Shel Pink, creator of Spa Ritual brand, grooves on “slow beauty”
SpaRitualis the brainchild of Los Angeles entrepreneur, Shel Pink. She’s the creator of vegan nail lacquers, but her new Earl Grey collection goes far beyond a pretty slicker. It’s an experience. Her mantra: “Slow Beauty for a Fast World.”
A lifetime ago, my friend Gigi would frequently prescribe a steaming pot of Earl Grey tea spiked generously with Drambuie as a preventive for the common cold, not to mention many a hangover. I’m not sure it was effective on either count. I do remember that the tea’s defining Bergamot fragrance, however, was divine.
Bergamot has a deeply green-fresh, exhilarating citrus aroma. I associate it with brisk sea-breezes off the coast of Sicily, Malta, Sardinia, Corsica. Also with very clean laundry. The Bergamot fruit itself a tough, highly aromatic cousin of oranges, limes, lemons. Speaking as someone with many of my own tough, highly aromatic cousins, I love it. It’s energizing, yet centering.
Sparitual’s new Earl Grey collection, like all of Shel Pink’s line, is 100% vegan, 100% nature-derived, 81% certified organic, plant-derived, fair trade, and sourced with awareness. Formulated without parabens, petrochemicals, synthetic dyes, synthetic fragrances, GMOs or gluten, even the packaging is eco-good: the carton is printed with soy ink.
My favorite in the group so far– Oil Salve.
Sparitual Earl Grey Oil Salve
It’s unusual to experience an oil in a tube. The Oil Salve formula feels plush, and is great on cracked heels and parched hands. Because I love to garden, and often find myself walking on absolutely crispified lawn and scorching pavement when I water and take out the trash, this penetrating emulsion formula is ideal for this very dehydrating time of year. Just in the nick of time.
My skin drinks up the Shea Butter base, without a hint of greasiness. The fragrance is bright and vegetal, versus heavy or perfume-y. Key ingredients are Black Tea Extract, Marigold Extract, Bergamot Essential Oil, and Orange Essential Oil. Companion products like the Teatox Sugar Scrub (gentle exfoliant) and Body Souffle make this Earl Grey an enveloping experience, just like those pots of fragrant tea so long ago with Gigi. Get yours now — it’s not a moment too soon to drench your hands and feet in particular and your bod in totality with nurturing moisture as winter approaches.
