woman divine blog
Botox is a controversial topic. And a bit of a touchy one for sure. There are strong views in both camps. I try to give more of a heart to heart or a woman to woman approach to the subject. Hope you enjoy listening!
I would love to know what are your thoughts on botox. Have you done it? Are you thinking of doing it? Please share if you feel comfortable to do so:)
Magdalena xo
New clients often come to me when they feel completely frustrated and confused about their skin. They tell me that wherever they go seeking support they receive different and conflicting advice and every new attempt to seek help, simply adds to their skin care confusion.
We can probably agree that we live in a society/culture which strongly promotes seeking expert services/advice for literally everything.
There are obviously numerous benefits to having easy access to an array of specialists. However it is never desirable to hand over our decision making to someone else and to abandon the gift and importance of inner knowing, intuition and self knowledge.
If you don’t have a clear vision/desire of what you want your own health and beauty to express like, you’ll potentially end up chasing that of someone else. You will most likely feel dissatisfied with yourself, frustrated and often confused in the areas of health and beauty, not knowing what to do, what to use and so on.
The beauty of holding a clear vision for oneself and a willingness to step into the 'I’m master of my life’ position is that it comes with a sense of power, confidence and adventure as it opens us up to new possibilities.
If I may, I’d like to make a suggestion that we start with an acknowledgement that life is a miracle and you were born in the body that’s perfect for you. It’s a body worth getting to know, and never to silence. You are the one who has the power to know it in the most intimate way and consequently to live in a harmonious way with it.
So as much as seeking a guide or an expert is necessary at times, the most important thing that you can do for yourself right now is to become your own medicine woman, to be the boss of you:) And how do you do that?
If you are not doing it yet, you may want to explore how to be more present with your body and yourself. Julie prepared a short video to help inspire you. It’s a snippet of an intuitive breath and self-massage sequence that she does to help ground herself and be more present. We hope that Julie sparks your interest and you will start your own daily sessions of ‘being with self’. Let your breath and hands guide you!
When your body sends you signals through changes in the wellbeing of your skin (acne, redness, new wrinkles, sallowness…), acknowledge that you see and hear it loud and clear. Don’t judge it, don’t be frustrated with it, don’t be scared, don’t panic and don’t dismiss it! No good decision is ever made when we are in such a state of mind.
How will you go about addressing what you see? Well, I’d say, first ‘be with self’ for a bit and sit with it. If you follow your intuition, it will look different for each individual.
Let’s say it is acne that your skin is expressing. One person may decide to immediately seek professional advice and they may be guided to a specific therapist. Another person may realize that their diet is an issue and they will commit to change. Yet another may become clear that emotional stress is flaring the acne and they need to meditate or contemplate regularly to help their mind and skin heal.
This is why following advertising, doing what your friends do, or always searching for a new product to solve your problem doesn’t work.
The truth is that you are the key to your healing, not a product or a procedure. When you’re guided by your heart and your inner knowing and not the ‘outside noise’ you will always find that which will support you and build you and help you heal. Right products, right people and right information will simply show up on your path to help, when you are the boss of you!
Love and light,
Magdalena & Julie
I think that everything that we do repeatedly and on a daily basis is worth looking at and reassessing from time to time. And this includes your skin care practice.
There are physical aspects of skin care worth reassessing every once in a while, like:
How does my skin look and feel? Is it healthy?
Do I enjoy using my current skin care products? And do I feel that they work for me?
Do I have any new skin health concerns? If so, do I need support to address them or do I know exactly what to do?
Am I devoting enough time to care for myself?
Is there any room for improvement?
But there also are emotional aspects to our skin care practice and I would argue that they are actually more important than physical care.
Is the intention behind what you apply, why and how you apply, a conscious one? Or are you simply moving through the motions every morning and every night? Is your practice self-loving, is it self-loathing or is it disconnected and robot-like?
These are simple questions that you may want to ask yourself. Being present and observing your self-talk while you go about your skin care routine or when you are wanting to purchase more or new skin care products is important. And it is the first step to overcoming potential self-destructive perceptions and becoming loving towards yourself.
I hope that we would all agree that intention behind whatever we do in life is very important. For example, giving generously to a charity because you wholeheartedly want to help fellow humans carries a very different energy from giving to a charity for the pure purpose of gaining respect and importance within the community. Exercising because you don’t want to be fat carries a very different energy from exercising because you want to be the healthiest you can be.
It is very much the same with skin care. If you buy and apply your products because you hate your skin, or are scared of getting older, you’ll probably keep on hating your skin and you’ll not only see it getting old but you’ll start feeling old.
If instead you chose to make a conscious decision to purchase and apply skin care products to add vibrance, health and loving care to your life, it will be a completely different experience.
The first one is self-loathing, driven by fear and focuses on lack and I guarantee depletes your life force. The second is loving, health and life-force building.
These two perspectives will certainly offer you a very different life experience. Which one will you choose for yourself?
Magdalena xo
A client asked recently why it is important to always use rose hydrosol with facial oils, serums and balms.
I will start by saying that it does not need to be specifically rose hydrosol. I like recommending rose because it is wonderful for the skin and it works well with most people. You can always opt for a different kind of hydrosol: Frankincense, chamomile, lavender, sandalwood … all depending on your skin needs.
In the context of holistic skin care practice, we love using hydrosols because of their healing properties and support, which they offer to encourage healthy skin function. They pair wonderfully with facial herbal oils, serums and balms and complement each other in the process of healing and moisturizing the skin. But if you ever run out of hydrosol you can use purified water or herbal infusion. Herbal infusion however is not a simple ‘mist and go’ and will require more work.
Why do you need both water and oil to moisturize your skin?
In simple terms your skin naturally produces sweat (the water component) and sebum (the oil component) and together with other components they create a protective layer on your skin which is called the Acid Mantle. This protective layer is part of the broader Skin Barrier which besides prevention of moisture loss, keeps out viruses, bacteria, foreign substances and modulates skin immune responses.
When we work with a holistic approach to skin care, we like to observe and learn from natural skin behaviour.
Rather than forcing the skin to behave in a specific way by treating it with harsh chemicals or invasive procedures, we choose to gently support natural skin function and we mimic what skin naturally does.
Face oils, serums and balms are waterless formulas yet your skin needs both water and oil (sweat and sebum) to create the protective layer. This is one of the main reasons why we always need a water component (hydrosol) applied together with an oil component (face oil, serum, balm).
If only oil is applied to the skin it will most certainly dry the skin out over time. It will create an imbalance and have a ‘suffocating’ effect on the skin.
The ratio of hydrosol to oil, serum or balm depends on your constitution, present skin condition and the particular season of the year. Your skin care professional can help you determine all of the above.
For most, summer and hot weather calls for a generous mist of hydrosol and a little less oil. Why? Because in hot weather we sweat a lot (water loss) and we naturally produce more sebum.
As the weather gets colder, you will find that tissues contract, sweating has much diminished and applying more oil, serum or balm feels very good and helps your skin maintain its balance.
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
I want to give you heads up regarding slight inconsistencies in our packaging that you may notice from time to time in the coming months.
The supply chain disruptions are real and we are having challenges sourcing some of our usual jars and bottles:(
As an example I never wanted to use pumps with our oil bottles. I like to keep packaging as minimal as possible. But, we were unable to find 250ml bottles without pumps. For real! So we bought some to tide us over until we can replenish our supplies with what we really want.
I was thinking that maybe you can find another use for the bottle with the pump after you are done with your oil? For example, it could make a nice liquid soap dispenser. Just an idea to consider before you toss it out🙂
We also couldn’t find our regular amber glass 100ml jars and had to (hopefully) temporarily replace them with clear 120ml jars.
In the big scope of life, these are little things and it looks like all of us will want to learn to be ok with less choice and not being able to find things that we like.
Since I’m a bit of a perfectionist, it was challenging at first to be flexible with having to present my products to you in a different way than initially intended. Funny how we can be stuck on little things. Always learning about myself:) But at the end I reminded myself that real treasure lives is in the bottle and it’s not the bottle itself.
So I’ll continue creating healing skin care formulas for you as always with love and deep gratitude. Pumps or not:)
Have a lovely week❤️
Magdalena xo
Here is a tiny excerpt from my latest article for The School for Aromatic Studies.
‘From the way we are taught about our skin at school, to the way we are encouraged to care for it, it is obvious that our relationship with our skin has become very mechanical. No attention is given to the innate wisdom of the skin or the life which pulsates within it.’ Continue ridding HERE
I hope that you will enjoy it:)
Magdalena xo
You may not know this but I have completed a holistic nutrition program back in the nineties.
Nutrition has always been a fundamental part of how I understand skin health. That’s why my clients always hear me talk about the importance of improving their diets.
I know that there are many different opinions on eating dairy products. But one thing for sure is that in some cases, today’s grocery store purchased dairy causes systemic havoc and often expresses itself through skin symptoms like dermatitis, acne or eczema.
Personally I have had my own share of dairy related issues and my baby girl was born with eczema behind her tiny ears. This prompted me to explore NUT MILK MAKING. I was in search of a nutritious drink for my family which would replace cow’s milk.
I know that you can buy a selection of nut milks in the store but I feel that nothing compares to making your own fresh and exactly the way you want it.
Nut milks are nutritionally amazing and packed with protein, unsaturated fats, vitamins and minerals. On top of that, when you make your own you can enhance it nutritionally with other natural foods like cocoa, carob powder, dry or fresh fruit. You can also flavour it with a drizzle of maple syrup, raw honey or vanilla.
If you want to go even more fancy you can fortify your nut milk with flaxseed, bee pollen, slippery elm or carob powder. The possibilities are limitless:)
The most exciting part of making your own NUT MILKS is that you will know exactly what you are feeding your body, you can create the most delicious drinks, and you will literally take your health in your own hands.
When we prepare our food from scratch we develop a deeper connection with and a deeper gratitude for how the earth sustains our life.
THIS IS HOW TO MAKE YOUR NUT MILK
What you need to know before you set out to make your milk is that nuts and seeds can go rancid and it is very important to make sure that yours are fresh and organic. Rancid oil within the nuts or seeds is very unhealthy and you will know right away when you bite into the nuts. Rancid will taste awful and bitter.
I always taste the nuts and seeds before I buy them and I always buy bulk. I know that we are not supposed to do this in the store but organic nuts can be very pricy so I give myself permission to do the tasting. Thus far, I never got caught:) I buy mine in the health food store and I usually store them in a mason jar in the fridge.
To make your nut milk you will need: nuts, purified water, a nut milk bag (you will find it at the health food store) and a good blender. I love the Vitamix and have been using one for the past 30 years.
I have many recipes that I like but a simple single nut milk is always a great way to start. I like to use raw almonds, pecans, cashews or walnuts.
1. Place 1 cup of your favourite nuts in a glass container. Cover with purified water and soak overnight or for 8 hours.
2. When ready, rinse the nuts, transfer to a blender and add four cups of purified water.
3. Blend:)
4. Line a glass container or a jar with a nut milk bag and strain the content of your blender. Make sure to squeeze every drop.
5. I like to store my nut milks in mason jars. Refrigerated it will keep for 3-4 days.
You can drink your nut milk cold or hot. Add it to your oatmeal, or smoothie in the morning. You can fortify it with fruit and honey or maple syrup to create lovely sweet tasting dessert-like drinks. Or you can mix nuts with seeds for a nutritionally rich drink.
Nuts are a concentrated source of protein, unsaturated fat, B complex vitamins, vitamin E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous and copper.
Seeds are rich in protein, contain B complex vitamins, vitamin A,D,E, phosphorous, calcium, iron, iodine, potassium, magnesium, zinc, unsaturated fatty acids. Sesame seeds are especially high in calcium.
BANANA ALMOND MILK
1 cup of almond milk
1/2 ripe banana
a drizzle of maple syrup
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Blend.
Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE ALMOND MILK
1 cup hot almond milk
1 tsp carob powder
1 tsp cocoa powder
a drizzle of maple syrup or honey
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Blend.
Enjoy!
Let your creative spirit go and make lots of delicious nut milk recipes. Your body and your skin will thank you!
Since we are on the topic of finding alternatives to cows milk products, I thought that I’ll share with you about my absolutely favourite nut cheese company. To tell you the truth, I didn’t really like nut cheese until I found the Quebec based VEGNATURE. Their fermented cashew cheese is excellent and very delicious!
I hope that you enjoyed this post. HAPPY NUT MILK MAKING TO YOU!
MAGDALENA XO
The last few months have lent themselves beautifully to contemplation and re-evaluation of life, and values which we live by.
Holism and allopathy have been preoccupying my thinking because I feel that they are at the base of many skin/health discussions. It seems like a timely topic to address if even for the sole purpose of consciously reclaiming one or the other for ourselves.
One thing is for sure; allopathy or holism is driving your choices regarding skin care, health care and your perception of life.
We use the term ‘holistic’ or ‘wholistic’ attached to skin care a lot but I can’t help but notice that many are still not completely clear on what exactly is the meaning behind the word ‘holism’. And allopathy may seem like the word which belongs only with western medicine but it actually applies to skin care as well.
So, aware or not, you are either holistic or allopathic in your approach and choosing one or the other consciously will definitely be more productive..
Allopathic medicine or allopathy, refers to science-based, modern medicine, such as the use of medications or surgery to treat or suppress symptoms or the ill effects of disease.
Allopathic medicine is distinct in how it views health, the human body and the world.
In my simple words allopathy likes to dissect and put things apart and then look and analyze the components as separate from each other.
A good example would be my very last visit to a family doctor a few years back.
I went hoping to get my blood work done on the recommendation of my Ayurvedic doctor.
When I tried to explain the multiple symptoms which I was experiencing at that time, the doctor stopped me and said ‘one problem per visit please’. I responded ‘but what if all the symptoms are related?’. The doctor responded ‘as I said we will look at one problem per visit’.
Holism, holistic skin care, holistic health, holistic life are all about embracing the whole and humbly observing the intertwining interactions of all that exists.
One of my teachers says something very important. He says that you can get to know body parts or its systems by dissection but you will never know or understand life in its entirety by this process.
And here holism or a holistic approach offers us a very different way of understanding disease and skin health and ultimately life itself.
The dictionary tells us that ‘holism’ is a theory that the universe and especially living nature is correctly seen in terms of interacting wholes (as of living organisms) that are more than the mere sum of elementary particles.
So let’s look at skin care and the allopathic and the holistic approach.
How does allopathy translate to skin care?
Let’s take an acne client as an example. The allopathic approach focuses on reducing oil production, speeding up skin cell turnover, fighting bacterial infection or reducing inflammation. This is often done with the application of aggressive, suppressive and strong acting products.
If topical treatment by an aesthetician will not bring the desired results then you have the option of seeing your medical doctor to get oral medication which suppresses your symptoms. If this is all that you are looking for than it may be to your satisfaction.
How does holism translate to skin care?
Continuing with our example of an acne client, a holistic skin care professional will take time to investigate what is causing the symptom, in this case acne.
This includes focusing on the underlying imbalances of digestion, hormones, stress and emotions which can also be causing painful or irregular menses, acid reflux, gluten intolerance, allergies or polycystic ovaries… After careful analysis a topical plant based treatment along with a specific face massage technique will be prescribed to support the skin function but most importantly dietary, lifestyle habit adjustments will be recommended to bring about healing. It is very important to note that In the holistic approach, you are an active participant in your healing process.
Your holistic skin care professional of today is often educated in an array of natural medicine modalities including nutrition, plant medicine, Ayurveda, TCM, massage therapy… If they deem your skin health problem beyond their scope of practice or needing broader support, they may refer you to a natural medicine doctor.
I hope that this basic comparison will help you decide consciously which makes more sense to you.
So is it allopathy or holism?
Magdalena xo
This collection is super close to my ❤️
The Woman Divine Ritual Collection was created as a legacy for my daughter Carollyne with the most precious ingredients. I crafted the collection as a wedding gift to her in the hope of helping her develop a strong connection to self and as an invitation to the inner journey of seeking the source of joy, peace and contentment.
I have often wished that someone had taught me years back that only by tending daily to our personal needs of mind, body and spirit, can we give freely to others and live a vibrant, clear life.
Each product in this collection has a meaning, a mindful purpose if you will. A beautiful affirmation has been created to amplify its action - all to help you develop a ritual, a self-loving practice, enhancing your life and your relationship with yourself and others.
May you embrace the power of Woman Divine which resides within you. May you draw upon strength of women who came before you and become a living example to those who will come after you.
Rose Petal and Milk Bath
I wash the day away. Every night before I go to sleep, I let go of all which no longer belongs with me. I float free in the cleansing water, sprinkled with rose and milk. My skin, my muscles, my entire body feels light and clear and my heart is soft - filled with gratitude. I feel pure, clear and light.
.
Precious Flowers Body Oil
I remember who I really am. Every morning, I anoint myself with oil to remember that I am an auspicious being. As I nourish my skin and awaken my body, I remember that I am worthy and good. I am already everything that I am seeking.
.
Meditation Drops
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.
.
Breath Salts
I breathe in the moment. Whenever life is spinning a little bit too fast, I pause for a few seconds to observe the flow of my breath. When I own my breath, nobody can steal my peace.
May you live with mindful presence and find beauty in simplicity,
Magdalena .
