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Handmade Beauty Connection
26, 2001

A Publication of The Handmade Beauty Network
ISSN 1530-9630
March 26, 2001
Vol. 2, Issue 12

-->This Week's Sponsor: Auroma and Donna Maria

Empower Your Small Business & Turn Your Passion Into Profits!

In cooperation with Auroma, a leading supplier of essential oils and raw materials for aromatherapy and handmade beauty products, Donna Maria will present an empowering afternoon helping you learn how to combine sound business, legal
and entrepreneurial principles to position your small business for success in today's competitive global marketplace. We'll cover:

1. How To Prepare A Business Plan To Ensure Future Growth
2. How To Protect Your Trademark and Other Intellectual Property
3. How To Establish a Reliable "Sticky" Web Presence

Date: April 21, 2001
Time: 1:00pm-5:00pm, with optional networking dinner to follow!
Location: Chicago, Illinois

Limited space available, so call to register now!! Call Auroma at (800) 327-2025 or send an email to Kevin@Auroma.com!

1. HBN Update ~ Welcome New HBN Members!!
2. Handmade Beauty Trivia Question ~ win a bar of Gardener's Handsoap and a bar of Rosemary soap, courtesy of Sunflower Soapworks & Sundries.
3. Donna Maria's New "Legal Issues" Audio Tape Set!
4. Business Tip of the Week: Power Up! ~ Perseverance
5. Handmade Beauty Recipe: Healing Jojoba Blend

1. HBN Update ~ Welcome HBN Members!

Welcome New HBN Members!!

~ Cedar Lane Farms | Martha Lupton | Virginia
~ Sungate Elementals LLC | Terry Bussard | New Jersey

Log onto these and other HBN member Web sites through HBN's Online Member Directory, Now with 3 ways to search: (1) by state/country; (2) by member business name; or (3) by keyword search!

2. Handmade Beauty Trivia Question ~ Last week's winner was Susan Shewan in Canada!

Last Week's Question: I am one of the oldest native American plants that has been cultivated for tea and essential oil. My leaves are steeped to produce a spring tonic. While my essential oil has antiseptic properties and is recommended in dentistry as a disinfectant for root canals, it is mainly used as a flavor in soft drinks, candy and gum.

Last Week's Answer: sassafrass

This Week's Question: Who is credited with first saying: "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

Be the first to name the woman who is credited with first making this statement and win a bar of Gardener's Handsoap and a bar of Rosemary soap from Sunflower Soapworks & Sundries.

Please read the contest rules before submitting your entry.

While time does not permit me to respond personally to all entrants, the winner will be notified by email and their name posted at the link above.

3. Donna Maria's New "Legal Issues" Audio Tape Set!

In this new 2-set audio series taped just a few days ago at the Conference of Handcrafted SoapMakers (sponsored by HBN member, the Handcrafted SoapMakers Guild), Donna Maria shares legal tips on managing your handmade toiletries business. You'll learn how to distinguish between true soap, melt and pour and cosmetics, how to label cosmetics and insect repellants, ways to protect your trademarks, copyrights and brand name and much more!

HBN Member Price - $15 (shipping/handling included)
Non-HBN Member Price - $20 (shipping/handling included)

To order, send an email to tapes@handmadebeauty.com with name, credit card information, number of tape sets ordered, shipping address or call (800) 934-5611 or
(301) 464-4515 to order! Include your business name if you are an HBN member!

4. Business Tip of the Week: Power Up! ~ Perseverance

Mirriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines perseverance as "the action or condition of persevering." It also refers to the word "steadfastness," as in "firmly fixed in place," "immovable," "not subject to change," or "firm in belief, determination, or adherence." If you're in business, these concepts are certainly not new to you. Yet, perseverance sounds good, but like so many other things that sound good, persevering as a small business owner is often much easier said than done! Here are 3 tips to help you persevere when business seems most difficult and frustrating.

1. Surround Yourself With Supportive Colleagues. Make a short list of people you can call on for encouragement. Choose people whom you trust who believe in what you are doing. They become both ally and psychiatrist when the going gets tough. I call on a friend from college who knew me before "owing my own business" was in my vocabulary. She reminds me of who I am, business or not. This allows me to remove myself from the business and take a more objective look. It's amazing how rejuvenating it is when a trusted friend - who is not close to the details - puts a different spin on the situation and helps renew your desire to persevere.

2. Take A Break. Most small business owners I know (self included) have to be reminded to take a break. So, here's a reminder. Set aside some time periodically to refresh and revive yourself. Some of my favorite "break" activities: an afternoon at the spa or a soothing hour-long massage using favorite essential oils, dinner and a movie with spouse or friends, shutting away with a journal and some favorite comfort foods, a brisk walk in the park during nice weather, a pamper party with the girls, making a recipe for a new dish or desert. Any sort of "retreat" will do, and it does not have to be expensive to renew and improve your perspective and give you renewed energy to persevere through the tough times.

3. Review Your Mission. This allows you to renew your faith in yourself and the goals that brought you to the point of starting your business in the first place. Read your mission out loud to yourself. Repeat it a few times with positive emphasis, thinking of some people's whose lives have changed because of your business. Reminding yourself of your goals and how it has helped to change the world for the better is
a powerful way to help you get over the hump, providing renewed vigor and a refreshed ability to persevere.

5. Handmade Beauty Product Recipe ~ Healing Jojoba Blend

This is a simple blend made with some of nature's most exquisite essential oils. Yes, they are also among the most expensive, yet they are used in such a small quantity that you can make a generous amount of product using inexpensively priced samples from your favorite trusted supplier. (Use the Power Profile dropdown menu at MangoButter.com to find several HBN member essential oil suppliers!)

I have been using this blend lately to massage a sick family member who has been hospitalized for several weeks, causing his skin to become dry and dehydrated. Applying this massage oil to his arms allows me to give him gentle, personal
attention with soothing strokes using oils that are known for their healing qualities. I should also mention that he usually hates any kind of fragrance, always worrying that it will make him smell like a girl. This blend is unlike anything he's ever experienced, and I was pleased to see that, when I first used it, he sniffed his arms over and over saying how nice it felt. It makes him smile, and that makes me feel good.

Healing Jojoba Blend

Ingredients
1 drop rose essential oil (I used Rose abla; do not use fragrance
oil for this blend)
2 drops lavender essential oil (I used Lavender angustifolia)
1 drop melissa essential oil (Melissa officinalis)
1/2 ounce jojoba oil

Blending Procedure
Simply combine in a bottle and shake gently to ensure the mix. Warm a bit between your palms and apply gently to dry skin. You can double this recipe for a 1-ounce bottle of the blend.

If you have a suggested recipe or trivia question you'd like to share, send it to Jenn@HandmadeBeauty.com. If we use either in an upcoming issue, we'll credit you!!

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Donna Maria, Editor-In-Chief, DonnaMaria@HandmadeBeauty.com
Jenn Givler, Associate Editor, Jenn@HandmadeBeauty.com
The Handmade Beauty Connection
The Handmade Beauty Network | www.HandmadeBeauty.com