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Donna Maria's Handmade Beauty Connection
January 28, 2002

A Publication of The Handmade Beauty Network
ISSN 1530-9630 | Vol. 3, Issue 4

This Week's Sponsor
---> ThymeWise SpiritWorks <---

Cleansing you ... Body, Mind, Spirit

Handmade Beauty Connection Reader Special! Save 10% on all online orders until March 31, 2002! Use coupon code HBCN10 at checkout. Come see our newest creations!

* Green Tea soap, dark green and shimmering gold, with a light, lemony floral scent
* Red Hot Rose soaps, mixing rose and cinnamon in a pink swirled bar, just in time for Valentine’s Day
* Earthdawn soap with a whopping 80% Shea Butter, scented with grapefruit and patchouli
* Anoint Me! Solid Perfume packaged in soap stone jars and silver tins
* and much more!

ThymeWise SpiritWorks | http://www.ThymeWise.com

1. HBN Update: Welcome New & Renewing HBN Members
2. HBN Announces The Next Beauty Call: An Introduction To Contract Law!
3. Handmade Beauty Trivia Question
4. New Create The Life You Love™ Audio Tape Available: Publicizing Your Business
5. Handmade Beauty Product Review by Donna Maria: Suite Of Skincare Goodies From Life Balance

1. HBN Update: Welcome New & Renewing HBN Members

~ Welcome New HBN Members!

Mount Harmony | Jean Ann Feneis | Virginia
* unique handmade soaps represented at farmers' markets, garden fairs and luxury hotels

Serenity Scents | Patricia Hayes | Texas
* surround yourself with the calmness of essential oils that we use in our soaps, lotions and soy candles

Stacy's Soaps | Stacy Banta Montanti | New Jersey
* luscious handmade soaps

Cleansing Queen | Rebecca Taras | Illinois
* an esthetician gearing up to start her own handmade toiletries business

~ Welcome Renewing HBN Members!!

~ HBN Members On The Move!!

HBN Member Gives HBN Rave Reviews!!

HBN works diligently to provide the most useful member benefits available to the handmade toiletries industry today! That's why I'm always delighted to learn that HBN members see results from the many benefits we offer. Here's what HBN member Maggie Hanus of Of The Earth told me just last week ... thanks for your great feedback Maggie!!

"After reviewing all the wonderful business exposure I've gotten from HBN, I decided I couldn't afford NOT to renew my membership. Favorable product reviews in The Handmade Beauty Connection, increased Web site traffic through several direct links, a listing in HBN's printed and online membership directories, a featured member button ad, reduced advertising rates in Aromatherapy Thymes, and one of my products sent to Global Cosmetics Industry magazine - these are but a few of the terrific member benefits I've enjoyed at HBN. HBN membership definitely pays for itself!"

HBN Member Sungate Elementals Announces Web Site Launch!!

HBN members Christopher Frazer & Terry Bussard proudly announce the launch of the new Sungate Elementals Web site!! Featuring lovely photographs of their products and a great picture of the two of them at a trade show (on the "who we are" page), the site boasts lovely artwork, easy navigation and their Tecalava Berry Salve, which sounds yummy, with sea buckthorn berry, shea butter and lavender essential oil!!

HBN Member Reports On Texas Soapmakers Association Convention

HBN member Maggie Hanus of Of The Earth in Texas reports that soapmakers from across the Lone Star State gathered in Texas on Jan. 12, 2002 for the 7th semi-annual Texas Soapmakers Association Convention. In addition to a business meeting, there was a Friday night mixer, a soap & toiletries swap, shopping & free delivery from participating vendors, garage sale tables, educational demonstrations, lunch, members' show & tell table, door prizes, chair massages, and a handcrafted soap and toiletries chest that was donated to a local charity. The June convention will be held in Corpus Christi, Texas.

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. HBN Announces The Next Beauty Call: An Introduction To Contract Law!

An Introduction To Contract Law!!

In response to member feedback, our next HBN Beauty Call™ will feature "yours truly" providing helpful insights into the world of contract law. In a nutshell, this Beauty Call™ will be an introduction to contracts from a layperson's perspective. During the call, we will review an actual contract and its components with an eye toward providing insight for members so they can gain a better understanding of what is involved in preparing a useful contract for their business. Don't wait until you need a contract to really learn about one!

The call will take place on February 21. For details and registration information, click here.

3. Handmade Beauty Trivia Question: the winner of last week's contest was Callie Lee of Cincinnati, Ohio. Callie won a copy of Rosemary Gladstar's book, Herbs For Natural Beauty.

Last Week's Question: Started as a small family owned company in Germany in 1919, this company has grown to become a leading supplier of the world's aroma chemicals and flavors, with branches in South Africa, Italy, Thailand, Hong Kong and the newest location in Colombia. To win this week, be the first to state the name of the company.

Last Week's Answer: Dragoco

This Week's Question: I am a body treatment made famous on a tropical paradise island. Made with tumeric, sandalwood and other fragrant spices, woods and wholesome grains and nuts, I am an all-over exfoliator. I also include a cool yogurt smoothing treatment followed by an aromatic bath using oils such as jasmine and ylang ylang. What am I?

To win this week, be the first to respond with the answer to the question and win a bottle of my popular Jasmine Bath Syrup made with pure jasmine absolute and jasmine tincture.

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 will be notified by email and their name posted at HBN's home page.

4. New Create The Life You Love Audio Tape Available: Publicizing Your Business!!

I'm pleased to announce the availability of a new Create The Life You Love™ Audio Tape! While HBN has a great collection of useful tapes, I'm not exaggerating when I say that this tape is one of the most useful ones we have made available so far if you want to learn valuable tips for publicizing your business.

In this tape, our guest is public relations expert Katherine Hutt of Nautilus Communications. Katherine shared all sorts of information with members, including how to position your business to receive publicity, how to deal with a press inquiry, how to prepare for an interview, how to build and maintain good relationships with members of the press ... even the subtle and sometimes hard to fine line between advertising, sales, marketing and public relations! If one of your goals for 2002 is to grow your business by getting publicity without breaking the bank, you need this tape.

To order this and other Create The Life You Love™ audio tapes, click here.

5. Handmade Beauty Product Review: Suite Of Skincare Goodies From Life Balance

If you're looking for a new line of great skincare products for spa or home use, say hello to a bunch of your new best friends! I love these products because they smell good, are not overpowering in terms of fragrance ... and because they work! Here, I review 3 of the products in a line of Life Balance skincare goodies. Each of these products is available in two blends: Balance (with citrus, ylang ylang and cistus essential oils) and Revitalize (with rosemary and St. Johnswort, two of my favorite skincare aromatics and staples in my own aromatic pantry). I used both since I couldn't decide which one might be best for me and I enjoyed each of the equally in terms of aroma and skincare benefits.

Re-Nu Grains Facial Scrub
1 ounce, $15 (retail)

I could not get enough of these exfoliating grains! First of all, while they had a good exfoliating texture, they were not harsh and I think I scrubbed my face with them every day for a week without any redness or irritation. In addition to jojoba meal, corm meal and very finely ground dead sea salt do a great job of sloughing dry and dead skin and my face was literally buffed to a smooth surface. I used Re-Nu Grains after washing my face and neck with one of my favorite handmade soaps.

Refresh & Tone
2 oz. $21 (retail)

After rinsing off Re-Nu Grains, I enjoyed using Refresh & Tone facial toner. Containing 50% aloe vera and fresh hydrosols, the toner felt smooth and soothing going on my skin and I did not feel as though my skin had been "stripped" as I have with other facial toners (especially the alcohol-ey ones available at department stores).

Moisture +
1.7 ounces, $33 (retail)

A fantastic light yet effective moisturizing cream, Moisture + is just the ticket to soften and smooth dry skin like mine. The essential oils of rose and carrot seed perform wonderfully with the very emollient butters and even some royal jelly, leaving my skin pampered and soothed, without any sort of greasy feeling.

All of these products are available for wholesale purchase for use in your spa! You can find all of these skincare treats (and many more, including a Gentle Exfoliating Milk which I have yet to try) at Life Balance's Web site, which you can visit through HBN's Online Member Directory. Life Balance also makes a selection of fresh masks and facial treatments with things like apricots, potatoes, honey, cherries and grapes which no spa with a refrigerator on the premises should be without. Email Life Balance for more information about their line of unique goodies!

Visit The Handmade Beauty Connection Archives.

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

HandmadeBeauty.com: the leading industry trade organization
MangoButter.com: over 400 suppliers of raw materials and packaging, updated weekly!
MakeYourCosmetics.com: ingredient encyclopedia & original cosmetics recipes
DonnaMaria.com: sound advice for your small business, We2We Success Seminars
HandmadeBeauty.com: e-greeting cards coming soon!
Handmade Skin Care.com: secure online shopping coming soon!

Have your ad seen by over 3,000 subscribers! Click here to see why Essential Wholesale says that the returns from their newsletter ad "just keep on coming," and why Anastasia's Ideas says "the ad I placed for my handmade soaps just 2 days ago has generated 6 huge retail orders and 2 new wholesale inquiries from HBN members with retail shops. Things are really good ..."

Donna Maria, Editor-In-Chief, DonnaMaria@HandmadeBeauty.com
Jenn Givler, Associate Editor, Jenn@HandmadeBeauty.com
The Handmade Beauty Connection
The Handmade Beauty Network | www.HandmadeBeauty.com