Relish that Cranberry (for skin health)!

Vaccinium oxycoccos: Cranberry

Cranberries, a fruit that we think of only (or particularly) around the holiday season.  We think relish, cranberry sauce, cranberry scones, but rarely do we think, "Oh those lovely red fruits that are so healthy for us (and our skin)!" Native to northern North American and Southern Canada, these low lying, evergreen shrubs have been a staple for the indigenous people of this area for thousands of years.

Since it IS the season, the glory days of these shiny red fruits, let's delve in a little deeper and glean an understanding as to the health benefits that they tout. When talking about the "big gun's" of cranberries we are mainly talking about it's staggering amounts of vitamin C. Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant that helps your body (and skin) fight off free radicals.  Free radicals are a major cause of premature aging for our skin.  Also vitamin C helps reduce inflammation making it great for people who suffer from acnea, eczema, psoriasis and other itchy, red, signs of irritated skin.

Let's look at some of the other special qualities that cranberries have:

*Perfect ratio of omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids: meaning not only is our skin very willing to
   accept this oil as wonderful hydration, it also helps as a catalyst to bring other nutrients into our
   skin with ease.
*Anti-yeast and anti-fungal properties: great for a skin and scalp wash. Helps alleviate dandruff, itchy
   scalp and dull, limp, lifeless hair.
*High in tocotrienols and tocopherols: (vitamin E) another very powerful antioxidant, power fighter
   of free radical invasion to the largest organ in our body system (our skin).
*Vitamin C (already mentioned) is needed in the formation of hydroxyproline and hydroxylisine
   and other amino acids required to produce collagen. Collagen is what makes our skin, firm, healthy
   and wrinkle free.  This is what young vibrant skin has that aging skin lacks.

Cranberries, Seeds, and Oil

Now that we know what is in this potent holiday fruit,  how do we reap the benefits of cranberries?  There are a couple of different way to do this depending on what you are looking for. Drinking 1 ounce of pure (no sugar added) cranberry juice daily is said to have wonderful results for your body both internally and externally.  If you would like to target the skin however it is also recommended to either use the pulp of fresh berries (blended into a puree) and made into a masque, freshly juiced and applied to skin and hair, or in the form of cranberry seed oil.  The oil is deeply penetrating (due to the ratio of fatty acids mentioned above), where use of the actual berry is not only fun and festive but also gives antioxidants that the seed oil does not.

DIY CRANBERRY POWER MASQUE: 

1 tsp plain yogurt

1 tbs raw honey

1/4 c. cranberries

cranberry juice (no sugar added) to moisten as needed

take cranberries and put into blender and liquify. add raw honey and yogurt and continue to blend until a paste is made.  If liquid is needed cranberry juice is a great option, another option would be to add milk (as milk has many beneficial properties to skin as a cleanser as well)

Other add ins: 

Gelatin: add a few pinches of non flavored gelatin to very small amount of warmed milk or water. 

              gelatin will help loosen and slough off old, wary cells. great addition for non vegans to this

              masque. 

Clay: any of your favorite clays (french green, kaolin, etc) 1/4 tsp.

As always we would love to hear from you! Do you have product with cranberries in it? Let us know some of your favorites.  Happy Thanksgiving, give thanks and praise. 

Until next time, 

From us to You. 

Recherche Organics

Vitamin C... Topically?!

Vitamin C

Vitamin C: a vitamin that is well known for its ability to help fight off cold and flu season, but much less known for it's ability to maintain healthy and youthful skin. Vitamin C has been used  topically for ages by women (like you and I) searching for that something to maintain our healthy and vibrant glow.  As early as the Tang Dynasty of Tibet (618-907 AD) women would crush and use Seabuck Thorn berries (a very note worthy source of vitamin C) and apply this to their skin.  It is also known that Native Americans would take wild rose petals and rose hips and use topically on their face and hands as a way to care for the skin that was so exposed to outward elements. So why would women, world over, use these fruits and plants as sources of maintaining youthful, taught, healthy and glowing skin? What is it that makes vitamin C so notable for maintenance of healthy skin cells?

As we all know, vitamin C is an important nutrient for over all health. However very little of what is ingested actually reaches our skin, and humans are one of the only mammals on earth that do not produce vitamin C on our own.  This vitamin is crucial for the synthesis of collagen, and collagen is what keeps our skin vibrant and plump with hydration, healthy and smooth looking.  Collagen production naturally begins to decrease as we age.  Along with oxidative stresses such as exposure to out door elements, sun shine, UV rays, harsh chemicals, and smoking, as we enter our early to mid 30s we begin to notice the smile lines that do not go away.  We see the little wrinkles at the edges of our eyes that become a permanent fixture to our facial features.  This is due to the slow decline of collagen production. 

How Our Skin Ages Naturally

As above pictured, over time with the reduction of collagen production and it's partner elastin (enter vitamin E) our skin looses it's ability to maintain it's structure, firmness, and tensile strength. Vitamin C applied topically is known to help with many sensitive aging "issues".  It helps with things like: improving the appearance of elemental damaged skin, supports skins structure from UV/external stressors and damage, reduces inflammation, lessens hyper pigmentation (dark spots), increases collagen production, and mitigates effects of free radicals.  Reading all of this, PLEASE remember aging is beautiful, but there are things we can do to help this process and change take hold gracefully.

 Vitamin C is unstable at best, if packaged poorly it is one of the first essentials to go, if under heat it vanishes into thin air (sort of). The most stable forms of vitamin C are: ascorbic acid, L-ascorbic acid, ascorbic palmitate, sodium ascorbic phosphate, retinal ascorbate, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, and magnesium ascorbic phosphate.  Looking at packaging (if you are buying a product that contains vitamin C for topical use) it is important that it is in opaque and or dark package/container, lest the degradation of the vitamin that your are trying to purchase.

Do you have experience with product that contains topical vitamin C? Has it been a success story in your quest for healthy and beautiful skin? We would love to hear from you!! All questions and stories are welcome.

To Your Health and Ours,

Sincerely,
Recherch'e Organics

Radiant Skin with...Rose Hip Seed Oil?!

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Rose Hips from Wild Rose: Rosa rugosa

Fall is in the air and these vibrant beauties are out in abundance right now!  Rose hips are the little red fruits found on wild rose bushes throughout the USA, Canada, Europe, and even China. Wild rose bushes are willing to grow most places that have seasonal (autumnal) change world wide.

Possibly best known for their abundance of vitamin C (1,770-2,000 milligrams/ 100 grams vs. an orange approximately 50 milligrams of vitamin C. per 100 grams) these small fruits are packed with a plethora of antioxidants, vitamins, essential fatty acids, and minerals.

Pictured above are the small seeds found within the rose hip fruit.  It is here, in these small group of seeds,  that the precious rose hip oil is extracted from. Rose hip seed oil is the only vegetable source oil known to contain retinol (vitamin A).  This little known, yet highly revered oil also contains great amounts of essential fatty acids, linoleic acid (omega 6,), and linolenic acid (omega 3), a powerful antioxidant called lycopene (what makes tomatoes red) as well as beta-carotene.

Unadulterated Rose Hip Seed Oil 

So what does all of this mean for you and your skin?
The essential fatty acids (EFAs) give this oil it's moisturizing properties.  It is very beneficial for tired, dull, weather worn skin. The vitamin A helps the oil to penetrate into the skins epidermal layers,  deepening the effect of the oils moisturizing ability. Vitamin C antioxidants help with collagen production reducing the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles. Over all rose hip seed oil has been noted to improve the over all tone, moisture content, appearance of dark spots and blemishes, healing damaged skin cells and helping to slough off cell's that are beyond repair.
This leaves your skin feeling fresh and new after each application.  Rose hip seed oil is very gentile in nature making it an oil that can be directly applied to most skin types.

It is important to note however that due to the delicate nature of this oil, through cold pressed extraction process, it should be kept refrigerated in order to prolong it's shelf life.

DIY:

an easy application of this oil is to take a small amount of your favorite lotion, skin cream, night treatment and add a few drops of rose hip seed oil. Mix it together thoroughly and apply to skin.  This oil is considered a "dry oil" and will not leave your skin looking shiny or feeling greasy.
Using rose hip seed oil in this way allows you to keep a larger amount stored safely in the fridge while making it accessible and an easy way to add it to your daily or nightly beauty routine.

3:3 Herbs for Skin Health: Camomile

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Chamomile

 Chamomile is a member of the Asteraceae family and there are many, many different species of chamomile within this family.  The two most common being German Chamomile, Marticaria recutita, and Roman Chamomile, Chamaemelum nobile.  This plant has been used since ancient times for it's calming and anti-inflamatory, and anti-irritant properties. 

So why is this plant that we hear so much about in the form of calming teas, also good for our skin?
Due to Chamomile's anit-inflamatory properties it soothes skin rashes and irritated skin, including eczema, psoriasis, nettle/poison ivy rashes, burns, and sun burns.  It has also been noted that Chamomile helps speed up the healing process of minor cuts, scrapes, and wounds.

There is more to this common wonder though, it contains a compound called Alpha-bisabolol.  This natural chemical compound helps to improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks, fine lines and wrinkles, and contributes to evening out the natural tones of the skin.  There are enzymes in Alpha-bisabolol that renew cells by gently removing build up of damaged and over stretched dying cells.  This helps reduce scar tissue and further more Chamomile allows the vitamins and biomarin collagen to penetrate the skin for reproduction of new and healthy skin cell growth.   Chamomile helps to cleanse, moisturize and improves the overall metabolizm of skin cells. 

Dried Roman Chamomile

The powerhouse of antioxidants found within Chamomile help fight acne breakouts as well as reducing the potential from acne scars forming.  Also this plant fight against free radicalss that damage the skin and reduce the healthy, youthful glow that we all strive to keep.

 In addition to all of this, Chamomile also has benefits for hair.  It is highly effective in preventing and the elimination of dandruff by soothing the irritated scalp and helping maintain a healthy gleam to each individual strand of hair. 

DIY Chamomile Hair Rinse: 

1) Take 3 cups of water and set to a simmer.

2) Remove from heat and add a couple pinches of chamomile (loose flower if possible) and let steep

    until this tea is around skin temperature. 

3) Strain Chamomile from tea (or better yet have put the chamomile into a satchel and now remove 

     the satchel from the tea

3) Use as final rinse in bathing ritual. Either after shampoo and condidtioner or after a vinigar rinse. 

4) Notice the difference. It is OOHHHHHH so lovely. 

1:3 Herbs for Skin Health: Calendula Officinalis

Calendula Officinalis

Parts of the Flowering Plant

This common yet lovely little flower "pot Marigold" know also as Calendula Officinalis, is native through out southwestern Asia, western Europe, and Micronesia, and the Mediterranean.  It has been cultivated world wide as an ornamental plant. Its name, Calendula, in Latin refers to "little clock" or possibly "little weather-glass". 

Calendula Officinalis

This flower has been used for skin treatments in it's native regions for centuries.  Calendula has very high amounts of flavonoids, a plant based anitoxidant that protects cells from being dammaged by free-radicals in our environment. This flower is known for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, astringent, and antifungal properties.  And is very useful for treating minor wounds, chapped and chafted skin, bruises, burns, acne, and diaper rash.  

A lesser known fact of Calendula Officinalis is that it stimulates the production of collagen at the wound site.  This helps to minimize the scarring and of regular wounds as well as with stretch marks. Because of it's ability to stimulate collagen, Calendula is also able to protect the skin from premature aging and thinning.   This plant is gentile enough to treat even the sensitive skin of infants and babies making it a very versitile plant indeed.  

Calendula Oil

Calendula is found in many beauty products, bath products, creams, salves, ointments, facial systems, tinctures and teas.  The beautiful orange/yellow color of the flower seeps into the oil turning it a lovely golden color.  

DIY: 

Calendula Bath:

Get a large handfull of dried/fresh flower heads 

Mix with a quarter to half dollar size amount of lavender buds (optional)

Add flowers to a simmering pot of hot water and reduce heat

Allow 10 minutes to steep in water

Add 1/4 c. Sea Salt or 1/4 to 1/2 c. epsome salts

Allow time to dissolve in water

Strain out plant material 

Pour into Bath Water and Enjoy!!!!

Have you used Calendula for skin health? Do you have photos that you would like to share of Calendula Officinalis that you have grown your self? We would love to see and hear your stories. 

Note Worthy Neem Oil

Azadirachta indica: Neem Tree

 Neem has been called The "tree of promise", this is an Indian Lilac,  a large standing tree of the mahogany family.  The Neem tree, Azadirachta indica, is native to the Indian subcontinent and has it's roots deep in historical uses of this culture.  Used both internally and externally, this tree has been used as a "cure all" in many tropical cultures throughout the world.

Immature Neem Seeds

 Every part of the Neem tree has medicinal and botanical uses; the branches, leaves, bark, fruits, flower and roots are all extreemly beneficial as they contain a compound called azadirachtin which gives this plant it's anti-septic, anti-viral,  anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic qualities.

Fresh Harvested Neem Fruit

Neem Oil is procured from the fruit of the Neem Tree. Often hand harvested, this oil has become a cash crop of the the tropics.  Since being "discoverd" by the Western culture, demand for this precious oil has sky rocked.  The oil it's self comes in an array of different colors, depending on methods of extraction and quality of how the Neem fruit has been handled.


 


Often times, the oils is obtained by crushing the interior kernal and extracting the oil it's self by methods of cold process or temperature controlled heating.  In India, neem oil extractors, "Teli" or oil men, were considered as a specialized profession.

 Recentally, hexane extraction has become a cheap and quick method in comparison of more traditional methods of oil extraction. It is important to note that this chemical extraction  is always an inferior oil end product.

Lets begin to talk about the oil it's self.  This oil is rich in Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids.  It also contains Palmitic acid and palmitoleic acid, the rarely known omega 7.  These acids provide building blocks for hair, skin and nails, help combat wrinkles, increase elastin in skin, help maintain hydration and helps repair sun and oxidative damage to skin cells. It is widely considered for it's anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-fungal properties.

Benificial Uses of Neem for Beauty

Hair: Neem is a natural cure for dandruff and dry scalp.  Weekly applications of this oil have shown to reduce dandruff, cleanse hair folicals, strengthen individual hair strands, and promote growth.  It can also be used to condition rough or frizzy hair as well as countering the effects of thinning hair due to stress, medication, pollution and more.

Skin: Neem has proven its effectiveness with eczema, psoriasis, and acne prone skin.  Due to it's astringent properties, it helps with wound healing and skin dammage caused by the above said skin conditions. Neem helps fight acne by distroying the bacteria that causes break outs. Neem oil contains an asprin like compound that helps with on site pain relief while it's anti-inflammatory agents (nimbidin and nimbin compunds) help reduce redness and further inflammation.  The high fatty acid content in this oil helps prevent scar tissue from forming and the oil it's self is non-comedogenic (or non pour clogging).

Neem naturally has a high level of anti oxidants which protect the skin from environmental dammage.  It also contains carotenoids, an anti-oxidant, that helps defend the skin from free-radicals.  All of the vitamin and esssential fatty acid content is readily absorbed into the skin, improving elastin, and smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles. 

Neem can also be used to fight fungal infections of the skin, such as athletes foot, ring worm, nail fungus.  Tests have proven that 2 compounds found in the leaves of the neem tree, gedunin and nimbidol, are effective against 14 different cultures of fungi. 

DIY BEAUTY TIP:

*1 TBS: of you favorite Clay (bentonite, french green, kaolin to name a few) 

*Add 3-5 drops of neem oil 

*Add coconut oil or another liquid until the consistancy of tooth paste.  Other liquids could

        include: water, aloe vera water, hydrosol, any carrier oil of choice, milk, etc...

* Put on face in nice circluar motion and allow about 7-10 minutes to dry. 

*Rinse with warm water just before clay mask gets totally dry.  This is when the most of the 

    toxins have been pulled out and nothing is yet being taken back into the pores. 

This mask is good to use on a weekly basis, much more and skin will begin to dry out.  It is natural for our skin to produce oil and constant stripping of this natural process is less beneficial for our skin.

The Secret behind Sea Buckthorn (Oil)

Hippophae rhamnoides Sea Buck Thorn

Hippophae rhamnoides, commonly known as Sea Buckthorn, gets its common name from growing near the sea and from it's many spines or thorns that are similar to that of true Buckthorn species.  This plant is native to Russia, and the northern parts of both China and Mongolia. It's uses can be traced back to a meteria medica from the Tang Dynasty 617-907 AD. Historically the oil from this plant has been used as a beauty treatment to preserve youthful skin tone and texture, whiten teeth and as an internal medicine since long before the time it was finally written down.

Sea Buckthorn "fields"

 Sea Buckthorn is considered a drought resistant plant and can grow in extreme teperature variations anywhere from -45 to 104 feirinheight (-43 to 40 C).    It sends out extensive roots systems very quickly and is an ideal plant for controlling soil erosion.  Today, this plant is being grown extensively in Canada and through out Euroupe, as it's health benefits have began to become more widely known.

Sea Buckthorn Berries

There are two main variations of Sea Buckthorn oils.  That made from the seeds and that from the pulp of the entire fruit. There is a considerable difference in the fatty acid make up of each of these oils.  Linoleic acid and a-linolenic acid are the major fatty acids in the seed produced oil.  These essential fatty acids are also known as omega 6 fatty acids.  They are anti inflammatory, acne reducive, very moisture retaining and a powerful antioxidant. While the main fatty acid make up in the oil derived from the pulp is called palmitoleic acid and palmitic acid.  These are also known as omega 7 essential fatty acids.  These acids provide building blocks for hair, skin and nails, help combat wrinkles, increase elastin in skin, help maintain hydration and helps repair sun and oxidative damage to skin cells. 

Sea Buckthorn Pulp and Seed Derived Oils

Let's revisit this oil as a whole.  This ancient fruit contains 190 active ingredients between the two types of oil.  Nutrients including Vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D, E, K, carotenoids, flavonoids, amino acids, phenols, folic acid, and over 20 different minerals.  What's more, it is the only plant know to contain Omega 3,6,9, and 7 essential fatty acids.  Most remarkable, perhaps, is this oils ability to heal wound damagaed skin.  It has a high success rate as a skin conditioning and repair oil.  It is nourishing, revitalizing, and restorative to the skin membrains, and can be used to topically treat burns of all kinds.  It has a remarkable sucess rate at helping heal damaged skin after chemotherapy and radiation burns and dryness. 

Healthy Teeth and Gums

Another interesting use for this oil is it's ability to work with strengthening gums, whitening teeth, and providing over all good oral hygene.  It helps with the healing time of herpes and canker sores and simply makes for a beautiful smile.

Bath your self with... Wine?

Information brought to you by: Recherch'e Organics

...Wine, Vino, Vin, Wijn, Wein, Viini, Vinho, Wine...

For the love of wine... Many of us come home in the evening and begin our daily routines of helping kids with homework, cooking dinner, sitting down with the family, cleaning up, and somewhere in this litany of things we do, we crack open that bottle of wine. We sit back, cherish the first sips, and relax. Well, have you ever thought of bathing with wine? This is something that is usually last on peoples minds when they think of this drink, hailing from grapes, descending from Italy (and now from many places around the globe).

Lets talk about it...
There are very few companies that are creating body care products with wine as an ingredient.  A spa in Japan, the Hakone Kowakien, has taken this idea to a whole different level. As viewed below...

Hakone Kowakien Spa, Japan

Why would one want to use wine for skin care???

(example: Recherch'e Organics has just come out with a new soap, Black Currant Rose and Red Wine).  Red wine contains high levels of antioxidants and polyphenols which soften skin, fight free radicals, stimulate circulation, increase elasticity and flexibility within the cell walls, the tannins firm skin and shrink pore size, all while evening out skin tone and color, leaving you with youthful glowing skin. Red wine is also effective in helping combat things like eczema, psoriasis, and acne.  It helps detox the skin, pulling many skin dulling and harmful toxins from the pores, leaving the skin fresh and healthy.  

There is secret ingredient, possibly the most potent aspect for the argument of using wines in your beauty products, this little lovely is called Resveratrol.  Resveratrol is a naturally occurring part of a  plant's defense system.  It is an anti-microbial substance created in response to stress, infection or strong UV radiation that the plant goes through while alive.  It appears Resveratrol uses its antioxidant effects in a two fold manner; savaging existing free radicals, and preventing new free radical formation.  It has also been reported that this anti-oxidant stimulates healthy cell proliferation as well as collagen synthesis.  As we age the natural collagen and elastin structures within our skin's matrix diminish, leaving us with a wrinkled and loose appearance to our dermal layer (skin).   Resveratrol may in fact be able to help improve the function of "fibroblasts"(a cell in connective tissue that produces collagen and other fibers), which in turn creates new and healthy connective tissue with in our skin. 

In a recent study that I read this is an exact excerpt from those pages:

"In a recent study, the antioxidant strength of 1% resveratrol was compared to that of 1% idebenone. Idebenone is a powerful pharmaceutical antioxidant. Its benefits include shielding the skin from environmental damage, improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, reducing dryness, and smoothing skin texture. The results of the study revealed that resveratrol had a stunning 17-fold greater antioxidant capacity than idebenone!"

Maybe this isn't such a bad idea after all!!!!!

For more information on where to purchase bathing products imbued with wine, please contact Recherch'e Organics at (406) 209-3755

Thank you. 

A Marriage of Aloe and Hemp Seed Oil:

Not often do I actually tout the Products from my company, usually it is only information on healthy individual beauty care  ingredients.  But this weekend marks a special time for my company.  As we near the 2nd birthday of Recherch'e Organics, we have finally come out with our first new product since the opening of this business.

August 1, 2013 debuted KEY ELEMENT hemp aloe body lotion.  This lotion is available in 13 different scents. A luxuriously creamy yet light lotion designed to penetrate deep into the epidermal layers of your skin.  A little bit about why I have decided to use Hemp and Aloe as the main beneficial ingredients of this lotion line:

ALOE VERA

 
With regular use, both Aloe Vera juice and gel will help improve skin elasticity which in turn minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  It also helps to even out the color of your facial skin. It lightens dark spots and helps to slough off old dermal layers, while improving circulation (of new blood, oxygen and micro nutrients) to your newly forming skin cells.  The result, beautiful and vibrant skin.  (a small excerpt from "The Aloe Appeal": another blog by Recherch'e Organics)

HEMP SEED OIL

Hemp seed oil is made up of approximately 80% essential fatty acids.  This is the highest amount of essential fatty acids found in any plant currently known.  Hemp seed oil prevents moisture loss of the skin on a physiological level, and is said to slow down the unavoidable aging process.  This oil has a long history of use dating back at least 4,000 BC, and has been found amongst the ancient books of medicine through out Asia.  Hemp seed oil is anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, helps repair/heal lesions, prevents tissue damage, is filled with anti-oxidants  as well as being a complete protein oil and filled with essential amino acids.  This is a wonderful oil for people suffering from eczema, psoriasis, dandruff, and dry skin.  Regular topical applications of this oil hydrates and changes the texture and over all glow of the skin. 


I hope that this quick write up gives you some insight as to why I decided on a marriage between these two wonderful natural ingredients.  If you have interest in Recherch'es Key Element Lotion or any of our other products: please do not hesitate to contact me.

Other resources available besides our website: http://www.rechercheorganics.com You can message me, Email me at rechercheorganic@gmail.com, look us up on facebook, or call (406) 209-3755 for further information.

A Tribute to Tamanu Oil~

INFORMATION BROUGHT TO YOU BY: 

Tamanu Tree Calophyllum tacamahaca

 The Tamanu tree, Calophyllum tacamahaca is indigenous to Southeast Asia.  Found throughout Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka and Polynesian islands.  This slow growing evergreen tree can exceed 30 meters tall (over 90 feet) and is part of the Mangosteen Family.  The oil derived from the nut of this tree has been used topically as far back as history can date. Growing both coastally as well as inland with equal vigor, it is interesting to note that the natives of this region consider the trees growing close to salt water to be the ones with the most potent medicine.

Tamanu Fruit

Flowers of Tamanu Tree

The Tamanu tree (pronounced TAW-man-oo) has been considered a sacred gift by the natives of Southeast Asia.  It has been said time and again that "the God's hide within it's branches."  This beautiful tree flowers twice annually, yielding white fragrant flowers which later bring about clusters of yellow fruit.  The fruit has a similar taste to an apple and embedded with in the meat of this fruit lies a kernel (also called a punnai in some areas) which houses all of the delicate Tamanu oil.

Punnai or Kernal of Tamanu tree

Tamanu Oil also called foraha or doomba (no-pain) oil, is processed from the kernels harvested from the Tamanu tree.  Once the nuts are collected they are allowed to sit and dry in the sun for approximately 2 months of time. During this time of waiting, the kernel it's self becomes dark and sticky with the thick rich oil. It is crucial while drying that the nut is protected from both humidity and rain.  Then each nut is separated from it's shell and ground down into a pulp.  Through the pressing and grinding process friction does occur, but it is imperative that the temperature does not exceed 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) for the oil to be considered "cold pressed".  It is the cold pressed oils that maintain the integrity and the healing properties originally bestowed up on this plant. It takes 100 kilograms of Tamanu fruit, approximately the amount that 1 tree produces annually, to produce just 5 kilograms of this oil (approximately 220 pounds of fruit compresses into just under 11 pounds of oil).

Prepairing the Fruit to Make Tamanu Oil

 Traditionally this oil has been used throughout Southeast Asia to aid in the healing many different disorders of the skin and nervous system.  Almost always used as a topical aid or an single ingredient for these said ailments;  abrasions, acne, blemishes, blisters, body odor, burns, diabetic sores, diaper rash, dry skin, eczema, herpes sores, insect bites and stings, neuritis and neuralgia, psoriasis, rheumatism, sciatica, shingles sunburn and wrinkles.

In the early 1900's Tamanu Oil made it's first debue in the Western World.  A French nun by the name of Sister Marie Suzanna, had used tamanu oil to treat symptoms of leprosy with quite remarkable effect.

In 1918 researchers for the French Pharmacopoeia began to look deeper into the topical use of Tamanu Oil.  The scientists were immediately awed by the cicatrizing effects, the ability of this oil to regenerate skin cells and tissue.  There are many stories to be found in the French medical literature from the turn of the century stating the remarkable healing benefits of this prized oil. 

Cold Pressed Tamanu Oil

Tamanu oil should have a rich deep earthy scent and present in a dark greenish gold color.  This oil has a remarkable ability as a topical healing ingredient.  It is antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti neuralgic (nerve pain), and filled with antioxidant properties. It also contains a unique  fatty acid called calophyllic acid and a non steroidal anti inflammatory agent called calophllolide.  Tamanu contains coumarins which are another potent anti-inflammatory agent.     Tamanu oil contains 3 essential classes of lipids (fats): neutral, glyco- and phospholipids.  Over all Tamanu oil is wonderful for scar tissue reduction, and in any case where regeneration of skin cells is needed.  Over an 8 week period, daily application of Tamanu oil to stretch marks and other scars has been seen to reduce the visibility, color and depth of scar tissue. It can be used as a night application to fine lines and wrinkles with great success to it's users.  This makes a wonderful ingredient to a night cream or under eye serum.  Always look for cold pressed, organic and preferably fair trade labeling.


*The information found within these blog posts is brought to you by Recherch'e Organics.  The owner of this small batch bath and body care company is a trained Mater Herbalist, Holistic Nutrition Consultant and a Certified Holistic Health care Practitioner.  Many of these wonderful natural ingredients are used in our product line currently or are being considered for future products of Recherch'e.  For more information or to buy from Recherch'e Organics; Please visit our website http://www.rechercheorganics.com  or follow us on facebook for many great deals and information and through BEAUTIFUL YOU (this blog).
Thank you for reading,

Truly,

Hillari Ladd MH, NC, HHP

Savvy to Seaweed...

 Seaweed is another of our worlds age old beauty secrets.  A food source, a medicine chest, and an  advocate for beauty and vitality anchored into another world, not inhabited but often visited by humans.  Pelagic seaweed (meaning living at sea, growing independently of land) has been used by coastal villagers for food, medicine and beauty since the dawn of time.

Seaweed Harvest

Seaweed Harvest

Seaweed Harvest

Seaweed has been harvested by hand and sun dried world over for century upon century. Harvest methods have included leaving a couple of inches of plant attached to its parent rock or surface, which in turn allows faster regrowth. Only today, with increased demand on sea vegetation do we begin to see unsustainable practices with seaweed harvesting occur. Prior to the last 50 years, seaweed was harvested on a much smaller scale.  Allowing the forests below the waves time to regenerate and propagate.  Today there are companies touting 100,000 tons of commercially harvested sea vegetation annually.  Poverty stricken coastal towns have offered jobs (even here in the USA) mechanically harvesting 6 tons of seaweed per day at a pay rate of $25.00/ton.  There are companies that vacuum harvest certain seaweeds such as Irish Moss, with serious threats to both the ecosystem as well as huge numbers of by-catch of other fauna.

Seaweed Farm in China

 Thankfully though, there are sustainable seaweed farms happening around the globe.  People have found different ways to create surfaces that seaweed attaches to easily and harvest and re-harvest as one would take lettuce leaves  from a home garden.  Taking some fronds as they reach maturity and leaving the rest to continue growth.

 There are hundreds and hundreds of varieties of seaweed world over.  It is found in every ocean across the globe.  These plants draw an incredible amount of minerals, micro and macro nutrients from the water that surrounds them.  Some seaweed have a mineral content of up to 36% of total dry weight!  They have Vitamins A, B's (1, 2, 3, 6, and 12) , C, E, D, K and Folic Acid.  Over 60 trace minerals such as flourine, calcium and magnesium are found hidden within their leafy fronds. B vitamins are known for protecting the skins surface and helping reduce inflammation.  Flourine, calcium and magnesium restore radiance to the skins complexion. It is full of lipids, proteins, which are easily absorbed to moisturize and nourish the skin.  This helps to maintain firmness and deep seeded hydration of the dermal layers. There are many amino acids and enzymes present in seaweed that are potent anti oxidants, fighting off free radicals and working to promote tissue regeneration and elasticity.  Algae's and Seaweeds are a superfood for the skin. Ultimately skin is made healthier by simply using this ingredient.

Brown Algae

BROWN ALGAE:

Brown Algae has a chemical component called Citrinol that has been found effective in fighting against gram-positive bacteria, including bacteria associated with acne and acne inflammation.  It helps boost collagen production (which works hand in hand with elastin) one of the major components in keeping skin firm, youthful looking and wrinkle free.

Green Algae

GREEN ALGAE:
Green Algaes work wonders with dry, irritated and edematous skin due to over exposure to the elements.  It has detoxifying and antiseptic properties and is found in numerous skin benefiting personal care items. It's anti-inflammatory properties make it a wonderful ingredient for sensitive skin, and this group of algeas in particular have great natural propensities to reducing redness and excessive irritation.

Red Algae

RED ALGAE: 
 Red Algae is the best of all the algae types for drawing out impurities and toxins as well as  regulating oil levels of your skin.   When applied topically, Red Algae draws out toxins and helps the skin absorb some of its many nutrients.





SEAWEED: restores moisture levels, revitalizes and firms skin, nourishes, oxygenates and detoxifies skin, balances oil levels, cell generating, purifying, improves skin texture and tone, makes hair shiny, cleanses, soothes, slows skin aging, restores micro and macro nutrients to the skin.

 DIY SEAWEED BATH: 

Get dried seaweed in bulk from your store; Kelp and Dulse are both great options but any kind of seaweed will work.  10 lbs of wet seaweed dries out to 1 lb of dried seaweed.  Online sources may be another great place to purchase bulk seaweed from.  Twenty dollars will give you 5-6 baths worth of plant material.

add 3-4 oz of seaweed mixture (or single type) to a muslin bag, cheese cloth or some other enclosed bag that will allow the nutrients to seep out and into your bath water.  (3-4 oz is approx 2.5 lbs of wet seaweed). Keeping it enclosed will make clean up after bath time much simpler.

Allow your self 20+ minutes to soak in this nutrient rich water.  For something a little extra add a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil to the water, sit back and relax.

This and more from the head soap maker at RECHERCHE ORGANICS.  Master Herbalist, Holistic Nutrition Consultant, Soap Maker extrodinaire...

http:///www.rechercheorganics.com