Great New Products For Combination and Sensitive Skin

We are happy to announce that we have brought in yet another exceptional, extremely pure and natural facial care line at Wedge Worldwide. Allow us to introduce you to Suki Naturals, a collection of ultra-pure, facial care items that will make your skin sing.

Suki was started by Suki Kramer who grew up with severe eczema. Having difficulty finding facial and body care products that would help her troubled, delicate skin, Suki experimented with making her own herbal preparations and skin formulas. Her blends improved with each batch and eventually, her skin radically improved. Suki's holistic, effective and gentle formulas resulted in Suki Naturals, products made for all skin conditions, but with sensitive types like her in mind. Suki Natural's skin and body care line are truly natural products with pure botanical ingredients preserved with essential oils, and contain no synthetic ingredients. Extracts of the most potent parts of healing plants are used to maximize the effectiveness and strength of Suki's unique products. Standardized botanicals perform specific functions such as cell regeneration, anti-inflammation, anti-bacterial, detoxification and antiseptic action.

As always, we have tried and tested these products ourselves here at Wedge Worldwide and have a few favorites that we would love to recommend to you. Personally, I have combination skin, which means that my face tends to be both oily and normal or oily and dry, depending on the season. Naturally, I was pleased to come across products from Suki that were perfect for my skin type.

Let's start off with Suki's Exfoliating Lemongrass Cleanser with chamomile and vitamin C. First of all I love the all-natural scent of this cleanser! It brings to mind fresh lemon aid or delicious lemon curd. The gently exfoliating granules are made from grains of organic sugar and gently melt as you massage them into your skin. My face feels smooth and clean after using this cleanser, not harshly stripped of it's natural oils. Suki says that their Lemongrass Cleanser increases cell turnover & unlike damaging glycolics, utilizes natural, safe AHA's & BHA's, awakening a fresh, new layer of skin safely and gently. I found that with continued use of this product my skin tone looked more even, my skin remained hydrated and the T-zone area of my face that tends towards oiliness was more balanced and less prone to break outs.

Another thing that we appreciate about Suki Naturals is their commitment to causing the least impact on the earth in all of their business practices. They are also leaders in the personal care industry and have set standards for purity in personal care that equal our food standards. Neither Suki Naturals, nor their suppliers, test on animals. And, our vegetarian and vegan friends will be happy to know that many of Suki's products are vegan!

Weleda's Pure, Organic, Biodynamic Body Care

All of us who work at Wedge Worldwide feel a special fondness for the great body care products from the German-based company Weleda. Each item they produce is a super-pure, all-natural gem that is effective and an absolute pleasure to use.

Founded in 1921, Weleda has pioneered the use of biodynamic and organic ingredients in the personal care industry. Biodynamics is a holistic, sustainable form of agriculture that could be considered a step above organic practices. All Weleda formulations are free of synthetic additives, preservatives, colorants and fragrances, mineral oils, and parabens. Their pure fragrances consist exclusively of natural essential oils. For the past 80 years, Weleda has adhered to these original quality standards, continuing to use biodynamic and organic ingredients to create its unique preparations. And of course, Weleda and their suppliers do not test their ingredients or products on animals.

For instance, one of the most beautiful body care oils I have ever come across is Weleda's Rose Body Oil. I gave it to my best friend one year for her birthday and when she called to thank me she said, "My god I love this stuff, the smell is incredible! I hide it from the rest of my family and am rationing it so it will last as long as possible." This oil is a special, nurturing treat. It is divine as a body moisturizer, for massage or for adding a few teaspoons to a hot bath. The aroma is pretty delectable; a rosy, warm, scent with subtle musk-like undertones. It's like rubbing liquefied rose petals over your skin.

I'm also a big fan of Weleda's Everon Lip Balm. It is fantastic at protecting and healing very dry and chapped lips and the healthy amount of shea butter added to it packs an extra moisturizing punch. So this is the perfect item to have on hand during dry, windy and cold winter months as well as to heal lips that have been over-exposed to the sun in the summer. The delicious rose and vanilla scent derived from all-natural essential oils make this balm smell good enough to eat!!

Another extra moisturizing skin saving delicacy is Weleda's Skin Food. This is a huge year-round customer favorite for us that its devotees swear by. Skin Food can be used anywhere on the body for healing and moisturizing extremely dry skin, but many love to use it mainly as a hand cream. This formula contains lanolin which is a substance obtained from shorn sheep's wool. The wool is press between rollers in order to express this wax-like substance. Lanolin can be helpful for treating chapped lips, diaper rash, dry skin, itchy skin, rough feet, minor cuts, minor burns and skin abrasions. It easily absorbs into the skin and has even been known to have antibacterial-like properties.

I've used and loved Weleda's toothpaste for years. These products are some of the most natural toothpaste available on the market! All of these mouth care products are sodium lauryl sulfate free. SLS is a sudsing agent that may cause various forms of skin irritation and some have speculated that it could be hazardous to human health. Although this matter is still being debated it is interesting to note that when products foam or suds this is not a sign that true cleaning is occurring. There actually is no real point to those bubbles or foam except that they may give us the illusion of cleanliness. Check out my staff review (simply click on the red review link in the upper right hand corner) for Weleda's Salt Toothpaste. Once you try it, it might become your favorite too!

While we're talking about safe body care ingredients, let me mention the superb, pure and clean Weleda deodorants. These products are in an alcohol base and loaded with natural essential oils that refresh the skin and get rid of unwanted bacteria. Best of all, these deodorants are propylene glycol free. Propylene glycol is an ingredient that is often found in deodorants which makes deodorants effective by acting to block the pores in the sweat glands. Many people have started to question the safety of arresting the body's natural ability to perspire and eliminate toxins. Not to mention creating stagnation in the body's lymph systems under the arms. I have found the Weleda deodorants to be extremely effective at keeping me feeling fresh and sweet-smelling all day long. I love the elegant and easily recycled glass bottles that they come in too! Take a look at the available scents of Sage, Citrus, or Wild Rose.

And hey, men, we have something just for you! Weleda makes a wonderful assortment of body care products for men. And our customers tell us that they're excited by their high-quality, wonderful masculine scents and effectiveness. Wedge Worldwide offers Weleda's Shaving Cream, After Shave Balm and facial Moisture Cream for Men. All of these items also make great, sure to be appreciated gifts!

In addition to Weleda's products being delightful and excellent, they also are big supporters of Fair Trade. Their pure plant extracts and ingredients are harvested throughout the world, either from their own biodynamic medicinal plant gardens or through contractual partnerships with farmers. They work with local farmers, helping them to convert their conventional farms into sustainable, organic agriculture. Weleda believes that fair prices, determined and accepted by both sides, create long-term partnerships based on cooperation, mutual trust and respect. Through building Fair Trade agreements, Weleda offers economic and social support to the communities they partner with. Such practices uphold Weleda's founding virtue, "In harmony with nature and the human being."

Sustainably-Harvested, Wild Herb Products From Juniper Ridge

Juniper Ridge is a small, homegrown, eco-minded business in California that is a good example of the type of producer that we like to support here at Wedge Worldwide. First of all, their highly pleasurable products are an olfactory delight. Just sticking my nose in a bag of their wild herb sachets or wild herb soaps stimulates feelings of happiness and delight in me. But even better, everything that Juniper Ridge produces is made with herbs, leaves, woods and resins from the mountains and deserts of the west that are harvested sustainably by hand. Their wild-crafting practices ensure that the plants they take trimmings from will grow back year after year and will even increase in production rates and health. This sweet little company also gives 10% of their profits to groups that support western wilderness, so when you purchase one of their products you are not only enjoying an all-natural treat from nature, you are also helping to protect it for future generations. Juniper Ridge's products are also made with completely natural ingredients and contain scents that do not have any fillers or artificial fragrance in them. These amazing smells come directly from beautifully fragrant plants!

Ready to start feeling the love? How about tucking a wild herb sachet into a drawer, closet, bed, pillows, car, storage items or anywhere you want to relax and remind yourself of the outdoors. Check out the Douglas Fir Sachet that has an evergreen and lemony smell to it or the Port Orford Cedar Sachet, a gingery cedar from the northwestern coast of California. Juniper Ridge says that when they put baskets of these sachets out at the farmers market in San Francisco, customers walk by their booth and then turn around to come back and ask, “what is that incredible smell?”

Personally, I find their bar soaps to be pretty amazing. The smells are invigorating and uplifting and make bathing fun. These soaps are also biodegradable with all-natural ingredients of 100% vegetable oil and super-fatted shea butter and jojoba for an exceptionally gentle, moisturizing bar. In particular, take a look at the Coastal Sage Scrub Soap, scented with a blend of California coastal sages; the Siskiyou Cedar Soap, which has a wonderful gingery cedar smell to it; the Western Juniper (my personal fave) which is infused with real, wild Juniper from the southwest deserts; and, last but not least, the festive soap gift pack, an assortment of full-sized soaps wrapped in a delicious, gingery Cedar trimming with a pretty, green bow. Any of these soaps are perfect for men as they are outdoorsy and less floral than many traditional, herbal soaps (although women love them, too!).

May I also recommend bringing the outdoors into your home with Juniper Ridge's great-smelling natural incense? Their incense is charcoal and potassium nitrate free and contains no artificial fragrances. This is the only incense around that is made with 100% wild-gathered tree leaves, wood and resins from the Western landscape. It's like experiencing the beauty of a crackling campfire in the fresh mountain air! And speaking of beauty, many of our customers are enamored with the lovely White Sage and Wild Mint Tea and Douglas Fir Tip Tea from Juniper Ridge. White Sage has a rich, earthy, minty flavor that made it a favorite tea for many of the Native American tribes and early settlers of the Southwest while the Douglas Fir Tip Tea has a refreshing, lemony flavor and sweet, forest-like aroma. I know a couple of tea snobs that will only let the highest quality, dreamiest brews pass their lips and they feel a deep fondness for these teas.

Once you try something from Juniper Ridge, you're sure to be hooked. These scents are real, earthy and evocative. Says Hall Newbegin, the founder of Juniper Ridge, “I dream up beautiful things that make people's eyes light up, things that connect people with the outdoors and memories of camping trips and walking with your dad and the tastes of days of fall leaves.”

Evanhealy Facial Care For Sensitive Skin

My skin is ultra particular about what I can put on it. Many of even the highest quality, all-natural facial creams cause my sensitive skin to easily break out and become red and irritated. That's why I love this cream from evanhealy called Blue Chamomile Day Moisturizer. It's moisturizing, yet it soaks in quickly and is not at all oily. This cream also incorporates the healing properties of essential oils like blue chamomile, excellent for inflammation, redness or puffiness, and lavender which has great toning and pore cleansing properties.

My face has combination skin that can tend towards both oiliness and dryness. It's hard for me to find a moisturizer that can treat the dryness without clogging my pores. I often recommend Blue Chamomile Day Moisturizer to customers who are looking for a natural alternative to traditional drug-store-type non-comogenic (non-pore clogging) facial creams. This evanhealy product is great for all skin types, not just sensitive folks like me! Others who may be interested in trying it would be those who suffer from eczema, psoriasis or rosacea.

I feel that this moisturizer is an excellent choice for men, too, especially those who tend to have irritated skin or ingrown hairs from shaving - and also teenagers or any of us who are prone to acne. (Speaking of break outs, I’ve tried, tested and given my thumbs up to evanhealy's Tea Tree Gel Cleanser.)

If you want to pamper and give your skin even more TLC, try adding evanhealy's Lavender Facial Tonic Hydrosol into your daily facial care routine. Simply spray this product on in the morning and evening after you wash your face, then your skin is ready to be moisturized. I press the tonic into my face and allow it to air-dry which only takes a few seconds. Toning the skin in this way helps to keep your pores clean and your complexion healthy and vibrant.

Here’s a tip for those with dry skin. Spray a tiny puddle of toner into one of your cupped palms, add a few drops of evanhealy's Blue Chamomile Rosehip Treatment Facial Oil, rub your hands together and gently press this mixture into your face. The oil and water absorb instantly into your skin adding a light, protective layer of moisture. This is an ideal way to nourish your face any time throughout the day. I also often use this method during dry winter days in addition to the cream I put on in the morning and evening or in the hot summer months when I want an extremely light moisturizer. In addition, adding a few drops of Rosehip Treatment Oil into a dollop of your face cream is a wonderful way to bring some extra moisturizing oomph to your skin when it is in need.

For dry or aging skin, I recommend evanhealy's Rose Vetiver Day Moisturizer, Rose Geranium Facial Tonic Hydrosol and Rose Vetiver Rosehip Treatment Facial Oil.

Dr. Hauschka's Rhythmic Night Conditioner

One of my all-time favorite facial care products that I'd love to tell you all about is Dr. Hauschka's Rhythmic Night Conditioner. For me this potion-like substance really has some kind of magical, mysterious effect on my skin that is actually noticeable overnight. I know this sounds over zealous perhaps, like one of those bad wrinkle cream advertisements in non-politically correct women's magazines, but I'm not fibbing! Of course results may vary from person to person and Hauschka actually suggests that Rhythmic Night Conditioner be used for a period of ten days up to one month in order for it to be most effective. But I tend to notice results immediately. Some of the effects this elixir has on my skin is it helps my face look clearer, it evens out the tones and removes blotchiness, it noticeably tightens and shrinks pores and fine lines (love this) and helps to rapidly clear up acne and minimizes break-out redness. It also reduces puffiness, under eye circles and imparts a lovely glow. Predictably after I use this product for 1-3 days people start telling me how nice my skin looks.

Hauschka recommends the use of Rhythmic Night Conditioner during changes of the season, travel, stress or any time that your skin might be going through a transition period or needing a little extra boost. For myself I tend to use it for several days before an event that I want to look great for or when I feel a tad disgruntled by my reflection in the mirror.

The substances in this product are pretty fascinating as well. Hauschka is a company that makes holistic facial and body care products that contain many organic and biodynamically grown ingredients. Their formulas are based on the innate rhythms and wisdom of nature and many of their processes and philosophies can be traced back to ideas that correspond to homeopathy and alchemy. One of the main active ingredients in Rhythmic Night Conditioner is silver which is used to promote regeneration of the skin. Dr. Hauschka feels that there is a corresponding relationship between the moon, the metal silver, and the 28-day rhythm of skin cell renewal. Hauschka says,” youthful skin cells have a 28-day cycle of regeneration, which lengthens as we mature. Rhythmic Night Conditioner supports this process, encouraging the skin to renew itself.” For those who have extremely sensitive skin or skin that tends towards rosacea, Hauschka also makes a Rhythmic Night Conditioner Sensitive formula.