New Members!

Learn more about our members and their exciting activities by visiting their Web sites through IBN's Online Member Directory, now with 4 ways to search: (1) by state/country; (2) by member business name; (3) by keyword search; or (4) using our new alphabetical listings.

On August 13, I had the special honor of visiting Portland, Oregon, for the first time. I spent an afternoon at the Saturday Market (which is open on Sundays too). I also spent some time in IBN member Lush's Portland store (product review of some fun stuff coming soon!), and picked up some IBN member products made by Savonerie, Silk'n Shea and Victoria's Lavender Gardens at the Made In Oregon store in the Portland Int'l Airport.

But the highlight of my Portland visit was getting to meet Dennis and Kayla Fioravanti of IBN member Essential Wholesale, the winners of IBN's 2005 Handmade Beauty Business of the Year Award! In the photo at right, I am presenting the award (and probably talking far too much) to Dennis and Kayla, in recognition of their devotion to the industry, creativity, energy, vitality, innovation, vision and entrepreneurial spirit. Dennis, Kayla and their thriving business have positively impacted their lives and our industry and they have made a huge difference in their community and the world. You can read more about Dennis, Kayla and Essential Wholesale, and catch Kayla's column, in the premier issue of the Handmade Beauty Business Magazine! Until then, I'll be reviewing some of their wonderful bulk base products in upcoming issues of this newsletter and you can see other photos in this week's feature article.

Girlfriend Party Body Cream is one of my most favorite creations. I made it several years ago for the first time and served it up at my Girlfriend Party. It was a huge hit! From time to time, I come across a cream that reminds me of it. They're nice, but mine is still my favorite. Hope you like it too!

When you visit MakeYourCosmetics.com, it's easy to buy the ingredients you need by clicking on our Selected Supplier links:

Essential Wholesale: pure essential oils, over 200 cosmetic bases, hundreds of carrier/fixed oils such as meadowfoam, cranberry, jojoba and shea butter plus a new Short Run Private Labeling Program!

Bramble Berry, Inc.: over 105 different fragrance and essential oils (including their exclusive "Energy" and "Relaxing"), all soap tested, soap molds and unscented soap bases!

SunRose Aromatics: pure essential oils (many organic), carrier oils and other aromatherapy products, each carefully selected for quality. Check out their new Perfumer's Emporium.

The Scent Shack: fragrance oils and soap supplies. Fragrance oils are pre-tested in cold process, melt & pour soap, and candles, and test results are listed at the Web site. Scents tested by soapers for soapers!

From Nature With Love: over 1,600 ingredients and supplies, including cosmetic ingredients, spa supplies, bath accessories and packaging supplies!

Last Week's Question: According to AAA (formerly the American Automobile Association, the highest gas prices can be found in California at $2.758 a gallon! To win this week, state what they say the average gallon of gas costs in the US today.

Last Week's Answer: $2.5175 -- I calculated this by adding up AAA's 8 regional average gas prices on the day the trivia question was posed, and then dividing by 8. The 8 regional averages were: Pacific - $2.71; Mountain West - $2.42; Southwest - $2.47; Midwest - $2.48; Great Lakes - $2.56; Southeast - $2.46; New England - $2.53; Mid Atlantic - $2.51. If you have a burning desire to know the average gas prices in your area, click here. And if you live in Canada, you're paying even more -- about $4.00 a gallon! 

This Week's Question: In the early 1930's, a man in love branded a line of cosmetic products in honor of his wife Fanny May, who had experienced irritation from the harsh ingredients in products that were available at the time. To win this week, state the name of the man, a chemist, who created the line, and the brand name under which it is sold. HINT: the brand name is a combination of the names of the man and his wife.

Be the first to correctly answer this week's question and win some body powder!

Please read the contest rules here before submitting your entry. Put "TRIVIA CONTEST ANSWER" in the subject line or your answer will not be considered.

While time does not permit me to respond personally to all entrants, the winner's name will be announced in the next newsletter!

I was a cheerleader in high school and enjoyed my share of primping and pampering throughout my teen years. But even though I always had friends who were girls, when I look back over my life, I don't think I really began to appreciate the gift of girlfriends until relatively late in life. Now that I'm a mother of a girl, I observe carefully how my daughter interacts with other girls. I want to encourage her to cultivate supportive relationships early in life, and to begin to appreciate as early as possible the unique exchange that takes place between girlfriends.

I have a few really close girlfriends now, and while all of them share some of the same characteristics, each has a special gift to share with me. Terri is my reality friend. She helps me see the reason for the panic attacks I have from time to time. Once I can see why I am overreacting in a particular situation, I can view it for what it is and not allow it to take on a personality all its own. Karen is my gentle friend. She's caring and understanding and very very smart. She helps me see appreciate the beauty of others around me and reminds me that patience is a virtue. Patricia is my practical friend. Instead of describing someone's behavior as "annoying," Patricia would say, "Well, let's say that behaving the way we want them to is not in their makeup." Then there's Robin -- the closest friend I ever had. She looks down from heaven now and then and whispers words of encouragement and understanding. I can't wait to see her again.

In the meantime, I get to meet new girlfriends all the time these days -- and they are all over the world. While I was in Portland last week, I met two friends that I have known through IBN and email for a long time. What fun it was to embrace and celebrate our entrepreneurial spirits in person. I'm pictured at left with Joena Buchholz of IBN member Silk'n Shea. (Enjoy my review of Joena's Honey Almond Lotion here. And stay tuned for Joena next week on Handmade Beauty Radio! What's that? You'll have to read next week and find out!) The photograph at right features Marilyn Thompson (at left) of IBN member Victoria's Lavender Gardens. (You can enjoy my review of some of Marilyn's great lavender products here.) Others in the photos are some of Essential Wholesale's fabulous staff and family.

Oh! I almost forgot! The Crave. While I was in Portland, I discovered Crave, a great way to get together with your girlfriends. Fun, festive and very glam crave girls get together and spend the night just being girls -- frolicking in their pajamas, having "pedis and manis," getting mini-facials, buying beauty goodies and just chatting it up. I can't wait for the Craves to hit the east coast. If you're a west coaster, you don't have to wait! You can find Crave Parties in Portland, San Francisco and Seattle.

So get your best girls together and head on over to Crave's website! Tell your friends you appreciate them and take some well deserved time to glam and chat it up at a Crave Party. If like me, you can't get to a Crave, do what I do -- make some Girlfriend Party Body Cream and have a Girlfriend Party at your own house!

Ultra-Moisturizing Body Butter
8 ounces | $10.00

I hate to sound vain but one of the reasons I really like this product is because I am pictured on the label. That's right! I, frizzy curls and all, am perched in a bathtub full of foaming bubbles and I am shouting for joy! Well, it's not really me, but it sure looks like me in one of my better and more enjoyable life moments!

OK, my moment is over. Now it's your turn. Ultra-Moisturizing Body Butter is for after the bath and it's packed with shea butter, olive oil and almond oil. Rich and decadent, it's kind of like sticking your hand into a full cloud. My son found this out when he dipped his entire hand into my jar when I turned by back for a minute or two. After I lost a few seconds wishing I had a camera handy, I rushed to scrape it all back into the jar. (You don't think for a minute that I could have just wiped it off with a tissue and toss it in the trash, do you??!) My husband wasn't terribly happy that his son smelled like Cranberry Fig for the next few hours, but as he does with all decadent smells in our home, he got used to it!

Other available scents for you to get lost in include the popular White Tea & Ginger, Tangerine Mango and Pomegranate. There's also unscented for those of you who don't want to smell like anything but want the power of a rich moisturizer to soothe and nourish your skin.

So what are you waiting for? It's your moment!! You can get Ultra-Moisturizing Body Butter at Spoiled Rotten Bath & Body.

Best & Success!!
Donna Maria
Editor, The Handmade Beauty Connection
The Indie Beauty Network | www.handmadebeauty.com

Copyright (c) 2000 - 2005 by The Indie Beauty Network (IBN) and Donna Maria. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized distribution or reproduction is prohibited. IBN does not necessarily endorse any product, event or ideology featured in The Handmade Beauty Connection (HBC) or on IBN's website. All information is provided on an "as is" basis and no express or implied warranties are given. Any use of the information contained in the HBC or on IBN's Web site, including Recipes, is solely at your own risk. IBN and Donna Maria disclaim any liability in connection with the use of all recipes, products reviewed and other information. Except for sponsorships, HBC refuses compensation from companies to feature or mention their names or products. Opinions expressed in any Product Review are personally those of the reviewer and do not represent the views of IBN, Donna Maria (unless she is the reviewer) or any other person or company.