It's time to rebrand JBHomemade's Logo! Give your opinion for a special coupon code!

Well, it's time to reorder my business cards and I thought what better time to take a look at my current logo and see if I can improve upon it! As much as I love the lil me holding the organic pot in the garden, I have been told by a few people that it seems a bit juvenile. So, with that being said, I have made a few collages and am hoping for your honest opinions. Both for the logo itself and for the font. 

Here is the current Business Card (07/2014 - 07/2016):

Update: October 21, 2016

And here is the final design! I am thrilled with the way my new logo and business card design came out and wanted to share it with all of you! 

Logo:

Hollyhocks are near and dear to my heart and an integral ingredient in some of the items in my skincare line. In fact, hollyhocks were the inspiration for me to start my skincare line, extending my offerings to you beyond sugaring for hair removal. We have a beautiful hollyhock garden and I use the petals and root system to make toners, masks and even hair toner. 

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How do Sugaring and Exfoliation Work Together?

Exfoliation is the key to the best sugaring treatment.

Sugaring is a less painful, more natural method of hair removal.

Sugaring in general is a hair removal, or epilation, technique that has been used for

centuries - all the way back to ancient Egypt and that beauty guru Cleopatra, persia and arabia!

In my experience and research, your skin will get better results from sugaring if:

You take the time to take care of your skin before and after your sugaring treatments at home.

Exfoliation is one of the key ways to keep your skin soft and happy between your hair removal treatments!

Exfoliation is when dead or old skin cells on the outermost surface of your skin are gently removed.

The healthiest way to do this is with natural skin products.

They should include small granules which rub away the old skin.

This will bring softer, younger skin cells to the surface.

This organic all natural hair removal paste is quite thick. It feels almost like taffy. It is firm, but pliable. If you have not sugared before, it does takes a little practice, but once you get the hang of it, it truly is amazing. This method is certainly much less painful than waxing, less messy (easily cleans up with warm water), and is much more beneficial for your skin.	This organic all natural hair removal gel/wax is the consistency of thick honey or syrup. Sugaring gel/wax is a less painful alternative to waxing. This product is wonderful for anyone that would like a natural alternative to body waxing without all the expense and hassle of going to the salon. The denim strips provided are reusable and washable by hand.
This organic all natural hair removal paste is quite thick. It feels almost like taffy. It is firm, but pliable. The benefit of using an organic paste is that you don't need to mess around with hair removal strips, only your fingers or applicator alone are needed! It is all-natural, requires no heat and no strips.	Sugaring wax is a less painful alternative to resin/salon waxing. This sugaring gel/wax is recommended for those with naturally thinner hair and those who have a history of salon waxing.

Each method naturally exfoliates which is great in and of itself.	But you don't want the hair removal sugaring to do all of the exfoliation.

 Why?

It's important to keep your skin exfoliated before and

after you begin your at home sugaring treatment.

This will assure only your unwanted hairs get removed.

If you keep your skin exfoliated and as fresh as possible,

your sugaring treatments will get the best results.

Sugaring by itself works great for natural exfoliation.

Yet, you don't want to clog the sugar with dead skin cells.

Your sugaring will last longer during use.

The sugar scrubs listed on my shop work in tandem with sugaring for hair removal.

They are perfect for routine exfoliation in your skincare regimen.

Whether you are sugaring at home for the first time or

maintaining your after care, your skin will be ready to go.

Now you can bundle your favorite sugar scrubs with your choice of hair removal and save 10%!

Fact: While being spread in the opposite direction of growth,

the sugar literally seeps into your follicles/pores.

This essentially "lubricates" the hair, allowing for gentle extraction.

~Quote Alexandria Professional

Go here to learn how to make your sugaring at home or

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Have you ever been embarrassed by ingrown hairs?

You know you have had them. We all have had them. At least once in your life, you've had one. They appear when a single hair has become trapped under the surface of your skin after hair removal. The dreaded ingrown hair is what we are talking about here. Though, I do realize no one wants to talk about them.

Ingrown hairs can be itchy and uncomfortable, especially if you've got a lot of them. You may notice pus inside the bumps. They are not serious. It is not acne. But they are not pretty. They can be embarrassing. I mean come on they are gross! Sometimes, dead skin can clog up a hair follicle. That forces the hair inside it to grow sideways under the skin, rather than upward and outward. Cutting naturally curly hair too close can result in the sharpened end of the hair piercing the skin. In men, ingrown hairs often pop up as a bunch of little bumps on the chin, cheeks, or neck after shaving. And yes, if you "manscape", you'll get them in the pubic area also.

In women, ingrown hairs are common on the legs, as well as in the pubic area and armpits. You can also get ingrown hairs on your buttocks. Many African-Americans, Latinos, and people with thick or curly hair may have it worse. They can develop a type of ingrown hair called pseudofolliculitis. These are best known as "razor bumps." The little bumps are common around the beard and pubic area. They will appear after you've shaved, waxed, or tweezed to remove unwanted hair. Anyone can get an ingrown hair. But the problem is more common in people who have curly or coarse hair. Curly hair is more likely to bend back and re-enter the skin, especially after shaved or cut.

But one thing we likely all have in common is the fact that out pubic hairs tend to be just that. Thick and curly right on our most sensitive of areas. We like to maintain a groomed look to our pubic area, but doing so often results in these awful bumps.

Ingrown hairs can affect anyone with curled hairs who shaves, tweezes or waxes to remove hair. Signs and symptoms include: Small, solid, rounded bumps (papules) Small, pus-filled, blister-like lesions (pustules) Skin darkening (hyperpigmentation) Pain Itching Embedded hairs Often, an ingrown hair improves without treatment. Just leave it alone. Don't try to squeeze it out! This can cause disfiguring scars! This can also cause infection. Please do NOT try to squeeze! But you know what? You can avoid ingrown hair by not removing hair. Wait, what? Don't remove hair? Ha!! There's a select few in our culture who are fine with that. Sure, go ahead and stay hairy. That's a personal choice. Maybe even a religious choice. That is understandable. I get it.

Myself, and many people I've known in my life, actually enjoy being as smooth as silk from head to toe. Some just remove hair from the legs and underarms. Some women need to remove hair from the chin and upper lip area as well.

I've known many people in my life that go on stage for a living. I've known ballet dancers, strippers, line dancers, bodybuilders, bikini models, nude models, and even porn stars. What do they all have in common? The fear of having their audience see the ingrowns that embarrass them. Bodybuilders with ingrowns on the underarms, stomach, pubic area and back. Why? They depend on a completely smooth skin surface when they apply oil. They need to be shiny on stage when they are flexing and posing. And then guess what. The oil makes them worse by clogging the pores even worse! Ballet dancers with ingrown hairs on the pubic area? They can become irritated, inflamed and worse when tights are worn. Strippers, bikini models, lingerie models, nude models and porn stars? Well, you can just imagine. You see what I'm getting at. An ingrown hair usually develops several days after hair removal as the hair is growing back.

You can use hair removal methods that lessen the risk of developing ingrown hairs. We all know the common methods of hair removal. Most opt for shaving. Many opt for waxing either at home or in a salon. If you can afford it, you might choose laser hair removal. We've tried them all. But we still keep getting ingrown hairs.

Have you tried sugaring? Have you ever heard of sugaring? Most people I've talked to have not heard of it.

Before moving on to learning about sugaring, let me prefix with this. I've been sugaring for two years now. On my own, in my home with organic sugaring paste with no signs of ingrown hairs. Why? Because sugaring removes the entire hair (including the follicle) in the same direction of growth. The hairs grow back thinner and in the correct direction. With exfoliation between sugaring sessions, you will have success also.Read

Go here to learn how to make your sugaring at homeor

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27 benefits of Eucalyptus and rosemary for natural skin care.

If you've explored my Etsy shop recently, you may have noticed that I added a new version of organic sugar scrub. This came from an inspiration to create a sugar scrub that even the most masculine of men would enjoy using. The woodsy, minty, pine scent of the rosemary and eucalyptus is a great combination. Organic Eucalyptus Rosemary Cane Sugar Scrub

You may be thinking...well I've used rosemary in my cooking but on my skin? How is rosemary good for my skin? And Eucalyptus? I remember when I was a kid, my mom had these dried Eucalyptus stalks that gave the living room a distinct smell of Eucalyptus. But on my skin? yep. Here's why.

I choose particular plants because of the benefits to the skin. Each plant is researched for the benefits that can be derived from being added to a carrier oil and sugar.

My Eucalyptus Rosemary Citrus Sugar Scrub is sure to be a hit. Even with the guys. Eucalyptus gives a fresh, minty, pine scent with a touch of honey while the Rosemary has a unique pine-like fragrant flavor that is balanced by a rich pungency, a combination that evokes both the forest and the sea. While the Rosemary is Invigorating, refreshing and stimulating and has an excellent reputation for oily skin/acne. Add the light citrus aroma of the lemon and you've got yourself an uplifting winner!

Materials: Organic Cane Sugar, Eucalyptus Essential Oil, Orange Essential Oil, Fresh Lemon juice, Organic Grape seed Oil, Dried Rosemary

From my previous post,(and more than likely your own knowledge, of course), you already know that sugar has AH-MAY-ZING benefits. After dead skin has been exfoliated, your body’s largest organ works more efficiently to expel toxins and take in nourishment. Skin becomes more uniform in appearance, is softer to touch, and has a radiant glow. Sugar scrubs are also gentler, less dehydrating than salt scrubs and be used by all skin types.

Photo credit: https://www.organicfacts.net Eucalyptus essential oil is obtained from fresh leaves of the tall, evergreen eucalyptus tree. The tree, scientifically classified as Eucalyptus Globulus is also known as fever tree, blue gum tree or stringy bark tree, depending on where it is located in the world.	1. Anti-inflammatory: Loosens stiff muscles and relieves aches in the body. Has been proven to relieve muscle pain. 2. Its pleasant aroma makes it effective as a deodorant 3. Antibacterial 4. Antiseptic and antimicrobial agent.

The Rosemary leaf...typically a culinary herb, but did you know that the herb has skin benefits as well?	This crisp and clean-smelling oil is rich in healthy properties like benefiting phytonutrients, antioxidants and essential acids.

It has been used since ancient times as a medicinal and culinary herb by the Greeks and Romans due to its therapeutic properties. The astringent properties of rosemary makes it beneficial for skin care. It contains a wide array of nutrients such as iron, calcium, vitamins and antioxidants. Thus, rosemary is effective for all skin types and is used as an ingredient in skin care cleansers, soaps, face masks, toners and creams.

Primarily beneficial for those with oily, acne-prone skin, rosemary oil and extract both have powerful astringent, anti-fungal, and disinfecting properties. The plant is also rich in biologically active compounds and antioxidants such as calcium, vitamin B6, iron, cineole, and verbenon that effectively tone and tighten loose, sagging skin.

1. Rejuvenates Skin: Rosemary rehydrates and tones your skin. It removes wrinkles and bags on the skin, thus keeping it taut and healthy. Its cell regeneration properties are effective in treating visible skin conditions and replacing damaged tissue, thus reducing the appearance of scars and spots. 2. Treatment of Acne: Rosemary has powerful disinfectant and antiseptic properties. These help to treat acne and oily skin conditions. Massaging your face with this oil (or scrub infused with the leaves of the medicinal plant) improves skin complexion by lightening dark spots and blemishes on the skin. 3. Anti-ageing Property: Being rich in powerful antioxidants, rosemary slows down the effect of ageing on the skin. It helps in tightening sagging and loose skin, thus making it firmer and more elastic. Moreover, it stimulates biological activity and cell grow 4. Prevents Skin Infection:The medicinal qualities of rosemary make it beneficial for treating chronic skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis. Its anti-inflammatory properties are useful in reducing swelling and puffiness of the skin as well as healing burns.

Pure Orange Essential Oil:

1. Anti-inflammatory:It provides relief from external inflammation caused by infections. It is helpful in treating swollen tissue by stimulating blood circulation. 2. Anti-septic: It inhibits microbial growth	3. Skin Treatment: Orange essential oil is shown to promote the production of collagen as well as increase the blood flow to the skin. It is helpful at soothing dry, irritated skin as well as acne-prone skin. It is excellent for rubbing on calluses on the feet.

Fresh Lemon Juice - A Natural Skin Tonic

Photo Credit? Flicker dvarimbalma Wonderful Lemons with their tart acidic nature and essential nutrients like Vitamins B, C, and antioxidant properties.	Lemon juice a natural antiseptic, comes in handy as an excellent beauty aid for rejuvenating and replenishing skin both from within and without.

1. Skin lightening, alleviating freckles, dark spots and age spots: The potent antioxidant and vitamin C elements in lemon play a remarkable role in skin lightening, alleviating freckles, dark spots and age spots. Applying lemon juice on the age spots help decrease the dark areas making them lighter. This is due to the presence of citric acid in lemon, along with its ability to neutralize the pH balance, which clears and lightens the skin.

2. Blackhead Remover: With natural antiseptic properties lemon juice helps balance the skin oiliness clearing the dirt and grime eliminating bacteria that damage skin leading to blackhead outbreaks. Freshly squeezed lemon removes blackheads without leaving behind any traces of their presence. This is because of the potent citric acid, which combats the oils causing blackhead eruptions.

3. Natural Exfoliate: Loaded with citric acid, lemon juice acts as an excellent natural exfoliant and is effective especially when combined with sugar, for removing the dead skin cells revealing a glowing brand new skin beneath the surface.

4. Rejuvenating Skin Cells: Rich in salicylic acid, Lemon juice helps eliminate the rough dead cells from the surface, rejuvenating skin and imparting a naturally younger look, preventing wrinkles and fine lines.

The following are the ingredients I use to combine all of these great benefits with those found in:

Glorious Grape seed oil:

Photo Credit: http://www.seedguides.info/ 1. Wrinkle and Scar Reduction: has an ideal viscosity, the oil is extremely rich in beta-carotene and vitamins D, C, E. It also happens to have a concentration of essential fatty acids like palmitic, stearic, and linoleic acid. These fatty acids have performed well in clinical anti-wrinkle trials. They have also proven to be effective at minimizing the prominence and size of scars.

2. Prevention of Acne and Aging: Nutrient-rich grape seed oil has found its way into myriad cosmetic products, especially products meant for the face and hair. Lip balms, face creams, conditioners, moisturizers and other products that contain grape seed oil are all rich in polyphenols. These polyphenols are anti-inflammatory antioxidants known to retard the aging process and prevent acne outbreaks.

3. Skin Balancing: Grape seed oil is light to the touch and never leaves skin feeling heavy with oil. Instead, it effectively moisturizes the skin, balancing both dry and oily patches. When used as a toner, grape seed oil can penetrate blocked pores and cleanse breakouts.

The end result? Skin so healthy and supple you'll wonder why you hadn't tried it before.

Follow my blog for my ongoing series: Skin Benefits of Herbal and botanical sugar scrubs Why I use the ingredients I do for my organic Sugar scrubs available on Etsy?

Sources and Further Reading: List of Essential Oils with their Health Benefits

Botanical.com

Bastyr Center for Natural Health

academia.edu

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

rutgers.edu

organicfacts.net

naturalnews.com

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13 proven reasons why I use roses for beautiful healthy skin.

Roses are very beneficial for your skin: How many of these facts did you know about the rose? 1. Antibacterial 2. Anti-inflammatory 3. Antioxidant 4. Moisturizing 5. Toning

8 oz. Organic Pink Rose Sugar Scrub handmade with Organic Sugar Cane, grape seed oil and FRESH Rose petals.

8 oz. Organic Red Rose Sugar Scrub handmade with Organic Sugar Cane, grape seed oil and FRESH Rose petals.

My sugar scrubs are organic, herbal, botanical with fresh and dried flora. Sugar scrubs range from $3.99 2 oz samples to $18 full size 8 oz.

Benefits of Rose

1. Antibacterial: Naturally helps treat acne and acne-prone skin. Combined with its cleansing properties, rose makes an ideal ingredient in face washes and cleansers.

2. Anti-inflammatory: helps reduce swollen spots or redness on your skin. Its calming properties can also help soothe rosacea and eczema.

3. Antioxidants: Rose contains high amounts of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant. This important vitamin can help protect skin cells from damage, such as from staying out in the sun too long.

4. Moisturizing: The natural oils found in roses help lock moisture into the skin, keeping skin feeling smooth. Rose is especially beneficial for those with sensitive skin because the sugars in its petals create a soothing feeling.

5. Toning: As a natural astringent, rose helps tighten pores and restore suppleness for a glowy complexion. Unlike conventional alcohol-based toners, rose leaves skin feeling smooth, not dried out.

Combine all of these great benefits with those found in:

Glorious Grape seed oil:

Photo Credit: http://www.seedguides.info/ 1. Wrinkle and Scar Reduction: has an ideal viscosity, the oil is extremely rich in beta-carotene and vitamins D, C, E. It also happens to have a concentration of essential fatty acids like palmitic, stearic, and linoleic acid. These fatty acids have performed well in clinical anti-wrinkle trials. They have also proven to be effective at minimizing the prominence and size of scars.

2. Prevention of Acne and Aging: Nutrient-rich grape seed oil has found its way into myriad cosmetic products, especially products meant for the face and hair. Lip balms, face creams, conditioners, moisturizers and other products that contain grape seed oil are all rich in polyphenols. These polyphenols are anti-inflammatory antioxidants known to retard the aging process and prevent acne outbreaks.

3. Skin Balancing: Grape seed oil is light to the touch and never leaves skin feeling heavy with oil. Instead, it effectively moisturizes the skin, balancing both dry and oily patches. When used as a toner, grape seed oil can penetrate blocked pores and cleanse breakouts.

When you regularly exfoliate your skin with an organic cane sugar scrub, it becomes healthier in appearance and function.

After dead skin has been exfoliated, your body’s largest organ works more efficiently to expel toxins and take in nourishment. Skin becomes more uniform in appearance, is softer to touch, and has a radiant glow. Sugar scrubs are also gentler and less dehydrating than salt scrubs and be used by all skin types. Follow my blog for my upcoming series: Skin Benefits of Herbal and botanical sugar scrubs

List of Essential Oils with their Health Benefits

Sources and Further Reading: Botanical.com Bastyr Center for Natural Health academia.edu ncbi.nlm.nih.gov rutgers.edu organicfacts.net naturalnews.com

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