Sweat it does a body good!

I don’t know about you, but I hate to sweat. I don’t like getting over heated and I hate the sticky sweaty feeling as your clothes cling to your skin or sweat drips down your forehead onto your face. Hair clinging to your skin. Let’s face it, nothing about sweating is appealing to me…except one thing. The saving grace and the best reason to get out there and break a good sweat on a regular basis; it is excellent as a natural skin conditioner.


So what good is it for your skin? The act of sweating does one thing that is phenomenally significant for skin conditioning, it opens and cleanses the pores. Sweating is a natural act to help cool the body. When your core temperature reaches a certain level, the pores of the skin release water and salt. As the salt water dries on the surface the skin cools creating a natural air conditioning. Think of it like a fresh salt water rinse for your body. The pores open up and turn on their faucet to cool you off which also results in them getting a clean rinse as a bonus. When our skin is unclogged, it’s easier for the skin to rejuvenate. So, clean pores give us skin that is vibrant and glowing.

Of course there are other benefits for your health such as building stronger cardiovascular system and respiration. Some claim you detox through your skin, but if that is true, it would really be so insignificant and surface really. If you can recall your elementary anatomy class, you know that the Kidneys and the Liver are the bodies power tools for detoxifying, not your sweat glands. It’s just not how the human body was designed. But if you want to boost your detox ability, then help out your kidney and liver by drinking your 8 servings of plain ‘ole water.

So if you want skin that looks and acts younger, get out there and break a sweat!

So what’s with the Green and Blue bottles?

The conundrum of how to package product for consumers is something that takes great consideration. It becomes even more perplexing when you factor eco responsibility. We want our products to be safe and have confidence that they will stay as fresh as possible for an acceptable shelf life. But, for Très Spa, we want to balance it with our sense of stewardship for the world we live in.

While glass is the best (especially colored glass), it weighs a great deal more than plastic and I personally do not feel comfortable with glass in the shower or bathroom. So after much consideration, we choose to use both blue and green PET bottles and jars. The plastic is a good gas and fair moisture barrier, as well as a good barrier to alcohol and solvents. It is light weight, strong, and impact-resistant making it far more practical than glass.

The resin signature of PET is 1 making it one of the most favorable for recycling. The jars and bottles can be recycled and the materials used to make lining for handbags, polar fleece, and carpet fibers.

I did have a customer ask me if the plastic contained BPA. Typically plastic marked with a resin count of 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 do not contain BPA. Resin counts or 3 and 7 may contain BPA. How do you know what the resin count is of the bottle? Look on the bottom for a stamp like this one;  

So why colored bottles? Since we use pure plant based ingredients and only pure essential oils, we want to protect them for as long as possible. The color helps to block UV rays that can damage the plant based ingredients. 

A Facial is not just about your face

When I talk with people about good face care, I always make certain to include the neck and the décolleté. Why?

Have you ever noticed someone who has had work on their face. You know that kind of “work” I am talking about. But even with what may look like tight firm skin free of wrinkles or the blemishes, you notice something odd. Perhaps their chin line is fine but look a little further down and you start to notice the mismatch. The neck or upper chest area looks older than their face would have you believe.

When you take in the view of the face, you also take in the view of the neck and the upper chest area, also referred to as the décolleté. Some people forget to apply the same care to these areas as they do for their face. The result makes for a very odd inconsistent look.  It is more evident with women, since clothes are designed to accentuate a lower neck line. It is even more evident with the spring and summer clothes. However, it is just as important for men to pay attention to this area when applying facial care products.

Remember to care for the entire face, neck and décolleté area at the same time. You should be able to apply the same treatment products to the entire area. Proper care of the skin in this area is really not that much different than the rest of your body. Clean, exfoliate, moisturize and repeat. It’s simple really.  The only difference is in the type of products we may choose to use. For example, skin that is exposed to the elements more than others, may need extra attention. And skin that shows the effects of time almost always gets extra attention for everyone. Whether you want it to or not.

Clean: You don’t need to strip your skin to clean it. The purpose is to remove surface dirt. For that a good quality soap should do the trick. I usually recommend the Naked Soap from Très Spa for my customers. It is made with our signature blend of organic oils and has honey, organic buttermilk, and organic oatmeal for added benefits. It is an old fashioned country kind of soap and feels amazing on the skin. If you are wearing makeup that cannot be removed with good soap and warm water, you might want to rethink your cosmetic choices!

Exfoliate: OK so after you have cleaned the surface dirt, you will want to clear the skin at a deeper level. Exfoliation helps to remove dead skin cells and open up the pores of the skin. There are several options to exfoliate. At Très Spa we have four options to choose from and you can mix and match to suit your needs. 

1. Choose any one of our soaps that have a mild exfoliate such as Naked, Renew, Sanctuary, Awaken, Enlighten, Lemon Ginger Snap. I would avoid the exfoliates that are seeds or tapioca pearls as they can be a bit more abrasive.
2. Use a body scrub. I occasionally will use the Old Fashioned Country Scrub. You may also use the Sweet Stuff Sugar Polish. I would avoid exfoliates that are more abrasive like the Mocha Latte or the Tethy’s Sea scrub. Salts and Arabica beans may be excellent at buffing the skin, but the skin on your face, neck, and décolleté require a softer touch.
3. You can use the Cleansing Grains as a scrub. Mix the grains with your own choice of wetting agents to change the aspects of your facial care. They are fun to play with and only limited by your imagination.
4.  For an everyday cleansing, I like to use a Très Spa soap wrapped in one of the Body Buffers that are hand made by Très Spa. They are 100% Hemp fiber and very eco-friendly. Because of the fiber we use in creating the buffers, they offer just the right amount of scrubbing action without being to abrasive.

Moisturize: Boy you have allot of choices here and there are some products out on the market making incredible claims for anti-aging and solving all kinds of issues. You can read my Blog on How to pick a good moisturizer for tips and advice on what to look for. There are a vast array of choices and they all fall into a couple of basic categories: Lotion, Cream, and Oil. 

For times you feel you need a thicker moisturizer, use a cream. For a lighter and preservative free solution, I recommend a face oil. Falling right in the middle of these two is the moisturizers that fall into the lotion category. Très Spa offers Defiance as our crown jewel in face creams, a selection of organic face oils for an array of skin needs: Meadow – high in anti-oxidants, Balance- to help the skin balance oil production, and Sahara – an oasis for dry skin. If you wish to use one of our lotions, then I recommend the synergy scent blend Sanctuary and Romance. Men may prefer the synergy blend Renew with its forest notes.

There are also times you may want to add a toner and face masks to your routine, but for an everyday routine you can keep it simple.  No matter what routine you choose to adopt to care for your face, just remember to include the other bits too. 

Lessons I learned from being a Marathon Runner: How to achieve the impossible

Deciding to run a 26.2 mile course in a controlled time was not a natural choice for me. To say I was not the “athletic type” would be a serious understatement. On top of that, I hate to sweat. I mean it, I just do not like it even though I know it is great for me and for my skin, I just don’t like it. But the decision was made and commitments were given. Since I am a person of my word, there was no turning back. If you read my first post in this series you see how I was challenged to take on a full marathon: Lessons I learned : You need good shoes.

So here I am standing at the starting line with my new shoes. Now what? How on earth am I ever going to get to 26.2 miles when I can’t even get to ½ mile at this point. Seriously, when I started on this journey a ½ mile was a really big thing for me. From even my early years, I was never interested in sports, never liked attention, and preferred staying in-doors. Marathoning for me was marathon movie watching. Now, that I could get behind. But, that will not help me finish this goal.

The first thing you need to do after you get those shoes is set a plan up. Planning is something I love to do. Ask anyone who knows me well. I love to plan things and I often tell people “I can to be spontaneous! Just let me know in advance so I can plan for it.” I take to planning like a duck takes to water. Personally, I think it is a great skill to have and find it handy for all kinds of applications in life. I have even planned some wonderful vacation trips that I have yet to take, but the plans are all there.

So in order to create a plan you need to do the research. I read everything I could get my fingers on for running, endurance training, and articles interviewing endurance athletes. So, basically I went in search of advice from others who went before me. Of course, no one was just like me but their experiences gave me a great deal of guidance on how to design my plan.

Looking forward to the end goal, successfully completing a full marathon, seemed like an impossible dream. But, I ignored the end goal and focused on the smaller steps to get me there. I did not start out each training session wondering how I would ever go from a half of a mile to completing 26.2 miles. I started out each day looking at what the plan was for that day and followed it. I just kept doing that over and over until before I knew it, my training runs were 18 miles.

The planning guided me in making the impossible happen. I have the medals to prove it and while I no long participate in endurance sports, they remind me that what may seem like an impossibility can be achieved. Just make the plan and do it!  

What do you want to achieve in your like that seems like an impossibility? For me, I know I have several things I would like to achieve and many plans I need to make to hit those goals. 

What is the best way to protect my skin from the sun?

Believe it or not, the weather is about to take a turn for sunshine and high temps. I know it is hard to believe considering it is already June and we are having another rain storm this weekend. But do not dispair, there will be a change in the weather by this coming weekend. That usually means we all want to head to the beach, the park, or any other open outdoor space we wish to explore. We are all excited to be through the days of chilly winds and cold rainy days and long for a bit of glorious sunshine.
In our excitement and enthusiasm to bask our faces and get a little sun kissed, don’t over do it! You never want to cook your skin. It’s just not atractive!

Being very fair skinned and having suffered from sun burn many many times in my life, I can speak from experience. Now that I am older and wiser, I understand that some skin types need special care in order to protect them. My sisters never needed it and they could run and play all summer long and while they got darker, they never seemed to burn. Me on the other hand, if that sun got one glimpse for longer than 20 minutes without protection, I was toast!

Every year, without fail, I get asked about sun screen. Sunscreens are chemical agents that help prevent the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the skin. They are considered to be an OTC drug and fall under the FDA CFR 21. At Très Spa, we do not make sun screen. Why, well for a couple of reasons. One, we do not make drugs and anyone making a Sunscreen should be following FDA regulations on drug manufacturing. Two there are lots of companies out there that offer the latests in scientificly developed screens that are designed to protect the skin and not rinse off in the water. These companies are manufacturing a drug that is required to go through a series of rigorous clinical testing before being approved. The process is very extensicve and very costly. Too costly for a small independent company to afford.

So if you must go out in the sun here are some tips worth repeating.
The best sunscreen is to stay covered and out of the direct rays of the sun. Since that is not likley to happen, then try your best to avoid the sun at it’s most potent time of day ( about 10am to 4pm). If that is not possible, then please for goodness sake buy a sun screen that is high in UVB and UVA protection!
What is the best one to choose? Select a sun screen that has had clinical testing. Do not rely on special interest groups to tell you what is and isn’t “safe”. Especially when they are not peer reviewed! Again, Sunscreen is considered a drug and is required to undergo extensive testing and clinical trials before it can be sold as a drug. Here is a great resource to help guide you in searching for screens to protect your skin in the sun: http://www.skincancer.org/Sunscreen/

So what do you do if your already sun burned? Nothing can be done to reverse a burn, the best you can do is to help the skin stop cooking (that is the heat you feel) and to replenish the skin from the nutrients that just got radiated out of it.

• Replenish from the inside! Drink water, juice, or even sports drinks.
  
• Cool off the outside! The purpose of bathing after a burn is to help stop the cooking process that is the cause of the burn. Take a cool bath as soon as you possibly can. Adding Oatmeal and Buttermilk can also help but stay away from salts or bubbles. Oatmeal can help sooth irritated skin and milk creates a protien film to also soothe the skin. No bath, then take a long cool shower. If you use bar soap, use a handcrafted one as these are naturally superfatted (you knew I would say that right). Better still if your handcrafted soap has milk and ground oatmeal. If you don’t have a handcrafted bar soap, shame on you, just rince with the water only.
  
• Moisturize moisturize moisturize!!!! You need to make sure your skin doesn’t go dry. Peelling is going to happen, but you do not want a dry peel. Use a moisturizer that is designed to penetrate the skin. Try our apres Soliel body oil, our Sanctuary Body Butter, or our Santuary or Romance body lotion.
  

If you are feeling light headed, nausious, or headachy, you may want to seek a doctors care. Also, if you have a fever, you may want to see a doctor or at least consult with an advise nurse. Remember, the best treatment for sunburned skin is to not get burned in the first place!

To learn more about Très Spa or to shop our on-line store, visit us at http://www.tresspa.com/

You can follow us on Twitter or join our Facebook fan page.

How do I pick a good moisturizer?

Honestly, when I was a kid I didn’t think anything about skin care. I was blessed with clear skin and the occasional acne break out got zapped with good ole’ rubbing alcohol and off I went. Life was simpler then. I found as I left my teens and entered into my twenties, things began to change. It was never drastic, just a slow changing process and now as time has progressed even farther I can appreciate the differences that time has afforded me. Now I would never think of doing what I did when I was a kid and I understand so much more about the natural remedies my grandparents had been teaching me all those years ago.

By the time I was looking at the tail end of 20’s and looking to welcome my 30’s, my skin needed just a bit more attention than simply showering and go. I needed the occasional aid of a really good moisturizer. But how do you pick a good one? Great question!

The answer is, it depends on you and your personal preferences and are you willing to read the label for yourself?  The questions you ask for yourself will help you in narrowing your choices.

• Decide if Organic is important to you. If it is then check to see if at least 50% - 75% of the ingredients are organic. If only one ingredient is organic, then it’s a nice start but you may find other formulators better suited for your needs.
•  Are you looking for particular oil? I use a variety of oils and they vary depending on the topical application. One oil I am strongly committed to using is Hemp Oil. I have been using it for years and it is an amazing oil that is rich and extremely eco-friendly. You can read more at my Blog: What’s the benefit of Hemp Seed Oil in skin care products?
• Are you looking for a solution to a need? I get allot of people looking for something to help dry skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. Since I put Hemp Seed oil in just about everything I make, my products tend to be very attractive. I use other oils as well for a multitude of reasons, each one helping strengthen the other.
• ·         Are you looking for products that are ALL Natural? Not nearly or mostly or kind of, but all natural? Then you can narrow down your selection even further. You may see allot of adds for products that boost this or that and eliminate this or that, but those ingredients come out of a test tube. Don’t get me wrong, nature is powerful and it can be quite potent. But it has a price that many formulators find too costly and to make stronger margins, they use less expensive and mass produced ingredients.
• Do you care if the scent is a synthetic fragrance or are you looking for only pure essential oils? I tend to be far to sensitive to fragrances so I avoid synthetics. But if you must have that funky fruity strawberry banana mango ag go go – then you cannot get that in nature. Sorry! Even many of the floral scents like Lilac, are not available in essential plant oils. It can only be recreated in a lab with synthesized chemicals. Too bad really, I love Lilacs.

Now as far as how I would go about selecting a moisturizer? Well I use Très Spa products that were formulated using only plant based oils and essential oils so I covered all of those questions. But which on in the family do I use? Here is what I do. First I consider the area I am intending it for. If it is my face and neck area I would use facial oils, creams and even hydrosols.  I prefer not to use lotions although I will if that is all I have on hand. If it is for my rough tough feet, then I like to slather on the butter as long as I don’t have to do much walking for the next 20 minutes. Give it time to absorb in. As far as the rest of me, I bounce between lotions, butters, body oils, mists, and the residual oils from my body scrubs.  (When I formulated the body scrubs I used oils that filled more than one purpose and for good reason. They not only hold the exfoliates together in a suspended state, they are excellent at allowing for a smoother application to the skin as the oil melts at the touch of your skin, and most importantly they are all oils I use in the moisturizing products. )

A mention about preservatives – OK so maybe you did or maybe you didn’t notice that I simply did not bring this up. If you have a product that contains water, you need to preserve it. The amount of preservative in the final product that is applied to your skin is so minute it is hardly worth mentioning. You expose yourself to far more damaging things by simply spending a few hours in traffic a week. How about that walk in the city park? It is amazing to me that a very political highly charged well funded from big business special interest group has so many under the belief that they are facing such extreme danger with their cosmetics. Ask yourself if you ever see them talking about dosage/exposure amounts or if their papers are pier reviewed. Just because I say I have a database of stuff, doesn’t mean my database is right or accurate, but then truth usually does not make good press, does it. It’s rather boring reporting that things aren’t bad.

To see Très Spa’s line of skin moisturizers, visit our on-line store. 

Green solutions that give back.

Recently I was invited to participate in an Art event in Monterey. Who could turn that one down? Not I! I love Monterey and in fact one of the Très Spa Synergy scent blends (Invigorate) has its roots of inspiration from the drive down from where I live over to the coast. You can Read More…. on our website.

Now if you have never been there, I can tell you it is like many coastal areas, prone to gusts of wind. One of the requirements is that you have a minimum of 25lbs of weight on each leg of your tent. Otherwise, you run the risk of having your tent picked up and carried away by the wind.

I’ve been doing all kinds of events since I launched Très Spa, from regular Farmers Markets in the Bay Area to large indoor art and craft events such as the Harvest Festival. Needless to say, I have amassed a good deal of configurations for displays and set ups. But in all of the stuff I have collected, no 25lb weights, not a one. My market weights are 5-10lbs and that usually works fine for my every day so I’ve never felt the need to get bigger ones.

Being very practical, I tend to not want to have things that have to be stored or only have one purpose. So I needed to solve the problem and the solution had to be green and reusable. There are probably lots of different ways I could solve the problem but in the end I found my inspiration at the Farmers Market. I was watching the fruit venders load their tables one morning when suddenly it hit me… a bag of Oranges is 10lbs and 2 bags together stuffed into a colorful sack is 20lbs! Potatoes, same thing!

OK So, food is definitely green. Supporting local farmers is also green and stimulating for the local economy. But then what am I going to do with 80lbs of food? I certainly can’t eat all that and I don’t have a big family. Eventually the food will spoil and that would be a huge waste. Then I got a referral from a friend. The Julian Street Inn!

The Julian Street Inn is one of InnVisions shelters for the homeless in San Jose. They provide food and housing for men and women as well as rehabilitation services for those diagnosed with mental illness. The Julian Street Inn is a 70 bed facility. They were very glad to receive the food donations and would welcome more. So now I know what to do when I need to use heavy weights and where I can donate after. If you would like to donate food, here is their information;

Julian Street Inn
Food Donations Only
546 W. Julian Street
San Jose, CA 95110
Donations Accepted: Monday - Thursday, 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM

What was I thinking?!

Out here in the rain and the cold at the Santa Clara Farmers market and wondering what was I thinking?! There was hardly anyone out today even though the weather looked promising when I woke up. The sun was shining and while it was a bit chilly the skies were clear. So clear, you could see the snow kissed mountain peaks of the Diablo foothills. A rare sight for the normally warmer temperatures for the Bay Area. All in all I thought it might work out to be a nice day.


So I set out to the market hoping the rains would hold off for a while. I needed to be at the market today because I had promised one of my regular customers I would be there. No sooner had I set up then the weather changed. In came the big rain clouds and the mist began to change to full on rain as the clouds began to pile on top of each other. No wonder my other artist friends decided not to show up today! I think they must have checked the weather channel first.

Ah well. I’m here so might as well make the best of it! Still, there are many other things I could be doing and doing them in much warmer places that are dry. But then, just when I was in the middle of this mental dialog, two ladies walk into my booth. They were happily chatting with each other and then one turned to me and greeted me warmly. While I don’t see her often, she announced that she is one of my customers. Normally she is orders on line. She wanted to thank me for the little surprise gift I gave her in her last web order. Then she went on to tell her friend how much she loves Très Spa products and how she stays connected on the Très Spa news letter and told her friend that Très Spa also has a fan page on Facebook.

On they went chatting with each other and with me and walking around sampling and smelling and selecting the treasures for the day. I tell you the two of them were like little rays of sunshine for me. They also gave me tips and told me of places they had been and thought I should go too because they thought Très Spa would be wonderful for the people at the event. No sooner had they left, then one of my other regular customers had shown up. The one I promised I would be here for. We had a nice chat as well.

Rain? What rain? Cold? Really, I didn’t notice! It was a perfect day to be at the market after all. Now I know why I was out here in the cold wet weather, it’s a perfect time for me to visit with customers who mean so much to me. Thank you for making a difference and brining the sunshine with you. For your kind words of encouragement and for your inspiration.

P.S. The shower curtain side walls work perfectly!

To learn more about Très Spa or to shop our on-line store, visit us at http://www.tresspa.com/

You can follow us on Twitter or join our Facebook fan page.

Lessons I learned from being a Marathon Runner : 2 Learn to read the signals and trust your instinct

The other day I was feeling just a bit sad. I had finally ended a business relationship that had been going on for over a year. Now don’t get me wrong, I was glad to have closure. I had never wanted to relationship in the first place and had only acquiesced to enter into it because a friend of a friend wanted me to. Yes, I went against my instinct and said OK.
From day one, it had always felt a bit un-natural and awkward and it was always disjointed from the rest of my business. For a small company just starting up, disjointed fractions can easily become neglected relationships or at worst drains on resources. No matter how you slice it, the cards showed an ill fate from the start. But I trudged ahead and we both tried for over a year, but in the end it wasn’t working for either one. So we broke up. On Valentines of all days!

So what do you do when you’re feeling sad, lonely, or depressed? I found myself reaching for my running shoes. It is as if they were calling to me (a fact I find amazing). I have not been running for years! Actually my last Marathon was the San Francisco Marathon in 2008 and my last Half was Disney World shortly after. I have no real good excuses as to why I stopped, I just did. But on this day, for some reason buried in my subconscious, I knew I needed my running shoes and I needed to spend time with the road outside my door.

So I followed my instinct and donned my running shoes and headed out the back door. The air was crisp and fresh from the rain that had fallen earlier in the day. The sun was just beginning to set so the lighting was perfect. As I began my walk, my mind began to wander and with each foot fall it became clearer and clearer that my instinct was right. This is where I needed to be.

It did not take long for the old rhythm to set in (at least the power walking rhythm). Fast, well placed steps and cool crisp air whipping my face. Instead of focusing on the severed relationship, my mind went to a meditative state. I began to become keenly aware of my surroundings and most importantly, my direct sensations. I was aware of the sinews as they extended for every stride, the impact as the heel of the foot hit the ground. The feel of the shoes (well worn now) that wrapped around to cradle the foot at every angle. The rolling action as the weight shifted from heel to rounding the toe to push off for the next stride. The gluts liberating release as the toe lifts off the ground preparing for the next swing and contact. The feel of the muscles tightening in the torso to help absorb and support as the waves of shock traveled from ground to head. Attention to posture: Head held high and eyes gazing forward with my shoulders back. Perfect. Now it’s time to check the breathing. Is it deep and steady? Am I gasping? Is the air labored? Are my lungs filling with a “belly breath” or is it shallow? Do I need to slow down? Speed up? Can I push harder? How does my heart feel? Working too hard or ready for more?

With all of the miles I shared with these shoes on the road training and running in Marathons, this was the meditation that is practiced the most. It is amazing how fast the body and mind remember and fall right back into sync. Even if the mind wanders from time to time, this is always playing in the background and focus comes back to it regularly. Constantly checking in with my sensation and intuition then following the direction it gave me.

This is the most important tool in training, learn to listen to your internal guidance and heed the signals. You will know when to push and when to pull back by listening to your internal guidance. I like the way Shakespeare had Polonius explain it to his son as he was imparting training to him before he left home;

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

Hamlet Act 1, scene 3, 78–82

Now don’t get me wrong, I believe firmly in learning from others that have gone before you and I hold in very high esteem those who are trainers and teachers. I talked with many experts and read lots of articles and even joined a running group (although I never ran with them, but I loved the e-mails). In some way, they too were there with every foot fall. But, when the rubber hits the road, you must know how to take all of that mentoring and put it in proper perspective. It can influence you and help to shape you, but in the end, you must stand on your own, listen to your internal signals, and make the call. You must be true to yourself.

By the end of my quick 2 miles I felt like a new person. A smile on my face and my heart felt ready for more!

Soap without Lye?!

I spend a good deal of time in front of customers. I do this because I genuinely really like people. I enjoy interactions and exchanging ideas. Many of my customers are a great source of inspiration and seeds of current and future products have come from our conversations. These public events are also a great place for me to interact with those who are not currently customers of Très Spa. They too are a great source of inspiration. It was a recent event that gave me the inspiration for this post. But then it really doesn’t take much of a nudge to get me to talk about soap! If you have seen my soap, I think it is easy to see that it is one of my passions.

A curious browser came by to sniff and sample some of the delicious Très Spa products. While she was visiting we struck up a conversation. She was looking for soap that had not been made using lye of any kind. Her search was genuine and she wanted to understand how soap is made. Well, give me half a chance and I am happy to share what I know.

Of course with my background and schooling in Engineering partnered with my background and schooling in Psychology scientific explanations take on a whole new color. I tend to tell stories and paint pictures for people. Molecules have personalities and reactions can have emotional significance. It’s been that way for me all my life. For as long as I can remember I had always seen a psychology in science. So we talked about NaOH and the excitement that happens when it’s awash with water and then how the lye meets the fat molecules and they join to create something wondrous, something neither could do without the other, something that was a true gift = Saponification. To the best of my knowledge this is the only way it could ever happen, the only way to create Soap.

Fascinated, I asked her where she had ever seen such a soap? Can it be done? Can true soap be created without lye? Had this passer-by found a soap that had never met NaOH (sodium hydroxide)or KOH (potassium hydroxide)? Inquiring minds want to know! So I asked. She told me the name of this natural cosmetic company and said she wasn’t sure if it was bar soap or liquid soap. No problem, I’ll search for both! I could not wait to look at this wondrous product! I searched the web and was genuinely pleased to see they are public with their list of ingredients (a key trust factor for me). But then my excitement faded as I read the list of ingredients. Toping the list of ingredients: Sodium cocoate, Sodium palmate, and Sodium kernalate. Well some may list this as Saponified coconut and Palm or Palm Kernal oils and others of use simply spell it out in the full list as sodium hydroxide (common in bar soap) or potassium hydroxide (common in liquid soaps). All of the variations are allowed for correct product labeling, just seems that one is more plain than the others. They all started the same way, Oil mixed with water and either sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide.

Not stopping there, I took a gander at the liquid soap. Topping the list in this product; Soap. OK and we know where soap comes from so…..

Now there well may be a way to make soap without using the ingredients I know. But how that is done and what is used? I have not discovered yet but I’ll be sure to keep looking. If you know of soap, real soap, that is made differently, I would love to hear from you!

There really is a great deal of science that goes into soap making and if you are really interested in the subject, I highly recommend my favorite soap scientist Kevin Dunn. You can purchase his book, The Science of Soap Making. He often is a presenter at the HSMG conferences and has always been my favorite. But I am goofy that way. I see the art and beauty in the science of nature. I would never profess to know it all. In fact, I like to think my gift is making the complex simple and the complicated easier to understand.

To learn more about Très Spa Products, visit us on-line at www.tresspa.com

What's a fizzie bath bomb for?

Nothing quite like a bath to help you feel completely relaxed and at ease. Once you lay back in the tub and allow the warm waters to support you, you find your tension begins to melt away and your mind begins to relax into peaceful day dreams. II also find a good soak in a warm bath to be the perfect time to think through issues or solve problems. I don't know about you, but I find I can think much clearer when I am relaxed.


Baths are also the perfect time to gently nourish your skin and relieve achy muscles. Très Spa features several products to support you during tub time. You can find our amazing Royal Silk Milk Bath and our gentle Tub Teas and our mineral rich Naked Spa Bath Salts along with Fizzie Bath Bombs on our on-line store. You can use any one of these products on thier own or combine them for an even more potent treat. My personal favorite is the Royal Silk Milk Bath combined with a Fizzie Bomb. Try it and you will understand.

Each one of the products brings their own unique benefits to your skin care regime but for today, let’s just talk about the Fizzie Bath Bomb. What are fizzies for? First and foremost, they are for fun. You drop them in the water and watch them fizzle and twirl around. It brings out the kid in all of us. But don’t be fooled by the simple pleasure, these fun treats for the bath have more to offer. They also have the effect of softening the water and can also help to soften your skin. For the Très Spa bather, it's a way to bring the aroma therapy aspects into the tub with them as the fizz releases the pure essential oils into the bath water and the scent fills the air around you.

I have no idea where the first fizzie came from. I have heard it said that Lush, a UK based company, was the first to create and popularize the fizz but I have no idea if that is the true origin. But regardless of who was first, there is no doubt that these fun little treats have become quit the hit amongst bathers everywhere.

While we all share the same basic recipes, we set ourselves apart in how we customize them for our customers. There all kinds of deviations on the same theme. Some make these fun cupcakes that are absolutely amazing. They look so incredible, you want to eat them! Others make these massive 8 oz balls with various vibrant colors. I have also seen them so small they are designed like little tiny truffles in a box. Some have sparkly glitter, some have dried flowers or other herbs. Some use fragrances like mango and strawberries while others use only pure essential oils. Some add a bit of oil to help moisturize the skin as well. Some have vibrant colors and others are white as snow.
I have even seen some are a tablet that you drop in the corner of your shower. This one has always perplexed me though. I have no idea what the benefit is of that. I suppose some would say it’s for the scenting of the shower, but then that is the side benefit of soaps and shampoos and hair rinses scented with pure essential oils! Seems like a waste to lose the effervescent fizzie to the drain.

For Très Spa, when I was designing the products, I wanted to focus more on our customer needs and demands. With our customers, this is what they said they wanted:

1) Good quality base ingredients
2) Natural! Only use pure essential oils
3) Family friendly – good for the grown-ups in the house.
4) Don’t stain my tub or make it hard for me to clean up
5) Don’t leave behind floaty bits. I don’t need to glitter my bath water
6) I want to use it, not admire it’s looks.

So you will find that the Très Spa fizzies are a no fluff let’s get to business fizzie that delivers all the benefits with none of the drawbacks. Look for our new line of fizzies this summer that will feature essential oil blends designed from the principles of the metaphysics of scent.

No matter what your age or your preference there is a fizzie out there for you. If you have never tried one before, I highly recommend you do as soon as possible. While I would love for you to buy the Très Spa Fizzie Bath Bombs, I understand that I cannot be all things to all people so you can find other great creators of fizzies here at the HSMG, http://www.soapguild.org/ or you may find one of my peers here at the Indie Beauty Network, http://www.indiebeautynetwork.com/directory/index.asp

If you would like to learn more about the products created by Très Spa, please visit us on line at http://www.tressspa.com/

Up – Down – Twisted all around – life’s little roller coasters

November is the month of Harvest Festivals for me. For those of you who do not know what one is, it’s like a craft fair on steroids. They are open for three solid days from 10am to 6pm and offer shoppers the chance to visit artists from around the US (most are local to the West coast) and purchase unique gifts.

This year I signed up for a series of back to back events. They are enjoyable, but a lot of work none the less. I will be traveling and working the Harvest festival for almost the entire month of November. This is also one of the reasons I did the on-line special for the Free shipping and No taxes through December. So the San Mateo show that just happened kicks off the beginning of the series. I managed to get set up and created a look that I was quite proud of. You can see some images on the Très Spa facebook page You can also like Très Spa while you are there and be kept up to date of activities and spot specials. Aroma Therapy Crystals especially the Sanctuary and Meditation ones.

As the day progressed so did the outlook of the website. There was light at the end of the tunnel. Thank goodness for good friends who have engineering backgrounds! All of the important stuff, the customer information, the product reviews, the newsletter subscribers, was all safe from the malicious intruders. Tucked away behind the scenes. All was not lost! The only part that had gotten wiped out were the product pictures, some internal links and various minor things, and well yes, the front engine that served up all the information. My hosting company was able to load a newer version of the front end software and connect it to the database at the backend. All I needed to do was rebuild the images and tweak minor changes.

Compared to what I had thought at the beginning of the day, adding product pictures and reconnecting links was really minor stuff. The site was up and available and customers could order. As far as the rest of the tweaks… well a website really is never fully done is it?

A Symphony is not played with only one note

From time to time I have people ask me why I combine the ingredients I do. For example, why not make soap out of one oil or maybe two? Same goes for the Body Butter. There are lots of folks out there who create their butters using straight Shea butter. So, the last time I had a chat with someone at one of the markets, it really did get me to thinking about why I do do things the way I do.


I can’t imagine doing such a thing as only using one or two oils no more than I can imagine listening to a symphony of only one note. Composers may get inspiration from one note, but they add to that single note a series of notes to create chords and then blend various cords in unique sequences to create a finished piece of music.

I use the oils based on what they are known for or to put it another way, their nutrient combinations. Some oils are higher in certain vitamins than others. Some create a better lather than others, some ride on top of the skin creating a barrier, and others penetrate beneath the top layer and get down to the Dermis layer where all your new skin cells are being cultivated.

Just as a composer may get inspiration from a single note, they create a symphony with a blend of notes into chords which harmonize into the final piece. I apply the same art in creating recipes for Très Spa. I start with a single application, take for example body butter. The intention is to create a moisturizer that is free from preservatives. Butters are thick and tend to take a longer time to absorb into the skin. (If the label says water then it’s a cream and not a true body butter. )

Now if I’m going to take the time to apply a gorgeous butter, thick and luxurious, I’m going to want a butter that has all the nutrition in it that I can get. I’m also going to want a butter that is easy to get out of the jar and glides on smooth. Since Cocoa and Shea nut butters tend to be very hard in their natural state, I whip in other ingredients to make the most packed nutritious body butter around that is smooth and spreadable.

As far as the soaps, well…. They are also packed with a variety of oils and other ingredients. I usually start with a season in mind and the characteristics of nature during each season then I build from there. Sometimes it comes from customers looking for one essential oil, like my Grazin’ in the Grass. This soap started out from several customers looking for a Tea Tree soap. I got tired of saying no and gave it to the request. The result was a bar that has way more punch than just Tea tree on its own. It is the most astringent, antibacterial, anti microbial bar soap I create.

It may start out with one note, but I quickly add notes and ingredients that build upon each other and accent or strengthen each other until I have a finished piece. While you might not hear the symphony when you use Très Spa products, your skin will.

If you would like to learn more about Tres Spa products, visit us on line at www.tresspa.com

Great news! The sale of French Fries is up!

No, Très Spa does not sell French fries. In fact, I rarely even eat them. However, I am a small business owner and I like to learn from other small business owners. Being in the small business sector, you gain an Interesting perspective of the economy and the trends in the market place. Often times we see the economic reality long before the news casters are reporting, and sometimes in contrast to what they are reporting. Recently I was talking with a friend of mine who heads up sales for a software company. He has a product that is really geared for the small business sector so he spends a good deal of time talking with small business owners from all different industries.


One of his customers is a local restaurant chain. They have 5 restaurants in a major metropolitan area and they are well known for really good burgers and fries. Simple business, but they do well and have several employees. Most of the customers who frequent his establishments are from the blue collar working class. Tradesmen in the construction industry and various other industries.

They were talking about the current state of the economy from the perspective of the small business owner. One of the advantages that small business owners have is a close connection to the consumers. We get to know each other by name and share personal stories. When our customers are worried we see it and feel it rapidly. Often times we see the spending behavior change even before the economic forecasters are broadcasting on the media.

A simple thing the restaurateur noticed, just before the newscasters were speaking about an economic recession, the sales of French fries was beginning to slip. As the economy increased in its decline the sale of beverages began to also slip. People would still come in for the burgers but would pass on the extra fries and beverages. When asked how sales are now. The owner was happy to report that sale of beverages has been up for some time and is right back to where it was before the down turn. And, yes folks, the good news is that the sale of fires is climbing back as well. Puts a whole new meaning on the phrase “Do you want fries with that?”

Aloha Kukui!

I love Hawai’i. I have had the good fortune of having been there a time or two and have visited all but one of the islands that make up this heavenly state. The first thing that struck me when I de-planed was the distinct aroma of tropical flowers carried on the breeze. Of course that would be the first thing I noticed and one of the most impacting memories I hold. Spending my life entrenched in the natural aroma of plant based oils has its perks!
Of course it does not take long to notice the stunning views and the vibrant colors of the tropical flora. If you are planning a trip for yourself, I highly recommend taking one of the helicopter rides to view the terrain from above. Even though I have a huge fear of heights, I bit the bullet and flew over not just one but two of the islands and I am so glad I did.
One of the little gems I brought back with me is the Kukui Nut. In Hawai’i the Kukui earned a reputation as a symbol of enlightenment, protection, and peace. It is the state tree for Hawai’i. The Polynesians made good use of the tree and its fruits and they are vast and varied. One of the most noticeable qualities of the nuts is the high content of oil it produces.
So what’s in it for me you may be asking. It is an amazing moisturizer that rapidly absorbs into the skin leaving silky smooth skin without the feeling of greasiness. Kukui Nut Oil contains Vitamins A, C, and E, providing anti-oxidants that help to protect the skin. What the Polynesians have known for centuries is that the oil from the Kukui can help protect the skin from salt water, harsh sun and drying winds. It has been said that the oil is excellent for dry skin, mature skin, psoriasis, eczema or any severe skin condition.
At Très Spa we used the cold pressed oils in Naked body oil and apres Soliel (after sun) body oil.
To learn more about Trés Spa products, visit us on line at http://tresspa.com/

Lessons I learned from being a Marathon Runner – 1 you need good shoes

While I create amazing organic and natural skin care products and I do like to talk about them with anyone who will listen, I felt compelled to share with you some stories of my life and the lessons I learned along the way. This is the first post in a series of lessons I learned from running Marathons.
I was at a business networking event recently and I had the chance to sit down and have lunch with a complete stranger. It was un-planned and just seemed to happen. My intention was to sit and work on my lap top during lunch but lunch decided to take a different turn.
So there I sat with Karen, a very nice women who has an amazing business she is launching. Since she came from the school system, she wanted to create a consulting company that helped troubled teens and their families. As we talked about all kinds of topics during our leisurely lunch the subject of the Marathon that was running through town came up.
I told her that I had been a Marathoner and had successfully completed several marathons and Half Marathons a couple of years ago. I told her that I have a deep and abounding respect for runners. They are an amazing group of people. I also told her that I learned a great deal about life from my brief time running.
I actually completed 4 full marathons, 5 half marathons and several 10ks. I still have all the medals to prove it and, more importantly, to remind me. I had never been a runner. I was quite the opposite! My step father was a runner years ago but I was the fat kid who didn’t do any sporting things. I think I was chubby from birth and just never stopped being chubby which later became plain old fat.
When I was 42 a friend of mine decided it would be a good idea for us to run. Why? I have no idea! But I said I would train and support my friend for the half marathon not knowing what I was getting into, just a leap of faith.
So what’s the first thing you do? Ask an expert. I worked with a man named Senya. Senya is a little eccentric and a true character, but someone I deeply respected. There was always a tension of sorts between he and I. I took it to be a creative one. In his past he had been trained and served in a rather elite military force so you can imagine, he was not the type of person to mince words. He is also a runner and a Marathoner. Senya could be blunt and was usually brutally honest. He called it the way he saw it and had no qualms about telling you exactly what he thought.
I told him of my plan and he did not laugh at me or ridicule me. Considering I was 42 and seriously over weight, you would think he would have said NO WAY! But he did not.
What he told me was “Only wimps run half marathons! You have 12 months to train and that is plenty of time to get ready for a full marathon.“ I asked if he thought I could do it and he said without delay “Yes, first you need good shoes. You don’t take a step without the right shoes “
He proceeded to tell me exactly where to go and get the shoes and I went out that day so I could take my first “run” that night after work. Since I refused to be called a wimp, I decided that I would train for the Full Marathon. No way I was going to let Senya call me a wimp! Besides, I believed him when he said I could do it and never questioned it.
So the first lessons I learned that apply to anything in life you set out to do:
1) Declare your intention or goal
2) Seek out the advice of others who have gone before you (find your Senya)
3) Listen to their guidance, it will help you avoid their mistakes
4) Be courageous with your goals
5) Before you take the first step, get the right pair of shoes!

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

Greening your life, try making your own paper

When Trés Spa was just a twinkle in the eye, one of the key practices that were critical for the company to stand behind was green manufacturing. After all, our skin care products are inspired by nature and we use organic raw ingredients and pure essential oils. The same considerations of the ingredients that go into the products extend to what goes around them. The practice of renewable, eco-friendly, and environmentally friendly manufacturing and packaging had to be in every aspect of the final product we deliver to the customers.

A great deal of research and time went into finding the right packages for the lines of products. There were two packaging solutions that I could not locate that met the needs of the products and were cost effective enough for small batch processing. So to solve this dilemma, I decided to learn how to make the packaging myself. I learned how to make paper.

Originally the thought was to do this for the immediate need, but to keep looking for a commercially available resource. I mean what I really want to be known for is the high quality body care products and not for the paper. Little did I realize how much my customers would enjoy these simple items and their unique design and texture.

One of my customers at the local Farmer Markets took notice of the paper and had commented on how much she liked it. She was amazed when I said “Thanks, I make it myself.” She wanted to know if I would be willing to teach a class of 4th graders how to make paper for one of their class assignments. I was thrilled and jumped at the chance! We all had a blast and the kids loved it. I had one or two ask if they could do this at home and if there are kits they could as their parent to buy. Perhaps I was able to influence a future artist or at least a future recycler.

The possibilities of variations when making paper are endless. The process you can do at home requires very little energy, is simple to learn, and creates no waste. If you are interested in making paper, there are lots of resources on line or you can visit your local craft store to get started. Once you get going, it’s pretty addictive and you have the added benefit of doing something to help save the environment.

So by popular demand it looks like I’ll be making paper for a while. To see the line of products (and our paper) Trés Spa has, you can visit our website at www.tresspa.com