2017 - Nature's Gift

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This newsletter contains:

Holiday Blends and Essential Oils on Sale!


Save 10% on our four Holiday Blends: Holiday Joy, O Christmas Tree, Three Kings, and Winter Sunshine. (Please note, some of these are in short supply, and will not be available again for another year.)

Your Christmas Tree: Our favorite Evergreens at a seasonal savings: Balsam Fir, Scotch Pine, Cypress, brand new, limited supply Piñon Pine, Black Spruce (fresh arrival from our favorite Canadian distiller) and Siberian Fir. Retail sizes only. And our newest arrival, a codistillation of two favorite Christmas trees, Frasier Fir, and Noble Fir. We’ve named it “ Christmas Bliss ” because the name fits. Its BEST use is to bring the holiday spirit to your home, your car, your surroundings. One of our little AromaPods would let it scent an artificial tree. Any diffuser or aroma lamp will allow you to fill your house with its joyful aroma. ENJOY. It is a just for fun offering that invites you to come and play!

And remember to use the “shipfree” discount code on your domestic order over 0, to receive free Priority Mail shipping.

New/Back in Stock


Wild-crafted White Sage, sacred oil of the American southwest, essential oil from an organic producer in the Pacific Northwest, Pinon Pine essential oil, harvested and distilled high in the western Rockies, from Thailand, more of our Central Thai Plai oil, for relieving Winter’s aches and pains. From Madagascar, antibacterial Saro, from China, an aromatic Ho Wood, said by many to be an aromatic and therapeutic replacement for Rosewood, rare Thyme Borneol from Morocco, spicy Bay Laurel, Organic Rosemary Verbenon, wonderful for skincare. Brand new to us…Certified organic, distilled Bitter Orange oil from Egypt. An anti-anxiety delight. And, of course, the Christmas Bliss described above.

Hydrosols

Helichrysum for healing and pain relief, Yarrow, organic from an artisan distiller in the Pacific North West, gentle Roman Chamomile Hydrosol, Clary Sage Hydrosol, Frankincense Hydrosol (wonderful for skincare.)

Infusions

To add to our array of infused Frankincense oils we have a beautiful Boswellia carterii infusion, our lovely classic Somalian Frankincense in an infused oil, and (be still my beating heart!) a tiny amount of Black Sacra infused oil. Quantities of both are extremely limited.

My Book


We had been told that my book was out of print. This is why we issued it in Kindle format. Come to find out, after the printer promising if they were to be “remaindered” I would have the courtesy of first offer, the long out of print book showed up on Amazon. In large quantities. For far less than we paid for it wholesale years ago. At any rate. We bought some. Yes, you can buy them for less on Amazon. But if you would like your very own autographed copy, and a copy of the dedication (which the publisher omitted,) you may order it here. We only have a few.

Blog Update

A list of the Best Sellers during our Halloween “trick or treat” sale:
Vaping EO’s? No. Please don’t. This is why.
Best sellers during our Thanksgiving weekend sales.

Holiday Schedule at Nature’s Gift


We will be here and working through Friday, December 22nd. We have traditionally given our staff Christmas Eve as a holiday, as well as Christmas Day. With Christmas on Monday this year, we decided to take the day after Christmas, Tuesday 12/26 as the second day, so travelers could stay through the holiday and return home at their leisure on Tuesday

We will be CLOSED FOR INVENTORY the rest of Christmas week. The shopping cart will still function, but no orders will ship. We will process orders on Friday, 12/22, and all orders placed and paid on Thursday will go out before the holidays. We will TRY to get orders placed Friday morning before noon out, as well, but we can not guarantee that. All other order will be processed in order when we return in 2018.

Holiday Recipes and Blends

Our classic Pomander Ball Cleanser. Sweet citrus and spice.

(adapted from a recipe from Barbara Lucks)
Not only does this preparation clean, the essential oils disinfect and provide a natural, festive fragrance.

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake to dissolve and blend the minerals. You can spray this cleaner onto a surface then leave it for 15 minutes before wiping it off, to give the essential oils antiseptic qualities time to work (makes 2 cups). It will leave your house smelling like an old fashioned, clove studded pomander ball! (December 2001)

Scented Greeting Cards and Tissue Paper

[This is something I used to do years ago, and had forgotten about.The directions are borrowed from my friend Wendy at Aromaweb. She obviously has this aimed at Christmas wrappings; but it truly works all year round. I used to scent “all season” wrapping paper with Bergamot. Lavender would be another good choice I think. This time of year I would want the “Christmas Tree” oils. Of course, for a wedding gift or bridal shower, nothing would be as appropriate as Orange Blossom or Neroli.]

Scenting your wrapping paper and greeting cards adds a wonderful touch to the holidays or any gift-giving occasion.

Directions:

Allow an extra day before writing out your greeting card(s) or wrapping presents. Choose a blend or a single essential oil. Put a few drops of the blend onto a cotton ball. Put up to 15 cards and the cotton ball in a large ziplock bag, close and let it sit for at least 24 hours. Take care not to let the oil come in direct contact with cards or envelopes as the fresh oil could stain them. For boxes of cards, you may also have enough room to just put the cotton ball right in with the box.

For tissue paper, follow the same procedure, but place the cotton ball into the plastic package of tissue paper. Be careful not to let the oil come into contact with the paper. Close the bag up so the aroma can properly scent the tissue.

Refrain from giving a scented card or scented tissue-wrapped gift to anyone who has allergies or sensitivities that may be affected by the oils. Another idea….I used to store my note paper in a bag perfumed with the oil of the month. That way it was always ready. Not a bad thing to do with the envelopes you use for paying bills etc…makes the chore a lot more pleasant.

Orange Melt Aways

(one of my favorite of my mother’s Christmas Cookie recipes.)

Cream butter with essential oil. Add 1/2 cup confectioners sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in flour and corn starch until smooth. Cover and chill for at least two hours (overnight is better!).

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Roll the chilled dough into 1 inch balls, and place on an UNGREASED cookie sheet.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes until firm and barely golden. Cool slightly (they will be very fragile) and remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Mix remaining 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar with the 3 tablespoons orange juice. Put wax paper under the cookies on the rack, and spoon the orange glaze over them.
Let dry.

Makes approximately 3 1/2 dozen cookies that freeze well, if you want to make them in advance.

Two years ago we posted a blog with various Holiday blends we’ve collected over the years. You may read them here.

ENJOY!

From all of Santa’s little elves here at Nature’s Gift, wishes for a Merry Christmas, Joyous Yule, Happy Hanukkah, a blessed Solstice, and happy holidays to all.

This newsletter contains:

Holiday Specials

All of our holiday synergies and anointing oils ( O Christmas Tree, Holiday Joy, Winter Sunshine and Three Kings ) are on special sale from now through-out the holiday season. Remember, all of our Frankincense products, essential oils, infused oils and hydrosol are on sale through the end of November.

Thanksgiving Sales

All during the Thanksgiving Weekend, from Thursday through Monday night, use promo code GRATITUDE and and receive 20% off all retail products. Books, kits, bulk products excluded.

Black Friday, November 24. Use the discount code No-Mall for 15% savings on all retail sized products, oils, blends, hydrosols, carriers, accessories, etc. No bulk products, no kits, no books. Also… FREE (domestic) shipping on orders over 0.00. (We never combine free shipping and other discounts, but.. we want you to avoid the mall!) Please note, our shopping cart will NOT allow both free shipping and a discount code. You will be charged shipping. We will manually go back and refund the shipping charges for all orders with a value of over 0. I know how I will spend this Saturday!

Cyber Monday, November 27. Use the discount code CYBER and finish off your holiday shopping by saving 12% on every product we offer, except gift certificates. Had your eye on a special book? On one of our kits? Want to buy a bulk essential oil or hydrosol? This is your chance to save.

AND… every fourth or fifth order will have a gift included. Most (but not all) of the gifts will have a retail value of about 0.00. Some a lot less, one or two perhaps a lot more. (Are you feeling lucky?)

Please remember that we can’t combine discounts, and over this frantically busy weekend we will not be able to make any changes or additions to your order. The order you submit will be the order we ship. If you want to request samples please make sure you request them in the comments section at checkout. Emailed requests can not be honored.

Another reminder. Our shopping cart and server are on CENTRAL standard time, If you wait until almost midnight on the west coast, you will be too late, and the computer will reject your discount code. Computers are like that.

Aromatic Quote for Thanksgiving

“Our Father, fill our hearts, we pray,
With gratitude Thanksgiving Day;
For food and raiment Thou dost give,
That we in comfort here may live.”
—Luther Cross, Thanksgiving Day

“I love the scents of winter! For me, it’s all about the feeling you get when you smell pumpkin spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, gingerbread and spruce.” Taylor Swift

“I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.” Henry David Thoreau

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. We are grateful, this year, and every year, for all of you, for your support, that allows us to continue doing what we love.

This newsletter contains:

November is Frankincense Month!

Two rare oils from Somalia, Boswellia rivae, and Boswellia frereana, long awaited Frankincense Sacra from Oman, and rare,seldom distilled Black Sacra, from Oman. Try them separately or experience all nine of our Frankincense oils and CO2s in our expanded Frankincense Sampler. To complete your Frankincense experience, we have put our four artisan infused Frankincense oils in a new sampler, five mls each of Frankincense Serrata, and Sacra White, Green and Brown, artfully infused. The ultimate body oil for the Frankincense lover.

For November, we have put retail sizes of all of our Frankincense oils and infusions on sale, as well as both our two new Frankincense samplers, and even our Frankincense Hydrosol. Buy now for skincare, for meditation, for respiratory support, and make sure to put several aside for holiday gifts..

New Oils

Frankincense (Sacra Black) A stunning new oil harvested from an ancient grove my distiller called “the old lady trees” which capture the rain and the fog on the slopes of the Mountains of the Moon, in Dhofar, during the wet season. It is only then that this wet, sticky resin may be harvested.

Frankincense frereana, artisan distilled in Somalia. Christi’s new love. She recommends it in pain relief blends and for skin care.

Frankincense rivae, again, from a family distillery in Somalia. To my nose this is the most citrusy of our Frankincense oils, Christi finds it our most complex, aromatically. We specifically recommend this rarity as an anti-fungal.

Baobab Oil – new fixed oil superb for use with dry skin and hair, recommended in blends for mature skin. Quickly absorbed and protective of dry, parched skin.

Read the full descriptions of each of these to see what makes each different, and special.

Back in Stock

As I write my first draft of this page, poor Jim is feeling totally overwhelmed. We have had perhaps 85 kilos of new oils arrive on one day this week, and it’s his responsibility to do the initial evaluation and to weigh in all the new goodies. (We sell by volume, mls; we order by Kilos.) Each product must have a kilo weighed out, and carefully measured so we will know how many mls that canister contains, before we can cost it out. This is when he takes the product photographs that grace our product descriptions. We have a tremendously long list of new arrivals, all listed on our front page.

Thanksgiving/Black Friday/Cyber Monday:

Of course there will be a sale. We haven’t decided just what shape it will take yet, so please watch for our next newsletter and Facebook page for details on savings.

Hints/tips/recipes

Before using any of these suggested blends, please remember to properly dilute or emulsify. If adding to a bath, blend into a spoonful of liquid soap, or polysorbate to properly disperse in the water. If you choose to make a room, linen or body spray, dilute the essential oils in either the same amount, or, preferably two to three times as much polysorbate, Solubol, or pure grain alcohol; then add distilled water. The sprays will not have a preservative and should be used up within a couple of weeks. If in doubt about proper dilution, we have a dilution chart here.

All of these are saved from years ago, and simply call for “Frankincense.” Use your favorite. Please don’t ask me which, I’ll say “use what you have.”

Physical Remedies:

Allergies:

Ruth Gilbert wrote, “I have been using a combo of equal parts Inula, Ravensara and Frankincense in the diffuser for long term, allergic congestion–(with additional aggravation from viruses) both nasal and chest, with spectacular results.

Migraine Relief Inhaler:

from Olivia, who shared it for a family member’s migraines.

My not so super secret migraine remedy is an inhaler, 3 drops palo santo, 3 drops frankincense, 3 drops spike lavender, 1 drop ginger CO2, 1 drops peppermint. Use inhaler at the first hint that a migraine is coming.

Frankincense Hydrosol for mouth sores: (from Ann Ovodow)

I had meant to write to you earlier this year about the Frankincense hydrosol. Your description of it quoted a source that said it was good for mouth sores.

On the day I received my first order, I happened to have a mouth sore—a bright red sore with a white spot in the middle. I sprayed some on, and the pain stopped within seconds! When the pain recurred, spraying on more produced the same quick cessation of pain. The hydrosol has a mildly bitter taste—about as mild as coffee or tea—and does not sting when applied. The white spot disappeared overnight, and the rest of the sore healed in about five days.

Later, I ordered a bottle for my sister-in-law, Virginia, who suffered from terrible mouth sores as a side effect of opiate drugs: OxyContin, then Fentanyl, for pain due to multiple sclerosis. To my surprise, she reported the same effect: Pain stopped within seconds, and the hydrosol did not sting when applied.

(Before that, I had been using Anbesol which, for me at least, has three drawbacks: (1) it produces a mild, brief, but unwanted high; (2) it stings severely when applied [Virginia refuses to use it because it stings so much]; and (3) it does nothing to promote healing.)

Respiratory blends: (from a 2004 newsletter)

Frankincense is the first oil I reach for when coughs or congestion come down in my chest. I like to blend it with Black Spruce, Eucalyptus globulous or smithii, Atlas Cedarwood and a bit of Hyssop.

Perhaps two drops of Frankincense, Eucalyptus, Black Spruce, and one drop of the Cedarwood and Hyssop, either in the lamp, or added to a carrier oil and rubbed into the throat and chest. (November 2004)

Emotional / Spiritual Blends:

Relaxation: For diffuser or bath.
5 drops Frankincense
6 drops Sweet Orange
3 drops Marjoram

Open your Heart
5 drops Bergamot
2 drops Jasmine
4 drops Frankincense

Nightmares?

Years ago, Serena wrote, “I have discovered an unusual remedy I’d like to share: I have been plagued all my life my horrible nitemares. I am now 44 and still have them. I had on my bed table my two favorites, frankincense and sandalwood, they are truly sacred friends.For some reason I put some drops of each on the bottom of my feet as an annointing gesture, just before I went to bed, and no nitemares that night….strange. The next nite I did the same….again no nitemares. Now I am very suspicious…what could have stopped them? Third nite, I applied them again, ritualistically, and again….no nitemares…..suspicions confirmed. They stopped, but how, why? (I did not connect the oils with them). Finally, after going through all the motions of the three days, what have I done differently…..could it be? I looked up the oils in a book, and discovered that sandalwood and frankincense combined can stop nitemares caused by trauma from past lives! Heeelllooooo!!! So there it was, the esoteric affect of oils on even past life grievences! Are they not woman’s best friend? This is true, and I hope it adds to your remedies.

Serena. (Note, I would not apply to the soles of the feet, that is truly not the best way to gain the results… I would consider an AromaStone beside my bed, or a linenspray, or an inhaler. But that’s me.)

Meditation for Inner Peace (Yoga Blend):

Close to twenty years ago Dianna Pierce of www.innersanctuary.com shared this lovely blend:
Frankincense 6 drops
Sandalwood 10 drops
Neroli 2 drops
blend into 1/2 oz of Sweet Almond oil
place drop on wrist, back of hands, between your eye brows (3rd eye, center of forehead) and 2 drops on back of neck. rub into skin gently, begin deep breathing.
Wonderful!

Winter Solstice Diffuser Blend:

Black Spruce 5
Atlas Cedarwood 3
Sweet Orange 5
Frankincense 6
Myrrh 4
Also, I burn Frankincense resin and throw fresh holly and cedar chips on the fire.
—-Merry Yule!

Happiness Blend:

From John Kerr, Aromatherapy Today, over 15 years ago:
Sweet Orange 3 drops
Spearmint 4 drop
Jasmine Grand 2 drops
Frankincense 4 drops
add to bath, or to 50 ml water for spray… or in aromalamp or diffuser.

Grief:

From Gabriel Mojay, in 2001
Grief that partly expresses itself as a need to nurture others, but in so doing, forgetting one’s own needs:
Sweet Orange (4)
Marjoram (3)
Frankincense (3)

Skincare:

Dry Skin Secret:

Jane Eliza shared her secret formula for dry skin for hands, face, wherever:

“The base is half and half rosehip and evening primrose. I’ve also tried avocado instead of the evening primrose and that makes a beautifully nourishing base, too.

To that I add 5% carrot seed… Then 1% Rose Otto (again, I’ve been tempted to use more, but it’s really really not needed)… My current mix also has 2.5% each of myrhh and frankincense…. I drop that down a bit if it’s not for myself – I’m also a bit of a resin freak.”

That’s a bit heavy on the essential oils for my taste. For two ounces of the carrier oil blend, I’d use perhaps 15 drops of Carrot Seed, one or two drops of Rose Otto, and about five drops of Frankincense. If I added the Myrrh, I’d probably keep it down to a drop or two. (In fact, I’m off to try blending some of this for myself; not sure why I had never tried it before!) (And, years later, there’s another precursor for our Cleopatra’s Secret!)

Cracked Skin:

More news re. successful uses of oils!

Every springtime I am plagued with cracked/split NOSTRILS (at the top of the nostril).
This Spring I have been using the Shea souffle mixed with corn starch and Myrrh and Frankincense and Sea Buckthorn berry (CO2).
OMIGOD, I can’t believe how effective it is!
The thicker Shea and the oils are definitely doing the trick. It’s simply great.
(I also have the softest hands ever! And no cracks of the fingertips – tho the test of that will be the next 2 months!)

I HIGHLY recommend this for skin splits.

Best to you,
Gina

Mature Skin Serum:

Hello Marge: I have been experimenting with my last order…..I have made a MARVELOUS little concoction: My 1 oz. Apricot Kernel of course as my Base……..added 2 drops each of: Borage, CO2 Frankincense, Heli 10% dilution in fractioned coconut oil and 2 drops Rose Hip Seed Oil…… This has been the most wonderful serum! “plumping”….smoothing/soothing pizazz! (This from Jean Flinchum, who has been a friend/client for as long as I can remember, and loves to share her successes.)

Lush body Blend (from Stacey Miller)

I just ran into a 100ml bottle of Australian Macadamia oil that I’d like to use as an after-shower body oil. Here’s what I’ve put in it:

10 drops Jasmine Absolute (Jasminum grandiflorum)
10 drops Ylang Ylang Extra (Cananga odorata)
8 drops Frankincense (Boswellia frereana)
6 drops Rose Absolute (Rosa damascena)
6 drops Sandalwood CO2 (Santalum album)

Great scent for winter if I do say so!

Face Masks:

Moisturising Mask:

2 drops each Frankincense, Rose, and Neroli oils in 30ml (1fl oz/ 6 tsp) Apricot oil with 1 tsp clear, melted honey, mixed with enough finely ground almond to make a soft paste. Spread on face, relax for 15 minutes, rinse off with room temperature water.

Rejuvenating Face Masque:

Blend all ingredients well, adding more hydrosol if necessary to make a smooth, spreadable mixture. Tie your hair back out of the way. Apply to neck and face. Lie down and enjoy the wonderful aroma for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse well with tepid water, moisturize with your favorite carrier.

Honey Skin Soother:

A soothing remedy for winter-weary skin (sent by a friend who forgets where she got this, so I can’t credit the source)

Mix 1 drop of Frankincense essential oil with 2 tablespoons of whole milk (or half and half.) Blend in 2 tablespoons honey. Smooth over face and throat. Leave on 10 minutes. Rinse off with warm water. (I love the way honey makes my skin feel!) Debbie says she wants to add a drop of Rose Oil to that mixture, and pour it into a warm bath for her “winter weary body.” I think that sounds like a winner! (March 2002)

Baths:

Jet-Lag Bath: 3 d. rosemary oil * 2 d. lemon oil * 2 d. frankincense oil.

Relaxing Bath: 2 d. bergamot oil FCF * 4 d. patchouli oil * 6 d. frankincense oil.

Reviving Bath: 2 d. orange oil * 2 d. frankincense oil * 2 d. geranium oil.

Sensuous Bath: 3 d. cedarwood oil * 2 d. frankincense oil * 2 d. distilled lime oil. (Stress-relieving as well as sensuous.)

Blend into a spoonful of liquid soap and add to a warm bath. (Came across this years ago, before I learned to save sources. My apologies!)

Fragrance Blends – just for fun

Dragon’s Blood scent blend

From Cat, a magical perfumer, again, close to 20 years ago:

2 parts (drops, mls etc.) sandalwood
1 part frankincense
1 part myrrh e.o.
1 part rose (absolute, I think)
1 part patchouli

Walk in the Woods:

2 parts frankincense
1 part sandalwood
1 part cypress
1 part juniper
1 part pine

A Frankincense Blend for Him…

Another blend for the aromalamp, diffuser, or, well-diluted, for massage…deep, mysterious, and masculine:

Blog Updates:

Sustainable Spikenard – from Nepal, including a video from our producer, of the village that harvests our Spikenard essential oil.

Somalia problems – Myrrh Issues affecting availability.

Facebook Gleanings:

An article by Robert Tisserand about “ the French school ”…how aromatherapy is practiced in France, today.

Article by Jade Shutes about Copaiba Balsam.

Announcement of our redesigned Oily Skin Sampler.

New Yorker Magazine – How Essential Oils became the Cure for our Age of Anxiety.

Seasonal Quotes:

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
Albert Camus, French Philosopher

In November, the smell of food is different. It is an orange smell. A squash and pumpkin smell. It tastes like cinnamon and can fill up a house in the morning, can pull everyone from bed in a fog. Food is better in November than any other time of the year.
Cynthia Rylant, In November

October

Special October Sale:

We live in frightening times. Normally we would put our more “Autumnal” oils on Special to welcome Autumn, but 2017 has so far been a challenging year on our planet, with both natural disasters and ever new examples of man’s inhumanity to man.

For the month of October, save 10% on all our blends and synergies for emotional support and wellbeing, among them Reunité for anxiety, Valour for spiritual courage, Comfort in the Storm, Solace for grief, and many more. Also save on our grounding, supportive wood oils, among the our Cedarwoods (for spiritual strength), sacred Sandalwoods, Palo Santo from Peru, Guaiacwood, from Paraguay, Blue cypress from Australia, and more. Also for emotional support for even the youngest and most fragile, retail sizes on our newly arrived Rose Hydrosol and Neroli Hydrosol are included in the sale.

At Nature’s Gift we know, from years of personal experience and from your feedback, the support and strength our beloved oils can offer during times of trouble. This is why we offer them to you, now.

New Arrivals:

Spanish Oregano (Thymus capitatus), highly effective germ killer, also known as Greek Oregano due to its abundance in the Greek Isles. Carrot Seed CO2, Juniper Berry CO2, a new Spanish Lavandin Super, and a new and very unusual Litsea cubeba.

Back in Stock:

Winter Repair Crème, Galbanum Co2, Pink Peppercorn, Katafray, Eucalyptus Smithii, Scotch Pine Needle organic, from France, Ylangylang Complete from Madagascar, and our yummy Coconut CO2. We now offer two very different Avocado Oils!

DON’T MISS TRICK OR TREAT, OUR BIGGEST SALE OF THE YEAR Details coming soon.

Blog Updates:

We wrote about the rumored and actual shortage of Lavender oils as the 2017 growing season comes to an end. (Not mentioned in the article, there is also a shortage of US grown lavender, contributing to the world wide shortfall.)

Christi is doing a series of “Early Bird Specials” for early holiday shoppers. This weeks is Bliss Bath. These tend to change weekly, mostly on Monday, as time allows, so check back regularly.

Grief – we live in terrible times. Reposting from 15 years ago, suggested blends for different manifestations of grief and grieving.

Facebook Tidbits:

Years ago we offered the “Wild Herb of Crete” collection, distilled by Janina Sorenson. Janina is no longer offering her treasures in bulk, and we miss them. This is a wonderful intervew with her.

Formulation – the art of making an aromatic salve. From Jade Shutes at The Institute of Aromatic Studies.

Research from Japan showing that both Grapefruit oil and Osmanthus Absolute are effective at reducing presurgical anxiety.

Interesting blog about Thyme and its chemotypes by Jonathan Hinde

Jade Shutes writes about Black Spruce, my day-in and day-out most used Conifer.

Research study: Black Cumin Seed Oil for arthritic pain relief. (Our friends suggest blending with St. Johns Wort oil for even better effect.)

From the American College of Healthcare Sciences, a list of trustworthy online resources.

Do you follow the Nature’s Gift page on Facebook ? That is the FIRST place new arrivals and back in stock oils are listed, and where we share big and little news. this newsletter is once a month, Facebook has daily updates.

Free Shipping:

You asked for it and we now offer free domestic shipping on any order over 0. Code required. Learn more here. (Sorry, but you can’t combine it with any other promotion.)

Do you know that we are now offering “refill sizes”… bulk, 16 oz bottles of our most popular fixed oils and hydrosols, as supplies allow. If there is one you would like us to add, please ask. We’ll be glad to if we have enough on hand.

Please continue to give to support the important work being done by Midwives on Missions of Service. Trish Ross and Christi McManus and their team are preparing for another trip Sierra Leone as I type. Because our offer to match your donations for the Nepal disaster relief was so successful, rather than giving a set percentage of our sales, we are going to base our support for MOMS on YOUR support for them. That’s right. We will match every donation you make via our shopping cart.

Coffee CO2

First – our thoughts and prayers go out to our friends and clients along the Gulf Coast, in Texas and Louisiana. As I write this newsletter I am following the news coverage on TV and just appalled at the devastation. We hope if you were in the storm’s path, the damage done was light and easily repaired. Some of you remember the United Aromatherapy Effort that coordinated aromatic and massage therapy for the first responders after 9/11, and after Katrina, and to troops on the ground in Afghanistan. We are also providing help to Houston. Here is how you can participate.

This is a long newsletter. Pour yourself a cup of tea, sit back relax and enjoy!

This newsletter contains:

Labor Day Sale:

Storm or no storm, Labor Day weekend is approaching – our traditional “end of summer” celebration. During the three day Labor Day weekend, starting Saturday morning, September 2nd, and ending Monday, September 4th, at 11:59 pm central time, we will be having a weekend sale. Literally!

At checkout enter the promotional code “weekend” (without the quotation marks), press apply, and you will see a discount of from 10 to 15% reflected on your screen. Save on retail sized essential oils, blends, skincare products, hydrosols, carriers, and jewelry; perhaps do some early Christmas shopping! The discount’s value will change at random throughout the weekend.

Discount does not apply to our normally ‘undiscountable’ items… no bulk oils, no books or kits…the items clearly marked “discounts may not apply,” but that leaves you hundreds of items to save on! If you do not see the discount reflected, PLEASE don’t submit your order; we will not be able to apply the discount retroactively. This sale applies *only* to orders placed and paid for via our shopping cart. Only one discount code may be used per order.

New Treasures:

A softer, less in your face Coffee CO2. Beans organically grown in Italy, extracted in Germany.

For those who loved our Frankincense infusions, we have two new treasures to offer you. Frankincense GREEN Sacra infusion, and Frankincense BROWN Sacra infusion. Read the descriptions and choose which is right for you.

Restocks:

As Summer winds down we start looking for the new crops.  Lots of back in stocks, or new productions of old favorites. In no particular order, we have decanted new stocks of resinous Cistus, our long delayed fresh distillation of Australian Tea Tree oil. More lemony scented Litsea Cubeba (also called May Chang,) We have restocked some of our organic cold pressed Citrus Oils, Lemon, and Bergamot, as well as more of our Spanish Spike Lavender. From the Comoros comes Vanilla CO2. I am told that there are NO organically grown Vanilla beans currently available from Madagascar. A severe storm wiped out the majority of the organic plants, and the government has been doing so much spraying that, I am told, even the so called organic beans have been tainted due to wind currents carrying the spray to neighboring fields. We have been able to source a conventionally farmed Vanilla CO2 (at a greater cost than our last batch of organic!) and are watching the prices continue to spiral upwards. Our producer is using beans grown in Comoros, because he feels they are cleaner. A precious commodity, use it sparingly and with respect. 

From Bulgaria, we welcomed a new shipment of Rose Otto, Bulgarian Rose Absolute, more Linden Blossom CO2, Lavender CO2, and, of course, our classic organic Bulgarian Lavender essential oil.

Freshly distilled hydrosols include Cistus, Holy Basil (Tulsi), our more floral USA organic Lavender hydrosol, USA grown organic Rose Geranium hydrosol, and our wildcrafted organically produced Witch Hazel (this was really delayed this year!)  Please note, we are offering our hydrosols in a more cost effective 16 fl oz bulk/refill size if we have ample qualities. 

For your complexion, two of our favorite carrier oils, more Moroccan Argan Oil, and White Camellia Oil, the secret of the Geishas.

Press Release:

From American Botanical Council: Nature’s Gift Supports ABC Adopt-an-Herb Program through Helichrysum Adoption

Blog Updates:

(I didn’t realize how long it’s been since I wrote a “real” newsletter until I checked the blog updates! Sorry folks, it has been a busy summer.)

Facebook Flashes:

Our Clients Say:

Itching/Miracle Blend:

Mary Ward wrote: “I wanted to write about Marge’s Little Miracle (Marge’s Miracle Blend.) It’s wonderful stuff! I have been plagued with itching from a shingles attack several years ago. This stuff makes the itching stop right away. Of course, I do have to reapply, but the symptoms go away virtually at once. I can’t really describe the scent of this salve. To be honest, I did not expect to like the smell since I thought I was not overly fond of some of its component parts. But the aroma always gets my attention, and I always feel a surge of some emotion that I can’t quite identify. This salve is a true pain reliever, and I believe it even has some slight impact on emotional pain as well as relief of physical symptoms. Thanks for making this healing balm. I am sure I will be buying another bottle when this one is gone. ” Thinking, Helichrysum is known for healing emotional scars and bruises, as well as the physical ones. We seldom think to use it for that, it is such an amazing physical healer.

Rosa Damascena CO2

Mary later wrote, about the above named Rose,

“Wow! I have a rose in my yard that smells very much like this. It’s called Maggie, from the Texas Rose Imporium. Maggie is sweetly scented, heady and very slightly spicy and has deep carmine red flowers. Our other rose, known as Mary Rose, is much more demure and subdued, with a lovely, soft, very subtle, slightly green scent, and she has soft pink flowers. Both are antique roses. Thank you for capturing the more flamboyant of my roses. This CO2 smells a lot like the flower on the bush. I don’t think I could wear this without grounding it in something deep, but it sure won’t need any fruity top notes to sweeten it up! This is pure rose joy at an unbelievable price.” (That last sentence just delighted my heart! I should add it to the product description!)

Shingles Success:

Suzanne Ledoux writes, “In other news, I have a female client who has been dealing with shingles for well over a year. She experiences it as severe muscle tension and pain shooting down her neck, shoulder, and arm. Since her initial outbreak, typically lesions are no longer present. Massage has been the only modality that has helped relieve her tension/pain. She will go through periods of having to take Tylenol daily to make it through her work day. Anti-viral meds as well as the Shingles vaccination were of no help to her. I followed your recommendations on your website for blending Tamanu with a 25% dilution of Ravensara a few weeks ago after this client was struggling with a particularly painful bout. At that point, she was willing to try anything if it would help ease her pain. I am happy to report that your blend worked great! She applied the blend 2 to 3 times per day directly to the trouble areas. Mild pain relief was noted directly after application and within a few days severity of the pain began to generally decrease. Also noted was that a large lesion has begin to push through her skin just below her collar bone. It seems the blend interrupted the development of the lesion and the skin healed. She used completely one 10ml roller bottle in approximately 8 days and requested a refill. She used only 5ml of the second 10ml roller bottle before she felt she no longer needed it. Her only complaint was the thickness of the blend and concerns of getting it on her clothing. Typically a skeptical person of alternative treatments, she was overall impressed with the results. So thank you thank you for your fabulous website and wealth of knowledge you share with your customers!”

Helichrysum/Burns:

Carrie Wenninger writes, “Burned myself good this morning and immediately thought of my bottle of Helichrysum italicum 10% in Jojoba from Nature’s Gift. Wanted to share this in hopes that you can add to the Heli Healing Page so it might help someone else!:)

This morning I boiled the kettle almost dry and grabbed it, too fast, off the stove as the smoke alarm was going off. It swung into my inner forearm and left a burn that was hot and red all around with a 4″ long white center strip where the metal really connected. I was pretty sure that was going to blister and fill with fluid immediately, but I slathered on some aloe vera, took a dose of homeopathic cantharis, and then applied my Helichrysum italicum oil 10% in jojoba. It stopped hurting pretty quickly (the pain lessened dramatically within a few minutes and then stopped hurting altogether in a little more than an hour). Now, 7 hours on, the white part of the burn has turned red and practically healed, while the red surrounding area (lesser part of the burn) is completely gone. It’s all dry and mending where I expected it was going to get gooshy and either fill with fluid or the skin would just disintegrate and require gauze. Pretty AMAZING and very glad I thought to do that!! Thank you, Marge and Nature’s Gift!!

Sincerely,

Carrie Wenninger

Summer/Winter Skincare:

Jenni Valencia wrote, “I love how user friendly this site is! I also love the variety and the detailed descriptions of the products and essential oils! Nature’s Gift is by far my favorite essential oil company! I am a huge fan of Cleopatra’s Secret Skincare line. It is very nourishing and makes my skin feel and look younger. However, I was wanting a little less moisture during the humid months in Florida. I purchased the Harmony Balancing Travel Set and it is exactly what I needed! My skin feels nourished without the shine. I am using the Harmony Cleanser and Lotion along with Cleopatra’ s Secret Toner during the Summer months and will return to Cleopatra’ s full line in late Fall. I love that Nature’s Gift offers sample and travel sizes so that I don’t have to commit to a product that just doesn’t work for me. I really can’t say enough nice things about Marge and Nature’s Gift. I am a customer for life!

(We just love feedback like all this!)

Neroli as Perfume:

Tiffany Di Emidio shared this blend, “I have used Neroli essential oil for years, but suddenly became hooked on it just last month. I made an amazing roller bottle of personal scent (perfume) for myself with it. I used Neroli, added a bit of Rhododendron essential oil, a bit of Frankincense carteri, & only a half of a drop of Davana essential oil, & the blend is unbelievable. Just heavenly.

(To get a half drop of Davana, I added a drop to my roller bottle & used a pipette to add 19 drops jojoba oil. I mixed it, then sucked it all up with the pipette & squeezed 10 drops back in, which contained a half drop of the Davana.)”

Labor Day Quote:

“Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

Sharing Forward: Charity of the Quarter


Because Nashville is the largest city in the US in the path of the Total Solar Eclipse, on Monday, August 21st we are offering two specials for your shopping pleasure.

Use the Promotion Code TOTAL and receive a 12% discount on every product in our online catalogue. Bulk oils, kits, our rare books, you name it, it’s on sale. Our TOTAL catalogue!

OR

Use the Promotion Code ECLIPSE and save a record-breaking, once in a lifetime 21% on all retail sized essential oils, absolutes, and CO2 extracts.

As always, only one discount code may be applied per order. Please do not ask us to change or combine orders to save you shipping. We are going to be too busy trying to find where we hid our eclipse safety glasses to combine or change orders!

Reminder folks, there is no aromatic remedy for eyes damaged by unsafe sungazing or eclipse watching. Stay safe!

It has been a LONG time since there has been time to put together a newsletter. Early in May I was in Boulder CO, studying with Madeleine Kerkhof-Hayes. All we could manage last month was a quick Memorial Day sale notice. This will be long and chatty, so pour some iced tea, sit back and get comfy.

This newsletter contains:

Specials (save 10% on retail sizes):

For Father’s Day: All of our woods… (because to me, they are the most masculine of oils!) Sandalwoods, Cedarwoods, Palo Santo, (the holy wood of the Amazon,) rare Agarwood (Oud), Buddha Wood CO2 from Australia, Australian Blue Cypress (yes, this is a wood, not an needle oil like our other cypress,) Guaiacwood, Hinoki wood, (while supplies last.) Ho Wood, (highest in linalool,) Rosewood,… the whole collection. Also, our Tree of Life, the wood elemental synergy. (The current batch is well aged and truly beautiful. Its replacement is blended but we don’t want to release for a few more months.)

Because vacation season is starting we are putting all of our vacation savers on sale, because especially on vacation, things can go wrong. These include: After the Bite, Skeeter Beater Oil and Gel, Sunburn Soother, That’s Better, MuscleEase, and SineEase Inhalers. In case of motion sickness, we’ve added our Happy Morning anti-nausea inhaler.  All are ready to use as packaged, we’ve done the diluting and or blending for you.

New Arrivals:

Another Sandalwood Tamil (Santalum Album, from Tamil Nadu, India, named 2016.) We have let this one age for over a year before introducing it, and it is truly lovely. Blood Orange Hydrosol a light delightful Citrus. Yummy in a glass of water, wonderful mood lifter as a room spray. Rose Attar from India. (I’m sorry, this sold out the first weekend we listed it. We are restocking, but it will take time.) The first in a series of these traditional Indian extracts; Rosa damascena, distilled into a container of Sandalwood oil. Richly aromatic, long lasting on the skin. My new love! Wheat Bran CO2 extract Rich, emollient, scar healing fixed oil.

Back In Stock:

More than we can count! Tagetes, Melissa, Ruh Khus, Aroma Pods, more 2016 Neroli (the 2017 crop was decimated by four days of hot dry winds just at harvest time. We were fortunate in being able to restock more of last year’s!), Du Cane Kunzea, Turmeric CO2, English Lavender and German Chamomile, Champa infused in Apricot Kernel oil, Frankincense serrata from India,Davana, also from India, Scent strips for aromatic evaluation and blending (new, at a lower price!)

Blog Updates:

Our Clients Say:

Susie Madunich of Aromatic Blessings recently wrote about our Frankincense Sacra infused oil:

I am already obsessed with all thing Frankincense, but the smell of this is truly heavenly. I put a drop on my hand an hour ago and I can still smell it. I’m going to try it on some skin things and my mind is already whirling with possibilities of different ways to help heal WOW, just WOW! (We are so glad you love it as much as we do, Susie!)

Happy Baby Wash: It’s not just for Babies any more!

We have had several requests to offer this gentle liquid soap in a larger refill size, and for that reason we are now offering it in a bulk refill 16 fl oz. Evelyn Goleman recently wrote, I like to use it to wash my hands, it doesn’t dry them out like a lot of other liquid soaps, and it really lathers up nicely.

And that, apparently, is why we are getting requests for refills.  Thank you for letting me share that, Evelyn.

From the archives:

From the June 2007 newsletter:

A Spring Scent:

Lily Lee wrote,

 One drop of Violet Leaf (10% dilution) on my cotton handbag lasts from 9-5 and its aroma brings blessings to my heart.

Waterless Cleanser: Carry it in your car for long weekend trips or vacations

from Jane Wolfe

1 cup (240 ml) Aloe Vera Gel
1 to 3 teaspoons.(5 to 15 ml) rubbing alcohol (more or less to your liking, maximum amount will make it dry more quickly)
2 teaspoons (10 ml) Glycerin
6 Tablespoons (90 ml) distilled water or hydrosol
4-5 drops Eucalyptus or Lemongrass essential oil
5 – 8 drops Lemon Tea Tree essential oil

Facebook Snippets:

Research links and news posted on the Nature’s Gift Facebook Page:

Lavender (with or without acupressure) effective against agitation w/ dementia. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12906-015-0612-9 (I had to laugh out loud when they said Melissa (lemon balm) is a common essential oil used in Aromatherapy. ummmm. no. ;).

Training Your Nose from Victoria, at Bois de Jasmin. Enjoy. http://boisdejasmin.com/…/workout-for-the-nose-how-to-improve your sense of smell…

Neroli: We just bought a another shipment of LAST season’s Neroli. And heard the following from our supplier, We had pretty bad news from Moroccan Neroli… they recently had 3 days of strong hot wind, called Choum, that destroyed up to 40% of the flowers… This situation is a disaster and will strongly affect availability and price. I am SO glad we have lots of the 2016, because 2017 is going to be a challenge.

Tick removal: YES! I get asked repeatedly about applying various EO’s to embedded ticks. NO!. this is a dangerous procedure. My friend Sue Pace (who lives in the heart of Tick Country) recommends this US made tool: http://www.tickkeycompany.com/

Aromatherapy patches in the NICU: I’ve been talking about our Happy Dreams patches being designed for a NICU unit. Different hospital, different blend, but same idea: https://uknow.uky.edu/…/pediatric-experts-find-aromatherapy…

These, and a long list of other research studies, as well as the first glimpse at new products and sales are shared on our Facebook Page.

Aromatic Quote of the Month:

(Also from June 2007! Christi found this back then. It delighted me then, and still does.)

It is the month of June,
The month of leaves and roses,
When pleasant sights salute the eyes,
And pleasant scents the noses.

Nathaniel Parker Willis

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APRIL SHOWERS AT NATURE’S GIFT:

NEW PRODUCTS:

We have NEVER introduced as many new products in one month!

NEW INFUSED Frankincense Oils, Sacra (Boswellia sacra), and Serrata (Boswellia serrata).

NEW No-Nitz Shampoo and Detangler Spray. For “common children’s hair problems.”

NEW White Grapefruit Essential Oil. (It positively sparkles!)

NEW Australian Balm Mint Bush — bright, fresh, springlike.

NEW AromaPod. Passive diffuser for car, closet, any small space.

NEW Hydrosols, Organic from France, Mastic, Lavender Fine, Geranium, and Clary Sage.


BACK IN STOCK:

Fair Trade Marula, Carrot Seed Essential Oil, Rosemary Verbenon and Rosemary Camphor, both organic from France, Lemon Eucalyptus from Australia, Beeswax Absolute from France, Carrot Seed Hydrosol, AromaSens Diffusers.


FLASH SALE:

While supplies last, half price sale on
Canadian
Juniper Berry (our new supply is in and we want to clear the older stock)
and our
Happy Morning Synergy and Inhalers, effective for morning sickness, post
operative nausea, car sickness. Nurse chosen. We are reformulating and want to
clear the current stock.


NEW SIZES:

We are starting to offer some of our hydrosols and some of our fixed/carrier oils in 16 oz bulk or refill sizes.  We will be rolling these additions out over the next few weeks, so please be patient with us. The new Hydrosols listed above are the first additions.


APRIL SALES:

We are putting all of our Aromatherapy Accessories on sale, for the month of April, including the new arrivals mentioned above. Save 10% on our diffusers, bottles and jars, aromatherapy jewelry, and more.


PRODUCT RECALL:

We have emailed all affected clients, but since we’ve not heard back from
some we want to make sure that everyone who purchased is notified.
We had our recent shipment of Choya Loban (Batch #IN-58569)
analyzed, and some discrepancies were discovered during the analysis.
Tests show traces of Cedarwood (because the traditional clay still was not
properly cleaned after dry distilling a charge of Himalayan Cedarwood) and,
more concerning, there were traces of DEP, (diethylphthalate, a solvent and
plasticizer.)

I have spoken to my supplier and believe that the contamination was not
deliberate. It appears that plastic buckets were used to capture the choya as it
exited the still, and the hot liquid caused plastic to leach into the Choya.
Many analysts would not have caught the traces. However, Nature’s Gift works
very hard to ensure that we are (for example) using phthalate free plastic in
inhalers, and would never knowingly offer a contaminated oil. “Phthalate free”
is an important marketing point, and I’m mortified that we have unknowingly made
this product available.

So, what to do? I have contacted some friends who love our Choya, and they’ve
chosen to continue using it; they love it and are not concerned. You, however,
may feel differently.Because the product was not as described, we are offering
all those who purchased the Choya over the past few weeks the option of
returning it for a full refund. Please email [email protected] with the
subject line REFUND to arrange for this.

Thank you for your understanding.


BLOG UPDATE:

Lots to write about in March:

Invitation & Giveaway:

Attend the
Alliance of International Aromatherapists (AIA) Conference and Wellness Expo,
August 3-6, 2017, at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, as a guest
of Nature’s Gift. We are again sponsoring this important event and have one
extra ticket to share. You will be responsible for your own transportation and
lodging, but we have your ticket! Email
[email protected],
with the Subject: TICKET, and tell us why you should be selected to win.
Deadline to apply is April 30th. Winner will be announced no later
than June 1st.

Traditionally the individual selected helps us in various ways, including set up
and break down of the Nature’s Gift vendor booth. This year the conference is
scattered around at different venues on Rutgers campus, and because I have some
mobility issues, preference will be given to someone who drives and has a car
available to “taxi” us around to each location.

Let us know why it is important for you to attend this year’s conference.
Please no phone calls or private messages. Only emails to:
[email protected],
with the Subject line: Ticket, will be placed into consideration. Expect an
announcement in our Newsletter and on our Facebook page when the winner is
selected. We look forward to hearing your story and making new friendships
along the way!


EDUCATION:

CCAP in CLARKSVILLE TN
Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN

Mod 1: Sept 9 & 10, 2017
Mod 2: Nov 4 & 5
Mod 3: March 24 & 25, 2018
Mod 4: June  9 & 10
Exam: TBA

To secure your seat, please send a deposit of 00.00 to Clinical Aromatherapy LLC, addressed to Kathleen Duffy, 95 Dunphy
Drive, Florence, MA 01062. The deposit is refundable only if the minimum number of students is not reached & class does not go ahead. Deposit due: on or before Aug 1, 2017. For details, please email [email protected]

Folks, this course is designed for health care professionals. It carries CEUs for nurses and LMTs. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Sharing Forward: Charity of the Quarter

moms midwives logo Please continue to give to support the important work being done by Midwives on Missions of
Service. Trish Ross and Christi McManus and their team are preparing for
another trip Sierra Leone as I type. Because our offer to match your donations
for the Nepal disaster relief was so successful, rather than giving a set
percentage of our sales, we are going to base our support for MOMS on YOUR
support for them. That’s right. We will match every donation you make via our shopping cart.


APRIL QUOTE:

“The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day.
When the sun is out and the wind is still,
You’re one month on in the middle of May.
But if you so much as dare to speak,
a cloud come over the sunlit arch,
And wind comes off a frozen peak,
And you’re two months back in the middle of March.”
—Robert Frost, Two Tramps in Mud Time, 1926

Hope the April Showers are mostly sunshowers for you!

To sign up for your own copy of the newsletter to be emailed to you, please click here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

March has come in like a lion here in Middle Tennessee, and other parts of the country as well. We are all ready for a bit of lamb, thank you kindly!

March SALES

CITRUS OILS! We checked the best sellers on our Valentine’s Day sale, and it seems you loved our Citrus oils. So for the month of March all of our retail-sized Citrus Rind Oils are at a 10% savings. (I was reminded that Neroli and the various Petitgrain oils, and Orange Blossom Oil are also from citrus trees, so they are included.) Save on all of our Citrus Smilebringers, including our Citrus Smiles Synergy, perfect for diffuser or inhaler.

SPECIAL SALE DAYS

St. Patrick’s Day — On Friday, March 17th use the discount code Shamrock and receive a 17% discount on all retail-sized essential oils, absolutes, and CO2 extracts. Bulk oils (measured in fl oz, not mls) are excluded.

OR on the fifth Friday this month, March 31st, use the promo code Friday-Free and receive free domestic shipping on purchases over 5. No other discounts may apply to either sale.

BACK IN STOCK

Our lovely Coriander CO2 is finally back in stock, as is Evening Primrose CO2, Hops CO2, Kiwi Seed CO2, Seabuckthorn Seed CO2, Sandalwood Seed Oil (another CO2 extracted skincare oil), Virgin Organic Prickly Pear Seed Oil, Squalane (from Olive Oil,) Organic Shea Nut Oil, Virgin Organic Cranberry Seed Oil. In addition, we have restocked Rosewood essential oil, our Distilled Lime oil, Oregano, and more of our bargain priced Russian Rose Absolute. Organic Frankincense (Boswellia carterii), Osmanthus Absolute (bottled sunshine!), Choya Loban, Bergaptine Free Bergamot (sun safe for topical use).

NEW PRODUCTS

  • Red Grapefruit Cold-pressed, organic. Sweetest of the grapefruits.
  • Coconut CO2 Just for fun, the scent of summer.
  • Black Cumin Seed CO2 The best of both, contains both the fatty acids from the cold-pressed oil and the volatile essential oil components.
  • Malibu Jars Four ounce, perfect for shower gel, creams, thicker lotions. (Yes, we overbought!)

    • BLOG UPDATE

  • Early in February we wrote a long article about shipping rates, free and otherwise. TANSTAAFL.
  • Later in the month, two posts about Petitgrain, first, an admission that I was wrong, and an eyewitness story about its effectiveness. Followed by an essay about some confusing, and often ignored, botanical differences.
  • This started to be an article about some research on the use of Arnica. It grew into a huge collection of research citations. Lots to dig into. Rose, for pain relief? Lemon, for nausea? It’s all here.
  • Friday, March 3rd was Employee Appreciation Day, so I introduced our readers to the crew that makes everything happen around here.
  • And this week Christi shared her experience with Mango Ginger (and other gingers).

    • Our Clients Say

    We love positive feedback from all of our clients, but sometimes we get a bit starstruck.

    Many of you know Michael Scholes of The Laboratory of Flowers. Michael was a “someone” in the aromatic world when I was just…brand new. He was an established teacher and authority decades ago. Every once in awhile he will place an order for a few ounces of something unusual. And it delights me! Finally, after his most recent order I emailed (trying not to sound too star struck)… “It just tickles me when I see an order from you! Thank you!” and he replied:

    Marge,

    You are so kind and I appreciate what you do so much. We are torch
    bearers for essential oils and I know when I purchase something from
    you that it is the most authentic available anywhere.

    Best regards always,

    Michael

    Starstruck! definitely starstruck! Of course I asked for permission to quote, and he said, of course!

    Yes. Starstruck indeed.


    Mango Ginger

    Dyan Simms wrote some time ago about her challenges dealing with the pain of “Trigger Finger”…“I have developed ‘trigger finger’ on my thumb. I was thinking about some of the Miracle blend or maybe Plai oil for it. Any other suggestions?”

    I was at a loss, but Christi has dealt with this, and wrote the following:

    Miracle Oil is always a good place to start! I will include a few samples, too, of other anti-inflammatories.

    In particular, I have experimented quite a bit with our Mango Ginger CO2 for inflammation & sometimes when nothing else will help, I will use the 10% dilution all around the bottom of my right thumb near the synovial joint and that will ease it up a bit quicker than anything else I have tried. It is a newer oil but seems to be helpful in terms of analgesic and anti-inflammatory (among other) uses. This may be due to high beta caryophyllene which is a sesquiterpene found in black pepper, hops, clove, etc.

    Hope that helps!

    (All of this was news to me, by the way!)

    Dyan recently wrote the following:

    Hi Christi,

    I’ve been meaning to email you both and let you know how the oils worked. Both worked well, the Mango Ginger and Kunzea. They worked even better when combined with the Marge’s Miracle blend — one pump plus a drop or two of one of the e/o’s. Tried both this way and they both worked equally well.

    Sure, you can quote me. You can use my name. Thanks for your help! Dyan Simms

    Roberta also suffers from “Trigger Finger” and had been using our St. Johns Wort Infused Oil. It helped… but adding Mango Ginger 10% to it made a world of difference. (She has also been using this combination on painful varicose veins, and finds the pain is gone!).

    I LOVE it when our oils make a difference for people!


    Bug Bites?

    Just heard from an old online friend in Australia, Tess Clark. She reminded me, “Hi Marge, back back ages ago you shared a ‘bug bite’ recipe. Recipe was 6 drops lavender, 2 german chamomile, 1 helichrysum, diluted in 8ml jojoba and 7ml aloe vera to make a 15ml roll on. Wanted to give you some feedback. We’ve used it on mozzie bites with great success and I’ve also used it on minor burns. Also very good for both swelling, pain and healing. Recently mum got a wasp sting — we applied immediately and it stopped the pain and healed no problems. She also recently had a shingles vaccine and her arm swelled a lot and was very painful and red — applied — went down within 1 hour of application. Just wanted to thank you again for this awesome recipe. It has become a staple in our house and a blend we wouldn’t want to be without. Mum’s going up to the Top End in a few months and she’ll be taking it with her. Thanks again xx.”

    (For my fellow Americans… “Mozzies” are Australian bred mosquitoes.)

    Uplifting Diffuser Blend from the March 2007 newsletter:

    Lissa Blood shared her favorite “Citrus Smile” lamp or diffuser blend recently:
    5 drops petitgrain
    4 drops bergamot
    3 drops bergamot mint
    2 drops lemon
    1 drop sweet basil

    You can switch the ingredients around to make it more sweet or sour depending on your mood.

    Aromatic Quote

    Aromatic (sorta) quote for the month…from http://www.stashtea.com (because it made me laugh!).

    “…Would you like some tea?”

    “Okay.”

    “Alright, I’ve got chamomile, I’ve got chamomile mango, I’ve got chamomile mint, I’ve got peppermint, I’ve got spearmint, I’ve got evening mint, I’ve got plantation mint, I’ve got… don’t look at me like that, it’s my sister’s fault, SHE did this to me… where was I,… I’ve got Evening Jewel, I’ve got tangerine, I’ve got…”

    May the March Winds blow only good things your way!

    To sign up for your own copy of the newsletter to be emailed to you, please click here.

    FEBRUARY GOODIES

    We have been playing catch-up. Restoring depleted stocks and bringing back
    some treasures we’ve missed for a long time.

    This newsletter contains:

  • Back in Stock (sometimes after a LONG delay.)
  • February Sales Categories
  • NEW Size Announcements
  • Special February Sales Days
  • Blog Updates
  • Our Clients Say: Jasmines, a Masculine Blend, Hair Gel, Fruit Loops? Solace, Hives, Frankincense.
  • Quote for February


    • BACK IN STOCK

  • Blood Orange
  • Bouquet of Jasmine Sampler
  • Cassia Bark
  • Champa Infused Apricot Oil
  • Eucalyptus Smithii, Organic
  • Frosted Roller Bottles
  • Rose Geranium, an extraordinary specimen. The finest I have seen in a decade.
  • Golden Champa Absolute
  • Jasmine Auriculatum
  • Labdanum Absolute, rich and resinous.
  • Lavandin Grosso, French, Organic
  • “Madeleine’s Book” Complementary Nursing in End of Life Care
  • Neroli, Tunisian
  • Peppermint, Organic Hungarian
  • Petitgrain Bigarade, true Bigarade from Italy, as it should be.
  • Solubol NV
  • Violet Leaf Absolute (the aroma of spring)
  • Vitex – Chasteberry
  • Ylangylang Complete, Organic


    • FEBRUARY SALES

    For Winter Weary skin two special sale categories. All of our Cleopatra’s
    Secret Products     are on special sale at 10% off normal pricing for the month
    of February, as are all of our Skincare Products. (See our Skincare Solutions category here.)


    Corsican Helichrysum Italicum    ! We overbought in 2015 and still have a little bit of both our Helichrsum Serotinum and Helichrysum Don remaining. Given proper storage they will still be vibrant and effective well into 2020, but we would like to clear the shelves. Special pricing while supplies last.


    NEW SIZES

    You asked, we listened. New size rollout: Our most popular synergies are now available in 15 ml, as well as the familiar 5 ml.
    Citrus Smile,
    Deep Breath,
    Fresh Aire,
    Relax, and
    SleepEase.
    You may access all available sizes via our dropdown menu for each product.


    TWO SPECIAL SALE DAYS


    On Valentine’s Day, February 14th, because we love you, take 14% off any retail sized Essential Oil, Absolute, or CO2.
    Only products listed at this link, while supplies last, retail sizes only (mls, not ounces), no kits or samplers, and may not be applied retroactively. Use discount code Romance.

    Free Shipping Friday: On the fourth Friday (2/24) enter discount code Friday-Free and receive free domestic shipping on orders valued over 5.00. No other Nature’s Gift discount may apply.


    BLOG UPDATES


  • The things we used to know    : Aromatherapy “facts” that have changed as we learned more.

  • France, the Louisiana Purchase, and Mosquitoes?     Christi looks at how history may have influenced horticulture.

  • Guest Blog: Perfume Blending.     Haly blends her favorites, and shows you how.


    • Our Clients Say:

    Jasmines:

    My friend Charlie writes the BEST descriptions of our products that I have
    ever seen. He has missed his calling, and should be in marketing. At
    any rate, he recently requested samples of all three of our Jasmine specimens,
    Jasmine auriculatum, back in stock after a long absence, Jasmine Grandiflora,
    and Jasmine Sambac. After receiving and experiencing
    them, he wrote the following (quoted with permission):

    I asked for samples of the three Jasmine absolutes they offer, and they were kind
    enough during the busy Friday special to make it happen. I’ve never had a true
    Jasmine absolute so I’m doing research for when I can go in on a bottle. I’ve
    spent a couple days with them now and have decided I need all three.

    The Jasmine sambac may just be my favorite. Warm, fruity and floral. Very rich
    and intense. It reminds me of Ylangylang extra, but more green and slightly
    herbaceous. This would be what I imagine live Jasmine flowers smell like. A very
    mysterious scent indeed.

    The Grandiflora is quite different. It’s all floral. Not really green or fruity.
    This reminds me of iconic Jasmine scents that my grandmother had in her
    fragrance collection. As it develops over time it smells like Benzoin and
    flowers. Very bright and sunny!

    The Auriculatum is a spicy floral! To me it seems less sweet, and more green,
    fruity, almost citrus like. With a touch of clove. It reminds me of the gardenia
    bushes in my front yard as a kid.

    These are absolutely beautiful. The aromas radiate from the scent strips and
    have filled my room. These make me excited for spring flowers!

    Thank you, Charlie! I have tried, and failed, to describe the differences between these three, and am
    grateful for perfumer’s nose, and vocabulary.


    A Masculine Blend

    Leah and I had been discussing the difference in scent between our Siberian
    Fir CO2 and the distilled Siberian Fir, and she mentioned a blend she used the
    CO2 in. Of course I had to ask what… and she gave permission to share.

    Just a note because you asked how we used the Siberian fir CO2. I mixed a blend
    of Siberian Fir CO2, Bergamot FCF, Atlas Cedarwood and Vetiver. I used it in a body butter and perfumed oil for men. The
    guys loved it and one wife liked it on her husband but not for herself. Thanks,
    Leah.

    Sounds to me like a lovely masculine blend. (And no, Leah did not share her percentages, it would be “to taste.”) I told her it
    sounded wonderful, all those deep notes, and only the Bergamot to lighten it.


    Hair Gel?

    Susan Snyder wrote:

    Hello Marge,

    Your Aloe Vera Gel is one of my favorite new finds on your website. I love it
    on my skin, but recently I found another use for it. I had discontinued use of
    my store bought hair gel when I changed to all natural cosmetics. I had not yet
    figured out a replacement, and noticed “aloe” as a key ingredient when doing a
    little research on what I could mix up myself. Instead of going with a complex
    recipe — I decided to try just the Aloe Vera Gel from Nature’s Gift as a hair
    gel, and I’m loving it. I have fine hair and very little of the gel goes a long
    way (I only need five squirts from the bottle and applied to the roots of my
    hair). In addition, I feel like the health of my scalp has improved since using
    it.

    No need to respond. I just wanted to pass on an additional use of one of your
    products just in case it might help someone else.

    I did respond, to ask permission to share her idea, which had never occurred to me. I am wondering about adding “hair friendly” essential oils to the aloe gel? Either the components of our Stimulating Scalp Oil, Rosemary, Atlas Cedarwood, Thyme Linalol and Lavandin, or even, for a child’s hair, Nerolina, known for combatting “Children’s hair problems.” (We want to name it “No Nitz” or “Nitz Blitz.”)


    Air Cleaning Blend?

    Marnie recently wrote that she blends Lemon Myrtle and Lime as a diffuser
    blend. And her kids say it smells just like Fruit Loops!


    QUESTION: 10% dilution to get to a 1% dilution?

    A client recently wrote, asking: Quick question: How many drops of the German Chamomile CO2 10% would you add to a 1 oz bottle to equal a
    1% dilution total? Thank you so much. I just love your oils!

    Our answer, “You would want 6 drops of UNDILUTED eo to give a 1% dilution in one oz of carrier… so you would need 60 drops of the 10% dilution…see? (Or three mls!) Add that to the bottle FIRST, then add the rest of your chosen carrier; remember you are also adding a lot of Fractionated Coconut Oil. Of the 60 drops of diluted Chamomile Total, 54 will be fractionated Coconut oil, so count that as part of your fixed oil.


    SOLACE

    In a Facebook group. we were discussing how our bodies know what we need, and a friend shared the following:

    Marge Clark, I just wanted to say I let my mother in law smell a few samples and she was so drawn to Solace not even knowing it is for emotional healing. (She is still grieving over her husband’s death from years ago). Thank you for such a wonderful product. 

    And when asked if I could quote her, she replied, “Yes please do quote me on that. I am just blown away by your knowledge and help and products.”


    Hives? Heli!

    Kate wrote,

    I just wanted to share with you how incredible your helichrysum oil is!
    My son is ten and had a horrible allergic reaction to amoxicillin. He
    had hives on nearly every inch of his skin. Doctor recommended Benadryl,
    but he was still itchy and spotted a day later. I tried the helichrysum
    oil in a sweet almond base before school and I was amazed to see him
    when he got back. I have included pictures below, though they don’t do
    justice to seeing it in person! Thanks!

    (Note, the pictures somehow got lost in the process!)


    Frankincense:

    Sue Madunich, of Aromatic Blessings,
    recently wrote the following about our Boswellia sacra, from Oman:

    I have been in love with Sacred Frankincense since I started using oils many years ago. I have tried many different places looking
    for “that fit.” All I can say is WOW! I seriously almost cried when I smelled the Sacred Frank (White). I can honestly say I have never smelled or experienced anything like that, EVER. Thanks, Marge. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for the beautiful products you sell. I will be posting numerous reviews on this oil! YOU ARE AMAZING! I need to move to TN!


    February Quote:

    But February made me shiver. With every paper I’d deliver. Bad news on the doorstep. I couldn’t take one more
    step.
    —Don McLean

    A traditional British saying predicts:

    If Candlemas Day be fair and bright
    Winter will have another fight.
    If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain,
    Winter won’t come again.

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