Beauty Secrets from the Garden with "Mama Jeanne"

As many of our friends & family know, we are celebrating Grandma Jeanne Laudun's Legacy to Cosmetiques LaudunTM this entire month, in an ongoing tribute to her, as her birthday happens to fall in March. We are pleased to give you this short "Memoire," from our Founder/CEO, Anna Laudun Beauboeuf, about her lovely days spent in the garden learning all about different plants & flowers, with her dearest, "Mama Jeanne."

"My grandmother was a lovely lady, always so elegant and
beautiful, and she loved us, my sister, Mitsy, and I. She sewed many clothes for us, beautiful embroidered dresses, skirts of vibrant colors, she took care of and styled our hair, and taught us how to make little gifts- she was a grandmother of your dreams!

My best memories are of the days I spent with her in her huge garden- filled with flowers, plants, a beautiful vine LOADED with big black and green grapes, giant mangos & avocados. My sister & I loved to climb all the trees ... it was truly a paradise.

Very early on Saturday mornings, I would accompany my Mama Jeanne, my little wicker basket in hand, to "la ceuillette," or picking & gathering of plants that later she would use to create creams for the care of our skin, or shampoos for our hair, and body lotions richly perfumed with herbals. 

Throughout our plant-gathering time, she educated me about all of these plants, their medicinal values & qualities, and had me touch, feel, smell and even taste them. My grandmother was, how the French say, a very"coquettish," or elegant & beautiful woman, and taking good care of her skin was a very important part of her daily beauty routine.

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In her room, there was a small, carved table, high enough to keep prying children's hands from reaching the bottles kept inside, with a cabinet door in the front and a glass top. This table contained a precious range or collection of small jars of essential plant oils of all types, scented with herbs, or containing a few pieces of ginger, sandalwood, clove etc. 

After our morning "ceuillette," my Grandmother would have me sit on a straw chair near
her, and would teach me how to make her make her natural beauty mixtures in a large blue porcelain bowl.

-"A few drops of ginger oil for the face cream, a few drops of aloe juice, lemon to hydrate the face," etc. -she showed me how all these plants and more were utilized. At the end of the day, we were allowed a small pot of body cream, freshly made, deliciously perfumed with jasmine flowers & citrus, or rose water- a small jar of creme that lasted just a few hours."

*****

We will feature more in future posts, about the history (or "Herstory") of our delightful Founder/CEO, Anna Laudun Beauboeuf, and her beautiful grandmother, "Mama Jeanne."

The Allure & Mystique of Organic, Natural Skin Care

Believe it or not, I have been drawn to Natural/ Organic Skin Care products for over 30 years now! Back in my 20's, I was really drawn to natural body care and skin care products- I loved learning about about all the different herbs, plants and flowers that went into making healing, natural products that are so good for your skin. I actually became a part-time distributor of natural, healing skin & body care products for a well-known, world-wide Swiss company, back in the early 1990's!

As the years went by, my attention was taken away from this love by having to keep a good job in the corporate world to support myself. Needless to say, over 20 years of that life was enough for me! So, in 2011, I again turned my interest to developing a business where I could distribute organic & natural skin & beauty products that were actually good for people. I started my own distribution & Blogging website-  www.getwholesomebeauty.com.

I was constantly on the look-out for GREAT products- an in particular, those made with 80% or more Organic plant ingredients. Believe me, they are not easy to find! One day, I came in contact with a company through my Twitter account that looked really good- I checked their website, www.TheLaudun.com, and I was amazed to see so many lovely, gorgeously-packaged products that touted they were made with "organic & natural plant ingredients, straight from the earth." I was intrigued, and even more so, when I read their tagline: "Organic Elegance for Your Skin." YES!

So, then I contacted Anna Laudun Beaubouef, Founder/CEO, and she actually agreed to allow me to distribute her products via my website- I was so happy! I started writing many blog posts about all the different lovely plant ingredients used in Cosmetiques LaudunTM products, and loving distributing and selling all the lovely products- not to mention using them myself! I remember when I got my first whiff of "Rose Milk Frost," Ultra Hydrating Body Lotion, I almost fell over, because the scent of the Damask Rose in it was so delicious! I felt the same about the intoxicating Jasmine scent of "Sweet Feet," and the "Sea Goddess," Natural Seaweed Extract body soap. Wow! 

In the process of learning about all the beautiful Cosmetiques LaudunTM products and how they were created, Anna and I got to know each other very well, and today I think of her as my very close sister/friend. Anna has bestowed much of her knowledge upon me about how her dear, "Mama Jeanne," her Grandmother, would gather all the ingredients necessary from her garden, every morning, so later she could make her "beauty creme, foot creme, scrub and soaps." Needless to say the pictures evoked in my mind of Anna's story of going out into the garden with her Grandma each morning to "freshly pick different flowers, herbs and plants that later she would show me how to use to make her different beauty cremes, soaps and concoctions," left a very strong, beautiful impression on my mind. I felt that I already knew Mama Jeanne well, even though I did not ever have the pleasure of meeting her.

Today, I am so proud, honored and happy to be a part of this beautiful organization, Cosmetiques LaudunTM (in addition to continuing my original site, GetWholesomeBeauty.com)! Anna asked me to join the company in 2013, and in 2015 my role changed a bit to encompass more responsibility, as Director of Marketing and Sales.  I work hard to bring Grandma Jeanne's legacy of her healing, vintage garden skin care formulations to all of you, and it makes me very happy to do it. Today happens to be "Mama Jeanne's" birthday, March 31st, and so it is no surprise that she is on my mind a great deal, and lead me to write this for all of you!

"May you always enjoy the best of health, the best of everything that Nature has to offer!"
- Nancy Bechtol, Founder/CEO
Wholesome Beauty- Wholesome Life

Anti-Aging Secrets of Organic Damask Rose Water- Part I

Essential oil of Damascene ("Damascus or Damask") Rose is one of nature's most incredibly healing plants.  This rare type of rose is, according to recent fossil evidence, about 35 million years old!  The genus Rosa has about 150 species found all around the world, including in northern Africa.  Garden cultivation of roses began some 5,000 years ago, most likely in China.  Damask Rose, however, originated in Bulgaria, and continues to be extensively cultivated there today for its precious essential oil.

Roses were in very high demand during the 17th century, and the Royal families even considered roses or Rosewater to be legal tender.  The wife of Napoleon, Josephine, was well-known for having an extensive collection of roses at Chateau de Malmaison, an estate about 7 miles west of Paris, in the 1800s.  Interestingly, the rose is often used to represent the Virgin Mary and has been historically considered as sacred to a number of goddesses. 

As incredible as it sounds, Organic Damascene Rose essential oil has been recently scientifically shown to increase the energy vibration of every cell in the body, restoring balance and harmony to every bodily system! These amazing health benefits can be attained by simply breathing in the lovely fragrance of the flower. It takes approximately 2,000 flowers to produce one gram of the highly-prized essential oil.  So it makes sense that it is usually so expensive to buy, and easier to obtain the oil's benefits as an ingredient in organic Rosewater.

Organic essential Rose oil has been highly sought-after for centuries, due to its many naturally beneficial properties for mind & body, including anti-depressant, antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, bactericidal (kills Strep, Staph, E. Coli, Anthrax, and Diphtheria.)  Organic Damask Rose Oil’s innate healing power comes from its bio-complexity.  It contains more than 300 organic compounds, and so it is definitely one of the most complex organic bio-chemicals on earth.  This is why the essential oil is often referred to as Nature’s "Universal Healer."  There are absolutely no natural limits to its ability to tone, heal and balance the skin.  It is non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing and well-tolerated by all skin types.  

This highly-energized organic composition of Damask Rose essential oil makes it highly effective in treating aging, dry, and damaged skin.  It also tones the skin to reduce overly-active skin sebum secretion that can cause acne and enlarged pores.   Organic Damask Rose essential oil’s natural toning and astringent properties became well known in the 18th century and was used at that time as the base oil for many healing tonics.  Its unique skin toning abilities can actually produce a healthy and radiant complexion in just a few seconds.  This healing powerhouse also has properties that reduce inflammation and skin redness, repair broken capillaries and is even effective in treating eczema and other common skin disorders.

As part of an organic, holistic healing approach to skin care, it is recommended that we "connect" with positively-charged atoms & energies as much as possible- in our diet, the air we breathe and in what we absorb into our bodies. Taking in as much good energy as possible is vital to maintaining our energy level and health.  It has also been scientifically proven in recent years that the higher the energy vibration level in the body, the healthier the skin and body become.  Incredibly, Organic Damask Rose Oil has been found to emanate the highest energy vibration of all known oils.  - More on this to Come in Part II of this Blog Post!

The Gift of Unconditional Love- It Never Wears Out

Today, many of us are finding ourselves in an age of disposable or "throwaway" washing machines, light bulbs, electronica, high-tech everything, cars, clothing, economics, political ideologies - it appears that all of these have built-in, and most-likely intentional, obsolescence.  We find that so many of these items break down as soon as the "warranty" expires.

Fortunately for those of us seeking a more Spiritual way of life, the gifts of Love, Gratitude, Honesty & Humility are never obsolete nor subject to the "newest version."  These principles have been with us since ancient times, precisely because they are spiritual in nature and have eternal foundations in spiritual principles.  The gifts of Unconditional Love of God / Spirit are immutable and always with us.  Our relationships can heal, prosper & grow when we keep the ideals of Unconditonal Love, Gratitude, Honesty & Humility first and foremost in our minds and hearts.  

These qualities are especially needed in our lives today in our interractions with co-workers, friends and loved ones and always & only work to serve us, and to heal our relationships.  The Gift of Unconditional Love doesn't have a "warranty" and will never need to be "traded up for the newest version."  It is eternal, nurturing and life-supporting.  It is easy to access, too, once we put our minds to using it on a regular basis- in all our relationships.

Skin-Healing, Beneficial Properties of Organic Grape Seed Oil

Organic Grape Seed Oil is becoming more and more known in the organic skin care market as excellent moisturizer and also as an organic massage oil. This botanical essential oil is most often used by itself or in combination with other all natural ingredients in organic facial and body skin care products. It is easily absorbed and goes deep into skin layers for real moisturization.  This oil is also quite rich in Vitamin E, has a pleasant, nutty aroma, and is rich in anti-oxidants that provide real anti-aging benefits for the skin. 

All-natural, Organic Grape Seed Oil actually has the ability to  increase the amount of collagen in the skin - how's that for rejuvenation and anti-aging?  It has powerful healing properties for the skin, as it greatly reduces inflammation, the most common cause of disease.  The essential oil is known to heal skin lesions caused by Psoriasis, Eczema, Acne, and many other common skin disorders. The botanical oil contains linoleic, olecic, palmatic, stearic and palmitoleic acids, is rich in natural Vitamins E, C, D, as well as Beta Carotene. Organic Grape Seed Oil's marvelous anti-aging properties, due to its richness of natural antioxidants, include firming and toning the skin. It can also alleviate stretch marks, varicose veins and severely dry skin.

This essential oil is light green in color due to the natural chlorophyll remaining in it, and its richness in Linoleic Acid  gives it the powerful anti-inflammatory properties. It is known to be a very effective emollient, as it nourishes and smooths skin, improving the appearance of wrinkles and other common signs of aging.  Recent scientific research has also demonstrated Grape Seed Oil's ability to stimulate skin cells' regeneration- i.e. cause new skin cell growth!

Whether used in its pure, organic essential oil form or used as an organic ingredient in facial and body moisturizers, Organic Grape Seed oil absorbs quickly and easily- it doesn't just sit on top of the skin like synthetic, petro oils/chemicals (like mineral oil), which is largely why it is such an effective moisturizer and has the real ability to heal skin.  It has a lovely, botanical  fragrance and is non-greasy, as well.  This essential oil is also known for its ability to retain skin moisture, improve acne and is non-allergenic. 

Organic Grape Seed Oil has been found to be highly beneficial for all skin types (even oily skin!), it is often  recommended for skin types that do not easily absorb moisture.  Want to have the magnificent anti-aging and healing benefits of this lovely organic, botanical essential oil in your daily skin care regimen? Just follow the links in this article to excellent, organic skin care product sources.

Organic Skin Care Benefits of Healing Lemongrass Oil

Organic Lemongrass, or Melissa, is an herb easily recognized by its tall fronds of leaves and strong lemon-citrusy scent and is indigenous to Sri Lanka and India.   Applying this healing botanical to the skin can help alleviate common skin disorders and problems, such as bacterial infections and even large pores.  In addition, organic lemongrass is even used an excellent mosquito repellent. 
 

Inherent anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties give organic Lemongrass the ability to discourage bacterial or microbial growth on the skin.  The essential oil reduces the occurence of skin infections as well as alleviates skin irritations, like folliculitis and cellulitis, that are caused by bacterial infections.  Lemongrass oil is also fungicidal, as it clears fungus infections on the skin.

This healing essential oil from nature's bounty has been gifted with unique antifungal, antimicrobial, antibacterial /antiseptic chemical qualities that allow it to also be a very effective astringent.   Facial skin toners, cleansers and soaps containing organic lemongrass oil do a great job of firming and tightening the skin.  When used as an astringent/toner, this lively-scented oil is very effective in minimizing skin pores, while it forms a protective barrier of hard tissue under the skin that guards it against daily free radical exposure.

 

Astringent herbs and oils constrict the skin, contract pores, provide skin-firming, limit the secretions of oil in the skin and help to clear and fight the recurrence of acne.  Astringents/ facial toners are meant to cleanse, stimulate and remove excess oil from the skin, leaving it feeling toned and fresh.   Organic Lemongrass essential oil makes an excellent, healing addition to toners and soaps, due to its natural astringent and antiseptic qualities. 

This lovely, lemony-scented organic essential oil is also well-known for its aromatherapeutic qualities to calm and relieve stress, and this is very important in healing the skin and body as a whole!  Stress is a large contributor to decreased effectiveness of the immune system, and disease.  Adding organic lemongrass essential oil to your daily skin care regimen or bath is an easy, enjoyable way to increase the healing in your skin care.

Prevent Breast Cancer? G-BOMBS Revisited, Part II

We started talked about the benefits of eating "G-BOMBS," as part of a healthy, cancer-prevention daily diet in Part I* of this Post.  To summarize, breast cancer can actually be prevented by making healthy life-style choices, including replacing toxic foods with the powerful immune system-boosting foods, like "G-BOMBS."  These are plant foods have been shown to help the body avoid the process of the transformation of healthy cells to cancerous ones.  Regular consumption of these vegetables also  gives protection against any pre-cancerous cells from forming.  Here are the last three categories in the Group:

M — Mushrooms
In recent research done in China, women who ate at least 10 grams of fresh mushrooms each day -one mushroom per day- had a 64% less chance of developing of breast cancer.  All mushrooms have anti-cancer properties, which come from their unique aromatase inhibitors, which are compounds that can block the production of estrogen. These are thought to be the reason for mushrooms' preventative benefits against breast cancer.  In fact, the most commonly eaten mushrooms (white, cremini, and Portobello) also have high anti-aromatase activity.  These culinary delights also contain powerful angiogenesis inhibitors.  It's important to remember that mushrooms should only be eaten cooked:  several raw mushrooms contain a potentially carcinogenic substance known as agaritine.  Properly cooking mushrooms significantly reduces the agaritine content.

B — Berries (and Pomegranate)
Berries are rich in antioxidants that help reduce blood pressure and inflammation, prevent DNA damage that is known to lead to cancer and protect the brain against oxidative damage.  These antioxidants also turn on the body’s own antioxidant enzymes.  Pomegranate and berries are anti-angiogenic foods, and have powerful anti-inflammatory effects that may protect against cancer and other chronic diseases.  Pomegranate (similar to mushrooms) is one of the few foods that naturally contain aromatase inhibitors —the compounds that decrease the production of estrogen, which can reduce he risk of breast cancer.

S — Seeds (and Nuts)
Seeds and Nuts contain healthy fats that increase the absorption of nutrients in vegetables as well as supply their own range of micronutrients, including plant sterols- which are cholesterol-reducing- minerals, and antioxidants.  Some seeds- chia, sesame and flax in particular- are rich in lignans, plant estrogens that protect the body against breast cancer.  In a recent study it was found that women who were given flaxseeds daily after being diagnosed with breast cancer, showed reduced tumor growth and even increased the death of their tumor cells just after 4-5 weeks!

We CAN Prevent Breast Cancer!! -Eat your G-BOMBS every day! (:
*See Part I of this Post Here in case you missed it.