Monday, November 7, 2011

Meet and Greet with Priya Means Love!

We are hosting a meet-and-greet with Priya of Priya Means Love next Saturday, Nov 12th at 2 to 5 pm. Can't wait till then? Thank goodness for Francie of Sister Valentine who interviewed Priya for us as a prelude to the event!
With the days getting increasingly colder here in Southern Ontario, we're all beginning to remember the little pet peeves that are expected every year: your hair is a frizzy mess, your hands feel like sandpaper, and your chapped lips are begging for relief. Priya Means Love natural and organic products are just what your skin and hair will be asking for! 
They are made from all-natural ingredients like organic herbs, clays, cold-pressed organic oils, local beeswax, and organic essential oils. The natural smells of these products alone will surely invite you to try them.
Made from scratch by Priya herself, these products are not at all like what you would find in malls or department stores. “Sometimes when I’m going about my day, I smell something that triggers an idea. I get a visual olfactory in my head that I want to create,” said Priya.  “I do the whole process, from start to finish, myself: I formulate my concoctions, craft them by infusing, melting, and blending my ingredients in just the right way, and I package and write the labels myself.”
Priya believes there is a certain energy from truly handcrafted goods and hopes that this quality shows through in her line. “It’s especially exciting when I’ve created  a product that not only works, but also one that people say to be impossible to make without using synthetics (haircare is a good example) – and yet I’ve made it without compromising one bit of my personal policy of only using whole ingredients.  That’s the best feeling!”
When first starting to craft skin care products, Priya made sure to bring her personal values to the things she made, such as eating good food that has been locally and sustainably grown. Though it can be chancy and tricky to work this way, Priya says the bonus is that every ingredient has an origin you can be proud of and is the best in its effect on the skin.
“Combine these ingredients in the right way and, just as with food, the result is deeply nourishing and is sensually pleasurable in a way that no synthetic can touch.” said Priya. “There’s a ton of trial and error, of course, but it’s so satisfying when I’m able to turn the vision I had into a full-bodied reality.”

Unable to chose just one must-have product for this winter, Priya pinned it down to two.
The Lavanilla Body Butter is great for after a shower to lock in moisture. Its buttery rich mixture of wild lavender and organic Tahitian vanilla makes it almost impossible to have dry, damaged skin. Organic mango butter, olive oil, and sunflower oil moisturizes the skin, reduces inflammation, and regenerates damaged cells.
The runner up product is the Herbal Lip Therapy. Priya suggests slathering on a coat at night and behold the healing, softening power! “I’ve made a lot of lip balm and am still experimenting with different formulas but nothing else seems to compare,” said Priya. Her natural and organic Herbal Lip Therapy comes in both stick and tin that are packed with ingredients like rosemary, extra virgin olive oil, and calendula - a flower plant that has anti-inflammatory, calming and soothing qualities. All these make an excellent balm for sensitive, environmentally damaged lips.
Intrigued to learn more?
Of course you are! That's why we're inviting her to talk to you personally about her products. Priya will have a table set up at Freedom on Saturday November 12th from 2-5pm to answer any questions. She may even offer some exclusive samples of her new products  - all made with only what Mother Nature gave us, of course. “I'll try to début a couple of new products for the very first time! I’m so excited to finally release the Face Cream I’ve been working on for months, and I should have my new, super-rich Nail & Cuticle Balsam as well!”


See you then!