Product Spotlight - Natural Lip Balm

Marmalade Hills' Lip Balm is a beautiful child of thorough research and precise formulation. We have come a long way to get to this perfectly smooth, not too soft and not too hard, nutrient rich and vitamin packed lip balm. It is made of creamy beeswax, exotic butters, nutritious oils, soothing aloe vera juice and Vitamin E. Combined together in perfect amounts they protect, moisturize and nurture gentle skin of your lips. Our lip balms are great to wear under your favorite lipstick, I find it especially useful to wear under mineral base lipsticks as they are loaded with powdery pigments that can make your lips feel extremely dry.

You can never have enough lip balms...especially in winter!  My personal favorites: Tea Tree (perfect for chapped lips) and Grapefruit (fun and energizing).  Forget your petroleum rich chapstick, and get yourself a new best friend!  We promise to make you a convert!

Star Ingredients:
* Creamy Bees Wax is a natural emulsifier and it serves as protective coating that locks in moisture and nutrients on your skin.
* African Shea Butter has been praised for centuries in Africa and is very well respected now for its ability to moisturize and nourish dry, damaged skin. It has been clinically shown to provide benefits from just dry skin to many minor dermatological diseases (if you have a serious skin condition, you should see a doctor).
* Coconut Oil is the source of two of the most powerful anti-microbial agents found in any food substances. These are Capric Acid and Lauric Acid. They are the same acids that are found in mother’s milk and keep the baby protected from infections. When these are applied on skin, some microbes (good ones) present on skin convert these acids into Monocaprin and Monolaurin respectively, thereby replacing the protective acid layer on the skin. Finally, Coconut Oil is soothing on skin and highly penetrating.
* Palm Oil is high in fatty acids and leaving virtually no residue on the skin. An incredibly rich and intoxicating oil which gracefully shares it benefits in numerous food and cosmetic applications throughout the world.
* Almond Oil is one of the most useful, practical, and commonly used oils. It is great for all skin types as an acting emollient and is best known for its ability to soften, soothe, and re-condition the skin. Natural expeller pressed oil from raw almond kernels and exceptionally rich in fatty acids.
* Rose Hip Oil is one of my favorite ingredients. It is truly a miracle oil and it is extremely rich in essential fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3) which help nourish skin and keep it plump and youthful, helping to reduce wrinkles, tone and smooth roughness. Essential fatty acids are called "essential" because our body is not able to produce them, they must be obtained through the diet or through supplementation. Rose Hip Oil is recommended for scarred tissue and this makes our balms a perfect solution for chapped lips.
* The structure of Jojoba Oil closely resembles that of your own skin sebum and is readily absorbed without making the skin feel greasy or tacky nor does it clog the pores.
* Most people know first-hand the soothing relief of aloe vera on minor burns, cuts and bruises. These superb qualities also add desirable effect of our lip balms on chapped lips.
* And the last but not least ingredient is a Vitamin E oil. The benefits of Vitamin E for the overall good health of individuals are substantial. In particular, Vitamin E is very important antioxidant, regulator of Vitamin A and an excellent anti-aging agent that makes skin look younger by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Half marathon mark + natural energy gel recipe

Last weekend was my half way point in training.  That means I ran my longest distance ever - 13.1 miles or half marathon.  Looking back at it, it was not bad, but during my last couple of miles all I could think was “Why, 2 months ago, did I think this was a good idea!?!?!”   Now it’s behind me and I’m pretty amazed with myself.  I would never think my legs and my mind could carry me this far!  

For my route I didn’t do anything special this time, just tried to stick to low elevation and paved neighborhood roads vs. concrete, as I find it much easier on my body.   I did have to hit at least 10 traffic lights and make too many to count turn-arounds, which no doubt affected my pace... 

...but I ran, and that’s all that matters!

Once you start running distances over 10 miles it is recommended to take energy gels every 5-7 miles to help you keep going.   There is an endless selection of energy gels everywhere, but I always feel a little uneasy about “magical” energy boosting mixtures – their ingredient lists make me dizzy.  Plus, I couldn’t find anything with protein in it.  So I decided to make my own, natural energy fuel (big shout out to Pinterest for that).   Here it goes:

• 8 pitted dates soaked in warm water for few hours

• 1 tsp extra virgin coconut oil

• 1 TBS honey or agave syrup

• Sprinkle of sea salt

• 1 TBS chocolate protein powder (some suggest to include protein in addition to carbs, in order to avoid hitting “the wall”) 

• 2 TBS grapefruit juice

It came out perfectly and it tasted pretty good, I must say!   Bonus: I feel safe giving it to my daughter, who has been begging me to have some energy gels for her soccer games.

So that’s where I am at this point and from here, I start running some serious miles!  

Till next time,

Liana.

The Pink Fund

We are proud to announce that we are partnering up with a wonderful national non-profit organization: The Pink Fund. A few words about The Pink Fund and their mission which we found very unique and highly acclaimed. The Pink Fund provides short-term financial aid during the brief period of active treatment and recovery. Millions of dollars are being raised for research and programs for the medically underserved, but despite this there are many families facing breast cancer who urgently need financial help now. The Pink Fund provides this real help now. Marmalade Hills will donate 15% of each retail and 5% on every wholesale purchase of Pink Grapefruit product through months of September through December 31st. We are kicking off our official collaboration in fall because October is a national Brest Cancer Awareness month which makes it a perfect time to get on board with us and make yourself feel good about your purchases! You can find more about The Pink Fund here and buy products here.

In case you didn't notice Pink Grapefruit products are completely new to our website. And they are already my favorites!

We also added Pumpkin Cardamom line to give you something to be excited about this wonderful season. I told you about them earlier here and you will be hearing more about them, because their name is just super scrumptious to pronounce!

And last but not least, by any means, is our new addition to our all natural moisturizers. By popular demand we have added Chocolate Royale massage body oil to our retail offerings to help you keep dry, flaky skin at bay. Chocoholics, this is a perfect guilt-free, calorie-free pleasure that is also very beneficial for your skin!

I hope you will have a chance to discover our new products and find new favorites!

Till next time,
Liana.

"Love u more" Mondays.

NOTE: all Facebook giveaways have been postponed until further notice.

Love it or hate it, the Monday is here! Life is back to normal and we all have have 5 days of hard work ahead of us before we can come out and play or just regroup and concentrate on things that have been put off for far too long. So I decided to create a fun and very unselfish tradition to cheer up a special person in your life who, in your opinion, needs and deserves a “little break” or a “treat”. It will be called “Love u more” Mondays and it will be held every Monday. The process is extremely simple: first “Like” us on Facebook and than look for a post every Monday asking for a quick story about your friend who in your opinion deserves a little cheer. Leave your comment under the post by 11:59 pm EST on that same Monday and let me know which one of your friends and why he/she needs our pat on a shoulder and a virtual hug.
I will use www.Random.org to pick a winner. Winner picks the prize from our store and he/she will be contacted via Facebook messaging for shipping and special note information. The package will be carefully prepared, include a note … and maybe a little something unexpected :)

Lets make it fun and invite friends to participate! Remember, what goes around comes around!

Till next time,
Liana.

Can you hear wedding bells?

Wedding is one of the most important moments in persons' life: memorable, beautiful and happy. It is a very special day that you share with very special people in your life and thoughtful token of appreciation to your guests is always a great idea to have. Allow us to introduce Marmalade Hills' most popular wedding favor item: massage/spa candle. Elegant, pampering and practical, it is a perfect gift for anyone with skin. Made with soy wax, creamy shea and mango butter, nourishing jojoba oil and extra vitamin E, to moisturize and provide extra slip during massage. Like how it sounds? Just wait till you try it!

Show feedback

Yesterday I was at one of the most exciting shows I have ever been to so far. It is an annual Boutique Show that has been organized and hosted by the sisterhood of Shaarey Zedek congregation in Southfield, MI. It is definitely a five star show on my list, right after the Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago. Two shows are very different though and required different amount of time and money to participate. Renegade Chicago was absolutely crazy, we had barely enough time to have a snack. We had an amazing crowd and a ton of sales but we had to pay for the hotel, the quite expensive booth fee, gas and had to pack and unpack every night and morning (this part was pretty exhausting). The Boutique Show at Shaarey Zedek was in a beautifully set up hall with lots of natural light, beautiful architecture, high quality vendors, and a celebrity speaker. The very fair booth fee included 8’ tables and linens, breakfast and yummy lunch. The fact that I didn’t have to drive far, nor pay for the hotel was another great bonus. But the best thing about this show was making great local connections: meeting people who teach at my school district, who shop at the same grocery stores, and who have already heard of us and had purchased Marmalade Hills products before from our local retail locations. Oh yeah, and listening to Patty Stanger speak was a blast - she cracked me up!
Here are a few highlights of that day:

It was a beautiful day outside and lots of women came to shop! The sea of cars was spilling over onto the neighboring streets.

Bottom line: I had great time, met new people and spread the word about Marmalade Hills. Hoping to be back next year!


Till next time,
Liana.

Featured Product - Body Oils

Would you like to unlock a secret to supple and lustrous skin? Marmalade Hills 100% Natural Body Oils have one of a kind formula that consists of not one but multiple precious and luxurious natural oils which in combination with one another deliver ultimate, long lasting results. It would be fare to compare Marmalade Hills body oils to a power bar for your skin. They are packed with naturally occurring vitamins, antioxidants and various nutrients. Our body oils are absolutely irreplaceable when it comes to long lasting moisture, sun damage repair and supplying your body with needed nutrients to fight off free-radicals and reverse aging effects.

About the ingredients:
~According to University of Maryland Medical Center, grapes have been heralded for their medicinal and nutritional value for thousands of years. Egyptians ate grapes at least 6,000 years ago, and several ancient Greek philosophers praised the healing power of grapes - usually in the form of wine. European folk healers made an ointment from the sap of grapevines to treat skin and eye diseases. Grape leaves were used to stop bleeding, inflammation and pain. But grapes - or the chemicals within them, especially oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes (OPCs) -- have been touted as powerful antioxidants. In addition to being extremely nutritious, Grape Seed Oil plays an important role in massage therapy practices due to its light, non greasy and highly absorbent texture.
~Jojoba Oil is a wonderful, light golden color, luxurious oil that is actually a plant liquid wax ester. Why should you care? Because out of all compounds in nature, this wax ester is the most similar to human skin oil (sebum). As we mature beyond early adulthood, our skin produces less and less lipids, resulting in wrinkles and more fragile drier skin. Jojoba's rapid absorption just deep enough into the skin's surface layer (stratum corneum) provides all-day moisturization that leaves the skin feeling soft and smooth. Another great benefit of Jojoba Oil is that it is a superb massage oil that has outstanding spreadability and absorbs quickly. Jojoba and the skin's sebum are completely miscible. They form a non-greasy, non-tacky layer with exceptional transepidermal water control.
~For centuries, Asian women have attributed their gorgeous glow to the cleansing power of rice. Rice Bran Oil is extracted from the bran or outer coat of the brown rice grain removed during the milling process. It is rich in essential fatty acids, phytosterols and has high level of the antioxidants gamma-oryzanol and tocotrienols (vitamin E). Gamma-oryzanol compound is a component that can impede the progress of melanin pigmentation by restoring the erythema activity of the tyrosinase enzyme as it intercepts the UV rays at the skin’s surface, hindering UV ray transmission. Another wonderful and naturally nutritious, light weight oil that will give you a perfect slip during application.
~Rose Hip Oil - I can never say enough about this oil. It is my absolute favorite oil to use and let me tell you why. This oil is truly a miracle oil as it is extremely rich with essential fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3). They help nourish skin and keep it plump and youthful, helping to reduce wrinkles, tone and smooth roughness. Essential fatty acids are called "essential" because our body is not able to produce them, they must be obtained through the diet or through supplementation. Rose Hip Oil is recommended for scarred tissue and this makes our oils a perfect solution for damaged skin.
~Vitamin E is considered an antioxidant superstar. Vitamin E is a lipid-soluble vitamin (meaning it likes oil better than water) that is essential for the healthy skin. But don’t just take my word for it, check out what Journal of Molecular Medicine (January 1995, pages 7–17) says about Vitamin E: “More than other tissues, the skin is exposed to numerous environmental chemical and physical agents such as ultraviolet light causing oxidative stress [free-radical damage]. In the skin this results in several short- and long-term adverse effects such as erythema [redness], edema [swelling], skin thickening, wrinkling, and an increased incidence of skin cancer…. Vitamin E is the major naturally occurring lipid-soluble … antioxidant protecting skin from the adverse effects of oxidative stress including photoaging [sun damage]. Many studies document that vitamin E occupies a central position as a highly efficient antioxidant, thereby providing possibilities to decrease the frequency and severity of pathological events in the skin.” ***Please note that Vitamin E has eight different forms, of which some are known for being excellent antioxidants when applied topically to skin, particularly alpha tocopherol and the tocotrienols. All Marmalade Hills products are made with Alpha Tachoperol, not Tachoperyl Acetate which is less beneficial for your skin.
~And the last but not least ingredients are the different Essential Oil combinations that posses aroma-therapeutic qualities like no other natural ingredients. Essential Oils are highly concentrated distilled plant essences. They are very aromatic, and have a wide variety of applications. They are sometimes used medicinally for treating specific ailments. In addition to treating physical conditions, these oils can effect us mentally and emotionally as well. They can clear your mind, uplift your spirit and calm down your fears. As Phyllis Balch points out in Prescription for Herbal Healing, "The inhalation of certain essential oils has been associated with the release of brain chemicals that stimulate various emotions. For example, lavender oil has the ability to evoke and increase the release of serotonin, thus producing a calming effect on the body."




As you can see, our Body Oils are formulated with first class ingredients that even some facial creams can envy! They are a perfect all-natural alternative for easily evaporating, water base body lotions and creams. We recommend using them after shower or bath on damp skin. I find body oils especially useful as an aftershave moisturizer. They are absolutely safe for babies and adults. If you need silky smooth, moisture rich and healthy looking skin you have no better place to go but to our store.

Till next time friends and hope you learned something new today,
Liana.

Sixth Fan Page Giveaway

Our number of fans has finally reached 200 mark. It has been jumping up and down due to recent changes on Facebook, but I think it is safe to assume that it is a solid mark now. This giveaway is all about summer! The winner of the sixth giveaway will get a $25 Gift Certificate to our store. Please feel free to share this giveaway with your friends, however there are some rules: to enroll in MH's 6th Fan Page Giveaway you must be a Marmalade Hills fan on Facebook; you must be 18 years of age or older; and you have to leave a comment to this post on our blog.

Please leave your comment and tell us: what is your favorite summer scent? It can either be your favorite fruit, flower, food or simply a scent that can instantly remind you of summer even during coldest winter months.

Please leave your comment underneath this post. If you leave a comment as anonymous, don't forget to sign your comment. This giveaway will be closed for comments exactly one week from today-June 1st. As always random winner will be announced on our Fan Page.

I am looking forward to your comments! Good luck!
Liana.

Featured Product-Bath Bombs

I heard this too many times before "I don't take baths", "I don't have time for a bath"... Cannot agree more, we live in a busy world after all. But lets go couple of centuries back to understand this time tested method of relaxation and beautification. The term spa is associated with water treatment. It is often suggested that the word is an acronym of various Latin phrases such as "Salus Per Aquam” or "Sanitas Per Aquam" meaning "health through water". Greek mythology specified that certain natural springs or tidal pools were blessed by the gods to cure disease. Around these sacred pools, Greeks established bathing facilities for those desiring healing. But now, thanks to the advances of scientific research, we know that gods did not bless any streams with miracle powers, we know for fact that nutrients are drown-in through the skin directly into the blood stream (same principle is used in smoking cessation patch) where they help carry toxins away from the body through the lymph system. We can also experience first-hand the effects of natural butters and oils have on our skin. They make it more supple and smooth and they can relieve any dry skin discomforts. And lets not forget about mind rejuvenating effects of a warm bath ritual! Our adult lives are filled with many responsibilities that contribute to our stress levels. Stress has adverse effects on our mental and general health, it wears out our organs and overall immune system. This is where spa in your own bathroom with Marmalade Hills' Butter Creme Bath Bombs comes in! Our bath bombs, a.k.a bath fizzies, are made with fresh, natural and nourishing ingredients. They will spin, whirl and fizz in your tub infusing water with Coconut Milk, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, creamy Mango Butter and powerful antioxidant - Green Tea Extract. Our creamy Bath Bombs will leave your skin super soft and supple. Our highly fragranced and Essential Oil infused bath bombs will refresh your senses, uplift your spirits and fill your house with amazing aroma! You cannot be running around and multi-tasking forever, everybody needs a little "me" time to unwind and recharge. So shut that door, light up a candle, get your favorite glass of wine and/or a book, and immerge yourself in a warm bath infused with exotic butters, real silk fibers and creamy coconut milk. Do yourself a favor - relax, you deserve it. Psst, did I mentioned no lotion required after this special treat!
List of Beneficial Ingredients:
✓ Sodium Bicarbonate - As a natural acid neutralizer and softener soda has been widely used as bath soaks to sooth discomfort of sunburn and itch of poison ivy. It works great when you need to soak away your stress and with not much effort, make your skin feel like baby's patootie!
✓ Citric Acid is a weak organic acid that makes bath fizzies swirl in your bath tub and also softens the water making stay in your bath even more pleasant.
✓ Coconut Milk is a vegetable variation of lactic acid (milk acid) is an alpha hydroxy acid, a natural material that dissolves the glue that holds dead skin cells together. Milk can cleanse the skin down to its deepest layers without over-drying it.
✓ Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is expelled from raw coconut kernels. It is unbleached and not deodorized with slight aroma of pure coconuts and retained vitamins and nutrients.
✓ Mango Butter is obtained from the kernels of the mango fruit. Mango tree is a sacred tree for Hindus which has been cultivated in India for over 4000 years. Mango Butter is highly emolient, particularly rich in fatty acids and it lends protection against the sun. It is also said to prevent drying of the skin, formation of wrinkles. It reduces degeneration of skin cells and restores elasticity.
✓ Kaolin Clay is soft and gentle clay, it is also known as White Clay. Clay facials and body treatments are widely used in spas all over the world. I love them especially for their ability to detoxify, tone and deep cleanse our skin.
✓ Green Tea Extract is my other most favorite ingredient, besides Rose Hip Oil and Evening Primerose Oil. Green Tee Extract naturally contains the chemical ECGC - an antioxidant proven 200 times more powerful than Vitamin E. Green Tea also happens to be one of my favorite drinks!
✓ Fragrance or Essential Oils. Essential Oils have magical power to heal, uplift and invigorate. I am a true believer of powers of Essential Oils and aromatherapy. Since I'm dealing so much with Fragrances and Essential Oils now, I can assure you that never ever an opened bottle of Essential Oil seemed overwhelming or unpleasant. Every time I have used an Essential Oil infused product it made me want to breath in as deep as I can, it's like a breath of fresh air that you can never get enough of.


Till next time,
Liana.

Marmalade Hills Official Debut

Good day my friends! After long time in draft Marmalade Hills' website is ready for it's official debut! We are still hard at work on our shopping cart but now we finally have a place that we can call HOME! It feels great to see how everything takes shape and coming together slowly but surely! You are witnessing a very important moment in Marmalade Hills' life :)
Please stop by to test drive our website and leave your feedbacks and comments!

Truly yours,
Liana.

Fourth Fan Page Giveaway Winner!

As always BIG Thank You to our active fans for participating in our Fourth Giveaway! Now let’s find out who will be receiving our heavenly soft and deeply moisturizing Body Butter! This time it will be easy as only two people shared with us their opinion: 1-Christine, 2-Sabine. And the winner is....



Congratulations Christine! After so much participation this is a very well deserved gift! Please email me with a choice of your Body Butter.

I truly appreciate your input ladies as it is very important for me to get an idea how other people think of Marmalade Hills' products, because for me they are my babies and deserve to be in the best high-end spa ever! It was nice to hear that someone thinks the same thing.

Till next time,
Liana.

Healthy Nails Tip

From little girls to teenagers, young women to older age women, we all love to have beautiful, healthy looking nails. There are salons for the care and beautification of nails but the basic care has to start from home. Well maintained nails are a true reflection of good health and hygiene. Try some of these really easy, natural tips from www.SimpleHealth.com to make your nails stronger, less brittle, more shiny and even to grow them faster and longer.
1) Dip cotton swab in fresh lemon juice and rub for 5 to 7 minutes on the nails, doing each nail one by one. After the rub do not wash hands for 10 minutes. Thereafter, wash your hands with tepid water. Regular application of lemon juice will make your nails stronger and give them a natural shine.
2) To remove paleness from the nails try including beet root and Vitamin D into your diet.
3) Soak about handful of raisins in the night in water before going to bed. When you wake up in the morning, drink this water and eat soaked raisins. This will improve your iron content restoring the natural pinkish-reddish tinge on nails and palms and even add a glow to your face.
4) For growing nails, instead of rubbing lemon, keep the nails dipped in a bowl of tepid lemon water for 5 minutes. This helps to deep clean the nails also. Wash with cold water immediately after that.
5) Like for other parts of our body, the intake of 3 servings of dairy every day is beneficial to the nails as well. It will prevent the brittleness and weakness in the nails and will avoid the nails getting chipped every now and then.
6) If almond oil is available to you, massaging the nails with almond oil daily makes the nails beautiful, strong and cures the brittle nails problem.

This article was altered from the original version which you can find here

If Marmalade Hills' Body Oil is already your favorite product, you can utilize it for massaging it into your nails, as it is made of highly nutritious and moisturizing natural oils that will reduce brittle nails problem and improve elasticity of the skin (cuticles) around your nails.

P.S. if you have missed our previous healthy tips you can find them here:
Clean Truth about Antibacterial Soap
10 Foods that are healthier than you think
Healthy Nails Tips
Healthy Hair Tips
When to buy Organic and when it's ok not to
Benefits of Green Tea
Beauty Sleep
Fish Oil or Omega 3 & 6
How to add years to your life

Fourth Fan Page Giveaway

We have been having regular Fan Page Giveaways every time Marmalade Hills acquires 30 new fans! Our fourth Fan Page giveaway is here! Anyone who is our fan on Facebook can enroll to win! This time the winner will receive Marmalade Hills Ultimate Body Butter of their choice (Lavender, Tea Tree Blossom, Cranberry Fig, Coconut Lime)! Body Butters are temperature sensitive products and will not be offered for sale during warm/hot months. You can find out more about our Ultimate Body Butters here.
There are a few rules for this giveaway: to enroll you must be a Marmalade Hills fan on Facebook; you must be 18 years of age or older; and you have to leave a comment to this post. This time please comment about what type of retail stores you see selling Marmalade Hills products? Health food market, Gift/Flower shop, Spa/Salon, Artisan Gallery or something else? I would love to hear your thoughts on this, as it will help me to pursue the right type of possible retail locations. If you leave a comment as anonymous, don't forget to put your name at the end. This giveaway will be closed for comments on February 10th.

Good luck to all!

Truly yours,
Liana.

Featured Product - Lip Balm

Marmalade Hills' Lip Balm is a beautiful child of thorough research and precise formulation. I have come a long way to get to this perfectly smooth, not too soft and not too hard, nutrient rich and vitamin packed lip balm. It is made of creamy beeswax, exotic butters, nutritious oils, soothing aloe vera juice and Vitamin E. Combined together in perfect amounts they protect, moisturize and nurture gentle skin of your lips. Our lip balms are great to wear under your favorite lipstick, I find it especially useful to wear under mineral base lipsticks as they are loaded with powdery pigments that can make your lips feel extremely dry. We also have an optional hook attachments that allow you conveniently wear our lip balms on your key chain or hook it on to your kids back pack. One thing I am sure of is that you can never have enough lip balms! So check out our lip balm sets and remember that each individually purchased lip balm will be shipped for free as a secondary purchased item.

* Creamy Bees Wax is a natural emulsifier and it serves as protective coating that locks in moisture and nutrients on your skin.
* African Shea Butter has been praised for centuries in Africa and is very well respected now for its ability to moisturize and nourish dry, damaged skin. It has been clinically shown to provide benefits from just dry skin to many minor dermatological diseases (if you have a serious skin condition, you should see a doctor).
* Coconut Oil is the source of two of the most powerful anti-microbial agents found in any food substances. These are Capric Acid and Lauric Acid. They are the same acids that are found in mother’s milk and keep the baby protected from infections. When these are applied on skin, some microbes (good ones) present on skin convert these acids into Monocaprin and Monolaurin respectively, thereby replacing the protective acid layer on the skin. Finally, Coconut Oil is soothing on skin and highly penetrating.
* Palm Oil is high in fatty acids and leaving virtually no residue on the skin. An incredibly rich and intoxicating oil which gracefully shares it benefits in numerous food and cosmetic applications throughout the world.
* Almond Oil is one of the most useful, practical, and comonly used oils. It is great for all skin types as an acting emollient and is best known for its ability to soften, soothe, and re-condition the skin. Natural expeller pressed oil from raw almond kernels and exceptionally rich in fatty acids.
* Rose Hip Oil is one of my favorite ingredients. It is truly a miracle oil and it is extremely rich with essential fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3) which help nourish skin and keep it plump and youthful, helping to reduce wrinkles, tone and smooth roughness. Essential fatty acids are called "essential" because our body is not able to produce them, they must be obtained through the diet or through supplementation. Rose Hip Oil is recommended for scarred tissue and this makes our balms a perfect solution for chapped lips.
* The structure of Jojoba Oil closely resembles that of your own skin sebum and is readily absorbed without making the skin feel greasy or tacky nor does it clog the pores.
* Most people know first-hand the soothing relief of aloe vera on minor burns, cuts and bruises. These superb qualities also add desirable effect of our lip balms on chapped lips.
* And the last but not least ingredient is a Vitamin E oil. The benefits of Vitamin E for the overall good health of individuals are substantial. In particular, Vitamin E is very important antioxidant, regulator of Vitamin A and an excellent anti-aging agent that makes skin look younger by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

They come in the variety of flavors. Lime, Mint, Tea Tree, Grapefruit are made with pure Essential Oils. Cherry Frost, Tender Plum, Blueberry Muffin, Dulce De Leche, Juicy Pear, Coconut Creme are made with lip safe, food grade natural flavors.

Perfect Valentine's Day Gift.

Valentine's Day is just three busy weeks away. And it will be knocking on your door before you know it. How are you going to show your affection and love to your special person? How about a romantic evening in candle light and warm bath, complemented by scrumptious dark chocolate and berries? There’s just something special about the flicker of a real candle that warms the very soul and magically transforms an ordinary space... Slip into soothing whirls of softening and moisturizing ingredients while sinfully rich fragrance indulges your senses! Our Valentine's Gift Set includes four (4) essential items to make your next Valentine's Day a special, relaxing and totally guilt free experience for you and a special person in your life! You do not even need to pick up a greeting card! We will include one for you at no cost. You may want to pick up a bottle of champagne though :)

These sets are in very limited quantities, do not put off shopping for a perfect Valentine's gift for too long!

Healthy Tip - Green Tea

Our Healthy Tip Fridays have moved from notes area of our fan page to our blog. For our blog followers, who are not fans of Marmalade Hills' on Facebook, I have posted a few Healthy Tip Fridays already. You can find them here.
Tea is the agricaltural product of the leaves, leaf buds, and internodes of the Camellia Sinensis plant, prepared and cured by various methods. After water, tea is the most widely-consumed beverage in the world, according to The Empire Of Tea by Alan Macfarlane.
I myself love to drink tea. In winter it is especially popular in our house, we can go through a box of tea in 4 or 5 days. I am sure everybody heard about many benefits of tea and especially green tea and probably I will not tell you anything new today, but I would like to bring to your attention the benefits of green tea once again. I think today's tip can be classified as "lazy healthy tip", right next to the fish oil :)

"More than a decade's worth of research about green tea's health benefits - particularly its potential to fight cancer and heart disease - has been more than intriguing, as have limited studies about green tea's role in lowering cholesterol, burning fat, preventing diabetes and stroke, and staving off dementia.

*Green tea's antioxidants, called catechins, scavenge for free radicals that can damage DNA and contribute to cancer, blood clots, and atherosclerosis. Grapes and berries, red wine, and dark chocolate also have potent antioxidants. Because of green tea's minimal processing - its leaves are withered and steamed, not fermented like black and oolong teas - green tea's unique catechins, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), are more concentrated.

*Green Tea vs. Cancer. The American Cancer Society's strategic director of nutritional epidemiology, says human studies haven't yet proven what researchers like Chan have discovered in the lab: green tea's EGCG regulates and inhibits cancer growth and kills cells that are growing inappropriately. Still, it's difficult not to be intrigued by a few human studies that have shown that drinking at least two cups of green tea daily inhibits cancer growth. One of them, a study conducted in Japan that involved nearly 500 Japanese women with Stage I and Stage II breast cancer, found that increased green tea consumption before and after surgery was associated with lower recurrence of the cancers.

*Green Tea good for your heart? It seems to be, but there are conflicting results of a few epidemiological studies conducted in the East and West.
In a study that involved 500 Japanese men and women, researchers found that drinking at least four cups of green tea every day may be related to the reduced severity of coronary heart disease among the male participants. A Dutch study of more than 3,000 men and women found that the more tea consumed, the less severe the clogging of the heart's blood vessels, especially in women. As Goldberg suggests, lifestyle and overall diet are critical to the outcomes of these studies. But green tea's antioxidants are dilators, she says, because they improve the flexibility of blood vessels and make them less vulnerable to clogging - and antioxidant-rich blueberries and pomegranates do the same.

*Green Tea and Weight. Green tea and its extract have been shown to fight obesity and lower "bad" cholesterol - two risk factors for heart disease and diabetes - but in very limited studies.

*Green tea Straight Up. Taking weight loss supplements that contain green tea extract probably won't hurt, unless you have liver problems. But the best way to get the most out of green tea - even if your main goal is losing weight - is to drink it."

For complete article please follow this link: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/health-benefits-of-green-tea

If you can not get enough of green tea in your cup try these products from Marmalade Hills' that are made with miracle green tea extract:
All Natural Facial Toners; Moisturizing Bath Bombs; Omega 3 Body Lotions.

P.S. if you have missed our previous healthy tips you can find them here:
Clean Truth about Antibacterial Soap
10 Foods that are healthier than you think
Healthy Nails Tips
Healthy Hair Tips
When to buy Organic and when it's ok not to
Benefits of Green Tea
Beauty Sleep
Fish Oil or Omega 3 & 6
How to add years to your life

What is soap?

I wanted to talk about natural and cold process soaps in particular, since I started this blog. But because it seemed like such a massive subject I have been putting it off and putting it off untill today. So get yourself a hot cup of cocoa and read on...
According to various legends, modern soap has its origins at mount Sapo where sacrifices were often cremated and hardwood ashes would accumulate (an early source of alkali). These ashes mixed with the tallow of the sacrificed animals. It is said that after a heavy rain a yellow runoff from the fire pit made its way downhill from the temple. The local women washing their clothes in the river noticed that their clothes were cleaner when the river ran yellow. Over time it was learned that adding salt water to the mixture would precipitate the removal of glycerin and excess water, thus making the soap harder, and not subject to the month long curing process required of true handmade soap. This old-fashioned "yellow soap" was used for laundry, dishes, and the occasional bath. But don't forget, it is just a legend. I am not sure whether anybody really knows the true story.
Well then, what is soap? Soap is a result of chemical reaction between oils and alkiline solution (the base, popularly referred to as lye) this process is also known as saponification. Soap cannot be made without lye. But be sure that because of our precise formulation and a curing period of six weeks, there is absolutely no trace of lye left in Marmalade Hills' natural soap. So how does soap work? Soap molecules can dissolve in water and at the same time they can dissolve grease molecules. While normally oil and water do not mix, the addition of soap allows oils to dissolve in water, allowing them to be rinsed away easily as water strings down your body and into the drain. Brilliantly simple! Nature has her ways of taking care of everything, doesn't she?
What is so special about handcrafted, cold process soap? All soaps are not created equaly. Today's soaps are often made from cleaning agents, such as synthetic detergents and are designed to look like a "beauty bar" or "body bar". The truth is that they are made with the same chemicals you use to wash your dishes or your car. Marmalade Hills' natural cold process soaps are completely different from mass produced soap or even glycerin soaps (these are sold as melt and pour bases). Our handcrafted soaps are made from skin loving, vegetable ingredients and other nature derrived ingredients like earth pigments, clays, herbs and essential oils. Our soaps will not over-dry your skin, as many tend to believe. The cold process soap is the best thing for your skin! In fact I recommend it even over our natural shower gels - those are not as gentle, because even though they are both technically natural, they are not made the same way...but that's another story. All our cold process soaps are made with high-quality, natural ingredients carefully chosen for their healing and beneficial abilities. Food grade Olive Oil is used as a base oil (about 50% of all oils), we also add coconut oil and palm oil for hardness. No vegetable shortenings or canola oil here. In addition I love to play with herbal infusions, prescious oils and butters by adding them at the end of the saponification process. It is called superfatting. This way additional oils do not go through full saponification process, they retain their nutrients and hang around to make our soaps extra moisturizing and gentle. All Marmalade Hills' soaps are made from scratch, using time tested "cold process" method. We mix warm oils, lye and water together. We pour raw soap in small 10 lb molds, let it sit wrapped in blankets for 48 hours. We unmold, cut, weigh and package soaps by hand. So you are getting the most unique yet very functional treat you can get!
Finally, how to take care of your cold process soap? Cold process soap will last you for a very long time if stored properly. Do not leave your soap under a running water, store it away in a dry spot of your shower on a soap dish with drainage holes on the bottom. You can use a regular soap dish, but you must use simple soap saver in this case.

Got SOAP?!

Spring/Summer Collection Reveal

Even though you may still be shivering from mid winter freeze, at Marmalade Hills it is already Spring if not Summer! My studio smells like juicy apples, apricots, emerald ferns and sweet florals. Many of your favorite products will be updated with new sophisticated fragrances and coordinating designs. I also have formulated a few brand new products that will join a family of "all-time favorite" products. Here is a quick peek at our new fragrances: Applecot Tini, Woodland Ferns, Thai Coconut and Sweet Pea. Our artisan soaps, body lotions, body washes, soy products, bath bombs and linen mists will be available in these yummy new scents. Inspired by new and exciting ingredients I have decided to expand our collection of facial masks, whipped body polishes and facial toners. In a few months we will be introducing Applecot Puree Body Polish formulated with real apple extract and apricot shells for extra scrubby ability; Applecot Firming Facial Mask with naturally derived alpha-hydroxy acids; Apple Twist Facial Fusion which is nothing more than pure Apple Fruit Water and plant extracts. This all is coming up in Spring of 2010, but for now I hope you are enjoying your winter wonderland!

Happy New Year!

Thank you to all our friends who made Marmalade Hills third year in business possible! Our family truly appreciates your input and support! And we wish you, from our family to yours, a Happy New Year! We hope it will bring you a sea of love, happiness, prosperity, and even more health to all of you and your loved ones.
Looking back at last three years in business I see how much Marmalade Hills have evolved from being just a hobby to a business! I see how much more advanced my recipes have become, how much more knowledgeable I have become about my ingredients and natural-way of living and all the benefits that come with it. I enjoyed every minute of doing what I love most and even though some days it gets tough to stay motivated and not giving up hope, it helps to know that there are people who enjoy what I do and who are also trying to be more conscious about our environment and our planet. We all have to contribute to the big change that we wish to see in the world! Let it be our main New Years resolution! Cheers!

Featured Product - Body Butter

It is always a battle for me to decide which product I should feature. I tried and love every single one, if I did not, I wouldn't be making it of course. As always I struggled this time as well but decided that it would make sense to talk about the winter essential product and it is hands down the Marmalade Hill's ultimate body butters. Our body butters are made from scratch starting with African Shea Butter as a base ingredient, extra virgin coconut oil, grape seed oil, meadowfoam seed oil, tapioca powder and Vitamin E. Each ingredient has been selected due to its individual qualities. * African Shea Butter has been praised for centuries in Africa and is very well respected now for its ability to moisturize and nourish dry, damaged skin. It has been clinically shown to provide benefits from just dry skin to many minor dermatological diseases (if you have a serious skin condition, you should see a doctor). * Coconut Oil is the source of two of the most powerful anti-microbial agents found in any food substances. These are Capric Acid and Lauric Acid. They are the same acids that are found in mother’s milk and keep the baby protected from infections. When these are applied on skin, some microbes (good ones) present on skin convert these acids into Monocaprin and Monolaurin respectively, thereby replacing the protective acid layer on the skin. Finally, Coconut Oil is soothing on skin and highly penetrating. * Grape Seed Oil has the same antioxidants as green tea, black tea, berries, and red wine. These antioxidants are called procyanidolic oligomers (PCO’s), known for their health giving properties, and are more powerful than vitamin C and vitamin E. The Grape Seed Oil known for its ability to lock-in moisture, leaving your skin feeling more supple and smooth, and it does not leave a greasy feeling, which makes it ideal to use on all skin types. * Meadowfoam Seed Oil is an absolutely exquisite oil that provides a cornucopia of cosmetic uses. Containing over 98% long-chain fatty acids, this oil is a prized medium for applications which require a moisturizing and rejuvenating benefit for the skin and face. Meadowfoam Seed Oil is one of the most stable natural lipids known with extraordinary resistance to oxidation. * And the last but not least ingredient is a Vitamin E oil. The benefits of Vitamin E for the overall good health of individuals are substantial. In particular, Vitamin E is very important antioxidant, regulator of Vitamin A and an excellent anti-aging agent that makes skin look younger by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I find this a perfect combination of oils which makes our body butters extra fluffy, quickly absorbent, extra moisturizing and extremely nourishing to the skin. We call them "ultimate" because they fight dry and damaged skin with pure force of nature! Use them as an all over body deep moisturizer, stretch mark reducer, or sunburn soother. Choose from our 4 different scents: Lavender Silk, Tea Tree Blossom, Cranberry Fig and Coconut Lime. And remember very little goes a loooong way!

Check out previously featured products here.