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I’ve seen this fragrance oil on the display before many times and have bypassed it each time. Learning from the old adage, “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” – or in this case by its name”, so I finally took the plunge and unscrewed that cap and fell in love – with Plumeria!

For those that are scientifically-inclined it goes by the name of Frangipani but you wouldn’t know that considering that it is used most often by the Pacific Islands to make leis.

Considering that I prefer floral and fruity notes I wasn’t sure how I never gave this bad boy a chance. It’s tropical scent is heaven to my nose. A sniff of this scent and I’m imagining I am laying down in a bed of lilacs and that something else. And it’s sweet scent is not at all like those dessert smelly kinds either that you find in commercially-made products.

You can grab your fragrance on-line or at apothecaries. I bought mine from Bridge Apothecary on Jay St and Front St in the Dumbo area of Brooklyn. They carry a variety of fragrance oils from Wellington Fragrances. So of course, I picked up like 9 different scents!

So whenever you’re sitting down at work and feeling down, grab your Plumeria and indulge in the tropical and heady scent. But remember to come back to earth and attend those emails!

Enjoy!

I made this glycerin-based soap creating about 10 individual layers.  It is scented with luscious lime fragrance -

My Margarita Soap

Consumers Warned Not to Use Clarcon Skin Products

Risk of bacterial contamination has led the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to warn consumers to not use any products made by Clarcon Biological Chemistry Laboratory Inc.

The Roy, Utah, firm voluntarily recalled some skin sanitizers and skin protectants sold under a variety of brand names after a recent FDA inspection found that the products contained high levels of disease-causing bacteria.

What products are consumers being warned not to use?

Consumers should not use any Clarcon products. Examples of these products include

• Citrushield Lotion

• Dermasentials DermaBarrier

• Dermassentials by Clarcon Antimicrobial Hand Sanitizer

• Iron Fist Barrier Hand Treatment

• Skin Shield Restaurant

• Skin Shield Industrial

• Skin Shield Beauty Salon Lotion

• Total Skin Care Beauty

• Total Skin Care Work

What should consumers do with these products if the have them?

Stop using them immediately and throw them away in household refuse.

What specific concerns does FDA have about these products?

Analyses of several samples of over-the-counter topical antimicrobial skin sanitizer and hand protectant products revealed high levels of various bacteria, including some associated with unsanitary conditions.

Some of these bacteria can cause opportunistic infections of the skin and underlying tissues. Such infections may need medical or surgical attention, and may result in permanent damage.

FDA finds the inspection results particularly concerning because the products are promoted as antimicrobial agents that claim to treat open wounds, damaged skin, and protect against various infectious diseases.

The inspection uncovered serious deviations from FDA’s requirements.

How can consumers report adverse events resulting from these products?

Health care professionals and consumers may report serious adverse events (side effects) or product quality problems with the use of this product to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program.

This article appears on FDA’s Consumer Updates page, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.

Date Posted: June 8, 2009

I love fizzy bath bombs. They guarantee me the best “Me” time ever. It means that I can fill up the tub all the way, light up some candles and drop a bath bomb and watch it fizz up the tub. It leaves behind not only a chock-full of great scent either with fragrance or essential oils but also moisturizing oils.

Bath bombs are made with some nourishing ingredients such as baking soda, epsom salt or cornstarch leaving your skin smooth.  Some days I make them with coconut oil and scent it with hyacinth and other days I make them with grapeseed oil and jasmine scent.

Here’s the basic recipe to making a good bath bomb.  Color and scent are optional of course.

Bath Bomb Recipe

• 2 cups baking soda

• 1/4 cup epsom salt

• 1/4 cup citric acid

• personal choice of color

• personal choice of fragrance or essential oil

• witch hazel

• acrylic ball mold (the christmas ornament kind works)

Sift really well the baking soda and citric acid in bowl.

If using color and scent remember adding a little bit of time is best to the dry mixture.  You can always add more if you desire a stronger scent or brighter color.

Wearing non-latex gloves, work color and scent through dry mixture.

The consistency to aim for is that of barely-wet sand.  Grab a handful of the mixture and clamp in hand.  If the mixture sticks then it’s good to go.  If it doesn’t you may spritz witch hazel to the dry mixture.  Spritz one at a time.  Too many spritzes and your mixture will fizz over –

Stuff your mixture in your mold and press very firmly.  Turn over and gently tap on the mold.  Your bath bomb will release itself.

Dry for at least 3 days on a hard surface.  A great place to find bath bomb recipes can be found on http://www.teachsoap.com

Enjoy!

I came across this article from RealSimple about quirky facts about shoes, bras, earrings – basically the everyday items women use and how really they were introduced to our world of style.

Here’s a snippet.

So, how did the trend for pointed-toe shoes start?

Manolo who? Long before they ever made an appearance on the TV show “Sex and the City,” pointed shoes were favored by Polish nobles, who introduced the fashion to England on a diplomatic visit in the 1300s.

The shoes, dubbed “crackowes” or “poulaines” — after Kraków, Poland — were so long that a chain running from the toe to the knee was often required to keep them from dragging.

Read more… http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/homestyle/10/12/rs.fashion.truths/index.html

I became interested in making soap and toiletries back in the spring and learned of an instructional class being held at the OpenCenter in New York City.  Our instructor La Shonda Tyree, is owner and creator of Nyah Beauty – Handcrafted Beauty and Skin Care, and a member of the Handcrafted SoapMakers Guild.

The class comprised of 3 long tables for about 45 people.  Each person received a nice sizable bag of soap-making ingredients, soap molds, essential oils and handouts of reading material and recipes to be used.

For our morning session we learned to make handcrafted glycerin soap and how to add essential oils and fresh additives to our soaps.  With La Shonda’s expert instruction, not only did I learn how to make my own handcrafted soap but how easy it is!  I was able to make a glycerin bar with lavender and peppermint.  Oh how wonderful it smelled!

Next we learn how to use basic household ingredients such as salt, sugar and oatmeal to create soothing body scrubs, bath bombs and bath salts.  Again the simplicity just blew me away – as well as the endless possibilities of how you can personalize these simple but luxurious items to have in your bath.

The afternoon session comprised of making a much more intricate method of making soap using vegetable butters and oils, water and lye.  In addition, I was able to make a small bottle of sweet and moisturizing lotion with sweet orange essential oil.  Again, La Shonda demonstrated by showing us what ingredients to use and how to safely use these ingredients.

Highlights of the class included meeting fellow novice and expert soapmakers.  Everyone contributed a bit of their experience in soap-making and toiletries.  It was wonderful to learn that everyone in the class had different backgrounds – from the household mom to the marketing guru attended this class.  You too can learn how easy making your own handcrafted soaps and lotions can be. I was very pleased at all the products I learned to make and take home with me.  It’s great to know that you have a choice between a commercial laden with harsh chemicals and your very own handmade soap made with natural ingredients that are both soothing and healthy for your skin!

La Shonda Tyree will be conducting several classes during the 2009 calendar year.  You can visit La Shonda’s website at www.handmadesoapcoach.com for more information.

Have you ever walked down the aisle at your local pharmacy or drugstore and ever wondered what that small shelf of various oils were for?
Oils such as carrot oil, olive oil, tea tree oil, etc have been widely used for many generations for everyday skin ailments.
One in particular that I have used since a little girl was Tea Tree Oil.

It is primarily found in Australia and it derives from the Melaleuca Plant. The leaves are used for tea while the extracted oil is used for medicinal purposes.

What is it good for you wonder?
It makes a great antiseptic, dandruff and antifungal topical ointment. By pressing fresh tea tree leaves on the affected area its curative properties work diligently to heal.

I first started using tea tree oil one summer as a result of mosquito bites on the back of my legs. The bites left ugly welts and dark spots on my fair skin. My mom suggested I apply tea tree oil everyday after I shower until the welts were gone. Listen to Mom! I say.
In a few weeks the welts and dark spots were gone which I was very thankful for since I had to wear capris for a long period of time.

I now apply tea tree oil on my toenails after the shower – it keeps the toes moisturized and looking pretty especially now for the summer and also as a hair treatment for my dry scalp.

Tea tree oil can be purchased at the drugstore in liquid form. It’s not expensive and a little  goes a long way!

As with any product – do a skin allergy test first. Women who are breastfeeding or pregnant should not use tea tree oil – first consult with a doctor. Keep out of reach of children and pets.