Pumpkin Mania...eerily good for your skin!

Cucurbita maxima

Fall is in the air and pumpkins are abound!! Seen on nearly every door stoop and in every supermarket, growing on many acres of farm land all to satiate our affinity for these fine berries.
Yes, you read right!  Often thought of as a fruit, sometimes as a vegetable, but in truth these fine orange specimens are berries.  Another little known fact of pumpkins is: they are chalked full of skin purifying nutrients and vitamins!!!


Pumpkins are packed with antioxidants, natural enzymes, iron, zinc, phytonutrients and vitamins such as vitamin A, C,  and K.  The fruit enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) increase cell turn over and rejuvenation.  These work as natural exfoliants ridding the body of dead and dying cells, bringing the new layers of healthy skin to the surface.  Thus helping to maintain bright, beautiful, and smooth skin complexion.   Vitamin A and C work together to increase the bodies ability to produce collagen (the wonderful substance that helps keep our skin tight, smooth and hydrated).  The zinc found in pumpkins works like a dream for acne sufferers.  Zinc assists in hormonal balancing and as well as sebum (skin oil) production. Helping the body find a natural balance between too much and too little oil production.

Pumkin is gentile enough for all skin types.  Though not though of as a "go to" in the beauty industry, this time of year I can not help but think about all of the wonderful nutrients (in big, round, orange, berry form) just sitting out on peoples door steps.

DIY Pumpkin Beauty (it's a Cinderella tale...)

1: 1 tablespoon cooked pumpkin puree (organic canned pumpkin will also do)

2: 1 tsp raw honey 

Mix ingredients together, apply a thin layer to the face allowing 10-15 minutes to do it's magic, then rinse with warm water. 

*If you are prone to acne add 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar to the mix and follow above mentioned directions. 

As always we would love to hear from you! Are you a pumpkin lover, wondering what to do with that pumpkin after the holidays? Let us know, post us photos. Happy holidays.  

Thank you and until we meet again. Tata

Recherch'e Organics

75 Years of Tips and Tricks of the Beauty Industry 1875-1950

This week are changing it up a bit, doing something that we have never done before! Recherch'e Organics is paying tribute to all of the tip's and tricks of the Beauty Industry, and the lengths women of past eras have gone to "maintain" or "create" natural beauty!  Within the Victorian society it was considered a woman's duty to make herself pleasant to look upon. Women have, and still do, go to great lengths to find that "elixir of youth and beauty".  Below are many examples as to the lengths women have gone to make themselves appealing to and fit societal desires.

"Upon the impression you constantly make rests the failure or success of your life". Touted M. Trilety  creator of the "nose shaper! This item was popular by both men and women from the late 1800's through the early 1920's!

The Electric Massage Roller, an "all in one" machine!  This was a woman's best friend, helping reduce wrinkles,  rid the face of blemishes, built muscle, and could even "take a pound a day" off of the owner of this fine gadget. 

The "Curves of Youth" Offending Chin Reducer... name says it all for this machine. A $10.00 investment (in the late 1800's) and you too can forever have the jaw line and neck line of youth...

Dimples have been the envy of many a woman who's face is not endowed with such a mark of beauty.  This contraption was touted to give any and all dimples precisely where they were wanted. 

Giving your self spankings on "fleshy" places, body over, was said to reduce cellulite and take away extra and unwanted poundage.  This little bit of advice was given clear into the 1950's as a plausible way to get the figure "any woman" would want!

These add's attest to the lengths women have sought, for ages,  grasping for a beauty not their own.  My hopes here is that the absurdity of each of these clips shed a little light on the beauty we each DO have!  Maybe you were able to laugh a little, maybe you felt a little heart broken and weary after reading the lengths that women have been "made" to go, and also it is very possible to just shrug it off as the craziness of by gone eras. What ever your response andopinion is of these photo's and advertisements may be, hopefully it will help you look on your own beauty regiment with a little more clarity, from a more objective stand point.

Until Next Time,
Recherch'e Organics

Which Witch Hazel is Which?

Hamamelis virginiana

Witch Hazel, Hamamelidaceae, is often seen as a yellow flowering shrub or more rarely as a small standing tree. Etymologically the name is believed to stem from the Middle English word wiche and reaching further back to Old English wice, meaning "bendable or pliant". Occasionally this plant is referred to as "winter bloom" for it's odd nature of blooming throughout the fall and winter months.

Witch Hazel Distillation

Historically,  Witch Hazel was taken as a tea or in a bath.  However during the 1800's herbalist began distilling this plant thus began the path to the Witch Hazel product of today.  The clear liquid Witch Hazel with which we are most familiar, is made by distilling the bark, twigs, and leaves of the Hamamelis virginiana a species found in North America. During the distillation process anywhere from 15-30% alcohol is added to the liquid content.

Witch Hazel Leaf

The main component in Witch Hazel is  tannins. Tannins are a naturally occurring polyphenol that many plants make as a way to protect them selves from predation.  Even if we don't know what tannins are directly, most all of us have experienced them in our wine, and under ripe fruit.  It is the substance that makes the "dry and puckery" feeling in our mouths. This is called astringency.

Witch Hazel Flower

Witch Hazel "Fruit"

Witch Hazel is almost exclusively used externally.  It is considered a strong anti-oxidant and astringent.  Often used for skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, treating insect bites and poison ivy rashes, as well as to reduce swelling and ease minor wounds.
Now why would it work on such an array of issues? For one, Witch Hazel works wonders on fighting bacterial attacks.  The tannins which we spoke of earlier, once applied to the skin shrink the pores basically sequestering our  internal bodies from external agents.  In all making our skin even better at doing the job of keeping the outside world out of our bodies. Another property of Witch Hazel is its proanthocyanins, catechin and flavonoids. These little beauties are what give this plant it's cell protective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities.  This means if any bacteria has been trapped under the skin once the pores have been closed off, it is also the job of Witch Hazel to destroy the "invaders".

After Shave

The beauty behind this plant, continues on.  As mentioned earlier Witch Hazel shrinks pore size and thus tightens and tones the skins appearance.  It is a common ingredient in aftershaves for men. It has been found that using Witch Hazel (the less alcohol content the better for all Witch Hazels) on a cotton pad and going over the surface of the face works wonders for people with oily skin as well as for people who sweat profusely from their faces!  It has also been used by many as an acne treatment that doesn't dry out the skin.  So many benefits from a commonly known substance. As always it is important to get your products from a reputable source and be sure in reading the labels all that you are purchasing is Witch Hazel distillation and 15% or so of alcohol by volume.  

I hope you have enjoyed the read, please as always comments and questions are wanted and welcome.  Have you had a particularly great experience using Witch Hazel? We would love to know. 

Warm Regards, 

Recherch'e Organics