The power of Oatmeal

Oatmeal is an incredible little grain. It makes a wonderful addition to your daily diet. It is considered to be one of the Heart Healthy foods that can also help fight cholesterol and its complex carbohydrate makes it perfect for dieters. The “stick to your ribs” definition of oatmeal is due to the complex nature of the oatmeal. Oatmeal also has a high level of fiber in it. The body takes longer to digest it and this is why it gives you a satisfied feeling and can help prevent cravings.

But the benefits of oatmeal don’t stop with the diet. It is also good for your daily skin care. In fact there is growing use of oatmeal in many skin care products. Oatmeal has been known to help calm irritated skin, reduce rashes, and relieve itchiness. As an exfoliate, it is soothing and gentle while still being very effective at helping to slough off dead skin cells and unclog skin pores.

At Trés Spa we use organic oatmeal in several of our products due to the benefits it has as a natural skin care aid. It is both gentle and effective as a natural exfoliate. We use it in many of our natural soaps as well as in the Old Fashioned Country scrub. We are currently experimenting with it as one of our ingredients in a facial scrub due to be released this summer. You can find our products here; www.tresspa.com but you can also create some fast skin care at home.

Here are some ideas for you that you can try with the same organic oatmeal from your kitchen cupboard.

• For your bath, try grinding some oatmeal into a fine powder and add it to your bath water. Really great for skin that has been damaged by sun exposure.

• For a fast facial try mixing some finely ground oatmeal with a local organic honey and apply it to your skin for 10-20 minutes.

• Quick face scrub, use a rough cut oatmeal and mix it with fresh yogurt to scrub away dirt, dead skin, and open up the pores.

If you would like to learn more about the history and chemistry of Oatmeal click here. To learn more about Trés Spa products, visit us on line at www.tresspa.com

Presidents Day

Yesterday was a Holiday for me and my family. It was nice to have a day off and I had promised everyone I would take the day off, I mean really off. No computer and no phone for one day. It is really nice to have a day with no electronic interference once in a while. I love my life and I love my work, both the consulting work that I do as well as the skin care.

But on this day, I took advantage of the day to sleep in a little and spend some quiet time reflecting. I was thinking about Presidents. Makes sense to think of Presidents since it was a day to celebrate the birth George Washington, our first President. My thoughts also drifted to the title of President as it pertains to business. Hard not to think of commerce given the current state of the economy. But rather than clutter my mind with pondering on the negative CEO’s and Presidents we see in the news, I was thinking in terms of the people that have most influenced me and that I admire.

As I thought on the subject, I realized that I have always been surrounded by CEO’s of entrepreneurial companies. I thought about the lessons that each one has taught me through the years. Knowing them over the years has helped me tremendously in preparing and launching my own company and due to their pioneering spirit; I had every confidence that I could do it before I ever filed my corporate papers.

Annette has had her own company for a very long time. She started out on her own cleaning homes and gradually added a few staff to her team. Over the years she worked hard, developed a great client base, and as a result has created a lifestyle that I honestly envy. There are very few countries she has not traveled to for vacations. Seems every other month she is off on a new adventure of some sort. She did not get there overnight. She worked hard to earn the lifestyle she now enjoys. The main lesson I learned from her is to build your business one step at a time and build solid relationships with your customers. Be realistic in the goals you set out to achieve and when it is time, take the time to relax and enjoy.

Carol I have known for many years and I have always had a deep appreciation for her wisdom and compassion for people. We also share a passion for protecting the environment. She is an author of several books and is the founder of Green Career Central. From Carol I have learned that your business is an extension of you. To grow your business, you need to grow yourself. It never ends and you will find yourself on a path of discovery and development that will continue to evolve and grow with the right nurturing. She has an amazing wisdom that is truly rare to find.

Liz is a ball of energy. She is the CEO and Founder of Single-Sourcing Solutions. Honestly it can be hard to keep up with her. It is amazing how she knows so many people and she has an incredible ability to bring people together. I have learned a lot from her and I am sure I will continue to learn new things from her. The lessons that stand out the most are the importance of being a knowledge expert at what you do and having the passion and drive to persist through adversity. She is far more fearless than I think I could ever be, but I can try.

So what Presidents have influenced you in your life?

What is the difference: Natural vs. Organic?

This past weekend I skipped the regular farmers market and opted to go participate at a little Valentines gift fair in what I would consider to be a very unusual place, a local diveyish bar. While it’s not my normal type of venue nor is it really a place I hang out, I figured why not. Plus I was there with a friend so we could keep each other company.

When I arrived, I was really not sure how it would be as a venue and, honestly, I wondered if anyone would stop by my table at all. Soon there was a regular stream of people curious about my products and full of questions and adoration. Since they were not my regular customers, they had lots of questions for me that I was only too happy to answer with as much detail as they wanted.

One gentleman came by and was asked how I make the products and what I use. When I answered that I use Organic and Natural ingredients, his ears perked up. Of course the next question he had for me was: What is organic? and What is natural?

In the cosmetic market space these words are used very frequently but they mean very different things. There is more than one term that companies use when labeling their products Organic. To state that the product is organic means that at least 95% of the product is made from certified organic ingredients. The other label you may see is that the product is made with 70% organic ingredients. To be certified as organic, there are very strict guidelines that you must follow and certification is expensive and a bit restrictive for the smaller independent company to achieve.

The term natural means that the product is as close to its natural state (how you find it in nature). It is kind of hard to label the final product as natural. Once you add lye to the oils and other additives to create soap, it no longer resembles what you would find out in nature. Lotions and creams contain water and for the safety of the consumer, preservatives are added which do not necessarily occur in nature but without it the product can become harmful.

For Trés Spa, I use a variety of raw ingredients. Many of them are organic certified. Some of the additives are what are considered to be “food grade” meaning they are safe enough to eat. And yet again, some of the ingredients are considered natural. One day, perhaps I will have the extra funds to get the organic certified label, for now I am happy with following the best guidelines to bring the most healthy and wholesome products to my customers.

For more information about the Trés Spa products, please visit our website at www.tresspa.com