Don't forget I'll be at the Gladstone Hotel tomorrow from 11am- 5pm, for the Creative Hearts Collective Spring Show!
Money raised at the door is going towards a scholarship project from the lovely people at the Corsage Project.
The Gladstone Hotel is on Queen Street near Dufferin - 1214 Queen Street West, Toronto
Come on down and look for some great gifts for Mom for Mother's Day!
I hope to see you all there!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Friday Dance Break + News about this weekend's shows
So, our Friday dance break today is courtesy of the Gin Blossoms! Yes, that awesome mid 90's rock band.
And some changing show news:
Due to a communication snafu with the City of Kitchener I will be unable to attend tomorrow's show at Kitchener City Hall.
The Bloomin' Earth show is still going on, and looks to be fabulous- and everyone should head out there and support the local artisans and all the hard work that has gone into planning this event.
The Bloomin' Earth's Website can be found here.
Saturday April 16th, from 9am- 3pm, 200 King Street, Kitchener, Ontario.
However, I am still a go go go for this Sunday's show at the Gladstone Hotel- the Creative Hearts Collective!
There is a donation request at the door, and all the proceeds go toward the Corsage project.
It should be an amazing Sunday!
Sunday April 17th 11-5pm, in the Ballroom
1214 Queen Street West, Toronto
And, now- Follow You Down from the Congratulations I'm Sorry Album, 1996- The Gin Blossoms!
And some changing show news:
Due to a communication snafu with the City of Kitchener I will be unable to attend tomorrow's show at Kitchener City Hall.
The Bloomin' Earth show is still going on, and looks to be fabulous- and everyone should head out there and support the local artisans and all the hard work that has gone into planning this event.
The Bloomin' Earth's Website can be found here.
Saturday April 16th, from 9am- 3pm, 200 King Street, Kitchener, Ontario.
However, I am still a go go go for this Sunday's show at the Gladstone Hotel- the Creative Hearts Collective!
There is a donation request at the door, and all the proceeds go toward the Corsage project.
It should be an amazing Sunday!
Sunday April 17th 11-5pm, in the Ballroom
1214 Queen Street West, Toronto
And, now- Follow You Down from the Congratulations I'm Sorry Album, 1996- The Gin Blossoms!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Product Profile: Sugar Scrubs!
Sugar scrubs are fabulous. They allow you to get rid of all the dead skin cells and other gunk that can build up on your skin over time. They will help your skin revitalize, grow new cells, soften and add a healthy glow. A scrub utilizes an exfoliant of some kind (sugar, salt, pumice, jojoba beads, apricot kernel or almond shells, loofa...) to scrape off old skin, and to soften, smooth and regenerate your skin.
Try not to purchase or use scrubs with plastic beads as the exfoliant. Plastic does not degrade on its way down your drain and will end up in the world's river and ocean systems, where it will bio-magnify, meaning it will continue its way back up the food chain, and back to you.
Why use a scrub?
Your skin sheds millions of skin cells on a daily basis, and if these are not routinely cleansed off they can buildup and create a barrier to other forms of moisturization and lead to wrinkly and older looking skin. Skin with this type of barrier tends to be "thirstier," as well, even though the benefits of moisturizing don't help it as much.
Exfoliation will also help with ingrown hairs, it helps to stimulate circulation and gets rid of dirt and build-up without the use of soap.
Scrubs can be used on the face and the body, but there is generally a difference between the two. Mainly, facial scrubs will be less abrasive and utilize different oils and exfoliants. This is not to say that you can't use a regular body scrub on your face, only be careful when you rub, and don't overdo it.
Why sugar?
Sugar is usually the exfoliant of choice for many people as it is less abrasive and doesn't sting, like a salt scrub would. It also has some fantastic chemical properties going for it as well. Not only will sugar act as an exfoliant in a manual sense, but because it contains natural glycolic acids it also exfoliates on a chemical level, by dissolving dead skin and clarifying your skin.
Here is a really basic sugar scrub recipe that you can make at home:
Mix well, and use!
Try not to purchase or use scrubs with plastic beads as the exfoliant. Plastic does not degrade on its way down your drain and will end up in the world's river and ocean systems, where it will bio-magnify, meaning it will continue its way back up the food chain, and back to you.
Why use a scrub?
Your skin sheds millions of skin cells on a daily basis, and if these are not routinely cleansed off they can buildup and create a barrier to other forms of moisturization and lead to wrinkly and older looking skin. Skin with this type of barrier tends to be "thirstier," as well, even though the benefits of moisturizing don't help it as much.
Exfoliation will also help with ingrown hairs, it helps to stimulate circulation and gets rid of dirt and build-up without the use of soap.
Scrubs can be used on the face and the body, but there is generally a difference between the two. Mainly, facial scrubs will be less abrasive and utilize different oils and exfoliants. This is not to say that you can't use a regular body scrub on your face, only be careful when you rub, and don't overdo it.
Sugar is usually the exfoliant of choice for many people as it is less abrasive and doesn't sting, like a salt scrub would. It also has some fantastic chemical properties going for it as well. Not only will sugar act as an exfoliant in a manual sense, but because it contains natural glycolic acids it also exfoliates on a chemical level, by dissolving dead skin and clarifying your skin.
Here is a really basic sugar scrub recipe that you can make at home:
Lemon Sugar Scrub
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Olive oil
1 tblsp Lemon Zest
Mix well, and use!
What is an emulsified sugar scrub? And what makes them better?
An emulsified scrub is one that will become creamy and 'lotion-like' in the shower when water is applied to it. Emulsified scrubs use water soluble ingredients in it (butters, oils and an emulsifier) to create the creamy lotion-like texture.
The sugar scrubs I make are emulsified sugar scrubs, which means they have a few extra ingredients in them which adds to the texture of the scrub in the shower, as well as the moisturization properties of it. These scrubs will wash off without a greasy feel and utilize butter and oils to create a moisturizing feast for your skin.
My scrubs:
I use cocoa and mango butters, as well as castor, cherry kernel, jojoba, rice bran and soya bean oils in my sugar scrubs for their amazing skin properties.
Why do I use those specific ingredients? Well, cocoa butter has a long shelf life, has both phytoesterols and polyphenols, as well as palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic fatty acids in it. Also, it happens to be my favorite butter! It smells amazing and is always the butter in my favorite lotions, I find it amazingly moisturizing and smooth on my skin.
Mango butter also has palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic fatty acids in it, but has more polyphenols than the cocoa butter. Mango butter also has ingredients in it that act as anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories. It also a drier feel to it than other butters, which works well in a scrub by not making it too greasy.
Castor oil is a great oil, although a bit on the heavier side. I use it here because it tends to penetrate skin easily and acts as a fabulous humectant (a substance that will preserve the moisture content of skin). I like using Jojoba oil in many things because it is generally considered to be non-allergenic, and has anti-oxidant properties. Jojoba will penetrate the skin and not block pores, and contains octacosanol, a fatty acid that can soothe dry skin. Cherry kernel oil has natural antioxidants, vitamins A and E and is a light moisturizing oil.
Rice bran oil contains Ferulic acid, an anti-oxidant that is more effective than vitamin E, and also has anti-inflammation properties. Rice bran oil also contains Vitamin B, Vitamin E and squalene (a natural moisturizer). Soyabean oil is a lighter carrier oil and has oodles of linoleic acid in it, as well as Vitamin E, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and the highest concentration of phytoesterols in any of the carrier oils I use. Phytoesterols help soothe damaged skin, inflamed skin or red skin, and can also act as anti-inflammatories.
All in all, these are all oils that have fabulous skin properties, and combining them together in an emulsifying sugar scrub means that once those dead skin cells are gone these fabulous oils can start moisturizing your skin!
I now have 5 scents of sugar scrubs available: Luscious Lime, Decadent Neroli, Radiant Yuzu, Midnight Pomegranate and Morning Orange!
All of them smell fabulous and will cleanse and soften your skin.
Both the orange and the pomegranate scents are new for this season, and will be available on my store soon.
Sources: Organic Body Care by Stephanie Tourles, Point of Interest, Tipnut and Wikipedia.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Dance Break! Party, Karamu, Fiesta Forever!
All Night Long.
Quite possibly the only good Lionel Richie song in existence!
Complete with African dance break in the middle! :)
Quite possibly the only good Lionel Richie song in existence!
Complete with African dance break in the middle! :)
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
It's All About Mom Artfire Collection
The fabulous and snazzy Marquis Creations, maker of gorgeous jewelery, made of wire and glass pendants has curated a wonderfully eclectic collection of gifts to buy for mom for Mother's Day (which is coming around the corner at full speed!).
Glass pendants, book plates, earrings, change purses, necklaces.... and my very own Lavender Sachet!
Glass pendants, book plates, earrings, change purses, necklaces.... and my very own Lavender Sachet!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Happy April! New products and new ideas.
I cannot believe it is April already! Where do the days go?
Here at Madstone Headquarters I've been working on tons of great products for my upcoming shows - and the first one is April 16th, in Kitchener at the city hall- called Bloomin' Earth. The very next day, on April 17th, I'll be at the Gladstone Hotel for the Creative Hearts Collective from 11- 5 p.m.
I'll be at lots of other shows throughout the summer, click here for a list.
I'd love to see you at either one!
I have new scents, some new products and new packaging to unveil for the spring, and I can't wait!
All of the new items will be available on my store very shortly, but if you are interested in anything new just email me!
I also have two new lip-balm flavors, Coconut and Coffee, both of which taste fabulous!
There will be a new sugar scrub scent too!
All in all this looks like it will be a great spring! Stop by a show and see the new items!
Here at Madstone Headquarters I've been working on tons of great products for my upcoming shows - and the first one is April 16th, in Kitchener at the city hall- called Bloomin' Earth. The very next day, on April 17th, I'll be at the Gladstone Hotel for the Creative Hearts Collective from 11- 5 p.m.
I'll be at lots of other shows throughout the summer, click here for a list.
I'd love to see you at either one!
I have new scents, some new products and new packaging to unveil for the spring, and I can't wait!
All of the new items will be available on my store very shortly, but if you are interested in anything new just email me!
 |
| New packing for bath salts! A gorgeous glass jar, and it comes complete with a scoop too! |
 |
| Three new soap scents: Green Tea and Ginger, Lime, and Rosemary and Grapefruit! |
 |
| New lotion bottles! And yes, they are square! This one is sans-label :) |
There will be a new sugar scrub scent too!
All in all this looks like it will be a great spring! Stop by a show and see the new items!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Summer product poll!
This will be a product made with essential oils, specifically formulated to make those pesky Northern Ontario mosquitoes and black flies ignore you.
Made with Citronella, catnip, clove, eucalyptus, cedarwood and peppermint essential oils - this should smell like summer camp and keep the bugs away.
Which type of insect repellent would you prefer? I was leaning towards the large lotion bottle, but am open to other suggestions in the comments!
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