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Jessica’s Winter Body Oils

Don’t let this beautiful spring-like day fool you. It’s only mid-March and our skin still needs love. During winter, it is important to use richer oils to nourish your skin. The winter body oils that I created are blends of deeply enriching oils to protect the skin against the dry winter air. They alleviate dry, cracked skin, and leave the skin supple. As in my Summer Body Oil Post, body oils should be applied to moist skin, just minutes after drying off from a bath or shower. This will seal in the moisture and give the skin nutrients that it does not get from lotion. Lotion can be applied during the day if the skin still needs it, but you may find that you will not have to use as much lotion when you start your day with a body oil. The body oil will absorb and will not transfer to clothes or sheets. Avoid applying oil to bone-dry skin. An additional benefit to using my oil is the luxurious feel it gives to the skin, while giving yourself a mini-massage every morning.

Choosing an oil for your skin type

For Very Dry Skin: Nourishing Winter Body Oil, Nourishing Winter Body Oil with Enriching Essential Oils (Sandalwood and Frankincense)

For Normal to Dry Skin: Balancing Winter Body Oil

For Normal to Oily Skin: Balancing Winter Body Oil with Warming Essential Oils (Rosemary and Lavender)

Certified Organic Carrier Oils

Pumpkin Seed Oil: rich in vitamins A, B, D & E and fatty acids.

Almond Oil: high in Linoleic Acid and Vitamin D.

Sunflower Oil: high in vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and lecithin.

Sesame Oil: a warming and grounding oil commonly used in Ayurveda.

Jojoba: highly penetrating, resembles our skin’s natural sebum (oil), moisturizing and anti-inflammatory.

Avocado Oil: strong UV absorption properties, a high degree of epidermal penetration, the ability to promote cellular regeneration, and a high sterol content, which is beneficial in arthritic conditions.

Here’s what people are saying about my body oils:

“Jessica’s organic, made to order body oils are amazing. She has incredible knowledge of essential oils and how to mix them just right to create something that is unique. My skin feels great every day!” -Ana, owner of A2 Yoga

“I am so very pleased with the Winter Sandalwood oil. I had two seborrheic keratoses spots on my face. These are non-cancerous, dry scaly (and ugly) spots that often appear with age. Since insurance will not cover the removal (approx $300 per spot), I decided to try your oil on my face, with particular attention to these two spots. Well, after a few weeks, I noticed the spots were fading. I am happy to say that the spots have completely disappeared. I can’t thank you enough. I am so thrilled!” -Judy

Winterize your skin

What a mild Michigan winter we are experiencing this year! Regardless of the snow or no snow, with winter comes forced heat (which dries the air in our homes), less humid outside air, and harsh, cold winds. As we combat these conditions by applying layers of clothing to our body, we should also layer and protect our skin!

For protecting your skin, I have a skin regimen that involves three simple steps:

1. Cleanse
2. Layer
3. Protect

1. Cleanse but don’t strip moisture.

For someone with dry, sensitive skin, this means using a creamy cleanser twice a day. (Not a creamy cleanser once a day and plain water once a day- water is drying to the skin). Try using:

- - Glymed Plus Mega-Purifying Cleanser
  - Eminence Organics Calm Skin Chamomile Cleanser
  - Pevonia Botanica Sensitive Skin Cleanser

For someone with combination or oily skin, use a sulphate free foaming cleanser once a day and a creamy cleanser once a day. (No facial pads. Oily skin people should resist the urge to cleanse twice a day with a foaming cleanser in the winter, as your skin will produce more oil when it gets stripped of moisture). In conjunction with a creamy cleanser listed above try using:

- - Glymed Plus Gentle Facial Wash (with 10% Glycolic Acid)
  - Eminence Organics Citrus Exfoliating Wash
  - Eminence Organics Stone Crop Gel Wash

For acne prone skin, use a medicated cleanser once a day and a creamy cleanser once a day. (Resist the urge to cleanse twice a day with an oil free cleanser. Breakouts respond positively to hydration. On the other hand avoid creamy cleansers with pore clogging mineral oils). In conjunction with a creamy cleanser listed above try using:

- - Glymed Plus Sal-Ex Cleanser
  - Glymed Plus Skin Wash
  - Eminence Organics Clear Skin Probiotic Cleanser

2. Layer with a serum- when the skin needs fatty acids and a hydration boost.

For sensitive, dry skin, look for serums with Propolis or Alpha Lipoic Acid:

- - Pevonia Propolis Concentrate
  - Glymed Plus Cell Protection Serum

For dull, dry, or combination skin, look to the nourishment of fatty acids and vitamin C:

- - Glymed Plus Cell Protection Serum
  - Glymed Plus Stem Cell Power Serum
  - Pevonia Botanica “C” Complexe

For oily and acne prone skin, I recommend boosting your light-weight moisturizer with a layer of oil-free hydration and anti-inflammatory ingredients:
- - Glymed Plus Ultra-Hydro Gel
  - Glymed Plus Stem Cell Power Serum

3. Protect skin against dry, harsh conditions with a daytime moisturizer.

For sensitive, dry skin, use a oil-rich moisturizer with calming properties:

- - Glymed Plus Vitamin E Sensual Cream
  - Eminence Organics Calm Skin Chamomile Moisturizer

For dull, dry, and combination skin, use moisturizers with fatty acids and stimulating ingredients:

- - Glymed Plus Vitamin E Sensual Cream
  - Eminence Organics Stone Crop Whip Moisturizer

For oily, sensitive skin, a light-weight, calming moisturizer works best:

- - Eminence Organics Rosehip Whip Moisturizer

For oily (not sensitive) skin, try a protective but not clogging moisturizer:

- - Glymed Plus Daily Mega-Moisture Repair Cream
  - Eminence Organics Sugar Plum Oil-Free Revitalizer

For acne prone skin, protection with active acne-fighting ingredients is best:

- - Glymed Plus Daily Mega-Moisture Repair Cream
  - Eminence Organics Clear Skin Probiotic Moisturizer

This skin regime will help you protect your skin against the winter elements, as well as maintain balanced, healthy skin. Stay warm and protected this winter! Up next, moisturizing with winter body oils.

Jessica’s Summer Body Oils

My Body Oil Line is launched! I have been using body oil after every shower for 15 years. I started with Sweet Almond Oil and then Jojoba. After a while, Jojoba just didn’t feel rich enough for my dry skin (though great in a blend and for oily skin). I started learning about different kinds of plant oils and this summer I started mixing them. Some are fragrance-free and some contain a beautiful blend of essential oils. The essential oils are added to benefit the skin and not just for their aroma.

Body Oils should be applied to moist skin, just minutes after drying off from a bath or shower. This will seal in the moisture and give the skin nutrients that it does not get from lotion. Lotion can be applied during the day if the skin still needs it, but you may find that you will not have to use as much lotion when you start your day with a body oil. The body oil will absorb and will not transfer to clothes or sheets. Avoid applying oil to dry skin.

4 Body Oils are now available:

Nourishing Summer Body Oil

Nourishing Summer Body Oil with Cooling Essential Oils

Balancing Summer Body Oil

Balancing Summer Body Oil with Cooling Essential Oils

The carrier oils used in my blends are:

Pumpkin Seed Oil– rich in vitamins A, B, D & E and fatty acids.

Almond oil– high in Linoleic Acid and Vitamin D.

Sunflower oil– high in vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and lecithin.

Avocado oil– incredibly beneficial in many ways including strong UV absorption properties, a high degree of epidermal penetration, the ability to promote cellular regeneration, and a high sterol content which is beneficial in arthritic conditions.

Marula oil- a light, nourishing oil that is included in the summer oil because of its ability to heal sunburns. It also relieves Dermatitis, Eczema & Psoriasis.

Jojoba– (really a wax and not an oil) is highly regarded because of its ability to penetrate the skin and its resemblance to our skin’s natural sebum, or oil. It is very moisturizing and anti-inflammatory.

One more thing… my “Summer” body oils are not just for summer. They are just lighter versions of what is to come. Winter blends coming soon…

Calendula- Anti-inflammatory Flower

Last week I was working in the garden with my new garden friend, Kristy. She has graciously agreed to work in trade for facials! My garden was in need of some love as 2 children under the age of 3 do not allow me to give it much attention. We were pulling out the Sumac tree that was taking over a bed and Kristy pointed out some people are sensitive to the plant oils in Sumac. Minutes later, without washing my hands (an Esthetician “no-no”), I applied sunscreen to Julia’s face and arms. Shortly after, she broke out in a rash. My first instinct was to make sure was had Children’s Benadryl in case it started to swell to the point of impeding on her eye sight. Then I remembered the anti-inflammatory properties of the lovely Calendula, or Marigold, flower. I use Weleda Calendula products on my children every day without much thought and now was the chance to see what Calendula could really do. I washed her face with the Calendula Shampoo & Body Wash and then applied the Calendula oil. The rash was gone in 10 minutes! I am amazed at how our first instinct will often be to seek relief first from the drugs that are overly accepted in our culture, with only little thought of the natural remedies that gave birth to modern medicine. There is a place for both of course but it is my hope that more people make a place for the natural remedies in their lives.

This is a day for Roasting Marshmallows

Don’t take me literally when I talk about roasting marshmallows. I am not talking about eating them, and my perfume oil, “Roasting Marshmallows”, does not smell like marshmallows. But this rainy, cool summer day calls for an oil that is warm, woody, spicy and sweet. Essential oils can bring balance to the body. Just by inhaling, our brain responds with sedating or invigorating impulses. An oil can balance your mood, the weather, and your dosha (your ayurvedic body type). The dominant presence of Cedar and Cardamom in Roasting Marshmallows provides emotional strength and stability, warmth and dryness to a cold, wet day, and balance to a Kapha dominent dosha. When I wear an oil that balances the climate I actually feel more of an embrace for the day. Just days ago I was almost bathing in “Laying in a Hammock”. The heat was almost unbearable but when I walked outside and a breeze of lavender and bergamot mixed with the air, my body spoke “Ahhhh, this is summer!”

Summer Skin

Summer is here and with that comes changes in your skin!

Here is an easy to follow guideline to treatments and products that can help to address some of your summer skin issues:

Increased Oil Production

TREATMENT-

Clarifying Acne Treatment using Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid to exfoliate and manage oily skin.

HOME CARE- Glymed Sulphur Mask, Glymed Serious Action Mask, Glymed Astringent no 2, Eminence Pink Grapefruit C Gel, Eminence Tomatoe Oil-Control Gel, Eminence Eucalyptus Cleansing Concentrate, Eminence Citrus Exfoliating Wash

Small Summer Bumps (pustules)- on lower half of face, due to heat, humidity, and sun

TREATMENT-

Clarifying Acne Treatment using Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid and Tea Tree oil.

1 Hour Organic Facial with the Clear Skin Mask, containing clay, yogurt, tea tree oil and cucumber.

HOME CARE- Glymed Anti-Aging Exfoliant Mask, Eminence Clear Skin Mask, Eminence Eucalyptus Cleansing Concentrate, Eminence Stone Crop Hydrating Mist

Sun Damaged, Devitalized Skin

TREATMENT-

Vitamin C & Sea Treatment using Vitamin C and seaweed.

1 Hour Organic Facial using the Stone Crop plant to lighten and hydrate.

Illuminating Antioxidant Treatment using enzymes, peptides, botanicals and antioxidants.

HOME CARE- Glymed Hydrating Enzyme Mask, Glymed Anti Aging Exfoliant Mask, Glymed Stem Cell Power Serum, Glymed Mega Purifying Cleanser, Glymed Gentle Facial Wash, Eminence Stone Crop Gel Wash, Eminence Stone Crop Hydrating Mist, Eminence Stone Crop Masque, Eminence Stone Crop Moisturizer, Pevonia Vitamin C Concentrate