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Floral waxes are nature’s most solid aromatics. Blends well with any of the other florals in our collection, with a touch of vanilla, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Violet Leaf to bring a touch of green.
About Floral Waxes
If you’ve read our How Essential Oils Are Made page, then you know that the first stage in producing the rare and lovely absolutes is a Concrete…a solid (or semisolid) mass containing all the plant waxes and all the aromatic chemicals. The Absolutes are later removed from the Concrete by washing with alcohol, leaving behind the solid and mildly fragrant aromatic waxes.
How to use them?
For solid single-note perfumes: Melt in a pyrex cup, add a bit of warmed oil (to reach the degree of softness that suits you), Pour into a lip balm jar and there you have it. For more intensity add a drop or two of the absolute or a complimentary essential oil.
Add to creams and lotions: melt and add to the oil phase of a cream or lotion. The floral wax will add a bit of thickness and body, as well as its exotic scent.
Add to cold process soap, for a true, natural rose, jasmine or other exotic. In my experience, even though added at the low rate we add natural fragrances to soap, the addition of the waxes tends to yield a slightly harder bar. The deeply colored waxes will also add a hint of color to your soap base. During my soap making days I fragranced our soaps with our precious absolutes and rare essential oils but often added some of the floral wax to compliment and further strengthen the scent.
Measuring tip: If you need just a few grams for a recipe, pop the block of wax out of its jar, and shave off a few curls with a potato peeler, add to your warming carrier oils.
After a lot of requests, I finally found an exquisite Violet Leaf absolute that we are proud to put our label on. Intensely green initially, this absolute has a soft subtly floral dry down.
I have seen this absolute recommended in various mature skin care blends. Victoria Edwards says that it acts as a sedative, a liver decongestant, and a circulatory stimulant, that it treats aging and problem skin, blackheads, and enlarged pores. (Wondering how it would work blended with Cistus‘s astringency and lymphatic stimulation…and the aromas would, I think, speak to each other.)
Emotionally, Violet leaf is said to support the emotions and the heart…to soothe both nostalgia and obsession…. Worwood describes it as “silent, seductive, and persuasive…helps you to realize your potential.” She recommends it for timidity of the spirit, to overcome fears and shyness. Energetically and ritualistically, it is an oil of springtime, and of new beginnings and new growth.
For perfumery Violet Leaf Absolute offers a wonderful springtime green leafy note, that should blend beautifully with Rose, Tuberose Absolute, Lemon, Clary Sage, Grapefruit, Mandarine, Basil, Jasmine, Sandalwood, Clove, Bay, Cinnamon, Geranium, or Lavender.
At room temperature Violet Leaf is semi-solid. You will need to warm the bottle to help liquefy the Violet before using.
GC/MS Analysis:
Batch No. EG-0017303
Batch No. EG-18138
Batch No. EG-22726 (current batch)
Violet leaf with sample photo courtesy of Colleen K. Dodt.
After a lot of requests, we finally found an exquisite Violet Leaf absolute that we are proud to put our label on. Intensely green initially, this absolute has a soft, subtly floral dry-down.
I have seen this absolute recommended in various mature skincare blends. Long-time aromatherapist Victoria Edwards says that it acts as a sedative, a liver decongestant, and a circulatory stimulant, treats aging and problem skin, blackheads, and enlarged pores. (Wondering how it would work blended with Cistus’s astringency and lymphatic stimulation…and the aromas would, we think, speak to each other.)
Emotionally, Violet leaf is said to support the emotions and the heart…to soothe both nostalgia and obsession…. aromatherapist Valerie Worwood describes it as “silent, seductive, and persuasive…helps you to realize your potential.” She recommends it for timidity of the spirit, to overcome fears and shyness. Energetically and ritualistically, it is an oil of springtime, and of new beginnings and new growth.
For perfumery, Violet Leaf Absolute offers a wonderful springtime green leafy note that should blend beautifully with Rose, Tuberose Absolute, Lemon, Clary Sage, Grapefruit, Mandarine, Basil, Jasmine, Sandalwood, Clove, Bay, Cinnamon, Geranium, or Lavender.
Available both undiluted and in a 10% Dilution in Jojoba.
GC/MS Analysis:
Batch No. EG-0017303
Batch No. EG-18138
Batch No. EG-22726
Batch No. EG-59203
Violet leaf with sample photo courtesy of Colleen K. Dodt.
The Beginnings of Summer
This newsletter contains:
May Flower Sale Continues:
We’re continuing to offer some of our favorite floral oils at 10% savings. Save on exotic, fruity Osmanthus, Osmanthus 10% Dilution ; delicate Neroli and Neroli 10% ; Orange Blossom Absolute and Orange Blossom Absolute, 10% Dilution ; all three Jasmines (both full strength and in 10% dilution), lush and exotic Tuberose and Tuberose 10% ; the Organic Rose Otto and Organic Rose Otto 10% mentioned below; and our Russian Rose Absolute and Russian Rose Absolute, 10% (perhaps the best bargain of all the florals). Also included, while supplies last, our White Ginger Lily and White Ginger Lily, 10% from India. Again, while supplies last, Ylangylang Complete and Ylangylang Extra. We are restocking, but there have been delays, so if we run out, we apologize. We had hoped to have a new supply of pure Golden Champa in time for this sale, but our producer is being dilatory in shipping what we ordered. We do have our Golden Champa 10% available. As usual, bulk sizes, kits, and samplers aren’t included in this sale.
NEW and Back in Stock:
A new ITALIAN Helichrysum (yes, Helichrysum italicuum, organically produced on the island of Sardinia, off the coast of Italy (just a stones throw across the Mediterranean from Corsica). I was sourcing more of our healing Balkan Helichrysum and found this wonderful specimen, even higher in neryl acetate than its Macedonian predecessor, but, lower in the italidiones than our unique Corsican Oil , which we will reserve for surgical and burn scars. HOWEVER, this new oil from a new (to us!) producer is wonderfully effective for nerve and joint pain, bumps and bruises, all the healing uses of a fine Helichrysum italicuum. And, since it *does* contain italidiones (over 4%) I find myself asking what percentage of italidiones do we NEED for scar healing? I don’t think anyone knows. I have had some chemists tell me they have never seen an oil with over 6% italidiones. I don’t have the answer. Will this Italian specimen be as effective for scar healing as our Corsican oil? Too soon to tell. We hope to get feedback from those who try it. In the meantime, I am using this oil in my research project.
Back in Stock:
20 on the 20th:
May 20% on the 20th Anniversary Sale promo code will be Anniversary and the 20% discount will be on all essential oils in categories I-J and K-L.
Stock up for Summer
A warning that as spring flies by, we are unable to ship our Baby Bottom Balm (or our Happy Baby Gift Set or Best Baby Gift, both of which both contain our baby balm), Shea Souffle, or the Melissa Calendula Lip Balm in summer’s extreme heat. We don’t want you to receive soup in your mailbox! Please keep the weather forecast in mind when ordering, and stock up NOW for summertime needs. Speaking of which, now’s also the time to stock up on SkeeterBeater, After the Bite, and Sunburn Soother. We want you to have lots of fun in the sun!
Blog Updates
We haven’t had time to write much, and we’ve not been sharing the articles that did get posted…so, the last few blog articles, since last we listed them:
Paying Forward
Thanks to your generosity we were able to send 545.00 to the Save the Children Federation’s Nepal Relief effort. Thank you all for helping us make a different in the face of so much devastation.
As always, thank you for allowing us to continue doing what we love, and we wish you joy on your aromatic journey.
To sign up for your own copy of our email newsletter, please click here.
April Newsletter
This newsletter contains:
Special Sale for April and Part of May:
We’re anticipating a lot of May flowers from all these April showers, and offering some of our favorite floral oils at 10% savings. Save on exotic, fruity Osmanthus, Osmanthus 10% Dilution ; delicate Neroli and Neroli 10% ; Orange Blossom Absolute and Orange Blossom Absolute, 10% Dilution ; all three Jasmines (both full strength and in 10% dilution), lush and exotic Tuberose and Tuberose 10% ; the Organic Rose Otto and Organic Rose Otto 10% mentioned below; and our Russian Rose Absolute and Russian Rose Absolute, 10% (perhaps the best bargain of all the florals). Also included, while supplies last, our White Ginger Lily and White Ginger Lily, 10% from India. Again, while supplies last, Ylangylang Complete and Ylangylang Extra. We are restocking, but there have been delays, so if we run out, we apologize. We had hoped to have a new supply of pure Golden Champa in time for this sale, but our producer is being dilatory in shipping what we ordered. We do have our Golden Champa 10% available.
Mother’s Day is coming! Many mother’s favorite gift — Bliss Bath! Save 10% on all our various “flavors” of Bliss Bath.
As usual, bulk sizes, kits, and samplers aren’t included in this sale.
NEW and Back in Stock:
A LOT of back in stock products: two Frankincense oils, our Organic, from Somalia, and our CO2 Extracted Boswellia carterii, (my favorite for aromatic and emotional uses). The arrival of the two Frankincense oils let us put our Frankincense Sampler back online, as well. We’ve restocked our “sweet as candy” Midwestern Peppermint and brought in more English and German Chamomiles from our British producer. We’ve also restocked our organic Bulgarian Rose Otto — the benchmark of what a true, traditional rose oil should be.
A brand new Sandalwood, higher in santalol than our 2014 Sandalwood Tamil. Another Santalum album, from Tamil Nadu, India. Also a 2014 distillation, but I think this oil contains a greater proportion of heartwood.
A brand new Biodynamic Bergamot. Biodynamic agriculture is the most holistic form of farming, with the greatest respect for the earth and its bounty. Not only is this cold pressed Bergamot oil aromatically beautiful, but it is one of the most energetically powerful citrus oils I’ve experienced in a long time.
20 on the 20th:
We thought we would offer our anniversary savings on some of our blends and synergies this month. In keeping with Mother’s Day preparation we are including in our Anniversary Sale our “ Natural Perfumery ” group of products, our “ For Women Only ” blends and products, our “ Cleopatra’s Secret ” products (the most popular skincare products we have EVER offered).
And, because we Mom’s are emotional creatures, our blends and synergies for Emotional Well-Being. Just a suggestion… I wouldn’t necessarily suggest buying your mom or your wife our Moondays or La Rosa synergies for Mothers Day unless she has already asked for them! On Monday, April 20th, use the discount code 20Years and save 20% on all the products in the above categories.
As usual, bulk sizes, kits, and samplers aren’t included in this sale.
To sign up for your own copy of our email newsletter, please click here.
We have restocked our Linden Blossom TOTAL Extract. Some of our client found that the ease of use of the Select extract did not outweigh the fact that they couldn’t blend it into their favorite carrier, for use in massage or skincare. Linden blossom Total extract is extremely thick, not at all pourable, but rather, spreadable. Even when diluted in Jojoba may it thickens upon standing. A challenge to pour and bottle! Thank heavens for 5 and 15 ml glass jars!
Aromatically this is very different from the Linden Blossom absolute that we offered years ago. It has a floral note, but is much greener, as though leaves as well as blossoms had been extracted.
Wonderful, alone or in blends, for reducing tension. Robert Tisserand cites Linden Blossom in blends to detoxify and decongest the skin. Some authorities call this lovely essence “lime blossom,” but it has no relation to the citrus family. We recommend using in normal perfumery or aromatherapy dilutions.
Certificate of Analysis:
Batch No. BU-48510
Batch No BU-58605
Batch No._BU-58987
Batch No. BU-59103
BLENDS WITH: Frankincense, Geranium, Jasmine, Rose, Tuberose, Lemon, Orange, Mandarine, Neroli, Petitgrain, Sandalwood, Clove, Ylangylang, Black Pepper, and Ginger.
First, a huge thank you to all of you who took the time to complete our long questionnaire. The marketing firm was stunned at the number of responses, and the love and loyalty you showed. They have never seen a response like that. “Marge, your clients REALLY love Nature’s Gift.” (We love you back, but it was wonderful to see it in black and white.) Thank you all!
In honor of Mother’s Day and “May Flowers,” we are putting our favorite floral oils and absolutes on sale. Roses, Jasmines, Lavenders, Neroli (and our blended Mediterranean Neroli ), our remaining stock of Tuberose 10% and Ylangylang, both Extra and Complete —all are 10% off. No discount code necessary, prices shown already reflect the sale price. For the perfect Mother’s Day Gift, buy her our Bouquet of Roses, or a Bouquet of Jasmine, also at 10% off.
A callout to all of our nurse-clients during National Nurses Week. Thank you for all you do.
This newsletter contains:
- Back in stock goodies
- New products
- Last chance–going offline
- Education
- Our clients say (what has worked for them)
- Blends and formulas (mostly florals)
- Aromatic Quote of the Month
Back in Stock
(Sometimes after a long wait!)
- Jasmine Sambac
- Jasmine Grandiflora
- Cardamom Seed CO2
- Coffee CO2
- Greek Sage CO2
- Niaouli
- Siberian Fir oil
- Abyssinian Oil –wonderful fixed oil for skincare
- Marula Oil –fair trade African oil known for its quick absorption
- Cleopatra’s Secret Radiance Creme
New Products
Vetiver Madagascar: To replace the Indonesian Vetiver which disappeared all too fast, we have a stunning specimen from a new supplier in Madagascar.
Turkish Rose Otto: It has been a long time since I’ve had a supplier I could trust for Turkish Rose Oil. This specimen is lovely, a bit lighter and sunnier than our Bulgarian oil.
Last Chance
Some of our products don’t ship well in Summer’s heat. Although we know some of our friends still have snow on the ground, we are seeing temperatures in the 80s. For this reason, when the current batches of Baby Bottom Balm, Shea Cream, and Melissa-Calendula Lip Balm are gone, we will not produce them again until mid-September, depending on the weather. So, if these are products you love, order now and stock up before they go on “vacation.”
Education
Even though the early bird date has passed, if you tell Inga “Marge sent me” you will still get the early bird rate. FIRST time offered in the US! Madeleine Kerkhof teaches CO2 Extracts in Clinical Aromatherapy. July 5–7. I can hardly wait!
Our Clients Say
Sunburn Soother:
Monique wrote: “I wanted to share with you how your recommended products have helped heal the large burn from boiling water on the front of my left thigh. The morning of March 17, I spilled boiling water on the front of my left thigh resulting in 2nd degree burns. My first aid was ice water (WRONG, I read it should be cool water) and honey. I had nothing else at home. Then I went to urgent care and after cleaning the area it was covered with Bacitracin and wrapped. I used the Bacitracin for two days but then realized as long as the blisters don’t burst, there’s little chance of infection and I don’t like using an antibiotic if I don’t need it. I switched to the Sunburn Soother and it has kept the area comfortable and hydrated (no drying out).
“One blister burst and I put the Bacitracin on first then the Sunburn Soother. Three weeks out and with perfect timing since I had almost used up the 1 oz. of SS, I was able to switch to the Helichrysum in Rose Hip Oil. The new skin is still darker than surrounding undamaged skin but to the touch, there is no difference. I continue to rub the Heli blend in twice a day and the darker pigment is slowly going away.
“I started out with what looked liked a 3D map that had islands and channels. Today, it’s just like a shadow has fallen on my thigh and the islands are shrinking. A friend of mine burned her arm a few weeks ago and just found out so it is too late for the Sunburn Soother but I’ve shared some Heli blend with her. She has just asked me to get some more for her so she can return my bottle.
“I’m loving the Avice Hill Lavender. I use it in my diffuser before bed and it’s the best way to fall asleep.”
Thank you, Monique. the burn sounds terrible, and I am so glad we were able to help!
Heroli Hydrosol
Lynnette Crouse, developer of the AromaSenseApp, wrote, “I have two very excitable Jack Russell Terriers who love to bark at everything and everybody when they ride in the car. A couple of days ago, they were with us in a drive-through—a prime barking opportunity. As we approached the drive-through, the excitability was in full swing. I grabbed the Nature’s Gift Neroli hydrosol and sprayed it into the air in front of each pup. The change was immediately perceptible—both dogs calmed, sat completely still, and just watched the interaction, instead of the typical ‘bark our heads off and make you think I want to kill you’ response.
Thank you, Nature’s Gift for giving us a product that brings the down the anxiety levels of our puppers and makes car rides much more enjoyable.”
“Cranky Blend”
Kathryn wrote, “Just had to share an experience at work…helping the other nurses with their ‘issues’, as my daughter would say. You would be shocked at how many nurses have skin disorders, though how often we work sick, considering what we are exposed to, wouldn’t shock anyone. Gee, I rarely get sick. But then I use essential oils every day…
I decided to try the blend a mom came up with for her daughter, which you posted on your site years ago and later named ‘Cranky’, thinking it might be a good Christmas gift for my daughter and the other younger women in my family. So, I made some up, diluted it a bit and took it to work. That night, a therapist sat where I had been charting and commented on how good the area smelled, asking what the fragrance was. I mentioned that I was trying out a new blend for possible gifts and some of the other nurses asked about it. I let everyone who wanted to put some on in order to smell it and get other opinions. Every single woman loved it, but one nurse took a deep breath and said ‘Wow, I can actually feel it!’ as I literally watched the tension leave her body. The thing is, this is one of the most aggressive and argumentative people I have ever known. I have never seen her relaxed. She has a clinically diagnosed PMS Syndrome, and this blend visibly fills a need in her. I have massage and bath concentrations all made up for her to use, which she will get next shift we work together. Will it help with the pain and other physical symptoms, since it obviously helps with the emotional symptoms? Only time will tell and hopefully she will tell me.
(It delights all of us to share this story during National Nurses Week)
The Crankiness blend, from years past, is
PMS Blend–to tame “the crankies”
5 drops Clary Sage
2 drops Jasmine Sambac Absolute
4 drops Geranium
8 drops Lavender (I would choose Lavender Mailette)
2 drops Fennel
3 drops Vanilla CO2
2 drops Violet Leaf Absolute
6 drops Ylangylang Extra
Blend into one ounce of carrier oil; rub onto abdomen (or wear as perfume!)
Vetiver
Email from Cynthia as I was writing this newsletter: “Hi Marge, I just opened up my package, and I’m in LOVE with the Vetiver from Madagascar. Could you please set aside a 2oz size for me? I am planning to place another order after I experiment with all of my goodies and I am afraid it will sell out.
Simply amazing! Thank you for finding this one!,
Cynthia”
And I was delighted to tell her that we bought LOTS…no danger of running out.
Blends and Formulas
Rosy Ideas
Solid Perfume
1/4 oz. Jojoba
1/8 oz. Beeswax Beads
8 to 10 drops Rose Absolute
8 to 10 drops Neroli
4 or 5 drops of either Frankincense, Sandalwood, or Benzoin to &dquo;fix” the scent
HINT… FIRST blend the EOs and absolutes so that you will have a blend you
fall in love with…THEN add this blend to the melted waxes.
Melt Beeswax beads and Jojoba til liquefied and blended. Let cool until they JUST start to thicken…blend in Essential oils and Absolutes.
(You do know that both Jojoba Oil and Beeswax beads are available in small quantities on our Carrier oils page, don’t you?)
Baby Powder
NOT for use on your baby, but a blend of equal parts Rose Absolute 10% and Vanilla CO2 10% is remarkably close to the scent of commercial baby powder–if you want to duplicate that scent. Neither oil is safe for infants, so please don’t think about scenting baby products this way.
Oriental Rose Blend
One part Sweet Patchouli 10%
Two parts Rose Absolute 10%
and to celebrate the return of our Jasmine Absolutes, some Jasmine blends:
Happiness Blend
from John Kerr, former editor of Aromatherapy Today
3 drops Sweet Orange
4 drops Spearmint
2 drops Jasmine grandiflora
4 drops Frankincense carterii
Add to liquid soap to add to bath, or to 50 ml water for spray… or in a diffuser
Diffuser blend, from Wendy Robbins of Aromaweb
1 drop of Jasmine Sambac
6 drops Sweet Orange or Blood Orange
3 drops Patchouli
This would make a wonderful solid perfume, as well.
Perfume to Calm Anxiety
6 drops Neroli
20 drops Bergamot FCF
2 drops Rose Otto
1 drop Linden Blossom CO2
4 drops Jasmine Grandiflora Absolute
2 drops Ylang Ylang
Add to two ounces of carrier, or add a few drops to a diffuser.
Bed Time Bath Blend for Anxiety and Depression
4 drops Lavender
2 drops Jasmine Sambac
2 drops Ylangylang Complete
Blend into a tablespoon of liquid soap or cream, add to warm bath.
And for your Inner Child
Another client, who asked to remain anonymous, shared her favorite “child’s play” synergy. Since two out of the three oils are on sale this month, this is definitely the time to try it.
Child’s Play
3 Mandarine Red
4 Ylang- Ylang Complete
3 Lavender Mailette
Aromatic Quote of the Month
What better for the passing of the April Showers than this quote from Solomon’s Song
“For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.”
Enjoy a lovely, flowerfilled Month of May, everyone!
The Dog Days of August
Like most of the southern, central and eastern United States, we have experienced the dreaded August “Dog Days” throughout June and July, and are dreading what Mother Nature might have in store for us during the month of August. Our lawns and gardens are dry and brown, some of the trees are showing Autumn colors in midsummer.
We are fortunate to work in air-conditioned comfort…after all, the oils need “cool room temperature” so we wear sweaters. Our hearts go out to those who have to work outside, or don’t live with air-conditioning. Stay safe everyone.
This newsletter contains:
- Clearance Sale – 2010 St. John’s Wort Oil
- A Helichrysum Sale!
- Back in Stock products
- A Tropical Flowers Sale (because you asked for it!)
- A Back to School Sale
- RESIZING
- Blog Update
- Our Clients Say
- Recipes/Formulas
- Aromatic Quote
Enjoy!
St. John’s Wort Sale:
Save on the last of our 2010 infused oil. Save 25% while supplies last.
Helichrysum Special Sale:
We have put our “copper free” Helichrysum Essential Oil from Corsica on special sale – 40% off our regular price. This “batch” of Helichrysum is higher in Neryl Acetate but lower in Diones than our “Traditional” Helichrysum. We have never offered any Corsical Heli at a price this low.
Back in Stock:
BACK IN STOCK: German Chamomile Hydrosol – just in time to sooth summer’s irritated skin. Tranquility Diffuser – our silent Nebulizing Diffuser. Ideal for your bedroom. Lavandin Super Essential Oil and ORGANIC Cajeput Essential Oil.
TROPICAL FLOWERS:
If we are going to have tropical temperatures, let us have tropical pefumes to surround us. Enjoy our favorite exotic tropical blossoms in skinsafe 10% dilutions, perfume blends, or infusions. Jasmine, Coffee Blossom, Tuberose, White Ginger Lily, Vanilla, and our White Blossoms perfume, all at 10% savings.
BACK TO SCHOOL:
In New England, where I grew up, school started on the Thursday after Labor Day, and didn’t end until June 21st, the first day of summer. Starting school in August just seems wrong to me, but here in middle Tennessee some systems are going back to school even as I type. My grand-daughter’s first day at Kindergarden is August 11th. (At least her school is air conditioned; some of them aren’t.) At any rate, to help students of all ages prepare for school we’ve put our traditional study synergies on sale. Focus (our study blend, for lamp or diffuser) and Fog Cutter—energizing to help them get up and catch that early school bus. KleenHandz, our gentle, aloe based Hand cleanser, loaded with our favorite anti-bacterial and anti-viral essential oils. Save 10% of all of them on our New and Special page. Also save on our deluxe pocket inhaler, and our MIO desk top diffuser, perfect for a small area.
RESIZING:
For years we’ve tried to offer Hydrosol Samplers, one ounce sizes of several different hydrosols, either our choice, or your choice. That has, over the years, caused some problems, when people would request samples of hydrosols that were running low, and all poured in 4 ounce bottles, or would request out of stock samples, and we would have to hold their order waiting for substitutions. We’ve decided to discontinue the samplers, as such, but all of our hydrosols are now available in a one fluid ounce “Trial Size” as well as our traditional four fluid ounce Cobalt PET atomizer. I hope the flexibility of selecting just one trial size if that’s what you want will work well for you all.
BLOG UPDATE:
In the month of July Christi blogged about a multi-purpose shower gel formula she created and I shared an article from The Whole Dog Journal which suggested Lavender oil in creating a less stressful environment for aggressive dogs.
I have been working on a blog article to summarize all the reasons we oppose the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011. Time has not allowed my to write it yet, but on Facebook we’ve shared the writing of many respected leaders in our industry who feel strongly that rather than giving us safer cosmetics, this act, as written, will drive those manufacturing natural personal care products, and those supplying pure healing ingredients out of business. I know that, as a supplier, there is no way that Nature’s Gift can meet some of the proposed regulations. The paperwork and testing burden will be beyond our resources. Among those who oppose the bill as written are: Robert Tisserand, renowned Essential Oil safety expert, Cindy Jones, PhD, Microbiologist and Chemist. Kayla Fioravanti, of Essential Wholesale has written a series of blog articles analyzing the proposed act, and the unforeseen effects of many of its proposals.
These are just a handful. When I come up for air, I’ll be writing a blog article about it. If you agree with the reasoning in the articles above, there is action you can take. Let your elected representatives know that you oppose H. R. 2359, log onto the Petition Site and add your name to those of us who have already signed. We would love to be able to continue doing what we do. This law will force us out of business.
Just today I published an article congratulating Christi on successfully completing her Aromatherapy course with the Institute of Integrative Aromatherapy.
OUR CLIENTS SAY:
Mouth Sores:
A family friend is going through chemotherapy following cancer surgery, and having a hard time with it all, so we’ve gifted her with products that we thought might ease some of the side effects. She had mentioned having terrible mouth sores. Now, by now everyone knows I ALWAYS stress that these oils need to be diluted, and should never be used neat. There is one exception to that rule that I follow myself. If I have a sore inside my mouth — a canker sore or irritated gums, etc, I will put a tiny drop of Myrrh essential oil on my finger tip and touch it to the sore. When she mentioned the mouth sores, I gave her a tiny bottle of Myrrh to try. Her comments? (Posted on her Facebook page, shared with permission.)
Nature’s Gift Aromatherapy has saved the day again. My horribly painful mouth sores were getting unbearable and I used their Myrrh as suggested. Immediate relief. Months of nasty mouthwash and every other thing you can imagine. You should really check out the site. Mother Nature wins again!!!
We have had some occasions recently when we were privileged to make a difference with some individuals. What a gift that is, and a powerful reminder of why we are really here! Thanks for letting us share that, Christy!
Helichrysum/Bruises:
Melanie Warren, from the UK recently wrote and shared the following:
Firstly I want to thank you for the info on your site about Helichrysum. Because of reading that – I had the most amazing experience. My husband had his finger trapped in the car door. A few hours later when I saw him it was swollen, throbbing badly and starting a huge bruise including under the nail. I didn’t have a clue about the % blend to use so 2ml rosehip with 2 drops heli and 1 drop chamomile and by next morning it had stopped hurting completely, the bruise was reducing, and the next day the nail bruise is almost gone. Amazing. Keith is amazed too! He doesn’t see how a few drops of oil can take away the pain and bruising so efficiently and neither do I but it worked.
When I wrote asking for permission to quote her she replied:
Yes of course you can use it if it helps someone else. It was your site that helped me!!…Following up Keiths finger – it was Wednesday 7pm he trapped it and today (sunday 1pm) there is absolutely no mark at all now and hasn’t been any pain since just after the first application of the oil. He has used it a few times each day still but may as well stop now!
I love it when the information we share helps someone!!!
More Heli:
Annette Kohn-Lau sent the following:
Hi! Wanted to share a great story on Helichrysum 10% dilution! I had some spider veins removed from my face recently. The doctor told me I would be bruised and swollen for two to six weeks. She gave me an ice pack to use right after the procedure, but when I came home, I put on some of your Helichrysum 10% dilution. I reapplied it that night and again the following night. (I have to admit I really don’t like the smell!). I never had any bruising at all….just a tiny bit of swelling that was barely noticeable. It has been several days now, and still not a hint of discoloration.I had this same procedure done last year and was really bruised for at least a week. Should have thought to use the Helichrysum then! Thanks so much for being one of my favorite companies!! Annette Kohn-Lau
Squalane:
Linda Jane Robinson had been writing about some other issues, and mentioned in passing (with permission to quote):
I also wanted the let you know, that the Olive Squalane oil that I have been using for my eczema, I am using for my dogs. Since we have moved to India, the dogs’ noses have dried out, I have been using this oil twice a day on them and their noses have improved dramatically. The really good thing is that they don’t lick it off when I have applied it
I’ve had our dogs’ noses get really dry at times, when they’ve been otherwise healthy. This is a good tip to know.
Back to School Butterflys:
A reminder from past years – Debbie G’s daughter suffered from school anxiety, and butterflies in her tummy every morning when school started. Debbie carried a small atomizer of our Neroli Hydrosol in her purse and every morning in the car misted her daughter with “butterfly spray.” Her daughter danced off to class, happy and reassured. Neroli can work wonders for anxiety. Our supply is extremely limited.
Recipes/Formulas:
Belly Balm:
We used to make a belly balm. I never claimed that it would prevent stretch marks — my understanding is that the tendency toward stretch marks is hereditary, and if you are fated to get them, you will. But the balm kept growing bellies soft, moisturized and not itchy. When Candice, my daughter-in-law was pregnant with Chelsea, her first, I gave her a jar, and never thought anything of it. Recently she commented that on her belly, where she used the balm, she had NO stretchmarks. On her breasts, where she didn’t… she has lots of them. WHOA! That amazed me. We still do not offer it; we sometimes had problems getting the texture exactly right. So we thought we would share the formula. If nothing else it SMELLS yummy! (I asked her permission to quote her.)
Scaled down formula. Please note, these measurements are by weight. Use your postage scale.
250 grams Virgin Coconut Cream Oil
75 grams Cocoa Butter (melted)
Melt the Cocoa Butter, and stir into the Virgin Coconut. The heat of the melted cocoa butter should be enough to melt the coconut. If not, warm gently just until liquified.
Blend:
7.5 grams Rose Hip Seed Oil
21.5 grams Argan Oil
Stir in to the melted solid oils.
Weigh and sift together 14 grams of corn starch (yes, from your kitchen pantry).
Sift over the balm and beat in until smooth. (The corn starch gives a lovely powdery finish and makes the balm feel “non greasy.”)
These quantities will yield a full to the brim Bail Jar and perhaps a tiny bit left over. (Please note — we stopped making/offering this because the oil blend has a tendency to separate out from the rest of the balm — not what we want in a commercial product. We may change our mind and try it again based on Candice’s comments.)
Fragrance Blends:
Eve Roxby, of Winslow AZ, enjoys creating new and unusual scent blends, and sometimes shares idea with me. Two that she recently mentioned:
1. “The Davana is wonderful with some Vanilla added. It warms up to an Apple Toddy smell!” This is one I haven’t tried, but it sounds like it would be wonderful for Autumn!
2. “These oils are so much to experiment with. You know in my previous order, I got the Petitgrain and I wanted it to create a fragrance that smells like the soil, rocks or cement after a short rain. You know the smell when the earth gets wet and then the sun comes out and there is a humid atmosphere around? This is what I was after and I have created something very close by mixing 5 drops of Himalayan Cedar wood, 3 drops Petitgrain, 1 drop clementine rind, and 1 drop cardamom. I named this “Pangano Rain” after a lake in the Himalayas (Pangong Tso).”
(And no, I don’t have proportions or dilutions. This is about PLAYING, and ideas that might spark some creativity for you.)
COOKIES!
From a summer newsletter a decade ago, Deanna Maldonado shared the following:
Dear Marge, I purchased some of your wonderful lemon rind oil a while back and used it in the following recipe for lemon tea cookies adapted from the book Favorite Recipes with Herbs by Dawn J. Ranck and Phyllis Pellman Good. I just thought I would pass it along.
Lemon Tea Cookies
1/2 cup softened butter
8 oz softened cream cheese
2 eggs
1 cup raw sugar (may substitute granulated)
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp lemon zest
15 drops lemon oil
4 drops mandarine oil
2 1/2 cups wheat pastry flour (may substitute all purpose, but I would use less)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Juice of 3 lemons
1-2 cups confectioner’s sugar
candied lavender flowers (optional)
Cream together butter, eggs, cream cheese, sugar and honey. Add 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon oil and mandarine oil. Mix well. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add gradually to egg mixture. Mix until smooth. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Roll into balls about one inch in diameter. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until edges turn golden brown. Frost with lemon glaze. Garnish with candied lavender flowers.*
Lemon Glaze
Mix remaining lemon juice with 1-2 cups confectioner’s sugar until paste forms. Drizzle over warm cookies.
* To make candied lavender flowers, paint blossoms with a mixture of lemon juice and confectioner’s sugar mixed with one or two drops lavender oil. Lay flat until dry or dry for 30 seconds on high in the microwave.
Yum….(I think ANY citrus oil would be lovely in these. Deanna used our lemon oil in place of the grated lemon zest.)
AROMATIC QUOTE
Aromatic quote for August…well…not, perhaps, aromatic…but it feels just right to me:
When we are mindful of every nuance of our natural world, we finally
get the picture: that we are only given one dazzling moment of life
here on Earth, and we must stand before that reality both humbled and
elevated, subject to every law of our universe and grateful for our
brief but intrinsic participation with it.
—Elizabeth Gilbert (From her biography of naturalist Eustace Conway.)
More aromatic:
“The air was fragrant with a thousand trodden aromatic herbs, with fields of lavender, and
with the brightest roses blushing in tufts all over the meadows….”
—William Cullen Bryant quotes (American Writer, 1794-1878)
Stay safe everyone!
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Nature’s Gift “Once in a Blue Moon” Newsletter
This newsletter contains:
Once in a Blue Moon
Friday, August 31st we will be treated to a “blue moon” – the second full moon this month. (The next month with two full moons is July 2015… so, yes, they are rare!) To honor the “Blue Moon” on Friday August 31st enter the promotional code “blue moon” (without the quotation marks) in the box marked “Promo Code” at checkout and save 15% on any/all of our essential oils, CO2 extracts and Absolutes. Press “apply” and you will see your discount reflected on screen. Please don’t submit your order if you do not see the discount; we will not be able to apply it retroactively.
Monday, September 3rd marks Labor Day in the US, a federal holiday established to celebrate the contributions of workers to our national wellbeing. (It also marks the unofficial end of summer…when I was growing up I was taught that “NO LADY” wears white shoes after Labor Day.) To celebrate Labor Day, on September 3rd we will be offering a discount on all of our regularly discountable products. Retail sizes of all oils, carriers, hydrosols, blends, almost everything. Kits, Clearance items, bulk products…anything marked “may not be discounted” will not be discounted. Simply enter the promo code “labor”, press apply, and see the discount. The discount will be 10% for most of the day, will occasionally go up to 12% for random periods of time.
Yes, that’s two sales over the course of 4 days. We won’t be shipping until Tuesday, Sept. 3rd. PLEASE don’t ask us to combine orders. We won’t be able to. If you place two separate orders you WILL incur two shipping fees. We will not make any adjustments. changes, combine orders. Because of the scale of these two sales please do not ask us to make any changes at all. We will not be able to add items or change sizes, etc. Please make very sure that you use the correct billing and shipping addresses. We will NOT be able to make any changes or corrections.
September Specials Page
A LONG list of new and back in stock products: From the UK, Melissa and German Chamomile oils, from Bulgarian, Rosa Alba and Linden Blossom CO2 extracts, Zdravetz essential oil, from France, rare Inula graveolens, from India, Jasmine Sambac and Tuberose.
New and Back in stock Organic Hydrosols: Cistus, antibacterial Lemon Thyme, Clary Sage, German Chamomile.
Back in Stock: a handful of copies of my out of print book “Essential Oils and Aromatics”
Back to School Sale: Keep them well with our KleenHandz Gel, help them study with our Focus Synergy. Both at at least 10% off.
Celebrate Autumn with our Autumn Sunshine sale. Ward off Autumn’s allergies with our SineEase.
Indulge yourself with our luxurious “Mystery Rose” blend.
Clearance continues on Elderberry and Spearmint Hydrosols.
All of the above may be seen on our New And Specials page.
CUSTOMS DELAYS:
We had planned on several new CO2 extracts on our “new and special page.” By the time this newsletter is released they will have sat in customs clearance for 7 days. I’m told the Food and Drug Admin. held them from Friday morning until midday Wednesday. Then, I’ve been told, they were sent “to Agriculture for inspection.” Excuse me?? These are not plants, or seeds. Why is the Department of Agriculture inspecting them? No one seems to know. When they finally arrive they will be added to the “new and special” page, and announced on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, all the places that we can announce them.
CLEARANCE:
We’ve found a LOT of fancy packaging – various shapes, sizes and colors of organza and velour bags. As we sort them out, they are being added to our Clearance page.. We have a LOT of different colors and sizes, each are sold in one group of however many. Great for gift giving or for the crafty folks among us.
Blog Updates:
Since our last newsletter we blogged about:
- Going to the Dogs: an article in the Whole Dog Journal about using Rose Oil, Rose Hip Seed Oil, and Rose Hydrosols with our canine friends. (Rose Hydrosol as a tick repellant? I had never heard of that!)
- Christi wrote about treating her wee Lexi’s allergic dermatitis with Virgin Coconut Oil. (Internally, not applied to her fur!)
- The genesis of our Mystery Rose Oil. (Just another Nature’s Gift mystery!)
- Christi wrote about treating her injured knee with Kunzea, and the amazing pain relief she experienced.
- Christi wrote about treating her dog’s eye infection with Monarda Hydrosol – a gentler substitute for Tea Tree Hydrosol.
- An emailed conversation prompted musing on flavoring teas (or coffee or cocoa) with the oils.
(Yes, our blog has definitely gone to the dogs this summer!)
Our Clients Say:
More on Kunzea:
As a followup to Christi’s article about Kunzea, Gale Lane Smith wrote: “Marge, I made a combo of Lavender, Helichrysum, and Kunzea with grape seed oil, only about 2 tbls of carrier oil and then a few drops of heli, kunzea and several drops of lavender for pain relief. I’m not crazy about the smell of heli, and kunzea which is why I used more lavender, but I’m here to tell you it relieved the pain i had in my leg this morning, i rubbed it once and then about 10 mins. later I rubbed it again with the oil and since the second rubbing the pain is gone. I have also used it on my arm, which I have been having a lot of pain in since I had a nerve test done on it. My husband was complaining about his back this morning and I rubbed the same oil on him and within 5 mins he had relief. Looks like I will be making another order soon.”
Amber-Gris
Chelsea Mulroney has been one of our clients for as far back as I can remember. She sometimes sends me long musing emails about the oils because she has no one local to discuss them with. Recently she wrote:
Well anyway, after I received my ambergris oil [my note, real ocean Ambergris from a European source.], I remembered that I had a little sample of ambergris scent from you! I pulled it out, and put a tiny drop on my aromastone. My goodness! That stuff scents my room for days! It’s crazy. Even when I walk past my bedroom window, outside, I can catch a whiff of the stuff. While it doesn’t smell exactly like the ambergris oil I got from xxxxxxx, it is a close call… and it lasts a lot longer! My little sample bottle is nearly depleted, and I must have more! Every time I go into my bedroom (which is often, as that’s where I do my writing; on my bed, next to my aromastone!), I close my eyes briefly and just breathe in.
I’ve always wanted a “special scent” for my bedroom, and I think I’ve found it! Hooray! Now I’m debating if I should just order the Ambergris scent you already have made up, or if I should order benzoin and some rose (absolute?) and try to fabricate my own? I already have the clary sage, vetiver, and vanilla. Hmm… dilemmas!: )
Because she mentioned having an OLD sample of our AmberGris Synergy, and we know it’s been remade since then and might not be what she remembers (because formulas tend to morph as we get in new and different shipments of oils…tis the nature of natural products!) we sent her a sample of our current batch of Amber-gris. Fairly recently blended and not well aged as is her older sample.
She wrote:
Thank you so much for sending me the Amber-gris samples. I received them nearly a week ago, as we were heading out of town for camping near Crater Lake. I got to enjoy the scent during our trip; our truck smelled lovely: )
Since we’ve been home, I’ve tried it out in my aroma stone, and I think it smells just as nice as the last batch! My bedroom is heavenly, and it’s a treat for my nose every time I enter! I’m excited to try to make some of my own. As much as I love essential oils, I really do very little blending (only a bit for massage and if I have cramps). I tend to like my oils straight up. BUT this scent of yours has really gotten me interested in trying my hand at mixing! Oh, and the Amber-gris smells amazing with a little of the new Indonesian sandalwood… not that much of a surprise really: )
Thank you! Chelsea
If you are intrigued by her description of our AmberGris either request a sample of it with your next order (you do know that if you request samples in the comments section at checkout we will do our best to try to honor your request, don’t you?) Read about it on our Natural Perfumes page. (It’s at the very bottom of the page.)
Cost Cutting Skin Care Oils:
A suggestion Ginger gave me for the thrifty among us, is to use rice bran oil to blend with one of the more expensive carrier oils like Argan, to cut it a bit. she did that & loved the results. it is a good tip, gives the advantages of the “luxury” facial oils at a much more affordable cost…
FACEBOOK GLEANINGS:
Jennifer Chase shared: A few weeks ago there was a short string on plantar fasciitis and just so you know ~~ I used Arnica oil and Helichrysum that I got from your online store and it made a huge difference. I massaged the mix I made onto top of feet, bottom of feet,and heels a bit up the leg. It took a few days to really kick in and I continued to use for a few days after the pain was pretty much gone. I have gone over a week now with ZERO pain. When I asked if we could share her comment she replied, “ Please do share! PF is terribly painful and whatever we can do to help people is a great thing.”
I LOVE how generous spirited our Facebook Friends are!!!
Danelle Baldwin wrote: I found a fabulous new use for the Sunburn Soother. It has been immensely helpful and soothing for my receding poison ivy rash. Cool and calming for both the itch and the healing. Thanks again for all that you do to make our lives better with your products!! My family and I are immeasurably grateful.:-)
Marge turned 70 and we had a party at work…pictures of the celebrants were posted, thanks to Beverly’s trusty camera.
I love playing with numbers. On our Toner Survey, the toner with the highest AVERAGE rating is our new Cool as a Cucumber. Glad I didn’t wait for the results put it online. (For those who participated, it was Sample C—a steady row of 4’s, one 2.)
We shared a link to Amy Kreydin’s blog article about Cape Chamomile and the other Chamomile oils.
Pictures of the PRETTIEST essential oil…Inula graveolens.
A study shows that a spoonful of honey can help a child with a cough sleep better through the night. (Helps mom sleep, too!)
Marge was interviewed by Donna Maria Coles-Johnson of Indie Business. The interview is online here. Those who listened in that day received a really NICE one day only promo code. Lots of folks saved LOTS of money.
Phthalates can lead to higher risk of Type 2 Diabetes?
I asked for ideas for a Blue Moon blend, and my friend Kate Rogers blogged HER Blue Moon blend.
That’s some of what has been talked about on the Nature’s Gift Facebook page since our last newsletter.
Are you on Pinterest? come join us at http://pinterest.com/naturesgift/
Are you on Linked In??? Ccome join us there.
Charity of the Quarter:
Midwives on Missions of Service travel to the poorest parts of the world to share information on safer pregnancies and birthing methods, to help improve the lives of women and children.
from their website:
MOMS is a non-profit, non-denominational organization whose purpose is to improve maternal health through education and service.
How we fulfill our mission:
Prepare women to educate and support their communities, especially the pregnant women in those communities
Train women in the skills and knowledge they need to support local women in normal birth
Promote effective maternity care to all women
Our Philosophy of Mission:
We serve marginalized women. We have a vision of improving women’s and children’s lives by helping provide excellent maternity care. We stay focused on serving women and preparing them to support their communities skillfully. With our experience in effective management, we also think creatively. We act responsibly with the trust our donors and clients have given us. We like to have fun, not taking ourselves too seriously, while taking MOMS’ work very seriously.
Aromatic Quotes of the Month
Blue Moon: At the end of the day faith is a funny thing. It turns up when you don’t really expect it. It’s like one day you realize that the fairy tale may be slightly different than you dreamed. The castle, well, it may not be a castle. And it’s not so important happy ever after, just that its happy right now. See once in a while, once in a blue moon, people will surprise you, and once in a while people may even take your breath away.
Summer’s End:
“When summer gathers up her robes of glory,
And, like a dream, glides away.
—Sarah Helen Whitman
Nothing is more memorable than a smell. One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains.
—Diane Ackerman
Have a safe Labor Day weekend, everyone!
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This newsletter contains:
HEARTBLEED SECURITY BUG—NOT HERE!!!!
By now the whole world has heard of the massive “HeartBleed” security bug affecting many major ecommerce websites. Fortunately there are independent sources to TEST your favorite website. We have successfully tested our site and our shopping cart and Nature’s Gift is NOT infected. As always your confidential data is safe and secure with us. You may test us, or your other favorite ecommerce sites here. Our results? “All good, naturesgift.com seems fixed or unaffected!”
TAX DAY SALE
On Tuesday, April 15th, use the promotional code TAXDAY (all one word) and save 15% on almost all retail sized products. Kits and bulk sizes excluded. Enter the promo code at checkout, press apply, and see the discount reflected on screen. If you do NOT see the discount please go back and reapply; we can not apply it retroactively. (There has to be a bright side to the day our income taxes are due!)
Showers of Savings
Sale pricing on these products are available ONLY on our new and special page. Harmony skincare products, for combination skin. For spring storms and April showers, all of our favorite anti-fungal oils to banish mold and mildew: Cedarwoods, Lavandin Super, Lemon Eucalyptus, Manuka, Myrrh, Palma Rosa and Tea Tree. Save 10% on all.
NEW PRODUCTS
Piñon Pine INFUSION : infused with aged Piñon resin and Gardenia Infusion …blossoms infused in Apricot Kernel Oil…lighty scented moisturizer for hair or body.
Back in Stock
From our Indian producer: new shipments of Himalayan Lavender, Holy Basil, Davana, Frankincense Serrata, all of our Jasmine Absolutes, and delightful White Ginger Lily. Hydrosols of Himalayan Cedarwood, Jasmine (Motia) and Tuberose.
From around the world: Neroli, organic Atlas Cedarwood (Stock up on the Cedarwood, it will improve with age), cold-pressed Coffee, Bay Laurel, wild harvested on the island of Crete, Bulgarian Tobacco Absolute, wonderful for men’s fragrant blends. See these, and more on our new and special page.
BLOG UPDATES
In March we rather outdid ourselved blogging (unfortunately there’s been not time in April for any writing.)
A grumpiness blend, to ease the grumpies and grouchies.
A doctor’s Rx of “ monster spray ” and our suggested alternatives.
Aromatic acupuncture, for animals?
Fragrant blends for him.
Baby massage blends: safe and gentle.
Adverse reactions: a five-year-old hurt by neat application of oils.
EOs and Cats: a sad story.
Turkish Delight: wonderful bath blends.
Sore muscle blends.
and March ended with a large collection of suggested Bath Salt Blends.
OUR CLIENTS SAY
Carpal Tunnel
Christi is trying to delay carpal tunnel surgery, and has used all of our suggested blends with mixed levels of success. The other night she did something we normally don’t recommend. She put some of our Arnica infused oil on her wrist, and layered a couple of drops of Lavandin Super on top. (Lavandin super is a component of our Miracle Oil blend.) She said she got more relief from that simple combination than from any other blend she had tried. Definitely worth passing along and saving.
Cleopatra’s Secret
GerryAnn Overly recently wrote (and gave permission to quote!):
I really like your Cleopatra’s Secret Radiance. I had a lady stop me in the drug store to ask what I used for a skin cream because my skin looked so good. Thank you, Marge!!!
Bruising
We have had several clients comment on the effectiveness of a spritz of Helichrysum Hydrosol for bruises and other injuries. We knew it was a powerful anti-inflammatory for skincare, but had not realized that it was as effective a pain reliever and treatment for bruises.
Migraines
One of our clients, Teri Roberts, chair of the American Headache and Migraine Association, published an excellent article about Aromatherapy for Migraines and Headaches.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
Now every field is clothed with grass, and every tree with leaves; now the woods put forth their blossoms, and the year assumes its gay attire. —Virgil
Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems. —Rainer Maria Rilke
Never yet was a springtime, when the buds forgot to bloom. —Margaret Elizabeth Sangster
Hope you are having a wonderful Springtime!
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