The event was packed and networking was happening!

Cheryl Hurley owner of SQ Modern Media was there blogging the event live.  You can read her write up on the SQ Modern Media Blog. Have an event you want blogged live?  Contact Cheryl for more information.

I knew the event was great, but little did I realize that right in the same room was Chocolate Covered Bacon  by Phillip Ashley Chocolates! How the heck did I miss that?!? Two of my favorite things in one yummy bite.

Phillip Ashley’s Chocolate Covered Bacon – Photo by Cheryl Hurley (c)

Also, there was chocolate pasta by Laura Lee’s Lunchables.

Chocolate Pasta by Laura Lee’s Lunchables – Photo by Cheryl Hurley (c)

Enough about that decadence…Two Little Blackbirds was also featured in the write up and Cheryl left with a bottle of our Equilibrage Body Mist.  Thanks Cheryl!

Thank you also to everyone who stopped by our booth to talk.  I enjoyed seeing everyone and networking til the cows came home.  They are early-to-bed cows since the event ended at 8:00.  ;-)

Still, nothing artificial in our scented soaps.  Instead we use 100% natural essential oils with all their aromatherapy benefits!

This week we are announcing the first two in our upcoming line of aromatherapy soaps – Lavender and Peppermint.  These two popular essential oils not only smell wonderful, they bring benefits to your skin as well.

Lavender Soap – BUY IT ONLINE

Two Little Blackbird’s Lavender Soap is made with 100% natural ingredients (like all our products) including olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, and lavender essential oil.

Lavender Essential Oil Benefits: The health benefits of lavender oil for the skin can be attributed to its antiseptic and antifungal properties. It is used to treat various skin disorders such as acne, wrinkles, psoriasis, and other inflammations. It heals wounds, cuts, burns, and sunburns rapidly as it aids in the formation of scar tissues. Lavender oil is added to chamomile to treat eczema.

It is also effective against insect bites. The oil is also used to repel mosquitoes and moths. You will find many mosquito repellents containing lavender oil as one of the ingredients.

Precautions: As with many essential oils, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using lavender essential oil. It is also recommended that diabetics stay away from lavender oil. It may also cause allergic reactions to people having sensitive skin.

Peppermint Soap – BUY IT ONLINE

Two Little Blackbird’s Peppermint Soap is made with 100% natural ingredients (like all our products) including olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, and peppermint essential oil.

Peppermint Essential Oil Benefits:  Peppermint essential oil is very effective when it comes to bacterial eradication. What makes peppermint soap so desirable, though, isn’t just its cleansing properties but its additional effects, in aromatherapy particularly. Peppermint’s aroma brings about a calming effect. Peppermint is also an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral,  antiseptic and astringent.

The nutrients and menthol content found in peppermint essential oil is responsible for the effects of peppermint soap. Peppermint soap, when applied to the skin in either solid or liquid form, kills germs and bacteria on the surface, leaving residue that can be washed off with water. Peppermint is not drying, as one might assume; rather, it stimulates the skin’s oil production, so use it blended with other oils to treat dry complexions.

Upcoming Aromatherapy Soap

Some of our planned aromatherapy soaps are: Eucalyptus, Grapefruit, Lemongrass & Sage, May Chang & Birch and Lime.  Have a favorite essential oil that you’d like to suggest for a soap?  Then comment below and let us know!

The Bath Buzz is a bath, body and candle review blog. They search out products to review and invite their followers to review their favorites.

Two Little Blackbirds was honored by a a review of our Dead Sea Mud Mask.  You can read the review on The Bath Buzz website.  Thanks The Bath Buzz!

• Naturally cleanses and disinfects skin while removing toxins
• Exfoliates, and gently removes dead skin cells
• Tones and softens the skin while unclogging pores
• Stimulates circulation
• Replenishes essential minerals such as Magnesium, Potassium and Calcium
• Improves overall complexion of skin by removing impurities

Our selection of natural soy candles is offered in 8oz square mason jars with a rustic pewter lid and all wrapped up with a black grosgrain ribbon.  The perfect gift anytime of the year. We have eight luscious scents to choose from:

Citrus Splash
Our Citrus Splash soy candle is made with 100% sustainable soy wax, an all cotton wick and Lemon, Lime and Tangerine essential oils.

Cool and Crisp
Cool & Crisp soy candle is made with 100% sustainable soy wax, an all cotton wick and lime, peppermint and spearmint essential oils.

Forest Path
Our Forest Path soy candle is made with 100% sustainable soy wax, an all cotton wick and essential oils of Eucalyptus, Juniper Berry, Myrtle and Lemon. A lively green scent that reminds you of your favorite day in the forest.

Frankincense & Fir
Our Frankincense & Fir soy candle is made with 100% sustainable soy wax, an all cotton wick and frankincense and fir essential oils

Holiday Spice
Our Holiday Spice soy candle is made with 100% sustainable soy wax, an all cotton wick and essential oils of Cinnamon, Clove, Cassia and Orange.

Lemongrass and Sage
Our Lemongrass & Sage soy candle is made with 100% sustainable soy wax, an all cotton wick and Lemongrass, Sage and Lemon essential oils.

Minty Basil
Our Minty Basil soy candle is made with 100% sustainable soy wax, an all cotton wick and Basil and Peppermint essential oils highlighted with a bright spark of Sweet Orange essential oil.

Peppermint and Lemon
Our Peppermint & Lemon soy candle is made with 100% sustainable soy wax, an all cotton wick and peppermint and lemon essential oils.

All of our candles include FREE SHIPPING.

This all purpose Beauty & Bath Oil can be used in the bath, directly on your skin, as a makeup remover, around the eyes to moisturize the sensitive eye area, as a shaving pre-treatment, and can be used as a conditioner for your hair.

Many may find it hard to understand cleaning your face with an oil, especially if you have oily skin. But oil does not cause oily skin or acne. That culprit is usually a combination of hormones, trapped bacteria, and dirt.

Here’s a direct quote from acne.org:

“Oil dissolves oil. One of the most basic principals of chemistry is that “like dissolves like.” The best way to desolve a non-polar solvent like sebum/oil, is by using another non-polar solvent similar in composition: other oils. By using the right oils, you can cleanse your pores of dirt and bacteria naturally, gently and effectively, while replacing the dirty oil with beneficial ones extracted from natural botanicals, vegetables and fruit that heal, protect and nourish your skin. When done properly and consistently, the Oil Cleaning Method can clear the skin from issues like oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, blackheads, whiteheads and other problems caused by mild to moderate acne–while leaving your skin healthy, balanced and properly moisturized.”

Good-quality oil is the perfect substance for cleaning sensitive skin, such as on our face, because it helps gently remove the dirty oil and replaces it with good, nourishing, healing oil.  Our Beauty & Bath Oil contains several of these oils.

About Olive Oil

Among the natural antioxidants to be found in olive oil, there are A and E vitamins, as well as some polyphenols, well known for their ability to postpone aging. By taking out free radicals, freed in the body, these special agents are guaranteed to prolong your life, as they contribute to cell repair. The same thing is valid when you apply olive oil on your skin. As you may well know, our skin is many times exposed to pollution and other factors that cause it to grow older. By caring for skin with olive oil, you will limit the actions of these factors, and enjoy a beautiful skin for a long time.

Olive oil also contains a natural moisturizer, called squalene. Sebum is what makes our skin too greasy, but squalene has the incredible ability of regulating its secretion. This means that, when used on your skin, the sebum will be reduced, and you will experience less skin problems than before.

Another nutrient that exists in olive oil is chlorophyll. This helps a great deal in healing wounds and other scars. Acne blemishes will be nothing but a bad dream, after you apply plenty of olive oil on your skin.

About Apricot Kernel Oil

Apricot Kernel Oil is know for it’s high vitamin E content and skin softening properties. It’s ability to  penetrate the skin without leaving an oily feel helps to make it a popular as massage oil.

Rich in essential fatty acids like oleic and linoleic acid, apricot kernel oil is high in vitamin A. Since it easily penetrates the skin, it is good oil for prematurely aged, dry or irritated skin. The excellent softening and moisturizing properties is great for face, hands and hair. Vitamins A & C are good for mature dry or sensitive skin. The apricot kernel oil helps skin retain elasticity, clarity, and suppleness.

In addition, Apricot Kernel Oil is used as an antitussive, anti-asthmatic and to treat tumors in traditional Chinese medicine. It helps to calm the inflammation / irritation of eczema and dermatitis. When combined with an equal amount of St. John’s Wort Oil, it is acts as anti-inflammatory and has a cooling effect.

About Vitamin E

Vitamin e added to lotions, creams, and other skin care products, as well as taken orally, plays a role in the anti-aging of skin. It helps skin look younger by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Also, free radicals are believed to play an important role in skin aging and therefore the antioxidant activity is quite valuable for this skin problem.

There are a variety of other benefits of vitamin e for skin care:

• vitamin e products help reduce the appearance of stretch marks
• vitamin e can help prevent the appearance of age spots
• it helps maintain the skin’s oil balance during the cleansing process
• it reduces transepidermal water loss from skin and strengthens the skin’s barrier function

About Carrot Seed Oil

Carrot seed oil is often used to rejuvenate dry and mature skin as well as balance oily and dry complexions. And while it can be used on its own, it can be mixed with other skin care products too. Carrot seed oil contains beta carotene and vitamin A. So, in addition to helping skin maintain its elasticity, it helps protect skin from harmful UV rays, says healthguidance.org. Also, carrot seed essential oil helps firm skin and may act as an anti-aging remedy.

• Anti Oxidant: This Carrot Seed essential oil can help you retain your youth and look refreshingly young with anti oxidants that repair all the damages done to your tissues by the oxidants (free radicals) and stop them from doing further harm.
• Anti Septic, Anti Viral & Disinfectant: Externally applied, Carrot Seed Oil can cure infections on skin and in wounds and even protect from new infections.
• Detoxifier: Carrot Seed Oil has ability to detoxify the blood, tissues, muscles and internal organs like liver and kidneys.
• Carcinogenic: Recent studies have shown the Carrot Seed oil is beneficial in curing some forms of cancer too, especially those of mouth, throat, stomach, prostrate, kidneys etc. These anti carcinogenic properties can be attributed partly to its anti oxidant properties, and partly to the other medicinal properties of its components.
• Cytophylactic: It stimulates the growth of new cells and tissues.
• Tonic: One which tones is a tonic, and so is Carrot Seed Oil. It tones up tissues and muscles and increases their efficiencies; it tones and firms the skin.

Need even more reason to choose Two Little Blackbirds’ Beauty & Bath Oil?  Here are just a few of the reasons:

• Rich in Anti-Oxidants
• Full of Anti-Aging Properties
• Paraben Free, Gluten Free
• No Sodium Laureth Sulfate
• Hypoallergenic & Eco-Friendly
• No Colorants
• Not Tested on Animals
• Pure and Natural for all your family
• Made with Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Gentle, Hypoallergenic, Pure and Natural
• Natural Anti-Aging Properties
• Natural Antioxidants
• Free of SLS / SLES Sodium Laureth Sulfate
• Free of Colorants
• No Animal Ingredients, No Animal Fats
• Natural green color from Chlorophyll
• Eco-Friendly

Just read the label on that bottle of dog shampoo under your sink.  You will see all the usual culprits found in commercially produced soaps PLUS you will see all kinds of chemicals to control fleas and ticks.  Most of our pets, pampered or not, are on some sort of flea and tick regimen.  It’s not necessary to bathe them in those harsh chemicals too!  Here are some of the common chemicals found in commercially produced dog shampoo that you should never use on your pet:

• Sodium Laureth/Lauryl Sulfate — This is what makes your shampoo foam up and is called a surfactant. In recent years SLS has come under scrutiny for being too irritating and damaging to the hair follicle, causing skin damage and more. Most human salon and grocery store brands still have some form of this surfactant in thier formulas.
• Tar — a known cancer-causing agent
• Co Co Amide — a known cancer causing agent in animals
• Propylene Glycol — a form of mineral oil that retains moisture in the coat; can be a skin irritant.
• Mineral Oil, Methyl Paraben and Propyl Paraben — may cause allergic reactions
• Ethyl Alcohol (found in synthetic fragrances used in some shampoos) — may cause allergic reactions and dry out your dog’s coat
• Parabens- are one of the most commonly used preservatives and certainly the most controversial. In recent years concerns have been raised that parabens could cause allergic reactions, disrupt our hormonal systems and even contribute to breast cancer. The theory is that even though any given product contains extremely small amounts of parabens, over time they may build up to toxic levels because they are found in so many of the products we use each day. Parabens, including methyl-, butyl-, ethyl-, and propyl-, may cause skin irritation, and there is concern that parabens may be linked to the development of breast cancer. While the evidence isn’t totally concrete, it’s best to steer clear!

Do these chemicals sound familiar?  They should – we’ve been telling you  not to use them on your body.

Enter all natural soap from Two Little Blackbirds.  All of our soaps are pet friendly because they do not contain any artificial ingredients or harsh chemicals.  Your favorite four legged friend will receive the same benefits from using our soap as you do – moisturizing butters and oils that help their coats shine and keep their skin happy.

We understand some dogs need a little extra help in the deodorization department.  Don’t cover up that odor with artificially scented products that can cause skin irritation. Our Bamboo Charcoal Soap is perfect for neutralizing that doggie odor. All of our soaps clean effectively, safely and gently.

Does your dog have itchy skin?  Try our Oatmeal Honey Soap with Vitamin E. The oatmeal will soothe irritated and itchy skin and will leave your dogs coat shiny and clean.

I was reading where someone was espousing the benefits of dog shampoo over human shampoo for dogs because human shampoo “strips the oils from the hair”.  YUK!  Why is anyone using this on their own hair?   Our soaps not only DO NOT strip out the natural oils from skin and hair, they actually add back needed moisture.

Keep your dogs skin and coat healthy with our all natural soaps.  No artificial colors or fragrances – ever!

The EPA is revamping the toxic substance law to help protect you and your family from potentially harmful ingredients.    But, regardless of loopholes in government agencies and industry’s lack of proof of ingredient safety, emerging research indicates these are some of the household chemicals you should avoid. I bet you will find them in any of the commercially produced bath and body products you currently use, but you WILL NOT find any of them in Two Little Blackbirds handcrafted natural products.

Triclosan and triclocarban.
These synthetic antimicrobial chemicals kill aquatic life after they go down your drain and into the local water supply, and have been shown to disrupt proper thyroid functioning in humans. Use of triclosan is also associated with the rise of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, producing dangerous infections that don’t respond well to antibiotic medicine. Triclosan or its cousin, triclocarban, can be found on the ingredients labels of soaps, toothpaste, and other personal-care items. It’s not clear what happens if you ingest a little bit while brushing your teeth twice a day over a long period of time.

Parabens.
These common soap and shower gel ingredients can be found in any product containing some form of “paraben” in the word and should be avoided. Parabens hinder proper functioning of your endocrine system, which includes your thyroid, pituitary, adrenal glands, pancreas, and ovaries or testes.

Fragrance, parfum, linalool, limonene.
These ingredients listed on the label are tip-offs that your product contains artificial scent chemicals. Companies can add any of about 7,000 chemicals to your shampoo or any other personal-care product and simply call it “fragrance” or “parfum” on the label. Many of these contain phthalates, chemicals that make plastics softer, help makeup and lotions stick to your face better, and also help carry fragrance chemicals. Studies link phthalate exposure to hormone disruption, asthma, birth defects in babies, dizziness, headaches, runny nose, allergies, and eczema. Since cleaners, air fresheners, candles, and laundry products aren’t required to label ingredients, it’s best to choose unscented products as much as possible. Our soaps contain absolutely no added fragrances or colors.

DEA, diethanolamine, cocamide DEA, lauramide DEA, and monoethanolamine, MEA.
These wetting, thickening, and foaming agents are used in shampoo and bath products, liquid hand soaps, shaving products, and deodorants. These chemicals have been shown to react with other product chemicals in the can or bottle to form a potent carcinogen called nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA).

PEG, polyethylene glycol, polyethylene, polyoxyethylene, oxynol, or words ending in the letters “eth,” such as myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth.
You won’t ever see the cancer-causing compound 1,4-dioxane on a label, but the aforementioned ingredients are often contaminated with 1,4-dioxane during the manufacturing process, according to the Organic Consumer Association.

Protect yourself and your family from harmful additives.  Read the ingredient labels and then choose natural bath and body products from Two Little Blackbirds. Pure. Simple. Luxurious.

Summer is here and that means sandals!  Do your feet look as good as they can in those sexy strappy sandals?  If not then Two Little Blackbirds can help with our Refreshing Peppermint Foot Care Set.

The Refreshing Peppermint Foot Care Set come with everything you need for soft, sexy, pampered feet.

The set starts with our relaxing Peppermint Foot Soak formulated with 100% Dead Sea Salts infused with cooling Peppermint Essential Oil and healing Tea Tree Essential Oil.  The perfect indulgence for hot, tired, overworked feet.  Prepare a warm foot bath using a teaspoon of Peppermint Foot Soak and warm water.  Enjoy for 10-15 minutes

Using your foot soak water, next,  scrub your feet with our Pampering Pumice Soap to gently smooth any rough heels or calluses.  Formulated with skin loving Shea Butter and natural finely ground pumice, our soap smooth and pampers.

After you have dried your feet, smooth on our Peppermint Foot Balmto keep your skin soft and supple.  Apply as often as you want between your foot soaks and never worry about dry cracked feet again!

With over 60% mineral content, black mud from the Dead Sea has a calming, analgesic effect, and anti-inflammatory properties. Used as a beauty treatment, these salts and mud deeply cleanse the skin and minimize wrinkles and aging while revitalizing the complexion. Our unique Dead Sea Bath Luxuries™ replenish and revitalize the skin, restoring its natural suppleness and moisture levels while alleviating and soothing soreness, redness, cracking and reinvigorating natural damage.

The mud minerals have the immediate effect of making your skin feel vital, refreshed, and clean. Due to the mix of magnesium, bromide and minerals, fine mud grains eliminate the excess oils and dead skin cells, by cleaning out toxins that build up in pores an

d allow the skin to breathe properly by peeling away dead skin cells.It also tightens the area’s most likely to develop wrinkles such as around the eyes, forehead and the corners of the mouth to reveal a more youthful, healthier skin layer.

Dead Sea Mud has many health and skin benefits including:

1. Improving and treating various skin ailments such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, skin rashes, and dandruff
2. Tightens skin improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
3. Hydrates and moisturises skin deep within
4. Exfoliates dead skin buffing away dead skin cells, revealing a youthful complexion
5. Fine dead sea mud granules gently cleanses and detoxifies pores sucking out any impurities and toxins
6. Improving medical conditions, including arthritis, bone and cartilage inflammation, rheumatism, stress, fatigue and sleeplessness.
7. Improving cell metabolism, helping the body absorb nourishment and eliminate toxins.

• Milk Proteins and Calcium Lactate – skin nourishing and conditioning
• Colloidal Oatmeal – soothing and moisturizing
• Dead Sea Salt – soothing and healing
• Almond and Olive Oil – skin nourishing and rejuvenating
• Chamomile extract – skin soothing