Moon Mother Hemp Joins 1% for the Planet
Moon Mother Hemp Company is a woman-owned, family-operated small business. Our CBD wellness products are made with USDA certified organic hemp from small Colorado farms that use sustainable, soil-friendly practices. Working so closely with the plant, we’re constantly reminded of our deep appreciation for the environment, and our desire to protect it for future generations.
That’s why we joined 1% for the Planet. Since Moon Mother Hemp launched in 2018, we’ve regularly donated a portion of our proceeds to local nonprofits championing environmental and social justice. Now, as members, we pledge 1% of our annual sales to organizations on the front lines of conservation, through both financial contributions and volunteer hours with nonprofits paving the way to a better future.
This partnership magnifies our voices and resources, and helps us fight for an environmental legacy we’re proud of.
Local action, global impact
We believe individual action on a local level adds up to global impact on the most pressing issues of our lifetime. Every effort we make to protect our planet today protects the world we live in, and it aligns with our mission to be environmentally responsible citizens of the Earth.
1% for the Planet is a globally recognized community of individuals, nonprofits and businesses taking action together, and we’re proud to be part of it. Our loving relationship with Mother Earth nourishes both our bodies and our planet, and it inspires us to create a better world for our children.
“Moon Mother Hemp has always been a purpose-driven company, using our platform to make a positive impact in the world. Our partnership with 1% for the Planet is a great way for us to support environmental solutions in a tailored, more impactful way that combines donations, boots-on-the-ground activism and volunteer work for our entire team.”
Jessica Bates, Founder & CEO
Give the Women in Your Life the Ultimate Self-Care Gifts this Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is the perfect moment to make the women in our lives feel special, loved and appreciated. Wellness gifts make especially delightful presents, because they encourage our moms, grandmothers, aunts, friends and partners to take time for self-care, something many women rarely make room for.
She deserves to feel special
Our moms are some of the most important people in our lives, and while the women around us deserve their roses every day, Mother’s Day is a chance to do something extra special for mothers, aunts, grandmothers and every caregiver we feel motherly love from.
Mothers spend so much time caring for everyone else that they seldom find time for themselves. A gift that helps her pamper herself can help her put her own needs first for a change, and build a self-care routine for body and mind. We’ll never be able to repay our mothers for all their love, but a relaxing gift is a lovely place to start.
Help her feel her best with CBD skincare
Everyone deserves to feel beautiful, which is why skincare makes such a popular Mother’s Day gift. Our Skin Care Bundle features three luxurious products made with our certified organic hemp extract, rich in antioxidants and soothing for the skin. Start with the indulgent Nourish CBD & Manuka Honey Mask before a bath, followed by Renew Eye Serum and Glow Skin Serum to refresh the look of tired skin.
Made with organic ingredients from nature, our skincare is formulated for all skin types. If she has sensitive skin, try a small patch first.
Help her unwind
A good evening routine is a key part of self-care, and rest is something mothers rarely get enough of. Our Dream Time Bundle brings together our CBD Dream Balm, our organic hemp oil tincture in Natural and our CBD Massage Oil, for a calming evening wind-down and a little spa luxury at home. Or book her a massage and send the oil along for her therapist to use.
Build her a self-care kit
Nothing says “I appreciate you” like a self-care basket you put together yourself. Here are a few ideas to include:
- Her favorite scented candle.
- Luxurious CBD bath salts. Our CBD Ritual Bath is a favorite.
- An aromatherapy diffuser and essential oils.
- A massage oil. To help her relax.
- A soothing balm. Our Muscle Balm is perfect after a busy day.
Every product we’ve mentioned can also be purchased on its own, so you can tailor the kit to her tastes.
Show your love
Moon Mother Hemp products add a little luxury and intention to everyday moments, like getting ready in the morning or settling in for the evening. Sometimes it really is the little things that brighten someone’s day. Give your mom, grandma, best friend, aunt, or even yourself, the gift of self-care this Mother’s Day.
Holistic Self-Care: Looking Back to Move Forward
Like many, I’ve been thinking more about self-care this past year.
Between a global pandemic, an election and perhaps the most important period yet for the Black Lives Matter movement, 2020 demanded more of our time, energy and spirit than we have ever been able to get our minds around. So how do we love ourselves in 2021?
Depending on who you are and where you come from, “self-care” can mean any number of things. Since its birth in and around the 1950s, the self-care movement has grown and evolved, and today the idea is equally at home among trauma therapists, social activists, spiritual gurus and beauty influencers. But self-care is older and deeper than today’s plethora of yoga retreats and sheet masks might suggest.
The roots of self-care
In his book The Care of the Self, French philosopher Michel Foucault echoed Socrates’ belief that self-care should be a practice that helps us care for others: lifelong work on one’s body, mind and soul, in order to better relate to other people and live an ethically driven life. In fact, the self-care movement found its early identity in this very sentiment.
In the 1950s, doctors used the term “self-care” to encourage autonomy and feelings of self-worth among long-term institutionalized patients. The idea soon expanded into psychology, and in the 1960s, academics began exploring techniques, such as a healthy diet, exercise and meditation, for professionals like therapists, EMTs, social workers and firefighters who faced repeated exposure to pain and trauma in their daily work.
The meaning of self-care deepened when it became an integral part of the civil rights and women’s liberation movements. Martin Luther King Jr. observed that “of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhuman,” and in the early 1970s, health-care reform became a foundational issue for the Black Panther Party, which promoted self-care as an essential way for Black people to stay resilient in the fight against systemic and medical racism, and to gain agency over their own health and survival.
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”
Audre Lorde, A Burst of Light (1988)
This core desire for agency over one’s own health soon spread from the activist fringes into the mainstream. The new idea called “wellness” was at first regarded with skepticism, even disdain. But it gave us what may be the most enduring concept of self-care: that our own minds, our bodies and nature hold keys to our health and happiness.
Self-care today
Self-care moved into a new level of mainstream awareness after the 2016 election. Google searches for self-care doubled, and #selfcare posts on Instagram climbed from more than a million to tens of millions in just a few years.
It’s not surprising that, in the face of a global pandemic, political uncertainty and deepening racial divides, self-care is increasingly used as a way of coping with open-ended anxiety, fear and frustration. In an overwhelming world, self-care has taken on a decidedly more escapist vibe.
Luxe self-care is a new way of disengaging. Most of the self-care posts I saw were aimed at some form of luxury consumption, and that kind of self-care isn’t accessible to everyone. As millions struggle with the economic impacts of COVID, they can’t spare the time or money for today’s self-care solutions. And products and services are often only a temporary fix. A bubble bath feels good while it lasts, but sometimes indulgence offers little more than a brief respite from a bigger problem that needs a better solution.
Self-care, holistically
I’m a huge proponent of a solid self-care game. Like so many, I also struggle with feeling that self-care can be selfish. I try to be mindful of the conditioning that leads me to put others’ needs before my own, and grant myself the grace to love me first.
But honoring the history of self-care can deepen the meaning of our own practices. We can take care of ourselves so that we are healthy and happy. We can take care of ourselves so that we can better show up in the world. And we can take care of ourselves so that we can take care of others. Without this balance, self-care can become a selfish and, in many ways, self-defeating act.
The Oxford dictionary’s philosophical definition of “holistic” is “characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.” Each of us is intimately interconnected, and explicable only by reference to the social fabric into which we are woven.
So for me, 2021 will mean looking at self-care in a truly holistic way: tuning in to what my body and spirit need to thrive, while recognizing that we live in a complex web of interdependence. I want to honor the positive feedback loop that’s created when I care for myself and then for others, because that, ultimately, is caring for myself too.
If nothing else, this past year has brutally and beautifully exposed the interconnectedness of human life on this planet. May 2021 be a time to show up not just for ourselves, but for our loved ones and every member of our communities, and to practice truly holistic self-care.
About Moon Mother Hemp
Lauren M. Wilson is a cannabis and hemp educator and the author of three books on CBD, including The CBD Solution: Wellness and The CBD Solution: Living. This essay was first published in early 2021.
Holiday Glow: A Guide to Beauty from the Inside Out
It’s one of the great contradictions of this time of year: as the world sparkles with new-fallen snow and festive decorations, our own personal glow can fade under holiday stress, dry, cold weather and the hustle of parties and family gatherings.
Why not start a new tradition this season by putting yourself first, with quick and easy beauty rituals to bring out your glow from the inside out?
Tips for glowing skin
One of our favorite books on the subject is The Little Book of Healthy Beauty: Simple Daily Habits to Get You Glowing by Pina LoGiudice, ND, LAc (TarcherPerigee, 2016). This gem of a book is packed with natural, timeless wisdom about keeping your skin at its best, whatever the season throws at you.
Sleep is your best friend for a fresh, rested look, and a nighttime beauty ritual with Moon Mother Hemp helps you wind down and make the most of it. As Dr. LoGiudice writes, the foundation for a good night’s sleep includes:
- Aim for a bedtime between 10:30 and 11pm every night. Consistent sleep times train your brain and body to fall asleep and stay asleep. A nightly routine, moisturizing your skin and keeping electronics out of the bedroom all set the stage for calm.
- Try a self hug. Lying in bed, bend one arm across your chest and rest your hand on the opposite shoulder, then wrap your other arm around your waist. This gentle “self hug” feels like being swaddled and brings an instant sense of comfort.
- Adopt a bedtime mantra. Often the hardest part of falling asleep is quieting the mind. Breathe in and say to yourself “sleeeeep,” breathe out and say “noooow,” and repeat until you drift off.
- Make hemp part of your nightly beauty routine. Evening is a lovely time to care for your skin while it rests overnight. Our CBD serums are rich in natural antioxidants and deliver intense hydration, so you wake up to skin that looks and feels soft, calm and refreshed.
Our skincare products
Herbalist formulated, all of our skincare and body care products begin with the highest quality certified organic herbs, botanical butters and oils, and our whole plant hemp extract. Each one is carefully crafted by our founder, a certified clinical herbalist, for a harmonious blend of herbs, hemp and essential oils. You can rest easy knowing you’re giving your skin 100% organic TLC.
Glow Skin Serum
Glow is a daily moisturizer suitable for all skin types. Nourishing, balancing herbs are infused in jojoba oil and argan oil with rose and our whole plant hemp extract, harnessing the power of Mother Nature to soothe, moisturize and replenish your skin. Apply 1 or 2 pumps to cleansed, dry skin in a circular motion, or pump the serum into your hands and gently press it into your skin.
“Natural ingredients are a mainstay of all Moon Mother products, but they especially shine in the brand’s Glow Skin Serum. The serum makes moisturizing magic by combining full spectrum hemp extract with argan oil, rose, and jojoba oil. Hemp oil [is] soothing on skin, so it’s no surprise that this serum made a much-needed difference in managing my post-winter dry skin. After just a few days, I was waking up to softer, happier skin.”
Claire Hannum, writer and editor, Beautytap
Renew Eye Serum
Renew your eyes with our hemp eye serum, made to reduce the look of fine lines and puffiness. Our proprietary seed-oil blend is restorative and rejuvenating, and brightens and plumps the look of tired skin. Roll it gently under your eyes before bed, keep one at your desk for a refreshing swipe during the day, or apply it before a day on the slopes for extra moisture in cold, windy weather.
Nourish CBD & Manuka Honey Mask
Nourish is a nourishing, mineral-rich mask that leaves skin hydrated and glowing, and helps it look younger and more radiant with every use. Spread a thin layer over your face and leave it on for 20 minutes before rinsing, or use it as a daily cleanser to help brighten the look of your skin.
The Skin Care Bundle
Want it all this season? Put our Skin Care Bundle, with Glow, Renew and Nourish together, on your holiday wish list, and start every day glowing.
“I am currently using the Glow Skin Serum and CBD Renew Eye Serum every day and have seen a difference in how smooth and hydrated my skin is. The Nourish CBD & Manuka Honey Mask is such a great treat: my skin felt hydrated and nourished, and looked amazing. I would definitely recommend Moon Mother Hemp to anyone who wants to use a CBD line with good quality ingredients.”
Avigale Lagrass, former Director of Wellness, Nalu Kinetic Spa
Happy holidays from Moon Mother Hemp… now go get those ZZZs.
Hemp as an Eco-Solution
Sustainability starts with environmental awareness and education, which we’re passionate about here at Moon Mother. Together, let’s explore why and how we can support our planet, and why we believe hemp is part of the answer.
Why environmental awareness matters
Only by understanding our individual impact can we reduce it. That’s why, through 1% for the Planet, we partnered with Earth Guardians to spread environmental awareness, including a monthly discussion series for young people in our Boulder community. The first panel explored hemp as an eco-solution: a greener alternative that helps keep our planet healthy.
How hemp supports the environment
Hemp is so much more than CBD. As a natural material, it’s biodegradable and renewable, and it’s remarkably good for the soil it grows in.
Hemp improves soil health
Hemp’s benefits start when it’s planted. Hemp can draw contaminants, pollutants and toxins out of the soil and store them in its stalks and leaves, a process called bioremediation, leaving a healthier environment for the next crop. A four-year research project from the Rodale Institute found hemp to be a valuable addition to crop rotation, improving soil health and suppressing weeds, which makes it especially useful for organic farmers.
Textiles made from hemp
Hemp is one of the most sustainable textile fibers there is. It was likely among the first plants grown for textiles, in early civilizations in the Middle East and China, and only faded from use when its cultivation was prohibited in the 1930s. Hemp fabric feels similar to linen, making it perfect for summer clothing, and its strong, durable fibers are ideal for hard-wearing textiles like upholstery. Natural hemp fabric is biodegradable, too.
Paper made from hemp
China was the first country to make paper from hemp, and today hemp has a chance to reclaim its place as a sustainable resource. Deforestation is one of the human activities driving the environmental crisis, and hemp offers an alternative. It’s rich in cellulose, the main ingredient in paper, which makes it an excellent replacement for trees.
And so much more
Hemp can also be made into bioplastics and biofuels, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. And in wellness, hemp gives us nutritious seeds and oils as well as CBD. We can’t wait to see hemp used in more mainstream ways.
Moon Mother’s commitment to the planet
Our goal is to support sustainability education and help build a future where the planet can thrive. We’ve built this commitment into our values, always looking for ways to give back, and we make every product as sustainably and purely as we can.
Farming beyond organic
Our hemp is USDA certified organic, and we aim to go further. Our hemp is grown without pesticides, the soil is protected with crop rotation and healthy plant cover to prevent erosion, and we avoid monocropping.
Even as a small, family-run business, we’re working toward becoming a carbon-negative brand. We believe in leading by example.
Harvesting Gratitude
Here at Moon Mother Hemp, some of our most important lessons in gratitude come from the land: the rhythm of sowing and harvest, the companion plants that help organic hemp thrive, and the phases of the Moon that shape our work, our mission and the way we do business.
Research suggests that practicing gratitude can:
- Support psychological wellbeing and better sleep.
- Increase empathy.
- Reduce aggression.
- Enhance self-esteem.
- Strengthen social connections.
Who couldn’t use a little more of that? As the seasons change and we settle in for winter, we want to share a simple mindfulness practice to carry you through the months ahead.
A gratitude walk
On your next walk, breathe deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth, and reflect on what surrounds you.
- Your environment. Take in the trees, the light, the sounds of the day and the people you pass, and say to yourself, “For this, I am grateful.”
- Your people. Think of your friends, your family and your partner, and say to yourself, “For this, I am grateful.”
- Yourself. You are a unique person with much to offer, able to learn from the past and plan for the future, with the resilience to meet what comes. Say to yourself, “For this, I am grateful.”
- Your life. Recognize that life is a gift, and that you have the awareness to appreciate it in all its variations. Say to yourself, “For this, I am grateful.”
Keep practicing
A few resources to continue your practice: Mindful’s introduction to mindful gratitude, Positive Psychology’s 13 most popular gratitude exercises and Tiny Buddha.
At Moon Mother Hemp, gratitude is at the heart of who we are and what we do. We’re thankful for the opportunity to be your partner in self-care, and for our growth, our team, and our wholesale and retail partners. We’ve got you.
In gratitude,
Edward and Jessica Bates and the Moon Mother Hemp Team
Giving Locally and Growing Globally: Supporting Earth Guardians
Moon Mother Hemp was founded on the importance of working in harmony with the environment, and our motto, “from seed to sale,” says it all. Our choices in sourcing, our products, our packaging and our giving are all designed to benefit the Earth. That’s why we joined 1% for the Planet, a global organization whose members commit to giving 1% of annual sales to environmental causes.
Through 1% for the Planet, we chose to partner with Earth Guardians, whose mission is to empower young people around the world to create change through social, climate and environmental justice. Here are a few of the many reasons we love them:
Inclusion and diversity
Earth Guardians is proactively inclusive and diverse, uniting people of all backgrounds in their passion for the environment. Their Indigenous Youth Committee is dedicated to education, training and organizing around cultural resilience, environmental justice and decolonization. We consciously support inclusion and diversity too, which made Earth Guardians a natural fit.
Youth empowerment
Empowering young people and letting their voices be heard is crucial for a healthy future. This intergenerational organization combines educational resources with funding so its members can run their own environmental movements and projects.
Global impact
Earth Guardians has members in dozens of countries across six continents. Their impact spans tree planting in Africa, socio-environmental news podcasts in Brazil, training for Indigenous youth across North America, and legal action on the climate crisis taken on behalf of young people in the U.S.
A local partnership
Though Earth Guardians works worldwide, it’s rooted in Boulder, Colorado, just like us. That gives us a real, close relationship with this important partner, from educational programs to feet-on-the-ground volunteer projects.
We invite you to explore Earth Guardians’ volunteer initiatives in your own community, or to find another cause close to your heart. The gift you give to the Earth will always benefit you and your community.
In service to you and the Earth,
The Moon Mother Hemp Team
Frankie’s Story: A Cat, His Family and a Nightly Ritual
To say that Frankie, an 8-year-old tuxedo cat, is a beloved member of the Vartanian family is an understatement. This fur baby is cherished by his family, even more so after Hilary and her husband became empty nesters and then weathered the pandemic together.
Hilary and her son, Alex, had wanted a cat for years, but her husband wasn’t a fan of the idea. Undeterred, they went to Animal Haven in New York City to meet the kittens. Frankie was the last of three brothers left from his litter, and when he climbed into Alex’s lap, it was a done deal: Frankie had found a home and a brother. Since then, Hilary’s husband has fallen hard for Frankie too.
Then Alex left for the University of Colorado Boulder, and 2020 arrived. Living in the heart of New York City, the family went into a full lockdown. Hilary describes it as “a very dark time. A very grim and scary time. But Frankie bolstered us emotionally. He gave us a sense of comfort and hope during those days of uncertainty.”
A frightening night
One night around 4 a.m., Frankie woke Hilary up, stumbling and unwell. In the middle of the pandemic, Hilary and her husband found a taxi and rushed him across town to the only animal hospital open in the city. Their veterinary team diagnosed a vestibular stroke, which can cause falling, a lack of coordination and a head tilt, and explained that with time, attention and nurturing, many cats recover to an almost normal life.
Recovering at home
With both Hilary and her husband home, they could care for Frankie around the clock. They prepared the house like you would for a toddler, laying pillows around the floor in case he lost his balance, carrying him to his food bowl and litter box, and lifting him onto his favorite sofa for a nap every day. Little by little, Frankie started getting his strength and confidence back.
Discovering Moon Mother
While settling Alex into his freshman year at CU, Hilary discovered our Boulder shop at the time and met our founder, Jessica Bates. They struck up a conversation about life and the big transition of sending a child off to college, and Hilary left with our Cinnamon hemp oil tincture and our CBD Dream Balm, which became part of her evening routine. She also picked up our CBD Muscle Balm for her husband, a lifelong hockey player.
A nightly ritual for Frankie
“I’ve always been focused on holistic health, and CBD quickly became part of my daily routine, but I hadn’t thought about how to incorporate CBD into our pet care.”
Hilary
Hilary reached out to us about our CBD Pet Care Topical Balm, and gently massaging a little of it around Frankie’s ears soon became their nightly ritual.
“Frankie loved it. He would curl up on my lap. It was like a cat massage. We continued to do this every night.”
Hilary
With his veterinarians’ care, and a lot of love and patience at home, Frankie kept getting stronger. Today he walks across the room without stumbling and is back to jumping onto his favorite spots. “He’s almost back to normal!” Hilary says.
Every pet is different. Always follow your veterinarian’s guidance, especially after an illness or injury, and check with your vet before adding anything new to your pet’s routine.
The Power of the Plant: Hemp Education with Moon Mother Hemp and Earth Guardians
One of our core values at Moon Mother Hemp is education. We’re committed to providing our community not only with the highest quality products, but also with education about hemp and all it has to offer. That’s one of the many reasons Earth Guardians was an obvious choice for our partnership through 1% for the Planet.
Earth Guardians is an inclusive, diverse organization of empowered young people from all over the world, dedicated to driving environmental change and social justice. Its members are constantly learning and encouraging each other to develop new skills. We share their passion for knowledge, and we believe education is the root of lasting change.
A virtual series on hemp as an eco-solution
Together, Moon Mother Hemp and Earth Guardians hosted a series of virtual panels about hemp as an eco-solution. Many people don’t realize how versatile hemp is in everyday life. It can be a sustainable alternative to plastic, cotton, paper, building materials and more, and hemp seeds and hemp seed oil provide healthy fats and nutrients that make a great addition to any diet.
The benefits of hemp start in the soil. Hemp can help regenerate soil, uses less water than many crops and typically needs little or no pesticide.
Each panel was open to the public and brought in industry specialists to cover a topic chosen by the Earth Guardians youth council, educating our local community about everything hemp: its history, environmental benefits, everyday uses and more.
Pawsitively Natural: A Pet Parent’s Guide to CBD Tinctures for Dogs and Cats
It’s no wonder CBD for pets has been booming, as more and more pet parents look for natural ways to care for their furry pals and make CBD part of their daily wellness routines. If you’re curious, here’s what to know before you start.
What is CBD, and how does it relate to pets?
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a non-intoxicating compound from the hemp plant. It interacts with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a signaling system found in dogs, cats and all mammals that’s involved in maintaining balance throughout the body. Research into CBD for pets is still young, but interest among pet parents and veterinarians is growing fast.
Why pet parents choose tinctures
CBD products for pets come in all shapes and sizes, from treats to balms, softgels and tinctures. When choosing the right form for your furry friend, consider their size, weight, metabolism, preferences and individual sensitivity. If you’re unsure, or if your pet has health concerns, talk with your vet to find the most suitable option.
If you’re introducing CBD to your pet for the first time, a tincture is an excellent place to start:
- Easy to use. Just a few drops, with no pills to hide.
- Incredibly versatile. Give it straight into the mouth, mix it with food, water or treats, or apply it to the skin.
- Simple to measure. A dropper makes it easy to find the right serving for your pal.
Cat or dog, a tincture makes it simple to add CBD to your pet’s daily routine, so their tail keeps on wagging.
Is CBD safe for dogs and cats?
CBD is generally well tolerated by pets, but like anything new, it’s important to watch how your pet responds, especially at first. Keep an eye out for:
- Increased thirst.
- Drowsiness.
- Changes in appetite.
- An upset stomach.
If your pet takes other medications, is pregnant or nursing, or has health concerns, talk with your vet before use. If anything feels off, stop use and check with your vet.
How much should I give?
Every pet is unique, so the key is to start low and go slow. Our Pet Care Tincture label suggests starting with 1 mg (4 drops) of CBD for every 10 lbs of body weight, then adjusting gradually. Mix it with treats, food or water, or apply it directly to your pet’s skin.
Picking the perfect CBD oil for your pet
Not all hemp tinctures are created equal. Here’s what to look for:
- Is it made for pets? Products made for pets are formulated with them in mind.
- Is it organic? Say no to additives, pesticides and harsh solvents.
- Is it whole plant (full spectrum)? Look for a range of the plant’s compounds, not just CBD.
- Is the THC within the legal limit? Hemp products must stay under the federal THC limit.
- How was it extracted? CO2 extraction is the gold standard.
- Is it third-party tested? Check the Certificate of Analysis for potency and purity.
The Moon Mother difference
We’ve poured our hearts into our pet line. Our Pet Care Tincture is made with just two ingredients, organic olive oil and organic whole plant hemp extract, so it’s simple and gentle for pets. Our CO2-extracted hemp is grown on small farms in Colorado, and it’s non-intoxicating.
Step into a world of holistic pet care, thoughtfully made with your furry companion and the planet in mind.
