Is Jojoba Oil That Good for Your Skin?

In a word...YES.

In aromatherapy, massage and even perfumery, certain carrier oils are favored for their healing properties. Jojoba Oil, also known as Simmondsia chinensis, is one such oil.

It is usually added to a massage oil base at about 10 percent of the whole mixture of oils used. For example, a nice massage oil blend might include ten percent jojoba oil and 90 percent apricot kernel oil.

Used in aromatic perfume or aromatherapy blends, jojoba oil is used full strength as the base oil in which one dilutes the essential oils.

An anti-oxidant, jojoba oil contains high amounts of vitamin E and can extend the shelf life of other oils. This is a unique product because this "oil" is not composed of fat but liquid wax.

According to its Wikipedia entry, Jojoba is grown for the liquid wax in its seeds. Its oil is rare in that it is an extremely long (C36-C46) straight-chain wax ester and not a triglyceride, making jojoba more similar to sebum and whale oil than to traditional vegetable oils.

This makes Jojoba oil ideal for use in cosmetics due to its molecular stability and its natural moisturizing and healing properties. With an indefinite shelf life, and no rancidity level, jojoba is suitable for all skin types. Because it is anti-oxidant , it can extend the shelf life of other oils and is very good as a superfatting agent in soapmaking since it resists rancidity.

It can be very beneficial in the treatment of dry scalps and skin because It is highly penetrating and closely resembles our skin's sebum. Used as a facial moisturizer it gives delightful results. It also contains myristic acid, which is anti-inflammatory, making it a good oil for arthritis and rheumatism.

Additionally, some folks find it helps to use this oil applied externally to skin in the treatment of dry eczema or psoriasis.

Used as a base for essential oil blends in aromatherapy and as a base oil for natural perfumes.

Looking for jojoba oil? You can order jojoba oil here:

Jojoba Oil

Spring Equinox

Happy Spring!

Even for those of you expecting snow and ice over the next few days.

Quite frankly, I did not believe the ground hog's supposed prediction of an early Spring. So I have not been surprised by the Winter storms that have hit recently, including in Pennsylvania (bet that ground hog is buried!).

However, yesterday, I did get out, dig in the dirt and plant some herbs and vegetables....Dill, Sweet Peas, Coriander (cilantro), radishes and spinach. All plants that do not thrive in the heat.

Here's to all the seeds we plant for joy, growth and development in the next year, whether they be plant seeds, or the seeds of inspiration.

Do You Know About the Pet Foods Recall?

Pet owners have been faced with concerns that their cats and dogs might die from contaminated foods.

Specifically, it seems to be "wet" foods that come in pouches or cans. Dry foods seem to be okay.

For more information, you can go to ABC News where they have links and lists of all the types of food affected, from Iams and Eukanuba to Food Lion and Hannaford. Yep, we're talking more than 40 foods are in question.

Read more at

Pet Food Deaths Remain a Mystery

Aphrodisiacs That Really Work

Valentine's Day brings up not just articles on love, but on sex as well.

The following article discusses herbal and other sexual enhancing ideas for men.

Surprisingly, I don't recall seeing a mention about Saw Palmetto, which aids men's sexual health...

Aphrodisiacs That Really Work

Forget Spanish Fly. Getting people in the mood is a lot harder than slipping someone a mickey.

For as long as humans have been having sex, they've been trying to get in the mood--or get their partners in the mood. And if necessity is the mother of invention, it's no surprise that humans have developed a wide variety of creative solutions for the old "I've-got-a-headache" problem.

Read more at

Aphrodisiacs That Really Work

Recent Healing Circle Experience

As you know if you've been reading this blog and checking our class and workshop schedule, we offer a variety of learning experiences, including our Wednesday night series where you can just show up about 10 minutes to 7 p.m. (earlier is perfectly fine, btw).

My theory on these classes is that the right mix of the right people show up at the right time.

That means that sometimes there is one other person, sometimes no one, and sometimes a half dozen or more people who may show up.

This particular week, I wasn't sure if anyone would show, it was REALLY cold outside. I was in the midst of talking with a customer when people started to show up. Two new and two old timers, for lack of a better description. Well, the circle turned into a wonderful healing experience for each and every one of us.

What was nice was getting feedback the next day from participants. We'd all left glowing and the glow continued into our lives the next day.

Healing circles start with a meditation to get all of the participants into a relaxed state of mind. Then we each take turns giving and receiving universal healing energy. No prior experience is needed.

Our next Wednesday class is "Healing with Crystals." This class is experiential. That means YOU will learn how to work with crystals WITHOUT having to look up everything in a book, or read someone else's opinions about working with crystals. Yes, we will discuss healing attributes of crystals. But the class focuses on bringing you directly into the experience of crystal healing.

Personal Development Wednesday Night Classes

Wednesday Night Classes
Late Winter/Spring 2007
7 to 8 p.m., $5.00
Please arrive ten minutes before class starts.

Held at Beads N Botanicals, 227 S. Market St., Hoopeston, IL 60942
217-283-6380


January 10, 2007…… The Seven Chakras
What the “wheels of light” represent

January 17, 2007…… Meditation for Relaxation

January 24, 2007…… Herbal Incenses and how to make them

January 31, 2007……..Healing Circle

February 7………Crystals Used For Healing

February 14….Valentine’s Day Meditation on Love

February 21………Meditation for Relaxation

March 7……… Tapping into Your Intuition

March 14……..…Healing Circle

March 21..…Spring Equinox

March 28…. Intro to Traditional Tarot
The 22 major arcana cards and their meanings Part 1

April 4…. Intro to Traditional Tarot
The 22 major arcana cards and their meanings Part 2

April 11………Meditation for Relaxation

New at the Shop

Just in at Beads N Botanicals...

New blank journals for writing down your innermost thoughts, dreams, recipes and garden plans. Some pretty, some practical, all special.

Books, Books, Books...

While we are not a "Book Store" with a capital "B", we offer a nice selection of beading, jewelry making, aromatherapy, medicinal herbalism, self development inspirational, spiritual and recovery books. With some odds and ends thrown in for good measure.

Just in...Divining the Future, a guide to deciphering dreams, symbols and signs to deepen self-knowledge and help you make the most of opportunities in your life.

The sweetest boxed set for Valentine's Day, or any day....Passages from The Perfumed Garden, Erotic Instructions in Love and Desire, which offers humorous and good advice on relationships. The boxed set includes a bottle of oil perfumed with an oriental fragrance.

And, of course, Beads N Botanicals offers custom made jewelry. If you want something special for a Valentine's Day gift, you still have time to place your order.