Newsletter
Spring 2006

Almond

The Almond tree, seen blossoming above is a close relative of the peach and the cherry. Unlike these trees loved for their succulent, edible fruits; the almond is loved for its nut, which lies within the stone. Two varieties of almond are common. There is the bitter almond from which the marzipan flavouring is produced and there is the Sweet Almond from which the oil is processed.
With a lovely feel and a good shelf life the oil is great for massage. We use it as a base for all our massage blends.
To ensure the highest quality the oil we supply is produced from whole almonds only - broken almonds tend to deteriorate due to exposure to the air. The oil is extracted by pressure only. No heat is applied or no solvents are used. After pressing the oil is filtered and goes through no further processes.

Products

Organic Oils - Our selection continues to widen. German Camomile, Patchouli, Ylang Ylang extra and Rosewood, all from certified organic producers will become available over the next few weeks. The Rosewood comes from a forest in Brazil with an active replanting programme, where for each tree felled, eighty are planted.

Sandalwood oil - As Indian Sandalwood oil has become unavailable, we now offer Sandalwood from Vanuata in the South Pacific. Produced from an ecologically sustainable agricultural system, this oil has a fine aroma, but is lighter than the Indian oil. Hence it may be necessary to add an extra drop or two of oil to a given receipe for the same effect.

Rosehip Seed oil is extracted from a number of species of Rose, including rosa rubiginosa and rosa rugosa. It comes from Eastern Europe, South Africa and South America, where it is known as Rosa Mosquetta. Our current stock is certified organic and comes from Chile.

Training

We currently offer a single evening training at venues around the country. This has been created specifically for retail staff, to raise the level of awareness and service provided by shops in relation to aromatherapy. It has been getting very positive feedback. The training has been written in conjunction with Christine Courtney, Principal of Obus School of Healing Therapies and President of the Shirley Price International School of Aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy in its current form is a new and rapidly evolving therapy. The information in our Training is up to date. In particular, there have been important recent developments in understanding the various safety issues. This session is useful both for staff unfamiliar with the use of oils, and to refresh and update the knowledge of those familiar with oils.

For further information contact our aromatherapist Ellen Cox at 098 - 23898.

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