Just writing to let you know that NJV Pharmacy on Front Street, Punta Gorda has stocked up on our Casa Mascia products. A Big Thank-you to the Vernons for continuing to support locally-made natural products. You will find our usual goodies including Copal Medicinal Soap, Oil and Ointment, Lemongrass Insect Repellents, a selection of our Massage Oils and lots more!
Here’s something for the hair from the House of Mascia! This is actually a Golden Oldie and was one of our first products; it is now back by popular demand. It’s just one of those things…as soon as we stopped making the product, we received emails asking, “…where is this?” and, “I bought this a while ago and I can’t find it anymore.”
And so we have it available in The Apothecary and if you live in Punta Gorda, it is available at Vance Vernon Pharmacy.
This is a hot oil treatment that can help re-condition dry and damaged hair:
And this is how you use it:
Warm vial of hair oil in glass of hot water while washing hair. Dry hair and apply oil to hair. Wrap in plastic for 20 minutes. Relax. Re-wash with shampoo.
We have just delivered a fresh batch of our medicinal soaps to Vance Vernon Pharmacy in Punta Gorda. You will find Copal Medicinal Soap for treatment of rash, itch and insect bites:
There is also Jackass Bitters and Neem Soap which is indicated for sensitive and irritated skin.
You will also find our popular White Pitahaya Soap which is a facial soap recommended for acne (here, they call it “bumps”) and oily skin.
If you do not live in Punta Gorda we can post within the country and internationally. Check out The Apothecary section of our website for more details.
Hope you are having an enlightening Good Friday! Well, it’s hot and we are definitely in the midst of dry season which means it is time to tap copal (Protium copal) for the resin. The most popular use for the copal blocks is as incense. To use, just break off pieces and burn over charcoal. Another use for copal is as a skin treatment for rash, inflammation and itch; copal has been used by the Ancient Maya for centuries as a traditional remedy for skin ailments. It also has natural anti-septic qualities so can be used for minor bacterial and fungal infections. Here are some pictures of fresh copal:
Fresh copal has the smell of rainforests with an uplifting resinous scent.
If you are interested in reading more about the medical properties of copal, click on Copal As Medicine.
Here are some products that we make from copal. We recommend these products for skin conditions including eczema, psoriasis, insect bites and as a preventative treatment for skin infections.
If you want to view more of our copal hand-made products please look at The Apothecary. For anyone living in Punta Gorda (Belize!), you can buy our Copal Medicinal Oil and other products at Vance Vernon and Mahong Pharmacy.
Hello Everyone!! Our Neem and Jackass Bitters Soap is now ready and available for purchase in The Apothecary.
The neem leaves are dried in the shade and then infused in coconut oil which is used in the making of the soap.
Neem is known for its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-helminthic and anti-viral properties. In Aryuvedic medicine, neem has been used to treat skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis.
The jackass bitters plant is a well-known herb of Belize which is used in treating ulcers and cold-sores.
A perfect combination for a gentle soap with soothing properties for problem skin. It is also a wonderful “everyday” anti-bacterial coconut oil soap.
If you live in Punta Gorda or in the Toledo region of Belize, you can buy this soap at Vance Vernon Pharmacy on Front Street.
This is what the packaged soap looks like:
If you look at the packaging closely, you will notice that it only states “Neem Face and Body Soap.” This is because we are still using our old labels…we are being eco-friendly and do not want to throw out perfectly good labels!! So, I would like to assure you, despite the use of these labels, the soap is made from neem and jackass bitters!
Have a good night!!
We made another round of soaps today; this time they are the White Pitahaya Soaps which are facial soaps for acne and oily-prone skin. The seeds are rich in nourishing oils; prior to making the soap, we lightly crush the seed and infuse them in coconut oil to allow diffusion of oils. The coconut oil is then used to make the soap.
Pitahaya is also called Pitaya (also, dragon fruit) and is of the Hylocereus sp. They can come in different colours namely red, white and yellow. They are highly esteemed in Belize, Central America and in Asian countries. The seeds, in our soaps, are obtained from the local variety which has a red flesh. Our soaps are called “White Pitahaya” because they are white in colour, not because the seeds are obtained from the white variety.
Here are some pictures:
These soaps are unscented so that they can be used for sensitive skin. They have a natural, subtle coconut smell to them and they produce a lovely creamy lather. The seeds are also mildly exfoliating.
Check out The Apothecary for our full range of coconut oil soaps. Also, if you live in Punta Gorda, you can find the White Pitahaya soap at Vance Vernon Pharmacy on Front Street.
Enjoy your Sunday!!
The Chocolate (Cacao) Festival is taking place this weekend in Toledo, Belize. It is a welcome distraction from farm headaches and issues. For those of you who have been following our water problem, the saga continues as it is literally pouring bucket-loads so we can not pull up our well-pump to fix or replace it. I can’t complain because both our water tanks and numerous 5 gallon buckets have been filled right up to the top. And, the frogs haven’t had the time yet to deposit their spawn everywhere! Better get my washing done before the tadpoles start appearing.
Anyway, Casa Mascia Apothecary will have a booth at the Cacao Festival tomorrow. We will be located at the Chocolate Factory (near Uno Service Station). It will be fun for all the family with plenty of food and chocolate…what more can you ask for!
We will be bringing our Chocolate Artisan Soaps which will be on special for the festival:
And, of course, we will bring our Copal Medicinal Products:
We would like to launch our new product at the festival tomorrow. It is called “I can’t believe it’s not D.B’s”; this is our coconut castile soap similar to a famous brand named after a doctor. Castile is oil-based liquid soap which is free of chemical detergents. This product is still made by doctors (ie. us) but the only differences are that we are not well-known and we live in the middle of the bush in Belize! This item is available in litre bottles in original and peppermint.
We hope to see you there. If you can’t make it we will be sure to take lots of pictures. I will make sure that Gnome does not take the pictures because they would be fuzzy and out of focus!
Just in case you can’t find us we have many of our non-chocolate products in Vance Vernon Pharmacy on Front Street, Toledo (next to BTIA). They have all our Copal Products, Massage Oils, Lemongrass Insect Repellents, Bitters Oil and much, much more.