Hi everyone
Don’t forget to play Earth Alkemie’s forum game: today is the last day to play! It is super easy to enter, just post what you think are the most pressing ecological issues. There are no wrong answers, it is just a matter of opinion 🙂 The winner will get a FREE sample of one of my new products or not yet released products. To play our game visit the forum!
(Since I only ship within the US, sorry but only US residents can play)
Cheers,
Li
I have put together three new fantastic gift sets! All of them have at least one of the newly released products (Soothe Herbal Cleanser, Heaven Herbal Cleanser, or Tuzi Year of the Rabbit perfume). They will only be available for a limited time (I change the gift sets often).
The current gift sets are 15% off of regular prices, so they are a great way to try the new products at a good price! 🙂
In addition, until April 30th, there is a special with orders too (every order will receive a sample of one of my upcoming, not yet released products!).
In the Soothing skin care gift set I have paired Soothe Herbal Cleanser with one of my other super soothing products: Serenity Elixir. Serenity was an elixir I created for seriously sensitive skin, or for those wanting to avoid scented products (it is essential oil free), but it is a wonderful elixir that is suitable for most skin types even if your skin is not overly sensitive. Serenity is a Terra Elixir, and like the other Terra Elixirs it is rich in nutrients, especially antioxidants. Serenity contains some of my favorite oils, including cranberry seed oil and pomegranate oil, which are some of the best antioxidant ingredients, in my opinion. I used Serenity during the winter time, and it helped keep my skin in balance since it contains some of the ingredients my skin loves the most (like kukui and camellia oils), and many emollients great for parched skin (like sesame). Both Soothe and Serenity contain oats (Soothe contains ground up whole oats, while Serenity is made with oat co2). Soothe is one of my newest creations, and one of my current personal favorite cleansers: you can read about it in the blog entry I wrote about it earlier. For more information on Serenity, here is an old blog entry I wrote when I released it.
In the Coconut Heaven gift set I have combined Heaven Herbal Cleanser with Coconut Dreams, for a blissful spa like experience! Coconut Dreams is simply divine certified organic, virgin, cold pressed, unrefined coconut oil! Coconut Dreams has many uses: use it on blemishes, use it on your hair as an oil treatment, use it to help seal in moisture on your body, and use it on dry elbows, knees, and feet. Some people also love using it on their face to seal in moisture (usually drier skin types which tend to like heavier oils, but some people with oily skin love it too!). My mom loves using coconut oil on her face; she has been using it in place of facial cream for the past year or so. 🙂 If I had to describe Heaven Herbal Cleanser in a few words, I’d say it is like a mini-spa treatment for the skin! I just posted about Heaven Herbal Cleanser earlier.
The Chinese Astrology Perfume gift set is near and close to my heart. I just posted a little about perfume making and Tuzi (my newest perfume, based on the Year of the Rabbit) so I will just go over Hu’s scent. Hu is the perfume I created for the Year of the Tiger. I think I captures the Tiger’s essence in this one. People born in the Year of the Tiger can be fearsome and intimidate at times. They are strong and powerful beings. But if you are close to a Tiger, you’ll see a softer side to them. Like those born in the Year of the Tiger, Hu (which means Tiger in Mandarin Chinese) starts out bold and fierce–very green (from green scents like violet leaf) and citrusy (a melody of citrus including lemon), with a spicy floral note (carnation). Over time the green and spicy scents mellows out, and softer floral notes and the sexier side comes out to play (jasmine sambac and rare jasmine auriculatum). Rich cedarwood rounds out the scent. Hu can be described in one word: intriging! Here is a blog entry I wrote on Hu.
I am finally posting about the Herbal Cleansers! They are wonderful cleansers for all skin types; I originally created them for my own skin and liked them so much, I decided to add them to my line! I am so excited to offer them!
The last couple years my skin’s needs have really changed. It has been balanced for years but I have always had to keep a close eye on my skin for dehydration (I am prone to dehydration because of my health issues, so I always listen to my skin and switch products when needed to keep my skin in balance). In the last two years my facial skin has been craving heavier oils (ingredients it used to only like in dilution) and now loves using elixirs (oil based serums) as much as creams. During this fall and winter it seemed to get more dehydrated than it usually gets during the cooler months. My usual winter staples were not working, so I had to formulate new products and used many different ingredients to address my dehydration and get my skin back into balance, fast! One of the things I worked on was new cleansers.
For many years (9-10 years), I have used soaps like African black soaps, New Day Aromatherapy Bar Soap or Warrior Liquid Aromatherapy Cleanser to cleanse my skin. My skin has loved using superfatted, glycerine rich soaps, since they are gentle, clean well, and (if properly superfatted, and with retained glycerine and added emollients) they clean without over stripping the skin. Using natural soap was one of the things that helped balance my skin, help clear my skin of acne many years ago, and helps keeps it clear to this day.
But during my bouts of dehydration this fall and winter, I found myself reaching more for soaps like New Day (in which I add a very high amount of organic shea butter and organic coconut milk to), and also cleansing oils a few times a week (like Sunset Cleansing Oil. In the past I only used cleaning oils very occasionally, maybe a couple times a month). I still had to follow Sunset with a soap, but my skin was definitely craving more emollient cleansers! I still loved using plain African black soaps (like Alata Samina and Northern Ghana) on my face, but my skin really loved New Day (which is African black soap in which I have added a lot of goodies). I also used very superfatted liquid soap formulations (not yet released). Although my skin still loved soap, I thought I would try some non-soap cleansers, as an alternative cleanser for the days my skin needed something more emollient.
So I began experimenting more with non-soap, herb and plant based cleansers (I have been using them on and off for years, and they were among the first products I ever made, but I only used them occasionally since my skin loves soap so much). There are a few ingredients I often recommend to others as cleansers (like oatmeal), so I experimented more with those ingredients. I also dug through my old notes (I have over 10 journals filled with my recipes, notes, and formulation ideas), and researched though my huge book collection. I used a lot of my old plant, non-soap fresh food based cleanser recipes, and I created a lot more! I experimented with a very wide range of ingredients (using ingredients mentioned in herbals or that I have gathered throughout the years). I tweaked a lot of formulations, and combined a lot of ingredients I hadn’t used in combination before. I also ‘translated’ my fresh masks into a convenient dry form. The Herbal Cleansers were the result of my endeavors 🙂
Earth Alkemie’s Herbal Cleansers are plant based cleansers that are soap free and detergent free, so they gently cleanse and do not over dry the skin–a boon for both those with dry skin and oily skin (sometimes skin get excessively oily if it is stripped of its sebum). Both of the Herbal Cleansers contain many antioxidant and nutrient rich ingredients, and are super gentle! Yet they deep cleanse the skin.
They come in a dry form, so like Earth Alkemie’s masks, the Herbal Cleansers have a long shelf life and are not made with preservatives. Since they do not contain water or fillers or emulsifiers, they are concentrated (so a jar will last you a long time).
Soothe Herbal Cleanser is a product I am very proud of. One ingredient I often recommend to cleanse the skin is oatmeal, so I sought to create a very gentle cleanser for sensitive, irritated skin, that contained many well known soothing ingredients, including oatmeal (some other ingredients, like lavender, have known anti-inflammatory properties). When I use Soothe, my skin feels clean but not stripped, and the combo of ingredients simply makes my skin glow. I used it during a bout of dehydration and it balanced my skin immediately. I sent it to a customer (during a free sample promotion I had during the winter), who could not use some types of soap on her face, and she absolutely loved it too! Another reason I love Soothe is that it is mild enough to use twice daily. Soothe is vegan.
One plant I absolutely love crafting with is coconuts. In Heaven Herbal Cleanser, I have combined many coconut ingredients (the meat, juice, sugar, and milk) creating a very emollient cleanser. Rice and a touch of kaolin clay helps remove impurities, so this is a really great cleanser for blemished skin of all skin types (oily or dry). And it smells like vanilla, yummy! (People with a very good sense of smell can probably smell the natural scent of the coconut and other ingredients too, which are back notes). The first time I used it, I was really surprised how smooth, hydrated, and matte my skin looked. 🙂
I think Heaven can be used daily by most people. Usually I don’t recommend using clay based cleansers daily, but that is usually because most of them are made with too much clay and absorb too much sebum (which is great for oily skin, but not so great for many people with dry skin). But I have used a clay that doesn’t overly absorb, and didn’t use excess amounts of it in its formulation (so I added enough to help deep cleanse, but not enough to strip the skin).
Heaven is vegetarian (but not vegan, due to the powdered coconut milk, which contains cow milk protein. I wish that a true vegan coconut milk powder was available but as far as I know there are none available on the market–even the brands I have seen suggested on vegan forums are not really vegan). If I ever find a vegan one, I will switch to using it.
Since the Herbal Cleansers are in a powdered form, the cleansers need to be made ‘fresh’ before each use (mixed with water before every use. More in depth instructions are on the directions webpage). I do not recommend pre-mixing large amounts (since these contain many food based ingredients and are perishable once water/water based ingredients are added, and I have not added any preservatives to it). But if you choose to make enough for a few days, be sure to add a broad spectrum preservative, and refrigerate it and use it up within a few days or so.
In addition I do NOT suggest storing the Herbal Cleansers (or the masks, for that matter) in the bathroom (since that increases the chance of water accidentally getting introduced into the product. In addition, temperature changes and the chance of bacterial contamination are also huge concerns).
I hope you enjoy the Herbal Cleansers and love them as much as I do! 🙂
They are also currently available in a few gift sets (for a limited time. The gift sets will be changed in a couple weeks).
One of the products I love crafting the most is natural perfumes. There is something about crafting perfumes that envelops the senses: perfume making is an art as well as a science. I have been making natural perfumes for many years (and I have been crafting aromatherapy blends—which are related but are not the same thing–for far longer). But these last few years I have been challenging myself by trying new techniques and methods of perfume making, and also slowly expanding the range of ingredients I have worked with (so far I have worked with somewhere over 150 essential oils, absolutes, and co2 extracts. This includes several kinds of chemotypes, varieties, and the same plants grown in different areas—for example lavender essential oil grown in different regions, different types of orange essential oil, or trying both the essential oil and absolute of the same plant).
It can take many months to craft a single perfume—my best perfumes (some of which are released as Earth Alkemie products, but many are not yet released) have taken me several months to perfect. But they are well worth the wait!
Although I have a scientific background (I have two degrees in environmental science/biology), I have interests in many alternative and traditional practices too. One interest I have is Chinese astrology (I am a complete amateur in Chinese astrology. My sister is the expert in western astrology, and a long time family friend is a professional western astrologer). Chinese astrology interests me because it is eerily accurate (though like all astrology, it is not set in stone, but more about potential, and how people could be), and it helps me understand human nature better. In addition, it is part of my heritage too (Chinese astrology is linked to ancient Chinese astronomy and philosophy, so through learning about Chinese astrology I learn a little about history: my own personal history and also the history of my ancestors long since past).
A couple years ago, I started working on formulating Chinese astrology perfumes. For each perfume, I have researched the signs in depth, and have only used plants that are associated with those signs, or plants associated with the elements linked to those signs (the exception is the base or carrier oil: fractionated coconut oil or jojoba oil, which are the usual carrier oils used in natural perfumery). I researched all of the information from books or online resources by Chinese astrologers, or by aromatherapists, herbalists, or pagans (who focus on the spiritual aspects of aromatherapy, herbalism, or plants).
So I am proud to introduce my newest perfume: Tuzi. Tuzi is the perfume I have crafted for the Year of the Metal/Golden Rabbit. Tuzi means ‘rabbit’ in Mandarin Chinese. Those born in the Year of the Rabbit are gentle souls that are extremely intelligent and are ambitious, but like their name stake they are not aggressive and are often anxious.
I really love how Tuzi came out, I think it really represents the personality of the Rabbit well: it is gentle, soothing, sweet, but it is ambitious (in the way that it is unlike most of the perfumes available out there).
When you first smell this perfume, crisp citrus and sweet green notes envelop the scents, and the heart notes immediately make their presence known.
One of the heart notes is chamomile—a very calming scent (perfect for those born in the Year of the Rabbit!). Sweet chamomile has an apple like aroma, and blends effortlessly with heady, deep orange blossoms (also known as neroli). It has the right touch of sensual damask roses, just enough to add a bit of honey sweetness in the background.
Vanilla like balsamic notes with a hint of spice rounds out the scent, and brings a smooth, richness to the scent.
This perfume is not only meant for those born in the Year of the Rabbit, but also was crafted for perfume lovers, and those that wish to use scent for spiritual reasons.
Hi everyone
I am done with adding the pictures for the gift sets, please check them out 🙂
Cheers,
Li
The pictures for the new products (the herbal cleansers and also Tuzi perfume) have been added, and some of the new gift set pictures have been added too. I will be adding the rest later today (provided that the weather cooperates with me ;P This weekend was overcast one day and rainy on and off the next, so was only able to take pictures on monday afternoon. Got a lot of good shots in, but still need to take some more).
Also updated: the ingredients page (which now has the ingredients listed for the three new products) and the directions pages (which now has directions posted on the herbal cleansers).
Hi everyone
Hope everyone had a great Earth Day (on the 22nd).
I finally got the website up (had issues with computer adapter/chargers, among other pieces of equipment the last couple days). Thank you for your patience!
All the new products are up (two Herbal Cleansers and also my long awaited Tuzi Year of the Rabbit perfume).
There are also new gift sets. The gift sets are 15% off of regular prices.
I am still tweaking some of the info on some of the webpages (herbal cleansers, perfumes, ingredients, directions) and need to get pictures up of the new products and also gift sets (didn’t like how the pictures came out, so will be taking more over the weekend), but the new products and gift sets can be ordered right now.
Every order from now until April 30, 2011 (11:59 PM EST) will receive a free sample of one of my upcoming products.
Lastly, please donate to Japan. I am going to donate the proceeds of the petite (sample) size of Morning mask and scrub, which is $2.75. So $2.75 of $2.75 (so the whole amount) of every petite (sample) size of Morning mask and scrub purchased from now until April 30, 2011 (11:59 PM EST) will be donated to the American Red Cross.
I will be posting more about all of the new products, gift sets, donations over the next few days on the blog and also the forum and facebook too.
Hope you enjoy all the new products, gift sets, and special. Please also donate to Japan, thank you!
April’s Eco Living article is on green tips when dining out. Happy Earth Day, I hope you enjoy the article!
Hi everyone
Earth Day falls on April 22nd every year. Personally I think every day should be Earth Day 🙂 To me, Earth Day is about learning, taking responsibilities for our actions, living in an eco-friendly manner, spreading awareness of ecological issues, and leaving the world a better place for future generations. I think that many people care about eco issues but don’t realize the extent of them (which my thesis research seemed to indicate in my local community) or that they don’t realize some of our most pressing issues are happening NOW (and not twenty, thirty, forty years from now).
I look at my niece (who is almost a year and a half) and I often wonder what type of world will she live in the future? I hope that the beauty I have seen on this sacred Earth will be there when she is older.
So for this year for Earth Day, to start Earth Day celebrations, I have just posted an Earth Day game on the forum. Rules and info on the prize are on the forum: the game will end on April 29th.
Updates: new products and gift sets, and a special, will be released on Earth Day. So please check back later!
In addition, I will be announcing the winner of our previous drawing within the next couple weeks. I am sorry for the delay: I am having trouble getting hold of the winner.
Yesterday on all natural beauty’s facebook, I saw a post to a FREE giveaway on a blog (The Blogging Maniac) for one of the anb mall product samplers. This sampler is awesome, many natural companies have contributed products to it, including Earth Alkemie! 🙂 So just thought I’d post about it here (I also posted about it yesterday on Earth Alkemie’s facebook page too).
I wasn’t familiar with this blog but it looks like a nice blog (they list anb mall as one of their sponsors). There are a lot of links to different free giveaways for all sorts of products.
If you don’t win the giveaway, you can also get the sampler at Sharambrosia’s All Natural Spa Store , which is Sharon’s (my friend and the owner of all three all natural beauty sites including anb mall) all natural spa line.
Earth Alkemie’s product in the anb mall sampler is my fabulous Northern Ghana African black soap as well as a great coupon! Recently my skin has really been loving this soap, just as much as my beloved Alata Samina African black soap.