Vote for Woman Divine!

Maybe you already have heard that Woman Divine has been nominated for Faces Magazine 2024 Ottawa Awards - Best Natural Wellness Company! 

Thank you very much to the kind soul who has nominated us for this award and to everyone who has already voted. Also, thank you much for placing us within the Health & Wellness industry because at heart we feel that that's where we belong. 
As a small unassuming business that was built by word of mouth, we feel truly honoured.

We are grateful for initiatives like this one by Faces Magazine which provides a platform to celebrate Ottawa's most appreciated professionals and businesses. From personal experience we know that running a small business in the best of times is a hustle but the last three years have been exceptionally difficult. So a little bit of cheer feels extra good.
Please check out other nominees in various categories. You may find your fave people and business there. We are certain that your votes will be deeply appreciated ❤️
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Saying all of that, if you like us:) and would like to vote, here is how to do it.
You can vote daily until March 7th/2024

1. Go to Faces Magazine
2. Scroll down to categories and choose Health & Wellness
3. Select Natural Wellness Companies and scroll down to find us
4. Vote for Woman Divine🙏

Thank you for your support and for celebrating local businesses and professionals. We are very proud to be part of this amazing community❤️

Magdalena and Julie xo
 

Your Winter Skin

Winter is here in full swing, and your skin may be feeling dry, dehydrated, dull or it may be itchy. I’ve prepared some holistic skin care info and a few tips to help you ride the wave.

Before we get to remedies though, it will be helpful to understand that the words ‘dry’ and ‘dehydrated’ are often used interchangeably to describe the state of our skin. However they shouldn’t be because they mean two different things.

DEHYDRATED SKIN refers to the skin which lacks the proper moisture/water level. Dehydration often presents itself through fine lines, lack of elasticity or roughness of the skin. Anyone of any skin type can experience dehydration, even people with oily skin. It may be caused by a disrupted skin barrier and trans-epidermal water loss and/or general dehydration throughout the body.

DRY SKIN refers to the skin which does not produce a sufficient amount of oil / sebum. Skin dryness often presents itself through tightness, itchiness, lack of lustre, and the skin may feel like it lacks volume and is thin …  People on the dry skin type spectrum are most prone to dryness and are most likely to experience the symptoms which come with underproduction of sebum. Dryness can be aggravated by the elements / weather, an improper skin care routine, harsh products, a diet which is insufficient in good fats and poor digestive function.

Dryness and dehydration are also symptoms of our overall health and often come as a pair. Insufficient sebum production and/or a disrupted skin barrier will certainly lead to water loss and dehydration will set in.

YOUR BODY
During the cold months, your skin will thank you for implementing a regular dry skin brushing routine, followed by a shower or bath and full body oiling. Some prefer a slightly different routine (an Ayurvedic way) of body oiling followed by a shower or bath. I personally like to start with dry skin brushing. I love that invigorating feeling that a natural bristle brush provides and the lymphatic fluid movement it initiates. It is amazing to observe how quickly skin turns to softness when cared for this way.

All you'll need is a natural bristle brush, water and oil.

When you are ready to purchase your natural bristle brush make sure to choose a softer one if your skin is more delicate and sensitive. I like a lot of stimulation and the skin on my body can take it, so my brush has a bit more oomph to it. Always go with what feels right to you.

For both dry skin brushing and body oiling start at your feet and work your way up.

The best time for the body routine is in the morning. It will make you feel awake, bright and shiny. And oiling your body will create a sense of protection before you step out into the world. It’s a simple and lovely practice to include in your daily self-care, and your skin will feel like a baby’s bottom as a result.

*Make sure to include good fats in your diet too. Eat avocados, olive oil, flax seed oil, sunflower oil… ,  or for ease add a well-balanced OMEGA 3, 6 & 9 supplement like Udo's Oil which can be found at your health food store.

YOUR FACE
The skin on your face can feel uncomfortable and dry, and it can look a little dull during the winter months. Yet for some it can feel irritated and more red. It’s the wind and sudden changes of temperature - going in and outdoors, the indoor heating… . Extreme climate conditions make it somewhat tricky now to care for your skin, especially when your skin is delicate and sensitive.

Naturally, skin will benefit from more oil during cold months. So upping your application of face oil, face serum or balm is a good idea. This adjustment plus improved dietary intake of healthy fats should take care of replenishing oil and creating a more effective protective layer to shield your skin from harsh winter elements or indoor heating; assuming that you are not using any harsh products which keep disrupting the natural and vital skin barrier and your skin’s microflora. A good  example are sand like textured exfoliants or skin care products containing acids.

*Sipping on warm purified water throughout the day will help to rehydrate your body at the deeper levels and eventually you will see the benefits in your skin too. But be patient. Rome was not built in one day. Your body will replenish water where it needs it most first. Because your skin is not a primary organ as far as your survival goes it is not the first one in line for rehydration. So keep on sipping patiently:)


LAYERING PRODUCTS
Sometimes, Face Mist followed by Face Oil or Face Balm does not feel like it’s enough. If you’ve never tried it before, you may want to experiment with a more complex layering of your products. What would that look like?

If you feel that dehydration is part of your concern, double misting with your Facial Mist is a great idea. How to double mist? Generously mist your cleansed face and press the mist with the palms of your hands into your skin. When it feels like your skin absorbed it, follow with another generous mist. Again press into the skin and follow with your Face Oil or Face Serum.

Warm up a few drops of Face Oil or Face Serum between the palms of your hands and press it gently into your skin.

Finish with applying a small amount of Face Balm. Now work your products into your skin and massage it gently as a final touch.

I can’t say it enough - oil cleansing is amazing, supports a healthy skin barrier and feeds beneficial micro-flora on your skin! You will find it very helpful especially during cold weather. If you are not doing it yet, please check it out. Here are the instructions to oil cleansing 


ADDITIONAL WINTER CARE

• Don’t forget about your lips and make sure to moisturize them regularly.

• If you don’t use eye care, now can be a good time to add it for extra softness and protection around your eyes.

• A fresh avocado mask is simple and can be applied on a weekly basis to improve winter skin health.

• You can exfoliate 1-2 times a week but with a very, very gentle non-invasive product only. Stripping of the skin = increased skin vulnerability, disruption of the natural skin barrier, increased trans-epidermal water loss and diminished skin health overall.

• Marshmallow root infusion is excellent for dry winter skin and can be used in skin compressing. If you don’t have access to a good quality marshmallow root but would like to make infusions for compressing, let us know. We have plenty in our apothecary and can make it available to you:)

I trust that this will be a good start to taking care and improving your winter skin. Please let us know if you have any questions.

If you are experiencing complex skin challenges, make a note that I do offer skin care consultations and will be happy to provide insight, support and personalized recommendations. To book an appointment contact us at hello@womandivine.ca

Wishing you a lovely week,

Magdalena xo

Spring and your Skin

If you are looking for best ways to take care of your skin during spring season, you may find my article ‘Spring and your Skin’ written for The School for Aromatic Studies helpful.

The seasonal shift is in its full swing and spring has arrived!

Many welcome longer days, warmer temperatures and life waking up from its deep winter sleep. Yet some, especially at the beginning of spring can feel physically and emotionally uncomfortable and their skin doesn’t look or feel happy either.

Because nothing in nature stands still, seasonal changes remind us that it’s time for a thoughtful atonement. If we wish to flow with seasonal rhythms with ease, observing and embracing what nature teaches is the obvious thing to do…. continue reading HERE

My formulating journey.

Here is my latest article for The School of Aromatic Studies and a little bit about my botanical skin care formulating journey.

‘We often hear from botanical skin care formulators that they decided to formulate because of their personal skin problems and because they couldn’t find products that worked. My story is a little different.

My holistic skin care practice began many years ago working with a commercial organic skin care brand in my treatment room. At the time, working with an organic brand and with a holistic approach was already radical enough never mind formulating a micro batch botanical line... ‘continue reading HERE

Love and Light,

Magdalena

Your love keeps me going!

It’s true, your love does keep me going! Whenever doubt creeps in, in some miraculous way loving words of encouragement arrive in my mailbox. And such was today when I opened the newsletter from Sonja Payette.

Sonja is a Real Estate Professional and a damn good one! She is in the top 1% in Canada! Here is her website She has been a client for many years and I’ve always enjoyed her visits and her vivacious energy and generous spirit! I was very humbled to read her kind words and find Woman Divine featured in her newsletter. Thank you very much Sonja! I can’t wait until we can have our facial again!

I will be honest, it hasn’t been easy to function as a small business for the past two years. Sometimes, I have moments when I feel discouraged and unsure how to move ahead. I miss my clients and I miss our meaningful interactions very very much! At the same time, it feels completely unsafe to invest in a new location as lockdowns and intense measures continue.

So, I am not sure how my work and my business will evolve over time but I can tell you that I will not give up! I will keep on making my products and I will keep on envisioning a beautiful future for all of us! I will hold a vision for in-person services and a perfect future setup for Woman Divine:)

Love and 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

Saying goodbye to 363 Churchill.

Big thank you to our local artist Victoria Dark @victoriadark_illustrations for her talent and for creating this precious piece of art! I will always keep it dear to my heart

On June 30th we said goodbye to our beautiful little studio at 363 Churchill.

This certainly is not what we’ve planned when we first got our little building in Westboro. We truly felt that it was going to be a forever home for WD Skin Care. And we loved our bright and peaceful space very very much! But hey, life is full of surprises as we’ve been learning over the past fifteen months.

Since it’s been fifteen months straight that we’re unable to see our clients in person, after much consideration and many tears we’ve decided to go with the flow, practice non-attachment and transition. Not an easy decision but it feels like a good one.

We’ll of course continue with our consultations and product formulating and we have a few new products on the horizon:) So nothing will change in that aspect of our offerings.

Our treatments however will begin only when there are no more lockdowns and we can open for good. We hope that this will happen in not too long because we miss you very much!

Like for every small business in Ontario, this past fifteen months has been challenging in so many ways. And it’s no longer sustainable to keep on waiting and hoping that we can open soon.

When there will be clarity and we’ll get a green light, we’ll set up the most beautiful space to welcome you back to our treatments again.

For now we will be moving into a transitional space (a minute away from where we are) which will allow us to continue with our skin care formulation and production.

We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your continuous support and loving messages that you send us.
We could not be here without you! Since we never qualified for any government support, it is 100% thanks to you, that we are in business. We are looking forward to growing in new ways and bringing more meaning, more beauty and more health into your life!
Magdalena xo

Skin health and mask wearing.

I’ve been getting many emails and messages from clients asking for advice on how to tackle skin problems related to mask wearing.

This post is not a commentary on whether or not to wear a mask but rather it’s a look at how wearing a mask for a prolonged period of time affects your skin mechanically, chemically and biologically.

It’s rather unnatural for our face to be covered and consequently it’s no wonder that our skin is having a hard time.

Depending on your skin type and how long you cover your face for daily, you may be prone to an array of skin conditions.

Sensitive, combination and oily skin types will most likely experience the adverse reactions to face coverings the most.

Wearing a mask may impact skin in the following ways:

• mechanically - by causing pressure, micro-abrasion and heat - a mask may restrict blood and lymph flow, produce skin irritation, redness and inflammation

• biologically - by creating a hot damp environment a mask will - increase oil production, intensify microbial activity on the skin and have an impact on the function of blood vessels and will interfere with normal blood supply 

• chemically - by the type of mask (surgical, cloth… ) you choose to wear. A non surgical mask - is made of Polypropylene (PP) which is a thermoplastic “addition polymer” made from the combination of propylene monomers. It is used in a variety of applications to include packaging for consumer products, plastic parts for various industries including the automotive industry, special devices like living hinges, and textiles. Cloth masks - from the holistic skin care perspective, we see organic non dyed silk fabric as the most complementary to human skin and non toxic.

Pressure, micro-abrasion, warm and damp environment underneath the face covering and possible plastic toxic off-gasses may aggravate sensitive and combination skin conditions causing  irritation and inflammation (even more so now during hot summer days), eczema like flareups and red bumps/ changes to skin texture. If you are already prone to acne, you may also see an increase in the activity and an increase in oiliness in the T-zone. 

Oily skin may become more oily while wearing a mask and microbial activity may increase possibly causing acne and breakouts and more of the oily sheen to the face in general.

I also hear from clients who have to wear a mask at work, and are exposed to chemical disinfectants all day long. As a result, they’re experiencing serious dermatitis and eczema flareups and allergic reactions on their faces around their mouth and eyes. This is very challenging and difficult to address without actually removing the toxic irritant (disinfectant) from the equation:( 

How to help your skin during this time?

If you must wear a mask at work, don’t wear makeup!  Makeup which sits on the surface of your skin will create a problem under a mask even for the healthiest and most balanced skin. Foundation, ‘coverups’, blush, lipstick… these are a self explanatory no-no.

In general opt for gentler products. Now is definitely not the time to experiment with acids, peels and harsh scrubs on your skin. Not that it ever is, if you ask me:)

Adjust your skin care routine to include products which will actually offer the function which is needed at this time (calming, balancing, softening…)

Regardless your skin type, your evening cleansing routine is very important and you don’t ever want to skip it now. 

I personally love gentle oil cleansing and this is what we recommend to our clients at Woman Divine. If you’ve never tried oil cleansing, you may want to start with simple organic jojoba oil. If you like it, you can upgrade to our Oil Cleanser which is lovely and filled with skin healing ingredients.  Learn how to cleanse with oil HERE 

If you are experiencing a lot of skin redness, irritation, skin bumps, eczema, dermatitis, please don’t exfoliate until your skin calms down. 

If you choose to exfoliate, you are more likely to make the existing condition worse. Any product which creates lots of friction and micro-abrasion, is alcohol based or offers the function of peeling of the skin will make it worse.

Instead, for sensitized, red, inflamed  skin, you may want to add skin calming practices like: compressing your face with calming herbal infusion of calendula + German chamomile + marshmallow or rose.

You can add the below compressing practice to your evening routine:

Equal parts of above herbs can be infused in hot water for 60min+ , then strained, then used for saturating a face cloth, then this face cloth is placed on the face for a few minutes.

I also recommend upping on your Rosewater Mist and again making sure that your Face Oil, Serum or Balm is created to actually calm the redness, inflammation, irritation. If not, you will need to make a switch until your skin is back to it’s calm happy self.

A soothing white clay mask may be applied weekly. 

A simple Manuka honey mask will also offer lovely support to irritated, dry, blemished or acne skin.

Which products from Woman Divine Collection can you use for redness, irritation, changes in texture or breakouts?

When there is redness combined with dryness, your skin needs to be soothed and softened. It also needs a very gentle touch:) 

From Woman Divine Skin Care Collections, I would recommend Rosewater Mist and Face Balm | shea +seabuckthorne or Divine Face Balm to help this type of skin.

If your skin is feeling irritated, red but at the same time oily, your skin needs to be soothed and the oil production needs to be invited to slow down a whee bit.  This kind of skin condition will benefit from Woman Divine Rosewater Mist and Face Oil |calendula + chamomile.

If you are experiencing acne due to wearing a mask or acne is worse because of it, keeping on top of your cleansing routine is very important. 

A combination of calendula, plantain and rosemary can be infused in hot water and prepared as a facial compress or a face wash.

A green clay mask can prove helpful and as I have already mentioned, Manuka honey is always great. These can be applied once a week.

From Woman Divine Collection, I would recommend our Radiant Exfoliant Powder, Rosewater Mist and Face Oil | calendula + chamomile

If you have attended one of our GuaSha classes or one on one tutorials, we have showed you how to work with the lymphatics of your face and neck. These feather like lymphatic sweeps will be very helpful now so put them into practice. Any vigorous Guasha practice over very irritated and inflames skin is not recommended.

Whenever possible, let your skin breath. I am not an expert on masks but I suggest that you do your research regarding how long they can sit on your face before they need to be replaced or washed. This is very important. A mask can become a breeding ground for undesirable microbes on your skin.

I hope that you will find this information helpful. Please post any questions you may have in comments below.

Love and light, 

Magdalena