N.B.: You can even use their tea bags on your closed eyes while you soak in their bath salts, you can place one in your tub, or you can have a lovely cup of tea!
About La Parea,
La Parea Wellness is the creation of Samanta Moise a mother of four, award-winning children’s book author, and nurse on a mission to create natural, clean wellness products. Born and raised in Ecuador, Moise combines ancestral ingredients and traditions into soothing solutions for showing your body the love.
According to La Parea,
Bring the calming scents of a day on the beach right into your home. Made with all natural Himalayan pink salt, Celtic sea salt, magnesium flakes, Epsom salt, and essential oils these salts with put your mind and body at ease. NO MESSY CLEAN UP! Our bath salts come with dried flower petals inside tea bags that can be added directly into your tub. All of the benefits without the hassle of cleaning up after. Don't have a tub, our salts can be used for feet and hand soaks also.
Directions: Simply fill up a bucket with warm water and throw in your desired amount of salts. We use 100% organic dried flowers in all of our teabags so they can also be added to a cup of tea or placed over your eyelids for a true spa experience.
Overall Assessment: I am so happy with La Parea Ocean Breeze Herbal Bath Salt Soak With Calendula Petals that I can hardly wait to try more of their products!
This holiday season, if you are looking to find a special gift for someone who has just about everything, then consider giving the gift of relaxation with the new Soothe Calm. Cleanse. Cure. Holiday Gift Set featuring Sootherapy Healing Bath Salts plus a Massage Gift Card available now on Soothe.com and Amazon.
According to Soothe,
The 3-pack of Sootherapy Healing Bath Salts, also sold as a stand-alone gift (retail $30 at soothe.com), contains all-natural, non-GMO, tropical ingredients such as: exotic Moloka’i & ‘Alaea salts, taro, noni, ginger, raw cane sugar, organic coconut oil and coconut milk. They smell incredible, and leave skin feeling soft, hydrated and nourished! The gift card available in the set, will be valued for a 60 minute massage that can be used in any of the 60+ U.S. markets Soothe serves. Soothe, the world’s leading on-demand massage service, delivers a licensed, insured massage therapist to your home, office, or hotel, within 60 minutes. It is now available in 70 markets across 4 countries.
The types of massages from which to choose:
Here is how it works:
1) Soothe helps you book a five-star massage to your home, hotel, office, or event in as little as an hour. We match your massage request with a vetted, certified massage therapist available in your area at the specified time. At your appointment time, a therapist will arrive at your door with massage table, fresh linens, lotions, oils, and music to ensure a relaxing massage. All you have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy your massage.
2) Soothe connects you with therapists who offer deep tissue, Swedish, sports, and prenatal massage. Any of these modalities can be performed as a couples massage, either with two massage therapists performing simultaneous massage or one therapists performing massage one after another. The therapists also offer chair and table massage delivered to your office or event with Soothe at Work and Soothe Events.
3) Soothe will match you with the highest quality massage therapist available at the time specified. You have the option to choose a male or female therapist if you have a preference, but are not able to select the exact therapist that you’d like.
4) Soothe is very careful about the massage therapists we select to join the Soothe network, "We vet each therapist to make sure they are fully licensed or certified in their practice area. We also verify they are insured by a reputable firm that is well known in the industry. We accept only the highest quality therapists, with only about 1/3 of applicants being accepted on to the Soothe network."
In most states the process to become a certified massage therapist (CMT) requires applicants to successfully pass a background check conducted by a state investigator before being deemed safe to work with the public. All massage therapists on the Soothe platform have passed these government-sponsored certification measures. In order to become a CMT, a therapist must also complete a minimum of 500 hours of practical training, but some states require as much as 1,000 hours.
All of the massage therapists have the highest level of integrity and professionalism. In return, we expect all clients to reciprocate the same level of respect and conduct. (In Canada, all of the therapists are experienced professionals; however, not all are RMTs). For more frequently asked questions, visit Soothe.com
Overall Assessment: This is a great gift idea for that person on your list who has everything!
In honor of both Earth Month and Mother's Day, I thought that I would share some perfect body care picks to honor our mothers and mother earth! Kneipp has a wide range of wonderful skincare products from which to choose, and I have a nice selection to share with you.
Kneipp Aromatherapy Relaxing Lavender Bubble Bath ($15.00 for 13.52 oz. from Kneipp): Treat yourself, or your mom, to utter luxury and relaxation with the Kneipp Relaxing Lavender Bubble Bath. The natural essential lavender oil calms the senses and quits the mind, and it encourages a restful night of sleep.
According to Kneipp,
The Kneipp Lavender Aromatherapy Bubble Bath Relaxing with essential oil of lavender harmonizes and can help bring your mind and body back into balance. Experience the relaxing activity on body and mind by soaking in a warm bath for 15 to 20 minutes. The lavender bubble bath fills the tub with beautiful shades of blue and lavender like a calm ocean. Along with the beneficial ingredients, the color of the bath water can play a part in calming one's mood through the use of color therapy. By combining the finest ingredients with rich, calming hues, Kneipp strives to deliver your best bathing experience.
Kneipp Aromatherapy May Chang & Mint Enjoy Life Bubble Bath ($15.00 for 13.52 oz. from Kneipp): The May Chang & Mint aroma is an uplifting and relaxing fusion of lemon and mint that is an absolute delight to the senses. The nourishing oils hydrate the skin leaving it soft, smooth and supple.
According to Kneipp,
Enjoy the beauty of life with the activating Kneipp May Chang & Mint Aromatherapy Bubble Bath Enjoy Life. Natural essential oils of May Chang and mint release a fresh, sunny fragrance which recreates the ease of a cloudless summer day. Natural nourishing oil protects the skin from drying out.
Kneipp Pure Bliss Red Poppy & Hemp Bath Salts ($20.00 for 17.63 oz. from Kneipp, SkinCare RX and Beauty Expert): These beautiful bath salts relax the mind and body allowing stress to melt away– creating a pronounced sense of wellbeing. The natural oils hydrate the skin, and the lovely earthy aroma smells heavenly.
According to Kneipp,
Have the “Monday Blues”? In need of a mental detox? Soak for 15-20 minutes in the intoxicating aroma of Red Poppy and Hemp essential oils. Known traditionally as a mental sedative, Red Poppy, in this unique combination with relaxing Hemp, takes the edge off a stressful day letting your mind float off to a serene, dream-like place. Also perfect for a romantic night in! Our mineral salt is sourced from an ancient underground salt water sea in central Germany that is the last remaining salt works in Europe using traditional pan boiling methods. This method reveals unique salt crystals free from chemical additives and environmental pollutants. Naturally very high in trace minerals such as Magnesium, Calcium and Zinc, which are absorbed by the body while soaking in your tub. A salt bath is the perfect remedy to detoxify the body and exfoliate the skin.
Directions: For a full bath, fill the cap 3/4 full with bath crystals, add them to warm bath water (approx. 97-100°F / 36-38°C) and dissolve them completely. Soak for 15-20 minutes.
Ingredients: Sodium Chloride, Papaver Orientale (Poppy) Seed Oil, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Olibanum, Limonene, Geraniol, Parfum (Fragrance), Polysorbate 20, Ci 14700 (Red 4), Ci 42090 (Blue 1).
Kneipp Mineral Bath Salt Eucalyptus and Red Poppy & Hemp Packets (Shown below. $4.00 each for 2.11 oz. from Kneipp): If you feel a hold coming on, then these exhilarating Eucalyptus Bath Salts are the perfect remedy. They open up the sinuses, and are likewise perfect for seasonal allergy sufferers as a result.
According to Kneipp,
Do you have the “I think I’m getting sick feeling”? Already under the weather? Sneezing or congested? Soak for 15-20 minutes in the ultimate feel-better-bath with Eucalyptus essential oil. This well-being wonder provides soothing relief from those pesky seasonal symptoms and helps boost your well-being to steer clear of the typical cold weather discomforts. Beneficial during allergy season. Our mineral salt is sourced from an ancient underground salt water sea in central Germany that is the last remaining salt works in Europe using traditional pan boiling methods. This method reveals unique salt crystals free from chemical additives and environmental pollutants. Naturally very high in trace minerals such as Magnesium, Calcium and Zinc, which are absorbed by the body while soaking in your tub. A salt bath is the perfect remedy to detoxify the body and exfoliate the skin.
Directions: For a full bath, add the entire contents bath crystals sachet to warm bath water (approx.97-100°F / 36-38°C) and dissolve them completely. Soak for 15-20 minutes.
The beneficial, warming and invigorating Kneipp Arnica Bath Oil Joint & Muscle contains valuable arnica extract and natural essential oils of cabreuva, rosemary and pine species. Experience a moment of wellness and relief when feeling sore after a workout or in need of some comfort from sore muscles.
Directions: Pour bath oil into warm bath under running water.
Kneipp Relaxing Lavender Body Wash ($6.00 for 2.53 oz. from Kneipp and SkinCare RX): With natural lavender oil, the soap-free and pH balanced formula cleanses gently and leaves skin soft, supple and hydrated. The lavender scent calms the mind, and it fills the shower with its lovely aroma.
According to Kneipp,
Lather yourself in nature. Known as the ultimate 'relax time', the clean scent of aromatic Lavender essential oil helps balance body and mind while bringing you back to a state of equilibrium. This soap-free and pH-balanced formula gently cleanses, leaving skin soft and supple. Breathe in...gently cleanse and naturally deodorize while plant essential oils enhance body and mind. Unwind your mind and relax your senses with our aromatherapeutic Body Washes, designed to gently foam, soothe the skin and create a calm, de-stressed experience.
Velvety hands in seconds. The nourishing, plant-based formula of the Kneipp Lemon Verbena & Avocado Butter Hand Cream Soft In Seconds with valuable avocado butter, jojoba oil and lemon verbena makes the hands noticeably soft and supple. Yes, this product is vegan which means it doesn't contain any components of animal origin. There are also no paraffin, silicone or mineral oils included.
Kneipp Restoring Safflower & Olive Body Oil ($23.00 for 3.38 oz. from Kneipp): This is an ultra rich, and yet exceedingly lightweight and fast absorbing body oil that leaves skin deeply moisturized, indescribably soft, supple and luminous. It has a very pleasant faint aroma with the slightest citrus notes.
According to Kneipp, The Kneipp Safflower & Olive Body Oil Restoring is an intensively regenerating special care product for the skin. Valuable oils from safflowers seeds, olives, sunflowers and grapefruits provide abundant nourishment to mature as well as dry and stressed skin. Valuable grapefruit oil can help the skin to regenerate and renew itself naturally. Safflower oil and olive oil from organic cultivation are rich in unsaturated fatty acids. They protect the skin from moisture loss and provide it with essential nutrients which make it silky smooth. This extremely rich, yet non-greasy Safflower and Olive Body Oil contains powerful oils designed to prevent and minimize stretchmarks.
Kneipp Arnica Joint & Muscle Intensive Cream ($22.00 for 3.52 oz. from Kneipp andSkinCare RX): If you seek relief for post workout aches and pains, or have acing joints and muscles, then this Arnica-based cream will definitely help ease your discomfort. It is a lighteweight cream that sinks in immediately, and it leaves behind no greasy residue.
According to Kneipp,
After a long workout, soothe your tired and tight muscles and swollen legs and feet with this quick absorbing cooling gel from Kneipp. It’s a fast refresher that’s formulated with ingredients known for its cooling and penetrating effects, helping to leave the body feeling refreshed and revitalized. Suffering from aching joints? Stiffness? Overworked muscles? Target painful areas with the soothing powers of this miracle mountain daisy.- the ultimate medicine cabinet must-have! Extracts of the Arnica flower have been used for centuries as nature’s answer for sprains, bruises and wounds. This pampering botanical formula can be used with massage to help revitalize, reduce bruising and swelling and soothe tired, sore muscles.
Directions: Apply liberally to affected areas and massage gently with upward strokes. Use daily as needed. Not recommended for children under 12.
Overall Assessment: Whether you are looking for gifts to honor your mom, or mother earth, Kneipp has a wonderful selection from which to choose. I love to use their products before I go to sleep since their aromatherapeutic properties ensure that I will sleep peacefully and deeply.
Farmhouse Fresh is such a wonderful company, and I am thoroughly impressed by all of their products that I have tried. Each of their beautiful handcrafted face and body products is a treat to the skin and the senses, and they are perfect gifts for even the most difficult to shop for people in your holiday list.
About Farmhouse Fresh,
At FarmHouse Fresh, you'll find skincare products crafted around delicious food and drinks, all made in Texas using up to 99.6% natural and naturally derived ingredients, and chock full of fruits, vegetables, milks, and more from U.S. farms. Each product is hand assembled and packaged with a touch of country humor. Whimsical. Nostalgic. Giftable to even your finickiest friends.
Everything we make is Paraben & Sulfate FREE and our fragrances are all natural or phthalate free. Many of our products are also Vegan and Gluten Free. Click here to read more. We LOVE crafting complex and scrumptious fragrances, but we also offer a range of products made with only essential oils if that is your preference!
Here are a few of my most recent discoveries from Farmhouse Fresh:
Farmhouse Fresh Peat Perfection Enriched Peat Purification Mask ($30.00 for 3.25 oz. from Farmhouse Fresh and SkinStore): This is not your typical mud mask, but instead a very gentle and calming mask that soothes sensitive, irritated skin while balancing oils. I noted that my skin was soothes, brightened and silky smooth and soft after use. Additionally, it does a wonderful job clearing clogged pores without stripping my skin. It is fragrance-free, has a thick mud texture, and takes about 8-10 minutes to completely dry down on my skin. As it dries, it does not feel uncomfortable on the skin, and therefore one can leave it on for much longer than 10 minutes, if desired. To remove, I use a warm, fluffy wash cloth, and then rinse my face with warm water.
According to Farmhouse Fresh,
Irritated skin? Take a deep drink of vital nutrients with this calming peat vegetative mask, just featured in Dr. Oz The Good Life magazine to "Calm Bah-Humbug Skin". Dermatologist-tested, age-old peat mud, flush with organic bionutrients which developed over thousands of years from plants and minerals, rapidly relieves and instantly soothes skin irritations. Plus, Kaolin clay helps balance oils and pull impurities away, making pores look smaller. You'll love the cool, moist afterfeel! Beneficial fatty acids from safflower oil help protect skin's barrier function, while Panthenol pulls in and locks in hydration. A host of antioxidants and anti-irritants are included, like locally grown coldpressed organic cucumber extract and skin-soothing Allantoin. This mask is gentle enough to use daily. One 3 oz. jar contains 14-16 uses.
95% natural, and like all FarmHouse Fresh Products, Peat Perfection is Paraben & Sulfate free.
Farmhouse Fresh Quick Recovery 3 piece Face Mask Sampler ($22.00 for Three 1-ounce jars from Farmhouse Fresh and SkinStore): This face mask gift set is the perfect way to familiarize yourself with Farmhouse Fresh masks, and it is a perfect stocking stuffer or hostess gift. It features their Guac Star Avocado Mask, Splendid Dirt Organic Pumpkin Mud Mask and Pudding Apeel Tapioca Glycolic Mask– each of which address different skin concerns.
Guac Star Avocado Mask is a green clay mud mask that calms, soothes, hydrates and lightly plumps the skin. It creates a slightly cooling effect on the skin, and it is refreshing– rather than irritating to sensitive skin. It has a pleasant sweet smell, but it doesn't smell like avocados.
Splendid Dirt Organic Pumpkin Mud Mask is a delectable smelling mask that reminds me of pumpkin pie! This is a highly effective exfoliating mask that lifts and dissolves dead skin cells to reveal radiant skin. There is a slight tingling sensation, and while it does not bother my sometimes sensitive skin, it should be patch tested in a discreet area of the face if you have very sensitive skin.
Pudding Apeel Tapioca Glycolic Mask looks and smells like Tapioca Pudding, but I definitely would not recommend tasting it! This glycolic mask is remarkably effective in its ability to exfoliate dead skin cells to reveal soft, smooth and supple skin. If you are sensitive to Glycolic Acid, then you might find this too active for you, but it really does a remarkable job removing dead skin cells!
According to Farmhouse Fresh,
Our favorite fresh face masks have come together in the ultimate face-rejuvenation travel trio! This kit comes ready to hydrate with Guac Star Avocado Mask, boost radiance with Splendid Dirt Organic Pumpkin Mud Mask, and exfoliate to smooth perfection with Pudding Apeel Tapioca Glycolic Mask. 97-99% natural, and like all FarmHouse Fresh products, this face mask sampler kit is Paraben- and Sulfate- free.
Farmhouse Fresh Rosemary-Mint Gourmet Mineral Bath Soak ($23.00 for 16 oz. from Farmhouse Fresh): Who among us couldn't use a good soak during the stressful holiday season?! This invigorating soak, with its Rosemary and Mint oils, awakens and soothes the skin and senses, and it lets all of your tensions melt away. This is a perfect hostess gift!
According to Farmhouse Fresh,
Sore muscles are in for a sumptuous bathing soak! Our custom blend includes Atlantic Ceara, Pink Himalayan and Epsom salts, scented with natural rosemary and mint oils, and mixed with a rich array of organic teas and flowers like organic green tea, marigold blossoms, rosebuds and more. Mineral-rich salts bring a weightless feel to bathwater, easing tensions. Each bag contains one full pound of relaxing enjoyment! Like all FarmHouse Fresh products, our mineral bath soak blends are Paraben & Sulfate free.
Coconut Beach Hydrating Lip Balm: This ultra-hydrating lip balm has a delectable creamy coconut smell that is utterly delightful! It leaves lips hydrated, soft, supple and mistletoe ready!
According to Farmhouse Fresh,
Coconut fans- your chapped lips are in for a restorative and hydrating treat with our NEW decadent Coconut Beach Lip Balm. Ridiculously rich, scrumptiously creamy -- this long-wear formula lasts and lasts with just one application. Made with jojoba oil and Shea butters to promote healing and hydration.
Whoopie! Cream Hydrating Lip Balm: This is a very hydrating lip balm that has a warm-sweet fruity smell that smells edible! It leaves even the most chapped lips soft and smooth.
According to Farmhouse Fresh,
Whoopie! Cream fans- your chapped lips are in for a restorative and hydrating treat with our NEW decadent Whoopie! Cream Lip Balm. Ridiculously rich, scrumptiously creamy -- this long-wear formula lasts and lasts with just one application. Made with jojoba oil and Shea butters to promote healing and hydration.
96% natural, and like all FarmHouse Fresh Products, Whoopie! Cream Lip Balm is Paraben & Sulfate free.
Overall Assessment: If you are looking to try a phenomenal healthy, hand-made skincare and body care line, then Farmhouse Fresh is definitely worthy of your consideration! Their products make wonderful gifts that your friends and family are sure to love!
African Botanics Kalahari Desert De-Tox Bath Salts are far and away the most amazing bath salts that I have ever tried. As is always the case, the innovative and visionary thinking at African Botanics results in the creation of products for which there is no precedent in the marketplace. This extraordinary company, and its founders Craig and Julia Noik, continually create ultra-luxe healthy skincare and wellness products that boast astounding efficacy, luxurious textures, otherworldly aromas, and sustainably resourced ingredients of the very highest quality.
African Botanics Kalahari Desert De-Tox Bath Salts nearly defy description in that they feel and smell unlike any bath salts that I have ever experienced. The mineral-rich salt is sourced from the Kalahari Desert, that stretches across Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, and it is responsibly harvested from an ancient underground dry lake. They are infused with a unique aromatic blend of botanicals from The Cape Floristic Region of South Africa, and among their attributes is their exemplary ability to remove toxins and boost circulation. Skin is left soft, smooth, supple, and hydrated– while the spirits are elevated and rejuvenated.
The aroma is a refined fusion of The Cape Floristic Region botanicals, and while the scent is an amalgam of their scents, the top notes are subtly informed by the slightly tangy Juniper Berry with its edges softened by the Cape Rose Geranium Oil, the Lemongrass Oil and the Marula Oil. The aroma is, itself, a complex, delectable, earthy, uplifting and intoxicating mood elevator that delights the senses.
Additionally, the caffeine acts as an effective diuretic that removes excess water-retention and softens the appearance of cellulite while the carefully selected blend of ingredients nourish the skin, relax the muscles and quiet the mind.
According to African Botanics,
This exquisite blend combines pure, mineral-rich salt from the Kalahari desert, sun-dried and harvested from a dry, ancient underground lake once fed by subterranean streams and laid to rest on a saltpan deposit. The magnificent aroma of our unique botanicals sourced from The Cape Floristic Region, located near the southern tip of Africa will help boost circulation and assist with the removal of toxins while drawing out impurities to leave your skin feeling soft and fully regenerated. Formulated to help balance the pH levels, re-mineralize the body, cleanse, aid in relaxation as well as dissolve muscular tension and stress while softening the skin and uplifting the mind.
Key Benefits and Results:
Oxygenating Seaweed is wild-harvested by fishermen from the thriving Kelp forests off the coast of South Africa, rich in iodine, calcium, zinc and copper as well as antioxidants like vitamin C, Seaweed has been traditionally used to help relieve skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema and acne. Together with Caffeine they work to help break down cellulite and combat the build-up of toxins while stabilizing fluid levels in the body. Crushed African Buchu Leaf, known for its antiseptic and diuretic properties, develops a subtle yet sensual and mood-boosting scent.
Directions: Fill your tub with warm water, add a handful of salts (approx 30-50g). Immerse yourself and soak for 15-20 minutes to allow the salts time to absorb into the skin. Without rinsing, wrap yourself in a towel and relax under a warm blanket for 15 min, drink plenty of water to rehydrate and relax. For best results use 2-3 times/week.
I would definitely suggest following the directions, and cannot sufficiently underscore the importance of drinking plenty of water to rehydrate. I also love rubbing the salts on my wet skin before they dissolve because they effectively and gently exfoliate dead skin cells and therefore enable the nourishing ingredients to sink deeper into the layers of the skin.
