"Healing is not a science, but the intuitive art of wooing nature." -W.H. Auden
Modern life has become increasingly mechanized as we add more and more technology to activities that once were human-driven. In our quest for efficiency and advancement we often end up physically isolating ourselves. A video conference with people across the country allows us to share ideas, but not something as simple as a touch. A technology-mediated world is increasingly resulting in touch disappearing from our daily lives. This disappearance is to our detriment.
In addition to technology affecting our opportunities for physical contact, cultural norms may complicate the idea of touch. Some cultures are much more prickly than others about what constitutes an acceptable touch interaction. The relatively reserved roots of much of USA culture may be partially responsible for the reluctance Americans can have with touch. People immersed in a restrictive culture may not even realize how many opportunities for touch are lost. Religious restrictions can complicate habits around touch as well. Another factor like local climate can set the tone for touch interactions, with cultures in warm, sunny environments tending to adopt a more touch-friendly culture. This leaves individuals in Northern areas literally out in the cold touch-wise.
The loss of this important facet to human life should be of concern, and luckily the esthetics world is in a wonderful position to reintroduce therapeutic touch to many people's lives.
Read on to find out more about the impressive benefits of therapeutic touch in esthetics.
The green beauty industry has come into its own. That means amazing business opportunities for everyone interested in working in this field.
Blissoma was founded well before the green beauty trend really took off. Being at the leading edge of consumer education on natural products more than 10 years ago was important work but it was often exhausting trying to sell people something they were not quite mentally and emotionally ready for. We can personally testify to the value of a consumer that is ready to embrace a new idea and make changes.
In 2017 the market is fully prepared and customers are waking up to the value of naturally based products. How can your esthetics practice take advantage of this market trend and maximize your relationship with naturally focused customers? Click through to continue reading to get some valuable tips to communicate your position as a leader and get the most out of the enthusiasm for green beauty.
Words have power, and sometimes we need to spend a moment thinking about how we use them in order to finely tune our lived experience.
Two of the words that pop up in the skincare world are "ritual" and "routine". Look up any Youtube beauty vlogger channel and you're likely to see a skincare routine video. But now some brands are starting to use the word ritual to describe the process of interacting with their products. Is this just a fancy marketing tactic designed to sprinkle special fairy dust on products and brands, or is there more to this? We've been thinking about that.
Keep reading to discover how these concepts could change the impact you get out of your beauty routine.
The humble Sunflower is an example of a miraculous botanical that could use a little more appreciation, so we're shining a spotlight today. We consider Sunflower Seed oil to be one of the unsung heroes of natural skincare for some very good reasons.
Sunflower Seed oil is not an expensive or "precious" natural skincare oil largely because sunflowers are super easy to grow. They aren't finicky and they produce a huge head of seeds that are rich with oil. Sometimes the abundance of something can make it easy to overlook the true value, though.
Read on to discover more about this powerhouse plant and what its special seeds can do for sensitive skin.
Often for a product to do just one thing really well is enough. Trying to do too much often ends up with a product that slacks in some area. Beauty editors and minimalists (and people on a budget) are perpetually looking for multitasking beauty products, though. It seems like a great idea to be able to do several things with only one investment.
Our wonder cream Lavish Loving Recovery Beta-glucan Mask defies the odds by multitasking like a champ. We initially developed it as a recipe to deeply hydrate post-treatment or very irritated skin. It had to be super gentle to be used on skin that was already inflamed. It quickly reduces the appearance of redness and diminishes the appearance of inflammation from environmental irritants and even allergic reactions to other skincare products.
So, of course you know from it's name that it's a mask, but it can do SO much more. This multitasking beauty product is going to earn its spot on your shelf.
Click through to read three more things you can do with this hydrating, natural miracle cream.
While sugar is the centerpiece for most holidays and family traditions it has been found recently to be more addictive than cocaine. We might find it comforting to have around there is a price to be paid for consuming refined sugars. Is the emotional tie and physical addiction worth the consequences? Is regulating sugar our best solution?
You can apply all the best skincare products but eating the wrong foods can jeopardize your beauty results. Keep reading to find out more about how sugar is affecting your body and the quality of your skin health.
Cannabis’s medicinal benefits have been known to relieve chronic pain, ease anxiety, and offer an insomniac a decent night’s rest. No longer widely stigmatized, cannabis is reaching mainstream markets in the form of chocolates and sprays. One time-honored variety of cannabis is the hemp plant which lacks psychoactive compounds. Hemp seeds produce a valuable oil that is an ideal addition to natural skincare products.
Click through to read more about how hemp seed oil can benefit your skin.
Keep reading for more details about how you can end animal testing of cosmetics.
Reishi Mushrooms
Known as the “Mushroom of Immortality”, reishi has been embraced for its potent medicinal qualities for the last 2,000 years.
Reishi contains a powerful supply of Beta-glucans, which can help to calm dry, itchy skin. Beta-glucans are special sugars from mushrooms that have the ability to modulate the immune system. They are also capable of penetrating deeply through multiple layers of skin which means healing results in places other ingredients may not reach.
Provide your dry, stressed and inflamed skin with penetrating hydration; add reishi mushrooms into your skincare routine. Click to keep reading about the benefits of Reishi mushrooms.
The Truth about Animal Testing
Estée Lauder, Mary Kay, M.A.C. Cosmetics, Aveeno, Kiehl’s and Covergirl are just a few of the popular, mainstream brands that still test their products on animals.
Household products & cosmetics are regularly tested for their efficacy and safety. Unfortunately, bunnies, guinea pigs, and rats are commonly abused in order to complete these tests. Testing on animals is not only cruel, but it is also ineffective and unnecessary. Alternative methods of testing, such as testing on cell cultures or digital models, are often cheaper, quicker, and more accurate.
The needless violence of animal testing can be avoided. Hundreds of companies produce safe and effective products without harming animals in the process. As consumers, we can eliminate animal testing by choosing to buy only cruelty free products.
Are your cosmetics messing with your hormones?
You can find hormone altering chemicals littered throughout your home. The most common endocrine disruptors found in your cosmetics and perfumes are phthalates, which can absorb into the skin and move into the bloodstream. Phthalate exposure has been linked to various health concerns including thyroid issues, hormone changes, obesity, diabetes and lower sperm count.
With the influx of research regarding endocrine disruptors, the need for conscious consumerism is crucial. By simply reading your cosmetic labels, you can help to limit your exposure to phthalates.
Protect your health and enhance your skin by investing in clean, phthalate free beauty products.
Celebrate who you are in your deepest heart. Love yourself and the world will love you.Amy Leigh Mercree
We've worked for months on renovating our new space - the *only* space in St. Louis devoted to high performance, authentically natural, plant-strong, organic, and cruelty-free beauty products. Our talented staff has spent months testing the best brands in natural makeup, haircare, and nontoxic nail polish. We are NOW OPEN weekdays from 9 AM to 5 PM and Saturdays from 10 AM to 4 PM to serve you in an intimate, luxurious, bohemian loft style setting. We specialize in education and giving you a great service experience in learning about how to make your beauty routine more nontoxic, eco-friendly, and effective.
You may be an occasional wearer of lip gloss and nothing more, or a polished professional who likes her look "just so" or perhaps a funky fan of electric blue eyeshadow.... Whatever your aesthetics we've got options for you that meet or exceed performance of conventional cosmetics. The best news for you is that it's all healthy for your skin (so your foundation won't ruin all the good things you're doing with your facial care routine) and guilt free for your health and even sustainable for the planet.
Even better yet, you'll be supporting independent businesses that are largely woman-owned and who are doing the right thing for clients, the environment, and their staff. Ethics and sustainability are gorgeous! Supporting conscious businesses lets your inner beauty shine.
Click through to read more about the fantastic natural beauty brands we are stocking to help you make your whole routine green.
"I want to be my best, strongest, most authentic, conscious, and loving self."
We love getting up every day and working to make the world a better place. Sure, we make super pure, herbal products that outperform conventional brands but there is SO much more to love about what we do and how we do it. At least 64 more reasons to love us to be exact...
Blissoma products do not use:
Click through to read all the other amazing reasons we are a vital force in the green beauty world.
"My skin has been so dry!"
Blissoma founder Julie Longyear appeared on Show Me St. Louis on Friday to discuss timely tips to help your skin survive the winter in happy, hydrated condition. The products you use in your morning skincare routine can make a big difference in your skin's hydration all day long. Use these 3 natural skincare tips and you'll be happy even when cold winds are howling.
Using a soap-based cleanser can throw off skin's Ph and leave it feeling dry and aggravated. Skin has a natural Ph of around 5.5 which is acidic. Soap is alkaline at a Ph of approximately 9 or 10 usually. Instead of soap use a natural, non-soap based cleanser like Free Rejuvenating Herbal Gel Cleanser or Fresh Mild Rice Cleanser which has an acidic Ph like skin. This leaves the skin's acid mantle intact. Disruption of the acid mantle can cause problems including dehydration and even acne for some people. You'll notice less tightness and discomfort to the skin when you use a natural, Ph correct cleanser.
Read the rest of our dry skin tips and see the video by clicking through to the full post.
"A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal."Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free
Dear clients and friends,
Blissoma has our headquarters and production studio in St. Louis City. Since August of this year civil unrest has rocked our community. Ferguson is located just 15 minutes down highway 70 from our production studio in North City. Friends and business associates have been closely affected by the struggle our community has faced. Some live and work in the Ferguson area, some have given up work time to protest or volunteer with repair efforts, and everyone in St. Louis has been emotionally riveted and strained by the history-making civil rights struggles and legal events.
While discussion continues about details, positions, and legal processes what is crystal clear is that our community has a lot of healing to do. Bridging divides requires generosity and venues where citizens can work hand in hand to create understanding. People also have immediate and urgent needs due to loss of income from their businesses being destroyed, looted, or having sales impacted by the unfolding events.
7 years ago when searching for a studio location I purposefully chose a distressed urban neighborhood in North St. Louis City because I believe in personally working towards restoration of our city's economic fabric and commmunity strength. Since then I have done everything I can to bring prosperity and progress to our neighborhood. Every dollar spent at Blissoma helps us create more fair wage jobs in St. Louis City, improve our historic building, and solidify a brighter future for Hyde Park. We know we are doing what we can every day to make our community better. However, we would like to do more this month.
We were fortunate that our building has been safe and intact and our staff has been able to work consistently through the Ferguson unrest. Because we are still in a position of strength we want to use that strength to help two organizations that are in a prime position to help make real progress with short and long term solutions for the Ferguson community.
Read more about how you can help us help Ferguson by clicking through to the full post.
"I never once felt self-conscious about potential odor issues."
Want to know what others are saying about Blissoma's new toxin-free natural deodorants before you decide? Our aluminum-free sprays and Scentless Stick product all perform differently using unique ingredients, so each has its fans. Getting the scoop from bloggers may help you decide which product would be the best natural deodorant for you.
Check out the reviews that are stacking up from green beauty bloggers:
Chickweed and Blushsays the Juniper spray and Scentless Stick work for her.
Beautiful with Brainsgives our Scentless Stick a 4 out of 5 stars and our Citrus Spray a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
EcoCultgives our Lavender spray a big "Yes!".
EatDrinkShrink'sGabrielle says she was surprised she liked our Scentless Stick the most.
Blooming in Bedlamloved both our Juniper spray and our stick and they kept her fresh while on vacation.
"Estimates state that 80-99% of what we see on our skin as adults is the result of exposure to daylight, which is referred to as photoaging. Manifestations of photoaging include an increase in wrinkle formation, a loss of tension and elasticity, degeneration of the vascular supply and skin thickness, hyperpigmentation and other skin discoloration, dilated capillaries (telangiectasis) and a reduction in the water-binding properties of the skin."
Exposure to UVA and UVB rays prompts a host of results to skin including cell damage and death, increases in inflammatory response, increases in skin's free radical content, and increased activity of collagenases which are enzymes that degrade collagen structures. The typical recommendation from dermatologists is to wear sunscreen, but chemical sunscreens are especially fraught with complications including allergic reactions, hormonal disruption, and the fact that they can actually increase the free radical production in sun exposed skin!
A wholly different approach to prevention of skin aging is to use nutrients like antioxidants to boost the natural damage resistance of the skin.
Read more by clicking through to our complete article on how you can boost your natural sun damage resistance with pomegranate antioxidants.
"Against this backdrop of empty and crumbling homes and factories, entrepreneurs, like Longyear, saw possibility."
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch covered the business revival of the historic Hyde Park neighborhood for the front page of the business section. Independent entrepreneurs Julie Longyear of Blissoma, the Ulmers of Cornerstone Cafe, the mission-based Sun Cafe team and Vanity Gee of the Rebuild Foundation were all interviewed, quoted, and featured for our work bringing life back to this challenged urban landscape.
"Vanity Gee, program manager for Rebuild Foundation and Art House, said Hyde Park has plenty of misconceptions. 'A lot of people who don’t live here have misinformed beliefs about what this neighborhood is like,' she said. 'That could deter some businesses from opening here.'"
Blissoma was honored to be included in this exceptional piece of writing that offers a kinder, more accurate depiction of our often maligned neighborhood. We're proud to be a change-maker, job creator, and active, positive resident of this misunderstood area. There is hope for Hyde Park and it is in every person who chooses to believe in something better and offer their time and effort to make it so.
Read the full article on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch website.
"Blissoma was founded to heal skin and create healthy beauty for our clients. We would never want to hurt animals as a part of that process. We use ingredients that are proven safe and effective by centuries of herbal use and test only on ourselves and friends when developing recipes. Many of our ingredients are Certified Organic food grade ingredients and their healing capacity is well documented. Our recipes are also Certified Vegan so every ingredient also comes strictly from botanicals. Blissoma will maintain our commitment to kindness and compassion to all creatures as a part of beauty and we commit to never using any ingredients that engage in animal testing. Beauty truly is as beauty does."
H.R. 4148 prohibits animal testing for cosmetics manufactured or sold in the U.S., ending painful tests that rabbits, mice, rats, and guinea pigs endure to assess the safety of cosmetics. The Humane Society of the USA is working with 133 companies and Representative Jim Moran from Northern Virginia to pass a bill that would make animal testing for cosmetics in the United States illegal. It is unnecessary as a wealth of ingredients have already been established as safe. Animals do not need to suffer for the sake of "beauty".
Blissoma is joining the other business supporters of Be Cruelty Free to champion a cause that we have always believed in.
Read more about what you can do to help end animal suffering by clicking through to the full post.
"Breakthrough ingredients and new formulations are the secret to ageless - and beautiful - skin."
Organic Spa Magazine covers the best natural, spa quality skincare and in April 2014 Blissoma received a feature for our use of medicinal mushrooms in Lavish Loving Recovery Beta-glucan mask. Writer Celia Shatzman says, "Now, thanks to the meteoric rise of green cosmeceuticals, there are plenty of options that incorporate potent natural ingredients to deliver powerful results."
"Packed with vitamin D, selenium, and antioxidants, mushrooms safeguard skin from discoloration and their anti-inflammatory properties help with rosacea, acne and eczema."
Blissoma's herbal chemist Julie Longyear was quoted on the benefits of Beta-glucans, which are complex, immune stimulating polysaccharides found in mushrooms.
Try Lavish Loving Recovery Beta-glucan Mask with Reishi and Maitake mushroomsDisclaimer: The information contained on this site is general in nature and for informational purposes. It is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. None of the statements on this site are a recommendation as to how to treat any particular disease or health-related condition. If you suspect you have a disease or health-related condition of any kind, you should contact your health care professional immediately. Please read all product packaging carefully and consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise, supplementation or medication program. Cosmetic products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.
