Body & Mind Thursday Notes

Do tinctures really work? Yes. Good ones do.

We have not discussed this, you and I. But I imagine that if you’re not already a devotee of Dr. Anna Gold’s ingestible tinctures, you might view them with a modicum of skepticism: “Are they just another thing for me to buy, or do they really work?”

(This is pure conjecture. But sometimes I like to take what I imagine to be your deepest, darkest doubts about products — the things you might be too polite to verbalize — and just go there.)

Here's the thing that I hope you always remember: in the process of selecting the products on our shelves, I have always been focused on results. So yes, they really work, and you can find photographic evidence on our Instagram highlights.

Even better, they work in a way that is absolutely fascinating; these tinctures have opened the door to our exploration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and I find that the more Anna delves into TCM’s explanations of the human body — patiently answering my endless questions — the more it blows my mind. It completely changes the lens through which I look at health and vitality.

And, especially during times like this, it serves as a helpful reminder that the world is so much bigger and broader than my own limited view.

What I use every day

I can guarantee that CLEAR, DISPEL, or ELEVATE would be among the very first things I’d reach for if I were experiencing acne, dermatitis, or hormonally-induced dryness. At the moment, I’m not, so here’s what I use:

1. I love BALANCE. Yes, I take Bach Flower remedies for mood, and this is technically a mood-balancing tincture, but a) intense people can always use more mood balancers, and b) it works differently from the flowers, with different results. While Bach Flowers work entirely on an emotional level with great specificity — more on that later — these herbs more directly effect change in the body first, which then improves one’s mood overall. I find it particularly helpful during PMS and weeks when my “grrr” is especially pronounced. I generally take it just once a day, in the morning, but I’ll add another dose if it’s been a stressful day. Those extra doses have come in quite handy this week.

2. I also take DEFEND every morning. This one is more like a supplement, in some ways: like Vitamin C and other immune boosters, you may not see an obvious difference. But rest assured that it is diligently working behind the scenes. And the effect, to me, is clear: I tend to get sick easily and my colds seemingly last forever, but I haven’t had a single one since I started taking DEFEND. Not a single one. (That’s all I’ll say right now. I don’t want to jinx myself.)

Sending you all my kindest wishes for at least a fleeting moment of peace, ease, and calm — one whose memory you can hang onto during this wildest of times in a wild, wild year.  

xx
Dara

You May Also like

All About Skin

Gua Sha: tips from Erica Randlett

MyHavtorn's go-to skincare therapist and product expert, Erica Randlett, is deeply trained in Gua Sha — she’s the person who first told us about it years ago — along with massage, lymphatic drainage, and meditation. Having spent five years as...
All About Skin

Skincare product pilling: why it happens and what to do

We couldn't think of a better person than Dr. Pedro Catalá to expound on the topic of skincare and makeup product pilling, which is quite common, quite annoying, and quite the mystery to most people except for skincare product formulators. 
Inside Our Brands

Hyperpigmentation: how marine ingredients can help

Hyperpigmentation is one of those skin conditions that increasing numbers of us struggle with, and it can be downright diabolical in many ways.