When the scorching summer heat comes, Phoenicians are desperate for ways to cool down, whether that be diving into a pool or sticking your face in an icy freezer. Tracy Perkins recommends taking a look at your bath and beauty products. The owner of vegan boutique Strawberry Hedgehog – past Best of the Valley winner for Best Soap and Best One-Stop Vegan Shop – offers a number of products made with cooling ingredients like mint and hydrosol. She was inspired to create them after having her own issues with the Arizona heat. “[When you’ve been] living in the desert since the early ’90s, you find every way you can to survive the summer,” she says. “I am prone to overheating and adapted with the help of some of my favorite cooling plants and sparing use of precious water. Quick, cool showers and sprays I can carry with me through the day help me cope when temperatures soar.” Her chillest products include hydrating mists (jasmine-green tea, lavender-green tea and rose-neroli), balancing facial toner, essential oil rollers and soaps including Cooling Mint, Summer Breeze, Garden Goddess and Tea Tree-Rosemary. “If I had to recommend just one product, it would be our pain soother essential oil roller. It fits easily in your pocket, purse or desk,” Perkins says. “And as someone prone to headaches – especially with too much heat and pressure changes as the monsoon starts rolling in – [I use it often]. It is not only ice-cold, it is a real relief from discomfort.” Every product ($11-$30) is handcrafted with organic herbs, oils, plant butters and extracts, with no harsh preservatives or synthetic fragrances.
