When you choose organic skincare, you are choosing products whose ingredients work with the sophisticated natural systems of your skin. Given the right nutrients, our skin has the ability to care for and mend itself. Our bodies use nutrients absorbed not only through food, but also through the skin. It is medically understood that what goes on your skin absorbs into your bloodstream and is carried through your body. Why is it that we are far more scrutinizing about what we put in our body than what we put on it? You have probably thought about the benefits of eating a healthy diet. It makes you wonder about the effects of all the chemicals in the skin products that you are slathering on and rubbing in.

Why Organic Skincare? Avoiding chemicals and synthetics.

Why Organic Skincare? Rates of illness and disease continue to rise. There are increasing studies showing the connection between illness and chemicals. We need to eliminate or reduce exposure to synthetics. Synthetics are simply not necessary in skincare and in many cases synthetics are downright scary. These ingredients are often fast acting and invasive. Sometimes (and if you want my honest opinion; ALWAYS) they are causing harm we cannot see. Often this exposure rears its ugly head as skin irritation, chronic headaches, cancers, breathing disabilities, hormone disruption, etc, etc, etc. The range of symptoms is too vast to list everything, but you can see how it covers minor symptoms right up to life threatening consequences.

And for what?! you ask. I’ll tell you for what– first and foremost: money, cheap ingredients are easy to manufacture and market. Also, many commercial products will give you instant gratification with skincare results. Most of these products are designed to do a simple job to help you with one aesthetic purpose; Smoother less visible wrinkles, sun spots disappear, blemishes be gone! Sound familiar? These are just a few of the promises that have been made, and believe me, they can deliver. But all too often there is a high price: asphyxiation of the skin, accelerated dehydration, photosensitivity. In Plain english: cutting oxygen exchange to the skin, premature aging, increased risk of sun spots. Yes, the very evils we were initially fighting catch up to us ten-fold.

Hmmm, rather irritating isn’t it? But it is a simple truth we all know: Rarely are there quick fixes in life. We can however have all that we desire. Fortunately for us our skincare is one thing that is within our control. It really boils down to choices. The good ones, the ones that will give us optimal health and the glow we desire, are within our reach. Keep reading my blog. Learn from my advice and I will lead you to every problem solver you could ever hope for.

Why Organic Skincare? What is Organic skincare again?

When we say Organic Skincare, what we mean using skin products made of plant derived ingredients along with some other naturally occurring ingredients. These ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers, GMO and so on and often come with an Organic certification. The integrity of these unadulterated ingredients is maintained in the best way possible with little to no additives. From here the best ingredients for the specific goal are chosen and a natural preservative system is used for longevity.

I hope that this has been an enlightening introduction as to why organic skincare is important. There are many benefits to using natural beauty products, but most importantly, they are better for your health, and they work. And work in a way that lasts a lifetime. Something to get excited about: remember when I told you than you can have your cake and eat it too? Join me next time as I showcase companies who really deliver on the sacred promises of safety, purity, performance, and wellness enabling you to bring your skin to it’s fullest and brightest potential.

Stephanie Brown was an educator at the Aveda Institute before joining our team at Riva’s. She worked as our in-store skincare and cosmetics consultant before moving on to become the National Educator for Professional Organic Skincare Brands. She is currently sharing her knowledge and expertise while looking after her three children by writing, consulting, and has founded her own business: Innate Beauty Skincare Solutions, with the mission of providing manageable solutions for healthy skincare, exploring wellness through skin with a holistic approach, and celebrating everyones personal beauty.

VOCs became an issue several years ago when studies showed that smog and air pollution were not exclusively caused by cars and factories, but to a large extent by chemicals offgassing from homes. This became particularly relevant when EPA studies showed that levels of VOCs in the home were 3-5 times higher than even outdoor air in a polluted city.

In spite of the scary name, not all VOCs are considered harmful, and are only an issue if you have a sensitivity or allergy to the specific compound. Examples of this are natural plant oils such as orange oil and tung oil. Unfortunately though, many VOCs are considered to be harmful, and linked to health issues ranging from cancers and leukemia to respiratory problems, headaches, issues with the nervous and endocrine systems, and so on.

Are we being protected from harmful chemicals?

Yes, sort of. VOCs are regulated, and government standards are becoming more strict. To some extent this is helpful, but regulation is difficult because illnesses caused by indoor chemicals and VOCs are generally due to compounding effects of long-term exposure at very low levels. This makes it hard to pinpoint which chemical causes what. And health issues are caused by exposure to a variety of pollutants.  It is also difficult to regulate the difference between the harmful and non-harmful VOCs.

Are you ready to find a non-toxic paint for your next project?

VOCs in paint. Understanding the issues.

What is a VOC? For the most part it is something to be avoided. But it is important to dig deeper. And to make your decisions carefully. The paint industry has made great advances in the past five years towards creating healthier, safer products, but things aren’t perfect. This is where it gets complicated, and where it pays to do your research. You will find paints and finishes that are classified as Low or No-VOC. No-VOC, or Zero-VOC is obviously better. Zero will typically mean less than 25g/L of VOCs while Low typically means less than 250g/L. This is a significant difference. Other things to consider when choosing your paint are:

1. Ask about the pigments. Many paint companies make a decent base, but use the same pigments to tint all of their paint. This can add solvents and other offgassing chemicals that don’t show up on the label of the paint can. (this is improving)

2. Smell isn’t everything. Smell is important, but there are masking agents that can be added to cover up chemical smells. Pay attention to how you feel around your paints. Do you get headaches? Joint pain? Dizzyness? Cloudiness?

3. Some VOCs aren’t considered harmful. A paint or stain made from natural plant oils will often show higher levels of VOC than a synthetic, petroleum based product. It will be up to you to decide what you are more comfortable with, and what suits your sensitivities.

4. VOCs aren’t the only issue. This makes things tricky, but this point is an important one. There are many other chemical compounds that can be harmful or carcinogenic that aren’t classified as VOCs. Make sure to ask.

Fortunately, there are many good options. We have had great results with our Mythic and Yolo paints. We have yet to have a chemically sensitive customer have an issue using either line. This is true even of people who have reacted to zero/low VOC lines from other companies. Having positive feedback from these coal-mine canaries makes me confident that the companies are doing what they say they are doing. At the end of the day, even all the research we do can’t compare to this type of testing.

No synthetics, no additives. American Clay is as pure as you can get.

Natural products are also a great option. We love the clay plasters and milk paints and are hoping to expand our lineup to have more of these options. American Clay, for example, has three ingredients: Clay, Aggregate (either marble dust or crushed oyster shells, depending on which finish you pick) and earth pigments. No trade secrets or proprietary information. Not much to be concerned about.

What is a VOC? Make the healthy choice.

What is a VOC? Educate yourself. Read labels carefully. Ask for MSDS sheets. Ask as many questions as it takes to feel comfortable that you are making the best choice for your health, and the health of everyone around you.

I often encounter this dilemma, and while I very much appreciate the minimalist attitude, I am not sure that anyone going ‘au naturel’ fully understands what they are missing. How better to interact with nature than to experience the bounty of healing plant essence? In all forms, plants have long since been revered for their therapeutic properties, and perhaps are needed now more than ever. Here are some tips to introduce to the joys and the healthy benefits of natural skin care.

The key to maintaining healthy skin while upholding your environmental conscience is to source quality products that use high integrity ingredients. More often you will also find these criteria in companies with sustainable business practices.

Establishing a daily skin care routine: A treat, not a burden.

The daily routine doesn’t need to be a burden, and is often refreshing and invigorating. To begin your day, you will want to start with a cleanse. Allow self massage to stimulate and awaken your skin and senses. Take in the beautiful aromas that bring balance and overall wellness. Apply serums and moisturizers that are appropriate to your skin type.  These will gently aid your skin’s natural processes and will help your skin protect itself; there will always be environmental factors we cannot control. All day long you encounter invisible air pollutants that cause free-radical damage to your skin (which, btw, is the largest organ in your body and responsible for six major functions that contribute to your overall health. More on this in future discussions.) You can give yourself a ‘fresh beginning’ each day by applying pure, clean products that will ward off these aggressors.

Most of us understand that if we apply makeup to our faces we must  at some point clean it off. But what about those who do not? It is sometimes hard at the end to make the time when you are exhausted. What would entice us to spend 5- 10 minutes of our evening to cleanse for the sake of cleansing? Practically speaking, skincare will create that buffer for pollutants, but they may still attach. Cleansing will ensure the removal of anything nasty you might have collected. This extra bit of time with make you feel better and leave your skin healthier. Once you have cleansed you have the privilege to indulge in a wide range of oils, scrubs, masks and cremes readily available. To deal with a number of external factors (diet, stress management and so on) our skin needs a gentle boost to encourage its natural processes, including detoxing, cellular renewal and  exfoliation. Choosing quality products, and keeping to a simple routine will encourage your skin to take care of itself, unlike our mainstream counterparts who ‘do jobs’ for the skin that render the skin incapable of sustaining itself.

But I have a better reason to embrace a natural skin care routine.

By evening, embrace the opportunity to give back to yourself. Giving yourself these moments of personal care will help to ease yourself back into the parasympathetic state you will need to rest, repair and rejuvenate.

Healthy skin tip #1: Embrace your daily routine.

Whether you have been going ‘Au Naturel’ and want to see what using some clean, natural products can do for you; or whether you are making the switch from using standard commercial products, my first advice is to work on your routine, and enjoy the time you can carve out for yourself! And keep an eye on my future columns for more healthy skin tips and advice. I will continue to explore in greater depth many of the items touched on above, including the rewards of taking these moments to treat ourselves. It is my goal to help you to truly understand the great impact skin and body care can have on your sense of well being, but there is one other item I wish to address. Looking your best is not an ‘eco evil’. We can celebrate the best of our physical selves without compromising our values. Because of this I will also continue to explore how to meet your individual skincare needs and concerns with the use of the natural sophistication of pure plant essences.

Thank you to everyone who supported us and all our great local businesses this Holiday Season! We are proud to take part in the movement towards smarter, healthier and more quality driven shopping.

We are planning big things for the coming year, including the opening of our Organic Mattress showroom in the space above our store. We are close! And are currently offering sneak previews on an appointment only basis. We are planning to fill out our events calendar with more great workshops, movies and lectures and much more. We look forward to seeing you in the New Year! Keep an eye on our website, newsletter and blog to all the latest information.

As you enjoy assorted feasts and parties over the holidays, we encourage you to take the time to reflect on the past year, appreciate all of the positive things happening around you, all of the great people you get to spend time with, and think of ways to become more involved next year.

Happy Everything!

the Team at Riva’s – The Eco Store

Gifts for Her

We have many gifts that she will love, including beautiful organic clothing, stylish accessories and luxurious natural spa items. Our top eco gift ideas for her are:

Nandina Soap and Bath Mitt set – $29. This set includes a bath mitt made of Nandina’s super soft and absorbent Heavenly Bamboo and 3 bars of handmade Organic olive oil soap. A perfect complement to bring the spa experience home.

Billy Would Jewelry – $35-$65. A perfect accessory for the modern wardrobe. Billy Would jewelry is made of beautiful reclaimed wood hand-carved into many unique patterns evoking nature.

Vivo Barefoot Shoes – $125-$185. We recommend that all runners, athletes and outdoor enthusiasts give Vivo Barefoot shoes a try. They are available in styles to suit any athletic pursuit, from road running to trail running to training, and are also available in many attractive casual styles, meaning your special someone can reap the benefits of barefoot motion wherever she goes.

Gifts for Him

It isn’t easy finding the perfect gift for him. We have ideas for gifts you won’t find everywhere. Stop by the store to check out the latest Organic fashions and shoes, recycled innertube messenger bags or our layers of Merino Wool to keep him warm through the winter. Here are some more of our favorites:

Five Left Wallet – $50. We are always excited to see the latest Lincoln Heller handmade leather creations. Using his innovative stamping and coloring processes, the Five Left bags and wallets are crafted to look great and last a long, long time.

We Wood Watch – $119. Here’s betting that he doesn’t have a wooden watch! Free of any plastics, synthetics or toxic materials, the We Wood watch is healthy and stylish. Also, for every watch you buy, they plant a tree. That’s giving two gifts for the price of one.

Hemp Hoodlamb Jacket – $325. A perennial favorite, the Hemp Hoodlamb jackets are built to keep him warm and to hold up to years of rugged winter use. The design can be dressed up for the walk to work, or worn casually. Comes with lots of features and handy pockets to hold just about anything you need. Not only does it make a great eco gift for him, you can grab one for yourself, and show off your eco-savvyness together.

Gifts for Kids

There is no need to contribute to the mountains of junky, plastic, lead-laced toys piling up in the closet or the corner of the playroom. We have many great eco gift options for kids that are fun, educational, and that you can feel good about giving. Kids stuff made of wood, wool and organic cotton is still super cute! Here are some ideas:

Alligator by Plan Toys – $25. Solid Wood. Non-toxic paint. There is something to be said for keeping it simple. Alligators were our favorite animal growing up. They must be high up on their list as well. Plus, it dances.

Wildcraft – The Game – $37. An amazing co-operative game that teaches kids about edible and medicinal plants. Wildcraft is great way for the whole family to play and to learn. Everyone wins!

Cate & Levi - $30-$80. Cate and Levi stuffed toys and puppets are one-of-a-kind creations handmade in Canada of all natural and reclaimed materials. Even adults can get attached to these adorable creatures. You may have to wrestle our staff for the hippo.

Eco Gifts to Beautify Home and Garden

They say that home is where the heart is. With our focus on finding unique artisan pieces, and beautiful, functional housewares, we might have the perfect thing. Here are a couple of ideas:

Pheylonian Beeswax Candles – $6-$56. Pure and natural, there is nothing that compares with a beeswax candle. They burn clean with no toxic smoke, and even release healthy negative ions. Beeswax candles will give hundreds to thousands of hours of light and warmth.

Grow Bottles – $37. An ideal eco gift for anyone who loves to cook or garden, Grow Bottles use recycled wine bottles and a simple wicking system to make an easy and stylish way to grow a year-round herb garden indoors. Comes complete with seeds, soil and everything they need to get the garden started. Just add water!

Libeco Kitchen and Table Linens – $25-$200. We have always loved linen, and are excited to see that it is making a comeback. From pesticide free agricultural practices, to traditional manufacturing processes, to strength and durability, linen is a perfect textile fiber. Libeco makes a beautiful range of kitchen and table linens that will make for a timeless and practical gift that they can treasure for years to come.

Organic Bedding and Sleepwear

Maybe what they need is something cozy for long winter nights, or for lounging on a cold weekend. Pure, healthy, and luxuriously soft, our natural organic bedding and sleepwear is sure to be a welcome addition to any collection. Our gift ideas are:

Robes – $100-$200. We have an assortment of soft, cozy robes this season, with colours and cuts to match everyone’s taste. For him or for her, our bamboo and organic cotton robes are plush and ready to be loved.

Coyuchi Pyjamas – $100. The flannel pyjamas are one of the highlights of Coyuchi’s winter line. Their brushed flannel is incredibly soft, making these comfortable pyjamas a winter must.

Organic Pillows – $90-$175. Riva often says that if she could recommend one thing to a person to help improve the health of their home environment it would be to switch to a new pillow made of natural fibers and Organic materials. Considering how much time is spent next to your pillow, it only makes sense to have something pure and healthy that resists dust mites and allergens. We have many pillow options, including natural latex rubber, alpaca wool and buckwheat. A pillow gift card will allow them to come in and choose from our selection.

Season’s Best from all of us at Riva’s!

If material goods are not what they want, get creative! We have so many things to do in Calgary. Consider giving them a class at the Light Cellar, or send them to a Cob Oven workshop with the folks at Dirtcraft; a beekeeping class from A.B.C. Beekeepers or book them a nature hike with Full Circle Adventures to learn about our local edible plants. Perhaps have them try Permaculture, take them to the theatre, dance troupes or a trip to the Zoo. There are so many great ways to get out and enjoy the community. Happy Holidays, have a great year!

With each installment of the Beauty Blog you can expect to find loads of information on skincare as a wellness model. Some days we will have fun and some days we will get serious, but I promise it will always be meaningful and empowering. You won’t catch me raging on against the system or complaining about how things have come to be the way they are. Instead we will explore ways to celebrate what we have. We have the ability to help preserve our own wellness and the wellness of the ones we care for. Bonus — you will also learn ways to achieve all of the results the commercials have promised and never delivered. Why do so many think they cannot have their cake and eat it too?? You don’t have to pick between luxury and safety. Please indulge with me as we move through weekly topics in healthy skincare, and discuss tips and highlights to help you find, and properly use, the ideal products for your unique skin.

I very much look forward to spending time with you. Please hold nothing back — do not hesitate to contact me with a question, concern or to share a story of your own. I am thrilled to be here for you and through your participation will be able to embark on my next journey of learning. It is super easy too — you can email me directly stephanie@rivasecostore.com or through the site under ‘contact us’. I also encourage you to visit the Riva’s Eco Store in Inglewood to learn more, and to test the latest organic skincare products.

The film itself was at once beautiful, frightening and inspirational. The well-known fact is that bees are in trouble. To what extent they are endangered is not well understood, but any occurrence of hive-collapse is scary. We certainly understand that as the bees go, we go. Increasing evidence is showing that the disappearance of bee colonies is linked to our actions, specifically chemicals, pesticides and pollution. The moral of the story is that we need to make better choices.

The movie showed alarming images of industrial farming: monocrops expanding over endless land; bees being trucked across the country to pollinate these crops that can’t support their own ecosystem; bees being force-fed a diet of high-fructose corn syrup to make up for the fact that they are pollinating non-nectar producing crops such as almonds. It showed the difficulty for even biodynamic beekeepers in keeping their bees safe from chemicals sent aloft by airplane crop-sprayers.

The movie described the importance of diversity, and of fostering vibrant ecosystems that are minimally impacted by organic and biodynamic farming. The film reinforced the power of positive action. From biodynamic beekeeping to fighting to legalize beehives in New York City, action is being taken to further understand bee society and to give it a place to continue.

For the layman, the film concluded with a handful of recommendations:

1. Plant bee-friendly flowers and flowering herbs in your garden and yard.

2. Don’t use chemicals and pesticides to treat your lawn or garden.

3. Buy local, organic food from a farmer that you know.

4. Bees are thirsty. Put a small basin of pebbles and fresh water outside your home.

These are all great recommendations, and we suggest connecting with one of our local permaculture designers to discuss creating a productive and symbiotic garden in your yard, and also contacting Eliese from A.B.C. if you are interested in learning more about beekeeping. We are by no means bee experts, we wanted to be part of bringing this film to Calgary because we feel that these issues go beyond the importance of food production. Interestingly enough, we were criticized by one of our loyal customers this week for sponsoring a film based on the exploitation of bees. She is a vegan, and while we respect this philosophy, we also felt obligated to defend ourselves. In our discussion we had to point out that the film went beyond simply using beekeeping for the sake of gathering honey. It showed how all bees, including honey bees, bumble bees, and dozens of other varieties, as well as other pollinators (beetles, etc.) are basically essential to life as we know it, not only for ourselves, but for the majority of plants and rest of the species that depend upon them. Now, one can argue that nature should be left alone, and can take care of itself. And this is true, bees and insects can thrive on their own. But the fact remains, as humans we continue to disrupt a good portion of the earth’s surface for agriculture and development. This paradigm is one that isn’t about to change. We are a ways from returning to a hunter-gatherer culture. As such, our hope is that vegan, vegetarian, omnivore and carnivore alike can all agree on the importance of making better choices, not only with food sourcing, but in all aspects, whether it is the clothing you wear, your skincare or your mattress. Recommendation 2 from Queen of the Sun speaks to the true issue: use less chemicals. Recommendation 3 falls short in that it limits its scope to food alone. We try to supply options where this issue has been considered across the board. Making a choice to purchase a cleaner, healthier product has only positive implications all the way down the chain of production. Whether or not the perfect local option is available (unfortunately, we can’t find a local solution for everything) we stress the importance of all these choices, and Queen of the Sun was a clear reminder.

I heard a talk on the radio this week on CJSW’s ‘Alternative Radio’ program by local farming advocate Joel Salatin. He is always an engaging speaker, but made a point that was particularly relevant to my mindset after watching Queen of the Sun. It was that if people could see where their food was coming from, they would not abide it. They would not tolerate it; would refuse to purchase this food and would seek out the alternative, until the alternative became the only way. I hope that this is true. I certainly want to believe that this is true. Seeing movies from this genre (Fast Food Nation, Food Inc. etc) has been an informative experience for many people I know, but for others it seems to have little effect on lifestyle choices. Perhaps this is because many people who eat fast food/processed food/industrial food aren’t under the illusion that their food is healthy or coming from a good place. Perhaps it would take living next to the feedlot, the processing plant, the chemically sprayed fields; seeing this everyday to ensure that we can’t put it out of mind. At least we have films like Queen of the Sun to serve as a window into this world that we rarely see.