The basic premise of reflexology is that areas of the feet correspond to other areas of the body, and that by massaging, pressing, rubbing and otherwise probing these areas, stimulation of the body’s qi will create healing and decrease pain. How cool of an idea is this?

I love the metaphor of the feet being a bridge to the entire body. I also love to have my feet rubbed. Feels so good, especially when those dogs are barking.

At IO we supplement our reflexology treatments with the luxury of In Fiore Pedicurie balms in peppermint, chamomile or ginger. Depending on your constitution and your particular needs that day, each aromatherapeutic balm carries with it a specific healing capacity:

• Peppermint is cooling and a classic choice for relieving overburdened feet that are stuffed into hot shoes all day.
• Chamomile is one of the more calming herbs and its subtle, earthy scent conjures up a grounding low vibration for your body and mind.
• Ginger is warming and stimulates circulation for those of us that tend to need a little qi boost.

Whether or not you believe that areas of the feet literally map to other systems of the body, the basic truth is this: a foot rub sure does feel divine, and we all deserve to pamper our piggies once in a while.

Be your own foot bridge to health,
Amy

Truly, taking care of yourself is your first line of defense against the health-degrading effects of anxiety and tension. What that means for you is open to interpretation, but taking a little time out for yourself every single day is so important to maintaining the equilibrium of mental, physical and spiritual health – three things that are integrally linked.

Maybe it means you opt to take a yoga class instead of unwinding with a glass of wine after work. International Orange has some great classes designed specifically to dissipate tension, such as our Friday night Mellow Flow and our Sunday evening Restorative Yoga.

Or immerse yourself in the sanctuary of an IO spa massage. Even better, treat yourself to any two IO spa treatments in the same day, and we’ll invite you to take a yoga class for free.

One of my personal favorite ways to unwind these days is with a Dayna Decker botanical candle (a recent addition to the Shop at IO). And I swear, it transcends any candle experience you’ve ever had. For real, taking one of these beautiful candles home will exponentially enhance the calming effects of your bath, meditation session or chill-time.

Here’s another worthy splurge I recommend for stress therapy: REN rose bath oil. I’ve given this to a few friends who aren’t huge “rose flavor” fans, and they’ve come back begging for more. It smells exactly like a rose bush. In your bath.

These are just a few ideas, courtesy of IO. In truth, any steps you take to nurture your own sense of peace and trust in the universe are bound to pay off, more than any economic stimulus plan possibly could.

Your personal wellness is a bridge to your better side.

So treat yourself well,
Amy

A facial peel is like a really deep cleaning for your face. When I clean my house, I use non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, organic products. Likewise for my face. The Arcona and REN products that Alicia mentions are favorite sellers at IO, and I can testify that they are amazing. I am an avid user.

I save a special place in my heart for our In Fiore products because they are made with love and inspiration by a great friend of mine and they’ve long been a popular staple at IO. The Coveted mentions In Fiore’s Fleur Vibrante balm for soothing dry, parched or irritated skin post-peel. It’s truly good stuff.

The In Fiore motto is “let fragrance by thy medicine”. I adore that. Next time you are at IO, check out one of our tester jars and I guarantee you will fall into rapture over the precious garnet-colored glass vials of balms that smell like heaven itself.

But In Fiore balms are not just skin deep. They are elegant, couture holistic treatments designed to promote long-term skin health and radiance. Most In Fiore products use a base of the highest quality jojoba, grapeseed and vitamin E oils enhanced with precious aromatherapeutic essential oils.

I personally believe that a great, human-friendly product is only half the battle with skin care. Equally important is that you enjoy using the product, and I can’t imagine a more decadent self-pampering experience than In Fiore.

Love,
Amy

Yet, amidst the gloom and doom, when I continue to wait in line for a seat at a restaurant on an average Tuesday night in my neighborhood and see smiling faces and hear laughing, I can’t help but think; wow, people are still having fun.

Many San Franciscans are finding ways to keep joy in their lives. And it’s encouraging. People are simplifying, because they have to, and many seem to be keeping some fun in the mix. Fun and laughter is my light in the dark. Having fun seems to carves out a space deep enough for hope to live in. A fun-well of sorts that I can dip in for a sip of hope when I’m thirsty for it.

At IO, our mission is to be A Bridge to Your Better Side. A subtitle to our mission statement is this: to be A Bridge Over Troubled Water.

Everyday our team at IO attempts this mission by consistently offering exceptional wellness care knowing full well that it’s always important to take care of your body and mind but even more so in stressful times.

Our hope at IO is that we make that a little easier for our community. We have always offered wallet-friendly options for our wellness rituals during weekdays, but we’ve dialed it up to answer the call.

7×7 Magazine listed us in April’s “The Seven: Best Spring Spa Deals”, citing our Massage Stimulus Package (our 60-minute IO Signature Massage for only $89 – a 15 percent savings).

We’ve always got a healthy handful of other spa offers that combine our consistently excellent treatment quality with wallet-friendly rates during off-peak hours. Check out our Spa Specials page for the nitty-gritty.

And remember, no matter what’s goes on in our crazy world, the stability of your own health and well-being depends upon treating yourself with care first. It starts with you and radiates outward.

We live in a world in flux. In our own hearts may we be steady, strong, rich in spirit, and as relaxed as humanly possible.

TLC time,
Amy

I’m keen on learning about “miracle” herbal medicinals. I learned that it’s not just prescribed for (ahem) PMS and women’s health issues which I’d heard. Yes, another remedy to avoid feeling and acting like a grump a few days out of the month. But it’s more than that.

Evening primrose oil is also touted to promote heart health, aid in weight loss, reduce high blood pressure, and relieve pain and inflammation. And traditionally, it’s been used topically to treat skin conditions like eczema and inflammation.

Evening primrose oil’s primary weapon against bad health comes in the form of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid (EFAs). Fatty acids are essential for human health and are not produced by the human body.

Ideally, of course, we get GLAs from our diet in the form of things like fish, flax seeds, canola oil, and some nuts. But in lieu of a perfect diet, it’s good to know how to supplement, especially with targeted EFAs that are specifically designed by nature to affect our individual health needs.

You can pick up evening primrose oil in capsule form at Rainbow Grocery or any other natural food market that has a decent supplement section.

And we carry several products at IO that contain evening primrose oil specifically for the skin.

In Fiore, a favorite product line of mine and one we’ve stocked in our Shop at IO since its inception, is loaded with the stuff. I’ve been using In Fiore oils and balms on my face and body at least once a day since 2002. I’m a believer.

In Fiore is one of my “secrets” although not so secret anymore. Evening primrose as well as loads of other healing and smell-like-heaven flower essences and oils help make In Fiore powerful stuff. Both healing and heaven-scent.

Although the jury is still out on whether evening primrose oil is the magical elixir some claim it to be, why not give it a whirl.

Plus, it has just about the most romantic name for a nutritional supplement that I’ve ever heard. Say it. Evening Primrose. It makes you want to buy a bottle just to display it on your armoire.

As prim as a rose in evening-time,
Amy

And I shouldn’t forget to mention some of the delicious doctored salts like smoked salt and spiced salt and rose petal or hibiscus-flavored salt.

This new millennium trend toward fancy salt is not surprising when you consider that salt is one of the oldest and most revered minerals known to the humans. In days of old, salt was a rarefied luxury known only to the most decadent tribes.

Since then, salt became widespread. It’s not just a basic food item; it’s a basic taste — as far as your tongue is concerned — and one of only four (the others, of course, being sweet, sour and bitter.)

Salt is crucial to humans because it helps regulate the fluid balance of our bodies. It sometimes gets a bad rap because of its relationship to high blood pressure, but, truth is, we need a certain amount of salt to survive.

All of this aside, salt is also one of my favorite beauty ingredients. Salt is a great exfoliant when suspended in a skin-friendly oil. And here’s a little secret: you don’t need to buy an expensive prepackaged salt scrub. You can actually make your own concoction at home.

Following is a basic recipe, but keep in mind that you can’t go wrong with improvisation. PS: this is also a great Mother’s Day gift idea.

HOMEMADE SEA SALT SCRUB

1. A coarse-grained sea salt. (You can find this in the bulk section of your local natural grocery.)

2. A skin-friendly oil like jojoba, olive, almond, or sesame. (In a pinch, canola oil will do.)

3. Try essential oils. Spring is a great time to scavenge for local aromatherapy favs like lavender, rosemary or rose petals. Give them a few days to dry out, then crumble into your salt mixture. Or experiment with spices from your kitchen.

Give it a try. And if you don’t feel like making it yourself, I recommend the one my mom makes by hand for us at IO called Lavender Tangerine Salt Rub by OM OF NM. It’s fabulous, organic and made with love by my mom, Jane… so it’s almost like you made it yourself.

Salty and happy,
Amy

Clarisonic is a laudable invention that’s been written up in the Huffington Post as being “spectacular” and “the skin care product — for women and men — of 2008”. We took the rave reviews to heart and tried it at IO, and it did not disappoint.

Think of it as a Sonicare toothbrush for your face. (It’s actually made by the same people who make Sonicare, so they know their stuff.) It’s basically a self-facial gadget that you can use every day to deep clean, exfoliate and brighten up your skin at home. It’s waterproof, so you can even use it in the shower.

How does it work? Their patented sonic frequency technology vibrates the brush across your skin at 300 movements per second, so it gets into your pores and the fine lines of your face (not that you have those!) better than cleanser and a facecloth alone could manage. This gentle cleaning and exfoliating action allows your skin to better absorb moisturizers and toners so that you get your money’s worth out of all of your beauty products.

And it’s not just for the face. You can use the Clarisonic on your entire body for allover better skin health. You can apply any high-quality skincare product with it, or use it sans product altogether.

We’re generally reluctant to buy into gadget crazes at IO, so this is the only high-tech tool we use during our facial treatments. We’ve had so much good feedback about using it that we decided to offer it for sale in our boutique. For just under $200, this is the best skincare bargain around.

And on a personal note, I’ve been using my Clarisonic. I can absolutely see the difference in my skin.

Clarisonic!
Amy

Even those of us in the wellness world have to manage stress as we try to remember to practice what we preach. Plus, I wasn’t 18 anymore and my skin was changing. It needed more TLC.

When I was a kid, my mom’s beauty routine consisted of slathering on Kiehl’s face wash (before they sold to L’Oreal) and splashing her face with water. Both my grandmas had even simpler habits including Cold Cream mostly.

And yes, times have changed an with that the earth’s air-quality and atmosphere is altered. Many drugstore products of moms and grandmas era don’t do the trick to combat the pollutants, allergens and radiation from an exponentially stronger sun.

Fortunately, nature and science are doing a pretty good job of keeping up with the shifts in the needs of our pretty faces. I’m particularly smitten with a natural product line that we recently started carrying at IO: Dr. Alkaitis Holistic Organic Skin Food.

Dr. Alkaitis is not just some marketing concept; he’s actually a highly regarded research scientist with a PhD in physical chemistry and credentials in the research fields of cancer, viruses and genetics.

More importantly to me, he’s an ethnopharmacologist: one who knows how to heal with plants. He is not, in other words, simply a guy with a good idea. He’s a real, bona fide scientist with holistic intentions.

Dr. Alkaitis’ particular expertise is acutely apparent in his innovative, high-integrity product formulations. I’ve spoken with him personally on the phone when we were considering the line.

I can vouch for his serious passion for his work and his depth and breadth of relevant knowledge. I also find it refreshing to know there are Real McCoeys left in the world.

But aside from the founder’s star-striking credentials, the real integrity of Dr. Alkaitis products lies in their making. Unlike most skin care products that are based on water and alcohol, these are made with a base of aloe vera and very high quality oils and butters.

Dr. Alkaitis products use primarily “living” ingredients that are biologically active. Which means that they are minimally processed and still contain active nutrients that your skin readily soaks up.

These skincare products are food-grade quality so it’s good enough to eat, but please don’t!

I think the Dr. Alkaitis motto says it all: The Essential Foundation of Beauty is Health.

I’m all for that.

Healthy is beautiful,
Amy

That’s Buddhist teacher, Pema Chodron, speaking.

It’s true that we are always looking for that one miracle product that is going to reverse the effects of aging, zap our wrinkles, perfect our skin and disappear our sags. The marketing lingo of most beauty products feeds right into our fears around aging.

But what if it wasn’t about being younger? What if we could be happy right where we are on our precious life path? I can keep dreaming can’t I?

What I love about REN products (new to us at IO) is that it’s not about performing a miracle. It’s about letting your skin be the best skin it can be at its given age. That doesn’t mean you are going to go to bed with REN Vita-Mineral Radiant Day Cream on your face and wake up twenty years younger. But it means that you’re going to wake up with skin that’s more hydrated, less stressed, and thus inherently more radiant and youthful in demeanor.

Chodron reminds us:

“According to Buddha, the lives of all beings are marked by three characteristics: impermanence, egolessness, and suffering… Recognizing these qualities to be real and true in our own experience helps us to relax with things as they are.”

Let’s face it. No beauty product is going to make us younger. But by treating ourselves to high-quality skincare products designed specifically for our skin, right now, at our age, maybe we can alleviate a little bit of our suffering around attachment to youth.

Convert to REN Buddhism?
Amy

I have to rave about IO Massage Therapist, Mieze Steinberg, and the amazing IO Organic Fusion Massage she gave me the other day. The Organic Fusion is a specialty massage that combines three of my favorite things: massage, yoga, and aromatherapy.

I learned that Mieze is trained in Thai yoga massage, which is bodywork that is like letting someone else put your body through yoga poses without you ever lifting a muscle, so to speak. She raised me gently into a heart-opening cobra pose which made my cranky back feel fantastic, and then stretched out my hips by manipulating my legs in the most subtle, effortless way.

IO Organic Fusion also incorporates basic Swedish massage and a little bit of shiatsu: the practitioner uses their fingers to apply pressure to traditional points along the body in order to stimulate the meridians (in eastern medicine) and key points along the nervous system (in the western philosophy). Shiatsu is a traditional therapeutic form of massage, and utterly relaxing.

Here’s my favorite part of the experience: having the highest-quality organic IO Enrich cream methodically and sensually applied to my skin, all over, to re-hydrate from the drying effects of winter. That’s followed up by a liberal application of IO Anoint body oil. Both are organic products that have lasting effects on my skin. Even after sitting in the steam room for a good twenty minutes after my massage, my skin still felt baby-soft for quite a while.

I like to be really warm, especially when I am trying to relax. And the warmed, citrus-scented towels that Mieze laid under my neck, across my back, and around my feet had the most cozy and comforting effect. If it sounds like there’s a lot going on with this treatment, trust me, it all blends magically into a sensory experience that will leave you feeling like a happy noodle.

Thank you for the perfect fusion. When can I come back?

Joslyn

And it’s also a story about lipstick.

Essentially, what Lieutenant Colonel Mervin Willett Gonin wrote about was the month he spent at Bergen-Belsen (one of the most notorious death camps of the holocaust), and the atrocities and horrors he saw there, along with the helplessness and shame the British soldiers felt in their inability to save every single person. But amidst all the misery, an interesting thing happened. A package full of red lipsticks arrived.

At first, the British were flabbergasted that someone in their ranks had thought a box of lipsticks would be any help at all in saving the victims of the death camps. They were in dire need of medical supplies, food. So many more pressing things in order to save lives. Wouldn’t lipstick be incidental, even an offensive offering to those in dire need?

Never underestimate the power of hope in saving a life. The lipsticks got out, and suddenly, the prisoners were reminded of a life beyond the walls of Bergen-Belsen, before there was a war. Suddenly, everyone was wearing lipstick. They didn’t have proper clothes, but they had lipstick. And that red lipstick, as Colonal Gonin put it so eloquently, started to give them back their humanity.

I don’t know how to integrate this information into my own obviously more comfortable and privileged life, but I do know that there is a message in this story. I’d love to hear your thoughts, and to share this harrowing yet somehow lovely account, in Colonel Gonin’s own words. It’s not an easy read, but it’s a rewarding one.

Hope in a tube of lipstick,
Amy

This is why aromatherapy is such a powerful therapeutic tool. Well, at least that’s my theory. But when you smell essential oils, the initial hit has a powerful affect on your body and nervous system. When we become numb to the scent, the effects are more subconscious.

A friend of mine swears that peppermint oil is the only thing that makes her feel better when she has a stomach ache. But here’s the catch – she doesn’t simply smell it. She rubs it on her belly. Peppermint oil, like many other essential oils, has powerful absorptive qualities. In a more direct way than peppermint tea or a peppermint candy could penetrate via the digestive system, actually applying peppermint oil to her belly allows the healing fumes to sink directly into the tissues and organs. As an added bonus, the sharp, sweet scent of peppermint oil has an association for her that speaks to healing and reviving. The mere smell of peppermint oil can now have a positive effect, thanks to smell’s strong nostalgic association.

At IO we use this science of aromatherapeutic oils in many of our products and services. The benefits range from somatic to emotional. Many of our massage treatments are customized with essential oils, such as our in-house IO Anoint Oil or In Fiore’s Dayala, Jolie, Shevanti or Tiagi Body Balms.

Pretty much every beauty product we sell or use at IO was selected in part due to its scent. And, of course, the quality of the essential oils in our products have to be up to par for us to stand behind them. Period.

Scent yourself, naturally,
Amy

Then I heard the other side of the story. The side about how Fiji water is shipped from so far away that the shameless energy expended in its extraction and distribution far outweighs any health benefits you might glean from the stuff. And then there’s the little matter of what happens to the bottle when you are done drinking the water. It doesn’t turn into compost, I’ll put it that way.

Tap water has a bad rap, but here’s a little secret: the United States has the most healthy and least dangerous potable tap water of any country in the world. In the Bay Area in particular, our tap water comes from “high Sierra snowmelt from the pristine Hetch Hetchy Reservoir” (according to sfwater.org – read more about it). You could pretty much drink this water straight out of the river without much worry, and that’s before it goes through the technologically superior water system that we are lucky to be privy to.

Bottled water, on the other hand, is subject to nasty plastics that can leach into your body in an insidious but invisible way. I try to drink more out of the tap. If you’re worried about too much chlorine, fluoride or potential contaminants, use a simple filtration system like a Brita. I’m trying to cut plastic bottles of water out of my life. We don’t carry them at IO. We do sell a bottled water for our parched guests and that’s Antipodes which comes in an elegantly reusable or recyclable glass bottle. And the water we serve to yoga and spa guests is none other than filtered San Francisco tap water.

Okay I know what you’re thinking, tap water? Really? Well, in NYC there’s now even a company bottling and selling New York City tap water! The message of this company flies in the face of the outlandish purity claims of other bottled waters. But it’s still selling water in plastic bottles which I’m not into. For more on this catchy story check out an article about the aptly named, Tap’dNY.

And if you need a little tap water pick-me-up, here are a few easy ways to spice up the on tap experience:

Use an Eco / Body-Friendly Water Bottle
I like my cute SIGG water bottle instead of buying into all that plastic. It’s reusable and not harmful to your health.

Filter Your Own
Sometimes I filter my tap water (and add healthy minerals) by soaking Japanese bamboo charcoal in it. You can get drinking-water grade charcoal in Japantown at various shops like Boulettes Larder in the SF Ferry Building.

Warm It Up
I warm it up with a little lemon and ginger, maybe even some honey. This is a great morning-time tea. It gets the digestive juices flowing for a healthy start to the day.

Mix It Up
I mix it up in a pitcher with fruits and herbs I find in my fridge or cupboard. You’d be surprised what creative combinations you can come up with: herbs like fresh mint and thyme are great, and pretty much any fruit will add a yummy twist to the plain stuff.

For me, the bottom line on water is that it’s good stuff, often even the kind right out of the tap. Simply put, water flushes things out and is the easiest, healthiest way I know to aid elimination. I try to drink a lot of it. Sometimes I forget, but I try, try again.

Go ahead, drink the water,
Amy

Kombucha is basically a fermented tea. In the ancient Far East, where kombucha originated, it was known as the “Immortal Health Elixir”. A tall order, if you ask me. But kombucha does seem to have some pretty incredible health benefits.

Kombucha is often casually referred to as “mushroom tea”, but in truth, there are no mushrooms involved in its making. It’s actually fermented from several strains of bacterial and yeast cultures. The clustered culture looks like a mushroom when growing on the tea as its being fermented, thus the misnomer. Each bottle of kombucha allegedly contains over a billion of the healthy little guys. The fermentation of this particular mix of microbes creates a drink that’s contains C and B vitamins along with various beneficial enzymes and essential amino acids. The bacteria also results in probiotics being pleasantly rampant in the brewed tea so it’s great for your gut.

Aside from aiding digestion, what else does kombucha actually do for you? Health claims range from boosting liver functionality to actually preventing cancer. It’s an antioxidant, and that’s always good in our toxic world.

Regardless of its heralded health benefits, kombucha is a bit of an acquired taste. It has a tangy bite. I actually heard someone refer to it as “the roquefort of tea”. In my humble opinion, the kombucha that we carry at IO – Kombucha Wonder Drink (not so humble name) – is one of the tastiest of the commercial lot. It’s naturally effervescent, comes in several quixotic flavors with an oolong tea base, and is certified organic. (You can always brew your own kombucha at home, but it’s not for everyone. Aside from being difficult, messy and time-consuming, it’s tough to get the recipe right.)

At the very least, kombucha is a nice twist on a simple refreshing beverage.

I ‘heart’ kombucha,
Amy

These gift-giving guidelines were a good and worthy challenge. Needless to say, I’m still working on a photo collage for my brother (oops, don’t tell). So, if you’re like me and you’re still getting the whole gift thing together, no panicking.

For great finds in the edible and homemade category, if you live in San Francisco, the Ferry Building offers stellar last minute options. Yesterday I bought some truffle salt and acacia honey that will warm the bellies of my nearest and dearest. In addition, here are some simple but thoughtful IO gift ideas that speak to tranquility, health and natural beauty – qualities we aim to exemplify with all of our offerings at IO.

Spa Treatments at International Orange
We have some superior IO Holiday Spa Specials. And, there’s nothing more nurturing than gifting a friend the time to dedicate to their own wellness. We all have someone in our life who could use a good excuse to slow down, even if just for an hour or two.

Our Very Own IO Handcrafted, Organic Products
A great choice if you are committed to supporting fair trade and organic farming. Beyond that, our products are made with love and are cultivated with absolute attention to detail. I can personally attest that there is nothing synthetic about our aptly named products, Cleanse, Enrich, Restore, Nourish, Balance, Anoint and Bathe. They smell pretty amazing too. Year after year, my family and friends yearn for these homemade and good-for-your-body gifts.

A Bath with Candle Light
Well, you can’t actually give someone a bath wrapped up in a box, but you can set them up for success with our IO Bathe – a sea salt-based detoxifying bath treatment that’s designed to encourage circulation while calming the nervous system. Toss in a Kai Skylight Candle and you can rest comfortably knowing you’ve given a loved one an evening of blissed-out alone time. What a gift.

The Gift of Pampered Skin
My soul-sister, Julie Elliott, serves up amazing gifts with her geniously handcrafted products from In Fiore. Her luscious balms make bodies supple and well-scented. Some even pay special and seductive attention to specific and important parts of the body, like Peppermint Pedicurie for feet and toes, Decollete Balm for chest and neck and Bikini Balm for you know where. Always on my gifting list are the equally irresistible all-over body balms like Kashmir (rich, woody and great for guys), Tiagi (lavender, lemongrass and my mom’s favorite) and Dayala (great for exotic flower lovers, like me). For even more variety, IO also carries a bevy of creams, lotions, scrubs and cleanses for you to browse online or in our shop on Fillmore Street.

Yoga
I’ve talked a lot about the healing power of yoga in recent blogs. Spread the gospel by giving a gift certificate to yoga classes at IO. Like our products, we handpick our yoga teachers based on their level of expertise and their nurturing presence. For beginners, a private yoga session with one of our experienced staff can be a great way to encourage them to jump in.

That’s about it for my holiday gift pitch. I wouldn’t be promoting IO products and services if I didn’t feel personally invested in all of them. That’s how we do it over here at IO. We founded IO with the vision of creating an urban destination of calm, healing and transformation. The products we sell are a direct representation of our core values. It’s my gift to you to offer them up this holiday season… and beyond.

Happy, happy, merry, merry,
Amy

Results and integrity are a powerful coupling and a requirement for our product offerings across the board at IO. With product selection, we seek to bridge the gap between high-end cosmetics of dubious sourcing and all natural makeup that, frankly, doesn’t always do the trick.

Many of us are fortunate enough to live in the environmentally progressive Bay Area, where it is about to become mandatory by law that we recycle and that grocery stores no longer bag our items in plastic. And, those cute Smart Cars are showing up everywhere. Sadly, the cosmetic industry hasn’t quite caught on to this important trend. Although makeup manufacturers have to comply with “laissez faire USDA mandates to ensure safety”, according to a recent New York Times article, “safe” has yet to be defined. Ponder that one.

Okay, so your skin is your largest organ. Yes, I know you’ve heard this one before, but have you really paid attention to what that means? At least hold this question in mind when purchasing products for your skin and precious face. Shouldn’t you be at least as careful about what you put on your face as what you put in your belly?

Enter Arcona mineral makeup powders.

Arcona is a holistic skin care line that uses only human-friendly, all natural ingredients and looks gorgeous on your face. With no trace of the usual suspect chemical offenders mercury, coal-tar colors, or formaldehyde, Arcona’s powders are a safe bet, not only for your skin, but also for the environment and the animals in it.

This breathable foundation with SPF 25 sun protection brushes on powder-light, yet still offers good coverage. It protects skin from sun damage and premature aging with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide plus antioxidant vitamins C and E. It covers and protects with the light-diffusing effect of mineral pigments that allow the skin to breathe. It’s available in multiple shades, in an easy to use brush-on tube. I keep one in my purse, another in my makeup bag and take one with me to the beach or on a long sunny hike. Plus, it’s perfect for travel and is, thankfully, not a liquid so you’ll never worry about annoying holdups at airport security.

Take it from me; this is one of my favorite beauty not-so-secrets. And, it’s healthy too.

Cheers to beauty that doesn’t hurt,
Amy

The Zen masters say, “How you do anything is how you do everything.” Even the little moments provide an opportunity to come back to mindfulness.

Instead of hurrying through my morning shower, I pause and make the effort to be present with the daily ritual of washing my hair. Albeit simple, it’s actually a particularly gratifying moment in my day because I’ve had the luxury of designing my own hair care products, just the way I like ‘em. Here’s what what makes my morning shower that much more delightful…

Our IO Restore hair wash is a harmonious blend of invigorating bergamot, stimulating nettle, hydrating geranium flower and healing seaweed. These ingredients work in harmony to bring my locks back into balance and the aromatherapeutic element is a sensory reminder to slow down and be present. I try to take at least a few minutes to lather and rinse my hair. The stimulating action of massaging my scalp with my fingers gives me a kinesthetic connection to the moment.

Our conditioning hair cream, IO Nourish, hydrates, protects and infuses my hair with the lovely scents of jasmine blossom and tuberose petals. We didn’t cut corners with the moisturizing base of golden jojoba and macadamia oil. Jojoba is well known as a natural replacement for human sebum, the oil that our bodies create to keep hair shiny and healthy. Macadamia oil is a high-quality botanical emollient.

And while I’m bragging, 24/7 Style had this to say about Restore and Nourish:

“Not fru-fru, they’re also not over-powering but a perfect blend of flowers, citrus, and healing herbs. The aromatherapy is relaxing to your body and mind, and that alone could be a spa day for some of us!”

Every component of our hair products was well thought out, and using them is, for me, a reminder to stay grounded in the little moments and to appreciate the simple luxuries in each day.

Every moment counts,
Amy

I close the bathroom door behind me and submerge myself in a warm bath.

I love to use our Bathe Bath Soak. Sea Salt, Epsom Salt, and Baking Soda draw out toxins and encourage circulation. Orange Blossom helps put the nervous system at peace. Vetiver Root aids in the release of muscle pain and tension. White Lotus is ethereal and softly sweet. If I don’t have Bathe on hand, a few drops of essential oil and/or just plain Epsom Salts work nicely.

When I am sufficiently cooked to a tender and relaxed state, I wash and hydrate my hair with Restore and Nourish. Essential oil aromas of Bergamot, Lavender, Jasmine and Tuberose help me drift into a semi-sleep. My stresses fade to black. I just wish I could always feel that good.

That’s a work in progress.

Tonight I’ll be soaking my bones again after my workday is done. Now more than ever, give yourself permission to relax. Nobody else can do it for you.

Peace,
Amy

Here’s an easy one that is helping me be happy at home again (and save on electric bills)…my favorite candles.

I am reminded what a nice time of year it is to provide extra light and scent in your home. In honor of the dimming of daylight I want to ‘wax’ poetic about some of my favorite candles. I have one lit most days in my home office, near my altar, in the bathroom, in the bedroom, even when I travel. The gentle fragrance and dancing flame makes me feel good.

Here are some epically great candles:

BURN and RARE candles from Studio Fred Segal are some of my favorites. With at least 100 hours of burn time this candle is superior quality. The glass candle vessel has a wide mouth and a trio of wicks. I also like that there’s no branding except on the bottom of the candle so the label can’t be seen easily. Haven’t we got enough branding in our lives? For me, in this case, less really is more.

It’s difficult to pick out only a few, but if pressed on an answer my current favorites are:

Gardenia Absolute
The quintessential Gardenia that evokes soft southern evenings and feminine wiles with its pure blend of creamy Gardenia milk and blossoms made fresh on a bed of green leaves. Perfect this time of year when a reminder of tropical locals is at least a vacation for the mind.

Hinoki Temple Incense
A recreation of the subtle and quiet scent of Japanese incense which is a connoisseur’s tradition dating back thousands of years wherein only the finest sources of Sandalwood and Aloeswood resins are used. Black tea, Moss and a hint of Smoke are added to evoke the experience.

Lemon Honeysuckle
Truly a classic fragrance that evokes the English countryside in the first rush of summer with wild Honeysuckle growing roadside, ivy trailing up aged walls and the first fruit from lemon trees kept through the winter in estate greenhouses.

For travel size candles, Kai’s tealights called Twilights are nice when there’s not much room for larger ones. This votive set is four tealights and conveniently comes with matches.

I know. I know. Candles won’t change your life, but they will make it brighter and well scented. I’m all for that.

Let there be light,
Amy

Enter, the raspberry.

This red vine fruit with tangy sweetness has Medieval European roots before its migration to the U.S. Raspberry crops now flourish in the cool, wet climates of regions like Washington State, where I was born. I was an early fan of the raspberry, only then the application to my face only occurred as it smeared around my mouth from eating too many, too quickly.

Raspberry leaves can be used fresh or dried in herbal and medicinal teas and tinctures. They are also known to be effective in regulating the female menstrual cycle. Raspberry extract is used medicinally and topically for its antimicrobial and soothing qualities like reducing inflammation, calming irritation and toning the skin. The raspberry fruit is very rich in antioxidant vitamins C and A, and the chemical element, manganese.

Did you know that raspberries rank among the fruits with the highest antioxidant strength?

It’s true. Thanks to the dense contents of polyphenolic antioxidants like ellagic and salicylic acids. Antioxidants inhibit the oxidation process in cells, a process known to have a damaging effect on tissues. Much health research shows that people who consume a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may slow the aging process. Topical application of antioxidants is also thought to protect the skin from signs of aging.

Arcona Raspberry Resurfacing Peel is my current lackluster skin booster. It’s exfoliating, hydrating and oxygenating my skin to improve circulation and minimize irregular pigmentation with a combo of mandelic, lactic and malic acids. As the season changes, it’s helping to heal and soothe my skin from summer sun and protect it for the chill of fall with a antioxidant-rich formula of raspberry and grapeseed extracts, green tea and lycopene.

Directions
Apply once or twice weekly, morning or night. A slight tingling sensation might occur. Leave on skin for 10-15 minutes, 5-8 minutes for sensitive skin. Rinse with warm water, pat skin dry and follow with a skin hydrator.

Berry good for your skin (and tasty too),
Amy

Even though I own a spa and yoga studio, have a daily meditation practice and take pretty darned good care of my body, I haven’t renounced alcohol or a good party night from time to time. Thankfully, I still know how to celebrate.

My Chinese Medicine doctor once advised me, “Amy, sometimes you gotta let the pig out.” Sometimes letting your hair down and having a little fun is just what the doctor ordered, literally.

So, last weekend I “let the pig out” to play. It was the bachelorette weekend of a very close friend of mine. We went south, past Half Moon Bay to Costanoa, a luxury nature retreat with tent cabins and a beautiful lodge (and soundproof party room) that we made the most of with our gaggle of girls. Our night was outstanding. We thoroughly enjoyed plenty of sushi and sake at Sushi Main Street and more champagne afterward in our dance party suite. All this had us smiling, laughing, toasting and preparing our girl, Lisa, for her upcoming nuptials and her brave and beautiful step into marriage.

Now what would life be like without a little debauchery now and again? Answer: life would be boring and out of balance. The key is to choose the debauchery wisely and to know how to recover after a late night out.

Coconut water is my secret. It rehydrates like the dickens. Sayonara Gatorade. Nature’s got a quick-fix hydration tool that is low in sugar and high in potassium and other minerals that work wonders on a dehydrated body. Yes, it’s also fat-free unlike coconut milk. I like the Young Coconut Juice with Pulp from Amy & Brian or 100% Coconut Water from O.N.E.

Yes, coconut water does a body good.

The bride-to-be knows my secret too. I saw her first thing the morning after with a coconut water in hand, looking a little ragged around the edges, but on her way to recovery with memories to last a lifetime.

Go on…let the pig out (if you have coconut water handy),
Amy

Every year in the transition from summer to fall, I return to our organic farm to help my folks with the year’s biggest harvest. We pick all sorts of fruits like grapes, figs, apples, peaches, heirloom vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, and medicinal, healing herbs like flowering mint and lavender.

My business partner and friend, Melissa, as well as IO Creative Director, Matt and IO Retail Director, Julie, have in years past also shared in the harvest experience and helped lend able hands to IO’s very own family farm, Old Monticello Organic Farms, New Mexico, otherwise know by the fitting acronym of OM OF NM.

After the harvest my parents, Jane and Steve, send me back from the farm to San Francisco with my healthy supply of freshly picked fruits and vegetables, my mom’s homemade stone-fruit granola, dad’s wood-aged balsamic vinegar, and lavender products to use at the spa and in my home bathroom.

Lavender Hydrosol is one of my favorite wellness products from the farm. In small batches, my parents slowly distill fresh, hand-cut herbs in their pure well water, producing the highest quality hydrosols and essential oils.

Nearly everyone knows what essential oils are, but hydrosols may be new to people outside of Europe. It is being learned that this “milky water” contains all key plant constituents, often even more than the essential oil itself, and can deliver the fullest medicinal value of the plant via inhalation or skin contact, both pleasingly and effectively.

Lavender is a healing herb known for its balancing, antiseptic and calming qualities.

Hydrosols are the pure water-based solutions created when essential oils are steam-distilled. They help maintain skin pH balance and absorption of product ingredients.

I love to mist Lavender Hydrosol generously on my face and body as a refresher and light fragrance. I always travel with a bottle to hydrate, calm and refresh. Since lavender has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties it’s also good for the germ exposure we encounter when traveling. Try it yourself.

A special thank you to my parents, Jane and Steve, and the fall harvest at OM OF NM for reminding me about the beautiful organic yields of nature and what delightful creations can be made with our own hands. What a combination.

Straight from the farm,

Amy

“I don’t wear sunscreen every day. I heard that sunscreen makes it impossible to get vitamin D from sunshine, and that Americans are too obsessed with sunscreen these days.”

This clearly got Cat thinking since she/we recommend daily use of sunscreen. So, she checked out the scientific credibility of this claim.

It seems to have started with Dr. Michael Holick, a professor at Boston University and a leading researcher in the area of vitamin D synthesis and deficiency. His views and opinions were presented on MSNBC in 2004. He contends that Americans are too hyper about their sunscreen application and that the body needs sunshine exposure to get vitamin D, since food is generally a very poor source. It should also be noted that he has accepted funding from the indoor tanning industry.

In the 1930s, when rickets (a bone disease caused by vitamin D deficiency) was a problem for the American population, the dairy industry started to fortify milk with vitamin D, and that largely eradicated the problem. Unfortunately, now even common vitamin D-fortified milk does not contain the necessary amount (1000 IU per day for adults up to age 70) due to the decline in dairy quality over the years.

BOTTOM LINE
People who are at risk for vitamin D deficiency: anyone who goes to work and comes home when it’s dark outside and does not spend any time whatsoever outdoors. In which case, potential vitamin D deficiency is the least of their worries, it would seem.

Also at risk (geographically): people who live anywhere in or above the latitude of Boston. In the winter, there’s not enough sunlight there to synthesize vitamin D, whether the person is wearing sunscreen or not.

SOLUTION
1 dose/day of Arctic Cod Liver Oil fortified with vitamin D. Otherwise, exposure to hands, arms, and legs to sunshine for 5-15 minutes, twice a week is enough to provide proper vitamin D levels for humans.

So, wear your sunscreen to prevent wrinkles, age spots and skin cancer. Vitamin D deficiency is no excuse in my book.

My favorite sunscreen for the face is Arcona’s mineral makeup powder called Sunsations. Pick the color that matches your skin tone. I also keep a small, 2 ounce bottle of Malin + Goetz Sunscreen handy in my purse.

Industrial-sized, bulky tubes of sunscreen are not my cup of tea. I never finish them before they have collected unwelcome sand and dirt in the cap or have begun to smell “off”. Plus, I don’t like to be wasteful. Instead, I choose sunscreen that’s high-quality, easy to use/carry and comes in a smaller container, so I use what I buy.

Enjoy the sun and protect your beautiful skin,

Amy

1. REFRESH-MINT: A Delicious Mint Cooler
This refreshing and healthy drink is one of my favorites for summertime.
It’s a cold version of fresh mint tea. It’s healthy (no refined sugar and better for you than a can of soda), invigorating and stomach settling.

Ingredients
Teapot full of hot water
One bunch of Mint (either Peppermint or Spearmint)
Honey to taste
Ice to chill

Directions
Clean the mint and put aside a mint sprig or two to add at the end.
Boil water then pour it over the mint in a heat resistant container.
Steep for about 5 minutes or until the water is light green.
Strain the mint from the liquid.
Refrigerate the liquid or let it sit out until room temperature or cooler.
Add honey to taste for sweetness. At least a tablespoon per cup, generally.
Add the fresh sprigs of mint and ice into individual glasses and pour.
Refresh and enjoy!

Alternative Recipes
Add the juice of several lemons for Mint Lemonade. This one is very cleansing.
Add vodka to the Mint Cooler for a cocktail version of this summer refresher.

2. SPRITZ YOURSELF: Organic Lavender Hydrosol
This “plant water” from my family’s organic farm in New Mexico is a by-product of the distillation of essential oils.

OM OF NM Organic Mountain Lavender Hydrosol makes a cooling, antibacterial refresher that can be sprayed copiously on face and body. Trust me, I am generous with the stuff. I practically bathe in it during the summer and when traveling. It fits easily into a purse or carry on bag. Keep one in the car or next to the bed for quick refreshment, hydration and a sense of ‘ahhhh’.

3. CHILL OUT HOT & TIRED FEET: Yogurt and Cucumber Foot Bath
Nothing chills the feet out more than a refreshing foot bath with cool water, one cup of yogurt and a cucumber (slice half and dice the other half). Yogurt adds extra hydration and lactic acids for light exfoliation. Cucumber calms and gently draws out heat in the feet as well as impurities. In their native hot climates, Greeks and Indians love to eat a cooling salad/side dish of the same ingredients. The combo is soothing on the inside and out.

4. CALM YOUR PUFFY EYES: Pack Your Bags They’re Leaving
Watermelon and cucumber sooth, relieve and refresh the under-eye area naturally and like none other. Farewell to puffy, tired, over-partied, overworked eyes. Treat them with Pack Your Bags They’re Leaving, a fabulous eye product from Simply Divine Botanicals, infused with the healing power of Reiki. And, this product even smells like summer! Available at International Orange.

5. COOL & SOOTH SORE MUSCLES: Sombra, Natural Pain Relieving Gel
Camphor, Menthol, Aloe Vera and Green Tea extracts, Rose water and Witch Hazel make for cooling and tingly relief from sore muscles, arthritis, strains, sprains and bruises. I love to put Sombra on my neck, shoulders and low back before yoga, while working at my desk or before bed to sooth my muscles into a refreshing sleep. Available at International Orange.

Chill out this summer,

Amy

People in my life know how much I love natural products as an enjoyable and healthy part of my daily ritual. I might even be accused, at times, of being a “pusher” of natural and organic products. If that’s a crime, then I guess I am guilty as charged.

It makes me happy to use natural scent (aromatherapy really works in lifting spirits). In addition, my body reaps the benefits of the healing properties of my favorite natural body care. I like to think that I also bring a smile to the faces of my friends when they say, “ahhh, you smell like a spa!”

One of my favorite products, I helped create for our IO organic product line. It’s our IO BALANCE Deodorant, an all-natural way to refresh. This product has a novel concept at its core. Instead of covering up bad body odor, it actually helps to purify and strengthen the immune system with Echinacea and Lavender, as well as neutralize odorous bacteria.

It seems utterly backwards to me to use deodorant with aluminum or other chemicals that are bad for your health, especially in an area as receptive as the underarm and so close to the lymph system. Instead of jeopardizing your health, treat your delicate areas with a gentle elixir, like IO Balance. While it can take a few weeks for some bodies to detox from an old chemical deodorant routine, in the long run you will be thankful.

For the record, humans are meant to sweat.

If you are still set on using a name brand deodorant, do your body a favor. Don’t use the antiperspirant variety that prevents sweating. It’s not natural or healthy. Instead, work on purifying your bodily systems and minimize odor by drinking lots of water, eating clean foods and consider switching to products that cleanse and scent, naturally.

Smell fresh, like a spa, and ‘balance’ the only body you’ve got.

Peace,

Amy

Since I no longer own a car, biking seemed like a great way to get around and have weekend adventures on breathtaking back roads around the Bay Area. I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity and explore my dream of doing a century ride (100 miles) through Marin or Big Sur.

While I am known for big dreams, unfortunately, my visions of Lance Armstrong riding up beside me, telling me I had great form and asking me if I wanted to ride with him, came to a screeching halt when I had a close encounter with a cement wall a week ago.

At that tail end of a 50 mile biking weekend around Marin County with my good friend, Jessica, I had a nasty crash.

We had just taken a yoga class to tend to our sore muscles, still adjusting to biking long distances. Biking home, we crossed a narrow path on a cement bridge (that I should have been, as the signs suggested, walking my bike on). On the downhill section of the bridge I had problems with my left foot clipping into my pedal (clip-ins, by the way, are the main cause of falls for new bikers).

You guessed it, I bit the dust. But before I landed squarely on my rear, I managed to slide along the cement wall. My mouth hit first then my chest, which was clad only in a yoga tank top. I got road rash and deep abrasions from my nose, upper lip, chin all the way down my chest and a gash on my left hip. I am blessed that I didn’t break my nose or lose any teeth. I thank my lucky stars.

But, I’ll be honest, it wasn’t pretty and after a full day in bed, I was on a mission to make sure my ghastly scabs didn’t become scars.

Just over a week later, my face is seriously, almost magically, back to normal with only a slight amount of pinkness. Here’s what worked for me…

TIPS FOR HEALING SKIN QUICKLY

Get Your Rest
Sleep and relaxation is key so your body can focus on healing.

Homeopathic Remedies
Arnica and Rescue Remedy should be taken for shock and pain. When you feel better, you heal faster.

Drink Lots of Fluids
Your body must be hydrated internally to heal externally. What you do on the inside supports what happens on the outside. It’s just that simple. Drink lots of water, herbal tea to hydrate and pineapple juice for extra healing enzymes.

Vitamins
Get enough vitamins internally. I took two packets of Emergen-C per day.

Keep it Clean and Dry
Until the wounds dry out, keep them clean and uncovered as much as possible and only apply antibiotic cream at this point. Minimizing the possibility of infection is critical for speedy healing.

Hydration and Regeneration
Once the wounds are drying out, apply In Fiore’s Fleur Vibrante to hydrate and regenerate your skin. Alternately, between applications of Fleur Vibrante, apply Aloe Vera gel (100% pure only). Once the scabs begin to fall off, continue to apply Fleur Vibrante at least once a day and at night.

Protect New Skin
Wear sunscreen on the new skin which is extra sensitive and more likely to hyper-pigment.

Be healed,

Amy

So, what do peas and healthy skin have in common? Read on to find out.

Since it’s the only skin I’ve got, I do what I can to maintain it. Instead of doing the nip and tuck thing, healthy eating habits and a simple daily skin routine can keep skin supple and healthy (maybe not ageless, but who really wants to look like a mannequin anyway?).

I trust Arcona’s natural and highly effective skincare products to take care of my skin. With every new product I learn something valuable and gain another helpful tool. I was most recently impressed with their peptide product made with sweet peas. What do you know, peas aren’t just for dinner anymore.

Arcona’s newest product, Peptide Firming Complex, is specifically for skin that needs a little extra attention, whether it be fine lines or a loss of moisture. This powerful anti-aging serum contains advanced tripeptides to help combat wrinkles and age damage. These peptides encourage collagen and elastin production. Arcona delights me again with this product as they utilize unexpected natural ingredients – Peptide Firming Complex contains natural pea extract which has been shown to tighten and strengthen skin. I know my mother would approve.

Peptide Firming Complex by Arcona
Anti-aging serum, rich in skin remodeling peptides, helps reduce fine lines, loss of elasticity and repairs age-damaged skin. Attracts and binds moisture to the skin with hyaluronic acid, a powerful natural hydrator. Leaves skin luminous, firm and revitalized.

USE
Use daily, morning and evening. Apply 1-2 pumps to clean skin in AM and/or PM.

If you don’t indulge your skin, who will?

Pass the peptides, please,

Amy

Honey, the sweet nectar of flowers, the bi-product of honey bees, has long been used in healing and beauty products and, of course, as a syrupy sweetener of food and drink.

Egyptians used honey for healing wounds as well as for beauty treatments. The legendary Cleopatra, who was known for her beauty and gorgeous complexion, had a few tricks up her sleeve, like bathing in milk and honey to soften and purify her skin.

As it turns out, Western physicians are now starting to use honey, the manuka variety especially, to treat burns and infections because of its antibacterial and antibiotic properties. For these same reasons we use honey in our facials at IO and it’s also the same reason that one of the main ingredients in Arcona’s Toner Tea Bar is manuka honey (a special kind of honey made by New Zealand honey bees).

In our curative IO Facials, we draw from select products made of fresh herbal and plant extracts, essential oils, naturally active enzymes, alpha-hydroxy acids and antioxidant vitamins. No generic facial products are used in any of our facials and, in fact, we mix many of our treatment masks with honey for its added healing and purifying qualities.

Arcona’s Toner Tea Bar is an antioxidant facial cleanser that heals and strengthens the skin as it tones and minimizes pores. It neutralizes free radicals, calms and protects skin with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory green and black teas. It nourishes and clarifies with antibacterial enzyme-rich manuka honey and vitamin E.

Toner Tea Bar is good for all skin types and guarantees great results without any fillers, chemical stabilizers, artificial colors, emulsifiers, petro-chemicals, animal bi-products or drying alcohols.

Product Usage Tip
Cut the cleansing bar into halves or quarters so it lasts longer and for easy to use travel sizes.

Thanks, honey!

Amy

I am indeed a proponent of abandoning fast food, but “fast face” certainly has a time and place in my life. I appreciate some things for their slowly unfolding benefits (like fine wine, aged cheese, even some perfume oils), but others for their efficiency and ease. Tea Tree fits into the later category. It’s fast acting.

This healing and cleansing essential oil is derived from the leaves of the Melaleuca Alternifolia, a plant native to Australia, and has a long history of use for healing infection. Australian aborigines relied on these leaves to treat wounds, burns and abrasions.

Tea tree oil has proven to be effective as an antiseptic and applying the oil to your skin kills petulant acne causing bacteria. The elements found in Tea Tree oil are highly beneficial to the skin and have been shown to reduce inflammation quickly.

Tea Tree ‘Green’ Factor: One tree can actually provide oil for over 60 years, meaning the trees do not need to be harvested for their oil. How’s that for sustainability?!

One product that I use at home, and we use in facials at the spa, is the TEA TREE MASK by Arcona. It’s a cleansing, purifying mask that detoxes and refines skin texture. Antibacterial salicylic acid and tea tree extract help exfoliate, decongest and diminish pore size. Sulphur and grapefruit extract assist in detoxifying and reduce breakouts. Anti-inflammatory mint balm, allantoin and lavender extracts help heal and calm the skin.

DIRECTIONS
Once or twice weekly, morning or night. A slight tingling sensation might occur, but I like that part! Leave it on your skin for 10-15 minutes (or if you are have sensitive skin then only 5-8 minutes). Rinse with warm water, pat skin dry and then hydrate your skin with your favorite cream, oil or lotion. Results are quick and gorgeous.

Who can resist a quickie?

Amy

White teas are made from buds and young leaves picked in the early spring. Shortly before the buds have fully opened white tea retains high concentrations of catechin, the active compound that is responsible for many of the health benefits of both white and green teas. The tea takes its name from the silver fuzz that still covers the buds, which turns white when the tea is dried. Because white tea leaves are left close to their natural state, by undergoing less processing than all other teas, white tea contains more of the powerful anti-oxidant properties that fight and kill cancer-causing cells than any other type of tea.

Similar to the way oxidation causes a car to rust, oxidative stress of the skin (exposure to everyday elements) causes a breakdown in cellular strength and function. White tea’s anti-oxidative properties have been shown to protect against this stress, suggesting that the compound may provide anti-aging benefits to the skin over time.

The latest white tea product to grace my bathroom counter is Arcona’s White Tea Purifying Cleanser. This antioxidant rich cleanser includes white and green teas along with cranberry enzymes to nourish, clarify, and strengthen skin while soothing yucca, vitamin E, and aloe extracts maintain balance.

Happy Spring Cleaning,

Amy

In February, when daylight is in short supply, when it’s chilly and wet, when cold and flu bugs are percolating, I find ways to “break on through to the other side.” My methods might not be as psychedelic as Jim Morrison’s were, but I find the one I am going to share with you can almost be intoxicating.

During winter, nature’s time for stillness and hibernation, exotic flowers provide mood lifting and mental transport to sunny locales where turquoise water laps on sandy beaches.

Jasmine, Tuberose and Gardenia are a few of my favorite exotic flowers with vitalizing scents that are physiologically uplifting to the spirits. In many warm-weathered cultures where they grow natively, these flowers are used ceremonially for a more religious type of ‘uplifting’ in marriage and coming of age rituals, etc.

Wearing and smelling these exotic scents helps me remember that it’s not always so cold and dreary outside. The scent is a fragrant reminder that flowers will bloom again. I enjoy winter more when I remember the value of it as a season for pause and introspection and, I must admit, when I get a little “flower power” boost.

One last benefit, or warning depending on your relationship status, the scent of exotic flowers like Gardenia, Tuberose and Jasmine certainly seems to draw suitors effortlessly.

Personally, I love wearing exotic floral scents, such as Kai’s Perfume Oil. One whiff and heads tend to turn.

Stay warm and well scented,

Amy

My family farm in the high desert of New Mexico produces several specialty products for us at International Orange. My parents’ products represent the high quality we believe in at IO. I have been using one of their products in particular lately, the Lavender-Tangerine Salt Rub.

As the weather chills out and my skin starts to pucker, I am using their OM OF NM Salt Rub to keep supple skin even under all these clothes! I am, by the way, an avid believer in salt as a natural remedy.

As we move deeper into fall and winter, body exfolliation becomes more and more important to the quality of our skin. I bet ‘Salt’ sounds like a weird skin remedy to some of you?

So why Salt?

Eating too much salt is unhealthy for us, but using salt on our bodies in the right ways produces solid results.

Think again about skin itself. We know it’s the body’s largest organ, but what do most other organs actually do in the body? They remove toxins we have taken in by breathing, drinking or eating. The liver, the kidneys, and even the lungs have varied ways to eject unwanted debris from our systems.

Our underrated and misunderstood skin does the same.

Indeed various body systems move toxins to the surface of the skin via perspiration and other migration. When the skin is not in its top form, these unwanted materials cannot find an easy way out of our system. Even the classic “liver spots” which some people experience on their skin, especially with aging, are in fact deposits moved there from the liver when it cannot expel undesirable substances otherwise. A salt rub used on the skin, for example, helps this removal process and puts the skin in a position to clean itself out.

Both my parents’ OM OF NM Salt Rub and BATHE, our own International Orange bath soak, are two rare products that have this set of facts in mind. And, they both have salt as their main ingredient. With both of these products we want to help the skin do its natural work, while lightly anointing it with essential oils that promote healthy skin, protection and add mood-soothing, ethereal scent.

Bathing in warm water with Sea Salt and/or Epsom Salt is one very effective way of helping our biggest organ release toxins through the pores. Comprised only of Sea Salt, Epsom Salt, Baking Soda and Essential Oils of White Lotus, Orange Blossom and Vetiver, BATHE, our IO bath soak is one spirit-lifting and body-calming way to detoxify beautifully. Ahh, I LOVE taking baths.

Gently applying a salt rub on damp skin in a circular motion, moving away from the heart, is another way to slough old skin, improve its texture, and stimulate the capillaries to move additional oxygen and nutrients to the scoured areas. Adding natural body oils to the mix for hydration and natural skin protection will leave the skin singing all the way to ‘smooth’. (Only scrub gently or try using finer grained sugar instead if you are sensitive-skinned.)

To rap this up, I want to remind you all of the obvious: Our world is not perfect. That’s no news flash. So, we need to help our skin overcome inattention, less than perfect dietary intakes, and assaults from our environment. Salt is not the first thing we think of when we think about such rejuvenation, but for the skin of our bodies, it can scrub it back to its own natural functioning. We want to find other such opportunities that can help the body’s systems work their best.

Beauty follows.

Thanks for the products mom and dad. We love you.

Wishing you well,

Amy