News / 97209

I

 am tongue tied in Japanese.

Okamura Farm is named after my maternal grandmother’s family.

My Dad is an only child who came to the US when he was 13 and didn’t know any english.  Though he initially assumed his American stepfather's last name Black, he later changed his last name to Okamura.

My dad didn’t want to confuse us by teaching us Japanese.  

I wish I knew more Japanese.  I tried to take a community ed class as an adult and felt like my brain was made of concrete.  

Okamura means hill village.  I have two sisters who both changed their names when they married. I didn’t take my husband’s last name, though I encouraged him to take mine—he didn’t go for it.  Apparently when it comes to the family name, the buck stops here!

#backtowork #hillvillage #peace 

Recently I checked out some other aromatherapy lines to see what they're up to, I LOVE the smells! I'm seeing a tendency to list fragrances as "essential oil blend", rather than the individual oils.  As a maker, I understand not wanting to share industry secrets, but as a licensed esthetician, I'm going to need that full ingredient list, please and thank you!

My skin care philosophy has always been use what you want, know what you're using, and why. People have sensitivities to a wide spectrum of both natural and synthetic ingredients and it's my job as an empathic skin care professional to ask questions, communicate and use intuition to avoid unnecessary challenges. It's important for people to be fully informed about what is going on their skin, it is our largest organ and one of our most useful detoxifying agents.  

I can take care of your skin using only our organically preserved products, this does not mean they are 100% organic (though many of the ingredients are) we are preserving the product with flower and plant extracts rather than synthetic chemicals.

In other products containing water we use a small amount of other preservatives that rate low to moderate health hazard because we've determined exposing you to bacteria in those products would be worse for you.  Use what you want, know what you're using, and why.

The response to our MeetUps at Urbaca Salon has been really great--thanks to all who have made it so far! Here's what we have coming up:

Pro Skin Care for Empathic, HSP Teens February 15, 2015 @ 1 pm  $10 class fee redeemable in product

Learn + Play Aromatherapy Potions February 15, 2015 @ 2:45 pm $10 class fee redeemable in product

RSVP 503.241.5030 or online for special gift at class!  

All classes at Urbaca Salon 120 NW 9th Avenue, Suite 101 Portland, OR  97209