Massage away your aches and pains

Ever had the opportunity to enjoy a massage, either to relax or ease your aches and pains?  Those who have will surely remember it and its benefits.  Luckily, I've had the pleasure of trying out different kinds of massages ranging from a head to a foot massage, from a hot stone one to a traditional full body massage.  Besides the anticipation of devoting a quiet hour exclusively to myself, I always felt better and more relaxed after each one.

In recent months, I decided to try out a course of Chinese massages in order to ease my lower back pain, and even though this time the choice arose out of need rather than pleasure, I'm happy to say that these massages have worked wonders.  Unfortunately, the benefits came at a cost and this time it wasn't a matter of simply going for a "once in a blue moon" relaxing treat.  After my 5th massage in 3 weeks I realised that this was going to have a serious toll on my wallet!

But there are inexpensive ways and means to benefit from a basic massage at home which will go a long way to ease your aches and pains.  All you need is a friend or partner, ready to devote to you a few minutes of their time.  And for those who simply wish to have some "quiet" time with their partner, I'm sure it's not that difficult to find a willing volunteer :))) 

So just schedule an hour when you know that you won't have to do a million other things, prepare some background music, light a few candles, and 5 drops of your favourite essential oil to 10ml carrier oil and you are ready to go! Enjoy! 

And if you are looking for a particular essential oil blend or wish to customise your own massage oil just contact me and I'll help you create your own personalised aromatherapy oil blend.

Cruelty-Free Products Add Value for Your Customers

Just came across this article and was really shocked!

Being eco & animal friendly was one of my incentives when I started to make handmade soap and skin care products for I was aware of the cruelty administered while testing is done. But this article by Santosh Krinsky gives specific details about it all...


Cruelty-Free Products Add Value for Your Customers

DETOX SUGGESTIONS

I have recently come across and article by Karyn Chabot who is a licensed massage therapist and certified as a AyurYoga Therapist. Here are some suggestions which might be of interest of you feel you need to detox.

Liver and gallbladder season is upon us.

If you follow Ayurveda, this is when the elements of water and earth (kapha) are elevated in nature and within our physiology. Did you know knee problems are a symptom of liver trouble, and excessive flatulence and burping are signs of a troubled gallbladder?

It’s time to unclog the liver, which is the major filter of the body. The function of the liver, among many things, is to dump bile into the gallbladder. The gallbladder, in turn, dumps into the digestive track. (This is a very simplified version of the sequence.) If your colon is clogged, the liver and gallbladder have no place to release, so they hold onto toxins and become even more clogged.

Recommendations include:
• Eat light; eat less.
• Avoid greasy, heavy foods like cheese, dairy, eggs and dark meats.
• Avoid wheat and most white carbohydrates.
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, high-fructose corn syrup, white sugar, cooked honey and frozen or left over foods. Instead, eat legumes like mung beans (soak them overnight to avoid gas), steamed greens and other kapha-pacifying vegetables, whole grains, wild fish like salmon and eat your biggest meal at lunch. Try eating only fruit for breakfast.
• Increase exercise. Sweat more.
• Challenge yourself. Get fresh air and sunshine. Do something new. Laugh, sing and dance more.

This is kapha season, so avoid foods which have the following attributes - oily, heavy, cold, wet and soft. Cheese is a an example of this for it exhibits all these properties. It’s oily and tends to stick, so it has static properties. It’s heavy, compared to lettuce. When heated, it melts slowly. It’s usually served cold. It has moisture, especially Brie cheese, and it’s soft generally. The softer the cheese, the more kapha it contains, which means the more earth and water will accumulate on your body as a result of eating it.

Popcorn, without butter and salt, has attributes that are extremely opposite of kapha. Don’t go crazy on popcorn if you are trying to lose weight though. Everything should be done in moderation. Too much popcorn can throw your vata out of balance, then vata can push kapha and cause weight gain. Radiant health revolves around being aware of your body and the nature around you, as well as having discernment and discipline to make the right choices for your unique physiology.

Cleansing your colon is an excellent way to help make space in your body, so your liver and gallbladder can release and detoxify. This may not be your cup of tea, but why not try a small warm water enema once a week for one month first thing in the morning before food. Add a tablespoon of sesame or sunflower oil to the warm water; don’t do it after a meal because it will disturb digestion.

If you are interested in Ayurveda, then you must also take into account what elements are out of balance within your own body, as well as how the seasons are affecting you. Follow this link to find a list of vata, pitta and kapha foods: www.sacredstonehealing.com/files/food_guidelines.pdf

Skin products CAN BE natural & luxurious

If you are looking for a soap, massage cream or balm that is all natural yet provides all the skin hydration you need then you should have a look at what Mother Nature has to offer, for there are plenty of ingredients which can be joined together...

For starters there is cocoa butter , which is derived from the same delightful beans used to produce chocolate (a real all time favourite!!) A form of pure vegetable fat, cocoa butter is pale and edible, extracted from cocoa seeds or beans, cleaned crushed and ground into a paste. If heated, this will produce chocolate liqueur and this in turn is pressed to separate the cocoa butter from the cocoa solids.

One reason why cocoa butter is such a key ingredient in massage creams and other skin products is because of its powerful ability to moisturise the skin. The fact that it easily melts at around body temperature, makes it easily absorbed into the skin (which only adds to its moisturising qalities). In addition it is also very rich in Vitamin E, which is reported to not only reduce scarring, but also smooth wrinkles and help erase other signs of aging. In fact, cocoa butter is often recommended to pregnant women looking to prevent stretch marks, as well as people suffering from other skin conditions.

Many of The Soap Boutique's handmade body products in fact do include organic cocoa butter as part or even as a main component of their ingredients. There are luxurious handmade soaps scented with essential oils or enriched with natural botanicals, solid shampoo bars as well as "naked" unscented soaps which can also be used for the face (there's even a solid cocoa butter soap bar which is ideal for natural to oily skin). Other products which include this lovely moisturising butter are our solid massage bars, tea tree oil balm and lavender rosemary body butter.

There are other natural butters which are of equal benefit, but that's for another blog...

Maltese Olive Oil - food for the skin!

As you probably realised from my previous blog, I am very much intrigued by the ever growing list of benefits of Olive Oil. Being Maltese, I am proud to say that our cold pressed olive oil is one of the best world wide, and even though it isn't known to most, (probably many people in the world don't even know about our beautiful island!), many olive oil connaisseurs appreciate its particular palate and excellent qualities.

A particular characteristic of Maltese Olive Oil is that Malta’s alkaline soil contributes to an extremely low acid content, below 0.5%. In fact, olives coming from older trees are practically devoid of all acidity.

I had been toying with the idea of incorporating Maltese Olive Oil in a range of personal care beauty products for quite a while but had always been put off by the costs. It just annoyed me to see that I could offer my clients soaps and personal care products from distant countries (even from exotic countries such as Syria for pure Aleppo soap) but not a locally made one. So I started off with recipes incorporating a blend of oils, including olive oil and typical Maltese products such as almonds, carob, fig, honey, pomegranate and goats' milk. This summer I finally took the plunge and starting experimenting with batches of Maltese Olive Oil handmade soap. The results were excellent from the start and it was really thrilling to see that my idea could become a reality.

As often happens one thing leads to another and things started moving fast... The Soap Boutique Maltese Olive Oil Collection was born and including handmade soaps, perfumed body oils and face & body scrubs. Official launching will take place end of September in less than 2 weeks' time. Just hope I'll finish all preparations in time...

Olive Oil Skin Care - A Beauty Secret from the Mediterranean

Although Olive oil skin care is recently taking ground nowadays, it is, in fact, an ancient beauty secret.

Olive oil has been an essential component of skin care since 5000 years ago. The Egyptians, Greeks, Phoenicians, and Romans all took full advantage of this prized oil.

Olive oil skin care is pursued by those individuals who are looking for a natural way to take care of their skin. Whether you purchase olive oil skin products or mix up your own olive oil skin care recipes, your skin will benefit. The oil comes in several grades. Always look for extra virgin olive oil or organic extra virgin olive oil in olive oil skin care products or when formulating your own olive oil skincare recipes since they are the least processed and the most beneficial. Pure or light olive oil is likely chemically processed and would be lacking the beneficial skin care elements.

Olive oil is high in antioxidants, including vitamin E. Antioxidants are nutritional powerhouses that protect against age-accelerating free radicals. The oil of this miraculous fruit will guard your body and your skin... from the inside out.

Benefits of Massage

If you are looking for an alternative method to relax, heal and help release emotions and tensions without the aid fo medication, you should consider having a MASSAGE. The power of touch has miraculous effects, whether you are young or old, sedentary or athletic, busy stay-at-home or tensed executive. As long as you do not have any serious health conditions, this alternative therapy may be the right treatment for you.

Due to a busy schedule, it is often that you hear yourself or someone you know say that you need a massage but just haven't got the time to go for one! But nowadays, there are many little handheld massage accessories on the market which could help without too much effort.

These convenient massagers provide gentle relief to aching backs, neck, shoulders and other parts where there is tension, stress, injury or pain. They help reduce the build up of toxins and increase the circulation of blood. Many body massagers are comfortable to hold, will reduce fatigue of the hands & can be used directly on clothing.

At The Soap Boutique we stock a wide range of classic wooden massagers made from sustainable Hemu wood. Our selection includes roller ball hand massagers, body massagers, foot massagers, and cellulite massagers. They make great gifts for loved ones, great treats after a busy day and great fun when added to massage oils for a sensual experience!!