Wilava Workshop

Balancing Facial Toner is now 8 Ounces!

2011-04-18T20:36:00.000-07:00

Just like everyone else in America, I'm a little annoyed with the rising prices of everything -- not to mention the ever-present grocery shrink ray. (Can ice cream cartons get any smaller?)

I've resisted raising prices at Wilava because I didn't want to become one of 'those' companies, and I'd really hoped I'd be able to ride out the bad economy. But, the costs of running my business have gone up... by a lot. Not just insurance and the day-to-day costs, like printing labels and shipping, but some of the raw ingredients I use have gone up in price by more than 100%.

More than 100%!

So I've spent the past few months analyzing products, prices, packaging, suppliers, you name it. I think I have some solutions that will allow me to both stay in business and benefit you!

As of today, Balancing Facial Toner is going to be sold in an 8 ounce size, and I'm eliminating the 4 ounce bottle. In reviewing past orders, I noticed many customers were buying two bottles of Toner for every one bottle of Cleanser. So this change has benefits beyond just $$$ savings -- there's less packaging, which is great for the enviroment and it will take up less space in your home. The price is going up a few dollars, but you'll be getting twice the amount. I hope everyone is happy with the change.

Vitamin C Serum is also going up to $30 at the end of this week. Unfortunately, there was no easy fix here. I had switched packaging from jars to airless bottles a few months ago, and didn't raise the price. But the new packaging is a bigger raw cost vs. the jars, so I really just have to give in here. This change will take place on Friday, so if you want to get a bottle before the increase, order now!

DIY Snowy Day Spa Soaks

2011-02-13T11:56:00.000-08:00

It's been cold here in central Massachusetts the past few months. It seems like we've had about 12-18 inches of snow just about every 3 or 4 days, school is always being canceled, and people have had enough. In fact, I just looked out the window, and it has just started snowing again. True story. Well, everyone deserves a respite, and for me, it comes in the form of a nice, warm bath. Luckily, a comforting, pampering bath is one of the easiest DIY spa experiences to create at home.

To start, all you need is a nice, warm tub of water. Not too hot -- that would be drying to your skin -- but warm enough that you can sit comfortably for 15-20 minutes. (It's okay to replenish the heat with short bursts of hot water while you're in there, too.)

And now, the best part: Bath Additives. You have a whole kitchen filled with possibilities! The basics are milks, grains, oils and botanicals. Here's a breakdown for each category. Mix and match depending on your mood.

Milks: It's said that Cleopatra bathed in milk. I'm not sure if that's true or not (I wasn't there!), but either way, added to a bath, milk is mildly exfoliating, cleansing and moisturizing. Use Cow's milk (skim, whole, buttermilk...), Goat's milk, and even Coconut milk, which creates a super-silky bath and smells like a tropical paradise (can be found in the Asian aisle at your local market). Add 1-4 cups per bath.

Grains: My go to bath grain is Old-Fashioned Oats. It's naturally moisturizing and can alleviate dry, itchy winter skin. You can buy cosmetic-grade colloidal oatmeal at the drug store, or you can simply grind up some whole oats in a coffee grinder until they reach a powdered consistency. Add them while filling the bath. If you have some cheesecloth, even better. Fill it with whole or coarsely ground oats (and some botanicals, if you wish), tie up with string, and hang it under the faucet while filling the tub. Then, just let it float in the water while you soak.

Oils: Boost the moisture in your bath by adding oils. Unless you happen to have an emulsifier on hand (such as one of the Polysorbates), the oil will simply float on top of the water. But it will leave you feeling soft and moisturized. Try adding a small amount (a teaspoon or so is all you'll need) of jojoba, hazelnut, extra light olive, rice bran, flax oil, or any other liquid oil you have on hand. Just be forewarned that these will make your tub slick, so take caution when stepping out of your bath.

Botanicals: Here's where you can get really creative. Do you have a kitchen stock-pile of herbal teas? These work great in the tub, and if you keep them in the tea bag, you don't have to worry about cleaning up messy buds, barks and leaves afterward. The obvious choices for botanicals are calendula, chamomile, lavender and rose (all are soothing, and smell nice). But do you have a cold? Teas with peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary or fennel will help with congestion, and even sore muscles. Looking for an antioxidant boost for your skin? Try Roobios or Green Tea. A nice chai blend can help to stimulate circulation. With teas, or any botanicals you choose, keep in mind that in high concentration (like in a cup of tea) they can cause staining... both on you and your tub. One bag, perhaps two, should do the trick in the bath. [Caution: if you suffer from hayfever or other seasonal allergies, certain botanicals, such as chamomile or lavender, can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions. Be sure to read labels! Also, some herbs, such as Chamomile may lighten hair.]

You'll want to limit your soak to about 15-20 minutes as anything more can be dehydrating and can sap energy.

When you're all done and the water's drained, a quick sprinkle of household baking soda and a wipe with a damp cloth will clean the tub and get rid of any residues.

Bread, Bread, Bread, Cinnabun

2010-12-24T13:38:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I had lunch with a friend at Panera and, long story short, I somehow convinced him he could be making breads and tasty breakfast treats -- better than those at Panera -- very easily in a bread machine. Well, he went out and bought one.

I sent him my recipe for Cinnabuns, and promised that as I made different breads, I would send him the recipes. Well, Christmas Eve is a big bread making day for me, and today I'm making three types of loaves, and cinnabuns for tomorrow's breakfast. Thought the recipes might make a nice holiday-themed blog post.

These recipes have been perfected over the years. Usually I'll sub out up to half of the Bread Flour with Whole Wheat Flour, depending on my mood and how much of each flour I have on hand, but for Christmas it'll be all soft, fluffy Bread Flour.

Note: Most bread machine recipes have you add the wet ingredients and yeast first, but through trial and error, I've found that adding dry ingredients first, then pitching the yeast separately before adding it to the machine works best. It takes just a few minutes to put it all together. Easy Peasy, as my kids say.

Plain Ol' White Bread

3 cups Bread Flour
1 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp White Sugar
1/4 cup Olive Oil (or vegetable oil)
1 cup warm water (110 degrees)
2 1/4 tsp Rapid Rise yeast (for Bread Machines)

Add Bread Flour, Sugar, Salt, and Oil to bread machine pan. Dissolve yeast in warm water until it begins to foam, them add to the bread machine. Select Basic setting, and press Start.

This next recipe is a Pumpkin Yeast Bread that I usually make with leftover pumpkin after I made pumpkin desserts in the Fall. Today I'm using up some leftover Squash from our dinner a few nights ago. I had made a usual recipe of Mashed Butternut Squash with cinnamon, brown sugar and applesauce, but I think it'll make a good substitution here.

Pumpkin Yeast Bread

2 3/4 cup Bread Flour
1/4 cup Dried Buttermilk Powder
1/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1/2 cup Pumpkin (or leftover squash) puree
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1 tsp Cinnamon (I like Saigon Cinnamon)
3/4 tsp Nutmeg
3/4 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Ground Ginger
1/8 cup skim milk
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
2 1/4 tsp Rapid Rise Yeast (for Bread Machines)

Add Bread Flour, Brown Sugar, Pumpkin, Dried Buttermilk, Cinnamon, Salt, Nutmeg, Ginger, Butter, and Skim Milk to bread machine. Pitch yeast in warm water until it begins to foam, then add to bread machine. Select Basic Setting, then press Start.

Molasses Oat Bread

3 cups Bread Flour
3/4 cup Rolled Oats
2 Tbsp Dried Buttermilk Powder
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Butter (melted)
4 Tbsp Molasses
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp Warm Water (110 degrees)
2 1/2 tsp Rapid Rise Yeast (for Bread Machines)

Place Bread Flour, Oats, Buttermilk Powder, Salt, Brown Sugar, Butter, Molasses and Lemon Juice in Bread Machine pan. Pitch yeast in warm water until if begins to foam. Add to Bread Machine. Select Basic Setting and Press Start.

Cinnabuns

(for ease, I've separated this recipe into dough, filling and frosting instructions.)

For the Dough:

4 cups bread flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 package instant cheesecake pudding mix (vanilla works, too)
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
4 Tbsp butter, melted
4 Tbsp warm water (110 degrees)
2 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast

For the Filling:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon (I use Saigon Cinnamon)

For the Frosting:

3 oz. Cream Cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

1. In the bread machine, place all dough ingredients, except yeast and water, in the pan in the order given. Pitch yeast in the warm water separately, then when it begins to foam, add to bread machine. Choose Dough cycle.

2. When cycle is finished, remove dough and knead by hand for about five minutes. Roll out into a rectangle.

3. Mix together all filling ingredients, then spread evenly over dough. Then, starting with the widest end, roll the dough into a tight log, and pinch seams together. Cut into 1 inch slices, and place in a greased 9x13 pan. Cover with a damp towel and let rise until doubled.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

5. For frosting, mix all frosting ingredients together. Spread over warm cinnabuns.

Shop, Then Wash Hands

2010-12-15T08:32:00.000-08:00

It's been widely reported that BPA, a hormone-disrupting chemical (biologically active estrogen mimic) that is linked to cancer, infertility and early puberty, is found in high levels on some thermal paper cash register receipts. So, the Washington Toxics Coalition and Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families Coalition conducted a study to see if our money was contaminated as well. Turns out, it is.

The BPA on receipts is found in a powdery film on the paper's surface, unlike the bound BPA in plastics, and can readily spread to anything it comes in contact with... our skin, money, and the insides of our purses and wallets. There's really no way to easily tell if a receipt contains BPA unless you have access to a lab, so if you're out shopping, make sure you wash your hands. (A good practice anyway, since it's cold and flu season, and sick people are everywhere!)

If you happen to work in, or know someone who works in, a retail store, you can ask the owner or manager if he/she can check with their paper supplier to see if it contains BPA. (If the supplier happens to be Appleton Paper, they acknowledged safety concerns about BPA and went completely BPA-free in 2006.) And if receipts do contain BPA, you may want to try to wash your hands more frequently, or even don some gloves or finger cots, which are like latex gloves, but only the finger. Limiting exposure may be especially important for teenage employees who are still growing, or pregnant/nursing women.

I've got to get back to work (it's Wilava's busy season!), so I'll leave you with a link to the press release from the Washington Toxics Coalition -- they even list stores where they found both BPA-laced and BPA-free receipts -- and additional links to the full report.

Small Business Saturday Coupon Code -10% off EVERYTHING!

2010-11-27T06:40:00.000-08:00

Use coupon code: SBS2010 at checkout for 10% off your ENTIRE order at http://wilava.com. All Wilava products make great gifts and stocking stuffers, but go ahead, stock up on the best natural skincare for yourself! (Expires 11/28/10). And, Free Shipping on all orders over $85! (no coupon needed for that perk. It'll be automatic at checkout).

Step Away From the Pie!

2010-11-27T06:31:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that I have a weakness for desserts. I didn't want to pass that trait along to my kids, so I've worked hard since they were babies to teach them to stop eating when they're full. This means that I end up finishing all the pies. I finished the Lemon Pie first, and the Pumpkin one is left. Luckily for me, Pumpkin -- in both its puree or pie form -- makes a great spa facial.

Here's the recipe:

Mix 2 Tbs pumpkin puree with 1/2 tsp honey, then add, depending on skin type, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of (milk, cream, or yogurt for dry skin) or (apple cider vinegar or cranberry juice for oily skin). Apply to cleansed face, avoiding eye area and rest for 10 minutes. Rinse with water and moisturize. If you have a lot of leftover pie, make up a larger batch, and add some Brown Sugar for a great body scrub.

All About Aspartame

2010-11-05T18:39:00.000-07:00

Well, really not ALL about it, just the parts I don't like. I avoid eating/drinking/buying foods or drinks with aspartame in them when I can, and one of my friends just asked me why, so I told her I'd blog about it. To tell the truth, I'm not really sure if she really wants to know, or if she just thinks I'm a crazy person and is trying to call me out, but I'll be emailing her a link to this post either way.

Where to start? Well, 78% of all consumer complaints to the FDA are about aspartame.

Aspartame (found in NutraSweet and Equal) is comprised of phenylalanine (50% - an amino acid), aspartic acid (40% - an amino acid, nonessential), and methanol (10% wood alcohol, as in "moonshine"). These break down into formaldehyde, formic acid (like the venom in insect stings) and DKP (may cause brain tumors), and this breakdown is accelerated when products containing it are stored at 85 degrees for a period of days or stored for longer periods (over 250 days).

These are all things I don't want in my body.

Now, some of these components are also found in food items like fruits and vegetables. For instance, pears and bananas are on the high-end of those containing naturally-occurring formaldehyde, but fruits also contain ethanol, which stablilizes it. Also, fruits contain natural pectins and enzymes which help to stabilize the compound.

And, before you ask, we all hear about the essential amino acids we need in our diet, right? Well, the synthetic ones in aspartame are incomplete, and as our bodies go to work to break them down, it causes an imbalance in the brain. "What?" our brains ask. "Where's the nutrition?" This contributes to the idea that drinking diet sodas will increase hunger, causing you to gain weight. Ummm, I think I can do without.

Another interesting tidbit: In 1996, there are about 164 peer-reviewed studies relevant to aspartame safety. Seventy-four deemed it safe, and 90 deemed it unsafe. Seventy-four studies were industry-funded, and 90 studies were independently funded. Hmmm.

And I wish more people knew about this, but ask a pilot, and he/she will tell you that aspartame is bad. Pilots are actually told to avoid aspartame in order to pass their yearly medical exam. And in 1992, the US Air Force issued an alert to its pilots in its Flying Safety magazine. In the past, many pilots have passed out in the cockpit while flying and eating/drinking products with aspartame, thus putting the entire flight at risk. (Possibly due to the elevation causing increased symptoms, not unlike how people from sea level can get drunk really fast in the high altitute places like Colorado). Not to mention, aspartame can adversely affect EKGs and the methanol in it can impair vision.

There's lots of anecdotal evidence on the effects of aspartame, too, which you can google if you're interested. But for me, I avoid it simply because it's not something I need, it provides no health benefit, and it may actually be quite harmful. I don't miss it.

For further 'easy' reading:
Summary of symptoms, with references: http://www.ceri.com/aspart2.htm
Article written by a pilot: http://www.aspartamesafety.com/Article4.htm
An Email from Operation Mission Possible re: pilots and aspartame: http://www.dorway.com/betty/avmags.html

Research:
1 Jensen J. Aspartame – The World’s Best Ant Poison. The Idaho
Observer. June 2006.
2 Gold M. The Bitter Truth about Artificial Sweeteners. NEXUS
Magazine. Oct/Nov 1995.
3 Soffritti M. Aspartame induces lymphomas and leukemias in rats. Eur.
J. Oncol., vol. 10, n. 2, 2005
4 Martini B. Aspartame proven to cause cancer. Mission Possible, Jul
21, 2005. http://www.wnho.net

Brag Alert -- Wilava's a Top 12 Must-Have!

2010-11-05T07:57:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to learn that SheKnows.com chose one of my handmade products, Wilava Sugar Luxe Body Polish, as one of their Top 12 Must Have Skin Products! Here's what they wrote:

"Goodbye flaky skin

The softest skin of your life could be just around the corner. After you resist the urge to eat this lucious lotion, spread Wilava's Sugar Luxe Body Polish ($10) over your skin in the shower and feel it melt away any dry, rough patches. Rice bran oil is suspended in a shea butter base to provide a satisfying skin buffing experience. You'll be left feeling silky smooth, not sticky, and smelling yummy too."

Sugar Luxe was just introduced on Wilava.com this past June, but it has fast become one of my best-selling products -- tied with Vitamin C Serum. So thanks, SheKnows.com!

Hand Drying 101

2010-09-07T19:15:00.000-07:00

Last year the big news was that frequent handwashing with plain ol' soap and water is the best defense against germs. But today, a new study released in the Journal of Applied Microbiology (Snelling et al.) tells us that how we dry our hands matters, too. So what should we do? If you're given the option, the best method of hand drying is to use paper towels.
In the study, Snelling and her team looked at bacterial counts after drying with paper towels, traditional hand dryers, and a newer type of dryer that uses high velocity jets to dry hands faster than the traditional model. They also compared the use of hand dryers while either rubbing the hands together or keeping them still. Interestingly -- not at all what I would have thought -- rubbing the hands while using any type of dryer counteracted the initial reduction of germs from handwashing. Apparently, bacteria from deeper within the skin were brought to the surface. (Hand washing reduces the number of bacteria on the skin, but does not completely eliminate it. Keep in mind here that our bodies are naturally covered in commensal bacteria that are not harmful to us. It's the bacteria we come in contact with, say, after touching raw meat, that we really worry about).
To get back to the results, though, the reduction of bacteria was the same for all types of dryers when the hand washers did not rub their hands. And, of course, they found that the best way to keep bacterial counts low is to dry hands with paper towels.
So...
1) Wash hands with soap and warm water -- lather and scrub -- long enough to get through the entire alphabet song.
2) Rinse hands well.
3) Dry your hands -- until they're completely dry -- with a paper towel. And for those times you have to use a hand dryer, avoid rubbing your hands.

First Day of School

2010-09-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

The kids were so excited to be heading off to school this morning. With the kids officially out of the house, today starts Wilava's busy season! So today I'm wrapping soaps, visiting a store or two to check on inventory, and making Whipped Shea Butter to sell at the Harvard Farmer's Market this weekend. Here's to a great school year!

Sunscreen Can Kill

2010-08-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

I actually wrote this blog post in June, but forgot to post it. There's still a few weeks left to New England sunscreen weather, so feel free to pass this info along...

The sun is shining, and the days are getting longer. For most of us, the arrival of warm weather is like a new beginning each Spring. But for me, it begins the season of anxiety. My son is severely allergic to chemical sunscreens.

With most allergies -- for example, my own shellfish allergy -- there are simple precautions I can take. I carefully read product ingredients, I don’t cook shellfish in my home, and I avoid restaurants that have shellfish on their menus. But with my son’s allergy, it isn’t quite as simple. Of course, we avoid using any sunscreen with the offending ingredients, and we make sure he doesn’t share things like face masks or flippers which may have traces of the chemicals on them. And when the kids have friends over, we provide a chemical free sunscreen for them to use so they don’t rub the offending ingredients into our furniture where they could rub off on my son and cause a reaction. But it’s not quite as easy as that. This is because of the widespread use of spray sunscreens. Whereas with most allergies, there are certain precautions you can take to avoid exposure. A peanut allergic person would never to go, say, Texas Roadhouse, where people are eating peanuts at every table and the dust is surely saturated in the air. But with spray sunscreens, there really is no safe place in summer. People use these products because they are quick and easy to apply. But to the 1-2 percent of Americans who are allergic to chemical sunscreen ingredients, they can be deadly. The particles are quite small and travel through the air quickly and with great dispersion. One slight breeze can carry the product far beyond your beach towel. With this allergy, there really isn’t much control.

My son was diagnosed with this allergy when he was one and a half years old after several bouts of anaphalaxis. For the remainder of that first summer and for the next summer, I simply avoided public places during hot, sunny days when I knew people would be spraying sunscreens willy-nilly in an effort to protect themselves and loved ones from harmful rays. But as the kids got older, they wanted to go swimming, or to parks, and so we ventured out, epi-pen and doses of Benadryl in hand. We joined a private pool and I got in the habit, to let the 10 or so other families know about my son’s allergy and apologetically ask that if they could either wait until there was no wind to apply sunscreen and go to a closed-off pre-determined place to spray, or use the extra bottles of sunscreen I had brought, or just simply alert us they were going to spray so we could leave the area for 30 minutes or so until the particles settled so my son wouldn’t breathe them in. Most people willingly obliged and offered sympathy to my son for having to be so cautious to simply play outside. However, once, while we were in a public restroom at a local Petting Zoo, a woman began liberally spraying sunscreen in the confined space. My son, then 3, smelled the sunscreen and began to panic. In a knee-jerk reaction, I began screaming like a crazy person, “Stop spraying! Stop spraying!” And through tears began to explain my son’s allergy to the other mom while covering my son with a towel. “Relax.” The woman said, looking thoroughly annoyed as she rolled her eyes. “ I stopped. No need to panic..” So I hurried my son outside and looked under the towel covering him to see his eyes, nose and ears swollen shut, and his now-puffy hands quickly tearing at his tongue to relieve what seemed to be an intensely itchy, swollen tongue. Even more terrifying for me was the gurgling, gasping sound he made, followed by his little head and shoulders slumping forward. After I administered the Epi-Pen Jr. I always carried with me, I looked up to see the look of fear on the previously annoyed woman’s face. Then I heard the repeated apologies, which leads me to the moral of this piece:

I can’t think of another product which can invade someone’s persona l space as much as a spray sunscreen. And for a small percentage of people, that invasion can be fatal. There should be a warning on each canister that states that individuals should take precaution when using these products because the spray may cause anaphalaxis in some individuals. It should not be sprayed in confined, public areas, and it should not be sprayed in very windy conditions.

Several of the chemicals in question have already been banned in Japan and in the EU for various reasons (allergy, photosensitivity, increased incidence of tumors, to name a few), and as the U.S. EPA has recently begun to take action to review potentially hazardous ingredients for cosmetics and household products, I believe that eventually these sunscreens will be reviewed and banned in this country as well. But until then, just letting people know of the potential for anaphalaxis in some individuals, especially with a product that really does disperse readily into the air where it can be breathed in and cause an immediate, potentially fatal reaction, would be a good, responsible start.

Are you local, Honey?

2010-07-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

Honey is high in calories, sure, but it also has lots of great benefits. It contains B Vitamins and Vitamin C, as well as minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sulphur, iron, phosphate, and even small quantities of zinc. It's a great natural sweetener for drinks, yogurt, and cereal, it can help soothe a sore throat and cough, and in skincare, it acts as a humectant, drawing moisture to the skin. But not all honey is the same.

And sometimes “Honey” isn’t even really honey.

Honey Fraud – the practice of diluting honey with low-cost syrups like corn syrup, sugar beets and/or water, then adding flavoring and labeling it as pure honey – is far too common. (Florida recently passed a law, the Florida Honey Standard Bill, to prevent this, and other states are following suit.) What's more, the AP recently reported that in early June, the FDA seized 64 drums of honey -- the labels said it was from the Philippines, but it actually came from China-- with detectable amounts of chloramphenicol, an antibiotic that can in rare cases cause aplastic anemia, which can be fatal. Apparently, some beekeepers in China use the antibiotic, either knowingly to treat diseased hives, or inadvertently through the use of ‘mixtures’ to help increase yields of honey, which contain the antibiotic. (The antibiotic is banned in the U.S. for use in food products, and also banned to treat sick bee hives.) Definitely not something I want in my Honey...

So how can we make sure what we’re buying is 100% pure honey? Find a local beekeeper you trust – Farmer’s Markets are a great place to find local honey -- and buy it directly from them. As an added step, I always buy ‘Raw Honey’ as it hasn’t been processed, but be sure to ask the beekeeper questions about his/her practices. This way, you’re sure to get excellent quality honey at a great price.

Photo courtesy of: m_bartosch / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Organic Cherries and the List

2010-06-11T07:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning my son, William, woke up and asked if he could have cherries for breakfast. Unfortunately, I had polished off the bag the night before. But, I like to think of myself as a good mom, so after I dropped him off to school, I drove over to the grocery store to pick up a new bag of cherries. Sometimes I get chatty while shopping, and before I knew it, I was in a pretty engaged conversation with a guy who was also looking to buy some cherries. I said aloud that I wished the store carried organic cherries, and as it turned out, he was wishing the same thing. So, we started talking about organically-grown produce and discussing which fruits and veggies we like to buy organic. We must have seemed pretty authoritative on the topic because before long, another shopper drove her cart mysteriously close to us and appeared to be eavesdropping while looking over containers of strawberries. As I was ending the conversation with my new produce friend, whose name I never did catch, the women said, "Excuse me, but should I be buying organic strawberries? Or Carrots?"
First, I told her that buying organic strawberries is a good idea, since they are one of the fruits known to have a high pesticide application. And although carrots fare slightly better, it's usually not much more expensive to buy organic than non-organically grown, so you really can't go wrong. Then, I told her that the Environmental Working Group puts out list of ranked pesticide contamination for fruits and vegetables. The methodology for this list analyzed produce contamination after the fruits or veggies had been washed and/or peeled, so, in my opinion, it's a pretty good guide as to how to reduce the amount of pesticides we're consuming.

If you want to look at the list, you can find it here: http://www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php

The School Lunch Project

2010-06-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

As a mom, I'm pretty interested in making sure my kids eat healthful, well-balanced meals. So much so, that I never let them buy school lunch. The thought of my kids eating low-grade hamburg cooked into various forms, tasteless, canned veggies, and fried chicken twice a week turned my stomach. Ava and William were always really happy eating the foods I packed in their lunches, and seemed to prefer them over what the other kids were eating -- not to mention that they had an extra 10 minutes to eat if they were spared waiting in the cafeteria line. But midway through the year they asked if they could buy school lunch sometimes, "maybe on pizza days and turkey dinner day," and I said yes.
Can you can imagine how excited I was when I stumbled across the blog, "The School Lunch Project." It's written by an anonymous schoolteacher from somewhere in the midwest who is eating, and blogging about, school lunch. I know there are only a few weeks left in the school year, but I wanted to share her blog with you in case you hadn't heard about it. You can find it here: The School Lunch Project.
Happy Reading!

Gardening Makes You Smart

2010-06-01T18:56:00.000-07:00

I'm not making this up! Apparently, there are certain bacteria in soil that have been shown to have antidepressant qualities, and new research suggests it can improve learning abilities, too. Long story short, Mycobacterium vaccae is a naturally-occurring bacteria found in soil that we breathe in or ingest when we engage in outdoor activities like gardening, hiking, or simply playing outdoors. Previous research has already shown that this bacteria increases serotonin levels and decreases anxiety. And last week Researchers Dorothy Matthews and Susan Jenks presented their latest research about Mycobacterium vaccae at the American Society for Microbiology meeting: mice fed this bacteria -- in a tasty snack of peanut butter -- performed tasks twice as fast and had less anxiety than the control group. What's more, the effect lasted for a few weeks. (You can watch the full interview here, if you're interested.) Now I have a scientific reason to give my husband when I make him spend his few free hours on the weekends digging holes in our solid clay yard so I can plant a new shrub or veggie plant. (It's good for you, Tim!) So, get out in the yard, get gardening, and get smart!

A few fruits and veggies from one of my gardens...

One of our delicious blueberry shrubs.

Purple Passion Asparagus
against a backdrop of Strawberries.

Smells like Cheese

2010-05-13T16:29:00.000-07:00

I've been looking to add a few new lotions to my product line, and have been tweaking recipes for about a year. I was pretty excited about my Goats Milk Lotion recipe. Goats milk, as you may know if softening to the skin, and, in my opinion, when mixed up in a lotion with natural oils and waxes, has a soft, soothing scent. For the past few batches, I scented the lotion with either Fragrant Almond or Orange Cream... both awesome scents. But, last week I left my batch unscented, and was about to finally hand out samples to my customers. Well, turns out, that's not going to happen. Why, you ask? Because both of my kids, separately and without the other's knowledge, told me that I smelled like cheese. And being told that you smell like cheese is not as funny as it sounds.
I know what you're thinking here, but I put some of the Unscented Goats Milk lotion on both of the kids' hands, and they identified the lotion as the cheese-y smell.
Since I don't like the idea of having customers smelling like cheese, I'm heading back to the drawing board on this lotion.

Wilava Coupon Codes

2010-05-01T06:55:00.000-07:00

I told Wilava customers a few weeks ago that I was thinking of deeply discounting a product for Mother's Day and asked for suggestions. The overwhelming response was Facial Products! So here's a coupon code, good through May 31, 2010, for 30 percent off of facial products, including Milk and Aloe Cleanser, Balancing Facial Toner, Aloe Facial Moisturizer, and my best-selling product, Vitamin C Serum. And, shipping is currently free on orders over $75!

Use Coupon Code: FACES

Strawberry Spa Day

2010-04-27T09:32:00.000-07:00

I went shopping at BJ's yesterday and scored a huge, 4 lb. box of sweet, delicious strawberries for $5. This was pretty exciting for me because strawberries and bargains are two of my favorite things. So, the kids and I have pretty much eaten the entire box of strawberries in less than 24 hours, and we're left with a bunch of strawberry tops. Normally I just throw these into the compost bin (and soon I'll be putting them into my new worm composter -- stay tuned!), but today I thought I'd have myself a Strawberry Spa Day. Strawberries contain natural fruit acids which help brighten the skin and gently exfoliate. Here are a few easy recipes you can do yourself with everyday ingredients you probably have in your kitchen, just in case you came home with your own Strawberry bargain yesterday, too. Please keep in mind that this may be too harsh for those with very sensitive skin, and of course, it's not suitable for those with a strawberry allergy.

Simple Strawberry Exfoliator:
Cut the top off of a strawberry. Eat the bottom. Holding the leafy part of the strawberry top, rub the cut side of berry over your face, hands, feet, elbows, knees, etc. Then rinse with warm water and pat dry.

Fresh Strawberry Hand/Body Sugar Scrub:
Save the cut-off tops from a bowl of strawberries (about 15-20). Remove leaves and mash remaining strawberry pulp in a small bowl (or puree if you're feeling really motivated). Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive or sunflower oil and 1-2 teaspoon sugar, depending on how much scrub you like. Mix well to form a paste. Massage onto wet skin.

Custom Strawberry Facial:
Save the cut-off tops from about 5 or 6 strawberries. Remove leaves and mash remaining strawberry pulp in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon cream (dry skin), or milk (normal/oily skin), and 1 tablespoon rice flour (can sub cornstarch if you don't have rice flour), and add 1 teaspoon of honey. Mix well. Apply to face and relax for 5-10 minutes, and remember to breathe deeply because it smells delicious. Then rinse with warm water.

Easter Craft - Soap Jelly

2010-03-21T18:29:00.000-07:00

The kids were so excited yesterday that Spring had officially arrived, so I thought I'd surprise them with some Easter Soap Jellies. Soap Jelly is an interesting concoction of gelatin and soap, and the end result is something like a Jello Jiggler or Knox Blox with some sudsing action. I've never made Soap Jellies before, but a friend gave me a recipe (thanks, Ann Cornell!), so I thought I'd give them a try.

For this soap craft you'll need:

--One small and one medium glass bowl or pitcher

--A stainless steel mixing spooon

--1 pkg plain, unflavored gelatin, such as Knox (not Jello)

--3/4 cup water (preferably distilled)

--1 tsp salt

--1/2 cup liquid soap or body wash (I used a handmade, sulfate-free shower gel)

--color, as desired (I used a blue ultramarine powder, but a liquid FD&C dye would work, too. Just be careful to use dyes sparingly -- too much will dye skin and tub!)

--skin safe fragrance

--molds

--rubbing alcohol (optional)

Step One: Heat the water to boiling in the small mixing bowl. I zapped mine in the microwave for 1 minute, 50 seconds. Then add the salt.

Step Two: Sprinkle the gelatin powder in the medium bowl, and Pour the salted water on top, stirring to dissolve.

Step Three: Add your liquid soap to the gelatin/water mixture and stir to combine. Then add your color and fragrance, and mix well, but slowly, so you don't overfoam.

Step Four: Pour into molds -- I used the Jello Jiggler molds you get for Free at the grocery store and a small Bunny mold designed to make ice cubes -- and refrigerate for at least two hours.

(I'm pouring with one hand, and taking the photo with the other!)

Step Five: Your Soap Jellies will likely have a bit of foam on top after the pour, and if that bothers you, you can spritz with some rubbing alcohol to pop the bubbles, but it's not necessary. Then place the molds in the fridge for at least a few hours to set up.

They're ready! I unmolded after two hours, but I think they could have used at least another hour or two. The small Bunny cavities were a bit of a disaster.

But the Jello Jiggler Molds worked out pretty well! Here's Ava with the "Easter Basket."

The Shower Verdict: I've got to say, these feel pretty cool -- just like Jello, but with suds! The kids were pretty excited to use them in the tub. Ava said, "These are so cool! They're so smooth and soft on your skin. I loooooove Soap Jelly!" William's kept slipping out of his little hand, which he thought was pretty great. He spent most of his shower cracking up. But between laughing, he said, "This is awesome soap, Mom. I like taking a shower with this stuff."

One thing is for sure though: They dissolve fast! I had to run back down to the fridge to get each of the kids another one to finish their shower. The Easter shapes were cute, but if I were to make these again, I think I'd just pour them in a slab mold and cut bigger squares so they'd last a little longer, or you could even pour into clean, recycled fruit or yogurt cups. I think I'd also reduce the water a little bit so they'd be firmer and possibly longer-lasting.

If you're going to make these at home, keep in mind that the recipe contains water and lacks a preservative (even if you're using a commercial, preserved liquid soap, it may not have enough to handle the extra water), so it's best to keep these in the fridge until use and use them up within a few days.

How Wilava became Wilava

2009-12-16T19:29:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my inaugural blog post!

One of the first questions people usually ask about me about Wilava is how I got the idea to start my business. Actually, I didn’t get the idea at all.

I started making handmade soaps and lotions several years ago. My daughter developed severe eczema as a toddler, and doctors prescribed several different treatments. We didn’t see much improvement, but we did notice how much the creams and lotions burned and irritated her delicate skin, and how she screamed when we applied them. And it broke my heart to see my little girl in so much pain. So I started researching. I read dermatology studies and articles, and after several months came up with a recipe I felt confident would work. And the Intense Moisture Solid Lotion Bar was born! I applied it to her hands, and she smiled. No burning! But even better, after just a few days use, Ava’s hands stopped bleeding, and the eczema began to heal. And a few weeks later, her hands were softer than I ever remembered them to be! I knew I’d be making these Lotion Bars for years to come.

But, in order to get the best quality Shea Butters and Jojoba Oil, I had to buy in bulk. I could never use up all of my supply before it went bad, and a few times, I actually had to throw some out. What a waste of money. So, I started giving Lotion Bars to friends and family as birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, or just cause. And they loved it! From there I started experimenting with soaps and lotions, lip balms, and other tub treats. And gifted my extras, not thinking much of it. Then people started asking for more. “Can I get one of the bars in the tin for my mother? It’s her birthday.” Sure, I’d say. So I’d make up a little gift set and deliver it to said friend.

Then, “How much do I owe you?”

“What? You want to pay me?”

I hadn’t even considered that.

My friends were the ones who suggested I start a business. Soon word started getting out, and friends of friends would ask for a product, and then ask for a brochure. I had a lot to think about. Should I do this as a business? Would I have the time? How do I pay taxes? Will I need insurance? Are people going to buy my stuff? Will I feel weird accepting their money? Luckily, my husband is pretty supportive. It’s pretty daunting to put money into a new business, especially in this economy, but he said, in his nonchalant manner, “Just do it. You like making the stuff. People like it. They want to buy it. They’re asking for it. It’ll make you happy.”

And Wilava was born. Well, about five months later. ( I had to research insurance, federal guidelines, file paperwork, and the like.) And my husband was right. Whenever a customer comes up to me at a Farmer’s Market, sends an email, or chats me up when I make a local delivery and tells me my products are the best they’ve ever used, it makes me happy. Very, very happy.