Handmade Beauty Connection
May 20, 2002
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This Week's Sponsor:
---> "Beginning Cosmetic Chemistry" <---

Beginning Cosmetic Chemistry by Randy Schueller and Perry Romanowski

HBN Members Save More Than 20% when you order by May 31, courtesy of Allured Publishing! (All prices USD.)

Beginning Cosmetic Chemistry is a MUST for professional toiletries makers. Containing a high level overview of nearly all aspects of cosmetic chemistry including sections on the orientation, tools, and terms, as well as descriptions of specific ingredients. My favorite chapters include: Creating Colorful Cosmetics, Understanding Emulsions, Cosmetics Product Packaging and Fundamentals of Cosmetic Product Safety Testing.

20% Off For HBN Members: $80 (includes US shipping) or $82 (includes Canadian shipping) or $100 (includes international shipping). HBN members check this week's member update to order your discounted copy!

Regular Non-Member Prices: $102 (includes US shipping) or $104 (includes Canadian shipping) or $122 (includes international shipping). Non-members order here.

Allured Publishing, 362 S. Schmale Road, Carol Stream, IL 60188-2787 | (630) 653-2155, ext. 573 (phone)
Email: Mkuta@allured.com

1. HBN Update: Welcome New & Renewing Members & Exciting Member News!!
2. Handmade Toiletries Network Participates In First American Botanical Seminars & Reception in Washington, DC!!
3. Handmade Beauty Trivia Question: win a bottle of my Lavender Lemon Facial Toner!!
4. Create The Life You Love™: On Being A Mom & A Business Woman ... tips to help you survive both!!
5. New At MakeYourCosmetics.com: Hempy Chick Hair Pomade
6. Handmade Beauty Product Review: by Donna Maria

~ Welcome New HBN Members!

The Buying Group | Rachel Ratledge | Florida
* discount prices on all your toiletries making supply needs

Celestial Body Aromatherapy | Ann Harmon | Missouri
* essential oils and hydrosols, plus in-person/on-site aromatherapy education on our Missouri farm

Starlight Customized Aromatherapy | Cindy Shaw | Virginia
* customized aromatherapy spritzers, oils and other delights

Romantic Times Magazine | Kathryn Falk | New York
* the magazine for lovers of mystery, romance and women's fiction

Salamander Soaps | Deborah Novacek | California
* Sensuous Salamander Milk Bath and other high quality handcrafted products

Elysian Dream | Paula Kawal | Washington
* essential oils, butters, containers and all you need for natural toiletries; finished products and soaps available too

~ Welcome Renewing Members!

AngelHeart Enterprises | Gloria Charlier | Ohio
Crescent Moon | Edith Bennett | California

~ Exciting Member News!

HBN member Kristen Leigh Bell of Aromaleigh is pleased to announce the birth (6 weeks early) of her son, Connor, born on Monday, May 13, at 11:37am. Connor weighed in at 5.5 lbs, 18" long, and mom reports that he is very healthy despite being a preemie. Connor joined his mom at home yesterday. Congratulations Kristen and Connor!!

Learn more about our members and their exciting activities by visiting their Web sites through HBN's Online Member Directory!!

HBN participated in the first American Botanical Seminars and Reception on Thursday, May 9, 2002 at the beautifully renovated U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory in Washington, DC. The event was a huge success and served as an exciting way for HBN members from all over the country to promote their products to a nationwide audience of consumers and fellow cosmetics manufacturers. HBN member products were included in the "goody" bags given to participants, including representatives from the offices of several Congressional dignitaries. Each participating member was provided with a quad-fold printed brochure suitable for use in their media kits and other promotional materials. The brochure highlighted the event and HBN history, and included their company name, a brief description and contact information.

Click here to view our press release with pictures!!

The HBN members who participated in the event are:

Aija Essentials Fragrance Studio, Illinois, ajjaessentials@aol.com
Aroma Magic, Inc., Florida, aromamagic@mindspring.com
Cactus & Ivy, South Carolina
Dirty Hippie Soaps, Mississippi
The Enterprising Kitchen, Illinois
Essential Wholesale, Oregon (generously donated the many bags needed to put all the goodies in!)
The Hen's Teeth, Inc., Virginia, christine.jones@fairfaxcounty.gov
Herbs of Grace, Washington
Holly Woods N Vines, LLC, New Jersey, lucimac@aol.com
Homebody Natural Soaps, Washington
Joan's Gardens, Indiana
Life Balance, Massachusetts
Mama Coco's, Hawaii
Marjan Herbals, Virginia, marjanherbals@erols.com
Masterpiece Bath & Candle, Maryland, mfi9565376@aol.com
Maui Tropical Soaps, Hawaii
Miss Marie's Mt. Pleasant Farm, Virginia, mtplsnt@intercom.net
Moon & Stars Enchanted Soap, Georgia
Of The Earth - A Wild Texas Soap Bar, Texas
Outer Body Experience, Colorado
Paradise Valley Natural Skincare, Texas, paradisearomatherapy@telusplanet.net
Roo's Garden, Tennessee
Samara Botane, Washington
Scents of Balance, Montana
Schooley's Mountain Soap & BodyWorks, New Jersey
Selah's Soaps & Sundries, St. Croix, USVI, kiva@selahssoaps.com
Simply Soap, California
SunRose Aromatics, New York

Last Week's Question: It means "similar suffering." What is it?

Last Week's Answer: homeopathy

This Week's Question: Plant me in your garden and I'll grow all over the place. Pick me, wash me, dry me and soak me in oil to make a soothing treatment for your dry skin. I am one of the primary ingredients in Donna Maria's Emerald Oil. I grow so easily that if you trample all over me around your garden and yard, I'll spring up everywhere. For this reason, I have been called "The White Man's Footprints". What am I?

Be the first to submit the correct common and botanical names of the plant described and win a sample of Lavender Lemon Facial Toner!! Please read the contest rules here 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 HBN's home page.

I am today concluding a 3-part series on the art of finding balance as a mom and a business woman, in celebration of Mother's Day month. This week's article highlights the importance of being flexible and establishing priorities. Part I focused on the importance of Making The Glass Full, and you can read that article here. Part II focused on Surrendering To The Moment, and you can read that article here.

While these articles focus on moms as business women, the principles can be applied to anyone in business, whether a parent or not and whether involved in a home-based business or a traditional office job. No matter what business we are in, and no matter where we conduct that business, maintaining a sense of balance, harmony and satisfaction is always important.

3. Be Flexible Yet Decisive Based On Pre-Determined Priorities

"It's always something ..."
   ~ Gilda Radner

Isn't that true? No matter who we are or what we do, something always manages to come up and get in the way of what we are trying to do. This article focuses on the importance of being fluid and flexible, no matter what the circumstances, so that the "somethings" don't get in the way of your ability to accomplish goals and be productive.

Dealing with "somethings" is difficult for me because I like being on a schedule. I have my list of things to do on a particular day, and I prepare it most nights before I go to sleep. My Franklin Planner contains all of the deadlines I have to meet and I dutifully put check marks next to them when they are met. At the end of the next day, I like to see check marks; those visual indications that goals have been accomplished and deadlines have been met.

But sometimes, both life and business can get in the way of my tidy plans and neat little check marks. As Gilda Radner said, "It's Always Something!" An interview opportunity comes up at the last minute, a scheduling change needs to be made, the laptop has a hiccup, the printer runs out of ink, I can't find an important document, the check gets lots in the mail and needs to be traced, the filing needs to get done ... The list goes on and on doesn't it!?? Being flexible is about refusing to let these types of unexpected turns of life overwhelm us and twist us into knots. 

I’m talking about the type of flexibility that requires quick and decisive action in order to be profitable. And for action to be helpful, it must be taken based on a predetermined set of priorities. Unless we set our priorities ahead of time, we can't react with swiftness to those last minute things that come up. So along with being flexible, we must be able to act quickly as small business owners, taking decisive action based on our priorities. If we cannot do this, circumstances will control and manipulate us.

A quick example: just a few months ago, my printer had a hiccup that required immediate attention -- right in the middle of a writing project I was trying to finish that day -- and a publisher contacted me with an exciting new book opportunity -- and I wanted to send out the Handmade Beauty Trivia Contest prize from the week before -- and my daughter's nanny was only going to be caring for her that day for another 2 hours. I wanted to finish the writing project, get back to the publisher, mail off the prize and fix the printer all in the 2 hours I had left that day. I knew I couldn't, but rather than get stressed about it and risk getting nothing done, I quickly assessed my priorities, and knew right away which projects could be tackled that afternoon and which ones could wait for the next day.

To make a long story short, nothing fell through the cracks. I finished my writing project first because that commitment had been made. The next day, I was able to respond to the publisher, and I got my printer problem resolved that afternoon. I sent the contest prize of a few days later! If I had tried to get all of those things done in the 2 hours I had left that day, I would have been a basket case ... and worse, the writing may not have been top quality, the publisher might have thought I was nuts and my daughter might have been upset because I was a crazy woman at the end of my work day. I was able to move through what may have otherwise been a very stressful situation because my priorities were predetermined. All I had to do was act on them in their order of importance at that particular time.

So there we have it. Three things that anyone can incorporate into their daily lives to help achieve and maintain that sense of satisfaction and harmony that we call balance. 

1. Make The Glass Full!
2. Surrender To The Moment
3. Be Fluid & Flexible, Yet Decisive

And last but not least, when all else fails, take a bath with something delicious like Winding Down Herbal Bath! 

Next week, I'll start a 10-part series on Making Yourself Memorable. If you want to learn 10 sure-fire tips to solidify your brand and increase sales, you won't want to miss this series!

Hempy Chick Hair Pomade was submitted by HBN member Anastasia Crabtree of Anastasia's Ideas. Anastasia uses this wonderful hair conditioner by rubbing her scalp and hair ends while her hair is still wet from shampooing. "Watch out," she says, "for the curls, volume and radiance!"

When you visit MakeYourCosmetics.com, it's easy to buy the ingredients you need to make your goodies by clicking on our Partner links:

Essential Wholesale: natural unscented cosmetic bases, pure essential oils, absolutes, carrier oils such as avocado, virgin coconut, sweet almond, jojoba, shea butter and specialty packaging supplies!

Bramble Berry, Inc.: over 80 different, fully tested fragrance oils (including the exclusive "Relaxing" and "Energy" blends), over 250 soap molds, essential oils and unscented bases.

ANNOUNCING OUR NEW CANADIAN PARTNER!!
I am pleased to announce that HBN member Lynden House International in Canada has become a MakeYourCosmetics.com Partner! Lynden House carries soap and candle making supplies including carrier and fixed oils, perfume fragrance oils (cold process tested), essential oils, botanicals, hydrosols/floral waters, soap molds, colorants, soap bases, lotion and cream bases, preservatives such as Germaben II, emulsifying wax, goat and buttermilk powders, an expanded soap mold line and more! Lynden House also carries several different grades of paraffin wax, gel and vegetable based candle waxes, scents, dyes, molds, wicking, embeds and more!! Retail and wholesale available.

Bergamot Shea Cream by HBN member The Soap Fairy is one of the nicest creams I have tried in a long time. Its creamy texture makes it obvious that this product contains a very generous amount of shea butter. It also glides easily and smoothly (no grainy texture here!!) across my skin, absorbs quickly and easily and does not leave behind an unpleasant greasy residue. What it does leave behind is a slight slickness that is not disruptive to my routine, so I can put this cream on in my office or in my car and not have to worry about a slippery driving wheel or greasing up any important papers.

Bergamot Shea Cream also contains Vitamin e and almond oil, along silk proteins which make it an extra special smooth treat. And for anyone who loves bergamot, that sophisticated citrus, the scent is Bergamot Heaven ... just plain bergamot! I have had my 2 ounce jar of this cream for nearly 2 months and I've used less than an ounce. As with most handmade toiletries products made with a large proportion of rich butters and oils, a little goes a very long way! I've used it on my face as a light moisturizer and on rough, dry areas of my skin like heels, elbows and knees. But by far my favorite place to massage this treat is into my hands at in my office through my workday. The scent is a definite "smile bringer," and my skin always says "thank you!"

You can order your own personal jar of Bergamot Shea Cream from The Soap Fairy. And while you're there, enjoy the music and be sure to check out the signature "Fairy Balls!"