5 Things I Can't Live Without: July Edition
I have been following Crystal Bar Soap on Instagram for a while now, and have followed along with the growth of her business and company. We are so excited to finally be able to carry these amazing products in the shop.
Crystal Bar uses earth crystals to reenergize your spirit and remove negative energy every time you wash. Their team handcrafts each bar and selects scents and colors to enhance the crystal placed within. They sun/moon charge every crystal before placing them within the bars, allowing the energy to set within the soap. When the soap runs out, you are left with a crystals ready to recharge and use again and again. WASH With Energy.
Northern lights // @crystalbarsoap
“CrystalBar Soap is not just a brand. It’s a lifestyle based on the ideas of a sustainable, eco-friendly, and cruelty free future, that our team works towards everyday. That is why we have minimal packaging and we encourage you to reuse or recycle all shipping materials.”
If you know me at all you know that Labradorite is my favorite Stone. So naturally, my favorite scent, Northern Lights contains a labradorite stone. Lab is the stone of transformation and magic, and who doesn't need a little bit of magic in their day. It also clears, balances, and protects the aura, while providing insight into your destiny. Plus, its crazy beautiful. The blend of cedarwood + Tea tree essential oils creates the perfect warm and earthy scent.
Available @herstorybuffalo + our sister store @shopsarahdanielle
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate is my mantra for July. We don't realize how important water is to maintaining optimal health, so my goal is to drink not just more water, but BETTER water. This has never been easy for me, so I employed the help of my trusted young living oils. Their New etched Glass water bottle is the perfect vessel to help me, PLUS it comes with a free 5ml bottle of lemon vitality water.
With Americans throwing away over 35 billion plastic water bottles every year, it is important to not only worry about our own health, but the health of our planet. By drinking from a reusable glass water bottle, you are decreasing your contribution to our plastic epidemic. Not to mention, water from glass just tastes better, cleaner and more pure. You do not have to worry about BPA's or other chemicals leaching into your water.
with the latest wave of the kombucha craze, kombucha brands are popping up left and right. I have yet to find one that i love more than Bootleg Bucha, brewed right here in buffalo, ny. They are actually the only kombucha brewery in Upstate NY. Located in the Horsefeathers building, you can stop in and find a variety of flavors ( changing with the availability of local ingredients) ON TAP! We love Their product so much, we are now carrying their bottles in our shop. I have tried almost every flavor, and so far, the Blueberry Lavender is by far my favorite. Not only does it taste amazing, but the health benefits are endless. Lavender combats bad gut bacteria, while the blueberries provide tons of antioxidants.
Kombucha is a fermented tea that originated in East Asia over 2,000 years ago. It was known for healing properties and called the tea of immortality.
Bootleg Bucha is made with a special blend of green and black teas. The tea is brewed, organic evaporated cane sugar is added to feed the bacteria and then a SCOBY or Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast is added to initiate the fermentation process. After a few weeks the fermented tea is flavored and undergoes a secondary fermentation process. The result is a healthy, lightly carbonated beverage that is slightly tart, and full of probiotics, digestive enzymes, vitamin B, amino acids and antioxidants.
The benefits of drinking kombucha include:
Digestive // Good for ulcers, heartburn, and overall digestion due to beneficial bacteria from probiotics.
Joint Care // Contains Glucosamine, which increases synovial hyaluronic acid production. Hyaluronic acid is responsible for the lubrication and flexibility in joints. Also supports healthy collagen production.
Detoxification // Glucuronic acid is beneficial to the liver, it binds toxins and helps to excrete them.
Energy // Includes B vitamins that increase energy, while acetic acid and polyphenols boost the metabolism.
July is right in the middle of the peak season for my favorite green, Swiss chard. I love this nutrient- rich super green because it is so versatile, + amazingly delicious. Whether it's in a bright, healthy salad, or baked for Green chips, swiss chard is packed full of phyonutrients + vitamins.
homegrown swiss chard, by yours truly // photo by @SUEMORREALE
My favorite way to eat Swiss Chard is simple and quick to make : Sautéed Swiss Chard with garlic and EVOO, tossed with Lentil Pasta. This is a great way to incorporate one of the most nutritious vegetables into an your diet without cutting out the beloved pasta.
I've been through my fair share of diffusers, good and bad, but my favorite by far is my USB diffuser. Diffuse your favorite essential oils wherever you go. Use it with your laptop, your car, in your office, or bring it along when you travel. It’s mobile, compact and silent with 10 second, 30 second, or 60 second diffusion interval settings. This diffuser functions as an air purifier and aroma diffuser in one.