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

Cleansing, mindfulness and tending to the garden of your skin.

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

Aromatics in Skin Care

I can’t imagine my skin care practice or formulations without essential oils. I actually can’t imagine my life without them. If you ever came to my home for a visit you’ll find a small antique wooden chest trunk filled with essential oils. I have couple hundred ++ bottles of both very common and very rare aromatic finds.

I use them daily to keep the air clean, to uplift my mood, to relax, in baths… and of course on my skin.

Here is my article Aromatics in Skin Care which I have recently contributed to the The School of Aromatic Studies Have a read and let me know if you have any comments or questions.

Love and light,

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

Discover why knowing your face will make your life better.

I’ve been working with faces in my holistic skin care practice for the past twenty plus years and I know one thing for sure: most of us don’t understand our own face at all.

It’s a sad thing to realize since so much of our attention and effort goes into making our face and skin look its best.  We apply make up everyday, we moisturize and scrub and we get facials but we don’t take the time to actually understand our own face. In pursuit of beauty, we mostly treat our face as if it was one dimensional. 

In my book, the face is the most fascinating part of ourselves and by getting to know it better, you can develop a more meaningful relationship with yourself and with your beauty.  One that is based on understanding and deeper self knowledge, not just an on-the-surface, one-dimensional interaction.

You see, your face is nothing short of magical. It’s like the universe of you or your very own, ever-evolving piece of art.  It registers and conveys your joys and sorrows, the state of your health and the level of vibrance of your energetic being. The fact is that your face is a great communicator. The question though is are you willing to listen?

Chinese medicine practitioners and Ayurvedic doctors can read your health like a book simply by analyzing your face. The science of Morphology and face reading has your personality all figured out by the shape of your facial features and markings. It’s amazing!

Of course, I’m not going to ask you to become an Ayurvedic doctor so you can read your face. However, there are a few simple yet profound face facts that everyone will benefit from knowing. Why? Simply because if you understand the workings of your face you will no longer look for solutions to your face/skin problems in the wrong places. You will also gain a deeper appreciation for the miracle of your body.

The state of your physical health is expressed in the quality and health of your skin.

This presents itself through changes in skin texture, temperature and colour. 

For example, a person with a tendency to facial redness and inflammation may be prone to excess heat in the body and tendency for inflammatory conditions of the body in general. An over-acidic stomach is often accompanied by redness in specific areas of the face. I see this with my clients all the time.

Congested skin which lacks luster, looks puffy and is cool to the touch often represents a body which is slow, sluggish and congested with poor lymphatic flow. 

Next time when you experience a flare up of acne or skin redness, take a moment to acknowledge its connection to the internal workings of your body. Your skin is talking. Don’t just try to shut it up by using suppressive skin care products. 

The majority of chronic skin problems need to be addressed from the inside and also supported topically with clean plant-based formulas. No skin care product alone will fix your hormonal imbalance or your digestive issues. So please know the limitation of your skin care product and respond to your body’s signals by addressing the root causes. It will save you a lot of money and time that you spend searching for that perfect skin care product.

The state of your emotional health is expressed through patterns of tension in facial muscles and other tissues.

Lines and wrinkles, sad face, happy face… It is true that emotions which you are most attached to are written all over your face. 

There are a few really smart people out there who have devoted their life’s work to this subject. Dr Paul Ekman is my absolute guru when it comes to the relationship between emotions and the engagement of corresponding facial muscles.

 The gist of it is that every single person engages exactly the same facial muscles to express the same emotion. It doesn’t matter if you are from Paris, New York or a little town somewhere in Africa, when you are angry it shows up in your face in the same way. Of course there is nothing wrong with expressing emotions. The problem arises when you get attached to a particular emotion and feel it over and over. 

Let’s say that you feel very sad and disappointed in yourself, your partner or life in general. You are feeling this way not for a week or two but for the past year or maybe five years… as you know this is not uncommon. Some people feel sad and disappointed about something throughout their whole life.

The depressor anguli oris muscle is engaged in expressing this particular emotion. It runs vertically on each side of your mouth. 

If you are feeling sad and disappointed a lot, eventually this muscle becomes chronically tense. As a consequence a few things will happen: restricted flow of vital fluids (blood and lymph) which will contribute to the lack of proper tissue nourishment and accelerated aging, facial symmetry may be disturbed (more tension on one side than the other) and your lip corners will be turning down and that fixed unhappy look becomes a reality… The ‘marionette’ lines are the consequence of chronic contraction of this muscle.

To sum it up, your body, your thoughts and your feelings are all interconnected. In fact, the pattern of muscle tensions in your face is always involved in determining your emotional state. 

If you don’t like the look that you are seeing on your face lately you may want to spend some time with how you are feeling on the inside. It’s amazing how happiness and internal contentment will immediately light up your face.  And don’t be hard on yourself. We are all a work in progress.

Your sacred face

There also is a sacred aspect to your face and head. This is the seat of the vital energy points. In Ayurveda these are called marma points and in Chinese medicine acupoints.

These points are located all over the body (we have a few important ones on our face and head) at anatomical sites where veins, arteries, tendons, bones or joints intersect. They are also said to be the points of connection between our physical and the subtle energetic bodies. These points are connected to specific organs and sights of the body. For example the marma points located on the scalp are connected to the brain and also to the other organs.  

Ayurveda says that, through skilled marma point stimulation we can have an impact on hormonal balance, eye, ear and nose health, emotional balance, memory function, we can relieve headaches and strengthen general vitality of the person. These are just a few examples.

What I have observed in my work is that, through working with the face, people can experience not only states of deep relaxation but also safety and a deep sense of wellness. 

If mindfully acknowledged, the face can also be understood as the entry point or a gateway to deeper self knowledge, the starting point of communication with self.  

As a skin and facial therapist whose practice is devoted solely to treatments of the face I can wholeheartedly say that receiving a deeply nurturing face treatment is a powerful medicine both for you and your skin. The effects of such treatments can be seen on the outside and are definitely felt deep within. 

Now that you are a little bit more familiar with the true nature of your face, please, spend time with it. Touch it. Observe it. Not with your critical eye but with the an eye of wonder and exploration. 

Before you book your next facial and let someone else touch your face, make sure that they too see its magic. Don’t be shy to ask questions to make sure that they are well trained in the holistic arts of face work and that they understand the complexity and dynamic nature of your face. 

Magdalena

Bathing and what you need to know about it.

I love bathing! Nothing feels as good as a nice warm bath on a cold winter’s night. If you live in Canada, you know exactly what I mean. Winter gets cold, dark and long and soaking in a tub filled with warm water is a great thing to do at the end of the day.

A cup of Epsom salts, a few drops of your favourite essential oil, maybe a good book in your hand and you can hang out in your tub all night long until your hands and feet start shriveling like prunes. I know,  because I’ve done this many times. It feels amazing to experience this relaxation and stress relief that a  tub full of water provides. And sleep always comes easily after a good soak. But if you are like me and love bathing, there are a few important things to consider before you jump into your tub next time.

Number one is the quality of your water. Why? Because while you are enjoying a lovely warm bath, your body becomes like a sponge and soaks up all the good and the ugly from your water.  And this is when chlorine immediately comes to mind.

The city uses chlorine in our water to prevent disease. Chlorine is a  very effective disinfectant, which kills disease-causing pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and protozoans, that commonly grow in water supply reservoirs. At the same time, chlorine is very problematic for our health and it’s a nightmare for our skin. An irritant with carcinogenic properties, chlorine is known to cause anything from skin rashes,  respiratory problems, and cancer. It is terrible for our skin and gut microflora which is essential to our health. It may also be surprising to learn that we absorb more chlorine by soaking in a tub than by drinking chlorinated water. It is actually more problematic to our health to absorb chlorine through the skin because while you bathe, chlorine gets directly into your bloodstream bypassing the initial filtration normally done by the liver when we ingest chlorinated water.

Related Post: Your Shower Is A Major Water Hog, Here’s How To Green Your Bathroom

Hot bath water opens skin pores making it easy for chlorine to be absorbed. Inhaling the steam from hot chlorinated water is also dangerous and may cause many respiratory conditions including asthma.

Number two is water sustainability. We are not the only ones on this planet.  We are so frivolous with our water! But water is sacred and should be treated as such. It takes about twenty to twenty-five gallons of water to take a very modest bath and it will take about the same amount of water to take a longer shower.  If you have a big soaker tub,
now we are talking more like 60 gallons. Hopefully, your showers are quick and you are using an eco shower head to preserve your water consumption. And hopefully, you don’t bathe in 60 gallons of water ever!

This is a very serious issue. Saving water is very important for more sustainable consumption of the planet’s resources. Having access to such basic service as drinking water comes without any effort to us but it is important to remember that 783 million people still do not have such access. So don’t ever use more than you truly need!

So in light of this information, should we give up taking a bath altogether?

The answer is no but we must do it way less and in a more mindful way. Start thinking of your bathing as special ritual, a time to cleanse and rest deeply.  Acknowledge that it is a privilege to have access to clean water.  This will become so much more than a simple soak.

Most of us don’t have a filtration system in our house and we must address the
chlorine situation.

There are easy ways to remove chlorine from our bath water through chemical neutralization.

There are several chemical compounds which can remove chlorine from the water. Sodium acorbate powder (a form of vitamin C) is a good solution since it’s easy to obtain and easy to use. You will need to add 1/4 tsp (or 1000 mg) of Sodium Ascorbate into your bath water about 5 minutes prior to bathing, giving it enough time to neutralize chlorine. Sodium Ascorbate will neutralize chloramine, which is also used to treat water and is even more dangerous than chlorine. A Canadian company Santevia makes bath filters which are made with vitamin C and are very easy to use.

Once your water is clear of chlorine and chloramine you can enhance your bath with additional ingredients for beautifying or medicinal purposes.

Adding Epsom salts will up the relaxation effect of your bath and will help to relieve soreness from your muscles.

I love adding oils to the bath, both lipid oils, and essential oils.

1 Tbsp of almond oil with a few drops of genuine lavender essential oil will leave you with lovely soft skin and ready for a deep restful sleep.

Adding oat flakes to the bath water will soothe irritated skin, any itchy rash, sunburn, dry skin, or eczema.  That’s why we run an oat bath for children suffering from chickenpox.
Place a cup of organic oat flakes in a cheese or cotton cloth and tie it with a string.  Throw it in your tub and run just hot water at first so the oat flakes will soften and make their anti-inflammatory properties available.

You can also make an herbal infusion (it’s like a strong herbal tea) with your favourite herbs and add it to your bath water. I love calendula, chamomile or mint.

Soak it up!

There is another important aspect of bathing. If you bathe mindfully it is no longer only about removing dirt from your skin.  It can be a ritual of removing and cleansing of all which does not belong to you anymore. You can mentally let go of unpleasant experiences from your day and release all that weighs you down. It is a simple yet deeply freeing practice which is greatly supported by the healing aspect of water.

Baths can be taken at night and in the morning. Night baths are usually used for relief of nervous and mental tension. They are a relaxation-inducing practice. These baths should last fifteen to twenty minutes. Morning baths are a tonic or a stimulating practice. They are best taken cooler than your night baths and ten minutes will do.

After a bath when your skin is warm and pores are open, it is a great time to apply skin healing oils. In general almond and jojoba are great choices for most. There are many lovely body oils on the market to choose from.

Finally, I want to give you one more suggestion. On a cold winter’s night when your body is chilled and you feel like you can’t warm up, treat yourself to a warm foot bath.

Neutralize the chlorine first with a tiny bit of Sodium Ascorbate. Throw some salts in and maybe add a few drops of sage or eucalyptus essential oil. Immerse your feet in the water and enjoy. You may find that this is as warming as a big tub full of water.

This is an article which I have written for The Eco Hub. You can find it HERE

We carry a simple water filter for your bathing. You can check it HERE

k it Magdalena

Your emotional skin.

Our emotions and our skin are closely related. Our skin is actually a highly sensitive responder to emotions and it often reminds us that mind and body are one😀

Think no further then the last time you felt very embarrassed and your face turned red, or when you felt fear and your skin become pale. And how about that happiness and internal bliss glow?

Clients often share that stress in their life causes flare ups of eczema, rosacea or acne... As much as skin disease can mean viruses, inflammation, bacteria, when we are experiencing a persistent skin condition, emotional component is usually part of the experience. Given close bond between our skin and the nervous system this should be of no surprise.

In short you can say that your skin ‘feels’ for you the very emotions which you choose not to express. It cries, it gets inflamed with anger and it remembers traumatic experiences which took place years back but were never addressed. In a long run, sweeping under the rug never really works ...not even in skincare.

So if you feel that your skin is giving you a hard time and you know that you have done everything you can to help it heal, including proper diet, exercise, good skin care regimen, then it maybe time to examine, how your emotions are contributing to the problem. ...

Magdalena xo

How communism benefits your looks:)

Whenever I go to Poland I  try to find an interesting course to take there. Big chunk of my face massage training comes from Poland and Polish teachers. I was just chatting with someone about this explaining that Eastern Europe has a lot to offer in the area of face massage techniques. This is the case when something great comes out of something challenging. Since Eastern Europe was at one point very behind in matters of technology  (the consequence of communism) people developed amazing skills with their hands:) 

Massage was always part of healthcare. And I remember that most common health clinics had a massage therapist on staff and doctors would prescribe massage to their patients regularly. A long standing tradition of manual therapies is definitely still very alive in my homeland.

I want to tell you about  the course which I have taken during my last visit.

After all this talk about Eastern European training lol, this one actually originated in Denmark and was created by a wonderful lady, Lone Sorensen. Her organization is very strong in Warsaw and she has two excellent and very devoted teachers offering training in Poland. 

Lone has put together facial reflexology protocols which address both health and beauty. It is a technique based on the neuro-bio-chemical action resulting from the stimulation of an area or point on the face which has a general or partial effect on various areas of the entire body. Facial Reflex therapy is based on seven steps that involve the observation and stimulation of various facial areas.

Lone and practitioners trained with her method do some amazing work around the world. This technique proves very effective in treating all sorts of neurological problems, developmental problems in children, autism, after stroke complications, anxiety, depression, hormonal imbalances, digestive problems, vision problems…. the list goes on. All of this happens through work with your face. It’s pretty amazing! 

What Lone Sorensen observed over the years was that as she worked with the face to improve people’s health the ‘side effect’ of improved skin tone, diminishing of wrinkles and general lifting of the face eventually took place. 

She then developed a protocol for beauty purposes, which also harmonizes body systems. The treatment is complex because all body functions are stimulated and also regulated while facial skin, tissue and muscle are treated. It normalizes the body dysfunctions, which may be the cause of wrinkles, sagging skin, loss of muscle tone, etc.

This is the protocol which I have learned. I believe at this time I am the only one in Ottawa certified in this particular technique. 

I will be continuing the training with Lone Sorensen systems because I trust it offers another dimension to my facial treatments and will ultimately bring more benefit to you, both health and beauty wise:)

Next time you visit, you may notice some new moves in your face massage:) If you are interested to explore this technique with me I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

I am on a continuous search for beauty through improved health of both body and mind. Will keep on learning...  Thank you for reading!

Love, Magdalena