Bye to the Noughties!!

This is a very quick post to wish each and every one of you a most fantastic, healthy, happy and wonderful new year. I would also like to say a very big thank you to everyone that has supported the site; customers, contributors, forum members and visitors. A very big thank you to those that visit the blog, followers and, of course, those that interact with comments. Thank you so much. May 2010 be a peaceful and lovely new year.






P.S. Kevin from Taonga Jewellery & Homescents has just submitted Part 2 of his tutorials on Making Wax Melts and Candles. Thank you so much Kevin for your generosity and willingness to share your knowledge.

New Tutorials

The Fresholi Community are so wonderful and there is quite a bank of resources building from their generousity.


Recently, Elaine from Briallen Traditional Crafts submitted a wonderful Crockpot Hot Process Tutorial with clear and descriptive pictures. This tutorial is available to registered Fresholi members.




Also, Kevin from Taonga Jewellery and Homescents has kindly submitted the first of a series of tutorials for creating wax melts and candles.









Sincere thanks to both for your kindness and to all the Fresholi members who contribute so enormously to the lovely community :o)

Back To Normal!!

Oh thank goodness!! It seems that some of the issues have been resolved at Royal Mail and the strikes that were planned in the run up to Christmas have now been called off (until the new year at least). This is such good news, especially for those in Europe, who wish to make small orders.

I rather missed my little chats with the counter staff and have certainly missed my regular bike rides to and from the post office (although I'm not sure how keen I am going to be to use my bike when the weather turns really wintery, brrr.....).

Anyway, the Royal Mail shipping prices have now been put back in place on the site so will be calculated automatically (up to 1.8kg for European parcels and 800g for UK parcels).

My thanks to all those who have showed tolerance and understanding during this awkward period.

Yay! We are back to normal!!!!!

The Postal Strikes - UK and Europe

What's happening at Royal Mail? If you haven't heard already, here in the UK we are experiencing 'dispruptions' in our postal service due to Royal Mail workers taking strike action by staging a series of walkouts.

There was a national strike last week and one is planned for next week and these are set to continue in the run up to Christmas (unless and agreement is reached between Royal Mail and the union). So far, the strikes have caused a severe backlog of millions of parcels and letters so obviously delays (or worse, losses/damages) are inevitable.

Contingencies for UK customers. I have put some contingencies in place to ensure customers still receive their orders quickly and reliably by switching all shipping to courier only (which would remain unaffected by the issues at Royal Mail) and I am able to offer UK mainland courier shipping at a rate much lower than previously.

My European friends. That is all great news if you live in the UK. However, it saddens me deeply that my friends across the channel are presently unable to enjoy the Royal Mail shipping rates for small orders. Nothing stings quite like having charge an overseas courier fee for a small order (which may not even be to the value of the shipping itself). Courier shipping to Europe still works out good value for larger orders though.

What now for orders to Europe? Well, this has all lead to my sitting down and think what else I can do. I am able to offer:

• Reduced courier shipping rates to France, Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium for £12.70 for up to 25kg

Royal Mail Strike Dodging for Europe. I am going to make attempts to try and 'dodge' the strikes for European orders under 1.8kg. However, this will be by Airsure (which is a priority service offered by Royal Mail) where it is available. If it is not available in the destination country, then it will be sent International Signed-For. It is worth noting though that orders sent through any Royal Mail system could be subject to delays that would be beyond my control :o(

Hopefully someday soon we can all get back to normal and a happy resolution is reached between Royal Mail and its workers.

Beer Soaps

Elaine Jones of Briallen Crafts has recently introduced a range of handmade beer soaps.

Briallen handmade Beer Soaps are made with beers carefully selected from local breweries in North Wales and include gently refined organic Shea Butter from a Fair Trade project in Ghana. The lather from these handmade beer soaps is absolutely fantastic!


The first of the regular beer soaps is Cwrw Du (The literal translation of "Cwrw Du" is "Black Beer", one of the Welsh names for Stout). The stout used in the making of the Cwrw Du beer soap is Welsh Stout, a bottled stout from North Wales Brewery near Abergele. In the pipeline is another regular beer, the intriguingly named Dark Side of the Moose from the Purple Moose Brewery in Porthmadog.

In the tradition of all good bars there will be Guest Beers in addition to the regular ones and the first is a Guest Beer for Halloween! "Mysterious Myrtle" made with myrtle stout from the Purple Moose Brewery - just once or twice a year Purple Moose brew a stout flavoured with the Bog Myrtle herb.

Visit Briallen to see these wonderful Beer soaps and more.......

Very, very, very sorry :o(

Update! It all seems good now. Thank you to those who sent such kind words of support. I really am terribly sorry - It was just out of our control :o( Thank you all :o)

I am experiencing some difficulties at Fresholi. It seems the server has gone down and it has affected some major businesses, not just Fresholi. This means that at this moment in time, there is no access to the site, the forum nor can I receive or send any emails. Frustrating beyond words. I know that The Melting Pot forum members will also feel rather frustrated at the moment and all I can do is apologise.

The problem is extremely widespread (and there will be many websites down right now - I have checked out the host's forum and boy, are there some majorly unhappy customers, myself included). Please accept my sincerest apologies.

Skype if you need to:





I am ever so sorry about this and hopefully we will be up and running really soon :o)

Soap For Breakfast & The Best Of British

How exciting!! SoapyChica gorgeous Royal Crown soap has been included in an article featuring a range of British products. Well deserved SoapyChica. Royal Crown is just one work of art out of a whole range of visually perfect, stunning soaps.

Also, one of the members on The Melting Pot forum, from Saltwell Soap have put up a wonderful video, Hot Process Soap - The Really Quick Way, that is brilliant to watch. It is cleverly filmed in quick time, so the video is short, sweet and really interesting to watch all the stages in quick succession. Oh please go and have a look if you get a moment, it is great!!

Organic Nilotica and Dark Cocoa Butter

This is just a very quick note to say that I have taken delivery of a new stock of the gorgeous organic, virgin cocoa butter (dark) and the beautiful organic, unrefined nilotica butter. I have had (what seems like) the devil's job getting more of this in but this is of a particularly excellent quality and it has certainly made up for the long wait.

1st Newsletter Launched

Well, the first Fresholi Newsletter was launched a couple of days ago - very exciting for me. There were one or to who signed up but they didn't seem to receive it, which has been somewhat puzzling?? Anyway, on the whole the feedback was very good, which has pleased me no end. It contains information on ingredients, some recipes and ideas on development, what's new and current special offers and more.

Currently at Fresholi, there are offers on...

Olive Wax - 10% off

Black Seed and Argan Oil - 25%

Melissa (natural blend) - 30%

Offers end Thursday 3rd September '09 (while stocks last).

If you didn't receive the newsletter of haven't subsribed, it can be viewed online by clicking the link in the Fresholi Newsletter Archive (registered members)

If you haven't already subscribed to the newsletter, please feel free to sign up from the blog or on the main site.

My sincerest thanks to all those who have given me some much appreciated feedback and to those who have signed up :o)

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!! (It's an extra long one for us here in the UK, whoopie!!)

Win Rice!

Just a really quick one... This is a great site. My nine year old discovered this. For every answer you get right, 10 grains of rice are donated through the UN Food Program to help feed the hungry. It appears (judging by the time my daughter and husband have spent on it) it is rather addictive :o)

http://www.freerice.com/index.php

Fresholi Newsletter

Oh how I have neglected the blog. My apologies. We have been away on a lovely family holiday and Fresholi has kept me ever so busy (well, it keeps me out of trouble ;o)). Also, with the children being off from school, one can safely say that one has been run bloomin' ragged over the past few weeks. I am also just in the process of writing the first Fresholi Newsletter.

It will include ingredient information, recipes, what's new, offers and other news related to Fresholi. It is looking good so far and will hopefully be ready to go in the next week or so. If you haven't signed up from the main site or via the forum, please do so using the sign up form (on the blog) or on the main site.

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)

New From Shea Bliss + How to claim your discount!

There’s a spring in the step at Shea Bliss, as they unveil a host of new products including, for the first time, a Face Care range. Existing product lines have been strengthened with new Mother & Baby offerings and a range of creams and balms for dry skin conditions. A new light body cream and a long awaited Hand Cream are also now available.

Barbara from Shea Bliss comments, “Our Face Care range evolved from both customer demand and a desire to branch out from the intense therapy focus of most of our products. We study long and hard, using a wide range of oils and butters, to ensure that each product contains the right ingredients for the correct skin type. We’re very excited about our Face Care range, as well as the additions to our Body Care and Baby Care ranges”.

Based in Surrey, Shea Bliss products can be ordered online at www.sheabliss.co.uk. The company evolved as Barbara (proprietor) and her son suffer from dry skin and eczema, and were concerned about the amount of chemicals that they were putting on their skin.

The Shea Bliss product ranges include:

· Body Care - Creams, Lotions and Exfoliators
· Face Care – Creams for Normal/Combination, Dry/Mature and Oily/Teenage skin, a universal cleanser, and Exfoliators for All Skin Types and for Dry/Sensitive skin – all using natural oils and botanical fusions to create a range that is as natural as possible.
· Hair Care – Shampoo, Conditioner and Intense Conditioner all free from SLS and Parabens.
· Eczema and Dry Skin Conditions – Creams, Balms and Oils, completely free of chemicals, harnessing the healing properties of natural butters, oils and botanical fusions.
· Mother and Baby – From a Belly Butter for pregnancy (using Virgin Cocoa Butter!), through to Botty Balm, Infant Snuffle Balsam, Oils and Lotions.
· Shea Butter Soaps
· Gift Baskets for any occasion

All products are cosmetically safety tested, and are handmade to their own unique formulations – pampering at affordable prices.

The Shea Bliss Philosophy - being kind to your skin means:

· No products are tested on animals
· All are free from Parabens
· No Mineral Oils or Petrochemicals
· No SLS detergents

Visit Shea Bliss at www.sheabliss.co.uk and quote FRESHOLITE during checkout, and you’ll get a 10% discount.

Wholesale enquiries welcome.

New! Natural Fragrances

I am very pleased to offer a premium range of natural aromatic fragrances, which contain absolutely no synthetic ingredients.

Fresh Aromatic Naturals from Fresholi are complex fragrance compounds that have been creatively formulated from essential oils, oleoresins, distillates, fractions, concretes, absolutes etc... from a variety of plants.

Fresh Aromatic Naturals Offer:

- Greater flexibility to the natural formulator
- Broader fragrancing options than what essentials oils and essential oil blends alone can offer
- Long-Lasting skin fragrancing (particularly when compared to essential oils alone)

Fresh Aromatic Natural fragrances are very concentrated. It is remarkable how little is needed, especially in cold products such as creams or body oils (where only a few drops to 100ml may be required).

Fragrances Available:

Natural Citrus - Lemony and lively, this citrus fragrance has top notes of bergamot, grapefruit and lemon. The middle emerges as a lemon verbena and bergamot blend and the finish is a soft vanilla.

Natural Coconut-Lime - Soft and tropical, this coconut lime fragrance has top notes of lemon zest, lime peel and pineapple. The middle is a blend of coconut milk and raspberry and the finish is a soft, dry down of Tahitian vanilla and tonka bean.

Natural Lemon-Cucumber - Fruity and uplifting, this lemon cucumber fragrance has top notes of citrus, Italian lemon peel and lime zest. This middle is a fresh, green cucumber and the dry down is a soft, sweet vanilla.

Natural Passionfruit - This sweet and lively passionfruit frangrance has top notes of grapfruit zest, pineapple and lemon, the middle emerges as a fruity melon, wildberry, pear and mango fusion and it finishes as a soft vanilla cream

Natural Pomegranate - Fruity and exotic, this pomegranate fragrance has top notes of clementine, grapefruit, tangerine and lemon, it merges into a floral marigold.

Natural Wild Berry - This characteristic wild berry fragrance has top notes of bergamon, rosewood and banana, the middle emerges as a fruity fusion of red raspberry, blueberry and apple pear and it dries down to a soft vanilla base.

Usage Guidelines: 0.2-3% (generally 1-3% in soap formulations)

Fresh Aromatic Naturals In Cold Process Soap

So far, trials have been done with the Pomegranate, Wild Berry and Passionfruit fragrances in CP soap at 2%. Over the past nine months, the soaps have been watched closely for any changes.

From this, the following has been established:

- No acceleration
- No discolouration (although the Passionfruit initially turned bright yellow but this returned to a normal and expected colour within a few hours. No further changes thereafter)
- After nine months, a good fragrance is still present

While these trials are by no means conclusive and offer no guarantee but it does help provide a guide (but I do advise you carry out your own trials)

Tip! Smelling straight from the bottle gives very little indication of the true aromatic qualities of the natural fragrances. Before using them, I recommend you put a drop on a scent strip or absorbant paper and keep having a little sniff over several hours to really appreciate the nuances. This way, you will better understand the frangrance and its characteristics before adding to your products.

Courses In The Midlands

Have you ever wanted to learn the art of soap making, or fancy dabbling in lotions and potions, or maybe want to learn how to make fizzing bath bombs or some really special treats for your bath?

‘Mad About Nature’ are now running workshops (maximum 2 people) at their Leicester ‘soap shack’! Have some one to one tuition and learn some hands on skills. Experiment with lots of natural ingredients and learn the techniques of the trade.

Throughout the day you will make lots of samples to take home, have lunch & refreshments, and go home with lots of notes & a detailed information booklet. You will feel confident to try experimenting in your own home with lots of ideas!

Workshops run on Thursday’s of every week from 10am-4pm. The cost is £85 for one workshop – or book all 3 courses (basic soapmaking / how to make balms & creams / playday with bath goodies) and receive 10% discount. The cost of 2 people to book on the same workshop is £75 each.

Please have a look at the website for more details www.madaboutnature.co.uk and contact through the email link for more information.

Get Stoned!

This is a slightly OT post but I am ever so excited!! Today I received my equipment (pictured - it is much bigger than it looks) that will allow me to introduce Hot Stone Therapy into my treatment menu. I can't wait to start using it and have already made plans to integrate it into other treatments that I already do. My clients are going to be so pleased!

It has sparked some really creative juices when it comes to truly indulgent treatments. I have planned an organic cocoa envelopment treatment. I will of course be making the products using some lovely organic ingredients and am designing a lurvly ritual for the treatment.

Going back to the stone therapy, I have been thinking about some real gorgeous blends, to include organic virgin coconut oil, frangipani and ylang. Soft music, candle light ahhh.... just lovely.

I am really looking forward to putting some of the plans into action. Ooh.... so excited!!

New, Back In & Price Reductions

Just a quick update at what's going on in the Fresholi Shop... We now have those great lip balm cylinders and rice bran oil back in stock. In addition, we have some natural vitamin E back in but the great news is, we are able to offer this at a much lower price than previously. We have also added polysorbate 80 and we have a little something else coming very soon. Watch this space........

Many Products Now At Lower Prices!

With the credit crunch gripping many of us in locked jaws, we decided to have a close look at our pricing structure to see if we could help make things a bit easier on our customer's pockets. We are very pleased that we have managed to lower the price of some of our oils, butters & other ingredients, such as cetyl alcohol. We hope this will go some way to help our customers.

Floral Waxes Back In Stock!!

With their divine rich, deep aromas, floral waxes are an indulgent ingredient to add to soaps, lotions, creams, massage bars, solid perfumes, candles and anything else you can think of where aromatic depth & longevity is desired.

A floral wax is a product of the production of absolutes and while their scent is much softer than the absolute, they have wonderfully well rounded aromas that tend to linger. By adding up to 10% to your products will create new aromatic elements and fusions of some of the richest and most exotic scents at a fraction of the cost of the absolute. Not only will these beautiful waxes add scent but they also lend a subtle degree of hardness to the products they are added

The Following Floral Waxes Are Now In Stock At Fresholi...

Jasmine Grandaflorum Wax: A soft, mid-brown wax with a melting point of around 50-60 degrees C. Jasmine is one of the most prized perfumers ingredients, the grandiflorum is often favoured due to its round aroma. It has a rich, deeply sweet, floral aroma with undertones that are rather tea like. It has a great tenacity in blends and blends well with just about everything.

Rose Wax: A medium hard wax with a yellow/green colour. It has a melting point of around 60 degrees C. Like jasmine, rose is an important perfume component and this intensely sweet, rich, floral aroma has distinctive rose characteristics.

Orange Flower Wax: (Neroli) A medium hard, brown wax with a that has a fresh top note with warm, sweet floral undertones. A delicate yet rich aroma that would add depth to fragrance blends.

Recipe Idea!

Floral Liquiwax

I found a really simple way of making use of the exotic aromas of floral (or fruit peel) waxes, at a fraction of the cost if you were to use the absolute. This makes a great stand alone after bath/shower oil or for really dry skin (gorgeous aroma)

50% Jojoba
44% Apricot kernel oil
6% Floral wax of choice (I used rose)

- Add the jojoba and the apricot oil to a dark glass bottle (I used an amber glass bottle)
- Place in a saucepan of boiling hot water (I turned the heat on low)
- When the oils are nice and hot, add in the floral wax and put the lid on the bottle
- Place back in the hot water for a minute then take out the bottle and shake
- Continue to do this heat/shake until all of the wax has completely melted
- Then it is good to go!

You could change the ratio of the floral wax to a much higher % and you can use different oils if you like then use this fragrant oil to add to creams after they have been emulsified and cooled (just make sure that whatever % you intend to add in at the end - usually a max of 10% - you deduct this from your oil phase. Also, if you are adding in essential oils, please ensure you account for the essentail oils present in the wax (that is roughly just less than half the total weight of the wax).

Floral Waxes now available from www.fresholi.com

From Orangs To Red Noses

Sarah from The Natual Soapworks passed on a little bit of news about the support NSW has been giving to some very worthy causes. I will let Sarah explain...

Borneo Orangutan Survival UK

In 2008, The Natural Soapworks took the decision to only source organic palm oil from a sustainable source in Columbia, to make our soaps. So what's the significance of it being from a sustainable source, you may wonder? The problem with palm oil sourced from the Far East, is that it tends to be grown on palm plantations which have been planted after the rain forest has been cut down and burnt. This is causing catastrophic damage to the environment, and as the forests are destroyed it means that the local animals die too.

Palm oil is found in many products on our supermarket shelves (e.g. crisps, cakes, chocolate, biscuits, cosmetics, detergents, soaps etc), with more problems on the horizon due to the interest in bio fuels. Unless action is taken, more and more habitat will be destroyed and ultimately this could lead to the extinction of many animal species. When we discovered that even in a small way we were contributing to such destruction, we decided to act quickly to find some palm oil that is grown in a responsible and sustainable way, that doesn't endanger the environment. It’s more expensive, but we think it’s the right thing to do.

One of the worst things that we discovered about palm oil, was the impact it is having on the orangutan populations in Sumatra and Borneo. There is a serious risk that one of our closest cousins will be wiped out within 10 years. Since we were very concerned about this, we contacted Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS UK) and they confirmed that our soap is "orangutan friendly". This very worthwhile charity works to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned orangutans in Borneo, whose mother's are killed as the rainforest is cleared. BOS's work, led by Lone Droscher Nielsen, is featured in the Orangutan Diary screened by the BBC in 2007, and now back for a second series on BBC2 each Sunday evening. We wanted to help this fabulous charity so we have adopted 2 orphaned orangutans, and fund raise to support BOS by attending events and selling our ‘Orang’ soap.


Orang - £3.25 per bar with £1 being donated to BOS UK

This is a lovely zesty bar of luxurious goat’s milk soap that’s full of citrus essential oils. We created Orang, to support the fantastic work carried out by BOS UK to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned orangutans in Borneo. Specially wrapped with orange hairy string and a BOS tag, we guarantee that £1 from the sale of each bar will be donated to this charity.

NEW! Orang bath bomb - £1.25 with 50p from each bath bomb being donated to BOS UK

To mark the beginning of Orangutan Diary 2, we’re very pleased to launch a new Orang product. This bath bomb contains a lovely blend of citrus essential oils in a pure white bath bomb, that’s wrapped in orange tissue paper. Specially wrapped with a BOS tag, we guarantee that 50p from the sale of each bath bomb will be donated to this charity.

Red Nose Day – 13th March 2009

We’re delighted to announce that The Natural Soapworks has been given permission by Comic Relief, to sell some new bath bombs and mini soaps in support of Red Nose Day. We have also applied for a license to operate a street collection in aid of Comic Relief at our business premises, the Red House Glass Cone in Stourbridge, which will temporarily be renamed as the Red Nose Glass Cone! There will be a tombola and Red Nose Day themed children’s activities running between 13th-15th March, to coincide with a Mother’s Day Craft Market on the site.

Red Nose Day Bath Bomb - £1.25 with 50p from each bath bomb being donated to Comic Relief

Special Edition Red Nose Bath Bomb, to celebrate Comic Relief 2009. We guarantee that 50p from the sale of each bath bomb will be donated to Comic Relief. This is a white 70g bath bomb wrapped in red tissue paper, fragranced with essential oils.

Red Nose Day Mini Soap - £1.00 with 50p from each mini soap being donated to Comic Relief

Special Edition Red Nose Day Soap, this is a pretty bar, coloured with red clay and rooibos tea, fragranced with lavender, rosewood, spearmint and geranium essential oils. We guarantee that 50p from the sale of this soap will be donated to Comic Relief. This is a 30g mini soap bar.

Mothers Day Gifts - Special Exclusive Discounts

I am a mother and a daughter and I just think it is a really special time for families. I love to treat my mum to nice, girlie things and when my children present me with handmade cards, handpicked flowers (usually daffodils from our garden) and wonderful skin treats, well... nothing quite like it is there?

Following are some wonderful skin treat ideas and some very special & exclusive offers, as Sarah from Natroma and The Natural Soap Works explains...

"At The Natural Soapworks we know how important Mum’s are. So on their special day they deserve some really special pampering. So we’ve put together some lovely gift sets, so for once they can have some time to themselves - to have a well-earned relax while looking after their skin at the same time."

The Natural Soapworks offers a wide range of luxurious goat’s milk soaps, bathing and skincare products. We have recently launched the NATROMA skincare range offering light but highly concentrated cream and lotion products, with botanically enriched formulations that provide lasting hydration and genuine skin care benefits. There are several Mother’s Day gift sets, so please visit the websites for further details: www.naturalsoapworks.co.uk and www.natroma.co.uk

For now, here are a few ideas on how to treat your Mum:

NATROMA OFFER - quote: ‘FRESH MUM’ in the coupon box at the checkout for a 10% Discount off your order

NATROMA – Thank You Mum! kit: £27.00

The individual products would normally cost over £30.00 - so this kit already enjoys over a 10% discount with FREE gift wrapping.

Use your extra Fresholi coupon and it comes to just £24.30!

This kit is available in: Chamomile, Rose or Orange Blossom

· Facial Cleanser (100ml airless pump)

· Hydrolat Toner (100ml in a violet glass bottle)

· Concentrated Moisturiser (50ml airless pump)

· 2 luxury ‘Mother’s Day’ special edition bath bombs – fragrance co-ordinated to match the skincare items, patterned with botanicals.

· Special edition Mother’s Day Goat’s milk soap – fragrance co-ordinated to match the skincare items. These are the first of a luxury range of Natroma soaps, featuring some of the more expensive essential oils and enriched with exotic butters and Monoi de Tahiti.

Presented in a luxurious ivory hamper box with elegant flower decoration and an organza ribbon: Rose (burgundy ribbon), Orange Blossom (peach ribbon), Chamomile (cream and lime green).

This is a lovely way to treat your Mum – this kit comes will full instructions on how to use the lovely Natroma facial products, which are handmade with luxurious organic ingredients including: hydrolat flower waters, botanical oils, rosehip, and arctic cranberry botanical extracts, D-panthenol and aloe vera. There’s also a luxurious goat’s milk soap and bath bombs for relaxed bathing - what better way to show how much you appreciate her?

THE NATURAL SOAPWORKS OFFER - Quote: ‘FRESH MUM’ in the notes box at the Paypal checkout and receive a free ‘Mother’s Day’ bath bomb with your order

The Natural Soapworks – Relaxing Mum Kit: £15.95

This kit is available in Chamomile, Rose or Orange Blossom includes:

· Luxury ‘Mother’s Day’ special edition bath bomb.

· Special edition Mother’s Day Goat’s milk soap and a scrunchie.

· Dead Sea Salt Scrub – fragrance co-ordinated with the fragrance selection.

· Nail Silk – nail and cuticle balm fragranced with neroli, petitgrain and frankincense essential oils

· 10ml Monoi de Tahiti rollerball

This bathing kit will ensure your Mum can enjoy a long relaxing bath and enjoy using one of the rich, creamy special edition Mother’s Day goat’s milk soaps. The kit also includes a luxurious Dead Sea salt body scrub that’s enriched with botanical oils, honey, shea butter and vitamin E.

Used during bathing, it will refine the skin texture until it feels smooth and silky. For her hands, there’s one of our very popular Nail Silks, a cocoa and shea butter nail and cuticle balm which smells heavenly, since it is delicately fragranced with neroli, petitgrain and frankincense essential oils. Last but not least, included is some Monoi de Tahiti in a convenient rollerball bottle, for easy facial application.

The Natural Soapworks – Soap Duo: £7.95

Two of The Natural Soapworks new luxury Natroma goat’s milk Mother’s Day soaps – Orange Blossom, Rose or Chamomile fragrances. These are the first of a new luxury range of Natroma soaps, featuring some of the more expensive essential oils and enriched with exotic butters and Monoi de Tahiti. These soaps have a very creamy, luxurious lather and sophisticated aroma, with each bar having intricate swirled patterning.


Visit Natroma and The Natural Soapworks to claim your special discount or to browse more naturally beautiful, indulgent products...

Some Fresholi News!

After a bit of an absence, we now have some old faves back in stock. In addition to this, we are adding to our range with a few new arrivals.

Back in stock....

Babassu - We haven't had babassu in for a little while. To be honest, the prices just seemed to go through the roof and we were waiting (well, hoping) prices would soften a little. Sadly, this didn't seem to be happening. So, we have absorbed as much as we can but unfortunately, the price on this has had a rise a little. Really sorry about that.

Organic, Unrefined Shea Butter - There has been a slight delay in getting this back in stock but alas, it is now in. Why not read about how and where this is sourced?

Avocado Oil - We also have refined avocado oil back in stock.

New Arrivals...

Organic, organically Refined Shea Butter - Sourced from the very same project in Ghana as the organic, unrefined shea butter, accept this has been filtered and gently refined using Soil Association approved methods (and no chemicals) to produce a much 'cleaner' shea, that has a lower odour and a more lighter, more uniform colour. It is still fairly soft, when compared with our more standard, wild harvested & refined shea butter, so offers much of the same qualities and can be worked with pretty much in the same way and the unrefined version. Best of all, it will be priced the same as our unrefined shea butter, so offers very good value.

Fennel Essential Oil - An extremely useful essential oil in skin care. Excellent for dull, tired skins and has a long history of therapeutic applications.

Eucalyptus - Popular in head-clearing blends and has many applications in aromatherapy. A particularly useful oil in blends for colds and flu as well as muscle rubs.

www.fresholi.co.uk

The Green Consumer

The trend for ‘Green’ products is growing at a most incredible rate here in the UK. While the health and beauty market has, for quite some time now, been pretty environmentally-friendly the number of people choosing to buy completely natural or organic products from manufacturers who are committed to conservation of the environment.

At one time, natural and/or organic products were a niche market. Not so now though, in fact it is one of the biggest growing markets for consumer products as has seen a 200% increase in the last year. Because consumers are becoming increasingly more knowledgeable about skin care and environmental issues, this has shaped their product demands. As much as 28% of all product consumers, choose natural products.

So what does this mean for manufacturers (regardless of size)? For some, it is a case of reformulating their products lines to ensure they are free from harmful chemicals. But should more be done? Removing the harmful chemicals certainly contributes to greener skin care but should it go further to include biodegradable, recycled/recyclable packaging, choosing organically produced ingredients, reducing ones carbon footprint.

Organic? Natural? What is this?

Organic is certainly a current buzzword throughout the beauty industry and one that undoubtedly sells. However, is it confusing? I certainly think so since we all have different perceptions of organic. Many people are actually unaware that for a product to be called organic, 70% of the total ingredients must be organic. That leaves 30% that can be made up of, well… anything. In order for a product to be certified by the Soil Association, it must contain 95% organic ingredients. 'Natural’ is probably even more misleading.

For a product to have natural on the label, it only needs to contain (wait for it…..) 1% natural ingredients. What about the other 99% ?

There is no doubt about it, when it comes to making organic/natural product choices, one does have to really be on their toes to ensure you are actually getting what you are expecting.

Seen In Green

A green product manufacturer will go further than this though (as the examples below will show). Many deliberate intensely over the type of packaging they use. For a ‘green’ product to be truly green, it will come in biodegradable, recycled, recyclable packaging or from sustainable forests (in the case of new paper/card materials).

Fair Trade or Fairly Traded

Fair Trade and fairly traded goods means that producers/traders in developing countries have been paid a fair price for their goods. Goods that have been fairly traded have not exploited humans, animals or the environment and very often go hand in hand with organically produced goods.

So to be a green consumer, here are a few suggestions of the things to look for when making green product choices + a few VERY shiny examples:

Packaging that doesn’t cost the earth…

Lomond Soap use only recycled, reusable and compostable packaging to package their lovely natural handmade soaps.Incredibly reasonable in price too!! Pictured here is Lomond’s Four Seasons Soap Collection £12.00 + P&P in boxes made from recycled material

Get Natural When You Want Natural

More often than not, you will find that the independent manufacturer of natural products, who creates their products by hand, will offer far more than a measly 1%. Pictured here is a range of the most gorgeous, sumptuous scrubs, 99% (1% non-paraben preservative) from Briallen. All that natural, skin-loving goodness from only £3.65!

Organic Purity…

Beyond Organic Skincare’s entire range are certified organic by the BDAA. Truly organic AND incredibly affordable! The Travel Pack £21.60 (pictured) is a great introduction to the range and little goes a very long way.

Fair & Fairly Traded…

Cioccolatina is an excellent example of an independent manufacturer of gorgeous soaps, body butters and balms made with fairly traded/sustainable ingredients and who is actively involved in the cause. Pictured here is Karite, a creamy soap bar made with over 70% fairly traded shea butter, £3.50. Lovely!!

Ethical Business Principles...

Ruby Red Cosmetics offer the most super duper, hip and trendy, organic, natural, handmade products and have solid ethical principles (see their About Us page – a really great read). Thankfully, they are effectively spreading their ethical words to the mainstream and have featured in magazines such as Marie Claire and Vogue.

See and shop for more independant manufacturers of green cosmetics at www.fresholi.com...