I sit in stillness.

Every day I consciously sit in stillness. Silence emerges when tension, conflict and struggle fall away. I find myself listening to the sound of silence. 

A daily grounding practice for 2024 anyone?

find wd Meditation Drops here

This is an invitation to introduce quiet moments into your busy life.
Thoughts are things. And mindfully selected affirmations repeated with conviction are powerful tools for creating a life you desire.

The ritual of anointing the third eye area helps to balance the third eye chakra, helps to focus and prepares for a meditation practice. @womandivineskincare Meditation Drops can also be applied simply as a reminder to pause and take a conscious breath.

I blended organic essential oils of sandalwood, myrrh and frankincense in a base of jojoba in WD Meditation Drops. Sacred oils for a sacred practice.

Many blessings for 2024!

Sowing seeds.

It is this time of the year again! A couple of weeks ago I received an email from the wonderful Anne who grows healing plants for our WD formulas. Every year around this time, Anne wants to know what to plant and how much to plant for WD for the year. It takes a lot of planning on her part to deliver what WD needs. And it’s not that easy to plan because weather changes and every growing season is a little different. For example some years calendula grows in abundance and other years it is too dry and flowers are scarce. So it is a bit of a guessing game.

Anne in her element

It also is a guessing game for WD. How much product will we need to provide for our clients this year, determines how much plant material we need to purchase. Will we expand in the coming year or will we slow down is the question. We can try to project but with today’s economic situation, it gets very tricky.

So every season, I say a prayer and ask for only that which will be needed. 

I never want to order too much, because dry plants do diminish both in life force and their effectiveness as time passes. I also don’t want to waste any. And if I order too little, there is no going back. Whatever is planted is planted and there is no more even if we run out.

Working directly with the grower certainly has a lot of nuances. We could have opted for buying plant material from big suppliers. It’s much easier for sure! We could order whenever we want, and if we want more, there is always more. It is also a lot cheaper. Like three times plus cheaper. So why not do it the easy way?

THE QUALITY OF PLANT MATERIAL 

When you see dehydrated plant material from plants grown by Anne and those purchased from a large scale supplier, no explanation is really needed.

plants grown by Anne

Anne’s plants are full of vibrant colour and aroma and are packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients. Intense colours and scents, are the testament to their vitality. 

Most of the plants from big suppliers look pale and tired as if life was completely drained from them. And it actually did! 

When I purchase plants from Anne, I am 100% sure that I am provided with this year’s harvest. Anne tends to the soil, nourishes it and prepares it for each growing season. She is devoted to the science of organic and biodynamic growing and continuously expands her knowledge.

With large suppliers, I actually would never know. Corporate organic farming, often happens in old mechanistic ways. Nothing to do with the connection to the earth, caring and wellbeing. There is a demand, therefore it is profitable, therefore it exists. 

During summer months, I can drop by Anne’s farm and I can visit with the plants as they are growing. This in itself is an incredible gift to a skin care maker. Witness what becomes my formulas while still in the ground is a wonderful mind trip:) 

Did you know that WD receives fresh plant material from the farm the same day it was harvested? We rush most of it into the dehydrator to preserve its healing qualities using a very low heat process. When dehydration is complete, some plants are infused in oil and some are carefully stored for later use. Plants which need to be infused fresh, like St John’s Wort, are immediately placed in jars and covered with oil. 

Plants infused in oils are called herbal extracts and they are the foundation for WD skin care formulas.

herbal extracts in the making

INVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND LOCAL ECONOMY

I consciously want to support small producers like Anne and I am forever grateful for the support she provides to me and WD! It is an exchange not only of $ and product but a conscious exchange of energy in a pursuit of creating a more beautiful world for all of us.

I know Anne the human, and I know that she is a kind, caring person who loves feeling connected to the land and the plants. She excels at providing an incredible service to the local community by offering healing herbs, food from her gardens and the best maple syrup I have ever tasted. I want more of what Anne does in our lives! And my products are certainly better thanks to her efforts.

Supporting local has never been more important than today. I believe that in the coming years we will need to rely more and more on local growers, farmers and makers. Hopefully we will learn and understand that small organic growers are at the base of our wellbeing. Those who produce organic food and herbs in tune with nature are essential to our health. 

As a small grassroots beauty company, it is WD’s goal to support our local community through providing the healthiest, most effective and accessible skin care products directly to our clients.

We also feel that products created with local plants are best suited for the local skin care. 

Over the years we have been asked to sell our products in the US and in Europe. Even though it would assure an expansion and more sales, I refused. You may call me not business savvy but I have a very strong conviction in hyper-local service and although very important, $ is not a driving force for WD.

We have been also asked to wholesale WD products, and I refused that too:) Our price point is such that it has a modest markup so we can make a living:) and at the same time it makes our products accessible to everyday women.

If we would expand to the wholesale market then our price would have to double (or more) in order to make it feasible for us and for everyone else who would be providing our products. We would either have to drastically raise prices or downgrade to low-quality, cheap, raw ingredients. We will do neither:)

How can we ever make a shift to a healthier life for all, if high quality organic skin care and food is accessible only to high income earners? Not a chance! So this is how we choose to contribute to our local community.

Then in return you purchase WD skin care products and not only feed your skin with amazing quality ‘skin food’ but you also support a small business like mine and indirectly Anne’s as well.  And in this simple way together we create a beautiful circle of exchange of wellbeing, beauty, healing energy, care and yes money. I trust this is the way forward and this is how together we sow the seeds for a new purposeful and expanded way of life.

Love & Light,

Magdalena xo

A few thoughts on the concept of stagnation.

As skin care professionals, we are usually interested in the topic of stagnation as it relates to tissue congestion and toxicity. Stagnation, or lack of proper flow, is often the cause of deterioration, premature aging and all sorts of skin/facial tissue problems. So in our product formulation and facial treatment applications, we are always searching for ways to bring more flow and more aliveness to the skin and tissues which support it.

However today,  I want to focus on a different type of stagnation - the stagnation in one’s skin care practice, when you end up doing the same thing, the same way every single day without giving it any thought. 

The most undesirable aspect of a stagnant skin care practice is that it lacks presence and has become purely mechanical. You sort of become like a robot… going through the motions every time you do it. Sadly, even the nicest organic skin care products on the planet will not makeup for your disconnect. 

Since living on automatic pilot is not the most joyous, engaging or present way to be, your skin care practice may be one way to help you snap out of it and improve your skin health at the same time.

Sure, having a set skin care practice can feel desirable. It can feel like it is well-planned, well-organized and fits perfectly into our schedule. It may also feel good because it doesn’t require additional thinking. You can just do it and be done with it.

But we are a living, breathing being which is dynamic in nature. Our sophisticated physical system constantly adjusts and fine tunes in relation to the environment we are in, our emotional and mental state, the food that we eat and so on. It continuously communicates, letting us know how we are doing. And it sends us messages when our attention is needed.  A message may look something like this: your skin suddenly looks and feels irritated, your skin feels way more tight today, a painful pimple on my chin yet again, the product I just applied didn’t feel right, the area around my eyes looks unusually dehydrated.

If you have mastered the automatic pilot motion in your skin care practice, you may not notice any of the messaging until these become chronic issues and even then it takes a while for some to notice. 

In my 25+ years of practice, I have met many wonderful women who were completely unaware that their skin was inflamed and very red. It was puzzling for me how could a person not realize that their skin was on fire? But I know now that all of us have our blind spots and what is obvious to others may be totally out of our peripheral. 

I am not asking you for some elaborate new way to go about your skin care. Simply observe, feel and admire regularly:) When you notice a new skin behaviour, adjust your routine. Maybe a little more of this and a little less of that is all that’s needed. Or maybe you need to cut that red wine out. Or maybe it’s your job…

In the world of smart phones, smart cities and supposed connection to everything and everyone, we find ourselves the least connected to what matters most - our true selves. Asking ourselves to be fully present for 5min every night while we tend to our skin, sounds weirdly demanding and difficult.

We have strayed so far away from ourselves, so probably baby steps are the way back. Are you willing to commit to 5 minutes of full presence while you take care of your skin each night? 

Magdalena xo

Woman Divine proudly amongst 15 Sustainable Low-Waste Canadian Skincare Brands

A big thank you to The Eco Hub and Candice Batista, the award winning Environmental Journalist and one of Canada’s leading eco advocates for including Woman Divine Skin Care in her recent article. We are very proud to stand amongst many beautiful Sustainable Low-Waste Canadian Skin Care Brands. Thank you Candice!

15 Sustainable Low-Waste Canadian Skincare Brands

by Candice Batista | Aug 6, 2020 | Beauty Buzz, Style + Beauty

When I began my green journey 20 years ago, there were no sustainable low-waste Canadian skincare brands on the market, most of it was packaged in plastic. Fast forward to today and it’s a different story! Here are 15 Sustainable Low-Waste Canadian Skincare Brands you NEED to know about.

I’ve never really been a major skincare junkie. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good body butter or face serum, but my skincare regime is very minimalist and it’s been that way pretty much my whole life. When I began this “green” journey 20 years ago I learned so much about toxins in skincare it made me even less likely to get hooked on the latest product.

Today, all these years later my routine consists of washing my face with a good cleanser, using a good serum/moisturizer and of course sunscreen, which has always been an important part of my skincare regime.

You will notice I did not use the term zero-waste, simply because there is no such thing as zero-waste. All products whether eco-friendly or not create some form of waste. Nothing is waste-free! I have chosen products that use glass packaging and eco-packaging that can be reused or recycled. All of these brands are sustainable, low-waste and made in Canada.

Woman Divine Skincare 

I adore this brand and its founder Magdalena Tomczak (a skincare therapist) so much. She’s given me so much insight into clean skincare. She’s taught me about oil cleansing and how to help my skin during stressful times.

I’ve been using the face balm for years, it’s my go-to in the winter and the summer. It’s super healing and I just love it. I also use the cleansing oil which effectively removes pollution and makeup without disturbing or stripping my skin.  The whole line is inspired by Polish pharmacies of her childhood and prepared with all-organic healing and nourishing cold-pressed vegetable oils, nut and seed butters, essential oils and premium quality herbs. Magdalena has a gorgeous studio in Ottawa, which one day I will visit.

Read the full article to read about the other Sustainable Low-Waste Canadian Skincare brands HERE

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Visit and follow The Eco Hub for eco living inspirations. Candice has been doing an amazing job in the realm of eco advocacy. She brings forth invaluable information related to sustainable, low waste, eco friendly living. She has created a very special Canadian Brand Directory: “Our Brand Directory is a curated list of Canadian businesses that have been handpicked for you based on our Ecological Criteria. Our ultimate goal is to provide you, our readers, with the resources you need to find chic, stylish, sustainable, affordable, made in Canada alternatives to everyday items.”

You can also find The Eco Hub on Instagram Here

You can follow Candice Batista on Instagram Here

Love and light,

Magdalena

Woman Divine in-house Refill Program is on!

It’s been my dream for a couple of years now to offer a refill program at Woman Divine Skin Care Studio. But realistically I knew that it wasn’t really possible while I was working on my own. 

Well, Julie has joined Woman Divine, I’m no longer working on my own and finally we can do it!!! 

Why the Woman Divine Refill Program?

We are initiating the Woman Divine in-house refill program as a collective effort to create less waste and less garbage. It is urgent that we all take whatever steps necessary to change our habits of overconsumption  and careless tossing out of objects that can easily be reused or repurposed.

How does the Woman Divine Refill Program work?

• This service is offered at the studio only and it’s pretty simple. You bring your bottles and we refill them for you on the spot:)

• This can be done when you come to the studio for your treatment appointment and/or every Saturday between 10am - 3pm. Dropping in to refill your products otherwise will not work.

• If you wish, when your bottles start looking a bit ‘tired’ we will freshen up the cup or the mister pump and/or the label. It will look brand spanking new when you leave.

• We will also be happy to refill your Radiant Exfoliant Powder jar for you.

• We are not able to refill your balm jars on the spot because balm making is a bit complicated, but you can bring your empty jars to the studio. We will sterilize them and refuse them in our production. So no jars go to waste.

We also highly recommend that you reuse the jars yourself whenever you can. We especially like using our empty jars for spices in our kitchen. Amber glass will keep your spices fresher for a little longer.

Will you get a discount when you get a refill or bring your empty jar back?

No, you won’t. We are not doing this to get you in to buy more under the pretence of saving you a couple of dollars. We are doing this 100% as a joint effort to create less waste and so together we can take action to live more mindfully..

We hope to see you with your empty bottles and jars at the studio. It’s a good thing to do!

Magdalena