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For other news...During the summer months, we at Mabel prepare ideas and products for the upcoming holiday season. You have not heard much from us because we have been dodging rain drops from Tropical Storm Bonnie, Hurricane Charley then Frances. Trust us when we say that there are just some things you don't want to know. But then Ivan came along, so we just had to share our corporate experience. First
of all, getting product out of here with Fed Ex was
suddenly like that Capital One commercial with David Charley. Mabel's staff, spread out over the US, flew in to Florida a few days before we met Charley. When we tried to fly them back out, we started first hearing the "No" syndrome. We decided to head to Daytona Beach, since the local hotels would only take out of state people. (What, am I supposed to stay on the roof?) So we went to Daytona only to get nailed there! We finally did have a few quiet and relaxed days before they flew back out and much is the result of this newsletter. Thank God they were here to help clean up the mess of Charley. I briefly talked with two of my daughters at UF in Gainesville. They felt they were safer to stay on Campus and had more resources than we did. Sure, they did, probably better known as Captain Morgan and Jim Beam. Truly they are wonderful kids and helped start Mabel. They say that when they want to see their Mom, they just come to this updates page. One daughter, almost finished with Pharmacy School, reports that she loves the Supply Company so much gets in there and wants to buy things. I think she studies way too much. With Hurricane Frances I was on my own and I could see little point in leaving due to gas shortages in many parts of the state. The gas pumps said "No", but the news was saying "Yes" we have gas. I took the pump's word for it, since I couldn't get gas. I booked a hotel room during Frances where Gabrielle, my dog, made ABC news. The front desk called me at 5:00 PM and said the news was there to see Mabel. I was watching "Troy", a GREAT pay per view movie, and would not come down if I had to pay again to see the end. I was JUST watching the last segment. They said no problemo. Thanks Wesley Inn of Sarasota! Every other hotel was booked and saying the now infamous "No!" Gas later? "No!" My
dog was named in part after the last hurricane I recall here, which
was Gabrielle, and that was news, I guess. My local friends say she did so Ivan... I decided to keep my hotel room and take a long nap while everyone else was flat out boarding up their homes here (finally.) It appears that the prayers were heard in Jamaica, as well as as few other islands that just missed Ivan's wrath, as well as Punta Gorda! What did we learn? Kids can live without Nintendo for more than four days, a case of Coors Light beer will keep a turkey frozen eight extra hours, one of the first items to sell out before a hurricane is beer, and dogs MUST go out to do their "thing" when the eye of the hurricane is near. We also learned that four Chihuahuas in heat can take on a Golden Retriever in a hotel hallway. The lady with the Chihuahuas acted as if my tranquil(ized) Gabby would eat her four little yappers, and that was hilarious! Her dogs looked like they were on anabolic steroids and ready for looting. I told her that my daughters were a more likely to eat her dogs than my dog would. Finally, we saw proof that women can still do their hair without electricity in some mysterious way...portable min-generators I suspect. The most important thing we learned is that, even with all the "NOs!", exhaustion and nearly constant hurricane threats, Mabel can still get the orders out! Post Script...Jean? Good thing we make candles.
The photo to the left of Gabby was a sneak attack, and bacon was involved. Other news: The Bathroom Chemist DVD Video is now back in stock. This is the most sought-after production I have ever done, and it was a lot of fun to make. Move over Food Channel! Click here for the Video. The building we use to produce our videos was leveled during one of the storms, which delayed our reproduction. The promised new book, Maid Holistic, is almost completed. We have been receiving many requests to get that book to market. In between rain drops, we are on it! Thanking you all for your continued support, Deborah R. Dolen. Customer quote of the month: "Please mail my momma a catalog, she's not wired."
Seasonal Buzz Words
Flavors: Candy Corn, Pumpkin Pie, Buttered Rum, Egg Nog, Caramel Latte and Chai. Fragrance Oils: Apple Strudel, Blue Spruce, Candy Corn, Chamomile Tea and Pear Fig. Essential Oils: Amber, Cassia, Cajeput, Clove, Mandarin (Red), Nutmeg, Sweet Birch, and Spanish Sage.
Making Body, Room and Linen Sprays with Polysorbate 20 by Leane Ketcherside As
we all know, oil and water do not mix. Polysorbate 20 is
used to emulsify oils, such as carrier oils, The typical usage rate is equal parts Polysorbate 20 and carrier oil, Essential Oil or Fragrance oil—a 1:1 ratio. Add the oils to the Polysorbate 20 first and mix well before adding to the water and then shake well to emulsify. Since good ole’ H2O is the basis for all life, it is necessary to add a preservative unless you’re only mixing enough for immediate use, or if you're not adding any water solutions. If you’re making these products to sell, you must preserve them if they contain any water solutions. I generally use Germaben II E at .5% to 1% of total weight (total weight includes everything—water, fragrance, carrier oils and Polysorbate 20, weighed on a scale). The recipes I provide below have been converted to volume, for those of you who do not have an appropriate scale. This ratio usually produces a clear mixture. If you get a cloudy product, and if it’s important to you that it be clear (if you’re offering the product for sale in a clear bottle, for instance), continue adding the Polysorbate 20 in small amounts until the cloudiness clears. When using Essential Oils, I rarely have a problem with cloudiness. Although I never use Fragrance oils (I am a Purist, as you may remember), many people love the variety they offer and they are very popular. Some people do report cloudiness when using some synthetic fragrances. (*NOTE: Our flavor oils can be used in lotions as well as splashes and bath oils in a pinch. You just cannot do the reverse and put fragrance oils on your lips!)
Governmental Problems with Using Alcohol by Leane Ketcherside Using alcohol (high proof Vodka or Grain Alcohol) to make room, body or linen sprays has its problems. Although Essential Oils and most Fragrance oils are soluble in an alcohol base, and alcohol is self-preserving, thus eliminating the need for added preservatives and Polysorbate 20, there are important things to consider. For one thing, alcohol is drying to the skin, which is something most of us want to avoid. Other significant issues are that the FDA does not approve the use of these substances for any formulations offered for sale (you can give them away, you just can't sell them) and does not consider them to be skin-safe, and the ATF has strict rules regarding alcohol that has not been altered with certain chemicals to render it un-drinkable, obtaining proper permits, as well as a slew of other regulations. Only Perfumer’s alcohol may be used to make these products for sale, which also requires Hazard Licenses and strict adherence to other Government regulations. In addition, with the ever-expanding anti-terrorism laws, the DOT regulates shipping products containing any type of flammable ingredients, as well as placing limits on the amounts that may be shipped in one box. Shipping is becoming increasingly difficult. The US Postal Service will not accept anything containing even Perfumer’s alcohol, which, technically, includes commercially made perfumes! (Shipping Grandma her favorite cologne for Christmas may be a problem—we might have to resort to reindeer deliveries this year!) Some companies are even running into problems shipping Essential Oils and Fragrance oils. The USPS gives different answers depending on who you talk to, and may allow you to ship certain items if you add warning labels to the box, or may just give you the infamous "NO!". How this may affect shipping via other means remains to be seen, and keeping up with the oft-changing State, Local and Federal Government requirements is, to say the least, not an easy task. By using Polysorbate 20 and aqueous solutions, we can avoid many legal pitfalls while making safe, wonderful products at a reasonable cost.
Moisturizing Body Spray (Converted from weight to volume for those without a gram scale) This is one of my favorite recipes. As many of you know, I’m a Bulgarian Lavender FREAK! Our new Bulgarian Lavender Hydrosol is an absolutely gorgeous substitute for the water phase of any recipe!
For
1/2 ounce of body spray: 1 Tsp Polysorbate 20 1/2 Tsp Bulgarian Lavender Essential Oil 1/2 Tsp. Sweet Almond oil (Or your favorite carrier oil) 1 Tsp Bulgarian Lavender Hydrosol ( or Distilled water) 3 Drops Germaben II E (1%) 1 Mabel’s 1/2 ounce Spray Bottle In the spray bottle, add the Essential Oils and carrier oils to the Polysorbate 20 and shake very well. Add the remaining ingredients, cap the bottle and shake vigorously to mix the emulsification. Spray liberally and rub in all over the body, avoiding the eyes and the usual off-limits places. J Top Be a Mabel Club Member! Craft Supply Store Mabel Archives De-Stink Purifying Room Spray (Converted from weight to volume for those without a gram scale) One of the best Essential Oil combinations to get rid of stinky odors is Lemon, Spanish Sage and Tea Tree to help kill odor-causing bacteria. Use this to help sanitize countertops, toilet bowls, trash cans and other hard surfaces, and to cleanse the air. Spray on cotton swatches or paper and place in closets, cabinets and linen pantries. Spray the curtains, tablecloths, furniture, bedspreads, rugs--anything! (Just make sure you do a test spray in an inconspicuous spot to avoid staining and/or water spots first!) With four dogs, a stank-footed, tennis shoe-wearing son and an often (dare I say it?) gassy husband, this is one spray I’m never without! Trust me, if this combination doesn’t work, it’s time to move! Click here to buy polysorbate. For 8 ounces of room spray: 8 Tsp. Polysorbate 20 3 Tsp. Spanish Sage or Rosemary Essential Oil
4 Tsp. Lemon
Essential Oil 1 Tsp. Tea Tree Essential Oil 5 ¼ Ounces Distilled water or Hydrosol ½ Tsp. Germaben II E (1%) 8 Ounce Spray Bottle In the spray bottle, add the Essential Oils to the Polysorbate 20 and shake very well. Add the remaining ingredients, cap the bottle and shake vigorously to mix the emulsification. Avoid spraying on wooden furniture, although you may spray inside drawers to help get rid of musty odors. It’s always a good idea to test fabrics in an inconspicuous place to avoid staining and/or water spots. * Note: Essential Oils and most Fragrance oils degrade plastic and rubber over time. If you plan to store these products, keep them in a dark glass bottle or one of Mabel’s Aluminum bottles, and pour into the plastic sprayer before using. Another option is to purchase high grade PET or HDPE plastic sprayers and store in a dark place, like a cabinet. Of course, if you have a family like mine, long term storage will NOT be a problem! J
Immediate Results! Scrubs by Deborah R. Dolen
Leane made a salt scrub with Bulgarian Lavender (of course!) and
Mandarin Essential Oils in Fractionated
Making Lotions, and Toiletries "Bathroom Chemist" Video is Back!
To buy today for $19.95 and by-pass our minimum purchase, click the buy now button! The total is $24.95 including shipping via United Parcel Service.
The usual treatments of Cortisone creams and other steroidal alternatives often do little to help, and a “cure” isn’t looming in the near future. Trips to the Dermatologist leave us wanting answers as we head to the Pharmacy to fill prescriptions for synthetic drugs, greasy creams and detergent “soaps” often recommended but rarely useful. Due to my hard-earned status of “Witch Doctor”, and the fact that nearly everyone I know suffers from one or more of these conditions, I have spent years researching and developing ointments, creams, soaps and butters. Thankfully, I hit upon the right combinations of Essential Oils, herbal infusions and unique Carrier oils a couple of years ago, and came up with a series of products that (I'm told) do work. Although I don’t claim to “cure” any of these ailments, I can say that through my own unofficial trials, I have been able to offer substantial relief to those I’ve worked with, according to the feedback I've received. Due to numerous requests from you, our customers, we have decided to make these finished products available through our new Soytanicals™ site soon. Click here for a PDF file on Ecztreme™ & Shingles SOS™ ingredients.
First, The Legal Stuff by Leane Ketcherside The FDA has strict rules regarding product ingredients and claims, and the FTC regulates claims regarding consumer products, as well. While I strongly agree with the spirit of the FTC regulations meant to protect end-users from false claims, (Penis Enlargement! Grow hair in 7 days! Lose 50 Pounds While You Sleep!), I often feel that they are sometimes too restricting. As far as the FDA goes, I frankly have little trust for this agency, and am suspicious of their motives, especially when it comes to Natural products. I believe there is a strong bias for big drug companies and against the Natural products market. I will spare you my rant, which would go on for page after page, and instead will provide you with some facts that you should know. The Cosmetic industry is "self-regulating" and is not governed by the FDA. However, if any claims are made that a cosmetic does anything to alter the skin, it is then considered a drug, and becomes subject to FDA regulations. Here is a perfect example: I can tell you my personal experiences and the experiences of others who have used my Ecztreme™ products, and I can also publish testimonials. But, if I said that the Ecztreme™ butter relieves the itching and inflammation of eczema and other skin conditions on contact, or that soaking in the Ecztreme™ EO/Carrier blend offers immediate relief, my product would then be considered a drug, and the FDA would be all over it. I couldn't even say that the Ecztreme™ butter is moisturizing because if I did, it would be considered a drug! Soap is normally exempt from FDA regulations, as long as it's just called "soap." However, If I said that the Ecztreme™ soap is moisturizing, healing, or even soothing to dry, itching skin, the exemption would be nullified and the soap would then be considered a drug. Those of us who believe in Natural Healing, and who actually spend years researching and testing our products are forced to be vague in our descriptions, and are unable to truly inform you, as consumers, of the tremendous benefits of using Natural vs. synthetic products. Unless our hands are untied, consumers will have to continue to "read between the lines" and, sadly, make less than fully informed decisions regarding the products they use. We highly recommend that you conduct your own research.
The Ecztreme™Soap (Will be available October 15th, 2004) When I began formulating a soap, my intention was to come up with something that wouldn’t exacerbate these conditions. What I ended up with was a soap that actually helps (according to my test subjects). So much so that one of my guinea pigs (my mother) actually started soaking her feet in a pan of warm, soapy water, letting my precious soap melt away because she says it relieved the terrible itch without drying out her skin! Since the ingredients and time involved in making this soap are costly, I immediately added an Essential Oil in special carrier oils combination to be used as a total-body soak or a hand/foot soak. With proper care, one 4 ounce bar should last a month with normal use. As with all hand-made soaps, it is important to allow the bar to dry out between uses by keeping it either in an open soap dish or on one of those wire shelves that hang in the shower. If you let it sit in a puddle of water, you'll get melted "soap soup", a mess and a waste. If you have other family members sharing your bathroom, hide it from them! The Ecztreme™ Oil Blend (Will be available October 15th, 2004) I am a true believer in the benefits of hydrotherapy. Give me a bathtub full of warm water and whatever Essential/Carrier Oil blend needed at the time, and I know relief is on the way. This Ecztreme™ Blend of Essential Oils and specially chosen carrier oils is designed to work in several ways: For dry, itching, painful skin, settle into a warm tub with a Tablespoon of the Ecztreme™ Oil Blend and soak for a few minutes. Wash with the Ecztreme Soap™, and gently pat yourself dry, allowing the oils to soak in. For “Weeping Eczema”, add one Tablespoon of the Ecztreme™ Oil Blend to 1/4 cup of Dead Sea Salts and soak/pat dry, as above. You could use Epsom salts or just plain Sea salts in a pinch, but the Dead Sea salts are so unique in their combined healing mineral contents that they're always preferred in healing formulations. Both soaks may be used as hand and foot soaks, as well. The Ecztreme™ Butter (Will be available October 15th, 2004) I wanted to go the all natural route. Since creams and lotions must be preserved, and preservatives are all artificial and can irritate sensitive skin, I decided to make a butter. Through careful formulation and exhaustive research, I came up with one whopper of a butter! All natural and with a non-greasy feel and quick soak-in, everyone who uses it swears by it. (I ended up having to hide the batch I made for Soytanicals™ because every time my husband left the house, I caught him carrying jars of it to give to friends and family who don't even suffer from these skin conditions!) Everyone's experiences have been that it works very quickly to stop itching and leaves even broken, scabbed skin soft and comfortable. Most of my test subjects have reported extremely fast healing of their sores and dry, itching rashes. As for dry, cracked and painful hands, all feedback was unanimous: it works immediately and keeps on working. When I asked for a comparison to the prescription creams, one man told me that the Ecztreme™ Butter “Runs fast circles around anything I ever got from the drug store.” Several of the women in my unofficial trials are using this butter at night on their faces and reporting amazing things. One woman was asked if she had started using Botox! I've even received wholesale inquiries from a Health Food store and two Beauty Salons, all based on the testimonials of my test subjects. Geez! The products haven't even been formally introduced for sale until this newsletter! Shingles SOS™ (Will be available October 15th, 2004) A condition related to the virus which causes Herpes and Chicken Pox, Shingles are a misery to live with. Like Cold Sores, they can be brought on by stress, illness, exposure to a pertinent Virus, or, seemingly, by nothing at all. I have seen this unpredictable condition appear as a small, isolated group of blisters, to a full-blown waist-line girdle of oozing, painful sores. Shingles are unmistakable and if you’ve ever had them, you know what true misery is. The great news is that, of all of Mother Nature’s little nasties, Shingles is infinitely one of the easiest conditions to help with the right combination of Essential and Carrier Oils. Our Shingles SOS™ Oil blend is a combination of Essential and Carrier Oils designed to be dabbed directly onto the affected area, as well as a warm bathtub soak. I also highly recommend adding the blend to Dead Sea salts (as above) to help dry up the oozing blisters. Our Ecztreme™Soap and Ecztreme™ Butter are designed to be used with this condition as well, and I highly recommend the combination. Compared to the many skin conditions floating around out there, treating Shingles with Aromatherapy is a piece of cake! The Ingredients We’ve all seen the ads on TV and all over the Web, promising miraculous cures, dramatizations and outrageous guarantees. I offer you none of these. What I do offer is a full disclosure of the ingredients I use so you know what you're getting BEFORE you buy. In this "Buyer Beware" era of marketing, I believe it's important to know ingredients so you can avoid buying products you're sensitive or allergic to, and to avoid buying "Miracle" junk that just contains water and chemicals! I’m proud of my knowledge and proud of the results I’ve seen from my products. The ingredients I use are expensive, but my prices are not out of line. I refuse to compromise quality and results by substituting fillers and ineffective ingredients just because they're cheaper. If a product costs a few dollars less but doesn't work, you've saved absolutely nothing. By telling you up-front what’s in my products, you have the freedom to research the costs and effects of each ingredient to determine for yourselves whether or not to try them. To see these ingredients, click the PDF link above. How to Purchase Our Ecztreme™ and Shingles SOS™ Products We offer each item separately, as well as in discounted combination Value Packs. Our "Ecztreme™ Whole Shebang" includes a 4 ounce bar of The Ecztreme™Soap, a 2 ounce bottle of The Ecztreme™ Oil Blend, a 2 ounce jar of The Ecztreme™ Butter, 4 ounces of Dead Sea salts and a 1/2 ounce travel sized jar of Ecztreme™ Butter. (Will be available October 15th, 2004) Our "Shingles SOS™ Whole Shebang" includes a 4 ounce bar of The Ecztreme™Soap, a 2 ounce bottle of The Shingles SOS™ Oil Blend, a 2 ounce jar of The Ecztreme™ Butter, 4 ounces of Dead Sea salts and a 1/2 ounce travel sized jar of Ecztreme™ Butter. (Will be available October 15th, 2004) Afraid to commit? We also offer Trial Size Value Packs! Our Trial Size Value Pack contains a 1/3 ounce bottle of either the Ecztreme™ Oil Blend or the Shingles SOS™ Oil Blend, a 1/2 ounce jar of Ecztreme™ Butter and 2 ounces of Dead Sea salts. Also, the first 15 orders will receive a 1 ounce trial size of the Ecztreme™Soap. (Sorry, that's all I have left!) Click here to purchase. (Will be available October 15th, 2004)
Edible Love Dust This
should qualify under "Buzz Words" as this is a new one
on us. Someone ordered 10 pounds of powdered
New Healing Oils & Butters! By Leane Ketcherside (Will be available October 15th, 2004) At Mabel, we're well-known for staying ahead of the game by coming up with innovative, unique products, and many of our butters and oils are our own creations which exist nowhere else. We're constantly researching, experimenting, developing and inventing items to assist in the quest for living healthy, quality lives in a world that bombards us with noise, chemicals, pollution, stress and a bazillion other negative influences. Every small step we take toward improving our small slice of the world is important, and even the tiniest effort can produce a big pay-off. Because we care and we know that you care, too, we keep working to offer you our best. A new healing butter or oil may seem insignificant to some, but for those who are suffering, these seemingly insignificant steps toward relief are greater than landing on the Moon and a hell of a lot more practical in our daily lives! Oatmeal Butter: Did you ever wish you could have the soothing, cleansing and itch-stopping benefits of Oatmeal without having to deal with the mess and grittiness? Now you can! We took Colloidal oats and macerated them in Castor oil (for additional healing properties) and Fractionated Coconut oil (for non-greasy, quick soak in ability). After this several week process, we triple-strained the oil to remove the grains and made it into a smooth, rich butter. Use it alone or with your favorite Essential Oils, combine it with other healing oils and/or butters, add it to your favorite CP soap, lip balm, lotion or crème recipes, or melt it down and add it to a warm bath! Move over Aveeno®! Chamomile Infused Oil: The healing benefits of Chamomile have been known for centuries. We started with Certified Organic Chamomile flowers (not the usual, run-of-the-mill junk with a few buds and a lot of stems) and macerated them for several weeks in skin-loving Sweet Almond Oil, with a bit of Nature's ROE & Natural Vitamin E thrown in to avoid rancidity. We then triple-strained the oil which has the slight, honey/apple-scented aroma characteristic of high quality Chamomile. It's uses are as numerous as what ails you and beyond. *Please note: If you have a skin sensitivity to Ragweed or Chrysanthemums, please do a skin patch test before using Chamomile products, as Chamomile comes from the same "family" of these botanicals. Also, having an allergy to ragweed that makes your eyes water or gives you a runny nose doesn't necessarily mean that you will have a reaction to these on your skin. Calendula Oil: There seem to be no limits to Calendula's impressive healing abilities! Also referred to as Marigold oil, Calendula Officinalis will add it's soothing, potent healing powers to anything and everything you can come up with. With all the weapons in my healing arsenal, you can bet that this mighty oil is included in most everything I make. If my concoction contains oils, this one is in it! We start with Certified Organic Calendula petals and macerate them for weeks in healing Castor oil. This triple-strained, slightly orange-tinted oil has the light, toasty aroma of high quality dried Calendula. Whatever you're making, adding as little as 5% to 10% of Calendula oil will enhance the healing quality of your product. This oil will not disappoint!
Germaben II E: Covering Your Bases on Preservation by Leane Ketcherside Notes from Leane: I have switched my preference from other preservatives to G II E for several reasons. When I make a cream, I usually want to use 50% oil combinations, and I also almost always add high-protein ingredients and antioxidants to my water phase. The problems I ran into with other preservatives were that, even with a usage rate of 1%, I was getting visible mold and who knows what else that I couldn't see. Another problem was that many preservatives do not cover products made with more than 25% oils, which just doesn't work for most of us. G II E has eliminated these problems as it is designed to be used for hard-to-preserve items, as well as for oil usage as high as 50%. Even when I add infused oatmeal, I haven't had any problems with "thingies" growing in my creams, lotions and sprays. Click here to buy G II E. Important stuff you need to know that's not listed in the manufacturer's instructions, but that I know from practical experience using this (and other) products: Cool your emulsions down to 90º F BEFORE you add the G II E. This is also the temperature you want reach before adding Essential or Fragrance oils to avoid burning off the scent. Add your fragrance and mix thoroughly, and then thoroughly mix in the G II E as the last step before pouring into your containers. I ALWAYS use a rate of 1% of G II E, regardless of what I'm making. This covers all my bases, and is especially important when making products at home. Although we can be as sterile as possible, only an actual laboratory setting can guarantee complete sterility! Now for the product facts: Facts From the Manufacturer: Germaben II E INCI: Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Propylparaben, Methylparaben Properties: Germaben II-E is a clear viscous liquid preservative system with a characteristic mild odor. It is readily soluble at a level of 1.0% in both water/oil and oil/water emulsions. Germaben II-E is a solubilized combination of Germall II with methylparaben and propylparaben in propylene glycol. It is a complete broad spectrum antimicrobial preservative system that is effective against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and against yeast and mold. Germaben II-E was developed for creams and lotions that present special preservation problems involving partial inactivation of parabens by ingredients in the formulation. Germaben II-E can be used in problem formulations without the need for additional co-preservatives. It is compatible with almost all cosmetic ingredients, including surfactants and proteins. Click here to buy G II E APPLICATIONS All the components of Germaben II-E are permanently listed by the EU. Germaben II-E is a complete preservative system, in clear liquid form, that was developed especially for cosmetic creams and lotions that present preservation problems caused by the presence of paraben inactivating materials. Germaben II-E includes a total concentration of 20% parabens predissolved in propylene glycol for easy and convenient addition to cosmetic formulations. It minimizes the difficulties associated with incorporating solid parabens. Germaben II-E can be conveniently incorporated into hot or cold processed shampoos, creams and lotions during their manufacture. The preferred method of addition is to add it slowly to the cosmetic formulation with good stirring after emulsification. Germaben II-E is recommended to be used at a level of 1.0%. This level provides to the product: 0.20% Germall II, 0.10% methylparaben, 0.10% propylparaben and 0.60% propylene glycol. Although Germaben II-E provides excellent antimicrobial preservation, every developed or modified product should be challenge tested to assure preservative efficacy.
Rhassoul Clay & Hydrosol Facial Collections! by Leane Ketcherside (Will be available October 15th, 2004)
Because I have dry
skin, I was always told never to use clays for masks and
facials. Baloney! While I won't For an affordable, better-than-a-Spa treatment, steam your face first to really open those pores! Just add 1 teaspoon of Hydrosol to a bowl of steaming water, lean over the bowl and cover yourself with a towel for a few minutes before you apply the mask. The mask will harden within 10 to 15 minutes, then just wash it off. For a super-pampering finish, follow up with a moisturizing French Pink clay & Agave mask, as above, then sit back and enjoy the glow! Each pack contains enough for three facials and steams. Click here for our Rhassoul Clay & Hydrosol Facial Collections.
Magnetize Your Spices to Your Refrigerator Door! (Not Your Hard Drive!) by Lynda Williams
In this article, we focus on displaying your spices. We feel a heavier duty magnet would be needed as well as tin jars with clear lids. We are working on getting those in, if not just for our own families. I would use this for saffron and the more expensive and decorative spices. But talk about convenient! Click photo for more detail on how we did this.
Mabel White's Christmas: Now in Spiral Bound Excited about the holidays, but dreading the hectic holiday rush? Mabel White has the answer with this one of a kind Holiday Planner. This wonderful 98 page e-book is chock full of Christmas planning guides, recipes, what tree to pick, how to make your tree last longer, how to recycle old Christmas decorations, tree decorating ideas, crafts , dip and food recipes, holiday cleanup, stocking ideas, gift's in jars, and so much more. Plan your Christmas holiday to be enjoyable and less stressed!!! Use this book for years to come and pass down as a family heirloom. Make this holiday season a time to be cherished and remembered. Mabel White's Christmas also contains the World's Best Fruit Cake Recipes! Click here to order.
Essential Oils 101 Vol. VIII Hydrosols: Additional Weapons in your Aromatherapy Arsenal!
What are Hydrosols? When most Essential Oils are made, the plant material is steam distilled. The steam is forced at high pressure through the plant material to extract the volatile oils. These volatile oils are what contain the aromatic molecules, along with the balanced, natural chemicals that provide the healing properties associated with the oil. These volatile oils are better known as Essential Oils. At the end of this process, we end up with the water (from the steam) and the Essential Oils floating on top. The Essential Oils are then removed from the water, leaving an aromatic, all natural water known as a Hydrosol. Although most of the EO is removed, there are still traces of it left in the water, and the aroma is usually close to the aroma of the EO, but not identical. Hydrosols are not concentrated like EOs are, and are extremely mild in comparison. Each Hydrosol’s healing properties are the same as those associated with the EO from which it was extracted, just in a much more diluted form. Because Hydrosols are basically water, and water is the basis for life, it is necessary to be extremely sterile when bottling, and we triple-strain our Hydrosols when we get them because we just won’t take a chance on sending you an inferior product. This will have no effect on how you use them in your formulations—you will still need to preserve your products as usual. We are offering Certified Organic Bulgarian Lavender and Rosemary Verbenone, and German Chamomile, Neroli, Witch Hazel and Moroccan Rose. *Because the Essential Oil market fluctuates and availability of Hydrosols is often varied, we can’t guarantee that we will always have them, or that they will always be these particular Hydrosols.You may keep them in the refrigerator or in a closed cabinet. How do I use Hydrosols, and why should I? Hydrosols are used as a substitute for water in anything you’re making. I use them for crèmes, lotions, CP soaps, Facial toners & masks, Body mists, household cleaning formulas, hair rinse, doggie rinse, bathtub soaks, cleaning wipes—the list just goes on! Some people even cook with them, but I don’t. Use Hydrosols alone, or with Essential Oils to boost both the properties and the aroma. Along with the recipes given for the sprays, I’m including one of my absolute favorite crème recipes. By substituting Hydrosol for the water, I boost both the heavenly aroma, as well as the healing, protective qualities of the crème. If Heaven has a smell, this must be it! Bulgarian Heaven Crème (9 Ounces) (Converted to volume for those without an appropriate scale) 1/2 bar of Emulsoy™ 6 Ounces of your favorite carrier oil combination 2 Ounces East African, Unrefined Shea Butter 1 Ounce Calendula Oil 8 Ounces Bulgarian Lavender Hydrosol 1 Ounce of Green Tea (Made with Distilled water) 1 Tablespoon Bulgarian Lavender Essential Oil ¼ Teaspoon of ROE 1 ½ Teaspoons Germaben II E 1 cooking thermometer Add the Emulsoy™ and Shea butter to your carrier oils and microwave until it reaches 160°. Brew a cup of Green Tea and remove 2 Tablespoons. (Don’t forget to drink the rest!) Add the tea to the Hydrosol and heat to 160°.(This is how we know we’ve killed any “thingies” which may already exist in the oils and water.) Allow both the oils and the water parts to cool down to no higher than 120°, and then stir the ROE into the oil mixture. Pour the Hydrosol/tea into the blender, and then slowly pour in the oil mixture. Blend until thickened. When the crème has cooled to 90°, add the Essential Oil and blend well, and then add the Germaben II E, blending well. Pour into containers and allow to thicken overnight. New Essential Oils! We’ll start with Mandarin, Red, (Citrus Deliciosa.) There are three choices for this gorgeous oil—Yellow, Green and Red—the Red being the most aromatic, Aromatherapeutic and, of course, slightly higher in price. The different choices have to do with at what stage the fruit is picked and distilled. Obviously, when the fruit is ripe (Red) the aromatic qualities are at their peak. I sent Deborah a sample of each of these oils so she could understand why I insisted on the Red variety rather than the others. She didn’t even argue about the few cents an ounce difference after she got her first whiff of the Red type! Mandarin is right up there with Rose and Neroli when it comes to calming, soothing and stress-busting abilities, and at a much more affordable price. Many people think that Tangerine is the same as Mandarin, but there is absolutely no comparison—it’s like the difference between sleeping on the floor and sleeping on a $10,000 mattress—you can sleep on both, but you’ll sleep much better on the mattress. I’m not knocking Tangerine EO at all; it smells divine and has many great uses. What I am saying is that, when it comes to Aromatherapeutic stress-busting and an aroma without comparison, Mandarin is the EO of choice. Spanish Sage (Salvia Lavandulaefolia) is a powerful odor-buster (I love to mix it with Lemon!) It is also strongly antiseptic, anti-depressant and works well when added to muscle-ache blends. I add it to every cleaning solution I make, and make Lemon & Sage SoyWax™ candles for the kitchen to eliminate odors. When mixed with Rosemary, Tea Tree and Lemon Essential Oils and blended with Polysorbate 20 into either Lavender or Rosemary Hydrosol, you get a disinfecting, deodorizing, germ-busting cleaner that smells clean and fresh, not medicine-like. * Please note: The Essential Oil of common garden sage (Salvia Officinalis) is NOT safe to use so please don’t confuse the two!
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The
photo we shot above has two very different uses. Our
Chef, Greg Engelhardt, showed us how to beautifully garnish drinks
for special occasions. We liked the chopped, edible flower garnish
the most. You simply take Impatiens, Pansies or Rose petals
and cut them with scissors to achieve a "chopped"
look. This cost us nothing since we have these in our
gardens. We dusted them with powdered vanilla and set the
plate aside. In another plate we poured sweet edible
vegetable glycerin and simply dipped (just a tad) the rim of the
glass into the glycerin and then over to the vanilla dusted
chopped petals. We don't drink much at Mabel, so this would be
more a smoothie type offering when we entertain. The other
use in the glass is a potion we call a "body drink" that did not
result in an article, but we found this presentation fascinating!
Spade leaning back in his corporate cubicle. "No."
"No." "How about Thursday?"
"No." "How about we switch our accounts to
UPS?" (Mabel not Spade) "Nooo!" It
appears that so many companies in Punta Gorda and other Coastal
communities wanted to overnight equipment,
as we did. I suppose if Fed Ex did their job during these
storms, they would need
ten extra planes, if not more. I am sure some CEOs wanted to
overnight themselves as well, since the roads out of the area were
so congested. Anyway, Fed Ex had better never claim
that they helped the victims of our recent slew of hurricanes
using
heroic measures. If
they want to beg me to remove this article, I will say
"No! I am exercising my right to Free Speech, get used to
liking it!" As it was, my peers always laughed at me for
not using UPS as they do. Well, thanks to UPS we are back on
track, and thanks to David Spade for keeping us laughing.
well on
camera, I need to get her an agent. Uh huh. Little did they
know that she was tranquilized to the hilt, being afraid of loud
noises. One
sound and I have an 83
pound Golden Retriever knocking me off my bed. Anyway,
getting an agent is not practical, since she will not even allow me to
photograph her. The photo to the right was the best I could
get after nearly 99 shots. Most were of her butt as she ran from
the camera. She could be a poster dog for the animal shelter,
maybe. She's normally a happy dog, but hates having her picture
taken.
On a happier note, Mabel is donating to the 
Creating
new flavors, fragrance oils and essential oil blends are what we
do best and have been
very exciting to prepare. The final additions to our holiday
line are:
Essential and
Fragrance oils, in water to make things such as room sprays, body
mists, linen sprays, etc. Ours is vegetable-derived and non-irritating. Beware that some Polysorbate 20 is
animal-derived, (YUCK!) which we would never consider using or
offering to our customers.
We
have broached upon sugar, salt and coffee scrubs in previous
issues, such as this one, (
Coconut and Castor Oil carrier oils and took her turn next. She was as elated as I
was. Lynda made hers with Turbinado brown sugar
and Apricot Kernel carrier oil and was glowing as well.
We even used them on our faces and found our skin to be as
exfoliated as it could get, and soft as a baby's skin. The
important thing is to just pat yourself dry and allow the
oils to sink in to keep you feeling soft and moisturized all day
long! The salt scrub was preferred over all, in part
because ground coffee is hell to clean up out of a bath tub, and
sugar has growth problems so you have to add a preservative
to it, where you don't have to when using salt. Still, we
would use any of them again and now understand that most scrubs
offer more immediate gratification than any toiletry we ever
thought of making. That is why consumers buy products: For results! As
for the $55
jar to the right, it seems it is all in the packaging.
Vanilla from
our Mississippi store. I called to see what they were using
it for, because it is challenging to ship that much "white
powder." She shocked me when she said Edible Love
Dust. She also gave me permission to discuss this and
that it is a great selling item. I told her to think about
adding cocoa and expounding on her line that is doing well.
We can also make powered flavors, like Mango, in our California facility,
so I made sure to mention that would be an awesome
combination. I would market that in a gold 6 ounce tin with
a powder puff, and maybe wrap a silk fuchsia satin ribbon around
it. This could also be packaged in a simple powder sifter we
hope to carry soon. 
use the chemical garbage
that's on the cosmetic shelves, Mother Nature's pure clays are
completely different. I have always used Bentonite or Kaolin
(I love the French Pink!) clays mixed with Honey or Agave Nectar for amazing results as a
moisturizing mask. The problem is that, while these gentle clays
are super-effective moisturizers, they just don't provide the
"suck-the-junk-out-of-my-pores" ability I wanted. Thank
goodness I discovered Rhassoul Clay! Mined from deep
under the Atlas mountains in Northern Africa, this amazing clay
cleans out the yucky stuff without tearing up the skin! When
mixed with the appropriate Hydrosol, (the aromatic,
therapeutic distillate waters which contain the Essential Oils
before they are extracted), you get personalized results for
your skin you may never have thought possible. If
you have oily skin and/or acne, you'll be absolutely thrilled with this
clay mixed with our Witch Hazel Hydrosol. Mix it with our
Certified Organic Bulgarian Lavender Hydrosol or
our Moroccan Rose Hydrosol and you have a sensual, hard-working
facial beyond compare! For inflamed skin, broken
capillaries or Rosacea, use our German Chamomile Hydrosol. Our
Rosemary Verbenone Hydrosol is balancing
and refreshing, and for a flat-out decadent, "I need to be pampered"
experience, go for the luxurious Neroli Hydrosol package. 
