skin and calm the senses.  And because they’re chemical-free, they’re an eco-friendly alternative to their caustic counterparts, making them a great way to indulge yourself and the earth.

Ditch the prescription and pucker up!

This is going to be short, but it’s good and it matters. Balms with Benefits is the rockin-est thing to hit the shelves in ages. It’s a simple concept, you get a lip balm and add quality aromatherapy to it so that the loveliness on your lips cures what ails you.

I’m sure it’s been done before, but I doubt it’s been done like this. My kids and I got all eight flavors in the mail last week. They’re pretty. Don’t discount pretty, pretty matters. Alexander and Jane were immediately taken by the rainbow of colors, they removed each lid and sniffed.

And then the horrible happened. Alexander (age seven) said, “Mom, what’s PMS?”

*sigh*

So we had a little talk about why Mommy feels compelled to wash the windows every month while shrieking, “dont’ touch anything!”

Truth be told, I ditched the PMS tube, because without it I’d never clean up around here.

Welcome to April Aromatics where natural aromatherapy and perfumery for people, their homes and offices are offered. These products can rejuvenate moods, emotions and one’s state of mind from inside out. Ingredients are all natural, pure, wild-crafted and certified organic whenever possible.

Founder Tanja Bochnig’s expertise is creating exclusive, all-natural scents and customized intuitive perfumes. Her skills are amplified from experiences, — such as witnessing harvesting and distillation by her essential oil suppliers. And it doesn’t hurt that she seems to have an incredible born-gifted nose that is winning her much-deserved admiration.

Named this works because that’s what testers constantly said of the products, this line is described as ‘a survival kit for those suffering modern malaises’. Conceived and created by Kathy Phillips, formerly Health & Beauty Director for Vogue and now International Beauty Director for Conde Nast Asia (think W Magazine, Vogue, Allure etc..), this award winning line has some of the coolest packaging I’ve seen in the beauty industry for a while, not to mention cutting-edge formulation. What really gets me excited though are the all natural formulations developed around aromatherapy principles, their environmentally responsible business practices, knowing that the products are mostly organic using certified and fair trade essential oils, and that the products contain no suspect ingredients.

I’m constantly on a quest to find the most spectacular organic and natural beauty brands at the cutting-edge and forefront of this industry, and I think I just discovered my latest obsession. This rocks!! Yep, This Works.

Photo credit: This Works website - www.thisworks.com

For over 6000 years aromatherapy, also known as the art of blending natural essential oils, has been in use. The Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and many other cultures around the globe have used aromatherapy oils and documented their healing properties. The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, was known to have used aromatherapy baths and scented massage. In fact, he used aromatic fumigations to help rid Athens of the terrible plague. Perfumes, on the other hand, are synthetic and known to contain toxic chemicals. They were invented less than a century ago and may actually create illness. For example, the acetone found in synthetic fragrance effects the nervous system when inhaled. Research on this topic has shown side effects of possible dizziness, less coordination, nausea, and drowsiness as well as irritating the sinuses, throat, eyes, and skin. Often men’s cologne is strongest and worn with the idea of making women swoon, yet it just may have her falling for the wrong reasons.
While perfumes can alter or mutate our hormones in an unnatural way, the molecules in essential oils act naturally like hormones and form a healthy link with our bodily processes.

The right blend of essential oils will not only strengthen our immune system but also aid in revitalization and regulation of our emotional and physical responses to our changing everyday environment.