Posts Tagged ‘Essential Oils’

Spa Boutique Launches Natural Essential Oil Based Body & Bath Line

It’s finally here! We just launched our very own signature line of bath and body products made from high quality, natural, plant-based ingredients.  The products don’t contain artificial fragrance, color, parabens, or harsh chemicals and they are manufactured right here in Vancouver, BC!  There are 3 amazing scents to choose from including Citrus Vanilla, Lavender, and Rosemary.  Citrus Vanilla is deliciously enticing, uplifting, and reminds one of the taste of an orange creamsicle! Lavender is calming, skin-regenerating, and great for all-over body relaxation.  Rosemary is known for it’s ability to refresh and clear the mind.  It has an invigorating effect which makes it great to start off the day or recharge oneself.

     

There are 8 different products available in all 3 scents including:

•Body Lotion

•Rich Body Lotion

•Hand Cream

•Body Wash

•Sea Salt Scrub

•Bath & Massage Oil

•Epsom Salt Bath

•Body & Room Spray

So, what’s the difference between our products and the average bath & body product?  The ingredients! Most cosmetic products contain some level of toxic and even carcinogenic ingredients (See David Suzuki’s “Dirty Dozen”).  You won’t find any of those ingredients on our ingredient list!

Why not do your body a favor and make the switch to natural bath & body products?  Most of our products are also available in handy travel-sizes!

<Click here to see all Spa Boutique Signature Line products>

If you have any questions about our signature line products, essential oils, or skin care in general, don’t hesitate to contact one of our estheticians!

As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!

 

 

 

 

Wake up your Skin with a Yonka Mini Facial

It doesn’t get much better than skin care with the amazing aroma and power of natural essential oils! Yonka is a pioneer in phytoaromatic skin care and has been researching and developing amazing products since the 1950s. At the heart of Yonka’s skin care range is their exclusive blend of 5 essential oils which includes lavender, cypress, rosemary, thyme, and geranium. Yonka also uses plant, fruit, and marine extracts which act to balance, soothe, revive, and regenerate the skin.

One of the (many) things we love about this line is the immediate result you get from using these products. Many of our clients complain about lack of vitality, dullness, and de-hydration around this time of year. Our answer? A mini at-home Yonkaa facial to get your skin ready for holiday celebrations! Here’s how:

1. Cleanse with Lait Nettoyant if you have normal-dry skin
This milky cleanser will remove makeup and impurities, smooth, and soften the skin.

1. Cleanse with Gel Nettoyant if you have normal-oily skin
This foamy gel will remove makeup and impurities, refreshes, and purifies the skin

2. Tone with Yonka Lotion (either normal to dry & sensitive or normal to oily)
An alcohol-free mist with natural, invigorating aromas

3. Exfoliate with Gommage 305 if you have normal-dry skin and Gommage 303 if you have normal-oily skin
These non-abrasive, gel exfoliators reveal smooth, supple, radiant skin by gently removing dead skin cells.

4. Tone with appropriate Yonka Lotion

5. Mask with Hydratant 60
This is a refreshing gel mask which deeply hydrates, softens, firms, and helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

6. Tone with appropriate Yonka Lotion

7. Apply either Dermol 1 (normal-oily skin), Dermol 2 (dry skin), or Dermol 3 (sensitive skin)
These highly concentrated formulations hydrate, smooth, and brighten skin while providing an excellent make-up base.

8. Moisturize with Pamplemousse (normal-dry or normal-oily skin)
This lightweight cream energizes, brightens, and alleviates skin dullness with grapefruit extract and essential oils.

9. Apply Phyto-Contour to eye contour
This eye treatment cream reduces dark circles and puffiness, firms, refreshes and relaxes the eye area.

Now that your skin has been made-over with this beautiful skin care line all that you have to worry about is your hair (and that’s another blog post altogether!). And please, use pure mineral makeup so that you don’t clog your newly de-toxified skin with a gross, mystery ingredient-filled, conventional makeup. As always, our favorite mineral makeup lines are Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup and Youngblood Mineral Makeup.

As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!

YonKa Skincare: Essential Oil and Aromatherapy Skin Care

We had YonKa/Yonka/Yon Ka training the other day.

I usually really enjoy these sessions as it indulges my inner ingredient geek. While I’ve learned over time that most skin care lines are the same in essence (skin type and product), the each have a unique philosophy as to why theirs is the best.

YonKa’s claim is the power of essential oils.  What struck me as fascinating is they are the first essential oil skin care line I’ve seen that puts their samples in metal or glass containers. Which  makes sense. Because pure essential oils can weaken plastic.

 

While their intention is not to imply that the oils they chose are skin-dissolvingly powerful (skin and plastic are two different things), they convincingly show their dedication to active products.

These are the 5 oils they focus on, with the listed effects. This is taken directly from their training manual:

1- True Lavender (lavendula angustifolia – Origin: Haute Provence)

• Effects on the skin: analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, healing and regenerating

2- Geranium (pelargonium graveolens – Origin : Egypt)

• Effects on the skin: analgesic, healing, regenerating

3- Rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis-cineole type – Origin: Morocco)

• Effects on the skin: antiseptic, bactericide, tonic/circulatory, regenerating, firming

4- Cypress (cupressus sempervirens – Origin: Provence)

• Effects on the skin: decongestant, circulatory

5- Thyme (thymus vulgaris – thymol – Origin: Morocco)

• Effects on the skin: powerful bactericide, liposolvant

While they do use a high amount of essential oils, the line is completely safe for use during pregnancy unless noted on the individual product.

They call this combination of 5 oils the “Quintessence” and they are used in 60% of their face formulas.

Other interesting facts I learned from the training:

• 26 of the products are completely preservative free due to the high levels of essential oils
• those that do contain parabens only contain .22%, while the legal max in cosmetics is .8%  They’ve used the lowest possible amount in order to have a product that works and won’t rot on your counter
• Any of their “Phyto” products contain the highest percentage of rosemary of any of their products
• With that in mind, only ever use one Phyto product in your routine at a time

So there you go! An inside look at what we learn as professionals when we are trained on a skin care line. Clearly there is much more involved, but these were the most relevant/interesting.

YonKa has been around for several decades and we are proud and honored they’ve allowed us to carry them.

Have you tried their products before? Let me know what you thought!

We would love to hear your thoughts on the topic of this blog! Feel free to leave your comments or questions below.  As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!

How to Control Oily Skin with Essential Oils

I’ve worked with a few essential oil lines: Moor Spa, Darphin and now Decleor. One thing that is difficult to convince people of is the idea that oily skin types can benefit from essential oil use on the skin.

Oily  skin types tend to really like a drying feeling. Lathering, foaming cleansers. Granular, rough scrubs that they use frequently. Little to no moisturizer, usually ones that really don’t do much. And the spot treatments, which in desperation are sometimes used over the whole face.

Having done many a facial, I’ve heard it all when it comes to how people try and control their oil production. Often these aggressive tactics don’t ever really make any headway in changing the skin, but people get attached to a routine. Let’s try something a bit gentler shall we?

According to the Essential Oils Desk Reference (which, by the way is fantastic. They back up all their info with published studies that support their claims. Very hard to find with most aromatherapy information.) essential oils are beneficial to oily skin due to their ability to dissolve sebum, kill bacteria and preserve the acid mantle.

What is the acid mantle you ask?

Esthetics 101! Skin produces both oil and sweat. This very delicate mixture ideally brings the pH of the skin to 4.5-5.5, which is slightly acidic. This helps to protect the skin from bacteria and viruses while keeping skin at ideal hydration levels. When it’s thrown off balance (too much or too little oil production, harsh alkaline soaps that raise the pH etc.) skin starts to suffer from blemishes, can become dry and flaky and can start over producing oil to compensate. When ingredients are pH balanced, they help the skin to re-balance and and preform at its best.

Certain essential oils are know to have the ideal pH, and are anti-bacterial. Exactly what oily skin needs. They can also be drying, so it’s not advised to always apply them neat (or straight) onto the skin. You don’t want to cause irritation or dryness.

They are also very concentrated, so a little goes a long way.

If you’re wanting to use essential oils at oils to re-balance the skin, make sure to research the oil completely and learn the contraindications and proper usage.

Here are some pointers to start out!

1)Use approximately 50 drops of essential oil mixture to 100ml of carrier oil.

2)Best carrier oils for oily skin? Jojoba or grapeseed. The general consensus is that both of these absorb easily into the skin without clogging it. So you get hydration without a greasy feel, as well as anti-oxidant benefits.

3)A little goes a long way! I cannot stress this enough. Use only 1-3 drops of your mixture for the whole face. Spread it out and let it absorb in.

4)Look for lines that have herbal distillates and toners with essential oils in them as well. You get astringent qualities, low pH, hydration and purifying aspects.

People with oily skin are usually very familiar and comfortable with using tea tree oil on their skin. But you can expand! It’s not the only effective oil.

Others include but are not limited to: Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Cedarwood, Geranium, Vetivert, Patchouli, Orange, Lemon, Clove and Chamomile.

Used individually or in blends they can achieve different results. Use the best quality you can find. Scented by-products that are packaged the same way will not give you results. You need therapeutic grade essential oils. Golden Moor has a nice, but small collection available.

If mixing your own seems intimidating, take heart. There are ready made products available to you. Decleor carries a beautiful line of Aromessence Oils designed for each skin type. These little bottles last forever being that you only ever use two drops at a time.

So if your looking for a more natural way to control oily skin, give essential oils a chance. It may feel counter-intuitive to be putting oils onto an oily skin, but you use so little and the benefits are so huge. The same with balms. Once they absorb in, the oils then go to work at re-balancing. Which is ultimately what oily skin needs.

We would love to hear your thoughts on the topic of this blog!  Feel free to post your comments or questions below.  As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!

Creating At-Home Spa Products with Essential Oil Recipes

I’ve been getting quite a few requests for tips and ideas on how to use essential oils in the home.

There are literally thousands of recipes  what with the staggering number of oils available and how they  can be combined. Here are some basic tips and guidelines that will hopefully help inspire you to be creative with the use of essential oils:

1)High quality oils will have the therapeutic effects.  Fragrance oils will do just that, provide fragrance only. Decide what is important to you and purchase oils accordingly.

2)It is possible to create your own scrubs and bath oils/salts. First make sure you are aware of any contraindications for the oils you want to use. Some may smell great but can be skin irritants if they aren’t used in a carrier oil.

3)When using oils for cleaning, be aware that some surfaces can become discolored. If they’re being used as a fragrance spray make sure the mist doesn’t fall on any food or open drinks. It will alter them!

4)Storing the oil products is very important to their integrity. Keep them in dark, cool places and tightly sealed. Open containers will let them evaporate and sunlight will break them down quicker.

5)Never use any equipment with copper, aluminum, cast-iron or Teflon finishes, they react with the oils. Glass or steal is best.

Now that we’ve gotten the responsible stuff out of the way, let’s have some fun shall we?

Bath Oil Recipe:

• This is extraordinarily simple. Take 2 oz of a carrier oil (lighter ones will distribute more evenly throught eh water, almond, jojoba or sunflower) and add 20 drops of your chosen blend. You can focus on invigorating with a citrus blend or relaxing with lavender and chamomile. The possibilities are endless! Just pour the mixture under the running water. Add the oils to the tub right before you get in to get the most from the aroma. Store in an airtight glass jar or bottle.

Bath Salts:

• The amounts fluctuate on how much you’d like to make. You can use any type of coarse salt, the most common being Epsom salts or dead sea salt. For every cup you use, add 10 drops of the essential oil(s). Mix everything together in bowl and store in an airtight container. Add a generous handful under running water just before you get into the tub. The larger the crystals, the longer they will take to dissolve. Store in an airtight glass container.

Body Scrubs

• Probably the most fun. You can really experiment with this. It’s important to use gentle granules, so fine ground salts and sugars are best. Stay away from crushed pits or nuts as they actually scrape and cut the skin. It’s best to make this in medium sized batches, and play around with the amounts, deciding what works best for you. A good amount would be 2 cups of salt/sugar to 1 cup of oil (olive oil, sweet almond oil, anything cold pressed) 10-15 drops of essential oils per cup.
• Don’t forget you can use brown sugar too! In smaller batches add a small amount of honey for more moisture and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or cocoa to get delicious scents.
• Never use scrubs like this on your face, they are not gentle enough. It’s also best to use scrubs before you shave to avoid irritation.
• Massage the mixture into the skin and rinse off. Pat the skin dry.
• Because there are no preservatives you will want to make manageable batches that will be used within a month. This will avoid bacterial growth. Store the mixture in airtight glass containers to preserve the scent.

Relaxing experiences aren’t the only way to use essential oils. They can also be a great alternative to common, toxic household products. (Recipes were found in the Essential Oils Desk Reference)

Laundry: Add 10 drops of any essential oil to a washcloth and put it in the dryer with your clothes. The oil will lightly fragrance the clothing without the irritation of dryer sheets. This won’t help with static cling though!

Surface Cleansers: Using a clean plastic spray bottle, fill with water and add 10 drops each of pine, lavender and lemon along with a squirt of dish-washing soap.  The antibacterial and antiviral effect of the oils will help to disinfect. Do try and keep the solution off of linoleum floors as it can stain them. Other oils with strong disinfecting properties are cinnamon, clove, Eucalyptus globulus, thyme and juniper as well as grapefruit.

Floor cleaners:

• Non-Carpet floors: Add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to a bucket of water. Add 5-10 drops of lemon, pine or spruce. If the floor is very dirty add several drops of dishwashing fluid.
• Carpets:  To create a freshener add 16-20 drops of essentail oils to a cup of baking soda. Mix and store overnight in an airtight container. This will ensure the the oils distribute through all of the powder. Sprinkle lightly onto the carpet, and vacuum up a few minutes later.
• Vacuuming: saturate a disposable cloth with several drops of essential oil and put it in the collecting bag of your vacuum. This refreshes the carpet and the room.

Insect Repellants: Single oils like lavender, lemon, peppermint, lemongrass, cypress, cinnamon, basil and citronella placed on entryways repels many types of insects. Peppermint placed on entryways will keep ants out! Nothing for spiders though. *shudder*

Air Freshener: using a 4oz spray bottle add half  water and half high proof vodka. Add 30-40 drops of essential oils and let it sit for a day for the oils to mingle. Shake before every use and beware of spraying over fabrics. The alcohol will help the scent linger. So pretty!

There are several websites for complete lists of essential oils and different blends, the best way is to search “aromatherapy blends” and add in the type your looking for. Whether it be relaxing, energizing, getting rid of anxiety/depression. There are blends for everything!

Using essential oils gives you a wonderful feeling of control over products. You know exactly what has gone into them and you control the quality.

Spa Boutique carries several essential oils from Canadian company Golden Moor.

We would love to hear your thoughts on the topic of this blog!  Feel free to post your comments or questions below.  As always, just for being a follower of our blog, enter coupon code BLOG10 for 10% off your next purchase! Also, remember to follow us @spaboutique on Twitter, like our Facebook  page, and check out our boards on Pinterest! You could be the lucky winner of one of our many contests!