CURIO for the Holidays: The Bundles

I'm thrilled to say that it's been busy on the CURIO* front. Between my Etsy and local orders, I feel a bit like Santa. Like chic Santa.

In the holiday spirit, I've assembled 3 bundles that may appeal to your loved ones (or to yourself)!

CURIO* Visage:

CURIO* Visage

This is your perfect daily face kit - which I, for one, swear by. It's luxe, organic, simple, exceedingly moisturizing - and each product smells more delicious than the next!

It includes:

• Serum A OR Serum B (your choice) (1 oz in glass with pump closure)
• Neroli Hydrosol (2 oz in glass with spray closure)
• Eye Balm A: Rose (0.5 oz in glass jar)

I have written extensively about these on the Etsy shop and on the blog (see sidebar)- so please peruse the relevant listings to find out more about ingredients and usage.

CURIO* Corps:

CURIO* Corps

Body Oil A is a gorgeous combination of Apricot Kernel Oil and essential oils - either Ylang Ylang and Grapefruit OR Neroli and Rosewood - each in a 2 oz glass bottle with pump for easy dispensing. What I've discovered is that people who buy one always come back for the other, so why not sell them together as a lovely treat for the body after a morning shower or delicious bath.

Again, the Etsy shop listing and sidebar will give you all the deets you need to know...

CURIO* Three Wise Salves: 

CURIO* Three Wise Salves

What can I say, the naming got away with me!

Winter is a time for preserving moisture and rebuking the cold and damp. Between Arnica Salve (for muscle-aches), Immortelle Salve (for rheumatic aches) and Calendula Salve (for scrapes and cuts), you'll have it covered with this bundle.

All salves (2 oz each) are made with organic, extra virgin olive oil infused with flowers (and enhanced with essential oils). Of course, the Etsy shop listing and my blog sidebar will tell you more, so look over at those for more details.

Just a hint: Each of these salves works terrifically for giving (or getting) massages, just sayin', and the immortelle salve, in particular, has an off-script use as eye balm, so I've been told.

In the interests of full disclosure, the new year may well bring price increases, given the current value of the Canadian dollar and the fact that I import many of my components from other countries. So do stock up now if you're in the mood.

As always, do let me know if you have any questions - I'm pleased to chat. And happy holiday shopping! Here's to giving gifts from the comfort of your own couch. xo

CURIO for the Holidays

So Lovelies, in case you're pretending otherwise, it's pretty well 6 weeks till Xmas. Time was, I would be getting a bit "excited" at this point. I had to devote precious time to the actual stores. There would be crowds. Post-shopping alcohol was vaguely necessary, like, to decompress.

But now, what with the internet and everyone being half robot (if merely in one's ability to navigate said internet), you can drink while you shop - online! I swear, if you're one of those people who still resists buying from the comfort of your couch, I urge you to get with the program. And I'm not talking about purchasing the occasional gift online. I mean buy it all online cuz, at this point, there is nothing you can't get delivered (even in Canada)!

I usually put together a gift planning post at this time of year as I always seem to have a hundred ideas. However, this year, I'm all about turning you onto the simple, luxe of CURIO, you know, my skin care line. (I'd be pretty high on drugs to do otherwise!)

Just want to advise that - in addition to my current offerings - I'm in the process of putting together a couple of holiday skin care kits. Those bundles will make their way to the shop soon and I'll certainly profile them here.

And, though I hate it when people alert me to irritating (if relevant) administrivia, according to Canada Post, in order to "ensure receipt" of a regular parcel before Christmas, one must put that parcel in the post by December 11 (within Canada), December 9 (USA) or December 1 (pretty well everywhere else). Following what I hope will be a busy next few weeks, the shop will close for hols on December 21 (for 2 weeks).

So, if you're thinking about giving a delicious, organic Serum to your mum or best friend, now's the time to get clicking. And just to entice, here's a pretty photo of Serum A sporting the new label:

No doubt, Serum A, Eye Balm A - Rose and the Body Oils are very popular, but don't forget about the Salves and CURIO Baby*:

Seriously, these scents are bound to CHILL (new parents and new babies)

Y'all know I love to chat so, if there's anything gift-related you'd like to discuss (or any ideas you'd like to bounce) feel free to contact me via Etsy conversations, email (see the side bar) or in comments.

This Is Why I Cosmetically Preserve Aqueous Solutions

Recently, as part of my testing phase for Face Cleanser A, I purchased a microbial test kit to ensure that what I might sell would be entirely safe for consumption. As I've harped about excessively, I use a cosmetic preservative in all of my hydrous products because, um, grossness and danger of germs!!! I also tested my shampoo and conditioner (I won't sell these but, hell, I'm using them!) and, as a control, I tested an "all natural" sun cream with grapefruit seed extract acting as the "preservative". That product, I bought.

I used test batches of product that I made between mid and late September. The face cleanser, specifically, was made on Sept. 28 and I tested it on Oct. 12 (I waited 2 weeks, which is the recommended length of time). The shampoo and conditioner were made on Sept. 15. The control product was made in the summer sometime (I assume) as I'd owned it since July. Note: I bought it specifically to test and I never used it.

Then I waited 2 weeks (you should wait a minimum of 5 days but after 2 weeks you'll get a very accurate result). The tech sheet (test instructions and interpretation info) is available here. One side of the slide is coated in rose bengal agar (pink side) and the other with nutrient-ttc agar (orange side) - to interact with potential germs. In simple terms, one side reveals broad-spectrum bacterial growth and the other fungal growth.

Here's what was revealed:

Face Cleanser A: Clean!

The slides have these little plus signs on them which is the texture you can see on the agar. These were completely clear of any discoloration anywhere. I'm thrilled by this - though not surprised - because I love this cleanser (as do many others at this point) and I think CURIO clients will too. I'm extremely careful about using the appropriate amount (no more or less than necessary) of preservative. I bought a special scale to assist with this.

Shampoo A: Clean!

Same as above.

Conditioner A: Clean!

Note that with this product, given its texture, I had to use a sterile swab to rub it on the agar slides which is why you can see a bit of white creaminess in a couple of spots. It's not germs - it's just the residual conditioner...

But, Lord, this is what scared the CRAP out of me:

Purchased, "Naturally Preserved" Product: UTTER FAILURE!

If you can believe it, this is the orange side.

I was so freaked out by this I could barely hold the slides to take the photos. Honestly, I was holding my breath at the same time. I can't even look at the pictures!!!

People, run - don't walk - when you see nicely packaged lotions and cleansers containing water but not a cosmetic preservative. This is danger on a stick. (Scientists - feel free to disagree with me but I don't care what you say. Ugh!) I haven't looked up what's going on with this product - on my tech sheet - because frankly, I don't fucking care. I'm never using this and my only dilemma now relates to the person who made the natural product and whether / how I'm going to bring this to her attention.

If you'll excuse me, I have to take a shower.

Thoughts or feelings?

Updated CURIO skin care* (*potions for skeptics): Eye Balm A (Rose)

Updated: I updated this post with a photo of the current Eye Balm A: Rose packaging as my blue glass supplier seems to be having challenges stocking my original glass jars. These amber ones are just as lovely and the same size. Also want to let you know that I just made a new batch of eye cream (it got popular when September hit) and I've got a small number of samples of this eye balm put aside. If you'd like a sample (with purchase), feel free to note that when you buy any product in the shop. Happy to send them out as long as they last.
_______________________________________________

Let's talk about skin care for a moment. It's always top of mind for me, but now that the summer is fading, it's a good time to remember that we are moving back into the season of moisturing sera and salves. (Sob.) Part of my weekend plans include making up new batches of my Face Cleanser A (soon to be offered for sale, still in the testing phase), shampoo, conditioner and body wash (simply for personal use). FWIW, I have exclusively used my own skin care products for many months now and I'm not too polite to brag.

You know my alter ego, OTG Krissie . Well she is so freakin' chuffed every time she gets in the shower and washes her face with subtly sudsing neroli cleanser, her body with orange and vetiver body wash, her hair with rosemary shampoo (followed by conditioner) and then indulgently applies ylang-ylang and grapefruit body oil, neroli face toner, lip balm and face/eye moisturizers and deodorant, all of which are handmade. Yeah, I'm channeling my inner Martha S and I don't care!

Before I fell down the rabbit-hole of mid-summer (a great place to get lost, btw), I mentioned one of my newer favourite handmade products: Eye Balm A.

CURIO skin care* Eye Balm A

Here's a list of ingredients:

Squalane Oil, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Organic Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Cera Bellina (Polyglycerol-3 Beeswax), Organic Rosa Rubignosa (Rose Hip Seed) Oil, Rosa Damascena (Rose) Essential Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Essential Oil

And here's a bit more about ingredients I love most:

Squalane is one of the barrier lipids our own faces produce to provide non-greasy moisture. It's antibacterial and very high in antioxidants. In addition to being one of those "anti aging" ingredients I refuse to dwell on (apparently our own faces reduce in squalane production after the 20s), oils high in antioxidants are very stable, which makes for a product with a happy shelf-life.

You know how I love jojoba seed oil. I also get a kick out of calling it Jo-Jo-Baaah (emphasis on the last syllable and I pronounce the "j"s). Brief aside: One day I was talking with a local client, raving about the substance and, in my enthusiastic rant, I neglected to pronounce it correctly. Hmmm... Let's just say I did a healthy amount of overcompensating thereafter. As I've mentioned in the past, jojoba is not an oil, but a highly-emollient wax.

Rosehip seed oil is my fave (not so secret) secret. It's super high in pro-vitamin A and it absorbs beautifully.

Rose essential oil is harvested from damask rose (an edible flower) and it's known for its delicious, uplifting fragrance and antibacterial properties. I use a subtle amount of this essential oil because balanced rose fragrance is mood-perfecting (while excessive rose fragrance ain't fun).

The Benefits of an Anhydrous Gel

My rather-longer-than-optimal-marketing copy (aka the Item Details section of the Eye Balm A listing) says it all and then some, but I do want to point out one of the things that thrills me most about this product: In short, as a water-free (anhydrous) gel, it walks the line between oil and cream - a rare bird of natural skin care, because oils can be greasy around the eyes and creams require cosmetic preservation.

As it happens, I concocted an eye cream shortly after embarking on potion-making and it was very well-received. Because it contained water, I added a cosmetic preservative but I wasn't really happy about that. Don't get me wrong, in no way do I think the preservative was or is dangerous (NOT adding the preservative would have been dangerous), but of all the places I feel naturalness should prevail, the gentle skin around the eyes tops the list. 

So what I spent a long time researching was how to make something more viscous and less greasy (more immediately absorbent) than an oil without using a preservative. Eye Balm A employs a modified version of beeswax to create an oil gel which works fantastically. Because there's no water, there's no need to chemically preserve it. Like an oil serum, it doesn't go germy when its reached the end of its lifespan.

This eye balm doesn't look and feel like your average water-based gel (think aloe vera), it's like a very delicate ointment (think solid honey without the stickiness).

Off-Label Use: One of the things I didn't predict, when first I started testing and selling this product, is that some of those who have very dry skin (especially mature dry skin) would choose to use it as an all-over night moisturizer. If you're one of those people who feels that a pure oil serum (like Serum A, for example) isn't quite moisturizing enough, then this may well be the face potion for you!

As I have the greasiest skin in the land, I am very sparing in my use of Eye Balm A. So I don't recommend it as a day cream for the oily-amongst us :-) But if you want to pamper and protect the skin around your eyes - and/or to maximize moisture all over the face, this is certainly a product to try.

As always, if you'd like to learn more about this, please check out my Etsy listing. 

Fancy!

My new labels just arrived and they're ALL THAT! So shiny, stable and water/oil resistant. Can't wait to apply them to many bottles and jars in the future. I do have some new products in the works that will have to wait till the next cycle before they get their own fanciness, but one must be slow and steady.

I'll be writing, over the next couple of weeks, with updates about new natural skin care and ways to use existing products for multiple purposes. Maximize your dollar and your space, I say. To anyone who's purchased a CURIO product, if you'd like a new label, please just email me. And for those who love packaging as much as what's on the inside (um, that would be me), do check out the shop :-)

User Experience

Hey y'all - travel was 16 hours in the end - to get from freakin' Ireland?! - but, man, gotta love melatonin for jet lag. It's amazing and I'm functioning (if not yet optimally), so woohoo!

BTW, on a totally unrelated note, just want to let you know - if ever you order from the Etsy shop and have any issues (of any kind), please do notify me immediately. My job is to ensure that you feel completely happy with your CURIO purchases. A recent reviewer received my serum with a spray closure instead of the appropriate pump closure - no doubt because I was running around like a chicken and I made a mistake. Vendor error isn't laudable but it does happen occasionally and I could have remedied the matter instantly with quick feedback. I feel just terrible that I couldn't manage a suboptimal experience - of which I was the cause - because I didn't know about it!

At any rate, I see a check list in my future for improved quality control.

I care tremendously about this venture - about the skin care I'm selling and about your client experience. So please, when necessary, let's communicate!

PSA over and out. And really, next up, bras.

Curio (Potions for Skeptics): CURIO Baby* Massage

As far as I'm concerned, the indicators of a good gift are these:

• It's unique.
• It looks good.
• It smells good.
• It does what it says and it does it well.
• It's not mass produced.
• It's easy to obtain.
• It does the thinking for me.
• It's of high-quality.
• It makes a statement.

Y'all know I frequently shop on Etsy (have done for many years now) - particularly at Xmas - because it's so easy to find darling and original gifts.

I'm pretty psyched to have the opportunity to give back, as it were, when it comes to producing high-quality, event-specific presents. I've been thinking about CURIO holiday gifts for months now - since long before I started the business, crazily. Yeah, I do realize that it's June, but gifts are so enjoyable to plan!

At any rate, recently my friend Jeanette and I collaborated creatively. She needed a baby shower gift - preferably massage oil - and was curious to know what I might be able to provide. Oils are an excellent bonding vehicle. When my daughter was small, I frequently made up mini batches of massage oil, which I'd apply - mainly on her abdomen, with gentle, clockwise strokes. Once you've had a baby, you don't forget: It's a time of concern, of exhaustion - of being, sometimes, overwhelmed.

Baby massage is a fantastic way to calm, soothe and balance not only the baby (which is key, of course), but also mothers and fathers who could really use some essential oil TLC.

Enter: CURIO baby* Massage

C'mon, is this not a sweet gift?? Each oil is designed to encourage bonding, via infant massage, and to serve a particular aim:

Balance: This oil is as much about the parent as the baby. The rich scent of geranium is uplifting, but light. Geranium EO is often recommended by herbalists to restore female hormone balance. Neroli is used to promote digestive balance. Neroli is also a mood-booster - its beautiful scent relaxes and elevates one's spirits.

Balance Ingredients: Organic Apricot Kernel Oil, Vitamin E (in Organic Sunflower Oil), Neroli Essential Oil, Geranium Essential Oil (2 oz)

Soothe: New digestive systems can be fussy. Chamomile is used for its anti-inflammatory properties and its propensity to reduce tummy misery. Lavender promotes circulation. Orange essential oil is widely used for its carminative properties, to ameliorate digestive complaints. This oil is best applied by clockwise motion on the abdomen.

Soothe Ingredients: Organic Apricot Kernel Oil, Vitamin E (in Organic Sunflower Oil), Chamomile Essential Oil, Lavender Essential Oil, Orange Essential Oil (2 oz)

Calm: Lavender and jasmine essential oils have been used for thousands of years to encourage cheer and relaxation. This article speaks more about the potential positive impacts of jasmine, specifically it's anxiolytic properties. Lavender is a sweet-smelling, natural antibacterial.

Calm Ingredients: Organic Apricot Kernel Oil, Vitamin E (in Organic Sunflower Oil), Lavender Essential Oil, Jasmine Essential Oil (2 oz)

One doesn't mess around when it comes to babies and essential oils. I've researched those that are considered safe, and beneficial, for infant use. I've also spent a lot of time considering the appropriate ratio of essential oil to base oil (0.3 per cent). This volume of essential oil is small, but discernible. In fact, it's also perfect for grown-ups who prefer a body oil that's very lightly scented.

Jeanette purchased the Trio, for her friend, but these oils are also sold individually for parents and babies, or for adults, of course. BTW, the Trio comes with a complimentary gift bag and tissue which you can assemble on delivery, if you intend to offer this as a gift:

Each massage oil comes in a 2 oz, blue-tinted glass container with pump closure to facilitate one-handed access. Each is seriously delicious. As always, if you're interested to learn more, please check out my Etsy shop.

Curio (Potions for Skeptics): The Body Oils

For 20 years, give or take, I bought and used the same, all-natural body oil. It's unadulterated, consisting only of almond oil and an essential oil. I have nothing bad to say about it - except that lots of people (though not I) are allergic to almond oil. Oh, and I had but 4 flavours to choose from.

I was always on the hunt for a ylang ylang version. Truth be told, that's my desert island scent (probably literally). Or one with neroli - a close second fave. (I'm a bit of a freak for the deep florals with weird, woody subnotes.)

Then there's the fact that I didn't love the packaging. And it was pricey.

Many a time over those years it occurred to me that I could buy some almond oil into which I could add some ylang ylang (or any of dozens of essential oils I own). And I never did it. Why, I have no idea. It's quite efficient and I can change the scent as often as I change my mind.

Then one day - sometime after making the serum but before the deodorant - it occurred to me that I had every freakin' thing I needed to get on it. Gorgeous bottles, check. Liquid reducers, check. Pumps, check. EOs, check. Almond oil - well, I had some but I actually prefer apricot kernel oil. Fortunately, I had that too. I even had a pretty label - and a brand?!

I'm telling you this for two reasons: If you have always wanted to make your own body oil - just do it. It's totally enjoyable. You need a good glass bottle (preferably), a funnel, some high-quality essential oil, a base oil of your preference (I recommend dry oils that don't stain like almond, grapeseed or apricot kernel), and a closure that controls oil volume. A label is optional. There's really no way to get it wrong unless you introduce water into the mix. It doesn't hurt to empty a couple of vitamin e capsules into the potion, to delay oxidization of your oils.

On the other hand, if you desire a natural, luxe, delicious, fragrant body oil that you're never going to make for yourself cuz, come on, you're not some nut who spends her weekend every day making skin care, then do yourself a favour and try Body Oil A:

Ingredients include:

Organic Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil , Tocopherol (Vitamin E) in sunflower oil, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Essential Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Essential Oil OR Citrus Aurantium Amara (Neroli) Essential Oil, Aniba Rosaeodora (Rosewood) Essential Oil

Yeah, it's pretty simple. But the fab is in the alchemy.

Option 1 - Ylang Ylang and Grapefruit: Ylang Ylang EO, that perennial Kristin-fave, is deliciously mood-altering and truly luscious. It's like a perfect day in a tropical garden (but shaded!). Grapefruit EO is the perfect foil for ylang's intensity. It brings a sparky, light element to a deep scent. The result is an oil that's beautifully balanced. If I were a body oil, this is the one I'd be!

Option 2 - Neroli and Rosewood: IMO, the combination of these essential oils produces an end result that is more than the sum of its parts. To me, this smells like the Mediterranean. It's the fragrance equivalent of the bluest sky, pale sand and crystal clear ocean.

But fragrance is only half the story. I've experimented with a number of base oils in the last few months and I am most satisfied with apricot kernel. It's got a dry-feel - which is to say that it absorbs easily, especially when applied to slightly damp skin. However, it moisturizes deeply and the moisture persists between showers. Similar oils are almond and grapeseed, but each of those comes with a downside. Almond, as we know, is allergenic for many (including my sister). And grapeseed - perhaps my fave oil of them all - has a regrettably short shelf-life. Apricot kernel is a wonderful way to get all of the benefits without those detractors.

This product comes in 2 sizes: the 2 oz (shown in the photo above) and a  4 oz size. If you'd like to know more, please check out my Etsy shop. And thank you so much to everyone for your continued support of CURIO. I am so thrilled by, and grateful for, your interest.

One other thing - and I'll give more fun vacation deets soon - I'll be away from the shop (and the city) from June 22 till July 13. Any orders placed after June 19th will be processed in the week of July 13.

Bad Ass

This morning, I got up and had a shower. I washed my hair with my own handmade shampoo and conditioner. I washed my face with my new, self-created facial cleanser. When I was finished, I dried myself off halfway and applied Body Oil A (Lord, I love this stuff). I rolled on a bit of my own deodorant. I toned my face with neroli hydrosol, spritzed a bit into my Serum B, and gently applied it. Finally, I used a smidge of Eye Balm A (wait till I talk this up) and finished it up with my lip balm.

Gotta say, I feel pretty fucking self-sufficient right now. And I feel and smell great!

Maintenance

Sometimes I'm reminded, writ large, about how much of life is simple maintenance. To wit: This week I renewed my health card (thank you socialized medical care), my driver's license (not that I use it much), my US passport (don't get me started on this one) and I had to buy every paper-product that the drug store has ever stocked.

Turns out I can't leave the passport topic without telling you - and you probably don't know this if you're not an American expat who also has dual citizenship in another country: I am ineligible to travel to America without a valid (not expired) American passport. Fair enough, you might say. But I'm as Canadian as I am American (albeit not by birth), and I do have a valid Canadian passport with which I can travel the entire rest of the world! Those things do cost, you know. And furthermore, it is veritably blissfully easy for me to engage with Canadian government offices (living in downtown TO and all), as I'm "bureaucrating" in the country in which I reside. To renew my US passport, I have to take a trip to crazy-land, aka the US Consulate, which is without doubt, the most officious place I have ever set foot in, in my life. And I'm a freakin' public servant!

But enough about the riches of my access in North America...

Maintenance is this strange space between novelty and capitulation. It's not exciting, but it's oh so necessary. And, secretly, it's a sweet spot I love. It's why I eat at the same neighbourhood restaurants (though not Bar Raval, necessarily) again and again. It's why I MELT and do yoga, multiple times a week, to stay as supple as possible. It's why I use the same products practically in perpetuity. When something works, it's a delight. A delight I don't need to concern myself with. Ya know?

A propos of this, I have put together the CURIO Traveler. It's a little sample of the products I use every day:

It includes:

• A full-size Serum A (which you can order in plastic with a reducer insert and a squeeze lid, for travel ease, or in glass)
• A travel-sized Deodorant A (the cutest thing you've ever seen)
• A full-size Lip Balm A (I cannot be without this), and
• A travel-size version of your preferred Salve (immortelle, calendula or arnica)

It's a great skin-care travel pack - or a great way to get to know a new line. Feel free to check out my Etsy store for more details.

Of course, maintenance has many facets. Small business is teaching this to me...

I've decided I'm not happy with the durability of my current labels (they're laser printed by me) so I'm looking into a thermal option. I mean, they look delightful, IMO, but they don't last optimally as far as I'm concerned. Sure, this business maintenance process is a bit of a pain in the butt (cuz I can't directly control the output) and stupidly expensive in the short-run. But everyone who buys CURIO deserves the best experience I can provide. This label-transition will take a bit of time. So I'd just like to say that, if you purchase between now and when the new labels arrive, I'm happy to send you updated labels (which won't look different, they'll just be shinier and better) when they're available.

Curio (Potions For Skeptics): The Salves

The word salve, related in origin to the words salvage and save, is technically "an oily substance applied to the skin for the purpose of healing". It ain't sexy, but when needs must, a well-made salve is invaluable.

Sure, there are lots of ways to get to the end result. Mine is to infuse organic, food-grade olive oil with dried flowers (generally for 2-3 hours), to strain the infusion and then to add targeted essential oils (which together with the infusion create a soothing, highly moisturizing balm).

I'm always surprised by the whim of popularity. I mean, of my three salves (all of which have been very well-received, I'm so grateful to say), the Immortelle Salve is the one that's impossible to keep in stock:

Ingredients: Immortelle flowers, Organic Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Beeswax, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Essential Oil, Helichrysum Angustifolium Essential Oil

Admittedly, immortelle flowers are a veritable metaphor for joy. Have you ever seen them in a field? They're these small, perfectly round, intricate balls of bright yellow. They retain their colour and shape forever (i.e. even when dried) which is one of the reasons why their component properties are touted, in the cosmetics industry, as "youth-restoring". It's also why the flower is sometimes called Everlasting... These flowers are also known, in the herbal scene, for being anti-inflammatory and analgesic - specifically as pertains to rheumatic pain. Happily, the essential oil of this flower (helichrysum) smells gorgeous, cuz I'd be using it either way. It is added to the mixture in the cool-down phase to complement the benefits of the flower.

I devised this salve specifically for my own needs, given my recent experience of myofascial pain, and I am very satisfied with the result. I apply a generous amount (1/2 - 1 tsp) on a relevant area and I gently massage it, for up to 5 minutes, in with a focus on counteracting fascial adhesion. BTW, I drink a glass of water after doing this, the rationale being that adhered connective tissue is almost always dehydrated. Water is believed to assist in the process of tissue restoration and the diminishment of pain.

I'd like to take a moment here to remind you that I'm not selling medicine. I'm sharing my experience - one which is professed by various natural / non-allopathic therapists (and which you may or may not choose to validate). This product is based on a herbal remedy that has been used for numerous generations, presumably successfully or it wouldn't still be around. But that's just my opinion. Use it as you will.

FYI, you can use this product around the eyes. (Fun related fact: There's a post on my newest potion - a hard-won, deliciously rich eye cream - coming soon). I'm not into putting olive oil near my eyes because I wear glasses and it tends to transfer to them. But some have told me that this salve great for that purpose.

Arnica Salve was my first foray into salve-making and I've "tested" this one more than any other - specifically as a massage medium to ameliorate that stupid knee injury I developed last autumn. (Note: Happily, it's dramatically improved, one might say almost gone, for many reasons - one of which, I believe, is the targeted massage of the tendon with this salve...) Unremarkable-looking, dried flowers produce a balm that is not quite as bright as immortelle's, but is nonetheless in the same colour-family.

Arnica has a wide reputation for diminishing muscle pain and is most often found in homeopathic format and in creams or gels. The Europeans love this stuff and, as a person who's been using arnica cream from the homeopath and the health food store, ever since I was a child, I can tell you I find it remarkably useful for all kinds of sprains and exercise-induced muscle tension. It's particularly effective, in my opinion, after gardening or for toddlers who like to bash into things. Side note: I carry arnica pellets (homeopathic remedy) and a travel-sized tin of arnica salve with me everywhere. You never know when you're going to need it - or to share it!

Ingredients: Arnica Montana Flowers, Organic Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Organic Beeswax, Origanum Majorana (Marjoram) Essential Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Neroli) Essential Oil

Marjoram essential oil, added when the salve is cooling, is used by herbalists as an antispasmodic and analgesic. From a mood vantage point, the slightly sweet but verdant scent is known for chilling out even the most anxious nutcase. Ask me how I know. I've also added neroli essential oil, mainly because I love it and yeah, it smells terrific.

Please note that arnica should not be applied to broken skin. For broken skin, we have calendula salve...

Ingredients: Calendula Flowers, Organic Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Organic Beeswax, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Essential Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Neroli) Essential Oil

Calendula Salve is the one for open booboos and skin conditions like eczema or ultra-dryness (I'm looking at you outdoorsy-types...). This is also the one that you can put on the skin after gardening, for example, but do be sure that you disinfect carefully - with soap and water - before doing so. Why? Well, in addition to this being sound first-aid advice, apparently the impact of this little flower is such that, if you put it on skin that isn't first cleaned, you can end up quickly closing a wound that might thereafter get infected. Note: I've only read this claim. As I'm an uber-disinfecter, I am happy to say that I have no first-hand experience. Point is, don't put it on cat scratches till after you wash your hands. (But aren't we all washing our hands all the time??)

Calendula flowers, you might be intrigued to know, are also used to dye fabric! How multi-purpose is that? While the balm produced from this floral infusion is on the golden end of the spectrum, I find it more honey-coloured than bright...

My calendula salve is completed with the addition of small-batch, Bulgarian lavender essential oil - an excellent anti-bacterial and anti-fungal (in truth, many EOs are, but this one has a particular reputation). It smells like an afternoon in the south of France. And then I throw in a bit of Neroli, cuz well, you know...

As always, if you would like to learn more about these salves, please visit my Etsy store.

Curio (Potions For Skeptics): Lip Balm A

I'm a lip balm connoisseur. I've been buying it in bulk since I was 13. Ok, I've been stashing it in bulk. Without it, I am insecure. Can't tell you how thrilled I am to be making my own. I now have a container in every room, every bag and just about every drawer. (What? That stuff likes to walk.)

No one's ever going to call it fancy. It is a staple, after all. Lip Balm A is a glidey, glossy potion, full of emollients. It wears well, lasts long, and it smells subtly minty delish.

Ingredient List:

Organic Beeswax, Organic Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Organic Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil,  Organic Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Peppermint Essential Oil

It takes few ingredients to make a great lip balm, which is why I'm always surprised by the unpronounceable crap that goes into most every drug store offering. Lip Balm A is a great base coat for your lipstick. It's terrific if you're out in the cold. I've been known to apply it to my wind-burnt cheeks in a pinch.

If you're interested to learn more about it, please check out my Etsy shop. Kisses.

Curio (Potions for Skeptics): Deodorant A

I've been a proponent of "natural deodorant" for many years. My latest foray has been with an "award-winning" Swiss product (Dr. Mist), which most definitely would have worked if the power of my will had anything to do with it. Alas, I was disappointed, bottle after bottle. The time was nigh to try a new brand, whereupon my mother just happened to call me up and say: Since you're doing skin care, would you make me some deodorant please? 

Part of me want to respond, exasperatedly, that one doesn't just make deodorant. Like, it's serious stuff. And then I thought about how much money I'd save (you know, over the course of the rest of my life), if I could produce it for myself. How I'd never have to recycle another container. And how utterly impressive I'd be at dinner parties. As you can imagine, that sealed the deal.

Enter Deodorant A:

What ensued was weeks of reading everything that's ever been written on the internet about making one's own deodorant. You'd be amazed by how popular an undertaking this happens to be. You'd also be amazed by how suboptimal most of the handmade recipes are (at least from my perspective). I don't want to be sticking my hands into a jar and rubbing oily stuff on my armpits, even if it is good for the world. I don't want a roll-on product that requires refrigeration lest it melt. I don't want something that's 90 per cent baking soda (not that I have any sensitivity to it, but some people do). I don't want a roll on that's so much like a candle that it tugs mercilessly at the skin when applied.

Handmade deodorant is not a quick win. It's a delicious alchemy of ingredients which one must truly understand in order to corral. The ingredients are not inexpensive. It takes time. Seriously, this is mad science. Y'all know I happily suggest that everyone make everything - that's how I roll. I'll even provide links. But take it from me, deodorant is a labour of love.

Deodorant A ingredients:

Organic Beeswax, Organic Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Organic / Social Enterprise Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda), Cetyl Alcohol (a fatty alcohol to improve glide), Olibanum (Frankincense) Essential Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Essential Oil

I use only the highest quality, unrefined shea butter, which is produced by a small collective in Ghana. Frankincense, a tree resin, is often lauded for its beautiful, clean scent (which isn't overly feminine) and lavender is an excellent anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. The corn starch and baking soda do some heavy-lifting in this formula and I'm amazed to say they are very effective.

So while we're on the topic, let's have a moment to discuss effectiveness. We are all different people with different biochemistries. A propos of this, I have to assume that Dr. Mist is working well for many or it wouldn't have won an award (and cost so much freakin' money in the health food store). My version has been tested on, let's say, 25 people so far (a teensy weensy sample size) and I'm frankly surprised that every single user has proactively commented that it works excellently for him or her. Could they be telling me things I want to hear? I doubt it. I mean, I've given every tester carte blanche to be frank and I've received some good constructive criticism on a variety of  other products. (Interestingly, all the Deo testers have come back asking for more.) Is it possible that I chose the perfect test group to meet my ends? It is. But they're all different peeps with unique jobs and lifestyles. They're not all spending the day doing the same thing.

Sure, I didn't just pop stuff into a pot and cast a spell. I've done lots of research on which components yield the best results, but I'm still surprised because it sure as hell works better than any other natural deodorant I've tried - and I've bought those!

Do I recommend it for someone who's going to sweat at the gym, who won't reapply it after the fact (and better still, after having showered)? Not so much. My husband has tested it on this account and he doesn't think it's up to mega-sweating without reapplication. He does think it's up to all kinds of regular sweating, however - like biking twenty minutes to buy dinner. I walk miles a day - during which I often sweat - but I smell fresh when I get where I'm going.

For want of access to affordable push-up, cardboard containers, Deodorant A is presented in clear plastic - an elegant, simple container that allows one to observe the utter prettiness of this potion. There's a useful, up-and-down twist mechanism which releases the deodorant in two directions. (It's reusable, fyi.)

If you'd like to know more, please check out my Etsy shop.

PS: If you're wondering why every product is named "____ A", it's because these are my first viable prototypes. When I make another Serum, for example, presumably it will be called Serum B - unless I decide to get vaguely creative, which wouldn't be a bad idea!

PPS: While I feel that Deo A is entirely unisex, my dad's getting in on the request action - he wants a "distinctly manly" version for his birthday. As such, my intention is to produce this product with cedarwood essential oil, for the guys. So please stay tuned for that.

Curio (Potions for Skeptics): Serum A

One of the more awesome things about being "hands-on creative" is the practical upside. A propos of this, Serum A was conceived on my way home from a lovely TO boutique (Cure Apothecary), after having just spent a mini-fortune on a restock of my fave face products. I don't know why it took me so long to finally say: I can make face serum. What I can tell you is that, the minute I made that decision, I knew I wouldn't stop there. 

It has been - and continues to be - a process, needless to say, to source the components that meet my ridiculous standards. As far as I'm concerned, if the end result isn't of exceptional quality (organic or sustainably-sourced) and gorgeously presented, why bother? I won't buy things that don't meet those qualifications. Why would I make them?

Serum A gave me the opportunity to explore all of the parameters that go into devising a product: constant research and development, sourcing stable base materials (used for their specific benefits), refining the essential oil therapy component (all of my products contain therapeutic-grade essential oils), sourcing appealing packaging to ensure the stability of the product (blue glass, in most instances) and, yeah, creating a brand.

While I loathe the application of the term "brand" as it applies to the modern individual, there's no getting away from it as it applies to one's saleable product. I know, explicitly, what a skin care brand has to say in order to speak to me. It must be simple. Uncluttered. Clean. It must denote quality. The product must be devised with an achievable outcome. And, while its price must reflect those elements, I'm not into spending simply for spending's sake.

Enter Serum A:

It's made with these ingredients:

Organic Rosa Rubignosa (Rose Hip Seed) Oil, Organic Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Organic Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E) in sunflower oil,  Rosa Damascena (Rose) Essential Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Essential Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Essential Oil, Aniba Rosaeodora (Rosewood) Wood Essential Oil, 

And what's so cool about them? Well...

• Rosehip seed oil, high in provitamin A (betacarotene), is a pressed seed oil from a varietal of wild rose. It's widely reputed to be excellent for dehydrated and/or mature skin. It's quite robust, so small volumes go a long way. It's got a beautiful pale orange/pink hue (like the colour of Aperol), it's scentless and it has a long shelf-life (up to 1 year). Stability is key! The reason that I include tocopherol (vitamin e) in all of my liquid, oil-based products is because it's an antioxidant that delays rancidity. (FYI: Oils don't go off the way lotions (oil and water emulsifications) do. An "off" oil will not develop a high-bacteria count, but instead will change in taste or smell due to its oxidation.)

• Rice Bran oil is extremely high in naturally-occuring tocopherols (vitamin e) which is one of the reasons that it's so stable (upwards of a year). It's also replete with ferulic acid, an antioxidant in its own right, one of the reasons that it is often used in sera which promote youthfulness. Interestingly, ferulic acid has been shown to reduce hot flashes in perimenopausal women, when ingested.

• As a side note: I have made and used this serum with organic jojoba oil in place of the rice bran oil. I can't decide which formula I prefer, though I am inclined to reach for a jojoba version as the weather heats up. Note: This is because my skin is very oily by nature. Jojoba is not an oil, but a fatty ester and it absorbs very quickly. For what it's worth, I'm happy to make this serum with either jojoba or rice bran oil, depending on user-preference. 

• Apricot Kernel Oil is a dry-feeling, light oil that absorbs beautifully. I love it.

• The essential oils I've chosen for this blend (rose absolute, rosewood, lavender and carrot seed) are widely used in face products because they're antibacterial and because they smell gorgeous. Carrot seed essential oil is particularly interesting because it's full of carotol, known for sunscreen properties. (Note: I am in NO way suggesting that this oil makes the serum a sunscreen.)

Brief word on essential oils: Essential oil therapy, an extension of herbalism, is the application of plant-derived oils to achieve "a healing outcome". The application of essential oils, in this fashion, might be construed to yield a medicinal rather than cosmetic end result, which isn't my goal. (Note that I am not a certified professional essential oil therapist.) What I will say is, on the basis of my having used dozens of EOs, thousands of times, in a variety of formats over the years, I absolutely believe in the ability of essential oils to reframe one's mood and perspective (profoundly, in some instances). The application of essential oils in my products is for the purposes of encouraging delight, calm, energy and groundedness via plant-based fragrance. Because I respect the potency of plants, I recommend that anyone who is pregnant or breast-feeding use all skin care products consciously.

Brief word on anti-aging claims: You will not find assertions that any product I produce will turn back the hands of time. Why? Well, I can't confirm that it's possible, for one thing. But more to the point, do you really want to turn back the hands of time? Really? Your face and body are a record of everything you've lived and experienced. They reflect your every joy and sorrow - all that you have accomplished, all the things you've seen. May I suggest that, perhaps, you simply want to look like the most rested, supple, hydrated version of your current self?

What I will assert is that my base ingredients are of the highest quality, that they are organic or produced under social enterprise conditions. I have chosen them to create a gentle but durable, natural product which wears well and nourishes the skin via moisture retention and absorption. I absolutely assert that these products smell fantastic. Yeah, we all have different tastes, but trust me on this. I package with glass, as frequently as possible, to avoid any product interaction with plastic. That glass is tinted, to delay oil oxidation. I use every potion that I sell, regularly, and I take pride when looking at the unadorned labels and simple packaging as I ready myself for work in the morning.

I have a lot of love for Serum A and it is my sincerest wish that you will too. If you'd like to learn more, check out the listing on my Etsy shop.*

*Please note: The shop is under development at the moment but, if I wait till it's perfect to send you there, I may never start this business :-) Please stay tuned for updates and new items, which will be added shortly.

Small Business Chronicles: Starting a Start Up

If you're neither into skin care nor lingerie, it is not your month on this blog... On the plus side, if you can half get with either, it's fun times! Since I wrote about bras last time, today it's skin care. I did receive a new bra yesterday - one I haven't said anything about thus far. I'll review it for you tomorrow but the short story is that it's a winner.

I realize that I said my next skin care post would be to introduce Serum A (a creative end-result that I'm very excited to natter on about) but I've spent the last 2 weeks absorbed in the alternatively-creative, all-consuming act of setting up a small business and I simply must tell you about it. Look: I'm not one of those peeps who bravely quits her career to revel in the self-directedness of entrepreneurship. I'm deeply attached to my salary - which I am only interested to expand (and, no, not after accepting a cut in lifestyle prior to making it big). So you won't see me ditching my day-job anytime soon. As such, it means I'm going to have to be that much more efficient.

Given that I'm surrounded by entrepreneurs, I find it interesting that I have never embraced this path. Oh, I love selling things. I mean, I love engaging with people about things that interest them, that might improve their lives in some small way (whether I've made those things or not) - and I'm totally down with the transactional component. It's like participating in the beautiful cycle of commerce from every bar of beeswax to finished balm. I love R&D and creating product and marketing. Gotta say, though, the whole cost analysis / balance sheet part of the job doesn't exactly call to me. And since I've been mega-living that element of the small business experience, it's really sharpening my focus.

My husband has been relentless on this topic. If I hear the phrase: If you don't know every cost associated with your production model, how will you know how to price your product? one more freakin' time... I finally just decided to do it to shut him up. And wasn't he on the ball? I guess intuition doesn't improve profit margin after all.

I've also been setting up an Etsy shop. (Natch, I'll plug it when it's ready to roll.) OMG, people, I never knew how much I wanted an Etsy shop till I got one! I just stare at it all the time! This part of the undertaking has quickly brought me up to speed on ways that I can improve what I can offer to clients, how to realize discounts on shipping (yay for us all) but it has also made me aware of the steep hidden costs associated with peer-to-peer e-commerce as it pertains to the business beginner. Don't get me wrong, it's the way of things, and I believe the platform is a well-run necessity. But I'm starting to understand why everything I buy costs twice as much as I think it should. :-)

I sense I will not be able to keep myself from writing about all of this. You know I write about what I do and, for better or worse, right now this is what I'm doing. Plus, it's a major learning curve and who doesn't like to prattle on about that?! All I can say is that it's really illuminating to put your money (and your time and your energy and your creative-spirit) where your mouth is.

Today's questions are for the entrepreneurs (or part-time or wannabe entrepreneurs): Lord, people, how do you do this all the time? Aren't you tired?? Oh, and what do you appreciate most about having your own business? What do you sell? Stuff? Services? How did you get started? Is there anything I need to know like, today? Please, please - let's talk!

Curio (Potions for Skeptics): Get Curious

So, a propos of my previous post, I do promise that this isn't going to turn into a blog about skin care products (namely ones that I make and sell). Mind you, one requires a marketing platform. I figure if 8 years of blogging should buy you something, it's a well-travelled space. For the moment, this is where I'll give you all the deets (you know I have approximately 8000 per potion), and the pretty photos. Having said this, I'll make my post titles pretty clear so, if this isn't your scene, you won't be lulled into reading.

This, ahem,  nascent business is a growth opportunity for me, inasmuch as it's a vehicle for providing terrific product at a reasonable price. As you know, I'm a professional with a bat-shit, crazy-paced day job. I have a 15 year old daughter, need I say more? The back of my century home is (technically) falling off. I sew and knit and bake and garden etc. The point: I'm doing this in my own way, at my own pace - but the standards will be high because I expect that of myself and, natch, you should expect that too.

I don't propose to be an expert entrepreneur at this moment, but I am most definitely an expert consumer. I know what I want, what I will buy, what I will spend. I also know what good skincare looks like, for me, and how to combine raw ingredients to create a beautiful finished product. The reason I have an inventory of 11 products, 6 months in, is because my motivation is always to make things for myself that I will use. I've decided to stop buying the majority of products I spend a fortune on, because I can make them because I like to make them (and also to control the quality). But you know I don't go slowly!

If something doesn't work, it's out the door. And, peeps, I am a bitch of a tester. Furthermore, in the last 6 months I've gifted (aka market tested) my wares amongst dozens of people of all skin-types and needs. Yeah, super small sample size, I know. But they've provided feedback, which has been carefully considered. They've also, to a one, come back for more.

My mandate for myself - and by proxy for anyone who might choose to use my potions - is to wear natural skincare which is not fussy, which is elegant and which is sustainably sourced (to the best of my abilities). I will pay for quality, but I will not pay for a name. Oh, and all the things must smell fucking awesome because everything should.

How it Works: What I intend to do is to profile individual potions in separate posts (not specifically in back-to-back posts, but when the info is available and as I have time to produce the content). Until I have the opportunity to move this topic to a new platform, the information will be stored in the sidebar (like my Sock Tutorial of a couple of years ago).

Technically, I'm open for business so if you read about any particular product and you'd like to know more, reach out to me by email at kristinm100 at yahoo dot ca. While I'm still determining long-term costs of shipping, for the moment, assume that it will be 10 dollars to Canada, US or UK (I can provide estimates to those in other places). This is in line with what I've spent to-date to mail potion parcels. Actually, the cost is sometimes higher within Canada but I cannot bring myself to charge my national neighbours a higher shipping fee than I would my international ones. If I discover, over time, that the shipping costs are routinely higher or lower in any location, I'll alter the prices. I will be entirely transparent. That's how I roll.

For starters - and again, this ain't no hard launch - my brand is called Curio. Those of you who know me IRL will know that's a play on my last name. My tag is "Potions for Skeptics" because that's what I am and IMO, that's what everyone should be.

Thanks to all of you who've reached out so far, to find out more, to be my first clients (or to offer your blogging review services). Next up, Serum A.