Egyptian Rose Hydrating Mist

The Ancient Egyptians valued health and beauty and created all sorts of concoctions in response to the dry sandy winds and hot sun. Elixers, ungents, oils and salves were brewed, blended, extracted and conjured up by royalty and slave alike.

Now Maia Skin Care has drawn inspiration from the Ancient Egyptians to produce a truly magical hydrating mist and toner.

Egyptian Rose Hydrating Mist captures the essence of opulent trailing roses, sweet fresh geraniums with a hint of warm seductive vanilla. It is created by harmoniously blending organic rose petal and geranium waters, vegetable glycerin and pure plant extracts of hibiscus, oats and frankincense to tone, soothe, nourish and hydrate the skin whilst instantly calming the mind.

The Egyptian Rose Hydrating Mist is multi-functional and suits all skin types and skin conditions. It is so useful you will want one for your desk, in your drawer, make-up bag, locker and everywhere you go!

Just a few amazing benefits: hydrating, balancing, toning, helps refine pores, helps other products work better, calms irritated skin, soothes sunburn, can be used as a moisturiser for oily skin, treat razor burn and more.

You can get the Egyptian Rose Hydrating Mist 100mls now for the introductory price of £13.57. It is packaged in a beautiful dark glass bottle, so stylish and elegant! This special offer is available until the end of June 2009 and the usual price will be £16.95.

Read more about the wonderful benefits and uses on the Maia Skin Care website www.maiaskincare.co.uk and sign up to the Maia newsletter while you are there for a 15% discount and regular exclusive offers, news and freebies.

Fresholi Review:

This is a most indulgent product. A must-have for hot days to refresh and revive both the skin and the soul. I have been using this gorgeous spray practically constantly. I have used it as a toning spritzt right after cleansing as it rehydrates and the moisturisers seals it in. I have also been using it throughout the day, over make up, as it really cools and refreshes.

The aroma is exotic and luscious and it really brings comfort to the skin. Just lovely. Fantastic to use when you have a headache (on the face and the back of the neck) as it seems to bring some very welcome relief.

Beautifully packaged, really classy and stylish and I have really enjoyed showing off to just about everyone who happens to be in spraying distance - they don't complain, in fact it most often gets grabbed from my hands so they can get a closer look. It is so clearly labelled, beautifully presented and a generous volume (should keep me going for a little while yet). I for one can't wait to see what else comes out of the the Maia Skin Care lab because it just keeps getting better and better and better. This new addition is a must have for the summer!!

Chocolate Fix Anyone?

Only one thing to say... Mmmmmmelange Chocolate..........

Look if you dare :o)

On the one hand I wish I lived closer to this gorgeous choccy shop but on the other, it is a really good job I don't.

The Melange Chocolate
"Purely intended to excite your senses and satisfy your appetite"

Launching Fresholistics!!

By Helen Williams MICHT MIFHB Cert. ED

After much planning, I am so very pleased to finally launch Fresholistics, which brings you a growing range of synergistically blended essential oils for use in finished products and therapeutic applications. These are not blended in a factory, nor are they standard blends. Instead, these blends are my own creations based on my years of experience as a practising beauty & complementary therapist and lecturer. Fresholistics offers a truly therapeutic approach to finished products.

Fresholistics Therapeutic Blends:

· Individually created by a qualified & experienced therapist
· Contain whole/complete, unadulterated, quality essential oils and nothing else
· No isolates, synthetics or preservatives
· Essential oils are selected for their therapeutic properties
· Adds label appeal to your finished products and can be further enhanced by including words to the effect of “blend created/developed by a qualified aromatherapist”
· Can be used in salon treatments
· Can be added to finished products such as soaps, creams, oils, bath & body products.

Complementary therapy is based on the ethos that the “whole” is central to all therapeutic applications. For this reason, no isolates or synthetics are used – only the complete, unadulterated oil is ever considered for inclusion in the blends.

Oils are chosen, first & foremost, for their therapeutic properties and are then blended to create a powerful synergy. I will also work closely with crafters and formulators in the creation of their own custom blends and product development. See Custom Blend/Development…

What you are buying when you purchase a Fresholistics Synergistic Blend…

As a responsible therapist who holds dear the values of my profession, I feel it important that all customers are provided with more than just a blend of oils. Therefore, I feel it necessary to deliver a service that goes that bit further to ensure customers know as much as possible about the therapeutic compound they have purchased. So when a customer purchases an oil blend or I work with them in developing a blend, I provide the following:

· 100% Quality, carefully sourced, unadulterated, pure essential oil synergistic blends
· Allergen declarations & MSDS
· A data sheet that provides simple but detailed and useful information about each blend
· For ease of labelling, the key therapeutic properties, cautions & warnings

Fresholistics Custom Blending/Aromatherapy Product Development:

· Blended to meet individual product requirements
· Have your oils pre-blended to your own specification (to save you both time and the need to purchase individual oils)

I am very happy to create blends to meet individual needs. If you would like to have a blend created to meet your specific product aims or have a blend made to your own specifications, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

More Lovely Oils....

While I still finalise things regarding the new project I have been working on, I have added a few new oils to the growing list of natural and essential oils at Fresholi.

Melissa (true) - Somtimes called 'lemon balm' or 'bee balm', it has a delicate lemon-like aroma with herbal undertones. A soft, fresh and unique aroma. It has a long history of use, particularly for digestive disorders, nervousness and depression.

Melissa (blend) - A blend of essential oils to produce a remarkably similar melissa aroma at a more reasonable price. Ideal for those who want the aroma of true melissa withough having to dig too deep into their pockets. Please note this blend will not offer the same therapeutic properties as true melissa.

Helichrysum Italicum - There are a number of varieties of helichrysum but Italicum is thought to have superior healing and skin-soothing properties. Having a reputation in Europe for its beneficial properties for treating bronchial and pulmonary conditions and skin trauma.

Seabuckthorn Oil - Cold pressed from the pulp of the fruit, it is rich in essential fatty acids and nutrients (such as caratenoids, tocopherols, palmitoleic adid, sterols), seabuckthorn is well documented and highly respected for its incredibly beneficial properties. Very compatible with the skin and thought to be particularly useful in the treatment of eczema.

If you are a member to the site, you will be able to read more in-depth profiles of our essential oils in the Aromatherapy and Perfumery section of the site!

Preparing For Launch.....

Just a little quick note... I am preparing to launch a project that I have been putting together for some time. I must say, I am incredibly excited about this and, after talking to quite a few people, it seems that it is going to something that will be welcomed.

I dont want to give away too much at this point but I will say that it will allow me to apply my skills and experience as a therapist as well as open up new possibilities for non-therapist formulators.

I have been busying away at this for near on a year now, being careful in its planning and given each aspect lots of consideration and now, I am finally close to launch. I am optimistic about the project and the people it will better serve.

Coming soon to Fresholi......!!!!!

New Facial Spa Range & a free gift too!!

Essentially Soaps have just launched their new range of products including an exclusive range of 'Facial Spa' products with Dead Sea Mud and Sea Kelp. After much research and experimenting Kim (proprietor) said she had at last developed a facial scrub which was gentle on the skin had beneficial ingredients and did not strip the skin of its natural sebum and after using the facial scrub for 6 months herself was excited to be able to added it to her web site.

They have also broadened their existing range of 'Mum and Baby' which includes Shea Wipe/Melts, a light moisturising body cream for baby, a massage oil for mum and baby and a bottom balm and nipple balm.

They have also added to 2 new creams to the 'Face Cream' range for dry mature skin and an eye make up remover and eye bright Serum for tired puffy eye's.

They have recently had their natural aluminum free deo crystal deodorant tested and it passed stringent tests on the ability to keep odour at bay for over 8 hours. Which they are extremely proud of.

ESSENTIALLY SOAPS is based in Sussex and all their products can be ordered on line at www.essentiallysoaps.co.uk. They also supply to the 'Wholefood Store' in Wadhurst where many of their items can be tested and purchased.

Kim (Proprietor) has made creams and soaps for her family for many years as she was not happy with the quantity of chemicals in products that were on the market. Both she and her grand daughter had suffered with eczema and allergies but since they have stopped using chemically load toiletries they are both happy to say they no longer suffer from dry itchy skin.

The range of products that they make are to suit all skin types and they are always willing to help if you have a particular problem and cannot find a product to suit you or a blend of essential oils that you like. They can also make up gift baskets to suit any occasion and will even arrange for it to be posted to the recipient of your choice with a gift card.

They do not go in for expensive and unnecessary packaging to try to keep the cost down and use only the finest ingredients and essential oils.

They guarantee that none of their products are tested on animals or contain Parabens, Petrochemicals, SLS or other unnecessary ingredients.

Visit Essentially Soaps website and email them when you order quoting FRESHOLITE to receive a free gift. Wholesale enquiries welcomed.

A Bit Of Catch Up!

Oh my goodness, it seems like an age since I last posted to the blog. I have just been so busy with Fresholi things that I have not even had much time to spend around the Melting Pot forum. Anyway, I thought I best do a bit of catching up.

There have been lots of new and exciting bits and bobs added to the Fresholi inventory that I seem to have snuck on without anyone realising, lol. So here's a rundown of what's new:

Organic, unrefined tamanu oil is back in stock. There was a small problem with restocking as it seemed that a large manufacturer had gone and reserved an entire stock. Humph! But after a lot of asking (some would call in nagging), I managed to get hold of some - yay!! The demand for tamanu has increased significantly just lately and thus has forced the price up, however, I have managed to absorb the price rise (just) so the price to customers is held. You can read more about the benefits of this wonder oil here....

Lamesoft PO 65 This is an interesting ingredient. It an Ecocert registered ‘green’ biolipid derived from 100% natural and renewable materials. This mild and gentle skin care additive has been designed for use in green cleansing concepts to improve skin feel, enhance skin lipid layer and act as a natural thickener in green surfactant based formulas. It can be used in a wide range of applications, from lotions to bubble bath.

Ethox (Inci phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin) is a reliable, biodegradable, paraben-free preservative that offer’s a broad, balanced spectrum effect on bacteria, yeasts and mould fungi. A good choice for natural formulations except for those containing surfactants (where efficacy may be lost).

Essential Oils there have been a few that have sneaked on over the past few weeks but the most recent one is Roman Chamomile (English). There has been a poor harvest so finding a good quality oil at a good price has been so incredibly difficult. The range is gradually growing and I have to say, although it can cause a headache or two, it is an absolute joy sourcing good quality essential oils as I have the opportunity to submerge myself in a world that I dearly love and am very passionate about.

And now for the very latest additions:

Pure Absolutes Finding good quality essential oils is wonderful but oh.... you can only imagine the pleasure I have had finding pure absolutes. I am so very, very pleased with my finds, which include linen blossom, jasmine sambac, hyacinth and the most incredible frangipani with a most beautiful musky/powdery undertone that just lingers and lingers. All the absolutes are supplied in their purest forms.

I have also given the supplies area a bit of a facelift, which should help make navigating it a little more easy. Do have a look and see what you think. I have plans to introduce some new products very soon as well as increase choices in the ranges already available.

Don't forget though, Fresholi isn't all about supplies, in fact this is perhaps the smallest part of it. The Fresholi community is an ever-growing, ever-evolving group of the incredibly talented people who contribute so much and in so many ways to help enrich other's skills and knowledge through the community resources sections of the site (logging in will give you access to more) and through the Melting Pot forum. My sincere thanks to all the Fresholettes for making all that possible :o)