Are you about to transform on Halloween and paint yourself into your latest fantasy? Or is your little one begging you to paint their face into their superhero or superhorror?  I thought it would be a good time to give you a head’s up on the makeup, which could be toxic to the skin. Some things to consider before you dive in... The FDA does recommend a few simple steps. Applicable in Canada too!! 1. Follow all Halloween face paint directions carefully, including warnings against using around the eyes. 2. Don't decorate your face with products, paints and colorings that aren't…

 This is not the first time I have written about sunscreen. It frightens me so. Last year I vented in  'Dear Cosmetic World, Am I a Bad Mother?' Now is the time of year when everyone here in the north is thinking about protecting themselves from the hot summer sun. It IS wise to protect ourselves.  But HOW we do it is important. Is My Sunscreen Baby Safe?   Sand box, slides, castles and climbers Children creating the playground scene Running, stumbling, tykes a tumbling All slathered and lathered in sunscreen Under the guise of being a good thing Adults smother their…

A lip caress with with raw brown sugar and a little oil. What could be sweeter? Sugar acts as an exfoliant, removing dead skin cells, making your lips soft. The perfect pucker. Sugar scrubs can be delightful for the whole body, but I particularly like the idea for the lips. Whatever we touch to our lips, we taste, so it might as well be pleasant. The following is a recipe (verbatim) I found in Alive Magazine. (Here is another I found online, but same idea) 1. Soften dry or chapped lips tenderly exfoliating with a brown sugar moistened with a few drops of olive oil. 2. Apply to lips and let…

This was our first and most successful visit to the Filberg Festival. (Comox, Vancouver Island) Thank you Vancouver Islanders. We loved our booth in the woods and who could not love you? At this fabulous festival I heard a ‘first account’ tamanu story. Since the oil itself is fairly new to Canada, we are all still learning about its miraculous properties. I have read and studied about this special nut oil, been delighted to sponsor our Tamanu Trivia Contest and have heard success stories from our customers on facebook , twitter and email. But I still love to hear stories from the horse’s…

A beach. A riverbed. A desert. An ocean floor. Sand, sand and more sand. Those tiny gritty eroded rocks. Those small loose granular grains that can do absolute wonders for our feet. A perfect match. ‘Wriggle the sand between the toes. Rub the sand against the soles.’ Luxuriate in nature’s natural exfoliant that helps soften the feet and remove the dry skin buildup. Exfoliation reduces aging. So for younger and healthier looking feet, walk that beach or sit near the waters edge and dig tunnels with the toes. Don’t stop there. Sand the hands. Build a castle, or bury yourself as far as…

Je me souviens avoir rencontré un client originaire de Somalie. Ce jeune homme est arrivé en Alberta, au Canada (où le climat est particulièrement sec), il y a trois ans, et sa peau a subi un véritable choc. C'était comme si un aspirateur avait aspiré toute son hydratation, laissant ses lèvres sèches, gercées et ensanglantées. Le médecin lui a prescrit de la vaseline pour ses lèvres sèches, lui a conseillé de ne pas trop parler et lui a également recommandé de garder sa langue plus en arrière dans sa bouche. Cela aiderait à éviter que ses lèvres ne soient aussi sèches, lui a-t-il expliqué.Si…

For all you ‘Potato Head’ lovers, cheers to vodka, poutine, baked, mashed, franconia and fries. BUT do you know what else these spuds can do? A potato is full of surprises. There are potato stamps, potato art and potato ethanol. Potatoes can be used in developing pictures, as an alternative to plastic and in powering a clock! Potato juice has been known to alleviate pain, calm ulcers, and heartburn and flush out toxins. Using a  juicer helps and the addition of carrots and celery makes for an even more nutritious drink.   But what interests me most is the potato juice on skin…

You may have recently noticed that you are seeing the name 'Neem' popping up alot more in stores and on labels.  Of course, if you are familiar with Earth to Body products, you may already know that Neem is one of our most versatile and favourite ingredients.  Have you also noticed it on the labels of products at your local nursery or hardware store?  What is Neem and why is it appearing on both your skin product and gardening labels?  Read on to discover the origins and ancient connections of this incredibly valuable plant. Neem originates from…