DIY Gardener's Salve

This time of year is great for getting out in the garden! But it can be rough on our hands. Care for your hands by making your own Gardener's Salve from the Mountain Rose Herbs blog - click here.

Product Highlight: Citrus Bergamot Sugar Scrub

Our Citrus Bergamot Sugar Scrub is a customer favorite because it’s jam packed full of moisture. Our most popular scrub leaves skin glowing, smooth, and hydrated. Sugar scrubs are gentler on the skin than salt scrubs and, sugar's alphahydroxy acid helps loosen dirt and slough off dead skin cells. Did we mention this scrub moisturizes, too?

Spotlight On: Bergamot Essential Oil

It may look like a weird lumpy lime, but this is a gorgeous essential oil. If you've ever had Earl Grey tea, you've experienced Bergamot. It provides the distinctive herby, citrusy component to this iconic tea.  

 It’s also used in perfuming because it blends beautifully with many fragrance notes including those of Lavender, Cedarwood, Neroli, Rose, Clary Sage and Black Pepper (Rhind 2014). 

In aromatherapy, bergamot is valued for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal properties. It works in massage oils to reduce tension and soothe tight muscles. On an emotional front, it is used for soothing depression and anxiety in a diffuser or in massage blends. 

Important to know: It is phototoxic, meaning that it may cause a burning reaction on skin exposed to direct sunlight.  How to stay safe? Avoid direct sunlight or tanning beds for up to 18 hours after applying Bergamot to the skin. Always dilute Bergamot before using. It may be used safely (no phototoxic response) on the skin in a blend at no more than 0.4% (approx. 1-2 drops per 1 oz/30 ml of carrier). Or, choose an FCF-free Bergamot oil which has had the phototoxic components removed.  For more info on essential oil safety, see Robert Tisserand's encyclopedic text, Essential Oil Safety. 

Product Highlight: Cool After Sun Spray

Did you enjoy too much fun in the sun? Feeling that burn? Our After Sun Spray will help cool you down while nourishing your skin. 

 

The More You Know: Carrier Oils

Essential oils are powerful plant allies that can soothe and calm. However, if applied undiluted to the skin, many essential oils and absolutes can cause irritation, redness or other reactions. This is where carrier oils shine. A carrier oil is usually a vegetable oil (many are made from nuts or seeds) used to dilute essential oils and absolutes before they are applied to the skin. They are named carrier oils because they “carry” essential oils onto the skin in a safe manner.

Each carrier oil offers different benefits. Jojoba oil absorbs easily because it’s the closest to our sebum which makes it great for facial creams, etc. Coconut oil is moisturizing and serves as a protective layer, helping to retain the moisture in your skin. Natural lotions, creams, body oils, bath oils, lip balms and other moisturizing skin care products are also made using vegetable (carrier) oils.

Remember, if you are making products with these oils, note the shelf life of each of the oils used.

Popular examples of vegetable oils that are used as carrier oils:
Almond Oil - rich in Vitamins A & E, one year shelf life
Coconut Oil - barrier moisturizer, two-year shelf life
Grapeseed Oil - light and easily absorbed, one year shelf life
Jojoba - moisturizing and easily absorbed, indefinite shelf life
Olive Oil - rich in Vitamin E, anti-inflammatory, up to 3 year shelf life
Pomegranate Seed Oil - high in Omega-5’s, great for skin care, 1-2 year shelf life