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Handmade Beauty Connection
May 12, 2003

Publication of The Handmade Beauty Network
ISSN 1530-9630 | Vol. 4, Issue 19
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This Week's Sponsor:

Essential Wholesale manufacturers the largest variety of naturally derived Unscented Cosmetic Bases in the United States. We offer 100% all natural and 95% naturally derived bases as opposed to the industry standard chemically synthetic bases. The synthetic bases sold by our competitors may be cheaper in some cases, but they are certainly not better for you or the environment, and your customers will thank you for caring about their welfare. We also offer Small & Large Run Private Labeling and Custom Formulating while supplying hundreds of Soap Making Supplies, Essential Oils and Raw Ingredients to help businesses large and small.

Brand New Line!
Laundry & Household Cleaner Bases

We would like to announce the launch of our newest line of natural source, unscented bases. If you have ever wanted to carry your own Laundry and Kitchen Care Line then we can certainly help. You can even scent them to your liking designing your own custom line. Just click on the photo to find our more.

Essential Wholesale | Toll Free: (866) 252-9639 (USA only)
Phone: (503) 252-9639 | Email: info@essentialwholesale.com

Help Wanted - Professional Soap Maker
We are looking for that special someone to head our new Soapmaking Division. If you are in the Oregon area or are willing to relocate and have extensive experience, then we would love to talk to you. Please send query requirement email with resume to cpsoap@essentialwholesale.com and we will contact you with details.

1. HBN Update: Welcome New & Renewing HBN Members!
2. Handmade Beauty Recipe Of The Week: Summer Thyme Lemon Facial Steam
3. Handmade Beauty Trivia Question: win a bar of Lemongrass Soap!
4. Create the Life You Love™: What Others Do For Us ...
5. Handmade Beauty Product Review by Donna Maria: Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme

1. HBN Update: Welcome New & Renewing HBN Members!

KARE Handcrafted Soaps | Karilee Valeriano | Montana
* renewing member; Handmade soap made with the finest natural ingredients and quality essential oils, herbs, botanicals and fragrance oils

JaeCee's Aromalicious | Jan Church | Washington
* herbal bath teas, salts, oils and shower products handmade fresh when the order is received; customization available

Code:Skin | Angelica Fematt-Davidson | California
* botanical bath and body products focusing on results oriented skin care and relaxation

Learn more about our members and their exciting activities by visiting their Web sites through HBN's Online Member Directory, now with 4 ways to search: (1) by state/country; (2) by member business name; (3) by keyword search; or (4) using our new alphabetical listings.

2. Handmade Beauty Recipe Of The Week: Summer Thyme Lemon Facial Steam

As we approach summer (that's right, it's right around the corner!), this recipe for Summer Thyme Lemon Facial Steam is sure to keep your facial skin fresh and radiant. Developed especially for teens or people with oily skin, this steam is easy to make and will refresh your skin on the hottest summer days!

When you visit MakeYourCosmetics.com, it's easy to buy the ingredients you need by clicking on our Partner links:

Essential Wholesale: pure essential oils, base carrier oils such as avocado, sweet almond, jojoba and shea butter and specialty packaging supplies!

Bramble Berry, Inc.: over 75 different fragrance oils (including their exclusive "Relaxing" and "Rosehip Jasmine"), all soap tested, soap molds and unscented soap bases!

SunRose Aromatics: pure essential oils (many organic), carrier oils and other aromatherapy products, each carefully selected for quality. Check out their new Perfumer's Emporium.

The Scent Shack: fragrance oils and soap supplies. Fragrance oils are pre-tested in cold process, melt & pour soap, and candles, and test results are listed at the Web site. Scents tested by soapers for soapers!

Lynden House International , Canadian supplier of soap and candlemaking supplies such as fixed oils, perfumes, essential oils, molds, powdered milks, colors, pre-made bases, candle wax, wicks, embeds and more!

3. Handmade Beauty Trivia Question: the winner of last week's contest was Nicole Salim of Arcadia, California. Nicole won a copy of Body Care Just For Men by Jim Long!!

Last Week's Question: The cosmetics industry has four make-up segments. To win this week, name all four of them in alphabetical order.

Last Week's Answer: eye, face, lip, nail

This Week's Question: The first person to respond with the correct number of newsletter subscribers as of the time this newsletter is published today will win a bar of one of my favorite soaps of all time -- Lemongrass Soap by HBN member Leslie's Garden Handcrafted Soaps!

Please read the contest rules here before submitting your entry. Put "TRIVIA CONTEST ANSWER" in the subject line or your answer will not be considered.

While time does not permit me to respond personally to all entrants, the winner's name is always posted in the following newsletter.

4. Create The Life You Love™: What Others Do For Us ...

Last week, I accepted the US Small Business Administration's Washington Area Home-Based Business Advocate of the Year Award. (That's me to the left, accepting the award, as SBA officials (left) and Mistress of Ceremonies Debbi Jarvis (right) look on.)

During the awards breakfast, I was excited to be in the company of several SBA representatives, a Congressional representative or two, the energy and vitality of several hundred other small business owners and entrepreneurs, and most importantly, HBN member Ricey Clapp of Inner Sanctum Salon & Day Spa who represented the nearly 400 members of HBN!!

Since everyone who subscribes to this newsletter (especially HBN members!) play such a crucial role in what is done here at HBN, I wanted to share my remarks with you. You will find them below, as prepared for delivery. (Below, I am pictured with Mistress of Ceremonies Debbi Jarvis "poking" fun at my expanding baby-belly!)

Thank you very much. For anyone, to receive an honor recognizing hard work and accomplishment is really an incredible experience. But when one receives an honor simply for doing what one loves to do -- well that is truly humbling. And that is what I feel today - humbled and honored to be recognized simply for doing something that I love to do.

Whatever I have been blessed to achieve is not so much because of what I have done as it is because of what others have done for me. And perhaps you can relate to this in your business as well.

We have parents and more experienced family members who teach us that there are no limits except those that are self-imposed.

We inherit a sibling or two -- in my case my brother Jeff (an entrepreneur in his own right) -- who act as a sort of brutally honest board of directors. (But they are free so they can say whatever they want!)

We benefit from service providers and business associates whose expertise helps our lives and businesses run more smoothly.

We are thankful for those who keep an eye on our young children so we can work confidently and pursue our professional goals in the next room.

We enjoy friends who, when they hear our next brilliant idea, don't look at us like we have taken leave of our senses, but who instead say, "how can I help you achieve your goals?"

And we have a national organization, the US Small Business Administration, which provides so many valuable services to businesses around the nation, and which takes the time to recognize and encourage our efforts to succeed.

To the nearly 400 members of The Handmade Beauty Network -- represented here today by Maryland member Carolyn Clapp of Inner Sanctum Salon & Day Spa -- you are a constant source of inspiration and encouragement. I salute everyone one of you, who allow me the privilege of serving you. And I encourage everyone here -- if you want to see a group of tenacious entrepreneurs from nearly all 50 states and Canada who are passionate about providing products and services that truly enhance people's lives, to visit the Handmade Beauty Network Web site Online Member Directory and have a look at small business in action!

I humbly acknowledged my God who has makes all things possible and has never withheld from me any good thing.

To my husband Darryl, who has had every type of lotion in every imaginable aroma smeared, spritzed, sprayed and rubbed all over his body, and who continues to hold my hand through the good times and the more challenging ones. I love you.

And to my little girl and the next one on they way -- I hardly know what to say. I hope mommy makes you proud.

With all of these resources at my disposal, how could I not try my best to Create The Life I Love and encourage others to do the same?

Mr. Loddo (pictured with me at left), and everyone who took part in allowing me the privilege of this honor -- I certainly don't know who you all by name, but I know you in my spirit, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

5. Handmade Beauty Product Review by Donna Maria: Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme by Burt's Bees

Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme by Burt's Bees
$7.00 (price may vary at your local market) | 2 ounces

OK, let's face it, HBN members make fabulous stuff, but there are some non-members who make products I enjoy now and then, and this is one of my latest finds. Known for infusing herbs and essential oils into simple bases of "earth friendly, natural personal care products," Burt's Bees rarely disappoints and this is no exception.

I have always been partial to the aroma of almonds. Who could resist sniffing something that smelled like fat-filled, gooey marzipan cookies - sans the calories? I can't! So when I opened the tester of this goodie a few weeks ago in a local organic market inhaled deeply, I knew I was half way to purchase. A dip of my finger into the creamy balm ensured its place in my shopping basket.

Made with sweet almond oil, beeswax and water as the main ingredients (the oil being more prominent than the water), Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme smoothes quickly and easily into my hands. Now that they are exposed more, my feet, ankles and elbows are also enjoying the soothing feel of this product. I encourage you to massage it liberally into your feet and cover with socks overnight. Any rough, dry skin will vanish!

You can buy Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme and other Burt's Bees products online.

Visit The Handmade Beauty Connection Archives.

Visit our suite of Web sites serving the handmade toiletries industry:

IndieBeauty.com: the leading industry trade organization
MangoButter.com: 450+ suppliers of raw materials and packaging, updated weekly!
MakeYourCosmetics.com: ingredient encyclopedia & original cosmetics recipes
DonnaMaria.com: sound advice for your small business, Create The Life You Love™
AromaGirls.com: Coming Soon: "defining beauty for ourselves"

Have your ad seen by nearly 4,100 subscribers! ! Click here to see why Essential Wholesale says that the returns from their newsletter ad "just keep on coming," and why The Scent Shack says, "Our sponsorship of The Handmade Beauty Connection went over very well, we had a huge number of hits on the day the newsletter was published, plus we got quite a few new customers."

Donna Maria, Publisher & Editor-In-Chief, DonnaMaria@IndieBeauty.com
The Handmade Beauty Connection
The Handmade Beauty Network | www.IndieBeauty.com

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