Zero Zanabella products contain any wheat or gluten. There are some products that contain or may contain grain. For instance, we use citric acid as a natural preservative. Colloidal Oatmeal and oat protein are used as well.
 Usually citric acid comes from citrus but trace amounts of it could come from corn grown here in the USA. Colloidal oatmeal is naturally gluten free and the colloidal oatmeal used is organic yet it is a grain and therefore it could be possible that it was grown near wheat fields. 
research on this subject and it's subsequent conclusion is that it's highly unlikely for someone with gluten/wheat sensitivities to have a reaction to such non-ingestible products that may have had some cross contamination such as wind or water.
We do take these allergies seriously and if you have a severe gluten allergy or other allergies/sensitivities, a skin patch test is suggested on any new skincare products you may use. 

What is Collagen?
Within your body are connective tissues. Connective tissues are exactly what their name implies – tissues that connect things. Fascia tissue, dermis (the bottom layer of your skin), muscles, tendons, cartilage and the tissue surrounding your hair and nails are all prime examples of connective tissue.
Collagen is the main protein of all connective tissue. It is insoluble, meaning it’s not broken down by water, and fibrous in shape like strands of thread. The human body has so much collagen that it accounts for roughly one-third of a healthy human’s body!
In fact, it makes up 70% of the protein in our skin.
Fortunately, the human body is well-designed and makes its own collagen when consistently given the nutrients it needs to do so.
Collagen, like all proteins, is made up of building blocks called amino acids, which are properly structured with the help of vitamin C. Think of amino acids like Lego pieces and vitamin C like your brilliant grandchild who can build the entire castle set with only one glance at the instructions.
Without Vitamin C There Is No Collagen
Without vitamin C, collagen production is disrupted and can result in a wide variety of problems throughout the body.
Vitamin C deficiency, although uncommon in North America, results in your bones being unable to properly manufacture collagen and its connective tissues. The body literally falls apart as collagen is broken down and not replaced. This results in joints beginning to wear down as your tendons weaken.
Unfortunately, humans are unable to produce vitamin C on their own and must rely on food and supplements as a source.
The best food sources of vitamin C have one thing in common: they are all plant foods. Most animals are able to make vitamin C in their bodies, but only plants are able to make it concentrated enough to provide a rich source when eaten.
Vitamin C rich foods include oranges, red peppers, kale, and broccoli. You can also find vitamin C supplements in stores, or added to other vitamin and mineral complexes.
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Types of Collagen
There are 16 known types of collagen, but over 90% of all collagen is type I, II, or III – numbered in order of discovery.
While collagen’s overall function is the same in every tissue, to accommodate stretching of each tissue, the collagen shape depends on the type of tissue. Regardless of its placement and type, all collagen have an incredible tensile strength (resistance to breaking under tension). Let’s look at some more common collagen types:
Type I:
The most common type of collagen in humans and the most abundant protein in our bodies overall. Type I collagen is an important component of bones, teeth, skin, ligaments, tendons, cartilage (especially the disks between vertebrae) and even scar tissue. It also comprises 85% of the collagen in our tendons, with the other 15% made up of type III collagen. Collagen type I and type III are often found together, with type I being the predominant collagen in the tissue.
Type II:
Think of this type of collagen as the strong, support collagen. Its job is to give tensile strength to both articular (found as supportive tissues in the ears, nose, trachea, larynx, and smaller respiratory tubes) and hyaline (found covering the articular surfaces of bones in synovial joints) cartilage, as well as the eye. Type II collagen is of great benefit for age-related joint pain or other symptoms.
Type III:
Usually found with type I collagen. Primarily found in lining tissues such as intestinal walls, blood vessel walls and within the muscle. That’s why a type III collagen deficiency is linked to higher risk of ruptured blood vessels.
Type IV:
Plays an important role in forming basal lamina, a gelatinous-like fluid secreted by the epithelial cells. Think of epithelial cells as cells that outline organs. The outer layer of skin that outlines your entire body is made up of epithelial cells and thus called your epithelium. Below any layer of epithelial cells is dermis, a type of tissue that is designed to act as a cushion for the organ it surrounds. Between these two layers is the basal lamina that provides padding to the epithelial layer and is needed for nerve and blood vessel functions.
Type V:
Type V collagen is a misunderstood collagen. It tends to be found working in conjunction with types I and III. It’s found to be part of the matrix within tissues like bone, and the interstitial (between tissue) matrix of muscle tissue, hepatic (liver) tissue, lung tissue, and the placenta in pregnant women.
Type X:
Research is still being done to see the exact mechanisms by which type X collagenworks, but what is known is that type X has a role in bone formation and cartilage. It is found in fetal and juvenile growth plates, ribs and vertebrae. It’s also been found to help bone fracture healing.
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5 Health Benefits of Collagen
While collagen is most frequently mentioned in the beauty industry, its benefits are beyond skin deep:
Supports Strong, Healthy Hair, Skin and Nails
There is no shortage of products and procedures claiming to be the magic elixir for beautiful, youthful skin, luxurious hair, and beautiful long, strong nails. For the most part, there is next to no research backing up those claims, with the exception of collagen. Collagen has been shown in clinical studies to improve skin elasticity, moisture, and retention. In others, collagen has been found to help regrow hair and improve the rate of skin wound healing.
Improves Digestion
Your intestinal tract can become stressed from any of the following: psychological stress; physical stress; side effects of certain medications; bacterial and/or fungal infections; exposure to dietary allergens; and/or ingestion of toxins. This stress can cause the tissue in your intestinal tract to become damaged, inflamed and irritated- and when paired with unhealthy microflora- creates a condition called leaky gut syndrome. This is where toxins, pathogens, and other matter pass through the intestinal tract and make their way into the bloodstream and then other tissues in the body. Studies have found that people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) have decreased blood serum concentrations of collagen. Supplementation of collagen and consumption of collagen from foods helps soothe, seal and repair the intestinal tract.
Protects Cardiovascular Health
The production of collagen requires vitamin C and the amino acids proline and lysine. However, so does the production of arterial plaque! If the body is using vitamin C, proline and lysine to make collagen in the body, it decreases the amount available to create plaque. In this way, supporting healthy collagen production helps support cardiovascular health. Additionally, collagen gives blood vessels their elasticity and thus a decrease in collagen would lead to hardening of the arteries. (All the more reason to give the body what it needs for healthy collagen production.)
Boosts Metabolism
Collagen is essentially the glue that holds our tissues together. Increasing collagen in tissue not only helps create a healthier structure for the tissue itself but in the case of muscle, it increases muscle mass. Muscle, especially skeletal muscle, burns more calories than any other tissue in the body. An increase in muscle mass increases the rate of metabolism to support the tissue. Healthy, increased collagen production means a healthy increase in muscle mass and thus an increase in metabolism.
Supports and Improves Joint Health 
Collagen is beneficial for joints as it concentrates where they meet and where the connective tissue binds together. Oral supplementation of collagen has been found to be absorbed in the intestinal tract and incorporated into cartilage tissue in the joints. In a small study focusing on individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), collagen supplementation was found to significantly reduce swelling and pain in joints. In fact, 4 of the 60 participants experienced remission of their condition during the 3-month study, hinting that collagen supplementation may be an effective supplement for individuals with RA.
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Vegetarian Food Sources That Increase Collagen Production
If you don’t eat meat or animal products, you can still increase your collagen production. A smart way for vegetarians and vegans to support collagen production is to eat fruits and vegetables plentiful in collagen-boosting nutrients.
As we’ve mentioned throughout this article, collagen is abundant in the body and acts as the vital glue holding our bodies together. With such a vital function, the body prioritizes collagen production. Although collagen production slows as we age, it never stops, and if you supply your body the proper nutrition to make healthy collagen, the age-related decline isn’t as notable or severe.
On that note, the following nutrients support collagen production, especially from these top vegetarian food sources:
• Proline: Proline and hydroxyproline are amino acids that make up 23% of collagen, and have been found to be precursors to sustaining collagen production. Indeed, they play a key role in the stability of collagen. Vegetarian proline sources include asparagus, beans, buckwheat, cabbage, chives, cucumbers, garbanzo beans, peanuts, soy, and watercress.
• Vitamin C: Vitamin C adds a hydroxyl group (-OH) to the amino acids in collagen which allows the acids to turn into a well-formed, strong helix shape. In other words, vitamin C adds oxygen and hydrogen to amino acids so that they can do their part in collagen production. If you don’t get enough vitamin C, your collagen production will slow. Vitamin C is found in abundance in many fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, citrus fruits, kale, kiwi, mango, papaya, peppers, pineapple, and strawberries.
• Copper: Copper has been found to upregulate collagen (especially types I, II and V) and elastin, meaning it increases either the production or utilization of collagen and elastin, as well as helps facilitate creating the fibril structure of these collagens. Copper can be found in vegetarian sources like sunflower seeds, lentils, almonds, apricots, dark chocolate, mushrooms, greens and blackstrap molasses.
• Lysine: Lysine is an essential amino acid, meaning your body can’t make it, so you must get it from foods. Lysine is used in making collagen and protects collagen from enzymatic breakdown. It has also been found to help prevent the loss of bone mineral density, due to its ability to increase intestinal calcium absorption. Lysine is found in meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products. Parmesan cheese contains particularly high amounts of lysine, as does tofu. Vegetarian sources of lysine, in addition to tofu, include brewer’s yeast and spirulina.
• Arginine: or L-arginine is an amino acid made in the body. Some studies have suggested that arginine stimulates insulin-like-growth factor-l (IGF-1) production and collagen synthesis in osteoblast-like cells. Basically, arginine makes the bone cells responsible for making new bone (osteoblasts) more active. Some of the top sources of L-arginine include eggs, sesame seeds, spirulina, coconut meat, cultured yogurt, kefir and raw cheeses.
• Vitamin A: Vitamin A helps stimulate the production of collagen and is only found in animal-derived foods (in its complete, active form called retinol). Fruits and veggies are, on the other hand, are high in phytonutrients called carotenoids (precursors of vitamin A), which the body must then must convert to vitamin A. The best sources of vitamin A are meats including liver, beef, cheeses and egg yolks. Vegetarian sources that are high in beta-carotene, which your body must then convert to vitamin A to utilize, are apricots, broccoli, carrots, kale, squash and sweet potatoes.
• Manganese: Manganese increases production of collagen and elastin by increasing the enzyme responsible for proline formation, especially when healing wounds. Vegetarian food sources of manganese include leafy vegetables, nuts, pineapple, seaweed and other sea vegetables, and whole grains.
• Zinc: Zinc is a cofactor in collagen production, meaning it activates the proteins responsible for making collagen. The richest source of zinc is oysters, but other zinc-rich foods are meat, poultry, fish and dairy products. Vegetarian sources of zinc are predominantly seeds, nuts, and beans.
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Collagen and Bone Health
Let’s take a closer look at the link between collagen and your bones. It’s most commonly known that collagen keeps our skin elastic and plump looking, but its benefits go much deeper than that– bone-deep, in fact. Collagen is actually found everywhere in our bodies: our muscles, bones, and skin cells. It’s the most abundant protein in our bodies.
Your bones are made of protein and minerals, and 90% of bone matrix proteins are made of collagen. In fact, the combination of calcium and collagen is responsible for giving our bones strength and flexibility, which helps minimize stress dissolving your bones.
Here’s the frustrating thing though – as we age, our ability to produce collagen diminishes.
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Collagen and Calcium Are Essential for Bone Strength
Bone is, after all, a connective tissue. Typically we think of bone as a physical support for the rest of our body, which it is, but it’s also a connective tissue.
Both collagen and calcium are responsible for the strength of your bones. And besides the obvious strength of your bones, there’s another way your bones are strong– they are flexible. Being flexible allows the bone to bend instead of break in many instances, and to absorb an impact rather than fracture. That flexibility is thanks to collagen!
While it’s important to get enough calcium for overall bone health, it’s vital to support healthy collagen production too. All of this becomes even more important if you’ve already developed osteopenia or osteoporosis. And if you add a vegan or vegetarian diet into the mix, you must be even more vigilant.
Lysine and arginine, in particular, are important for bone metabolism and growth, which we discussed above.
Eating foods high in lysine and arginine will help spur on collagen production. So getting both of these amino acids from your diet is a good start. Technically there is no official recommended dosage specifically for lysine or arginine, but recent research suggests older adults may need to consume around 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. For more information on protein intake and how to calculate your specific needs, visit our “Everything You Need to Know About Protein and Bone Health.”
Whilst there are lysine and arginine supplements out there, we suggest organic whole food sources first – your body will absorb these better, and you’ll get a whole bunch of other nutrients too. The best plant sources of arginine and lysine are listed above in our chart.
What Damages Collagen?
Collagen production declines as we age, however, a healthy diet and lifestyle can significantly mitigate that decline.
Excess sun exposure, chronic high consumption of sugar, and smoking all accelerate collagen decline and actually damage collagen. What’s more, while autoimmune disorders aren’t avoidable, poor management of the condition can hasten the decline in collagen production and damage existing collagen.
1. Excess Sun Exposure (UV Rays): In an attempt to get that summer glow on your skin, you may be damaging the collagen within your skin that provides the tight, youthful appearance. UV light, both from sun and tanning beds, increases abnormal elastin, which in turn leads to an enzymatic reaction that breaks down collagen. Opt for a little bit of sun as opposed to an hour or more, and stay away from tanning beds for a variety of health purposes.
2. Chronic High Consumption of Sugar: Excess sugar binds to protein to make something called a glycosylated protein, a molecule that is very sharp. Proteins near the glycosylated protein get damaged, including collagen, which can become brittle.
3. Smoking: Smoking is known to do a lot of damage to the human body and collagen doesn’t escape its destruction. The chemicals in smoked tobacco products damage both collagen and elastin throughout the body.
4. Autoimmune Disorders: These are medical disorders where the immune system sees a normal part of the body as a threat, and attacks it. Some autoimmune disorders directly affect collagen, while in other cases the outcome of unmanaged or poorly managed autoimmune disorders can lead to collagen damage.
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How to Prevent Diminishing Collagen Levels
A healthy diet and lifestyle will go a long way in promoting collagen production – and your best bet to combat the natural decline that happens with age!
This makes it difficult to rely on your body’s ability alone to keep up with your collagen needs. But the good news is that collagen can be taken in through food sources too.
Taking in collagen through food sources will help support your skin, your internal organs and also the collagen that makes up the connective tissues of your bones.
By incorporating more of the foods mentioned above, along with calcium, will help strengthen your bones.
SOURCE: www.algaecal.com

The History of Vanilla
A member of the orchid family, the vanilla plant (V. planifolia) is native to Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Though many orchids are edible, vanilla is the only plant out of 25,000 orchid species that’s a cultivated food source. Vanilla was originally cultivated by the Totonacs before they were conquered by the Aztecs in the 1400s. The Totonacs used it in for everything from sweetening their drinking chocolate to adding flavor to cigars.
When the Aztecs were conquered by the Spanish, all of their riches were brought to Europe, including vanilla. However, it didn’t become popular in Europe until the 1600s when vanilla-flavored desserts became a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I. After that, the spice quickly became popular in France, where Thomas Jefferson first tried vanilla ice cream and brought it back to America. Vanilla has grown in popularity since, becoming the main ingredient not only in food and drink, but in perfumes and beauty products.
Colonization and globalization brought vanilla plants around the world, but they remained notoriously difficult and time-consuming to grow and harvest. Before better fertilization processes were developed in the 1800s, there was only a window of a few days a year for vanilla plants to be fertilized, and once the seed pods are ripe, it takes several months of curing to bring out the true flavor.
Eventually, Indonesia and Madagascar became the world’s largest producers of vanilla, and Bourbon-Madagascar vanilla is considered the best in the world. Tahitian and Mexican vanilla, with slightly subtler tastes, are also very popular but not as highly prized.
🍃Vanilla Plant
V. planifolia is an orchid on a growing vine that only blooms once a year and must be fertilized within that window. Once the plant has been pollinated, it develops a seed pod that looks much like a bean, which is why its fruits are commonly called “vanilla beans.” This is where the vanilla we know comes from.
However, when it comes off the vine, it doesn’t taste or smell anything like the vanilla we know. Producing the scent and flavor takes months of drying, curing, and extracting. Because of the fragile nature of the compounds in the vanilla beans, they can’t be extracted by most traditional means. Thus, vanilla extract is made by breaking up and filtering vanilla pods in a solution of ethanol and water.
🍃Chemical Properties
The main active compound is vanillin, which gives off the smell and taste we associate with vanilla. The higher the concentration of vanillin, the better the health benefits. An ideal vanillin concentration in an essential oil is 20–25 percent.
Normally, food grade vanilla extract only contains two percent vanillin, so it won’t have the same effect as the essential oil. While vanillin accounts for about 85 percent of how vanilla smells and tastes, the other 15 percent comes from a combination of 130 other components, and varies by plant species and region of growth. That’s what makes the difference between Bourbon-Madagascar, Tahitian, and Mexican vanilla.
🍃What Is Vanilla Essential Oil?
Strictly speaking, there’s no such thing as vanilla essential oil. That’s because the extraction process for vanilla essence is different than the process for extracting essential oils, which are created through an expeller, steam distillation, or cold-pressing. Vanilla bean pods can’t be used in any of these extraction methods, so technically, there is no pure vanilla essential oil.
What there is, however, is pure vanilla extract by way of CO2 extraction or using a solvent like ethanol. When you’re choosing between these extracts, the higher the vanillin concentration, the more potent the product. So, when we discuss vanilla essential oil, keep in mind that we’re talking about products with a high concentration of vanillin—around 20 percent or higher— often in a carrier oil, which is extracted through a carbon dioxide process, or vanilla absolute, which uses alcohol to keep the thick extract properly diluted.
🍃Three main kinds of vanilla are used in vanilla essential oil:
• Oleoresin: A semi-solid resin extracted from vanilla bean pods using a solvent. This doesn’t completely mix with carrier oils, so there is often a residue in products.
• Absolute: A concentrated, thick substance also extracted using a solvent. This can easily blend into body products.
• CO2 Extract: A concentrate extracted from vanilla bean pods using high-pressure carbon dioxide that dissolves easily in carrier oils. This is the only one of the three that can be diffused.
🍃Uses for Vanilla Essential Oil
Promotes Relaxation
Vanilla is widely-credited as a calming substance that creates positive associations and evokes feelings of warmth and happiness. That’s one of the primary reasons that vanilla is used in so many bath and body products: it evokes such a relaxing sensation.
Improves Sleep Quality
Vanilla works on both a physical and mental level to help you relax. It quiets the mind and relieves tension, so you’re lulled more easily to sleep. When used in a diffuser in the bedroom for a short period of time before bed, vanilla essential oil can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Maintains Respiratory Health
Vanilla, especially on bedding pillows, has been shown to help you breathe easier at night because it promotes relaxation and affects the respiratory center in the brain.
The National Center for Scientific Research in France conducted a study in premature infants. It found significant improvement in sleep apnea when the infants slept on pillows containing vanillin.
Defends Against Disease
In lab trials, vanilla has been shown to significantly reduce the presence of harmful bacteria like E. coli and Listeria. Vanilla has also been shown to stop bacteria from spreading and joining with other kinds of bacteria. This is the leading cause for the development of treatment-resistant bacterial strains.
These properties have been attributed to the action of the eugenol and vanillin hydroxybenzaldehyde found in vanilla essential oil.
Acts as an Aphrodisiac
The molecular structure of vanilla essential oil is similar to that of human pheromones. These are chemical substances produced and released into the environment by animals. So, vanilla scents are definitely an attractor, encouraging increased levels of estrogen and testosterone.
Relieves PMS Symptoms
Because vanilla essential oil has been shown to boost estrogen production, it can help alleviate symptoms of PMS like bloating, fatigue, and cramps, as well as better-regulate emotions.
Boosts Skin and Hair Health
Vanilla essential oil contains B vitamins that are important for healthy and shiny hair. Some people even say that it can help prevent hair loss! The niacin, thiamin, and pantothenic acid found in vanilla essential oil help promote skin health, keeping skin clear of acne and fending off free radical damage. It can also help prevent wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots.
🍃SOURCE: Monq.com
Zanabella products that contain Vanilla include Fairy Garden Vanilla, Rose & Sage Body Crème & Soap and Mint Chocolate Lip & Hand Butter Balm

In India, basil was so revered that they dedicated it to Vishnu, a Hindu God, and is regarded as the reincarnation of Vishnu’s wife, Lashkimi, the goddess of fortune and beauty. Indeed, the plant and basil essential oil deserve all the adoration it receives due to its powerful effects that can be both beneficial to your body as well as your mind. Pliny recommended basil against jaundice and epilepsy, and as a diuretic. It was also known as an aphrodisiac. In the Middle Ages, it was prescribed for melancholy and depression. Basil’s strengthening, stimulating and restorative properties help to ease mental, emotional, and physical fatigue and, when added to a base oil and rubbed into the body, remove weariness from tense, tired muscles. Its restorative properties are said to ease headaches, respiratory infections, sinus problems, asthma, and flu.
A Summer Oil for the Winter
What’s truly impressive about basil is its restorative properties during the cold seasons. When temperatures begin to drop and the air begins to dry, our respiratory system begins to feel the full force of Fall and Winter. Luckily, basil is very effective when it comes to sinus congestion, bronchitis, asthma, and whooping cough. This is all due to basil’s natural antispasmodic properties that make it a natural ally to the respiratory system. Basil’s sudorific and febrifuge properties mean that the oil is a natural immune system booster and a great at combating a fever.
Basil Essential Oil for the Mind
Basil is one of the finest essential oils for our healing and relieving our nervous system. For long, draining days, it is one of the best essential oils at relieving mental fatigue, clearing the head, and giving the mental strength and clarity to continue to perform. Due to these traits, basil is recommended to those with low levels of defense such as people with debilitating illnesses, nervous exhaustion, and those who may be in a weak and vulnerable state of mind.
Emotional Booster
Basil’s emotional healing properties are also incredibly versatile. Fear, anger, and mental fatigue are all factors and emotions that we have to deal with on a daily basis and can make basic processes harder. Basil essential oil helps clear the mind allowing for better decision making. Its uplifting properties can help boost a lack of confidence, diminish negative thought processes, and even increase awareness of one’s surroundings. It is even effective when in extreme states of stress such as depression and hysteria. Basil can be used when you start feeling mental tiredness during the peak hours of the day, or it can be used at the end of the day to help calm down, relieve stress, and clear the mind to be strong for the next day.
SOURCE: https://www.thearomablog
Zanabella products that contain Basil include The Herbalist Aromatherapy Mist 

When you think of the powerful benefits of matcha, your thoughts probably go straight to drinking matcha green tea. After all, it’s a great pick-me-up for that afternoon slump as well as an excellent metabolism booster. And, of course, we would be remiss to overlook its health qualities such as its power as an antioxidant for your body. Now, we know that matcha is not only good for you internally, it is also good for your skin.
Matcha, in fact, has always been good for the skin and has been used that way for centuries. Today, thousands of people have rediscovered this knowledge and are now rejuvenating their face with a matcha mask. In an effort to explain why so many are now using matcha as a facial mask, here are the top five benefits of matcha for skin care:

Treats inflammation. Matcha powder has many anti-inflammatory properties, especially EGCG, that reduce the redness associated with chronic skin conditions such as rosacea and even acne. It is gentle enough for all skin types and brings soothing relief from these issues. Not only does the skin feel better, but matcha diminishes redness, which lessens any self-consciousness about having a chronic skin condition.

Improves your complexion. Matcha powder has remarkable properties to keep your complexion fresh and healthy. Not only does it reduce inflammation, it offers a one-two punch for the skin to exfoliate and eliminate dead skin cells, then rejuvenate the underlying skin to improve your complexion.

Diminishes the signs of aging. Let’s face it. This is one of the biggest reasons you take care of your skin. Matcha stimulates elastin production to add volume to the skin. It also protects the skin against free radicals that cause sun damage, age spots, dry skin, and yes, wrinkles.

Treats oily skin. The tannins in matcha actually shrink pores and reduce the production of oil associated with acne. If you have teenagers who struggle with breakouts and oily skin, matcha is especially beneficial as it removes oil from the skin and slows the production of the oil causing the acne.

Treats all skin types. Matcha masks are made from food, not chemicals, which is about as natural as it can get. That is why it is gentle enough for younger skin yet strong enough for skin that needs a little boost to look better.
SOURCE:www.matchaobsessed.com
​ZANABELLA products that contain Matcha: