Dishwash Powder is so great

Another happy customer :)


"Hey the dishwasher powder is so great. I'll certainly be ordering that off you for LIFE hahahaha so when im on the last one, i'll send through another request for a couple of them again. And will do for quite sometime. Even if my son's skin cleared up, theres no way i'd go back to a chemical house. So thanks heaps. What a great discovery".

I replied to my happy customer saying that it may be quite some time before they order more as 2 kg of Earthwise Dishwash Powder will take a very long time to get through, as you only need a Tablespoon for each wash.

A little goes a long way with natural chemical free products. Thanks for the great feedback xx

Skin Irritants - very irritating

There are several ingredeints in skin care products that may irritate our skin and cause dryness, redness, itchiness and/or inflammation.

Keep an eye out for the following synthetic nasties which are known skin irritants:

Sodium Lauryl Suplphate - used to froth many products such as shampoos, shower gels, toothpastes, etc. It is a known irritant and only used in products that are immediately washed off the skin. Can damage the protective outer layer of the skin and is absorbed deeply within the skin tissue. Has a very drying effect on the skin.

Petrolatum Products such as mineral oils and petroleum jelly - these cover the skin in a layer like glad wrap, so the skin can't breath or function properly. This often casues the skin to then dry and crack.

Fragrances - 50-200 ingredients in a single fragrance, the second biggest group of skin allergens

Chemical Preservatives - parabens are one of the primary causes of contact dermatitis

These are all well known skin irritants yet are still allowed to be used as ingredients in products that are readily avaliable, are cheap and are used on our bodies several times a day.

Look at your ingredient lists of your everyday products and avoid these, for the health of your skin. Choose a more natural body product and your skin and body will thank you.

Visit the fantastic Skin Deep website and find out more about any ingredient in your body care products and assess yourself how safe it really is.

Free Facial Mist

Get a Free Herb Farm Rejuvinating Facial Mist with every Energising Gel Cleanser during September. The perfect combo to cleanse and tone. Or a spray during the day to freshen your skin.

Free of chemicals, all natural ingredients. Get your Free Facial Mist when you order your Herb Farm Gel Cleanser (125mls $20) at Red Rata.

Congratulations to the lucky Green Goddess winner

Congratulations to Glynis from Auckland who won the Red Rata prize pack from the competition on Wendyl's great Green Goddess website. Yes all of our products are made in New Zealand by many wonderful caring and health conscious companies.

I hope you enjoy all the goodies in this pack Glynis.

And a big thank you to everyone who entered. I hope you all enjoy finding out more about the fantastic natural products that we have at Red Rata and I look forward to finding just the right natural home and body care goodies for you.

Best wishes to you all.

So many bubbles!!

I really love hearing from happy customers and this email made me smile:

"Thank you so much Susan – our bubbles arrived today and for the first time in a very long time I did not have to entice my daughter to get into the bath, as soon as she saw the bubbles she jumped right in.

As for the bath, it looked so inviting I jumped in with her in the end. It was great, I feel so relaxed and warm.

Also I was quite surprised at the amount of bubbles, even having seen the photo you had posted on your website – a really great product. Thanks again."

Another happy customer who loves Herbal Selections natural bubble bath, enjoy the bubbles but without the chemicals. :-)

Green Goddess Prize Pack

HI to all of Green Goddess's newsletter subscribers who are in the draw to win a wonderful prize pack from Red Rata. Thanks for entering and welcome to Red Rata. I hope you enjoy visiting Red Rata's website and checking out our fantastic range of natural body and home care products. Our aim is to offer you the best choices in chemical free products, all tried, tested and chosen by my family and I.

Follow us on Facebook as well to keep right up with what is happening.

You may be wondering what you are in to win so here is what's in the prize pack...

The Herb Farm Citrus Body Lotion 100ml

Clean Earth Soaps Manuka Honey & Calendul 85g

Red Seal Sodium Lauryl Sulphate Free Herbal and Mineral Toothpaste

Earthwise Citrus Air Freshener 250ml

AND Tui Bug Balme 50g

A little bit of everthing for everything. A great pack to receive if you were just wanting to try out a range of natural products, or needed stocking up on the essentials.

Good luck to all of you who have entered. Watch out for Wendyl's Green Goddess newsletter next Thursday where the winner will be announced.

Are natural products natural??

A recent article in the Consumer magazine (Issue 505) tested several supposedly 'natural' cosmetics and found the majority are not living up to their claims. I find this shocking, although not surprising. Many products propose they are natural or organic but may only contain a small amount of such a product and the rest is synthetic chemicals.

Consumer tested 18 'natural' cosmetics, only some made in NZ, such as eye creams, face creams, body moisturisers, nipple creams, bodywashes, deodorant. They tested these products for synthetic perservatives and found only TWO did not use synthetic chemicals to prolong the shelf life of their products!!!

Parabens are a common preservative in cosmetics but there is concern as to their toxicity. So avoid anything saying methyl, butyl, proply or ethyl.

Many of the products tested by Consumer had phenoxyethanol in them which also has questions raised about its safety. The Cosmetic Database gives it a moderate hazard rating, with links to skin irritation and immunotoxicity, and restrictions as to its use. Avoid this in your products too.

Good news is that there are cosmetics out there that are made with natural chemcial-free preservatives which pose less of a risk to your health. Red Rata is really proud to only sell products that have natural preservatives in them, and they are all made here in New Zealand by some fantastic companies.

The Herb Farm uses a combination of herbal extracts, essential oils and colloidial silver as their natural preservative. Earthwise use sea salt and essentials oils. Essence use grapefruit seed extract in their products that contain water.

The best thing you can do is learn to read the ingredient lists on the products you use. If you cannot read the word, it is likely to be out of a chemistry lab. If it looks Latin, it is probably plant derived and usually the better option. Get wise, be informed and choose the safest products for you and your family. Don't beleive what the pretty labels on the bottle tell you, read the ingredients.

Visit Red Rata to check out our range and find out more information about a wide range of New Zealand made natural body and home care products. Treat your body to the care it deserves.

Basic Olive Bar Soap perfect for sensitive skin

I've had great success with the olive bar soaps. No worries at all - which is great. Thank you for everything you have done for me. It's very much appreciated.

This is the feedback I received from a lovely lady who suffers from Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. She reacts to numerous chemicals in our environment, along with synthetic chemicals in body care products, and even some of mother natures purest scents and additives.

She went on a search and found a great simple soap from Red Rata. The Basic Olive Bar made by Clean Earth Soaps. This very mild soap only contains olive oil, organic coconut and palm oils and water, with no scent. Therefore ideal for very sensitive skin and new born babies skin.

This and more natural body care products avaliable from Red Rata.

Spring Cleaning

Its that wonderful time of year when spring arrives. And often we look around our home and decide a good old clean is on the cards.

Red Rata make it super simple for you. We have the best natural multi-purpose spray cleaner that will do the trick. From Earthwise, it contains only 4 ingredients plus essential oils of tea tree and pine. No more harsh chemicals needed to keep your place clean and shiny.

I use it on floors, bathroom, benchtops, around the loo. A quick spray, wipe and you are done.

This month it is on SPECIAL!! 500 ml trigger bottle is now only $7 (usually $9).

We would all rather be doing other fun stuff instead of cleaning so try this great multi-purpose spray. Check out more information here.

Clean Earth Soaps are awesome

I just unpacked a big box of gorgeous Clean Earth Soaps this morning with my handy helpers :-).

These soaps are yummy, Lavender & Cocoa Butter, Manuka Honey & Calendula and Basic Olive Bar.

They are handmade in beautiful Golden Bay so probably have some sunshine mixed in with the ingredients to warm you up.

Clean Earth Soaps are totally natural and synthetic free soaps. They contain 50% Olive Oil. This is combined with Certified Organic Coconut Oil and Certified Organic Palm Oil plus a mixture of other delights like essential oils, clays and plant butters to treat your skin.

Store your Clean Earth Soap in a dry place and use a dry wire soap dish. It will outlast commcercial soaps by far.

Live, Laugh and Lather Up.

Get your Clean Earth Soap from Red Rata and get some Golden Bay sunshine for your skin.

Wanaka Playgroup's Winter Raffle

Red Rata is proud to support Wanaka Playgroup by donating a Bath Pamper Pack as a prize for their awesome winter raffle. There are loads of prizes up for grabs so if you are in Wanaka get your ticket for just $2 from Wanaka Pharmacy or the Plunket Rooms.

Playgroup is a fantastic place where families meet and children play. Especially if you are new to a place it is a brilliant way to meet others with children. And the kids have so much fun. Wanaka Playgroup meet Mondays and Thursdays 9:30-11:30 at the Church Hall on Tenby St.

Go Wanaka Playgroup and good luck to all the lucky raffle ticket holders.

Easy Cleaning

With two kiddies, cleaning my house is a mission. Its often a mess, toys everywhere, but I try to keep our home clean. I did a quick whip around the bathroom, loo and kitchen tonight and it was easy.

It makes it much easier to not have to worry about loads of different cleaning products. I just use one!! Earthwise Anti-Bacterial Multi-Purpose Spray which does everything. Spray and clean everthing. Simple and quick.

Its chemical free, cleans to a shine and keeps you healthy at the same time. Plus you then have more time to tidy up the toys, or play with them :-)

Find out more about this fantastic natural home care product at Red Rata.

NEW Baby Essentials Pack

When you have a brand new baby its so hard to know what you need to look after them. There are so many lovely sounding chemical laden products filling the shelves that you think you must need heaps of lotions and potions to keep their little bodies healthy and clean.

But you don't. And it is really simple. Ensure you choose chemical free natural products which are the kindest products and work best on your baby's body.

Less is more!! Baby really only needs three natural essentials.

1 - a good soothing and healing balm for their bottom. Tui Bee Balme works wonders and is an amazing moisturiser for the whole family.


2 - a plain cold pressed vegetable oil to massage their wee bodies. Lotus Sweet Almond Oil is perfect for this.


3 - a very gentle body wash for the bath. Actually in the first few weeks little babies only need to be washed with water and they don't even need a bath everyday. Then you will need Herbal Selections Baby Body Wash, and the smallest amount, just a pinhead amount, does the trick nicely.

Red Rata have made it easy for you and put together a Baby Essentials Pack with these three essentials for youy baby. And you save money when you get them all together.

A Baby Pack is $25 for a 50gm Bee Balm, 100ml Sweet Almond Oil and a 250ml Body Wash.

Visit Red Rata for more information and order online.

Wishing you and your baby a very special time as you get to know one another.

XX

Baby massage

Massaging your baby is a wonderful way to share something special with your little one. It is incredibly calming and soothing whilst nourishing their tender skin.

Never use mineral oils for massage. This is a common ingredient in common baby oils found in supermarkets and pharmacies.

Choose natural cold pressed vegetable oils such as Sweet Almond Oil. Infant massage therapists suggest a very plain oil such as this is a perfect medium for baby massage.

Red Rata now stock Lotus Sweet Almond Oil which is just what you need for baby massage. It is a 100ml glass bottle ($6) and for a little extra you can choose a pump lid for spill free easy access to your oil ($7).

Enjoy getting to know your little one through touch.

I love bubbles!!

Cold winter nights mean relaxing in a hot bath and what better than to add lots of bubbles. No need to worry about soaking up loads of chemicals though as Red Rata has the best natural bubble bath from Herbal Selections. Heaps of bubbles, they do as a body wash as well.

Check the bubbles out at online at Red Rata and save. A 250ml bottle of bubbles for $10!

Cancer Risk

It has been found that environmental toxins play a significant and under recognised role in cancer. The Environmental Working Group suggest 9 things you can do to reduce your risk. One of these is to avoid using cosmetics and body products that contain cancer causing chemicals. Read more here.

Check out Red Rata's great range of chemical free natural products and treat your body!

Petrolatum Products are NASTY!

Petrolatum Products are mineral oils and petroleum jelly. These are found in so many common products for skin care, baby care and cosmetics.

Why are they nasty?

They leave a barrier on the skin surface impairing normal skin breathing and healthy skin function, kind of like glad wrap on the skin

They often actually causes skin to dry and crack.

Really common in baby products to get a smooth velvety feel.

Avoid like the plague and choose natural healthy oils from plants or nuts that are actually good for your skin. Oils like sweet almond, jojoba, avacado are good enough to eat but actually protect and nourish our skin.

Look after your skin this winter.

Keep your skin soft and glowing over these cold months by hydrating yourself on the inside - drink lots of non-caffeine drinks. My favourite drinks during winter are hot lemon and honey, creamy milky milo and hot blackcurrant.

And make sure you hydrate from the outside as well – moisturise from top to toe every day. Whilst your skin is damp and your pores are open after a shower is the best time. The combination of trousers, hot showers and baths, cold dry air and warm artificial heat can be extremely drying on our skin.

Red Rata has a great selection of natural face creams for him and her, as well as two natural nourishing body moisturizers, a luxurious natural body oil and a fantastic rich natural hand cream. Your body will love you with these super moisturising natural goodies. Read more about these products in our online brochure

Free Postage

Free postage for all orders over $80, only within NZ though, or a $5 discount on postage overseas.

That makes shopping at Red Rata even easier. You just choose and pay, and I will wrap your goodies in pretty paper and ribbon, make a special unique box from recycled cardboard and get my local postie ladies to put the stamps on and off it goes to you.

Easy peasy, and you get to save money too. AND enjoy the healthy benefits of natural body and home care products. Plus its kind of like getting a present in the post since it is all wrapped up especially for you.

This offer is only for June and July.

Fun in the Bubbles

I just got lots of bottles of natural Bubble Bath in stock today. As the tempurature drops a bath seems very inviting to kids and adults alike.

And there are no yukky chemcials in the Herbal Selections Bubble Bath so you can totally relax and unwind.

Take a look at Red Rata's online brochure to find out mroe about this yummy Bubble Bath. I have plenty of bottles but dont miss out as it is very popular!!

Get your cleaning products on special

Until the end of May choose any two natural products from Red Rata's Home Care range and get 20% off the total price. Save a bit of money, save time as these products are great to care for your home.

Clean any surface with the anti-bacterial spray, do the dishes, wash the clothes and freshen the air with a light citris smell with the natural air freshener.

Thanks Shannon

Congratulations to Shannon who won the Female Pamper Pack at the recent Frye Fundraising Fiesta. This included a pack of lovely natural goodies from Red Rata such as lavender massage wax, rosehip body lotion and a cocoa butter soap.

However Shannon has very generously donated her prize to Keighly, mum of 2 yr old Charlie who is doing really well with his chemo treatments.

Keighly will be so grateful for this little pack of pampering which will give her a little bit of time to think of herself in amongst the last few crazy weeks for her and her family. Thank you Shannon, and Keighly, enjoy :-)

Red Rata on Facebook

Red Rata now has a facebook page so we invite you to visit us there. Check us out often for information, products reviews, speicals, competitions and lots of interesting bits of information about natural products, working from home, being a mum, etc, and for some fun!

Be one of the first 71 people to 'like' Red Rata and you might win a refreshing Herb Farm Lime Shower Gel, definitly Sodium Lauryl Sulphate free and very enlivening. Click on the link to the right, or here and look forward to seeing you on facebook.

Why is your toothpaste so frothy?

I was watching my children brush their teeth. They can't spit out very well at this age and tend to swallow all the froth. But what is it that makes toothpaste froth so much and is it ok to swallow toothpaste?

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate is a foaming agent and in high quantities in mainstream toothpastes. Its also common in shower gels, shampoos and facial washes. It's actually an irritant and can cause skin reactions and dryness. It is a penetration enhancer so allows other cheimicals in the product to be absorbed into your skin easier so you are getting more bad stuff for the price of one. SLS was originally developed for industrial cleaning purposes, not for personal care products.

We don't really like SLS and the effects it can have on our skin and beleive there are better healthier alternatives. Especially in toothpaste as the mucosa in the mouth is really absorbant, and kids are likely to swallow it rather than spit out.

So try a natural toothpaste such as Red Seal which is Sodium Lauryl Sulphate free. It cleans your teeth and tastes great with flavours of aniseed, basil, eucalyptus, clove, liquorice and peppermint (yum!). You can find Red Seal Natural Toothpaste at Red Rata.

Tips for a work-life balance...

I really like how Marjorie asked me my tips for achieving a work life balance when working from home. I told her not to hold me to achieving these tips all the time as they are things I constantly am working on.

My husband is always telling me to not try and do everything, although sometimes I think I can :-)

Lists, gotta have lots, an books of lists too!!

You cannot lose focus of the kids as they are why you choose to work from home, its all about them, well that's what 1 and 3 year old think anyway.

I particularly like my reference to putting all your hats somewhere and just being yourself. As a mum in particular I think we all find this very hard to do. But its good for us to plonk our bottoms on the couch and eat ice cream and hot chocolate brownie fresh from the oven, like I am about to do.

Have a great evening!!

Peanut Butter on my laptop

There is an assortment of goodies hiding on and around my laptop, peanut butter being one, along with playdough, pen and felt, stickers, and raisins. It is very serious business working at my kitchen table with a 1 and 3 yr old!!

Free postage for ODT readers

Maybe you read the feature about Red Rata in the Otago Daily Times and are interested in getting your hands (and body) on your very own gorgeous natural NZ made body and home care products. You have come to the right place :-)

Visit our website www.redrata.co.nz to make your choices and you can order easily online. Mention you read about Red Rata in the ODT and I will give you free postage (within New Zealand).

A warm welcome to Red Rata.

Best wishes, Susan

In the Otago Daily Times today

Susan Helmore and Red Rata are featured in today's ODT, in the Body and Soul section. Read it here about the 'kitchen whizz' who is 'homing in on a passion'.

Natural Home Care Products on Special

Don't forget that if you buy 2 or more products from Red Rata's natural home care range, that includes dishwash liquid, laundry powder, air freshener, multi-purpose concentrate and anti-bacterial spray, then you get 20% off the total.

Thats a cool saving, you could get a yummy hot chocolate and a piece of cake to treat yourself since you are such a clever shopper to buy online, at Red Rata, choosing natural essentials AND saving money.

No skin reaction YAY

I posted out an order just 2 days ago and I received this lovely email just now:

Tried out the bubble bath and body wash today and seems to be no reaction on his skin so far, so that's a good sign! Bubble bath was a real hit.

Happy customers and happy families make me happy :-)

200 is a lot

Did you know that typically a woman puts 200 chemicals on her body A DAY!

Thats a lot.

And thats not including chemicals in our food or in the environment.

The Red Rata challenge is to see if you can use less than 10 chemicals on your body a day... easy by choosing to use natural body care products.

Smelly washing powder

I went to the supermarket in the weekend and right at the entrance by the bananas and potatoes was a big stand with concentrated 'name brand' washing powder. A tall stack of small colourful boxes, but golly, did they smell.

There must have been so much perfume in these small inconspicuous little boxes to fill a duty free store. Just by walking past my nose hurt and I felt sick. I thought, if this is just the fake synthetic fragrance, I hate to imagine what other awful nasties were hiding in the box.

I got home, having not bought any of these pretty boxes. I filled my washing machine with our dirty clothes and my nice, friendly, natural Earthwise Laundry Powder and enjoyed the light fresh smell of eucalyptus and grapefruit essential oils, and my nose smiled - well if noses smiled it would have been been smiling :-)

Beach bums

Our family just returned from the most relaxing weeks holiday in the Catlins, South Otago coast of New Zealand. What a superb place to explore the hidden wonders of our beautiful country.

Within a few kms of our cute farm cottage (with chickens as well) we explored many beaches, saw Sealions, viewed magnificent waterfalls, and did many short walks. A perfect nature getaway with two energetic toddlers.

Whats the largest organ of our body?

Our skin is the largest organ of our body.

Not many years ago it was thought that what was put on our skin simply stayed there. But we now know that whatever is put on our skin is rapidly and readily absorbed into our bloodstream and vital organs. We are therefore exposing our bodies to many chemicals by using common body care products, and potentially risking our health in doing so.

Thats why the type of products you use on your body is so important. Check the ingredients lists and avoid synthetic chemicals. Choose natural body care products.

Love the bubbles and the balm.

I love getting feedback about Red Rata's products and about our service. I always wish to know what people think as I want Red Rata to make you happy.

Here is one happy customer's thoughts after they bought the Tui Bee Balme and the Herbal Selections Bubble Bath from Red Rata. I especially love it that its not only the littlie that gets to enjoy a fun bubbly bath, but their parents too :-).

"thanks so much for getting the balm and bubble bath over so quickly, my daughters cheeks were getting so dry but the balm has made them all lovely and soft again and the bubble bath smells so fresh I'm going to start using it myself! She loves slashing around in all the bubbles and I'm happy knowing there's nothing in it but good, natural stuff, thanks."

The Tui Bee Balm and the Herbal Selections Bubble Bath are both natural body products, New Zealand made and essentials for your baby, children, and yourself.

Look here for more details.

If you have used any products from Red Rata I would love to get your feedback as well, just scribble me an email. Thanks.

New postage rates

Postage is now cheaper!!!

For 2-3 smaller items postage is now $4 and larger parcels are still $6. Or if you are so lucky to live in Wanaka, I will deliver your natural goodies to you for free!!

Natural Baby Products

Red Rata has a great range of natural essentials for your baby or child. We stock Motherwell, Herbal Selections, Tui Balmes and Waxes, Clean Earth Soaps, Yours Naturally, Absolutely Natural and Oasis. All New Zealand made, all natural to care for you.

Choose from bubble bath, body wash, shampoo, sunscreen, all purpose balmes, soap and massage oil. Treat your little one to skin goodies and know you are choosing the very best.

Check out the range at our online store.

Women in Business in Wanaka

I met some lovely ladies at the Wanaka Chamber of Commerce Women in Business get together this morning. It was so nice to meet you and I look forward to getting to know you more. A very big welcome to Red Rata, and enjoy your browse of the Red Rata range of natural products. If I can help in anyway please be in touch. See you over a cuppa next month I hope.

NEW Natural Liquid Hand Wash

Red Rata was missing a natural essential but now we have it in stock. Herbal Selections Nourishing Liquid Hand Wash. The perfect 250ml pump bottle of hand wash for the bathroom, kitchen an laundry.

It contains natural anti-bacterial agents, moisturises and protects hands and is enriched with aloe vera, lavender, calendula and tea tree oils.

We use hand wash several times a day and at least you know you are not exposing yourself to any harmful unnessary chemicals from this lovely product.

Ingredients: Filtered rain water, sustainably sourced pure coconut oil and palm kernel oil, vegetable glycerine, antioxidants, vitamin E, essential oils of lavender, eucalyptus and tea tree, preserved with antiseptic and anti-viral oils.

Find this gentle yet effective natural liquid hand wash at Red Rata for $8.50.

Apples and Peaches galore

We are lucky to have apple trees and peach trees in our garden so the last couple of months I have been making everything appley and peachy. Its fun, so yum and very satisfying knowing I am using fresh abundance from my very own garden, and its free.

Go Charlie :-)

The Frye Cres Fundraising Fiesta a week ago was a huge success. There was hundreds who turned out to the street party for pony rides, gingerbread biscuits, garage sales, coffee, bouncy castles and lots more.

Everyone had great fun and it was all for a good cause. $6500 was raised for little Charlie and his family to help them during Charlie's cancer treatment. Go Albert Town and Wanaka, what an amazing community of supportive and caring people.

Red Rata wishs brave Charlie and his family so many hugs and love as they journey towards recovery. We can't wait to see you back home. XX

Wonderful Expo

It was fantastic to meet so many fantastic people at the Mind Body and Soul Expo in Arrowtown yesterday. Loads of interesting folk all keen to learn more about ways they can live a healthily and happily.

Thanks to all the visitors to the Red Rata stall, it was so nice to meet you. I hope you enjoyed trying some of our many natural New Zealand made body products. I hope we get to meet again.

A big congratulations to Penny from Invercargill who is the lucky winner of the Red Rata gift pack. I hope you enjoy this great selection of natural goodies, and thank you to everyone who entered the draw to win at the Expo.

Healthy Home Checklist

Take a look in each room and check how healthy your home is. Get this great healthy home checklist from the Environmental Working Group here. You may be surprised at what is around your home and what simple changes you can make to make it safer and healthier for you and your family.

At least you know where to find your natural personal care and home cleaning products from, at Red Rata!

Do the checklist today, its quick and easy.

Natural is good!!

You will love the smell and feel, plus they really work

Pure simple gentle ingredients that your body craves

Ingredients made by nature so you know what is in the products

Less chance of reactions or health issues

You use less so you actually save money

You are gorgeous so you deserve to use gorgeous products

Red Rata at the Mind, Body Soul Expo

Come and visit us at the Mind Body Soul Expo in Arrowtown this weekend. Sunday 18th April. 10am - 4pm : Mind, Body and Soul Expo

Red Rata will have plenty of sample products to try, you can shop as well as find out more about the benefits of using natural products.

The Expo is a fascinating and educational look at health and well-being with expo stalls ranging from innovative therapies to holistic and conventional healing, including bowen, reiki, herbals, crystals, palmistry, homeopathy, massage, clairvoyants, energy healing and much more.
Athenaeum Hall..........$3 ENTRY FEE, CHILDREN UNDER 12 FREE.

Check out more info about the Arrowtown Autumn Festival, find something that looks like fun and come and enjoy.

Frye Cres Fundraising Fiesta

If you are passing by Wanaka tomorrow (Sat 10 April 10-2pm) pop to Albert Town and have some fun at the Fiesta on Frye Cres. There will be pony rides, face painting, bouncy castle, coffee and cake, raffles plus loads more fun family entertainment. All money raised goes to the 'Small Frye Fund' to help little 2 yr old Charlie and his family as he endures his cancer treatment.

Buy a raffle ticket to be in to win a Pack from Red Rata containing three beautiful natural body care products: Herb Farm Rosehip and Citrus Body Lotion, Tui Lavender Massage Wax and an Olive Oil Soap.

See you there!!

Happy customer :-)

I received this email from a customer who bought the gorgeous Red Rata natural 'Pamper Pack for Him' as a Valentines Day gift, lucky guy!!

"He said to me this morning how much he liked the natural mens moisturizer that was in the Red Rata pack I gave him – said it smells really good and his skin has been feeling nice lately"

Cleaning products SPECIAL

Order 2 or more products from our wonderful natural Home Care range and save yourself 20% of the retail price (April and May), WOW. Tis the time to clean and freshen your home while the sun is shining.

Choose from natural Air Freshener, Multi-Purpose Spray, Dishwash Liquid, laundry Powder and a Cleaner Concentrate. They all work wonders and are not toxic to you or the world around us. Visit Red Rata to find out more and make your order.

Clean the bath, kitchen bench, the dishes, clothing, and anything else that needs a sparkle and shine added to it.

Natural Oven Cleaner

Forget stinky awful expensive oven cleaners. I used baking soda and water mixed to a paste and Oh My Golly did it clean my oven. I was amazed. And there were no toxic fumes to engulf me plus it was cheap. My oven is sparkling clean, try it, it works!!

Gorgeous new Face Exfoliant

If you like to feel your facial scrub working to get the dead old skin cells and dirt from your face then you will love this gorgeous natural Vanilla Seasalt Face Exfoliant from Herb Farm.

Thoroughly cleanse your face with a 60ml jar $23.50 from Red Rata. It contains little bits of vanilla pod and sea salt and has a soft smell to gently look after your face.

Follow this up with a Rose or Rosehip Herb Farm Face Cream also from Red Rata and you will have a fresh clean smile all over your face.

Tamanu Oil

Tamanu oil is very penetrating and acts deeply to soften and heal the skin. It is anti-inflammatory so is great for redness or damaged skin.
Tamanu oil comes from a nut grown in Polynesian. It has a distinctive spicy smell. Tamanu Oil is in The Herb Farm's Mens Moisturiser.

Natural Air Freshener

Cleaning products are jammed pack full off awful chemicals and one of the worst is air freshener. They only disguise odours, while pumping a bunch of potentially toxic chemicals into the air that we immediately breathe in.

Try opening a window and turning a fan on.

Or try a natural air freshener. Red Rata have a wonderful Earthwise Air Freshener in stock, in a lovely light Citrus fragrance. These natural air fresheners mainly contain water and essential oils plus a few other goodies to fresehen the air in any room of the house.

250ml spray bottle $7.00

April/May Newsletter

Keep an eye out in your inbox and on our Red Rata website for the latest newsletter Apr/May 2010 Newsletter 06.

We introduce you to natural ingredients and tell you about the benefits they have on your health. Mother's day is soon so Red Rata suggest a beautiful gift for your special mum. Not only do Red Rata specialise in Personal Care products but we have a great range of natural Cleaning products. There are several products on special so have a read, enjoy and we welcome you to our store.

Susan
:-)

Green Cleaning

Cleaning can be tiresome but it doesn't have to be toxic!

There are health risks associated with many conventional cleaning products. These products can contain ingredients linked to asthma, cancer, reproductive toxicity, hormone disruption, neurotoxicity and other health effects.

Avoid these potnetially harmful chemicals in your cleaning products:

• 2-butoxyethanol (or ethylene glycol monobutyl ether) and other glycol ethers
• Alkylphenol ethoxylates (some common ones are: nonyl- and octylphenol ethoxylates, or non- and octoxynols)
• Dye (companies often hide chemical information behind this word; when it's unknown, it's safer to skip it)
• Ethanolamines (common ones to look out for are: mono-, di-, and tri-ethanolamine)
• Fragrance
• Pine or citrus oil (on smoggy or high ozone days, compounds in the oils can react with ozone in the air to form the carcinogenic chemical formaldehyde)
• Quaternary ammonium compounds (look out for these: alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (ADBAC), benzalkonium chloride, and didecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride)

There are some great natural cleaning prooducts that are safer alternatives. Check out Red Rata's Home Care range of natural cleaning essentials that take care of you as well as your home.

Couple of super duper specials

I have a couple of products that have expiry dates on them that are in the next month or so. They are perfectly fine products and if you buy now and use them they will be 100% A OK. Just you will save some money, yay. There is limited stock so be in quick.

Herb Farm Lime Shower Gel 250ml normally $25 now $18

Herb Farm Rosehip and Citrus Body Lotion 200ml normally $26.50 now $19

Wonderful Expo

Thanks to everyone who visited the Red Rata stall at the Life Synergy Expo on Sunday. The sun shone and it was just beautiful at Millbrook.

There were lots of people taking in the information, trying out Zumba and yoga, learning about vege gardening, naturopathy or massage and getting their faces and some bellies painted. There was some delicious Pure New Zealand ice cream on offer, dancing, music and lots of exhibitors with interesting and varied information.

Lots of people signed up to win the Red Rata gift pack and a huge Congratulations to Sally of Queenstown who won this.

Red Rata leaflets hot off the press

Introducing our Red Rata leaflets. Yay, now we can spread the Red Rata message further and wider and more people can benefit from these natural goodies.

And we have lovely red business cards to match :-)

If you woul like to help us spread the word I would be very happy to post leaflets to you to display at your work, playgroup, health centre or sports club.

Win a Gift Pack at the Life Synergy Expo

Our Red Rata gift pack is wrapped, ready to be won by one lucky person who fills in an entry at the Life Sunergy Expo. The gift pack includes a Herb Farm Body Lotion, Red Seal Toothpaste, Tui Bug Balme, Tui Bee Balme, Clean Earth Soap and an Earthwise Air Freshener, presented in a useful wooden box. It is valued at over $60. A great addition to your natural product collection or a wonderful introduction to start using natural products.

Counting down

Its only 4 days until the Life Synergy Expo in Arrowtown (9-4pm 14th March).

Red Rata is gearing up for a very exciting day. We welcome every visitor to our exhibit, to sample our full range of natural home and body care products and to learn a little bit about the benefits of choosing natural.

Look forward to seeing you there.

You only need a little bit...

Everytime I have a shower I am amazed at just how little natural body wash, natural shampoo or natural conditioner I use. Because natural products are more concentrated, they have fewer ingredients, no chemicals and they don't contain bulking ingredients or fillers, you only need a small amount to get the job done. A blob less than a 20 cent piece is all you need for anything in the shower, and the natural baby body wash I use on my kids I only use a pea size, and thats a baby pea!

A customer once said to me I was doing my business a diservice as the products lasted so long that people wouldn't need to come back for more for a while and that is so true. But I dont think it is a diservice. I believe that is fantastic service as I am helping you to look after your health by choosing natural and your wallet, by saving you from buying lots of products often.

A little goes a long way.

One day I plan to do a cost and quantity analysis and compare a mainstream chemical based brand of say shampoo with a natural one and see what a serving size actually costs. I think it would be really interesting and am most positive that natural products end up being cheaper over time. And better for you for sure.

So next time you are in the shower, see how much product you squirt in your hand and consider... if you use less, you will save more.

Life Synergy Expo

I am very excited to be a part of the Life Synergy Expo in Queenstown on Sunday March 14th at Millbrook Resort.

You are very welcome to visit the Red Rata stall and see our full product range and sample some of our lovely natural New Zealand made body and home care products.

You can be in to win a gorgoues Natural Gift Pack as well. We will be located outside, look forward to seeing you there.

Newsletter sign up

Be the first to know about new products and specials, sign up for Red Rata's bi monthly newsletter, full of interesting info. Click here and pop in your name and email address. We would love you to join our group of Red Rata friends.

jam jam and more jam

I just love making Jam at the moment. Boysenberry, Blueberry, Grapefruit Marmalade and now Raspberry Jam.

But you need to collect lots of jars, thanks Megan!

Next I plan to make pickles, chutneys and sauces. Not today though.

You can't beat a hot buttery piece of toast with your very own jam on it, or your 3yr old asking for 'mummy's yummy red jam that mummy made'!!!

Ever heard of Parabens?

The word Parabens isn't used in everyday conversation, but they are used in almost 99% of cosmetics and beauty products. And they are not good. Look for methyl, ethyl and propyl parabens in the ingredients list of your products, and avoid them like the plague!

Parabens are chemical preservatives, used to prevent products from spoiling so they can effectively stay on the shelf for a very long time.

But once they are on our body via a moisturiser, lipstick, sunscreen or whatever, parabens are absorbed into your bloodstream and major organs, where their preservative action continues! Some research has actually found residues of these chemicals in cancerous tumours! Yuk!! They also disrupt the delicate hormone balance in our body's as they mimic oestrogen, and can cause skin irritations.

Enough of that scary stuff.

Luckily there are alternatives. Natural beauty products work just as well if not better and you know that you aren't risking your health unnessecarily. Look out for natural preservatives like tea tree oil, grapefruit seed extract or Vitamin E.

At Red Rata we only sell products that contain natural preservatives. So keep an eye out for those nasty lurking parabens and choose natural alternatives instead to keep you healthy.

Don't forget to breathe

I was lucky enough to have a massage the other day, and it was incredible. A whole hour of lying down in the middle of the day, that never happens.

It made me think about how we really need to look after ourselves, massages would be nice but are a very rare treat. But we should remember to breathe, should be natural but its easy to forget to breathe properly.

Using our diaphragms, so our tummy goes out as we breathe in, means your body is breathing well and being treated to the wonderful oxygen we need to feel good. So take a deep breath and breathe.

Samples

If you in Wanaka, or passing by, you are more than welcome to stop by and try some of Red Rata's products. And as you sample, I can make you a cuppa and sometimes my little girl helps me bake, so the bikky tins could be full (if her mummy hasnt got to them that is). Look forward to seeing you.

Gorgeous NEW Baby Balm

Yours Naturally Baby Balm is a fantastic barrier cream for baby's little bottom.

It has a lovely gentle honey and lavender smell. As it contains Tea Tree Oil it is super on cuts and works wonders as a moisturiser on dry skin, baby's and yours!

Hand made in New Zealand by Franda.

Ingredients: Olive Oil, Castor Oil, beeswax, lavender essential oil, Tea Tree Oil

Red Rata have 120 gm glass jars for a very affordable $11.00.

I have used this wonderful balm on my 13 month old, even when he had terrible nappy rash, it cleared it up. It is such a beautiful product, I use it as a hand moisturiser too as they get so dry washing nappies every day.

Natural Baby Bath

We went camping in the weekend. I love this picture. Bathing naturally!

Ingredients: big bucket, warm water, chemical free baby body wash (Herbal Selections from Red Rata), cups, facecloth and a dusty, dirty 1 year old.

Position yourself on the grass under the trees in the shade, with a warm breeze, plonk baby in the water, grab a drink and the camera and sit back to relax.

Our camping experience with two littlies worked out wonderfully and fun was had by all. The next day they were right back in the dust and dirt, just how it should be.

Victorian Valentines Day card

Valentines Day Goodies

Valentines Day is in 5 days.

A day to celebrate love and affection. It began in 496AD by Pope Gelsius I!! Something interesting to whisper to your loved one this Sunday!!

Flowers, chocolates and handwritten cards are the traditional ways to say I Love You. But at Red Rata our tradition is to pamper and treat your loved one to something a little luxurious yet chemical free and altogether natural. Your intentions are pure and simple!!

Here are a few suggestions for gifts. Take a look at Red Rata for details...
For her

• Essence Sandalwood & Rose Geranium Body Oil
• Herb Farm Pamper Bath Salts
• Herb Farm Rose or Rosehip Face Cream
• Essence Lavender Hand and Body Cream
• Herb Farm Rosehip and Citrus Body Lotion
• Soaps, Lip Balms and more...
  

For him

• Herb Farm Men Moisturiser
• Vanilla Lip Balm
• Herb Farm Lime Shower Gel
• Soaps and Lip Balms
  

Also check out our Pamper Packs for Him ($65) and Pamper Packs for Her ($60)

Order before Thursday so it can be fastposted to you, or your lover. And you will get a FREE handmade gift card to write XXXXOOOOXXXX

Happy Valentines Day, I hope you are treated as well.

Face Cream special

The Herb Farm make the most glorious natural face creams, you will love this natural skincare range, and they are made in New Zealand. Choose from Rose, Rosehip and there is also a wonderful Men's moisturiser. You will love the smell and just how luscious they feel on your face.

Buy two face creams for only $45. One for you and one for your man, or if you wish to really treat your face, two for yourself! Check out these beautiful natural face creams here.

Sun safe at school

The kiddies are back at school and pre-school this week. My little girl started pre-school for the first time ever this morning and loved it. I picked her up and her little paint covered face looked up at me beaming saying she didn't want to go home!!

Since summer has arrived and it is so hot it is handy to keep some sunscreen in their school bags. Apply it when you drop them off and then the teachers can re-apply it during the day, espcially after water play.

Red Rata have the perfect solution, a small 100gm tube, just right for little bags. Absolutely Natural sunscreen is SPF30, contains no nasty chemicals and safe for kids and babies to use. $23 for a small tube and I can post it straight away.

And dont forget their hat and sunglasses too.

Enjoy this glorious sun safely, another 30degree day here in Wanaka!

February Newsletter

Look out for Red Rata's February newsletter in the next day or two. Read it on the web here, or get it direct to your inbox if you sign up here. This months newsletter has suggestions if you can't think of a new years resolution-Red Rata can help, how I started using natural products, Herb Farm review and information about their fantastic deodorant and face creams, plus a special offer for Feb and March.

Red Rata newsletters are bi-monthly so sign up to get yours. Be the first to know about new products and specials, plus other intersting bits of information.

Bring on the curls.

Another happy Red Rata customer :-). They bought the Herbal Selections Baby Shampoo for their littlies and this is what they think about it:

"I love the products I ordered, and will need to reorder soon. The shampoo brings out my kids curls really well and they get compliments on their shiney hair so I've passed on your details to a few people"

We love to get comments about what people like and why. Ensuring our lovely customers and their family's are happy is one of Red Rata's main goals. And if you don't like something we definitly want to hear about it too so we can make it better.

Herbal Selections have a great range of natural and organic products to care for you and your precious littlies. Some of the popular ones are Baby Body Wash, Baby Shampoo and Bubble Fun Bubble Bath.

Visit Red Rata for more details, you can order online as well.

Great feedback about sunscreen.

I received a message from a happy customer today.

"The sunscreen is just great, it goes on easily, not greasy, nice and moisturising and best of all it doesnt irritate the kids skin. Thanks so much"

The Oasis Sun SPF30 is a wonderful natural sunscreen with zinc oxide as the main ingredient. It forms a barrier on the skin to reflect the UV rays, which is much kinder to your body, than other sunscreens that use chemicals that your body absorbs.

Sensitive skin and young skin don't seem to react to this product so it is a fantastic choice. Plus it is made in New Zealand.

Check out the Oasis Sunscreen at Red Rata.

Red Rata's first ever blog post

Hello and welcome to my first ever post on Red Rata's blog.

I thought this would be a great way to keep you updated on what is happening at Red Rata, new products, features and other information that I think you may be interested in.

This way you can be more informed about making choices to live as naturally and healthy everyday. There are trillions of beauty and cleaning products out there but they are so full of chemicals that it is scary to even think what may be in some of them and what effects this may have on our bodies, and the beautiful country we live in.

So at Red Rata you can be assured that you have heaps of choices and can choose natural products, that are actually good for you, kind, gentle and are made right here in New Zealand, and they don't cost the earth.

I look forward to sharing the Red Rata experience with you.

Choose natural essentials and treat your body with the care it deserves.

So here we have it, Red Rata's first blog post, look back soon for more.