living in italy

Raves for Rosemary

by Leslie Billera on September 11, 2010 · 0 comments

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I’ll never forget my first roasted chicken with rosemary. It was made with love by an Italian friend we were visiting in Tuscany and I still dream of it from time to time.

Now I can apply this warm and fuzzy feeling for this native Mediterranean herb to my personal care experience.

Greeks wove Rosemary wreaths into their hair believing that Rosemary strengthened the brain and enhanced memory. From a health and skincare perspective, rosemary – a member of the mint family (the same as lavender!) – is known to:

  • boost mental activity
  • relieve respiratory problems
  • stimulate hair growth
  • tone skin
  • heal skin dryness

The Sweet Scent of Rosemary Therapy

On the aromatherapy front, rosemary is a potent inhalant that enhances mental energy. Since it’s known for strengthening memory, it is also an ancient symbol of fidelity and has been referred to as the ‘remembrance herb.’

Delight your senses and indulge your skin with a unique take on rosemary goodness – try Napa Valley Bath’s Organic Rosemary Soap (it includes barley grass for extra, earth-bound richness) and let us know what you think!

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2 DIY Olive Oil and Lavender-Kissed Cleansers!

by Leslie Billera on May 29, 2010 · 0 comments

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If your facial cleanser is leaving your skin feeling dry, it’s removing too much of its natural moisturizer, known as sebum.

On the other hand, if your cleanser leaves your skin feeling greasy or sticky, either it isn’t removing enough oil or it contains heavy emollient and film-forming ingredients that clog pores.

Squeaky, Cheeky Clean!

A great facial cleanser removes grime from your skin – without stripping it of healthy lipids which you need to protect from the environment.

That’s where a great DIY green cleanser comes in.  Olive and sunflower oils are suitable for almost every skin. Try the following recipe, which green cosmetics author and advocate Julie Gabriel considers “a green replica of conventional cleansing” products.

Just Olive Cleansing Oil

Ingredients:

note: an ampoule is a small sealed vial

How to:

1. Pour the oil into a stainless steel shaker; add the vitamin E and essential oil. (if you have acne outbreaks, replace the chamomile oil with one drop of tea tree or geranium oil).

2. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.

3. Pour the contents into a pump bottle. Thanks to the antioxidant action of vitamin E and chamomile, this blend has a long shelf life in dry, cool conditions.

The following DIY recipe can be used as a mask if you’re experiencing pimples, dullness, or overall uneven complexion. Just leave it on for 5 minutes to let it do its magic.

Day in Provence Cleansing Powder

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon loose organic green tea
  • 1 teaspoon dried rose petals
  • 1 teaspoon dried calendula (marigold petals)
  • 1 teaspoon dried lavender florets
  • 1 uncoated aspirin tablet
  • 1 ounce white clay (bentonite)
  • 1 ounce rice bran
  • 3 capsules of vitamin C

1. Crush the green tea, rose and calendula petals, and lavender florets in a mortar.  Add the aspirin tablet, crush it, and blend with plant particles. Add the clay and blend thoroughly. Add rice bran. Twist open capsules of vitamin C and add them to the mix.

2. Transfer to a wide-neck glass bottle and shake vigorously so the ingredients form a homogeneous mix.

3. Use daily by pouring a teaspoonful (size of two quarters) into a dry hand. Add a few drops of water, form a dense paste, and rub into face, avoiding the eye area.

note: this concoction can be stored up to three months in an airtight twist-cap bottle.

Let us know how you like the results, right here: we’d love to hear from you!

recipes via The Green Beauty Guide, by Julie Gabriel

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Aromatherapy 101: What the Nose Knows

by Leslie Billera on January 29, 2009 · 0 comments

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It’s time to delve deeper into aromatherapy.

For starters, here’s a definition we  like:

Aromatherapy can be defined as the art and science of

utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants

to balance, harmonize and promote the health of body, mind and spirit.

-The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy

Scents and Sensibility

Pure essential oils – the building blocks of aromatherapy – are taken from flowers, leaves, stalks, bark, rind, or roots. Aromatherapy, or as it is sometimes called, essential oil therapy, is applied either:

  1. Topically: applied to the skin either via massage or baths
  2. Directly Inhaled: breathed in deeply
  3. Aerial Diffusion: oils evaporate into the air for pleasantly scented air or for disinfection

Scent immediately goes to the brain and elicits a response. A signal is sent to your brain’s limbic system, which controls emotions and retrieves learned memories. This then causes chemicals to be released which makes you feel relaxed, calm or even stimulated.

Popular essential oils and their related aromatherapeutic benefits include:

  • Basil - Sharpens concentration; alleviate some depression symptoms; headache and migraine reliever.
  • Bergamot - Useful for urinary tract and digestive tract; good for the skin when combined with eucalyptus oil.
  • Black pepper – Stimulates circulation; aids muscular aches, pains and bruises.
  • Eucalyptus – Relieves cold or flue by opening airways; commonly combined with peppermint.
  • Jasmin – Offers aphrodisiac qualities.
  • Lavender – Heals minor cuts and burns as an antiseptic; relaxer; relieves headache and migraine symptoms; sleep enhancer
  • Lemon – Lifts  moods, relieves stress and depression.
  • Tea tree – Provides antimicrobial, antiseptic, and disinfectant qualities. Commonly used in mouth rinses.
  • Thyme – Helps with fatigue, nervousness and stress.

There are about 150 essential oils to choose from. Whichever one you choose for aromatherapy, make sure it’s made from natural, pure, raw and ideally organic materials. Synthetic oils are never an acceptable substitute.

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