Make a stand. Demand a choice!

Do you remember when you were younger and you scraped your knee or had a rash, or burned your hand really bad and grandma would run to the kitchen and come out with some ointment or herb to put on the area. She would most likely continue the treatment for a few days and then one day you would look and the area would be like new again. Back then, you thought it was magic. That grandma had some special kind of powers. Well, grandma knew something that most people are learning about today. It's called "Mother Natures greatest gifts".

Back then, our grandparents had a knowledge of herbs and plant extracts that, because of mass production and chemical manufacturers of today, has become lost to most of us. That knowledge is that you can have soaps, creams and ointments that sooth, and smooth, cleanse and heal all made from natural ingredients.

Fruits, herbs, vegetable oils, plant extracts and minerals were all used to treat both common and uncommon issues and to beautify. There is evidence of this dating back to the Egyptian era and the Chinese Dynasty. From American Indians, Africans, Aborigines and others across the world, many cultures used natural ingredients to treat and beautify themselves. Why shouldn't we use them today?

What has changed?

With the advancement of technology and mass production processes, large companies can make face creams and soaps in a matter of minutes and it will last up to 3 years or more on the shelf (now would you want to put something on your body that has been sitting on the shelf for 3 years?). Why are they able to make a product that will last that long? Because they load it with chemicals and other by-products. Is that what you want on your skin? Or do you want a choice?

Now is the time to take a stand!

There is a new legislation that is being drafted and presented to congress now that will take your options to buy "natural cosmetics" away from you. It's called, "FDA Globalization Act" (read the full document here: http://energycommerce.house.gov/FDAGlobalAct-08/Dingel_60AXML.pdf

Who will be hurt by this?

Small business owners and YOU! That's who! This is a legislation designed by large corporations to push small "Independant (Indie) " businesses out of business. You see, larger corporations don't have an interest in producing and selling you natural products. It cuts into their profits. They might say they are using natural ingredients, but read the labels. You may see one natural ingredient in the 15 ingredients that are listed on one product. It is cheaper for the manufacturers to produce 100 bottles of lotions using chemicals and fillers, add chemical preservatives and sit it on the shelf for the next five years until it sells, than to make 10 bottles of lotion using natural ingredients that will only have a shelf life of 3 to 6 months. These over the counter (OTC) cosmetics are the same products that later you find are not good for you and contain cancer causing ingredients. So why use them? Is this what you want on your skin, going into your skin?

You have a choice! Use your voice!

There are many small independent (Indie) cosmetic and beauty companies out there that offer superb products using natural ingredients, but if the FDA passes this law, companies like The Essence of You and many more will be out of business. In order for us and any Indie cosmetic companies to survive the passing of this law, every one of our products, like our Norwegian Kelp Facial Cleanser or our Shea and Sugar Body Polish would be treated like a drug, not a cosmetic and would have to go through FDA licensing for each product. The fees could cost us up to $12, 000 per year, which small companies like The Essence of You could not withstand, let alone the process it would take to file each product before it could come to market.

Join us

The Essence of You believes is safe comestics and will do what is needed to to continue to offer great (animal cruelty free) products using high quality ingredients and an above standard of professionalism. Join us in the fight to oppose this law. Watch this video and sign the petition. Let them know that they can't make choices for us. We have a voice. After signing the petition, check out this link: http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/indie_business/2008/08/preparing-for-a.html to see the steps that are being taken to save small Indie cosmetic businesses. Lastly, spread the word and tell a friend.

Enhance your color

Do you have lackluster hair? Bring a burst of life to your color by using things from your garden.

Create your own color enhancing hair rinse, just right for your hair color.

► Brunettes: Fresh rosemary sprigs,
► Redheads (with orange tones): chopped carrots
► Redheads (deeper tones/berry tones): chopped beets
► Blondes: dried chamomile

Tie the appropriate ingredient in cheesecloth and add to boiling water. Remove from heat and let soak for 10 minutes. Remove cheesecloth and let cool a bit. Shampoo and rinse hair. While your color enhancing rinse is still warm (not hot), pour over hair and let sit for a minute or 2, then rinse thoroughly with clear cold water and style as usual. Do this when every your color needs a boost.

Tip 1: For blondes who hair turns a greenish after swimming, add lemon juice to your rinse water. Brassy brunettes, add apple cider vinegar to your rinse water.

Tip 2: To get natural highlights, add lemon juice to hair and go out in the sun.

Gaining Strength from a Stone

Today, it called to me. My body and soul needed it’s comfort, and reassurance. It’s warmth and glow called out to me, but I couldn’t find it anywhere, so I tried to replace it with something else. It looked ok and in the eyes of others, it would do fine, but it just felt wrong. So I continued my search, and after moving things here and there, and looking in the place where it should have been, I found it. It slide down into a spot that was now covered with sketches and tools, but I found it and my soul rejoiced as I put it around my neck and it connected with my heart charka. Peace was found in my Amber necklace.

For those of you that know the power of “Crystal Healing” will know what I’m talking about, and for those of you who don’t, let me enlighten you.

The “thing” I was in search for was a necklace that I made some time ago. It’s a beautiful and simple necklace that I have repeatedly received compliments on, but it was not the necklace that called out to me, but the Amber piece that’s apart of the necklace that called to me (or my heart to it).

Crystals (or gem stones) have a way of healing and balancing. Through out time, there have been evidence of how different cultures used the power of crystals to cleanse, heal and bring balance. From Egyptians, Africans, Indians, Mayan Indians, Asians and more are all noted to have used the power of crystals in healing.

When I woke up this morning, my mind was clouded with thoughts racing through my head (I went to sleep the same way). As I sort through the confusion of what to wear today, only one thing was certain. I needed to wear my amber necklace. Why you ask?

Amber (is not a crystal at all, but a tree resin) is a powerful healer and cleanser. It has strong connections to the earth and is a grounding stone for higher energies. It cleanses the charkas by absorbing negative energies and transmuting them into positive forces.

So as I put the necklace around my neck, a calm sense of being immediately came over me and every thing felt right. All my doubts and negative thoughts were washed away, and reassurance of the right decisions lay in it’s wake. I’m confident the choice I make today will be the right choices, starting with, wearing my Amber necklace.

Color me Naturally

Looking to change the color of your hair this summer? Why not use Henna.

Henna is an herb (from the leaves and shoots of the henna shrub) native to the subtropical regions of Africa, Middle East and India. Henna is a natural dye that, when applied to the hair, coats the hair with a transparent red coloring (the shade varies depending on your hair color). While adding color to your hair, henna conditions and strengthens the hair as well. It also has anti-fungal properties that help in the reduction of dandruff. Henna leaves the hair easier to detangle, soft and more manageable.

Don’t be fooled by the henna sold in hair supply stores. Natural henna can be found in health food and herbal stores, Indian markets and natural herb suppliers online. In Indian Markets, you may find packets of henna combined with other herbs to promote hair growth and strengthening of the hair or buy the Henna (powdered) by itself and mix it with your own herbs and essential oils to meet the needs of your hair. Add eggs, floral water or other natural dyes to customize your color and condition your hair.

Henna will not lighten your hair. On dark (black or brown) hair, henna provides auburn to burgundy color with red highlights that will be visible in the sunlight. For Blond hair, henna will give a natural red color. White or silver hair will have a natural to deep red color, and red hair will have a deeper, richer red color. So, if your looking for a safer way to add color to your hair, Henna is the way to go.


Henna’s history:

o Henna was also used as a healing plant and for cleansing and cooling the skin
o Ancient Egyptians would dye their hair red using henna to cover their gray
o Ancient Egyptians stained the fingers and toes of the Pharaohs and nobles before mummification
o Henna is used to create temporary body art called Mehndi. It is practiced in Pakistan, India, Morocco, Africa and currently in the western cultures(tattoos)

Having their say

Industry Standards for Natural Body Care Products.



Last week, an annoucement was made by Whole Foods and OASIS (Organic and Sustainable Industry Standards) about their plans to help shoppers select the highest level of natural and organic products. Another organization called The Natural Standard, led by Burt's Bee executive Mike Indursky and the National Products Association (NPA) has also been working for over a year to come up with their standard for the industry.

Each organization serves different purposes and segments of the marketplace.

For Whole Foods, "Premium" products are their goal and to reach this goal, they have a list of roughly 250 ingredients banned from use in products from companies that would want to use the "Premium Beauty Care" Label. They plan to use a third party certifier to make these determination on products.

OASIS will use a third party certifier as well to judge a product's organic content before that product can bear the OASIS seal. For now, ingredients that are non-organic such as "Citric Acid and conventional ingredients used to maintain shelf life like Phenxythanol", will be allowed in products with an OASIS seal.

The Natural Standard will require products defined as "natural" to have 95 % of all ingredients be natural ("ingredients that come from a purposeful, renewable and plentiful source found in nature adn don't use synthetic/harsh chemicals"). This standard will be determined by using a third party certifier as well.

What will this mean for small natural body care manufacturers? It's not mentioned if these standards will apply to small manufacturers or not, but it will mean stepping up to the plate and demanding only high quality ingredients in products. Know your suppliers and ask questions about the ingredients. Be informed.

To read the complete article on this subject, click this link

We're back

Wow, it's been a while since I've logged on, but here I am.

A lot has happened since I was last here so I'm just going to jump to the present.

My company, The Essence of You, has re-launched our web site. It's new. It's fresh and it's easy to use. So check us out at http://www.theessenceofu.com/ and tell me what you think.

We've launched a new product line called "Luminescence Mineral Make-up" and so far it's a hit. Our mineral make-up is 100% natural, no filler, synthetics or irritants like Bismuth and talc. Best of all, it's formulated to compliment the many shades of Ethnic women's skin. We carry loose mineral foundation and mineral colours (which can be used for eye shadows, blush, lip stain, nail color and more), and more to come.

Here is what one of our customers had to say about our foundation: http://www.theessenceofu.com/pages/testimonials.html

OK, I'm back and ready to fastward things a bit to bring you up to date.

Over the next few years, I continued to create pieces of jewelry, teaching my self techniques along the way. I began to incorporate bead and stone emblishments to create one of a kind pieces. The majority of my customers came from my job where I did office work. After a while I had a large following of customers who brought for themselves and their family and friends. I also had a few NY boutiques that would sell my jewelry as well.

In 1998 I married my husband, Duane, and in 2000 we had our beautiful daughter, Gi'Anna and in 2001 we moved to Philadelphia.

Gi'Anna was eventually diagnosed with allergies, atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema and asthma. Her allergies included fish, eggs, nuts/peanuts and some airborne allergies. We were told that eczema and asthma sometimes go hand in hand. We had to give her steriodial asthma medication and a prescription creams for her eczema. Both doctors and friends recommended everything from vaseline and crisco (yes, crisco that you cook with, but it is actually skin softening as well), to steriodial creams and lotions for her eczema. Gi'Anna received some relief with the use of Steriods, but that was only temporary. Once we stopped the use of the steriods, the flare-ups would return and since steriods are more damaging to the skin the longer you use them, we stopped using them altogether.

I began to take the suggestions of some family and friends and tried some natural creams and lotions as a solution for Gi'Anna's skin, but yet again no relief. I began to do my own research on eczema to find it's cause and to see if I could blend a natural cream or lotion for my daughter. My search turned up information that I was unaware of (nor did the doctor tell me some of these things) :

1. There is no "cure" for eczema, only treatments.

2. There are different forms of eczema, like atopic (allergic), neurodermatitis (is a severe, chronic form of eczema which is started by an allergic predisposition, but pyschological factores plays a role too. Most people with this form also has asthma and suffer from hay fever, like my daughter)

3. Not everyone's eczema can be treated the same.

4. Eczema usually occurs in families and is often passed down.

I began to purchased a few natural butter and oils and blended them together and made creams and lotions. I started to try them out on family and friends and they where a hit. I even had teachers from Gi'Anna's daycare placing orders. During the christmas holiday season, I could not make enough lotions, I had orders coming on a daily basis, with request for more items. So I began to create body polishes and body washes and before I knew it, I had a line of skin care products that were selling like hotcakes. I even started to get orders from some friends of friends in New York, so I decided that I had a good thing going and wanted a way to combine my love for jewelry making and now my love and desire to offer wonderful skin care products to all. That's how The Essence of You!, Where beauty begins, began! We offer Body Indulgence, our natural beauty and skin care line and Tieast, The Essence of Design, our eclectic, handcrafted jewelry and accessory line (http://www.theessenceofu.com/).