Holistic Beauty Tips and Tricks

My sister Faye introduced me to her friend Shalene Bain about a year ago & raved about her & how she created NoSH BoDY. Shalene grew up in a very spiritual household & with a Native American mother who was all about holistic wellness. She is very into Eastern medicine, but her husband is a plastic surgeon & very much into Western medicine. This is so interesting to me!

Anyway, I started using her products a lot when I became pregnant because they’re all natural & I’ve taken more of an interest in what I put on my skin. This post comes at a perfect time & she’s so knowledgeable when it comes to clean beauty. NoSH BoDY is natural, organic, earth friendly, sustainable, kid safe & doctor approved.

Out of all her products my favorite is the apricot oat calm balm. It’s so hydrating & nourishing & feeds your skin all these healthy fatty acids. So fab for moms & babies. I mean shit, slap it on your husband’s face while he’s sleeping too while you’re at it.

The balms are really nice especially if you have dry elbows, dry knees, or just need an overall hydration boost. I rub this on my stomach, love handles, boobs, you name it.

It’s nice to be able support small businesses, especially when they’re readers of The Skinny Confidential. Shalene is a mom, business hustler, & executor so I couldn’t be happier to welcome all her holisitc tips, tricks & knowledge to the blog.

+ Introduce yourself & how you got into the holistic world.

My name is Shalene Bain – I’m a young 40 (  something) year old mother of two: son Axton is 4, & daughter Priscilla is 6. My husband & I met when I was 38 & he was 43. Neither of us had been married nor had children, but both were something we had long dreamed about. We were lucky to find each other because we balance each other perfectly.

I admire Michael for many reasons: he has such a strong sense of determination, he’s extremely intelligent, a great provider, & a wonderful protector; which I think at times might be intimidating to others but he has a huge & very kind heart. Being a plastic & reconstructive surgeon, he is experienced in Western medicine so that is where his beliefs lie, mostly. He has a long list of amazing credentials in his field & has taken on many other important roles at the hospital he works for in Newport Beach, California. He is the Yin in my life.

My viewpoints are the opposite of his. I believe in Eastern medicine, with holistic wellness as my focus. My focus is on such things as acupuncture, spiritual cleansing & healing with essential oils & things that are natural & more plant-based. I love using sage & other herbs to burn or to infuse in water. I am a firm believer in chakras & alignment with the elements of earth, body, mind & spirit – I am the yang to my husband’s yin. I love relaxation & meditation techniques & need way more time to do this. With two kids, who has time!…Yet, I find time every day to work on mindfulness & gratitude. I don’t know exactly how or when I got into being holistic; it’s always been a part of me. I often find it both easy & healing to tap into it that part of my soul.

Sidenote: Yin is the black side with the white dot in it, & yang is the white side with the black dot in it. The relationship between yin & yang is often described in terms of sunlight playing over a mountain & a valley.

I grew up in Monterey, California which is a very spiritual area as far as energy & the belief in holistic healing. There is something about the Pacific Coast- especially the Big Sur area -that centers me. I grew up with my mom who is part Native American & she has performed incense burning rituals for as long as I can remember. We had beautiful crystals in our home & there were so many in every window; they were always sparkling because my mom would take them down each week & found joy spending hours cleaning them to make them beautiful again. She took so much pride in the way they sparkled that it was noticeably healing to have them around. We spent a lot of time in Santa Cruz where my mom loved to take me bead & crystal shopping. I always believed in natural healing & as well as the body’s ability to self-heal using the power of the mind.

While growing up, I watched my mom’s self-care & beauty routines. Looking good was very important to her. She was adamant about being very clean; she taught me cleansing routines & hygiene at an early age & I learned the importance of taking care of my skin, body & teeth from early childhood.

Nutrition also played a big role in my life. I was a gymnast growing up & spent 11 years of my childhood living that structured life, which relies on good nutrition. My coach was Japanese & taught me about life, determination, strength, mindfulness, and Eastern ways of taking control of pain & practices. I still have a very high threshold for pain because of this. He was truly my role model growing up. These factors made me decide to live and promote healthy living.

Holistic Beauty Tips And Tricks

+ Why do you think it’s so important people use holistic skin products?

Using products that are basic, plant-based, earthy, & natural, which contain pure, clean ingredients is what our bodies want & crave. We need more of what we used before modifying things in labs. We need to be wise consumers to steer away from the hype & social media to know which ingredients are best for you individually; just because it’s natural doesn’t mean it’s good.

We have considerably more knowledge than ever before & we now realize we are doing damage to our skin ( the largest organ of the human body ) with parabens, harsh preservatives, chemical compounds & ingredients with long shelf lives.

Our knowledge about childhood obesity & the growth in the occurrence of diseases once thought eliminated or obscure made me determined to do better for my own family- another powerful incentive to start my own company. Skin products with impure ingredients are no different than a steady diet of fast food. We think oh, young kids don’t need “healthy food for their skin”. But why not? Of course they do!

+ What are some ingredients you see in big brands that are scary, & why are they scary?

This is a big can to open, but I will name a few & be as brief as possible because it’s a long list.

Triclosan: Unfortunately this is widely use in toothpastes, soaps, & deodorants. It is an anti-microbial chemical that’s known to be an endocrine disruptor, so it can cause cancer, tumors, birth defects, & developmental disorders. It affects the thyroid & reproductive hormones & can be a skin irritant. There is zero benefit to using antibacterial soap containing triclosan over washing with regular soap & water.

Other dangerous substances are synthetic colors that you’ll see on product labels, such as FD&C or D&C. There are products that contain FD&C blue1 or D&C Red 27. These are derived from petroleum or coal tar sources & can cause cancer. They are skin irritants & have been linked to ADHD in children. There are natural colorings made with dried fruits & vegetables that are ground into powders that are far safer.

Parabens are slowly being removed from some skincare & cosmetics, but are still in quite a few products so look for the words methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, isopropylparaben & isobutylparaben. They are dangerous preservatives that are absorbed through the skin & are a possible cause of breast cancer & tumors.

Fragrances: If you see this ingredient & it’s non-specific, it can contain chemicals that are hazardous to your health. They cause allergies, dermatitis, can affect the reproductive system & can lead to respiratory distress. Some companies do make specifically organic, all-natural fragrances that have no additives or alcohol, but they are considerably more expensive, so companies have been slow to switch to safer, cleaner fragrances.

+ Since we’re on the subject of pregnancy lately, why would you recommend your products to someone who is pregnant?

Remember that just about anything the mom puts in her mouth or on her skin can have an impact on the baby’s well-being. You have to care for that child before they are born. While in utero, the mother’s immune system provides some protection, but from the time the baby is born, the world is full of toxins. Parents need to protect their baby from certain exposure & expose them to others to help build their immune system. Eat right, exercise, & take care of your skin. Rub your belly with hydrating balms, like the Sushi Balm or Apricot Oat Calm Balm to make sure you don’t get stretch marks; moving the skin will help it as you grow.

This is actually why I’m obsessed with my own line & love it so much! It brings me pure joy & I’m so happy when I make it! I created NoSH BoDY because I wanted to create safe things for babies & for women & families to use. It’s important to use these products while pregnant so you’re already in the routine & baby will recognize all of it. When the nurses lay that child on your chest, you don’t want the first thing they are exposed to to be perfumes or the touch of synthetic substances. You want a fresh clean & pure routine ( & product ) so that you feel comfortable nursing & doing skin-to-skin.

The whole family can, & should, use products like NoSH BoDY, especially when a new baby comes along. The all-natural body cleansing products like the Nom-Nom Baby Suds are non-scented so the baby can experience the natural scent of you. The Apricot Oat Calm Balm can be used on chapped dry nipples & help calm tired & stressed new mommies. The balm can help you sleep & be used on baby after a bath.

+ What’s something you do at home that is all-natural & makes all the difference ( not having to do with beauty ) ?

I actually use sage a lot. I like to burn it to smudge & cleanse when I am feeling clouded & also use it to cleanse my crystals. Some sit near my bed & I think while I sleep their energy is being used. It’s good to recharge them. I like to look at my backyard fountain where I have special candles lit, listen to Zen Meditation music & watch the hummingbirds drink. It centers me & makes me see the beauty in nature.

Also, living over protected land & seeing great horned owls in the morning with my children is special. Every day I make my kids open the curtains & say, “Good morning world!” It just feels good to welcome the beautiful world into your day & feel blessed to be part of it.

+ What’s a mistake you see people making when it comes to all-natural products?

Cutting corners & not using the best. Right now I’m a small business & I make everything by hand, but I think many companies that mass produce buy in inferior products in bulk & the quality goes down. Even though I’m just growing my small company, I would purchase several expensive bottles of high quality ingredients for my line versus 1 bottle of bulk at a less quality to cut corners.

Trust me, I’ve tried a lot of what’s out there in larger batches just to compare, & if it’s not to my standards I don’t use it. The primary force driving me isn’t making money. I know that sounds weird but there’s more to it. I’m more interested in educating people to be healthy from the outside in & for me I take pride in NoSH BoDY! It genuinely makes me happy & I do love to share my special creations with others. Who knows? Maybe someday there will be profits & it will become a huge company I can pass along to my children; and they will understand why I did all this. That would just be the organic icing on the vegan cake.

+ How can mothers use holistic products in their day-to-day?

With what’s around you & what’s in your cupboard right now, you can make your own things.

White vinegar is the best to just clean with. I even disinfect my washing machine with vinegar and put baking soda on the tub to clean it. I spray my fruit with a vinegar/water mix after washing it to keep it fresh longer. You can use it on tons of things around the house to keep things clean: counter tops, glass windows, sinks.

There are useful bacteria too, so being overly cautious can do more harm than good, so just keep that in mind. A squeeze of lemon juice is also a great cleaner: the acid in the lemon can clean you inside as well as the outside. I drink gallons of lemon water. I use a microplane to zest the lemon, then cut the whole thing & put it in water. I try to upload healthy tidbits like these on my YouTube channel.

+ If you were to pick one product out of your line, what would it be & why?

Hands down Carrot Rose Quench! It’s magic in a bottle. It’s earthy, relaxing, hydrating & helps not only your mood, but also helps achieve that radiant skin. It contains rosewater, rosehip seed oil, & carrot oil –  this combo helps balance the PH in the skin & helps all sorts of skin issues. Using these skin care products makes you have more healthy skin.

It tightens the pores, helps overall skin tone, & fights fine lines & wrinkles. It’s rich in fatty acids & antioxidants & helps with both tissue cell regeneration & the reduction of the appearance of scars. I use frankincense, myrrh, helichrysum, lavender & top it off with carrot seed essential oil, too! Those beauty products are such a stress reliever & helps tremendously with anxiety.

+ What are 3 things you can use in your kitchen that make a difference in your skin?

Well, do you mean 3 ingredients to make a skincare- or 3 things to ingest? I’ll answer both.

Most people can make a scrub without a lot of work & using 3 things: coffee grounds, olive oil, & sea salt. Mix it all in bowl & you have an instant body scrub. I truly believe in scrubs because if you don’t get that dead skin off of you, your lotions are never going to penetrate the skin. My home-made scrubs can help promote anti aging for it makes your skin more rejuvenated & you’ll have glowing skin. Wet your body with warm water and apply the body scrub, massage with circular motions for a few minutes and rinse. You’ll feel lighter if you exfoliate & you’ll notice increased hydration in your skin. Most people have the misconception that taking off the dead skin dries your skin out. It should relieve you like when you get a pedicure & have those calluses taken off…you know what I mean? You feel fresher, lighter & hydrated. The same goes with the whole body after you exfoliate. These are some of the natural beauty tips I know.

3 ingredients I love that can make a difference in your skin: detox by drinking apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, & lemon… add hot water ( is that 4 ingredients, sorry! ).

+ What’s your absolute favorite natural ingredient & why?

Carrot Seed Oil! It’s the most amazing ingredient- it is excellent for all skin types. It is rich in beta carotene, vitamins A & E, it is great on dry, chapped skin & helps to balance moisture in the skin. It aids in preventing wrinkles & reduces the appearance of existing wrinkles, helps reduce scaring & removes toxins from the skin. It also helps soothe sunburns. Also, if you have a wound it will help heal it quickly & it works wonders for conditioning the hair. It’ll definitely boost you into having great skin. You can use it from head to toe- it’s simply to die for!

In the absence of carrot seed oil, you can make use of coconut oil and you can have the same effect plus you can use this for both hair and skin! It is notable to mention raw honey.  Raw honey is also very helpful for speeding up the healing process of our skin cells. It gets rid of blackheads & removing the dirt from your pores. Both coconut oil & raw honey are also good natural ingredients to lighten & brighten the skin, specifically age spots.

+ Pimp yourself out! Where can everyone find you?

You can order online at noshbody.com & yes, TSC readers get a discount until 12/31/19! Enter SKINNY15 for 15% off your entire order ( that’s the largest discount ever given! ).

You can also find me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube & Twitter ( but I don’t tweet often ).

I can always be reached by email too: noshbodyco@gmail.com

With a grateful heart, I want to thank Lauryn for having me on The Skinny Confidential to share my passion for holistic wellness & talk about NoSH BoDY. THANK YOU!!

Do you guys implement clean beauty into your skin care routine? Would love to know.

x, lauryn

+ find out how to get that pregnancy glow without the pregnancy here.

++ you have to dry brush before you apply NoSH Body balms- find out how here.

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