I'm sure we are all noticing how dry our skin is right now! The cold, dry air can be really tough on our skin. Normally dry skin gets drier, and conditions like eczema rear their ugly head. When it gets cold our skin produces less oil, and environmental factors work against us as well.

Dryness, as a result of our skin producing less oil and not being able to maintain as much moisture, is further aggravated by common factors like indoor heaters, certain fabrics (such as synthetics and wool) and long, hot baths (which we loooove). If you or your child suffers from eczema, you have probably noticed that the cold weather only exacerbates the symptoms.

When it gets cold, your spring and summer moisturizer just won't work anymore. You need an oil-based moisturizer that creates a protective layer on the skin to retain moisture and protect from the elements. Puleeeeease don't reach for the petroleum-based Vaseline! And no matter how much of that water-based lotion you slather on, it just isn't going to cut it.

It's no wonder that when the cold rolls in, our decadent organic Cream and skin balms fly out of our warehouse at warp speeds. Not only are they 100% organic and safe for everyone in the family, but they perform against dry, irritated skin like superheroes. 

Why? Because they are waterless, concentrated concoctions of plant oils and butters, beeswax and essential oils that soothe irritation and inflammation, restore chapped skin and provide a barrier to seal in moisture, while protecting from the elements. 

Zoe Organics Cold Weather Essential Bundle is back this season, due to popular demand! What's included? 

CREAM: Zoe Organics Cream is one of our top selling products. It is a waterless, ultra-rich, shea butter and plant oil "cream", infused with calendula and marshmallow root. It contains no essential oils or "scent" other than the natural scent of the shea butter and oils, so it won't irritate sensitive noses. Use this product from your face to your toes after bathing, while skin is still damp and as often as needed. 

EVERYTHING BALM: This balm stick is a must-have for faces (cheeks and lips) and as a spot treatment for other areas of dry or chapped skin. This formula utilizes the restorative and properties and protective properties of organic beeswax, coconut oil, jojoba oil and shea butter. It has a warm, subtle lavender scent from lavender essential oil.

BREATHE BALM: Flu season is the pits, and so are petroleum- and synthetic-based remedies. Our Breathe Balm in a large balm stick (with a similar base as our Everything Balm) contains a blend of essential oils that help support clear breathing and soothe when coughs and congestion hit. This aromatherapy balm supports a better night's rest and the balm stick makes application so easy and mess-free! Pregnant mamas rejoice: this is safe for you too!

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These good-for-everyone essentials make a perfect gift to yourself or anyone you care about – teacher, co-worker, friend, parent, sibling, baby... you get the idea! The Cold Weather Essentials bundle is available exclusively at zoeorganics.com at a discounted bundle price of $37.95. 

Winter is here, and that means dry skin. Read Heather's own list of favorites skin care items, how she uses them and why they are so effective.

A few weeks ago, Organic Authority published an article, What Real Natural Beauty Brands Want You to Know About Big Beauty. It was a very well-written piece by Liz Thompson, with quotes from some of my dear friends and brand founders in natural beauty. As I read through the article, it caused me to reflect on what Natural Beauty really is, and why we started in the first place. I wanted to spend a few minutes adding my thoughts because I think this is an important conversation to have as the natural beauty industry continues to grow and evolve.

Zoe Organics products became available in May of 2010. I was making products and running the business from my kitchen. I was a young mom with a toddler, preschooler and was pregnant with my third. I believed that natural and organic products could be so much more than what was currently on the market. During the first few years in business, I connected with some of the brand founders that today have thriving businesses. They also started in their kitchens or studios, researching and sourcing the best natural and organic ingredients they could find, making them with utmost care in small batches.

We had a common goal, to educate consumers on the benefits of natural and organic ingredients and provide something different than the conventional products that dominated the market. When we began, green beauty was still very young and good products were hard to find. You could take our products at face value, and when you called the number on the website, you could speak with the brand founder, who was also the formulator (and likely every other role within the company)!

In 2013, our friends La Bella Figura started A Night For Green Beauty, which would, for the subsequent three years, be the leading, highly anticipated green beauty event, bringing together the best premium natural indie brands into an intimate setting. It wasn’t a “show”, but a premiere social gathering, complete with flower crowns, champagne and tables covered with the most beautiful natural and organic products.

We, collectively, evangelized and promoted each other’s brands. We recognized that together we were a force that could bring about change. And indeed it did. Our efforts began to pay off and gain momentum as consumers eagerly made the switch to natural – now that products that were safe, beautiful and performed well were available. And sales picked up.

Fast forward seven years, and the opportunities have multiplied. The challenges have as well. We all agree that without the growth and consumer demand for natural products, we wouldn’t have the opportunities we do today. But we also feel the pressure from brands who have jumped on the bandwagon when it became trendy to do so. Brands that have big budgets and celebrity followings, and are far more motivated by the bottom line than their environmental or social impact.

But despite all the noise that has entered this evolving industry, I believe what set us apart then is what continues to set us apart today: our steadfastness to what we believe in, and the reasons why we started in the first place. As I read all of the quotes from the brand founders in this article, I was encouraged and re-energized. As long as there are brands fierce with purpose and commitment to quality and authenticity, there will be Real Natural Beauty.

Header photo: Olly Joy on Unsplash

Illustrations: The Chalkboard

Product photo: La Bella Figura

Breastfeeding can be painful, frustrating and tragically difficult. So we honor every mama who has given it their best shot, whether that has meant a few days or a few years – we celebrate you. 

Our definitive summer skincare guide is here! Find out our list of personally tested, non-toxic, regular go-to sunscreen recommendations – for faces, sensitive skin and the whole family, as well as the best after-sun care products.

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