Organic Spa Living Blog

Well, I’ve spent the morning oohing and aahing over these pretty little sets, and they are already running out the door, so please be quick if you’d like to snag one for yourself or a special someone!

From AlimaPure mineral makeup, we have on offer an exclusive eye shadow set, brush set and the two sets together in an organza bag, perfect for a little color to brighten up your day or the perfect gift for someone you know who adores makeup!

Wishing everyone in the U.S. a Happy Thanksgiving with lots of good food and good company.  Also, here is a fabulous recipe that you can use to spice up your turkey leftovers.  It is distinctly Santa Fe — Sweet Green Chile Chutney from our resident chef extraordinaire Johnny Vee.

And, for more great recipes, including one for turkey Tetrazzini check out Chef Johnny Vee at E-Taste Santa Fe

Sweet Green Chile Chutney

12 New Mexican Green Chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 onions chopped into a medium dice
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
4 seeded and minced jalapenos
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
1 envelope liquid pectin

Place chiles, onions, sugar, vinegar and jalapenos in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat.

Stir in spices (but not pectin) and reduce heat to low. Allow mixture to simmer, stirring occasionally until it reduces by about one-third, about 40 minutes. Raise heat and when mixture comes to a rapid boil, stir in pectin. Allow to boil hard for one minute. Remove from heat and cool. Pour into storage container and refrigerate. The chutney will keep for about 3 weeks. Enjoy with Turkey Quesadillas!

We at Spabox Organic Apothecary applaud Natural Solutions magazine for going out on a limb and doing the research to bestow these awards on truly natural products. There is so much hype and misleading claims about what is and is not natural. Often, a product will simply add one natural ingredient to a chemical stew and call it natural — which only promotes misunderstanding and consumer confusion.

Here’s the skivvy on how Natural Solutions Magazine
took on this important issue and selected their winners. Visit their website for more information on the process and the winners.

And…shop Spabox Organic Apothecary where you’ll find Tsi-La Organic Perfumes, Bella Lucce’s luxurious Monoi Body Oil and more of the recent winners. We will feature each winning product available at Spabox Organic Apothecary in upcoming blog posts, so stay tuned!

Twenty years ago, if a woman wanted to “go natural” with her beauty routine, she had just a few choices: hitting the local health food store and scavenging through a meager offering of products, making lotions herself, or doing without (as in deodorant). The times have changed, and what was a fledgling market has turned into a thriving $800 million industry.

Today so many companies are making good, clean beauty products that we felt it was time for an official shout-out—Natural Solutions’ first annual Beauty With a Conscience Awards. But finding truly pure skincare proved no easy task.

Unfortunately, even products marketed as “natural” can come packed with hormone disrupters, carcinogens, toxic by-products, and heavy metals. In fact, the average woman applies more than 150 chemicals through her skincare daily.

Congratulations to the more than 100 companies whose products passed our standards. From conglomerates to kitchen-sink operations, these companies have gone out on a limb (often at the expense of their own bottom line) to make skincare safe for women, children, and, increasingly, men.

We enlisted our entire editorial staff to help choose the finalists. In the line of duty, we exfoliated, misted, and creamed twice daily (sometimes more!) to test 600-plus products, boldly laying down our skins for the sake of honest reporting. Boyfriends, babies, and even our grandmothers joined our efforts, and the result is a cherry-picked collection of winners and finalists that we are proud to honor.

A new Auberge resort has opened up just outside of Santa Fe, and by all accounts, it is a stunningly beautiful property.

I am looking forward to making a trip out to the property to experience a spa treatment and give a review of my experience.

From the website of Encantado “An Auberge Resort”

“Set against the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Encantado is an oasis of serenity, privacy and luxury. It has been designed to be a destination of wellness and rejuvenation, tapping into the mystic energies for which the New Mexico desert is famous. The resort masterfully complements the breathtaking northern New Mexico landscape with the tranquility of 65 elegantly designed casitas, renowned spa and fine dining, creating an amazing and unique experience that could only come from an Auberge Resort.”

The spa offers a very comprehensive treatment menu and features locally sourced ingredients in the treatments, including Blue Corn, Honey, Chili, Adobe Clay/Mud, Sage, Juniper, Aloe, Apricot, Apple, and Pinon. While every treatment sounds enticing, I am looking at the Blue Corn & Honey Renewal — a hydrating wrap that also includes a foot and scalp treatment and a massage afterward, very nice!!

Also, for New Mexico residents, the spa has a great opening offer “New Mexico Spa Two-For-One”: Book by December 20, 2008 and get a second service of equal value on the same day at no charge.

So, you can take a friend or special someone along and only pay for one treatment, or treat yourself to two luscious spa services on the same day, your own private mini-retreat!

To book your spa retreat at these special prices, call the Spa at Encantado at 877.262.4666. You can download the full spa brochure here.