Life's an adventure...when you work from home!

Lately I've felt a need for adventure in my life.  This primarily takes the form of daydreaming about amazing places to move to and begin a new life, even though I already live in a pretty awesome place--I'm writing this post from an estuary overlook near Jack London Square, with an absolutely stellar view of the Bay right in front of me, and it is 75 degrees and sunny; basically perfect.  But that doesn't seem to matter much.  When the soul seeks adventure, sitting still in a beautiful spot doesn't get you there.  So I dream.  I've pinned a map of Costa Rica to my wall.  I've annoyed my friends and family with imaginary house-hunting in various locales.  I've plotted how I'm going to save enough money to make a big move.

Sunset at Jack London Square

But honestly, this new venture IS an adventure!  I haven't been at it for very long, but I am already finding it incredibly rewarding.  Connecting with all of you, sharing amazing products, feeling like I'm making a difference, learning some new skills, using old skills and/or those learned during business school.  It's fun!

That's not to say it's for everybody.  I happen to have a day job that, although full time, leaves me with enough energy and brain power at the end of the day that I can still be functional on my own time.  It IS work.  There is much to be done, and it's not going to build itself.  Even so, I've found that developing this business is much more adaptable than similar opportunities.  ONEgroup (the parent company of Miessence) is very supportive of representatives building a business entirely on the Internet, which means that folks like me who may have time, but only outside of normal business hours, can still build a business to provide additional income.  There is no requirement or expectation that you hold house parties and harass every single person in your address book to buy something or become representatives themselves.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, if you find that to be your strength and you have the time and resources for it.

It has also been amazingly fun to network with other Miessence representatives.  This group is so helpful and open when it comes to sharing best practices, asking/answering questions, and just being all around supportive.

I'm mentioning all this by way of introduction to my new series about working from home.  Whether you're interested in becoming a Miessence representative or not, I hope you'll find the discussion helpful to you in some way, and come along to join me for this adventure!

Rose Monsoon Product Mention

Another product mention!  Check out this article that features Rose Monsoon Hydrating Mist.


http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/beauty+indulgence/features+reviews/beauty+travel+essentials,19237

BFA Nanoparticle article

Wondering about nanoparticles in physical sunscreens? (Those are the ones made with titanium and/or zinc oxide) Here's info from the Biological Farmers of Australia...with a Reflect mention at the end!  Might have to come back to address this topic more at a future date, but for now...enjoy!


 http://www.bfa.com.au/IndustryResources/BFAPublications/OrganicAdvantage/OrganicAdvantageArchives2012/mid/777/newsid777/197.aspx

Ingredient Spotlight: Aloe Vera

Welcome to a new series spotlighting ingredients you might find in natural organic personal care products!  It's a pretty straightforward concept so let's jump right in, shall we?

I became familiar with the healing properties of aloe vera at a very young age, and that was not a good thing.  I possessed the unholy trifecta of fair skin (with red hair, no less), a residence in sunny Southern California, and an absolute hatred of sunblock.  My parents bought aloe vera gel in large quantities.  The thick green stuff provided such relief even while leaving the skin feel so sticky that you dare not actually touch anything, including clothing.  Then we discovered the thick blue stuff, which was the thick green stuff but with lidocaine for extra painkilling power, and without any pesky questions about the color change--what color do you add to green to get blue when supposedly blue is composed of green and yellow?

What I'm getting at here is that the stuff we normally think of as aloe vera, if it doesn't come straight from the plant, is really hardly aloe vera at all.

Check out this ingredient list of a national chain's store-brand aloe vera gel (the green version): Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice , Water , SD Alcohol 40 , Glycerin , Polysorbate 20 , Carbomer , Triethanolamine , Methylparaben , Benzophenone-4 , Imidazolidinyl Urea , Fragrance , Yellow 5 , Blue 1

Yeesh!  What IS all that??  You know, nevermind...you probably don't want to know.

But we got here from a good idea: aloe barbadensis leaf juice aka aloe vera juice is seriously good stuff!  It forms the basis of many Miessence products, and with good reason.

Aloe is also amazingly easy to come by.  The plants themselves grow like mad with enough sunshine and neglect (i.e. not overwatering), and kindly regenerate when you break off a limb to rub the oozing juice on your stinging, painful skin.  It also has beautiful flowers.

Aloe Vera Plant w/  Flower Detail Source: Wikipedia

Real, actual, pure aloe vera juice can be found easily at most stores that stock even remotely natural body care products.  It is quite a bit more expensive, at about $6 for a small bottle of the real deal vs. maybe $1.50 for 2-3 times as much goopy gel stuff, but it's hardly going to break the bank.  It's also not likely to make you feel like you need to walk around naked for reasons other than it being hot!

Aloe's skin healing properties were known to ancients ranging from Cleopatra to Marco Polo to Christopher Columbus.  It is antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, with additional healing properties gained from vitamins C and E.

Aloe is also used internally in many parts of the world, as a digestive aid and flavoring.  (Note: please don't do this with the gel)  Sometimes it is treated as a vegetable and added to curries.  Many Japanese beverages include aloe, often as the primary flavor.

There is even some preliminary research showing that aloe may be an effective treatment for diabetes!

With all of this going for it, is it any wonder it plays a starring role in so many Miessence products?

The facial moisturizers might make sense to you as items containing aloe, but that's not the only category where you'll find it!  Here are some other products that may surprise you as containing this amazing ingredient.

Shape Styling Gel-Medium Body and Hold for Most Hair Types

Mint Toothpaste (also available in Lemon and Anise)

All our liquid Translucent Foundations

Ancient Spice Roll-On Deodorant (also available in Tahitian Breeze and Aroma Free)

Sunflower Body Wash

There are others, too!  I'm going to leave it at this list because otherwise this post would be about a mile long, and I'm sure we all have other things to do.  As always, please don't hesitate to ask me any questions you may have about Miessence products and I will do my darnedest to answer them!

New Series: Make Buy Skip

If you want something done right, you just have to do it yourself.

I don't really believe that one bit.

There are times where it makes sense to Make a product yourself, and others when it makes sense to Buy a product.  And in the true sense of reduce, reuse, recycle, sometimes it's best to just Skip it altogether!


Take a sweater, for example.  Do you know how to make a sweater?  Do you have the time to make a sweater?  Do you have the money to buy a sweater?  Or the materials to make a sweater?  Do you live in a warm climate where sweaters, even really cute and fashionable ones, are just plain unncessary?

If you know how to Make these, I will Buy them from you.

The best choice for Making, Buying, or Skipping won't be the same for every person, every item, or every situation.

But seriously, Skip these.

I'm here to help!  This is the first in a new series intended to help you ask the questions that will lead you to determine whether you should Make, Buy, or Skip when it comes to personal/home care and whole superfood supplements.

In future posts in this series I will address these questions as pertain to specific items such as deodorant, toothpaste, and shampoo, but here I want to address something that will pop up quite often.  A question that can throw the whole equation off.

Are you giving the item as a gift?

I initially stumbled upon the Miessence business opportunity when I was trying to develop my own range of homemade body balms.  It wasn't working in terms of coming up with anything sellable, what with the expenses of packaging development, labeling restrictions, small scale supply shipping costs, etc., but it did give me some good ideas for things I could spiffy up without worrying about cost effectiveness, and give as gifts.  While a certain amount of craftiness may be required (Martha Stewart, I am not), I am generally of the opinion that it's usually better to Make when it comes to gift-giving.  My friends and family may disagree--refer to the Great Scarf Christmas of 2006--and that's why it's a general rule rather than a hard and fast one.

Bacon Jam is probably on the Skip list, even when it is a Martha Stewart recipe.

And if your homemade personal care gifts wind up looking more like mud than toothpaste (more on that later), well I can help you with that too.

August Lifestyle Membership Promotion

Miessence offers a regular discount of 20% to Lifestyle Members.  Lifestyle Membership is gained by a single purchase of $150, and maintained by purchasing at least once a year thereafter.  That's 20% off, for life!

August brings us a great promotion where a new Lifestyle Membership only requires a $100 purchase, and you'll get a $20 voucher for your next order, on top of your 20% savings.  That's $70 off!

If you are already a Lifestyle Member, a $100 purchase in August will get you that same $20 voucher along with your normal 20% savings.

Take a look at the products in the shop and use promo code "lifestyle" at checkout to get this deal!

Lemon Blueberry Superfood Smoothie

I've started incorporating fruit back into my diet!  Woohoo!  Since I'm still avoiding my typical breakfast of oatmeal, I figured out another smoothie.  Most smoothie recipes I seem to find involve a banana.  Bananas are great!  I love bananas!  But I'm just not ready for the high sugar content yet, and blueberries were on sale at Trader Joe's (2lbs for $6.99!), so this one was born.

It's the same base as my fruit free smoothie, starting with homemade kefir and kombucha, and a splash of vanilla.  I also kept the cocoa and the green part, adding a tsp of Miessence Deep Green as well as 2 cups of leafy greens (this time I went with a cup of spinach and a cup of "I Love Baby Kale" mix).

I think an important part of this smoothie was the half a lemon.  Not just the JUICE of half a lemon, but I actually scooped out the whole thing.  I saw this in Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, which is a great documentary you should definitely watch, and it intrigued me, so I gave it a "whirl" here (sorry, bad blender joke).  The lemon flavor is definitely stronger than if I'd just added the juice, but not overpowering, plus there's a dash of fiber in there.

Swap out the peanut butter for coconut oil, and bam! It is VERY important to melt the coconut oil first, and add it as your last ingredient in a steady stream so that it forms an emulsion and doesn't clump up.  Coconut oil will solidify below 76 degrees Fahrenheit, which your smoothie should be!

I drank it up too fast for a photo, but will definitely take one next time!

Ingredients

Kefir, 1 cup
Kombucha (plain), 1/4 cup
Vanilla Extract, 1 tsp
Cinnamon, ground, 1 tsp
Blueberries, fresh, 1 cup
Insides of 1/2 a lemon (just scoop it out with a spoon)
Your choice of green superfood powder (I use Miessence Deep Green), 1 serving
Cocoa, dry powder, unsweetened, 1 tbsp
Leafy greens like baby spinach/kale, 2 cups
Ice cubes, 4-6 (optional)
Coconut Oil, melted, 1 tbsp

 

Directions

Put all ingredients except for ice cubes and coconut oil into blender and mix until greens are well incorporated. If you want a thicker, more milkshake-like smoothie, add ice and blend to your desired consistency. While blender is on, add melted coconut oil in a slow steady stream and blend for another 5 seconds or so.

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 1
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 379.0

• Total Fat: 17.2 g
• Cholesterol: 10.0 mg
• Sodium: 225.7 mg
• Total Carbs: 41.3 g
• Dietary Fiber: 8.8 g
• Protein: 19.0 g

"The Optimal Diet for Pregnant and Nursing Mothers"

I'm not a mom, let alone a nursing mom, but I found this article interesting nonetheless.  Thoughts?

http://nourishingourchildren.wordpress.com/2012/08/03/the-optimal-diet-for-pregnant-and-nursing-mothers/