Olives and their oil are beloved for the fatty omega 3 acids they give me, the taste they add to soups and salads. The fruit is delicious to eat and stimulating to the brain. A great pick me up after the winter blues, I loved buying these at the open air market at Le Place Richard Le Noir found near the Bastille. Olive oil is a (relatively) inexpensive way to nourish and hydrate the skin after a shower. I use it on the soles of my feet to keep them soft. Olive oil has got to be the number one favorite of my grandfather. He devotes four and a half pages to what the poet Homer called "Liquid Gold" in his book "Age Less, Live More - Living With Health and Vitality to 107 Years and Beyond" listing it among his Top Ten Foods. He points out that it is mentioned in the Bible 55 times, the trees live to be 300 to 500 years old, and is famous for it's anti- aging properties. He should know as he uses it on his skin which to this day is wrinkle free at 110. The Greeks considered this tree sacred and bathing in this oil kept their bodies protected from the harsh effects of the sun. Grampa recommends using it in place of sunscreen as it will protect your skin from burning and moisturize. Best of all it's paraben free.
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| Shea Butter so named as it looks like butter! |
I was introduced to shea butter by a friend here in the States in the late eighties but it was in in the early nineties that I first discovered a source of shea butter while living in Paris. One day while strolling up the Avenue de la Republique I saw these little butter balls packaged in a simple plastic bag hanging outside of an African or maybe it was a Chinese foods specialty store. I had never seen it packaged that way and certainly not for so cheap! I snatched them up and there began a love affair that lasted years. When I left Paris I would have friends send me the stuff to New York along with my Verbena tea leaves from the South of France. It made my skin so soft that any argument with a boyfriend would be immediately quelled just at the touch. It also was a miracle on my frizzy hair detangling knots so large that they otherwise would have been cut out. The butter once melted in a sauce pan and poured onto my scalp and hair had an immensely moisturizing effect. My hairdresser Ricky at Snip N Sip would ask me every time how I kept my hair so soft and my reply was always the same: shea butter. For my body I would simply take some butter and rub it between my palms until it melted to the right consistency to apply to my skin. Rich in E it helps reduce and heal scars. I loved it because it did double duty as a body and deep conditioning hair care product.
According to the American Shea Butter Institute Shea Butter comes in different grades: Grade A; Grade B; Grade C; Grade D; or Grade F. When laboratory analysis is done, grade is determined by the presence or absence of various nutrients. Grade A is the highest and best quality for cosmetics and personal industry. Grade D is the lowest grade missing most of the valuable nutrients. The highest grades are awarded to those butters with the largest Bio-active fraction (5% and above), a good safety screen, and rancidity value below 10.
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| Shea Butter is Harvested from Tree Nuts |
Firming Body Nourisher - Sense by Usana Health SciencesFor those who might find the options above to much to handle I suggest using this paraben free body cream. Pamper your body from head-to-toe with this luxurious, lightly scented body lotion that leaves your skin feeling hydrated and incredibly soft. Proteo-C™ and Proflavanol-T™ nourish your skin as emollient-rich shea butter and Ceramide 3 soothe, firm, and replenish essential moisture. This whole-body treat gives your skin a youthful, radiant appearance without ever feeling heavy or greasy.
