Beautyhabit Introduces McEvoy Ranch 80 Acres

Every now and then, I get an e-mail that makes my heart race. I got one like that this morning from Beautyhabit, announcing skin care from McEvoy Ranch. Just in case you aren't a "foodie," McEvoy Ranch makes some of the best olive oils on earth. They are certified organic - not simply great, but award-winning. I go out of my way to have one of their fabulous olive oils on hand at all times. You should see the huge jug in my kitchen!

Now, Beautyhabit has announced 80 Acres, a small line of skin- and body-care products enriched with McEvoy Ranch estate-produced pure, organic olive oil. 80 Acres takes its name from the plot of land where the ranch first planted Tuscan olive seedlings. The scents of verde and lavender in the products reflect the rolling hills and fragrant gardens on the property.

What can we buy? I want everything!

• Verde Hand & Body Lotion ($25)
• Verde Hand & Body Wash ($20)
• Verde Bath Salts ($24)
• Verde Olive Oil Body Balm ($22)
• Verde Olive Oil Soap ($9)
• Olive Oil Lip Balm ($9)
• Lavender Hand & Body Lotion ($25)
• Lavender Hand & Body Wash ($20)
• Lavender Bath Salts ($24)
• Lavender Olive Oil Body Balm ($22)
• Lavender Olive Oil Soap ($9)

Just "listen to" this description of the Verde Olive Oil Body Balm!

Created by McEvoy's gardeners for moisturizing and protecting skin from the elements, this estate-produced body balm is handcrafted with 97% organic ingredients. This sensuous blend of olive and jojoba oils, beeswax, and vitamin E is rich in natural antioxidants and is easily absorbed into the skin to deeply nourish and protect. Handcrafted from the purest botanical ingredients.

That makes me want it now! Of course, I need lavender too! I think I will order the Lavender Olive Oil Hand & Body Lotion - to start.

80 Acres Hand & Body Lotion is rich in antioxidants and deeply hydrating. Scented with the essential oils of lavender, ylang ylang, lemon, and lime, it evokes the colorful hillsides in full bloom.

I haven't been on McEvoy's Web site for a long time because I had found a local source for their olive oils. Today, I saw that they sell these skin-care products too. So, you can order at the McEvoy Web site and pick up some olive oil at the same time, or place an order with Beautyhabit. Beautyhabit has a special offer. With your purchase of $40 or more of 80 Acres products, you will receive a full-sized Olive Oil Lip Balm. Use code 80ACRES until October 4.

Simply writing this feature has made me hungry for a baguette with McEvoy olive oil. You know what I'll be doing tonight after I place my order!

Photos courtesy of Beautyhabit

Dauget Huile Seche pour le Corps - My Favorite Olive Oil for the Skin

This is one of my secrets - secret because Dauget's Huile Seche pour le Corps is incredibly hard to find! Made by the French company, Dauget, the spray body oil is made with 100% organic extra virgin olive oil, sunflower oil, arnica oil (good for sore muscles!), marigold oil, vitamin E, and St. John's Wort oil. It has a heavenly scent and melts on the skin. I spritz with it almost every night before bed.

The use of olive oil in skin care dates back to ancient times. Cleopatra was known to take baths in olive oil. The Greeks and the Romans slathered their bodies with olive oil after a bath to hydrate their skin and protect against the acidity of water. Olive oil was also used for hair treatments.

Dauget points out olive oil's unique properties for skin care.

• It's a pure fruit extract, an elixir of youth, and a fruit juice! In fact, olive oil is the only oil made from a fruit. All other oils are made from grains or seeds of fruit, but not from the fruit itself.
• Olive oil is rich in vitamins A a E, antioxidants that neutralize free radicals in the body.
• It's rich in chlorophyll, a natural anti-aging substance, with notable nutritional and medicinal qualities known to stimulate wound healing and cell renewal.It's also rich in squalene, a natural organic compound and rich emollient that penetrates extremely well into the skin. Squalene is usually found in the liver of cartilaginous fishes, such as sharks. Since we don't approve of using squalene from animals, olive is the best source.
• Olive oil also helps regulate the secretion of sebum, which maintains and restores moisture in the skin and hair.

Do you know the olive oil basics?

• Olive is a fall/winter fruit.
• Out of twenty delicate flowers, only one olive will form.
• An olive contains 15 to 25% oil.
• The olive harvest in the south of France is called “Olivade,” and olives are harvested from October to February by “Oliveuses” (olive pickers).
• In Provence, the ritual of Olivade today is no different from that practiced at the beginning of the century due to the commitment of olive associations that demand excellence in their produce.
• The hand-picking of olives one by one is considered ideal because it respects the integrity and purity of the olive.
• Olive oil is the only oil that does not foam. Consequently, you can test the authenticity of olive oil by shaking it. If it foams it means that it has been mixed with another type of oil.

If you can find this luxurious Dauget Huile Seche pour le Corps, I highly recommend that you try it. There are a few spas and boutiques in the Washington, D.C. area that carry it. Their distributor even has two Virginia phone numbers: (703) 534-9021 and (703) 992-4072. I left messages at both trying to find you more sources. When I hear back, I'll post an update.

Photo courtesy of Dauget

Use and Protect Your Skin Care Oils!

Oils manufactured for use in skin care, particularly natural and organic oils, will go bad over time - just like oils for cooking do. Whether refined or not, all oils are sensitive to heat, light, and exposure to oxygen. Rancid oil has an unpleasant aroma and acrid taste, and its value is greatly diminished. You wouldn't want to use an old olive oil for cooking. You don't want to use an old oil on your skin either. Not only will it develop an unpleasant aroma, it will lose its original effectiveness.

The other day, I reached for a dry oil spray that I have had for a couple of years. While it once had a fabulous fragrance, it had developed an "off" smell. I tossed it, which was unfortunate, given its price. I have no one to blame but myself - I didn't use it fast enough.

Here are some tips for using oils for skin care (moisturizer, massage oil, etc.).

1. Don't buy more than you can use in 6-12 months (I'm guilty!).
2. Store your oils in a cool, dry place where the temperature is relatively stable - not in your bathroom where they will heat up.
3. If the oil is in a clear glass or plastic container, store it in the box it came in or a cabinet with no light exposure.
4. If you have a choice, buy oils that come in opaque containers.
   
5. Consider storing your oil in the refrigerator if it's pure (no preservatives).
6. If your oil develops a musty or unusual odor, discard it.
   

You will protect your investment and ensure that your oil will perform as promised. I'm keeping my new Melvita oils in their boxes because both are in transparent containers.

When you do have to dispose of an oil, remember to put it in a sealed non-recyclable container and discard it with your regular trash. Don't gum up the works and put it in with your recycling.

That's Friday's tutorial! :) Not a sexy subject, but important for skin care!

I'll post our Friday Forum later today. I'll have to run off sometime today to find out how many ribs I broke last night when I fell (my diagnosis). An area rug I had put down for the "snow mess" near my front door moved, and down I went! Like I needed this.

Photo courtesy of stanford.wellsphere.com

St. Ives Olive Cleanser

Olive Oil is turning up everywhere! Yesterday, I spotted this Olive Cleanser by St. Ives on a special display at CVS. Because there are so many new high-end olive oil products, I had to try it. It even rang up on sale ($3.33). You can't beat that price!

St. Ives products are natural. Not only that, they encourage their customers to recycle the packaging. You can find St. Ives in large retailers such as Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target, Meijer, Walgreens, CVS, Albertsons, Savon Drugs, Kroger, Winn Dixie, HEB, Publix, and Ulta Cosmetics - all of which carry a selection, but not all, of the products. Some online stores, such as Drugstore.com have them too. I think we have the US covered with that list.

Here's what I liked about the product - even before I tried it.

• With all natural anti-oxidants
• Non-irritating
• Dermatologist-tested
• 100% natural extracts
• Formulated without parabens and phthalates
• Does not contain animal ingredients
• Not tested on animals

You can read about the company's natural commitment at this link.

Right before bedtime, I used the cleanser as directed by wetting my face with water and massaging the cleanser into my skin. The rinse off was fairly quick - you can feel when you have removed it. The scent was very pleasant, and it was gone when I had completely rinsed. My skin felt nice and soft - not at all stripped. The verdict? Thumbs up! I like it and now have to figure out how I can fit yet another nice cleanser into my bathroom. Perhaps this one will find its way to the shower, where I will use it in the morning.

St. Ives makes lots of skin care products. You may be familiar with their well-regarded Apricot Scrub or their Mineral Therapy In-shower Exfoliating Body Polish. If you are looking for great drugstore beauty products, check out their Web site.

Photo courtesy of St. Ives.