HYPER LOCAL ORGANIC CALENDULA OIL

This is a solar oil infusion prepared from organic locally grown plant material: calendula flowers by Anne Janssen from Aylmer Backyard Farms and cold-pressed sunflower oil by Huiles d’Amerique located just outside of Aylmer, Quebec.

 

calendula oil at woman divine Ottawa

I prepare this infusion all by hand in small batches to assure its freshness and quality.

Beautiful golden calendula petals were first slowly dehydrated at a very low heat to protect their healing integrity. They then were suspended in sunflower oil for a period of six weeks and exposed to the sun and moonlight to assist the process of infusing the sunflower oil with the goodness of calendula flowers. This process married the medicinal properties of both plant materials creating a potent skin healing synergy.

Calendula oil is traditionally used in Herbal Medicine to help relieve skin inflammations and irritations and to aid in wound healing. It is soothing and healing and perfect for the treatment of dry skin, redness, skin irritation, chapped skin, bruises, cradle cap, diaper rash, and sore or inflamed muscles. Calendula oil is also valued for treating radiation-induced dermatitis. It is exceptional for those with sensitive skin. It is also gentle enough to use for babies and children.

calendula oil at woman divine Ottawa

 50ml - $20

to order: call 613 2167676 or email info@womandivine.ca 

Simple oat scrub for dry and sensitive skin.

The cold weather is here, the heat is on and your skin might have just started feeling a bit too dry and dehydrated. This is a very simple scrub for dry and sensitive skin (not the best for oily) which will help gently exfoliate dead skin cells without stripping the protective acid mantle.

The acid mantle is a very fine, slightly acidic film on the surface of the skin acting as a barrier to bacteria, viruses and other potential contaminants that might penetrate the skin. It is secreted by sebaceous glands. The pH of the skin is between 4.5 and 6.2, so it is acidic. These contaminants and other chemicals are primarily alkaline in nature and the skin's moderate acidity helps to neutralize their chemical effects.

You can create it from the stuff that is already in your kitchen, literally for pennies. I think everyone ought to know how to utilize simple home ingredients to create beauty care products, from high end skin care divas to women who love the simplicity, purity and creativity which comes with concocting your own stuff.  It comes in very handy in many situations. Even if you are a lover of brand products, you never know...You may run out of your favorite product and need to exfoliate like, NOW, or maybe your wallet is a bit thin these days. If you are an 'earthy beauty' I do not need to convince you.  

Simple steel cut oat which you use to cook porridge is a great exfoliating agent. When prepared properly it will softly clear your face of dry and flaky skin and it will leave it glowing.
HEALING PROPERTIES OF OAT:
helps to soften the skin
anti-inflamatory
soothing
helps to relieve itchiness
*high in silica
The quality of oat is: warm, moist and sweet; ideal for dryness.
Oatmeal can be used as a poultice for skin conditions like eczema, cold sores and shingles.

Many skin care companies use oat as the base for their scrubs and exfoliating creams. Now you can experiment with your own.

I use organic steel cut oats which I buy at my local health food store.
First, the very simple version. All you need to do is:
throw a handful of steel cut organic oats in a blender and take it for a spin until it turns into powder
sift it to remove any leftover large pieces
place in a jar
you are ready to go
use after cleansing 2x a week
grab about 1tsp and mix it with water forming a soft paste in your hand
work it all over your face and neck
rinse and apply your moisturizer or face oil

You can up the healing properties of this scrub by adding 1Tbsp of dried Calendula flower petals. You would place the petals and oat together in the blender and follow through, the same as you did with the simple version of this scrub. 

Calendula is just one possibility. You could use rose, lavender or echinacea. Have fun with it...

Calendula - the soothing flower for your skin.

Today I was playing with Calendula flowers. I was simply making tea for myself but when I poured hot water over dry Calendula flowers, magic happened. My cup of Marigold tea has turned into a 'poetic thing', kind of sort of... :) I took some pictures... hope you like them.

I use Calendula officinalis (Marigold) on a daily basis. This flower is very well suited for sensitive skin and skin inflammation due to infection or physical irritation. It can also be used on wounds, bleeding, bruises... Herbalists often use it as the key ingredient in healing skin ointments.
I prepare a Calendula infusion every morning and use it as a soothing hydrating mist or as an addition to the raw sensitive skin masks I create throughout the day. 
I also use Calendula infused oil for facial massage in face masks and in face oil blends.
Powdered Calendula flowers can be added to ground up oatmeal, to form a lovely home made face scrub.
Calendula tea makes a good remedy for indigestion,  gall-bladder and liver problems, gastric and duodenal ulcers as well as for menopausal problems and menstrual pains. Some herbalists say it also supports healthy lymphatic function.

Herbal tea:

(daily dose)
2-4 tsp of dry organic Calendula flowers 
or 4-8 tsp of fresh flowers
500ml of (purified) water just off the boil 
steep for 10-15min 
strain
drink 3 times a day hot or cool 
*use your tea as a wash for sensitive skin 
place it in a spray bottle and mist onto your skin

Infused oil:

(yes, you can make it yourself)

pack a jar tightly with calendula flowers (fresh is better but dry will do)
completely cover with oil (organic cold pressed virgin olive oil or sunflower oil) 
put the lid on 
leave on the sunny window sill for two weeks
strain 
repeat the steps using once infused oil and a new batch of fresh herbs
leave on the sunny window sill for two more weeks
strain
store in the amber bottle away from light and heat

I must say, I am mesmerized by the flowers which became the essence of my tea. How beautiful... I am drinking it thinking some of their beauty will surely rub off on me:)

  

Acne treatment - a fresh start, the holistic way.

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Over the last 18 years of my skin care practice I have met many clients who are searching for an effective acne treatment. Many are discouraged, by having tried (without success) endless skin care products, which promised blemish free skin. I have worked with women who have spent years on antibiotics to treat acne.  Not only did they experience the numerous side effects of the drugs but the acne would return as soon as the prescription was stopped. The most frustrating thing for me to witness has been sensitive skin acne, burning with redness from the use of harsh, drying products which should not even be on the market never mind on sensitive skin; actually on any skin.

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It is obvious that acne treatment is a frustrating journey for many. It is often so because we search for solutions in the wrong places.

I promise if you have been suffering with chronic acne there is much more to the treatment than a tube of ‘miraculous cream'.  You can buy an entire department of skin care products and you will never be satisfied with the results.  Your search for the perfect solution in a bottle becomes endless; you will always need to buy more product because the last one you have used felt like ‘IT’ just for a while. Then you feel disappointed yet again. It is exhausting, tough on your wallet and very discouraging.

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But your body is a very wise ‘machine’ and there is light at the end of the tunnel! You can use your acne experience as an opportunity to reexamine your overall health, lifestyle and diet. Those committed to change see results beyond just clear skin. Try more energy, vitality and mental clarity along with a fresh glow.

The solution lies in recognizing your skin as a part of a whole system. Treating it as separate from the rest of you (body and mind) makes no more sense that telling a guy who had a heart attack to take a pill and keep on smoking.

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Diet is #1 in a holistic acne treatment but do you know what to eat?

You maybe eating ‘good’ food but it may be not so good for you.  We are all different and looking at your constitutional makeup needs to be a starting point.  What do you thrive on and what is a burden for your body?

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Lifestyle comes next.

Do you sleep enough? Do you exercise? What about stress levels?  Obvious right? But how are you doing in these aspects of your life?

Hygiene.

It is surprising how many women still go to bed without washing their face.

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Listen to your thoughts.

What is the song that plays in your head over and over again?

Do you obsess about every new pimple you get? Do you constantly check yourself in the mirror or touch your face in search for imperfections?

Do you like the way you look? 
Do you think of your skin problem as a call for self-compassion and self-love?

OR

Do you hate what you see? 
Do you feel ugly and unattractive? 

How does having acne affect your life?

How much time do you spend thinking about it every day?  

How does it affect relationships in your life including the one with yourself?

How does it affect your mood?

What about your self-esteem and self-confidence?

It is clear that acne treatment must go far beyond external applications of product just as acne's affect on YOU goes far beyond the look of your skin.

START FRESH at www.womandivine.ca 

Beautified by tea...

chamomile and lavender

Besides my periodic addiction to good Earl Grey tea from Nectar Fine Teas in West Village, I generally stick with organic locally grown herbs from Judy at www.earthmedicine.ca which I steep into a tea. I find the loose dried herbs produce much better results both in their taste profile and as healing agents. Usually, the tea coming in a bag contains the lowest grade, poor quality dust from the bottom of the bin; not useful for true health enhancement. The same goes for black teas.

Herbal teas are an excellent choice as a hot drink, but they are also very tasty iced on a hot summer day.

Using herbal tea as a hydrating mist for your skin may not be so obvious but is worth a try as it often proves much more beneficial than many commercial toners.

Lavender;who does not love the smell of lavender? This lovely flower tastes the best mixed with other herbs like chamomile and rose.

lavender

On its own, the taste does not quite give its smell justice. As a face mist lavender is absolutely wonderful. Excellent for dry and aging skin, it will support skin cell regeneration and keep your skin nicely hydrated and your busy mind relaxed.
General directions for making a light herbal face mist: 

1 tsp. of lavender (or any other herb you are using)

1 cup of hot water

let it steep for 15min

strain

cool it down

transport into a spray bottle

place in the fridge

mist your face as needed

It will not keep for longer than a day or two (if stored in the fridge) so you have a couple of options: make enough for one day or make more and freeze it (ice cube trays do the trick) and take out as much as you need on a given day.

Chamomile is another great herb for beautifying skin. This one is particularly great for ladies with sensitive skin.

It is calming and soothing taken both internally and applied externally as a mist. In the summer you may want to drink it iced  with a slice of lemon; it is delish!

Burdock root is a serious skin helper. It is excellent for detoxification purposes so drink it if you are troubled by acne and blackheads. It will purify your blood and keep your skin nice and clean:))

burdock root

Burdock root can be taken as a tea 1/2 cup before your meals. Your skin will benefit greatly if washed with burdock tea 2x a day.

These are just simple suggestions on how you can use herbal teas, of course you can use them in many other ways. Add them to home made face masks or to your bath... They are beautiful, healing and definitely much needed in your daily life. Start playing!

                                          

  

To scrub or not to scrub? A sensitive skin question.

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I am often asked about exfoliation. Is it necessary? Does it make a difference?  Should everyone scrub?  What I have observed in my practice, is that a lot of skin problems are caused by excessive scrubbing and exfoliation.  Being a skin care minimalist, I tend to believe that less is more and I will always think twice before adding anything to my existing routine. In my books, a daily skin care routine ought to be simple, effective and most of all mindful.  So a good place to start before ever applying anything to your skin is a mindful examination of  your skin. Use both logic and intuition.

-->What does your skin feel and look like? If your skin is red, inflamed, with broken capillaries and dry patches, it will definitely not respond well to anything that is abrasive in texture and irritating, so forget all the apricot kernel scrubs please. It is already irritated enough! Soothing and calming is what your skin needs. One thing that I suggest over and over again for this type of skin is a simple Ayurvedic concoction I have learned about years back. Clients use it with great success.

Simple ingredients which you probably already have in your kitchen:

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1 tbsp of chick pea flour + 1/8 tsp of turmeric.    Mix it well and store in a little jar. Use it every couple of days after cleansing your face. All you need is a pinch of this powder and a bit of water. Make it almost watery consistency and use it like you would any scrub. Chick pea serves here as a very gentle exfoliant and it also absorbs excess oil:)) (which is often an additional problem with this type of skin). Turmeric is an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. It keeps redness and inflammation under control and prevents pimples.

chick pea/turmeric scrub

 

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My final verdict on scrubbing and exfoliating for the sensitive skin goes something like this:  STOP USING ROUGH STUFF ON YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACE, PLEASE! You are just making things worse.

P.S. If your skin is chronically red and inflamed I strongly suggest that you seek professional advice.