If you live in Ottawa and surrounding areas you've likely noticed plenty of bugs and mosquitoes this spring. Here are out top three natural bug repellents.

Everyone could use a few moments of relaxation in their day—especially right now. Essential oils can help. As a natural solution, many essential oils can help your body and your mind unwind—something that is more important than ever in this time of heightened stress.

It’s easy to use essential oils to add calming moments to your day. To get started, choose an oil that promotes stress reduction. We recommend frankincense, lavender, bergamot or ylang ylang, but there are many more options available. Feel free to read up on the topic and try out a variety of oils until you find the one that works best for you. 

Once you have your oil, choose a method to enjoy it.

Inhale

The simplest way to use essential oils? Just breathe them in and revel in the effects. 

You can either inhale pure essential oils straight from a bottle or put a few drops on a dry material such as a towel or a cotton ball. Then, simply inhale. 

 Relax in the bath (or shower)

Consider adding essential oils to your regular bathing rituals. If you prefer a long hot bath to relax, try adding a few drops of oil to your water while you’re filling the tub. Then, light a few candles to enhance relaxation and enjoy a good soak. If you’re more of a shower person, you can try applying oils to your shower walls. The scent should diffuse into the steam, allowing you to breathe in the benefits.

You can also add essential oils to any of your bath products. For a dreamy exfoliating experience, add a few drops to your body wash. To massage the scent into your hair, combine it with your shampoo and conditioner.

Use a diffuser

Using diffusers is a great way to spread your essential oils throughout a room. If you’re working from home right now, consider placing one in your office to help your stress levels throughout the day. Many people also love keeping one in their bedroom to promote relaxation and improve their night’s sleep. 

There are a variety of diffusers on the market, each with their own benefits. The simplest and most cost-effective option to try is using diffuser reeds—wooden sticks that soak up the essential oils and spread them throughout a room. However, if you’re looking to invest a little more into your experience, you can try a nebulizing diffuser (which turns the oil into a mist), an evaporative diffuser (which causes the oil to evaporate into the air) or a heat diffuser (which warms up the oil to make the scent more intense). Candles infused with essential oils are also a favourite option for many people.

Don’t be afraid to take some time to relax and enjoy your essential oils! Now more than ever, self care is important for everyone—so find a routine that works for you.

Let us introduce you to Twinkle. Her personality is as bright as her name! She recently moved to Canada with her husband from India and by profession is a pharmacist. She currently works at Kardish full-time, and also manages a youtube channel! ?When she moved to Ottawa, she found that Kardish was a place where she could incorporate all her past knowledge. Kardish was a perfect fit! 

“I like having different areas to chat with customers about. I’m a talkative person, so it’s a perfect match,” said Twinkle. 

Although Twinkle is a vegetarian, she is a big foodie. “I’m so glad to live in a multicultural country that encourages me to try new things,” she says. Twinkle’s big tip of the day is to keep a balanced meal. She usually has one cheat meal, something that she is craving. Then, she makes sure to eat one meal which is super healthy to give her the right balance. “I’ve got good role models here at work. My managers are a nutritionist and yoga fanatics, so they always motivate me.”

Twinkle also has amazing background knowledge in make-up and skincare. “I love making make-up and skincare videos and tutorials for my channel followers,” says Twinkle. “I also review electronics like hair straighteners, epilator, facial cleansing spin brush, and such.” Her strong interest in all things skincare means that she’s also super regular with her own personal skin care routine. “I’ve always had an interest in skincare, especially homemade remedies.” 

Back in India, Twinkle’s favorite remedy was a mixture of chickpea flour and turmeric. It’s great for bathing in or using a facemask. She also loves using Aloe Vera and tea tree in her hair and face masks. “My favorite combination of oil treatments is olive oil or castor oil as a carrier oil along with essential oils like peppermint and tea tree.This blend really calms you down and puts you to sleep, and plus it’s also good for your hair,” says Twinkle. 

If you’re looking for a trick to relax you and sleep better, Twinkle suggests this foot soak:

1. Use hot water
2. Add 2-3 drops of peppermint oil
3. 2-3 camphor oil
4. A few drops of eucalyptus oil
5. Finally, add epsom salts

          While Twinkle has always been dedicated to skincare, her passion for make-up started in high school. Her first attempt was for a dance competition where she started playing around with concealer, which she used as a base, and then lipstick, which she used as eyeshadow and blush. How creative! She had no previous knowledge of how to correctly apply make-up, but after the show, she received a lot of compliments on her work. That’s where her passion sprouted. 

“I get my inspiration from various online make-up artists and YouTubers and I also love playing around with colours,” says Twinkle. 

Although she loves chatting about skincare with customers, as it’s such a universal topic, her customers also come to her for help in choosing the right supplement.

“I’m super chatty, so there isn’t just one topic I can talk to customers about. Most of the customers come to me for stress, anxiety, sleep, and sometimes even a combination. I also help customers with women-related supplements such as hormonal imbalance, menstrual cramps, collagen needs, and more,” says Twinkle. 

Kardish has also taught her a lot about the Ketogenic diet, so she can comfortably chat about that with customers as well. Being a healthcare professional, Twinkle plays a big role in the community. “It’s not as simple as just over the counter melatonin. There are a lot of different types of products. It’s about knowing what's best for your customer,” she says. 

Twinkle’s Tips for staying happy and healthy: 

1. Have a cheat day or cheat meal! - it’s important for your physical and mental health
2. physical activity is a must (yoga, surya namaskar, exercise, meditate)
3. Try to eat home-cooked food. 
4. Listen to music, spend time with your family, or do something else that keeps yourself happy. 
5. Spend time with pets! It helps release stress and can start your day nicely. 
6. Come to Kardish and talk to us! After a long day, come to our Merivale store, check out our aromatherapy section, listen to the soft music playing, and chat with us!

Twinkle’s taste in food is as strong as her aromatherapy preferences! Check out this amazing Pav Bhaji recipe: 

Ingredients-

1 cup frozen mix vegetables (available at Kardish)

 2 roughly chopped potatoes 

1 roughly chopped tomato

1 roughly chopped onion 

Cilantro leaves, garlic, ginger, chilly powder, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, vegan butter or regular salted butter, salt, garam masala (optional) 

1. In a big pan pour 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add all the vegetables (potato, peas, tomatoes, French beans) and boil it for 20 minutes 
2. Then mash all of them with a potato masher and let it cool down in a separate container.
3. In the same pan take some butter or vegan butter (1 scoop)
4. Add roughly chopped onions, ginger, and garlic with cumin seeds, chilly powder, and turmeric and saute it for a minute.
5. Add the mashed vegetables into it and cook it on low medium flame. 
6. You can add water to adjust the thickness of the curry.
7. Add cilantro leaves and give it a good mix.
8. Add a scoop of butter

Voila! Curry or bhaji is ready. Squeeze a lime or lemon to give tangy flavor before eating. 

You can eat this with white or brown bread and it goes very well with spelt flour bread from Kardish!

A fun fact about Twinkle is that she always has an emergency kit on her. She never leaves home without it. Let’s take a look inside: 

• Her make-up
• Pack of electrolytes (vitamin C for when you’re low on energy)
• Nutritional bar (for when you’re hungry!) 
• Sanitary napkin
• Mint or toffee
• Lip balm (Burts Bees)

Head over to our Merivale location and meet Twinkle in person! She’ll be glad to share more of her favorite skincare, aromatherapy, and nutritional tips with you!

Has the upcoming holiday season left you idealess when it comes to gift-giving? If you have a natural health lover in your life, or you’re just hoping to buy more sustainable, natural, non-toxic, plant-based, ethical, local, or even organic gifts, our guide is sure to help point you in the right direction.

	Kardish Essential Oils Enhance your aromatherapy and healing practices $5.99 - $23.99
Sundhed Natural Salt Lamp Small Help refresh the environment using negative ions, creating balanced, healthier air $26.99
	Oriwest Eva Mini USB Diffuser Enjoy aromatherapy with your favorite essential oil $19.99
Burt's Bees Hand Cream Trio Ultra-rich and ultra-moisturizing hand therapy in a giftable trio of beautifully scented hand creams $14.99

	Santevia Water Bottle Sticks Crafted for everyday use, giving you the freedom of alkaline water on the go $19.99
Kardish Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Not just for cooking (although that’s great too) - it has a ton of amazing uses! $9.99
	Organic Traditions Holiday Spice Latte Mix A delicious and nourishing blend of aromatic spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom $17.99
Honey Candles 100% Pure Beeswax Featuring Kootenay Forest, Mulled Spice and Country Lavender scents $17.99

Oriwest Organic Bamboo Travel Cutlery Set Perfect size in your purse bag, backpack, or lunch box $14.99
	Oriwest Venus USB Diffuser Enjoy aromatherapy with your favorite essential oils $19.99
Kardish Shaker Cup The perfect solution for anyone on the go $5.99
	Kardish Better Vegan Protein Fermented and sprouted, a boost of energy to keep you going $49.99

The Aroma Counter Pebble Stone Diffuser 3 Stones A wonderful portable and convenient diffuser solution! $14.99
	Oriwest Organic Bamboo Straw Set Lightweight and washable can be used everyday $14.99
Kardish Vitamin C Crystals Helps boost normal immune support $29.99
	Moo Free Milky Chocolate Santa High-quality, ethically sourced, ingredients including the finest, single origin organic cocoa $2.99
Zazubean Holiday Bars Organic and fair trade chocolate $4.99
	Galerie au Chocolat Gingerbread Men Fair Trade certified Pure Milk Chocolate Gingerbread Man $5.50

Need more ideas? Come into one of our locations and our team will be happy to help you put together the perfect gift for anyone on your list! Happy Holidays, and happy shopping! 

If you are interested in using more natural products in your home, consider mixing your own cleaning products. Switching out your usual go-to products for homemade, natural alternatives is easy to do, and it’s an excellent way to make your home safer and healthier.

Think you don’t have time to make your own products? You might be surprised to learn how simple natural cleaning products are to produce—and how great they smell!

Plus, the cost is unbeatable. Most ingredients for natural cleaning products are items you already keep in your home and can easily be bought in bulk. Plus, a DIY solution means that you can customize the recipes with your favourite essential oils. Say goodbye to unpleasant-smelling bathroom sprays and overpowering window cleaners! Essential oils are great for deodorizing and giving your home an aromatic boost with only a few drops.

Where to begin? Get started with a few of our favourite formulas below—but don’t be afraid to tweak the recipes to get that fresh scent just right.

Lemon fresh all-purpose cleaner

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 30 drops lemon essential oil
• 750mL spray bottle

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake vigorously. Use an all-purpose cleaner to wipe away daily messes, hard water stains, soap scum, and more. Note: Avoid using acid-based cleaners on granite, as they may etch the stone permanently.

Zesty orange glass cleaner

What you’ll need:

• 2 cups water
• ¼ cup rubbing alcohol (70%)
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 10 drops orange essential oil
• 750mL spray bottle

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake vigorously. To use, spray solution directly on a soft cloth or paper towel and wipe mirrors, windows, appliances, and other shiny surfaces throughout your home.

Tea tree toilet cleaner

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 500mL spray bottle
• ¼ cup salt
• 1 cup baking soda
• 15 drops tea tree oil
• Small container with shaker lid (a clean spice container works perfectly)

Directions: Pour vinegar into a spray bottle and set it aside. Combine salt, baking soda, and tea tree oil in the small shaker container and mix thoroughly. To use, spray vinegar into the toilet bowl and sprinkle in the baking soda mixture. Wait for fizz reaction to occur, adding more vinegar if necessary. Allow to stand for 10 – 15 mins, then scrub with a toilet brush. Flush when cleaning is complete.

Eucalyptus dusting spray

What you’ll need:

• 250mL spray bottle
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 10 drops eucalyptus essential oil
• 3/4 cups distilled water

Directions: Combine all ingredients except water in a spray bottle and mix thoroughly. Add water and shake the bottle vigorously to combine. To use, spray the mixture on a microfibre cloth and wipe down surfaces. Eucalyptus is also a superstar oil in the kitchen for stubborn grime on pots and pans. 

Lemon pine floor cleaner

What you’ll need:

• 2 tablespoons castile soap
• 5 drops lemon essential oil
• 15 drops pine essential oil or Kardish Burglars Oil 
• 1 gallon of water

Directions: Combine castile soap and essential oils in a mop bucket. Add water and mix thoroughly. To use, mop surfaces as desired with essential oil solution. Rinsing floors is optional, as the natural formula leaves minimal residue.