Welcome to my First Blog Post

"Good morning everyone. Welcome to my very first blog. I hope you will join me every week as I talk about anything product related or not.

I have so much to say and haven't a clue where to start. I guess you probably want to know who I am and what I'm all about.

The truth is, most of my clients already know who I am and what I do.

Adagio Naturals all started because I was getting older and thought I should take a more natural approach to life. I started eating better and exercising but it wasn't enough. I began to use natural products on my face and skin. But after reading the ingredient list on most commercial products I concluded (at least in my opinion) these products were far from 100% natural. I was determined to find something truly natural and if that meant making it myself - well so be it.

I started looking at Google for DIY recipes for skin care. I tried a bunch of them and didn't like any of them. I decided more research was necessary. Hence my quest began. I read and read until my eyes rolled around in my head. Trying to figure out how and what natural ingredients worked best together. The first couple of tries were not good (believe me) but I kept at it until I would find something I liked. Once I'd come up with an end product that I was pleased with I started giving them as Christmas and birthday presents and the response was overwhelming. It was my family and friends that encouraged me to take this to the next level and sell my products.

Most of my stuff was very basic but over the years it has developed into far more. I'm a former research analyst so research is in my blood. Researching and developing organic skincare products is the fun part for me. I just love it. To the point where sometimes think I'm a bit obsessive. I have this one face wash that took 106 tries to get it where I wanted. I don't sell it because as much as I tried - it needed to be refrigerated to stay fresh. I'm sure if I was to use a more commercial preservative I wouldn't have that problem - but since I'm all about 100% natural I won't sell it. I love this stuff and still use it for myself but for now, it sits on the shelf (I mean in the refrigerator).

The last two years have been crazy. I went from living in the big city to living in the country. Today I have a brand new home that we've built. It's a cozy little spot back in the woods with a wood stove for our main heat - (we have propane backup); the absolute best running water a person could ask for; we have a solar system to run the houses' electrical needs and a propane generator to back it up. If I have learned anything over the last couple of years about living totally off the grid - make sure you have backup systems for your back up systems... Lol. I have 2 garden areas (one 30 x 40) which served me quite well last summer and another larger area 30 x 100 cleared for this year's garden). And best of all, I have a dedicated area just for my products. What more could a girl ask for?

Since coming here we have started a new venture. Over the last little while, I've been researching and developing new products using "Chaga". Turns out this little-known mushroom (Inonotus Obliquus) that forms on birch trees is a powerhouse of amazing health benefits. I'll tell you more about it in another blog once we launch my new line - the Birch Ridge Collection.

As for now, I must leave you to go do my chores..... Yes, I have chores.