Clarité Wellness

Being a new mom I have an immense appreciation for mothers. It has been the most transformative time of my life and forced me to simultaneously soften and strengthen like nothing I could have imagined. By no means has it been easy but the more I surrender and let go, while being honest about my true needs and desires, the better life is.
I spoke with Deborah Hanekamp of while I was pregnant and she helped bring my focus to ways I could mother myself while stepping into this new role. I believe this mindset, along with witnessing other mothers I look up to who somehow manage to not only survive but thrive has helped shape the way I approach motherhood.
Like soil, if you are depleted everyone suffers and often the most selfless thing you can do is learn and incorporate ways to replenish.
As I’ve shared, I am a big fan of a lavish replenishing bath and personally find it to be one of my most restorative practices. If you are a mom or would like to treat your mom this Mothers Day don’t underestimate the power of an intensional bath with all the fixings (see my post a couple back for some DIY Ideas with easy to find ingredients). While I know this isn’t for everyone, I hope you find and make time for what does fill you up!

I’ve included a few of my favourite bath, body and face oils and de stressing concoctions to help celebrate mother’s this Mother’s Day.
Use code MAMALOVE at checkout for 10% off:
• Frankincense Oil - I think this is my desert island product. I use it to cleanse and apply head to toe to hydrate.
• undaria oil is a dream in the bath
•Canadian naturals local, wild harvested rosehip oil is perfect to fight free radical damage, brighten, repair and deeply replenish all skin types. Great for gua sha and face massage.
•I live in the .collection linen robe (Jessica is pictured here😍)
•And the Vagus oil is the ultimate destressor.

Pictured is my Grandmother and Mother. My grandmother had 7 children and was one of the most vivacious, light hearted and kind woman I’ve ever know. SEVEN children🤯 , I wouldn’t leave the tub ;)

I’m so grateful to be featured in this seasons Maple magazine amongst so many incredible women! you are a very gifted writer and I feel very touched by your words!

In this article we discus my as within, so without philosophy on skin, how our fascia holds our stories and emotions and how vanity can be a motivator to discover and implement true self care.

You can find the article along with an exceptional collection of interviews with of , Karen of and others. Available at Chapters, Indigo, Whole Foods or directly through 🤍

Spring cleansing inside out🌱

Internally we want to focus on the liver this season and it is the perfect time to bring in all your leafy greens and spouts that will give the body a nice cleansing and energizing boost while harmonizing the body with the elements.

I like to bring back more green juices at this time and one of my favourite combos is dandelion, celery, collard, parsley, lemon and ginger. Option to add apple to make it sweeter!
I make an infusion of Beauty Base tea in a big glass jar to sip throughout the day which has dandelion leaf to support the liver and kidneys (brightening, keeping skin clear and warding off water retention) and also helps clear old emotions of anger and fear which tend to get trapped in those organs. On warmer days, I love making a big fresh salad with a variety of fresh lettuces, tons of parsley drenched in fresh squeezed lemon, drizzled in olive oil tossed along with a shaved veggie like fennel, carrot or celery and sprinkled toasted pumpkin seeds for extra skin boosting zinc. Artichokes are another perfect liver food and I love to soak mine in water with fresh lemon overnight then cook with olive oil and a pinch of salt.

For the skin topically we want to work with the natural movement and cleansing of the liver by focusing on gently resurfacing and renewing the skin. My all time favourite for this season is BRs Serum 3R which is packed full of natural resurfacers to support cell renewal and quench the skin with 27 botanical extracts for optimal skin health. Perfect post winter where the skin can feel dull, dry and sensitized. Good for every type of skin to brighten, clarify, tone, firm and give a beautiful glow!

For the body, dry brushing can be incredibly effective and I like to brew a strong bath tea to soak in after. Follow with some simple yoga poses like child’s pose, downward dog, sphinx, pigeon and reclined twist to target the liver and gall bladder channels.

The eyes link to the liver as well and we do have to process everything we consume through sight so best to not to overdo it with screen time and be mindful of what you are consuming. The liver loves light and fun so keep that in mind ;)

It’s time to root to rise ✨

These pictures are taken a few months apart after using a customized, simple, 4 step routine. No professional treatments at all just the right home care routine for her individual skin. This client has been using professional spa quality products for several years and has taken great care of her skin, but this goes to show the difference when you are using whats right for you specifically, and that not all professional products are created equally. You can often save money, simplify and get a better result when your routine is tailored for you.
My philosophy is always to rebuild the foundation of the skin, to think of it almost like soil and once we have the health of the soil back we can then go in and add the appropriate actives or boosters. If you try to fertilize dry or depleted soil you will likely burn it. The skin is similar so we must first eliminate what is depleting or stripping the skin, use products that restore a healthy flora and lipid barrier then we can see much better results when we pop in an appropriate active product. You don’t need to do anything crazy for your skin to get results, no matter what social media or your skin care professional tells you. Often less is more and in my opinion lasers and intensive treatments cause more harm than good and never really address the root issue. Keep it simple.
I am offering thorough, in depth phone consultations by appointment however there is a bit of a waitlist but you can always just email us, as this client did, with your concerns or goals and my assistant will ask for a photo that I can review (your photo will never be seen by anyone else, this client graciously allowed us to share but we would never share without permission) then I can recommend a routine to fit your needs. Email consults are currently complimentary and we can mail what feels right for you out the next day express post so you can start right away. 😍

These pictures were taken less than 24 hrs apart, with no products added. I wanted to show that you don’t need products, you don’t need expensive treatments, you just need a willingness to sit with yourself fully, and to feel into whats there. For this beautiful client (who generously let me share her pictures from our virtual consult yesterday), we just talked about a little of what the face was showing, where stress was held then I showed a few massage and pressure point techniques that she could do to release. I explained what meridians to massage towards or gently press, what emotions will likely be revealed and the physical or emotional discomfort that may arise. To just stay with any sensations or emotions and breathe. If tears fall great. If you get hot and angry great. Whatever’s there be with it. This can be INTENSE. Leaning into whats there can feel like it might knock us over or that if we acknowledge it it somehow means defeat. The opposite it always true. You will feel and look lighter and energy can flow again. The first picture shows instructions for light massage with directions to get things moving. The second picture, with arrows up to the top of her forehead direct to a stomach point to soften to receive, help ground and in turn allow the heart to open. On the way she passed over the gall bladder point on the outer corner of the eye. Between the brows in this case was about lungs and between the eyes about heart. Lung and large intestine are connected so it helps to release the lrg intestine points by the nose too (this is brilliant if you are ever congested too). I suggested for her to use her finger tips, knuckles or the tip of her gua sha stone to massage it out. This year is a doozy. We can all feel the energy about to amp up. Stay with yourself, listen to yourself and do what you need to come back in. The face represents the whole body and by being present and learning to listen while massaging we can release so much. Or you can massage your ears to treat the whole or your hands or feet. Just be curious, present and intensional et voila, magic happens ✨

I’ve recently been doing a lot of virtual consultations which I’m enjoying so so much. I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to connect with people doing what I LOVE during this unique time. Prior to the consultation I ask that you send in a few photos and tell me a bit about your experience with your skin. Someone shared recently how vulnerable it felt to share a picture with someone they haven’t met and I realize I’ve been quite shy as far as sharing much about myself on here. I’m not one for pictures at the best of times and am not very comfortable sharing photos publicly (working on it...) but this rare and out of focus picture shows me in my element, tinkering with herbs and flowers and oils. I’ve been in the skin care industry for 17 years now and trained all over the world, with a strong emphasis on seeing the face as a representation of the whole and working to find balance from the inside out. I’ve trained extensively in Paris and strongly resonate with a European approach to skin (and life). On top of many medical aesthetic certifications I was privately trained by a European dermatologist, worked with chemists and compounding pharmacists developing custom formulations, immersed myself in a particular style of Chinese medicine and traveled all over studying it, worked alongside some of the top NDs in North America, trained in nutrition, herbology, facial reflexology, gua sha, aromatherapy, reiki, lymphatic drainage massage and other French facial massage techniques, worked with over 250 skin care lines and every laser or machine you can imagine, did consulting for plastic surgeons and clinics, trained in auricular medicine, discovered a love and appreciation for physics while becoming a certified Etiotherapist. Then went on my own and softly opened a studio 5 years ago where I saw thousands of clients from all around the world. What I’ve learned after all this experience and education is to keep it simple. Less is often more. Learn to listen and truly be with yourself (hello 2020), vanity is sometimes the motivator to come back to ourselves and thats when the real results come ✨Here to help anyway I can ❤️ (Rare) pic of me by

Face masks, lungs and skin health. If the lungs are at all compromised whether from the environment, wearing a mask or even grief or overwhelm it will start to show on the skin. If you look at either side of the nose by the sinuses you can see the health of the lungs. Sometimes if there’s a lot going on we may see it extend down the cheeks and it may be slight vasodilation or generally I’ll see enlarged pores or congestion in the area (not the same as rosacea, I’ll dive into that another time). In my opinion the best remedy for the lungs is a solo walk in the trees or a walk in fresh sea air certainly helps too. Being in the trees encourages us to take a deep breath and exhale, the solitude is a chance to digest what’s happening and get out of the head for a bit just focusing on the beauty of the trees around you and your breath. The volatile oils from fir, cypress and pine trees especially work wonders for clearing the lungs and the nature of these particular oils from these trees treat the lung on a physical level with compounds to reduce inflammation and decongest but are known to assist with grief (we are all grieving and letting go in one way or another these days) and with feelings of lack. Another great option for the lungs and skin is a face steam. This is so simple and beyond luxurious in my opinion. You could forage some of the tree needles suggested above or what I’m loving lately is freshly picked and dried rosemary, lavender, thyme and peppermint. This soothing and antibacterial blend is also great for keeping the skin clear from the effects of using face coverings. Just add a tablespoon or so of herbs to a beautiful bowl, pour about 5-6 cups of boiling water over and let steep for 5-10 min then grab a towel and carefully put your face over the bowl with the towel over your head to trap the steam in. Hellooo home spa! If this all feels like way too much fuss get a small bottle of organic eucalyptus essential oil and mix a few drops into a tablespoon of salt with maybe a couple drops of lavender oil and pour hot water over top et voila! Or try mixing a drop of eucalyptus with olive or jojoba oil and rub on the chest before bed. Breathe easy xo 🌲

For those who need to hear it...It’s time to remember. Remember who you were (are) before the world laid it’s veils over your lens about right and wrong or good and bad. It’s time to let go. To listen inwards and trust. Its time to heal, shed and release what’s not working and has likely become painfully obvious especially in this unique time we find ourselves collectively in. It’s time to step up and into yourself...who are YOU. What do YOU like. What do YOU want. Who do you want to be on the other side of this? What do you want to leave behind? Try to ask then really listen and see who’s voice you hear. Is it your parents? Is your elementary school teacher? Is it a reaction from a broken teenage heart? Go deeper. It might just be a feeling and that’s enough. We see the world through a stained glass window in a sense. My window will be different than yours based on my past and the information gathered from generations before me. Everything we have experienced from our environment, but most importantly our interpretation of it, will tint the glass so to speak and lives in us running our daily lives. From our biology and our genome structures to our beliefs and our reality. This is why we can be looking at or living the same situation but see and experience it completely differently. Healing comes from knowing the lens that you see your world through is tinted. The world will reflect to you and draw in experiences that resonate perfectly with these tinted window panes so we that we have an opportunity to accept or digest what those before us couldn’t. Or to look closer at a belief about ourselves or the world that we’ve adopted and now runs on loop. Inviting us to question whether or not it is true. When we are aware of this process and start to accept the information we are experiencing by allowing it in, sitting with it, feeling it fully even if it’s painful, we can start to see clearly and we release. We remember who we are. Piece by piece.

Sunsets, LED and your skin~ Did you know that the red light on your skin from the sunset actually has a regenerating effect on your skin and collagen? Not only that but if you get a sunburn or sun damage during the day and stay out in the red light from sunset you will actually help to heal the burn and damage? Red light LED therapy is very popular these days as it’s gentle and effective not only for your skin but for your hormonal and emotional health. The trick is finding trusted sources that actually work and are time and cost effective. Treatments can cost upwards of $100 per 30 min session and devices for home use are generally $2400+ for a good one but then you have to sit for quite a while with a slightly terrifying looking mask that may scare your family. If I’m honest I’d rather invest my time in catching the sunset whenever possible and get my red light that way. We have been conditioned to fear so much in our environment but the sun has certainly gotten a bad rep and I think this is extremely unfortunate. Catching sunrise also has many skin benefits and if you know you will be in mid day sun regularly try to get the sunrise sun on your face to prepare the skin. If you are only out mid day then you will need to protect yourself but catching more sunrises and sunsets can have a very positive effect on your skin and your skins resilience meaning less damage. The sun is essential for vitamin d and a big part of our bone health. Bone loss equals face sag so get some rays when you can! 🌅