Natural Beauty: A few ITAL Tips

I am SO excited for our New Moon Yin Series Retreats in Jamaica in 2018. One of the themes this year is making of healing products. We will be learning about essential oil distillation, fermentation, salve making, and other natural healing remedies. You don't need to be in the tropics to bring a more natural relationship to health and beauty. I personally haven't used any type of make or anything chemical on my body for I would say about 10 years now. Start simple and work towards a more ital version of you. Ital is a way of describing a way of eating, living and being in Jamaica that is natural, roots and connected to the earth. Here are a few of my beauty tips you can rock anywhere....looking at you city folks!

Green Clay Mask: SO easy and a great practice for your face wellness and you can even mask your whole body...if you want! I get the green clay in bulk at a health food supply shop. You make it with water to have the right consistency you like for your face. I add essential oils like tea tree for extra excellence 

I have recently started my newest favourite winter practice, herbal baths! Not everyone has a bathtub, so for a hippie note you can also rock this bath in a large rubbermaid! I also recently hacked the bathroom by taking a long board of unfinished wood from our workshop and make a beauty bar in the top. Add a candle for extra fanciness. Run the water hot and add fresh herbs to the bath and then it steep and cool. I use rosemary because I grow a lot of it at my urban farm, but you could try a variety of herbs. The dish of cream here is shea butter, coconut and herbs all brewed in the crockpot for days. I use this to massage into my scalp and let sit, before the most epic hair washing sessions! 

I have been making different potions, lotions and salves for yearss...ever changing the ingredients and intentions. This was is a herbal blend, with lots of rosemary. Its part shea butter, part coconut oil and all amazing. I slow cook it in the crockpot, but you can also do low heat on the stove over time. 

I LOVE alll kinds of essential oils. I was SO stoked to last year run about and participate in oil distillation in Jamaica. We will be wildcrafting and doing that again in our Retreat Series in Jamaica. Come and learn about the power of oils. I LOVE these two to drop on blemishes and spots to help them dry out. You can use your finger or a qtip to dab a bit on any spots you would like to disappear! 

Drink TEA! I drink a lot of water and teas. I LOVE to boil herbs and make what some call 'bush tea'. I grow some of my own herbs like mint, sage and borage. I LOVE this one pictured called Jamaica in some places, other people call it sorrel....and its all delicious! This one was gifted to be my a friend and you boil the flowers until you get a great red colour like this. Looking forward to time in Jamaica where lemongrass tea, wild turmeric and all the others are waiting for a good brew. 

Can't wait for you to take a step towards some natural beauty, both on the inner and outer worlds. If you are looking for a reset, get some yin yoga in your life....or please do join us in Jamaica in 2018 so you can get a first hand experience of natural living and natural remedies.