Beauty Uniform: Shannon of Noel Herbal Skincare

By Mary, CN Body Care Buyer & The Naturalist Contributor

The secret is out: beauty really does come from within. What we choose to eat everyday affects our health internally, and will be displayed externally (#nofilter). Hydration levels, the liver’s ability to cleanse accumulated toxins, and especially increased levels of inflammation due to diet and lifestyle all affect skin conditions. And it’s safe to say that most of us are looking for youthful radiance and resilience when we talk about our skin needs.

Shannon of Noel Herbal Skincare is a local aesthetician and practicing herbalist. She uses her knowledge of plants to help her clients find balance with topical, hands on treatment in her studio, as well as take home advice to apply once they leave the comfort of the spa treatment they’ve received.

There’s something really magical about using the plants around us both internally and externally to treat our body holistically, and Shannon does just that. Below is a recent interview with the skincare maven herself, including some invaluable advice and insight into her personal and professional practice.

You’ve been a skincare therapist for over 10 years, what has been the biggest change in skin care during that time?

Good question!  The skincare world is constantly evolving, and often times can feel overwhelming. For me the biggest change has been the advancement of new technology & machines that perform various actions for the skin.  They have their benefits, but I believe a personal touch is much more beneficial to the overall well being of a person resulting in happy balanced skin. Nourishing ourselves from within reflects how we look on the outside. I like to take care of the person as a whole, and create a space of healing & connection. I feel that nature is all the science I need, and that true healing begins from within.  In a world where computers and machines are taking over I want to stay true to personal touch and connection.

As plant lovers, we have a deep understanding that health and beauty start from the inside with what we put in our bodies. Do you have a few foods or plant allies that you have a certain connection to in this sense that you could tell us more about?

Yes I could not agree more.  I eat lots of fresh veggies, fruits, fish, & healthy fats.  Learning more about my skin over the years, I have found the crucial importance of healthy fats. Omega 3’s help to balance the production of sebum which is the oil in your skin.  Avocados are wonderful for this and happen to be one of my favorite foods.  I could eat them with every meal :)

For my plant friends I really love burdock root & marshmallow for their affinity to the skin.  Burdock root is a wonderful blood cleanser, which helps to clear those unwanted toxins.  This is extremely beneficial for anyone who is struggling with chronic skin issues like acne, eczema & psoriasis.  It is also loaded with prebiotics helping our gut flora.  Our gut health is so important to our overall health so anything to help support this is highly recommended.

I see so many individuals whose skin is compromised due to a lack of hydration to the skin. I love marshmallow for its extreme moistening effect to the body.  It is a demulcent meaning that it can carry water into many types of tissue in the body.  Marshmallow is wonderful for anyone who doesn’t hold on to water very well, myself included.  They may drink a lot of water, but do not retain it.  Marshmallow helps the water stick because of its mucilage and mineral content. Also really great for anyone dealing with gut inflammation, which is an all too common issue.

What is the most common skin complaint you hear from your clients and how do you address it?

The most common complaint that I hear about is; clogged pores (acne) and aging skin that has lost its luster.  Clogged pores can be a result from improper use of products, diet, & dehydration or all of the above.  I help clients learn about healthy anti-inflammatory foods, and herbs that can help soothe & heal the gut, & clean out toxins that may be resulting in skin related issues, and also educate on healthy products to maintain their skin with at home.

Aging is inevitable and also a very personal experience. As we get older, the skin’s natural shedding process slows down which causes a buildup of dead skin cells resulting in a dry, dull, even sometimes flaky appearance. A good exfoliation is important for our skin’s health.  It allows for better product penetration and gives you a healthier more vibrant appearance.

Do you have any special self care or skin care rituals you make time for each day, or each week?

When I am not running back & forth to Cambridge Naturals :) … I always no matter how tired I am, will wash my skin before bed and when I wake up in the morning.  I include a combination of serums & a moisturizer.  I love using hyaluronic acid, it’s such a simple but amazing ingredient that I find it really helps my skin stay healthy and hydrated.  I also love using Niacinamide, which is vitamin b3; it’s great for cutting & working through sensitivity. Once a week I make a mask with herbal tea.  I love French green clay so that is usually the base, and the tea infusion with a bit of honey is the rest. It’s really nice because I get to enjoy a cup of tea and also see how the herbs work on the skin.

What has inspired or continues to inspire your own beauty uniform?

I think herbs have really inspired me to take my skincare practice to the next level.  I have always believed in a holistic practice, but now having the foundation of being a practicing herbalist I am better able to guide my clients on a healthy path. Plants and helping clients find their own personal “happy state” is what continues to inspire me.

If you could offer one piece of advice to those inspired to adopt a natural skincare routine, what would it be?

I would say to anyone wanting to adopt a healthy regimen to become aware of safe ingredients vs. toxic ingredients.  A product label can market itself as anything, but after reading more into the list of ingredients you may find something that says it’s “all natural” may in fact be harmful to our bodies.  Lots of ingredients that are on the product shelves in my opinion are outdated and not safe.  Really familiarize yourself with reading a list of ingredients and not the headliner of the product that gets your attention.  Make a commitment to yourself and keep it simple ☺
 

And lastly, what are your top three favorite Cambridge Naturals products?

Ahh there’s so many making this is extremely tough!  I love the Evan Healy Wild Carrot eye balm, Sun Potion (Reishi), & the Bach flower essences.  I also really love Heart Grown wild face serums; the ‘Veil of Love’ is magical

Thank you so much for sharing your beauty uniform with us, Shannon! Noel Herbal Skincare is located at 689 Somerville Ave in Somerville and Shannon is now offering 20% off new customers first treatment when you mention this post! For updates follow @noel_herbals on instagram.

Monthly Muse: Evan Healy

By Emily, CN Second Generation Co-Owner

When I first came back into the business three years ago, my focus at the store was our body care section. There was a big learning curve with understanding the intricacies of buying: getting to know each brand's particular ethos and story, how to order the products, and how to communicate the value of each individual line to our customers. One of the first brands I worked with was evanhealy, a line we'd carried for over a decade. I was fairly familiar with the products, but I didn't know that much about their back story, the ingredients, and what truly sets evanhealy skin care apart.

Evan and her husband David launched their skin care company in 1999. Evan had been a natural skin care aesthetician for over 10 years, and had studied Ayurvedic medicine, homeopathy and aromatherapy in the US, Europe and India. She brought core tenants of these philosophies into her new skin care brand - as well as her own unwavering passion for authentic beauty and truth. What makes the evanhealy line so special is not just that their ingredients are impeccably sourced - they build deep relationships with women's cooperatives and small family farms around the world to ethically source the majority of their high quality, organic ingredients - but also that their plant-based products are formulated to highlight and embrace your skin. Rather than correcting "problems" or "challenges", Evan's products heal and harmonize with your skin's natural beauty. On every one of their shipping boxes is a sticker with the message "Who you are is enough." Using Evan's products feels like taking a deep breath of fresh air, drawn down into your belly, and exhaled slowly. The mixing of oil, water (and sometimes clay) is one of my absolute favorite daily rituals now.

We were lucky to learn more about Evan's own rituals, her quest for authenticity, and her passion for running evanhealy alongside David and their wonderful team. Read on for our interview:

All photos courtesy of Evan Healy.

Evan in a field of Sacred Tulsi in Trivandrum, India, 2009. Photo by Niika Quistgard.

Partnerships are very important to the evanhealy brand - when you source an ingredient like organic shea butter or fair trade argan oil, you're working closely with the communities that grow and harvest the raw material and you support their livelihood in deep ways. Can you tell us a little bit about why these relationships matter to you and to the company, and one particular partnership story that inspires your work?

Evan: Partnerships are the foundation of our business. Our relationships are what matter most. I prefer to deal with people I know and have met. We are very fortunate in our business that we work with families and folks devoted to the shared values of hand made and artisan, organic and holistic. We source from all over the global garden. We also value the profound knowledge of indigenous cultures. Traditional cultures and their regional remedies are often overlooked sources of wisdom. Traditional cultural remedies represent many generations of experience and knowledge of the natural world. This ancient knowledge is imbued with both simplicity and meaning, and I love learning about their historical context. I enjoy connecting with women who know the deep truths of the land on which they live. They exhibit such a generosity of spirit when they share their knowledge of their ancestors. This is true whether it’s the women of Kperisi in Ghana or the Berber Amazigh women of Tiznit, in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. These women radiate the power, integrity and well-being of Place.

Meeting Urias in Mexico, 2007 - maker of evanhealy's clay bowls for the Clay Mask Kit. His sons and grandsons now work with him.

What does a typical day in the world of evanhealy skin care look like? What are your favorite daily aspects about what you do for a living?

I’m a creative person. I like variety. I don’t like to get up and do the same thing everyday. I'm not a nine-to-five person. I follow my energy cycles. In the morning I like to go outside almost immediately.

I do enjoy getting in to the office and talking to people. I enjoy their energy. More than anything else I appreciate the opportunity to exercise my creativity. I am our company’s Creative Director, so I am always scanning the horizon for new ideas, partnerships, products. Ultimately, it is the natural world from which I draw the most inspiration and value. In all settings, I work best in the moment, and often better alone. Those moments can often stretch out for months, or years! I like to take something that I’ve been tinkering with and give it life, take it to the next level. This takes time, and conversely, the process is also rather spontaneous. For me working with our nutritive oils, our various infused oils, nut and seed butters, sun dried clays, emulsions and hydrosols is an almost meditative experience. It deepens the connection to what I feel is best about myself. It both grounds me and expands me. I have been very fortunate in my life’s work.

“ I find the way ‘beauty’ is portrayed in the mainstream media rather shallow, and too perfectionistic. I have learned that, pared down to its essence, beauty lies in the cracks and crevices of our lives every minute of every day. ”

I love collaborating with our design and media team. I get inspiration from all avenues: photography, food and home-style blogs. I love picking up the camera myself. With or without a camera, I am constantly framing what I see, recording it, or making a mental note. I look for harmony, magical light and natural, unfussy beauty. I find it no matter where I am: in my backyard, on a trail, in a remote village, on the street, and of course, in the faces I see. During the years I spent in my skin care practice, I learned the valuable lesson of looking, observing and watching. All three of these actions convey the need to both soften the vision - while sharpening the focus. Attention to detail has always been my specialty!

Evan doing a summertime facial. 2016.

Skin is constantly changing and evolving, reflecting thoughts and emotions, I find that fascinating. I am constantly looking to communicate a more authentic expression of beauty, in both word and image. I find the way ‘beauty’ is portrayed in the mainstream media rather shallow, and too perfectionistic. I have learned that, pared down to its essence, beauty lies in the cracks and crevices of our lives every minute of every day. The challenge these days is to slow down long enough to look and really see what’s there. When done right, it becomes a meditation. I love the idea that natural beauty is transitory and messy. Nature is not perfect, but it is enlightened. We place too high a value on perfection, and our nervous systems can’t handle this constant striving for perfection. All things are impermanent. The inherent lesson of our life is: learn to let go! Take a nap. Go for a walk. Take time to relax. Your adrenals will thank you. Expressed by the relative simplicity of our product range, we want to raise the conversation from one of a hyper focus on 'anti-aging' - to the appreciation of imperfection. The deeper truth behind our message is the fact that - who you are is enough.

Evan & David

You and your husband David work closely together to run evanhealy. As a (multi-generational) family-owned business ourselves, we'd love to learn how you balance the demands (and joys) of work life with your family life.

Oh yes! I struggle with balance every day. However, at this point, David and I have been collaborating for most of our twenty years together. It’s pretty seamless, it’s always rewarding, but yes, it’s not always easy. We like to remind each other of that analogy about stones in a tumbler, softening each other’s sharp edges. We’re pretty comfortable together, and with our business. It’s our life. It’s our child. And we are perfectly suited to it. We each exhibit the complimentary, but polar opposite of the other’s talent and skill. He’s organized and financial. I’m artistic and spontaneous. He works on Excel spread sheets. I scribble on thousands of post-its. We have taken the Yin and Yang thing to a whole new level. We have boundaries – day and night, work week and weekend – but they’re not strict. Neither of us are that good with boundaries. Ultimately, he is my most important relationship.

“The never-ending barrage of internet ‘noise’ is so disruptive to our delicately balanced nervous system. It impedes access to the inner quiet life of our true self. To counter this we say: Slow down. Simplify.”

Your products have a devoted following among our staff and customers - and not just because they are well-formulated and made with beautiful ingredients, but because they inspire a deeper sense of self-care. The word "ritual" always comes to mind: The daily ritual of slowing down, taking time for your skin, and therefore yourself. What are some of your favorite self-care rituals?

Evan:  Yes, I love the word ritual as it pertains to care of the skin. I like to ease into my morning. I get up and immediately go outside with bare feet on the grass, stretching or yoga, with a cup of hot lemon water, tea or coffee. I’m an introvert, so being quiet is my touchstone. I can only regenerate when I am alone and early morning is my time. I go from a sleep state to a slow, calm, natural state via our backyard. By standing under our ancient apple tree, I go within. And while I don’t mind getting up early, I don’t like to have to be somewhere, or for that matter, leave my house at all. I prefer to glide slowly into my day. As I get older, I notice my rhythms change. The stability of daily rituals matter more. They become deeper, slower and more infused with meaning.

A shell Evan uses for scooping clay, found on the beach of her childhood summer home in Scituate, MA, a place she feels a deep connection to. Her hands are also one of the main ways she connects with the world around her - both as an esthetician and as a healer.

Out of necessity, I’m driven to find what calms and relaxes me. I struggle, frankly, to get away from the internet. I do a lot of the writing, planning, and I find inspiration by scanning social media, but I don’t find it healthy to know what’s going on every minute of every day! You certainly don’t need to know I’ve just flossed my teeth, boiled an egg or blinked my eyes, for instance. A distortion of our natural rhythms results in an imbalance of the autonomic nervous system and all its attendant symptoms, such as higher cortisol. Adrenal depletion can often been seen in the area around the eyes. The never-ending barrage of internet ‘noise’ is so disruptive to our delicately balanced nervous system. It impedes access to the inner quiet life of our true self. To counter this we say: Slow down. Simplify.

I use our copper distilled plant Hydrosols and Facial Serums as remedies, not just for the skin but also to send a message to my spirit. Healers have to remain grounded in nature. It’s what connects us to our own inner physician. I love saturating my face with our Hydrosols, followed by massaging a few droplets of our Oil Serum (Blue Cactus Beauty Elixir is my idea of heaven these days!) into my skin. I use our Whipped Shea Butter, made with our own infused oils, to cure any and all skin ills.

Copper stills used in making the evanhealy Hydrosouls

The world has seemingly become more chaotic and our political scene ever more divisive. What people, books, media, or movements are inspiring you to keep going these days?

In my earlier years, and out of a need for answers, I spent years reading classics, philosophy and books about eastern religion. Books that encouraged my flights of imagination were often about women explorers such as Alexandra David-Neel, Gertrude Bell and Freya Stark. I was looking for answers to the age-old question of how do I live an authentic life? And for that matter, what is an authentic life? I was truly on a journey of self-discovery. My path took me to mystics and teachers like Joseph Campbell and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. My list of teachers and mentors is long and varied! There are so many sources of inspiration, and the search is always a deeply personal one.

Stepping outdoors for an afternoon walk in Big Sur.

These days, I am inspired by topics and books such as Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth by William Bryant Logan. I loved the book In Praise of Shadows, by author Jun’ichirō Tanizaki. I have read and reread Leonard Koren’s books: Wabi Sabi – Further Thoughts, and his earlier book, Wabi Sabi: For Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers.

The books on Wabi Sabi share the profound and ultimate wisdom of finding true beauty in imperfection. Embracing the cycles and profundity of nature. It’s a beauty that is simple, slow and uncluttered. This is what makes the most sense to me.

Introducing: Vapour Beauty

By Caitlin, CN Body Care Lead

Today, we are introducing Vapour Organic Beauty to our customers at Cambridge Naturals. We invite you to explore and enjoy the latest clean cosmetic brand to grace our Body Care Department.

Vapour Beauty comes to us from the hearts and minds of Krysia Boinis, Kristine Kehely and Eric Sakas. Together, the team (based in Taos, New Mexico) brings their expertise in entrepreneurship, fine art and a taste for high quality performance to present you Vapour Organic Beauty.

Crafting a line of clean beauty care products that fit the team’s standards meant leaving the unnecessary, often toxic filler ingredients behind, and advancing the future of beauty. Vapour is an innovative skincare and cosmetic hybrid that marries exquisite herbs and oils in a waterless base. Adding the fine art experience of Kehely, Vapour launched with a wide range of carefully chosen colors to achieve beauty lit from within.

Vapour Beauty has quickly become an award-winning leader in sustainable, non-toxic beauty and pure performance products! Rest assured that Vapour has done the work for you when it comes to ingredients, sourcing and responsibility, receiving Champion Safety Status by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

Vapour is:

• 100% Natural
• 70% Organic
• Cruelty Free
• Made in USA
• Made with Solar and Wind Power
• Made with Recyclable Packaging

Want to make the jump into Vapour, but want to perfect your shade choice first? Use Vapour’s Free Shade Consultation tool. Here, you can upload a photo of yourself, evaluate your skin type, the climate you live in and list your current foundation brand and shade. In return, Vapour’s Beauty Experts will recommend your best options based on your answers. Now, that is innovation! Our body care team is also happy to assist you at the store, where we have all shades of their fantastic foundation (both liquid and sticks) available for you to try in person.

Please join us in celebrating the launch of Vapour Beauty by stopping by our Body Care Department and exploring these fabulous products. We have lots to celebrate as a store, as a local and global community and as crusaders for non-toxic beauty! Welcome, Vapour Organic Beauty to Cambridge Naturals!