hydrosol

Get Misty with Rose & Lavender

by Leslie Billera on June 22, 2010 · 0 comments

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We’ve waxed poetic about organic lavender. We’ve hailed lavender hydrosol for its healing properties. And we’ve even extolled the virtues of lavender in food, both sweet and savory.

But once and a while, we recognize that other worthy floral blooms offer their own contribution to our bath and body routine.

A Rose By Any Other Name…

Like lavender, rose water – or rose hydrosol – soothes irritated skin. It is considered a mild, natural sedative that can act as an anti-depressant. And rose is used in treatments to ease everything from nervous tension to peptic ulcers to heart disease.

This Lavender-Rose Sweet Water Mist is a multi-tasker extraordinaire.  Mix up this DIY recipe and use it to…

  • Repel moths and other insects before winter storage
  • Promote rest and relaxation before bedtime when spritzed on your pillowcase
  • Give your clothes a lovely lift when used as a mist before ironing (see you later spray starch!)
  • Use your favorite lavender essential oil from Napa Valley Bath!

So without further ado, here is a great DIY recipe for yourself, or to make as a gift for a friend or loved one…

Lavender-Rose Sweet Water Mist

Ingredients:

- 4 ounces rose hydrosol (available at natural-foods stores)
- 1 ounce distilled water
- 1 tablespoon 150- to 190-proof alcohol, such as brandy, unflavored vodka, or grain alcohol
- 10 drops vegetable glycerin
- 45 drops lavender essential oil

How To:

In a small spray mister, combine rose hydrosol, water, alcohol, vegetable glycerin, and lavender essential oil. Cover and shake well to blend.

source:   WholeLiving.com

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Get Your Healthy Home Checklist Here!

by Leslie Billera on June 8, 2010 · 0 comments

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We’re big fans of the Environmental Working Group. This Washington-based non-profit uses the power of public information to protect public health and the environment.

Their latest endeavor is their Healthy Home Checklist.

The idea is to go through your home, room by room, checklist in hand. The list helps you assess how you can create a less toxic home for you and your family in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry and cleaning closet and all around the house.

Do You Smell That?

On the Bathroom checklist, we noticed these two important points:

  1. Do you use air fresheners? Don’t! Most contain a number of toxic chemicals that contaminate the air you breathe.
  2. Is there fragrance in your personal care products? We don’t know what’s in “fragrance,” so it’s safer to choose all fragrance-free personal care products. Always check ingredient lists to be sure.

These two questions resonated with us since Napa Valley Bath boasts a bonafide  ‘pure cure’ for each!…

NVB Cure for #1 – All Natural Air Freshener:

You can’t get more pure than lavender hydrosol. Known also as lavender water, lavender hydrosol is the pure, water-based solution created when essential oils are steam distilled. It’s also the perfect antidote to toxic, over-bearing room sprays.

Plus, hydrosol is a workhorse. Uses include sunburn reliever, first aid cure, insomnia therapy (simply spray on your pillow), and much more!

NVB Cure for #2 – A Worry-Free, Longer Lasting Fragrance Substitute

Personal care experts suggest that buying a scented body lotion is a better investment than buying a cologne or perfume. Lotions soak into your skin, emitting a longer-lasting and more subtle scent than cologne or perfume.

Napa Valley Bath’s all-natural, chemical free Lavender Body Lotion steps this concept up a notch.  After all, the skin is your body’s largest organ, so slathering something healthy on it is the only sensible thing to do.

Plus, you’ll enjoy the ‘longevity’ factor of a lotion vs. spray-on scent.

Will you take EWG’s Healthy Home Checklist to task?  If so, let us know what you discover! We love hearing from you!

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5 Get Happy Tips

by Leslie Billera on May 1, 2010 · 0 comments

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In the doldrums? Focus on these 5 actions and feel your mood improve!

1. Move & Groove

The power of movement cannot be under-rated. Whether you enjoy serious sweating or zenned-out yoga, you should get a minimum of 3 hours of moderate activity every week to enhance your mood. Ideally, it should be 5 days a week, for at least a half hour a day. Now get going!

2. Snooze or Lose

I know: easier said than done. But if you’re not getting enough zzzs, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Quality sleep enhances neurological function and keeps your mood blissfully even. Work your schedule to ensure you’re getting enough rest. A  mist of lavender organic hydrosol on your pillow will make dropping off that much more delightful. Try to mix in some down time activities too – even just for 15 minutes – like meditation, a light read, or simply chilling to music.

3. Glug!

Did you know that even a low level of dehydration can make your mood level sink? It’s true. So be sure to honor your bod with plenty of H2O. Forget plastic bottles: invest in a high quality, BPA-free reusable water bottle and be sure to honor the earth when you’re quaffing nature’s soft drink.

4. Feel the light

Serotonin – a neurotransmitter essential for relaxation, sleep and concentration levels – drops, even amongst the smiley set, when it’s cold and dark outside. Getting outside and feeling the sunshine can boost serotonin. And remember: you don’t have to be on a tropical island – even winter sun will do the trick!

5. Get Meaning

You don’t have to save the world: you just have to infuse a feeling of purpose into your days. Don’t overshoot – know your personality and work within your own fabulous framework: join a book club, take a class (even online!), volunteer. Choose something that will optimize your mood that makes sense for you’re individual personality.

Aromatherapy does wonders to transform  your bath and body routine into a divine mind mender; tap into the scent-ual treasures Napa Valley Bath has to offer and treat yourself right.

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3 Easy Tips to Try Aromatherapy At Home

by Leslie Billera on March 3, 2010 · 0 comments

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We’ve touched on what aromatherapy can do for your body.  So let’s look at what amazing aromatherapy can do for your home.

Aromatherapy is the use of pure essential oils to enhance our physical and mental well-being. Essential oils are highly concentrated distilled essences of plants that smell truly delightful. They are diluted either by water or with a ‘carrier oil,’ depending on the intended use of the essential oil.

Organic lavender essential oil – our personal fave – has the ability to evoke and increase the release of serotonin, thus producing a calming effect.1

Try these simple at-home tips and bring the soothing power of aromatherapy to your abode!

1. Create a Simmering Scent

To freshen air inside your home, drip some of our favorite scent into a pot of water and simmer mixture on the stove top for several hours.

2. Try Tug-Worthy Toilet Paper

To ensure there’s always a fresh scent in the bathroom, add a few drops of essential oil onto the cardboard roll that holds the toilet paper. The fragrance will release with each pull. Remember to repeat with each new roll you hang.

3. Reinvent the Room Deodorizer

Conventional so-called room deodorizers are just chemical-filled band-aids used to mask odors. Make your own with ease: add 25 drops of your favorite essential oil to 16 ounces of water, put in a spray bottle, and voila – fresh, pure, natural smelling indoor air!

And don’t forget about hydrosol - it’s less concentrated than essential oil, but equally aromatherapeutic!

Our sense of smell impacts our daily perceptions and our reactions to what’s going on around us – physically, emotionally and mentally. Infusing your home with healing scents is a great way to boost your mood and keep you centered.  Now take one big beautiful breath, and enjoy!

1Perscription for or Nutritional Healing, Phyllis A. Balch, CNC

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Learn to Love Lavender Hydrosol

by Leslie Billera on October 29, 2009 · 0 comments

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It’s time to infuse your life with organic lavender hydrosol.

You’ve probably heard a lot about essential oils, while hydrosols have tended to take a back seat. No longer. We love lavender hydrosol for its balancing and healing qualities.

Hydrosol is the pure, water-based solution created when essential oils are steam distilled. They are less concentrated than essential oils – in fact, there’s less than 5% actual oil in hydrosol. This means a more mild and subtle aroma, with no dilution necessary.

Not only does lavender hydrosol smell light and lovely, it’s a reliable work horse. Spray some on to…

  • Soothe sunburn
  • Cool heat rash
  • Heal irritation
  • Cleanse cuts and scrapes
  • Tone skin: spray on skin after daily cleansing, it balances dryness/oiliness
  • Counter itching from insect bites
  • Reduce inflammation before and after hair removal
  • Prevent ingrown hairs before shaving
  • Create extra calm in the bath
  • Freshen sheets naturally (say goodbye to chemical-laden fabric sprays)
  • Relieve stress when used in a compress for shoulders, neck and forehead…or when simply inhaled from your pillow
  • Cure insomnia

And for Baby…

With their super sensitive skin, lavender hydrosol is a wonder for the wee ones. Use lavender hydrosol to…

  • Calm in bathwater
  • Scent homemade baby wipes
  • Soothe diaper rash

Rose, peppermint, cucumber, sage…there’s a whole world of hydrosols out there waiting for you to discover!

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