TOP 5 Mother's Day Gift Ideas 2015

We have great gift ideas for mom at every price point!     1. Vino Lux Spa Basket: Includes all her vino lux favorites in choice of scent: vino lux argan grapeseed + avocado scrub, lotion and bath salts. Infused with antioxidant rich grapeseeds from wine country, omega fatty acid rich argan oil and local honey. She'll indulge in bath bliss with vinotherapy luxury… just like a day at the spa in wine country. $60 2. California Dreamin' gift kit:   combines the best of night time vinotherapy body & skin care products! Cali Vine decadently rich face cream, Sweet Lips tin lip balm, Pinot Dreams whipped shea & açaí body butter + Surf travel soy massage candle. $54   3. Wine Soap Sampler Gift Pouch: wraps up a trio of our best-selling organic wine bar soaps with a wooden soap dish in a gift pouch made from recycled fibers! She gets: Harvest Crush Syrah, Summer Crisp Chardonnay & Spa'Vignon Blanc. $25.99   4. Grapeseed Lotion Signature Scent Sampler:  Get all six signature scent essential oil blends of our deliciously rich vinotherapy lotion, formulated with natural ingredients to soothe and protect. A perfect set for her to get to know our signature scent blends! $16.99 5. Create Your Own Bath Salts: Let Mom experience the ultimate relaxing bath with her own custom scent blend of our signature pinotherapy™ bath salts! This potent blend contains 4 exotic, cleansing, detoxifying salts: Himalayan Pink Salt, Dead Sea Salt, Pacific Sea Salt & Epsom Salt to soothe her skin. $20   Visit our website for more Mother's Day Gift ideas for mom!

fresh from your kitchen: pineapple enzyme exfoliating mask

This easy but effective mask takes minutes to make, will renew your dull or sallow looking complexion (and leaves you with a juicy pineapple to much on!) All ingredients are easy to find organic at your local health food store or market. Enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup pineapple, cubed
1 T ground oatmeal (pulse in coffee grinder to make powder)
1 tsp almond flour

DIRECTIONS:

Cube 1/2 cup pineapple and mush with a fork or chop in food processor. Stir in oatmeal and almond flour, adding a bit more almond flour if you want to thicken the mask. Apply mixture to clean face and neck. Relax for 15 minutes and rinse off.

What it Does...
PINEAPPLE naturally contains multiple enzymes, such as bromelain and papain, that respectively break down dead skin cells while cleaning and calm skin while delivering rich vitamin A.

OATMEAL is a natural, soothing exfoliant known for it's calming and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has astringent qualities but is gentle enough for sensitive skin. It helps to draw oil and impurities out of the skin.

ALMOND are rich in vitamins A, B & E and often used in skin care for sensitive skin for its strong emollient and gentle softening properties. Almond meal is a flour made from the nuts; it's easy to find at Trader Joe's or your local health food store.

The Grapeseed Co. Cali Harvest Serum

Follow this enzyme mask with The Grapeseed Co. 
soothing Lavender Rose Toner and Cali Harvest Serum for 
an amazing, DIY facial with spa quality results!

Green Skin Care Blog brings simple spa delights to your home with Fresh From Your Kitchen: DIY skin care recipes & treatments you can create with a trip to the grocer or health food store. Direct from the creator of The Grapeseed Company's personal stash of fresh beauty creations and concoctions.   

fresh from your kitchen: aloe + tea tree after-sun cooler

This past weekend was HOT in Santa Barbara and many other areas of our country! We embraced summer full force, surfing and hanging at the beach most of the weekend. It gave Pete and I lots of opportunities to put the new Cali Sun SPF 30 stick to the test! I've been product testing this for many months, but not yet in this intense summer sun and a full afternoon at the beach. As an avid water sport lover and sun stick user, I have to say this new product works wonders! I re-applied a few times throughout the day, and through the sun and waves it kept my face from burning (and as of Tuesday, no breakouts either!)

After a hot day in the sun, it's great to cool down and rehydrate. Try this fresh, cooling spritz on your skin in the hot weather... enjoy!

ingredients
8oz spray bottle
2 mint leaves
5 oz (weak) green tea
3 oz organic aloe juice
15 drops tea tree essential oil
15 drops lavender essential oil

directions
~brew a weak pot of green tea and let cool.
~add all ingredients to the bottle using a funnel.
~shake and chill in the fridge for a few hours before using. I also like to store this in the fridge to intensify the cooling effect when sprayed on the skin!
what it does...
green tea is rich in powerful polyphenol antioxidants. The caffeine in the green tea helps constrict pores and eliminate fluid waste and detox your skin.

aloe gently moisturizes, replenishes and calms the skin.

tea tree is naturally cooling. It has been referred to as the jack-of-all trades for problematic skin EOs... great for irritated skin including acne, insect bites, rashes, ring worm.

lavender has so many amazing properties: calming, antiseptic, antibacterial and has been know to help acne, scarring, winkles, burns, sunburns, eczema and psoriasis.
_____________________________________________________________________
Green Skin Care Blog brings simple spa delights to your home with Fresh From Your Kitchen: DIY skin care recipes & treatments you can create with a trip to the grocer or health food store. Direct from the formulator of The Grapeseed Co.'s stash of fresh beauty creations and concoctions!   

fresh from your kitchen: winter chamomile oat soak

Feeling dry, itchy, cracked and chapped all over? Cold weather and drying heat and can rob your skin of moisture and make this time of year a bit uncomfortable... Here's a quick and easy DIY spa treatment you can make at home to soothe your skin, relax and warm up a bit during the chilly season!

winter camomile oat soak 

1/4 cup dry oats
1 bag chamomile tea
2 to 4T lavender infused grapeseed oil
1T honey powder

  directions

~pulse and grind oats to a medium-coarse grain powder in coffee grinder or food processor
~add remainder of dry ingredients (all ingredients except lavender grapeseed oil) and mix well
~add lavender grapeseed oil to running bath water, add dry ingredients to water. Hop in, relax and enjoy! Follow with an indulgent full body scrub for silky smooth skin.
~hop out of the tub, lightly towel off and apply a rich body butter or vinotherapy oil to lock in moisture. You can use the lavender grapeseed oil again for this, or for super dry skin try a whipped body butter with grapeseed, shea and acai or luscious lavender balm.

what it does

chamomile is known to have therapeutic anti-inflammatory properties, and to soothe extremely dry skin. Chamomile is also known to have relaxing effects.

honey this sweet treat helps attract dirt, oil and clean skin with breakouts. Bees release a glucose enzyme when creating honey that is a natural antiseptic and has antibacterial properties. When applied topically, it draws body fluids and nutrients to the area assisting in cell growth and scar prevention. Learn more here.

oatmeal is a natural, soothing exfoliant known for it's calming and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has astringent qualities but is gentle enough for sensitive skin. It helps to draw oil and impurities out of the skin.

lavender has so many amazing properties. It's calming, antiseptic, antibacterial and has been know to soothe skin, help treat acne, scarring, winkles, burns + sunburns, eczema and psoriasis. Lavender is known to have relaxing benefits in aromatherapy.

20-30 undisturbed minutes soaking priceless! start to finish, this will take you only 25-35 minutes, it's indulgent (and affordable)... so get going :)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Green Skin Care Blog brings simple spa delights to your home monthly with Fresh From Your Kitchen: DIY skin care recipes & mini spa treatments you can create at home with a trip to the grocer or health food store. Direct from the formulator of The Grapeseed Company's personal stash of fresh beauty creations and concoctions!

fresh from your kitchen: tea for two under-eye relief

Do you sometimes look in the mirror and wonder how to make those tired eyes look ah-mazing without piling on tons of concealer or makeup? While nothing replaces a great night of sleep, there are a few tips and quick recipe you can whip up to combat under eye issues when you may not look (or feel) 100%

TEA for TWO Under Eye Relief
this may just be our simplest Fresh from your Kitchen recipe yet! 

ingredients
2 organic green tea bags
boiling water

directions
~brew 2 cups of organic green tea, reserve the wet bags and let cool slightly, so they are still warm to the touch.
~lie down and close your eyes. Apply the wet bags to your under eye area. Rest for 10 minutes (or as long as you can!)
~enjoy that warm cup of delicious green tea.

what it does...
the caffeine in the green tea helps constrict pores and eliminate fluid waste and detox your skin. Green tea is also rich in powerful polyphenol antioxidants.

TIP #1
If you have problems with dark circles under your eyes, try including more bananas in your diet. Eat one each morning with breakfast and see if you notice those raccoon eyes diminishing after a few weeks. The potassium in the bananas is thought to help restore water balance in the skin aiding in combating puffiness and dark circles.

TIP# 2

Vine Eyes by The Grapeseed Co.

keep two teaspoons chillin' in your fridge. When you wake up with super puffy, swollen eyes, combat those under eye bags by applying the two spoons over your eyes for a few minutes. Follow with our green tea bags recipe and apply a healthy dose of Vine Eyes ant~aging cream with eyebright to moisturize and protect the delicate skin around your eyes and minimize wrinkles.

Fresh From Your Kitchen: Pumpkin Pie Facial

Ever wonder what to do with that can of pumpkin after opening it for your holiday recipes? Never fear, natural beauty treatments from Green Skin Care Blog are here! This indulgent facial mask will leave you looking fresh, radiant and take care of your leftovers! Enjoy.

Pumpkin Pie Facial

 

ingredients

2 T mashed pumpkin pulp (you can use canned pumpkin)
1 T honey
2 T sour cream, plain or vanilla yogurt*
*for the sweet, pie like aroma, use the vanilla yogurt or add a few drops of pure vanilla extract to the plain yogurt or sour cream
*this is an easy one to make organic- all of the ingredients are readily available in organic form

directions
~Wash your face with a gentle cleanser like green tea & grapes creme cleanser
~Mash ingredients above together and apply to face and neck area
~Relax for 15-20 min
~Rinse off with warm water and towels
~Apply a nourishing treatment like rose & grape serum or try our new rich night time vinotherapy moisturizer, Cali Vine Decadently Rich Facial Cream 

what it does
pumpkin is a member of the squash family, rich in many antioxidants like beta-carotene, zinc and natural alpha-hydroxy acids which can help even skin tone and reduce the signs of aging. Plus, pumpkin contains vitamins A & C- both great for maintaining a healthy complexion!
honey this sweet treat helps attract dirt, oil and clean skin with breakouts. Bees release a glucose enzyme when creating honey that is a natural antiseptic and has antibacterial properties. When applied topically, it draws body fluids and nutrients to the area assisting in cell growth and scar prevention.
cream & yogurt contain a naturally occurring alpha-hydroxy acid from lactic acid that exfoliates and renews the cellular surface of the skin
vanilla is known in aromatherapy to have comforting and relaxing effects and has a history of use in sensual/aphrodisiac blends.

This is a fabulous natural anti-aging seasonal spa treatment you can whip up right in your own kitchen. Gather the ladies and relax with a facial after Turkey Day!

Green Skin Care Blog brings simple spa delights to you with Fresh From Your Kitchen: DIY recipes & treatments you can create at home with a trip to the grocer or health food store. 
{Direct from the creator of The Grapeseed Company's personal stash of fresh beauty concoctions!}

fresh from your kitchen: soothing oat milk soak

This is a fabulously easy DIY spa recipe to start getting in shape to show some skin... sundresses & swimsuits are right around the corner!

 

soothing oat milk soak

1/4 C dry oatmeal
4T dry milk powder
2T coarse grain sea salt or epsom salt
4-6 fresh lavender sprigs- prep by removing buds from stem
pinch of mustard powder (optional: helps heal sore muscles)
15-20 drops of the essential oil(s) of your choice...
we recommend a 1 part lavender : 1 part neroli combo for this one!

 

directions

~combine the oats & lavender buds pulse and grind to a medium-coarse grain powder in coffee grinder or food processor
~add remainder of ingredients and mix well
~add to running bath water. hop in, relax and enjoy! Follow with an indulgent full body scrub and moisturizer for silky smooth skin.

 

what it does

milk contains a naturally occurring alpha-hydroxy acid from lactic acid that exfoliates and renews the cellular surface of the skin, smoothing and softening.

oatmeal is a natural, soothing exfolliant known for it's calming and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has astringent qualities but is gentle enough for sensitive skin. It helps to draw oil and impurities out of the skin.

mustard seed gently stimulates while soothing achy muscles. Constricts and opens pores; tones skin.

 
lavender Lavender has so many amazing properties. It's calming, antiseptic, antibacterial and has been know to help treat acne, scarring, winkles, burns, sunburns, eczema and psoriasis.

Epsom salt detoxifies and helps rid the skin of impurities

20-30 undisturbed minutes soaking priceless! start to finish, this will take you only 25-35 minutes, is cheap and indulgent... so get going :)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Green Skin Care Blog brings simple spa delights to your home monthly with Fresh From Your Kitchen: DIY skin care recipes & mini spa treatments you can create at home with a trip to the grocer or health food store. Direct from the formulator of The Grapeseed Company's personal stash of fresh beauty creations and concoctions!

my urban garden

As those who've read this blog for a while know, I'm pretty passionate about living green and being creative. Three years ago we bought a cosmetic "fixer-upper" in downtown Santa Barbara and have been working to harmonize green and city living in our own DIY, creative style (on a major budget!).... It's all about maximizing your space and making every inch usable space. I'm excited we've found a nice balance of growing food, trees and flowers in our tiny backyard that both feeds our family and please the senses. Living green doesn't take acres of land,  just mindful and creative uses of the space you have. Here's a few of our current favorites...

top left: greens, greens and more greens, please! Spinach, chard, various lettuces and micro greens make up this 10x5 foot raised bed garden and provide salads nightly in our home.
top right: climbing pink jasmine is scattered next to pink mini daisies. Jasmine is a beautiful, fragrant bloom that will continue to grow and weave through the lattice to provide privacy from our neighbors!
bottom right: Our "dwarf citrus grove"! A sweet Meyer lemon tree is thriving in an old syrah barrel. Behind it is a dwarf orange that consistently provides fruit.
bottom left: I grow lavender anywhere we have an open pocket, or empty wine barrel. We use it in our wine bar organic soaps. Our tiny yard can't provide enough for all of The Grapeseed Co.'s needs, but it's fun to grow some of our own lavender.
Have you created an urban garden? I'd love to see it and hear about your creative uses of space!

Do you speak INCI? How to Read a Cosmetic Label

Do you speak INCI?

If you studied Latin...maybe.

If you work in the field of cosmetics, maybe.

I took 2 years of Latin and have worked in the cosmetics field for close to a decade, but I'm far from being able to "speak" INCI (nor do I  know of any peers who can actually pronounce it fluently!) I use it daily in my work, and sure do know vitis vinifera (grapeseed) by heart, but I rely on other means like Milady's Skin Care and Cosmetics Ingredient Dictionary when it comes to speaking, pronouncing, and spelling INCI.

INCI is the language of cosmetics; it's actually an acronym that stands for International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients. A few years back The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics came out with the slogan, "if you can't pronounce it, don't use it" at Expo West, the biggest natural trade show in the USA. I remember seeing their banner on the trade show floor after attending their meeting the day before and thinking... huh?!? They were telling people not to use products that follow Federal Labeling Laws.

This was mind boggling to those of us that work in the field because FDA cosmetic labeling guidelines state that every personal care product needs to be labeled by it's cosmetic INCI name. I'm not sure why this lobbying group would so blatantly advise against following federal law, but they instantly lost any credibility gained during their meeting when I saw that banner.  Anyhoo, one thing that did for sure was confuse a lot of people in the land of comprehending cosmetics labels in a time when green products were rapidly gaining popularity and becoming mainstream. Every ingredient, even if it's certified organic, 100% natural, needs to be labeled using INCI names.

Cosmetic companies are not trying to confuse you or make things fancy-shmancy, they are following the law by using INCI names. INCI's purpose is to identify what's in the ingredient deck whether you are looking at a product from Germany or Mexico. To comply with the law and help the common consumer's understanding, many cosmetics manufacturers label their products by both the INCI and common name, like we do at The Grapeseed Co. Let's take a look at one of our most basic ingredient deck labels (it contains just two 100% natural ingredients) and point out what's important to understand when trying to read a cosmetics label!

(this is as big as I could format the label to fit in the post. To see the examples up close, you can click on the label to enlarge rather than pull out your magnifying glass!)

How to Read Personal Care Labels
#1 When trying to figure out what the heck is in your product, look for what's in the (parenthesis) in the ingredients. This is usually the common name you know the ingredient by.

#2 If you are concerned with certain ingredients, pay attention to where they fall in the ingredient listing. Ingredients need to be listed by concentration in the formula, so something that is one of the last few ingredients is most likely under 1% of the entire formulation. *The label above is an exception to this statement- if there are just a few ingredients in the formula (this only has 2) then the last ingredient is probably over 1%. You can read more about the FDAs requirements for how manufacturers must list ingredients here.

#3 Look at the open container symbol. This will tell you how long the product is fresh after opening.

#4 If you are concerned where your product is coming from, look at the manufacturer and distributor info. Is your face cream manufactured by the company that sells it? If it says "distributed by" this means the company does not manufacture the product, someone else does, and the company that sells it is therefore the distributor.

I hope this simplifies things when you are trying to decode what's in your face wash. Just remember, reading cosmetics labels isn't rocket science, it's just knowing what to look for. What other questions do you have about cosmetics labels?

study links grapes to preventing sun damaged skin

I've written many times before about all of the amazing beauty benefits of grapes and grapeseeds. Recently, I've been reasearching more claims about the antioxidant rich fruit, including that it is a beneficial ingredient sun care and after sun products. The naturally occurring antioxidants in grapes may aid in preventing long term sun damage.


CosmeticDesign.com reported today on a study published in The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry on this very subject... check out what the team of scientists in Spain found out about the flavanoids in grapes and how the reduce damage in long term UVA and UVB exposed skin here.

read more on the benefits of grapes here:
Grapeseeds are an Anitoxidant Powerhouse
Grapeseed Benefits: The Quality of a Byproduct
Benefits of Red Wine for the Skin

the grapeseed glow: a spa quality organic facial for $16!

custom vinotherapy mask sampler $16

I would love to go to the spa for a facial monthly... however, reality is I do not have the time (or money) for this relaxing indulgence :) No worries, I do have the time and budget to get the same glowing results on my skin at home, using The Grapeseed Co. custom vinotherapy masks. These amazing masks are anti-aging facial mask and exfoliant treatments wrapped in one. Just mix and apply the mask following the instructions for your skin type, using a liquid mixer you will be able to find in your own kitchen (like organic milk, water or green tea.) Kick back and relax with a good book, magazine or closed lids for 15-20 minutes. When you are ready to rinse the mask, wet your hands with warm water and gently rub into your skin, working from the neck up in gentle, circular motions. Rinse. The grapeseeds, clays and other botanicals will buff & finish your facial treatment by exfoliating dead skin cells, renewing the surface of your skin. Apply your favorite moisturizer after like rose & grape serum or 100% pure lavender infused grapeseed oil and discover your grapeseed glow!

coco cabernet custom vinotherapy mask to-go box $20

The custom vinotherapy masks are available in coco cabernet, vineyard rose, or a create your own custom mask. All contain 100% natural ingredients and are made with certified organic botanicals and local Santa Barbara grapeseeds, rich in resveratrol- a potent anti~aging antioxidant. Check out our custom vinotherapy mask starter kit for just $16 to do this treatment at home. We also offer a cute to-go mask box that makes a perfect gift, and a large 16oz size for regular treatments. Our custom vinotherapy masks have been written up in The LA Times and are used at some of the most exclusive spas around the globe!

Create your own Custom Vinotherapy Mask 16oz $46

Order any of our Custom Vinotherapy Masks now through the end of July and receive 3 free samples of our facial moisturizers for use after your treatment!
enter code: vinofacial at checkout
valid through July 31, 2011

cheers & enjoy!

earthday giveaway winners!

Congratulations to Diana and Stephanie, our Earth Day Organic Skin Care Starter Set Giveaway winners! They shared the little changes they plan on making to become more green this year...
winner #1 
Instead of using plastic bags to store vegetables in make ones out of muslin or old tee shirts. ~Diana shared on www.greenskincareblog.com        
winner #2 
I plan on using glass more and buying in bulk more for less packaging waste. I send my daughters lunch in glass containers now instead of plastic or throwaways. She also has a cloth napkin and a reusable water bottle. It's fun finding ways to help the earth!!!! ~Stephanie shared on www.facebook.com/TheGrapeseedCompany

Congratulations ladies! Please email: orders (at) thegrapeseedcompany.com with your shipping address and we'll send them out ASAP.

Happy Earth Day EVERYDAY!

eco-friendly refill love program for Santa Barbara!

Introducing our new locals only: refill love program! Purchase a beautiful cobalt glass bottle (with the topper of your choice: pump, flip cap or spray) and we'll fill any of our products in it for 15% off the retail price, every time you refill it! This is a pretty kickin' deal, because you can pick up the 4oz bottle for just $2.50 and the 8oz for $3.50, and you can use them at the scent bar!

We love our Santa Barbara community. We love how eco-conscious, thoughtful and caring you are too! Since we've opened the store, many loyal customers have questioned why we don't package more products in glass, like we do with some of the products in our facial line. We use PET recyclable plastic for our bath & body packaging for many reasons, but here's the main one: large glass bottles  are heavy, and prone to breaking in shipment...($$$) Since we grew to where we are today as a wholesale and online retail business, this does not work for the majority of our customers.

We also don't recommend refilling your plastic bottles for contamination reasons. Glass bottles are perfect to refill because you can easily sanitize them before bringing them in. Run them through your dishwasher or sanitize in a pot of boiling water.

We love ya SB! Oh, and we have a whole table of 15% off Valentine's gift sets at the store too this weekend...

fresh from your kitchen: breathe relief rub

I don't know about you, but I always get sick when I finally get time off. I may have overbooked a bit the last few months of 2010. Being new to the whole retail scene during the holiday season, I knew traveling to visit family in Boston was out of the question this year with our new store... so I had the brilliant idea to host both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Our families were up for it and traveled from the East coast to be with us in Santa Barbara, which was wonderful. What was not so wonderful was the killer cold that set in the first minute I sat down, stopped working and relaxed. I collapsed on the couch, sinus pressure set in followed by the usual suspects: a hacking cough, mild fever, congestion and overall feeling like crap. Luckily, my husband ran down to The Grapeseed Co. store and grabbed some essential oils for me to work some cold relief magic with. I whipped up my standby cold care steam recipe I've shared with you before, and made a batch of my special breathe relief rub to kick that cold to the curb.

Breathe Relief Rub

Remember that petroleum based Vick's Vapo Rub mom rubbed on your chest as a kid? I make a natural version with 3 simple ingredients:
2 oz 100% pure grapeseed oil (our travel size bottle is perfect to mix essential oils in and easily fits in a bag or purse to take with you and reapply as necessary)
15 drops eucalyptus EO
10 drops peppermint EO

 

directions:

Unscrew the lid to your travel grapeseed oil bottle. Carefully add the essential oils.
Cap the bottle and shake vigorously.
Apply as needed to your chest and breathe deep.

how it works:

Grapeseed oil is a perfect choice for all skin types and absorbs quickly into the skin, carrying the essential oil (EO) mixture with it. Eucalyptus and peppermint oils are known to help clear the respiratory system and ease breathing.

All ingredients are available by clicking on the links in the recipe above.  My resolution in 2011 is to slow down a bit, rest more and take better care of myself so I don't get sick! 

Stay healthy :)

fresh from your kitchen: coco~banana deep conditioner

This moisturizing, nourishing pre-shampoo deep conditioning hair treatment is great for dry, damaged hair. I try to do it every couple of weeks to combat the salt and sun my hair is exposed to by surfing.

coco~banana 
deep conditioner

1/2 a ripe banana
1/4-1/3 cup coconut oil
(depending on hair length- go 1/3c if your hair is super long & thick)
1T shea butter
12-20 drops Essential Oil (EO) or scent of your choice

Essential Oil Recommendations
Rosemary EO:
clarifying
Lemon EO:
brightening for blonds
Lavender & Geranium EOs:
moisturizing
or 
just give it a tropical, yummy scent with phthalate free coconut creme fragrance oil

Directions:
Mash the banana or puree in a blender or food processor.
Gently melt the coconut oil in the microwave in 45 sec bursts. When it's almost all liquid, remove and stir in the shea butter.
Add to pureed banana and whip.
Let cool for 10-15 min before applying to dry hair.
When mixture is warm to touch but still liquid, apply to your hair from scalp to ends of strands.
Wrap hair in shower cap or plastic wrap for up to 20 min.
Wash and rinse thoroughly.
Enjoy!

Green Skin Care Blog brings simple spa delights to your home with Fresh From Your Kitchen: DIY skin care recipes & treatments you can create with a trip to the grocer or health food store. Direct from the creator of The Grapeseed Company's personal stash of fresh beauty creations and concoctions.  

green DIY project: new life for lamp shades

As I've mentioned, we're in the process of opening the first Grapeseed Company store in downtown Santa Barbara! My sister-in-law, Maria, came out to visit this past weekend from and help out. Maria has the amazing (and rare) background of being an engineer with an MBA who is super creative, loves craft projects and to top it off, is a mom of 4. She was full of great ideas and helpful advice with setting up the store.

I needed to do something about the three cool chandeliers with gross, old stained lampshades hanging above our heads. I priced out replacing the shades and that was a bit too expensive for the custom size, so we sought out alternative options! I managed to save some major $green$ with this simple DIY project by recovering the 12 old shades on the funky chandeliers. We brainstormed ideas for little girl birthday, bachelorette and other parties and classes that will start up this September while doing this fun, easy project. I love they results, and you can't beat the price...supply cost was only $25!!

side note: I own the items below with *, it will cost a bit more if you need to pick up the rotary cutter supplies.

you'll need:
~decorative paper, rice paper or some pretty handmade paper (try a craft or fine paper store)
~rotary cutter*, board* and large ruler*
~scissors*
~measuring tape*
~spray adhesive
~tacky glue
~ribbon or some type of edging material (we used raffia)
~old lampshade(s)

directions:
First, we removed the stained rippled sheer overlay fabric, stripping the shade down to liner and frame.

Then we measured the width and circumference of the shades and cut 12 pieces of paper to the exact shad size. Then, we lightly spayed sections of the shade frame with spray adhesive, and laid paper down in small sections, trying to prevent wrinkles. Luckily I chose a pattern that worked well with a few wrinkles since this was our first attempt at this project!

Next, we applied raffia edging with tacky glue to the bottom and top of the shade to give it a finished, natural look.

After the shades were dry, I hopped on a ladder and popped the new shades into place! I love how they tie together with the wood floor refinish and the bamboo display wall while giving a pop of color.

We're just getting started with the displays, which is the fun part! More pics of the store are coming soon, Join us on twitter @grapeseedco or facebook/thegrapeseedcompany to follow updates. We're gearing up to open our doors... our Grand Opening party will be Sat. 8/28/10 at 201 West Carrillo Street in downtown Santa Barbara. Hope to see you there!

how to look fab on little shut eye

In an ideal world, we'd all be logging 8 blissful hours in la-la land every night. In the real world, we're students, travelers, parents, entrepreneurs, business men and women, friends, family and oh so much more. Sometimes these things prevent that ideal, uninterrupted pillow time we only dream about! Here are five quick tips to fake it 'til ya make it... 
and best wishes for a long and restful night sleep; that combined with these tips will make you look smokin'! 
cheers,

1. melt the bags!
Keep 2 spoons in your freezer. Lie down. Place 1 spoon, cup side down, on each eye and relax for a few minutes. This will help reduce puffiness.

2. eye cream. the savior product for anyone 30+
I just turned 34 a few weeks ago. I spent age 32-34 developing and launching our Vine Eyes anti-aging eye cream with eyebright. The unscented, 80% organic formula is rich in antioxidants that plump and smooth the delicate skin around your eyes. Nourish, then conceal (see #3).

3. hey dracula, my circles got yours- hands down!
The dreaded dark circles. The #1 complaint both men and women had for issues around their eyes when we surveyed on our facebook page and twitter a few months back. I have discovered the miracle cure ladies and gents, it's a yellow toned mineral makeup/concealer. Yes I said gents. Blended correctly, you too can pull it off. Most mineral makeup companies make one, my favorite is Bare Minerals Well-Rested. The key is the yellow tone neutralizes the bluish purple and the proper application brush. Blend gently, blend well.

4. a brush o'bronze
Yep, the sun-kissed glow perks up your tired, sallow, "my baby was screaming all night and we're ferbering" look all my friends have been talking about. Get a quality mineral based bronzer and brush all over your complexion for an instant perk me up. Guys, what I said in #3 applies here too many brands make a matte version, no shine or makeup-y glow. (side note: I really can't believe I'm suggesting man makeup, but desperate times call for desperate measures)

5. coffee
How could I leave out the obvious essential?

Every Day is Earth Day Give-Away!

 

Earth Day was founded by Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson on April 22, 1970. This year, we will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22. In honor of this day of eco-awareness, we are hosting a special contest to compile a list of simple things you do to tread lighter on our planet.

One randomly selected contributor will win a boatload of Grapeseed Co. skin care goodies worth over $75! One lucky duck will win everything needed to green your daily skin care routine, pictured below:

 grapeseed organic skin care starter set

 vinotherapy body lotion

wine bar organic soap

All you need to do to enter is leave your earth friendly tip (it can be as simple as bringing your own mug to your local coffee house) in the comments section here at our blog or on The Grapeseed Co. Facebook Page and either subscribe to GreenSkincareBlog.com, or become a Facebook fan.

On April 24th, we will compile your responses, randomly select a winner and publish the list of reader tips at GreenSkincareBlog.com along with announcing the lucky winner.
In a way, we all win by sharing and learning great eco-living tips from each other!

Tell us...
what is your simple earth friendly tip?

what? you don't use soap?!

Take a close look at the packaging of your 
favorite commercial brand soap. 

 Do you see the word SOAP anywhere on it?

Or, is it called a beauty bar, cleansing bar, or body bar?

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but that's because you are not using soap! You are using a synthetically formulated detergent to clean your skin. If the manufacturer is following correct FDA labeling, these products cannot legally be called SOAP.

True soap is created through the saponification process which involves combining oils (fats) with alkali (salt) to create a binding chemical reaction that forms a humectant, glycerin. Glycerin is worth more pound for pound than actual soap, and prized for hydrating results in lotions, creams and moisturizing treatments. Many commercial manufacturers often remove the glycerin from their formulations and sell it. They replace it with synthetic lathering ingredients, call it something catchy like a "beauty bar" and there you go... technically, it's no longer soap, but you can pick up 3 bars for $1.99.

If you want a true quality soap, you need to learn to read the ingredients label, just like you do on your cereal box! 

The cold process method produces premium quality soaps, but takes the longest. This is the method we use at The Grapeseed Co. to create our wine bar organic soaps. All of the glycerin is retained in our formulations which is why many comment that their sensitive skin does not feel tight or dry after using Grapeseed Co. soaps. The best quality cold process soaps use organic vegetable oils and need to dry (or "cure" in soap terms) for up to 1 month before they can be sold for use. There are 2 other soap making processes: hot process, which is like a speedy version of cold process, by adding heat to the formulation to get things moving. And melt and pour which is popular with crafty types and kids; think of those soap making kits you see at Michael's. As my mom would say, it's like making a birthday cake with a mix rather than from scratch.

here's a peek at how our handmade cold process soap is formed

syrah wine bars curing in molds after being poured and swirled

syrah and chardonnay organic soaps after being cut