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Handmade Toiletries Weekly Newsletter
Date

A Publication of The Handmade Beauty Network
ISSN 1530-9630
October 8, 2000
Issue 36

---->THIS WEEK'S SPONSOR: Celestial Body Aromatherapy<----

Discover the Wonders of Nature With Hydrosols.

Hydrosols are the gentlest form of aromatherapy. Grown and steam distilled by us on our farm, our hydrosols are used alone as spritzes to hydrate and tone skin or the water portion of your handmade soap and skin care preparations.

Also available while they last:

* organic and wild grown infused oils
* all natural skin care products in bulk
* Join the Oil of the Month Club this week and receive a folder, aroma analysis sheets and fragrance diaries as our gift ~ a $10 value!!
* HTN members receive 10% off all products!!

http://www.celestialbody.com/ ~ all natural skin care
http://www.celestialbodyaromatherapy.com/ ~ oil of the month
http://www.facefoodshoppe.com/ ~ natural skin care, acne line

Toll Free - 800-882-6858 | Email - celestialbody@undata.com

1. HTN Update ~ Welcome New Members!

~ The HomeSpa ~ http://www.homespa.com/
New York day spa offering spa services and handmade products

~ Burson's Corner ~ Lilburn, GA, bursonscorner@mindspring.com
handmade soaps using home-grown herbs and flowers

~ Simply Clesha ~ http://www.simplyclesha.com/
The Alabaster Box Aromatherapy line, based on Scripture

2. Join HBC In Raising Money to Help Homeless Women

If you enjoy The Handmade Beauty Connection, why not recommend it to a friend and help raise money for a worthy cause at the same time? Simply tell your friends about the Handmade Beauty Connection ... for each new subscriber between now and Thanksgiving Day, HBC will donate 50 cents to The Hannah House, a Washington, DC, shelter for homeless women. You can read more about The Hannah House. Join HBC in helping homeless women attain improved health and increased self esteem, while also spreading the word about the only free online publication devoted exclusively to handmade beauty!

3. Soapmaking Workshop at the Smile Herb Shop ~ 12/2/00

Join me for "SoapMaking For Gift Giving & Pleasure" at The Smile Herb Shop in College Park, Maryland on December 2, from 11:00am to 2:00pm. Q&A and Booksigning to follow! Learn how to make your own soap from scratch using natural
ingredients, and take some of our newly made soap home with you!! To register, call Smile at (301) 474-8791.

4. Handmade Beauty Trivia Question ~ The winner of last week's contest was Mei-Lynn Destouche of Pittsburgh, PA. Mei-Lynn won a copy of Storey Books' "Natural Beauty" by Rosemary Gladstar.

Last Week's Question: Who is credited with first suggesting that cosmetics should be separated from the practice of medicine because use of cosmetics "is not ordinarily for
treatment of an illness but something that goes outside of this with the intention of concealment or disguise."

Last Week's Answer: Henri de Mondeville

This Week's Question: When we make our own handmade facial masks, we can use clay. Clay is composed of minerals, when mixed with water, it thickens, adopting a paste-like texture. This characteristic makes clay an excellent carrier for essential oils in face and body masks. A popular clay for use in skin care is bentonite, which is made of components from what group of minerals composed of hydrous aluminum silicates in the form of extremely small and very absorbent particles?

Be the first to provide the correct answer and win a copy of Storey Books' "Body Care Just For Men".

Please read the contest rules here before submitting your entry.

5. Handmade Beauty Product Review by Donna Maria

~ Glow-On Moisturizer by Essential Restoratives
4 oz. ~ $10.95

I first tried this moisturizer over 5 years ago when I visited Essential Restoratives on Cape Cod. I was delighted to see they still carry it today!! Glow-On is a soft, soothing, moisturizing body oil that is perfect now that the weather is cooling and my skin is starting to need the additional moisture. I especially like this oil because it glides on smoothly and sinks in nicely without leaving behind a greasy feeling. I prefer to use it after an evening bath when I can give my skin a lot of it without worrying about having to wait to get dressed. I just slather it on and slip into my PJs, slink into bed and enjoy a good night's sleep. Glow-On leaves my skin feeling nourished and protected. It contains a variety of rich oils, including olive, coconut, cocoa butter and vitamin E, along with a signature blend of essentials which can also be found in many other Essential Restoratives products, plus herbal infusions of calendula, comfrey, chamomile, lavender, rosemary, and sage.

Glow-On and other goodies are available at Essential Resotoratives, and you can contact her by visiting HTN's Online Member Directory.

6. Skinformation ~ Caring For Your Skin With Hydrosols

Essential oils are not the only products of the distillation of plant materials. In addition to the fragrant essential oil, there is also a wonderfully aromatic water!! This water is called hydrosol - other names include hydrolat, hydrolate, floral water or distillate water. When rose petals are distilled, rose essential oil and rose hydrosol are produced. While hydrosol is another word for water, be wary of companies selling "rose water" or "lavender water" because those products are often (though not always) just plain old water into which rose or lavender essential oil and/or fragrance oil has been placed, along with an emulsifier to keep the oil from separating from the water (which it usually does naturally).

True hydrosol is usually labeled "hydrosol," and you will want to check the label of the product to be sure of the contents. Hydrosols are useful for a variety of applications, especially in skin care. They can be used as a natural facial cleansers and/or toners and are wonderful to add to handmade soaps, lotions and creams.

Another added benefit of hydrosols is that they allow you to enjoy the benefits of distilled plant materials such as neroli (orange blossom) and rose at a fraction of the price of the essential oil. For example, it's not uncommon to see rose hydrosol sold for about $20 for 16 ounces while a 10 or 20 drops of essential oil could easily cost the same amount!

7. Aromatic Beauty Food Recipe ~ Tea Rose Facial Toner

This simple blend of tea and rose hydrosol is one of my favorites to soothe and tone the skin. It's simple and effective!

Ingredients
2 ounces freshly brewed green tea
2 ounces rose hydrosol

After the tea is brewed and strained, allow it to cool. Mix together the hydrosol and tea in a bottle with a spray attachment so you can easily apply it to your face after cleansing. I carry this (or a similar blend) in my purse in a small spritz bottle to refresh my skin (and spirit) throughout the day. If your eyes are tired and in need of some refreshment, soak 2 cotton pads in Tea Rose Facial Toner and wring out the excess toner from each one. Flatten the pads to fit around your eye area and press over the eyes. Relax and enjoy!!