Local Beauty, Natural Remedies

  |  March 28, 2017


Recently, we profiled the lovely Lynn and Mario Callaway, founders and owners of Ollie & Otto, an all-natural, socially-conscious, and eco-friendly health and beauty company. They build, create, and brand all of their own products, and every item sold goes to supporting Generosity.org, a non-profit that delivers water to stricken communities.

Lynn mentioned her morning routine and that got us curious. What products did she use in her daily beauty upkeep? Wonder no more. Mrs. Callaway has kindly given us a few pointers.

She starts her morning off with a warm shower, and from the get up she uses her products to stay fresh throughout the day. She takes a bottle of Castile Soap in with her. “I love lavender,” Lynn says, “so my favorite soap to use is Solace.” In addition to using the Castile Soap as a body wash, she also uses it as a shampoo, and an all-natural, non-irritant face wash.

I went to their site to get some more information on what makes up Castile soaps. I found that the soap originated from the Castile region of Spain, and that they are made with vegetable oils instead of using animal fats. Some examples of vegetable oils commonly used in Castile soaps are olive, laurel, coconut, pine, jojoba and hemp oils. Lynn champions the versatility of Castile soap, and they have been used as safe, sustainable, vegan alternatives for body soaps as well as dish soaps and laundry detergents.

Lynn admits to having dry skin, and she applies Ollie & Otto’s Shea Butter Cream from head to toe. “It provides the extra moisture and protection that my skin needs.” Besides being made of only three ingredients (seriously, only three) shea butter has a natural SPF of 10, and the avocado and castor oils are both restorative and calmative. The compound is soothing, healing, and moisturizing.

Then, Lynn brushes her teeth with Foamy Tooth Powder and as the last step in her beauty regimen, she applies “a pea-sized amount” of Lavender deodorant under each arm, “It reduces underarm wetness,” she explains, “while providing all day protection against odor without the burning and irritation that I’ve experienced with other natural deodorants.”

Lynn says that Mario has a similar routine, with only a few differences. He prefers Hope (a minty, herbal smelling Castile soap), which helps with his oily skin. He uses the soap all over as well, even to wash his beard. “Since his face is oily, he only applies the Shea Butter Cream to his arms (especially his hands) and legs. Our Lavender deodorant is so effective that he uses the same amount that I use daily with the same results,” Lynn tells us.

Purchasing one of the products isn’t just good for your skin and the environment, but it also benefits water-stricken areas. They partner with local farms, women’s cooperatives and mission oriented organizations to make sure that every item they sell provides one person access to clean water for a year by helping develop, dig, and maintain wells in areas affected by drought and poverty. It’s guilt-free beauty routine that will make you feel good about yourself, and your purchases.

Thanks Lynn, we’ll be sure to let you know what we think of the Shea Butter Cream. ; )

About Linda H. Codega

Linda Codega is a graphic designer and writer who loves clean lines, arrows, caps lock and talking about comic books. A Southern transplant, she now works for Luminary Media in Kingston, New York, despite the winters. Send her a message...linda@upstater.com

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