In certain enlightenment traditions they say “what you see is not what you see” because many people only see the surface of things. And, whether you like what you smell or not, it’s just the proverbial tip of the iceberg because there is so much more than you are able to perceive on a conscious level. The undetectable part of scent has just as much effect on your subconscious mind and memories as the part you can actually discern… if not more.

It makes sense if you think about the subtlety of Nature. The part you can’t detect because it’s hidden from your perception is the part that effects the hidden parts of your mind… the subconscious level.

While I can’t tell you what certain oils do on a subconscious level, I can discuss some of the benefits of specific oils that help reduce the effect of STRESS in daily life.

So, in the next post I’m going to cover some amazing essential oils and how they assist to reduce stresses that manifest in certain areas of life in this crazy, adventurous world we share where “what you smell is not what you smell.”

Live Natural. Go Pure!
Michael

Flowers use scent to attract critters that help the male flowers pollenate the female flowers… yes, all the world comes in gender. The next time you find yourself mesmerized by a beautiful bouquet of flowers, you might see them in new light once you remember that their main goal in life is to score with the flower next door! Baby flowers don’t come from storks either…

An animal uses scent to attract a mate. First they make their own scent to put themselves out into the dating arena. Then they mark their territory to make it distinctive from all the others. And, when they finally succeed in wooing a companion, they mark their mate too! Of course, the mate is okay with being marked by that particular scent, because it was that exact scent that drew the mate in the first place. Ah, true love!

That is the world of natural scents from the outdoors point of view. Indoors, we tend to think of scent as how we define ourselves, how we subtly inform the world around us that we are different. We don’t want to smell the same as everyone else, any more than we want to arrive at a party in the same attire as someone else.

Impostors… synthetic scents… also compete for our attention, and pocketbook, but they are not complex enough to make things stir inside… you know, in that “birds and bees” kind of way. Usually it’s just enough to make us sneeze. Not exactly romance-inspiring.

The cool part is, that although two people can wear the same natural scent, it will never smell exactly the same because of differences in body chemistry. The pure essential oils we use in Florapathics aromatherapy products are the same essences wielded by the plants and flowers in nature.

So explore the world of natural scents. Discover the scents that work for you. And don’t be shy about trying something new… someone might just bring you flowers!

Live Natural. Go Pure!
Michael

Children just don’t have the same level of tolerance for many things. They are more vulnerable because their immune systems are not as developed, their bodies are metabolizing much faster, and they are much smaller. Yet most mass-market personal care products use the same chemicals for children as they do for adults (with exception of baby shampoo).

That means they are taking in a lot more chemicals, faster, at higher levels. These chemicals can have increased toxic effects on children when present in the same concentrations as for adults.

That’s why it’s important to monitor what your children use and make sure it doesn’t contain unhealthy, unnatural ingredients.

It’s natural for parents to want to give their children an improved life, but I’ve noticed people will consider buying healthier products for their children, or grandchildren, and then personally continue to use the same products with chemicals on themselves.

I’m sure everyone has their “reasons” but the thing is… children emulate their role models and as they get older they want to use “adult” products. So, if you really want your children to learn healthier, life-long habits, you have to lead by example.

Many of you are trying to buy better products for your children. But are you really taking care of yourself and setting a good example at the same time? Because my experience with children is that they seem to grow up faster these days, and they see everything you do… even when you think they don’t!

Just something to think about…

Live Natural. Go Pure!
Michael

The problem is you don’t usually get to choose a product. You only get to choose the packaging. Do you know why? Because the ingredients are all the same! Don’t believe me? Have you really read the labels?

Mass retailing is a science… it’s all about shelf space and marketshare, and while everyone is busy “greenwashing” their products, they still don’t give you real choices… because they don’t have anything real… as far as being an authentically different choice!

But, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can make a real choice for better quality, not based on the psychology of packaging… but knowing that your personal care products actually provide you value because the ingredients are better for you!

Basically, it all comes down to the lifestyle choices you want to make…

Do you want toxic chemicals in your soaps, bodywashes, and shampoos? Or, do you want to know that not only is a product cleansing your body, but that its actually nutritive, and it doesn’t have any harmful ingredients?

At least then, while you are dancing in the shower (you know you want to), you will have bodycare that you can be happy about!

And, if you do get caught dancing in the shower, you can just blame it on your aromatherapy body wash… that’s what I do.

Live Natural. Go Pure!
Michael

Now I’m not saying we don’t need preservatives in our personal care products, because if we don’t use them bacteria will grow. But what I am saying is that we can use better natural ingredients with natural preservative systems. It’s all possible, but it’s just more expensive to make.

The thing is, bacteria are alive just like we are. And, we have good bacteria (we’ll die without them) and bad bacteria (commonly called germs). Anti-bacterial agents in the form of preservatives basically kill all bacteria, and they are measured in units according to their anti-life effectiveness.

Parabens and Urea (formaldehyde… yes, embalming fluid) are commonly used to preserve body care products. And they are pretty potent, so they are used in parts per million quantities. Triclosan is a million times more toxic! And companies have the nerve to say “Oh, it’s just a small percentage of our total product formula” as though that changes the toxicity of something used in parts per trillion!

So why do they use these ingredients? Parabens, triclosan, propylene glycol, urea, petroleum byproducts, mineral oil, and sulfates (and I could go on…)? Because they are cheap!

Everything has a price. But ask yourself “What value am I getting?”

I work hard for my money just like you, and I’ve made my choices. I truly hope that when it comes time for you to make choices about your personal care products, that you remember to consider the value you are getting in return for what you are spending.

Live Natural. Go Pure!
Michael

I get asked all the time, usually at parties or social gatherings, how I got started as a perfumer. How was I able to build my own company all around natural scent? Usually I would find a way to give a reasonable-sounding reply, while still managing to evade a more personal story. It still affects me so much that it’s difficult to speak out loud, but writing seems a bit easier.

You see, it all goes back to my grandfather. When I was a little boy, I thought he hung the moon. I would have spent all day, everyday with him if I could have. He was the best man I’ve ever known. Unfortunately, he worked the night shift, and he slept all day… which is just torture for a little kid. I did my best to be quiet, but when no one was looking I would stand outside his door with my ear pressed to see if I could hear him breathing. A most uneventful pastime, but somehow it relaxed me. A lot of oppressive things happened in my childhood, as can be said by many people, yet somehow as long as he was not too far away, I knew everything would be okay… he was my anchor.

Then, just like that, the world became, for a while, a sullen, shadowy place. I woke up to most of my family being in my house in the middle of the night, and my heart numbed because I knew my grandfather wasn’t there. And, even at 9, I knew he wasn’t coming back.

I tried to be brave while I felt like I was dying inside. As soon as I could I ran to his house and I jumped in my grandparents’ bed, and I breathed in his scent as deeply as I could so I would never lose it. But I was afraid I would lose it… so I stole my grandfather’s pillow, because it had his scent… the pure essence of his smell was as close to him as I could get. I swapped the pillows. Even my grandmother didn’t know. (Maybe that’s why I never told this story?)

For a long time I had it successfully hidden in my room. And when I missed him, I would just hug the pillow until I couldn’t breathe. Then about a year later my mother found it while I was at school. But she didn’t know about it, because it was my secret.

I just about died when my mother washed that pillow!

But, after that trauma had passed, I realized I could recall the scent memory and I hadn’t lost it after all. In that one moment I realized the power of scent. I’ve been fascinated with it ever since.

So remember my story… remember the power of scent on the psyche, and that every scent isn’t just a scent, but to someone somewhere, it is a very powerful memory. I’m not sure what scent will recall my essence for those closest to me when I leave this world for the next, but I hope it brings some comfort until we will meet again…

Live Natural. Go Pure!
Michael

The joy of being an organic perfumer is sometimes overwhelming. For me, immersing myself completely in the world of natural scents, invoking the qualities that I want my perfumes to convey, and then finding the resonant essential oil notes to create a symphony of pure aroma that strikes a chord inside… that’s how I know I got it right!

Each creation has its own personality. Many times I don’t know the name of a finished scent until after it exists. I start with a feeling, an impression of something that wants to be expressed, and then somehow I can pick up on the scent vibrations that resonate with that feeling…

And, the funny thing is, the more I don’t think about it, the faster it happens. It feels like an interesting kind of flow, perhaps like Zen, it’s a way, the Way of Pure Aroma.

I believe I experience a kind of ecstasy during blending, not just from the perceivable scents of the pure oils, but also from the frequencies they carry. That is something synthetic scents just can’t do. I’ve tried it, and it just doesn’t work. Only natural oils carry pure imprints from nature, and all that fake fragrance pumped into the world disconnects us from Nature, and each other, and our selves.

I seem to connect to the world through the essences of pure aroma. It’s just my way. And I do hope, no matter where your personal path leads you, that our paths do cross somewhere on the way… maybe on the Way of Pure Aroma.

Live Natural. Go Pure!
Michael

When I create products for Florapathics I am only willing to use ingredients I would put on my own body. But suppliers send me all kinds of material samples under the pretense of being “natural” because they know I won’t use it if it’s not natural. It’s funny, and sad at the same time, for what they try to pass off as natural.

When I say the word “natural” I mean something that either comes directly from Nature all ready to use as an ingredient, or compounds isolated from natural ingredients for a good reason. If it’s something derived from nature by putting it through six additional processes with four other “natural” chemicals and it has a 14-syllable name… it’s not natural enough for me.

The way most companies use the definition of natural stretches even the most imaginative mind. From a certain point of view everything that exists is natural, unless it’s supernatural, but that is a broad abuse of the word when it comes to personal care products.

Allowing the chemical sales people to label an ingredient as natural is like letting the fox watch the henhouse. Big companies put out products they call natural, based on what their chemists tell them, and based on the information supplied by the chemical manufacturers. Where’s the accountability for that? Everyone can just point the finger at someone else.

Well, that’s not my idea of REAL. Real is being able to pick up the phone and talk to the guy that’s accountable to the person who is buying the product. That’s you!

And, that’s me too! I am accountable for Florapathics and everything that happens on my watch… which is always. Pick up the phone and call. Maybe you have a question? Or maybe you just want the assurance that someday when you do have a question, you will be able to talk to a real, live, knowledgeable person.

You can even call toll-free. It’s my dime. Sometimes the phones are really busy. You might have to leave a message, but you will get a call back as soon as possible!

Just call 888.90.FLORA or 888.903.5672 or 713.432.9800 (direct)
Customer Service Hours: 10-5 CST Monday-Friday

How’s that for Real?

Live Natural. Go Pure!
Michael

When I was creating a floral blend with just the right balance, not weak but not overbearing, sweet but not cloying, fresh without that fake powdery scent, it was this quotation that guided my inspiration… and I named the scent Blossom™ because that’s how it makes you feel.

“If the Earth laughs in flowers, then Blossom™ is the ultimate euphoria! Imagine traversing the world seeking the finest French lavender buds, the sweetest Indian jasmine, amazing ylang-ylang flowers, and the richest magnolia blossoms from Asia… and then infusing their essences to create the quintessential floral scent. Try Blossom™ and follow your bliss!”

Blossom™ started out only to become a very special perfume, but it has such a perfect floral scent that I had to infuse it into our lotion, body wash, candles, and more.

If you love floral scents that smell like real flowers, and not the fake synthetic floral fragrances you find in most places, you just found the ultimate euphoria! Let yourself Blossom™ like the Earth laughing.

Visit our Blossom™ Collection page.

Live Natural. Go Pure!
Michael

It matters because everything is connected to everything, and everything affects everything else. What we put in our water and our air, from the bottom of the oceans to the edge of our atmosphere, it all matters. We are a part of it, and it is a part of us.

Embracing more purity in your life isn’t just about you choosing what you put on your body. Sure, that’s a part of it. But, it’s so much more! Because when you claim that right for yourself, you shift the status quo one more notch towards a healthier world. The world is collectively the sum of everyone’s individual choices, but it seems a lot of people are waiting for others to tell them what’s really good for them.

It’s the first choice that counts: Choose Purity! Everything after that gets a lot clearer. Then every time you make a choice, simply ask yourself “Am I choosing purity?” Of course, it only works if you truly want purity. You will have to do some homework. You will have to care enough to read product labels. And, you might even have to make some sacrifices… but I believe it’s worth it.

I choose purity! And, whether or not you choose Florapathics, I hope wherever you are, that you will choose purity too! Because it does matter. Because everything matters!

Live Natural. Go Pure!
Michael