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Tonie's
3 Favorite Bath and Body Products
By Tonie Minsal
My 3 favorites are a bit unorthodox, due to the fact that I’m
a glutton! I couldn’t pick just 3 favorite products per se, but
I did manage to narrow it down to my 3 favorite companies (well,
4 to be honest- I couldn’t decide between perfume & essential
oils!) These companies offer such cool goods that I’m sure you
bathers out there will excuse my transgression!
My all time favorite bath and body product is any of the butters
($10.00- $12.99 each) that Anastasia Crabtree at Anastasia’s Ideas makes. They’re positively sinful. I’m
beginning to feel that Ana and I share an olfactory brain,
because I am just a pig when it comes to products that are
lusciously scented with essential oils- my philosophy is “more
is better!”- and Ana’s products never disappoint. The
ingredients she uses are top drawer, and she never skimps. Her
stuff is ethereal and cosmic, and just, well, in a word,
perfect.
You can check out my
review of Ana’s Butters
on the site - besides those
mentioned, she makes some to-die-for pure shea butters
fragranced with patchouli, orange blossom, and an orange blossom
blend. Heaven on Earth, I tell ya’!
These butters are so
cool because they are multi-purpose. You can slather them on
after a bath or shower, you can rub them all over yourself
before bed, you can put them in your hair, you can use them as a
lip balm and a cuticle cream, and they smell so ding-dang lovely
that they can even be used as perfume (but does that suffice for
me? Oh nooo! I gotta top ‘em with some more oils!). Ana has
one of the finest “noses” I’ve ever encountered. Her butters
never compete with my scent of choice, only serve to enhance it.
For smelly good stuff of a different kind, it’s Aimee at Persephone’s Potions for me. Man oh
man, this babe has a beautiful nose. She makes up stuff with
aged oils that knock my freakin’ socks off. There’s a really
Egyptian, magical vibe to Aimee’s stuff.
Although I’ve only had
the opportunity to try two of her products, they’re so cool that
they qualify as favorites. I love the ancient smell of her unguentii ($38.00 for a 4oz slip tin); a perfume balm
handcrafted in the tradition of the ancient Egyptians. I also
have an oil from Aimee which is a fifteen year old rose infusion
with rose absolute and sandalwood that is to die for.
Some of my other personal must-haves are my perfume oils and
essential oils. Patchouli, sandalwood, linden, and neroli at all
times, with an addendum of frankincense, amber, chypre, and
whatever else happens to tickle my fancy at any given moment.
Perfume and essential oils are so ephemeral, it’s really like a
little quest every time you purchase one. Quality depends on so
many factors: region, seasonal fluctuations, growing conditions,
not to mention distillation processes. It’s an art akin to
winemaking. It’s always nice to have a few good suppliers whose
quality you can depend on.
Talisman (Madini.com) is one such
company; I’ve used their Madini perfume oils for over fifteen
years and have always been satisfied. Madini is a Morrocan
perfume family, and Talisman is their sole importer.
The Madini
family has been making perfume for fourteen generations, and it
shows. What Madini does with their oils is nothing short of
beautiful artwork. The oils are the best I’ve ever used- very
lasting and very unique.
With over one hundred offerings,
Talisman’s selection is unparalleled and the owner John is
really cool and helpful. At $15.00 for a 3 ml. roll-on bottle,
there’s just no way you can go wrong. I always get compliments
on how good I smell, and Madini oils are one of the reasons why.
SunRoseAromatics.com is a
good source for
essential oils. The owner, Rosanne, really knows her oils, and
she has a ton to choose from. I always like it when an essential
oil supplier can dialogue with me and help me choose the right
oil - Rosanne has this talent. What a cool chick she is, very
interesting to talk to and extremely helpful.
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