Verv Skin

You'd think with all that white fluffy precipitation outside that there'd be lots of moisture in the air, so what's with dry skin in the winter? It's really a perfect (snow) storm of several different reasons: surprisingly winter tends to be less humid; dry air pulls moisture out of the top layers of the skin (strong winds even more so) indoor heating further exacerbates this ^ long hot showers strip protective natural oils from the skin leaving it prone to moisture los...s (anyone else just stand there mindlessly because you dread the cold that inevitably follows?) harsh skincare containing alcohol or strong surfactants can also strip protective oils from the skin causing irritation decades of sun damage causes the skin to thin which makes it less able to retain moisture; mature skin more easily becomes dry, itchy, flaky or rough and needs extra TLC Some tips for keeping your skin moisture-full and happy in the winter: avoid long very hot showers (I know.. that one is unlikely for me too) use gentle soap + skincare products that feature rich, protective carrier oils like shea butter, mango butter, and high-oleic acid oils such as olive, apricot kernel, avocado or jojoba layer these products (ie: face moisturizer followed by an face oil) to seal in moisture always apply body and face oils after a shower or bath. Why? Because the skin already has moisture in the upper layers so you can trap it with an oil-based barrier for rough + scaly skin, exfoliate to remove dead skin cells before applying a rich lotion or cream drink water.. (sigh). The lifelong goal... For soft, moisturized skin, scrub with our exfoliating loofah body soap (the loofah is embedded in our classic moisturizing soap) and while still damp, apply our SEDA silky body lotion to lock in moisture#dryskin #winterincanada #exfoliate

Pine tar soap is back in stock! This healing bar has a deeply smoky scent from the addition of pine tar. It is made with just seven humble ingredients: olive oil (moisturizing)... coconut oil (helps to lather) distilled water pine tar (antibacterial) lye (makes soap!) castor seed oil (cleansing) Shea butter (moisturizing) Pine tar is a thick molasses-like ingredient extracted from the wood of pine trees under high heat. It’s been used for thousands of years in both medicinal and practical applications This powerful ingredient has antipruritic (relieves itching) anti-inflammatory (reduces swelling) antibacterial and anti-fungal properties (prevents growth of bacterial & fungi) It helps soothe dry, itchy and inflamed skin caused by a variety of skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. It can help relieve itchy and flaky skin caused by dry winter weather Oh and for you home chefs, @robertsonsfarmandapothecary also discovered that it helps remove stains from turmeric, beets and other vibrant foods from your hands! #pinetar #eczema #psoriasis #dryskin #gentleskincare #itchyskin #pinetarsoap #madeincanada #novascotiaartist #novascotialife #soapmaker #soapshare #soapsofinstagram

Ahhh THANK YOU amazing humans of the Annapolis Valley for voting Verv runner up for Artisan/Crafter in The Best of the Bunch 2021. What a delightful way to kick off the new year! We are so lucky and so pumped to live in this special community @vervskin @thegrapevine

Hi!! For those of you who have decided to follow along, thanks! A little introduction: I’m Ali and I started Verv nearly one year ago! It actually started many years ago in Beijing where my partner Nate & I were living and teaching at an international school. I was having a hard time finding gentle soap and natural skincare products; I had been obsessed with handcrafted soap for many years, seeking soap makers out in every market I’d visit and reveling in the scents and de...signs. I decided to try making it myself. A batch shared with friends and colleagues over time turned into selling at two retail shops in the city and at many funky handcraft markets which were always a blast. Some days after work, Nate would coach and then hop on his little fixie bike and cruise downtown Beijing to drop off a load of soaps packed up in one of our huge hiking packs. We both loved the hustle. Flash forward four years and we’ve come back to Nova Scotia, Canada and realized my dream of starting Verv. Wanting to design and craft a complete skincare line, I competed a diploma in organic skincare formulation so that I’d have the knowledge and confidence to safely formulate beautiful and gentle skincare products. It’s a process I absolutely love: total freedom in design, working with beautiful oils, botanicals and dried plants, the ability to target specific issues and concerns, the creativity to blend essential oils for an aromatic experience to compliment a product... all of it is so very satisfying. Challenging but very satisfying. This is a pic of me in the woods. This is how most days start, walking my dog Luna. It’s a ritual I think we both need, equally. a few random things tidbits: - I pick my nails.. I’ve tried to stop. - I enjoy sarcasm - I can make pretty awesome bird screeches. Pretty much exclusively seagulls. That’s where my sound effect mastery ends - I have a very deep sense of fairness that shapes a lot of my decisions - I love frenchys (East coast thrift store) and once did a 24 hr road trip to hit 7 frenchys with friends Thanks for following along this journey!

Formulation development is one of the most challenging and exciting aspects of making skincare! As a formulator, you have control of texture, esthetic, performance and aromatic experience through the ingredients you choose and the relationship between them. It is pretty empowering but sometimes so frustrating. I develop all my products using percentages and a small shift in the percentage of an ingredient can have a huge impact. It’s a delicate and slow dance of small tweak,... make, tweak, make... (repeat)....success! Today I’m hoping to nail the new face cream formulation I’ve been working on for sometime now. A sneak peek of some of the active ingredients in this antioxidant cream: green tea extract (powder) green tea extract (liquid) grapefruit extract matcha powder French green clay panthenol (pro vitamin b5) allantoin (the active ingredient in comfrey!) Plus four gorgeous organic seed & nut oils to nourish and protect the skin from harsh, drying winter air #skincareformulator #gentleskincare #naturalbeauty #plantbasedskincare #handcraftedskincare #greentea #antioxidants #facecream #naturalface #canadianmaker #smallbusinessowner