Category: Inspiration

7 ways to use coconut oil in your beauty routine!

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I’ve written about the wonders of coconut before, and I’ve been using coconut oil even more in my day-to-day beauty routines since then.  I love that I’m using something that I have in my kitchen and is all natural.  It’s full of amazing fatty acids and other goodness that our skin and hair love!

Here are a few of my favorite ways to use coconut oil:

  1. Lip balm   ||    This is one of my favorites (and the easiest!).   The fatty acids in the coconut oil help lock in moisture, so when using it on your lips you’re creating an oil barrier that holds the moisture in.  If you don’t love the smell or taste of coconut, this might not be the best one for you!
  2. Oil-pulling   ||    You’ve probably heard about this one before and even might have wondered what that could possibly mean.  Take a scoop of coconut oil and swish it around your mouth like a rinse.  Make sure to spit it into the trash (not your sink!) to avoid clogs.  Your gums and teeth will feel cleaner than ever.  And some studies have shown coconut oil also helps with whitening teeth
  3. Skin Moisturizer   ||    Just like on your lips, coconut oil is great to use on your skin.  It helps to lock in the moisture and keep you nice and soft.  I especially love to use it on my feet (put comfy socks on after so you don’t slide around!), knees, elbows, and face.
  4. Massage Oil   ||    Smooth and isn’t absorbed immediately.   Perfect massage oil.  Need I say more?  Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to give it a lovely sent as well!
  5. Hair Conditioner    ||    Take a little bit of coconut oil and apply to you hair roots to ends.  If your hair is particularly thin, use a little less and don’t go to the roots.  Do a quick wash out in the shower and feel your silky-smooth locks!
  6. Nail & Cuticle Conditioner   ||    Coconut oil is a great moisturizer for your cuticles and can also help strengthen your nails.  An added benefit:  coconut oil is anti-fungal so it’s perfect to help keep those icky feet issues away.
  7. Make-up Remover   ||    Coconut oil is amazingly good at removing make-up, especially the often-difficult mascara!  An added bonus is the moisturizer the coconut oil will also provide around your eyes.  That skin is some of the most thin and sensitive you have, so you must take good care of it!  (And as a note, be careful as you use the oil to remove the make-up:  don’t push too hard on your skin!)

I also love to use coconut oil in natural deodorant and soap recipes.  I’ll share those later down the line!

Do you use coconut oil in any of these ways?  What are your favorite ways to use coconut oil in your beauty routines?

new designs.

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It’s been a great couple of weeks with friends, family, and celebrating the Jewish New Year.  It’s now Sukkot, one of my favorite holidays, as it marks the end of harvest time (and I love this time of year!).

We’ve got a lot of fun stuff cooking up for you too.  More on that soon!  In the meantime, take a look at some of the newest designs below:

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(Let us know what you think!  We’re really excited about some of the new directions we’re taking!)

I’m on a business trip up north in California for a few days this week and then head back up here again this weekend with my brother and dad (!!) for a bicycle race my brother is in.  It should be a fun time, and I’ll have more updates for you next week.

In summary:  things are hectic, but things are happy.  Lots of love ❤

autumn: season of keeping the colds away.

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That’s right, summer is winding down and it’s time for the change of seasons!  You may already be feeling the change or, like me in San Francisco, it may still be pretty summery.  Either way, it’s a great time to think about preparing for the coming seasons!

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Today, we have a guest post from my wonderful herbal medicine teacher, Kami McBride.  She has been working with plants for over 25 years and  is the author of The Herbal Kitchen, which is all about using spices and herbs you probably already have in your kitchen to make healing and immune boosting remedies.

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there’s kami in the middle, back row during our last class of ‘cultivating the herbal medicine woman within’

 

She is also just getting ready to launch her first online course (registration starts on September 20!!) and I highly recommend checking it out!  Prior to launch, she is releasing 4 free videos that also hold really valuable knowledge.  She holds a wealth of information and is always willing to share and help others.

Read on for a few tips from Kami on Autumn and keeping colds away!

 

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With the change in seasons comes the beginning of cold and flu season!

Darn!  Preventing and limiting the duration of colds and flu is a household art that has broad social application especially when it comes to people taking antibiotics to get rid of a cold.  You don’t want to do that if you can avoid it!

Herbs offer us a solution. Let’s use herbs for colds and flu and save the antibiotics for the life-threatening infections. Herbs that have antibiotic activities only kill pathogenic bacteria and do not harm the beneficial bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract. Many herbs help with viral infections as well as with bacterial infections whereas pharmaceutical antibiotics will not help treat a viral infection that causes a cold or flu.

Hospitals are now issuing statements in their membership newsletters about how taking antibiotics can increase your chance of later being infected with resistant bacteria that antibiotics cannot kill. Pharmaceutical antibiotics go into the body and kill not only the pathogenic bacteria that may be making you sick but it also kills the hundreds of beneficial bacteria that help you do many things such as digest and assimilate your foods.

When you kill your beneficial bacteria with antibiotics you become more susceptible to future illness.

One of my favorite anti-biotic herbs is Garden Sage (Salvia officinalis).

It is an herb that most people have in their herb and spice rack and it is very easy to grow. There are many beautiful Salvias (sages) grown for their colorful flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. These salvias are not your medicinal varieties of Salvia. When purchasing Salvia to be used for medicinal purposes make sure that it is Salvia officinalis; yes good old turkey stuffing, garden Sage.

Sage is especially good for upper respiratory and throat infections. You can drink three cups of strong tea a day for a week or do a steam inhalation.

Sage Tea Steam

You need:

  • four tablespoons dried Sage
  • one quart of water

Put herbs into pot of water and bring to a boil with a lid on the pot. Turn off the heat and let herbs steep for 15 minutes. Reheat the tea until it is hot.

Take off the lid and place a towel over your head and breathe in the steam from the tea. Make sure the steam is a temperature that is comfortable for your facial skin.

Do this for ten minutes and rest.

Another highly effective antibiotic herb that many of us take for granted is Garlic.

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Garlic has been used medicinally for thousands of years and clinical studies have shown garlic to be active against strains of bacteria that are now antibiotic resistant. Garlic is good for fighting off all kinds of infections and even kills fungus and parasites. Fresh Garlic works the best. Add some freshly crushed Garlic to any of your meals and mix it into soups.

Garlic Flu-away

  • 2 medium cloves of freshly crushed garlic
  • 1 cup of very warm water
  • 1 teaspoon of honey
  • 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Add everything together in a tea cup. Mix well and sip.

Ok, so there are a couple great home remedies to help you stay well during the transition from summer to fall. Be well!

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Thanks for sharing your wonderful knowledge and recipes with us, Kami!  Don’t forget to visit Kami’s site here for more information. 

 

 

tsoana ceramics giveaway!

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It’s been a really exciting time in these first few months getting the business officially up and running.  There are three things I know for certain:

  1. It is a lot of work to run a small business!  From the paperwork and record keeping to production and connecting with stores and potential customers, there is always something that needs to be done.
  2. It is insanely satisfying!  I feel like I’m finally doing what I’ve been wanting to do for so long, and it feels really, really good.
  3. Most importantly, I couldn’t do any of this without you, my beautiful tsoana friends, followers, and customers.  You all are amazing.

To truly thank you, I am hosting the first tsoana giveaway.  We are giving away one of our most popular designs:  a beautiful bee mug!

Due to the platform I’m using, you’ll need to visit this link to enter the giveaway.  Best of luck!

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(Note:  the giveaway mug is similar to this mug, but is not this exact one.  Due to the handmade nature of our items, there will be slight variations in shape and color.  This makes the end product unique and more beautiful.  Thanks!)

and we’re off!

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Well, things are definitely getting a bit hectic around here for the tsoana gang.  Okay, let’s face it, the ‘tsoana gang’ is really just me and my supportive fiance, but that’s alright.  I’m okay with that!

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We just had our first market (!!) on Sunday, and it went very well.  It was so nice to meet our customers face-to-face, tell folks about the processes I use to make my pieces, and send pieces off to their new homes.

I wish for each person to find a little love and happiness when they use their new pieces in their homes.

We have a lot more coming up soon.  From markets and new lines, to pieces stocked in local stores, it’s all coming, and we’ll keep you up-to-date!

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Make sure to follow along by joining our mailing list or following us on bloglovin’.

You can also check out our online store if you aren’t local or can’t make it to a market.

We love you and are so grateful that you’re following along!

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