A Publication of The Indie Beauty Network
ISSN 1530-9630 | Volume 6, Issue 30
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1. IBN Member Update: Welcome New & Renewing IBN Members!
2. Handmade Beauty Memory: Remembering Terri Gregg
3. Handmade Beauty Recipe: Mango Sugar Scrub
4. Handmade Beauty Trivia Question: win some fragrance oil!
5. Featured Article: Spa Treatments Make A Splash
6. Handmade Beauty Benefit Of The Week: Product Photography Services

New Members!!

Learn more about our members and their exciting activities by visiting their Web sites through IBN'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.

A few years ago, I was honored to be a speaker at the Texas Soapmakers Association (TSA). While there, I was treated to some real southern hospitality and enjoyed meeting dozens of passionate handmade beauty junkies from the Lone Star State. The organizers took special care to make sure that I was comfortable and wanted for nothing. One of the ways they did that was by assigning Terri Gregg, a long time member of TSA and it's Hospitality Chair, to make sure I had everything I needed to deliver the best presentation possible.

Essential Wholesale: pure essential oils, over 200 cosmetic bases, hundreds of carrier/fixed oils such as meadowfoam, cranberry, jojoba and shea butter plus a new Short Run Private Labeling Program!

Bramble Berry, Inc.: over 105 different fragrance and essential oils (including their exclusive "Energy" and "Relaxing"), all soap tested, soap molds and unscented soap bases!

SunRose Aromatics: pure essential oils (many organic), carrier oils and other aromatherapy products, each carefully selected for quality. Check out their new Perfumer's Emporium.

The Scent Shack: fragrance oils and soap supplies. Fragrance oils are pre-tested in cold process, melt & pour soap, and candles, and test results are listed at the Web site. Scents tested by soapers for soapers!

From Nature With Love: over 1,600 ingredients and supplies, including cosmetic ingredients, spa supplies, bath accessories and packaging supplies!

Last Week's Question: After the birth of both of my children, I was told they had jaundice. I remember being terrified as I watched their tiny faces, necks and torsos take on a yellowish color. It was worse with my second child, who had to stay in the hospital a few extra days under lights (and away from me!) in order to decrease the amount of a melanin producing chemical in his blood which was causing his skin to turn yellow. A newborn is not to be released from the hospital until the "count" for this chemical dips below a certain point, which indicates that the baby's liver is removing the excess chemical from the body so it can be eliminated as waste -- and the skin can return to a normal color. What is the name of this chemical?

Last Week's Answer: bilirubin

This Week's Question: IBN is located not too far from my hometown of Washington, DC. On the opposite side of DC lies a trendy community called Bethesda. If you ever visit, you'll find restaurants to suit any taste, plus an eclectic mix of upscale personalities to keep you company. Recently an exclusive spa moved toward closing a deal to open a "spa and healing complex" in Bethesda -- to include a condominium complex and hotel. To win this week, state the name of the spa company which already has spas in the western and northeastern US.

Be the first to correctly answer this week's question and win some delicious fragrance oil!

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's name will be announced in the next newsletter!

The longer I live, the more excited I become about the many options available to me in this day and age to relax and recharge in comfort and style. The popularity of spas of all kinds continues to grow among all age groups, genders and lifestyles. Teens now flock to spas in droves for the latest "mini" pedicures and facials to introduce them to the art of pampering without breaking the bank. Women come in groups for wedding parties, baby showers and other special occasions. Men are discovering that spas are not just for women and are finding comfort and solace in spa spaces designed especially with them in mind.

A study released last year by the International Spa Association revealed that the number of spa locations increased an average of 12% a year from 2002 to 2004. It seems that the harder people work, the more they see the need to reward themselves with a bit of pampering. Of course there's no shortage of the number of us who can benefit from the fact that just being in a spa encourages us to take steps toward health and wellness. What does this mean for handmade beauty products manufacturers? In addition to making it more convenient for us to get a bit of R&R, it also may point clearly to an expanding universe of potential buyers for handmade beauty products and services.

Do you offer products like sugar scrubs, aromatherapy oils and fresh facial masks? Why not introduce your products spas in your area by offering them a "test drive" of a few? If the clients like them, they will request them again, which means the spa director will come back to you for more! Why not check the local listings in your area  and find out what spas are offering these days. You might have products in your line to complement them. To get your creative juices flowing, I scoured the Internet and came across these great treatments, which lend themselves to manufacturing for "take home" enjoyment:

Hotel Hershey Spa (Pennsylvania): Strawberry Parfait Scrub made with strawberry seeds and pumice
Robert Andrew Day Spa (Maryland): Blueberry Banana Pedicure made with fruit scents, aloe and shea
Beaches Resorts (Royal Palms Beach, etc.): Coffee Coconut Scrub made with Balinese coffee and fresh grated coconut
Bliss Spa (New York, etc.): Hot Off The Stresses massage oil made with lavender, bergamot and sage
Green Valley Spa (Utah): Pearl Skin Polish made with finely powdered sand and pearls
Banyan Tree Spa (Bangkok): Tumeric and Honey Cleanser made with turmeric, honey, tamarind and crushed sesame seed oil

Does this stuff sound delicious or what? And if you've made beauty products for even the shortest amount of time, you know that you don't have to be a rocket scientist to make them on a small business budget! And while it's true that some spas these days have employees with the expertise to make these products themselves, many others do not view themselves as manufacturing facilities and they prefer to purchase the products already made or in easy to mix up packages so they can be easily displayed and sold from their retail areas. If spas are your thing, it's a perfect opportunity to see if spas near you could use your expertise to help them make a splash too. Visit local spas to have a look around. What types of products do they offer? How are they priced? Can you provide them in easy to use form for technicians and customers alike? Can you incorporate locally grown herbs, honeys and flowers as another "draw" for spa customers? Who knows? You could be engaged as a manufacturer private labeler and/or a consultant!

For more spa inspired recipes and ideas, check out the Facial and Lip Care section of MakeYourCosmetics.com. There, you'll find everything from this week's recipe for Mango Sugar Scrub (made with real mango!) to Molasses Honey Hair Help (made with real honey and molasses!).

Have A Great Week!!
Donna Maria
Editor, The Handmade Beauty Connection
The Indie Beauty Network | www.handmadebeauty.com

Copyright (c) 2000 - 2005 by The Indie Beauty Network (IBN) and Donna Maria. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized distribution or reproduction is prohibited. IBN does not necessarily endorse any product, event or ideology featured in The Handmade Beauty Connection (HBC) or on IBN's website. All information is provided on an "as is" basis and no express or implied warranties are given. Any use of the information contained in the HBC or on IBN's Web site, including Recipes, is solely at your own risk. IBN and Donna Maria disclaim any liability in connection with the use of all recipes, products reviewed and other information. Except for sponsorships, HBC refuses compensation from companies to feature or mention their names or products. Opinions expressed in any Product Review are personally those of the reviewer and do not represent the views of IBN, Donna Maria (unless she is the reviewer) or any other person or company.