Last Week's Question: Born in poverty in the southern US, this man founded his cosmetics company in 1935. His controversial business philosophies and unashamed opinions about the reasons why black-owned American businesses failed to thrive earned him great notoriety. They also became his demise when the vast majority of black Americans boycotted his businesses into bankruptcy. Undaunted, he restructured his companies to make them profitable, and died toward the end of the 20th century a wealthy and dignified man.

Last Week's Answer: SB Fuller of the Fuller Products Company. Read more about SB Fuller here.

This Weeks' Question: Though you may find me displaying more brilliant hues, typically, my five petals are creamy white, soft and delicate. Touch one of them, but be gentle.
I bruise easily. In the center of my petals are colors reflecting the brilliance of the sun, golden yellow and bright orange. I emit most of my fragrance throughout the night while you sleep. Arise early and I will linger for you a while. Indigenous to Mexico, Central America and the tropical islands of the Caribbean, my scent is powerful and exotic, heady and tenacious. Maybe I'm a little like other tropicals you may have sniffed, but my aroma is among the finest, freshest and most intriguing you will ever encounter in your life. 

To win this week, be the first to identify me and win a 1 oz. bottle of Drench Aromatic Facial Oil For Dry Skin! Based on my signature "CO2 Crew" recipes from my book, Making Aromatherapy Creams & Lotions," Drench is a luscious blend of skin nutrients that has become a mainstay of my winter skincare regimen.

Please read the contest rules here before submitting your entry.

While time does not permit me to respond personally to all entrants, the winner will be notified by email and their name posted at the link above.

~ Moisture Therapy by Aroma Verde
8 oz. | $14.95

My skin has been feeling so pitiful! The dryness of winter has definitely taken its toll. So this lotion arrived just in time, when I ran out of another product I had been using sparingly ('cuz it was so good!), and before I could make my own batch.

Moisture Therapy manages to be rich and moisturizing without feeling greasy, and I did not feel as though I needed another application, even after a long walk in brisk winter weather. I have been using this lotion after my shower for a few weeks, and toting it around in my purse to treat my hands throughout the day. (I wish there were a travel size ... the 8 ounce bottle adds a lot of weight to my already packed pocket book). The lotion formula is nicely blended, thick and creamy, but not heavy. It contains apricot kernel oil and cocoa butter, along with a generous dose of rosewood essential oil, which is at once refreshing and soothing. This product is right up my alley this winter, offering a perfect solution for dry skin relief!

Moisture Therapy and other delicious products in the Aroma Verde line are available by visiting HBN's Online Member Directory.

4. Handmade Beauty Recipe ~ Jasmine Smooch Sticks

This week's recipe combats the brutal cold of winter!

Jasmine Smooch Sticks are tubular shaped lip balms with a beautiful pink tint that may transfer only to very light colored lips. The perfect lip solution for the dry winter season. This recipes makes approximately 32 ¼ ounce lip balm tubes, but you can cut it in half or quarters to make 16 or 8 tubes. Measurements are provided by weight, not volume. 

Ingredients
1 ounce beeswax
1 ounce jasmine wax
2 ounces jojoba oil
2 ounces camellia oil
2 ounces rose hips seed oil
1 tablespoon alkanet root infused olive oil (to make this, infuse the alkanet root in the warmed olive oil for about 20 minutes as you would any other herb (like calendula). Strain out the plant material and use the colored oil. Alkanet is a purple colored root which lends a beautiful color to oil so you can use it to tint handmade skin care products.)
10 drops rose essential oil 

Blending Procedure
Combine all ingredients except essential oil in Pyrex measuring cup and place in hot water bath to melt. Stir well to combine. Add essential oil and stir to incorporate. Place a bit of product onto a coffee stir stick or pop sickle stick. Put the stick in the fridge for a few minutes and take it out to observe the probable texture of the mix. If it's too hard, add more liquid oils. If it's too soft, add more beeswax and/or jasmine wax. Adjust to your preference and pour into
tubes. Love your lips with it!

If you have a suggested recipe or trivia question you'd like to share, send it to Jenn@HandmadeBeauty.com. If we use either in an upcoming issue, we'll credit you!!