LYRA MAG.

R elax anywhere... Part 3 Insta-calming-pure essential oils-aromatherapy-is one of the easiest and most effective ways to chill out in a fast paced life. Easiest way -especially when not at home is to sprinkle 2-3 drops of a soothing USDA Certified Organic essential oils - on a lightbulb or in a bath (with muscle soothing Epsom salts). Calmers include lavender (our pick for soaks=non-irritating for the skin)-or aromatic fruity orange, sweet mandarin, spice-y frankincense, florals geranium, rose and cleansing spearmint. Find travel sizes of essential oils (10ml, 20ml,30ml)- pretty much anywhere one can shop-online or brick+mortar outlets. Inexpensive too. Our pick- the single essential USDA Organic oils from Wyndmere Naturals. On the road help and just beautiful to look at...  Minnie Park 's limited edition candle infused with calming lavender essential oil and pieces of clarifying amethyst stones. Light one to make any not home -impersonal room, more cozy AT HO...

Plus Home Scent Inspirations... Part 3 Some Themes from NYSCC Suppliers Day(s) Sustainable Sourcing-Of Nature Akin to the food industry-consumer demands for supply chain transparency, fair labor wages + eliminating child labor, earth concerns and production realities on the finite supplies from Mother Nature (aka major CPG cocoa sourcing initiatives )... KUNCAI -conjures up a synthetic MICA for "effect pigment end use" vs destroying the earth (Brazil, India) and lives by mining for it -to supply shiny metallics for industries varying from cosmetic s (mica-pearlescence qualities- is a staple ingredient in 'natural'mineral based makeup)--to automobile industry's car paints. That big crystal looking MICA is synthetic!!!!   Many companies-claimed ethical sourcing methods...like pictured above, Sudarshan    Ironic that mineral makeup which is booming demand -for its natural composition...can be sourced toxically-tragically, fatally.  Essenti...

PART ONE: Essential Oils for Face/Lips/Body, Bath Salts, Botanical+Herbal Fragrances -Small Batch Premium Selections There's not a major demographic out there-that is not scrutinizing what ingredients...deemed "natural" or "organic" really means...besides reading the labels...whether looking for a broader story line to connect to... embracing a message that offers personal or environmental benefits...or examining the provenance of a product's components.  Just being 'green'-at premium prices no less-may entice consumers-but they're going to want more than that "simple" sales pitch which is cropping up regularly these days. Which is why most of the small batch, entrepreneurs we met at a premium beauty event organized by ELEV8.- literally/package make the array of skin/bodycare and fragrances versus having a private contractor do it. PLUS-each brand we sampled-has a compelling narrative as to the whys/wheres/hows of their relativ...

Takara Belmont, West 56th Street, NYC words/images Judith Ecochard What a spot-on spot for a hair products launch... we thought -the nanosecond we walked into the elegant limestone building housing the salon equipment of leading design/manufacturer Takara Belmont ..for a media preview of USDA certified organic -  Intelligent Nutrients PureLuxe Shampoo and Conditioner...styling products (all new to us)--- and a terrific-made from recycled materials- Original Paddle Brush (we know fab when our wet tresses gets brushed and there's a lack of ripped out hair strands). Since the intro to the essential oils collection ( we wrote about last month )---we knew to expect exotically scented products that are delicious smelling-made with pure essential oils-not some chemically derived facsimiles... And on that aromatic note, we certainly thought that the lightly scented Purelux Harmonic Shampoo and Conditioner were just right. We think about what we put on our s...