A natural charcoal water filter in a glass carafe is my new favorite way to purify my drinking water. Always on the lookout for ways to reduce the amount of plastic I use in daily life, natural charcoal is the perfect solution.

Kishu Binchotan Charcoal Sticks are made from 100% Ubame Oak branches burned in a specialized kiln at extremely high temperatures. The process is called “nerashi”; it carbonizes the structure of the wood and leaves behind countless porous cavities for water to fill.

When new, the charcoal sticks are so smooth they feel almost like glass. Each stick must be prepped with boiling water then rinsed with clean water before added to your water carafe. This activates the charcoal and removes any remaining ash or loose bits.

The charcoal should be boiled every 3-4 weeks to release the buildup of impurities it has absorbed from the water. Replace the charcoal after 3 months of use.

When your charcoal is no longer effective for water filtration, it can be recycled. Break the used sticks into smaller pieces and add to your garden or houseplant soil. The recycled charcoal will aerate your soil and increase microbial activity.

No waste + clean water!

Do you need a skin care consult?

Do you purchase skin care products based on a recommendation from a friend or a blog post only to be disappointed by the results?

The product may not be to blame, it may just not be right for your skin type.

When you don’t have a local skin care specialist, you may turn to the Internet to research product and find recommendations. There are also online skin care consults popping up on some websites.

Most online skin care consults fall into one of two categories:

1. A free computerized quiz from a large skin care company to categorize you into one broad type and offering their matching skin care range, usually “dry”, “oily” “sensitive” etc.
2. An appointment for a one on one Skype consult with a specialist for $100+.

Being a busy business owner, I recently discovered the online shopping service for clothing, Bungalow. They match me with a stylist who sends me a box of clothing based on my likes and dislikes. I thought “What if there was a service like this for skincare?”. My online skin care consult and 3 Day Turnaround Kit was born!

The Hannah Sowd Skin Care Online Skin Care Consult begins with an in-depth questionnaire to determine your skin care needs, you can also upload photos of your skin to receive a more accurate assessment. Once I receive your completed questionnaire and photos, I determine your custom skin care routine.

Your routine will be comprised of skin care products from different product lines, including my own. Since I don’t work for any particular brand, I’m free to pick and choose the best items for your skin. All of the skin care brands I offer are products I’ve been working with for years in my studio so they are proven to be effective.

Once I have determined your best skin care routine, I create your 3 Day Turnaround Kit of product samples. This includes samples of all the products in your routine so you can try it for three days.

After you have a chance to try the 3 Day Turnaround Kit, you will receive a an offer for 20% your first purchase of all the full size products in your kit. What more could you want?

Get started now.