By Guest Blogger on August 14, 2009

Spotlight on Mountain Spirit Botanicals

We’ve learned about the risks associated with being uneducated about personal care products from Stacy Malkan and Mia Davis. Today we’re shining a spotlight on a company we love because of the time, care, and mindfulness they put into their products. We wanted to pull back the curtain and give Mountain Spirit Botanicals the chance to share what goes into their wonderful creations, some of which are now featured in our Crazy Sexy Shop! Take it away Eli!

I created Mountain Spirit Botanicals as an alternative to products that are chemically mass-produced. Every ingredient in my product line is either a plant or the by-product of plants or trees that have been organically cultivated or ethically wild-harvested. When I’m unable to procure “organic” – which rarely happens – I use plants grown without chemicals, harvested mindfully and processed in a manner that retains their medicinal qualities.

The methods I’ve adopted cause no harm. Quite the contrary, my work supports your health and well-being as well as that of the environment. The fields and meadows where organic practices are in place encourage natural habitats. Birds, bees, and butterflies go around “kissing” flowers all day. That, in turn, ensures the pollination necessary for the continued and abundant growth of species – which, in turn, supplies us with an everlasting source of beauty and nourishment.

I firmly believe that all of this – the songs of birds, the buzz of bees, the caring intent of the farmer, the manner in which I “stir the pot” – goes into my end result: products born of integrity and love. (As noted in an old herbal text, “Cooking salves is a holy task, demanding concentration and devotion; harvest plants with gratitude and process carefully.”)

I represent a lineage, traditions I’m blessed to be a part of. Mountain Spirit Botanicals is a reflection of these traditions – the complete antithesis of what the “beauty industry” promotes: unnatural products that do harm every step of the way.

What we put on our skin is absorbed deeply and affects us in ways we’re just beginning to recognize. (One example: Consider how the “birth control patch” alters the reproductive system.) All the more reason for you to educate yourself about everything you put on your body. Be informed. Be selective. Enough said, yes?

My labels won’t confuse or manipulate you; a “Rose” is a rose. “Olive oil” is olive oil. “Bee’s wax” is bee’s wax. Straightforward and honest / no guesswork necessary. That said; let me share a few of the benefits of just a few of the ingredients I use.

Calendula: Soothes dry, reddened skin/useful for sensitive skin.

Lavender:Flowers have a mild, calming effect

Chamomile:Cleanses and soothes the skin.

Comfrey: Stimulates blood circulation & firms the skin.

Carrier Oils: I use the finest quality cold-pressed vegetable, seed & nut oils; these oils are carriers of healing substances & vitamins A, D, & E. They penetrate the deepest layers of your skin to support its ability to function, as well as soften & give it elasticity. (Contrary to “popular” belief, using fine quality oils will not block pores or leave you feeling greasy; in fact, quite the opposite is true).

Olive Oil: Clinical research supports the fact that Olive Oil has extraordinary anti-aging properties; it allows your skin to breathe while absorbing the nourishing qualities of the herbs in the formula.

Kukui Nut Oil: High penetrability and soothing properties; contains high levels of essential fatty acids; readily absorbed into the skin.

Evening Primrose Seed Oil: Contains essential fatty acids essential for the health of the organs and overall health; a rich source of Omega 6 fatty acids; anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Contains 19 of the 22 minerals required by the body for maintenance, growth & repair. When plant material is steeped in vinegar, it is further enhanced with a rich supply of nutrients.

Essential Oils: The “soul of a plant” / the essence of all that a plant has to give. I use these precious oils as the “final note” when blending each formulation.

A final word: None of what I do would be possible without the medicine and beauty given so abundantly by the plant world; the elders who kept the traditions alive; the small, organic farmers who work ethically and sustainably. Without these gifts, Mountain Spirit Botanicals would not exist.

Elise Muller

 

 

   
 

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