Unlike the food we chew and swallow, which is broken down in the GI tract before it is absorbed, creams and lotions applied to the skin bypass the digestive process and go directly into the blood stream. The average woman uses a dozen personal care products containing 168 chemical ingredients every day. Men use 6 products a day containing 85 chemicals. Only 11% of the 10,500 chemicals in your cosmetics have been screened for safety. Think of beauty or personal care products not as cosmetics, but as food.

Scent has captivated me ever since I was a little girl. I reminisce fondly on the smell of flowers, blooming trees, early morning cut grass, rain, freshly washed linens after they were left outside to dry, my mother’s cooking and my father’s shoulder. I vividly remember the rush of excitement when I would sneak a spritz of my mother’s favorite perfume- it was as if something magical was about to happen.

Chocolate is synonymous with love, sensual indulgence and decadence. Who hasn’t salivated at the sight of a decadent chocolate ganache? Or had your heart race at the thought of indulging in a liqueur infused chocolate truffle? We gift chocolates to our lover. We turn to it for both comfort and celebration. The aroma is seductive and irresistible.

A poem written for me by my beautiful friend, Luda.