Conversations Archives - Ziryabs Body Brew

4 Creative Display Ideas for Our Small Shop

If you are ever looking for ways to apply your creativity, working in (or owning) a small shop will give you an endless outlet. We recently opened our second shop in old Mesilla, Ziryab’s Bath and Body in a cute adobe building complete with a little adobe kiva fireplace. It’s cute but also small so in this case, we need to find every inch of space we can for displaying our products – since we have a lot! Here are a few of my favorite clever little fixes that help our small shop hold our big list of products and

Understanding Isopropyl Myristate Benefits for Skincare

You may pause at the name – I did too. It sounds more like something from a lab than a skincare ingredient. But Isopropyl Myristate is simply what forms when isopropyl alcohol and myristic acid (a fatty acid found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and nutmeg) combine. Because it includes the word alcohol, I wondered at first if it might be drying or harsh. But once those two ingredients react, the alcohol part is gone. They become a new, gentle molecule called an ester, light, silky, and non-drying. It’s a bit like how lye, once it meets oil, becomes

Magnesium, Heart Palpitations and Leg Cramps

I believe in Doctors and support science-based medicine. That said, we know so little about the body and the complex interactions between our bodies, our environment, and our mind. I solved my leg cramps by spraying my Magnesium Spray behind my knees before I went to bed. I couldn’t quite believe it would work but I couldn’t argue with the results. Since I prevented my nocturnal leg cramps, took a Magnesium Supplement, and had my Magnesium levels tested (slightly low but within acceptable range), I figured I was okay. When Covid happened, I began to have heart palpitations. I underwent

Insanely Itchy Butt Hole at Night

I’d never heard of Anal Itching (pruritus ani) until, one night, I couldn’t go to sleep because my anus was itchy and wouldn’t stop. I was being driven crazy by anal itching. Intense chronic itchiness of the area around the butt hole – Anal Itching (pruritus ani) – is not a subject we often discuss but apparently 1 to 5% of the population suffers from it. And, like my expereince was, it often becomes a real problem at night and impacts sleep. The cause of an itching anal area is most often unknown although infrequently it is caused by a

Is the Benefits of Aromatherapy Fact or Fiction?

It depends on who you ask and how you measure the benefits of aromatherapy. In my mind, there is absolutely no doubt that smells have an emotional response to me. I know I am not alone. So, arguing about whether fragrance impacts emotions seems like a waste of time. Furthermore, since I believe your emotions impact your health in some way, it seems logical that it is a fact that there are benefits to aromatherapy. That said, I suspect that some people exaggerate the benefits beyond what science has shown so far because of wishful thinking, sincere belief, or financial

What to do if Exposed to Poison Ivy

What to do if I’ve just been exposed to plants in Poison Ivy Family First thing you want to do if you think you’ve been exposed to Poison Ivy, Poison Oak or Poison Sumac is to try to wash as much as possible. It is an invisible sap or resin that you are reacting to. Using the right soap for the job will help. Soap that is grease cutting is thought to be best. My pine tar soap will work great without drying but just use the strongest soap you’ve got on hand. Wash as soon as possible. Old fashioned

Soap and Cosmetic Best DIY Sites

Make It Yourself Links The generosity of some bloggers who share their knowledge on DIY sites really reminds me how good people can be, I came across yet another wonderful and helpful DIY website and want to take a moment to acknowledge a few of the to the bloggers who have shared their knowledge so generously with me while I was learning. I still often find myself seeking out the knowledge of my fellow makers. Susan Barclay’s SwiftCraftyMonkey – Point of Interest First, a huge thank you to the best cosmetic website that I know; Susan Barclay’s SwiftCraftyMonkey. The name

What to do About a Smelly Dog

Some dogs are smellier than others. Water dogs like retrievers produce special oil that helps makes their fur water-resistant. They also tend to grow nice thick coats to protect themselves from cold. Unfortunately it makes them tend to get smellier than other dogs. Avoid Bathing Your Smelly Dog Too often If you bathe your dog a lot, you may want to DECREASE the frequency. Sometimes, too many baths can dry out a dog’s skin which can cause dermatitis (and smelly fur). Over-cleaning can cause the dog’s skin to compensate for dryness by producing even more oils. Worse, dogs can be

What to Do When You Experience Allergic Reactions

We can all experience Allergic Reactions to ingredients even when they are natural. These reactions can be real allergies or sensitivities. You can be born with them, they can develop over time and sometimes they can disappear. Often people believe that they experiencing an allergic reaction when trying a baking soda based deodorant. This isn’t accurate. Track Possible Allergens If you experience a reaction to any product made by me or anyone else, I strongly recommend writing down the ingredient list. Often it only takes a few ingredient lists to narrow down the possible culprit. Taking a picture of the

Doing Our Best to Protect the Earth

Ziryab’s only uses organic sustainable palm oil and palm kernel oil. I believe in supporting the existing sustainable and organic palm industry. Switching to another tropical vegetable oil can simply move the problem to another area of the world. At this time, no North American oil can compete for quality, application or low environmental impact. And environmentalists have so well brought focus to the palm oil industry that the organic and sustainable certification has become well supervised. This is making the industry more environmentally competitive and trustworthy. Palm Oil is found in soap so often because it makes a wonderful

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