I get asked this alot. Where there is water there is life, and most forms you do not want growing in your skincare products or your food. That is the reason antimicrobial preservatives are used, for your protection. It is irresponsible and dangerous, not to mention against the law, to make risky products that can possibly be detrimental to the health of the public. We know various strains of bacteria are not visible but can be lethal.
If a product contains water or a hydrosol it must have adequate preservative. (A smidgen of essential oil to add aroma is not enough)
Products that do not contain water or a hydrosol are exempt from these rules. Pure Body Oils, Salves and Balms do not need added preservatives. In fact the amount of essential oils in a recipe usually protects these just fine.
During the coarse of a 4 hour Farmers Market I get asked an abundance of questions. As I answer these and explain the various facets of my business people are always suggesting I either teach a Course or hold Seminars. Well time constraints, we all have and understand these. So I thought, hrm, maybe make better use of this blog and set it up as a Q&A session. You ask and I’ll make a post answer. No question is too trivial. Ask away.
For example I have been asked more times then I can count “What is the difference between Fragrance oil & Essential oils?”.
Fragrance oils are synthetically produced and have an aroma, that’s all, they smell good.
Essential Oils are botanically derived, not only do they smell good they have medicinal properties, are active, and you can taste them.
After multiple requests and extensive testing (thank you my friends) this is now bottled for release and on the website. “Simply Exquisite!”
Deep Penetrating Eye & Facial Serum
This nourishing Serum is a private complex blend of special Exotic Oils and unique Botanical Essential Oils. Providing a full spectrum of vitamins & omega essential fatty acids that the tender areas of your skin need. Your skin smooths out instantly and the serum continues to work deeply into the layers providing optima nutrition.
I touched on this earlier in my article about the different types of Soap. People found it so interesting a local magazine refined it to AP standards and ran the article in their health issue. So that tells me there is a concern about healthy “eating” via topical applications.
Our skin is our largest organ. It contains a bazzilion pours that are like little mouths eating whatever is on it. Feed it as you would your stomach. If you would not put it in your mouth, do not put it on your skin, simple enough. 
Fresh Botanicals
Make sure all the ingredients of your skincare products are fresh & wholesome (like whole foods), full of vitamins and essential fatty acids. You can get this from Pure Botanicals, the same as you get your daily intake of vitamins from fruit & vegetables. Steer clear of synthetics and processed ingredients, the same as you do in your diet. They are full of blank filler and offer nothing nutritional. And definitely stay away from overly refined ingredients that are suspected of causing adverse health reactions.
READ those labels!
At the same time be wary of products that focus market only a small percentage of nutritional ingredients yet fill the rest of the container with cheap bulk fillers. Unfortunately this is a common practice in the name of commerce, the more corporate, the more it is done. I have watch more companies do this then I care to, all for the sake of profits. They start out with a mission to provide good wholesome skincare products, build a brand image, then start cutting corners with your health.
Again, think of your skincare as you would your nutritional diet. You are eating whatever you put onto your skin via topical application. So think…would I eat it?
It is up! The HMB Review Magazine Article. This might be easier to read than my scanned pages.
Several months ago, I had a customer who was using a couple of my products combined to relieve his Psoriasis ailment. He emailed me an article (see below) and we got to work on creating the Balm utilizing this wonderful herb along with some other proven ones for skin problems. The base is a deep penetrating and very healing combination with Castor, Hemp & Emu Oils.
Since then more customers have started using it and all are reporting amazing results. One testimony: “Dear Debby, Two weeks ago, I bought your psoriasis balm. I wasn’t sure it would work, but the results have been amazing. Several sores are now GONE.” – Roger
Also the original customer Juris, my inspiration for this creation, sent me before and after pictures to monitor the success.
This wonderful balm is now available thru the website Gaia Essentials.
Actual Clinical Test Results and Doctor’s credits from the Archives of Dermatology:
Clinical Assessment of Patients With Recalcitrant Psoriasis in a Randomized, Observer-Blind, Vehicle-Controlled Trial Using Indigo Naturalis
Yin-Ku Lin, MD; Chee-Jen Chang, PhD; Ya-Ching Chang, MD; Wen-Rou Wong, MD; Shu-Chen Chang, PhD; Jong-Hwei Su Pang, PhD
Arch Dermatol. 2008;144(11):1457-1464.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatment with indigo naturalis in patients with recalcitrant plaque-type psoriasis.
Design Randomized, observer-blind, vehicle-controlled, intrapatient comparison study.
Setting Ambulatory department of a hospital.
Participants Forty-two outpatients with chronic plaque psoriasis were enrolled in the study from May 1, 2004, to April 30, 2005.
Intervention The patients applied either indigo naturalis ointment or vehicle ointment topically to each of 2 bilaterally symmetrical psoriatic plaque lesions for 12 weeks (depending on the date of enrollment in the study).
Main Outcome Measures The outcomes were assessed using the following criteria: the sum of erythema, scaling, and induration scores and the clearing percentage of the target plaque lesion assessed by 2 blinded observers.
Results Significant reductions in the sum of scaling, erythema, and induration scores (P < .001) (mean score, 6.3 after indigo naturalis treatment vs 12.8 in control subjects) and plaque area percentage (P < .001) (mean percentage, 38.5% after indigo naturalis treatment vs 90% in controls) were achieved with topical application of indigo naturalis ointment. Approximately 31 of 42 patients (74%) experienced clearance or near clearance of their psoriasis in the indigo ointment–treated lesion.
Conclusion Topical indigo naturalis ointment was a novel, safe, and effective therapy for plaque-type psoriasis.
Author Affiliations: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine (Dr Lin), and Department of Dermatology (Drs Y.-C. Chang and Wong), Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, and Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences (Drs Lin, C.-J. Chang, Wong, and Su Pang) and College of Medicine (Dr Y.-C. Chang), Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, and Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei (Dr S.-C. Chang), Taiwan.
Scary, when you do not know what you are doing or know enough to be dangerous. My husband is dabbling in Photography and graciously took all new pictures of the Gaia Essentials product line for me. One by one I placed them on my website and this took 3 days. I am very happy with the results. Gaia Essentials
The Farmer Market Season is coming to a close and the Christmas Season around the corner. For the first time we participated in the Pacifica Fogfest, opening another door to display and offer the product line.
Being a conscientious consumer, I cannot educate enough about simplifying your life while taking care of yourself by using high quality skin care. My philosophy is “If you would not eat it, you should not be using it on your skin”. We honestly do not need a multitude of different things for cleansing and moisturizing, providing you select the right things to use.
Nine months have gone by without a peep of a post here, yep this is proof that writing is not my calling, or even in my blood. Yet I’ll try….
Short Summary:
Beautiful Grandson born in October to my middle daughter, her first. So I spend a wonderful couple weeks there helping her learn the ropes and get back on her feet. which also allowed me to visit with my other grandchildren and oldest daughter.
My husband and I managed to take a few road trips, which are always good for the soul. (Santa Barbara, Reno)
Fantastic Coastside Farmer Market Season finale is December. Many thanks to my wonderful customer base for their support. Without your patronage Gaia Essentials could not exist. Many of Gaia Essentials recipes are inspired by the needs of the community and created from these requests. Some remain custom products and some are produced as consistent inventory. All great ideas!
This spring found me enrolled in San Mateo Community College and taking Conversational Spanish with my friend and apprentice Tobie. Yes, Spanish is a complicated language and will take years to get affluent, so this will be a continued part of my regime. Homework waiting on me as I write this.
Let me open up a chat about a on-going hobby of mine, that spans 9 years now. MMORPG or conveniently called MMO’s now. What? That is a acronym for Multi-media Online Role-playing Games. This is something that gobbles up a few hours a day of my time, at a minimum. First one I ever created a character in was Everquest. From then on I was addicted to them. Pictured is the first character I ever created, my druid Klailie.
Most of my adorable computer creations are healer types (Druids, Clerics, Priestess’) due to nurturing nature, these appeal to me. As I have traveled thru this cyber arena I have made some of the best friends anyone could be blessed with. So close have we become that physical get-togethers are the norm now. Our guild Reverence was formed withing the game of Dark Age of Camelot and has continued in its unity since. It is wonderful to be a part of a guild, club, society, whatever you label it, with friends that enjoy the same recreations.
Can I explain more about these computer games? Not really, it is a complex society that without actually experiencing it on your own, it is hard to understand what I am babbling about. Just know that it is socially addictive, it is real, and it is fun!
Thrown into my schedule this past month has been a move. We found a beautiful home in the Seal Cove area of Moss Beach, CA with fantastic views of the Ocean and the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. The Gaia Essentials Shop is now its own unit in the beautiful backyard.
Even though I have never had a green thumb so to speak, last week I planted 4 Herb Gardens. I will hold back on chattering about this until its fruition.
That sums up the activities in my life since my last post.
Blessings, Debby
Just wow
The Coastside Farmers Markets have been rocking which found me hiring help to keep up. Joining Gaia Essentials is Tobie Ross, and I could not be happier. We also have been attending the Urban Village Farmers Markets in various places.
We launched the Warming Massage Candles to the delight of our customers, you can give them a try with a loved one, they are on the website. Simply light them, let a small pool of the butters form and pour into your hand for a amazing massage.
The Natural Botanicals Deodorant has been flying off the shelf, works like a charm! I cannot count the customers praises on this product.
With the sun being at its highest my light skin has been abused. So out of necessity I created a Calming Skin Balm with so many luscious and soothing Botanicals its a god send.
AND we just finished up a new Sensitive Skin Sunblock. A complete UVA & UVB protection via reflective minerals in a soothing vitamin enriched base with Chamomile, Sandalwood & Shea for ultra sensitive sun care. This is now available.
In keeping with the spirit of local patronage our 100% Soy candles are now available in the handmade pottery from Wild Women Pottery. As you know Soy is washable in hot soapy water, so cleaning up after using your candle is easy and you have a nice tea or coffee cup. Various shapes and sizes.
So as you can see, its been busy. The following month is great times with company for 2 weeks, and then more in August. *cheers*
