I've been told by many people in the military community that they missed out on our Black Friday- Cyber Monday Sales because it was in the middle of a pay period! 

Don't worry guys I have a plan for that!! If you or your spouse is in the military please fill out the form below! I will email you a secret coupon this week & let you know what I have planned! 

**PS I'm using the honor system here! 

--Much Love!

~~Jessica Kellaway 
Founder HBC Organics 

I want to start this post off saying that I wasn't paid for this post. It was quite simple to do my research for this post as well, I'm not a scientist or a chemist. I'm just a mom & owner of a skin care company. For those of you who don't know, I created and run HBC Organics (formerly known as Healthy by Choice). My skin care line is all natural, organic, chemical free, & cruelty free. I take pride in what I do. 

I started making skin care products in 2011. My fiance (at the time-- he now has graduated to being my husband) and I were broke. We literally had about $25 in our bank account. I remember coming across an email from my nutrition school about a simple and easy recipe to make your own soap. I have always had extremely sensitive skin and couldn't use many of the commercial products on the market. I spent quite a bit of money for soaps and lotions that made my skin dry, flaky, and would even give me mysterious rashes that even stumped my doctors. I looked in our bank account and made a spur of the moment decision. I bought the ingredients to make basic soap. I ended up with 10 bars. I sold 9 of the 10 bars and had enough to make another 10 bars. Eventually I started experimenting with making moisturizer and scrubs. It took me a long time to "get it right", but when I did-- there was no stopping me!Once I became a mom, I became pretty passionate in making chemical free baby products for parents-- there always seems to be articles online and on the news talking about a recall of some baby lotion or rash cream- when you don't use chemicals, you don't usually have that problem. Here I am today, 5 years later making orders for people all over the world. 

I thought soaps would put me on the map, but it was soaps & infinity balm that really helped me make a name for myself. 

Someone asked the other day, "What is the difference between your products and say a lotion at Bath & Body Works, I've always bought my lotions from there." My first answer was "The list of ingredients. My products don't contain many ingredients at all. The ingredients don't contain chemicals that could cause your skin more harm than good." She asked me to name a few and I couldn't off the top of my head. So today, I took a moment and walked into Bath & Body Works, bought a bottle of their Warm Vanilla Sugar lotion, figuring it was a similar scent to my Madagascar Vanilla. Then I came home to write this article for you!

I was shocked when I counted 31 ingredients in their lotion. I paid $5.30 for a 3 ounce bottle of lotion. You can view the list of ingredients below, along with some side effects that have been found. I use a website called "Skin Deep", this is a common website used by crafters and people who do what I do for a quick reference. It contains studies of ingredients and their effects! 

Before you look over these ingredients

I want to say this--

Having a large amount of ingredients in your product DOES NOT make it a bad product-- as long as those ingredients aren't synthetic chemicals. My body butters contain at most 5 ingredients and as little as 3 (when you order unscented). I don't play games & neither should the stores that people trust to make a good skin care product! Also if you are new to this-- if you can't pronounce an ingredient don't eat it or put it on your skin. Stay away from parabens- they mess with the endocrine system. Parabens act as synthetic estrogen. Ladies-- hormone problems?? hormone issues?? hmm.. lets stay away from that mmk?? 

I provide a source with each ingredient so you can read further and read about the studies! Happy investigating! Also let me know what you think!! 

Share this article with your friends! You never know who you might inspire or help! HBC Organics prides itself on using simple ingredients to get maximum effect. We stand behind our body butters and other products 110%! Try it and you'll never go back-- I promise! 

Who would you like to see me take on next? I might take on Lush! 

There was a time when my husband didn't want anything to do with my natural lifestyle. He had told me countless times that he really admired that I could make soap from a minimum of three ingredients but he just wasn't too sure about everything else. 

I distinctly remember a few years back when we lived on a lake. I had fallen down the stairs that lead to said lake. The first thing I said was "Honey will you grab the arnica out of my purse.. my leg is already looking like it might bruise." He rolled his eyes but grabbed my arnica anyways. I took it and my leg no longer looked as though it was going to bruise. "Coincidence", he said as he watched me examine my leg about twenty minutes after taking it. I remember rolling my eyes at him and going about my day. 

Things got even more interesting when I hosted an essential oil and flower remedy class that his parents proudly came to in order to show me support. I have to take a minute to shout out to my in-laws. When my husband was stationed in Florida for a year, I wasn't able to live with him. They worked very hard, overtime, to be supportive since their son wasn't able to be around. They came to almost every class I had! Well at the essential oil and flower remedy class, his parents both got their very own blend of essential oils & a blend of flower remedies. Well the green eyed jealousy monster got a hold of Thomas when his mom and dad proudly told him about their special "potions". 

A couple of years ago, when we moved to Virginia, Thomas' little jealous monster crept up again when his mom was talking about how her warts on her hand were gone ever since she used the flower remedy blend and the essential oil blends I made her. I remember my husband, a man of about 24 at the time, looking like a toddler. 

"When do I get some special potion?", he said to me as we were getting into bed that night. 

"What do you mean?", I asked. 

"Well you made my mom one, my dad one, my nieces one... Why don't I get something?" 

I have to  admit, it felt good to be wanted. So ladies, if your husband isn't "into it" just give him some time.. maybe the jealous monster will bite him too! 

A few days later, my husband started to get a cold. I offered him elderberry syrup but he insisted I make him something that was just for him. Something that was personal to exactly what he was dealing with. He had woken up with thick mucus in his chest that he couldn't get coughed up. It's amazing how he was fine one day and then sick the next!  I decided to make him "Super Cold Medicine" that was just for him. He actually still has it and takes a shot (shot glass full) whenever he is feeling off and it works wonders for him! It breaks up congestion in his chest, stops him from coughing, and makes him feel better in many ways! 

I'm partial to fire cider & elderberry syrup, but Thomas prefers HIS  special blend! So here is the recipe to Thomas' Super Cold Medicine!

Ingredients:
2-3 Cinnamon Sticks (I use these kind)
1 Inch Ginger Root
1 Tbsp Allspice (I use this kind)
3-4 Cloves Fresh Garlic
1 Organic Lemon
2 Inches of Horseradish Root
1 Small Beet (chopped)
1/2 Cup Honey (Raw or Regular)
1/4  Cup RAW Honey (If you can't get local, I get this kind)
1/4 Cup Elderberry Syrup (make your own or get my kit here)
1 Cup Bourbon 
About 2 Cups of Water

Directions:
1. Take the above ingredients except for the second bit of honey & elderberry syrup,  in a sauce pan and cover with water, then cook on low for about 2 hours. This can be done in a crock pot on low or you can do it on the stove, whichever works best for you. 
2. Strain the liquid & solids. Put the liquid back in the sauce pan. Add 1 Cup Raw honey & Mix. 1/4 Cup Elderberry Syrup & Mix. Pour into a glass container. I add 1 Cup Bourbon to Thomas'. 
3. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator.