Quality over quantity. Not always.

You know how we say ‘quality over quantity’? That’s the rule I live by except when it comes to plant medicine making.

To create beautiful Woman Divine formulas that bring healing and vitality to your skin, I follow strict plant medicine making protocols. BOTH QUALITY AND QUANTITY of the plant material are of the essence. Old devitalized plant material and weak herbal extracts will produce weak and ineffective formulas. It’s a foregone conclusion.

As an example, to make a cup of a calendula medicine which I drink daily, I approximately use a cup full of dry calendula flowers. The high concentration, the vibrance of the plant material, and the way that I prepare the decoction, will result in a cup full of healing for my body. When I formulate for you, I want all my formulas to be as wonderful and as potent as my daily cup of calendula.

Every time I work with plants I give my gratitude to the plants and the land and the people who grow the plants. Plants offer their essence to support ours. It’s pretty amazing and humbling and it reminds me that Nature provides all that we need for our healing and wellbeing and that all is divinely connected and interdependent.

It gives me a sense of purpose and it brings me joy to capture some of that magic in Woman Divine formulas. I hope that you can feel it every time you apply them to your skin.

Wishing you a wonderful week where you feel deeply connected to yourself and the beauty all around you,

Magdalena xo

Goldenrod.

Very common and plentiful in our environment yet new to @womandivineskincare apothecary.
I’m very excited to welcome Goldenrod into my circle of plant friends 🧡

Goldenrod grows all around me and I love how it sprinkles its beautiful golden colour over the fields and forest. Finally this year I feel ready to explore the healing powers of this beautiful plant and to work towards including it in my formulations.

Goldenrod is warming and drying and has a special affinity for the urinary system. However it is also wonderful as inflammation modulator when applied topically. It helps with muscular and arthritic joint pain, infections, swelling, wounds, painful bruises and bumps and fungal infections.
It’s anti microbial, astringent, antioxidant and has a tonic action on the skin strengthening its protective physical barrier.

Goldenrod is often used in formulations treating chronic conditions like eczema, psoriasis or acne… And it’s high saponin content may be beneficial in skin cleansing formulas.

I’m wilting my Goldenrod harvest as we speak and I’ll be starting a Goldenrod infused oil in a bit:) Feeling very excited🧡

Solidago, the Goldenrod’s Latin name means “To Make Whole”
I love that🧡

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

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

Eye Balm | arnica + blue tansy

The aromatic chemical compound Chamazulene present in Blue tansy (Tanacetum Annum) essential oil, gives the beautiful blue hue to Woman Divine Eye Balm.

Besides its stunning deep blue colour and beautiful sweet, apple like aroma, Blue tansy essential oil is a rather impressive skin healer.

I included it in WD Eye Balm because it’s cooling and soothing, it reduces inflammation and helps to alleviate dark circles (I paired it with Arnica to help lighten darkness around the eyes).

The aroma of Blue tansy has a similar effect on the mind and spirit as it’s oil has on the skin. It’s soothing and calming and it helps to let go of the heated emotions that we experience.

I love making and using this formula very much!
It was created with the intention to address dehydration, fine lines, dark circles, and also to uplift your spirit.
My wish is that its texture, colour and aroma will invite a deeper connection with the self and healing plants every time you apply it.

Love and Light,

Magdalena

Helichrysum in Skin Care

If I had to choose only one essential oil to work with for skin care purposes, hands down Helichrysum italicum would be the one. It is a powerful essential oil with an array of skin health benefits.

I have just written an article about Helichrysum itallicum (Imortelle) for The School of Aromatic Studies and you can read it HERE.

If you’d like to experience the action of Helichrysum italicum in skin care, I invite you to try WD Night with Imortelle. Is a beautiful night serum that deeply nourishes, restores and regenerates your skin while you sleep:) It contains both Helichrysum italicum essential oil and Helichrysum microphyllum herbal extract in the rich blend of plant ingredients.

I hope that you will enjoy my article and the Night with Imortelle Serum:)

Love and light,

Magdalena xo

Visit to the farm.

Summer is my absolutely favourite time for Woman Divine.

This is the time of bounty, when local healing plants are harvested for our formulations and for our treatments.

Every year, I impatiently wait for the days when I can visits our friend and partner grower, Anne Janssen of Creek’n Tree Farm.

It’s truly a blessing to visit Anne and her land, to get a peak into her day and to be part of the harvest. Even if for a few hours.

I make the point to do this every year simply so I can be close to the growing plants but also so I can always remember how much work goes into growing medicine and food. I find that this keeps me humble and fills me with gratitude both to the earth and to the people who work so hard to feed us and to feed our skin. 

We were chatting with Anne while harvesting her beautiful plants and it is obvious that Anne does what she does simply because it’s her passion. It is a labour of love which is physically demanding and somewhat unpredictable as we never know what weather conditions we will be presented with during a given year. 

Generally, organic growers are not in it for the money. Most find prosperity through providing a valuable service, through doing work which supports healthy life on the planet and they absolutely treasure their connection to the land and to the plant life. 

when I say that local growers feed us well, I really mean it:) all grown with Anne’s hands and on her land.

Anne tends to the soil and grows plants with her hands. She doesn’t use any machines so the process is slow and as she says herself, it’s not efficient. 

For Woman Divine, Anne picks flower by flower with her loving hands. She carefully plans how to group plants so they can support each other as they grow together. There is science and incredible devotion to everything Anne does. 

I am honoured to know Anne. Woman Divine products wouldn’t be what they are without Anne’s love for the land and her hard work.

Nothing that we do, we do alone. Prosperity and success mean different things to different people. My hope for the world is that we will value that which brings wellbeing and sustains life over that which brings profits alone. I see it as the only way to move forward if we are to continue as part of life on Mother Earth. There is no time to waste. We each need to do our part. Voting with your $$$ is a good place to start.

Magdalena xo

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

Jatamansi and Woman Divine Body Balm.

I would like to tell you a little bit about one of the ingredients in Woman Divine Body Balm | cardamom + rose.
This is a beautiful balm with a wonderful texture and a luxurious scent profile. Many clients love it especially during winter months as it provides effective nourishment for dry skin and and its aroma brings comfort.

At the end of its ingredient list you’ll find a very special essential oil. I added only a tiny bit of Jatamansi to complete this formula because it’s very potent.

Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi) has a very special effect on the nervous system, supporting those experiencing insomnia, anxiety, an over-active mind, mental fatigue, depression, panic disorders… it’s generally grounding and calming. And it is said to be one of the most important herbal medicines to help with the healing of grief.

I felt that it was a perfect addition to rose, cardamom and yang-ylang which along with an amazing effect on the skin, also lend their gentle nervous system healing properties to this body focused formula.

Jatamansi usually grows at an altitude of 3000–5000 meters. It can be found in Nepal, India and China. I favour the oil coming from Nepal:)

Pure essential oil of Jatamansi has a very strong aroma. Since it comes from the valerianacea family, we can’t really refer to its aroma as pretty:). Instead it offers a scent of the earth found in the high altitude forests of Nepal.
Jatamansi, also known as Spikenard, has a long history of use for spiritual purposes and until today it is used in religious ceremonies. Ayurveda also uses Jatamansi to improve skin complexion. .
We are grateful to Jatamasi for enriching our Body Balm | cardamom + rose on so many levels❤️