March is certainly coming in like a lion across most of the US. We are
confident that Springtime will be coming, and so offer a newsletter full of
springtime sales and new beginnings.
This newsletter contains:
are all suffering from winter’s stress.
New and Back in Stock:
New from France, a lovely ethically farmed Clary Sage, quite different in aroma and effect from our high sclareol USA grown, a beautiful ethically farmed
Roman Chamomile oil, an amazing organic
Belgian Angelica Root, Melissa from the United
Kingdom (this year’s French crop failed due to too much rain, thank goodness
for our British producer!) Just in time for spring, more Egyptian
Violet Leaf
Absolute, the soft green scent of spring. We also were able to get a large
shipment of our
Egyptian Geranium Oil. (Egyptian oils have been very difficult to source for the last year or more, so we are delighted to be able to restock to meet your projected needs.) From our Canadian distiller, more Scotch Pine and Balsam Fir oils. (Did you know that the pine and fir oils are wonderful in a diffuser for coughs and congestion, and safer for wee ones than the Eucalyptus family?) From Madagascar… Katafray (we had not planned on restocking this rare oil, but you asked for it) and Cinnamon Leaf.
Finally, we were able to find a small amount of Organic Red Mandarine. Supplies on this are very limited. (It is becoming more and more difficult to stock organic coldpressed citrus oils!)
Spring Relaxers:
Oils high in esters are normally anti-spasmodic, calming and relaxing. Some
are also anti-fungal. Roman Chamomile (anthemis nobilis) contains many esters
not found in any other oil and is the classic and traditional anti-spasmodic
oil. Most esters are very fragrant, with sweet, fruity aromas. Most
are known for their gentleness. Emotionally, they can help us adapt to stress in
our lives. (We aren’t stressed by this unseasonably long winter, not us!)
This month save 10% on 15 ml sizes of all the oils listed below:
Some of our favorite oils that are high in esters:
Anthemis Nobilis… we have two, our
English Chamomile
and our new French Roman Chamomile. Other
favorites: our new French Clary Sage, higher in linalyl acetate and other esters
than our USA grown specimen,
Organic Bergamot (high in Linalyl Acetate),
the unique USA Artemisia ludoviciana type latiloba CT Esters, commonly known as
Owyhee, and our
lighthearted Bergamot Mint.
Rites of Spring Sale:
Summon Springtime by saving 10% on the oils that most remind us of spring time: our new
Violet Leaf Absolute,
Galbanum, with the rich aroma of the air in a greenhouse, and Nepalese
Rhododendron.
Also, we are contemplating closing out our
Spring Sunshine Synergy. If you love it, stock up now. Save FIFTY PERCENT over regular pricing. SOLD OUT!
Save 20% on the 20th:
To celebrate our 20th year online each month we are offering a savings of 20% on certain categories of products. This month, on the 20th, the sale categories will be retail sized (15 ml and smaller) Essential Oils E-F
and G-H. Simply use the discount code “anniversary” and you will see your discounted price reflected online. Thank you for continuing to let us do what we love!
FORMULAS Shared:
We have for the time being, at least, discontinued our “Carnation Memories” fragrance blend. There are a
lot of “carnation” formulas floating around, none of which seemed to be quite
right to us. We designed our own several years ago. If you would like to
try to copy ours, the formula was:
Carnation Memories
YlangYlang Complete, 10 parts
Clove Bud, 2 parts
Sweet Basil, 4 parts
Linden Blossom CO2, 5 parts
Vanilla CO2, 2 parts
Cinnamon Leaf, 2 parts
The parts may be drops, mls, grams, your choice. You will undoubtedly want to tweak it because slight
differences in raw materials can make a large difference in the result. Most Carnation formulas call for Black Pepper oil. We have never found it appropriate for our blend. ENJOY!
SPRING CLEANING:
Glass and Mirror Cleaner
1 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
1/2 cup water
9 drops citrus essential oil (lemon, lime or sweet orange) optional
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake to blend. Spray on.
Wipe off and polish with a clean cotton rag.
Note: If you have used commercial window cleaners over the years there
will be a build-up of wax on your windows. Vinegar alone won’t remove
this residue. So, the first time you use the Glass & Mirror Cleaner you
will have to wash the window or mirror first with a few drops of liquid
dish
detergent on a damp sponge. Wipe dry and then use the Glass & Mirror
Cleaner. From this point on you will only need the Glass & Mirror
Cleaner for your windows!
Basic Soft Scrubber
Use this on the bath tub, sinks, Formica countertops and in the shower
stall. Great for pots and pans. An excellent hand cleaner. (The
workshop instructor does a lot of gardening and has those “brown cracks”
in her fingers from gardening. She said that this scrubber
removed those brown cracks in her skin.) Many, many uses — use your imagination!
1/2 cup baking soda
enough liquid soap or detergent to make a frosting-like consistency
5–10 drops essential oil such as rose, sweet orange, or lavender
Place the baking soda in a small container with a tight fitting lid.
(If you are into recycling try using yogurt cups for containers.) Slowly
pour in the liquid soap, stirring until the consistency reaches that of
frosting. Add a few drops of essential oil. Scoop the creamy mixture
onto a sponge, wash the surface and rinse. Close lid tightly to prevent scrubber from
drying out. I made one with sweet orange oil for my kitchen and another
with lavender e.o. for my bathroom. I keep one in each room to use when
an impromptu moment occurs when I want to clean (and you do want to
clean more when you use the products because they make your house smell soooooo
good!).
Note: If you are trying to become chemical free in your life, try to
use a vegetable oil-based liquid soap or detergent. It removes stains
and cuts grease. Both soaps and detergents are surfactants. This
basically means it is a washing compound that mixes with grease and
water. Soaps and detergents are not the same thing. Soaps are made of materials found in
nature. Detergents are synthetic. Soap is better for your health and
the environment than detergents. Use a detergent that is made with
renewable, biodegradable materials instead of petroleum based
ingredients, and with natural essential oil fragrance — no dies or optical brightners. Look
in your supermarket for soaps/detergents such as “Sun & Earth” dish
washing liquid and detergent which is made with vegetable and coconut oil
and orange oil.
Counter Cleaner and Kitchen Freshener
2 cups club soda
1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
10 drops essential oil (I used lemon e.o.—it smells so clean!)
Combine ingredients in a spray bottle and shake to blend (careful — you
are using club soda here and it likes to “fizz” on you!). Spray on.
Wipe off. Shake the bottle each time before using.
Antiseptic All-Purpose Cleanser
Not only does this preparation clean but the essential oils disinfect and provide a natural fragrance.
1 teaspoon antiseptic essential oil (sweet orange or lavender are nice)
1 teaspoon washing soda
2 teaspoons borax
1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
2 cups hot water (to dissolve the soda and borax)
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.)
Variation: Peppermint Cleanser. Substitute 1 teaspoon peppermint
essential oil. This repels flies and ants in the warm months and it
smells great.
Tea Tree Oil Mold and Mildew Remover
Nothing works to eradicate mold and mildew as well as this spray.
2 teaspoons tea tree oil
2 cups water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle, shake to blend and spray on
problem areas. Do not rinse. The strong odor will dissipate in a day
or so. Makes 2 cups.
This is also a good deodorizer. If the medicinal smell is too strong
for you, add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the solution.
Herbal Scouring Powders
Use a shaker bottle like the kind parmesan cheese comes in.
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup dried rose petals, crushed
1/8 cup dried rosemary leaves, crushed
Pour baking soda into shaker bottle. Using mortar and pestle,
grind the herbs. Add to the baking soda and shake well to blend.
Lightly sprinkle onto a surface, scour with a damp sponge, and rinse thoroughly.
Alternative: Simple Scouring Powder. Add several drops of your
favorite essential oil to 1 cup of baking soda. Or, simply use baking soda by itself.
Air Freshener for Your Car
Purchase our
Little Clay Pots (about 1 1/2 inch tall). Knot a ribbon and draw it
through the hole in the bottom of the pot making a “bell.” Put a few
drops of your favorite essential oil or essential oil blend on the clay pot and hang from
your mirror or some other place in your car. Smells great! Quick!
Easy! Inexpensive! And, you can make it smell any way you want to!
Client Feedback:
Colleen Vickers shared this in January:
“Ladies, thank you so much for including samples in my order!! Hubby had a knee
replacement 7 weeks ago. As soon as the last suture came out he started using
the rose hip heli blend after he did massage work on the area. The results have
been phenomonal!!! This knee looks as good as the other knee that he has surgery
on 5 yrs ago. He has also used the trauma oil and it seemed to help the
bruising!! His pt’s are amazed at the results!!! Thanks for the great products!!
We love Nature’s Gift!!!”
Peripheral Neuropathy:
Lori Jones wrote: “Marge, I have to tell you while getting my order together,
realized I had a neglected bottle of geranium in a sampler, too floral for my
liking. So did some further research, finding scientific abstract on use for
Peripheral Neuropathy. Intractable pain the 2 days before, so made up 10% in
hemp carrier. Decided to start low, though did see much higher in studies.
Amazing relief in very short time. Can’t wait to try in the Tamanu (Calophyllum
inophyllum), and blend with something so I don’t smell like the little old lady
with blue hair and tiny dog and sometime walker! lol Just wanted to thank you
for stirring me in that direction and excited for my order. Lori”
This is exciting news because the research studies that we have seen used
extremely high dilutions of Geranium, even neat. Seeing results with a
relatively low dilution is a gift!
Sleepless in Seattle:
Christine wrote:
Hi Marge, I ordered your English
Chamomile in January and have also raved about it in the FB Reviews
group. It really has changed our lives! As I mentioned in that
group, my 8-year-old son has ADHD and has a difficult time settling
at night to fall asleep. We’ve tried many things over the years,
including melatonin, which I really do not like giving him, since
it’s a hormone. Absolutely nothing has worked as effectively and
consistently as diffusing your English Chamomile. Instead of taking
2 hours or more to fall asleep each night, with him in and out of
bed, calling us to come in, complaning he can’t sleep, he is out
within 30 minutes EVERY night. Even my husband is thoroughly
impressed. And now that he gets enough sleep each night, he’s
also able to focus and control his behavior much better during the
day. It really has improved our quality of life in dramatic ways.
I wanted to let you know all of this and I’m also curious to know if
you have a GCMS for this particular oil? I know it’s often the
combination of chemical constituents that contribute to the
therapeutic effects of an oil, but I’d be interested in trying to
see what is in this one that makes it so particularly effective for
him. I want to be able to replicate this effect far into the future!Thank you so much for all you do. Your dedication, time, and honesty
are all greatly appreciated.
Snippets from the Past:
From a newsletter in the year 2000…an emailed conversation:
To: [email protected]
From: Marge Clark <[email protected]>
Subject: Re:
At 01:03 PM 5/3/00 -0700, you wrote:Hi,
I’m trying to find the medicinal value of snake oil, rattlesnake oil in particular. I make many rattle snake products,
http://www.longohn.com and would like to know how to use the oil medicinally. Also, if you’re interested in purchasing some, let me know.Thanks, Long John
Dear Long John…
I don’t think I’m really interested in purchasing any snake oil at this
point…. After all, I do buy for resale, and really don’t think I want
to be known as a snake oil salesman.My partner, on the other hand, wants to know how much it is per ounce.
And to the best of my knowledge, it has no medicinal value.
(And, yes, www.longjohn.com is still
online. Don’t know if he is offering snake oil or not.)
Quote of the Month:
“March is a month of considerable frustration — it is so near spring and yet
across a great deal of the country the weather is still so violent and
changeable that outdoor activity in our yards seems light years away.”
— Thalassa Cruso
“No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.”
— Hal Borland
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