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Skin care traditions from the past encode a lot of very useful information. While some practices from the past are better left in the pages of history books, many can be employed today to help us keep our skin healthy and strong from cradle to grave. Today, science and research inform us how and why these things work, the benefits they offer, and how to determine what is best for you and your skin.

Knowledge is key to making informed choices - finding accurate sources is not always easy. I hope you find information on my website which helps you make those choices.

Check back here as I add to this list of nourishing skin traditions as often as possible. These are a few of the favorites I’ve written about in my blog. I hope you’ll be intrigued and, better yet, inspired to give them all a try! 

Your skin will love you for it ... promise 

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Featured
Cottonwood Buds: Healing with the Matriarch
nourishing traditions, infused oils
Cottonwood Buds: Healing with the Matriarch
nourishing traditions, infused oils

Meet the Matriarch of the Plains, Queen of the Salix and her entourage of Salicin rich courtiers; Aspen, Willow, Cottonwood. These are all Salix plants, all Salix plants contain an important pain relieving compound called Salicin. Salicin is the precursor of Salicylic Acid. Aspirin is a derivative of Salicylic Acid. Since the dawn of time Salicin has been extracted from plants by various means and employed to relieve pain, swelling and inflammation associated with inflammatory issues of the skin and musculoskeletal system. Cottonwood buds are a rich source of Salicin … a true and enduring gift from the world of plants.

nourishing traditions, infused oils
Beauty and the Bee: Nourishing, Cleansing and Beautifying with Honey
nourishing traditions
Beauty and the Bee: Nourishing, Cleansing and Beautifying with Honey
nourishing traditions

I was expecting a weird sticky mess the very first time I washed my face with honey - well, was I pleasantly surprised! Honey, along with many other Nourishing Skin Care Traditions is making a comeback. Join me in discovering the benefits honey has to offer all skin types at any age, and how honey works its special magic on those with inflammatory skin disorders such as acne , rosacea, and psoriasis and for those seeking to support strong, healthy resilient skin as the years go by.

I hope you’ll be inspire you to try some things with honey you’d never have thought possible! Stay tuned for the next installment in this series.

nourishing traditions
Skin Issues? Aging Skin? Skin Functions in the Modern Era
nourishing traditions
Skin Issues? Aging Skin? Skin Functions in the Modern Era
nourishing traditions

Add the acid mantle to the long list of bodily functions which doesn't receive much attention but which can easily be at the root of skin issues, or be making them worse. If we knew better how the acid mantle functions we would take better care of it!  It's surprisingly easy to damage it; unknowingly, we don't properly nurture this microscopic film. In the past 100 years our habits and expectations have been entirely altered by the explosive growth of the cosmetic, beauty, fashion, hair and skin care industries. And this is spelling bad news for the skin of people of all ages. If we knew a bit more about the acid mantle and the history of cleansing we would be adopting more nourishing approaches to skin care, and making a habit of employing a few simple tricks to help along the way. 

nourishing traditions
What is REAL SOAP: The History of Soap and Bathing
Olive Oil Soap, nourishing traditions
What is REAL SOAP: The History of Soap and Bathing
Olive Oil Soap, nourishing traditions

This ain't your grandma's "lye soap" my dear!  Dispelling the myths surrounding REAL, old fashion soaps made from plant oils, seed butters, and fats is helpful to those seeking natural products. Learn what it is, how it's made today, it's ancient past and modern history. I found learning about how people cleansed themselves and their dirty stuff in the past to be particularly interesting.    

Olive Oil Soap, nourishing traditions
FRESH IS BEST: The Power of Wildcrafted Plants from the Pristine Forest
Wildcrafted Musing, nourishing traditions
FRESH IS BEST: The Power of Wildcrafted Plants from the Pristine Forest
Wildcrafted Musing, nourishing traditions

I am very fortunate to live in a place I can harvest FRESH plant material from pristine wilderness for my creations. Few people have year round access to such a place. I have been exploring and learning these mountains for 27 years I have memorized dozens of secret spots, deep in the wilderness where I wander silently through the forest soaking in the peaceful quietude of this magical place and filling my basket with wild plants. 

Wildcrafted Musing, nourishing traditions
BONE BROTH - A Nourishing Skin Care Tradition
nourishing traditions
BONE BROTH - A Nourishing Skin Care Tradition
nourishing traditions

Strong, resilient skin, able to perform it's vital functions from the beginning to the end of life, requires us to carefully consider our diets.  In order for our largest organ to develop properly so it can perform it's critical functions we must supply our bodies with optimal nutrition. We aren't born knowing what this means or how to achieve it. It's knowledge we have to acquire. 

nourishing traditions
HYDROSOL WATERS - A Nourishing Skin Care Tradition
Oil Cleansing Method, nourishing traditions
HYDROSOL WATERS - A Nourishing Skin Care Tradition
Oil Cleansing Method, nourishing traditions

You know I love nourishing traditions! So when I spritz my face with a Hydrosol water I know I'm not just nourishing my skin with pure, plant quintessence, I'm participating in an ancient healing ritual.  The use of hydrosol waters predate essential oils by hundreds if not thousands of years! Here's a brief intro to these healing waters and how to use them to nourish, condition & beautify your skin. 

Oil Cleansing Method, nourishing traditions
THALASSOTHERAPY: Mineral Rich Sea Salt Skin Care
nourishing traditions, scrubs
THALASSOTHERAPY: Mineral Rich Sea Salt Skin Care
nourishing traditions, scrubs

Mineral rich sea salts are unique in their ability to mitigate the impact of environmental stress & pollution, sun damage and cellular aging.  Earth minerals dissolved in water and allowed to remain on our skin will help keep it plump & healthy, free of pathogenic bacteria and yeast, control outbreaks and acne, enhance cellular communication and increase hydration. 

nourishing traditions, scrubs
Nourishing the Skin's Microbiome - The Oil Cleansing Method
Oil Cleansing Method, nourishing traditions
Nourishing the Skin's Microbiome - The Oil Cleansing Method
Oil Cleansing Method, nourishing traditions

Instead of "clearcutting" your skin's "forest" by washing away all the diverse creatures living there, learn how to nourish them! These microbes help support, maintain, and nourish strong resilient skin which is better able to withstand the ravages of the environment, air borne toxins, aging, stress, and sun damage, and help it heal from more quickly from injuries. Skin microbes also play a vital role in supporting your immune system.  Your skin loves you .... LOVE IT BACK!

Oil Cleansing Method, nourishing traditions
FACIAL OILS: A Nourishing Skin Care Tradition
Oil Cleansing Method, nourishing traditions
FACIAL OILS: A Nourishing Skin Care Tradition
Oil Cleansing Method, nourishing traditions

All skin types at any age benefit from the correct application of facial treatment oils. Facial oils are also part of the Oil Cleansing Method and a nourishing skin care tradition. Even those with oily skin, clogged pores and outbreaks benefit from the right facial oils. Mature and aging skin respond amazing to the Oil Cleansing Method and using facial oils. Reducing use of foaming cleansers & soap, and the overuse of harsh topical applications, we can help heal, nourish and protect our precious skin.

Oil Cleansing Method, nourishing traditions

 

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