About Just the Essentials
Hardcover: 240 pages Publisher: Harper Wave (March 7, 2017) The author of Skin Cleanse returns with a comprehensive guide to the ultimate ingredient for living an all-natural, plant-based lifestyle: essential oils. For millennia, essential oils have played a key role in health and beauty rituals. From references in the Bible (frankincense and myrrh) to Hippocrates (who documented the effects of oils from over 300 plants) to Ancient Egypt (Cleopatra pioneered the use of fragrance), essential oils have been revered throughout human history for their healing powers and their unparalleled scent. But in modern times, they’ve often been misunderstood, underappreciated, even cast as "dangerous"—and relegated to the dusty shelves of health food stores. That is, until recently. Today they’re back in the spotlight as increasing numbers of consumers are looking for all-natural alternatives to skincare products and opting for fragrance-free detergents and soaps, natural remedies for common ailments, and toxin-free home cleaning solutions. Enter Adina Grigore, owner and founder of the wildly popular all-natural skincare line SW Basics. A former essential oil skeptic, Grigore learned everything she could about these potent plant-based compounds when she began formulating her products. And what she learned was that essential oils are some of the most powerful, healing, health-promoting compounds found in nature. That, and they smell pretty great too. In Just the Essentials, Grigore offers a 21st-century guide to these ancient oils, offering a fresh, fun, and authoritative overview of what they are and how they can be easily incorporated into anyone’s life. From plant-based medicine to all-natural skincare to safer and cleaner household products to aromatherapy, this handy and entertaining guide provides detailed advice for a wide array of oils, safety guidelines, and a range of do-it-yourself recipes to get started. Inside you'll discover such fun facts as:
- Tea tree oil is a powerful antibacterial that is proven to be as effective for treating acne as benzoyl peroxide; it also kills oral bacteria and is a life-saver for tooth infections.
- Cinnamon oil is a circulation-booster that helps to ease everyday aches and pains as well as headaches (even migraines).
- Peppermint oil is brimming with antimicrobial properties; peppermint oil can be used for everything from alleviating digestive problems to cleaning your kitchen counters.
Purchase Links
HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
[caption id="attachment_57456" align="alignright" width="160"]
Photo by Liz Andrien[/caption]
About Adina Grigore
Adina Grigore is the founder and CEO of the all-natural, sustainable skin-care line S.W. Basics, which she started out of her kitchen in 2011. A graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Adina has worked in the wellness industry since 2007 as a private holistic nutritionist, a personal trainer, and a workshop coordinator teaching people about the DIY nature of wellness. S.W. Basics products are now sold internationally and have been featured in Vogue, O Magazine, W Magazine, the New York Times, InStyle, Real Simple, and Martha Stewart Living, among others. Follow Adina on Instagram.
MY REVIEW:
3 stars
I have no doubt that natural ingredients are better for the skin. Chemicals that you can’t pronounce scare me, too. My daughter, who is 16 now, had such bad eczema when she was younger, that I was desperate to try anything to help her feel better. I did find, at the time, that natural ingredients like cocoa butter and soy worked better than fancy designer lotions in most cases. I also have to be really careful about what I wash her clothes in and what I use to clean the house with. She still has breakouts today. So this info was not new to me because I’ve experienced a lot of it myself through my own journey, not with my own skin, but that of my daughter. I don’t disagree with any of the material provided in this book.
My reason for not giving it a 5 star rating is that the book seems gimmicky, more like an advertisement for the author’s company and products, than a book that is meant to stand on its own merit. I know this is great marketing, and will drive people to her website to buy her products, and I can’t fault anyone for using this marketing strategy because it works. I just personally don’t favor reading something that seems like I’m reading an infomercial.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a review. I was not required to post a positive review, and all opinions are my own.
3 stars
I have no doubt that natural ingredients are better for the skin. Chemicals that you can’t pronounce scare me, too. My daughter, who is 16 now, had such bad eczema when she was younger, that I was desperate to try anything to help her feel better. I did find, at the time, that natural ingredients like cocoa butter and soy worked better than fancy designer lotions in most cases. I also have to be really careful about what I wash her clothes in and what I use to clean the house with. She still has breakouts today. So this info was not new to me because I’ve experienced a lot of it myself through my own journey, not with my own skin, but that of my daughter. I don’t disagree with any of the material provided in this book.
My reason for not giving it a 5 star rating is that the book seems gimmicky, more like an advertisement for the author’s company and products, than a book that is meant to stand on its own merit. I know this is great marketing, and will drive people to her website to buy her products, and I can’t fault anyone for using this marketing strategy because it works. I just personally don’t favor reading something that seems like I’m reading an infomercial.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for a review. I was not required to post a positive review, and all opinions are my own.
RSS Feed
