Anya’s Garden Online Natural Perfumery Course

Desire to know the secrets of blending perfumes?
Want to study with an expert in natural perfumery?
Anya's Garden Course is for you!

Classes start October 6, 2008 for the Fall Course. The class is almost full, so sign up now to reserve a space.

This course was the first of its kind when it debuted in 2007, and accept no substitutes - a professional perfumery course need to be taught by a professional perfumer.

The art of natural perfumery is a wonderful field for anyone who loves natural aromatics such as essential oils, concretes, absolutes and waxes. Study with one of the leaders in this art, Anya McCoy, owner and perfumer of Anya's Garden, and President of the Natural Perfumers Guild.

For more than six years, Anya has hosted a Natural Perfumers group on Yahoo and has gathered, through her mentoring and the friendly atmosphere provided on the group, more than 1600 members. Her ability to motivate and educate is unmatched in natural perfumery.

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Inexpensive Expedited Lye Shipping and Most Accurate SAP Values

Spring Valley, CA., March 20, 2007 /SOAPWIRE/ -- After careful research and several DOT (Department of Transportation) consultations, Certified Lye has launched a website to expedite the sale and delivery of lye (sodium hydroxide) to soap makers. The company sells high-quality food grade lye for as low as $3.00 per pound and ships the lye throughout the United States via an expedited air service. Up to 7.5 pounds of lye are delivered to customers within three (3) days for just $9.45.

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Qosmedix Presents Flexible Mixing Bowls and Spatulas

Qosmedix is pleased to offer a family of flexible mixing bowls, perfect for mixing masks, dyes and other products. The bowls are made of PVC and have a large base for greater stability. They can be folded for easy pouring and even turned inside out to ensure all the contents are used. These bowls are washable and reusable. Both 350ml and 600ml sizes, available in a variety of transparent colors, are attractive, practical essentials for spas and salons.

Our ergonomic spatulas are perfectly paired with these mixing bowls. The spatulas have finger grips designed to reduce hand and wrist stress. They are available in 6 colors to complement these bowls.

Qosmedix has a comprehensive selection of containers and applicators for your packaging and sampling needs. For assistance with samples or requests please call +1 (631) 242-3270, fax +1 (631) 242-3291 or email info@qosmedix.com. You can also ask to receive a copy of our latest 2006 catalog containing hundreds of items. Visit our website for up-to-the-minute products at qosmedix.com

Plant Ingredient to Assist in Cosmetics Formulation

A cosmetics ingredients manufacturer has devised an innovative way to deliver cosmetics ingredients to the skin – using an ingredient derived from the Safflower plant.

The new formulation ingredient, called Natrulon OSF, has been developed using patented technology and is manufactured by Lonza, a life science company and is mooted for launch in early November. Using oleosomes – oil-bearing “organelles” found in a number of plant seeds - the product is available to combine its three roles as an emollient, emulsifier and moisturiser into one.

Natrulon OSF oleosomes have been earmarked by Lonza for their potential usage across a number of cosmetics applications, including moisturising creams, sunscreen lotions, and colour cosmetics, such as eye shadows and mascaras, which the manufacturer claims, “imparts a light, smooth, emollient feel to the skin.” Full text>>

Source: Cosmetics Design

Laboratory Produces Innovative Cosmetic Ingredient

A laboratory responsible for innovative research into raw active cosmetics ingredients has unveiled a new product which could soon be incorporated into brand marketing in the cosmetics sector.

The product, called Glycofilm, was unveiled at a recent cosmeeting exhibition – a trade forum for the cosmetics industry – by The Solabia Group.

The product was launched following extensive research into the "second-skin" concept, a vision which has also been pursued by three other major cosmetics research laboratories including Dow Corning, the Monoi Institute and Lucas Meyer Cosmetics. Full Text>>

Source: Cosmetics Design

Vitamin B12: A New Treatment for Eczema

Healthnotes Newswire (August 19, 2004)—Applying a topical cream containing vitamin B12 significantly improves eczema (atopic dermatitis), according to the British Journal of Dermatology (2004;150:977–83). Full Text>>

Male Skin Types

Some ingredients that are found in products for combination skin types are: Cucumber- A natural, soothing extract used to cleanse, heal, firm and preserve skin since the days of the ancient Egyptians. Rosemary-Used by herbalists for its natural antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Silk amino acids-Secretions of the silk worm known to keep water and moisture in skin. Sage-Used by herbalists for its natural antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Full text>>

New Jersey Company Booms with Alabama Kudzu

New Jersey—It’s hard to mentally reconcile the voice answering the phone at Topical Solutions with the fact that the company uses kudzu in a variety of skin care products. Kudzu is the South to many, and Rose Bianco, vice president of Topical Solutions, speaks with a pronounced northern accent. When asked the obvious question of why kudzu, she replies, “Because there’s so much of it,” in a voice that would fit right in a “Seinfeld” episode.

Adding to the weirdness quotient, Topical Solutions is located in, of all places, Bloomfield, N.J. Bloomfield is 15 miles from New York City, about the distance an average kudzu plant can sprint in a day. Or so it would seem to those of us who have spent most of our lives fighting the tenacious, voracious plant. (About a foot a day is the actual growth rate.)

But while Bianco is located in the Northeast, she has Southern roots. Her family hails from Fayette, in Walker County, and that’s where the concept of kudzu-based products began. “It’s a family recipe that is 75 years old or older,” Bianco says. “My grandfather used to make a cream from it, and my mother was telling me that she used it on me when I was a baby. About five years ago, we were talking, and she said, ‘You know, we used to make a cream out of kudzu.’ I asked her if she remembered any parts of it, and she said it was just kudzu and some other ingredients. So I called my cousin, and he sent me up 10 pounds of kudzu. It took us all summer long, but we finally perfected this cream.”

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What Every Formulator Needs to Know About Fragrance

Fragrancing personal-care products can present a variety of problems, such as fragrance/product compatibility, color changes, solubility, and reactions between fragrance and product. This article will provide an overview and checklist of the types of problems that one can expect when fragrancing a variety of products. The good news is that these problems can be minimized when product construction and requirements are understood in advance, so fragrance construction can be tailored to accommodate the product system. Full Article>>

Let’s Get Topical

By Anna Soref

Botanicals and vitamins power antioxidant skin care formulas.

Walk into any naturals store, and skin creams fortified with botanicals and vitamins abound. Known as cosmeceuticals, these products have a metabolic or chemical effect on the skin but are not classified as nutritional supplements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They can make the cash register ring with high-margin sales, but retailers may wonder if there is any credible science to back up manufacturer claims of “diminished crow’s-feet” and “firmer skin” for these products. The answer, in many cases, is yes. Although many of the studies are preliminary, they do show promise for the burgeoning group of vitamins and botanicals being used in skin care products.

The bulk of cosmeceuticals are topically applied and are formulated with vitamins and botanicals that function as antioxidants, combating free radicals. Free radicals can weaken and destroy cells, making the skin more susceptible to wrinkles, age spots and cancer. Other botanical and vitamin ingredients work to promote collagen production and other key compounds essential to skin health. Still others work to reduce inflammation and irritation.

Following is a look at some popular cosmetic ingredients along with some of the science that supports their use in skin care. Full Article >>

Soref, Anna. "Let’s Get Topical." Natural Foods Merchandiser 01 04. 2004. 14 04. 2004 [http://www.naturalfoodsmerchandiser.com/ASP/articleDisplay.asp?strArticleId=961&strSite=NFMSITE&Screen=CURRENTISSUE]