Essential U Blog

The Rising Price of Epsom Salt

teven is such a fabulous resource for information and always has the full scoop on ingredients in the natural industry. I simply have to share his knowledge with you. When asked about the skyrocketing prices of Epsom salt Steven replied with an answer I could really sink my teeth into. Perhaps you can too. Steven answered as follows:

        

Epsom salts are chemical compound containing magnesium and sulfate (a sulphur derivative). There has been an increased demand for sulphur to manufacture caustic potash, being one of the three primary crop fertilizers, along with nitrogen and phosphate. High crop prices signal the world's farmers to increase the number of acres planted, to produce the most profitable combination of crops (wheat, corn, and soybean), and to increase the yields of all crops grown. Improving fertility practices is the most cost-effective way to increase yields.

The use of caustic potash as a fertilizer has increased by nearly 60% over recent years, but now grain consumption has exceeded demand. Caustic potash supply scarcity and global demand have driven up prices significantly since the beginning of 2008. The growth in grain consumption is putting immense pressure on the potash industry. For the time being, continued high growth rates in grain consumption are expected, but it is forecast that in 2009 grain consumption and production will be equal. Should this forecast be correct, the price of caustic potash will level, and other sulphur derivative materials, such as Epsom salts, will level along with it.

Isn't that a thorough answer? Now you know more than most about the rising costs of Epsom salt. If you have some useful information on the topic, please share your knowledge in the comments section below.

Essential Wholesale is Organically Certified!

Essential Wholesale has been on a long road to Organic Certification. We have succeeded at one of our milestones along the way. Essential Wholesale and Essential Labs are now Certified Organic Processors. 

We are currently certified to process certified organic Aloe Butter, Aloe Oil, Aloe Vera Powder, Blue Green Algae, Calendula Extract, Coconut Oil, Coconut Oil Virgin,  Green Tea Extract, Honey, Jojoba Oil, Lavender Distillate, Lemon Essential Oil, Lime Essential Oil, Olive Oil Virgin, Palm Oil, Rooibos Extract, Shea Butter, Soybean Oil and Sunflower Oil.  More products will be showing up now that we have successfully received our Organic Certifications.

This was just one hurdle in journey to providing Organic Certified products. There is more coming! Next week we have our inspection by the EU which will allow us to provide organic certified cosmetic bases as well. We pass our Oregon Tilth certification with flying colors and anticipate bringing you more organic options.

Paraben Puzzlement

Answers To Some Of Your Questions About Parabens

arabens. What are they? Do they work? Are they dangerous? These are just a few of the questions I get at least a few times a day, every day. Hopefully, this post clears up some of the paraben puzzlement. Parabens are esters of para-hydroxibenzoic acid that have been used as preservatives in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and foods for many years. The most common parabens are: Methylparaben, Propylparabens, Ethylparaben, Benzylparaben, Isobutylparaben and Butylparaben.

       

They are commonly used in bundles that include two or more parabens and/or other preservatives.  Two good examples of paraben bundled preservatives include: LiquaPar containing; Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben; and Germaben II containing; Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben,  Propylparaben.

Higher Costs Need Not Mean Lower Quality

ike every other business (and family!), we’ve seen a lot of costs increase lately here at Essential Wholesale. I asked Steven Borden, our Purchasing & Inventory Coordinator, to help us understand the reasons for some of these increases.

       

His explanation is so good that I thought I'd share some of it with you. Perhaps it will help you put your rising costs into perspective and help you figure out the best ways to handle them in your business.

Laura Answers Your Questions About DMAE

t Essential Wholesale, we get a lot of questions about ingredients. People want to know what they are, how they are extracted from plant materials or created in a lab, what they are used for and how to use them. Good thing we have this blog and our resident cosmetics expert Laura Craig to share all the information you need to decide which ingredients will perform best in your products.

       

One of the ingredients we receive questions on the most is DMAE, which is short for dimethylaminoethanol, a naturally occurring substance that facilitates the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. DMAE also may stimulate the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, an important component of cell membranes. DMAE is more of a "smart drug" than a skin firming agent. In a number of studies, DMAE has been shown to reduce age-related deterioration in cognitive ability and memory.

The Word is Spreading, Avoid Phthalates!

’ve been preaching about the negative side effects of fragrance oils and phthalates for some time now.  But for many people the message is just hitting home today with the release a study in the February edition of Pediatrics. 

        

The study's lead author, Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, a University of Washington pediatrician, has finally brought the issue of the dangers of phthalates to the main stream media.  The study as been reported all day on the news networks like the Fox News, ABC, and the Washington Post.  Even the critics are talking about the study at the PR Newswire.

It's Not Nice To Fool (With) Mother Nature

Don't Slip On That Banana Juice

on't be fooled into believing in fictional essential oils. It is one thing to learn one day that Santa isn't real and the Easter Bunny doesn't exist. It is fully another to learn that there is no such thing as banana juice or banana essential oil, especially if you've been thinking for years that you've been putting it in your products.

       

For a time, my dad believed that there was such a thing as banana juice. Then, my mother and a not too pleasant feline experience, set him straight.

The Real Story On Lead In Cosmetics

Don't Jump On The Lead Hysteria Bandwagon

he Internet is filled with scares about lead in everything from childrens' toys to cosmetics and candy. A few years ago, an environmental group filed a suit against chocolate manufacturers because their candy contained lead.

       

Recently, the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics issued a press release saying that it had found lead in several types of brand name red lipstick. MSNBC picked up on the release and unleashed a reporter to cover "killer cosmetics." This has resulted in some hysteria and conspiracy theories lead has been intentionally added to cosmetics. A scientific look at lead sheds a completely different light on the issue. Lead, PB on the periodic table, is a naturally occurring substance. Lead is made up of four naturally occurring isotopes: 204, 206, 207 and 208. It occurs extensively in the earth’s crust and is the 36th most common chemical element on earth. 

There Oughta Be A Law!

Ingredients In Fragrances Should Be Fully Disclosed!

am terribly allergic to fragrance oils so my opinion is admittedly biased. But no matter what my opinion is regarding their allergen potential and safety, one simple fact remains undisputed: manufacturers are not required to disclose the ingredients in the fragrance oils used to scent their products.

       

Trade secret laws allow these ingredients to be hidden behind closed doors, despite the fact that an average of 30 to 50 ingredients, and sometimes as many as 200 ingredients, most of them synthetic, are used to create a single fragrance oil. If consumers knew the soaps and cosmetics they used contained these ingredients, they would not buy the product. Period.

Here at Essential U, we are not setting out to change the world, but to inform consumers (maybe we are changing the world?) so they know what questions to ask. If a company selling a product that they claim is an essential oil cannot produce a Material Safety Data Sheet, a Certificate of Analysis and tell you the botanical name and country of origin of a fragrant ingredient, they are not telling you the truth.

What Do You Think?

Do you care what the ingredients are? Or does it not matter at all, so long as you like the smell? Does it bother you that the law doesn't require full disclosure? Do you agree that there oughta be a law? Post your comments and opinions here so your voice can be heard.