Grand Opening on Storenvy

Dahlia Bee Potions and Lotions Online Store

We are pleased to announce the grand opening of our  online store, hosted by Storenvy. Start shopping now to get orders by Christmas.  You can still contact me via email for custom orders.

We are so grateful to the love and support we have been shown up to this point.  You helped us get here!

Product Feature Number 4: Vanilla Moisturizer

Vanilla Moisturizer

Coconut oil, Beeswax, Avocado oil, vanilla beans

It’s no secret how beneficial coconut oil is for our skin.  It’s hydrating, has a natural SPF of 15, and anti-microbial properties.  Combine it with the nourishing and sealing qualities of raw beeswax and you have a perfect powerhouse of a moisturizer.  Avocado oil is rich in vitamins and helps keep the product spreadable in cooler temperatures. Finally, real food-grade vanilla beans give up their fragrance naturally as your skin warms them, creating a lasting yet mild aroma.

Use: If you are used to commercial moisturizers then read this carefully. Dahlia Bee lotions are powerful and effective, meaning that very little goes a VERY long way.  It is best to start with a very small amount and add more as needed.  If there is a lot of grease left behind then you have used too much.  You can wipe excess off with a paper towel, or simply spread the excess around other parts of your body until a comfortable level has been reached.  Below are some “serving” suggestions:

• Hands: A dollop the size of a green pea. Usually no more than a chic pea size is needed for even the driest of hands.

• 
  Face: Half a green pea to start, or dip a clean finger tip in. There will be a little bit of trial and error, since everyone’s skin is different. It’s best to start EXTREMELY SPARINGLY on the face. Most skin types, even “oily” ones, benefit from this moisturizer.

• Body: Think of your body in sections; each leg, each arm, torso.  Start with roughly a quarter sized dollup per section and work up from there.

Remember, you can always add more moisturizer, but it is not so easy to get excess off without wasting it. Many individuals have found that they need to use less and less over time, as their skin starts to protect itself and maintain its elasticity.

Product Feature Number 3: Nourishing Face Wash and Facial Scrub

Nourishing Face Wash

Honey, Coconut oil, Beeswax, Tea Tree Oil, Essential Oils: Bergamot, Litsea, Basil, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Cucumber Seed

Honey has many amazing properties.  One of the least known is how incredibly nourishing it is for our skin.  As the main medium for this product, it works in concert with essential oils and coconut oil to gently cleanse the skin of dirt and foreign oils, all while protecting your skin’s naturally healthy bacteria garden.  Beeswax seals in moisture and adds its own protective nature.  Tea tree oil and other essential oils: basil, eucalyptus, and peppermint add their microbe fighting power to the anti-blemish properties of litsea, and bergamot.  Cucumber seed oil brings it’s own healing nature and makes this wash a great way to fight acne and restore damaged skin.

Note: Some separation is natural. Product may need to be stirred with a clean tool before use.

Use: Wet your hands with warm water and pat lightly over the face.  You want the skin moistened slightly but not wet.  With clean hands or a clean tool, take roughly a quarter sized dollop of cleanser and spread over the face.  Start sparingly when applying, you can always apply more, but can’t take extra off.  The goal is to have a very thin, yet noticeable coating of honey across your skin. Everyone’s skin is a little different, so it may take a little trial and error. Massage in small circles and pay special attention to the “T” zone made by your nose and eyebrows.  Some of the essential oils may be irritating for the eyes, so it is best to avoid getting product in them, though it is generally harmless. After several seconds of massage you can rinse right away with warm water, or leave the product on for several minutes as a mask before rinsing. Pat skin dry with a clean towel. If your skin particularly damaged or dry, follow up with a light application of Dahlia Bee moisturizer to protect and hydrate.

For best results avoid using soaps of any kind on your face (except in cases of absolute necessity). Try to refrain from using products that contain alcohol and other extremely alkaline ingredients.  Most commercial soaps and acne treatments fall in this category, so take a little vacation from them while you try this product.  In one to two weeks, you won’t miss them.

How it works: Traditional soaps, acne treatments, make up removers, and face moisturizers often utilize very high pH ingredients.  They also tend to completely destroy all of the bacteria on the skin, including the ones that are supposed to be there to take care of it and protect it from infection.  That tight, dry feeling you have after using these products is actually the feeling of a barren and damaged wasteland (at the microscopic level).  The dried out alkaline conditions cause surface cells to die and flake, clogging pores and increasing risks of acne.  Stripped of it’s natural army of beneficial bacteria, the skin will overcompensate in oil production in a desperate attempt to protect itself.  Dahlia Bee products, on the other hand, aim to feed and maintain your skin’s natural ability to protect itself. Honey has antibacterial qualities, but is also close in pH to ideal skin conditions.  The enzymes, proteins, and sugars contained within nourish the garden of good, healthy bacteria on the skin.  The coconut oil in the product adds it’s own gently cleansing properties to that of the honey, as well as keeping the skin properly moisturized and protected from the sun.  Within the first few days, it is not unusual to experience some breakouts of blemishes or acne.  During this adjustment period, the garden on your skin is struggling to find its natural harmony, and small colonies of acne causing bacteria have a brief chance to take hold.  Most individuals see their skin clear up again within four to seven days. However it may take longer if you are still using soap or products with high pH. As your garden finds healthy equilibrium you should notice that your skin will feel hydrated but not oily, and a reduction in blemishes and flaking.  You may notice an overall reduction in pore size as they are less prone to clogging, and a generally healthy glow to your face.

Facial Scrub

Honey, Cane sugar, Coconut oil, Avocado oil, Tea Tree Oil, Essential Oils: Bergamot, Litsea, Lemongrass, Grapefruit, Sweet Orange, Cucumber Seed

Sugar may not be so great for your teeth and health but it works really well on the outside of your body.  As the main exfoliating agent, organic cane sugar is gently abrasive for the skin yet environmentally friendly and it won’t clog up your drain.  Suspended in honey with coconut oil, beeswax, and supportive essential oils. This blend  is a great way to gently scrub your face clean of debris and build-up.  Honey is incredibly nourishing for the skin and yet mildly anti-microbial, with a slightly acidic pH, making it the perfect cleanser and food for the natural garden of beneficial bacteria that live there.  Coconut oil lends its own anti-bacterial power to the mix as well as hydrate and protect the skin.  The gently cleansing power of tea tree oil and the blemish fighting power of bergamot and litsea support clear skin. Cucumber seed oil rejuvenates the skin and the beeswax helps to seal everything in and protect it.

Notes: For most skin types, it is not recommended to exfoliate the face more than 2-3 times per week. It is best to alternate this product with the Nourishing Face Wash to maintain your skin garden without over scrubbing.  Some separation is natural in this product, such as the sugar sinking to the bottom.  Stirring with a clean tool or finger is recommended before each use.

For best results avoid using soaps of any kind on your face (except in cases of absolute necessity). Try to refrain from using products that contain alcohol and other extremely alkaline ingredients.  Most commercial soaps and acne treatments fall in this category, so take a little vacation from them while you try this product.  In one to two weeks, you won’t miss them.

How it works: Traditional soaps, acne treatments, make up removers, and face moisturizers often utilize very high pH ingredients.  They also tend to completely destroy all of the bacteria on the skin, including the ones that are supposed to be there to take care of it and protect it from infection.  That tight, dry feeling you have after using these products is actually the feeling of a barren and damaged wasteland (at the microscopic level).  The dried out alkaline conditions cause surface cells to die and flake, clogging pores and increasing risks of acne.  Stripped of it’s natural army of beneficial bacteria, the skin will overcompensate in oil production in a desperate attempt to protect itself.  Dahlia Bee products, on the other hand, aim to feed and maintain your skin’s natural ability to protect itself. Honey has antibacterial qualities, but is also close in pH to ideal skin conditions.  The enzymes, proteins, and sugars contained within nourish the garden of good, healthy bacteria on the skin.  The coconut oil in the product adds it’s own gently cleansing properties to that of the honey, as well as keeping the skin properly moisturized and protected from the sun.  Within the first few days, it is not unusual to experience some breakouts of blemishes or acne.  During this adjustment period, the garden on your skin is struggling to find its natural harmony, and small colonies of acne causing bacteria have a brief chance to take hold.  Most individuals see their skin clear up again within four to seven days. However it may take longer if you are still using soap or products with high pH. As your garden finds healthy equilibrium you should notice that your skin will feel hydrated but not oily, and a reduction in blemishes and flaking.  You may notice an overall reduction in pore size as they are less prone to clogging, and a generally healthy glow to your face.

Product Feature Number 2: Chocolate Lip Scrub, and Blemish and Wound Care

Chocolate Lip Scrub

Beeswax, Coconut oil, cane sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate extract

Organic sugar acts as the exfoliating agent in this remarkably healing lip scrub.  A balanced blend of coconut oil and beeswax give the scrub it’s soft texture and hydrating properties.  Coconut oil is naturally anti microbial, protecting lips from cracks, as well as sunburn due to it’s SPF of 15. Beeswax seals in moisture and protects against dehydration.  A dash of chocolate extract and cocoa powder not only give it that sweet chocolatey goodness, but also ensure that it is safe to be ingested.  It will, however, wipe clean without staining the lips brown.

Note: May remove makeup from the lips.

Use: Depending on the temperature, you may need to stir the scrub with a small tool until it is soft enough to use. Apply quite liberally to the lips. Rub in small circles across your lips for several seconds until you feel that your lips are free of crust and/or makeup. If you have a particularly stubborn crack or scaley area, allow the scrub to stay on the skin for a minute or few.  Then try scrubbing for a few more seconds. Apply more if the sugar has melted (or you “accidentally” licked it off). For really persistent areas, hydrate the area with a healing lip balm and try again later.  Results will usually improve over time.

Blemish and Wound Care

Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Essential Oils: Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Bergamot, Litsea, Basil

This handy balm is designed with the care of minor skin abrasions and blemishes in mind.  The essential oils are not only antibacterial and anti-inflammatory but also help fight acne.  Coconut oil and raw beeswax nourish and protect the skin while sealing out harmful bacteria.  The hydrophobic nature of the wax acts as bandage, making it the ideal salve for scraped knees and knuckles, or anywhere that traditional adhesive bandages are impractical.

Note: This treatment is ideal for minor wounds and superficial abrasions only.  Deep wounds and bleeding cuts should be treated with traditional first aid methods to avoid serious infections.

Use for acne: Wash the face with either of Dahlia Bee’s facial cleansers, or a mild, ph balanced soap.  Use a clean tool to scrape up some balm, or use a clean fingertip to gather some up, similar to using a lip balm.  Apply liberally to blemishes of concern with a swirling motion of the fingertip.  Treatment may help reduce a blemish before it erupts. It can also be used to treat and seal a lanced blemish. Use as often as needed until cleared.

Use for minor wound care: Clean the wound with a mild soap, warm water, and vigorous rubbing with the fingers.  Cleansing should take at least thirty full seconds to a full minute, the idea being to rinse out debris and foreign bodies with little more than water and friction, rather than relying on harsh chemicals to sterilize the wound.  Pat the area dry with a clean towel.  Gather up some of the balm using a clean tool or clean finger tip.  Massage into the wound with a swirling motion.  Apply liberally, but avoid excess to the point that it can be easily wiped off by clothing.  For slightly deeper wounds (like a nasty cat scratch) it is advisable to pack the wound with the wax after cleaning it.  If the wound becomes inflamed, red, and hot to the touch, it may be necessary to switch to more traditional first aid treatments.

How it works: I created this balm with the intention of fighting scarring.  It is designed to feed, support, and protect the skin while it heals. Scarring can be caused by several factors, the shape of the wound, how much skin is intact, dryness of the wound, premature falling off of the scab, infection, and scratching. The harsh stringent properties of most commercial wound treatments may kill harmful bacteria, but they also strip away the strains that are supposed to be there to help your skin rebuild itself smoothly. The extremely high pH of those products also ‘salt the earth’ so to speak, around and inside the wound so that your body’s natural defenses have a hard time doing their job.  This can leave the wound vulnerable to infection, which is why it becomes necessary to use an antibiotic ointment for several days.  Now it is important to note that in a deep wound, the benefits of traditional first aid far outweigh the risks of not using them. An infection of a deep wound can actually spread to the rest of your body and cause serious complications, so it is best not to take the risk.  But scrapes and shallow scratches, light burns, pinpricks, superficial cuts are generally not at risk for life threatening infections, and often leave scars behind when treated traditionally.  This balm is ideal for these types of wounds because it is mild, hydrating, and nourishing for the skin, all which help minimize scarring. Many of the oils are antibacterial, but work within parameters that your body is used to dealing with.  The raw beeswax has trace amounts of honey which lends its own nourishment for your skin. Overall the balm hydrates the wound while fighting infection, and giving the skin the tools it needs to heal cleanly.

Development: Working in animal care for most of my adult life meant being bitten, scratched, scraped, and gouged.  Some really bad weeks would have my hands and arms in tatters, to the point where It was easier to wrap a whole hand than bandage each wound individually. Effective for treating the wounds, but impractical when I tried to keep working.  Liquid bandages were more effective for dexterity, but I found that I was susceptible to infections.  When my career had me working heavily with aquariums, where even the strongest liquid bandage would dissolve after only an hour or two, I had to come up with a better solution. I had some success using a medicated lip balm for the frequent coral scrapes and barb gouges (fish don’t like having their tanks cleaned one bit!) as the balm kept the tank water away for slightly longer than the liquid bandages.  I wanted something waxier that would not pollute the aquariums I was working in, and so this product was eventually conceived and THOROUGHLY tested.

Product Feature Number 1: Peppermint and Cucumber Citrus Lip Balm

Peppermint Lip Balm

Beeswax, Coconut Oil, Peppermint essential oil

Free of petroleum and perfumes, this limited ingredient lip balm is extraordinarily hydrating with a light, cool mintiness. Coconut oil is not only hydrating, but has a SPF of fifteen, which is perfect for protecting sensitive lips from sunburn.  The oil also has natural anti-microbial properties which prevents blemishes and encourages cracks to heal naturally.  The beeswax helps to seal in moisture and protect the delicate skin from becoming dehydrated over a long period of time.

Use: Apply liberally as needed. Depending on conditions, a single application may be effective for upwards of eight hours. For best results, use lip scrub beforehand to remove dead skin and build up.

Cucumber Citrus Lip Balm

Beeswax, Coconut oil, Essential oils: grapefruit, sweet orange, cucumber seed

The extraordinary healing properties of cucumber seed oil are utilized in this mild and limited ingredient lip balm.  Ideal for those who experience severe cracking and harsh weather conditions.  Cucumber seed and coconut oil are nourishing for the skin and promote healing.  Grapefruit oil works with the coconut oil to fight off microbes such as harmful bacterium and blemish causing viruses; not to mention adding it’s scent to the sweet orange oil for a fresh and pleasant aroma. Beeswax seals in moisture and protects the delicate skin from becoming dehydrated over long periods of time.

Use: Apply liberally as needed. Depending on conditions, a single application may be effective for upwards of eight hours. For best results, use lip scrub beforehand to remove dead skin and build up.

Where is all the Content?

Hey there, friends and fellow curious creatures.

You may have noticed a distinct lack of content here.  At this stage in Dahlia Bee's life, I find myself with little time to run a blog on top of launching this little business, AND working a full time job.

But fear not!

I do manage to stay fairly active on our Facebook page.  There you can find links to some of the research materials I have used.  I will also share what events we are participating in, as well as photos from the markets we have been to.

Check it out now!

Dahlia Bee Facebook Page

As promised, I am working hard to get a comprehensive online store up and running.  Once it is in good shape, the URL will be linked directly to that site.  With your support I may someday be able to devote the time and energy that I would like into this blog.

Thank you for your interest. Your patience will be rewarded!

Sugar and Dog Food, How I Started Down the Path of Holistic Living

I didn't always live holistically.  In fact, for all the changes I have made to my lifestyle, I still feel that I have barely scratched the surface of holistic living.  It is a long and twisting road, a journey that varies per individual person, depending on health, lifestyle, and location.

But what exactly IS holistic living?

There is no clear, specific definition of holistic living that everyone can agree on.  When you search the term on Google, it gives this definition:

When used in reference to your health, holistic refers to the mind-body-spirit connection, the wellness of all our interconnected parts and aspects working towards the health of our entire selves.

So there are physical, mental, and spiritual aspects to the concept.  In Dahlia Bee, my main focus is going to be on nutrition and skin care.  With these as the focus, the word holistic basically means eating and washing in a way that encourages the natural ecosystem of our bodies to achieve balance.  Our bodies are essentially walking oceans, with billions of organisms living and breeding within us in a symbiotic relationship.  When an ocean is polluted by chemicals, it can throw an entire ecosystem off kilter, with disastrous effects.

Before we get into the meat and potatoes of the issue, it is important to know how it all got started for me. And the answer to that is the title of this post. You may be asking yourself, what dog food and sugar have to do with learning to live holistically.  The answer is: a lot!  You see, in my twenties I was attending college for a general animal science degree.  I was lucky enough to take a canine and feline nutrition course with a professor who was objective towards pet food brands.  She learned everything she could about pet nutrition and was untainted by the half-truths put out there by pet food companies. She instilled within me the idea that if a body was fed with clean, wholesome ingredients, and balanced in the proper way, then most common health problems could be eliminated.  Take, for example, flaky dry skin and a drab dull coat. The most commonly recommended remedies for this, even to this day, are to use conditioner on your pet when you give them a bath, and maybe add some fish oil to their diet.  But the results of both suggestions are poor, at best. And who in their right mind is going to bathe a cat to use conditioner?  She postulated that many pet food companies limit the amount of fat that they put in their food, since most consumers believed that a high fat diet would make their pet gain weight.  The reality is exactly the opposite.  Predators like dogs and cats process fat very well, it is essential to their health, in fact.  The dry flaky skin and dull drab fur are physical manifestations of the lack of good fat and oil. Not only that, but many vitamins and nutrients are only able to be metabolized by the body when they are dissolved in fat, often called "fat soluble vitamins". Four of the major vitamins are A, E, D, and K. The first 3 directly affect the conditions of the skin, and can really only be utilized by the body when dissolved in some kind of fat molecule.   It doesn't matter how many vitamin supplements the food company adds, without a proper source of fat for them to dissolve in, they are all but useless.

By that logic, however, adding fish oil to a pet's diet should do the trick. And really, adding a wholesome oil to a pet's food does improve the skin and coat quite a bit than without it. Doesn't it make more sense, though, to make a food that has all the proper nutrients already in it? Rather than adding the extra step of doctoring up a crappier food. It does, hence the holistic pet food market.  This idea translates very easily to humans.  You can take all of the vitamin supplements you want, if you are eating a low fat diet then most of those vitamins are going to pass right through without being absorbed, making that extra effort completely moot.  Similarly, having a hearty salad for lunch is a fantastic idea, but if you only use a non-fat or a low-fat dressing then you won't actually absorb many of the wholesome nutrients contained within.  A little extra virgin olive oil, or a nice ripe avocado in that salad and it suddenly becomes a powerhouse of nutrients.

That very simple idea is the core of holistic eating.

Now, onto sugar.  Specifically refined sugars.  My vendetta against sugar started around the same time I was learning about pet nutrition.  I had struggled with weight control my entire life, and I felt ready to take on the weight loss challenge during college.  Being a poor college student definitely helped a lot.  I realized that I had a very limited budget to feed myself with and at first I bought the cheapest "health food" that I could get my hands on.  This included, but was not limited to: diet soda, sports drinks, cheap granola bars, cheap yogurt, and low cost fruit.  But, apart from the diet soda, all of these food were LOADED in sugar.  I found I had very little energy after the initial crash, and I was downright starving only an hour after consuming.  I began to notice that my skin and acne were getting worse, and my teeth were starting to decay at an alarming rate, despite brushing and chewing gum after meals. With the pet nutrition ideas rattling around in my head, I started to come to a realization: that I needed to apply the principles go pet nutrition to my own life. Just, you know, with a human's nutritional needs in mind.

That was easier said than done.  I had a major sugar addiction, I was poor, and low cost food is downright saturated in the stuff.  Sadly, the last is completely by design.  Cheap eats are cheap because they are often made with low quality ingredients that have almost no nutritional value.  In order to make them appealing they must be soaked in either salt, fats or sugar, since those are flavors that our bodies are naturally attracted to.  Our society has a vendetta against fat, especially back then, so low cost food is loaded in sugar and salt.  It is no wonder that some of the poorest people in our country also make up a significant part of the overweight population.  But I was determined to get healthy, so I started doing one of the hardest things I have ever done: I quit refined sugar.

I have never been able to get away from sweet stuff completely. Like I said, it is everywhere and the food industry seems hell bent on shoving it down our throats. Soda and candy can be found in every convenience store, even pet stores and craft stores have candy by their registers.  I felt like a drug addict trying to get clean in a world where everyone was doing the drug and thought I was nuts for avoiding it.  I'm not good at quitting cold turkey, so I gradually cut things out or substituted for healthier options.  Soda became seltzer (I HATE the taste of aspartame, which is natural since it's basically poison, but that is a post for another time) candy became fruit when it was affordable, peanut butter crackers filled my belly and kept me sated for hours.  When my budget loosened up a little bit, I was able to afford decent honey and real maple syrup which replaced sugar in other parts of my diet.  I will discuss in another post about why real honey and real maple syrup are better for you than refined sugar. If you are curios now, check out this article on honey, and this article about maple syrup. The article on maple syrup article is particularly informative because it makes a very good point:

"The fact that maple syrup contains some minerals is a very poor reason to eat it, given the high sugar content. Most people are already eating way too much sugar.

The best way to get these minerals is to eat real foods. If you eat a balanced diet of plants and animals, then your chances of lacking any of these minerals is very low.

But if you’re going to eat a sugar-based sweetener anyway, then replacing refined sugar in recipes with an identical amount of maple syrup will cut the total sugar content by a third."

Ultimately, it is better to limit your overall sugar intake, no matter what form it is. But if you are going to use a sweeter, it may as well be one that has other benefits that go along with it, like minerals, anti-oxidants, and (in the case of raw, local honey) the ability to reduce seasonal allergies.

The effects of my dietary shift became apparent within a month or so.  My skin began to clear up drastically.  I was starting to shed weight without additional exercise, though between work and school I was already fairly active and on my feet most of the day. I had more energy and just felt better in general.  Eventually my cravings for sugar reduced significantly.  I started to look at sugary food and drinks with disdain and honestly did not want to consume them any more. There was another, unexpected effect: I started to appreciate different flavors again.  When you are addicted to sugar your pallet almost forgets that other flavors exist without it.  Bored with plain water, I found I had developed a taste for unsweetened iced tea, I started to like spicy food when I used to hate them. Sour and, more recently, bitter flavors became much more enjoyable.  I'm more satisfied by the foods I eat now and I feel good about eating them.

There was significantly more to the journey than giving up sugar.  But it is a really good place to start.  The determination and discipline required to break the sugar habit lays down a good foundation for the rest of the journey and makes the road a little bit smoother.  In later posts, I will explore some of the other positive changes one can make to their life, as well as debunk some commonly believed myths about nutrition and skin care. Including how eating fresh food is not as expensive as they would like you to believe, and why almost all forms of soap are bad for your skin.

Like and share this post if you found it useful.  Visit the Dahlia Bee Facebook page and show some love.  If you came here looking for Dahlia Bee products, you can email me with your request.  I will have an official shop up and running very soon.

Thank you for reading!