Be festive! Be healthy! Let's give cheers to clean beauty!

We believe that when you gift something mindful, you should get something healthy in return. Sometimes... you get more than just what you purchased.

Our focus is on making a difference with each product, with zero surprises, and only pure, performing, plant actives. We use certified organic ingredients that are sustainably sourced, and we small batch and handcraft each treatment from scratch. 

We want you to live with what you love, and love what you live with! We feel confident and proud about the way our treatments are made. When the choice is made, and the purchase is complete, that choice makes an impact locally and abroad. 

Every time we make a purchase, whether we know it or not, we're supporting the who, what, and where that product came from. In our industry, if it's a product that is made with care, truthful and authentic ingredients, then we're supporting those growers, harvesters, and suppliers that gather the bounty of the goodness that they share. When a locally-made, small batch product is purchased, you're supporting small business and the arts ~ and are connecting with where we live. Each purchase helps to promote makers in our towns to thrive and sustain the local economies.

Alternatively, if it's a purchased product that is synthetically manufactured in a facility that tests on animals and uses 'trade secret' ingredients and harmful ingredients, then guess what... that's what we're supporting. 

Since day 1, our intent, focus, and drive is keeping ingredients, safe, disclosed, and beneficial for our bodies and our environment. 

Say 'Bah-Humbug' to Dry Winter Skin and Hair

Let's turn the tables to self-care. Turning on the heat inside and heading out into colder weather can both change the feel and texture of our skin. As skin starts to loose its hydration, which we love to get from our botanical toning waters, it can appear papery and rough. Moisture can be robbed from our skin from the cold elements or heat sources. When the skin isn't moisturized, which we love to get from our day and night serums, the surface may feel and look lack-luster and dull, and not feel soft and dewy. 

We start with a clean complexion that isn't over-cleansed and over-stripped but still retains its acid mantle. Our cleansing oils are thorough without over-doing it. This allows the hydrating and moisturizing elements of our botanical waters and day or night serumsto penetrate and feed the cells. Exfoliating on a regular basis keeps the dead cells from blocking the hydration and moisture to nourish the complexion, and also aids in the stimulation of collagen to keep the dermis elastic and resilient. 

And don't forget about our hair! Being that locks need moisture and protein added to them, adding just a touch of our Nutri-Pomade & Mask, or our Natural Shine Serum as a pre-shampooing conditioner (we love this!) helps the strands to fight against moisture loss and dryness. Say no to silicones and dimethicones. Even though Sephora and some 'clean shops' have them approved on their 'clean' list, silicones and the like are still plastics, polymers, not beneficial to the cells, and can cause the pores to clog and the skin to react negatively. 

If you or a friend are new to our brand, no need to jump in with both feet. We encourage all of our new friends to start small with our kits! We have starter kits for many of our face, hair and body treatments. Peek here for a look at some of our kits. 

This year and in years past, these items have been the top gift-giving treatments:

• Getting Started Facial Kits
• Hair Care Suite
• Lavender Flower and Vanilla Bean Body Polish
• Restoring Day Serum and Restoring Night Serum 
• Hydra-Rose Eye Serum
• Lip Balm with Green Tea & Vitamins
• Lavish Serum Salve
• Blooming Tea Bath ~ An Afternoon in Paris 
• Ultra Garden Serum for Body
• Fresh Body Oil and Brush Set
• Treat & Enhance Facial Suite

Our prices range from $9 to $75, and everything in between. There is something for everyone on the list! 

Image: Thyme is Honey

Fragrance: It Really Stinks

Be a Skincare Sleuth 

Beauty is in the eye (and sometimes the nose!) of the beholder, but sometimes love is blind. 

Turning an eye to what we're really seeing can do harm and no good to anyone. Green washing, and falsely claiming that a product is safe or clean, is becoming more and more of a problem. Even the big box stores are seeing the impact that natural products are making. Consumers... us!... demand cleaner ingredients because there are more health concerns now than ever before.

There is a fragrance loophole that states a brand can list 'fragrance' in its ingredient list, but doesn't need to indicate what makes up that fragrance. This means that there could be one hundred chemicals in that name, and it doesn't matter because it complies with the lacking current labeling regulations. We're often told how lovely our fragrance is in our products. Whoa, Nellie! We avoid all fragrances ~ what the nose is discovering is the natural aroma of the plant essence itself. Very different to the nose, and to the body. Read on. 

Over 3,000 chemicals, not 300... 3,000, are used to create fragrances in common products. Scented candles, room sprays, laundry detergents, soaps, and of course perfumes, hair shampoos, and skincare is on the list. Some of these chemicals are linked to cancer, birth defects, asthma, hormonal changes, heart palpitations, weight gain, and infertility. Each fragrance may contain hundreds of synthetic chemicals that we'll never know about because they don't have to tell us. As an example, Chanel doesn't want consumers to know that they have an ingredient in their perfume that is used to clean toilets. 

If you'd like more details, then catch this documentary call "Stink." Here is a link to "Stink." It's enlightening, gripping, sad, and a force to be reckoned with as it makes us think about every scent that we smell. It started with a single dad opening a pajama purchase for his little girls... and the stink ensued. Eye opening and nose plugging all at once! 

Blech. This really stinks! 

Popular Ingredient Peek: Retinol 

... And Why We Avoid It

A very common ingredient, Retin A, or otherwise called Retinol or Retinyl Palmitate, are ingredients that can be found in not only prescriptions written to us from a dermatologist or doctor, but now these ingredients are popping-up in formulas on the shelves in many markets around every corner... from the Sephoras, to Targets, to our local pharmacy. 

Many love the exterior effects that a Retin A cream can offer, but these often plateau over time. Let's take a peek at the pros and cons of this drug:

Why do some consumers like Retin A?

• it may treat acne
• it might give skin and lines a smoother appearance
• skin may appear to be brighter

It's an extremely popular medication that is purchased with or without a prescription. There is another side to this coin.

Here are some negative side affects that can happen with Retin A:

• skin redness
• skin peeling
• sun sensitivity
• depression
• skin dryness
• headache
• blood clots
• use during pregnancy can harm the baby
• Safety rating on EWG Skin Deep=9 (10 being the most hazardous of ingredients)

What do we use instead? Instead of Retin A and and the like, we use safe, real ingredients where Vitamin A can be found naturally. Some of our favorite oils that have naturally occurring and safe Vitamin A are rosehip, carrot, and even rose oil. The blends that we put together are potent, proven, and still safe with no harmful side effects, and are nature's version of their synethic and harmful counterparts. 

Below: A screen shot of the EWG Skin Deep database on Retinol. 

EWG Verified 

All through the year, and since we launched in April of 2013, we take small steps that add up to big leaps. 

Rather than purchase pre-mixed formulas with hidden 'trade secret' or proprietary chemicals, we buy true-to-nature raw materials, plant oils, and elements that are proven and known to heal and help us along our clean journey. 

Here is a quick screen shot of a handful of our treatments from the Environmental Working Group database of Skin Deep. All of our treatments that fit into the EWG Verified categories have been whole-heartedly verified... and we couldn't be more proud of this earning. If we used synthetics like Retinol or fragrance, we would not be able to maintain this earning.

The EWG 'Healthy Living' App

Ratings for more than 120,000 food and personal care products, now at your finger tips ~ including the Qēt Botanicals face, body, and hair treatments. 

You may have heard of a gal by the name of Kourtney Kardashian. Recently Kourtney went on the road to Washington DC to meet with the folks there to try help clean up the skincare and beauty industry.

Our friends at EWG teamed up with Kourtney and tried to turn some heads and increase awareness of the dangers of many of the hidden and exposed ingredients that can cause harm. Just like Qēt has been involved since our launch, Kourtney is also now an advocate of EWG and their efforts and the products that are a part of the EWG safe circle. 

Her efforts worked ~ she reached 590 million people... and counting. 

See the article here. 

These are a few of our favorite things. 

Throughout the year, we at Qēt Botanicals receive many gifts ~ both from new friends and customers, and from those that have been with us since the beginning almost six years ago. You share your skin and health triumphs with us, and together we work out the bumps (sometimes literally!) that we face together. These are the best gifts!

We're mindful about authentically clean and safe ways to care for ourselves. Organic isn't not a trend, it's a tradition. It's how everything started before the toxic sprays came into play. It's how farming began, and going forward there is power with every purchase. Gifting healthy options shows that we're thoughtful and that we care. This is one tradition that we have no problem keeping. :)

We formulate only botanically derived treatments that include proven and well-known plant actives, without one single drop of any harmful chemicals or synthetics. We love to love them.

Our core of Qēt treatments include products that our skin absorbs and those products that we carry around on our bodies everyday ~ facial cleansers and serums, masks, body moisturizers, hair finishing products, deodorants, aromatherapy, and more. We also have discovery kits for our face, hair and body products ~ they make perfect stocking stuffers!  Our prices range from $9 to $75 and everything in between. We have something for everyone, and we’re happy to offer nudges and ideas along the way. There is power in every purchase that we make. Buy healthy, give green, and let’s be mindful.

The bottom line is... the more we know, the more we know! Since our launching, we've been a part of and have had the backing of the Environmental Working Group. With their resources and team of experts scrutinizing every drop and element that goes into each product, we now can take a deep breath and a big step in the right direction. We have the knowledge, expertise, research, and now we have the treatments and products right at our fingertips to make mindful and safe decisions. 

New! The Mindful Organic T-Shirt

Organic is cleaner not only in skincare, but in the clothes we wear. Textile factories, those that make furniture, carpets, and yes, even t-shirts, are second only to agriculture in the amount of pollution they create and the massive amounts of water that is used to make them.

Every little bit matters ~ this goes for what we put on our skin, and what we choose to wear.

Our new 100% cotton and made in the USA t-shirts are organic and are printed with phalate and PVC free water based ink. Safer for the wearer, safer for the printer, and safer for the environment.

Unisex, comfortable, and oh-so-soft to wear.

Each color has a mindful statement:

Salt ~ fresh. Because we make fresh treatments daily and do not buy premixed products or warehouse them.

Rosé ~ natural. Because natural is beautiful, handsome, and authentic.

Slate ~ cruelty free. Because we do not test on animals or use any animal products or by-products. 

Close-up of the logo and lavender sprig shown on the Slate t-shirt. Concept design by Claire, lavender sprig on the sleeve drawn by Lisa.

At $28, it's another great stocking stuffer!

Your December Special

We've said it before, and we'll say it again... we believe that when you give something mindful, you should get something mindful in return. 

We're an independent brand. We're woman owned, not corporate owned. We do not buy our social media subscribers or pay for false claims. We use what we make, we make what we love, and we share because we care. We pay attention to every detail, every drop, and celebrate the plant science that goes into our fresh formulas.

We're not about being the biggest brand out there, we're all about educating and doing our best at providing healing, safe, effective, and enjoyable products to enjoy in our homes with our families and in our communities. 

From December 1st through December 20th, we're offering a 10% savings on ALL of our treatments. Yes, everything! Our face, hair, body treatments, and more are all on sale through the 20th of December. 

Use the code HEALTHYHOLIDAYS to apply the savings, or mention it in our Skin Studios. 

PLEASE NOTE: From December 24th through January 1st we'll be closing to spend time with our families and friends.

We'll Be At the Well Expo 

Why not start the healthy year in a friendly location with a whole gathering of like-minded health enthusiasts? That's what we say... why not, and heck yes! 

It's our return to the 10th annual Well Expo in Madison in January in the beautiful Monona Terrace on the lake. We'll be having a fully-stocked pop-up booth there, and we'll be ready to share tips and advice on taking those steps away from synthetics, how to combat green washing and winning, and answering the most common questions we hear when it comes to sensitive skin, aging skin, and keeping that glow... even in Wisconsin in winter. 

Podcast with Lisa Brill and Sandy Joy Weston

Every once in a while, you meet a go-getting-gal that really packs a punch. In the case of Sandy Joy Weston, it's literal! 

A fitness expert, trainer, author, and speaker with motivation, Sandy's enthusiasm and energy for life is contagious. Sandy's recent book, Train Your Head and Your Body will Follow, is not only a book that I've read and recommend, but it shows us how in just a few minutes a day, our thoughts, energies, and outcome of each day is affected by thinking the right things. 

We always say that to get professional results from our Skin Suites, we just take two minutes morning and night. In Sandy's book, it's all about training our most powerful muscle, our brain, and it happens in just three minutes a day. Who doesn't have five minutes a day for inside and outside care? 

Sandy and I met a handful of years ago when I was invited as a guest speaker at a local fundraiser and gals night she was having at her fitness studio, Weston Fitness, in Philadelphia. We've kept in touch over the years, and when we get to chatting, there's no stopping us! :) 

Here is a link to the podcast we had about ... you guessed it ... caring for our skin, our health, and making a difference inside our heads, our hearts, and in our skin. It's available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. 

Below: My husband and daughter running of the famous Rocky steps when we visited Sandy in Philadelphia. 

 

Looking Back and Moving Ahead

What a great year this has been, and the future is getting brighter! We've donated and contributed to more than a dozen local and national charities in 2018. Both of our Skin Studios in Wisconsin and California continue to flourish and educate our communities, and our online store continues to literally reach all around the globe. We love having the few select retailers that we have, and we also love knowing that after we've whipped-up and bottled a product, it's only a short time until it reaches your doorstep... wherever you are. It's exactly how food for our skin should be... fresh, without pesticides or residual harmful gunk, and directly from the source. 

Having an additional location in California means that we've seen up close and personal some big improvements in the skincare industry and the environment. California is the first state to work on banning the use of plastic straws, and many restaurants have already moved to paper straws, just like in the ol' days. Our furry friends will stay furry as the California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act is in affect in 2020 banning any cosmetics and skincare undergoing animal testing. Any brand not in compliance will be pulled from the shelves. Cheers for these accomplishments! 

We're excited to share that we have a few new treatments coming down the pipeline. Additionally, as we round the corner to the New Year, we'll be rocking a new website! It's been in the works for some time, and we're expecting to unfold it all early in the New Year.