Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Check out AromaArtisan 15% OFF SALE


My Skin Soap Studio is running a sale for the month of December! Free shipping on all domestic orders until the end of the month! For our international friends check out our shop at Etsy, AromaArtisan for 15% off your order!

Support
http://www.etsyonsale.com/shop/AromaArtisan

Thursday, October 14, 2010

October smells so nice!




So it's been ages since I have written. Sorry. But, I have been busily toiling away on projects of perfume, soaps, hair conditioners, etc.

Today I am working with a new mens perfume oil which centers on 2 species aged cedarwood essential oils paired with aged myrrh and an organic vanilla bean infusion. Soothing and very smooth so far. I still need a name for this perfume as well as a new Osmanthus Absolute perfume I am finishing up soon! I would say it is a modern flor-iental if I had to classify it. I am very excited about both these new perfumes.

I do love this time of year. I have a special fondness for October. Having grown up a native southern Californian there is something about the change in the air that makes me so happy. The seasons are very subtle here and wind picks up speed bringing in scent of eucalyptus and the local trees, along with the occasional burning leaves or billowing fireplace. Brings to mind something warm in hand to sip. Perhaps a mug of Chai Tea or a nice cup of coffee, hot chocolate or apple cider.

Ahhh, October we love you. Enjoy our October Sale on now at My Skin Soap Studio $5.00 off any bottle of perfume

www.myskinsoapstudio.com. Can't decide? How about a gift certificate?






Thursday, June 17, 2010

Last day of school and a perfume review that made our day!

Today is the last day of school! Summer vacation and my son will be overjoyed at about 1 pm today! I think I am as excited as he is. Working this morning we received some feedback on our perfumes that made our day!

I have completely fallen in love with your work!!!!!! Mirth has an all-true, authentic vanilla scent with sophisticated woody notes... a dream! The free Delilah sample that you included (THANK YOU!!!) has stolen my heart! Its a very sexy scent that makes me feel like 1000000$ ;) At first it hits me with a crisp, citrus(y) scent that fades away with seconds giving its way to a deep, yet fresh & sensual aroma that stays on me for hours and hours! I LOVE IT! I have NEVER fallen in love with a fragrance so quickly and utterly like I did with Delilah! I am definitely coming back to get the full size bottle :))) Even Eden (yet another free sample - you are way too generous) and although I 'm not into floral scents... smelled GREAT on my skin... what can I say, one can NOT go wrong with your perfumes!!! You are so talented and sweet and kind... THANK YOU! Very fast shipping to Greece and great packaging too ;)


Thanks Yovanka!

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Almost summer vacation ...





Nine more days until summer vacation for Evan! This week he will have a final concert for band with his clarinet. Being in band has been a good and sometimes difficult learning experience for him. I think he picks up quite easily and has a natural talent for reading music and instruments. Maybe percussion or guitar next year. He isn't liking the music director as much now. He is strict. Yep. That's the way the cookie crumbles. He is so excited for v-a-c-a-t-i-o-n! I am excited we won't have to get up with the alarm for awhile. Woot!!

Until next time, I am off to work with some summer essential oil blends. I think keylime and friends.

Tracy

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Nepal perfume perfect for the arrival of summer


Nepal is my latest limited edition perfume perfect for the arrival of summer.

I've been judiciously coddling my last reserves of my 10+ year old sandalwood stash. Australian sandalwood was quite nice at the 5 year mark of aging and has lost many of the undesired higher, sharper notes that Australian sandalwood is known to have. Now at over 10 years old it is all smoothness and rich wood with a soft inviting mood. Evocative of warm breezy evenings that never quite cool off.

The top note in our newest perfume, Nepal, is the juicy sweetness, yet subtle floral, of gorgeous clemintine co2. Clemintine is a type of seedless mandarin sometimes called Christmas Oranges in California. Clementine cozies up to exotic cardamom and incense-y, complex labdamum absolute, also sometimes called rockrose.

Fresh ginger co2 mingles with lightly sweet strawberry jam-like notes of fir balsam absolute and opulent white cognac all marrying smoothly with Himalayan cedar wood, amber, creamy vanilla co2, deep woods of nagarmotha, aged amyris, a hint of rich tobacco leaf absolute all blanketed in 10 year old Ausralian sandalwood and vanatu sandalwood.


Place any order with us from now until the end of May and receive a free sample of Nepal while supplies last! Also enjoy our free shipping on all orders of $50 until May 31 2010 midnight P.S.T.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Finding my biological roots after 41 years

I was put up for adoption in 1968. I was born with (mild) cerebral palsy, 2 months premature and weighed 2 pounds at birth. The cerebral palsy diagnosis would not come until later when I was about 2 years old. After birth, I spent a good deal of time in the ICU, then went into the foster care system and lived with a foster family until I was 18 months old when I actually was adopted by my parents.

We are a small family, just my Mom and Dad and 2 older brothers. My parents wanted a girl and had 2 boys already, so they decided to adopt me. It seems I always grew up knowing I was adopted. My Mom always made me feel special because I was especially "chosen". I did not grow up angry about it, but, it *did* make me wonder things. Did I look like someone? Did I have siblings? What is my medical history? Well, you can imagine the types of things you may want to know about your biological family. I knew nothing. Adoptions were still "closed" in the 60's it was difficult to find out much of anything. When I was in my 20's I had contacted the county requesting my records but all they had available to send me was my birth certificate. When it arrived, I was disappointed to learn it had my adoptive parents name on it and no biological information for me to pursue. I placed a couple of notices over the years on some adoption registry websites and searched adoption registry sites in case someone may be looking for me. I never found anything and had resolved myself to the fact that I would not find my birth parents. I was okay with it honestly, except that as I got older, more and more health issues began to arise where having some genetic information could be very helpful and that had always bothered me.

Now the story jumps way ahead to 3 weeks ago. My husband and I began watching the TV show, "Who Do You Think You Are?" and he began saying how he was really interested to trace his Swedish / Norwegian roots. After talking it over with his parents they decided they were interested as well so he signed up for an international account at ancestry.dot.com. It's kind of expensive so they would do 2 months worth of research and call it done. I was not really into it personally, but it makes my hubby happy so that's what matters most. We are working on our respective computers one night after dinner and Dave casually says, " I sent your birth information to a lady named Judy in San Diego who runs an adoption registry search and she thinks she *may have a couple of possible matches* for your birth mother." I look at him just blinking, not knowing what to say exactly, and I said, "You did what, why did you do that?" He repeats himself and says he's felt so badly because he's been working on his family tree gathering so much information and each time he would come to our family (myself, dh, son) he had no information to fill in for me. It's late when he tells me all this and I am tired, so I go to bed.

The next morning there is an email from Judy the woman from the adoption search registry and she has narrowed things down to one birth name, my Mothers last name only. The next 3 nights, DH and I get online and begin hunting that last name. He gets on ancestry and I am on the web. He's searching birth records, marriage records, death records and I am trying to do the same. We work on some possible leads but at this point nothing is confirmed for certain. I give up around midnight and go to sleep. Next thing I know I am being awoken by a yelling, ecstatic husband who says to me: "I think you have a sister, I found a message, and I think I just found her, come see, come see, I found a photo!!! I get up out of my bed, get dressed and shuffle out to the PC and look at the pic. Hmmm. Could be, but I don't know. I am skeptical at this point and Dave is saying he sees such a resemblance between us, that he got chills when he found the picture. Where does he find the picture and message? On an old message board of ancestrydotcom's website.

Here is the message that was posted. Notice the date is 10 years ago.
[quote]Posted:15 Jun 2000 LOOKING FOR SISTER DOB 11-11-68 IN SAN DIEGO FEMALE BIRTH NAME TRACY L. XXXXXXX WAS PUT UP FOR ADOPTION 1969?. PLEASE IF YOU HAVE ANY INFO REGARDING FAMILY MEMBERS, E-MAIL ME[/quote]

Well, when I saw that message with my first and middle name and correct birth date and birth place I knew it was someone looking for me. I was absolutely floored. I can not explain the feelings. Even now almost 3 weeks later, I am still trying to put it all into words and it's absolutely surreal.


I've had a good life, a somewhat typical, yet great childhood with wonderful parents who are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary at the end of May. I married and had a son with a wonderful man whom I have been with for the last 18 years. His parents are still married and have been together for as long as my parents.

I am so very blessed and fortunate to have had all this. Much more fortunate than my new siblings were and I guess that is the guilt that I feel. My bio mom could have so easily aborted me and she chose not too. She made the very, very difficult choice to put me up for adoption so that I may grow up to live a life with the medical care that I needed ... A life she knew that she was not in a position to provide at the time. She took a huge chance and always wondered if I was happy. I understand, and I am not angry or upset, for I am grateful. More than I could ever express in words. Thank you Mary Lee for taking a chance on me. May you rest in peace.

Edited to add: My bio mother, Mary Lee, passed away at age 38 when I would have been a freshman/sophomore in high school.






Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Busy with Nepal

You can't rush art!
My favorite line from Toy Story which our son must have watched thousands of times!

Lately I have been working on completion of a limited edition perfume called, Nepal.

This new perfume is grounded by two species of Sandalwood, Vanauta and Australian, Vanilla co2, Himalayan cedarwood, amryis, vanilla and just a mere hint of rich tobacco leaf absolute.

Nepal also features key player, labdanum absolute which has an earthy sweet incense aroma that is variously described as complex, sweet woodsy, ambergris, animalic, musky and sometimes leathery.

A foundation of Sandalwoods, Labdanum absolute, cardamom, clemintine co2, vanilla co2 are supported by strawberry jam-like notes of fir balsam absolute, french white cognac, fresh ginger root co2, Brazilian orange, amyris and a drop of cinnamon.

Ingredients: Fractionated coconut oil, jojoba oil, amber resin, essential oils of vanauta sandalwood, Australian sandalwood, cardamom, labdanum absolute amyris, clementine co2, himalayan cedarwood, ginger co2, white cognac, vanilla co2, 5-fold orange, fir balsam absolute, tobacco absolute, nagarmotha, tocopherol(vitamin e).

I hope to do yet, one more straining before bottling. I look forward to sharing it with you!

Tracy

Monday, April 19, 2010

Soap buds unite!

Over the weekend my son and I went to visit our good friend Sassysuds!



Diane has a wonderful home and we sat on the patio in the warm breezy sunshine. Evan is especially fond of animals and today he met and fell in love with Moki a sweet cockatoo girl who found a friend in Evan. My Maggie pup came too and she played hard with Harpo. I have a short video clip of them playing which I can't get off my phone yet or I would share it with you. :o(

Friday, April 16, 2010

We've been blogged!

Woohoo! That, I am aware of we've only been "blogged" a few times here or there over the years, so imagine my absolute delight in reading this review about a custom natural perfume I designed for a really wonderful lady I admire! Patti Flynn

Thanks Patti! I am so happy that you are happy!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Spring wildflowers are blooming!



Colors of spring are everywhere! We usually go out walking at least once or twice a day, Maggie and I. The first thing I notice as we walk down the street is my neighbors orange tree. Orange blossoms fill the air a with an ethereal, sweet and soft elixir that is so intoxicating. For me, it is a welcome harbinger of southern California, and springs and summers past, all of my life. In honor of orange blossom filled walks, I created, "Simpatico". This cold process soap with pure essential oils of bright Italian Bergamot, coriander seed, warm vanilla-ish Indian Benzoin, juicy Brazilian orange and a whisper of earthy Haitian vetiver. Naturally colored with Australian reef red clay.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Cocoawood Spice is back!


Of all the perfumes I create, I find this one to be the most time consuming but also one of my most beloved. The dark and rich cocoa absolute oil from France surrenders it's scent and this can take anywhere from 1 year to 6 months for an infusion to complete to my liking.



Cacao pods in their natural state:




Woods, spices, barks and roots mixed with dark chocolate creates a sinful and irresistible combination. Women and men both love this scent!

Cocoawood Spice is essential oils of French Cocoa absolute, Australian Sandalwood, Haitian Vetiver, Indian patchouli, Vanilla CO2 Total, Myrrh, Himalayan cedar wood, Wild Frankincense co2 select, Coffee co2, Cardamom, Clove bud co2, Black pepper co2, Nutmeg co2, Sea Buckthorn co2, ginger root co2, Cinnamon bark co2, Fractionated coconut oil, Jojoba oil, tocopherol (vitamin).

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Free shipping on orders over $50.00. Offer ends March 27, 2010



Free shipping on orders over $50.00. Offer ends March 27, 2010.

As if that wasn't enough! For a limited time purchase Amber Sambaca and get a FREE SOAP of your choice! Please leave your selection in the comments box during checkout.
www.myskinsoapstudio.com

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Amber Sambaca is finally ready and something new!



Order our newest batch of Amber Sambaca and choose a free soap with your order! Please list your soap pick in the comments box at checkout. :)

Amber Sambaca is finally ready for 2010! This years version is heady, romantic and dripping with jasmine sambac, new vanilla absolute and co2's, *ginger co2 and *organic rose de mai extract and aged Australian sandalwood. I find it to be quite incredible and I hope you will be ad delighted as I am with it.

Our new perfume bottles are handmade! The square green bottle shown is filled with 7 grams of perfume so you will still have 3 grams left in your original bottle after filling. Natural variances are normal and to be expected with these bottles. We have two styles available. A cobalt teardrop shape and the green rectangular with a glass rod applicator. Let us know which you prefer. The bottles are shipped, boxed and unfilled for you to fill upon arrival. This helps minimize breakage and possible leaking!





Ingredients: Amber resins meet essential oils of dark patchouli, *vanilla absolute, *vanilla co2,vetiver, *Australian aged sandalwood, *ginger co2, jasmine sambac absolute, myrrh, folded orange, blood orange, lavender seville absolute, *organic rose de mai extract, tuberose absolute.
*Indicates new precious ingredient or "upgrades" to my 2008 & 2009 and previous seasons formulas.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Amber Sambaca perfume, my, oh my!


Wow. Just wow! For months now, I have been working on my batch of Amber Sambaca perfume. It's finally ready to begin bottling and labeling this week and I could NOT be more happy. This is my most favorite batch ever! I have made some improvements and upgrades to my original formula. See notes below for details.

Yesterday I applied 2 drops to the tops of my arms just above the wrist bone. I like to apply my perfumes here because they last much longer than on the inner wrist in my opinion. So, we went on a good long walk, my dog Maggie and I. Typically before I release a new batch of perfume I often wear it for a week or so each day at various times of the day and go out for a brisk walk. This helps me to evaluate the perfume is several different ways. It's lift, tenacity, the sillage and the feeling, thoughts and mood it evokes. Especially within the first hour of wear. Why an hour? Because at this point the scent has settled in to it's final drydown. This is typically the base notes and the essence or overall feeling of the perfume itself.

Here's what customers are saying ...

It seems to be making hubby a little...shall we say....amourous. Someone shoulda warned me. I don't know if I can take the pressure!((blushing))


I have to tell you, men I have never seen before have come up and told me that I smell good. Every man that gets close enough sniffs like a dog in heat! It's comical to see this 67 year old woman walk by and have the heads turn away from the younguns. Tickles the hell out of me and says SO very much about Trace's ability.


I wanted to let you know that I received my Amber Sambaca when I got home last night and I even wore it to bed. This is without a doubt, one of the finest fragrances I have ever had the pleasure to sniff. The word "sultry" came to mind the instant I opened the bottle. It's such a complex scent with so many layers, you really have done a fabulous job. I can't stop sniffing my wrists. Thank you so much!


Ingredients: Amber resins meet essential oils of dark patchouli, *vanilla absolute, *vanilla co2,vetiver, *Australian aged sandalwood, *ginger co2, jasmine sambac absolute, myrrh, folded orange, blood orange, lavender seville absolute, *organic rose de mai extract, tuberose absolute.
*Indicates new precious ingredient or "upgrades" to my 2008 & 2009 and previous seasons formulas.

Monday, March 01, 2010

Sugar scrubs are back in stock

March 1st already and I just experiences a Cardamom rush!

I just spilled Indian Cardamom essential oil on the floor. Not too much thankfully. This can be a very costly spill, but, on the plus side, the room smells absolutely fantastic and I am invigorated! . :)

A few updates:

Our luxury sugar scrubs are back in stock: New Keylime Sublime, Cardamom Cacao and Lavender Lemon.

New perfumes are debuting soon and restocks of Amber Sambaca and Cocoawood Spice are coming along so well. Hopefully not much longer.

Amber Sambaca is much more fruity on the jasmine sambac so far this year. Fabulous.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Sugar Scrub restocks and new selections

Sugar scrubs will be re-stocked shortly! This weekend I made Cardamon Cacao, Lavender & Lemon, and Keylime Sublime which matches our soap of the same name. Just have to get everything sealed and labeled!

Now time to take Miss Maggie dog for a walk while the sun is out!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Cocoawood Spice perfume 2010

Fans of Cocoawood Spice perfume will be happy to learn that I have a new batch brewing for 2010!



Our Cocoawood Spice perfume oil contains essential oils of French Cocoa absolute, Australian Sandalwood, Haitian Vetiver, Indian patchouli, Vanilla CO2 Total, Myrrh, Himalayan cedar wood, Wild Frankincense co2 select, Coffee co2, Cardamom, Clove bud co2, Black pepper co2, Nutmeg co2, Sea Buckthorn co2, ginger root co2, Cinnamon bark co2, Fractionated coconut oil, Jojoba oil, tocopherol (vitamin e).