The Ancient Art of Oil Cleansing

You may or may not have heard of oil cleansing, but not to worry! We're here to help guide you through the process and answer questions along the way.

So what is oil cleansing anyway?

This nourishing skincare practice is a modern take on two separate ancient practices - one also goes by the name of "double cleansing", originating in Japan & Korea in the early 14th century, and the other from ancient Roman bathing practices, which included rubbing olive oil over the skin before and after submersing in a hot bath. The theory of efficacy for both practices continues to ring true today, with like attracting like.

This means that when you cleanse the skin with oil, it also attracts other oils to the surface and clings to it like a magnet. This wonderous effect allows your skin to be gently stripped away of dirt, bacteria, residual makeup, and excess oils naturally produced by your skin, and is safe for all skin types regardless of age, health, or complexion. It is an exceptionally gentle way to cleanse for those who have extremely sensitive skin, or for those who may be struggling with painful or irritating skin conditions such as eczema, acne, boils, hives, or psoriasis.

The beauty of oil cleansing is that it gently cleanses the skin without completely stripping it of all its beneficial bacteria, healthy skin cells, or natural and protective oils, as many other skincare products tend to do. There is often a plethora of unwanted (and unknown) ingredients in most commercially-available skincare products, which can be too harsh for our sensitive facial skin, and often cause allergic reactions or aggravate pre-existing skin conditions.

So how do you go about oil cleansing?

It's easy as 1-2-3:

1. Add a few dropperfuls (between 1-2 tsp) of your favourite oil (we love jojoba, argan, or sweet almond) to your dry face, massaging upwards in a circular motion for about a minute.

2. Wet a clean washcloth with very warm water and wring out excess water until it is moist but not dripping, and apply to face.

3. Wipe face in a circular motion for about a minute, flip over the cloth, and wipe again.

That's it! Your face will now have a fresh, plump, moisturized glow and be squeaky-clean. Some folks like following the traditional Japanese method of double-cleansing, and will continue on with a second wash using another cleanser after their initial pass with the oil, but unless you are wearing a lot of makeup or thick skincare products (like sunscreen) on a daily basis, we find this to be unnecessary. Though oil cleansing should leave a nice fine layer of natural moisture on your skin, if you find your face is particularly thirsty, you can feel free to add another few drops of oil as a finishing touch after drying off.

Feeling extra luxurious with your skincare routine? Try any of Flourish Apothecary's beauty oils (or face serums) as an oil cleanser, which will leave your skin not only feeling refreshed and moisturized, but smelling divine as well! So go ahead and get cleansing the way nature intended.

Flourish Apothecary of Victoria, BC is a woman-owned online herbal shop specializing in organic and wild-crafted natural health products. Each product is hand-crafted from freshly harvested medicinal herbs on Vancouver Island. We believe in planet before profit, and emphasize sustainable business practices to ensure we can deliver the highest-quality goods without having a negative affect on the planet.

Why Organic Matters

With our global communities being affected by seemingly endless price hikes and inflation, how do we justify spending a little extra on organically-sourced and locally-created products?

What does it mean to purchase organic? For some, it's a way of life. For others, it's an unnecessary expense. For all, it's a way to ensure you're getting the highest quality product for your body and home. Purchasing organic goods means you are supporting the growing, harvesting, and manufacturing practices that are most sustainable for our planet. There are quite a few misnomers out there about what 'organic' truly means, and we'll break down some of these below.

Organic Farming

When you purchase an organic product, you are ensuring it has been organically farmed. This means supporting farmers who work in harmony with the seasons and soil, encouraging biodiversity and longevity of their home-grown goodness by minimizing (or eliminating) the use of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemical compounds which, ultimately, end up doing more harm than help. Farmers, wild-crafters, and organic gardeners all know how important sustainable growing practices are, and they do their best to produce the healthiest, highest-quality goods that money can buy, all while ensuring the land and the many creatures that share it can reap the benefits as well. At Flourish Apothecary, we only source ingredients from certified organic farmers (or highly knowledgeable and skilled wild-crafters) to ensure our products are packed full of vibrancy, color, nutrition, and optimal healing benefits.

Organic Harvesting

Organic farming practices include sustainable harvesting. In terms of harvesting from the wild, this means knowing how much and how often a plant can be harvested before it starts to negatively impact the surrounding ecosystem, or the plant itself. In terms of harvesting from the farm, this means carefully watching the growing cycles and knowing when each plant is at its peak in terms of medicinal value, and working with the weather and seasons to ensure the plant is ready to be harvested at said peak. Both methods require a knowledge and understanding of our local ecosystems, including native plant species, sustainable wild-crafting etiquette, and proper storage/handling techniques.

Organic Processing

Processing plant materials is a delicate and time-sensitive business. In order to reap the potent healing benefits of each plant, they must be picked and immediately tinctured, dried, or infused, depending on what your end-product is going to be. Processing is an important part of the field-to-bottle process, as many companies will use heavy machinery and chain-production practices which result in a lesser-quality product. When you support organic processing practices (especially in small businesses), you are encouraging hands-on experience, encouraging local job placements, and ensuring your product is free of any heavy metals or other contaminants that may come along with larger-scale production and processing facilities. Organic processing means minimal processing. It is building a connection to the ingredients you are working with, touching, smelling, feeling, and seeing any impurities or issues long before they end up in their final packaging.

Organic Packaging

Ok, ok, so this isn't really a thing. But it should be! We spent a lot of time and energy researching and reviewing all packaging options before we finally settled on ours. We get a lot of suggestions (and questions) about our packaging, because everyone seems to have their own idea of what 'sustainable' really is. The truth is, there is no wholeheartedly sustainable way to package products. No matter what, we are utilizing resources, creating a product that has a shelf life, and eventually will need to be properly disposed of (hopefully after being used and reused until it is no longer usable). What we choose to package products in does matter, though. At Flourish Apothecary, we strive to be a truly zero-waste company, and that means keeping plastic and other hazards out of the landfills, our soils, and our waters. We package most of our products in easily recyclable (but more importantly, reusable) glass and metal containers, and utilize hand-made, non-toxic, food-safe glue on our 100% recycled paper labels, making it easy for our customers to peel off their labels, recycle or compost them, and reuse their glass & metal containers indefinitely. We only utilize re-used and recycled paper & wood shredding for our shipping needs, and any plastic that may work its way into the mix is always 100% re-usable, recycled, and recyclable. By making conscious choices to do better when it comes to producing goods for the public, we are helping to raise awareness of truly eco-friendly shopping habits, and hopefully inspiring other companies to follow suit! To read more about our packaging, check out our blog post here.

The Takeaway:

Sometimes it costs a little extra to purchase goods that are made organically and sustainably, but in the long run, it's always worth it! When purchasing organic products, it's important to remind yourself of the bigger picture. Organic products keep your body healthy, your home clean, and your children safe. Your extra pennies are going towards keeping the earth & all of its creatures happy, and showing the companies (like us!) who put time, thought, and effort into creating beautiful eco-friendly products that you care. And for that, we thank you.

Flourish Apothecary of Victoria, BC is a woman-owned online herbal shop specializing in organic and wild-crafted natural health products. Each product is hand-crafted from freshly harvested medicinal herbs on Vancouver Island. We believe in planet before profit, and emphasize sustainable business practices to ensure we can deliver the highest-quality goods without having a negative affect on the planet.

Essential Oils: Are they safe?

If you begin researching whether or not using essential oils is safe, you're likely to be met with a LOT of contradictory statements and opinions (thanks, internet)! We're here to walk you through some common Q & A's, bust some internet myths, provide clarity on what warrants 'safe' use and what doesn't, and explain why, when it comes to essential oils, quality and purity matters most.

Q #1: What are essential oils?

A: An essential oil consists of the collected and condensed volatile oils of a plant, herb, flower, bark, or root. These are most commonly obtained through a process called steam distillation, in which the plant matter is put into a special container called a still, and gently heated to produce steam (which contains a combination of both water & oil particles). That steam is collected and cooled through various pipes to express a hydrosol (or, plant-infused water), in which the suspended oil particles condense and float to the surface, making them easy to separate from the remaining hydrosol and bottle for essential oil use. We have tried our hand at making essential oils ourselves, and it is no easy feat! The amount of plant matter required just to get a few drops of essential oil is so vast, that we have really come to honor and respect essential oil producers for the work that they put into creating these beautiful botanical scents.

Q #2: Are essential oils safe?

A: Unfortunately, there are a lot of contradictory answers to this, mostly because it is a vague question. Most essential oils are safe for daily use, provided you are using them as directed, are purchasing from a trusted and reputable source, and are aware of any medical conditions or external circumstances that may counteract use; for example, being aware of restrictions when pregnant, when using on or around pets, or small children and immuno-compromised individuals. There are also differences in the safe/acceptable frequency of use when utilizing essential oils topically (on the body) versus inhalation (in a diffuser). Most knowledgeable (and legally-compliant) companies will state whether or not an essential oil, or oil blend, in their products might not suitable for certain individuals or conditions, but to be on the safe side, it's always in your best interest to double-check with a reputable third party before purchasing. As a quick fact sheet, we have compiled some common essential oils to avoid:

Essential oils to avoid using when pregnant:

• Aniseed

• Basil

• Birch

• Camphor

• Clary Sage

• Hyssop

• Mugwort

• Oak Moss

• Parley Seed or Leaf

• Pennyroyal

• Peppermint

• Rosemary

• Rue

• Sage

• Tansy

• Tarragon

• Thuja

• Thyme

• Wintergreen

• Wormwood
  

Essential oils to avoid using on/around infants (under 2 years):

• Bay

• Camphor

• Cinnamon Bark/Leaf

• Citronella

• Clary Sage

• Clove Bud

• Cumin

• Eucalyptus

• Hyssop

• Lemongrass

• Lemon Verbena

• Oregano

• Peppermint

• Rosemary

• Sage

• Tansy

• Thuja

• Thyme

• Wintergreen

• Wormwood
  

Essential oils to avoid using on/around pets:

• Anise (Toxic to dogs)

• Cinnamon

• Citrus

• Clove

• Eucalyptus (Toxic to cats)

• Garlic (Toxic to dogs)

• Juniper (Toxic to dogs)

• Lavender (Toxic to cats)

• Oregano (Toxic to cats)

• Peppermint

• Pine

• Sweet Birch

• Tea Tree

• Wintergreen

• Yarrow (Toxic to dogs)

• Ylang Ylang

Q #3: How do I check for quality in essential oils?

A: Like all things in life, it's important to be able to determine the quality and purity of an essential oil, or a product containing essential oils, before purchasing and using it. A lot of oils on the market are touted as being an 'essential oil', when really they might be a fragrance oil, or a very low-grade/low-quality essential oil, which means they may be adulterated with artificial fragrance, preservatives, synthetics, or other undesirable additives. Sometimes companies will not even have the correct botanical name on their oils, leading to even more confusion! If ever you are looking at an extremely inexpensive essential oil (and thinking, 'what a fantastic deal'!), you're likely looking at an adulterated oil, and should stay far away!

The best way to check that your oils are pure is to purchase from a reputable source. Companies that are reputable will have statements on their website declaring their use of rigorous third-party testing for purity and quality, and will be able and willing to provide you with a GCMS analysis for each oil. Reliable companies like New Directions Aromatics, Divine Essence, and Mountain Rose Herbs all carry pure, unadulterated essential oils in both organic and non-organic varieties. At Flourish Apothecary, we trust these companies wholeheartedly and only purchase NOP/USDA certified organic essential oils, which means you can rely on reaping the benefits of truly organic, pure, and high quality essential oils in our products.

Q #4: Why do some websites say I can safely use certain essential oils for pregnancy/children/pets/illness, and others say I can't?

A: This is another question that warrants some further explanation. It's no surprise that every body is different. We all react to scents, products, and stimulants differently, depending on our genetic makeup, our current state of health, our skin microbiome, and personal preference. While one person might benefit greatly from applying undiluted lavender oil on their pulse points before bed to help them sleep, another might break out in an irritating rash that keeps them up all night. Until you become more experienced with your own body and it's reactions to various essential oils, we urge you to err on the side of caution, and always recommend following these three rules:

1. Check that your oils or essential oil product is coming from a reputable source, with no chance of adulteration or unnecessary irritants added.

2. Always do a patch test if you are trying a new oil or essential oil product before diving right in to regular use guidelines. This will save you the frustration of having spent money on something only to find out you are incredibly allergic to one of its ingredients. You can simply re-gift your product and make a mental note that you have an allergy or sensitivity you were not previously aware of! To do a proper patch test, apply the product to a small (quarter-sized) test spot twice daily for seven to 10 days. Choose a place on your skin where the product won't be rubbed or washed away - a good option would be outside of your arm or the bend of your elbow. For most people that are allergic or sensitive, it will become quite apparent within 12-48 hours of your first application.

3. Always dilute pure essential oils before applying them directly to the skin. There are many dilution calculators that can be used online, but a general rule to follow for regular use is: Adults: 2%-3% dilution (10-20 drops essential oil per 6 teaspoons / 1oz carrier oil) Children 4 - 16 years: 1%-1.5% dilution (6-9 drops essential oil per 6 teaspoons / 1 oz carrier oil) Infants 9 months -3 years: 0.5% dilution (1-3 drops essential oil per 6 teaspoons / 1oz carrier oil)

Summary: Essential oils are safe when we use them safely. We are unique creatures, which require unique methods of healing, and as much support as we can get along the way.

At Flourish Apothecary, we're in your corner and here to help. If you have any questions about our herbal products or how to use them safely and effectively, please don't hesitate to reach out! Also, be sure to sign up for our newsletter, and follow us on social media to get access to more natural health & beauty tips, new product announcements, sales, giveaways, and more!

Flourish Apothecary of Victoria, BC is a woman-owned online herbal shop specializing in organic and wild-crafted natural health products. Each product is hand-crafted from freshly harvested medicinal herbs on Vancouver Island. We believe in planet before profit, and emphasize sustainable business practices to ensure we can deliver the highest-quality goods without having a negative affect on the planet.