Kootenay Soap & Body Polish

 I discovered the Kootenay Soap Company while I was living in Castlegar, BC. Every weekend my husband and I would take the short drive to Nelson, and wander Baker Street. For those of you who haven't experienced the beauty of this area, just watch the movie Roxanne, which was filmed in this gorgeous town. The Kootenay Craft Connection quickly became our favourite store. Featuring products and art from local artisans, this shop is an absolute gem, and our family members came to expect getting fabulously unique gifts from the Craft Connection.

The products made by Kootenay Soap are wholesome, all-natural and of incredible quality. I first bought their Lavender Fields body polish because I suffer from psoriasis. Lavender is a well known, holistic treatment for this condition, and the polish contains essential oils, and salt to act as a gentle exfoliant. It left my skin fragrant, moisturized and most importantly, soothed. I keep a pot of this scrub on-hand for when my skins needs a real dose of moisture or if it is particularly bothersome. My mum's favourite scent is the Thai ginger, and we both also love the Citrus Sunrise. My only disclaimer for this product is to be sure and wash out your tub or shower after you use it. The essential oils can make the floor very slippery, and you don't want to slip and fall!

Kootenay Soap of course, also makes soap. I purchased their variety pack because they have so many wonderful scents, I just couldn't choose. The pack includes some of the same scents as the polish comes in, plus mint, chai, and Emperor's Bath, which is an amazing combination of lime, sage and lemongrass. 

Their website is humble, inviting and simple to navigate. The products are listed by category, and they provide a full list of all their natural ingredients. Even though I no longer live in the Kootenays, I have continued to shop with them online, and buy gifts for friends, family, and of course myself!

Bliss

I live in the far north, where the winters are long, cold and dry. So dry that you turn into a lizard if you don't slather on some sort of moisturizer at least once a day. It was this dilemma, and a marathon shopping trip to Sephora, that had me stumble across Bliss Body Butter. What first attracted me to Bliss was the Vanilla Bergamot scented Butter, in its beautiful Tiffany blue packaging. This is hands-down my favourite scent - sweet and feminine and downright yummy. It is long lasting and it's nice to hear your husband tell you, at the end of the day, how good you smell. My other favourite scent is the Blood Orange and White Pepper. It is deliciously unexpected, and tickles the nose in the best possible way. 

I've also tried the Bliss Naked Body Butter which is their unscented lotion. What I really appreciate about this brand is that while it goes on thick and smooth, it isn't oily. In a pinch when I've been too lazy to put on my regular face cream (Live Clean Fresh Face) I've used the Naked Body Butter. My skin is fairly sensitive and using the Body butter on my face didn't cause me to break out. It could also be because this brand is full of natural ingredients like coconut oil and vitamin E, and they avoid putting nasty chemicals like parabens and phthalates in their formulation.

I purchased my Bliss' from Sephora, where the large bottles (6.7 oz) run you about $35. While it may seem a bit steep to pay that much for lotion, keep in mind that it will last you a long time, since a little goes a long way and it is so long lasting. If you have a Winners store nearby, check them out for this line as well. While their selection isn't as good as Sephora, you can find the lotions at a discounted price. Wherever you find it, treat yourself - you won't be disappointed!