Nature + Nurture = WoodSprite Cosmetics

Jacquelyn Ramsey’s WoodSprite Organic Body proves effective sensual products don’t have to cost a fortune or come from exotic lands. Made in Michigan, Ramsay’s collection of face and body products cleanse and nourish the skin and soothe the senses, with ingredients such as ginger root, organic lavender essential oil, organic macadamia nut oil and extra virgin olive oil, and without fragrances, synthetics and dyes. The result is an honest brand that caters to the needs of its customers without harming the environment.

The Sea Plant Complex Firming Seaweed Facial Masque is unlike most masks because it is a dry powder that must be mixed with hot water. Packed with powerful plant extracts, the ingredient list reads like a greens drink formula, with everything from sea kelp and organic chlorella to Dead Sea clay and Bladderwrack. After cleansing, put one teaspoon of the green powder formula in a bowl. Boil some water, let it cool for a few minutes and then add three teaspoons of water to the powder and mix. Apply immediately to the face and neck and leave on for up to 30 minutes, if you can stand the itchy sensation. After 15-20 minutes, our skin was plumper and our pores tighter. As promised, the solution calmed skin and eased inflammation, leaving the skin with an even tone.

The company makes many soaps, creams, oils and candles, but the Amber Earth collection truly deserves praise. Though the Amber Earth Whipped Kokum Body Butter hardens with time, rubbing it in your hands makes it soft enough for the skin to absorb. A base of kokum and shea butters, and avocado oil make for a super moisturizing cream, but the amber resin and sandalwood oils mix with the cardamom to make for an intoxicating scent, with a sweetness that lingers. It’s not for everyone, but the feminine earth girls will dig it. Try it at night on the hands, feet and neck and the consistency will make for a perfect massage cream. The bonus is the dry sheen it leaves. The accompanying Amber Earth Kokum & Avocado Organic Sugar Polish scrub goes on dry skin before a shower and bath and leaves a layer of oil behind after rinsing away dead skin cells.

For lighter options, choose from a wide selection of soaps that boast an olive oil base, to be followed by one of the many infused organic body and massage oils. The body oils have light scents and leave skin soft even a day after applying. In a bind, use the oil as a final product on hair to add shine and one last coat of moisture. We like the soothing scent of lavender, but the ginger glow is a winner too, with a strong, spiritual scent.

Bonus:
WoodSprite donates 10% of income to charity, with a focus on environmental groups. The firm donates both money and product to a number of organizations, including women’s shelters and organizations that award small business loans to women in third world nations.

Where:
Products range from $5 for lip balms to $18 for body butter to $36 for face serum. For more information or to shop for products, visit the WoodSprite website.