“Some people dream of success, while others wake up and work hard at it”. – Unknown

Just a quick quote for Motivational Monday – here’s to working to make your version of success happen today!

Spearmint is another essential oil we tend to use quite a bit here at Vintage Body Spa. Sweeter smelling and less overwhelming than peppermint oil, it’s a good choice when you want mint without the menthol tones. Spearmint oil also blends well with many other essential oils, as evidenced by our products containing a variety of blends (listed below).

Image via Wikipedia

Latin Name: Mentha Spicata

Description: Spearmint is a perennial herb native to the Mediterranean region that grows approximately three feet high. The leaves are bright green, are sharply serrated and have pink or light purple colored flowers. The oil is steam distilled from the flowering tops of the herb.

Countries of origin: Although native to the Mediterranean region, it is now common throughout Europe, western Asia and the Middle East. The oil is produced in Europe (Hungary, Spain, and Russia), China and America (Midwest).

Scent: Spearmint has a fresh, minty, aroma.

Properties: Refreshing and comforting, Spearmint oil has been used to promote relaxation and relieve mental fatigue. The oil is also slightly antiseptic. Spearmint oil has also been used for respiratory issues as well as for the digestive system.

Precautions: Spearmint oil is non-toxic, non-sensitizing and non-irritating.

Vintage Body Spa products containing Spearmint Oil: Salt Soak in Eucalyptus Spearmint, Daily Moisturizing Lotion in Eucalyptus Spearmint or Mojito (Spearmint & Lime essential oil blend), Butter Bar in Double Mint and Mojito Soap.

What is your favorite use for spearmint oil? What other essential oils do you like to blend with spearmint oil?

Many of you have likely seen this video of a Will Smith interview released on YouTube years ago. I like to watch it every once in a while for some great ‘nuggets’ of inspiration he conveys. Hope it inspires you as it does me!

Some of my favorite quotes from this video:

“We didn’t grow up with the sense that where we were was where we were going to be. We grew up with the sense that where we were almost didn’t matter because we were becoming something greater”.

“Talent you have naturally. Skill is only developed by hours and hours and hours of beating on your craft. I have never viewed myself as particularly talented. Where I excel is a ridiculous, sickening work ethic. While the other guy is sleeping, I am working. There is no easy way around it”. “You need to dedicate yourself to being better every single day”.

“My dad said ‘Don’t ever tell me that you can’t do something’. You don’t try to build a wall, you don’t set out to build a wall. You don’t say ‘I’m going to build the biggest, baddest, greatest wall that’s ever been built’. You don’t start there. You say ‘I am going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid’. You do that every single day and soon you have a wall”.

“I want to do good. I want the world to be better because I was here”. “If you’re not making someone else’s life better, then you’re wasting your time. Your life will become better by making other lives better”.

“I believe that I can create whatever I want to create”.

“The first step before anybody else in the world believes it is that you have to believe it”.

“There is no reason to have a Plan B because it distracts from Plan A”.

“Confucius said, He who says he can and he who says he can’t are both usually right”.

“There is a redemptive power that making a choice has, rather than feeling you are at effect to all the things that are happening. Make a choice. You just decide what is going to be, who you are going to be, how you are going to do it. Just decidel And from that point, the universe is going to get out of your way”.

And one of my favorite quotes from the movie ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’: “Don’t ever let somebody tell you you can’t do something, not even me, alright?. You’ve got a dream, you’ve got to protect it. When people can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you that you can’t do. You want something, go get it. Period”.

For the first time, we’re offering non-Vintage Body Spa products in the shop. I was introduced to Sassimi spa wraps and knew right away that they’d be a perfect complement to our products. The wraps are great to lounge around in, for after bath or after a swim. Easy to step in and out of – I can put it on after the shower, get ready for the day and step out of it without messing up my hair or makeup.

I have the Sicily wrap, which is a bamboo/cotton terry blend. Not only is bamboo eco-friendly, but it has natural antimicrobial properties. I wear this as often as I can; it is amazingly soft and comfortable and is holding up extremely well after multiple washings.

The quality is incredible and they’re made in the U.S.A. What more could you ask for?!?!?!? Sassimi spa wraps make great gifts for yourself or others. With the variety of styles, colors and sizes available, you’re sure to find one for everyone on your list.

Already have a Sassimi wrap? Leave your comments here so our readers can learn even more about these luxurious wraps!

“Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can – there will always come a time when you will be grateful you did.”
– Sarah Caldwell

“The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as long as we live.”
– Mortimer Adler

I’m excited to start my training for aromatherapy certification this week, so I can offer customers additional products and services to meet their needs using essential oils. What are you doing this week to learn and grow, both personally and professionally? I look forward to hearing your answers!

I’ve been working on this offering for a while now and I’m excited to announce that it’s finally ready to go! Customers now have the opportunity to treat both body and mind in customized sets. I’ve partnered with the amazing hypnotherapist and wellness coach, Lisa Smith of Life by Design LLC to create special product sets that can only be found here!

There are currently two sets available: First up is the Relax and Destress set. For those whom are stressed, anxious or overwhelmed, this set will help soothe both body and mind. Products include a Bath Pocket, a Bath Pocket Refill set, an Eye Pillow, Massage/Bath Oil, and WHEREVER Body Cream, all scented with pure essential oils chosen specifically to address stress and overwhelm. What makes this set truly unique is the option for customers to purchase a mind conditioning CD from Lisa Smith. In her words, “Listening to this process will guide you to a mental vacation where you can let go of cares and concerns, and return feeling refreshed, energized and with a new perspective on what is truly important.”

Next up is the Sweet Dreams Set. If you’re having difficulties falling and/or staying asleep or not getting enough restful sleep, then we recommend you try this set and pair with Lisa’s mental conditioning CD. Use the Vintage Body Spa products and then listen to the state of the art recording to help reprogram/reset your mind to quickly and easily enter into a deep and rejuvenating sleep state and rest peacefully through the night, allowing you to wake up refreshed, energized, and ready to take on the day! This set includes Cleopatra’s Luxurious Milk Bath, Daily Moisturizing Lotion, Eye Pillow and Massage/Bath Oil.

With each set, you can opt to purchase just the products, download the mental conditioning recording to an mp3 player or receive the recording on CD – whichever option works best for you.

*Remember that neither the products nor the mental conditioning recordings are substitutes for medical or psychiatric care and that these products have not been reviewed nor endorsed by the FDA.

Here’s a site that I think many of our readers/customers will be interested in. I connected with Charlene and Susan of GALTime (www.galtime.com) shortly before the launch of this amazing online magazine (which magazine doesn’t even begin to describe it – with articles, videos and interactive message boards) covering topics relevant to women of all ages – from health, fashion and beauty, finances, family, entertainment and career.

I’ve written some articles about domestic violence for GALTime, and am their resident domestic violence ‘expert’. I have been able to share a little of my story surviving domestic violence as well as talk about Behind the Curtain and how Vintage Body Spa donates products and funds to help support survivors of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault. I am thankful for the opportunity to turn a negative experience in my past into something positive – helping support others going through similar situations or by educating people on what to do if someone they love is in a violent relationship and where victims can turn to for support and resources. Even if I weren’t a contributor to GALTime, I would still regularly visit the site, as each time I visit I find something of interest and use to me and my situation.

No matter what stage of life you’re in, you’re bound to find something relevant to you on GALTime and ways you can connect with other women, so check it out. Visit www.galtime.com and get involved (for free!) today!

With the cold winter weather having set in, I find myself reaching for uplifting scents to beat the winter blues. One of my favorites is grapefruit. We’ve got a great ‘Rise and Shine’ cold process soap that we can’t seem to keep in stock (but it will be added to the store soon, I promise!) that is a refreshing blend of grapefruit, peppermint and other essential oils. It’s a wonderful way to wake up on those cold days that are so hard to get out of bed!

Image by John Steven Fernandez

Latin Name: Citrus paradisi

Family: Rutaceae

Description: Grapefruit comes from big trees with glossy leaves that produce large fruit. The oil is expressed from the peel of the ripe fruit and is a byproduct of the juicing process.

Countries of origin: America (California and Florida), Brazil, Israel

Scent: Grapefruit has sweet, fresh and sharp top notes.

Properties: Refreshing and stimulating, this oil is often used to alleviate depression, tension, stress and mental exhaustion. The bright scent promotes optimism. Grapefruit oil has also been used to boost memory and concentration.

Precautions: Grapefruit oil is non-toxic and non-sensitizing.

Phototoxicity: There has been some controversy regarding whether or not grapefruit oil is phototoxic, meaning it makes the skin sensitive to sunlight. Exposure to sunlight or tanning beds after using products containing phototoxic ingredients can lead to irritation. It is best to err on the side of caution and avoid exposure to direct sunlight or tanning bed rays for 12 hours after using products containing this essential oil.

I am often asked which Vintage Body Spa products are vegan, so I thought it’d be good to keep a running list here, and update it as new vegan products are added to the line. For those that don’t know, vegan products are made without any animal byproducts (beeswax, honey, milk, etc).

For our vegan customers, rest assured that all vegan products are made on separate equipment, so they do not come into contact with animal byproducts during the course of manufacturing.

Current vegan products include:
* African Black Soap
* Body Polish
* Butter Beans
* Handmade Soap
* Massage Oil
* Rhassoul Clay
* Salt Soak
* Shea Butter Lotion
*Vegan Butter Bar
* Whipped Sugar Scrub

Upcoming vegan products include more handmade soap, vegan lip balm, facial care line and mom/baby product line. Be sure to register for our newsletter here to be the first to know when new products are released! If you’d like another vegan product that you don’t see here, please leave a comment below or contact us and we’ll consider your request.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. As yourself what makes you come alive and then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
– Howard Thurman

This seemed like a perfect quote for the new year, when so many commit to making positive changes in their lives. There are a number of things that make me come alive – my faith, my family, my business, the causes of domestic violence and sexual assault, pediatric cancer, education and traveling just to name a few. I’m energized, challenged and inspired by these things and 2010 will involve many activities in each of these areas.

So tell me – what makes you come alive? What issues, causes or situations stir your soul and what will you be doing about them this year? I’m looking forward to reading about how the world will become a better place by each of you being alive!