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 meadow foam, 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.

Last Week's Question: I am an organization headed by a person thought by many to be sort of weird. I am dedicated to researching the reasons why people have problems smelling and/or tasting things. One of my recent projects involves testing people's use of flavored food additives as a way to help them lose weight. To win this week, state my name and the name of the flavored food additives my Director uses in the weight loss testing.

Here's a hint: I'm not in Washington, DC. Also, note that this question does not ask for the name of a person ...

Be the first to correctly answer this week's question with the common and botanical name of the above oil and win a generous sample of "Kitchen Herb" type fragrance oil from HBN member From Nature With Love, plus some magnificent handmade soap and some sugar scrub!

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.

Well, who's not busy and stressed out? It's the holidays, the crazy retail season, plus, as small business owners, there are lots of other things to keep up with. In the midst of the chaos, here's a little Present for you. I know that with all you do, you  must long for a way to ease the stress in your life. Spouses, significant others, children, elderly parents, bills, customer orders, unexpected office or home repairs, business planning, personal finances -- does the list ever end? All of these things can really take a toll. If only we could stop in our tracks -- literally right where we are at any given point in time -- and become totally in tune with the present moment and our place in it. Would our ability to enjoy life, even with all of its stresses, improve?

Spencer Johnson thinks so, and he tells us why in his book, "The Present." I recently had a chance to read this book. No, I don't have any "spare" time on my hands! This book is just over 100 pages and I read it in record time one evening. Dr. Johnson believes that the best present we can give ourselves is the gift of The Present. That is, he believes that learning how to live in the present in a thankful state, enjoying what life is sharing with us at any precise moment, is key to fulfillment, success and happiness in life. The book is chock full of simple concepts to help us experience The Present. I highly recommend that you set aside some time during the holidays to read this book! In the meantime, here are 3 ways you can start enjoying The Present right now.

1. Give Yourself The Present of Focusing Your Attention On The Things That Are Important To You Today.
Dr. Johnson believes that success is focusing on what is important to you, and enjoying doing so. How simple is that? If you start the day off by making a short list of things that are important to accomplish or experience during today, you'll worry less about tomorrow and fret less about yesterday, reserving more precious energy to enjoy The Present.

2. Give Yourself The Present of Addressing Problems Rather Than Being Sidetracked By Them.
When problems come, as they always do, rather than addressing them, we often choose instead to simply worry about them. We agonize about why we have the problem in the first place. Then when we can't get an answer to the "why" question, we simply fret about the fact that we have the problem. When fretting gets old, we allow our minds to wonder about what life would be like if we didn't have the problem. Poppycock! says Dr. Johnson. The only real way to move through problems is to address them quickly and head on. When we choose action instead of worry, we can actually move through a problem and put it behind us sooner rather than later, saving more energy to actually enjoy The Present.

3. Give Yourself The Present of Finding And Appreciating What Is Right About Your Situation.
Isn't it easy to look at a difficult set of circumstances and make a quick list of all the things that are wrong about it? We have a fender bender and we become overwhelmed with the inconvenience it causes, the fact that the car has a big dent in it, the fact that we have to make an insurance claim (or not) and a host of other things that are "wrong." But when we have a fender bender, how often is our first thought to be thankful that we did not get hurt? Or that someone else, even another family member riding with us, did not get seriously hurt? Or that our car was not totaled as it could have been? Those are not usually our first thoughts, but they are in fact, in that moment, what is "right" about that particular situation. Finding and then focusing on what's right about life, even though there are things that are "wrong" helps us to move through life's drama (and trauma) with grace and dignity, leaving more energy to actually enjoy The Present.

I have found myself incorporating each of these concepts into my life throughout the past several days, and as simple as they are, they really do work. Enjoying being able to focus on a particular day's tasks, leaving tomorrow to take care of itself tomorrow. Addressing problems head-on, refusing to allow them to become a distraction. Finding what's "right" before getting bogged down with what's "wrong." Stop where you are right now and do the same. Perhaps you are stressed out this holiday season by family and holiday bills. Maybe you have recently lost a loved one and are dreading spending this holiday without them. Maybe you had a fender bender last week and are wondering how you'll get the car fixed. Whatever the case, stop where you are right now and focus on just what is important today. Try not to let the problem take you off course and make a list of things that are "right" about the situation. There's always something that's "right," even when there are also things that are wrong. Living this way is not second nature for us, but these 3 simple concepts can revolutionize the way you live day by day. There are many more in Dr. Johnson's book!

Give yourself the present of The Present. You'll be glad you did.

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DonnaMaria.com: sound advice for your small business, Create The Life You Love™