Introducing Galen Labs: True gifts for the skin

I can't help but think about the upcoming gift season when selection which brands to add to our lineup. That being said, when Kevin Olson of Galen Labs approached me with his brand new line of 100% natural skin care, I knew I was going to bring it on board holiday season or no.

A Twin Cities native, Olson has been a skin care enthusiast since he was a teenager, and to listen to him talk about his new product line, it's evident he is more passionate than ever. Galen Labs is the result of years of research into both the latest developments in natural formulations, as well as ancient recipes of the 2nd century herbalist Claudius Galen, arguably the founder of what we think of as modern skin care. Olson was determined to create products that looked as luxurious as they felt, skin care that women were excited to give as gifts - but only on condition that they buy a set for themselves, too.

I supposed you'd like to know a bit about the skin care itself. Well, the entire line is based in Olson's love of Shea. If you've been using natural and organic skin care, you'll be well-acquainted with the tremendous healing powers of shea butter. It does wonders for eczema, and nothing works better for dry patches on the face prior to applying foundation (and you surely know what foundation looks like when applied over untreated dry spots). To that shea base, Olson added other ingredients famous for their healing properties, like St. John's Wort, and Rosehip, Calenula, and Chamomile extracts. Use the Shea Cream anywhere you - or your family members - need some extra moisture. Kids got eczema patches? This will do wonders. Itchy legs? Rub some of this on your gams before bedtime, and you're golden.

What separates Galen Labs from other similar lines, however, is the Shea Oil. It's hard to find shea oil, but when you do, you should treasure it. Use it in your hair as a treatment, use it as a leave-in conditioner if you have textured hair (way easier than shea butter!), or slather it all over your body just because it feels so good.

With top-quality shea as your base, the world's your oyster, really. Olson clearly got that, so to his shea magic, he added an amazing combination of anti-aging, anti-drying, and anti-inflammatory ingredients to create his XII Element Facial Serum and Body Oil. And did I mention he uses 100% natural jasmine and neroli oils as his fragrance? Deeee-light-ful.

Then we have the Dead Sea Salt duo - Bath Salts and Body Scrub. These are positively screaming to be included on your gift list for any female you care about. Equally pampering are the hydrosols: facial mists that can be used to prep the skin for makeup, set the aforementioned makeup, and refresh and hydrate the skin throughout the day.

Give Galen Labs a try. It's not just beautiful, clean, and effective; it's also affordable. It should be yours.