FALL'S ABUNDANCE
Traditionally, this mid-autumn moment marks the height of the harvest. Everything is plentiful. You can see it at your local farmer’s market, and there are ways to cultivate that spirit of the moment in the rest of your days. When I think about the earth’s abundance, naturally I think about the wealth of plants that nourish us and that make up the holistic formulas that I work with in the treatment room every day. And yet through their roots the plants too take in nourishment from the earth, drawing up essential minerals from the soil itself.
I chose a clay base for each one of my treatment masks partly because of the wealth of minerals these beautiful ingredients can offer the skin. But on a deeper level, working with clay puts us in touch with this most fundamental sense of plenty. You’ll feel this as you smooth Restorative Radiance Masque or Purifying Luculent Masque over the skin—the silky, rich quality of giving, while also pulling impurities from the skin.
This month I hope you’ll try a double masking protocol, described below, and tap into the wondrous generosity of the earth through one of its most rich gifts—clay. At the same time, please feel invited to spend a moment or two in wonder, noticing the exuberance of nature’s gifts all around you.
{DOUBLE MASKING}
Tammy’s double masking is a core practice in her treatment room—exfoliating with Epi-Peel, which primes the skin, removing any build-up, then following with one of the treatment masks, either Restorative Radiance Masque or Purifying Luculent Masque. Each is brimming with floral essences and plant extracts to nourish and cleanse the skin, one of the benefits of clay, which can carry a treasure trove of healing benefits in its intricate matrix.
{BURIED TREASURE}
Mineral rich foods help us get grounded, and, not surprisingly, many root vegetables are bursting with these essential nutrients. Beets especially but also carrots offer large quantities of magnesium, potassium and more. However many root vegetables carry their nutrients in a thin layer just under the skin. You may want to scrub your vegetables instead of peeling them to receive all the benefits.
{BEETROOT SALAD}
Using roasted beets as a salad base creates a hearty, healthy alternative to lettuce greens. Simply slice and roast beets, then blend with any of your favorite salad toppings—toasted nuts, avocado, sunflower seeds. I especially love to dress this earthy combination with a light vinaigrette blended with chopped fresh garden herbs, from dill to parsley and cilantro.
