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Around this time of year, I love to put the focus on roses.  It isn’t the season for growing roses, but it is the time when I most use the roses that I have preserved from the summer’s harvest.  In particular, I love to make rose water (or rose hydrosol) from dried rose buds and petals.  Most often, […]

I have never been one to grow flowers purely for decorative purposes.  I like to know that I can use whatever I grow in something, whether it be a skincare or culinary recipe.  The three flowers I love to grow in Utah that are not only beautiful but can be used for other purposes are calendula, chamomile […]

Lilacs are known to be an edible flower, but are more well-known for their beauty and lovely fragrance.  Lilacs bloom only once a year for a very short blooming period so if you want to make something with them, you should be prepared in advance of their bloom.  In warmer states, like California, lilacs bloom generally around […]

Close to one year ago, I planted some cotton seeds.  I had gotten them out of some cotton balls that I had picked from a cotton farm while visiting my cousin in Tennessee many years back.  I was doubtful that they would even grow in a pot in my home, but I wanted to give it a […]

Those who know me know how much I love sea salt.  I love to bathe with it, cook with it, and make scrubs with it.  I love sea salt so much because of the benefits it can have on your skin.  It has antibacterial properties that are pore cleansing.  Also, the magnesium, sodium, potassium, and calcium in sea salt, […]

We have six USDA Organic products out at the moment and more are coming in the new year.  We have two soothing and refreshing hydrosols, two nourishing balms, a hydrating cleanser and moisturizer, and a healing oil for face and body.  Each product has been formulated by me with a lot of thought and sensitivity towards the […]

I recently wrote an article on my yoga website regarding the Ayurvedic principles of eating in balance with the seasons.  In accordance with Ayurveda, eating seasonal produce, including fruits and vegetables, can have positive impacts on your body, including your skin.  The theory is that the fresher the produce, the easier it is on your body to […]

Legs Up the Wall pose or Viparita Karani (pronounced ‘vip-par-ee-tahcar-AHN-ee’) is one of my favorite yoga poses to practice to maintain clear, glowing skin.  Some Hindu scripts say that Viparita Karani reduces wrinkles and delays the aging process.  There definitely was some wisdom in this guidance.   Viparita Karani is a mild inversion that reverses the flow of blood, […]

Exploring the tidepools has always been a favorite activity since I was little. The best is exploring the tidepools with my nieces and nephews. I really cherish those opportunities. In the tidepools on the west coast, there is typically a bunch of kelp that gathers. I was chatting with one of my nephews recently about […]

I visited my dear cousin over the weekend in Tennessee and I was AMAZED at the beautiful pink magnolia blooms. There are a few Saucer Magnolia trees in a park in the town she lives in and I have never seen witnessed them before. They are definitively the most beautiful blooms I have seen. I […]

Mint is such a versatile plant that can be used in cooking, baking, tea making, and even skincare!  I first began experimenting with mint for skincare when I was gifted a little garden mint plant years back.  I still have the same plant to this day and I have used it in so many different ways.   One […]

I like to make this recipe right before Autumn begins when the blueberries have come to their peak. This recipe is a nice amalgamation of blueberries and citrus–lemons and oranges. You can substitute the orange for all lemon or keep the oranges in for a more balanced flavor. Blueberries have wonderful benefits for the skin, […]

When you want to incorporate dried flowers or any botanical in skincare products, it’s essential that they be dried sufficiently to eliminate water content so as to prevent any fungus or bacteria from growing in your skincare creation.  This specifically applies in regards to recipes where there is an oil content.  Oil and water generally do not […]

Bath crystals (salts) are fun and simple to make. Creating them requires minimal ingredients and time. The base ingredient is the salt itself to which you can add other things such as dried flowers/herbs, oatmeal, milk powders, and essential oils. I think the key to making soothing bath salts is the kind of salt that […]

Sometimes when I am feeling overwhelmed and need to relax, I like to make bath teas. Bath teas are essentially a mix of flowers, herbs and sometimes sea salt that are placed in a cotton bag, cheesecloth, organza bag, nylon sock or strainer.  I like to tie the bag onto the nozzle of the bathtub so […]

One of my favorite things to do when I’m by the ocean is to gather up sea water, boil it down to the sea salt and use it in homemade salt scrubs.  Sea salt has so many skin-friendly minerals, including calcium, magnesium and potassium.  These minerals work to speed up healing and combat bacterial and skin infections.  If […]

Yarrow has been used for thousands of years for skin healing.  Interestingly, these plants have been used on battle-fields since the time of Achilles through the Civil War to stop bleeding in wounds.  In modern times, herbalists continue to use yarrow for healing treatments, due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and pain relieving properties.  Yarrow contains silica, which helps […]

It’s been quite awhile since I have done a post. Life has been busy, but I’m committed to doing at least one post a week now.  As life has been so hectic, I have been relying on my meditation and yoga practice a lot more to bring balance and grounding to my life. An early morning meditation […]

Up close with these country kids.  There is a lot of wisdom in their eyes.  Being around animals brings a lot of serenity to my life.  What brings serenity to your life?  Having a serene and peaceful inner state not only uplifts your spirits, but it can also bring tremendous benefits to your body and skin. It helps to reduce […]

Claude Monet once said, “I must have flowers always and always”. The flower was his muse for his greatest works and unsurprisingly so.  Flowers have the power to make our days a little brighter, and a little more beautiful.  They give you a greater appreciation for the beauty of life and nature.  I know that when I have flowers […]