We also want to take this opportunity to share an important update about Two Drunk Witches as we reflect on our journey and reveal some changes you can expect to see in the months ahead.
It’s hard to believe it’s already been seven years since Two Drunk Witches was conjured into existence by Brenda and Megan during their final projects for their herbalism apprenticeship in late 2016.
In fact, if it weren’t for the nine-month-long program, Brenda, a vivacious, energetic extrovert, and Megan, a studious, solitary introvert, may never have crossed paths.
The two of us were quickly united in our excitement and enthusiasm for brewing up plant-based potions and blends, and bonded by our admission that sometimes, wine is self-care.
We spent many afternoons those early days in Brenda’s kitchen, concocting oils and powders, the glitter of mica sparkling in the air as we surveyed the outcome of our efforts.
There were, unsurprisingly, many failures, like the red, holiday-themed bath bombs we tediously hand-moulded all afternoon and caringly dusted with peppermint before realizing their striking resemblance to oregano-dusted meatballs, or the powdered face mask to which we’d added too liberal a measure of papaya extract for an unexpectedly eye-watering acid peel effect.
We oh-so-wish there’d been a way to capture the innumerable laughs we shared in that kitchen, those moments we spent bent over with giddiness, our bellies aching with the unhinged hilarity of our errors.
Fortunately, there were successes, too, and many of them! We upgraded our packaging from the four-ounce Mason jars we’d begun with to amber glass vessels, and leveled up our labels with the support of a talented friend who embodied our vision.
We tweaked and improved our offerings based on the feedback we received, and began to receive interest from local retailers requesting to carry our creations.
We attended workshops and markets, where Brenda taught Megan how to be bold and courageous, and where in turn Megan instilled the value of keeping things organized. Over time, we learned the ways we complemented one another, enjoying a kind of harmony that allowed each of us to focus on the parts we loved.
Growing a small business is no easy feat. We’ve learned a lot over the past seven years about what it means to be in business, striving to lead with our hearts as we brew the botanical-based self-care products people have grown to love. We continue to be immensely grateful for the support we’ve received along the way, from family, friends and the strangers who took a chance on us (we hope we can refer to you, too, as friends now). We’ve also faced unique challenges in the process, particularly the difficulties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, which to this day continues to have an impact on the availability of packaging and ingredients.
Through our time together building our small business, we’ve learned the precious meaning of innovation, teamwork and resilience, values that continue to underline the vision of Two Drunk Witches as we shift into a new chapter.
After tremendous deliberation and heartfelt conversation, Megan has decided to move on from Two Drunk Witches to focus on her artistic pursuits. It was not a decision that was reached lightly, but based on the awareness that Two Drunk Witches deserves the opportunity to continue to grow and flourish in new and exciting ways.
What does this change mean? Rest assured, Two Drunk Witches will continue to capture the same spirit that underscored its original inception: to create products that highlight the potent, skin-nourishing benefits of plant-based ingredients while celebrating the fact that healthy living and self-care is about listening to our bodies and minds and responding with what feels right.
While Two Drunk Witches’ core collection will remain the same – botanical-based facial skincare, body care and aromatherapy products – the aim of Two Drunk Witches over the coming months will be to continue to improve and enhance our offerings to deliver self-care that’s as accessible as it is effective.
You may notice some changes to our operations as we adjust to the transition, and invite you to please reach out directly to Brenda anytime to 250 213-9762 or twodrunkwitches@hotmail.com if you have any questions.
We wish once more to extend our deepest gratitude to each of you who have accompanied us along this amazing journey up to this point, and sincerely hope that you will continue to follow along to see what new and exciting things are in store for the year ahead and beyond.
From our hearts to yours, wishing you and your loved ones a very blessed new year.
Sincerely,
Brenda and Megan
PS: But before we go, we couldn't resist a little then-and-now comparison of some of our favourite creations. Oh, how far we've come!
Dearest friends, summer is literally just around the corner, and we are embarrassingly overdue for an update!
It’s been awhile, we know.
See, the thing is, the year got off to a bit of an unexpected start. The two of us joined up in mid-January for our first return to production following the busy-ness of the holiday season. After getting home from a productive afternoon of bottling and labelling, Megan decided to split a few logs in order to start a fire and get the house warmed up. Long story short, there was an unfortunate accident involving a newly-purchased (and extra sharp) axe that resulted in emergency orthopaedic surgery and two months recovery parked on the sofa (word to the wise: be extra careful chopping wood, friends).
It was a challenging experience, to say the very least, but on the flip side, it once again highlighted—in a very big, bold, neon-letters kind of way—the incredible advantage of our partnership and the ability of being able to count on one another's support when things don’t go quite as planned. Instead of everything coming to a grinding halt like it very much otherwise could have, Brenda was able to keep production and deliveries well and rolling on her end, while I (gradually) did what I could to maintain the digital side of things. (Seriously, y'all, can we get a shout-out for Brenda! ♥)
It wasn’t quite the start to the new year we’d envisioned, but we managed pretty decently in spite of the circumstances. In fact, we were even able to accomplish some pretty cool things over the past few months…
With the year now nearly halfway over (how, even?), we’re looking forward to getting back to our usual pace.
But first (heh), we’re working on relocating our production space from Colwood back to View Royal, into an almost-finished dedicated home studio. As much as we’ve loved our little cottage, the new studio will give us much more room to brew up magic and expand the amount of finished inventory we’re able to keep on hand, as well as provide more ease for local pick-ups. We’ll be sure to post photos once we’re settled in and down to business!
In the meantime, we've been asked a few times whether we’ll be attending any markets this season.
Last spring was when we decided to try out a range of local events and, for the most part, things went wonderfully well – we have a few favourites down that you can definitely expect to see us at again!
We also learned a lot in the process, most notably, that natural, hand-crafted self-care products do not fare well in the heat of the summer sun (imagine our shock the first time we discovered our precious creations rapidly liquefying, gahhh!).
This is a big consideration for us when it comes to spring and summer markets, as we want to ensure you’re receiving the best version of our products possible. So, for this reason, the only event we currently have scheduled is the upcoming June 22 Summer Crafted, Vintage & Re-Inspired Makers Market in lovely Cobble Hill – come see us indoors between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the Cobble Hill Community Hall!
Otherwise, you can always check our Facebook Events page to see if we have anything more planned!
You’ll also want to stay tuned to our Facebook and Instagram pages for some pretty fabulous upcoming sales over at our website – we’ll be featuring regular promotions all through the season, like our recent “buy one, get one half off” sale on our Fountain of Youth Nourishing Under Eye Cream - you don't want to miss these!
And remember, our products are carried by a number of fantastic stockists across the island! Visit our website at https://twodrunkwitches.com/pages/stockists for more details (and, if you have a shop in mind you think we’d be a good fit for, don’t hesitate to drop us a line!).
On that note, we want to extend our gratitude to you, as always, for your continued feedback and support. We’re not exaggerating even the tiniest bit when we say that every single kind word, every purchase, every gesture of support, means so very much to us.
From our hearts to yours, thank you, dear friends and fellow witches!
]]>With January’s arrival, it’s only natural to spend some time reflecting on the past 12 months, contemplating the many lessons and milestones that marked the last year. 2018 was a pretty big year for us – one of major growth and a sense of having started to finally get our footing.
Certainly it was our busiest year so far, which is a pretty amazing thing to reflect on – that there were times we had to work extra hard to meet the demand, thanks to the incredible support we received (and continue to receive!) from our customers and stockists (we cannot say it enough: you truly the best!). This gaining momentum also meant it was a year of major learning - exploring how to be more efficient and better organized so we can grow at a pace that continues to afford us the ability to focus on what we love (being creative, brewing up goodness and sharing the magic that is botanical self-care!).
Many following along on this wild and crazy journey aren’t aware that the two of us also juggle full-time day jobs and demands in addition to Two Drunk Witches, which means we are constantly learning about the significance of balancing the needs of the business with those of our daily work, alongside the importance of making time for ourselves and our loved ones.
It can be a challenge sometimes, probably moreso for myself, as someone who relies pretty heavily on alone-time to replenish my reserves. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – if it weren’t for Brenda and her exceptional flexibility and willingness to surmount even the most difficult-seeming of challenges, I’d have probably tapped out ages ago. We’ve also said times a’plenty that having the ability to rely on each other for practical and moral support has honestly been the key to our success so far. We realized from the very start of this endeavour just how ridiculously well we complement one another, but what’s even cooler as we embark on this fresh new year is the realization of just how much we learn from each other (that, and how much we learn together!).
Two Drunk Witches began as a kind of whim – the idea was borne rather suddenly, and the two of us dove in without any expectation of what it would become. I like to think, more than two years later, that we’ve been able to maintain that playful, spirited essence that originally inspired us along this journey. Our aim has never been to come off as overly-curated because we embrace the freedom to be creative, to celebrate our cheekiness and to be honest and transparent about the many facets that make up who we are as Two Drunk Witches, and who we are as individuals.
Having embarked on this journey with no expectations, we are constantly humbled by the positive feedback we receive from those who try and love our products, and by the wonderful connections we’ve made in the relatively short time we’ve been doing what we do. We genuinely cannot say it enough: thank you, friends, for the kindness and support you offer us. You never cease to inspire and amaze us, and we are genuinely so ridiculously grateful to you.
Mushiness aside, let’s have a closer look at some of the things that made 2018 a year to remember!
January started off relatively quiet, giving us the chance to map out some of our goals for the months ahead and reflect on what it means to reclaim self-care. We also shared some information that month on what, exactly, a facial serum is after we realized during the preceding holiday season that our Love Drunk, Naked Solstice and Sacred serums were already gaining traction as customer favourites!
February’s arrival marked a big change for us – Two Drunk Witches moved into a dedicated work space, the serendipitous outcome of Brenda’s tenant giving his notice. Up to then we’d been taking over Brenda’s kitchen each week in a frenzy of magic and mayhem, but we couldn’t deny we needed room to expand (and Brenda needed to relinquish her dining room, which had filled to the brim with ingredients and supplies!).
Not only did the studio give us room to grow our inventory, we realized what a joy it was to be able to shut the door on our work and pick up where we left off!
What else of February? Well, we reformulated what had previously been our “Sentir Les Roses” solid perfume into a much more potent, rosier scent with a combination of Rose Absolute, Rose De Mai and Rose Geranium pure essential oils, as well as released our Cocoa Goddess Chocolate Orange Crème - which, by the way, was meant to be a seasonal product timed around Valentine’s Day, buuuuuuut you all have fallen so madly in love with it, we were expressly told it had to become part of the range (expect it to hit the online shop sometime in the new year)!
Then arrived March, during which we were thrilled to welcome Campbell River’s Healthyway Natural Foods as a new stockist, as well as Parksville’s Shades of Green! March also marked our very first time formally vending, making our debut at Cobble Hill’s Inspired Crafted Market’s Spring Modern Handmade Market. The two of us spent hours at the kitchen counter the night before meticulously cutting and dating labels, slowly working our way through a bottle and a half of shiraz (oops). The market itself flew past in the blink of an eye, and we finished the day overwhelmed with gratitude for the support we received, exhausted but giddy (that may also have been due in part to the double-shot espressos Brenda grabbed from the nearby coffee shop!).
April was when we first started noticing folks sharing our products on social media, which began to make things feel really real - to know that the recipes we mix, the bottles we fill and the labels we painstakingly apply by hand wind up as part of someone’s self-care routine! We were also excited in April to announce downtown Victoria’s Lifestyle Market and Self Heal Herbal Centre as brand new stockists, making our products more widely available to the local community!
Still with us? In May we celebrated reaching 400 likes on Facebook (WHAT!), introduced a selection of 100% pure essential to our range, and spent an afternoon vending at the whirlwind craziness that was the Village Block Party. We were also proud to announce two exciting new stockists, Salt Spring Island’s Country Grocer, and Courtenay’s Cause and Effect Wellness!
May was also when we highlighted the benefits of our Flower Power Natural Deodorant, and seriously: we can hardly keep this baby in stock in spite of our deliberations about introducing a deodorant to the range (we even had someone buy the tester at a discounted price at a market last month because she was so determined to get her hands on it, which, we have to admit, was a pretty cool endorsement!).
June – we’re halfway there! The more markets we started to take part in, the more questions we began to receive about the products themselves – and that’s what inspired us to share some details on the ingredients we rely on, from the various oils and fats we use, to some of the other components, like aloe and rosehip! We also introduced our new Colony of Hippies 100% Pure Essential Oil Blend to the line in June (you asked, we listened!), as well as our Fountain of Youth Nourishing Under Eye Cream!
July was a relatively quiet month - we shared some more information on the lesser-known ingredients that make up our formulas, as well as some tips for keeping summer skin well-hydrated, but perhaps the most notable event was the deadbolt on the studio’s back door spontaneously breaking while Brenda was away on summer holiday, amid a flurry of orders from our stockists and customers, no less! (Thankfully, she was able to mail her front door key from far-away Savary Island, after which I got a whole slew of spare keys cut to prevent any more instances of worst case scenario).
August, like July, remained low-key as well, although we did announce the UVic Bookstore as our newest stockist! Otherwise, the quietness of the month gave us the chance to enjoy the peak of summer with our family and friends, warranting another acknowledgment of what makes partnerships so damn amazing – that each of us had the opportunity to take some much-needed time off during the summer months without fretting about the well-being of the business (hell yeah)!
With September’s arrival we slowly eased back into our regular routine, starting the month off vending at the amazing Metchosin Day (it rained torrentially for the larger part of the afternoon, but that didn’t stop the community from coming out and enjoying what was one of our favourite events of the year!).
We also participated in our very first workshop, Self-Care Made Simple, hosted by Pause: Gatherings for Women. Whooooo boy, talk about nervous – I literally had to take a moment during our presentation to catch my breath, but alas! The lovely energy cultivated by the event’s organizer, Kathy, and the positive support from the attendees, quickly cancelled out any more reason to be anxious! (The workshop was such a success, in fact, we’re looking forward to participating in another one this spring!)
We laid low in October, working mostly behind the scenes to prepare for the upcoming market season.
And then it was November, the month of vending every weekend – which was exhausting, yes, but also rewarding in that it gave us the precious opportunity to connect directly with people using and purchasing our creations!
We also did something pretty crazy in November: we took part in the BC Children’s Hospital’s Festival of Trees! Many weeks were spent creating the ornaments for the tree, and we wound up absolutely tickled by how it all came together. Most of all, it was a joy to be able to contribute to such a great cause, and to know that the donations we received as votes for our tree went to supporting B.C. kids! (And, to our amazement, our tree ranked in the Top 10 twice in a row!)
And then, as if November weren’t crazy enough, we also had the privilege to spend some time with Santa Claus himself, a pretty special experience, especially considering he took time out of his busy schedule to ham it up with a couple drunk witches!
Before we knew it, it was December and the arrival of – unbelievably! - our Third Annual Two Drunk Witches Gathering at Brenda's house - a total trip when we reflected on how much has changed since our original gathering in 2016!
We ended the busy-ness of the season at Nanaimo’s Vancouver Island Market, an extremely well-organized three-day market event during which we were literally bought of out nearly all our inventory (like seriously, Nanaimo: you blew us away!). It was one heck of a holiday season, and by the end of it, we were ready to cozy up in the company of our family and friends and savour the final days of the year.
As for the year ahead, we've been slowly shaping our vision - looking forward to cultivating more creativity, more connection, more community.
And we cannot wait to share it with you.
Happy new, year, witches.
]]>When I was a teenager, I used to douse myself in a questionable green-coloured body mist with a cucumber-melon scent that I could literally not. Get. Enough. Of. Nowadays, on the rare occasion I catch a similar whiff of that same scent (usually while walking through a shopping mall, if we’re being honest), I’m immediately transported back to those days of angsty song lyrics, face-scouring Oxy pads and those micro-sized butterfly clips we all used to twist the front of our hair into pseudo cornrows (kidding - I never mastered that look!).
Truth is, you’ve probably got a scent locked somewhere in your own memory bank that elicits a rush of emotional remembrances, because scent is special like that: it has the ability to instantly trigger long-forgotten memories.
And don’t the companies who create the many items we use on a daily basis – from detergents to styling products, from candles to cosmetics – know it! Fragrance is a big business – and one we should be wary about.
Here’s the thing: your skin is your body’s largest organ and is said to absorb roughly 60 percent of everything you apply to it. We need to be vigilant about the products we expose ourselves to.
Now, have a quick look at some of the commercial products you regularly use, and you’re bound to find “Fragrance” listed as one of the ingredients. Think you’re safe? This seemingly innocuous little word is also interchangeable with Perfume, Parfum, Essential Oil Blend (more on this later!), Aroma, Phthalate, DEP, DPB or DEHP. Yikes.
Each of these iterations signifies the inclusion of a synthetic fragrance, or rather, a chemical compound created in a laboratory to imitate a familiar scent or combination of scents. It’s said that approximately 95 percent of synthetic fragrance compounds are derived from petrochemicals. That’s right, friends: crude oil. Double yikes.
In fact, synthetic fragrances contain a slurry of harmful toxins, everything from carcinogenic benzene derivatives (a petrochemical also found in vehicle exhaust emissions and cigarette smoke), aldehydes (that would include the infamous formaldehyde!), toluene (a hydrocarbon used as a solvent), phthalates (plasticizing chemicals used as preservatives), parabens (yet another synthetic preservative, one known for its ability to disrupt the body’s endocrine system) and a range of other damaging chemicals.
And here’s the kicker: companies aren’t required to disclose the ingredients contained in their proprietary blend of chemicals based on a concept called “trade secrets.” That means you'll never know exactly what you're exposing yourself to using ingredients with synthetic fragrances.
Why exactly are synthetic fragrances so pervasive? The answer is multifaceted. For one, synthetic fragrances are monumentally less expensive than their counterparts, essential oils. They are also created in massive quantities, have a more “reliable” scent (essential oils can vary by batch), can be stored much longer and possess a stronger smell that generally lasts longer because of chemical scent fixatives.
The thing is, synthetic fragrances have been linked to a number of health concerns, everything ranging from headaches, asthma and contact dermatitis, to more serious conditions like central nervous system disorders, reproductive disease and cancer (in fact, because of the effect of synthetic fragrances on the body’s endocrine, or hormone-producing system, individuals diagnosed with cancer are often advised to eliminate their exposure to products containing synthetic fragrances).
The use of products containing synthetic fragrances also has a cumulative effect, meaning that the more regularly you use them, the more they gradually build in your system. The prevalence of synthetic fragrances may make them seem benign, but the reality is they add a tremendous amount of toxic burden on our bodies and can result in immediate and long-term issues.
And that’s something we’re just not okay with.
We’re sometimes asked why we don’t offer a wider range of fragrances in our products and bath bombs – exciting scents like coconut lime, root beer, banana, apple cinnamon or rainforest (that last one has us rather perplexed, by the way). Well, friends – the reason for this is that those exciting scents aren’t real. There’s no way to capture the scent of a banana without, obviously, smelling a banana, or, as you understand by now, artificially replicating the scent in a laboratory.
We have made a conscious choice to use only 100% pure essential oils in our products because we are committed to keeping self-care simple, and because we believe in the therapeutic properties that using only high-grade pure essential oils can provide.
But hold on! What exactly are essential oils? Well, actually, essential oils aren’t truly oils at all, but are highly concentrated botanical extracts derived from raw plant material, including flowers, fruit, bark, roots, leaves, and resin. In general, essential oils are created through a process of steam distillation, but in some cases, such as with citrus fruits, are derived through cold-pressing.
The process to produce essential oils requires large amounts of raw plant material, which is why it is always important to ensure the oils you’re using are sourced sustainably and ethically (we only choose suppliers specializing in high quality essential oils sourced from ethical producers).
Just as importantly, products labelled as 100% pure essential oil contain no synthetic additives. Be mindful of products advertising “essential oil blend” or “with essential oils,” as chances are high that a very small amount of essential oil has been diluted using synthetic fragrance.
Unlike synthetic fragrances, 100% pure essential oils boast a wide range of benefits for your skin, in addition to their aromatherapeutic properties. The essential oils we use in our products are hand-picked to best complement our unique formulas – and if we had to toot our own horns, we’d say we’re pretty proud of the results.
“Hold up! I was reading your labels, and the ingredients for your One Last Kiss Lip Shimmer lists ‘Fragrance.’ What gives?”
Well, friends, you’re not wrong – not completely, at least. Actually, the lovely lingonberry scent we use in our much-loved One Last Shimmer is 100% plant-based - no synthetic additives here! - and is created through a unique distillation process that isolates the molecules so they can be recombined into that delicious, fruity scent you adore. It’s not a 100% pure essential oil, which means we were required to label it as a fragrance. Cause, see, we’re all about transparency up in here!
We promise you that the more you weed out synthetic fragrances from your daily routine, the better you’ll begin to feel. In fact, don’t be surprised to eventually discover that all those artificial scents you once knew and possibly loved (the whole gamut, from pina colada to cucumber melon!) will become pretty intolerable (I recently tried a hair product so heavily scented with synthetic fragrance that I literally felt nauseous all day).
A big part of our vision all along has been to highlight the incredible therapeutic and healing properties of plant ingredients, in the form of botanical self-care. And we think our choice to use only 100% pure essential oils does just that.
Try it for yourself – and let us know what happens!
]]>Lucky for you, we create a variety of products designed to hydrate and replenish summer-loving skin, each one offering something a little different...
If you’ve been keeping up with our blog, you already know the gist behind facial serums – water-based formulations designed to deliver a high concentration of ingredients to your skin. While some people prefer to pair their serums with an oil-based moisturizer to create a hydrating barrier on the skin, facial serums are a great option for the hot and sweaty summer months, when your skin is generally more prone to oiliness and the thought of adding another product to the mix just ain’t your jam.
Our Love Drunk Facial Serum with Rose and Hibiscus is the lighter-weight formula of our two serums, and is well-matched to normal, combination and oily skin types. Omega-rich rosehip oil works to nourish and protect the skin from inflammation, while the inclusion of astringent hibiscus clarifies the complexion.
Meanwhile, our Naked Solstice Facial Serum with Vitamin C and Neroli is a great choice for normal, dry and mature skin types. The Vitamin C in this formula is especially beneficial for helping to reduce the appearance of dark spots, which are always more visible for me during the sun-kissed months (ugh!).
Use these ones: every darn day! The potency of water-based serums means a little goes a long way, so both our Love Drunk Facial Serum with Rose and Hibiscus and Naked Solstice Facial Serum with Vitamin C and Neroli make wonderful staples to get you through the summer season!
Of course, not to be neglected is our much-loved Sacred Serum, a powerful, oil-based blend of nutrient-dense ingredients meant to stimulate cellular repair and provide a potent level of hydration. When it comes to daytime use, this formula is best-suited to normal and dry skin types, while everyone can benefit from using it as a nighttime treatment.
Use this one: for times when you’re recovering from a little too much sun, particularly if your complexion is dry and flaky. This one can also be applied to the neck, chest and shoulders after an unexpected sunburn, once the initial inflammation has diminished, to help mend the skin.
Our Citrus Goddess Soothing Lotion is an ultra-lightweight formula containing skin-quenching coconut and jojoba oils, plus soothing witch hazel and white willow to soothe and soften the skin. Because it contains no tree nut ingredients, it’s a particularly excellent choice for those with fussy skin. It's mild composition makes it a universally trusty go-to as a clean and simple daily moisturizer – it can even be applied to your face, yo!
Use this one: all day, erry day! We keep this one on hand all the time for quick and easy hydration straight out of the shower. It soaks into the skin nice and quick, and is an especially good choice if you also plan to wear sunblock.
Don’t let the name fool you – our Femme Fatale Seductive Massage Oil does double duty as a skin-rejuvenating moisturizer that is certain to arouse the senses. Formulated to quickly penetrate the skin, we promise it won’t leave you feeling like a summertime slip ‘n’ slide! Our Femme Fatale Seductive Massage Oil is the perfect solution to those times you’re looking for a little extra boost (and a little extra rawr!).
Use this one: all over your legs! Much as we adore showing a little extra skin these sultry summer months, all that shaving/waxing/epilating/choose-your-own-adventuring has the tendency to suck the moisture straight from our skin. Our Femme Fatale Seductive Massage Oil absorbs quickly into the skin’s surface while creating a silky, radiant glow! (Warning: the luscious balance of sensuous rose geranium and robust sandalwood in this formula may result in added friskiness!)
Our Bees Knees Ultra-Hydrating Lotion Bar is a fan-favourite, and for good reason: the combination of ingredients contained in this powerful little number deliver a mega-dose of hydration to dull and tired skin – a skincare essential for those of us who don’t slow down until the leaves start dropping! This formula provides the skin with a rich moisture barrier, and is an excellent choice for rough and dry hands, elbows, knees and heels!
Use this one: on the road! This is a great one to throw into your bag for a road trip or weekend getaway without the unexpected surprise of a leaky-lotion disaster. We also like to slather this one on after shaving, as it works well to combat razor burn.
Before we go, just a reminder that summertime’s not only hard on your skin – it can be hard on your skincare products, too! When it comes to natural skincare products, a little extra care goes a long way in helping preserve the potency and longevity of your trusted allies.
Fluctuations in temperature can cause natural skincare products to degrade more quickly, so it’s best to keep your products far away from direct sunlight. We like to store our products in a cupboard or drawer, preferably outside of the bathroom, where constant changes in temperature and moisture can also impact the quality. Also, avoid leaving products in a hot vehicles, as things like lip balms, salves and lotion bars can melt quickly in high heat.
Always ensure you’re applying your product with clean, dry hands. Introducing water into your products is one of the fastest-ever ways to cause spoilage, as it creates a breeding ground for germs. You can always try transfer your products to a clean, dry jar or container if you’re ever concerned about contamination.
All of our products are designed to stay optimal at room temperature for a period of a year, but storing your products in the refrigerator can help to extend their shelf life (plus, a refrigerated body lotion offers sumptuous relief from scorching heat!). As the warmer months can also cause your salves to be soften, you can also pop them in the fridge to help firm them up again.
Most importantly of all: have an outright amazing summer, godammit!
And: we love you!
]]>When it comes to natural skincare formulas, there are certain ingredients that are necessary to help ensure the stability of a product and contribute to its effectiveness - things like emulsifiers, which help to bind oil and water molecules together and keep them from separating.
With names that can sometimes be a bit complicated, these types of ingredients may seem a little intimidating. We're hear to help solve the mystery!
Commonly derived from coconut oil, Cetearyl Glucoside is a natural emulsifier used to prevent oil and liquid ingredients from separating, resulting in a stable end product.
Find Cetearyl Glucoside in:
Created from a combination of fatty alcohols derived from vegetable sources, Cetearyl Alcohol is primarily used in natural skincare formulas for its stabilizing and thickening action, as well as its effectiveness in conditioning the skin.
Find Cetearyl Alcohol in:
Cetyl alcohol is a wax-textured fatty alcohol that is added to natural skincare products for its thickening and conditioning properties, as well as its effectiveness in emulsifying liquid and oil ingredients into a stable end product that prevents separation.
Find Cetyl Alcohol in:
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is an extremely gentle amphoteric surfactant (meaning it can naturally adjust the pH of a formula) derived from coconut oil. It’s frequently used in natural skincare recipes for its cleansing and foaming actions and helps to soften and smooth the skin and hair.
Find Cocamidopropyl Betaine in:
Obtained from corn and coconut, Decyl Glucoside is a biodegradable, nonionic surfactant, meaning a “surface active agent” with an uncharged ion. Surfactants are primarily used in cleansing products for their foaming, emulsifying and moisturizing properties. Decyl Glucoside is added to natural skincare formulations for its foaming action and is mild enough for sensitive skin types.
Find Decyl Glucoside in:
Although naturally occurring in fish, DMAE Bitartrate in skincare formulations is derived from fruit acid and is said to defend the skin against damaging free radicals through its potent antioxidant properties. It is also known for helping to firm and smooth the skin’s surface, reducing the appearance of wrinkles.
Find DMAE Bitartrate in:
Emulsifying wax is used to bind water and oil together in natural skincare formulas to prevent them from separating, creating a silky and stable end product that absorbs easily into the skin. Derived from vegetables, emulsifying waxes are considered a safe addition to natural skincare preparations.
Find Emulsifying Wax in:
Commonly derived from vegetable fats, glycerin is a water and alcohol soluble compound that works as a humectant to help draw moisture into the skin. It also serves as a natural emollient to smooth and soften the skin and is added to natural skincare preparations to prolong shelf life.
Find Glycerine in:
Hyaluronic acid is a type of large sugar molecule that naturally occurs in the body’s connective tissues. It’s well-known for its excellent moisturizing properties – it’s said one molecule can help retain 1,000 times its own weight in water. In natural skincare applications, hyaluronic acid’s ability to hold moisture in the skin is said to help reduce signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles.
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Naturally derived from wheat, hydrolyzed wheat protein is added to natural beauty products for its ability to retain moisture in the skin, as well as strengthen and condition the hair, helping it to appear shinier and more voluminous.
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Derived from vegetables – in our case, sunflower oil – lecithin is commonly used as an emulsifier and, with its anti-oxidant and moisturizing properties, makes an excellent addition to natural skincare formulas.
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MSM is an organic form of sulfur naturally occuring in the body and, when used in natural skincare applications, is said to promote collagen production, helping the skin appear more youthful and radiant. It is also said to have anti-inflammatory properties that work to calm the skin and smooth the complexion.
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Polysorbate 20 is a safe and mild compound used in natural skincare formulations in small amounts as a nonionic surfactant, as an emulsifier to bind oil and water ingredients together into a stable product and as a solubilizer to uniformly blend essential oils into water.
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Similar to its counterpart above, Polysorbate 80 is a safe and mild compound used in natural skincare formulations in small amounts as a nonionic surfactant and as an emulsifier to blend thicker, heavier types of oils into water.
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Phenoxyethanol is preservative frequently added to natural skincare products to protect against bacterial growth, and is used in extremely low concentrations as a safe and effective alternative to potentially harmful formaldehyde-based preservatives.
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Used in small amounts as a humectant to retain moisture in the skin and enhance the stability of natural products, Propylene Glycol is an organic alcohol that also works to help ingredients better penetrate the skin.
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Found in a variety of beta-carotene-rich vegetables and fruits, including leafy greens, carrots, sweet potatoes and red peppers, Provitamin A is a precursor of retinol. When added to natural skincare formulas, Provitamin A is said to help boost cellular production and reduce signs of aging. It is also works to calm and condition the skin, as well as brighten the complexion.
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Provitamin B5 is a humectant, meaning it helps to retain moisture, and is often used in hair care formulations to condition the hair and make it appear stronger and more lustrous.
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Derived from minerals, iron oxides are used in natural skincare and make-up formulations as a colouring agent. Although at one time the iron oxides used in cosmetic formulations were naturally mined, they are now created synthetically to avoid potentially harmful impurities such as heavy metals. Iron oxides are considered to be safe and mild enough for sensitive skin types.
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Sodium PCA is a naturally occurring compound found in the skin. It’s used in natural skincare products for its ultra-hydrating properties and works extremely well to retain the skin’s moisture.
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Derived from vegetable fats, stearic acid is a type of fatty acid used as an emulsifier in natural skincare recipes to bind water and oil ingredients together and create a creamy, stable end product.
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Tetrasodium glutamate diacetate is a biodegradable compound used primarily in natural skincare preparations as a chelating agent to help enhance preservative performance and stabilize the final product.
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A combination of Vitamin A and palmitic acid, Retinyl Palmitate readily penetrates the skin’s surface where it’s converted into retinol. Retinyl Palmitate is said to deliver a high potency of antioxidants to the skin to help protect against signs of aging and, in particular, against the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation. A 20 year-old study that once reported about the potential harms of Retinyl Palmitate has since been widely disregarded by skincare experts, although we encourage you to do your own research if you have concerns.
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Vitamin B3 is a superstar skincare ingredient with potent antioxidant properties that, when used in natural skincare formulations, is said to protect the skin from damaging free radicals, boost collagen production, improve the appearance of hyperpigmentation and calm redness and blemishes.
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Xantham gum is a natural sugar used in skincare products as a thickening and stabilizing agent.
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Zinc oxide is a naturally-occurring mineral used in natural skincare formulations – natural sunscreens in particular - for its ability to provide an opaque barrier on the outermost layer of the skin. Zinc oxide is also commonly used in natural deodorant preparations due to its antibacterial and absorptive properties.
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Note: the information on this website has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease.
When it comes to natural self-care, you're bound to come across the same superstar ingredients time and time again. You know they're good for your skin, but you're not necessarily certain why.
We're here to help you sort things out!
Activated charcoal is created by burning carbonaceous materials at ultra-high temperatures and then “activating” it by either a steam or a chemical process to create tiny pores and thereby substantially increase the surface area of the remaining substance. This porous surface area makes activated charcoal extremely adsorptive, meaning that substances such as contaminants and pollutants easily bind to its surface. In natural skincare formulations, activated charcoal works to powerfully draw toxins and impurities from the skin and absorb excess oil to promote a clearer, brighter complexion.
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Those who've suffered a painful sunburn are familiar with aloe vera leaf's ability to calm and cool the skin. In natural skincare recipes, aloe vera is also used on account of its anti-oxidant properties, its ability to hydrate the skin and for its anti-microbial action – it is even said to help combat itchiness!
Find Aloe Leaf Juice in:Citrus Goddess Soothing Lotion | Love Drunk Multi Tea Facial Cleanser | Love Drunk Facial Serum with Rose and Hibiscus | Fountain of Youth Nourishing Under Eye Cream | Love Drunk Moisturizing Facial Toner | Colony of Hippies Calming Spray | Bed of Roses Uplifting Spray | Lavender Lullaby Body and Linen Spray
High in iron oxide, Australian red clay gives dull and tired skin a replenishing boost. It works to draw impurities from the skin while balancing oil production, and can be used by those with dry or sensitive skin.
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Bentonite clay is made up of highly absorbent volcanic ash which, when it comes into contact with water, produces a strong negative electrical charge that works to draw positively-charged impurities from the skin. As such, bentonite clay is frequently used in facial mask recipes, as it purifies the skin and has a mild exfoliative action. Bentonite clay’s anti-microbial properties also make it well-matched to oily, blemish-prone complexions.
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Both anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial, calendula helps to soothe sensitive skin and aid wound healing with a mildly astringent action. It is also rich in antioxidants, which help to protect and replenish the skin.
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Chamomile is probably best known for its role in calming tea blends, helping to promote a restful sleep, and for treating digestive upsets. Soothing and effective in addressing skin complaints, chamomile makes a great choice for treating kids due to its gentleness. It’s anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory, acts as an emollient to soften and soothe the skin and is hypoallergenic, meaning it’s unlikely to cause any type of reaction.
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Citric acid is a weak acid used to adjust the pH in natural skincare formulations. It is also commonly combined with sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, in bath bomb recipes to create a fizzing effect.
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Frankincense is a resin derived from the hardened sap - or resin - of the boswellia tree and is used in natural skincare preparations for its anti-inflammatory benefits and its ability to help promote cellular regeneration. Frankincense is also said to help smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, as well as scars and dark spots. The essential oil is known for reducing inflammation, boosting circulation and helping to counteract skin discolouration.
Find Frankincense in:Sacred Silk French Pink Clay Face Mask | Sacred Serum (Frankincense Essential Oil)
French pink clay is a mild kaolin clay that draws impurities from the skin, helping to cleanse and purify. Milder than other types of clay, it helps to retain the skin’s natural balance without overdrying, and is well-matched to those with sensitive or mature skin.
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Rich in anti-oxidants, ginseng powder helps to nourish the skin by providing hydration, improving firmness and balancing oiliness. Its anti-inflammatory properties also help to soothe the appearance of tired and irritated skin.
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Commonly known for its calming, floral fragrance and relaxing qualities, lavender also has antibacterial properties that work to aid wound healing (burns in particular). Lavender is also antiseptic, can help to increase circulation and can be used as an all-natural insect repellant.
Find Lavender in:
Fountain of Youth Nourishing Under Eye Cream | Lavender Lullaby Body and Linen Spray | Colony of Hippies Calming Spray | F-Bomb Bath Bomb
Neroli’s potent antioxidant properties make it soothing and reparative for the skin, helping to minimize wrinkles, fine lines and even stretch marks. It is said to help balance sebum production and promote skin elasticity, while its antimicrobial properties are well-suited to treating skin irritations. From an aromatherapy perspective, neroli has been traditionally used to calm anxiety and overcome insomnia, and has even been used as an aphrodisiac.
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Patchouli is said to soothe inflammation and irritations, including chapped or cracked skin, and is also knowo to protect against infection. Patchouli helps stimulate circulation and thereby promote cell regeneration and, in aromatherapy, its exotic scent is celebrated for its antidepressant properties – it helps enhance mood and is used as an aphrodisiac.
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Sticky, reddish-coloured poplar bud resin can be found in the closed and dormant buds of cottonwood poplars, and, infused into oil, makes a potently healing medicine. Poplar bud is antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and contains salicin (the same constituent in aspirin), which works to reduce pain such as muscle soreness, as well as inflamed and irritated skin. It also works wonderfully to nourish and heal dry, cracked skin, offering a rich level of hydration.
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Created from the distillation of roses for essential oil, rose water provides a sensual and refreshing way to moisturize the skin, while its astringent and anti-inflammatory properties work to tighten and calm the complexion. Rose essential oil is astringent and anti-bacterial, helping minimize redness.
Find Rose Flower Water in:Love Drunk Moisturizing Facial Toner | Sacred Serum (Rose Essential Oil) | Bed of Roses Uplifting Spray (Rose Essential Oil) | Bed of Roses Solid Perfume (Rose Essential Oil)
Rich in Vitamin C, rosehip powder provides skin with an anti-oxidant boost to brighten and smooth the skin and protect against free radical damage.
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Seaweed powder is a lovely addition to natural skincare recipes due to composition of skin-nourishing phytonutrients, vitamins and trace elements. It is said to help purify and balance the skin and calm inflammation.
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Usnea is a lichen that grows commonly here in the Pacific Northwest, and is sustainably gathered from the forest floor after a windstorm to be infused as medicine. It's is a powerful herb for fighting infections, helping to reduce inflammation and promote wound healing.
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Vitamin C Ester is a powerful fat-soluble anti-oxidant compound used in natural skincare products to protect the skin from free radical damage, smooth and brighten the complexion and combat signs of aging.
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Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant that is regularly added to natural skincare formulations for its ability to protect against oxidization and rancidity, but this little powerhouse is also well-known for its ability to moisturize the skin and protect against environmental stressors.
Find Vitamin E in:Citrus Goddess Soothing Lotion | Flower Power Natural Deodorant | Wild Woman Mane Tamer | Femme Fatale Seductive Massage Oil | Girl Crush High Gloss Lip Balm | Love Drunk Multi Tea Facial Cleanser | Love Drunk Facial Serum with Rose and Hibiscus | Sacred Serum | Fountain of Youth Nourishing Under Eye Cream | One Last Kiss Lip Shimmer | Rubeus' Beard and After Shave Oil
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Witch hazel is extracted from a flowering shrub and is processed into a clear liquid frequently used in natural skincare formulations to remove excess oil, control oil production and cleanse and condition the skin. The presence of tannins in witch hazel’s composition lend it its astringent, tonifying action, while its anti-inflammatory properties can soothe irritated skin. Witch hazel is also said to be anti-microbial and is frequently used as an at-home remedy for insect bites, poison ivy and minor burns.
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Ylang ylang is said to be a potent antioxidant, helping to rejuvenate the skin and counteract signs of aging, balance the skin and control the production of excess oil. Its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties work to soothe skin irritations and, in aromatherapy, it’s known for its ability to battle stress and anxiety, stimulate circulation and overcome feelings of anger and resentment.
Find Ylang Ylang in:
]]>Note: the information on this website has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease.
Learning about the ingredients that make up your self-care products is an important way to ensure the formulas you’re using are the right match for you.
But: we also know it can be a heck of a lot of work combing through a seemingly endless maze of resources to find the information you’re looking for.
Alas, that’s where we come in! We’ve taken the time to conveniently break down the assortment of wonderful ingredients we use in our range of creations to ensure you’ve got the information you’re interested in right at your fingertips – and that way, if you’re a hafta-know-it-all nerd like me who totally gets off on the thrill of self-study, at the very least you’ll have a solid jumping-off point to launch your research escapades!
The first post of our three-part series will spotlight the oils we use in our formulas, the second will highlight some of the ingredients you may already be familiar with and the third and final post will shed some light on the ingredients that may be more elusive to you!
Without further adieu, let’s get started!
Oils and fats serve as a vital staple of natural skincare formulas, working to smooth, condition and nourish the skin! They also have unique benefits depending on their composition and application. Take a look at what we mean...
Obtained from the pulp of the avocado fruit, avocado oil is rich in essential fatty acids and vitamins A, C, D, and E, making it highly nourishing for the skin. Avocado oil’s rich and ultra-moisturizing composition is particularly beneficial for rejuvenating dry skin and mature complexions, and is also said to calm skin irritations. Avocado oil is frequently used in natural skincare formulas on account of its excellent stability against rancidity.
Find Avocado Fruit Oil in:
Created by blending the cold-pressed flesh of the avocado fruit with hydrogenated vegetable oil, avocado butter provides the same benefits of avocado fruit oil in a creamy texture that melts into the skin for a hydrating, replenishing boost. Richly moisturizing, avocado butter is a great match for dry and mature skin types.
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Baobab seed oil comes from the cold-pressed seeds of the African Baobab tree and is high in omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids, as well as skin-nourishing vitamins. With a high potency of Vitamin C in particular, baobab seed oil helps to brighten the complexion and promote cellular regeneration. It also absorbs readily into the skin with no greasy residue and offers a conditioning action that benefits all skin types.
Find Baobab Seed Oil in:
Beeswax is produced by bees as to build and protect their hive during honey production. One of its main roles in natural skincare formulations is to serve as a thickening and stiffening agent to give products structure, but it also boasts some neat benefits! Beeswax forms a protective barrier on the skin, locking in moisture and, like honey, is also said to contain anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.
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Candelilla wax comes from the leaves of the Mexican candelilla shrub and, similar to carnauba wax, is used to give natural skincare products a smooth and flexible texture. It’s frequently used in balms and salves due to its ability to provide the skin with a moisturizing barrier.
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Carnauba Wax is a natural vegetable wax derived from the leaves of a Brazilian palm tree and is used similarly to beeswax to give balms, salves and creams a solid but smooth and flexible structure. It also serves as an emollient to soften the skin and provides a barrier against moisture loss.
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Extracted by pressing the seeds of the tropical castor plant, castor seed oil contains ricinoleic acid, a unique unsaturated fatty acid that is said to lend the oil its powerful anti-viral, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. Castor seed oil's thick composition also balances the skin's moisture and smoothes the complexion.
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Cocoa butter is the fat extracted from cocoa beans and is loaded with beneficial vitamins and antioxidants, working to deeply penetrating the skin and create a rich moisture barrier. The polyphenols - antioxidant compounds - contained in cocoa butter are said to improve skin tone and elasticity, and help to boost collagen production. Cocoa butter is also said to be photo-protective against damaging UV radiation.
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Obtained from the kernel of ripened coconuts. Aside from being highly stable against rancidity, coconut oil is rich in medium-chain fatty acids which work to powerfully hydrate and nourish the skin. Coconut oil is also packed with Vitamin E, which helps boost cellular production and calm trouble skin, and is also said to be antibacterial.
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Cranberry seed oil is cold-pressed from the seed of cranberry fruit and contains a unique balance of omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids that work to replenish and rejuvenate the skin’s appearance. Not only is it deeply hydrating, its anti-oxidant rich composition is known to protect the skin from damaging free radicals, smooth lines and combat signs of aging. It is also frequently added to natural skincare formulas to protect against oxidation and rancidity.
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Emu oil comes from the fat of the emu bird, is packed with omega-3, 6 and 9 fatty acids and is known for its unique ability to deeply penetrate the skin and assist the delivery of other beneficial ingredients. Hypoallergenic and extremely gentle, emu oil is also said to be anti-inflammatory and is used to heal burns and repair damaged tissue.
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Derived from the seeds of wine producing grapes, grapeseed oil is a mild anti-oxidant rich oil said to protect the skin against environmental stressors. Grapeseed oil absorbs easily while its natural astringency tightens and balance the skin’s appearance, making it well-suited to blemish-prone complexions.
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With a make-up similar to human sebum, jojoba oil deeply penetrates the skin without leaving behind any greasy residue. Rich in antioxidants, jojoba oil's gentle, non-irritating make-up helps to restore the skin's radiance and suppleness. It's high anti-oxidant content is also frequently used to protect natural skincare preparations from oxidization.
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Extracted from sheep’s wool (crazy!), lanolin provides a twofold-punch of potent hydration and a protective barrier to lock in moisture. It’s frequently used in natural lip balm preparations for its ability to soothe chapped lips.
Note: you may remember lanolin got a bit of a bad rap in the 60s due to the use of impure product. While modern studies show that lanolin sensitivity is rare, it's best to be avoided if you're allergic to wool.
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Extracted from the cold-pressed nut of the African marula tree, lightweight marula oil is loaded with essential fatty acids and anti-oxidants, easily penetrating into the skin for a nourishing, softening boost of moisture. Anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial, marula oil is also said to help calm irritation and protect the skin against environmental stressors. Its mild composition is suited to all skin types and works to promote a soft and radiant complexion.
Find Marula Oil in:
Similar to jojoba in that it's a liquid wax, meadowfoam seed oil keeps your skin's moisture balanced by preventing it from secreting too much oil. Mild enough for sensitive skin, it also helps to keep natural skincare products stable due to its potency of naturally occurring tocopherols, or Vitamin E.
Find Meadowfoad Seed Oil in:
MCT oil is generally derived from coconut oil and is highly stable against oxidative damage. With its silky texture and ability to easily penetrate the skin, MCT oil is suitable for all skin types and, because it’s virtually odourless, makes a great carrier oil for aromatherapy.
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Anti-oxidant rich neem seed oil is mainly celebrated for its potent antibacterial properties and is frequently used in natural skincare products to prevent oxidation and rancidity. Used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine, it is also powerfully anti-viral, anti-fungal and antimicrobial.
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Most everyone is familiar with the benefits of anti-oxidant rich olive fruit oil - a kitchen staple for its many culinary uses! When it comes to natural skincare preparations, olive fruit oil’s essential fatty acid content makes it hydrating for the skin without clogging pores. Its hypoallergenic make-up is also said to help prevent acne-causing bacteria and combat inflammation, making it a good match for blemish-prone skin types.
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Extracted from the cold-pressed seed of the pomegranate fruit, pomegranate seed oil contains an abundance of skin-loving anti-oxidants, working to boost collagen production, promote circulation and even help protect against UV radiation. Ultra-hydrating, pomegranate seed oil is also said to help restore the skin’s natural balance, calm skin irritations and promote firmness.
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Created from the cold-pressed seeds of pumpkins, pumpkin seed oil contains an abundance of polyunsaturated fatty acids, anti-oxidants, zinc and vitamins A, E and K. Deeply moisturizing, pumpkin seed oil helps improve skin firmness and balance oiliness, while the presence of natural enzymes is said to help shed dead skin cells.
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Extracted from the seeds of the ripened fruit of the rose, rosehip seed oil is known for its high potency of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and anti-oxidants, working to nourish, hydrate, and balance the skin and promote elasticity. Rosehip seed oil is said to boost cellular regeneration and thereby reduce the appearance of dark spots and blemishes, while its natural astringency works to firm and tone the complexion. Rosehip seed oil is especially beneficial for dry or mature skin types.
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Extracted from the berries of the Sea Buckthorn shrub, this nutrient-dense oil is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, omegas, and polyphenols, and is acclaimed for helping revitalize the skin, improve cellular strength and elasticity, and stop the formation of wrinkles. Sea buckthorn berry oil is deeply moisturizing and even helps partially shield the skin from damaging UV rays, while its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce skin redness and speed up the healing of blemishes and acne.
Find Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil in:
Shea butter is a vitamin-rich fat extracted from the nuts of the West African shea tree. Intensely moisturizing, shea butter is also said to be anti-inflammatory and to help boost circulation, and can be used to reduce the appearance of lines, blemishes and stretch marks. In addition, the cinnamic acid contained in shea butter is said to help soothe skin irritations.
Find Shea Butter in:
Made from pressed sunflower seeds, sunflower seed oil is packed with Vitamin A and Vitamin E and moisturizes the skin while protecting against environmental stressors.
Find Sunflower Seed Oil in:Citrus Goddess Soothing Lotion | Flower Power Natural Deodorant | Wild Woman Mane Tamer | Femme Fatale Seductive Massage Oil | Girl Crush High Gloss Lip Balm | Love Drunk Multi Tea Facial Cleanser | Love Drunk Facial Serum with Rose and Hibiscus | Fountain of Youth Nourishing Under Eye Cream | One Last Kiss Lip Shimmer | Rubeus' Beard and After Shave Oil
Loaded with unsaturated fatty acids and packed with Vitamin E, sweet almond oil's lightweight, non-greasy texture easily penetrates the skin to smooth and nourish. Sweet almond oil is said to be anti-inflammatory and therefore well-suited to irritated or sensitive skin and, because it's non-comedogenic, it won't clog your pores!
Find Sweet Almond Oil in:
]]>Note: the information on this website has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease.
Over time, we've been asked so many times whether we carry essential oils that, this spring, we decided to take a bit of a leap and add a small variety of 100% pure essential oils to the Two Drunk Witches range.
So far, the oils aren't available on our website; rather, we soft-launched them at a recent event to get a feel for the response, and look forward to making them available at a couple more markets over the next weeks at a specially-reduced cost before we post them to our shop (that means you get first dibs, local friends!).
We've carefully select a handful of oils (ones used most frequently in our product range!) from reputable suppliers specializing in high quality essential oils sourced from ethical producers around the world - and we're excited to share more information about them with you!
But first! Essential oils are highly-concentrated and volatile botanical extracts said to be 50 to 100 times more therapeutically potent than their herbal counterparts. This means that it's critically important to take the time to educate yourself on how to incorporate them into your life in the safest way possible.
Essential oils should never be applied directly to the skin (with a few exceptions, one of which we'll mention below), and should never be taken internally. Using them this way can have dramatic and hazardous effects on the body.
The gentlest way to bring essential oils into your life is by using an aromatherapy diffuser - a device which vaporizes a small amount of oil diluted in water. (But note, there are concerns about diffusing essential oils around pets, particularly with tea tree oil, so we can't stress it enough - do your research!)
To be applied topically, essential oils need to be diluted into a carrier oil. Some of our personal favourites include medium chain triglyceride (MCT) liquid coconut oil (which forms part of the base for our Femme Fatale Seductive Massage Oil and Rubeus' Beard and After Shave Oil!), sweet almond oil or jojoba oil.
Generally speaking, a safe ratio is 12 drops of essential oil per 1 ounce of carrier oil - you can read more on dilution by visiting Mountain Rose Herbs. It's a good idea to do a patch test any time you're applying an essential oil to your skin for the fist time, just to ensure you don't have any adverse reactions.
And again, be cautious and do your research! Essential oils should be avoided if pregnant or trying to conceive, and we also suggest they be avoided around children or pets. Due to their high potency, they can also interfere with medications and are not recommended for people who are sensitive or allergy-prone.
Keep your oils well away from any open flames, and be sure to tighten the cap after you're finished using them to prevent evaporation and oxidization. And be sure to store your oils in a cool, dry place far away from any direct sunlight.
Without further adieu, meet our range of Two Drunk Witches 100% pure essential oils!
Botanical Name: Citrus bergamia | Origin: Italy
Unlike most other essential oils, which are steam distilled, bergamot is made from the cold-pressed rind of the near-ripe citrus fruit of the bergamot tree. Bergamot is a familiar scent to many - it happens to be one of the main ingredients in earl grey tea (and reminds me of the Fruit Loops we used to enjoy as kids!).
Bergamot is known for its ability to rejuvenate the senses while promoting a feeling of calm. The scent instills a balanced, joyful energy and is said to help release feelings of grief, anger and frustration. Its bright, citrusy notes are lovely to help ease feelings of tension and worry.
Bergamot's antiseptic properties are known to help soothe inflamed skin, and the oil is also frequently used as an ingredient in natural bug repellants.
Note: Bergamot, along with other citrus essential oils, is phototoxic, which means it should never be applied directly to the skin, as exposure to the sun can result in a serious reaction. That said, we source furocoumarin-free bergamot, meaning the phototoxic constituents have been removed.
Botanical Name: Lavandula officinalis | Origin: France
Lavender is one of the most well-loved scents for its ability to instil a deep sense of peace and promote a restful sleep. The scent is wonderfully calming to the nervous system, helping to dispel irritability and anxiety. Lavender's familiar scent evokes a nurturing, restorative energy that serves to comfort feelings of sadness or melancholy.
Lavender is one of the few essential oils that can be used "neat" - meaning it doesn't require a carrier oil - and can therefore be added directly to a soothing bath (it's said to alleviate muscle pain and tension) or applied to the temples to help ease headache symptoms (though we recommend a less-is-more approach, as the scent is strong and can lead to headaches for some people when used in excess).
As an anti-inflammatory, lavender essential oil is also a well-known treatment for minor burns, and can help cool the discomfort of sunburns (ouch!). It's another one used frequently in insect repellants and can also be applied to bug bites to combat itchiness and swelling.
Botanical Name: Boswellia serrata | Origin: India
Frankincense essential oil is derived from the hardened sap - or resin - of the Boswellia tree, and has been used over the centuries for religious and spiritual purposes. The essential oil is said to help deepen one's breath and aid meditation, visualization and spiritual attunement. The oil is often used in ritual to purify and anoint, and offers an extremely calming scent that works to promote a sense of peace and balance. It makes a great addition to any home yoga practice!
Used topically, frankincense's anti-inflammatory properties are said to soothe and tone the skin, alleviate acne and combat signs of aging by improving cellular function.
Botanical Name: Mentha arvensis | Origin: India
Peppermint is another essential oil well-known by many, and is regularly used to help promote a sense of memory and alertness (I remember having a teacher in high school who used to hand out peppermint lifesavers during exams!).
Peppermint is an invigorating scent that relaxes the nerves, creating a sense of groundedness. It's also frequently used to overcome nausea and clear the sinuses.
Applied topically, peppermint's cooling effect can help to improve blood flow, and it can be applied in a carrier oil to the back of the neck, temples and forehead to help ease headaches and cool the body. On a spiritual level, peppermint is said to clear negative energies and promote good fortune!
Botanical Name: Cananga odorata | Origin: France
Ylang ylang essential oil comes from the tropical plant Cananga odorata, and imparts a richly floral scent that is a favourite of perfume companies. Ylang ylang is probably best known for its aphrodisiac qualities, and said to be strewn onto the beds of newlyweds in Indonesia for its ability to encourage sensuality and self-confidence.
I like to think of ylang ylang as representing the three E's: euphoric, exotic and erotic! It is a highly-sensual scent that works to open the heart, release negative emotions and produce feelings of ecstatic harmony.
Ylang ylang is also said to balance the male and female energies on a spiritual level, and for this reason is often incorporated into love and sex magic (rawr!).
Note: Ylang ylang can irritate the skin when used in excess, so use this one with a less-is-more approach.
Our uplifting Spiritual Awakening blend combines the refreshing, calming essence of bergamot and the soothing properties of lavender with the brightness of sweet orange, resulting in a lively combination!
Sweet Orange essential oils is known for instilling a sense of peace and relaxation and inspiring cheerfulness, creativity and feelings of abundance! Combined with bergamot and lavender, these three oils work together to create feelings of joy, clarity, and balance.
Our Soulmate Blend combines the floral sultriness of ylang ylang with the sweet earthiness of patchouli, mixed with the jubilance of sweet orange and romantic excitement of neroli. Soulmate is a bright and aromatic combination designed to tantalize the senses, promote self-confidence and centre the mind. Featured as an ingredient in our much-loved Self-Pleasure Bath Bomb, you could say this combo's the perfect way to get the engine revin'!
And, coming later this month, we'll also have two brand-spanking-new blends to add to our range!
Yep, that's right, friends! We've turned our much-adored Colony of Hippies Calming Spray into a unique essential oil blend you can now add to your home diffuser!
You might already be familiar with the famous "Four Thieves" blend! Based on popular lore, during the Black Plague of the 1300s, former spice merchants began breaking into the homes of those who'd died of the plague to rob them of their belongings. It's said that to protect themselves from the risk of infection, they covered themselves in a unique blend of vinegar and herbs. Eventually, the King of England got word of the thieves goings-on and demanded they share the recipe or be burned at the stake. Alas, Four Thieves was introduced to the world!
The combination of antibacterial essential oils contained in our White Magic blend are said to help protect against airborne bacteria and illness, making it a great way to arm yourself during the bug-ridden winter months! This blend can also be applied topically with a carrier oil to the feet, chest and lungs to help clear congestion, and can be added to DIY cleaning recipes as a natural disinfectant.
]]>It’s not something I want to readily admit, but as far back as I can remember, I’ve been prone to heavy underarm sweating. I was in sixth grade the very first time I used deodorant, a heavily perfumed stick of Teen Spirit (“just for teens, by Mennen!”). For all of my teenage years I was so fearful of smelling bad, I remember fixatedly applying deodorant countless times throughout the day, building up a white slick that unsurprisingly seeped into my clothing and resulted in the wet marks I’d been trying so hard to avoid.
I sometimes wonder: had I not obsessively slathered my underarms with commercial deodorants and antiperspirants all those long years, would I not sweat as heavily as I have during my adult life? Even as recently as 2011, the year my husband and I were married, I turned to clinical strength antiperspirant to ensure the day’s events didn’t leave me a stinky, drippy mess.
I’d guess that on some level, we all know that conventional deodorants (which mask odor with fragrances) and antiperspirants (which stop you from sweating altogether) aren’t very good for us. For one, our bodies are designed to sweat. Sweating is how we regulate our body temperate. When our sweat glands are activated, they secrete moisture on the skin, and that moisture – or less glamorously, sweat – is evaporated by our body heat, thereby cooling our skin.
What’s more, our lymphatic system works to clear our bodies of waste products and toxins, and one of the ways it does so is through perspiration.
But here’s the kicker: sweat itself has no odour! It’s not until the proteins and fats cells excreted through our sweat mingle with the bacteria on our skin that we begin emitting the ripe stank of au de body odour.
While commercial deodorants don’t prevent us from sweating, they do contain chemicals designed to kill the bacteria on our skin that result in odour. Conversely, antiperspirants function by using aluminum compounds to temporarily plug our sweat glands and prevent moisture altogether.
Now, let’s think about the fact that our underarms (and groin!) contain the highest concentration of lymph nodes within the body, with approximately 20 to 40 lymph nodes in each armpit. And, if you’re female, chances are good that you regularly shave your underarms. When we apply deodorant and antiperspirant, we are continually exposing the many lymph nodes in our cleanly shaven pits to the chemicals contained in those products.
But how bad can they be, really?
Most of us have heard reports linking the ingredients in commercial deodorants and antiperspirants to breast cancer, and while there remains limited scientific evidence proving this to be the case, it’s still important to consider what it is exactly we’re exposing our bodies to on a daily basis.
For instance, you were probably already aware that the aluminum contained in antiperspirants is linked to a variety of health conditions, including Alzheimer’s, bone disease and kidney disease.
Did you know these products also commonly contain parabens - methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben and isobutylparaben - which are synthetic compounds used as preservatives, as well as phthalates (sometimes identified on labels as “fragrance”), which are plasticizing chemicals meant to make a product softer? Both parabens and phthalates are what are known as endocrine disruptors, meaning they accumulate in the body and interfere with the production and regulation of hormones. Endocrine disruptors are said to negatively impact the body’s developmental, reproductive, neurological and immune response functions, resulting in a wide range of health issues.
Commercial deodorants and antiperspirants also regularly contain triclosan, an antibacterial and preservative ingredient added to deodorants (and other personal care products!) to stop the growth of bacteria that leads to body odour. Not only is triclosan said to negatively impact hormone function, it may have a role to play in the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
None of this is to say that commercial deodorants and antiperspirants will or will not have a definitively negative impact on your body and your health. Rather, we like to think about it in terms of looking at where we can simplify our self-care practice and reduce the toxic burden on our bodies. Switching from a commercial deodorant or antiperspirant to a more natural product is an easy way to lessen the toxic load.
Easy, you say?
Well, maybe not cake-walk-easy.
Okay, listen up: we know natural deodorants have a bad rap. I’ve tried a slew of natural deodorants in my endeavours to clean up my personal care routine, from traditional stick-style deodorants to messy spray-ons, from crystals of salt to smearing goop directly in my pits.
I know speaking from my own experience that it seems natural deodorants just can’t compare with their chemically-laden counterparts, and to be fair, this is partly true. Cleaning a scummy tub with Clorox over vinegar will probably make it easier, but we don't necessarily want to inhale bleach fumes every time we get a'cleaning, catch our drift?
One thing we can easily forget when transitioning to cleaner, more natural products is that there’s an inevitable adjustment period that takes place. After a week or two of switching straight to natural deodorant from your clinical strength formula, you might notice that suddenly you’re sweatier and stinkier than ever before, and that stick of deodorant you held with such promise is shoved to the back of the cupboard to languish and expire with its other deserted brethren.
But wait! This period of ultra-stank and icky sweatiness doesn’t mean the natural deodorant has somehow failed you! No ma’am, it’s your body doing exactly what it should have been doing all along – ridding your body of waste by perspiring! And this can be a dramatic process during those first few weeks of transitioning, as your sweat glands slowly begin to restore their natural balance.
Fortunately, there are some simple ways you can help support – and hopefully quicken – the process! First, make sure you’re keeping your armpits nice and clean by properly lathering them with soap in the bath or shower. Limiting the ability of bacteria to feed off your sweat = less chances of stank.
Staying hydrated is also key to helping flush your body of toxins and ensuring you are sweating optimally, while being mindful of what you eat can also minimize the likeliness of body odour (try to limit alcohol, caffeine, brassica family vegetables and sulfur-rich foods like onions and garlic). Wearing natural, breathable fabrics also helps lessen perspiration and odour.
If you find as you’re making the switch that the dreaded stankiness has still withstood your efforts to keep it at bay, the simplest thing to do is wash those pits again with soap and water, pat them dry and reapply your deodorant. Sometimes trying a mask with bentonite clay and activated charcoal (like our Smoky Cauldron Face Mask) can also help to usher along the adjustment period.
And before we forget, a common complaint with natural deodorants is that they often cause an irritated rash. If this has been your experience, it’s likely you’re sensitive to baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, a common ingredient in natural deodorants that can easily disrupt the skin’s pH. You’re bound to have better success with a formula free of baking soda (it just so happens our Flower Power Natural Deodorant fits the bill!).
All this sounds complicated, you say? We assure you that once you make it through the adjustment period, you’re won't regret the benefits of making the switch…
Ready to give it a go? Our aluminum-free Flower Power Natural Deodorant is designed to combat odour with a powerful blend of antibacterial essential oils, including cypress, tea tree, rosemary and neem, as well as a hydrating blend of moisturizers, including sweet almond oil, cocoa butter, coconut oil, shea butter and vitamin E.
Try it. We dare ya!
]]>It’s interesting/hilarious/mildly uncomfortable to look back at all the changes we’ve made since we first began forming the foundation for Two Drunk Witches in late 2016. So much of what has led us to this point in time has been a painstaking process of trial and error, a series of small, incremental steps towards fine-tuning our vision.
Business card, version 1.0.
There was a time when our products were poured into a haphazard assembly of jars, when making bath bombs was a gruelling affair of crossed fingers and worried anticipation and when hours were spent meticulously cutting home-printed labels and “sealing” them with squares of clear contact paper.
We didn’t decide to start over one day with the goal to make everything look better and more professional. Rather, we’ve slowly discovered ways to improve what we’re doing. When it came to our packaging, for example, the choice to switch to amber bottles and jars was a no brainer, not only because it suited the vintage apothecary vibe we’re drawn to, but because amber packaging also filters out blue and ultraviolet light, better preserving the jar’s contents.
Some of the very first salves we created!
Even now, as the business continues to grow and we marvel in awe over the positive feedback we receive and the fact that ACTUAL STRANGERS are using our products (!!!), we are still heavily immersed in the process of learning. Navigating Quickbooks (gahhh!), keeping track of inventory (sigh) and making time for markets and events (eep!) – the learning literally never stops.
Fortunately, we are lucky to be able to lean on each others’ strengths. No joke, our texts to one another are teeming with sentiments like, "You got this, sista!,” “You're amazing, lady!" and “You are seriously the best.” (It's quite possible we hold the world record for number of heart-themed emojis exchanged between two people.)
That's not to say a partnership doesn't come with its own unique challenges. One half thrives on fast-paced excitement, the other relishes predictability. One half is an adventurous risk-taker, the other prefers to toe the line. One half savours the pressure of looming deadlines, the other is neurotically setting calendar reminders at regularly-scheduled intervals. It's true, we sometimes struggle to understand each others' differences, but we also recognize how these differences support our success!
We basic!
Working with a partner means an endless stream of love and encouragement, of creativity and imagination. Over the past year and a half, we've discovered a groove that works for us, that allows each of us to focus on the bits that fuel our passions but still feel as though we're contributing to the business in equal parts. And what we’ve learned is that a business partnership is not unlike any other relationship: it will always come down to communicating freely with one another, being sensitive to each others’ feelings and perspectives and being able to trust one another to the fullest extent.
As Two Drunk Witches continues to grow, it's important we define what direction we see the business going. The two of us agree: our story – who we are, and why we do what we do – is something we remain passionately dedicated to. There’s something really special about connecting with the heart of a business and knowing exactly what their cause is, and that’s something we aim to convey in our own business. Being able to attend markets and in-store demos is a way for us to meaningfully connect with the people who are interested in our products, and to be able to communicate in person why we love doing what we do. And that’s pretty darn neat.
Two Drunk Witches at Shades of Green in Parksville!
If you’ve been following along with us since the beginning, then we want to share a heartfelt thank you. The amount of support we’ve received in this crazy journey of ours has been incredible, and we cannot express our gratitude enough (especially to those of you who still rave about the prototype versions of our products, haphazard labels and all!).
Since about last summer, something really spectacular has been happening: we’re starting to see our products on shelves, like, in actual stores! We feel so extremely thankful for the fantastic retailers who have given us their trust and support and make us constantly say, what is this life! And to all the people who have supported us by purchasing our product at these retailers: thank you, thank you, thank you!
We’re looking forward to lots of excitement this summer, so be sure to watch our Facebook page for news on upcoming markets and events!
In the meantime, thanks for being awesome, friends. We truly adore you!
]]>I am not a fan of clutter. Chaos makes me twitch, and often I can’t rest easy until I’ve made some sort of effort towards orderliness. I know I represent the extreme of organizational fanaticism, but I also know that no matter how scattered our lives may be, all of us are eager to find ways to make things a little simpler.
The Beauty Industrial Complex would have us believe that the more (synthetic, chemically-laden and lavishly expensive) products we have in our ownership, the better our chances of meeting the (ever-unattainable) feminine beauty ideal.
Well, fuck that, is what we say!
What makes natural self-care so gloriously simple is its inherent versatility. As I move increasingly towards natural self-care products in my daily round, the barer my bathroom shelves grow, and the more wondrously simple my routine becomes. Doing away with unnecessary steps gives me more time (to sleep in, ahem), keeps all kinds of bottles and packaging from the landfill and reduces my exposure to potentially hazardous ingredients.
Natural self-care is meant to be creative, and we love highlighting the versatility of the products we make, because, well, keeping things simple – and fun – is what we’re all about!
This non-foaming facial cleanser is designed to gently clean your skin without stripping it of moisture. But, we also recently discovered this creamy formula does double duty as a shaving lotion, creating a smooth barrier for your razor while keeping your skin quenched. If you’re someone who travels often, you’re bound to love having one less item to cram into your toiletries bag!
We originally created Colony of Hippies as an ultra-grounding spray to help calm feisty kids and frazzled nerves, but I’m also obsessed with using this mist to help set the tone for my at-home yoga practice. Having got into the ritual of gently spraying my space as soon as I unroll my yoga mat helps signal to my mind and body that it’s time to root down and breathe deep – plus, with their antibacterial properties, the frankincense and lavender in this blend help keep your yoga mat non-funky!
Similar to our Colony of Hippies, Lavender Lullaby can be used to help refresh your space – it’s a favourite for gently misting your pillow before bed to promote calmer sleep (we also tell parents that both it and Colony of Hippes make a great anti-monster spray for kids prone to nightmares!). But, with the inclusion of soothing aloe, witch hazel, white willow bark and tea tree, Lavender Lullaby also makes a lovely body and facial refresher.
The sheer, plummy hue of our lip shimmer is designed to enhance your natural lip colour, and can also be used to add a subtle hint of colour to your cheeks for a radiant glow!
The sultry combination of rose geranium and sandalwood in our Femme Fatale Seductive Massage Oil may be designed to arouse the senses, but we also love this lightweight blend as a moisturizer to keep our arms and legs silky soft during the dry winter months.
We’d originally created Rubeus’ as a beard oil only, but realized the lightweight, skin-quenching ingredients in this blend also work to keep freshly-shaved skin feeling smooth and hydrated!
Our Boo-Boo-Begone Salve works well to calm minor wounds and skin irritations, but, as we recently discovered, also works exceptionally well as a spot treatment to address pesky breakouts. A little goes a long way with this potent salve!
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As the two of us prepare for some exciting unfoldings in the months ahead, we’ve been reflecting on our journey so far to this point – this moment when we finally feel comfortable (and confident!) enough to affirm that, ohmigod, hey! We have a business!
A business which, over the past six months or so, has gained a surprising amount of momentum…surprising in the fact that here we are, building something we love and pouring our passions into this little venture of ours, and the responses we’ve received have been so kind, so positive, so generous that we sometimes have to pinch ourselves!
Which isn’t to say the process also hasn’t come with its fair share of challenges.
A few months ago I read Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. One of the biggest takeaways I received from that little tome was her shit sandwich argument: “Because if you love and want something enough—whatever it is—then you don’t really mind eating the shit sandwich that comes with it.”
There’s a tremendous amount of discomfort that goes hand-in-hand with growing a business. It’s easy to forget in those times of dreamy imaginings the extraordinary amount of work that goes into actually building the vision.
Certainly this has been true for Two Drunk Witches and the many, many hours we’ve spent, for example, meticulously tracking inventory, measuring and re-measuring label dimensions and painstakingly cutting out every one of those circular little labels that adorn our bath bomb packages. All those instances of doing something for the first time can feel overwhelming and difficult – say, deciphering a wordy application, making sense of barcode processes or rebuilding a website from scratch.
None of these things are as fun as dreaming up new creations or spending an afternoon with our hands busy pouring salves and packing bath bombs. Nor will I ever proclaim that they’re as easy.
The creative, the inspired – that’s the easy part. The rest is necessity.
But guess what else? It gets easier. And easier, and easier.
I recall how panicked I was at our launch party in December 2016. The fear nobody would show up or that they’d hate our products. The challenge of meeting new faces and having the courage and conviction to share my passion for what we’d created. (And, if y’all have been following us since then, you’ll remember just how grassroots that first gathering was – labels printed from our home computer and secured to bottles with clear adhesive! And in spite of that, the amazing encouragement and support we received, a cherished gift in those early days of trying to build a foundation for the something more.)
As we reflect on all the milestones we’ve achieved over the past months, it’s hard not to feel proud. Challenges that seemed insurmountable at the start (those damned barcodes!) barely register as we become more knowledgeable, more efficient and, especially, more confident.
And that's when something else magical begins to happen: we find more freedom to focus on the things that inspire and motivate us!
We’ve been working on something special we’re so thrilled to share with you in the months ahead, so be sure to stay connected to find out more about what we have in store.
In the meantime, we want to share our heartfelt gratitude again for everyone who’s supported us along this journey – each of you plays a major role in our process of growth and learning, and it truly is a privilege to receive your encouragement.
Happy Imbolc, friends!
XX
We frequently get asked what the differences are between the three serums we create, and which is best suited to a specific skin type.
To begin, let’s talk about what exactly a serum is.
Traditionally, facial serums are water-based formulations which contain a high concentration of active ingredients. Unlike moisturizers, which are created from a combination of oil and water, and are thicker and meant to create a protective, hydrating barrier, the smaller molecules that make up serums are able to deeply penetrate the skin and deliver a potent dose of ingredients. This higher concentration of ingredients is the reason serums are typically more costly than regular moisturizers.
Water-based serums generally have a gel-like consistency and contain things like antioxidants, vitamins and other skin-repairing ingredients, whereas oil-based serums are comprised of a combination of essential fatty acids and essential oils meant to nourish and restore the skin.
Because water-based serums absorb readily into the skin, we recommend you continue to use a protective moisturizer to help maintain your skin’s hydration. With oil-based serums, the choice to add a moisturizer depends more on your skin type and what time of day you apply the serum. Some people use oil-based serums in place of a moisturizer, while others still prefer to add an additional protective barrier. For myself, being prone to oiliness and breakouts, I use my oil-based serum as a night time treatment after I cleanse and tone my face.
With both water and oil-based serums, very little goes a long way. We recommend warming a pea-sized amount in your fingers (or, for the oil-based serum, a few drops), then gently massaging into your face and neck in upwards, circular motions. Alternatively, you can use your ring finger to gently dab specific areas you’d like to target, such as dark spots or the area beneath your eyes. Be sure to give the serum a few minutes to soak into your skin before applying your regular moisturizer.
It’s worth mentioning that because serums are potently formulated, some people may occasionally find that the concentration of ingredients irritates their skin. You may wish to discontinue using the formula, reduce the frequency you apply it or try mixing a very small amount with your regular moisturizer to help dilute the ingredients.
With that, we’re pleased to introduce the three serums currently part of the Two Drunk Witches range!
Love Drunk Facial Serum with Rose and Hibiscus
Think soothe and clarify!
Our water-based Love Drunk serum is a powerful formula blended with omega-rich rosehip oil to deeply moisturize and promote firmness, as well as antioxidant-rich and naturally astringent hibiscus, which works to clarify the skin's appearance. The addition of intoxicating Rosewood and Rose de Mai essential oil serve to further soothe and re-hydrate, keeping your skin silky soft. This lightweight formula is generally suited to all skin types, and can be especially beneficial for younger complexions prone to breakouts.
Naked Solstice Facial Serum with Vitamin C and Neroli
Think protect and brighten!
Our antioxidant-loaded water-based Naked Solstice serum is formulated with skin-nourishing ingredients, including rosehip oil, organic neem oil, vitamin C, vitamin E and organic cranberry, raspberry and blueberry extracts. The presence of vitamin C ester smooths lines, promotes elasticity and brightens the skin's appearance. Though this formula is generally suited for all skin types, mature skin will especially benefit from the thicker texture and concentration of cell-repairing antioxidants.
Think repair and replenish!
Our oil-based Sacred Serum contains a powerful blend of nutrient-dense ingredients meant to nourish the skin and combat signs of aging. The concentrated blend of luscious ingredients work together to stimulate cellular repair, heal the skin and deliver a high level of hydration. This blend works for all skin types, though those with oilier skin may prefer to use it as a night time treatment.
XX Megan and Brenda
]]>One of my biggest priorities for the new year is to integrate more self-care into my daily round – to learn to make acts of self-kindness less of a production and more about establishing a foundation of self-care as my habitual mode of being.
You’ve probably already noticed that the whole theme of “self-care” is trending hard right now, as it so often does after the excess of the holiday season. Maybe you’re even getting a little sick of the term "self-care" and just how much it’s saturating our awareness, synonymous with other trendy expressions like “clean eating” and “fitfam” and “good vibes only.”
Certainly there’s no shame in embracing these phrases as a means of empowerment – in fact, it’s actually pretty cool these types of buzzwords are carving out a place in the mainstream. What I think happens, however, when we’re over-exposed to terms originally intended to evoke something powerful is that we begin to lose some of our connection to the meaning of those words.
I know we’ve talked a lot about self-care over the past year. As co-creatresses of a business whose philosophy is to make self-care simple, joyful and inclusive as possible, it’s important for us revisit this topic frequently, to define and redefine what exactly self-care means for us.
For one, we’ll never allege that a bath bomb or face mask alone will magically erase all those uncomfortable feelings that make self-care so important. Those types of feelings are good; they challenge us to grow and evolve, even at times when they feel impossible to manage.
What we are trying to do is highlight the fact that self-care doesn’t need to be complicated.
As I focus the start of this new year finding ways to make self-care a more natural, instinctive part of my day-to-day routine, I am becoming increasingly aware that it can be found in even the most unexpected places. I used to think self-care necessitated an elaborate production – not just a regular soak in the bath, but one requiring candles or incense, the most serene music imaginable and the splendour of zero interruptions whatsoever.
But honestly, how realistic – or even healthy – is this belief that things need to be flawlessly executed to be able to serve us? There have literally been occasions in the past when I’ve spent more time arranging the scenery of my bathroom to transmit a vision of self-care (to be quickly snapped in a photo) than I have actually relishing the fruits of my labour.
With this kind of mindset, it becomes easy to think we’re failing at self-care. It becomes elusive, unattainable, something overly complicated and out of reach.
I think many of us can agree that 2017 was a challenging year. For me personally, there was a lot of time spent navigating some big life changes, and very little time remaining to channel towards mindful self-care. By the time the holidays were through, I was exhausted, spent and painfully unclear about how to reclaim the self-care practice I’d become so fragmented from over the past months. Not only was I depleted (and arguably still am, although slowly building my reserves), I was beating myself up over this fact.
How oh how could I have failed myself so dramatically? And how could I possibly lay any claim on a business aimed at supporting self-care when it had become so painfully absent from my own daily round?
I was exclaiming this to a close girlfriend of mine on New Year’s Day when her response prompted the biggest a-ha moment I’d had all year: yes, 2017 required a tremendous amount of energy focused on things that didn’t outwardly qualify as self-care; yes, it was exhausting and overwhelming, and yes, I may have lost touch with the self-care practice I’d worked so hard at building.
But in spite of it all, I didn’t deserve to beat myself up for being a failure. I did what needed doing during a time that demanded more of me than I was accustomed to giving, and I managed to forge my way through it (as so many of us did over the past year). We must acknowledge this, and then: move on.
Which left the question: how, exactly, do I reclaim self-care in a way that’s positive and sustainable, joyful and inclusive, and above all else, simple?
There was a time when I religiously kept a daily gratitude journal to capture all the small and simple things that served to uplift and inspire me – a practice that benefitted me most on days when it was easy to get carried away by emotions and forget that there’s something more real and meaningful beneath those waves of anger or sadness or discomfort.
It occurred to me the other day: why not adapt this same practice to self-care? Rather, why not end (or begin, if you’re a morning person!) each day identifying the small but essential ways I’ve been kind to myself.
Looking at it this way, self-care becomes much more simplified. Sure, it can be pretty (soaking in a bath infused with French pink clay and dried red roses), but there’s certainly no requisite.
Re-framed in this way, self-care is:
As I begin to identify the various ways I’ve chosen to be kind to myself, something has started to shift. There’s a new sense of empowerment. I’ve chosen to reclaim self-care in a way that serves me, and it feels extraordinary.
I dare you, friends, try challenging yourselves in the same way. We can do this together by celebrating the small and beautiful ways we choose to be kind to ourselves.
It's time we reclaim self-care.
]]>We can’t wait to create some seriously big magic over the months ahead – you can look forward to more local in-person demos and markets, potential workshops and blog posts on what we’re up to, so be sure to stay tuned!
It’s been a wild journey so far of cultivating something we love and connecting with the amazing community around us, and we want to offer a colossal, heartfelt thanks for sharing your kindness and support with us. You inspire us to keep at it, and for that, we’re so incredibly grateful.
Wishing each of you an incredible 2018! Thanks for coming along for the ride!
XX Brenda and Megan
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