tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28237358326903390392024-02-21T04:23:16.084-08:007 ElementsAnyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15627654940720009002noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823735832690339039.post-47594925907468689022011-11-16T13:31:00.000-08:002013-05-03T06:15:32.248-07:00Shampoo making!<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Excited? I am!! :) I can talk a lot about natural beauty, what goes into each product and why it's good... But what can be better than actually seeing the process?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_YhcWRnFuJwSAevleqFtHkTHZttXuh2h9WpY7GjL5Rthim0GZT9n_gOL-RW5_3ibw7YvlV0qFb1i5brp2c3FflazBtG4mfOaij_x1nVuJrut3qWKYVzqannNR9lBNZTma7l6Wv7QoqiEW/s1600/IMG_0508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_YhcWRnFuJwSAevleqFtHkTHZttXuh2h9WpY7GjL5Rthim0GZT9n_gOL-RW5_3ibw7YvlV0qFb1i5brp2c3FflazBtG4mfOaij_x1nVuJrut3qWKYVzqannNR9lBNZTma7l6Wv7QoqiEW/s320/IMG_0508.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Shampoo making technology is the same as soap making. But there are few extra steps and add-</span><span class="J-JK9eJ-PJVNOc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">ons</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">, recipe formulation is also different - no "hair heavy" oils, extra conditioning, hair therapy, and so on.. Here are some of the steps of shampoo-making process:</span></div>
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<i><b>1. Herbal oil infusion</b></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Herbal infusion takes time and patience - mixing oils with herbs, gently heating and stirring them for hours. This step starts before the actual shampoo-making.</span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">left - sweet almond oil infused with camomile and sage, right - coconut oil infused with peppermint. </span></div>
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Herbs and plants are known for their healing and therapeutic qualities. And oil infusion is a wonderful way to transfer those properties onto the oils used in soap/shampoo making! Infused oils also make great massage oils (for example camomile infused sweet almond oil is excellent for babies) and additions to the other natural beauty products</div>
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Look at the picture above - transparent liquid is coconut oil, green liquid next to it is the same coconut oil infused with peppermint! Can you imagine how much of the herbal goodness there is in that one!</div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><b>2. Preparing strong herbal tea and adding silk</b></i></span></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">No, tea is not for drinking while working :) To mix it with the oils later on. This one includes peppermint, sage and calendula. </span></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><br /></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></span></i>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><br /></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></span></i>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i><br /></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></span></i>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">I also dissolve </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Tussah Silk</span></i> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">into the tea, see some silk fibers lying next to the herbal tea jar?</span></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></span></i></div>
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By the way, Tussah is humane wild silk, it is gathered after the moth emerges from the cocoon. </div>
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<i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><b>3. Next step is to measure the oils</b></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></div>
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This shampoo is made of coconut, castor, grapeseed, safflower, sunflower, sweet almond and soy oils! What a great combination, I tell you :) <br />
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<i><b>4. Pouring herbal tea mixture into the oils</b></i></div>
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<i><b>5. Mixing all together</b></i></div>
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<i><b>6. Adding essential oils </b></i>(love that part!) - here we have peppermint, rosemary and lavender. </div>
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<i><b>7. Pouring into the mold</b></i></div>
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Pictured freshly poured shampoo (btw - it's the first time I am doing shampoo in this mold)<br />
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<i><b>8. The next day</b></i></div>
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<i><b>9. Cut, raw look</b></i></div>
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I still need to trim the edges later on. Now shampoo is curing, hardening and absorbing the qualities of those wonderful ingredients that were put in. Process takes at least 4 weeks and then - ready to be used and enjoyed!<br />
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That's pretty much it :) Hope you had fun!<br />
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Anyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15627654940720009002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823735832690339039.post-31633003488665241192011-11-15T13:55:00.000-08:002011-11-15T13:55:39.957-08:00About solid shampoo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">I have been receiving lots of questions about the solid shampoos lately. And I totally understand where the questions are coming from!...So... I thought of writing a brief overview. </div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">* <b>It's natural product</b>, there is no need to preserve it (since there is no water present in the final product), it doesn't contain harsh chemicals like<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="J-JK9eJ-PJVNOc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">SLS</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> (that strips natural hair oils) nor </span><span class="J-JK9eJ-PJVNOc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">silicones</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">. It has </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">vegetable oils </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">(coconut oi, </span><span class="J-JK9eJ-PJVNOc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">castor</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">, safflower, </span><span class="J-JK9eJ-PJVNOc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">grapeseed</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">, sweet almond to name a few), </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">herbal infusions</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> and </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">essential oils <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">so you can enjoy the full benefits of natural care. </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">* "Shampoo = liquid" idea is quite strong so it takes time to get used to the look of a "hair bar". But did you know that up to 80% of liquid commercial shampoo is water?... Think of it this way - just on the "how it looks" factor alone you can get rid of 2 plastic bottles each time you purchase your regular hair products - one for the shampoo and another one for the conditioner (with solid shampoo you don't need to use hair conditioner most of the times, but if you do there are ingredients readily available at your home, just read on for the tips). It is <b>environmentally friendly</b> from many aspects. </div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">* You might need to give shampoo bar a chance. You hair needs time to get used to all-natural treatment, at first it just washes off the residues of your old shampoo, then you will feel the difference. Adjustment usually takes between one to four weeks depending on your hair type. Also solid shampoo can be quite individual - you need to keep in mind your hair type when choosing the right one. </div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">* When I feel the need I do a home-made hair conditioner - dissolve 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in 1 litre of water and do one rinse with this solution. It totally depends on your hair type, length and conditions weather you need this rinse or not. I do it once or twice a week. I also like to experiment with various hair treatments - mix some hair oils, do clay masks, etc. But that will be the topic for another post:) </div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">Hope I could answer some of the most common questions, please let me know if you are interested in finding out more!</div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">Anya</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">P.S. Don't miss the next post on what's going on behind the scenes of shampoo making! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>Anyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15627654940720009002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823735832690339039.post-80082817487173620482011-11-10T15:28:00.000-08:002011-11-10T15:45:07.201-08:00Petroleum on my skin? No, thank you!<div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">How often do you read these vague names on your labels: Mineral Oil, Liquid Paraffin, </span><span class="J-JK9eJ-PJVNOc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Paraffinum</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="J-JK9eJ-PJVNOc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Liquidum</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">, White Oil, Liquid Petroleum... Let me answer for you - too often!! And these are the names of the same product - </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_oil" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">liquid </span><span class="J-JK9eJ-PJVNOc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">by</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">-product of the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline and other petroleum-based products </span><span class="J-JK9eJ-PJVNOc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">from</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> crude oil</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">. Wait a minute! </span><span class="J-JK9eJ-PJVNOc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">From</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> what? Yes, liquid that is used as a main ingredient in baby products (oils, lotions), body oils and Vaseline (to name few) is actually made of crude oil!!</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">When applied mineral oil creates a thin layer on your skin and blocks the pores, so ultimately it doesn't allow skin to breath and eliminate toxins (normal healthy "exchange" process). So it leads to skin dryness and premature aging. It's used so unbelievably widely because of its cheap price and availability (it's just a by-product). Most of the baby oils are 100% mineral oil or mineral oil is listed as the </span><span class="J-JK9eJ-PJVNOc"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">first</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> ingredient - meaning that mineral oil is its main component (just pick up any baby oil or baby lotion bottle and see for yourself).</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Skin is our largest organ and let's treat is nicely. </span><span class="J-JK9eJ-PJVNOc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Explore</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> the beauty of natural creations - those wonderful apricot, avocado, sweet almond, olive oils (mostly available in pharmacies and supermarkets)... There are so many to choose </span><span class="J-JK9eJ-PJVNOc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">from</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> - </span><span class="J-JK9eJ-PJVNOc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">they</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> are great for the skin, safe for humans (most importantly for our little ones!) and environment, </span><span class="J-JK9eJ-PJVNOc" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">they</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> are packed with vitamins and antioxidants. What's not to love? </span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">See, it's really easy to make the switch towards the healthier lifestyle, just need to be aware :)</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Love as always,</span></div><div style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">Anya</div><br />
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</div>Anyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15627654940720009002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823735832690339039.post-7166381601531026652011-10-26T14:28:00.000-07:002011-10-30T15:11:35.440-07:00Natural colorantsOne thing I really like experimenting with is color. There are hundreds of man-made colors out there - bright, pastel, anything ... But as you know - here at 7 Elements we just love working with all-natural ingredients instead. So here is what we use:<br />
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<b>1. Clays</b>. Clays have wonderful properties and are great for the skin, body and health! And what's not to like about the idea of having the coloring element that actually helps taking care of various skin conditions.<br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Pictures: Blue and Red Argiletz clays. </span></i><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Here is our Lavender soap with blue clay</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWYTcnybnym5QXhyphenhypheneFoK5gdg6MNoJUPzdnEvYTA3h59t9p1_CDGVV2H-0HXTlhBnmoq46asL6IYVOKuQ4fheiHqBna1FwOy8mn-n-ESaSAZxnLnXGbaekfRk4h4tr69ty9l9bdGech78i/s1600/IMG_7914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWYTcnybnym5QXhyphenhypheneFoK5gdg6MNoJUPzdnEvYTA3h59t9p1_CDGVV2H-0HXTlhBnmoq46asL6IYVOKuQ4fheiHqBna1FwOy8mn-n-ESaSAZxnLnXGbaekfRk4h4tr69ty9l9bdGech78i/s320/IMG_7914.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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<b><div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>2. Natural pigments and micas.</b> Very shiny, bright and come in various colors! In cosmetics they are used mainly in mineral make-up to add shimmer and color</div></b><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoYpsgIDoYJOt_9X89cb6o7KCEYj7BvjAEuACzTDZahvfV5JyWkvOcAF4sA2eu3J3ByCAEBZbtNbEhLtow6uXYLXImHC8G79_g2vVIVE5tY-RgMaZnWz-a7VyaxaDGK8mbJZu2gwQVhsv/s1600/IMG_0423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEoYpsgIDoYJOt_9X89cb6o7KCEYj7BvjAEuACzTDZahvfV5JyWkvOcAF4sA2eu3J3ByCAEBZbtNbEhLtow6uXYLXImHC8G79_g2vVIVE5tY-RgMaZnWz-a7VyaxaDGK8mbJZu2gwQVhsv/s320/IMG_0423.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Pictures: Emerald and Copper micas </span></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>3. Kitchen drawer colors. </b>Yes, there is lots of of hidden "spice" in 7 Elemets soaps - like Turmeric powder in Grand Bazaar; cocoa powder in Caramel soap. I always knew there was lots in common between cooking and soap-making! </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">This is a very exciting area - studying properties of various spices and plants including them in products formulas in actual form (dried herbs, powdered spices) and as essential oils of course!</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCF60GGaSrVIBlBBXR7KZXASLFnBPbs53I8S0DCC63d5-tT42kQdXEpnyV-8vB8MoVOmC-m2fRQMd5Pok3wrMySxwt85nhRrENPKqO9TpbAufSa-O2vwuGqZy4BoN_OzTnae0D4fUCN7XO/s1600/IMG_0446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCF60GGaSrVIBlBBXR7KZXASLFnBPbs53I8S0DCC63d5-tT42kQdXEpnyV-8vB8MoVOmC-m2fRQMd5Pok3wrMySxwt85nhRrENPKqO9TpbAufSa-O2vwuGqZy4BoN_OzTnae0D4fUCN7XO/s320/IMG_0446.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Pictures: Paprika, Turmeric and Cocoa powders</span></i><br />
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</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>4. Surprising ingredients. </b></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><br />
</b></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These are new comers in 7 Elements colors basket. But they are definitely not new in the world of natural skin care! How about some Spirulina - this superfood is as good in soaps as it is in your green smothies! And another dramatically_looking ingredient yet to be tested is Charcoal! </div><b><br />
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</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To be honest, many times I just opt for plain - let the oils, butters and other pretty things decide how the final product is going to look like! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is by no means a complete list of natural colorants, just a brief overview, attempt to show that there is always an alternative. "Alternative to what?" You may ask. Well... actually in non-sustainable world it can take lots of chemicals to get a flawless white color or pleasantly looking caramel... I am not even talking about reds and blues... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So why again should we use something that was created by man to compete with "products" that Mother Nature has been making for thousands of years?! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Love,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anya</div>Anyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15627654940720009002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823735832690339039.post-294534146551382292011-10-22T15:13:00.000-07:002011-10-22T15:13:41.901-07:00The Story of Cosmetics<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; "><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Love</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">this</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">video</span> - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">simple</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">clear</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">at</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">same</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">time</span> quite <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">inspiring</span>! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">It</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">goes</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">in</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">line</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">with</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">what</span> I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">personally</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">believe</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">in</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">asriring</span> as 7 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Elements</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">An</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">absolute</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">must</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">if</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">you</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">haven</span>'t <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">seen</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">it</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">already</span>. </span></div><div><br /></div><iframe width="480" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pfq000AF1i8?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; ">www.storyofcosmetics.org</span></div><div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; ">www.safecosmetics.org</p></div><div><br /></div>Anyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15627654940720009002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823735832690339039.post-21193332371814648162011-10-20T14:04:00.000-07:002011-10-22T14:17:07.073-07:00New soaps!!I know I am not going to get "The Best Blogger" award this year :) To be honest, I've been just focused on my full-time job - Mommyhood :)) and enjoying it too much!<br />
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I've been doing small batches of soaps and shampoos, but I am happy to announce that 7 Elements is now officially back! Last week we managed to do some lovely silky shampoo (by "silky" I mean with real silk!), body butters and new amazing soaps!!<br />
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Here is my personal favorite as I had lots of fun planing and making it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/307729_234069779979821_123954694324664_582314_1478294115_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/307729_234069779979821_123954694324664_582314_1478294115_n.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It fragranced with natural essential oils - two types of mint - spearmint and peppermint, eucalyptus and lemongrass and packed with oceanic salt. This type of soap is called the <b>SPA soap</b> as salt is well-known for its beauty properties and helps to smooth the skin. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This raw beauty deserves a proper photo-session, for now I just wanted to share a little "preview". </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another newbie - <b>Oatmeal, Milk and Honey </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/314430_233281923391940_123954694324664_580053_1250265258_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/314430_233281923391940_123954694324664_580053_1250265258_n.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Look at this antcent beauty secret_recipe_soap :)) We used organic honey, organic oats and goats milk powder to create it - only good things for the skin! I also love the notes of bitter almond in it's scent. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now... the hard part is... to wait!! Both soaps are curing right now, and I just can't wait!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Anyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15627654940720009002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823735832690339039.post-80676464367251384352011-01-10T14:47:00.000-08:002011-10-30T15:11:35.441-07:00How to read labels<div style="text-align: justify;">Happy 2011!<br />
Please join me in welcoming the new year and kicking the nasties out of our bathrooms!<br />
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Making informed decisions can be both exciting and frustrating - exciting because by choosing sustainable products we do a great thing for ourselves and for the environment (e.g. by opting for chemicals-free items and items containing less chemicals we reduce the carbon footprint of our shopping basket, we make sure that less waste goes into the environment and well... your body will thank you for not letting more toxins in). Why frustrating? Because when we actually stand in front of the shelves containing dozens of products we simply don't know where to start... </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">While issues like labeling and misleading information are highly important, let's not talk about politics now and try to focus on actual labels-reading. I am also not a scientist, so I am not going into scientific explanation of elements. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, what do you think - is going natural as simple as buying the cream that says Natural? Or choosing shampoo that claims it's made with Pure Essential Oils? Or getting that "Herbal" shower gel? Not too fast... First of all - read the back label as claims you see written in big letters might not mean much... When you get onto the ingredients list (which might look very long and very "scientific" at first) there are few very important things you need to look for. Let's start with Sodium Laureth Sulphate and Paraben. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sodium laureth sulphate (SLS)</b>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>How to spot? </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Go to you bathroom and you'll see "Sodium laureth sulphate" written in the beginning of ingredients list on most of the "foamy" products - shampoos, soaps, shower gels even the toothpaste, detergents.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Why? </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Its main role is to make foam, I'd say "synthetic foam" as natural products can be produced without SLS and have a nice bubbly foam. It's quite inexpensive and widely used in the great majority of products. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Why is it bad? </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's a very harsh chemical, that can irritate skin, eyes and hair. As studies show in the long term it can be linked to serious diseases like cancer. You might wonder how long is that "long term", but just imagine how many times you washed your hair with SLS-loaded shampoo last year, scrubbed your body with that "SLS-shower gel", washed your dishes with super-foamy detergent, etc... And by the way, many of those tests were performed on animals - another argument against using products containing SLS... </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Is there an alternative? </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yes! Use SLS-free products! To know for sure - read your labels.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Paraben</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>How to spot? </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Paraben has many cousins - Butylparaban, ethylparaben, methylparaben and other, key combination is "-paraben". Today it is the most used and available preservative, so chances that your beauty products contain paraben are quite high. It can be found in items that contain water (or "aqua" as it might be written on ingredients list) - moisturizers, shampoos, etc<br />
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<i>Why? </i><br />
If a product contain water and is intended to have a long life it needs to be preserved to avoid bacterial growth. Just imagine leaving your soup on the counter for a few days and you'll get an idea of what I am talking about.<br />
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<i>Why is it bad? </i><br />
Parabens are the most widely used preservatives, they've been on the market for a long time and the truth is that they do what they are supposed to do. However similarly to SLS, parabens have a controvertial reputation. They can be harsh and nasty on skin, especially in the amounts they are used in the commercially produced beauty products. If you google "paraben" you'll get all sorts of contradictory information - some claim that parabens are currently the best available preservatives; others say that paraben have been linked to serious diseases including breast cancer. It's only fair to add that those claims have not been proved or disproved.<br />
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<i>Is there an alternative?</i><br />
Yes!<br />
First, if you are choosing paraben-free but water-based products, keep in mind couple of things:<br />
- if it's a trully natural product without preservatives it has a shorter shelf life, so you need to make sure you are using it as fresh as possible and follow sellers usage recommendations<br />
- check for other nasty preservatives ("no parabens" does not equal "no chemicals") - popular ones are Phenoxyethanol and Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate...<br />
Second, you can switch to the waterless alternatives - use soap instead of shower gel, oil and butter-based lotions and moisturizers, solid deodorants, etc. Generally oils do not need to be preserved, but as usual - always consult the labels to make sure threre is no paraben in your soap bar.<br />
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Hope this information was useful! We'll be back with more soon.<br />
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</div><div></div>Anyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15627654940720009002noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823735832690339039.post-7326541574689845722010-11-30T08:10:00.000-08:002011-10-30T15:11:35.441-07:00A word about preservatives<div style="text-align: justify;">So why do 7 Elements products can stay fresh for about 12 months and why we don't use preservatives? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmIk7__o0AFNVnjLZujIT3Lidh-z6O4s0KeUiRFaEcTGYl-QShtINex90uq0l8ayLOsxyzDsVHY1HxQyfkwpQ8pAJ0tb-WXS9A0BukKxf1sbmsUoOr3d-7-gl4LKuMYN0fEGNpgINqQxP/s1600/IMG_8132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmIk7__o0AFNVnjLZujIT3Lidh-z6O4s0KeUiRFaEcTGYl-QShtINex90uq0l8ayLOsxyzDsVHY1HxQyfkwpQ8pAJ0tb-WXS9A0BukKxf1sbmsUoOr3d-7-gl4LKuMYN0fEGNpgINqQxP/s320/IMG_8132.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>First of all</b>, there is <b>no need</b> for us <b>to extend the shelf life of our products</b>. We mostly deal with end customers who get the products as fresh as possible. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Second</b>, our current products <b>don't contain any water </b>(ok, you'll see water/agua on the ingredients list of our soaps and solid shampoos, but the process is such that water just goes through the "soap making" reaction and completely evaporates by the time the soap is ready to be sold). So since there is no water that can create bacteria-friendly environment, there is no need to "preserve" our products.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Therefore please note that our products stay fresh without any preservative as long as water is <b>not</b> introduced into the container during use - so be sure to take care of your natural care products!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Third</b>, in some products we use natural preservatives such as Vitamin E. Natural preservatives are not as strong as manufactured-ones, but again - we don't need to create an extremely long shelf life of our products. They are made to be enjoyed while using not only by looking at them :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And <b>forth</b>, oils, butters and other natural ingredients we use to make our products stay fresh for 12-18 months (some even much longer). So the "final results" stay fresh for a minimum of 12 months!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hope this was helpful! Now... how many times did I write "preservative" and "product" in this post?? :))</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Love,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anya</div>Anyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15627654940720009002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823735832690339039.post-82860170878256292152010-11-21T02:57:00.000-08:002010-12-13T14:25:17.711-08:00Xmas Gift packs now available!!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Christmas is getting closer and so it's time to start thinking about the perfect gifts for your loved ones! </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdTePaXjuIzMTe6D8axOnf6HeHUf_JSHSo97V07eGn48rjxeeLKJveOrn-0Q1vSYBw6hLMRlvceVY4dGrBHhV_nFw-SGrWFEdFV_7aZoKNddelXBXcPG609QaSJlq6wlIvjvxtqaprDDh/s800/2010_11_19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdTePaXjuIzMTe6D8axOnf6HeHUf_JSHSo97V07eGn48rjxeeLKJveOrn-0Q1vSYBw6hLMRlvceVY4dGrBHhV_nFw-SGrWFEdFV_7aZoKNddelXBXcPG609QaSJlq6wlIvjvxtqaprDDh/s320/2010_11_19.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></h3></span></div><span class="UIStory_Message"><div style="text-align: justify;">7 Elements Gifts: </div><div style="text-align: justify;">* <b>10 Eur </b>(includes Pure soap and Solid Shampoo)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">* <b>15 Eu</b><b>r</b> (includes Gourmet soap, Body Butter, Bath Bomb and a surprise)</div><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><div style="text-align: justify;">* <b>30 Eur</b> (includes Gourmet Soap, Pure Soap, Shampoo, Body Butter, Scrub, Bath Bomb and a surprise)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We can also do <b>custom-made gifts</b>!</div></span></span></h3>Anyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15627654940720009002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823735832690339039.post-74155155044399573792010-11-05T16:00:00.000-07:002010-11-08T10:23:06.399-08:007 Elements goes International!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntQ8ULgR5EDZTM-A_uZUz4MRScs8a8i2JwKwhX0XacwAA7hMihEmJvI70cD8yHlRQEZ7b68WeMwwmhOZq9cmB6Gk9h2A2vHWTtLHxXSML4ypr0aWAYX1bb3tyJlxTPg5UfwNAps57I6-L/s1600/IMG_7868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntQ8ULgR5EDZTM-A_uZUz4MRScs8a8i2JwKwhX0XacwAA7hMihEmJvI70cD8yHlRQEZ7b68WeMwwmhOZq9cmB6Gk9h2A2vHWTtLHxXSML4ypr0aWAYX1bb3tyJlxTPg5UfwNAps57I6-L/s400/IMG_7868.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Our very first international order is about to be sent! It includes all sorts of wonderful things - Body Butters, Gourmet soaps, Pure soaps and Bath Bombs. Veery Exciting times!!! </div>Anyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15627654940720009002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823735832690339039.post-28731609584236313832010-10-30T15:00:00.000-07:002010-10-30T15:00:32.492-07:00Scale of home-made products<div style="text-align: justify;">Scale of home-made beauty products can be relatively small... Each product is carefully formulated (and it usually takes several formulas to reach that ideal one) and tested (no animal testing here at 7 Elements of course!). Every ingredient is selected to meet the needs of various skin types and personal tastes, measured and mixed (with lots of positive thoughts to it). And small batches help ensuring that all the natural raw materials and end products are fresh.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Pitcher filled with "Starlight" liquid, ready to pour! Mmmm, I can still feel the smell! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizZCja0SiNyriiKoYRVTf6CIpxQsEJLRF2EmFeqmC3pXFfs4fW6dqW2cB27sai7DeVr27O-LpCywhte2i9ydGRqUGvgXbwr1yaPcuG_45bCoL-fqu-egornbwMozj5EX-5hv6xoykWPpe/s1600/IMG_7789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizZCja0SiNyriiKoYRVTf6CIpxQsEJLRF2EmFeqmC3pXFfs4fW6dqW2cB27sai7DeVr27O-LpCywhte2i9ydGRqUGvgXbwr1yaPcuG_45bCoL-fqu-egornbwMozj5EX-5hv6xoykWPpe/s320/IMG_7789.JPG" width="212" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGG7Wo8-k6oIqK4lHmw4WPO6p878dHnz6Yrb8H8sdZ1veJjKR4XulPv4viRzVtAuK9g6u6qBKG4B24elZv_nNA9Ub8HQNFMT-5Ps4U28-R1YsIpz0tQ24L_Sa4KcH3v42Gv3-xoOq8K9Z/s1600/IMG_7788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGG7Wo8-k6oIqK4lHmw4WPO6p878dHnz6Yrb8H8sdZ1veJjKR4XulPv4viRzVtAuK9g6u6qBKG4B24elZv_nNA9Ub8HQNFMT-5Ps4U28-R1YsIpz0tQ24L_Sa4KcH3v42Gv3-xoOq8K9Z/s320/IMG_7788.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>Anyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15627654940720009002noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823735832690339039.post-35061799948164232422010-10-27T11:25:00.000-07:002010-11-09T11:07:30.583-08:00Currently on the rack<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Here is what has been keeping me busy last couple of weeks.</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">First of all - I now have a special edition Gourmet soaps: Grand Bazaar, Coffee Addiction, Caramel and Chocolate Cookies. There is also a new batch of Lavender soap (it looks slightly different and each bar weights almost double of previously made ones), soft scent-free calendula soap. And I've been also experimenting with shampoo bars and pure Castile soap traditional olive oil soap, suitable for babies and sensitive skin).</div></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FhsmkA4lMLDtU6DTXcQ94S8xmuDrHiLoKGIQXgGfMxL1Q1qOjCxN6MJw3c7fjqQ6hfS3UoXrGPcxFPK81sG1Kh7DQLGVQUi7FYLrMKHOOpgzl0Pu503CTVVzY_MECC_wZFlw-XQZuEgr/s1600/IMG_7762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FhsmkA4lMLDtU6DTXcQ94S8xmuDrHiLoKGIQXgGfMxL1Q1qOjCxN6MJw3c7fjqQ6hfS3UoXrGPcxFPK81sG1Kh7DQLGVQUi7FYLrMKHOOpgzl0Pu503CTVVzY_MECC_wZFlw-XQZuEgr/s400/IMG_7762.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Bottom row left to right: Grand Bazaar, Chocolate Cookies, Shampoo, Vanilla Chai, Lavender, Camomile</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Top row: Castile soap, Grand Bazaar and Lavender, Coffee Addict</span><br />
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Most of the soaps will be ready in about 2-3 weeks time. Can't wait!!! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div>Anyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15627654940720009002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823735832690339039.post-78684833607913280062010-10-18T13:51:00.000-07:002010-10-27T14:30:40.284-07:00As I've been planning, creating and wrapping some new stuff, the "Starlight" bars made a mini-hit! I almost had to put people on waiting list! People comment on it's scent and how great their skin feels and keep calling it... "The Star one" :) Well, it definitely is a Star Product right now and makes me feel really inspired!Anyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15627654940720009002noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2823735832690339039.post-90579602619451776622010-10-08T04:18:00.000-07:002010-10-27T14:30:03.429-07:00About 7 Elements, this blog and me<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hello and welcome to 7 Elements blog and shop! I thought I would share with you the 7 Elements story.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Few years back for some reason I decided to go thought the labels of my bathroom products - shampoo, shower gel, lotion, etc.. At first I felt overwhelmed by the amount of unknown and hard-to-pronounce ingredients. Then I started learning, reading, comparing. This research made me realise how many dangerous chemicals I expose myself to! Each day... every day! Mass-produced items contain a large amount of synthetic chemicals - to make the shelf life longer, production cheaper and manufacturing process faster. And many of those chemicals are linked to various serious diseases - from skin irritation to cancer! Keeping in mind that I (like any other women) have quite a few items at my bathroom counter it didn't sound good at all... </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So that's when I seriously started considering making my own personal care products! By doing that I always know what goes into each product and eventually ends up on my skin! But it wasn't until recent that I actually started creating and producing hand-made cosmetics - the timing wasn't right before, I had a full time job and a different mindset. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we know it <i><b>when a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize this dream </b>(the Alchemist). </i>During the last year me and my husband moved to a new country, become new parents (and looooving it!!) and choose to be even more environmentally conscious in our every day choices. So doing natural cosmetics seemed to be a logical thing to do. Of course I could always go and buy everything I need, but I actually love making things, doing good for people and doing good for the environment. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I got into the world of natural skin care I keep learning and experimenting and I love doing that! I started by doing soaps, but since the natural soap curing process takes about 4-6 weeks (that means the soap can't be used during this period) I made other things. I am enjoying the whole experience - choosing the raw-materials, creating the formula, testing it in small batches, making the packaging and using the products! I hope you'll enjoy using them to! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Love,</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anya </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDjUE5aZvkc7eS8pFbM0mNggj3iWgrcDcA27p9cAjrhHnpsDcVFa2hbjDfA6Lpgm-btJWgrclaGaRD8WXROxZqg-8yZN_YvSDJf2NYZzfjo0mksaLkch9hUlPUN-p5wGL1x1coExY85uf/s1600/Anya+in+Rawa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDjUE5aZvkc7eS8pFbM0mNggj3iWgrcDcA27p9cAjrhHnpsDcVFa2hbjDfA6Lpgm-btJWgrclaGaRD8WXROxZqg-8yZN_YvSDJf2NYZzfjo0mksaLkch9hUlPUN-p5wGL1x1coExY85uf/s200/Anya+in+Rawa.jpg" width="198" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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