Free gift box wrapping service from naturalbeautyscotland.com

I am delighted to offer all my customers free gift box wrapping - simply choose your own selections from www.naturalbeautyscotland.com

Then let me know if you wish it gift wrapped in my signature gift box (pictured above)

I will be delighted to do this free of charge!

A Wet Shaving Soap Opera - my man's view!

So I gave him the shaving soap to try. Then came the difficult bit. Getting a response. The conversation went like this.

‘How are you getting on with the new shaving soap? Is it what you’re looking for in a wet shaving system?’

‘What is important to me,’ he replied, ‘is not to look too much like my father while using the shaving mirror. Though he was a handsome man, it’s just that….’

‘Stop’, I shouted, ‘what are you talking about?’

Apparently, a lot of men have childhood memories of watching their father earnestly lathering his chin. Then, years later, in front of the mirror, they realise they’re making the same gestures and grimaces as they scratch off that last reluctant whisker. Let’s face it, lads – there is no escaping the genes.

I asked him again to think about what was important for shaving, from his point of view. That set him off reminiscing again.

‘A really sharp blade. I can remember as a child, that scary packet of two-edged razor blades lay at the heart of my father’s – never-to-be-touched - shaving kit. Oh, the other thing you’ve got to remember is to hold your elbow constantly higher than the wrist, so as to avoid lathery water running up your arm. I don’t know why it took me years to get into this habit…..’

‘But what about the shaving soap?’ (What was wrong with him today? His head was clearly elsewhere.)

‘The soap? Oh, yes, what you want is to finish the shave with your skin feeling, well, just smooth really – but not with that tight, dried out and irritated feeling you get with some of those off-the-shelf gels. I like your Shetland Shaving Soap a lot.

It’s got a ‘clovey’ kind of scent. Reminds me of Christmas. And it’s the colour of butterscotch. (The other stuff I used to use was a sort of weird blue….) Best of all, you can swizzle up a lather in its container-thingie and afterwards you don’t seem to need moisturising or soothing lotions. So it saves time as well. Yes, I’m a convert.

Honestly. I wish he’d just said that in the first place!

The Angel's Share came out of the box!

Just taken delivery of my latest order of whisky soaps - wow, what a fantastic smell of malt whisky (or whiskey if you are North American!) - this works so well in these soaps - a really blokey product - but a really gentle and natural glycerine soap too - and one of my best sellers! The angel's share is now floating about NaturalBeautyScotland.com's workroom!

2 pots of Organic Arnica Body Treatment Balm to be won for 2 lucky winners (worth £37 each!)

Organic Arnica Body Treatment Balm to be won by 2 lucky winners (worth £37 each!)

Organic Arnica Body Treatment Balm with organic black pepper, peppermint and orange. A rich, therapeutic blend designed to ease aching muscles and joints with the analgesic properties of organic arnica, high altitude lavender and Scottish Highland Pine. Enriched with Vitamin E, organic shea butter, cocoa butter and beeswax – it melts easily into the skin to provide long-lasting moisture. Created on the west coast of Scotland.

All you have to do is :

1. Correctly answer these 4 questions - (clue – the answers are in my website!)

• Name one of the organisations that uses Mozzy Off?
• What is Scotland’s version of tea tree oil called?
• Who brought some types of mint to the UK?
• What is our terrier called?

Email the answers to: Johanna@naturalbeautyscotland.com

2. And sign up to Natural Beauty Scotland if you haven’t already – click on this link

You will receive special offers, exclusive discounts and news.

The 2 lucky winners will be announced at the end of July 09.

Good luck – and thanks for entering!

Johanna

Wear a hat - elegant sun protection

If you look at old photos you'll notice that everyone wore a hat. Certainly you never see a late 19th century photo without seeing people wearing a hat or a cap. Social change after WW2 maybe led to less hat wearing - after all, your hat symbolised your social class - but after the last war, society changed and the influence of USA and cinema surely affected the fashion for going hatless too?

Here is my grandmother Flora Macdonald wearing a beautiful hat - she is sitting on a west Highland beach - at Arisaig, where she grew up. I guess this is early 1920s.



But in hot sunshine a hat is ideal - my husband wears a Tilly Hat in all weathers. It keeps the rain away from his glasses too! Tilley Hats have been certified to block 98 percent of harmful UVA/UVB radiation and deliver an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of 50+, the maximum rating given.




Suncream, sunglasses, suitable clothes, stay out of midday sun - these are all sensible measures - but remember your hat - protect your skin, delay skin ageing - and be stylish all at the same time!

And if you do need to soothe your skin if it gets a little too much exposure - try Shetland Rescue Cream . This gentle soothing, antiseptic and healing formula contains a complex blend of 31 emollients and can help treat a variety of skin problems such as sun and windburn, cracked or chapped skin, insect bites, minor cuts, burns, rashes or eczema. The word is spreading about the effectiveness of this powerful yet natural cream. Perfect to take away on holiday. Can be used on the face and body.

BOG MYRTLE - SCOTLAND'S TEA TREE OIL

Right now it’s May and it’s bog myrtle weather. Yes, it’s raining again. As you probably worked out from its name, bog myrtle (Myrica gale) likes it wet and it grows in great swathes on the spongy, peaty soils of the north and west.

It’s such a common yet fairly low profile plant in Highland Scotland that you hardly notice it in its shrubby twiggy winter state.

Lots of bog myrtle here – the brownish colour in the foreground. Photographed at the top of Glen Ogle, near Killin. (Pic 1)




In late spring it coves itself in little reddish catkins. Cleverly, these appear ahead of the leaves, to allow unimpeded pollination by wind. (Pic 2)

In Scotland, there has been a bit of a flurry of interest in it in recent times, and it sometimes gets called ‘Scotland’s tea tree oil’ because of its healing and soothing properties. It’s especially associated with caring for sensitive skins and is also said to help with acne.





(Pic 3, below right: near Enard Bay, north of Ullapool, last June)

Traditionally, it’s also used for keeping midges away. However, the chances are that if you are in a place where bog myrtle thrives, then you are probably deep into midge territory as well, given their preference for wet places. Continuing the Highland theme, it’s also the plant badge of the Clan Campbell. (As that’s my family name, I feel duty bound to point this out.)


Finally, it also happens to have a great scent – the very essence of those summer holidays in the Highlands. More on bog myrtle products here.

PR Success for Natural Beauty Scotland!

I was delighted to have been included in The Scotsman Magazine Best Buys section last Saturday. Just a wee reminder to all customers - Until the end of May, you will get a free soap bar (worth £3) with every order – choose from seaweed and aloe vera or lavender oats and honey. While stocks last. Plus, new customers can also get 10% off, just type in the code "NBSnew10%" at the online checkout - offer valid until 31 May.