HEIRLOOM B E A U T Y

7/30/15

Check us out over here...

We are now doing our blogging over at
www.jessablades.com.
See you there!

11/1/14

Natural Fertility and Birth Control Workshop- Wythe Hotel November 10th

Join women's health experts, Jessa Blades, Katinka Locascio and Erin Borbet for an interactive evening designed to empower you to know your body. Learn how your cycle works and what your hormones can tell you. Find out ways to optimize fertility now…. or five years from now.

Troubleshoot cycle imbalances like PCOS, low thyroid function, or missing periods. And discover how Fertility Awareness Method can be an alternative to hormonal contraception. If you want to get pregnant, if you want to avoid getting pregnant, if you just want your cycle to be in balance, this is the workshop for you!

+ gift bags with goodies from Kindara + Good Eggs + Traditional Medicinals Tea + The Period Store, Thinx, Urban Moonshine
7-7:30pm- Herbal Cocktails, Conversation and Shopping
7:30-9:30pm- Lecture, Q&A

Wythe Hotel, Screening Room 80 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249

***For general questions or more info contact: info@bladesnaturalbeauty or call (646) 580-2851

10/15/14

FOX FODDER FARMer's Market

Join us this Sunday, October 19th from 11am-4pm at Hillside in Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn.

Taylor of Fox Fodder Farm is hosting an amazing autumnal Farmer's Market.

Sip coffee + carve a pumpkin and shop awesome goodies:

Textiles by Caroline Z. Hurley

Ceramics by Helen Levi

Homemade Breads by Sarah Owens

Jams & Jellies by FFF's Momma Mary

We will have wonderful natural beauty and wellness products by us Blades Natural Beauty!

10/5/14

Mornings

I must say I love mornings. For the light, the possibilities of the day ahead...

Take a look at my new favorite video. I think it will definitely improve your morning and hopefully your day, and maybe inspire you to sign up for a tap dancing class :)

9/23/14

Tulum- The Ultimate Wellness Getaway

Last year, during that cold and traumatizing winter, my brother and I decided to escape to Tulum. Below I share my wellness tips and advice with my favorite travel site Fathom Away...

If left to our own devices in Mexico, we're likely to OD on pork rinds and mezcal. We should probably travel with someone who has a good head on her shoulders, but we'll settle for the next best thing: fun and healthy Tulum tips from wellness and beauty babe Jessa Blades of Blades Natural Beauty.

TULUM, Mexico – I was lucky enough to book a last minute trip to Tulum, a place everyone in New York seems has been talking about. I totally see why. It is a beautiful and relaxing retreat one easy plane ride from Brooklyn.

Tulum has a reputation as a wellness destination, and I found exactly what I was looking for: healing treatments, local and medicinal foods (in my cocktails and burritos), and a vibrant local community.

Mamey fruit for sale on roadside carts.

EAT WELL

Breakfast

Start the day with an incredibly healthy and delicious breakfast buffet at Amansala. I'm talking coconut water, chia seeds, fresh fruit, and eggs. For mental clarity, be sure you eat it on the balcony overlooking the ocean.

Mamey

You will see a lot of mamey (pouteria sapota) in Tulum. It's shaped like an avocado but has brown skin, a sandpaper-meets-peach-fuzz texture, and bright orange fruit inside. Mamey is full of vitamin B6 and vitamin C and is a good source of riboflavin, niacin, vitamin E, manganese, and potassium.

Buy one on the side of the road and eat it on the beach. They also sell mamey oil, made from the seed

of the fruit, a lovely healing oil to moisturize skin. You can buy it at Yoga Shala and Amansala.

Flor de Michoacan.

Chaya

Chaya is an ingredient that you see on menus all over Tulum. Known as Mayan spinach or "tree spinach" (cnidoscolus aconitifolius), it's used in cocktails, burritos, and smoothies. Chaya is a great source of protein, vitamins, calcium, iron, and is also a rich source of antioxidants. There's nothing better than a local, medicinal, wild ingredient that's good for you.

Get a smoothie at Flor de Michoacan (Ave. Tulum, between Alfa and Jupiter Sts.) with chaya and other fruits, and sit in their sun-filled garden in the back. Also be sure to try one of their famous paletas (popscicles). You can also have chaya in a cocktail at Puro Corazon.

Sugarcane Juice

The best fresh-pressed sugarcane drinks in town are at Batey Mojito & Guarapo Bar (Centauro Sur St. bt Ave. Tulum and Andromeda Oriente; +52-1-984-143-3616.) Raw sugarcane juice is really good for you. It has a high concentration of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and manganese, and is alkaline forming. I had a drink with habanero and lime, which was spicy and sweet and refreshing. This place also has the best coffee in town.

Yoga Tree Isis at Casa Violeta. Photo courtesy of Casa Violeta.

LIVE HEALTHY

Spa

Having a Mayan Clay Spa massage was a highlight of my trip. I swear it will mellow-out even the most stressed traveler. They walk you from the beach road down a path and into a two-story palapa in the jungle. So magical. The massage involves warm healing clay that detoxifies and re-mineralizes the organs and helps deeply ground and relax the body. To finish the treatment, you have to walk to the ocean (covered in clay) and wash it off in the sea. A totally affordable experience you should not miss.

I also love the treatment list at Yaan Wellness Energy Spa at Be Tulum Hotel, which includes new-agey stuff beyond massages, like energy healing and sweat lodge ceremonies.

Yoga

Unless you are on a yoga retreat, it can be a bit confusing to find our where to take a class. I found great drop-ins at Amansala, Casa Violeta, and Yoga Shala.

Sweat Lodge

I highly recommend doing a sweat lodge or temezcal while you are in Tulum. Experiencing a traditional sweating ceremony is another way to melt the stress away and bring on the relaxation. Just make sure to sign up early or have your friends do it with you, as treatments can be canceled unless enough people participate.

SHOP

Farmer's Market

On Sundays, head to the beach at Ahau Tulum. There is a seed exchange, organic produce for sale, a sweat lodge, and music.

Groceries

There is a massive supermarket between the beach and the town of Tulum called Chedraui. It reminded me of a Super Walmart, not my favorite place to shop. But I did find something amazing inside: huge bins of loose cinnamon and hibiscus. I popped some hibiscous in my water bottle and let the sun do its magic. Voilà! Hibiscus tea for the beach.

8/27/14

Natural Beauty Workshop with the Tipi Project

Dreams are coming true! On September 9th I will be teaching a class in a 30 foot Tipi with the Tipi Project in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The Tipi Project is an intergenerational community space designed to foster connection between people, land, creativity and tradition through art, culture and education. Currently the tipi is in Havemeyer Park in South Willimamburg but only until the end of September- so be sure to check out upcoming classes.

Below is a description of my class- hope to see you there!

First we will talk about natural and organic beauty and products, why they are important, how they heal our skin and bodies and how to identify the right ones for you. We will learn about healing tonic herbs and create a tea blend that we will all share together and sip throughout the night. Next we will make a couple of simple skincare products. discussing raw ingredients, essential oils, and herbs.

You will leave this night empowered to take better care of your skin from the inside out and be inspired to look at your own beauty rituals in a much more holistic way.
Each student will leave with a custom tea blend of herbs and some of each of the products that we make together.

September 9th
7-9:30pm
Buy your ticket here: www.tipiproject.com
P.S. T Magazine wrote about our class! Now you have to come :)

8/6/14

NATURAL BEAUTY WORKSHOP with JESSA BLADES and GRAVEL AND GOLD

So excited to be teaching a workshop in San Francisco at my favorite store in the world, Gravel and Gold. See details below! Hope you can come or spread the word to any of your ladies in SF.

Herbal cocktails elixirs + natural beauty education + shopping and lovely lady energy. Yay! Join Jessa Blades for a night of natural beauty info and demonstrations. Jessa is a natural beauty expert, make-up artist, herbalist and founder of Blades Natural Beauty. She’ll share tips on how to look great using good-for-you cosmetics and how to promote and maintain healthy skin with herbs. She’ll have products from her website available to try and buy and participants will leave with samples of Jessa’s own hand blended products + the best ever eyeliner that will help you a do a perfect smokey eye.

Tuesday August 12th, 7-9pm $45 per person
FOR TICKETS email Tomra@gravelandgold.com or call 415.552.0112
Gravel & Gold, San Francisco, CA 3266 21st Street SF CA 94110 (415) 552-0112 www.gravelandgold.com

6/25/14

Jessa's 11 Easy Tricks To Simplify Your Makeup Routine

So excited to share this video with all of you! On our recent trip to LA we shot this video with Buzzfeed. Check out my simple and quick tips that you add into your beauty routine ASAP. Oh yeah- and I'm a GIF :) Check it out...

Check out the whole post and all the GIF's here

5/29/14

Burt's Bees: THE MOVIE

We see Burt’s Bees products in our grocery stores all the time, and who hasn't owned one their yellow tubes of peppermint lip balm. Now we can learn more about the man behind the brand in all of his natural, eccentric glory in the new documentary film titled Burt’s Buzz.

Burt Shavitz began to turn his extra beeswax into candles and lip balm in the 1980s with the help of Roxanne Quimby, his then-lover and business partner. As the small business turned into a successful enterprise, the relationship between Shavitz and Quimby—both professional and romantic—went south. Shavitz was ultimately pushed out of the company, but as the face and the inspiration behind the billion-dollar Burt’s Bees brand, he is still a figure worth investigating.

Shavitz has an impressive resume as a 1960's news photographer, an environmentalist, and a beekeeper extraordinaire. He had little interest in becoming a “yuppie,” or in huge financial gain. “I’m less interested in the inside of whatever it is I own than on the outside of what it sits on,” Shavits explains, referring to his concern for nature and the simple life. Of course, Burt’s Bees cares very much about what’s “on the inside” of their personal-care products, which is why this movie caught my attention. In recent years the company was bought by Clorox which is interesting choice for company who's roots are so pure and simple. Check out the trailer to watch the curmudgeonly Shavitz hold handfuls of bees and tell his side of the story. We can expect Burt’s Buzz out in June.

5/17/14

Get your ticket! Sewing Seeds presents STAINED, an event of sensorial experiences through natural dyes.

So excited for this event. I hope you can make it! STAINED was created by artist Cara Piazza as an unique experience for the public to engage with natural dyes through the lens of experimentation, ritual and performance. The event will challenge and delight the senses, inviting guests to participate with different “sensorial stations,”all interacting in unique ways with natural dyes.

An opulent table featuring ceramic works by Daniela Jacobs and Betty Roytburd, hanging net installation and table linens created by Cat Lauigan of Cave Collective and local delicacies curated by chef and artist Nicole Asselin, that will also function as dyes and stains.

A tapestry will be suspended along side ritualistic vessels conceived by Alex Wolkowicz of Cave Collective, that guests can use to splash, bang and imprint their imaginations on to it.

A tent will be erected, where guests will play with scent and sound, with scents provided and conjured up by Natural Apothecary and beauty guru Jessa Blades and sounds mixed by Cat Lauigan of Cave Collective.

Each station will combine all the elements of the human senses of sight, taste, touch, hearing and smell and abstract them to wholly immerse you into the world of natural dyeing.

Join us for a night of celebration of art and natural dyes, local food + cocktails, and unique experiences.

May 22nd, 7-11PM
The Dumbo Loft (155 Water Street, Brooklyn)

Ticket includes access to event and performances and open bar from 7-11PM generously provided by Van Brunt Stillhouse and Sixpoint Brewery. Dancing provided by DJ Ayres from THE RUB.

MORE INFO + TICKETS HERE

3/20/14

Happy Spring!

I am beyond thrilled that Winter is over and today is the day that we have been waiting for, the first day of SPRING! To get you in the mood- here is a video that my friend Daeja and I made for the awesome site TINY ATLAS, featuring hot pink lipstick, cherry blossoms and an herbal cocktail.

And just in case you feel like celebrating Spring with the cocktail from the video-

here is the recipe- enjoy!

3/15/14

EVENT: Fertility Awareness Workshop- what your Doctor never told you about birth control

A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to take an intro class on the Fertility Awareness Method with the wonderful teacher, Katinka Locascio, and now I am thrilled to be hosting her for a second time and to share this knowledge with all of you.

Please join us for this very special event:
Fertility Awareness Workshop and Discussion with Katinka Locascio
March 26th in Ft. Greene Brooklyn.

This class is encouraged for any one, whether you are looking to welcome a child into your life, 'waking up from the pill," looking for a more natural form of birth control, and/or wanting to better understand your gynecological health.

This evening will be a fun flash back to high school biology class and a conversation about an increasingly talked about (check out this documentary that's in the works... Miscon(tra)ception) and very safe form of birth control that perhaps your Doctor or your Mother never told you about!


For thousands of years the moon has been a symbol of fertility and the menstrual cycle.				photo via

DETAILS:
Fertility Awareness Workshop, 7-9:30pm, Wednesday, MARCH 26th
Ft. Greene, Brooklyn (we will send you the address once you buy your ticket)
7-7:30pm- Cocktails, Herbal Tea, Conversation and Shopping (great natural beauty products + wellness goodies with 10% off discount)
7:30-9:30pm- Lecture begins at 7:30pm; Q&A and discussion to follow

$35 per person BUY YOUR TICKET HERE
For questions or more information, contact: jessa@jessablades.com or call (646) 580-2851.
_____________________

About Fertility Awareness Method:
Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) is a practice of empowering women to naturally (and effectively) achieve pregnancy, avoid pregnancy and better understand their bodies. This method teaches women how her body works and provides a system by which she can observe and chart her body’s signals in order to know when she is ovulating. Not to be mistaken with the ineffective rhythm method, FAM is based on science and a stronger understanding of one's own body. This class will not teach the method itself, but will provide a thorough introduction to those both ready to begin integrating FAM into their lives, to those who wish to understand their bodies better AND to those that are simply curious! We will provide information and resources, as well as an opportunity to ask questions and discuss. Check out this great article: Your Grandmother's Birth Control Might Actually Work by Nona Willis Aronowitz. As well as this phone app which both educates as well as helps women to manage their charting efforts: Kindara.

About Katinka Locascio:
Katinka is a Licensed Massage Therapist, Herbalist, Bodyworker and Labor Doula. She founded Earth & Sky Healing Arts ten years ago with a vision to help people live to their fullest potential while staying rooted in the wisdom of the body. Inspired by her background in science, she has pursued numerous trainings in the healing arts. Her practice focuses on women’s health, pregnancy, and fertility, as well as integrative structural bodywork. She lives and works in Long Island City, Queens, and has really enjoyed becoming a part of the community.

3/10/14

EVENT: Natural Beauty Workshop in Philadelphia with Art in the Age

So excited to be doing an event back in my hometown, about two blocks from where I grew up. Art in the Age (a fantastic store, check it out ASAP) is hosting the event and providing us with herbal cocktails while we talk about natural beauty.
Hope you can join us! More info below-

You’re invited to an evening of wellness discussion and demos with natural beauty expert and makeup artist Jessa Blades of Blades Natural Beauty on Thursday, March 27th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at our flagship store in Old City. Homemade teas and Art in the Age spritzers will be provided while Jessa answers questions about natural beauty products and shares helpful tips on healing your skin and applying makeup for day and night looks. Feel free to bring a guest and please RSVP to daniel@artintheage.com.

WHERE:
Art In The Age Store
116 N 3rd St, Philadelphia PA 19106
WHEN:
Thursday, March 27th, 2014
6:30pm to 8:30pm

1/4/14

Why I do what I do

Hi guys-

This quote sums up how I feel about all of you. I am inspired every day by the power and the beauty that women possess. We are so busy, so loving, so tired, so creative, so sensitive. It can be hard to be all of these things AND feel good all the time. I have always been inspired by the connection between feeling good and looking good. And we ALL want to look good. I remember the exact moment I realized the power of makeup and the intrinsic connection it has to the way we feel about ourselves. I remember the first time I witnessed the power that I possessed to transform the way a person feels for the better, and have been mesmerized with it ever since.

It was around that time that I also realized that being a makeup artist was a job, it seemed fun and combined all of my interests: people, psychology and making art. I’ve always seen the face as a half painted canvas, and it is my job to use the best features that a person has to highlight them and “finish” creating a beautiful piece of “art.” Through all of my studies, observations in makeup school and behind makeup counters as well as conversations with women, I noticed that the beauty industry seemed stale, driven only by money, and marketing that made women feel terrible about themselves. The industry sold women beauty products they had no idea how to use. And while I wanted to be a part of it, as a makeup artist, I also wanted to change it for the better.

I think it is interesting that most women feel as if they have “missed the class” on how to do makeup. My favorite part about doing makeup is helping women to look like the best version of themselves, mimicking the way they look on vacation, in August, after eating lots of raspberries and laughing all day. We live really stressful lives, in polluted cities with indoor heat, and are not always able to take the best care of ourselves. Supporting women to take better care of themselves is a mission of mine and something that I am now able to share in workshops and lessons, and a daily reminder that I need to do the same for myself.

After working in the beauty industry for years, I still really wanted to help women and at the same time needed to figure out how to help myself and my own skin. At that point I had almost given up on my skin, I had the most sensitive, dry, irritated skin, and it would burn. The wind would blow, and I'd get a rash. I thought that there had to be something going on, because I couldn’t find any products that worked, and the dermatologists and allergists I saw were no help. So, I pared down my face-washing and moisturizing process to really basic ingredients, like coconut and olive oil, and decided I would do the healing. I left my skin alone and let it get back into balance. That was when I realized that my skin wasn't sensitive — it was communicating, and it was saying, “Hey Jessa, there's something here that isn't right.”

After extensive research, what I learned was that a lot of the products I had been using weren't as "beautiful" as I had thought, and that they wouldn't inspire me to help women feel good. The facts are that we live in a country that doesn’t have any regulations when it comes to personal care (toothpaste, shampoo, lipstick, mascara, baby wipes), the 60 billion dollar industry is allowed to use whatever ingredients they want, without testing for safety.

How is there lead in lipstick and mercury in mascara?

I knew it was time to make a change. Luckily what changed for me at that moment was getting back, literally, in touch with our roots and nature. While flipping over ingredient labels and seeing the nasty ingredients, I also saw GOOD ones like: calendula, coconut oil, rosemary essential oil, beeswax.

I started my herbal studies up in Vermont with rockstar herbalist Rosemary Gladstar and have been studying herbal healing and plant medicine for the past four years. I’m passionate about helping people get back in touch with the simple healing and folk traditions that our ancestors used and understood as powerful medicine.

Most other cultures use herbs for their first line of defense against disease, and I think it's time we remember how to do that once again. New Yorkers (and most everyone) are so stressed, and our nervous systems are totally fatigued. This is what inspired me to create my line of tea and skincare, to help get ourselves back into a balanced state, letting our bodies take care of themselves.

xo,

Jessa

11/19/13

BLADES BEAUTY COURSE, HOLIDAY SPARKLE EDITION with LDBA

So excited to announce my upcoming class with my favorite art school in Brooklyn, L’Ecole Des Beaux Arts. Join us on December 8th for the ultimate class to keep you looking good and feeling calm during this busy and festive season.

We will begin class by sipping herbal tea and discussing easy herbal recipes to keep yourself calm and healthy during Holiday madness. Next, I will demonstrate some easy and effective makeup techniques to get you ready for all of those festive holiday parties:
Techniques include: Smokey eye demo (obviously), fake eyelash application, how to wear a perfect and long lasting red lip, and how to turn your daytime makeup into party ready, sexy night-time makeup in just 3 easy steps.
We will also cover simple beauty tricks & I'll share my expert advice teaching you how to make the most of your beauty products.
Students will finish this course with a sparkling herbal cocktail as we celebrate your skills and confidence to look and feel your best this Holiday Season!

Class description:

 Jessa Blades, a natural-beauty expert, herbalist, and make-up artist, teaches this exclusive LDBA Beauty Course just in time for the Holidays! Sign up and schedule a night to celebrate and pamper YOU.
Date: Sunday, December 8th, 5- 7:30 pm
Location: LDBA Classroom, Williamsburg
338 Wythe Avenue · Brooklyn, NY 11211
To sign-up:  Purchase here

11/12/13

Learning from Ina May

post by Odile Schalit, friend, social worker, and doula-

I had no idea the world that would be revealed to me when my Doula Mentor handed me "Spiritual Midwifery" some 5 or so years ago. Ina May Gaskin's name was but one I'd overheard in the circles I was, at the time, trying to "infiltrate." I imagined her as some sort of mystical birthing goddess. As it turned out, I wasn't too far off.

Spiritual Midwifery, her first book, which came out in 1977, speaks to Ina May's beginnings and work as a self-made Midwife on route to and eventually on the commune, called The Farm, that she and her husband founded. Since then, Ina May has established a renowned Midwifery Clinic on the Farm, written four books on topics related to birthing/breast feeding, written several articles, lectured around the world and appeared in documentaries - most recently, Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and The Farm Midwives (trailer below).

Among many things, Ina May is clearly a pioneer for the natural birth movement but it is a subtler point that weaves its way through her work and her speaking that feels to me not only the most poetic but the most profound. Ina May speaks passionately about the reconnection of a woman with her body in its most natural and animalistic sense. The idea being that to start listening to our bodies again, to trust our bodies and their wisdom and fears, will provide for a more empowered experience in life and in birth. This sentiment and her expression of this (for example, through her quirky but brilliant "sphincter law" description which is accompanied on occasion by videos of monkeys) has been universally helpful for me as a Social Worker and Doula and can be to any woman regardless of the type of birth experience she seeks.

images via The Guardian & Mutha Magazine

11/10/13

Natural Beauty Event at Wythe Hotel

I recently led a natural beauty event at the Caron Callahan shop at Wythe Hotel. It was an evening of education, discussion and shopping. Part workshop, part Q&A, this event was a real community experience. I made all of the ladies sit in a circle, pass around samples of tea and tinctures. My goal was to provide a space for women to come together and share, and realize that they all have the same questions. Whether it is about dry flaky skin, how to do a smokey eye, fertility awareness or what herbs to take when you think you are on the verge of getting sick... we all think about the same things. It is time that as women we come together and feel empowered and inspired by each other and I was honored to provide that space and experience.

AND we got to sip on Mountain Woman Tea and lavender rose spritzers, shop, and had a really fun night!

Mountain Woman Tea brewing


Fabulous products from Earth tu Face, Kahina Giving Beauty, Good Fight Herb Co.


Kitchen Medicine Poster

Tasting elderberry syrup

Jessa, Anna and Caron

11/6/13

Catfish Man of the Woods

Have you ever heard of Catfish? I certainly hadn't until recently. The herbalist Phyllis Light mentioned his name during a class I was in this past summer at The International Herb Symposium. The class was all about Appalachian herbalism and Phyllis shared her stories about her teachers and the philosophy of herbalism and healing in Appalachia. She mentioned Catfish and I immediately feel in love with this man and have since been looking for as much information as I can find about him.

Catfish Grey was born in 1917 and was a fifth generation "herb doctor." Catfish collected all of the herbs he used, mostly in the woods near his home and was regarded by many as a master of plant lore. He got his start with herbs after a work place accident in the early 1950s that left him unable to perform physical labor. Gray gathered and sold wildflowers for money, turning to the great knowledge of woodland plants he had acquired from his family. Soon he was gathering herbs as well, and dispensing advice on using them to cure or prevent diseases. Gray gathered dozens of herbs, sorted, combined, and packaged them in a one-room building at his home near Glenwood, West Virginia, and mailed bags of his herbs and blends—usually for less than a dollar—to customers around the world. Gray dispensed his herbal cures along with advice about diet, religion, lifestyle, and the astrological aspects of illness. Gray also sold his herbs at craft fairs and other public gatherings, where his cheerful and sincere manner added to his reputation.

I hope you enjoy learning about Catfish as much as I do. And if you find any other information or resources, be sure to send them my way.

Photo credit and Catfish information via:

West Virginia Encyclopedia

Rebounding For Life blog

Appalachian Lady

10/1/13

We opened a SHOP in BROOKLYN!

It has been a whirlwind of excitement and new beginnings as we opened our shop this past month. Caron Callahan is the name of the awesome new store, located in the lobby of the fabulous Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The shop is filled with women's and men's clothing and accessories, gifts, the cutest little baby clothes, jewelry, books, travel essentials, all curated by my dear friend, clothing designer Caron Callahan. I've been lucky enough to curate the beauty and apothecary items and stocked the shop with my favorite natural beauty brands for both men and woman including products from: Ursa Major, SW Basics, Soapwalla, H. Gillerman Organics, Province Apothecary, Smith and Chang, Earth tu Face, Kahina Giving Beauty, and my own products from Blades Natural Beauty.... with more products being added weekly.

We are open everyday through December 28th, 10-8pm in the lobby of the hotel at 80 Wythe Ave. N. 11th Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 11249. I hope you can come in and visit us soon. I'll be in the shop each week sharing my tips and tricks for natural beauty. So come on in and check my Instagram to stay in the loop about what is going on at the shop and when I'm going to be there to help you find some great solutions to any of your beauty needs.

Check us out! We were featured in T Magazine!

photos by Bex Finch

7/29/13

Summer Goddess Sun Tea with Chamomile Syrup

We recently shared our favorite summer tea recipe with the lovely Erin Boyle of Gardenista.com. Check out the recipe below and make some for yourself ASAP!

from Gardenista.com
Making sun tea is kind of like cheating. In the best way. It sounds fancy and tastes delicious, but requires less effort than you'd think. Our Summer Goddess Sun Tea recipe is from this week's resident natural beauty expert, Jessa Blades. It's a bright, floral variation on the iced tea you're probably already drinking. Sweetened with a brown sugar and chamomile syrup and packed with vitamin C-rich hibiscus and rose petals, this version is as tasty as it is nutritional. It's also showstoppingly pretty.

Above: Jessa blends equal parts dried rose and hibiscus flowers to make her Summer Goddess tea.

Above: Leave your tea in a sunny window or a fire escape for an hour or two to steep.

Above: Dried chamomile flowers are used for making a floral-scented simple syrup that sweetens the tea with organic brown sugar.

Above: Strain syrup into a clean container and keep refrigerated.

Summer Goddess Sun Tea

Equal parts dried rose and hibiscus flowers, blended
1-3 teaspoons of flowers per 8 oz of water

Brew sun tea by leaving a jar of water and flower petals in a sunny window for an hour or two. The hibiscus imparts its flavor quickly, so the tea doesn't take long to brew. A caveat: there's some risk of bacteria growth when making sun tea. If you think you'll leave your tea out for more than a couple of hours, consider brewing it overnight in the refrigerator instead, or making it the old-fashioned way with boiling water. If you use boiling water, pour it over dried flowers, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes before straining.
If you'd rather not blend your own tea, Jessa sells the pre-blended Summer Goddess Tea through her website.
Brown Sugar Chamomile Syrup

1 cup organic brown sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup dried chamomile flowers

In a medium saucepan combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and add chamomile flowers and cover with a lid. Jessa likes to add one cup of flowers for a strong chamomile flavor. If you prefer a more subtle flavor, add just a half cup of flowers. Allow to cool and then strain into a clean container and enjoy. Syrup can be refrigerated for up to one month. Sweeten your sun tea to taste and enjoy (preferably from your spot in a Nap-Worthy Hammock).

photos & interview by Erin Boyle

5/16/13

How do you see yourself? As beautiful?

I gotta hand it to Dove- this video provides and interesting window into how we see ourselves and has sparked a lively conversation over the internet. It is a really interesting social experiment exploring the way women see themselves vs. the way others see us. Check it out and let me know what you think.

p.s. I think you are all beautiful :)

12/12/12

Winter Wellness Workshop

A couple of weeks ago we were lucky enough to get Carly Harrison, of Vermana Herbals, to come down from Vermont and teach us how to keep ourselves strong and healthy all winter long. Herbal cocktails, learning, snacks, sharing and then some beauty product shopping. What a perfect night!