Smoke Signals

Shampoo, no-poo, or co-washing?!? What does all this mean and what is the best natural hair care method? Do we really need shampoo? What about just using conditioner? All those plastic bottles not only contribute to the waste epidemic but what about all the money wrapped up in this one simple daily practice? Do you think I can write this entire post in questions? My opinion ( which has not been evaluated by the food and drug administration, I assure you ) is this; Shampoo as infrequently as possible. -No I'm not kidding.- Even the mildest shampoo strips oils, that's what it is formulated to do. Therefore one who has dry hair, doesn't need more drying. And if you tend toward oily hair, frequent shampooing creates a cycle in which the scalp increases production of oils (Sebaceous glands secrete an oily or waxy matter, called sebum.) in response to every washing away of it. Subsequently this leads you to believe that you should be washing y...

Transition into the season making time for yourself!  ...No one else is gonna do it for you.  As the winter weather settles in here in the north-east, common colds and influenza come along with it.  Folks scurry around (some like a chicken with their head cut off) shopping, serving, and cramming for months before they find a moment to settle down and just breathe.                                                                           (°༣°)   ༇༇    ༇༇    ༇༇ One very simple way to unwind and nourish the whole being is having a cup of tea.  Better yet not just tea ...

What is holistic living? Yeah, it sounds “woo-woo”.  And quite frankly I'm super skeptical about the latest trendy catchphrase, often rolling my eyes.  Yet holistic living best describes our tribe and the essence of life itself. The slogan can simply be stated as bringing harmony and balance to the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual realm of all living things, beyond the self.  Simply stated, perhaps.  Simply achieved, not so much.  Especially in our convenient, instant gratification, indulgent world. Plainly said, the current state of the world is in consequences of this divergence from wholism.  As few of us are taught how to live a fulfilling, nourishing life outside of making money and just getting by. Holistic Living can be achieved when one has an understanding and respect that all things are interconnected.  Healing often takes place here.  It's about taking responsibility for our actions and choi...

Saponification is as Natural as Nature itself! Once we started selling our soap, we quickly began to understand how much the process of making soap and LYE are seriously misunderstood.  So, lets cover the basics of saponification, soap, and lye. What is Saponification?  " Saponification is a process that produces soap , usually from fats and lye ."  ( Source )  Tallow is the name used in the soap making process for animal fats.  Yes, it is the norm to use animal fat to make soap, in fact many are still made with Tallow.  Tallow goes rancid!  Tribal Mama uses NO Tallow, all products are Vegan Safe, they all are 100% Tallow Free.  Many people believe the soap they use is tallow free but most are not.  One example is Dove by Unilever.  Look at the ingredients on the plastic wrapping (not the box), "Sodium Tallowate" is um, tallow.  The screenshot below is from Dove's Website. Soap Making:  There are only 2 b...