Tag Archives: perfume

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

Posted on by HollyBeth Anderson

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What is Ylang Ylang?

Ylang ylang (pronounced e-lang e-lang) may not be an aroma you know by name, however chances are you have encountered its sweet, floral fragrance. Perfumes and skin care products use ylang ylang as an ingredient, most noteworthy the best-selling perfume Chanel No. 5.

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

Ylang ylang oil is from the flowers of the ylang-ylang tree, which are native to the Philippines and Indonesia. Steam distillation extracts the oil from the flowers in multiple batches. The first batch is extracted an hour after the process begins, resulting in the highest quality essential oil. Several other batches are extracted at different time intervals.

History

Ylang ylang has a long history, dating back to the fairytales of the Philippines. When a couple asks the gods to give them a child, they receive a daughter named Ylang on the condition that she never know the touch of a man. One day while picking flowers, a suitor takes her hand, causing her to vanish. When a small tree begins to grow where she stood, the suitor names it Ylang-Ylang. This love myth inspired young girls to wear ylang ylang petals and spread ylang ylang petals over the bed of newlyweds.

Medicinal Use

Ylang ylang also serves medicinal purposes. The oil is used to treat malaria and other infections, also it is good for calming stress and rapid heartbeat. In modern day, the oil is used for PMS, high blood pressure, depression, sleep disorders, and also anxiety.

Perfume & Skin Care

The warm, floral aroma of ylang ylang is a staple in perfumes and skin care. Ylang ylang essential oil soothes irritation, moisturizing dry skin. HollyBeth utilizes ylang ylang essential oil in her hydrating Body Oil and Flourish® calming perfume, consequently one of my favorite perfumes of all time. These luxurious organic skin care products nourish and perfume at the same time!

Source – The Essential Oils Book

10 Beauty Secrets for a Younger You

Posted on by HollyBeth Anderson

We live in a world fixated with lists and numbers. We define the health of our relationships by the answer keys of a list of questions.  We demarcate our business ad life by the breadth of our twitter lists and describe the richness of our lives centered on sometimes unattainable bucket lists.  Despite this trend being somewhat vexatious to the soul, I do appreciate the delicate balance of sound advice and the creation of helpful guidelines. Alas, I have created a list of beauty secrets and skin care tips – some scientific, and some just for and from the soul…

1) Smile Often. Smile With Purpose. Smile Randomly.

The reactions you receive will make you smile even more. Frown lines are the wrinkles that age us.

2) Floss & Read

Your brain is already wrinkled and your teeth will never wrinkle.   Reading = Beautiful Mind.  Floss = Beautiful Smile.

3) Use an Eye Cream

Your eyes are the windows to your soul.  Your eyes speak volumes of who you are and who you will become.   Your beauty regimen should never be without an eye cream, serum or combination of both.

4) Exude Confidence

Even if you are flagging into a downward spiral, always find your inner confidence and harness it.  Nothing is more beautiful than a woman that is confident and strong even if she finds herself flanked by unwanted pounds or unwanted company.  You are always strong no matter what surrounds you!

5) Inside – Out | Outside – In

What you put into your body will reflect on the outside.  What you allow to permeate your mind will define your spirit.  What you expose your body to will be the framework for your internal health and wellness.

6) Wash Your Face at Night, Twice

During the day we are exposed to harmful, unsolicited pollutants. We add product to our faces thus turning our day look into our night look. No matter how exhausted we are after an arduous, exhausting day, wash once to clean and twice to purify. 

7)  Wear Sunscreen ALL DAY, ALL YEAR

Sun damage is not mutually exclusive to summertime, heat or an overwhelming amount of sunshine.  To this day, I am fighting the many reckless years of trying to achieve the perfect Southern California Ban de Soleil look. Try a foundation with sunscreen in it like suntegrity. and I always mix it with a small amount of rose geranium face moisturizer before applying.

8) Breathe

Use the wonders of essential oils to create needed balance in life.  Breathe deep and with purpose.  Take the time to see the beauty in everything.  Desiderata by Max Erhmann, whom encapsulates this thought perfectly, “ With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.”

9) Moisturize Your Hands, Elbows & Knees

We often overlook them with our beauty regimes.  We tend to focus on our face and forget our neck and décolletage. And our hands, elbows and knees are incessantly maltreated.  They too need to be pampered.

10) Drink Water

As the largest organ, skin needs to drink in the moisture offered by water from the inside out.  Skin care should NEVER have water in its ingredients list.  It dilutes the efficacy and emboldens the chance for bacterial contamination.  HollyBeth Organics NEVER adds water to any product. I encourage you to review closely the ingredient deck of any skin care product.  You will be shocked to see that water is sometimes the first ingredient (and don’t forget that the ingredients are listed from largest quantity to smallest.)

My grandmother and great grandmother lived well into their 90’s and both were women that celebrated rugged individualism and took very different approaches to beauty.  Celebrate your own beauty, your own approach and your own 10 skin care tips.

fragrance vs. perfume

Posted on by HollyBeth Anderson

Fragrance vs. Perfume 

Who doesn’t love a fragrance or perfume that transports us to the serenity of an English garden? Or conjures images of gorgeous beaches? 

When I lived in Paris I loved going to Galeries Lafayette and smelling all the glorious new perfumes. Later I realized that the majority of the so called “perfumes” were actually made in a lab and not from a flower.

Perfume

First, what is a perfume and who created the first? The Egyptians created the first perfumes for use in religious ceremonies and for the body.

A perfume, according to the Oxford dictionary “A fragrant  liquid typically made from essential oils extracted from flowers and spices, used to impart a pleasant smell to one’s body or clothes“. This to me is the perfect definition. The words chemical, synthetics or manmade do not exist. A perfume is intimate and personal; an aroma that conjures pleasant memories. A perfume is an image and creation that lingers once you leave the room.

Our perfume flourish is essential oils infused in organic sunflower seed oil, and not in an alcohol or chemical.

Fragrance 

A Fragrance is a sweet aroma. A conventional fragrance or perfume contains chemicals derived from petroleum that is linked to environmental health effects. Over eight hundred million pounds of chemicals are used each year to make fragrances. These ingredients or components of the average fragrance or perfume are considered to be the most prominent toxins to the environment.

The chemicals are the reason that a lab made fragrance will stay on your skin and in your body longer.

“Fragrances, because they evaporate and we inhale them, need more rigorous evaluation,” says President of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and pollution policy advisor for Environmental Defense. “We don’t know what the effects might be because cosmetic ingredients don’t need to be tested for safety before marketing.”

Indeed as long as a decade ago, several ingredients used in fragrances were the subject of an investigation by the US National Academy of Sciences which labeled them as being on a par with insecticides and solvents in terms of the damage they could do to us.

Up to 100 chemicals may be used in an average fragrance, most of which are petro-chemicals i.e. derivatives of the petroleum industry with many suspected to be harmful. In 2004, Pat Thomas from the ‘Ecologist’ magazine analyzed a typical and well selling fragrance product, listing the ingredients and possible effects of the chemicals used. There is wide cause for concern as to the health of those who use them. Studies have shown that the synthetic fragrant chemicals are being found in breast milk, with one comparison study measuring levels as having increased fivefold in the last ten years alone. 

So the next time you traipse through a boutique or your favorite department store, think twice before spraying. Choose instead an organic blend made from true ingredients, true beauty: HollyBeth Organics

Bergamot

Posted on by HollyBeth Anderson

Bergamot Origin

Bergamot has been used for hundreds of years by perfumers in Western Europe for its ability to mingle with other fragrances. Its medicinal history dates back to the 16th century when the Italians used the oil for fevers, as an antiseptic, for respiratory problems and skin ailments.

The tree has a curious history. Some say that the evergreen tree is a cross between an orange and lemon and others say it is a cross with a grapefruit. There are those who argue that it is native to Asia and others to Greece. Another legend is that Christopher Columbus took the tree to the Caribbean and elsewhere where it was used in voodoo to protect oneself against harm.

Whatever the history, it appears that the name came from Bergamo in Lombardy, Italy where it was first sold.  It is the Italians who have the largest production of bergamots. The Greeks attest that the name came from Turkish word meaning “the lord’s pear”.

Bergamot Essential Oil

The tree is relatively small, growing only to 13 feet. The small fruit itself is yellow when ripe and is sour and basically non-edible. It is the peel that is cold pressed to make the fruit. It takes approximately 100 bergamots to make 3 ounces of oil.

The components make it useful as an antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antidepressant  essential oil. It is known to be a rival of lavender essential when relaxing the mind.

The aroma is crisp, tart with a peppery spicy undertone. You can find bergamot essential oil in HollyBeth’s flourish roll on perfume, marigold bergamot dry oil, citrus cream and citrus spray.

Ode to Rose Geranium Toner

Posted on by HollyBeth Anderson

I am in love with HollyBeth Organics’ Rose Geranium Toner. In fact, it is one of my all-time favorite skin care products, and I won’t leave home without it. Looking for a great-smelling body mist? Need a toner to sooth your skin? Want to keep your makeup in place all day long? How about a rehydrating midday pick-me-up? This product does it all! Oh, Rose Geranium Toner, how I love thee, let me count the ways.

Great-Smelling Body Mist

Rose and geranium combine to create a rich, rosy smell that will make anyone feel like royalty. Get blanketed in luxury with each spray of this beautifully fragrant body mist. Just imagine standing under a waterfall of rose petals!

Soothing Toner

Keep your skin in check with this Rose Geranium Toner’s antiseptic properties of rose geranium hydrosol, nourishing rose oil, and anti-inflammatory helichrysum. This sooth-all skin solution calms and heals with each spray.

Makeup Setting Spray

Tired of your makeup running off your face by the end of the day? The last step of your morning routine should be a few sprays of the Rose Geranium Toner to set everything in place to keep your face game going strong.

Midday Refresher

Been running around all day? Just got off of a long flight? You know that icky, weighed-down feeling your skin gets when you have been going non-stop? A few sprays of the Rose Geranium Toner will rehydrate your skin and refresh your senses with a much-needed pick-me-up.

Seriously, this toner has earned a spot of honor in my makeup bag. Reward your skin (and your senses!) with this ultimate jack of all trades.

Marjoram

Posted on by HollyBeth Anderson

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History

Marjoram (Organum Marjorana) is a perennial herb belonging to the mint family. With rounded, pale green leaves, Marjoram is often mistaken for oregano; however, it has a sweeter taste and a more delicate nature, preferring moister soil and warmer climates. Originating in Asia Minor and the Mediterranean region, the herb was acclaimed in Egyptian, Roman, and Greek culture. The Greeks called marjoram “joy of the mountain,” crowing newly married couples with it as a celebration of love and good fortune. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, was said to grow and treasure marjoram, making it a popular herb for love spells. When placed under the pillow of a young woman, it was believed to reveal her future husband in her dreams.

Medicinal Uses

Marjoram is also renowned for its medicinal properties. Extremely beneficial to the stomach, it aids in digestion, calms cramps, alleviates nausea, and relieves upset bowels. Its antiseptic, antiviral, and antibacterial properties help the body fight sickness, including food poisoning, malaria, staph, and the flu. Marjoram even improves circulatory function, helping lower blood pressure and cholesterol, while its anti-inflammatory properties soothe head, body, tooth, and muscle aches.

Aromatherapy

Marjoram’s aromatic properties make it the ultimate stress reliever. Testing has shown that marjoram’s tranquil aroma relaxes brain waves. It soothes the senses, alleviates anxiety, reduces stress, and even helps with insomnia.

Marjoram’s warm, woodsy fragrance and natural calming abilities are celebrated in HollyBeth Organics’ new Flourish® calming perfume. This double-duty perfume delights the senses and the mind.

Spring Skincare Products We Love

Posted on by HollyBeth Anderson
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On Sale in Honor of Spring!

 

Spring is in the Air

Time to break out your spring skincare products! Now that the sun is out and nature is in bloom, cold winter nights wrapped up inside by the fire are replaced by outside adventures and lighthearted evenings on a patio. Life is in full bloom, and it is time to celebrate.

Spring is a Big Bouquet of Flowers

Bright colors and rich greens rejuvenate sleepy landscapes, and nature fills the air with the budding aroma of flowers, trees, and fruits. Inspired by spring’s natural bounty, HollyBeth created her signature Flourish Perfume, a delightful combination of jasmine and rose mixed with hints of lavender and bergamot. Soft scents of floral and earth perfectly combine to evoke the blooming flavors of a new beginning. It is the perfect perfume to add to your spring skincare products.

Spring is an Orchard of Fresh Fruit

Crisp citrus flavors of orange and lemon energize the spirits and uplift the soul. One of my favorite HollyBeth Organics spring skincare products is her Citrus All Over Cream. A refreshing blend of camellia, jojoba, and sweet almond oil adorned with lemon, lime, and orange essential oils create this delicious moisturizing cream that nourishes the skin and tantalizes the senses. And as an added bonus, the citrus-based cream naturally repels pesky bugs! Looking for a spring skincare shea butter? Try HollyBeth’s Lemon Lime Shea Butter Cream. This southern-inspired cream infused with invigorating lime and lemon enlivens the skin with happy hydration. And in honor of spring, HollyBeth Organics’ Lemon Lime Shea Butter is on sale! Click here to add this zesty moisturizing cream to your spring skincare routine.

Spring has arrived! Time to let your skin enjoy it, too.

HollyBeth’s Three Favorite Skin Care Products for Traveling

Posted on by HollyBeth Anderson

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Short-Sleeve Travel Weather is Around the Corner

When it’s a sunny, 60 degree day in February, you can’t help but long for short-sleeve shirt weather and spring road trips. Inspired by the surprise heat, HollyBeth and I couldn’t help but discuss our favorite places to travel to as we ate lunch today. Exotic beaches with white sand, classic cities home to great art and architecture, off-the-map locations promising fun and adventure, and familiar favorites full of good memories: we want to visit them all! Almost time to get those passports ready – and figure out what to pack.

Packing for a Trip

Ah, the process of packing for a trip. If you are anything like me, you want to pack your entire closet, because you may get the chance to break in those shoes you‘ve never worn, to wear that dress that has been begging for a night out, or use that cute rain jacket that just might come in handy – you see where I am going with this. Once the hypothetical outfit situations are covered, time to narrow down your toiletry bag.

With the skin care guru herself sitting next to me at lunch, I couldn’t resist asking her which HollyBeth Organics’ products are her favorite skin care products for traveling.

HollyBeth’s Must-Have Skin Care Products for Traveling

  1. Rose Geranium Toner – A few squirts of this flower-flavored beauty mist refreshes and rehydrates (and makes you smell good). An excellent pick-me-up when you have been traveling all day.
  2. Eye Cream – A HollyBeth Organics classic (the first product she created), this luxuriously silky cream keeps delicate skin hydrated and moisturized. The perfect eye refresher after a tiring day of adventures.
  3. Chamomile Foaming Cleanser – This gentle yet sudsy cleanser removes the day’s dirt and oil, leaving behind soothed, balanced skin. Great for all skin types, so everyone in your travel party can use it.

So now I know what I’m bringing with me on my next vacation!

Want to know what a professional makeup artist packs for a trip? Check out our Facebook page to see which HollyBeth Organics product Fiona Styles loves to travel with!