Hi Everyone - I like Suzanne discovered this fantastic and informative sight a couple of weeks ago.  I am a 'newbee' in the toiletry making world so I see a site like this is really going to help me develop as I intend to start up in business - but I first want to build a solid foundation.   I have dabbled a little bit in product making having attended a 1 day the swedish gentleman's product making course, it was great fun, informative and I have gained confidence in knowing that in time, with practice and patience I will really gain an understanding as to what its all about as well as making good products.  The next course I am going to enrol in is a distance learning one with Kevala 'The A - Z of Essential Oils'. 

Information I glean which I think will be useful to the forum I will let you know - for example have you heard of a new organic, totally natural, non-allergenic preservative and powerful antioxidant called CitroFresh (R) Preservative INCI: Bitter Orange Extract (supplier: Aromantics)

I look forward to meeting you all soon.

Hello Susan,

A warm welcome to the forum.  Goodness, it sounds like you have made a good start in building a solid foundation.  I love making creams and lotions (lol.... when I get the time these days) but my main area is aromatherapy. 

Everyone here has there own specialist area with such a variety of experience and it is great how we all pull together and somehow, all our specialisms gel very nicely.  I myself have been enormously inspired by the soapers here, so much so, I've even had a dabble with both M&P and CP (I'm yet to try HP  ).

The forum and the main site (the stuff you see on the left hand menu) are in fact separate.  As you can see from Fresholi Community, there have been lots of fantastic contributions made by the members (its like an information co-op  ) to the main site as well as the forum.  Fresholi only began in June '07 but it has grown and developed (and continues to do so) into a very useful member-led resource - I am so pleased that you find it useful (as an author though, you get access to even more resources  - It might be worth reading through this Acquiring Author Status  )

A warm welcome again and thank you for joining us 

Hi and welcome.
I have to jump in (being the preservative nut here) and say be wary of Citrofresh - not all its cracked up to be. Has some other, undisclosed, ingredients to help with preservation. Not necessarily the swedish gentleman's fault either, to be fair.
Natural preservatives are not that efficient at protecting against a wide range of bacteria, yeast and mould and need to be present in very large concentrations to be truly effective. Same goes for essential oils. Don't even get me started on GSE!!
Now I'm off my soapbox, I hope you have a lovely time here - a great bunch of mad, crazy gals!! Always willing to help wherever we can!!
Sarah.

 

Hello Susan, welcome (I see Zoe is giving remarkably discreet greetings these days)

I did see, on another forum, that people weren't sure about Citrofresh - best to reserve judgement until somebody has sent some off for a lab test I think.

Hello and welcome from me too 

Welcome Susan   the swedish gentleman is a great place to start your creative juices going and I'm sure you will get lots more inspiration along the way from this forum.

Chrissie & 8 Gorgeous Guineas

Hi Susan 
Hope you enjoy it.  It's fun here.