The Air That You Breathe

The other day I was at the grocery store with my husband looking for some air fresheners. I personally have never tired of my sweet orange oil but I figured I’d give him a break and see what’s out there. I’ve been encouraged by the improvements in dishwashing liquids, laundry detergents and cleaners but I am disappointed with the air fresheners.

Reading the labels of all these air fresheners left me confused and suspicious, even irritated. There were chemical names I could not pronounce on some labels, others described the action of the chemical, like anti-corrosives and preservatives. Some bottles didn’t even list ingredients. One label offered percentages of their ingredients, including “other ingredients 41.6%”. So this brand is telling me, a potential vict- consumer that I don’t really need to know what’s in their bottle. It’s not important to know what I’m spraying into the air and inhaling. Needless to say we walked away without buying any one of them.

Air fresheners and for that matter, perfumes of any kind do not fall under the same restrictions as cosmetics, skin care and food. The FDA does not consider scent a food or a drug. The reasoning is because it does not come in direct contact with the body. It’s not something taken orally or applied topically. The excuse is faulty. Anything one inhales comes into direct contact with the body. Once inhaled a scent or chemical is brought into the lungs and absorbed through its walls and delivered throughout the body via the bloodstream.

We don’t always have control of the air that we breathe but when we do there are easy, healthy and pleasant ways to fill the air. Essential oils are a perfect option for fragrance and come in a wide variety of choices. Besides being good for a personal fragrance essential oils can be used as air fresheners. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Make your own potpourri using your favorite dried flowers or herbs. Essential oils can be added to boost the fragrance.
• Boil a small amount of water and pour into a bowl, then add a few drops of essential oil into the water and let the steam carry the scent through the house.
• Make your own reed diffuser. Kits are usually available at you local hobby shop and health foods stores.
• Don’t forget baking soda is good for absorbing foul odors. Sprinkled on the carpet or shoes and in the disposal will keep the funky smells from taking over the house too.
• Fresh cut flowers (and potted ones too) are, of course, the best way to freshen up a room. Last month our Jasmine was in bloom and smelling it late in the day was heaven.

Funny, there are so many easy and better alternatives to those fake, plastic air fresheners at the grocery store it’s a pity they don’t think we are worth it.

Got a question? Or a suggestion for discussion? Send us an email at contact@wildnaturalbeauty.com. We’re always happy to hear from you.

Lisa Radke is one of the owners of Wild Natural Beauty natural and organic beauty essentials. Please visit our website at www. wildnaturalbeauty.com.

My Big Picture

I found myself this week completely overwhelmed by little things. Our company had two special events to prepare and a few ongoing projects to finish. As always as the end approaches it’s always the details that will trip you up.

There were letters to write, special labeling, packaging and all the special tweaks to finish these projects. Oh yeah, and computer work. I love my computer. I am old enough to remember what it was like without one, but I don’t want to be joined at the hip with it. For me it was finish a project and send it. Then get it back to correct it. After finishing it all to everyone’s satisfaction I was gently reminded of a task I forgot I still had to do. Oops! We even had terrible storms one night that delayed my work for a couple of hours.

Despite all of these upsets and demands on my time I kept the big picture in mind. I could have gone down in a tail spin of panic and nerves but I didn’t. When those feelings crept in I reminded myself of the big picture. My life. My goals and dreams. What do I want? Where do I want to be?

By reminding myself to step back and look around it kept me clear and levelheaded. It acted like a shining beacon that I could focus on through the storm to keep myself on course.

It was seeing the big picture like a map that kept me from straying onto avenues of panic. I could see where I was but more importantly I could also see where I wanted to be. The big picture showed me how far I’ve come and what to prepare for in times ahead.

In the big picture you lose sight of the small details. The upsets in one week are mere tiny specks. There is freedom in the big picture. It removes the focus from you. You are apart of something else, something bigger. In five years, will this week matter? Probably not and that’s ok. Not every moment must be significant. Sometimes it helps to rise above your situation in life and look at the entire situation for fresh perspective. You may find you’ve been dreading some imperfections or annoyances that are really very small.

Of course, details have a place in one’s life and setbacks and problems teach us valuable lessons about ourselves and life, but you shouldn’t let yourself get bullied by them. Step back and look around. You may find that you don’t have to be so hard on yourself and those around you.


Got a question? Or a suggestion for discussion? Send us an email at contact@wildnaturalbeauty.com. We’re always happy to hear from you.

Lisa Radke is one of the owners of Wild Natural Beauty natural and organic beauty essentials. Please visit our website at www. wildnaturalbeauty.com.

Men and Skin Care

Besides all the excitement that begins with June; graduations, vacations, weddings, we must also remember Dad and the men in our lives. What better way to show him your love than to encourage him to take care of his skin and use healthy products that are good for him.

Skin care has been dominated by women for centuries but good skin and good health transcends gender. The pressure of beauty is now pushing men towards the once shunned beauty isle. And its not just men of a younger generation, but men who are in their 40’s and 50’s even 60’s are now asking their wives “what exactly are you putting on your face?” and “does it really work?”

For those men who have not embraced their metrosexual side and are not afraid to experiment a little, our lotions, crèmes, serums and nosoap cleansers are fragrance free and won’t leave him smelling like a vanilla rose garden. Crèmes are a good start for beginners to skin care. Wild Natural Beauty offers Refresh Natural Crème that’s packed with vitamin C. It’s great for rough spots on his elbows, hands, and feet. Even his face if he’s feeling really wild.

Even if Dad won’t be excited to unwrap a special collections assortment of beauty products on Fathers Day he may be willing to try one of our organic bar soaps or shower gels. Try giving him a Spice Bar Soap with woodspice and cinnamon or our Wild Natural Clean Bar Soap with tea tree essential oil, or perhaps Clear Organic Shower Gel. All of our bar soaps and shower gels are 100% organic.

We all want to hang onto youthful looking skin and find a healthy way to do it. Why choose a product with harsh chemicals if there was a safer alternative? Wild Natural Beauty’s wide assortment of skin care products is just as effective for men as they are for women.

Lisa Radke is one of the owners of Wild Natural Beauty natural and organic beauty essentials. Please visit our website at www. wildnaturalbeauty.com.

Thanks Mom!

In honor of Mothers Day I’d like to thank all our mothers, grandmothers and great-grand mothers for the common wisdom they passed down to their children. Even if she couldn’t explain the science behind a belief she knew enough to trust her mother and the women before her to keep her safe.

It’s the simplest advice that easy to overlook and maybe even push aside because we don’t know why it’s true – it just is, or it doesn’t get the kind of press that makes it exotic and sexy. We all know apples keep away doctors and that chicken soup is really good for a cold, and that we should eat the crusts of our bread. Mom also had skin tips too. And like the tips I just mentioned they are common and easy to ignore for something a little more flashy.

My mother always told us to wash our face before bed. Good advice, because washing off the dirt and excess oil will allow your skin to breathe and heal without having to combat daily make up build-up.

If you got a rash or itchy skin your mother may have put you in a milk bath. Milk is a mild cleanser which keeps your skin safe from infection and making your skin condition worse but it will also moisturize it.

Moisturizing skin helps to keep skin healthy. So instead of using a fancy cold cream on her face at night she may have just reached in the pantry for some olive oil. Olive oil is high in antioxidants, which she may or may not have known. But she did know it was good at keeping skin young looking and kept her hands and elbows soft.

These tips may seem boring because they are familiar. Mom’s tips seem common and ordinary but they are this way because they worked and women kept passing them down to their daughters and so on.

Thanks mom for giving me good advice – even if I didn’t take it at the time it was given. It was filed away and waiting to be shared when my daughter is ready.

Lisa Radke is one of the owners of Wild Natural Beauty natural and organic beauty essentials. Please visit our website at www. wildnaturalbeauty.com.

Sunny Days

As the weather warms and we shed our winter clothes there are a few things to remember to protect our skin. We are all tempted to show more skin as we head into summer but the heat and sun can take a toll on our skin if we are not careful.

A glow from healthy skin, is far more longer lasting than a tan. There are plenty of ways to keep your skin protected while still enjoying the sun. Besides being a good pick-me-up mentally and emotionally, the sun provides a calorie free dose of Vitamin D. Some studies suggest all a person needs is 15 minutes a day in the sun to keep their body (and mind) healthy. There are few reasons to totally avoid the sun, just use some moderation and common sense.

We all like to enjoy some rays but carry it too far and your skin is burned. Then it peels. Then its pale, again. A tan is really the visible damage your skin endures from too much sun. It can dry your skin and prematurely age you. Protecting your skin is simple and the rewards are health and younger looking skin.

Keep your skin hydrated. Skin that is dry is vulnerable to infections. Hydrated skin produces sebum as protection. Start by nourishing from the inside out. Drink eight glasses of water a day and take advantage of the fresh fruits and vegetables coming into season now.

While you are out and about in the sun, wear a sun-screen. There are several natural and organic sun-screens available now making it easier to forego those with a lot of chemicals. After the sun goes down its good to replenish the moisture that the sun has taken away. Using a lotion can sooth the excessive dryness and sunburn. Wild Natural Beauty’s Serene Lotion w/jojoba, or Desert Treasure w/milk and honey are excellent options to keep your skin moisturized. Too much sun can lead to premature aging, to combat this try Wild Natural Beauty’s Refresh Natural Crème with Vitamin C. Vitamin C protects and heals damage caused by the sun.

Enjoy being in the sun but respect it and respect your body. Good health shines through and it’s the best asset you have.

Lisa Radke is one of the owners of Wild Natural Beauty natural and organic beauty essentials. Please visit our website at www. wildnaturalbeauty.com.

New Arrivals

It has already been a busy spring for us at Wild Natural Beauty. Not only are we about to launch the second phase of our skin care line but we are introducing a new line for babies. Look for our launch of both these lines in mid April.

Our first launch completes our skin and face care line. We are featuring many non-soap cleansers, like Simply Beauty No Soap Cleanser, which utilize oils to draw the dirt away from your skin. But that’s not all we are also adding to our Divine collection with Divine Mudd Cleanser. The combination of clay, oils and DMAE create a fabulous cleanser that will leave your skin fresh and smooth.

Any healthy face regime would not be complete without and astringent and toner, and WNB is bringing your some of the best choices out there. Even that’s not enough for us, as part of this product launch we wanted to provide alternatives to some of the harsh chemical acne medicines in the store today.
UnPimp My Face Acne Wash and UnPimp My Face Astringent offer a natural and powerful deterrent to acne. UnPimp My Face Acne Wash is a non soap cleanser, It utilizes oils and extracts to prevent the bacteria that causes acne while gentle enough on your skin not irritate the acne already in existence and aggravating a tough situation. UnPimp My Face Astringent is the “two” of this one - two punch ridding your face of any lingering dirt.

And now for the baby. Wild Natural Beauty is proud to present Wild Natural Baby a skin and bath line just for baby. We had a lot of fun creating this line. It seems that there is a product alert almost everyday., which forces the question: “What can you use on your baby that’s safe?” Wild Natural Baby is the answer to that question.

Wild Natural Baby includes all aspects of baby care, from Bubbles Natural Baby Shampoo to Cutie Patootie Diaper Ointment. All of Wild Natural Baby products are newborn safe. We use these products on our own children and mommies and babies are very satisfied. WNB uses safe ingredients known for their effectiveness and quality. Fluffy Bear Baby Powder, for instance is talc free. Our bath gels (Nighty-Nite and Splish-Splash) and soap (Happy Baby) are 100% organic.

There’s more to see, we look forward to your visit to WildNaturalBeauty.com, come see what’s new.

Lisa Radke is one of the owners of Wild Natural Beauty natural and organic beauty essentials. Please visit our website at www. wildnaturalbeauty.com.

In The Spring

Spring is coming. That means warm days, sunshine, flowers, green grass, pollen, sunburn, insect bites, and rashes. But before you spend your money on over the counter remedies try looking in your kitchen. Any fruit or vegetable is rich in vitamins and minerals but most can be healing too. There are many foods that can be used as remedies for all kinds of springtime ailments. Keep reading and you will find helpful tips to keep you fresh faced and smiling all spring.

Lets look at garlic. Garlic is antiseptic, antibiotic, and antifungal. Even though its smell is potent its healing properties are worth enduring it. Don’t get me wrong, garlic in tomato sauce is yummy. Garlic on your foot, is not. Got athlete’s foot, use some garlic juice on it. Springtime cold? A garlic infused oil can be rubbed on your chest.

Ok maybe garlic is not first choice, perhaps lemon would help. Lemons are a natural insecticide. Keep away mosquitoes and house flies by using lemon essential oil. If you have a mister on your patio mix in some lemon essential oil or wipe down your picnic table with this essential oil. Already got stung? Apply pure lemon juice to the affected area will relive the pain of the sting.

Did you know that potatoes can relieve pain and inflammation? Use a baked potato on your tennis elbow. Cut the potato a third of the way in and apply the “cup” on you elbow and wrap loosely so the potato doesn’t fall off. Make a poultice with potato and heal bruises and sprains. And a slice of a raw potato applied to a burn can relieve the pain.

What about sunburn and poison ivy and chiggers? Aloe Vera, while not commonly found in one’s pantry or fridge it’s usually on the patio or within reach. Known for its amazing healing properties, the Aloe Vera gel can be applied to burns, scrapes, rashes, and sunburns. Honey is also good for skin ailments. Honey can be applied on rashes and burns. Not only does it create a barrier on the affected area to prevent further infection its antifungal and antibacterial (in unpasturized honey) properties aid in healing.

Springtime, do your worst. As long as your pantry is full you’ve got it covered.

Lisa Radke is one of the owners of Wild Natural Beauty natural and organic beauty essentials. Please visit our website at www. wildnaturalbeauty.com.