Treat Yourself Locally Made Self-care Goodies by Dakota Parks • photos by Guy Stevens After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we could all use some proper rest and relaxation—without small talk, family or buzzing cellphones. Grab yourself a good book, turn off your phone, run a hot bath and treat yourself to some of these locally made self-care products. Local handcrafted beauty products not only give back to the community by keeping money local but also give back to the environment and offer a greener, more sustainable product compared to mass produced and shipped products. Because they
aren’t formulated for a commercial shelf life, many of these products are also free of hash chemicals used to preserve them. When shopping for these products at local markets, boutiques and salons, you can also meet the makers and learn more about the plant-powered ingredients and natural oils used to create these goods. Some makers will even take custom orders to formulate products for specific skin types or conditions like eczema or Psoriasis. When in doubt, talk to the makers themselves to learn more.
Bath & Hair The Jenny Guides Foot Soak with pine, Epsom and sea salts and the DESHI bath salt formulated with lavender, mint and rose are perfect for a long soak in the tub to soothe your aching muscles. Rinse off with a bar of Touch of Nature luxury coconut milk, cold pressed soap, made by Ariel Ashley. To help with seasonal allergies or a stuffy head cold, the Breathe Shower Fizzy by Buff City Soap in Gulf Breeze. Infused with rosemary and peppermint, it can be placed directly on the floor of your shower or on a shelf for multiple uses. Say goodbye to single-use plastic shampoo bottles and try out Mama Naturals Neem Oil Shampoo Bar with coconut oil, hemp oil, neem oil and a splash of patchouli to nourish your hair and help promote healthy growth. For naturally wavy, curly, coily or kinky hair, Creative Styles Salon & Spa, owned by Santia Pace, offers a wide array of paraben, sulfate and phosphate-free products including shampoo, conditioner, hair tonic and lemongrass hair butter to nourish, moisturize and style hair. The Out of Regz Dirty Mike pomade with organic coconut oil, beeswax, bentonite clay and essential oils is perfect for styling shorter hair. 18 | JANUARY 2022
Jenny Guides Foot Soak $10, Touch of Nature Soap $9, DESHI Bath Salt $15, Out of Regz Pomade $15, Mama Naturals Shampoo Bar $10, Buff City Soap “Breathe” Shower Fizzy $7, Creative Styles Salon Conditioner $12 Shop: touchofnature.shop, shop.deshibeauty.com, outofregz.com, MamaNaturalsShop (on Etsy), gulfbreezefl.buffcitysoap.com, creativestylessalon.com.
