Our Beloved Ingredients have stories too

Aloe Vera- Organically grown and imported from India. Our Aloe Vera is extracted from the inner fillet of the leaf. This inner fillet is the most potent portion of the plant. It is cold pressed and filtered to form the purest Aloe Vera. Aloe Vera can penetrate up to seven layers of the skin, where as water can only penetrate up to two. This is why Aloe is so healing and nourishing to the skin, it heals from the inside out. Aloe vera gel contains two hormones: Auxin and Gibberellins. These two hormones provide wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties that reduce skin inflammation.

Products that contain variations of Aloe: Hydra-Nourishing Gel, Cell Regenerating Gel, Charcoal Cleanser, Gentle Quinoa and Papaya Cleanser, Manuka Toner, Premium Balance Toner, Manuka Cream, Hydra Firming Mask, Papaya Pumpkin Mask, Volcanic Lava Mask. 

Prickly Pear Oil-Prickly Pear cactus is known as the miracle plant for its ability to survive during long droughts and still produce healthy fruits. The Prickly Pear fruit contains numerous small black seeds from which the precious Prickly Pear Seed Oil is extracted. Each seed contains only 5% of oil, so the production of 1-liter prickly pear seed oil takes about one ton (1,000 kg) of fruits to extract 25 kg of seeds (1 million prickly pear seeds). Prickly Pear Seed Oil has a high concentration of Tocopherol (Vitamin E) and essential fatty acids (Linoleic Acid or Omega 6). This oil contains more tocopherol than any other oil available in the beauty care market (almost 150% more tocopherol than Argan oil). Tocopherols have strong antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties.

Products that contain Prickly Pear Seed Oil: Cell Regenerating Gel, Specialty Blend Oil, Ultimate Regenerating Serum.

Marula Oil- Marula Oil contains high levels of antioxidants including Vitamin C, tocopherol (vitamin E), tochotrienol, phenolic compounds, essential amino acids and flavonoids, these deliver protective benefits and can help prevent reactive oxygen species and free radical damage that contributes to aging. Marula Oil is also rich in essential fatty acids Omega 9 - oleic and Omega 6 - linoleic that deeply hydrate and reduce redness while nourishing, healing, moisturizing and improving skin elasticity. Composition: Mono-unsaturated fatty acids: Oleic acid (70-78%) Polyunsaturated fatty acids: Linoleic acid (4.0-7.0 %) Alpha-linolenic acid (0.1-0.7 %) Saturated fatty acids: Palmitic acid (9-12%) Stearic acid (5.0-8.0 %) Arachidonic acid (0.3-0.7 %).

Products that contain Marula Oil: Cell Regenerating Gel

Turmeric- Turmeric is a flowering plant in the Ginger family. It provides astonishing health benefits for the whole body. Turmeric used internally and externally is the most anti-inflammatory ingredient on the market. 

Turmeric history is at least 4000 years old. It is well documented in archeological finds in temples of India, and Israeli tombs dating between 2600 and 2200 BCE. Medical texts written in the 7th century BCE mention Turmeric use in medicine. 

Even though Turmeric is native to India, Nepal and Southeast Asia, because It requires warmth, humidity and rainfall to grow to its mature height, which is about 3 feet, it does very well here in Florida! I am happy to report that, thanks to endless sunshine, rain, and lots of love, turmeric is thriving in my garden. It is growing taller and wider than its average mature size, and it seems like I will have an abundant amount of turmeric rhizomes to harvest.  

Turmeric has been used for many benefits and purposes, including but not limited:

As a spice in cooking. Turmeric is a widely used spice in some traditional dishes in India and China.

As a medicine it has been used in traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Chinese medicine.

It was also utilized as a dye to color monk’s robes in Nepal. 

And of course, we cannot forget the amazing benefits for the skin. Turmeric was used in beautifying the skin for thousands of years, especially in India, where until this day, It is one of the signature ingredients in special skin treatments of the bride. 

Over time, Turmeric did not lose its love and fame. If anything, it might actually be even more popular nowadays. And it is totally understandable. Not many ingredients deliver such significant benefits. Holding such a strong anti-inflammatory effect, it helps with breakouts, hyperpigmentation/dark spots, redness, sensitivity and skin nourishment. 

Curcumin and berberine in its composition is what makes Turmeric a super valuable ingredient in skin treatments that have been practiced for thousands of years.

Skin benefits:

1. Slowing down signs of aging, such as wrinkles, age spots, and fine lines. Help with dark circles, dry skin, and dullness. 

2. Help treat acne and acne scars. It can fight acne-causing bacteria, reduce blemishes, and even out skin tone. 

3. Skin brightening and reducing the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation.

4. Tremendous help treating skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and sun burns. 

5. Promotes quicker healing by calming inflammation. 

6. Protects against oxidative stress.

When I am developing my skin care products, I look for the most powerful ingredients. Turmeric is one of those heroes. If your goal is to restore your skin’s natural glow, add one or a few skin care products that contain Turmeric as an ingredient. 

Products that contain Turmeric: Vitamin C + Turmeric Serum, Manuka Treatment Oil, Oxygenating Adaptogen Mask, Body Nutriets Oil

Activated Charcoal- Charcoal is produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other-substances in the absence of oxygen. Activated charcoal, carbon that’s been treated to increase its absorbency is the one that is used in beauty products. Charcoal’s ability to adsorb harmful substances is very strong. Activated bamboo charcoal powder absorbs odors and purifies water. Most water purifying systems use charcoal to clean the water. Even up until now, Charcoal is used in hospital emergency rooms after a person swallows or absorbs almost any toxic drug, chemical or alcohol overdose. It works by attaching to toxins in the stomach and absorbing them before the bloodstream can. In beauty products it work just like it does internally. It acts like a magnet to attract and absorb dirt, oil, toxins and then gets washed away when you rinse the product off. 

Products that contain Activated Charcoal: Charcoal Cleanser, Charcoal Microfoliant, Hydra Firming Mask

Argan Oil- Argan Oil quality is a huge factor in benefits for your skin. There is a natural way to extract the oil from the nut and a synthetic way or using large metal machines. Argan oil, just like any other natural ingredient, the quality and benefits will be true only in the highest quality product. 

Argan Oil comes from Morocco. All of it. The Argan tree (Argania Spinosa) grows exclusively in Morocco, in some of the harshest environments on earth, and can flourish up to 200 years. Argan oil, cosmetic or culinary, is made from the kernel found inside the argan tree fruit. Women crack open the argan nut between stones to extract the kernel, which is then cold pressed. Diana purchases Argan Oil that is used in Diana Ralys Skin Health products from family owned and operated company in Morocco. Diana trusts and appreciates the quality and it feels great to support small family business, as Diana Ralys Skin Health is also 100 percent family own and operated. 

In the natural, manual Argan Oil extraction there are four stage process:

1.    Selecting the fruit: Between June and August, the women harvest and gather the fruit by hand. This fruit is dried for several weeks in the sun by spreading the fruit on the roofs of mud-brick houses.

2.    Cracking the nuts: Crushing Argan nuts to obtain Argan kernels (seeds). The nuts are crushed between two stones BY HAND!

3.    Grinding the kernel: they use a process known as cold press, slowly extracting the oil from the kernel, to best preserve the oil’s natural medicinal properties.

4.    Filtration: this process is one of the most guarded secrets at this family own company, and has been passed down from one generation to another.

Extracting the oil from the nut naturally does take more time and effort, which can obviously cause time and money for companies which is why most of the Argan Oil on the market (both internal and external use) is extracted synthetically. You can FEEL and SMELL the difference between the processes. You will only get the nutrients and benefits of Argan Oil from naturally produced. This process takes the nuts and sun dries them and is hand crushed to extract the oil, unlike the counter part where the nuts are soaked in toxic chemicals to get the oil secretion.

Now let’s talk about the benefits of Argan Oil. Argan oil neutralizes free radicals, stimulates cellular exchanges and improves intercellular material. High in Omega fatty acids 3, 6, and 9 Argan Oil quickly and effectively moisturizes and protects the skin's barrier. Antioxidants found in Argan Oil help protect the skin from free radicals, free radicals prematurely age our skin and disrupt healthy cell turnover. Proper moisture of the skin plays a huge roll in cell regeneration. We have witnessed miraculous skin healing personally and professionally using this "liquid gold". Few years ago Diana had an unfortunate event losing her house to a fire. Her husband got second degree burn on his face. Using Argan Oil (in the Speicalty Blend) Diana was able to heal his skin in eight days. After that we had numerous clients having the same positive quick healing results after chemical peels, skin grafting surgeries and other devastating skin traumas. 

More to come soon…