Enlisting My Peeps

I did something a little crazy just now. Something far outside my comfort zone. I asked for help. In a big, big way.

As many of you know, I’ve been working on an e-book about skincare since last summer. There were a lot of ups and downs, including other commitments (jobs and classes) taking up my writing time. But more than anything, I’ve been waylaid by technical issues.

The sweet, old computer, on its last leg.

Two years ago, as I was writing on my laptop, the screen went black. After many consultations with computer experts, I found out the screen had burned out. Due to financial constraints, I opted to leave it be and my friend allowed me to use his external monitor as long as I needed it.

Unfortunately, I was to find that this would be the first of many – many – problems. I’m at the point now where I never know when my computer will work or not. It won’t let me move files or delete them. It crashes every few hours – sometimes every few minutes. It won’t open most of my software. Etc., etc., etc. I am often forced to use my friend’s computer in order to get anything done.

I have spent three weeks pondering what to do about this. Several computer techs that I’ve talked to have told me that it would cost far more to fix all these problems than to replace the whole thing. And since this computer is VERY old, I’m ready to turn it in for parts and upgrade with very little eco-guilt involved. [wink]

However, shelling out that kind of money is not possible for me right now. I’m still working three jobs (outside this business) and make assistant wages even though I have a Master’s Degree. It’s all good and fine – I know new opportunities are opening up for me as the school year (and my three jobs) come to an end. But in the meantime, I’m itching to get back to writing my book.

After weeks of prayer and journaling, I decided to go out on a limb and just ask for help. I believe so passionately in this project and am so anxious to get it finished. And you know what? This is such an abundant universe – if it is meant to be, the money will be provided. If not, I will be led to another opportunity.

So if you feel so moved, pleased visit my GoFundMe page and spread the word! I have 60 days to reach my goal – if I don’t, your donation will be refunded.

(Incidentally, I started off at Kickstarter, which is a great website – but like many companies these days, they do not allow any mention of or products related to herbalism, beauty, beauty products or beauty and/or health advice. So I went someplace that has fewer limitations. Thank you, Universe!)

Thank you all for your continued support! I truly appreciate it!

Recognizing When a Product Has Gone Bad

You’ve received your Flower Balm in the mail and you love it! Maybe you keep it in your medicine cabinet and use it twice a day, or maybe you are savoring every delicious scoop and are cautiously storing it in drawer in your cool, dry, dark closet. You’ve followed all the tips to keep it fresh for as long as possible. But how do you tell when it’s gone bad?

I hear many people say that it’s easy, because you’ll notice mold on the product. Wrong-o! I have heard people who make homemade balms complain about mold, but something is wrong if that has happened. There should be no mold in an oil-based balm, unless they were made with water (not recommended). If you find mold in an oil-based balm that you bought from someone else, be aware that you have likely contaminated it with water (usually by dipping in with wet hands).

Can you guess which one is starting to go rancid?

The truth is, oil rancidity is incredibly common and usually goes unnoticed by consumers. The good news is that most oils take a year or two to become fully rancid. The bad news is that by the time it gets into your hands, it’s already a couple months old – at least. When it comes to rancidity, oils from grocery stores are the worst offenders. I’ve read that olive oils in grocery stores are typically 1-2 years old already. (And think of all the light and heat they have been exposed to while on the shelves.) Thankfully, my supplier of oils is top-notch and sells incredibly fresh oils. However, all bath and body sellers have to gently heat their oils in order to create our amazing products, which oxidizes the oils a bit more, and once a bunch of oils and butters and waxes are mixed together, the aging process has sped up just a tad.

So how do you know when a product has gone rancid? I did some experiments with Flower Balm and Knitter’s Balm. I exposed them both to heat and direct sunlight, day after day. The Knitter’s Balm started looking and smelling a little rancid within eight months. The Flower Balm went down faster, going totally rancid in less than six months. The reason for this is that I experimented with Flower Balm in a jar, not a tin – the packaging lets in more light than a tin, obviously, and therefore, did not last as long! Meanwhile, the two (one of each product) that I kept in the dry, dark, cool closet were still in fabulous shape after 9 months. Most natural balms and oils have a shelf-life of 9-12 months if they are kept well.

Look at the difference in these two products! It is obvious that the one on the left has gone totally rancid. (The flecks are not mold – just bits of SJW.)

There are two telltale signs of rancidity. First of all, the color of the product will have faded significantly. The balm will usually be a white-yellow, instead of a deeper yellow or gold. (Though, admittedly, it is much harder to notice the color change in a liquid body oil.) Secondly, the balm or oil will smell different. Rancid oil smells very bland – some say it has a metallic scent, while others say it smells a bit nutty (though not in an appetizing way). I’ve heard some compare it to the smell of crayons, which is exactly what it smells like to me!

If your products are exhibiting these two symptoms, it is O-V-E-R. They’re gone. There is some debate out there about whether or not it’s safe it use rancid oils, but being as rancid oils contain free radicals, I say it’s just safer to dump the products and replace them!

That said, when using natural products, you shouldn’t worry about rancidity. As long as you keep your products well and use them up in a reasonable amount of time, you will have no problems. But hopefully, these tips will help you recognize rancidity in products that have been forgotten in the back of your medicine cabinets when it’s time to spring clean!

Preserving the Freshness of Your Natural Products

If you love natural, preservative-free products as much as I do, then you’re doing your skin, your body and the environment a huge favor. However, I often hear concern from people who are worried about keeping their natural products as fresh as possible, and who feel unsure about identifying when a product has gone bad. So get ready to be schooled!

Preserving a natural product is pretty simple. First, realize that no matter what, time will affect the product. An egg will go rotten eventually, even if you refrigerate it. Milk will curdle. Apples will rot. This is a normal part of the natural world. It’s what doesn’t go bad that you should be worried about!

Keep it fresh, baby!

In order to keep your products in prime condition, keep them someplace cool, dry and dark, as much as possible. By doing this, you are slowing down the process of oxidation. Everything submits to oxidation – even humans. The cooler and dryer you can keep your products, the better. And protect them from the light as much as possible. (That’s why we use amber or frosted glass jars instead of clear glass.)

This can be a challenge, I realize, especially if you live in, say, Miami! I happen to be lucky – I live in a cold, dry part of the country. But if you don’t, there are a few tricks you can try!

First of all, only buy what you will use in a 3-6 month period. If you use your products within 3 months, like I do, you can generally keep them in your bathroom’s medicine cabinet without worry. (Yes, even with the humidity and temperature changes a bathroom experiences.)

If you live in an especially hot, humid climate, try keeping your products in the fridge, if you don’t use them up quickly. It’s a bit moist in there, but cold, dark humidity is better than hot, bright humidity!

If you don’t want to use your fridge, try a closet or rarely-used drawer in a cool area of your house. This works like a charm for me. I keep the products that I don’t use up quickly in a closet, with the door shut at all times. This keeps the temperature consistent, blocks out the light and it’s dry as a bone, thanks to our high desert climate.

It is also very important to avoid contaminating your product with water. Any product that uses water is harder to preserve and if you buy products with water in them, you need to make sure they include a preservative, or be VERY careful in how you store them. (Keep it in the fridge and use it up fast.) I do not sell anything that contains water because products like that, sans preservatives, have a very short shelf-life. Balms, oils and soaps, however, do not need preservatives (so long as they are used in a reasonable amount of time) because bacteria don’t (yes, it’s “don’t” – bacteria is plural) find these products very hospitable. So don’t go and introduce bacteria into your products by dipping into your Flower Balm with wet hands! Keep your hands dry when you dip in and this will help keep your product fresh and safe.

Now the big question: How do you know when a product has gone bad? And what does that even mean? Stay tuned, next Friday, and I’ll answer your question!

Shop News

There’s a lot of change going on here. Usually, when I say that, I mean change that I’m planning and instigating. This time, I’m talking about change that’s happening around me and that is shaping my goals for Five Seed. The truth is, at this point, I have no idea if Five Seed will be operating in January. But I’m not interested in making any decisions right now. I’m just trying to figure what to do as things change around me. And hopefully, that will lead me to a place where I can keep on going! So what’s going on?

The Storefront

I’m feeling pretty over Etsy. I’ve been watching and communicating with my competitiors (people I respect greatly) and have learned that many of them who deleted items that did not fit Etsy’s new guidelines have since relisted them and are using words like “antispasmodic,” “colds and flus” and other such terms that I was told I could not use. I was pretty upset and emailed Etsy to ask why these sellers were allowed to use these terms when I am not. You won’t be surprised that I have not heard back from them, after three weeks. My sales on Etsy also continue to be dismal – slower than when I first opened my shop in 2010. I do plan on moving to a different internet storefront, but admittedly, I’m still intimidated by the process and am moving pretty slowly in that area. Having two other jobs is not helping, either – I don’t have much time to devote to finding a new place for the shop. But…I figure things will work out when the time is right.

Out With the Old

Say goodbye (forever) to Bee Balm. This product will no longer be available after December 10th. I will not be bringing Herbwyfe’s Balm back this spring, either. Black Walnut Salve in 2 oz. jars will also be discontinued once it has sold out.

Further, I’m considering discontinuing the perfumes and the sample sizes. I’m thinking of what I want to do with this business and how I want to expand and maybe it’s time to trim down the inventory and expand into things beyond bath and body. I have no idea what that will lead to, but it’s just something I’m feeling right now. I still have TONS of perfume bottles and vials left, though, so I will continue to carry them until they sell out and I may even add a few more to the line.

Too Much

Due to some unfortunate circumstances, I now have a plethora of inventory that I need to MOVE OUT. That’s where you come in. I’m offering the biggest discount I have ever given to Five Seed shoppers – thirty-five percent off! It’s perfect for your holiday shopping! Just use the code OVERSTOCK35. (This code expires at midnight PST on November 26th.)

Price Change

I will be changing the prices of some items over the next month (after this sale). I have more to say about this, but for now, I’ll just say that organic, fair trade ingredients are very expensive. But you get what you pay for, and these ingredients are top-notch. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Prices have risen again, and in order to stay in business, I will have to raise some of my prices, too. But I know people will understand and be willing to support businesses like mine, who strive to offer sustainable, high-quality products.

Sending love to all you! Enjoy the sale!

Check it out

Hop on over to the Eco Etsy blog for my guest post about trick-or-treating. You can also find my articles about bicycle commuting and couriering (is that a word?) there.

Hard to Swallow

My intentions for this summer were simple: to rest, rejuvenate and prepare Five Seed for the holiday season. However, things didn’t turn out quite as I had planned. I ended up having to spend three weeks on a seminar (including one week 100+ miles away from home) and was also notified of Etsy’s policy changes, preventing me from mentioning any medical conditions whatsoever in my shop.

Things changed a lot. Fast. I spent weeks editing my shop to prevent it from being closed by Etsy. I was on an emotional roller coaster ride throughout the process, trying so hard to hold on to the positives – but in the end, I have been left feeling brokenhearted and a little lost. Above anything else, my intention was to offer healing products that I created for myself as alternatives to commercial products that are filled with who-knows-what. To have that aspect of my business taken away has been a huge blow. (Seriously, go check out my Etsy shop – you will find many listings that have almost NOTHING in the description sections.)

So yeah, it was a busy and stressful summer – the exact opposite of what I was hoping for. I’ve been looking for alternative solutions – farmer’s markets, consignment, etc. – but haven’t really found a niche, yet. I started opening a shop on Poppy Swap, an awesome marketplace, similar to Etsy, but for herbal products, only. The problem is, it is taking FOREVER to open the shop and I haven’t gotten much traffic – I’m almost thinking it would make more financial sense to put the Poppy Swap fees toward a website of my own – something I’m considering.

Throughout all of this, I have been struggling with severe health issues. In late August, after I had finished my seminar and shortly after I started deleting my description fields on Etsy, I developed what I thought was a severe case of thrush. My mouth became swollen, especially my tongue and upper palette, it felt like it was burning all the time, my throat hurt, my glands were swollen and eating food caused me extreme pain. It went away after about a week, though my sense of taste, which had been woefully inhibited, did not fully return, and I still had minor mouth pain along my lower jaw.

I could not figure out why such an odd, painful ailment would hit me so hard. I started looking at it symbolically and did realize that I felt “silenced” by Etsy and the FDA and that I was not allowed to communicate anymore. However, once it went away (mostly), I didn’t give it much more thought and was just grateful to be able to eat normally again.

And then…it came back. With a vengeance. During the first week of school, my mouth started burning again, and in 12 hours, I was in full-blown tortuous misery. My tongue was intensely swollen, my glands were the size of walnuts and my throat hurt so badly that I literally had to hold on to something (a wall, a fistful of my bedsheets, etc.) to brace myself from the pain. Eating and even drinking were impossible. I had to force myself to take a few sips of water every hour, because I was afraid of becoming dehydrated. Needless to say, I have never experienced that much pain from a mere sore throat. My sister was so worried that she drove me to Urgent Care, despite my objections (I don’t have insurance).

The doctor insisted I did not have thrush, which shocked me. But I was dismayed to find that he had no idea what was causing me so much pain and swelling. He gave me antibiotics for strep and said the condition might clear up with the medication. Well, the sore throat got better, but not the mouth issues!

So here I am, still dealing with the pain, though not as bad as it was. Some days it is bad enough to wear me down and prevent me from wanting to do anything and other days, it is mild enough that I don’t notice it unless I’m eating. The worst thing, however, is that my sense of taste has further diminished. If I lick something off a spoon, I can’t taste anything. I can taste certain foods, but not for several seconds after I start chewing and not to the normal extent. I can barely taste anything sweet, at all, and I definitely cannot taste salty tastes in any form.

I’m still trying to solve this on an emotional level, since there seems to be no apparent cause for what I’m experiencing. But if it’s related to this Etsy medical claim business, then I don’t know what to do. I just got ANOTHER email from them saying that the stories I have left in a few of my listings about my personal healing journey constitute as a medical claim. I cannot even talk about myself there if I use words related to the body or health in any way. And the truth is, I’m getting pretty fed up with it. This seems even more all-encompassing and far-reaching than the FDA’s own rules – I literally feel that they are putting tape on my mouth. My sales have dropped dramatically and I’m not sure I belong on Etsy anymore. I want to stay – you can’t beat the traffic they get. But wow. It’s become a police state for herbalists.

Anyway, I guess the reason I’m writing this now is to ask for support. If any of you are of a like mind, I would sure appreciate prayers, good thoughts, reiki from a distance…anything. I feel selfish even asking – there are far bigger problems in the world than my health and business – but at the same time, I’m feeling a little desperate for help.

Thanks, also, to all of you who have already been so very supportive. I’m so grateful and so lucky to have you all!

What’s happening in the studio…

New handmade thank you notes for customers:

What I did to the ugly, smelly, musty drawers of the antique desk I bought during my studio redesign:

One of my most popular new lip balms:

Reboot, Remake, Rethink, Rebirth

As I work to edit my Etsy shop to comply with their new policies regarding herbal products, I’ve been going through a lot of feelings. At first, I was devastated. I thought this would destroy my business. Then I went through varying feelings of elation (from all the support I’ve been getting from all of you) and wild frustration.

It’s been exhausting editing my listings – and I have had to edit some of them three or four different times. And I’ll be going back and doing ANOTHER edit this week. There’s just so much conflicting information out there – many of us are not sure quite what to do and how to change things without losing the heart of our businesses.

There have been some real jaw-droppers, too, as I’ve learned more about this policy – things that have disheartened me a lot, including the fact that we are no longer allowed to share the feedback our customers have given us if that feedback contains medical words. I have a TON of feedback from people who have said that my products have helped them with acne issues or eczema or other such things and I am so proud of those comments. I used to feature them on my product pages, but this is now forbidden, considered a second-hand medical claim.

We are also not allowed to talk about the properties of herbs, even if those properties are factual. For instance, I sell carminative seeds as a natural breath freshener. I can no longer say that they also soothe gassy stomachs, even though carminatives are a class of herbs that…soothe gassy stomachs! We are no longer allowed to say that lavender is calming to the nervous system even though it is classified as a nervine! Not to make too big a deal out of this, but it does feel a little like a witch hunt. Heaven forbid we allow citizens of the US the option to explore alternative healing (which wasn’t so “alternative” once upon a time ago).

However, I’m determined to stay positive, keep Five Seed alive, and find every nugget of goodness that can possibly come out of this. Here are just a couple of those positives:

1. Community. After a year of doing business in a somewhat isolated mode (as is easy to do when you’re an online business and have another day job outside the home), I’ve been reconnecting with my teammates over at EcoEtsy and participating in some fascinating discussions with other herbal sellers all over Etsy. The support I have found through them has been a huge relief and it helps me remember something at the cornerstone of herbalism – community. That is where the strength of herbal healing lies – sharing with and supporting everyone and anyone interested in the Old Wisdom.

I’m sorry to say that I think this aspect of herbalism has gotten lost in our capitalistic system. I never realized this until recently, but there’s a respectful and slightly suspicious distance that some of us keep from one another. In fact, of all the business owners I have connected with, almost none of them have been bath and body sellers. There is this subtle sense of competition – it’s like we’re so protective of our niche (and it’s hard to find any niche in b&b that hasn’t already been filled) that we don’t want to connect with others and potentially get lost in the massive sea of herbal businesses.

And unfortunately, there are some herbal sellers who aren’t very ethical, who search through our shops looking for information on products to create. I’ve seen many herbal sellers struggle with copycats. And finally, there are those who consider themselves the “watchdogs” and who search through shops and blogs to see what people are doing and who drop in with nasty comments and threats.

Now I’m seeing the value of pushing past all that capitalistic-, ego-driven, fear-based crap. None of this information is new. None of our products are new. There’s not much we can do to prevent ourselves from being targeted by copycats or watchdogs. So why cut ourselves off from the chance of connecting and sharing information? I think if we want to consider ourselves true keepers of plant wisdom (in whatever form we come), then we need to keep community at the top of our priority lists.

2. Integrity. It is always, always necessary to keep checking ourselves. After we’ve been in business for a while and have built a customer base, we tend to get into a rut about how we present our products. We assume we know who we’re talking to and that they know us, because, hey, we’ve been around for a couple of years. But this is a trap of sneaky complacency – sneaky in that we don’t often realize it is even happening.

This change in policy has got me thinking a lot about how I present my products. Obviously, I believe in integrity above all else as a business – integrity toward the environment and integrity with my customers. I was proud as I went through my product pages, because I felt I had been fair in how I presented them – very clear that these products are potentially helpful in the healing of certain health issues. I’m also always very clear about the fact that I created almost everything in the line for myself and used it with success – and that my successes made me want to share with others who might be dealing with the same health issues.

One of the products I’m trying to rewrite to be super clear about what it is.

However…there were a handful of new products (my skincare line) that were written in a way that might have been too easily misinterpreted by others. First of all, I was super excited about these products – as I said, I’ve been using them for a while now with great success, and if you read my upcoming e-book on skincare, you’ll know why I feel so elated about finally finding a solution for my crazy skin! This elation definitely played a part – and pride. I was so very proud of myself for finding a system that worked for me and could not wait to share it with others.

But I realized that a person’s tone is hard to identify on the internet. How are new customers supposed to know who I am or what I stand for or even what I mean by certain words if they are visiting for the first time via a product page (as opposed to my About page or storefront). Suddenly, I realized that my words in some of these listings could be easily taken out of context. Long story short (or long story long), I realized I need to remember to see myself from the perspective of that first-time customer dropping in on a product page, having no idea who I am. I need to be very clear and careful with the words I use. I thought I was doing that, of course – but this was a great way to open my eyes to the holes in my system.

I have more to say about this, but alas, I’m too busy editing my shop to write for the blog! Actually, I have some other fun projects in store, too, from my upcoming e-book to a new line of truly unique lip balms. There is lots to do, so I’d best be on my way for now.

Once more, thank you all for your support – it has truly kept me afloat through this challenging time!

Grassroots Revolution

Before I write anything here, let me be clear that I am not a doctor or medical professional of any kind. I am also not a certified herbalist, and even if I was, it wouldn’t matter, because the US government does not recognize any such certification. The only certification I have that is recognized by the government is my teaching license. My knowledge of herbs and alternative healing was acquired through reading, research and experimentation.

The above information is not a disclaimer – it’s just the truth about me. I believe in full disclosure and corporate transparency and have always tried to uphold those values within Five Seed. The only reason I mention any of this is to let you know exactly who I am and what expertise (or lack thereof) I have as you read this. So here goes:

As those of you who follow me on Facebook or Twitter know, I recently received an email from Etsy threatening to shut down my shop unless I immediately remove any claims about my products, any mention of medical conditions and any information about herbal healing or folklore. The FDA is cracking down on this sort of thing, thanks to the tightening of laws pertaining to personal care products – laws that I supported 100%. I can remember signing petitions to get these laws into place – laws banning the use of heavy metals, carcinogens and endocrine disruptors in personal care products and laws demanding full disclosure of all ingredients (no more terms like “fragrance” or “parfum,” and no more proprietary blends) – and vaguely wondering what would happen to small businesses if it passed. Yes, I absolutely supported the ban of these harmful chemicals in commercial products and full disclosure of ingredients, but I wondered: Will little shops like mine be shut down because our products are not FDA-tested or -approved?

The consequences of these laws started to become apparent to me when I heard that Etsy had closed four subcategories: anti-aging, diaper rash, anti-itch and acne. (Yes, acne, a month after I launched my anti-acne skincare line and a month before I debut my book about how I healed my acne-prone skin.) I had a feeling more was to come, and sure enough, I soon after received the email I mentioned above, specifically targeting my shop.

This may not seem like a big deal to most people, but if you know my shop, you know it is filled with items that I created in order to help me treat health issues from which I have suffered: skin problems, menstrual cramps, muscle pain, etc. I feel that I’m very careful about how I market things. Yes, I use words like “for acne” and “great for relieving muscle pain.” Borderline? Semantics? Maybe. But I don’t think I’m being dishonest or misleading. I never say, “This will cure acne!” I’m very personal about my products. I explain why I created them and how they helped me – and that they might work for others. In most of my listings, I try to remind customers to consult with their doctor and/or do their own research and make their own decisions on whether or not a product is right for them. I hope that I come off as very clear that I am not an expert and that my products are my way of reaching out to others who may be suffering from similar health issues.

That act of reaching out has now been fenced in by some intense boundaries and honestly, I’m frustrated. How do I tell people what my products DO? Will my shop become a wasteland of 25 balms indistinguishable from one another except for their scent? What exactly can I say about them? “This is a tin of wax and oil that makes no claim to have any benefits whatsoever?” How far-reaching is this? Are we allowed to say “moisturizing,” or “soothing?”* The terms were “no medical drug claims,” no historical medical/herbal information and no mention of diseases or medical conditions. So what exactly is considered a medical “condition?” Doesn’t dry skin qualify under that one?

As frustrated as I am about this, I can’t disagree with the importance of integrity in business. I certainly don’t think we should be able to say, “Hey, this product will cure everyone of acne, no matter what!” However, I do not agree that anything lacking FDA approval should be banned from discussion.

To me, healing is an endless journey with endless possibilities. We are all as unique as snowflakes and no treatment (allopathic or otherwise) will fit everyone. I believe in the philosophy of “integrative medicine” as described by Dr. Andrew Weil (who is an actual medical doctor and not, contrary to internet rumors, an alternative healer). Dr. Weil believes, as I do, in the validity of Eastern and Western medicine and everything in between. The mindset is not “one or the other,” but rather, “get the patient better.”

I am open to all paths of healing, myself, and have had various successes with both allopathic and naturopathic treatments. For instance, I just completed a course of very strong prescription medication that I felt I needed in order to treat a serious health issue. However, I also struggled to heal from acne and menstrual cramps for two decades and nothing – including prescription drugs and surgical procedures – cured me. I found my own way to healing through herbal infused oils, herbal teas, vitamins, yoga and other such “alternative” treatments.

This is where things get fuzzy for me. Isn’t it our right to explore alternative treatments? Isn’t it our right to support small, grassroots healers, amateur or otherwise, with the full understanding that what we choose to do on the path of healing is our own responsibility and not anyone else’s? Isn’t it our right to create a small, sustainable business with the intention of sharing  the healing traditions of our ancestors? Isn’t it our right to believe in the efficacy of herbal (or other “alternative” treatments) remedies without being labeled a snake oil salesman (as the producer) or a dumb, woo-woo, New Age hippie (as the buyer)?

But the discussion of rights can get tricky. What rights should the buyer have? What rights should the seller have? And that brings us to one of those classic conundrums of democracy: How much power should the government have?

cartoonstock.com

I understand many people may say, “This is a good thing, not bad! The FDA should be protecting consumers!” Yes, they should. But if that was their intention, then:

-Why are there FDA-approved lipsticks on the market that contain lead? Why does the FDA believe that this does not pose a danger to the public? From the FDA’s website: “Lipstick, as a product intended for topical use with limited absorption, is ingested only in very small quantities. We do not consider the lead levels we found in the lipsticks to be a safety concern.” Seems like an odd thing to say considering lipstick is worn on the highly porous skin and not only that, but on the mouth. I came across this humorous but disturbing video a year or two ago that states that the average woman consumes up to 7 pounds of lipstick in her lifetime. Seven pounds of lipstick that may or may not have lead in it and that’s not a public safety concern?

-Why is there BPA in the lining of our canned foods? Why did it take the FDA until 2010 to admit concern over this issue (having previously stated that it was safe for all uses)? Why does their 2012 update state the following: “With respect to uses of BPA in packaging of food intended for other populations [adults, teenagers and children], FDA will support changes in food can linings and manufacturing to replace BPA or minimize BPA levels where the changes can be accomplished while still protecting food safety and quality… Reliable can lining materials are a critical factor in ensuring the quality of heat processed foods. Therefore, FDA will work to encourage and facilitate changes that minimize exposure to BPA and avoid other adverse impacts on food safety or quality.” Maybe the FDA forgot the fact that there are several food companies that have been safely producing canned food with no BPA for years now. So minimizing BPA or dragging out the process of banning BPA from food packaging in order to ensure food safety suddenly doesn”t seem like a legitimate concern anymore. It obviously *can* (pun intended) be done, so why not make a sweeping change right now – no more cans lined with BPA!

-Why are GMO foods not required to be labeled? Where’s the full disclosure there? The New York Times states, “The F.D.A. has said that labeling is generally not necessary because the genetic modification does not materially change the food.” Two years ago, nine out of ten people surveyed believed that all GMO products should be labeled. This year, over a million signatures were submitted to the FDA from Just Label It, an activist organization fighting for full disclosure from GMO producers. The FDA’s response? Those million+ signatures were counted as ONE because they were all attached to the same document. The final word: the FDA said it would make a statement when a decision about GMOs had been reached. (And just in case you’re wondering, I could find absolutely no current information regarding GMO foods on the FDA’s website, except for a long Q&A page in support of genetically modified animals bred for the production of pharmaceutical material.)

These are just three *small* reasons that I feel I should be allowed to state that an all-natural product containing USDA-certified organic ingredients, using traditional herbal ingredients has the potential to heal skin problems including acne and eczema. Not cure – I would never, ever presume to use that word (although, admittedly, I did name two of my products Panacea – though I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek on that one).

As time and laws pass, I am often left wondering what is happening to the communal and agricultural traditions of our past? What will happen to our land as we replace small, diversified farms with thousands of acres of GMO monocrops? What will happen to the knowledge of our ancestral farmers who knew what moon phases would yield the best crops and how to practice companion planting in order to naturally ward off insects and increase crop growth? And what will happen to our traditions of natural healing, our knowledge of plant medicine? Our sharing of that knowledge? The boundaries are closing in a little bit each year and the combine is roaring along. What will we lose to McMonoculture in the 21st century?

Herbalist Kiva Rose, one of my heroes – a guardian of plant-based healing traditions.

I guess this post is a little bit rant and a little bit request. I’m not asking for the right to say whatever I want about my products, or to make sweeping claims about their ability to cure medical conditions. I’m only asking that I, and other folks of the herbal tribe, retain the right to use the words “eczema” and “chamomile” in the same sentence without breaking FDA regulations. I’m asking for the right to share information about healing from one layman to another. I’m asking for the long-standing traditions of herbalism to be given just a little respect as a potential source of healing. And I’m asking for people to help keep these traditions alive.

I’m not entirely sure what we can do to accomplish this except to keep supporting small bath and body businesses, especially those, like mine, that began producing natural products because of the fact that the FDA regulations allow the inclusion of ingredients that shouldn’t be in our personal care products. (How ironic, right?) If you already use herbal remedies, make sure you let your favorite businesses know that you still support their products, no matter how little they may be able to say about them. Keep buying those tinctures at the farmer’s market, even if you have to do so under the table.

In the meantime, I’ll keep you posted as I sort through the shop, line by line, photo by photo, label by label. It’s going to take me a while to sort through this, especially not quite grasping the full extent of these new regulations. Check out my Twitter feed if you want to toss me some suggestions!

Thanks to you all for your support throughout this process. I’ve been so touched by the messages I have received from so many people. It definitely made me feel like our “old school” traditions have a whole lot of protectors, which is a wonderful thought!

*Soon after I wrote this, I received an email from Etsy saying that we can potentially use the words “moisturizing” or “moisturizer,” so long as it is not in a context that violates Etsy’s new policies about medical claims. I have absolutely no idea what context would be within their policies, or how using those words might violate their policies. I have the feeling that no one is going to be changing titles, tags or descriptions that use either of these words – and I admit, I probably won’t, either.

My Skincare Project

As many of you may have noticed, I’ve been posting about my latest project on my Facebook page: an e-book about how I healed my skin from severe acne that persisted for over 15 years. I’m very excited to share what I have learned, especially since many methods I tried were oppositional to all I had been taught by the advertising industry and my many dermatologists. But it worked, and knowing the suffering such a condition can cause, I wanted to share my story in the hopes that it will help others.

Please stay tuned on my Facebook and Twitter pages. I’ll be posting tips as I go, like the one below. (I have to thank Melanie and Mark Rummel for this amazing idea – thank you, both!) Let me know if you have any questions you would like me to address, as well – I’d love to hear them! I will share your questions here on the blog, on FB and/or in the e-book.

I hope to have the e-book ready by late August or early September. Yay!

On another note, I’m off to Portland for a week-long seminar and will have the shop on vacation mode while I’m gone, as of Saturday. I’ve pre-written next week’s blog posts – let’s see if I can get them posted while I’m away from my computer! See you in August!