Summer Facial Mask is composed largely of green clay, which is the most drawing clay. Clay absorbs excess sebum and dirt from the skin, leaving you feeling refreshed and clean. Great for oily skin on these hot summer days!

When you visit MakeYourCosmetics.com, it's easy to buy the ingredients you need by clicking on our Selected Supplier links:

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: Many of today's suppliers of mica are committed to providing colors that are free of animal products. One of the main animal products they shun is cochineal, the beautiful red color that comes from crushed female insects that live on a particular type of plant. To win this week, state the type of plant the insect lives on.

Last Week's Answer: Prickly pear cactus

This Week's Question: It has been said that "the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." In 1992, a dark, thriller movie borrowed its title from that saying. Starring Rebecca De Mornay and Annabella Sciorra in leading lady roles, the move was a hit at the box office, making many a new mom a bit squeamish about utilizing the services of live-in nannies. To win this week, state the name of the movie.

Be the first to correctly answer this week's question and win some win some herbal body deodorant, courtesy of Botanical Skin Works!

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!

Polls conducted routinely at IBN's sister site MakeYourCosmetics.com, indicate that there are several popular summer scents. Florals like honeysuckle and lilac are definitely beloved, but "anything citrus-y" definitely tops the list. Aromas like lemon, orange, grapefruit and tangerine definitely make sunny summer days more fun. And a few drops of citrus essential oil in a base of plain water in a spritzer bottle (shake before using) is all you need to cool down on on a hot summer afternoon. (Or you can try a new Vitamin C toner/spritzer from IBN member Parisian's Pure Indulgence that I've been enjoying lately!)

Aside from the more well known citrus oils, there are some unusual oils that, when combined with typical citrus oils, can also lift the summer doldrums. Ounce for ounce, these oils are much more expensive, but you'll need far less than an ounce to get maximum mileage out of them. Purchased in tiny quantities and used by the partial drop, these oils combine with citrus oils to create enticing new scents that are perfect for the season. Remember that these are not your typical, average everyday aromatic oils -- far from it! Instead, they are fun and unusual additions to your standard aromatic pantry. While I am not a perfumer, I sure have fun with these oils when I get the time to pull them out and put my amateur alchemy skills to good use! Try these oils in the smallest imaginable quantities. Suggested supplier websites contain helpful formulation, perfumery and/or aromatherapy ideas.

Beeswax Absolute
An all-time favorite for me, this smells like honey, only so much more intense. A lovely brown color and rich pour-able texture make you feel like it should be dripped on fresh ice cream. But don't eat it. Just smell it and mix it with anything orange and you will love it! I'd love to go swimming in this stuff sometime! IBN member supplier: From Nature With Love.

Coffee Bean Absolute
This smells JUST like coffee, strong, deep and vibrant. I sniff it now and then all by itself to get my caffeine "fix," but I also like to mix it with orange essential oil and cinnamon to create a heady, spicy aroma. Once I grated some organic orange zest and let it soak in a tablespoon of cocoa bean absolute for a few weeks in a sunny window. I added the resulting mixture -- a great coffee orange scent -- a drop at a time to my handmade oatmeal facial masks for a few weeks. Yummy! Suggested supplier: Kismet Potions.

Red Mandarin
As you may recall from another recent newsletter issue, green mandarin is a new favorite essential oil for me. Add the red variety to that! A slightly more intense aroma than green mandarin, red mandarin blends well with any citrus oil. Try it with lime for a spicy pick me up! Suggested supplier: Essential Wholesale.

Hay Absolute
This has is a very strong herbaceous aroma that is reminiscent of sweet grasses and fields. The combination of "herbness and sweetness" makes it great to add to a single citrus choice, creating a scent that is at once uplifting, sweet and herbal. IBN member supplier: SunRose Aromatics.

Neroli
Of all the oils listed here, this is the only one safe for use in small quantities on infants and small children. Add a drop of neroli and a drop of tangerine to a half ounce of sweet almond oil for a delicate baby massage treat. Neroli is also said to help relieve the symptoms associated with depression, so it's a great option for new moms who might be experiencing post-partum depression. (Consult a doctor of course!) IBN member supplier: From Nature With Love.

Linden Blossom Absolute
Linden is sweet and soft, and decidedly feminine. Use it with lemon, neroli and sandalwood to make a simple perfume blend. If you like headiness, this is a scent for you! IBN member supplier: SunRose Aromatics.

August is usually a slow month, making it a great time to relax with a small selection of new aromatic discoveries. Choose one or two and have fun blending them in small quantities with less expensive oils. You'll be amazed at how little of the more expensive oils are needed to make a new scent to remove the summer doldrums -- one sniff at a time!

Best & Success!!
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.