Hyaluronic Acid

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Hyaluronic acid, skin care

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is one of those things that make me go “hmmm?”. Just saying it sounds like I’m saying something that is harsh and bad for you, though it is quite the opposite. It is not something I had ever heard of until I started taking my courses and it is something I am only just getting into using.

So what is it? Hyaluronic acid is a water holding molecule that occurs naturally in mammals. This molecule can bind up to 1000 times it weight in water in a cell. There is approximately 15 grams of it occurring naturally in our bodies and about 5 grams of that is used up and reproduced each day. While HA is found throughout our entire body, about half of our HA is found in the collagen in the skin.

And what does it do? Depending on the area where you difind it, the function seems to differ. For the skin it helps with the production of collagen and can help hydrate. It acts as a cushioning agent and lubricant for joint and nerve tissue. And it helps maintain the liquid in our eyes.

Like many functions in the body, as we age it becomes harder for the body to produce HA. However, the body continues to use up HA on a daily basis. There are several studies out there that document great success in using HA both as injections (for joints) or topically (for skin). I’m looking forward to trying it out in a few more products!

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Castile Soap

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castile, handmade, olive oil, soap

This morning I cut up the second batch of Castile soap that I made this week. I do enjoy making Castile soap. It is simple and straightforward and relatively easy to make. The only ingredients are water, lye, and olive oil. Mixed in the right proportions, this combination of ingredients gives you a lovely soap that is hard to the touch but not harsh on the body.

I do sell Castile soap on its own and in a liquid form but mainly I make it, grate it, and use it to make new soap combinations, like my Chocolate Spice Soap. I have a couple of new combinations that I want to try out over the summer and have ready for this fall. While the mixing process is fairly straightforward, it takes a while for soap to dry and harden. Hence the reason for making soap this week! This way it will be ready for me to play with in August when my schedule is a little freer.

Lots on the plate!

The past couple of weeks have been busy! There never do seem to be enough hours to get everything done that I’d like to do but I’m slowly checking things off my list. Here’s a sample of what’s happening!

Summer festivals are looming in the not too distant future and I’m starting to get ready for those – mixing, bottling, and labelling coming up! I do have one coming up in July (the Big On Bloor festival) but most of my outdoor things will be happening in August and September. The Goderich Celtic festival is at the beginning of August and then I’m helping out Shannah Rose for a couple of dates in the Orangeville Farmers Market!

I’m working on a couple of new lipstick colours and hope to have those ready soon. It is always fun to experiment with the various micas out there and see what colours you can make!

John did a few photo shoots for me for my make up and face care products. As always they look great! And now I need to put everything together so I can add new pages to the website. Here’s a sample of one of the shots!

eye liners and mascara now available

I’m also working on another facial/relaxation treatment based on the class I recently finished. Hoping to add that into my services list in July.

And then there are more classes in October! Looks like it is going to be a busy summer and fall!

Pearl Powder

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pearl powder

This past week I was able to get together with my friends and fellow students and do some treatment swaps. We have added another person to our group – an traditional Chinese medicine acupuncturist who we met in the facial class a couple of weeks ago. Treatment swap days are always great! We all get a chance to give and receive treatments, generally facials but depending on who wants what, we do Qi drop, reflexology and reiki as well. This time we has a bit of acupuncture happening too!

Along with swapping treatments, there is a great deal of chatting that happens. While we do keep in touch via regular emails, we don’t get to see each other as often as we would like in person so there is always lots to catch up on. And there is lots of shop talk! Everyone is learning different things and finding different resources so there is lots to share and lots of questions to ask. One thing that came up this time was pearl powder – something the newest addition to our group mentioned. It sounded intriguing so I had to do some more research on it and find out more about it.

As the name suggests, it is made from pearls. The pearls are ground to a fine powder. Pearl powder has been used for centuries in Asia both for beauty and health. For skin care, it is reported to help with relieving redness with conditions like rosacea and to help with slowing the aging process of the skin. It can be mixed in creams, used as a mask, or used in the powder form with your makeup. Very versatile! When taken internally, it is said to help with stomach and digestive issues. Pearl powder is full of minerals and amino acids. It is also high in calcium.

I’m looking forward to trying this out and seeing what the results are!