Handmade Toiletries Weekly Newsletter
May 28, 2000
A Publication of The Handmade Beauty Network
ISSN 1530-9630
May 28, 2000
Issue 19
------------->THIS WEEK'S SPONSOR: STOREY BOOKS<-------------
Storey Books is a leader in how-to books for country living, including gardening, natural health and beauty, herbs, crafts, equestrian, animals, and home brewing. Storey's web site has tons of books on making your own body care products, profiles of Storey authors and beauty recipes.
Fresh From Vermont --- Storey Books, Inc., http://www.storeybooks.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. WORDS OF APPRECIATION FROM THE EDITOR
2. WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!!
3. INTRODUCING HBN'S BEAUTY CALLS!!
4. HANDMADE TOILETRIES PRODUCT REVIEWS
5. AROMATIC BEAUTY FOOD RECIPE ~ FRUITED EARTH FACIAL CLEANSER & MASK
1. WORDS OF APPRECIATION FROM THE EDITOR
Happy Memorial Day!!
~ Thanks to all of you who wrote last week to tell me that you missed last week's Newsletter. Though I included a note in the May 14 Newsletter that the next Newsletter would not be published until June 4, I was delighted to see that so many of you missed the Newsletter last week anyway and wrote to tell me about it. I am so inspired in fact, that I decided to publish a somewhat abbreviated version today. Next week will mark the return of the Handmade Toiletries Thyme Trivia Question. Thanks for letting me know your opinions that HBN's Newsletter is "refreshing," "fun," and "informative."
~ Another special thanks to those of you who have sent in wonderful handmade beauty products for inclusion in HBN's Handmade Beauty Product Reviews. Our Product Reviews have been described by an HBN member as "inspiring her to create new toiletries items, and to maintain quality and integrity in her product line." Another subscriber (who does not make handmade beauty products) is excited because, before now, she "didn't have any idea how easy it was to find and purchase so many quality handmade toiletries items."
~ We continue to receive email letting us know how appreciative you are of our efforts to support and secure the future of the handmade toiletries industry. These notes comes from manufacturers and users of handmade beauty products alike, and we appreciate each note of encouragement and support. Hearing that we are making a difference keeps us going!! So continue to let us know how and when we benefit you, and also let us know your suggestions for how we can improve. You may email us anytime at donnamaria@handmadebeauty.com.
~ As you can probably tell by now, I am a certified Handmade Toiletries Junkie (and proud of it!) If you would like to contribute to my habit, you can submit your handmade toiletries products for review. Just email me at donnamaria@handmadebeauty.com and I will provide you with a mailing address. HBN is currently seeking Newsletter subscribers to participate on our Handmade Toiletries Product Review Panel. If you do not make and sell handmade beauty products and would like to try some products and contribute a handmade beauty product review to the Newsletter, let me know.
2. WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!!
WELCOME NEW FULL HBN MEMBERS!!
****Debra Lane Graybeal <<Indian River Soap Company&lgt;> Melbourne, Florida
****Jacqueline Scaduto <<Serene Garden&lgt;> Clarence, New York
****Past & Present, LLC <<Dot Stier&lgt;> Napoleon, Indiana
****Fanny Ng <<Secret Garden&lgt;> Hong Kong
****Jillyn B. Jones <<Earth Mother's Creations Botanical Soap&lgt;> Coalville, Utah
FULL HBN members are listed on HBN's "Find Products" page.
3. INTRODUCING HBN'S BEAUTY CALLS!!
HBN will soon feature special topics and inspirational visitors from the handmade beauty business and the business community in general on our exclusive Beauty Calls. Beauty Calls will be hosted by Donna Maria and will allow HBN members to call in to a conference call and speak personally with influential people who can help their businesses grow. Future guests include Aubin Wilson, creator and floor manager of EX*TRACTS and Kim T. Gordon, author of "Bringing Home The Business". We expect the first call to take place this summer. Let us know of other guests you would like to speak with on an HBN Beauty Call!!
4. HANDMADE TOILETRIES PRODUCT REVIEWS
--->Gold Goo, 5th Element Products ~ 1 oz./$6.00
Have you ever purchased a so-called "herbal" product because the label notes the presence of healing herbs ... but
when you sniffed it, it smelled like a mixture of candy and sicky-sweet fragrance oils? Well, that's NOT what you get
with Gold Goo. Gold Goo touts itself as an herbal product, and it is wonderfully refreshing indeed to open the jar and
not become overwhelmed with a concoction of fragrance oils added to cover up the natural scent of products from the
earth. If you want a sweet smell, Gold Goo is not the salve for you. But if you want a product containing
herbs that so the and heal the skin, I can say that this is one to choose. You can actually smell the Calendula,
Goldenseal, Chickweed, Plantain, Burdock, Comfrey, and Rosemary ~ the way they are supposed to smell! I used
Gold Goo for the first time to soothe an area of skin that had become reddened, chaffed and irritated (but not broken)
after a particularly hot, humid day this spring. I applied Gold Goo before going to bed, and the next day, the irritation
had subsided and the area was no longer painful to the touch. A few days later, I burned myself slightly with hot
curlers ... the Gold Goo soothed the area. Since this was not the first time I burned myself with those curlers (anything to
be "beautiful," right?), I think the spot would have been more irritated if I had not quickly reached for the Gold Goo
and dabbed it on. A little goes a long way, so I think my 1-ounce container will last me at least a few months.
www.5thelement.com.
--->Honey Oatmeal Soap, Whispering Water Soap Works ~ 4 oz./4.95
I love the smell of most essential oils, and I love to try products containing different aromatherapy blends. As a
result, I don't often go out of my way to purchase unscented products. But Whispering Water Soap Works' Honey
Oatmeal soap is one that I would go back for again. It contains a nice grade of oats (not "scratchy," but definitely
noticeable) that feel wonderful on my skin. But the best thing about Honey Oatmeal Soap is the way the frothy, thick
lather feels. The soap contains emu oil, which I have used in lotions and lip balms so I know how soothing it is.
When I bathe with this soap, I can actually sense the emu oil right there in the lather. This is not a greasy feeling,
it's more like a creamy feeling. The thought of applying a moisturizer didn't even cross my mind after using this soap
(it's spring time, not the dead of winter). Whispering Water has lots of other soaps to choose from so I had to get the
Lavender Mint & Goats Milk Soap, among others. Whispering Water is great at swirling color too and the picture
looked irresistible on the Web site, which has lovely swirls of lavender and white color and just a touch of mint. I
usually like the smell to be a bit stronger, but I kind of got used to the light aroma. As I shower, just when I think I
don't smell anything, I get a subtle, pleasant whiff of lavender and mint. The lather produced by Lavender Mint &
Goats Milk Soap (which has not only goats milk and emu oil, but also shea butter) is one of the most enjoyable I've
ever experienced. I also picked up Rosemary Mint (swirls of green and cream) and Tea Tree & Lavender (a pretty
salmon colored bar). www.whisperingwater.com.
5. AROMATIC BEAUTY FOOD RECIPE ~ FRUITED EARTH FACIAL CLEANSER & MASK
Summer arrived early in the DC area this year. Before we had even seen mid-May, temperatures had climbed into the '90s on more than on occasion. Though I hadn't planned to make any astringent products for a while because my skin tends to be dry until the dog days of summer, I had to whip some up when the sweltering heat arrived a bit early. Fresh juices of pineapple and grape give this cleanser astringent qualities, while the whipping cream makes it emollient and the essential oils make it suitable for any skin type. This product can be made at the drop of a hat and used as a cleanser and then a facial mask.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon each freshly juice pineapple and grape juice
1 tablespoon whipping cream
2-3 tablespoons kaolin or bentonite clay
1 drop frankincense essential oil
2 drops lavender essential oil
Blending Procedure
Combine juice and whipping cream. Stir in enough kaolin or clay to form a creamy, smooth paste-like mixture that is
not runny. Add essential oils and stir well to combine. To use as a cleanser, apply in gentle sweeping motions to
face and neck area, avoiding eye and mouth area. Rinse well with warm water and lightly pat excess moisture from
face. Use the rest of the product as a light facial mask by applying it in a smooth layer to face and neck skin, again
avoiding eye and mouth area. Rest for 5-10 minutes while the clay performs its absorbing action to rid the skin of
surface impurities. Follow with toner and moisturizer of choice. Use all of the product immediately while the juices
and cream are potent and fresh. Enjoy!!
Thank you for reading HBN's Newsletter.
Have A Great Week!!
Donna Maria
Founder & President, The Handmade Beauty Network
"Securing The Future Of The Handmade Toiletries Industry"
http://www.handmadebeauty.com
Handmade Toiletries Weekly Newsletter US Library of Congress ISSN # 1528-8021. Copyright (c) 2000 by The Handmade Beauty Network and Donna Maria. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized distribution or reproduction is prohibited. HBN does not necessarily endorse any product, event or ideology featured on the Newsletter or on HBN's Web site. All information is provided on an "as is" basis and no express or implied warranties are given. Any use of the information contained in HBN's Newsletter or on its Web site, including Recipes, is solely at your own risk. HBN and Donna Maria disclaim any liability in connection with the use of all recipes, products reviewed and other information. This Newsletter does not accept compensation from companies to feature or mention their products. Opinions expressed in any Product Review are personally those of the reviewer and do not represent the views of any other person or company.
