Category: Harmony

Mind, Body, and Spirit. Three forces at work together to keep us in Harmony with our lives every day.

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Carbon Offset

Offsetting our carbon footprint

Tres Spa and Sustainable Travel

Carbon Offsetting is a way to pay back and pay it forward by donating funds to mitigate any greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, electricity use, and other sources. There are calculations that can be done based on manufacturing processes, shipping, and any travel by car boat or plane. Once you make a donation, those funds are then added to the general ledger to fund various projects on a global level. Projects can range from forest conservation & biodiversity of indigenous species to cleaning the oceans and alternative energy production to supporting local communities that had been exploited.

We donate a flat amount quarterly as well as an extra donation for each time we travel. For Très Spa, sustainability and global conservation is so important. We are a small company so it’s nice to be able to have a positive global impact and Carbon offsetting makes that possible.

Individuals can do this as well. There are several companies out there that you can find to donate to. Think about donating the next time you fly off on vacation or how about donating to cover your commute.

Currently, we participate with Sustainable Travel for our carbon offsetting. Why travel? When we travel, we learn about each other. We get to experience different cultures and different eco-systems. However, we need to be mindful of supporting and sustaining these environments. While traveling can be fun, the damage that can occur could devastate the delicate balance. Sustainable Travel’s mission is to protect and conserve our planet’s most vulnerable destinations by transforming tourism’s impact on nature and communities.

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Recycle

100% Recycle

When we select packaging for our products we evaluate their environmental impact weighed with the customer needs and the product requirements. You can put the empty packages in your curbside recycle bin. Just make sure you rinse out any remaining product.

We have started a new partnership with Teracycle to make it even easier for you to be able to recycle Très Spa products right from your home. We think we have designed a program that should work for all of us and one that works for a small entrepreneur company. We have big ideas but small footprint so we needed a program we could scale. It’s a program we are very excited about.

Here is how it works: You give us your clean recyclables and we’ll give you points thru our rewards program. Collect your points and use it towards your next purchase. All return packaging needs to be clean in order to earn your reward points so make sure you rinse out any residual product.

Mail in returns: If you are one of our remote customers, simply hang on to the the empty packaging until you have enough to fill an envelop or box. When you are ready, let us know and we will send you a pre-paid label to use for your box or envelop. We appreciate it if you would save up a few items before shipping back to us. Minimize our carbon impact by bulking up your packing.

Farmers Market and Event returns: When you see me at the market, you may notice my portable recycle bin. This is so that I can collect your Très Spa empty’s. You’ll still get points that you can save up and spend at the market or trade them in for on-line credit towards any Très Spa products.

This is a new program and we want to see how well it goes and what your thoughts are so please feel free to share your opinion with us at info@tresspa.com

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The best way to keep cool and dry

What is the best way to keep cool and dry when the heat goes up?

Keep cool and dry even when the heat is up. We all feel a little heat from time to time. Either it is the climate outside or the pressures inside. Something happens and our temp goes up. Given the right conditions, so does our sweat. It’s time like this it may seem impossible to keep cool, calm, and dry. It can really become a problem. Sweating can leave you feeling sticky, slippery, and downright uncomfortable. Add any kind of rubbing action under these conditions and that friction is probably going to lead to some serious irritation. The best intervention to avoid this situation is to have advanced preparation.

Sweating is a natural thing and, for most of us, you should not try to stop the body from doing what it does naturally (dangers of antiperspirants). There are those who suffer from Hyperhidrosis, which is severe and may require medical intervention to help normalize sweat gland production. But how can the rest of us keep cool and dry naturally when the heat gets turned up? Depending on what’s getting you hot, try these techniques to help bring you cool comfort when you need it the most.

The top technique to keep cool and dry in any situation

I would never encourage the use of antiperspirants on a regular basis. But they are designed to stop you from sweating and as far as I know there is nothing in nature that can do that. The number one option for a person who wants to be in harmony with nature is to use nature to help ease the effects. Protect yourself with a natural hydrophobic layer of protection. The one thing I recommend to anyone and everyone, no matter what the circumstances is so simple even a baby understands: Powder up before you leave your home. No matter what the weather or what the life circumstance, you will never regret powdering up before you power up for your day.It is the best intervention you can do to keep cool and dry.

It wont stop you from sweating but it will help to create a barrier so you can dry faster and feel cooler. You can read more about what powders are best and how they work here.

For stress induced situations:

Practice: If you know you are going to be in a stressful situation ahead of time, like a presentation in front of an audience, rehearse as many times as you can beforehand.  It’s not enough to read a presentation, you need to stand up and speak the words even if no one is in the room with you. Something triggers in your mind as you hear the words you speak.

Tres Spa Aroma Therapy with aromatic mists

Meditation: If you adopt a regular habit of meditation, then you will be able to center yourself no matter what the turmoil is around you. A practice of only 10 minutes a day can have a profound impact on your overall sense of well-being and your ability to handle stressful situations.

Watch the caffeine: I’m not one to say walk away from coffee; I love my coffee. However, if you are under stress, reducing your coffee consumption might prove helpful.

Introduce Herbal Teas:  Among your daily beverage choices, add an herbal tea that has botanicals that help to relieve stress and anxiety. Look for organic herbal blends that have chamomile, peppermint, lemon balm, passion flower (my personal favorite), and, of course, green tea. All of these herbs have relaxing qualities to them.

Carry a high quality Aromatic Mist with you: Aromatics can alter your state of mind and the general energy around you. Ever notice how no one can ever frown when they smell a strong citrus? It’s more than just a coincidence that Lavender causes so many to relax. Not to sound like I’m bragging, but we happen to have quite a collection of different blends at Tres Spa. Check out our Aromatic Mist category.

If the climate has you in a sweat

Sometimes it’s just plain hot out and this causes you to sweat more. What can do you do to naturally keep cool and dry? Sure, it’s easy to keep cool if you’re in front of a fan or tucked inside in the air-conditioning. But that’s not always possible and not a natural way to control your body’s temperature. So how do you beat the heat?

Drink plenty of water: Staying hydrated is important any time of year but even more important in hot conditions. You sweat more so you need to replenish those fluids. Sweat is your friend. In fact, it is your natural air conditioner. Sweat on the surface of your skin catches a breeze. The water interacts with the air to give your skin a cooling feeling. I know it can be hard to get enough water when you don’t like the taste of it, so try some life hacks to help you out.

Dress for the occasion: Drape yourself in lose fitting flowing clothes that breathe well. Loose clothes can help create a natural air-conditioning effect because they ride over the surface of the skin and don’t cling too tight.

Mist yourself: It may sound like you’re tossing gasoline to the fire, but you aren’t. I know you want to dry out, but sometimes the fastest way to dry out is to cool off first so use a high quality mist to spritz over you. That moisture will catch even the slightest of breezes and cool you off. Another positive side effect is you will smell really, really, really good and so will your surroundings. Especially if you are using one or the Très Spa multi-purpose skin safe Aromatic Mists.

Keep a cloth handy: Running a cloth under cool water and applying it to your body’s heat points will instantly cool the body. Most common points are the back of the neck, the inside of the wrists, the inside of your elbow, behind your knees, on your ankles, and on the tops of your feet, to name a few.

Take your time: When the heat is on, this is the perfect time for you to slow it down a bit. Take your time and try not to be in such a rush.  Channel your inner sloth and make each movement purposeful and slow.

Other articles you may find interesting:
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4 Skin Loving Foods For Super Healthy Skin

Choose These 4 Skin Loving Foods During Your Holiday Festivities

Tres Spa 4 Skin Loving Foods

These 4 skin loving foods have a great reputation in supporting healthy vibrant skin. Best part is they taste good too! You can find them anywhere you go so you can incorporate them into your travel and festival meals.

For many of us, we get set into a pattern in life. We get our daily routines in almost every area of our life because predictability and dependability make us feel warm and comfortable.  Our days come and go and change is gradual. We settle ourselves into nice healthy patterns of fitness, food, and skin care with nourishing products for every aspect of our bodies. But there are times in the year that there is anything but predictability! Times when the food is not anything you would have in your everyday well adjusted personal habit. The Holiday’s with friends and family!

Holiday festivities are wonderful times to be with friends and family and even to travel to different locations. But sometimes this throws us completely off our routines which can leave us feeling a little defenseless. Try adding these 4 vegan friendly gluten free foods that support super healthy skin. These are very common at festival gatherings year round so no matter where you roam, you are bound to find these 4 things. Heck, one of them you can take with you!

Chocolate Rich in Cacao Really Is Good For You

1) Chocolate that is at least 70% Cacao
Get your cacao on! This tasty temptation is bound to be plentiful at celebrations of any kind. Go ahead and indulge a little with this skin loving food. Cacao is one of the foods rich in flavinoids. Flavinoids are anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory power houses. If that weren’t enough, it’s also rich in skin protecting Magnesium and vitamin C, Omega 6 which helps to restore cells, enzymes to help with skin luster. The list goes on.

Loving Legumes

2) Beans, all of them! Yes, hand over those Green Bean beauties!

Skin loving foods from the inside out. Sure you know all the benefits of the bean family for a healthy well balanced digestive system (fiber, protein, B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper and zinc to name a few) but did you consider  the double bonus phytonutrients offer?  With the bean family you also get a food rich in phytonutrients. These can help prevent disease. If you are traveling to areas far from your normal surroundings, you will be exposed to bacteria and germs you are not normally exposed to. You are going to need anything that helps support your bodies defense system.

Try a more healthy alternative to the traditional Green Bean Casserole  (I like this one since she uses sun dried tomatoes) You can do this one Raw Vegan or bake it for 20 minutes for Vegan

Sweet or Savory, These Roots Are a Delight

3) Carrots. I never met a carrot I didn’t like!

My favorite of the skin loving foods is one of the most versatile foods. Raw, sautéed, steamed, stewed. pureed, sliced, diced, shaved. Served as an appetizer, main course, or even desert. I will never complain about a carrot. One of my favorite veggies if you cannot tell. You can find this lovely root any time any place. Fresh is best when you can but frozen if you can’t. So what can a carrot do for you? Plenty! But most notably it is a rich source of beta-carotene and that converts to vitamin A and that goes to work at repairing tissue.

Seeds Of Life

4) Seeds

Last but not least of the 4 skin loving foods are the seeds of life. I would think this one would be obvious as to why I would recommend them for good skin health since I use just about all of the seed oils in the skin care I create for Très Spa. But in case you missed it… seeds are nutrient rich in essential fatty acids. They contain an alphabet of vitamins. We need fatty acids for digestion as well as healthy supple hydrated skin. My personal favorite seeds are He.mp seeds, Flax seeds, Sunflower seeds (snacking on some now), Pumpkin seeds, and Chia seeds in no particular order. 

Happy travels to you. Enjoy your celebrations with friends and family and exploring new, or rediscovering old familiar places!

P.S. You don’t have to be Vegan to eat these foods. Did you know you can eat like a vegan whenever you want?

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Gluten Free Tabbouleh and Skin Care! What They Have In Common

Gluten Free Tabbouleh and It’s Raw Vegan Too!

Tres Spa's Gluten Free Tabouli Raw Vegan OK I’m gonna share my favorite Raw Vegan food that happens to be gluten free as well. Gluten free Tabbouleh made with hemp seed nut meat (it’s what’s inside the seed shell). This dish is so nutritious and perfectly balanced it’s a meal on it’s own. My favorite salad that is also a condiment. I used it as a dip even. Try spreading it on celery stalks! Yumm!!!!

What Does It Have To With Skincare?

You may be scratching your head and asking “What does Gluten Free Tabbouleh have to do with skincare”. I get it, you wouldn’t think food would play a roll in nutrient rich skin care but it does. The best skincare treatment you can give yourself is in what you choose to eat and drink. How you nourish the inside of your body will have a direct (and even profound) effect on your healthy skin. By eating whole foods that are rich in vitamins and compounds our body needs to function and thrive, we are giving our skin support from the inside out. It also has one of my favorite ingredients I use in formulating skin care for Tres Spa, Hemp seeds. You can find the seeds in some of the soaps and the oil in many of the skin care formulations from face care to body oils to body scrubs all of the organic hand and body lotions and lets not forget the  organic shampoo too!

Here Is What You Need

Here are the ingredients for you to experiment with. I am estimating the measurements since I rarely ever use measuring cups or spoons in the kitchen. I need one creative outlet that allows me to compose with reckless abandon! So when I am in the kitchen, I cook with wild abandon. 🙂

  • Tres Spa and Hemp Seed for Skincare1 cup Hemp Seeds – the taste is heady with warm earthy notes. Super rich in nutrients and excellent source of Omega fatty acids.
  • 1 bun of Parsley chopped. You can use cilantro if there is no parsley around but the end resulting taste is very different. From what I understand they are both excellent to support the liver. For all your liver does for you, you want to support it any way you can so if you can’t find herbs try some dark kale!
  • Onion – Now I like Spring onions ( I know I said yellow in the video but I was holding a bundle of green onions) and I use a bundle of them since they tend to be mild. Red Onion is also an excellent choice but you would only need a tablespoon or three.  Shallots? Okay if you want.
  • Tomatoes! I use a cup or two – I love love love tomatoes. I always have and I crave them!! I remember when I was first diagnosed with Psoriasis – they told me not to eat them. It wasn’t until years later when I was reading research that said dig in and eat tomatoes (as well as others). I was so happy! I had cheated all along, but now I didn’t need to hide my obsession. 🙂
  • 1 Lemon – fresh squeezed and oh so nice. Did you know Lemon juice is a metabolic booster?
  • Pepper to taste – use what pepper you want. There’s a few to choose from out there so feel free to experiment.
  • Sherpa Salt – just a little. I like to add a bit of mineral rich salt
  • Apple Cider Vinegar or ACV as many of us call it. Okay I use a splash or two – depends. But I love Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar and I try to use it whenever and wherever I can. If you are not used to ACV, then go easy at first.

Here Is What You Need To Do

Simple steps! You can whip this up in minutes

  1. Get a bowl
  2. Start tossing. Toss in the Hemp Seed, toss in some chopped parsley, toss in some salt, toss in some chopped onion, toss in your sliced or diced tomatoes.
  3. Dash in some black pepper – or hey, why not try some Cayenne pepper for an extra metabolic boost.
  4. Drizzle in a fresh squeezed lemon. I always like to add some Apple Cider Vinegar as well. You can’t go wrong with ACV!
  5. Mix and eat! Or chill it and eat it later.