The Founder of Ellis Brooklyn On Scent Memories, Perfume + Her Iconic Neighborhood

A good brand is a reflection of it's maker, and we love getting to know the people behind our favorite clean food and beauty brands. Bee Shapiro is the thoughtful and stylish founder of Ellis Brooklyn. I wear her RROSE almost every day (think musk, peony, rhubarb -- and rose).

If you've not yet switched to a clean perfume, this is your reminder to give it some thought. Scent is one of the least regulated personal care products or ingredients and, as something you wear every day, it should be high up your priority list for a non-toxic swap. I find that so many people switch to cleaner products category by category. If that's you, note that your perfume should be one of the first things you address. Learn the full story HERE.

Meet Bee below, and get inspired as we chat scent memories, perfumes and her favorite Brooklyn haunts...

Meet Bee Shapiro of Ellis Brooklyn...

Describe Ellis Brooklyn in a nutshell. We're an innovative fragrance company with modern values.

Favorite product from Ellis Brooklyn: MYTH is the fragrance I created for myself and it still is my hands down favorite. It's not a scent that screams at you. It's a subtle white musk that lingers and invites you to come a little closer.

First scent memory: The smell of snow! We had moved from Taiwan to Seattle and I distinctly remember my first experience with snow on Mt. Rainier. There's a picture of me somewhere hugging a huge snow chunk.

Favorite scents in general: I still love the smell of first snow. I also love the smell of baking and home—anything vanilla or chocolate. I love the crisp air on the mountains at the start of a ski day, or on the polar opposite, the smell of sunscreen with salty skin. If we're talking perfumes, then I love bergamot and vetiver. They are two magical ingredients that I can't get enough of.

Best way to make perfume last: The best way is to prep with an oil or super hydrating base. I like to think of it as self-pampering your skin before putting on scent. It makes perfume more of a pleasurable ritual. I've always thought of scent as deeply tied to pleasure so I try to incorporate as many sensorial elements as I can to the entire experience.

What I've learned in clean beauty so far: It's not easy! There are reasons why beauty brands have done it one way for a long time. There are cost reasons but also stability, expected performance and more. It's a battle for clean beauty brands to go against the grain of this.

What I've learned launching my own brand: As they grow, brands take on a life of their own. What you planned for and thought your brand was going to be isn't necessarily exactly how it turns out. It's very much like a child in that way. I like to call Ellis Brooklyn my third kid actually!

Fave brands/products in the space: Lately, I've been wearing our MYTH body oil and fragrance but I also really love SWEET and VANILLA MILK recently. I'm on a gourmand scent kick.

Three keys people should know about clean fragrance: Natural light notes like citruses are not meant to last all day. We've been trained that some fresh notes should last all day. If they are clean ingredients, they shouldn't.

Clean fragrance to us is not a debate between natural or synthetic. The truth is, with what we can do in the lab today, the categorization between natural and lab-created is a spectrum. A lot of naturally-derived or synthetic ingredients are more sustainable and sometimes also safer. Natural does not mean safe or non-irritating. A natural fragrance ingredient often has more allergens.

Game changing skincare/beauty products: We launched the face cream of my dreams lately—it's called Satisfying Skin Caring Moisturizer because it's extremely pleasing to use—and I layer that over a serum. I like the SkinBetter Science Even Tone Serum or the Glo Skin Beauty EGF Drops that my dermatologist Dendy Engelman helped formulate. I'm a big fan of the Omorovicza Ultramoor Mud Mask. I recently tried the Ultraceuticals face wash and it's brilliant—cleansing but not drying.

Top clean makeup picks: The Westman Atelier blushes and highlighters are so pretty. I use the Peau de Peche Super Loaded Highlighter all the time. Saie has gorgeous skin-enhancing products like their tinted SPF and the Glowy Super Gel. I use the gel on the tops of my cheeks and cupid's bow. With the dry winter weather, I've been reaching for Ilia's Balmy Lip Oil— so hydrating and not sticky at all.

Tell us why you included Brooklyn in the name: I was living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn when I founded the line and it was a certain era in time in Williamsburg then. New York has so many pockets of culture and action happening and each one of those has an era and timing as well. For me, so much of Ellis Brooklyn is still inspired by that moment in time. There were so many entrepreneurs. There were also writers, photographers, DJs, models, parents, kids and more. It wasn't this super young neighborhood. It was a neighborhood of very successful creatives, many of whom were top of their field.

Fave Brooklyn haunts: Brooklyn has so many spots now! I still love Lilia (shown above) on a cold night for a cozy pasta meal. Rule of Thirds is newer, but just transportive. Hotel Delmano is still where I like to go best for a cocktail.

Best gift ideas this year: I'll be gifting our gorgeous scented candles wherever I go this season. I also love gifting subscriptions because there's a little reminder each month that's coming from you. As we get older, I find it's tougher with everyone's busy schedules to stay in touch. I'll be gifting wine subscriptions to Matthiasson, a woman-owned winery that's a sustainability leader, monthly donations for a year to the Well/Beings Charity to save the Mangroves, and also the Goldbelly 3-month subscription that sends something yummy from some top food places. Wine, delicious food and amazing scent, plus a nod to mother nature is my gifting theme.

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Set Yourself Up For The New Year With Adriana Ayales’ Cosmic Herbalism Workshop

YOu froth up an adaptogenic latte, check your horoscope, and ground yourself in a quiet moment before the day begins. Sound familiar? If you’re anything like us, you are pretty familiar with your sun, rising and moon signs. And you’ve probably amassed more than a few herbs and plants in your go-to rituals and home remedies. But did you realize that those two things are deeply connected?

Anima Mundi’s Cosmic Herbalism Workshop

One of our most trusted herbalists, Adriana Ayales—a stunning woman based in Costa Rica and New York City—has created an online course to help us discover the history of medicinal astrology and cosmic herbalism. Healing plants and astrological phenomena? Sounds like a fantastic Sunday afternoon if you ask us.

In her workshop, Cosmic Herbalism, Adriana shares the principles of aligning medicinal plants with the sacred energy of their governing planets to create powerful herbal remedies. During the online series you’ll discover the correlation between plants, planets, and body systems (herbs governed by the sun, for example, are supportive of cardiovascular function, our immune system, and assist with anxiety, depression, resilience and adaptability) and learn practical advice on how you can formulate herbal remedies at home.

If you’re as obsessed with learning about how everything is connected—body, mind, spirit, nature—as we are, you’ll be excited to take your love of astrology and herbs to the next level. Hosted by the founder of New York's Anima Mundi Apothecary, here are all the details…

The 7-part Workshop series: Cosmic Herbalism is designed to teach you about the correlation between plant and planet archetypes, how they’re connected to our body systems, and how you can apply this knowledge to your daily life with functional herbal formulas, this series is fully online, so you can watch and re-watch at your own pace!

The Courses: Each module is focused on a planetary archetype and the corresponding herbs and body systems. Session 1 begins with the Sun, followed by the Moon, then Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and ending with Saturn and the trans-Saturnian planets:

Sun — Vitality, sovereignty, rejuvenation, and immunity
Moon — Pineal and pituitary glands, emotions, digestive system, intuition, and dreams
Mercury — Mental clarity, communication, and nervous system function
Venus — Kidneys, lymphatic and reproductive systems, harmony, and love
Mars — Muscular system, motor nerves, adrenaline, ego, independence, energy, and strength
Jupiter — Joy, longevity, immunity, liver function, higher wisdom, and vitality
Saturn and the trans-saturnian planets, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto — Bones, skin, gallbladder, endurance, and discipline

The Host: Adriana Ayales is a clinical and rainforest herbalist based in Costa Rica. She’s also the founder of our go-to apothecary in New York City (and online for all the delicious powders and tinctures), Anima Mundi. Get to know her philosophy and best herbalism tips here as we sat down with Adriana to learn more about her practice, products, and her morning routine.

The Products: When you purchase the workshop you’ll also receive a 20% off discount to use at Anima Mundi. You’ll find amazing formulas to correspond with, and expand on, what you’ve learned. Plus, the bulk section will provide you with all the ingredients to build your own at-home apothecary and create herbal formulas to harmonize imbalances in the body, mind, and spirit.

Join Adriana's Cosmic Herbalism Workshop

...and set yourself up for a grounded and balanced season ahead. Explore the full workshop series and learn more about the offering on the Workshop registration page HERE.

You can learn more, share with a friend to take the course together, or gift the course to a friend who is passionate about astrology, herbalism and being in tune with the seasons. Remember, the courses can be enjoyed at any time and don't require a fixed schedule!

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The Chalkboard Mag and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All material on The Chalkboard Mag is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise or other health-related programs.

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Do You Know The Health Benefits of Infrared Saunas?

 SWEATING IS ONE of our bodies’ smartest detox tools. That’s one of the reasons why we’ve been big fans of infrared saunas for years. Recently sauna bars have popped up all over LA and NYC and at-home saunas are the home design perk du jour. Even so, most of us are still in the process of catching on to their many benefits.  

Infrared saunas harness the penetrating power of infrared light to heat and heal our bodies on a deep level. In this guide, Laurentine Ten Bosch shares her guide to getting all the benefits of infrared saunas. She’ll give advice on everything from how to pick a sauna that suits you to the health perks of regular use. And we've added one of our top picks for at-home infrared....

Growing up in Holland, sauna was a big part of my family’s life. In cooler months we would share time sweating it out together as a family. Then we’d cool off with a cold shower or dip in the pool. (It was winter, remember and I recall my brother Otto checking the water temperature one day and it was 16 degrees Celsius / 60 Fahrenheit!). It was a fun time to connect as a family. It’s still a ritual I love to continue whenever I find myself with access to a sauna.

Getting hot and sweaty might not be your idea of fun. When it comes to your health, however, sweating it out might be just what you need. Saunas are a great way to rid your body of unwanted toxins and heavy metals such as mercury and lead. They can also increase your circulation, relieve unwanted pain, assist in weight loss and purify your skin. Not a bad result for half an hour of sitting down right? 

 There are a myriad of sauna variants available. This means it can be hard to know the difference between traditional, steam and infrared saunas and their associated health benefits. Fear not, however, we’ve put in the sweaty work for you. 

Which Sauna Suits Me? 

 The dawn of the new millennium has seen the rise of a range of sauna variants. We have therefore broken down the benefits of traditional saunas vs infrared saunas. Traditional saunas use temperatures as high as 85 to 95 degrees Celsius (185 to 203 degrees Fahrenheit). This can be quite uncomfortable for some people. By contrast, infrared saunas use a much milder temperature environment from 48 – 58 degrees Celsius (118 to 136 degrees Celsius). The real value, however, lies within – literally. The heat of the infrared sauna travels much deeper into the body. This produces a more vigorous sweat at a lower temperature. 

In short the deeper the heat can penetrate into your body the more effective it can be at drawing out toxins and bringing them to the surface to be expelled through your sweat. When you follow this with a cold shower (or plunge in icy cold water for the fun!) you push the warm blood back into the core of your body. It can then go to work again and draw more toxins back to the surface. I personally like to do this 2-3 times each in a sauna session.

The HigherDOSE Full Spectrum Infrared Sauna is the one of the hottest on the market – literally. The sauna is made with low EMF carbon heaters raising the temperature inside a state-of-the-art Red Canadian Cedar unit with a chic black exterior. The brand's patented technology includes Full Spectrum infrared, Carbon/Ceramic Heaters, low EMF, and chromotherapy. You can meet the founder of Higher Dose in our interview HERE.

7 Health Benefits of Infrared Saunas 

 DETOXIFICATION: through assisting in sweat production which is one of the primary means of detoxification for our bodies. 

PAIN RELIEF: through relaxing your muscles and alleviating muscle aches and inflammation. 

WEIGHT LOSS: as the heat generated by the sauna will cause your core temperature to increase, so will your heart rate which will work harder to lower your core temperature – effectively burning more calories. 

SKIN PURIFICATION: through sweating, we allow our pores to open up and detoxify our body’s largest organ – our skin. This, in turn, allows our body to flush out any impurities our body had accumulated. 

 IMPROVED CIRCULATION: as the heat from infrared saunas increases your core body temperature your circulation will increase along with it. 

 BACK PAIN RELIEF: a study conducted with 50 patients identified using an infrared sauna assisting in significant relief from back pain. 

 ALLEVIATING ARTHRITIS PAIN: Infrared treatments have been linked to providing significant relief for arthritis and stiffness within the body. 

Additionally, the benefits of heat conditioning can also extend to the cells within our body. Studies have shown that inducing heat-shock proteins can keep components of the cells functioning longer. This helps to prevent damage by scavenging free radicals and increasing cellular antioxidants like glutathione. Heat-shock proteins can even help with muscle gain by imitating cardiovascular exercise.

TCM Editor's Picks: The Higher Dose Infrared Sauna 

 The Wrap Up 

 It’s hard to say whether you will experience all the health claims associated with infrared saunas. There is, however, a lot of evidence to suggest that it will do you good. If nothing else, having a sauna is a great way to unwind, de-stress and recover from work, training or a long-haul flight. 

 Don’t feel guilty for taking some ‘me time’. Book yourself a sauna session and reap the myriad of benefits of this detoxifying and relaxing activity. Check out this article from the pros at Steam Shower Store for 12 helpful tips of how to make the most of the experience. 

Read Next: Here's Why We're Obsessed With Higher Dose's Infrared Sauna Blanket

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Chocolate-Dipped Almond Cookies With Coffee Filling (Vegan + Gluten-Free)

Whipping up our first cookie batch of the season always makes things feel official!

These glamorous, coffee cream-filled cookies are vegan and gluten-free from Solla Eiríksdóttir's new Vegan at Home: Recipes for a Modern Plant-Based Lifestyle. They're really fun to make and even more fun to present for a holiday party. We suggest using Miyoko's vegan butter for these to avoid processed palm and soy oils. You can also make your own -- we're sharing Solla's recipe from the book soon!

Here are the author's notes...

When looking for a small portion of an elegant dessert, this is a perfect one for a special occasion. I’ve always loved Sarah Bernhardt cookies, and it was a challenge to make a vegan version with my own twist: an almond base with a light butter coffee and cocoa filling and a chocolate coating. You don’t have to make everything from scratch as you can buy the vegan butter and ready-made almond flour in most large grocery stores (supermarkets). These cookies will keep in the refrigerator for up to 10 days or in the freezer for up to 6–9 months.

Chocolate-Dipped Almond Cookies With Coffee Filling

(Vegan + Gluten-Free)
Prep time: 1 hour, plus 30–60 minutes chilling and 10 minutes cooling
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serving Size: Makes 15

Ingredients:
For the base...
2 cups almond flour
½ cup maple syrup
2 tbsp almond butter
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp sea salt flakes

For the filling...
2¼ sticks plus 2 tsp cold vegan butter of your choice, cut into cubes
1½ cups icing sugar
¼ cup minus 1 tsp cacao powder
½ tsp instant coffee powder
¼ tsp sea salt flakes

For the coating...
11 oz vegan semisweet chocolate (at least 70% cocoa), chopped

Directions:
1. Begin by making the cookie base. Put all the ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix at medium speed for 30–60 seconds until it comes together into a sticky dough. Alternatively, mix with electric beaters in a bowl.
2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour or in the freezer for 30 minutes.
3. To make the filling, put the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
4. Add the icing sugar, cacao powder, coffee powder, and sea salt and beat it at medium speed for 2–3 minutes until smooth. Alternatively, mix with electric beaters in a bowl.
5. Transfer the filling to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or in the freezer for 30 minutes.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
7. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces, around 1 oz each. Wet your hands and roll each piece into a ball, then flatten it between your palms. It should be 2 inches in diameter and ½ inch thick.
9. Bake for 8–10 minutes until lightly golden. Do not overbake. They should have an almost paper-thin crust and be soft inside.
10. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a plate, cover with a clean dish towel, and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
11. For the coating, melt the chocolate. Pour 2 inches of water into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.
12. Put the chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl, then set the bowl on top of the pan, making sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and stir occasionally while the chocolate melts.
13. To finish, put a generous tablespoon of filling onto a cookie base in a dome shape, then dip it into the melted chocolate and place on a serving plate. Continue until all the cookies are covered with filling and coated in chocolate. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready for serving or freeze and defrost before using.

TKTKT Photography © 2022 by Hildur Ársælsdóttir. Reproduced by permission of Phaidon

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Our Men’s Holiday Gift Guide: 13 Things He’ll Actually Love This Year

Some of the men in your life might prefer the body serum in our Skincare Gift Guide to the Yeti in our guide below. We'll let you make that call.

From tech that'll uplevel your lifestyle to classic socks and athleisure he'll actually use everyday, here are our top picks for men's holiday gifts in 2022...

13 Holiday Gift Ideas He’ll Actually Love

Yeti Roadie Cooler | Everyone from the beach bum to the long commuter will appreciate Yeti's perfectly-sized cooler (nearly a perfect 20 inch cube). A retractable handle, wheels, and a few great color options make this a classic gift they won't expect, but be so grateful to have on hand.

Sonos Adventure Set | For the one who can never be without their playlists, this speaker set from Sonos make the perfect gift. Use them indoor-outdoor for a pool party, get the kitchen tunes cranking, or create a fluid environment from bedroom to home office in the AM. Pick a color that'll blend in to their home environment.

Uvex Skyper Blue Light Blocking Computer Glasses | With wrap around sunglasses blazing back into fashion quicker than any of us were ready for, these Uvex blue-light blockers are the gift to give this year. If you're going to block blue light, why not really block it with these dorky, but amazing lenses that wrap all the way around. Orange lenses reduce eye fatigue and help you to sleep better at night (once you finally put away all the screens).

Outerknown Cashmere Beanie | Surfer Kelly Slater launched Outerknown to make the kinds of swim trunks and durable clothing he wanted to wear himself. Everything is responsibly-made and easy to wear for anyone who loves to spend time surfing, lounging or camping -- the ultimate California brand. We picked this cashmere beanie because it's an easy win and something he may not splurge on himself!

Igloo Rolling Cooler | Okay, yes, there are actually two coolers in our men's gift guide, but we feel they both have a place in your life. This huge 70 quart cooler features giant wheels that'll help you wheel this thing through the beach, camp ground or stadium asphalt like a dream. The handle holds an overly-fancy named "butler tray" that fits inside the lid when you're through and there are all kinds of handy features like the small storage bin up front and several bottle openers in back.

The North Face Waterproof Boots | The North Face's Back-To-Berkeley III Sport Boots are sustainable, waterproof, and pretty great looking. The knit ankle collar make these comfortable enough for running around the city or perfect for all your road trip plans.

Todd Snyder Ribbed Crew Socks | Socks like these belong in every dad's wardrobe. They also make a great gift for any male significant other (so you can steal them back on long days at home).

Vuori Sherpa Jacket | Something new to throw on for coffee runs and the like. We love a bit of cozy sherpa and so will he.  Vuori makes this pullover in a few classic colors that are bound to match his broad collection of sweat pants.

Vuori sunday Performance Jogger | Vuori's joggers also made an appearance in our last men's sustainable fashion guide. They're men's athleisure perfection with a comfortable fit and slim ankle that'll let you operate with ease.

Theragun Mini | Also in our Wellness Gift Guide this year, percussive recovery tools make incredible gifts for those who lift or who simply engage in sports or outdoor activities of any kind. The Mini will run you just $150 (if you read this Cyber Monday!) and doesn't come with as many attachments as it's larger counterpart, but we think you'll get a ton of use out of it regardless!

Kodak Pocket Projector | This projector is an unexpected gift that opens up a ton of possibilities. Project your favorite shows anywhere while you travel, host movie nights in the backyard, or throw it in your pocket to project a presentation in any meeting. 
Beard King Beard Apron | One of our male team members told us that this odd-looking gift idea was a life-changer for him last year. Pop it on while shaving or beard-trimming to save thirty minutes of meticulously cleaning that bathroom vanity!

Lunya Men’s Travel Kit | Lunya makes some of the coolest loungewear around this men's set is the ultimate gift if you have travel plans later this year. Soft organic Pima cotton essentials all come packed in this mesh bag, ready to go. Sadly, sold out at the of publish, watch for the restock or pick up a few of these basic on their own.

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Try This Routine: A 20-Minute Run Followed By This HIIT At Home

You don't need to spend an hour in a studio to get the perfect full-body burn. This at-home HIIT workout will tighten and tone all your areas in less than the time it would've taken to find parking for your class.

We recently picked up the perfect routine from Liz Smithers, the Kauai-based yogi behind Laka Living. As a business owner and mama, Liz's schedule is a busy one, and sometimes getting to a class just isn't in the cards. Instead of putting exercise to the wayside, she merely shifted her approach and created this incredibly dynamic full-body workout to do at home.

Before. you make your way through this routine, go for a 20-30 minute walk or jog and then do this HIIT workout once home...

Get That Heart-Rate Up

Follow with 4 rounds of:

1 min jumping jacks
30 sec high knees
10 jump squats
10 squats
10 lunge kicks
10 burpees 

Upper Body Strength Training

Followed by 3 rounds of:

20 shoulder taps
20 plank knee-to-chest circles
10 knee-to-elbow cranks
8 chatarunga pushups (knees down optional)
8 medicine ball pushups
15 tricep dips

Lower Body Strength Training

Followed by 2 rounds of: (ankle weights optional)

20 donkey kicks
20 donkey pulses
20 straight leg pulses
20 straight leg rainbows
20 fire hydrants
15 fire hydrant pulses
15 fire hydrant to straight leg

A Yoga Cool-Down

End with 1 round of:

10 breaths in down dog
10 breaths high lunge (R)
10 breaths warrior 1
10 breaths warrior 2
Three-legged dog to optional wild thing
Pigeon pose

Repeat on left to complete other side.*

Read Next: This Year's Most Popular Home Trend? The Garage-To-Gym Conversion You've Got To See

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6 Wellness Essentials We’re Stocking Up On From Anima Mundi’s Black Friday Weekend Sale (Plus A Couple of Gifts!)

IT’S THAT FUNNY time of year, where all of our favorite brands have their biggest sales of the year, and we wonder – do I stock up for myself or actually shop for gifts? The answer is always a bit of both, especially when we’re talking about 25% off an entire brand like Anima Mundi.

Anima Mundi, whose IRL store is in NYC, is an incredible resource for gifts they’ll never expect, but absolutely love. I’m personally hooked on the Dirty Rose Chai and Adaptogenic Immortality potions for my morning coffee, and will likely stock up on those, plus an extra for gifting!

Here are all my top picks from NYC’s top herbal apothecary. Shop Thursday through Mon midnight (PST) to catch 25% off everything!

DIRTY ROSE CHAI COLLAGEN POWDER | It’s not Dirty Rose Chai’s first time on our pages and it won’t be the last. This is probably the most chic wellness drink out there with pure and functional rose powder, plus a blend of warming, nourishing spices. A thrilling gift for any fall latte lover or chai drinker – so easy to make!

WOVEN BRASS TEA STRAINER | These beautiful brass tea strainers would be lovely to pull out of a stocking this year. The woven cup with handle is designed to perch perfectly on the edge of a mug or glass. An ideal gift for the loose leaf tea aficionado.

ADAPTOGENIC IMMORTALITY POWDER | I use this in my coffee nearly every day. With organic heirloom cacao powder and seven powerful mushrooms, this potion gives me a potent dose of antioxidants, plus cognitive, energy and immune benefits, while adding a rich flavor to lattes or black coffee that I love.

ROSE HEART OPENING POWDER | This stuff is so special and unique. If you have anyone in your life that is, like me, obsessed with rose, this is a must-buy. Did you know that roses have an exceptionally high vibrational frequency? These flowers are actually good vibes – and rose powder has a luxurious floral taste (rose hot cocoa, anyone?) that may support skin, eye and cardiovascular health.

BUTTERFLY PEA POWDER | One of the most beautiful herbal potions around, butterfly pea flower powder can be used to turn food and drink a brilliant blue (or purple with a splash of lemon!).

Called Anchan tea in Ayurvedic tradition, butterfly pea flower contains many of the same health-promoting compounds you’d expect from foods like blueberries. According to herbalist Adriana Ayales, butterfly pea flower tea is also used traditionally for healthy-looking skin, hair and eyes.

ADRIANA’S NEW ORACLE DECK | The Herbal Astrology Oracle is a mystical card deck designed to amplify our intuitive and energetic knowledge. Harnessing the powerful connection between the wisdom of plants and their astrological correlates, this 55-card deck is already selling out with Anima Mundi’s hardcore fan base.

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A Beautiful Galette To Make With All Those Leftover Food Scraps

Chef and founder of west~bourne, Camilla Marcus has a passion for cooking 'from seed to stem' in order to reduce waste. She is also a co-founder of ROAR (Restaurants Organizing Advocating Rebuilding) and a founding member of the IRC (Independent Restaurant Coalition).

This beautiful galette from Camilla is simpler to make than it appears and puts all those leftover veggies from Thanksgiving (or any big dinner!) to good use. What a wonderful way to reduce your food waste this season...

A Galette Recipe for Thanksgiving Food Scraps

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups leftover vegetables, shaved
⅔ cup refined avocado oil, plus 1 tbsp for vegetables
1 cup water
1 bag west~bourne House Pie Crust Mix
2 tbsp rice flour
1 egg
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
(optional) west~bourne Pistachio Dukkah

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place west~bourne House Pie Crust Mix into a bowl with ⅔ cup refined avocado oil (or oil of your choice) and stir until combined.
3. Add 1 cup of water, one tablespoon at a time, to form the mixture into a ball. Remove the ball of dough from the bowl and place it on a clean surface. One dough ball makes two pie crusts; cut the ball in half and form each half into discs.
4. Wrap each disc with parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up-to 2 days (you can freeze it for up to 3 months).
5. Slice vegetable scraps with a mandolin until you have 1½ cups shaved vegetables and combine with 1 tbsp refined avocado oil, and 2 tbsp rice flour in a bowl with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate.
6. On parchment paper to prevent sticking, roll dough into a flat round circle about 12 inches in diameter (don’t worry about the rough edges). Make sure not to roll it too thin (should be about ½ inch thick and not transparent). Slide the parchment paper with the crust onto a large baking sheet.

7. Starting from the middle, cover the galette crust with grated gruyere cheese leaving about 1-2 inches untouched around the edge.
8. Layer the shaved vegetables directly on top of the cheese so it’s covered.
9. Fold over the edges of the dough inch by inch, just over the vegetables, so they are tucked in tightly.
10. Make an egg wash with the egg and 1 tbsp of water. Brush the folded-over dough with the egg wash and sprinkle west~bourne Pistachio Dukkah over the crust edge.
11. Bake the crust for 15-17 minutes until the crust is golden. Carefully slide the parchment paper onto a wire rack (or over your stove top with the burner turned off) to cool before serving.
12. Once cool, remove the parchment paper and garnish with a fresh green salad or any herbs of choice.

Read Next: 9 Healthy Thanksgiving Leftovers Ideas From Cranberry Oats To Stuffed Shrooms

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The Best Gifts for Wellness Lovers According To Our Editors

Our readers don't joke around when it comes to living well. Wellness is a lifestyle and, if we do it right, it can be pretty fun. The initial disciplines of detoxing our homes, taking supplements and sticking to sweat sessions, often become total passions as we begin to feel the fruits of all our efforts.

Whether a devoted reader sent you this link as a shoppable wish list or you're about to shoot it out to Santa yourself, we've got a few things in mind we think that any of our hardcore readers will love...

11 Gifts For The Wellness Obsessed

Nama J2 Cold Press Juicer | (Shown above) As far as we're concerned this is the Goldilocks of juicers. The Nama is a "slow" juicer, meaning it extracts the maximum quality of nutrients from your ingredients without damaging them. You can pile in your ingredients and it'll run on it's own until you're ready to pour, and 's effortless to clean. We wern't sure what to expect when we first tried Nama, but now we recommend it to everyone. It's the easiest juicer out there and removes all our excuses for whipping up a tall glass of greens!

Bala Weighted Bangles | (Shown above) This is how you reinvent a category. Bala makes the prettiest weighted workout bangles out there, making workouts a bit more fun to slip into. Find a gorgeous color they'll love and check out their weighted bar and other pretty tools too. The perfect gift for your anyone who enjoys working out at home.

WTHN Ear Seeds Kit | Ear seeding is a fun and accessible way to explore acupressure. There are many pressure points in the ear, and these crystal and gold-plated seeds promise to reduce stress, relieve pain, restore hormonal balance and more when applied to the proper places. Learn more. 

Higher Dose Full Spectrum Infrared Sauna | It's become less and less unusual to find that an LA friend has a walk-in sauna at home. Sweating away in one of these beauties is the ultimate wellness ritual, helping the body to detox and melting away stress as you swelter. Higher Dose's step-in sauna will set you back -- a delightful splurge for anyone looking to make their home a haven of health. For a smaller investment -- and for smaller spaces -- you can grab Higher Dose's sauna blanket instead!

Medterra functional CBD gummy sampler | Have a friend who is passionate about wellness, but not sure exactly what they're into? CBD gummies are a pretty safe bet.

There's a reason this incredible stuff has trended so hard without fading. CBD has a cumulative effect on our health, and helps us deal with concerns of the moment too -- from stress to sleep. Medterra's gift set includes 45 of their best-selling gummies: Sleep Tight, Keep Calm, and Focus. Each gummy contains a blend of functionally-supportive ingredients like ashwagandha for calm and l-theanine for focus!

Theragun Massage Gun | Percussive recovery tools have become a huge market, and Theragun started it all. We met with Theragun's founder back at. launch and found his mission compelling, but the product really speaks for itself. It may look intimidating at first, but a few rounds of Theragun massage on a tight quad or up and down the back and you'll wonder how you lived without it.
Ritual Multivitamin Subscription | Ritual makes one of the most responsibly-made multis out there and a year subscription will be delivered to your giftee's door for a full year! The gift of not having to think about this basic health staple for 12 months is priceless. Pick up a subscription for yourself while you're at it.

Seed DS-01™ Daily Synbiotic Subscription | Seed is the probiotic that changed the game for so many of us. The beautifully-packaged brand is on a mission to help people understand the profound promise of probiotics, reaching far beyond gut health alone. The proof is in the pudding, so to speak: most Seed users we know report better digestion, less bloating and healthier-looking skin.

Muse 2 Meditation Headset | Emotional and mental health are being talked about and prioritized more than ever now, and we applaud it. The Muse headset makes a great gift to unwrap the 25th and fuss with through New Year's to assist you in better meditations. Several of our most trusted pros have recommended the Muse. Meditations include sounds of nature for calm, guided rhythms for the heart, paced breathwork, and more.

AeroPilates Pro Reformer | The at-home fitness craze boomed in 2020 and doesn't show any signs of slowing down. Start a pilates practice with your own reformer and link up with any number of online course offerings. If you love visiting a studio each week, use a reformer at home to amp up those days in between.

Crystal Singing Bowls |  It's easy to understand the connection between music and well-being, but singing bowls take this to the next level. The ever-popular "sound bath" has become a mainstay in restorative yoga classes and even social events. Gift someone mindful of the need for inner and outer harmony with the incredible gift of their own set of bowls. Each one resonates at a different frequency, allowing the user to enjoy a number of resonating tones that have to be experienced to be understood.

Read Next: The 12 Best Gifts For Clean Beauty Lovers Obsessed With Good Skin

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The 12 Best Gifts For Clean Beauty Lovers Obsessed with Good Skin

Our line-upof topical gift guides for 2022 would not be complete without a skincare and clean beauty list!

When it comes to skincare and makeup, gifting can be tough. Most of us are particular about what we use and matching someone to the right products for their skin type is tricky.

We've found a dozen gifts that we think would thrill most clean beauty devotees we know -- especially when it comes to the six skincare tools included! We want to find all of these beneath the tree this year...

The 12 Best Clean Beauty Gifts For Good Skin Obsessees

MANICURIST PARIS | Finally, a clean alternative to that gel manicure! See our full write-up on the French beauty kit -- we've been waiting for a clean mani like this for ages!

JILLIAN DEMPSEY Gold Bar | A ton of celebs with great skin -- and an urgent need to depuff while on set -- swear by this gently vibrating skincare tool by Jillian Dempsey. The Gold Bar makes a great gift for the woman who has everything.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare FaceWare Pro Set | Every skincare pro we talk to swears by red light therapy. Dr. Dennis Gross light mask is the gold standard for evening tone and reducing wrinkles. This custom kit from Sephora comes with 3 of the brand's most powerful full-sized skincare products.

THE NUE CO. Growth Phase HAIR SUPPLEMENTS | We're obsessed with The Nue Co. for their chic and potent nutritional supplements. Their Growth Phase supplements are clinically proven to reduce breakage and shedding by over 75% after a few months. 

BIOEFFECT EGF BODY SERUM | This Icelandic skincare brand has cracked the code on a plant-based version of the human protein, EGF. This serum-weight body treatment is the ultimate for treating and preventing aging skin. An incredible gift they'll by multiple times over!

ONE LOVE ORGANICS SCRUB AND MASK | One Love Organics makes some of the most tried and true clean skincare out there. Brand New Day is a best-selling facial that'll get you glowing at home. Don't overlook the power of a low tech, creamy exfoliant like this one as a bi-weekly routine for smooth, clear, vibrant skin!

C & THE MOON BODY SCRUB | You can learn more about C&The Moon's founder, Carson in all our stories with the doula here. Thanks to the inevitable Kardashian effect, this body scrub has become a mainstay nation-wide and is beloved by other celebs like Tracy Anderson for it's effectiveness and light moisturizing sheen.

DERMAFLASH DERMAPORE Ultrasonic | Skincare obsession? Don't sleep on Dermaflash's DermaPore! This ultrasonic device is a dream for those who obsess over their pores. Using a unique, high-tech method, DermaPore actually releases gunk from the pores for the cleanest skin ever -- and a super-satisfying facial experience.

WILDLING AURA COLLECTION | Yes, we're still big fans of gua sha! This set from Wildling will get you started on two of the most popular wellness and skincare trends of our time: body brushing and gua sha. We love this set so much, we've purchased it for several friends.

GLOW RECIPE SET - HEY, YOU YOU'RE GLOWING | Korean beauty brands are still an incredible resource for translucent, dewy skin. Our team has been obsessed with their light and dewy Watermelon Glow products for years. This set let's you try both the Toner and the Niacinamide Drops.

ZIIP NANO CURRENT DEVICE | Microcurrent facials are on our shortlist of transformative skincare routines these days. This splurge-worthy tool will visibly lift and firm skin before special events -- with regular use, you'll see that lift stick!

DR. DENNIS GROSS Daily Peel Pads | Two last simple skincare gifts they'll love you for introducing them to. These daily peel pads are transformative for dull, congested or wrinkling skin. A daily swipe helps create major glow and eradicate light breakouts. If you have sensitive skin, you may want to avoid this one.

DRUNK ELEPHANT Anti-Pollution Bronzing Drops | Another no-fail clean skincare brand, Drunk Elephant's Bronzing Drops are one of Sephora's most popular clean products! The serum delivers a nourishing and protective dose of skincare along with a bronzing effect that's incredibly flattering.

Read Next: Hurry: SeaVees Sustainable Footwear Is The Ultimate For Cozy Holiday Dressing – And 40% Off

The post The 12 Best Gifts For Clean Beauty Lovers Obsessed with Good Skin appeared first on The Chalkboard.

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