Now, to be sure, I am not a great joiner of groups. I'm talking here about groups that may (or may not) support the industries in which Snowdrift Farm is involved. I like to stand back and observe more than I like to get into the day-to-day grind of the group or organization at hand. I learned the hard way several years ago that not everyone who is involved in the hierarchy of a membership group always has your best interests at heart. C'est la vie.
At this time, Snowdrift Farm belongs to one trade membership group: the Handcrafted Soap Maker's Guild. Our relationship with the HSMG is great and we frequently refer customers to their website. But there have been rough times -- not just for us, but for other members of the Guild, too. In my opinion, for whatever it is worth, this strife was a product of poor leadership. Thankfully, this unhappiness is in the past and the current leadership at the HSMG is doing everything it can to ensure it never happens again. In a way, I am hoping the current leadership decides to stay forever, though I know this is unfair to most everyone, and highly unlikely.
That said, I lightly tread along a path to locate other membership/trade organizations in which Snowdrift Farm might have an interest and become a valued member. Basically, I am relying upon my memory (!) and the internet to find organizations that might be a good match for us. I get this bug every now and then to go out and look.
In the past, we have joined the Artisan's Perfumer's Guild, but we were basically pooh-poohed for selling SD40 alcohols. Apparently, according to the powers-that-be, only grape alcohol is an acceptable diluent. As a dues-paying, SD alcohol-selling group member, I sure didn't appreciate being told that only grape alcohol is acceptable for making perfumes. I don't happen to share that opinion, and didn't savvy being shot down every time I posted a message to that group's Yahoogroup regarding SD alcohols. I figured, once our annual membership had run out, we needed to move on. And so we did. SDF's Making Perfume Yahoogroup is an outgrowth of that period.
I mention these experiences because, in the end, I find that a group's leadership is the most important thing. The leader sets the agenda. For me, a non-profit's goal should be to support the industry. It should widen the possibilities of its membership, be they buyers or sellers.
Today is Sunday. Kind of a not-too-rushy day, so I decided to look for some non-profit trade organizations. Pulling from my memory, I thought of NAHA.org, the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy. I know that Jeanne Rose is a past president, and that's good enough for me.
So, I googled NAHA and the first thing to come up was http://www.nahaexposed.com/. I clicked and read that their basic mission was to stop http://www.naha.org/ 's current leadership (we're talking 2004 here) from doing anything. The claim was that the president was taking advantage of her position and using the group for her own personal gains. There is a petition on the website with 131 +/- signatures, including Jeanne Rose's, asking the IRS and the State of Colorado, in which this 501 C is formed, to investigate the petitioners' claims of dishonesty on the president's part.
Uh-oh. A leadership problem.
But again, this stuff is from 2004, and we're now almost halfway through 2008. The Naha.org website contains a blog. As there was no mention on the "directors" page of the group's leaders, and apparently no conference in recent history, I clicked on the blog to see if there was anything going on over there. I wanted to see what had happened since 2004. Had the leadership changed? What happened to the petition? You get the idea.
Well, I guess I am too late to play catch-up. The current NAHA.org website does not offer an outcome to the seeming 2004 debacle with http://www.nahaexposed.com/, and the nahaexposed.com website doesn’t either. Nor have they removed their content. Interesting.
I clicked on “Join NAHA” and there I found a ton of information that satisfied many of the questions I had pondered, including their conference schedule (I am guessing they are not having one this year, though they state they are held every 2 years, and 2008 would be a year an “on” year, I think), membership fees and insurance plan. They also offer an updated class schedule. While I was unhappy that none of Jeanne Rose’s classes were listed, I was pleased to see the formerly blasphemed past president listed several times as a teacher of aromatherapy classes therein. Things are OK in the family, then?
Frankly, joining these groups has become a research project for me. Joining any group, really. Just this spring I was threatened by (I’m sure, well-meaning) soapmaking folk who wanted me to withdraw SDF’s sponsorship of a certain soapmaking conference. They were quite vehement in their disparagement of Snowdrift’s participation in this conference, and while I don’t usually back down to threats, there seemed to be something to their complaints. But really, did I need the stress of being threatened by soapmakers and not fully informed (OK, I probably should say “lied to”, but I won’t) by the conference’s leadership?
So, who’s got a favorite trade organization – not-for-profit is best – that they’d like to share with me? Is NAHA worthwhile? I’m open to all suggestions.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Musings on Lavender
Lavender is a lovely thing. There are so many versions of it from different countries -- literally different soils. Then there are the hybrids and cousins. And different extraction techniques, too. At Snowdrift Farm, we sell 3 different kinds of lavender essential oils, plus spike lavender, lavender absolute and lavandin. I would love to stock more varieties, and we just may, if I have my way. We also stock the No. 1 lavender buds -- did I mention that? We really like lavender.
I like lavender. It has a clean, green scent with a touch of floral, but not too sweet. And yes, I do find it relaxes me. Not to the point of unconsciousness, but I do like to inhale deeply of it. Especially when I find a lavender with a wonderful bouquet.
Happily, I have found three examples of really nice lavender from three different countries. All three are L. angustifolia. My favorite is the English. We procure it from a co-operative distillery in Norfolk, England. The soil where it is grown is near sea level. A moist, peat-y soil gives the lavender a round, sweet note. It's used extensively in perfuming, and many local farmers distill lavender for sale in small amounts to the tourist trade. Just about everyone has heard of English Lavender. It's the only lavender oil I use in perfuming.
Our Bulgarian lavender is grown on higher ground than the Norfolk. It too has a rounder, sweeter note than the French, but not as sweet as the English. I like to blend the Bulgarian with the Norfolk in certain soaps and in most lotions. The Bulgarian is expensive enough, but if a private label customer asks me to quote on an English lavender batch, I always recommend using the Bulgarian, and maybe adding in a small amount of the English.
Our French 40/42 is our biggest seller. It's got a stronger camphorene note than the Bulgarian or the English. At around 7% camphorene, compared to 1-3% with the Bulgarian or English, it needs a little sweetening up, in my opinion. I use it as is in cold process and melt & pour soaps, and in some lotions. I like to blend it with other linalool heavy oils, such as basil or rosemary. I'm OK with it in a rose fragrance, but have a hard time justifying the use of rose absolute or otto with the 40/42.
Spike lavender (L. latifolia) has a sharper, more pungent scent than any of the other lavenders we sell. Personally, I find it inferior to the others. Still, it blends well and because it is a little bit less expensive (generally) than the others, it's cost effective. It's good to blend with green oils, as well.
Then there's lavandin. A hybrid between L. Officianalis and L. latifolia, lavandin can be grown at lower elevations than common lavender. I like the clean scent of lavandin. I use it in soap -- a lot -- and recommend it to my soap customers, too, instead of common lavender oil.
Finally, there's the absolute. A dark blue color, lavender absolute can add color to your perfumes. I doubt many soapmakers, including myself, would use it in soap, but if we did, it would add a lovely color to the base.
What's your favorite lavender?
I like lavender. It has a clean, green scent with a touch of floral, but not too sweet. And yes, I do find it relaxes me. Not to the point of unconsciousness, but I do like to inhale deeply of it. Especially when I find a lavender with a wonderful bouquet.
Happily, I have found three examples of really nice lavender from three different countries. All three are L. angustifolia. My favorite is the English. We procure it from a co-operative distillery in Norfolk, England. The soil where it is grown is near sea level. A moist, peat-y soil gives the lavender a round, sweet note. It's used extensively in perfuming, and many local farmers distill lavender for sale in small amounts to the tourist trade. Just about everyone has heard of English Lavender. It's the only lavender oil I use in perfuming.
Our Bulgarian lavender is grown on higher ground than the Norfolk. It too has a rounder, sweeter note than the French, but not as sweet as the English. I like to blend the Bulgarian with the Norfolk in certain soaps and in most lotions. The Bulgarian is expensive enough, but if a private label customer asks me to quote on an English lavender batch, I always recommend using the Bulgarian, and maybe adding in a small amount of the English.
Our French 40/42 is our biggest seller. It's got a stronger camphorene note than the Bulgarian or the English. At around 7% camphorene, compared to 1-3% with the Bulgarian or English, it needs a little sweetening up, in my opinion. I use it as is in cold process and melt & pour soaps, and in some lotions. I like to blend it with other linalool heavy oils, such as basil or rosemary. I'm OK with it in a rose fragrance, but have a hard time justifying the use of rose absolute or otto with the 40/42.
Spike lavender (L. latifolia) has a sharper, more pungent scent than any of the other lavenders we sell. Personally, I find it inferior to the others. Still, it blends well and because it is a little bit less expensive (generally) than the others, it's cost effective. It's good to blend with green oils, as well.
Then there's lavandin. A hybrid between L. Officianalis and L. latifolia, lavandin can be grown at lower elevations than common lavender. I like the clean scent of lavandin. I use it in soap -- a lot -- and recommend it to my soap customers, too, instead of common lavender oil.
Finally, there's the absolute. A dark blue color, lavender absolute can add color to your perfumes. I doubt many soapmakers, including myself, would use it in soap, but if we did, it would add a lovely color to the base.
What's your favorite lavender?
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Handcrafted Soapmaker's Guild Meeting 2008
It's a long way from Tucson to Burlington, Vermont, home of the 2008 Handcrafted Soapmaker's Guild (HSMG) meeting and annual convention. I wish I could have attended, but having chemo every three weeks put the ka-bosh on that idea. Instead, our longtime employee, Kaye, went to represent Snowdrift Farm.
From all reports, Kaye enjoyed herself immensely. Though she is not a soapmaker (Kaye prefers lotions), she learned a great deal and met lots of friendly people. Sounds like she'll want to go back again next year. Rumor has it the 2009 event will be held in sunny California -- a mere car drive away (if we can afford the gas!).
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who attended this year's meeting. Every year, the meetings get bigger and better. Snowdrift Farm hosted "movie night" with coffee and dessert, airing Dr. Bronner's "Magic Soap Box" at the local theater across from the Inn at Essex where the annual convention was held. We hope to provide another sponsored event at the 2009 meeting, and believe me when I say, I will be there with bells on.
If you attended the 2008 HSMG event in Burlington, please drop us a line and let us know your impressions. If you want more information on joining the Guild or attending the 2009 event, please log on to the HSMG website.
From all reports, Kaye enjoyed herself immensely. Though she is not a soapmaker (Kaye prefers lotions), she learned a great deal and met lots of friendly people. Sounds like she'll want to go back again next year. Rumor has it the 2009 event will be held in sunny California -- a mere car drive away (if we can afford the gas!).
I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who attended this year's meeting. Every year, the meetings get bigger and better. Snowdrift Farm hosted "movie night" with coffee and dessert, airing Dr. Bronner's "Magic Soap Box" at the local theater across from the Inn at Essex where the annual convention was held. We hope to provide another sponsored event at the 2009 meeting, and believe me when I say, I will be there with bells on.
If you attended the 2008 HSMG event in Burlington, please drop us a line and let us know your impressions. If you want more information on joining the Guild or attending the 2009 event, please log on to the HSMG website.
Monday, March 24, 2008
New Fragrance Oils for Spring
Spring is in the air -- and that's not all! We've just debuted seven new fragrance oils for soaps, body and hair care and cosmetics at Snowdrift Farm.
Maybe it was the long, hard winter of 2007 that made our customers think of all things green and fragrant, but I have to tell you, we've received dozens of requests for some basic fruity and floral notes. As most of you know, Snowdrift Farm is known for our designer perfume knock-offs. Because we specialize in perfumery products, including perfume grade alcohols, most of our budget for new fragrance oils is spent on duplications of popular perfumes. For instance, we were the first to bring you Stella (MacCartney's signature fragrance), Vera Wang's Princess and so many more. So, this venture into basic notes was something that, well, went by us for a while.
We are pleased to present Cranberry, Green Apple, Strawberry, Pomegranate, Cherry, Honeysuckle and Gardenia fragrances. You can find them, listed in alphabetical order, beginning here. Though we sniffed our way through lots of different versions of these scents, only a few candidates made it through to testing. In making our final selection, we strived for the realistic, true nature of these plant fragrances. Nothing cloying or annoyingly sweet.
And because we know that money doesn't grow on trees, we looked for the most economically convincing fragrances -- without sacrificing quality. I think you'll find we've achieved these goals. Care for a "sniffy sample" of any of our fragrance oils or essential oils? We've got lots. Visit our sample policy page for more information.
Your opinion counts at Snowdrift Farm. Let us know how you used our fragrance oils and what you think of them. And don't forget to tell us what you'd like to see on our fragrance oils menu next!
Maybe it was the long, hard winter of 2007 that made our customers think of all things green and fragrant, but I have to tell you, we've received dozens of requests for some basic fruity and floral notes. As most of you know, Snowdrift Farm is known for our designer perfume knock-offs. Because we specialize in perfumery products, including perfume grade alcohols, most of our budget for new fragrance oils is spent on duplications of popular perfumes. For instance, we were the first to bring you Stella (MacCartney's signature fragrance), Vera Wang's Princess and so many more. So, this venture into basic notes was something that, well, went by us for a while.
We are pleased to present Cranberry, Green Apple, Strawberry, Pomegranate, Cherry, Honeysuckle and Gardenia fragrances. You can find them, listed in alphabetical order, beginning here. Though we sniffed our way through lots of different versions of these scents, only a few candidates made it through to testing. In making our final selection, we strived for the realistic, true nature of these plant fragrances. Nothing cloying or annoyingly sweet.
And because we know that money doesn't grow on trees, we looked for the most economically convincing fragrances -- without sacrificing quality. I think you'll find we've achieved these goals. Care for a "sniffy sample" of any of our fragrance oils or essential oils? We've got lots. Visit our sample policy page for more information.
Your opinion counts at Snowdrift Farm. Let us know how you used our fragrance oils and what you think of them. And don't forget to tell us what you'd like to see on our fragrance oils menu next!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Chanel No. 5
Now, if I were smart, I probably wouldn't write about Chanel No. 5. So many better noses than mine have offered their opinions over the years. But this is not a review -- more of a personal memoir.
Chanel No. 5 happens to be the first "grown-up perfume" my father ever bought for me. I was probably 16 or 17, and easily impressed. And it smelled so good! I did not know the history of this fragrance, and probably if I did know that it was the first ever synthetic perfume to hit the big time back in the 1920's, it wouldn't have meant much at the time. Who was Coco Chanel?
I still like Chanel No. 5 because it smells grown-up. But now I know why it smells the way it does -- an aldehydic floriental. The mix of neroli and ylang ylang with the aldehydic top note really carry through the blend with middle notes of jasmine and rose and a lovely sandalwood-vetiver-vanilla bottom. And it's very tenacious. A little perfume goes a long way. Probably due to the synthetic civet used as a fixative in the blend.
In any case, I think I have always had at least a small bottle of Chanel No. 5 in my collection. It's one of my favorites.
Chanel No. 5 happens to be the first "grown-up perfume" my father ever bought for me. I was probably 16 or 17, and easily impressed. And it smelled so good! I did not know the history of this fragrance, and probably if I did know that it was the first ever synthetic perfume to hit the big time back in the 1920's, it wouldn't have meant much at the time. Who was Coco Chanel?
I still like Chanel No. 5 because it smells grown-up. But now I know why it smells the way it does -- an aldehydic floriental. The mix of neroli and ylang ylang with the aldehydic top note really carry through the blend with middle notes of jasmine and rose and a lovely sandalwood-vetiver-vanilla bottom. And it's very tenacious. A little perfume goes a long way. Probably due to the synthetic civet used as a fixative in the blend.
In any case, I think I have always had at least a small bottle of Chanel No. 5 in my collection. It's one of my favorites.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Lotionmaking 101: The Movie
Well, Bill and I have finished our second how-to video, which we call Lotionmaking 101. We started the thing just before I became really sick last year. Now that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, we've had time to turn back to those things we really love to do.
In the video, we show you how to make our Easy Cocoa Butter Lotion two ways -- with a commercial preservative and preserving by use of alcohol. You can easily transfer the basic lotionmaking process information into any lotion made with emulsifiers.
Take a look at our video and let me know what you think. Suggestions may be edited into the video!
Trina at Snowdrift Farm
In the video, we show you how to make our Easy Cocoa Butter Lotion two ways -- with a commercial preservative and preserving by use of alcohol. You can easily transfer the basic lotionmaking process information into any lotion made with emulsifiers.
Take a look at our video and let me know what you think. Suggestions may be edited into the video!
Trina at Snowdrift Farm
Monday, March 3, 2008
Remember me?
Long time, no blog...
I have a good excuse, really. Back at the end of October 2007, I was (finally) diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Stage 3C. Not bad, eh?
Since this is a blog about perfuming, hair and skin care and related subjects, I won't go on and on about the state of my health, except to say it is vastly improved after 3 surgeries and a bunch of chemo. I'm still in chemo, but that should end in May or June. My cancer marker is very low -- in the normal range -- but the protocol is to finish the chemo, no matter what.
I have greatly missed blogging here and look forward to writing more in the following days. Thanks to all of you who have sent me notes of encouragement along the way. Your thoughts and prayers are very much appreciated.
On with the show!
Trina at Snowdrift Farm
I have a good excuse, really. Back at the end of October 2007, I was (finally) diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Stage 3C. Not bad, eh?
Since this is a blog about perfuming, hair and skin care and related subjects, I won't go on and on about the state of my health, except to say it is vastly improved after 3 surgeries and a bunch of chemo. I'm still in chemo, but that should end in May or June. My cancer marker is very low -- in the normal range -- but the protocol is to finish the chemo, no matter what.
I have greatly missed blogging here and look forward to writing more in the following days. Thanks to all of you who have sent me notes of encouragement along the way. Your thoughts and prayers are very much appreciated.
On with the show!
Trina at Snowdrift Farm
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