Around the Corner

Remember the day you came into Terressentials to do a little Christmas shopping and invariably said to the nearest salesperson “I see so many things that I love, but I just can't spend money on myself with Christmas right around the corner!” As a Terressentials team member, if I heard that same statement once, I heard it one thousand times! 

Well you made it around that corner and halfway down the street! It's a new year and time to start appreciating yourself for hopefully satisfying every loved one on your list. So grab your friends and make a day of it in Frederick! Do a little shopping and have a nice lunch to unwind and let go of all the built up stress and anxiety of last year.

Visit Terressentials once again and find those treasures you admired so much on your last visit. Maybe you will treat yourself to a new beautiful and richly-colored, warm and cozy scarf to brighten up those gray winter days. After all, there are certainly plenty more cold days to come this year. Or maybe it was that sumptuous red glass necklace that seemed as though light was shining out through the red glass sphere itself. Whatever your treasure is...treat yourself!

Thanks QuinnDombrowski!

To quote Henry James: “Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.” You've given the gifts, remember to be kind to yourself too. Terressentials is the perfect place to begin. Our locally made, hand-crafted wide range of certified organic products: organic skin care, organic hair care, organic baby products, and other goods made with certified organic herbs and certified organic essential oils will LOVE your body, and our Fair Trade/Fair Made treasures from around the world will be a feast for your senses!

Message for this month: Be kind to yourself and others. Terressentials is a good place to begin!

The Power of Love

This Monday we honor and remember arguably the greatest leader of our national history, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It is inspiring to reflect on his philosophies and read his powerful words which are still so prevalent today.

A quote that recently caught my attention was from an article published in Christian Century where Dr. King wrote, “the only way to ultimately change humanity and make for the society that we all long for is to keep love at the center of our lives.” In many of his speeches Dr. King made sure to clarify that the love he was so ardently an advocate of was, “nothing sentimental or basically affectionate, it means understanding redeeming good will for all men, an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return.”

While we often do show love for our family and friends, the kind of love that Dr. King speaks of can be difficult to cultivate especially when our patience is tested daily. For instance, think about the last time you became frustrated or angry with a stranger; it's hard to look back without feeling ashamed or embarrassed. Grocery lines, traffic jams, and our workplaces are often prime examples of these instances when love is completely absent from our minds.

Imagine if this love which, “seeks nothing in return,” was always at the center of our hearts. Compassion, understanding and goodwill towards everyone you encounter even on bad days...seems unrealistic, but it can be easily achieved with practice. Think of Dr. King! He and his comrades were beaten, jailed, called horrible, hurtful names and were still able to look upon their oppressors with love and compassion. He had a deep, experiential understanding that hate has no benefit and that no battles can be won with hatred at heart.

Let's honor Dr. King's life and legacy by continuing to put his philosophies into practice. We can remember to always put others first with love as our daily motivation. As Dr. King states, “life's most urgent question is: what are you doing for others?”

Moisturize and Protect Your Winter Skin with Terressentials Organic Body Oils and Cremes

Never mind the calendar, you know when winter has arrived by the change in your skin. Here in Maryland we complain about the heat and humidity in the summer, but at least we do so with moist and glowing skin. When the temperature drops and the dry winds start to blow – and we've had plenty of harsh winter weather already this season – the shriveling begins. Those of us who spend a lot of time outside start getting sandpaper hands. Dry indoor heat also sucks the moisture from our bodies.

Now's the time of year that I cherish my Terressentials Organic Body Oils! Before I tried the Body Oil for the first time I wondered, won't this feel oily on my skin? I was accustomed to using body lotions, and I was a bit wary of applying pure oil. I was pleasantly surprised when the blend of organic sunflower and coconut oils and organic cocoa butter absorbed quickly and completely into my thirsty skin, leaving it smooth and satisfied. Now I spread it over my arms, legs and hands after every shower. The cocoa butter in the Body Oil solidifies at room temperature, but it's easy to heat the bottle up enough to return it liquid form. You can set the bottle in a hot (not boiling!) water bath for a few minutes, or, as I do, keep it on top of the baseboard heater in the bathroom, so it's ready to pour when you need it. You can even hug the bottle close to your body (maybe under your arm?) for a few minutes while you go about your business, since the cocoa butter will melt at body temperature. Just be sure to shake the bottle before dispensing, to mix the cocoa butter with the oils and herbal extracts.

When the cold and dry conditions have left my hands especially wrecked, I reach for my Terressentials Organic Body Crème. In addition to the same moisturizing oils and herbal extracts found in the Body Oils, the Body Cremes contain organic beeswax which seals moisture into your skin. I like to use the Body Crème on my knees, elbows and hands before bed, and as a protective layer on any exposed skin before I head out into the cold weather. The solid “Push-Up” form is fun to use, like a big crayon that slowly melts as it meets your warm skin and then glides over your body.

The only difficult part of using the Body Oils and Crèmes is deciding which “flavor” to choose! I'm partial to the complex earthiness of Seductive Spice, although I'm sometimes more in the mood for Passionate Lavender. Luscious Lemon is true to its name, and fans of the mint/chocolate combination will go crazy for Peppermint Fantasy. Then again, there's nothing wrong with the pure, delicious chocolate aroma of the Cocoa Butter Rich Body Oil, with no added essential oils. Still can't decide? Just for you, we've created the Organic Annointing Body Oil Sampler (containing 2-oz trial/travel sizes of the lemon, lavender, spice and mint oils), the Organic Body Crème Four Flavor Sampler (samples of all four flavors of body creme), and the Cocoa Butter/Creme Duo Sampler (samples of the pure cocoa butter and our cocoa butter blend body creme).

Treat yourself to Terressentials Organic Annointing Oils and Cremes this winter. When your skin is soft and protected, you'll be happy you did!

Terressentials and St. Jude

The Heroes Holiday Bazaar to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital took place at the Lucy School in Middletown on November 9th. Terressentials donated a gift basket that was the most talked about raffle prize! Everyone loved it! The winner was a teacher and she was so excited to win this. The Heroes Holiday Bazaar was able to raise $108 in raffle tickets plus another $300 in sales from the vendors. That is just over $400 for the kids at St. Jude!

Winter Friends and Woes

The icy blast of frigid weather we experienced last week across the country was brutal on humans, pets and our feathered friends. Snow, ice and dangerous low temperatures made going outside treacherous for man and beast.

During this time of year when salt is used to melt ice and snow on sidewalks and driveways, our four legged friends can become ill ingesting these toxic chemicals by licking their paws after coming in from a walk. Walking on treated sidewalks can also lead to chemical burns on paws. To prevent your dog from ingesting these salts, keep a shallow bowl of warm water and a cloth near the entry way of your home so that you can dip their paws in the warm water then dry them off before coming back in the house. It's a good idea to wipe the salt off your boots also so as not to track the salt in on your floors. Larger dogs with a smooth coats and especially the smaller dogs will need a little help keeping warm so a nice dog sweater will not only make a fashion statement, but will keep them warm for a nice winter walk. The doggie boots are another story...it's hilarious to watch them learn to walk in doggie boots. Some never do accept wearing these monstrosities!

Thanks musespeak!

Don't forget our feathered friends who give us so much joy watching them eat at the bird feeder. Keep the feeders well stocked with bird seed even on warmer wintry days. Birds burn a lot of calories in cold weather and really need our help during winter time. Feeding birds is a great way to brighten up a dreary winter day; from the colorful red cardinals, bluejays, and red-headed woodpeckers to the cute little chickadees. It's a never-ending source of free entertainment watching the birds gather around the feeder. 

Thanks jeffreyw!

Sitting at my kitchen table, looking outside with a cup of my favorite hot tea in hand and my corgi sleeping by my feet, brings a peaceful smile to my face. I love watching the colorful array of birds around my feeders, what could be better on a cold winter day? Maybe winter isn't so bad after all.