A Publication of The Indie Beauty Network
ISSN 1530-9630 | Volume 6, Issue 33
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1. IBN Member Update: Welcome New Member!
2. Handmade Beauty Recipe: Brilliant Belly Balm
3. Handmade Beauty Trivia Question: win some soap!
4. Featured Article: dM's Mother & Unborn Baby Bath Ritual
5. Handmade Beauty Product Review: Goodies from Bella Luccè
6. Handmade Beauty Benefit of the Week: Come Blog With Me!

Brilliant Belly Balm is just the ticket for an expanding belly to help minimize itching and discomfort, plus it makes skin soft, supple and stretchable!

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: 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.

Last Week's Answer: The Hand That Rocks The Cradle

This Week's Question: I am an internationally acclaimed photographer, known for my beautiful photographs of babies tucked in pea pods, folded into rose buds and wrapped in bunny and bear costumes. I have two daughters of my own and most recently created a book, DVD and CD collection created with a world famous pop singer to honor precious little ones around the world. To win this week, state my name.

Be the first to correctly answer this week's question and win some win some soap!

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!

I am very thankfully finished birthing babies, and even though I'm glad that I will not be pregnant again, I remain grateful for the months I spent carrying my children. Not only did the world make me feel special (including IBN members who remained supportive and encouraging throughout!), but I also enjoyed experiencing the feeling and fact of life growing inside of me. While I was pregnant, my obstetrician reminded me to try to spend as much time resting as possible. That was pretty easy with my first pregnancy and nearly impossible with the second. Still, in both cases, I tried to stick to a routine that allowed me to nurture myself and my growing babies at least once a week, just the two of us. While it was easier said than done during the second pregnancy, I still managed to steal away as often as possible to spend alone with my babies before they were born. I kept a journal of those times, and when cleaning up a few weeks ago, I stumbled across a few entries outlining by own Mother & Unborn Baby-Bath Ritual using natural products made by IBN members, plus a few things I made myself. I'm happy to share it with you now.

dM's Mother & Unborn Baby Bath Ritual

Grab some room temperature water to soothe thirst and put on some soft, relaxing and contemplative music. I usually preferred the softer sounds of Enya or Yanni. Light a few candles -- I just used unscented tea lights. I put them in front of the bathroom mirrors to make it look like there were more candles in the room.

Fill up the tub with warm (not hot!) water. Add a bit of your favorite bubbles if you'd like. I often used unscented bubble bath from IBN member Essential Wholesale. Sometimes, I added a few gallons of whole milk (I have a big tub), a few large handfuls of oat powder soaked with a drop or two of rose essential oil during the 24 hours preceding the bath, and some fresh pink rose petals. (I have never had any trouble using small amounts of essential oils while pregnant -- you may wish to omit them.) Then, I slinked in, breathed deeply and soaked until the water started to get cold. Sometimes I was so relaxed that I fell asleep -- a few times more about an hour. Those were well needed naps and I was usually wakened by a sharp kick in the belly. I guess that was my baby's telling me to get up, walk around and "rock" them some more! (They're still doing that!)

Sometimes, hubby would be allowed to come in, but only if he did not have our older child (if she was still awake) and only if he promised to massage my feet with some plain shea butter or virgin coconut oil. If you can add a foot massage, do it! If I had to massage my own feet, it was easy to do even when my stomach was at its biggest. Somehow, my legs naturally folded around my stomach. Don't contort yourself if this is not comfortable for you. Use some plain unscented oil to massage your feet, or use a lightly scented sugar scrub like Sweet Sugar Scrub by IBN member sugar coat it.

Bathe using your favorite handmade soap. One of my all-time favorites is Belize Bar (with lemongrass essential oil) by Leslie's Garden or Buttermilk (unscented) by IBN member Alabu Soap. Use a soft cleansing pad or bath pouf to make great lather out of a little bit of soap. I so enjoyed wrapping my palms around my belly and talking to my babies while I did this. I had the cleanest stomach around and I think they really liked it too!

Be careful getting out of the tub. During my really pregnant months, I always got help, especially since the tub might be slippery from the foot massage oil. If I had the energy, I would give myself a manicure or put my hair in a few French braids. I finished with a nice moisturizer like IBN members' Essencia Rosewater Body Milk or Silk'n Shea Lavender Total Body Lotion. I liked to add intensive moisturizer to my feet so I used a balm like Planet Earth Remedies' Lavender Comfort Balm.

My favorite part of these times was regular use of a product I made myself to massage my belly. I made quite a few, but one of my favorites was Brilliant Belly Balm. Made with cocoa butter, glycerin, rosewater and jojoba oil, it allowed me to glide my palms smoothly across, around, over and under my stomach making it smooth and supple. Try it, or make some for a pregnant pal! To keep myself motivated and positive, I had a pregnancy massage once every few months and enjoyed swimming when I could.

If you're pregnant, create your own Mother & Unborn Baby Bath Ritual or help a pregnant friend create hers. Sometimes moms who already have children can be overwhelmed. You can help by watching their children so they can have some Mother & Unborn Baby time. You can give her simple products you make yourself, some of the products mentioned here or just simple plain ingredients like shea butter, olive oil or coconut oil. Scent is a very personal thing for pregnant women so if you are making products for others, leave them unscented. If you are buying scented products, be sure to let the mom-to-be know that if she reacts adversely to the scent, save the product for after the baby comes.

What do pomegranates, lemongrass and chocolate have in common? They are all ingredients in one form or another, in Bella Luccè line of delicious skincare! I am now the proud owner of these Bella Luccè goodies: Cucumber Facial Toner, Pink Grapefruit Foaming Cleanser, Pomegranate Polishing Crème, Japanese Yuzu Body Mousse, Dutch Chocolate Decadence Bliss Crème, Green Tea & Crushed Rice Body Scrub. I love them all but here are my favorites!

Dutch Chocolate Decadence Bliss Crème
4 oz. | $12.00

This was not one of the first Bella Luccè product I ordered, but when my first order came, there was a sample of this tucked inside. I opened it and literally said, "I should have ordered this!" With my promotional coupon in hand (which also came in the box), I went online and ordered it. I cannot really convey haw fabulous it is. I'm not a choc-o-holic and I didn't think smelling like a Dove Bar would appeal to me, but alas, this stuff is awesome. There is one huge downside to this product -- it doesn't come by the bucket! It makes me and my daughter smell edible! We took a bath last night and both of us soaked ourselves in it. Very rich and emollient with cocoa butter and real cocoa absolute. Too bad we can't eat it, bathe in it, etc. This is one of my favorite products of 2005!

Pomegranate Polishing Crème
2 oz. | $16.00

I have a bit of trouble opting to spend $16 on two ounces of anything, but in this case, I'm glad I did. Pomegranate Polishing Crème, even when used in tiny amounts, does wonders to exfoliate the skin, leaving it feeling supple and clean. I first put a bit of my favorite handmade soap or Bella Lucce's Pink Grapefruit Foaming Cleanser on my fingers, then I scoop out a dime-sized amount of Pomegranate Polishing Crème. It's a superb cleansing combination, exfoliating and cleaning at the same time, plus the combined natural scent is fantastic. Pomegranate Polishing Crème is made with microderm abrasion crystals and a smooth, light cream. It rinses clean, leaving behind a radiant glow.

Pink Grapefruit Foaming Cleanser
4 oz. | $14.00

I am a staunch and stubborn everyday user of handmade soap -- period -- on my skin. Yes, I've heard all the cautions, but so far, my skin has never once suffered an adverse reaction due to the use of handmade soap. And let me tell you, I've tried a LOT of handmade soap! That's why it's rare indeed for me to pick up a container of any facial cleanser. I just don't see the need to spend more money when I can get good clean skin from a bar of plain old soap. And while I'll continue to enjoy soap, I will also occasionally reach for Bella Luccè's  Pink Grapefruit Foaming Cleanser. Made with pro-vitamin B5 and vitamin e fortify, not to mention an off the hook grapefruit aroma, this product in just the smallest quantity foams up and leaves my skin shiny and soft. Plus when I'm done, I have a song in my heart and a smile on my face. What better way to start the day?

The Japanese Yuzu Body Mousse is made with lemongrass essential oil. It's wonderful too, but there's only so many hours a day to write about handmade beauty so I have to stop now! You can get your fresh Bella Luccè goodies at the Bella Luccè website. While you're there, check out their Fortune Cookie Promotion!

I've been hearing so much about blogs over the past year, haven't you? IBN's >chief techno-guru told me months ago, "dM, you should set up a blog for IBN." Yadda, yadda, yadda. Who has time for one more thing? And a BLOG?! Should IBN start something that sounds like it would more accurately describe an overweight slug?

BLOG! I just hated the way it sounded the first time I said it. But now, here I am, starting one for IBN. We've had forums before, but they have gone the way of the dinosaurs. Still, members keep telling me that they want a place to communicate so here's my new offering.

Come Blog With Me!!

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.