Essential U Blog

The Business of Community :: The Story of In Harmony Living and Consulting

Veena's business In Harmony Living and Consulting (IHL) is a perfect example of a business that combines following what you believe and stands for into business.  Their motto is: Eco-Goods...For Givers, because each IHL sale benefits featured eco-conscious, grassroots organizations. 

    

How did you business get started?
My business actually started out as a small non-profit idea.  I wondered how I could change things for the better for my ailing hometown.  I'd moved back to Snyder, TX after having lived in Austin, TX, London, UK and Chicago, IL for 15 years hoping to raise my 2 small boys in a friendlier environment.  Many things had changed in this little town since I'd left and I thought I could put my legal education and non-profit background to good use by coming up with a few sustainable solutions.

Aromatherapy & Pregnancy :: The History of Warnings

In aromatherapy the use of essential oils during pregnancy remains a contentious subject debated by many in the industry.  We get asked about aromatherapy in pregnancy most commonly by those who become pregnant while running their own soap, aromatherapy, spa or personal care product line.   

    

From Aromatherapist to Aromatherapist you may get varying answers when it comes to prenatal aromatherapy.  Some believe that essential oils should be completely avoided during the first trimester and others believe they should be avoided all together and then there are others that don’t avoid them at all.  I, personally, worked as an Aromatherapist through two of my three pregnancies.  I handled, blended and manufactured using essential oils on a daily basis with no ill-effects on my pregnancy or babies.  I also used aromatherapy for massage, and baths to treat my stress, body aches, fatigue, morning sickness and labor successfully.  To confidently use aromatherapy in pregnancy it is vital to understand the root of aromatherapy warnings and contraindications. 

David Steinberg Speaks Out Regarding the Battle Against Cosmetics

David C. Steinberg, Steinberg & Associates wrote an excellent article for Cosmetic & Toiletries Magazine, The International Resource for Cosmetic R&D titled From California to Colorado: Three Battles Against Cosmetics.  You can read the entire article online at C&T in the link provided but I wanted to share some of the quotes from it that are filled with sound science and logic. 

    

Regarding the first attack on the cosmetic industry in 2004 in California Assembly Bill (AB) 2025

"Supporters of this legislation learned from its defeat, yet industry manufacturers continued the self-destructive practice of promoting their own products as being safe and their competitors’ as containing “unsafe” ingredients. Terms like sulfate-free, alcohol-free, preservative-free and other free-from marketing claims exploded on the marketplace. Behavior such as this plays right into hands of industry opponents who are pushing for the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) required approval of all cosmetics and cosmetic ingredients prior to their being allowed on the market—ultimately removing all cosmetics from the market." David Steinberg From California to Colorado: Three Battles Against Cosmetics (C&T page 1)

Phases of Business :: A New Phase for Essential Wholesale Coming Soon

My daughter Selah got her phase one braces off today.  The orthodontist explained that phase one expanded her pallet and made room for more teeth to come in. Now she is moving into the retainer phase in which we would hold her teeth in place while we wait from those other teeth to come in.  As soon as those teeth arrive we will go to phase two, during which they will straighten out her teeth once and for all.  Of course after all of that we will go back into the retaining phase. 

That really got me thinking about some of the phases of business. 

At Essential Wholesale we have been in the retaining phase when it comes to new product launches, website expansion, educational material, the private label selector and internal systems while we were in the building phase of our new Netsuite hosted website.  We have been on the cusp of launching for the past few weeks and now all the key components are finally together. 

A whole new Essential Wholesale website will launch on July 2nd. 

A Closer Look at Retinyl Palmitate :: Vitamin A

What is retinyl palmitate? 
The simple answer is that retyinyl palmitate is Vitamin A.  It is the ester of retinol (vitamin A) that is combined with palmitic acid, which is a saturated fatty acid that is a major component of palm oil.  Retinyl palmitate is easily absorbed by the skin and once it is there is converted into retinol.  It is a yellow to yellow-red solid or oily substance.

    

What do experts say about retinyl palmitate in skin care?
The CIR Expert Panel evaluated scientific data and concluded that Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate were safe as cosmetic ingredients. In 2005, the CIR Expert Panel considered available new data on Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate and reaffirmed their conclusion.  CIR Review: The CIR Expert Panel noted that vitamin A is an essential nutrient with a Recommended Daily Allowance orally that varies for different groups: 5000 and 4000 International Units (IU) daily for male and female adults, respectively; lesser amounts for infants and children; and 5000 and 6000 IU daily for pregnant and lactating women, respectively.

The Business of Business Support :: The Story of Indie Beauty Network

I am thrilled to share the story of my friend, mentor, colleague and small business advocacy cohort Donna Maria of Indie Beauty Network.  Donna Maria has tirelessly worked to educate, train, advice and advocate for small businesses all over the United States. 

    

Donna Maria is competing in the Oprah Winfrey “Your OWN Show” contest, where some lucky winners will be selected to compete in a reality show for a chance to host a show on OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network. Donna Maria’s show pitch is called “The Family Business Road Show.” Feel free to watch her audition video here at my blog, but PLEASE remember to vote for her show and leave a comment at Oprah’s site.

Here is the pitch she included with her submission:  “America’s family business champion Donna Maria hits the road cross-country in search of the best inspirational, local and handmade family business stories! Armed with a killer sense of humor, an innovative spirit and a passion for all things handmade, Donna Maria offers a fresh, exciting look at specialty family-run businesses creating one-of-a-kind products that make life fun and more interesting. She’ll show you how these handmade treasures are made, how you can have them delivered to your door — and even how you can start your own business making products like the ones featured on the show! So come along for the ride! Inspiration awaits at the end of every road, but half the fun is getting there — with Donna Maria of course!”

Donna Maria is the best friend a small business could possibly have and that is why I encourage you all to vote for her at this link!  Vote now...and don't forget to go back and vote again, and again, and again. 

Wordless Wednesday :: Missing Person :: Jermaine Davis

At Essential Wholesale we have our own approach to Wordless Wednesday.  To read more about our Wordless Wednesday Missing Person's series click here.

  

JERMAINE DAVIS 
Case Type: Endangered Missing  
DOB: Aug 11, 1999
Missing Date: Jun 7, 2010
Sex: Male
Race: Black
Height:  4'6" (137 cm)
Weight:  85 lbs (39 kg)
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Black
Missing City: PAMPLICO
Missing State :  SC
Missing Country: United States
Case Number: NCMC1149215 
Circumstances: Jermaine was last seen at home on June 7, 2010. He may be traveling on a light blue mountain bike. He was last seen wearing a brown T-shirt, blue and brown shorts, and flip flops.

ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST) OR Florence County Sheriff's Office (South Carolina) 1-843-669-3911

The Business of Bath & Body :: The Story of SCENTSational Soaps

Sarah Torrance of SCENTSational Soaps turned a homeschool project into a business that she works in with her son.  Her son, Chad has a disability of Chromosome 15q and is global developmentally delayed. Sarah decided to do a fun project with Chad making soaps together. The "project" turned into a business.  I love their story. 

    

On the About Us page on her website Sarah says that everyday after school they go into the kitchen to make up their soaps. The first thing she says is, "Who is my Helper?" Chad says, "I am- I am your helper." Now he comes into the kitchen and says to her, "Who's your helper?"  She says, "You are Chad- You are my BIG HELPER!" Chad loves to help her stir, add scents and pour into soap molds.  

Natural Products Association Announces No Synthetic Fragrances for NPA Certified Products

The Natural Products Association (NPA) announced a change in their certification practices this week.  Starting September 1, 2010, the Natural Products Association (NPA) will require that only all natural fragrances will be allowed in finished natural products that receive certification with their Natural Standard for Personal Care Products program. This change eliminates absolutes, concretes and purely synthetic fragrance chemicals. 

    

Essential Oils will still be allowed in NPA certified products.  The NPA announced that they will publish an updated “allowed processes” appendix to include extraction, expression and steam distillation to encourage these manufacturing processes for fragrance. Companies will be required to submit a qualitative list to the NPA that includes the INCI name and CAS number of each component in the composition.

Spa or Home Aromatherapy Detox Experiences

Aromatherapy is the single most effective spa or home experience for detoxification of the body. Soaks and body polishes can be done at home but others like massage and wrap are best reserved for the spa. 

    

In aromatherapy, molecules of essential oils applied to the skin pass through the skin's epidermis and are carried away by the capillary blood circulating in the dermis.  The molecules of essential oil are then taken into the lymphatic and extracellular fluids.  From there the therapeutic components of the essential oils are broken down and used by various regions of the body. 

Massage
The rate of absorption of essential oils is increased with massage.  Blood flow is increase and the temperature of the skin is raised which allows for faster intake of essential oils into the blood stream.  This was proven by Jäger in 1992 with a blood sample taken five minutes after massage application of essential oils that found linalyl acetate and linalool in the blood stream.