DOMINIQUE DEL COL | TIDELANDS HOUSE
I'm sooooooo excited to introduce you to Dominique and her beautiful, super special skin care line, Tidelands House. I admire her, and I adore her products. Dominique is fascinating, and I'm so grateful she was open to being my very first interview. Dominique is an herbalist like me. She lives in Canada, and makes her lovely skin care products in a solar-illuminated stone crofter's cottage (swoon). She forages many of her botanicals, and I think she lives the d r e a m i e s t life! Dominique also shared her recipe for a Probiotic Caesar Cocktail which is insanely delicious, and you can easily swap in non-alcoholic spirits. Xoxo- Ally
What are three words that describe you?
Antiquarian, Conservationist, Romanticist
What are your favorite wintertime rituals?
Hot salty baths by beeswax candlelight.
Walks in a snowy forest guided by the stars.
Soft folk or jazz while I make a big pot of nourishing winter stew.
Sitting fireside in our stone cottage with a heavy book in hand and a cup of tea made with herbs and flowers preserved from midsummer and autumn.
Hot sauna followed by rolling into fresh snow or breaking the ice for a plunge into the frozen lake.
What does your morning routine consist of?
A short and sweet collection of petite rituals, including oil pulling with sesame or coconut oil infused with herbs, tongue scraping, facial gua sha massage and myofascial cupping using our Milk Glass Cupping Set, dry body brushing from toes to nose, a simple yoga and stretching routine in any sliver of sunlight coming through the windows, finished with a cup of fresh mint and skullcap tea or coffee whipped with local butter. I have two young daughters who join me in many of these practices, which dictates whether this is a briefer or a more extended routine. However, even when I'm distracted by tiny giggles or pressed for time, I can incorporate this routine into my daily repertoire in 15-20 minutes. If I only have 5 minutes, I take a few soft, deep and mindful breaths with my hand on my belly or heart. I splash cold water on my face, followed by warm water, apply my favourite facial formulas of the moment, top with mineral sunblock, and take my butter coffee to go.
Self care tools or practices you use regularly?
A monthly session of facial acupuncture.
Eating seasonally from regional organic farms.
Visiting my exceptional osteopath for bodywork.
A revolving door of audiobooks and podcasts.
Prioritizing mindful rest and vibrant nutrition.
Romanticizing my morning cup of coffee.
What's your strategy when you feel stressed?
Rooting back into my body is the first thing I do when I start to notice feelings of overwhelm. This might include taking a few minutes to move through a gentle yoga routine or laying quietly on my wooden back bridge to gently stretch my lumbar spine and encourage my heart space to open and soften. I also like to take off my shoes and stand outside, sun, rain or snow, to tune into my breathing and connect with the ground. I also lean into herbs like Skullcap, Ashwagandha, Blue Vervain, Rose, Milky Oats, Hops, and Passionflower to soothe and support my nervous system.
Top three favorite scents?
Wild Oakmoss, Fresh Eucalyptus, Sea Salt. I have a deep love for the forest and the sea, and these scents allow me to be in both places simultaneously.
Three things in nature that fascinate you?
The beautiful cycle of rotting, rooting, and rebirth.
Ancient trees. Like stalwart giants from myth.
And always, The Tidelands. Ancient convergences of land and sea, rushing rivers and reeds. Vast expanses of drowning earth, given the gracious but fleeting opportunity to breathe at the fancy of the moon. A salted shoreline of glittering waves, brackish brine, slippery bladderwrack seaweed, and fresh moss giving way to a pathway between worlds as lunar energy ignites tidal force. A fresh-water marsh gliding over a basin of soft sand, alongside the roots of wild waterlily and over smooth pebbles, winding its sinuous way around cattails dancing in the gentle lake breeze as the luminous orb journeys to cross the celestial equator.
What's your favorite book?
I'll never have a true favourite as I'm a voracious reader who constantly changes my mind. Still, I'm forever enthralled by Circe by Madeline Miller, and Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
What's your favorite music album?
Anything from Julie Fowlis, a Scottish folk singer who sings primarily in Scottish Gaelic. I also adore Billie Holiday and Mildred Bailey.
Who is your favorite visual artist?
I'm drawn to the whimsy and charm of Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, and the abstract boldness of Georgia O'Keeffe. I tend to decorate with antique portraits, stuffy florals, and unusual line drawings similar to the great Rosa Bonheur. I also have a couple of really spectacular rudimentary line portraits by a Toronto artist from the 60s that I just love.
Best advice you've ever received?
Always be your own friend and lover first.
What kind of tea do you reach for?
Earl Grey with drizzle of homemade oat cream and raw honey from my lovely neighbour. Or anything herbal with licorice, wild mint, raspberry leaf, rosehips and nettle.
Which Tidelands House products are best suited for winter?
My favourite pairing for wintertime is our Conservatory Floral Antioxidant Nectar Facial Serum, paired with Fallen Fruit Luminous Nectar Drops and Terrain Sage Solid Nectar Repair Concentrate. A harmonious trio that nourishes, protects, and replenishes while helping activate the cells responsible for collagen. Perfect for keeping winter skin plump, soft and supple in even the harshest climate.
Get Dominique's Probiotic Caesar Cocktail recipe here!