Peep! It’s Bon Ami

By Tonie Silver

Like to clean?  Like to do it with non tox prod?  Tired of trying to be green, but getting crummy results (sorry!) from all natural cleaners?  Geez, I know, we try to do stuff al Laura Ingalls, and clean with vinegar and salt and baking soda, but it just doesn’t cut it.

Remember Bon Ami?  The cleanser with the little chickie that your mom and gran used to use?  Well they’ve revamped their range to include a liquid cleanser, dish soap, and spray cleaner, and they rock and roll!

Bon Ami now lightly scents their products with essential oils of tangerine, thyme, orange, and clove, which is a lovely addition to cleaning.  Cool retro-ish packaging that’s fun to look at.

The Dish Soap is so great that I’m switching from Ecover, which I’ve used faithfully for years.  Cleans grease, and rinses sparkly clean.  Leaves silverware sparkly with a mirror-like finish.  Kind to hands, and comes in a keen squeezy top bottle that looks great on my sink.  Highly recommended.

The Powdered Cleanser, which is based on the minerals feldspar and limestone, left my stainless steel kitchen sink shimmery and shiny like I’ve never seen it before.  Again, I highly recommend this product.

The Liquid Cleanser is good for showers, sinks, you name it.  Left my bathroom fixtures blindingly bright and shiny, and again, mirror-like.

The All-Purpose Cleaner works nicely on stovetops, counters, and anything else you need to spritz.  Eradicates grease, dust, dirt, fingerprints, etc., with a cheery smell to boot!

I am so impressed with Bon Ami’s revamped range, I’m telling all my friends.  I cannot overstate the quality and effectiveness of this range.  It’s really important to use all natural non toxic cleaners in your home, people, and Bon Ami makes cleaning rituals just that much more pleasant and enjoyable.  Run.

www.bonami.com 

Grown

By Tonie Silver

Grown Organic Apothecary sent me their lip balm and facial oil, and I must say~ they both rock.  Us girls, we’re always on the lookout for the perfect lip balm, right?  Grown’s Lip Balm is right there, I’ll tell ya.  Like a cashmere sweater for your kisser, so soft and comforting.  And the texture, oy, the texture~ like a buttercream pashmina!  Contains watermelon seed oil, so it has a watermelon-y vanilla-y smell going on.  How did two dudes do this?  Aussie brothers Keston and Jeremy Muijs have their formulations down ladies, so look out!  And did I mention packaging?  You know how important packaging is to Tonie~ me like it to look pretty in my bathroom.  These are old school apothecary style, with the lip balm in little metal tubes that you pierce open with the cap, and etched glass dropper bottles for the oil.  Brill!  The Facial Serum is a luxe mix of borage, rosehip, and sea-buckthorn berry oils, scented with green, stemmy lavender.  Really envelopes skin in a veil of lasting moisture.  These products are so cool, try ‘em and see!

www.grown.com 

Again With The Lush

By Tonie Silver

In perusing Lush’s catalog, I found them to have a small cadre of natural offerings, so I decided to give ‘em a whirl.

Lush makes some really fun facial cleansers, presented in a doughy kind of a format.  Dark Angels is a conundrum; leaves a wicked black ring around the tub and is hard as h-e-double hockey sticks to get off, but methinks it’s worth it.  Use this at the basin instead of in the bath, and remove it with a washcloth, and you’ll be good to go.  This feels and smells so good.  Polishes skin with charcoal, glides around with avocado oil, and scented  with delicious rosewood essential oil.

Aqua Marina is pink with calamine and green with seaweed.  Actually really soothed my skin!  My face looked really calm and smooth, and it has a lurvely squidgy texture.  The Aqua Marina~ not my face!!!:)

Angels On Bare Skin is a good old good one.  Just as nice as it ever was when I tried it more than a decade ago, this paste of almonds and white clay, scented with rose and lavender lets you scrub to your heart’s content without irritating, ever.

Lush’s solid facial moisturizer, Full Of Grace Serum, is a lot lighter and user friendly than I expected.  Packed with butters and oils.  Nice chamomile scent.  Nicely soothing to the skin.

T Tree Toner Tab is effervescent fun and smells really nice, which surprised me for a tea tree product.  You pop the tablet into a pot of boiled water, and then steam your face over it.  Very beneficial for the skin.

Wiccy Magic Muscles is so much fun!  A solid massage bar with knobbly little adzuki beans that massage out tension and massage in the soporific essential oils of cinnamon and peppermint.  Yay!  Oddly warming and cooling at once~ methinks this would be great in the heat of Summer.

I’ll be on the lookout for more all natch stuff from Lush~ as far as fun in the tub goes, they’re tops!

www.lushusa.com 

Dragon’s Rub

By Tonie Silver

Indigo Wild’s Dragon’s Blood Zum Rub is a really enjoyable product.  Comes in a big fattie generous tin, smells gorge with patchouli and lavender essential oils, and is a really light, easy to use formula.  Dragon’s Blood infused organic sunflower oil and grapeseed oil give it the light base, while unrefined beeswax and organic shea butter add moisturizing punch.

Go ‘head~ rub a dragon, it’s good for you!

www.indigowild.com

Sweet Salvation

by Tonie Silver

MJ’s Organic Salves are a joy.  Silky smooth texture, so they’re super easy to apply, and chocka bloc with lovely organic ingredients.  Made with healing intent by the lovely MJ, they are nicely vibrational and energetic.  Very happy and calming.

I tried the Lavender E, Arnica, and Calendula.  The Calendula Salve smells warm and honey sweet, and is very healing.  The Arnica Salve contains just the merest hint of clove essential oil, for warmth perhaps.  Good for aches and pains.  The Lavender E Salve smells nice and fresh, and is a great all purpose salve.  These salves are great multi taskers, so you only need one product for tons of uses~ hands, feet, face, lips, ouchies, hair styling, even just to smell good!

Very cool glass jars with adorable labels~ all important when you want to gaze on beauty.

These salves are so smooth and easy to use, that I’m well on my way to the seeing the bottom of the jars!

I interviewed MJ for LPR:

TS:  Hi MJ, & welcome to LPR!

 MJ: Thanks Tonie, I'm so happy you found me :)

TS:  You worked for over two decades to perfect the texture of your balms~ they're in an olive oil base, yet they're light and not greasy!  Talk to us a bit about that.

 MJ: Two things: First, I made many, many versions of the balms and would carry them around in numbered jars, rubbing them on anyone who would participate, and ask them for their opinion and notice how the products were absorbed into many skin types and age groups. I had a clipboard and would record my findings about each formulation.

The second point is that very high quality ingredients absorb much better into the skin. I have noticed that time and time again over the years. 

TS:  You use real vitamin e oil in your salves.  Educate our readers; what is the majority of vitamin e being used?  Synthetic?

MJ: I like to give full disclosure about my ingredients, and when a label doesn't specify I know it raises a red flag for me. Also, real vitamin E is more costly and if a company is using it, they are going to let you know that they are scrupulous about their ingredients.

 Dl-alpha tocopherol acetate is synthetic, D-alpha tocopherol is natural. 

Dl-alpha tocopherol is a byproduct of a petrochemical dependent manufacturing process and it may have an endocrine-disrupting effect, despite its molecular/chemical similarity to the natural isomer, D-alpha tocopherol.

Look on the label and see if its "D" or "Dl", if the label does not state which type is used, ask the company.

If a company is dedicated to natural ingredients they are probably using the more costly natural "D- alpha".  Conversely, if a product is not natural, and is using other chemical synthetic ingredients, they are most likely using the less costly "Dl".

TS:  Your logo is beautious~ did you design it yourself? 

 MJ: We have a fantastic graphic designer who really brought my ideas to life, and he captured how I feel about what I do. The hands symbolize "hand made", and it resembles a city skyline as I am an urban herbalist and the third generation of my family from Brooklyn, and also the giving and receiving aspect of what I do. It is vitally important to me to give and contribute to the world in an ethical, caring way and also to receive in return a good living that allows me to care for myself, my family, and support employees. Often when someone is a giver, especially women, we forget to take care of ourselves. I would love to dispel the idea of a virtuous woman as one who neglects herself! :) (lol).

The plant above the hands is not a particular plant but more of an iconic plant symbolizing healing plants of all kinds.

TS:  Any new products on the horizon?
MJ: Yes Tonie!  I have some lip balms, tinted and untinted, in the works that have been extremely popular with my test subjects and some new balms coming soon! 

TS:  In parting MJ, are there any thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? 

MJ: I'd like to thank people for their interest in my products!  MJ's Herbals exists because people have stood up and demanded more safe, natural, and environmentally 

healthy options in their lives and for our planet. You could say my company thrives and grows through the consciousness and awareness of the people. :)

TS:  Thanx MJ!  Keep on rockin'!  

MJ: Thank YOU for reaching out and for doing what you do Tonie! 

www.MJsHerbals.com

MJ@MJsHerbals.com

718-786-2470

A Little Dab

A Little Dab
by Tonie Silver

Readers, I'm here with one of my favorite artisans, suppliers, &a people,Dabney Rose. Dabney makes some of the, if not the, best hydrosols on the planet. Let's sit down for a chat, shall we?

TS: Hi Dab! What's new?

DR: ;Hi Tonie! You are always such a fun visit. New? This past summer I got quite out of the box  got away from the plant world completely,  into the animal / mineral neighborhoods with honey & red clay. I also started distilling with crystals & stones in combination with flowers, which turned out to be an extraordinary experience! These particular hybrids are very vibrationally exceptional & I've gotten some wonderful feedback on them.

TS: Dab, everyone in the know knows your hydro's rock~ what's your secret? Care to spill?

DR: I think the main 'stance' that helps me be successful is to be open to that inner voice; this is after all a creative process &a very much alive process; it would be careless (arrogant?) to assume you knew the complete outcome, even if you had done this a 100 times before. But to also act on what that voice is whispering to you; it's an act of faith & not at all 'scientific'. This is not mere distillation we're doing here; it's Alchemy.

TS: I notice a tangible energy in your hydrosols~ are you whispering to your little plants & flowers, or what?:)

DR: Well, I do feel more on the same energy continuum with the green people than with any other species, including my own. My husband grumbles that I give the houseplants the best spots in the house. Before I am a distiller I am a gardener. Distilling is my excuse to garden. Perhaps somewhere along the way I ended up with more chlorophyll than hemoglobin?

As far as playing with them; I start by going up to their vibrational level, merging energies, so to speak & bringing them back down into the physical process. You know Tonie, I don't think I have ever actually thought that out before; that was an excellent question! Thank you!

TS: Where did you learn your craft?

DR: In the space of an afternoon, my dad set me up &showed me the scientific process of distillation (him being a chemist and all). Since then & for the last 23 years I have turned it around to an intuitive act & learned from the 'inside'. Living in the East as opposed to the West Coast, I felt isolated from the growing 'hydrosol movement' so I guess I developed my own 'truths'. I feel in the end, I've been just fine on my own path.

TS: Dabney, so many chicks have been so generous to me over the years, and I'm especially touched by your generosity & spirit~ you inspire me in my business~ your heart shines through. You like to pay it forward, huh?

DR: I am quite touched by this Tonie, but what it comes down to is pure selfishness! I get such a rush when I gift. I have had people do incredible gifting in my direction & as it seems to be the best feeling going; it seems that this is what we all should be doing!

TS: Favorite hydrosol?

DR: Raspberry. This is the first one 'the voice' gave me to do & it is so phenomenally awesome!

TS: Any advice for distillers?

DR: Don't hold back because you think you don't know what you are doing!! Get in the arena "in the moment" and the knowing will come. "Just Do It".

TS: Proudest moment as a distiller?

DR: A shop keeper from France, the fragrance capital of the world!- repeat ordering many liters of my stuff!

TS: Dabney, is this what you do for a living? If so, how did you do it? Just do it?

DR: It took a loooooong time for me to have the faith to commit. A big portion of that was feeling OK about what I'd have to charge; I'm not a wholesaler who harvests gallons, I'm an artist who harvests pints. My batches are intimate &saturated, & luckily there are people out there who want that. But, yes, this is my 9 to 5. (More like 24/7.)

TS: Dab, your hydrosols are a must have staple in my house; what are some natural beauty products you have to have at all times?

DR: Tonie, that is SO sweet! I have noticed that mass producing can ruin an otherwise nice list of ingredients so I make what I use one bottle at a time; what works best comes out of my kitchen cabinet! Red Palm Oil, Aloe Vera, &Rice Bran.With a LOT of hydrosols. And, yes, I am lucky &spoiled &I know it!

TS: Readers, wee little Dabney is a biker babe! Discuss Dab!

DR: Heh Heh. My energy likes to be in motion & when things bog down my husband will almost push me out the door for a ride & most of the time, when I get back, things will have shifted! It's also a most excellent way to get my head beyond thinking. I do a lot of "creative being" on two wheels. (I'm also heavy into pink, flowers & ribbons; no skulls)

TS: Please explain the benefits of hydrosols on the skin, & the different benefits that different hydro's offer.

DR: This could use up a lot of ink so I will try to keep it short. Short story is that all hydrosols improve the texture of the skin. I have found that, basically, most of the flowers soften while the fruits (including Lichen) are more action oriented by increasing cellular activity/circulation; they firm &tighten. Blends are the best of both worlds.

TS: Dabney, you are always such a sweet treat, and so pleasant to deal with business-wise. Any parting words?

DR: What make this path fun for me Tonie is sharing what I come up with with other fragrance connoisseurs. And you are Always enormous fun!

www.dabney-rose.com

Buddha Nose

Buddha Nose
By Tonie Silver

My esteemed Editor told me to consider this when reviewing products: Would I buy it? The answer to the Buddha Nose range is a resounding "Yes!" Everything about this range, from start to finish, is so pleasing. Starting with the packaging~ Tiffany robin's egg blue tins that sport a beautiful tree~ but that's not all! The tins have a clever screw-top~ no hassling with tin lids~ yay!

Founder Amy Galper's inspiration was to get her clients to breathe~ genius! Buddha Nose balms are in a base of organic jojoba and beeswax, and have a wonderfully soft, almost springy texture. The Girl Balm is a star! Essential oils of clary sage, rose geranium, ginger root, and black pepper alleviate any and all pms. I was all set to enjoy the benefits of this gorgeously fragrant balm, when~ lo and behold~ no pms! I had been sniffing and applying the Girl Balm prior to the big event, and thus, was asymptomatic! Magic! Buy this.

The I Booster Salve is another stroke of genius. E/O's of ravensara, clove bud, patchouli, lemon, tea tree, and cinnamon join forces to produce a wonderfully spicy, peppery blend that blasts any nasties right outta Dodge! Delicious! Apply this to your neck, soles of your feet, and under your nosie whenever you feel a touch of the 'tiz coming on~ nips it right in the bud. Another must have item.

Bodhi Balm is a woody, resiny blend of cedarwood, ho wood, juniper berry, and frankincense. Very opening, grounding, and calming. I used the Bodhi Balm before my yoga, and it totally enhanced my enjoyment of the experience. Makes for deep breathing. I'll be using this daily~ so should you. Again~ highly recommended.

Amy doesn't advocate the use of her balms for skincare~ but I do! I've used these on my hands and face~ light enough for the face and absorbs totally~ and these are my new wig potion~ I put a dab in before the blowout, and the Jewfro is totally straight, shiny, and smells gorgeous.

All of the Buddha Nose products I used are lovely and come with a hearty endorsement from yours truly.I chatted with Amy a couple times on the phone~ she sounds like an oasis of calm in the middle of the city~ she's doing something right!

www.buddhanose.com
(212)591-0852

Persephenie ~ Formerly Blunda Aromatics

Persephenie
by Tonie Silver

At the behest of my esteemed, whip cracking Editor in Chief, I schlepped my happy butt an hour's drive away to Persephenie's. Justine said "you have to go- you'll really dig it." Does Justine know Tonie, or does Justine know Tonie? I got there just as they were opening, and was greeted warmly by owner Persephenie's assistant Maribel. I had to catch my breath and focus, because I immediately went into truffle rooting pig mode: I was supposed to be there to profile the place for LPR, not to shop for myself. Yeah right!

This place is straight up Hogwarts, I'll tell ya. I felt like I was in Snape's Potions class. Jars containing botanicals such as oakmoss, labdanum, frankincense, and ambergris line the walls. There are glass cases filled with incense and perfumes, and I was shown a really cool silver necklace that Persephenie made.

Maribel kindly showed me the back room atelier, whereby she announced to me "You smell amazing! What are you wearing?" (FYI: seven plus years old patchouli topped with petigrain) I was like a kid in a dime store having to keep my hands in my pockets; rows upon rows of shelves crammed chockablock with oils and absolutes A to Z. I wanted to smell each and every one, but of course out of respect, and due to the big ol' PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH THE OILS sign, I refrained. They even had tobacco flower~ dang! A worktable evidenced works in progress, and there was even a lit tank full of little fishies back there. The real piece de resistance was five or six big glass potion bottles under a glass case, each hand painted by Persephenie and containing her own perfumes. Dang! Couldn't I get just a teensy, tiny sniff? Nope!

A perfumer very near and dear to LPR occupied featured space at Persephenie's- Laurie Stern's Velvet & Sweetpea's. There are several other natural botanical ranges as well, but you know me, always on to the next smelly thing! Lemme at those essential oils!

There were bottles of five or six different eucalypti to sniff- oh joy!I snagged me some rockin' essentials: Persephenie's own Kore range, and the exceedingly lovely Floracopeia. I came home with a rose eucalyptus, a vetiver, a white ginger lily (!) blend, and some of the hard to find Japanese charcoal that I adore. Oh yay!

Another plus is that this shop is located just a stone's throw from Farmer's Market, so a good nosh is just a couple of blocks' walk away.

I'm reviewing Persephenie's range, so look for that- she even does an incense! I know, I know~ someone's gotta do it!:)

Persephenie, formerly Blunda Aromatics
304 South Edinburgh Ave.
Los Angeles, Calif.  90048
(323)658-7507
www.blundaaromatics.com

Angel Face Botanicals

by Tonie Silver

Angel Face Botanicals is a real find. Plenty of good stuff to satisfy any bathoholic. This range is aptly named~ owner Jessica Ress makes her products with bunches of love, and it really shines through. The Lavender Shower Steamer is an innovative idea~ think of it as a really long lasting, strong bath bomb. Pop it into the shower with you and let it release its essential oils while you scrub.

Angel Face excels at powdered facial cleansers. Jessica makes three different Organic Facial Cleansing Grains: Ambrosia, Ayurvedic, and Adzuki & Green Tea, and they’re all just perfect. They all start with basically the same base of kaolin clay, oats, and rice, and then Jessica adds different bits and bobs. Ambrosia boasts the addition of whole milk, banana, and apple. Ayurvedic has rhassoul, sandalwood, frankincense, and myrrh. Just the right amount of scrubbiness. I couldn’t decide which of these I liked best~ they’re all so good! The biggest difference that I can detect between the three is that the Ayurvedic leaves the skin a tad bit whiter. All three come highly recommended.

Jessica’s scrubs are scrubby, yet really mild. It feels like she uses a really fine grained, polished salt in them. In spite of the blend of essential oils (grapefruit, rose geranium, juniper, lavender, fennel etc.), the Rock Star Detox Scrub smells kind of purple-y to me, sort of a grape Kool-Ade kind of smell. This fragrance really chills you out. Like lavender? You’ll love Angel Face’s Double Love Scrub, a blend of four different lavender oils, berries, and calendula. Delightfully angel pink.You’re in a Secret Garden, dripping with roses, ylang ylang, rose geranium, oranges, patchouli, and jasmine. Inhale the hypnotic scent. Now open your eyes. Surprise! You’ve been soaking in Angel Face’s Blush Aphrodisiac Bathing Salts. I’m digging this scent muchly.

Satisfy your craving for a Renaissance bath with Angel Face’s Rose Milk Herbal Wash~ a little wash bag chock full of herbs, oats, and flowers. Smells delish with rose geranium essential oil. Soak, squeeze, and scrub with this~ I enjoyed peering at all the colored bits during my bath. No mess either~ clever.

The name says it all: Lovely Lavender & Vanilla Fizzing Milk Bath. All the moisturizing benefits of a milk bath, plus some fizz action! Smells just like its name: lovely. Very soothing, comforting, and relaxing.

Butter, butter, who’s got the butter? Angel Face, that’s who! Jessica mixes up a dizzying array of body butters, some of which she mixes sparkly mica into~ yay! Multi purpose moisture here. Rose Garden is so light, delicate, and angel pink. Sweet Lavender is Provence in a jar. Opalescent mica makes it all the more special. Ya want tropical? Angel Face has got’cha covered with Flora Exotica~ a heady, creamy mix with ylang & Monoi~ scrummy!:)

Lose yourself at Angel Face’s site for a while~ it’s treat after treat, after yummy treat.

www.angelfacebotanicals.com

Auric Blends

by Tonie Silver

Auric Blends first foray into 100% natural perfumery is a triumph! Supplied in dear little roll-on bottles that look great on your dressing table, these jojoba based blends are multi faceted and wear beautifully.

Pele is hot and spicy~ with a twist! Patchouli, cedarwood, and clove marry beautifully, to be grounded by olibanum~ but wait! The real magic here is the unexpected culinary addition of bay leaf! Gives it a real kick and a really beautious dry down. Dark. No cinnamon here~ but the synergy whispers of it. A really dark Oriental, after the fashion of Opium and Tabu. Very much recommended.

Siren starts out with a citrus top~ lemongrass, geranium, geranium, and palmarosa, and gets creamy with balsam Peru and ylang. Mellows into amyris. Very round bottom.

The sleeper hit of Auric Blends' Natural range is Tara. Unexpectedly delightful. Multilayed, changing, and tenacious. Like wearing a different fragrance all day long. Nice on so many levels. Prismatic. I'm addicted to this juice! Starts out green with bergamot. Candy notes. Dries down to a lasting mellowness. Cistus gives it the staying power. Recommended.Love flowers? Layla is for you. Smotherings of flowers, flowers, flowers. Gobs and gobs of them. Sweet, heady, and full. Powdery notes. Rose, orange flower, and boronia. Lingering sweetness. Beautiful and feminine.My contact at Auric Blends told me their intent is to go 100% natural with their whole range (they do synthetics as well); if these four are any indicator of things to come, expect great things from this company.

I encourage LPR readers to let Auric Blends know we want more of the same~ ditch those fakies, and come on over to the real side!

Auric Blends

Back of the Moon

by Tonie Silver

From Melbourne, Australia, comes Back Of The Moon Day Spa~ one of the top three most beautiful lines Ive ever had the pleasure of using. This range is as gobsmackingly beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside. Proprietress Kristene Veit is a self taught artist and alchemist, and take my word~ her range will blow you away! Amazingly talented, this girl!

Packaged in beauteous glass bottles and jars of amber, blue, and green, Back Of The Moons Products are adorned with Kristene's artwork~ different cunning girls in states of repose~ just looking at these babes will relax you! An absolute pleasure to gaze on every day, these are keepers for sure!

Orange & Cinnamon Body Scrub is mouthwateringly juicy and spicy sweet~ really big chunky raw sugar and poppy seeds~ more moisturizing than it is scrubby. Highly recommended. Lavender & Lime hand scrub is just the ticket for banishing dryness. This is a sugar scrub, so it's perfect for sensitive hands. Leaves hands smooth, soft, and scented with the uplifting yet soothing combo of lavender and lime.

After you've scrubbed, seal in the moisture with Back Of The Moon's Pure Jasmine Organic Hand Cream. Talk about indulgent! Your hands will smell like a maharini's~ one whiff and you'll think you're lounging in a tent dripping with jewels! Recommended.Rose &Jasmine Facial Mist refreshes and hydrates, and leaves you smelling like a princess. Comes in the coolest blue glass bottle.

Back Of The Moon's Rose, Neroli, & Sandalwood Organic Face Cream is egg yolk yellow and the consistency of custard. Contains jojoba, rosehip, and evening primrose oils, so it's very hydrating, yet very light. The hauntingly warm, sweet scent lingers on the face after application.

I've said it again and again: not-a-fan-of-the-mint. That established, I've gotta say, Back Of The Moon's Peppermint & Lemongrass Foot Butter is mighty peppy and nice. Really thick and rich, it's just the thing for tired tootsies. Plus I was very heavily swayed by the gorge bottle green jar and the babe on it!

Love your lips with Back Of The Moon's Orange & Vanilla Lip Balm and Rose &Honey Lip Balm. Equally delicious, and sweetened with honey, both of these are must-haves. The rose has real rose otto, not absolute! You can never have too many great lip balms! Recommended.

Unbelievable. Absolutely outstanding. Stunning. Back Of The Moon's Floral Oat Bath is a trip to the Garden Of Eden. Smells like Lothlorien must. A sublime blend of patchouli, rose, neroli, ylang, jasmine, and lavender. I almost fell asleep in the bath~ I did not want to get out. Okay, so I dumped the entire jar in~ whaddya want from me???:) Highly, highly recommended~ purchase this item for sure!!!

A product review cannot truly do justice to the fabulousness of this line~ it's just so special on so many levels. Any item you try from Back Of The Moon is sure to please~ I'm super picky, and I'm crazy about the whole range!


Back of the Moon

Juniper Ridge ~ A Review

Juniper Ridge

By Tonie Silver

It’s so nice when things are just as good as you remember them.  It’s even nicer when they’re still just as good, and even better!  Such is the case with Hall Newbegin’s wonderful  Juniper Ridge.  JR rocked when I reviewed them years ago, and they are rockin’ just as hard if not harder now!  Yeah!  I get bored with products fairly quickly, but the folks at the Ridge manage to keep things fresh with awesome new products that fit right in with the same high quality, super all natural pantheon of old faves.

Had it not been for Allie at JR, I would’ve pulled a Dionne Warwick and just walked on by their splendiferous Aromatherapy Mists.  Me and names~ what can I say, I’m jaded~ I wasn’t the least bit interested.  Color me corrected!  These babies aren’t your granny’s run of the mill sprays with water or alcohol and some e/o’s~ they’re actual hydrosols, the leavings of essential oil distillation, to which the Ridgies have added essential oils back into!  Simple genius!  Alchemical magic, I’ll tell ya!  Three different scents to tickle yer fancy, two of them special in house blends.  White Sage is aromatic and, well, white sage-y, with dry, incense notes.   Big Sur Sage is a blend of coastal Cali sages:  California sagebrush and black sage, so it’s rounder and sweeter than the white.   My fave is the Cascade Glacier, a blend of cedar and fir, it’s all pine needles strewn on a forest floor.  You’ll want to keep these on your bedside stand so’s you can mist yer pillows before drifting off to dreamland in your own lil’ tent on a mountainside in the Moonlight, breathing in the sweet scents of Ma Nature.  Huge aaah factor.  Three snaps up in a heart formation.  HIGHLY recommended.  

When I read that Juniper Ridge was doing in house distillation, I just had to check it out.  Their essential oils are very vibey and intense.  Like, really concentrated, if that makes any sense at all.  You’ll find the same versions as the Aromatherapy Mists: Cascade Glacier, Big Sur, and White Sage.   So you can get your e/o on and blend up some perfume, do some cleaning, add to your skincare, and whatever else you may think up!  I think it would be very informative if Juniper Ridge included the Latin binomes on their sprays and oils, but hey, that’s just me.

You want incense?  REAL incense?  Juniper Ridge’s is the real deal Neil.  Just herbs & veggie gum.  The White Sage is positively addicting, very dry and cleansing, while the Pinon is resiny and sweet.  These are more every day staples for the ‘stead, homie!

I’ve admitted it before now: I am a tea snob.  Straight up black organic, and strong enough for a mouse to trod upon.  I don’t go seeking out herbal tisanes.  Juniper Ridge’s are so fresh and tasty, like a pig I’m drinking them, do you hear me?  The Douglas Fir Spring Tips are so delicate and sweet   The White Sage and Wild Mint is aromatic and deep~ and I am most certainly not a fan of the mint, so that’s really saying something.  No thin pee waters, these; they pack a nice sturdy herbal wallop.  Of course I’m inclined to infuse them for a minimum of five minutes and have been known to go for as long as ten, but then, that’s up to you!

Juniper Ridge’s range is aesthetically pleasing as well.  I’ve seen a lot of really cool products just ruined by schlocky packaging.  Same great glass packaging with ultra cool crunchy labels~ yes!

Things have gotten so mod at the Ridge that they’re on Facebook now; go check ‘em out if’n yer so inclined~ I hear they give away freebs every Wodensday.  That’s Wednesday for all you that are not down with the cult of Thor.

Man it’s nice to know that the more things change, the more they stay the same.  Keep up the great work Juniper Ridge!

www.juniperridge.com

Cat's Meow

by Tonie Silver

I could dedicate an entire review to Perfumer Laurie Stern's aesthetic for her luverly company Velvet & Sweet Pea's Purrfumery~ it's that sweet and special. To my mind, only one other company has ever impressed me this much with the care and attention paid to the beauty of presentation~ it's that impressive. From the lush purple box the products arrived in, to the shredded paper packing, to the silver wrapping paper, to the little velvet pouch with a rhinestone buckle, to the sweet little info cards, to the silver box with the faux gem on top~ I was blown away. Laurie was a wedding florist in a previous incarnation~ lucky us that she does perfume now!

The scents themselves are nearly impossible to describe, they're so complex and delicate~ they're like a fine lace or filigree. They are a testament to Laurie's love affair with flowers. It's trippy, but instead of being heavy and overbearing, these fragrances invite you to come closer to inhale their lovliness, like a flower inviting a bee.

The Terrain is probably my favorite; it smells incredible with mitti attar. Laurie employs the most delicate hand, but it's still strong enough for me. This is what I want to smell constantly and forever. Indescribably beautiful. When I look on Velvet & Sweet Pea's site, I was shocked to discover that this was an eau de cologne, not a perfume. I am always drawn to scent in its strongest concentration, and yet I am completely smitten with this. Laurie outdoes herself with this blend.

Narcissus Poeticus is kind of low and warm and deep. Kind of gummy and resiny, polar opposite of the high, white, clean smell I expected.Velvet & Sweet Pea's.

Gardenia is not your granny's drugstore jungle gardenia. Laurie's version of this hypnotic flower is not at all the funereal, cloying choker that most of us grew up with. This interpretation is all softness with notes of candy and powder~ and I mean powder in the best sense of the words. Dry down brings out an ambery spice anchor. I detect some juicy citrus notes as well. Another one I cannot stop sniffing.

Jasmine Dawn To Dusk was another surprise~ citrusy sweet. I wanna say bubble gummy, but in the best possible way. Three different jasmines meld warmly with citrus oils to give an edible quality to this potion.

Songbird~ clear light orange blossom champagne with a tiny little anchor of a sparrow's foot of sandal or mitti holding it from completely ascending.

Jewelry Of Heaven is complex; starts with a winey note, drying down to kind of a sweet, clear orange candy with a powdery top, then settles into a sandaly, mitti-ish heart. Veddy veddy nice indeed.

You've just bathed in a pool of clear, crisp mountain spring water. You roll down a hillside, still naked, through a riot of wildflowers. As you crush the blooms, they release their fragrance~ a rainbow of sunny smiles, lifting up to Heaven. You run exhilarated, through the fresh spring breeze, petals clinging to your still damp body. Oh no wait~ you've just used Velvet & Sweetpea's Calliope Bath &Body Oil.

Laurie also does Solid Perfumes in a base of organic jojoba and beeswax. These are packaged in the dearest little silver poison boxes with a big faux gem on top. I tried the Honey~ tuberose predominates with a citrus top note. This is bee juice, man, for sure. Sweet, gooey, and tasty. Lovely. Victorian.

Velvet Sweet Pea's Bath Salts are just grand. Highly scented and packaged dearly, they come in Kashmir Lavender, which is a must have. Really clear and sweet. Passionflower is a surprise, with spearmint, ylang, blood orange, and lime. I am not a fan of mint, but it works wonderfully in this blend.

Monkey Cat smells like essential oil of monkey and cat. Kidding~ I'm kidding. Named for one of Laurie's kitties in residence, try this one yourself and see.

Terrain is lovely, with frankincense, geranium, and lime. Different than the perfume version , methinks.

Laurie also stocks some splendid organic hydrosols: Bulgarian Rose, Orange Blossom, Rose Geranium, and Lavender. Staples. I've tried others, and I'm very impressed with the strength and quality of these. So much so that I ordered more of the orange blossom and the rose.

Laurie also offers Perfumery Adventures~ check her site for details. Um~ she has a claw footed tub in her back yard~ enough said!

Any of Laurie's products would make the dearest, most impressive gift.You heard it here first, at good old LPR~ expect big things for Laurie Stern and Velvet and Sweet Pea's~ just look at her last name~ she's a star!

www.purrfumery.com

Bebe Le Strange

by Tonie Silver

Le Parfumeur Rebelle is pleased to feature a bright new star in the constellation of Natural Botanical Perfumery, Jill McKeever, founder of For Strange Women.

Tell our readers a bit about yourself; what is your background? Are you formally trained in perfumery, or are you self-taught? 

JM: Hello! I am not formally trained, not sure if that kind of teaching exists here in Missouri, but I do read a LOT of books about aromatherapy and herbalism from the library. My background is assorted; a college degree in electronic art (video/audio production with special effects), a lot of music recording experience, and perfumery/natural bath/body potion making since I was a teenager.

TS: Are you a Mo. native?

JM: yessum.

TS: Can you describe your process to us? 

JM: I am too freeform to give a solid answer, but I do realize that the best designs and ideas always come from journaling and sketching. Playing with materials without careful thought, consideration, and detailed analyzation can turn into a very expensive hobby with too many disasterous results. I have to force myself to do slow down and conceptualize.

TS: So let's say you have your sketch, your concept, your idea~ take us through your actual process, like a narrator, i.e., you sit at your table with all of your bottles, you're at your witch cupboard, your stove, you're pouring, you're stirring, what? 

Take us there Jill! 

JM: If I am making perfume I line up the bottles of oils I have in mind for a blend in a row. I put one drop of each in a small bottle, and then increase the amount of drops of these and add new oils accordingly as I find where the "holes; are in the blend. I keep track of how many drops of each by arranging the order of bottles. 1..3...5...7...9..... I always use an odd # of drops because odd=strange and I am trying to make perfumes for strange women. And it breaks the OCD I have with all my symmetrical designs. Anyway, then I shake it, dilute it, let it brew a week or two, come back, and try some on. I write down the dominating scents, strength, and the "feel" of the overall scent when I first try it on, then an hour later, then 2 hours later. If I can't smell drydown notes after 2 hours I know I need more of them. If the beginning or end of wearing it isn't what I'm going for then I can either pinpoint that one or two oils that are screwing up the blend, the one or two that are needed, or if not I go to my boyfriend and just say "hey, do you like this?" and he usually says "no" but once in a while he says yes. He is as good a wine connoisseur as I am so I trust his nose. He also wears lip balm religiously, so he is the ultimate authority on that. (he goes through like 40 of my "screw up" tubes in a year) Anyway I think I have a pretty common way of making blends but I don't think I always have the same concept of what is "good" as other natural perfumers, since my goals are not always to make a perfectly constructed blend- a lot of times I am chasing a concept. Moss and Ivy is an example. It starts with a lot of Ivy, ends with a lot of Moss! When it comes to lip balm, I actually hate making it. LOVE designing and formulating, hate making. Luckily my house used to be a duplex so we use the upstairs kitchen to eat and the downstairs kitchen for LIP BALM! hahah every cabinet is packed with supplies, tins, beeswax.. the refrigerator filled with oils and butters... pretty much every lip balm maker's dream come true. Then there's packaging. That's just a lot of detailed details that would drive the average person mad. Luckily, I'm strange.

TS: Define the term Strange Woman for us Jill. 

JM: hhahaaa! I have always been the Stevie Nicks type. A little dark, mysterious, and perhaps scary to people afraid of a little witchcraft. I am far removed from pop culture and the american life that so many people around me are submerged in, so some consider me "strange". The first natural perfume I ever made for myself was called "tincture for strange women". So there you have it- made by a strange women, for strange women. If you like my products, chances are you're a little outside the mainstream.

TS: Who are some of your favorite Strange Women, contemporary and historical? 

JM: Guess I already mentioned Stevie. Siouxie Sioux, Melora Creager, Yoko Ono...I'm inspired by musicians more than anything else. That is my next life venture.

TS: You left your former job in graphic design to dedicate yourself full-time to FSW~ bravo!  Tell us a bit about that. 

JM: Yeah, I really hate the real world. I really do. I am not built for that sort of thing! I have been working 7 days/week, 10-12 hours/day (min. 70 hour weeks) since I began working for myself, but I still feel better adjusted and more like myself than I ever did working 40 hour weeks in a a time clocked hellhole. It has been quite an adjustment though- instead of spending every spare moment on keeping up on the house, working out, partying, enjoying what life I have outside of the work day, now I enjoy my workday so much that I never leave it!! It's a bit unhealthy and I haven't seen daylight in a while but I am hoping that soon I will be able to find a balance again....

TS: What inspires you?

JM: nature, or what's left of it anyway! my animal friends. music!! lost civilizations and cultures that had MEANING, love.

TS: I'm quite taken with your Winter Kitty perfume. It's at once totally new, yet strangely familiar. You were kind enough to allow me to peek into the formulating of this lovely scent, and one ingredient in particular that you were toying with was so innovative! Tell readers about your inspiration for this unique scent. 

JM: okay, WK is the first perfume I ever wanted to make for my shop and it still has not been released because I can not seem to figure out the perfect blend. When my cat comes inside from an outdoor stroll in the snowy winter, his fur smells of chimney smoke, crisp winter air (that you probably don't get in cali), and maybe a little like... cat. yesterday's tuna. I know, sounds gross but to me its the best smell in the world! When I was in Kilarney, Ireland there was coal burning that filled the air outside, and I said yes! that's the smell, COAL! So I tinctured activated charcoal. Didn't work as well as I had hoped. And I have tried several formulas involving vetiver, frankincense, myrrh, douglas fir, virginia cedar, amyris, choya loban.... the list goes on. I want it to be smoky but if it is too smoky and I show it to my boyfriend he just says, "smells like barbeque kitty to me..." so I am still working on it. I'm glad you like my most recent version!

TS: Jill, you're a baby, just twenty six years old! You are experiencing such lovely success; let's talk about that. Do you have any advice for aspiring Natural Botanical Perfumers? And if we could chat just a bit about the business side of things. 

JM: I had to seek out a lot of encouragement to just go and take the plunge into working for myself. I do live with my boyfriend but I still pay for half of everything, so no one is supporting me. It is always good to go outside your comfort zone. For me it was survival- I quit my job and forced myself to take my business seriously, otherwise I would starve! If you are comfortable, what motivation do you have? I could talk for days about my philosophies on how to be successful in the way that I am, but a good start is to take yourself seriously as a business, none of this halfway-doing-it-on-the-side sort of thing. You have to pour all your energy into it. It helped that my boyfriend is a really idealistic person who believes in my talents. When everyone else told me "you can't do it! the economy is too bad! no one will want your strange perfumes! etsy is for housewives who spend too much $ on their hobbies!"etc etc, Kevin was like, "just quit your stupid job! you will be fine" and I said "but if my business doesn't do well will you still like me if I am poor and have no $ to eat out or travel or do anything fun?" -"YES!" Other than that I would just say be original! Botanical perfume is a new concept to most people, and there is plenty of room for new and original creations in this realm, so be the first to do something (and make sure its something your market will want) and you WILL be noticed!

TS: What new and Strange things can we expect from you in the near future? 

JM: A million things are either in my head or in the process of development. I just finished bath salts of the Evergreen, Lichen, and Tree Resin varieties. Also just about done with a Victorian hair powder and comb in conditioning oil combo.

TS: Thanx Jill, you rock! 

JM: Thanx Tonie, likewise ;)

Jill's potions can be found at www.ForStrangeWomen.etsy.com 

Lush Locks!

Lush Locks
By Tonie Silver

This is not one of my usual all natural product reviews.  You all know how dedicated I am.  Ferreting.  Poking.  Prodding.  Prying.  And I have yet to find shampoo and conditioner without chemicals that work. I’ve tried, readers, I’ve really tried.  I’ve done the rhassoul thing~ um, thanx,  no.  Natty dreads are not for Tonie.  Done the vinegar and baking soda madness and was soundly admonished by my hairdresser with a stern warning as to my future scarecrow status.  If there is an all natural hair care product out there that works, please let me know and I’ll stand corrected.  So it is with a clear conscience that I present a review of Lush haircare products.  Lush does include a lot of nice natural stuff in amongst the chems.  What’s a girl to do?  It’s the wig, man~ the wig!

To wit, I tried Lush’s solid shampoo bars.  They’re really fun to use, with the little caveat that I found it to be a hassle putting them in a little bowl to dry out and store.  No matter, they’re worth it.  The Gentle Lentil smells so good, like a musky vanilla, and leaves hair really soft.  One thing I like a whole lot about these bars is the fact that they lather up really well and get hair super clean.  The Godiva is the one to go to if you want to smell like a flower bomb.  An explosion of flowers.  A flower volcano.  Flowery flowerson from flowerville.  And so’s your mum.  Rife with jasmine and gardenia.  Really brings out the highlights in hair.  Leaves hair nice and shiny clean.  I’ve found that so many shampoos, what with all the ingredient hoo-ha~ just don’t lather any more.  Well, happily, these do.  Mountains and mountains of bubbly Willy Wonka-like lather.  Yay!  Recommended~ I’m gonna order some more when I run out!:)

After your locks are all clean and shiny, condition them with a dollop of Lush’s American Cream.  Reminiscent of vanilla pudding, this conditions without weighing hair down or sacrificing shine.
If you’re looking for a really low chem deo, check out Lush’s Aromaco.  Made mostly of bicarb, it smells so good of patchouli, and offers light funk control.

I’ve perused Lush’s catalog for the first time in years; they do offer a small cadre of all natch products, so who knows?  Perhaps another is review is in order???

Get yer Lush on at WWW.LUSHUSA.COM   

Interview With Andy Tauer

by Tonie Silver

Le Parfumeur Rebelle is privileged to present an interview with Andy Tauer. Andy is a perfumer in Zurich, Switzerland. Le Parfumeur Rebelle's Editor In Chief became smitten with Andy after extensive perusal of his site.

Welcome to LPR Andy.

Well, thank you! It is a pleasure you invited me to this chat and I hope you and your readers will enjoy our conversation. 

Can you tell our readers what fragrance means to you?

Fragrances mean different things to me. For sure fragrances are a means of expressing myself in a creative way. I like the process of constructing a fragrance, going through rounds of trials, trying to find the best scented picture fitting with my vision/idea in my head. My fragrances and my fragrance making are also a way of talking to people. I feel that- besides reading about me on my blog- people get a glimpse on my way of thinking and feeling by looking at my perfumes, respectively sniffing them. Nowadays, with increasing sales figures that still make me wonder why this is, my fragrances have also become a commercial issue and I tend to think a lot about what next steps to make in terms of marketing or packaging, pricing etc. This world of business has nothing to do with scent itself, but it became a part of my fragrance-related world. I am still learning the lessons that it is simply not good enough to just make a good fragrance, you have to tell the world and make sure that people understand your message, for instance by selecting the right visual communication, too.And then: I am a fragrance user, too. Here, fragrances mean to me: Simply enjoying to cover myself with a sheet of scent. In these scented clothes I am then ready to go through my day, enjoying it.

Here at LPR we don't employ the use of synthetics. I'm interested in your choice to include them; is this because there are things you just can't get with botanicals?

Thank you for this question; I appreciate it a lot. Well, I started perfumery using all natural components only. Recently I posted on my blog about the way a perfumer apprentice should get to know his/her palette of scents. I think naturals are the best (and only way) to learn about creating perfumes. Nature provides us with some wonderful scents that a perfumer absolutely needs to know thoroughly (like roses essential oils, or absolutes). I find the compounds isolated by man from natural sources to be more inspiring for a future perfumer, too. And I find a beauty in naturals that I do not find as such in single synthetic compounds. Hence, I want to make use of this beauty and maybe- if I am good enough- lift it to something different, master them to create something new. Why did I not stop there, using my naturals and creating so called natural fragrances? Simply because I realized that I can do much more by employing synthetics in a clever way. I use man made compounds somewhat carefully, in a complementing way. I use them to set accents, to highlight things, to extend lines and to fix notes. On the other hand, mastering synthetics is not easy. Some notes need extremely careful handling! Maybe one word on the distinction between naturals and synthetics. I feel that most of the discussions on naturals vs. synthetics are unnecessary, in the sense that we are discussing content before form. Sometimes it reminds me of people discussing which church to visit, instead of asking how to make the world a better place.

Andy, can you give LPR readers a glimpse into your creative process?

My creative process is a mess, somehow. And a pain, mostly. Initially, I start with an idea, sometimes very simple, like I want to make an orange flower soliflor or I want a woody cologne for myself. I start with such an idea, or a picture in mind, like the campfire, the cowboy, the leather, the grassland for the Lonestar Memories, and then I draw the first lines. I usually do this in Excel first. Sitting in front of my computer and just entering a few compounds, like Tonka, Sandalwood, Myrrh in the base, a few notes for the heart and a few notes for the head. With this simple list I then go to the lab which basically is a table and a chair with lots of bottles in a shelf next to it. Here I mix and while doing so I constantly compare the result with my idea in my head. I usually start adding other things on the go and the formula gets more complicated. Usually, I start with naturals as the corestructure and then add synthetics in a later phase to change tonalities etc. Thus, the formula gets more complicated, and sometimes I try very different routes to reach the same goal. The most promising is then followed, whereby I gradually, incrimentally move towards an imaginary target. This target- of course- I never reach, but sometimes I feel like I'm getting closer at least. Sometimes I reach a point where I feel happy with it, happy enough to show the result around. Mostly, I don't and simply throw it away. Things get messy and painful, when I do not get closer to my goal; it brings me into a state of fever somehow, where I tend to think about my challenge in a phobic way, starting in the morning and ending in the evening. If things do not work out, I may also just give up for a while, and come back later again with new ideas or concepts.How do you incorporate fragrance into your daily life?I do not wear perfumes every day, some days I don't simply in order to keep my nose fresh for my perfumery work. Mentally, fragrances or better: scents are with me daily. I bring up scents from my memory, assemble them in my brain's biological virtual space, arrange them and play with them. Often, I go to bed with a fragrance, too. Falling asleep with the cozy embracement of scents is wonderful!

Five favorite smells?

Rose absolute from Morocco

Orange flower (natural scent or the absolute)

Birch tar

Fresh brewed coffee in the air in the morning

Sandalwood on the skin in the evening and so many more....

Least favorite odor?

I really dislike the scent of: an old, wet, used for too long, never really dried washcloth or a even worse: towel. There, I am somewhat pathologically fixed.  (I'm with you on that one Andy~ TM)

Let's play a bit of olfactory word association Andy; I'll throw a word at you, & you reply with whatever smells they evoke.

Love: Milk, sweat

Fury: The warm chest of a red haired fellow youngster at school, one evening, some 27 years ago.

The Ocean: Algae

Switzerland: Hmm... home, a mix of 200 scents.

Happiness: Frankincense

Any advice for the Rebel Perfumers out there?

Yes, please follow your fragrance dreams. I try to, and I know, it is not easy, but it is worth the pain.

Sage advice Andy. Thank you for the generosity of your time Andy, from all of us at LPR.
Auf Wiedersehen:)

My pleasure.

For more information about Andy Tauer, Perfumer, please follow this link: http://www.tauerperfumes.com/

Reprint from LPR 2006

Alchemy Works

A Review by Tonie Silver

In reviewing Alchemy Works Sanctuary Rose oil, I was in for a surprise.

I thought "Gee, Rose and Myrrh, pretty straightforward, right?" Wrong.

Harry at Alchemy Works has managed something completely different. This is a magical oil, as are all of Alchemy Works'. The fragrance is that of dust. In a good way. It reminds one of a place of worship that is vacant, with sunlight filtering in through ancient mullioned windows. This is the fragrance of the dust dancing in the sunlight. Dust settled on ancient books. Dust of centuries. Dust one has to blow off of candles before lighting them. A bit dry, a bit sweet. Very soft and understated, yet there with a tenacious strength. Whispers secrets to the wearer. Hints of spices come through, like threads woven throughout a tapestry.

Being a magical oil, one that is intended for ritual use, I can see where Harry has succeeded in the perfume oil melding with the skin, with the wearer, as opposed to sitting atop it~ more for use than distracting. Very interesting. In reading his verbiage on this oil, I learned that it is protective, and honors the feminine. Deep stuff, man. What impresses me about Alchemy Works is the obvious passion and dedication of Harry. Check out his site~ it's a treasure trove of information.
 
Packaging is tops~ Miron violet glass, methinks, with awesome Gothic graphics on the label. Check it out, then choose one that speaks to you.

www.alchemy-works.com


Reprint article from LPR website