Bio-dynamic Jurlique, skin care line of my choice.

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--> I was first introduced to Jurlique over 18 years ago by an American naturopathic doctor. I was immediately taken by the company's commitment to create pure, effective and healthy skin care and by the obvious passion of the founders, Dr Jurgen Klein and his wife Urlike. My discovery of Jurlique gave me a 'push' to transition from my massage therapy practice to skin and face care. I have always loved working with the face but at the time I was not able to find a suitable, pure product which would work in harmony with the body and nature. Not until I had come across Jurlique that is. The rest is history.

I have been working with Jurlique exclusively adding only pure oils and raw organic material to enhance my treatments. Over the years there have been many changes within the company as it has moved through different owners. Sometimes the changes were troubling, sometimes they were good. It seems that Jurlique is in good hands now with solid Japanese ownership.

Those of you who have experienced Jurlique in treatment or at home know that their products are truly amazing. There are a few staples which are seriously hard to live without once you know how they make your skin feel.

Jurlique at WOMAN DIVINE in Ottawa

ROSEWATER MIST with its sublime scent is loved by everyone. I have  yet to find a moisturizer for dry dehydrated skin like MOISTURE REPLENISHING DAY CREAM. In 18 years I had no luck in finding anything comparable. HERBAL RECOVERY GEL - Jurlique's best seller is a precious, potent concoction of plant material which feeds the skin with much needed nutrients and will noticeably improve the texture of your skin. FACE WASH CREAM a gentle, lovely smelling exfoliate will remove dead skin cells and unlike other scrubs will leave your skin smooth and HYDRATED. It is one of my favorite. WRINKLE SOFTENING CREAM is loved by many clients for the treatment of the delicate areas around the eyes, mouth and the neck. CALENDULA CREAM soothes red and sensitive skin and provides a lovely matte finish for those who are bothered by blemishes and excessive oiliness during the day. MOISTURE REPLENISHING MASK is my favorite mask with some amazing properties to sooth, hydrate, lift and brighten the skin. Its citrus smell adds a refreshing and uplifting effect to the experience.  

There are many more products I could mention. These however are my top picks. All of them are the original Jurlique formulas from 25 years ago; still working their magic.

   

THIS IS WHAT JURLIQUE HAS TO SAY ABOUT THEIR COMPANY, PRODUCTS AND INGREDIENTS.

Since 1985, Jurlique has pioneered natural, high performance skin care products. Jurlique was founded in South Australia, one of the purest places on Earth, in an ideally suited and unpolluted environment where harmony with nature is at the heart of the free-spirited Australian lifestyle. Company mission is to provide the purest, most effective skin care through nature, science and innovation Jurlique’s unparalleled botanical expertise is drawn from the experience of operating their own 153-acre farm. Through the techniques of biodynamic farming, Jurlique has been an industry leader – optimizing the potency of the plants grown for the most effective results on skin.

INGREDIENTS

In 25 years, Jurlique has grown to include hundreds of products but the vision behind it remains the same. At the heart of every product is a potent blend of herbs and flowers brought to life in Jurlique's formulas and delivered to your skin. Many of these botanicals are hand-grown and tended on the company's 153-acre farm in South Australia. Jurlique scientists complement formulas with the finest, most potent, biodynamic, organic and natural ingredients sourced the world over — ingredients which meet Jurlique’s exacting standards. Jurlique is uniquely positioned to ensure the highest efficacy and optimum quality in their products.

Jurlique's famous roses. They give a sublime scent to many of their products.

Jurlique's flag stores around the world. 

 

 

 I hope one day I will get to experience treatments at one of the Jurlique spas. It all looks so beautiful!

Simply Raw Express

Simply Raw Express has just opened its door at 989 Wellington street in Ottawa's up-and-coming neighbourhood of Hintonburg.

Congratulations to the owners Natasha Kyssa and Mark Faul who for many years, have been promoting the raw vegan way of life. Special acknowledgement to Natasha for her perseverance. She has been on the raw food path for twenty some years. I am certain it was not always easy going against the current. 

Natasha has been offering her services assisting people through her detox program, teaching about the raw vegan diet and she is also an author of the Simply Raw Detox Manual - a book definitely worth having.

A few years back, I personally had the pleasure to experience Natasha's 28-day detox program. I loved it! I believe it to be the best way to detox. Results are awesome and the process itself becomes a great reminder of what pure food tastes like. Finally you get to experience food as medicine!  Next time you feel like you need to clean out your body and want to see a healthy glow to your skin, sign up for Natasha's cleanse at www.simplyraw.ca

The famous Norwalk juicer; I have been fantasizing about it since the 80's. It is the Rolls-Royce of  juicers. Now, I can drink great, fresh juices pressed by this awesome contraption! Finally my fantasy has been fulfilled.

At Simply Raw Express you will find a selection of super-foods, very tasty raw vegan sushi, salads, smoothies and soups for those who like it hot. Treat yourself to Natasha's raw cheesecake; it is a must!
 

Simply Raw (Norwalk juicer expressed) fresh organic juices. I have tasted energizing carrot/apple and green alkalizing blend. Both delicious!

Good luck Simply Raw Express! I wish you great success:)))

Mimi Kirk an inspiration for vibrant agless beauty.

If you ever thought that 'sexy' is a thing of youth you surely have not heard of Mimi Kirk.
Lately, this hot and I mean hot, 73 year old woman has been a guest on many TV shows. She is an amazing inspiration for all who want to feel and look great at any age. Check out her website www.youngonrawfood.com and get her book 'Live Raw'.

Apricot face mask.

Today at the store, I was very happy to find fresh organic apricots. Along with peaches, they are my very favorite fruit. Summer is on its way:)))  Fresh, ripe apricots are also one of the best face mask bases for aging, devitalized and dull skin. Very nourishing and high in vitamin A, this delicious fruit promotes cellular regeneration and prevents wrinkles.

 

Apricot is said to have originated in China.  From there it spread to other parts of Asia and eventually found its way to Greece and Italy. As food, apricot is quite laxative and rates high in alkalinity. It contains cobalt and is a very good choice for anyone with anemic tendencies. So, eat plenty!

To whip up your very own, totally effective, gloriously smelling  apricot face mask you will need the following:

1 ripe apricot

1 tsp. of honey ( manuka honey if you can get your hands on it)

1 tsp. of apricot oil,  rosehip or almond oil

You can stop right here (it will make a lovely mask) or you can boost it a bit with high on antioxidants matcha tea - just a pinch will do and 1/2 tsp. of white clay.
I usually blend the ingredients in the magic bullet but you can use a fork to mash up the fruit and just add the rest.
Apply generously to a cleansed face, neck and upper chest.
Cover your eyes with thinly sliced cucumber and lie down for 15 min.
Rinse with lukewarm water and moisturize.
This healthy concoction from the kitchen will leave your skin glowing, hydrated and delicately scented.  

Welcome to my aromatic treasure box.

A few years back at one of Ottawa's antique shops I found a lovely old cutlery trunk. Beautifully made from solid wood, I loved it from the moment I saw it. I bought it:))  At the time, I was not sure how I was going to use it and it sat empty for a few months. Then one day I looked at it and thought that the trunk was going to make a perfect home for my precious essential oils.

This is where all of the oils live now. I have quite a collection:))

I enjoy my oils nicely organized and handy when I create aromatic blends.

Beautified by tea...

chamomile and lavender

Besides my periodic addiction to good Earl Grey tea from Nectar Fine Teas in West Village, I generally stick with organic locally grown herbs from Judy at www.earthmedicine.ca which I steep into a tea. I find the loose dried herbs produce much better results both in their taste profile and as healing agents. Usually, the tea coming in a bag contains the lowest grade, poor quality dust from the bottom of the bin; not useful for true health enhancement. The same goes for black teas.

Herbal teas are an excellent choice as a hot drink, but they are also very tasty iced on a hot summer day.

Using herbal tea as a hydrating mist for your skin may not be so obvious but is worth a try as it often proves much more beneficial than many commercial toners.

Lavender;who does not love the smell of lavender? This lovely flower tastes the best mixed with other herbs like chamomile and rose.

lavender

On its own, the taste does not quite give its smell justice. As a face mist lavender is absolutely wonderful. Excellent for dry and aging skin, it will support skin cell regeneration and keep your skin nicely hydrated and your busy mind relaxed.
General directions for making a light herbal face mist: 

1 tsp. of lavender (or any other herb you are using)

1 cup of hot water

let it steep for 15min

strain

cool it down

transport into a spray bottle

place in the fridge

mist your face as needed

It will not keep for longer than a day or two (if stored in the fridge) so you have a couple of options: make enough for one day or make more and freeze it (ice cube trays do the trick) and take out as much as you need on a given day.

Chamomile is another great herb for beautifying skin. This one is particularly great for ladies with sensitive skin.

It is calming and soothing taken both internally and applied externally as a mist. In the summer you may want to drink it iced  with a slice of lemon; it is delish!

Burdock root is a serious skin helper. It is excellent for detoxification purposes so drink it if you are troubled by acne and blackheads. It will purify your blood and keep your skin nice and clean:))

burdock root

Burdock root can be taken as a tea 1/2 cup before your meals. Your skin will benefit greatly if washed with burdock tea 2x a day.

These are just simple suggestions on how you can use herbal teas, of course you can use them in many other ways. Add them to home made face masks or to your bath... They are beautiful, healing and definitely much needed in your daily life. Start playing!

                                          

  

Tea spoon - my cleansing power tool.

No, I am not using a tea spoon to cleanse my skin but I do scrape my tongue with it every morning.

If you already are into tongue scraping read no more, but if you have never indulged in this peculiar practice stay with me and I will show you that your tea spoon has a higher purpose then stirring sugar in your coffee:)))

According to Ayurveda - 'the science of life' originating in India, the tongue is quite a story teller in regards to the internal state of our well-being. The science of tongue analysis is complex and it is a part of an Ayurvedic health assessment. What Ayurveda suggests is that while we sleep we release toxins from the digestive tract. Over night these toxins accumulate on the surface of our tongues. If we do not remove the toxic coating from our tongues first thing in the morning, we end up ingesting it with our first drink or meal. Yuk!!!  Hence the tea spoon. You can purchase a fancy tongue scraper at your health food store but I find that a tea spoon does the trick.

I strongly recommend you add this simple practice to your morning routine. Your mouth will feel way better. It is simply good hygiene, keeping you body cleaner and your mouth healthier.

 

1.  Pick a teaspoon from your kitchen and make a home for it in the bathroom, next to your tooth brush.

2.  Every morning upon rising clean your tongue, only then brush your teeth.

3.  Follow with a glass of warm purified water with a splash of fresh lemon. 

Now, that's a fresh start to your day. Simple like that!

Massage your face ladies.

If you are looking for a simple, cost free, result guarantied face treatment look no further then your hands. Regularly applied face massage is the best thing you can do to keep your face vibrant and youthful. No cream or potion can compete with a regularly applied face massage.
I consider massage to be the most important part of my treatments and I include various massage techniques in each face treatment I offer at Woman Divine clinic. You can visit me anytime for the   professional version of this blissful art:))You can also ask for a mini - face massage learning session one on one or you can come to one of my Face Yoga workshops. In the meantime you can get going right in the comfort of your home.
       
Apply self massage on daily basis, even 5 minutes a day practiced regularly will bring great results.

Wash your face with a gentle chemical free cleanser.

Use few drops of vegetable oil like: almond, rosehip, jojoba or argan.

Follow the arrows in the picture.

Enjoy! It is a beautiful act of self-nurturing.

Face massage increases blood flow to the tissues carrying nutrients necessary for cell health / healthy cells, happy skin/.

It supports lymphatic flow assuring tissue detoxification and healthy environment for your cells to live in.

Massage releases stress and tension from the facial tissues and leaves you with a soft and peaceful expression. 

  

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Daisy for a rainy day.

 

Just to cheer you up on a rainy, gray Ottawa day:))

To scrub or not to scrub? A sensitive skin question.

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I am often asked about exfoliation. Is it necessary? Does it make a difference?  Should everyone scrub?  What I have observed in my practice, is that a lot of skin problems are caused by excessive scrubbing and exfoliation.  Being a skin care minimalist, I tend to believe that less is more and I will always think twice before adding anything to my existing routine. In my books, a daily skin care routine ought to be simple, effective and most of all mindful.  So a good place to start before ever applying anything to your skin is a mindful examination of  your skin. Use both logic and intuition.

-->What does your skin feel and look like? If your skin is red, inflamed, with broken capillaries and dry patches, it will definitely not respond well to anything that is abrasive in texture and irritating, so forget all the apricot kernel scrubs please. It is already irritated enough! Soothing and calming is what your skin needs. One thing that I suggest over and over again for this type of skin is a simple Ayurvedic concoction I have learned about years back. Clients use it with great success.

Simple ingredients which you probably already have in your kitchen:

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1 tbsp of chick pea flour + 1/8 tsp of turmeric.    Mix it well and store in a little jar. Use it every couple of days after cleansing your face. All you need is a pinch of this powder and a bit of water. Make it almost watery consistency and use it like you would any scrub. Chick pea serves here as a very gentle exfoliant and it also absorbs excess oil:)) (which is often an additional problem with this type of skin). Turmeric is an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. It keeps redness and inflammation under control and prevents pimples.

chick pea/turmeric scrub

 

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My final verdict on scrubbing and exfoliating for the sensitive skin goes something like this:  STOP USING ROUGH STUFF ON YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACE, PLEASE! You are just making things worse.

P.S. If your skin is chronically red and inflamed I strongly suggest that you seek professional advice.