Product Giveaway: Ultimate Relaxation!

SkIndulgence Relaxation Bath Tea and Body Scrub

YAY!  We're having our first giveaway!  To follow up on yesterday's blog post about the importance of relaxation, we are offering our Relaxation Set to one lucky winner!

About the Relaxation Set:
Relaxing in a hot bath is a must for relieving the stresses of daily life. Our bath packs combine bath tea and bath salts in one easy to use, single-use, large tea bag. Life is complicated, your bath shouldn't be!  This ultimate relaxation set includes one 4-ounce jar of Salty and Sweet Lavender Body Scrub, eight (8) single-use bath bags, 16 organic chamomile tea bags, and one vanilla-scented aromatherapuetic candle.  To use: begin by lighting a candle, putting on your favorite music and making a cup of tea (with two tea bags). Fill your bathtub to the desired temperature and toss in one of the Relaxation Bath Tea bags. While the tub is filling, rub your body with the Relaxation Salty and Sweet Body Scrub. Slowly immerse yourself into your herbal bathwater. Lay back and place one chamomile tea bag over each eyelid. Emerge from the water feeling thoroughly relaxed and at peace.

How to Win:
It's so easy; all you have to do is:

1. Follow the SkIndulgence page on Facebook (if you already do, skip to #2),
2. Write a FB status update telling your peeps about us,
3. Leave a comment below letting us know you've done 1 & 2.  You'll want to leave your name in the comments so we can let you know you've won.

The winner will be selected through a random drawing and announced in one week, so don't forget to check back and see if you're the winner of these awesome products!

Dori's Story

This is the (pretty long) story of the creation of the SkIndulgence line; or "How Dori Learned to Stop Being Afraid and Go For It".

Though I fell in love with herbs and the idea of creating my own skin care products at a very young age, I never felt it could be my livelihood.  Let me rephrase that.  I was always too afraid to try.  My entire adult life I have defined "security" as having a steady income via climbing the corporate ladder.  Never once in any of these positions did I feel actual passion, or even enjoyment.  To the contrary, I felt very out of place an unhappy.  For the past 15 years I would dread facing the office each day, and would come home each night discouraged and exhausted.  I tried convincing myself that everyone in business felt this way; that this was just part of life.  I know now that this is far from true.

Several months ago this internal conflict caught up with me.  At first I became increasingly withdrawn and depressed. I cried constantly and lashed out in anger at anyone and everyone. I stopped talking to nearly everyone I knew, and the relationships I maintained became incredibly strained, to put it lightly. Shortly after this depression started I began having debilitating panic attacks and night terrors.  It got to be that a day wouldn't go by that I would have several panic attacks or wake repeatedly throughout the night screaming and crying and filled with immobilizing terror.

The mental symptoms ended up being only a part of a much larger problem.  In early 2012, I fell very ill.  I got so weak that I could barely stand and was in so much pain it was difficult to walk.  I lost my appetite and then 20 pounds within weeks.  Several doctors and countless tests later, I was told that I had over 10 tumors throughout my body, one larger than a golf ball, and that these tumors, if not cancer, were at least the root of my illness and my mental state.  Eager to get those stupid things out and start feeling better, I scheduled the multiple surgeries it would take to remove them.

At the same time, my work situation had grown increasingly strained because of my illness.  I knew that taking time off to recover was not an option.  I say "knew", rather than "felt" because I was told as much very bluntly when I informed my bosses of my need to take time off to recover from multiple invasive surgeries.  The promotion I had just been granted was then revoked, as my illness now made me "untrustworthy".  Holding onto that need for "security", I put my work ahead of my health: I scheduled my surgeries nearly back to back starting on Thursday night with the final one Monday afternoon.  I then returned to work Wednesday morning.  I was severely bruised and my three incision points were bandaged and visibly bleeding through; I sobbed from pain the entire drive to the office and was unable to lift even a small stack of papers, but I feared getting fired and felt driven to show my bosses that I still deserved that promotion.

It was this return to work when I began to "see the light", so to speak.  Though they knew why I had been out of the office for three days (and could clearly see my bandages), not one of my three bosses asked how I was feeling or if I was ready to return, even those I hung out with outside the office.  I know this should not be expected in the corporate atmosphere, but, for me at least, it was the beacon that very clearly shed light on the fact that this environment was not meant for me: the dedication and commitment was not mutual.  I definitely don't need or want to be coddled, to the contrary I am a very independent and private person...but I knew I could no longer spend most of my waking life in a place that I now found incredibly cold and uncaring.  Instinctively I knew that this atmosphere was destroying me.  I feel that my getting sick was a message that there was a misalignment with the way I was living my life. Though it terrified me beyond belief, I gave my notice and left the company shortly after this.

Days after leaving my job, I boarded a flight for my annual trip to Kenya with Build.Create.Kenya.  Though I was recovered enough to get around at this point, my health issues were far from resolved: I was still 20 pounds down on my weight, incredibly weak, and experiencing the depression, panic attacks and night terrors.  My family and friends called me crazy for going to Kenya, but I knew in my heart I had to go.

Less than a week into my month-long expedition, I realized that I had not felt any of my illness' symptoms since my arrival.  I kept this to myself not wanting to "jinx" anything.  But as I continued to live the "hakuna matata" (no worries) and "pole pole" (slow/relaxed) life of the Kenyans, my symptoms fell away entirely.  I felt energized and exhilarated; I had an appetite and gained weight.  I laughed and I danced and I SLEPT!

Dori: Falling asleep while eating Twizzlers during a late night meeting :-)

The long flight back to Los Angeles gave me plenty of time to reflect on the experience.  I sent this information out into the universe, and I received an answer:  I was not living my life following the path that my heart and my passions were leading; I had exhausted my spirit and my body by living with a conflicted soul for 15 years.  To save myself, I had to strip away the previous definition of "security" and redefine it by listening to my heart.  It is a common saying that the skills you are granted are a gift to you from the world, but what you do with those skills is your gift to the world.

Experiencing a cancer scare was pretty effective at stripping away my fears.  A new fearless me, has set out to offer my skills to the world and see if I can't find a new "security" in doing what I love.  SkIndulgence Skin Care was born as a result.  Through SkIndulgence, I can share all of that amazing magic hidden within plants, flowers, and other gifts of nature.  At the basis of each of our products is a message:

• Relax! Our body scrubs and bath tea are designed to help you relax; a gift I give each of you with a vengeance since it is what saved me!
• Love the planet and its creatures! We believe you don't need to sacrifice nature with harmful ingredients and cruel animal testing practices for the sake of beauty; our ingredients and packaging are designed with the well being of Mother Earth and her children at the top of our priorities.  And most importantly,
• Live simply! The best things in life can (and usually do) come from those that are the most simple!  Our ingredients are naturally simple by design.

This was my story...just the beginning though, follow along and let's see what happens!

Cruelty Free and Vegan Products

International logo indicating the product is "cruelty free"

Though SkIndulgence is a stickler for creating products that are as pure and natural as possible, of even more concern to us is the barbaric use of animals to test cosmetics and other products in the name of beauty.  Though we are assured by the cosmetic industry that this testing is necessary and humane, visits to animal testing labs will convince you otherwise.  There is nothing humane about placing shampoo in a rabbit's eyes - the gentlest of the procedures practiced - or testing for allergic reactions on their shaved skin, often creating huge, ulcerated sores on these gentle creatures.

The truth is that there are easier, less expensive, and more humane ways for testing these products than abusing other life forms.  While many large cosmetic companies have changed their animal testing policies in recent years both because of pressure from caring citizens and animal rights advocates and the lack of necessity for animal testing, there are many still that refuse to end the abuse.

SkIndulgence is committed to offering products that are not only safe for your skin, but are safe all the animals, too! Our products are completely vegan, and the only animals we test on are ourselves and the luckiest of our friends.

Pamper Your Hands

11th Commandment: Pamper Thy Hands

Hands are generally prone to age at a much faster rate than the other parts of the body.  They are often the first to express signs of everyday wear and tear, in part because of the relentless exposure to soaps, detergents, cold, heat, wind and water.  In order to minimize the harsh effects of these elements it is crucial to keep replenishing the skin's surface with moisture and nutrients, both from inside and outside.

The recipe below is a quick and simple way to show your hands some love and care.  The recipe uses olive oil, which will promote nail strength and flexibility.  Mixed with vitamin E, the oil nourishes cuticles and nails.

Recipe

--

1/4 cup olive oil

oil from 1 vitamin E capsule

Heat oil in saucepan and let cool until just warm enough to the touch.  Add vitamin E oil and rub into cuticles and nails, massaging any excess oil into hands.

Because we rely so heavily on the use of our palms, fingers and nails during the course of the day, an optimal time for a hand treatment is at night.  I recommend doing this just before sleep, then wearing 100% cotton gloves during the night.  When you wake up, you'll have the hands of a baby, I guarantee it!

Cosmeos, the Goddess of Harmony & Balance

From my teacher and my inspiration, Rosemary Gladstar:

There is a story we herbalists have conjured up that I like to think of. A mythical Greek goddess whose name meant harmony and balance, Cosmeos gave to mortals the gifts of herbs, flowers and other simple pleasures to nourish the body and soul. She personified radiant health that flowed from a core of harmony and balance. Cosmeos never sought to mask what she was or how she looked; rather, she fed her inner fire with the eternal gifts of the Earth.  Her beauty was as unique as the flowers growing wild on the hillside and as powerful as the granite bones of the mountain.

The modern word cosmetic stems from the Greek word Kosmeticos, meaning "skilled at adornment". This is precisely what Cosmeos is all about; it was never her intent to cover up; she used her creations to reveal in who she was.

We at SkIndulgence keep this passage in mind when creating each of our products.  We believe that each person has their own unique beauty and love the idea that SkIndulgence can use all the gifts of the Earth to help let that beauty shine by illuminating the glory rather than masking the [perceived] flaws.

Cleansing Grains

Cleansing Grains' Naturally Simple Ingredients

A perfect soap replacement, cleansing grains are mild, nourishing, suitable for all skin types, and can be used daily.  Many of the commercial facial scrubs are far too harsh; they feel like sandpaper on the skin.  People with acne or "troubled" skin often use these rough cleansers suposedly thinking they can scrub the acne away.  However, blemished skin must be treated gently.  Harsh cleansers will only further irritate the already inflamed condition.  By contrast, our cleansing grains are perfect for blemished skin. They gently cleanse, distribute excess oil, remove dead cells, and improve circulation.

The cleansing grains available from SkIndulgence are naturally simple, containing:

• White Kaolin Clay: Stimulates circulation, is a mild exfoliant and will draw impurities from the pores with regular use. Skin is noticeably healthier looking with continued use. White Kaolin is mildly drying so it clears up blemishes and works to prevent future breakouts but it also serves a calming purpose for dry, irritated skin.
• Lavender & Rose flowers (powdered): At once healing and soothing, these flowers are useful in treating skin conditions such as acne and eczema.
• Oatmeal (Ground): Oatmeal lends an unbelievably soft feel to the skin, soothes irritation and redness and very gently exfoliates.
• Almond (Ground): Almonds gently exfoliate the skin.

These cleansing grains are simple to use, as well:

• For those who prefer to go soap-less, use as a facial cleanser by mixing with liquid (we recommend a ratio of 1:3 grains : liquid), rubbing on the skin in circular motion and rinsing clean.
• We personally use them as a facial scrub, post cleansing, every 2-3 days.
• They can also be used as a mask by mixing as indicated above, then leaving on the face and neck for 3-15 minutes.
• Though the grains can be mixed with any liquid, including water, we also recommend trying facial toner, milk (of any kind), or apple cider vinegar.

We find it convenient to mix up a batch of "moist grains" ahead of time; once mixed with liquid, the grains will store for up to a week.  This is provided you don't use tap water, as it contains bacteria that can lead to spoilage; try distilled water as a safe alternative.  They're so much easier to use when made up already, plus then you have the opportunity to add a few more yummy ingredients such as honey, which serves as a natural preservative for the grains and adds a wonderfully natural moisturizing quality.  Though honey sounds like it would make the grains very sticky, it doesn't.  Try a ratio of 1:2:1, grains : liquid : honey for best results.

The cleansing grains described above are available through the SkIndulgence store by clicking here.  Save 20% on all items in the store for just one more day with the code SSCGO20PER.

Calling Bloggers: Beauty & Otherwise

SkIndulgence would be more than ecstatic to offer products from our store to bloggers in exchange for reviews and/or blog giveaways to help us get the word out about our all natural, herbal skincare line.

Below is a gallery of some of the items offered in our shop.  Click here to see the full line.

If you are interested in taking part in this offer, please send an email of interest with the information listed below to dori.jennings@gmail.com

• Shop items you wish to review (don't be shy!)
• Blog web address
• Blog's average monthly views

Happy shopping!