Fruit & Cream Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Masque Discussion

I'm curious to see if you guys would prefer this masque to have the creamy type texture of our other masques or if you'd be interested in having a little very very fine grain apricot seed powder added as an exfoliant? You can still apply the mask as usual and it will stay on and not flake off if you don't want to use the exfoliant BUT if you apply a gentle pressure on your skin and move your fingers in a circular motion, you can exfoliate your skin gentle. It is a kind of gritty texture. If it has the apricot seed it will function as a cleanser type concept as well so you can use it in that fashion instead of a masque. This masque will be offered like our other masques: in powder format. The only thing with the exfoliant added is that even though you can apply it without using it as an exfoliant (you'd have to apply pressure and scrub if that's what you're aiming for), when you remove it in the shower or at the sink with a washcloth, you'll be exfoliating as the masque is being removed so you can't by pass the exfoliating action completely. I think it'd be awesome to do a facial steam (with our facial steaming herbs/flowers released ONE DAY), follow with this masque/scrub and finish with toner and a touch of either Ghost or Rosemilk for a deep cleansing treat used bi-weekly or so.

The other option is to offer it without the apricot seed. It will have a creamy texture but not quite as creamy as our other two masques due to the fruit component. If we go this route, I will eventually (not super soon as I have too many other things to work on - one step at a time!) I can make a fine grain sugar scrub for face with all kinds of goodies in it. I've made one before with sugar, shea, olive squalane, essential oils that are great for cleansing, balancing and healing., etc.

The very last option is to have both. If you don't think that you would forgo one product to try another and that you'd genuinely be interested in both since they would have nothing in common except for the fruit masque has a little apricot seed powder to exfoliate, then I'm curious to see what you think of that. The sugar scrub would most likely have to be offered in the cooler weather as I'd be worried it would melt in transit!

Thanks for your input guys.

I would be fine either way. I would love to have it without and then have a sugar scrub offered as well (eventually), if I had my druthers. I'd also dearly love for neither to have lavender EO, since I can't use products with it, but I'm just one customer and I totally understand if it is better for the product and the majority of your customers if it is in the mix.

Thanks for your feedback, Alicious! What happens if you use lavender? That is really lousy! One of the perfumes coming out for spring has the most glorious lavender absolute ever in it...ugh...it smells so good. Boo that you can't use it.

There would be lavender in the scrub because it is just killer for skin care. I don't have real sensitive skin and I'll put straight lav EO on my face and the blackheads go POOF! It's also great for blemishes. It would also have the palmarosa and geranium for sebum balancing and they benefit other skin types. I can't recall what else I put in the scrub without my recipe in front of me.

Sounds divine! I would use either but probably prefer more creamy with a separate sugar scrub. I do love lavender-can't wait to smell the new perfume!

I like the idea of creamy, but if exfoliant gives you the same result, then either is fine with me. Would love to try this! You're so creative, Angela, and come up with the most high-quality products that have a lot of thought put into them.
Meanwhile, I'm waiting on pins and needles for spring release news ...

I'd love to have a facial mask that was also exfoliating - it's hard for me to find the time to do masks so the exfoliation would really help. I already do use the oatmeal et al. mask for mild exfoliating.

P.S. Love lavender e.o.! Do you use a specific kind? I usually buy Lavender 40/42 from Mountain Rose.

I vote for creamy exfoliant (no apricot powder) plus separate sugar scrub. Apricot powder is a little too harsh for my face, even if I only rub it around while applying and rinsing.

I realize this is going to make me sound like the laziest person ever, but do you have thoughts on the shelf life of your masques if I premixed some and kept in either the shower or the refrigerator? I loved the oatmeal one and would be interested in trying the cocoa one, but I found myself not using the former that often because I wouldn't think about all the measuring, mixing, etc. until halfway through my shower. I'd love to premix at least a few applications to have on hand.

Solstice Scents wrote:

Thanks for your feedback, Alicious! What happens if you use lavender? That is really lousy! One of the perfumes coming out for spring has the most glorious lavender absolute ever in it...ugh...it smells so good. Boo that you can't use it.

There would be lavender in the scrub because it is just killer for skin care. I don't have real sensitive skin and I'll put straight lav EO on my face and the blackheads go POOF! It's also great for blemishes. It would also have the palmarosa and geranium for sebum balancing and they benefit other skin types. I can't recall what else I put in the scrub without my recipe in front of me.

Never mind her, but that Lavender Absolute sounds wonderful! Can't wait!!

PS- I was just kidding about Ms. A. She knows I'm nuts about her!

Solstice Scents wrote:

Thanks for your feedback, Alicious! What happens if you use lavender? That is really lousy! One of the perfumes coming out for spring has the most glorious lavender absolute ever in it...ugh...it smells so good. Boo that you can't use it.

There would be lavender in the scrub because it is just killer for skin care. I don't have real sensitive skin and I'll put straight lav EO on my face and the blackheads go POOF! It's also great for blemishes. It would also have the palmarosa and geranium for sebum balancing and they benefit other skin types. I can't recall what else I put in the scrub without my recipe in front of me.

Sadly, I'm allergic. If it is a tiny tiny note in a perfume I can sometimes get away with it, but in leave on body products I get hives, and in facial products I break out even if I wash it off. It also goes completely off on my skin and smells ghastly within about 15 minutes, so even if I liked a perfume with heavy lavender that didn't cause hives, it doesn't like me.

I totally get that it is beneficial to have it in the blend; it's just my wonky immune system. I had to find new homes for my toners for this reason, and they are now in loving hands. I know lots of people will love the scrub and the perfume, though, and I know I'll love the masque! (Mask?)

If that perfume comes in home fragrance oil, however, I am all over it. I grow lavender in my garden and sniff it regularly. I just don't touch it.

katmish - I use the lavender 40/42 on my face

alicious - That really really sucks. I'm so sorry. Unfortunately the perfume is only going to be available as a premium perfume (the 5 mL size) because there are some really expensive ingredients in there so there is no way I can afford to offer it in other applications. The home fragrances this time around are apple mallow and banana nut bread. Both are knock your socks off strong. Masque = Mask

I can occasionally get away with face products that have exfoliants in them, but I can only use such products maybe once a week at the most. Usually more like every other week. I have rosacea, and if I try to use any kind of facial exfoliant regularly, my skin looks worse, not better.

My vote would therefore be for the creamy version, sans apricot kernel powder.

Very interesting that the people posting are primarily wanting it without the exfoliant but the poll shows 5 wanting it plus a future sugar scrub (was that option confusing?)

I didn't see the poll at first , but lean towards exfoliation in the masque now. I don't think the options are confusing, but what if someone wants a scrub free masque and an exfoliating scrub both?

Also, I am all over those home fragrance blends! Apple Mallow sounds wonderful. I just got a soapstone oil burner so I need to take on its maiden voyage with some Gingerbread and Vanilla Cream tonight....

alicious wrote:

I didn't see the poll at first , but lean towards exfoliation in the masque now. I don't think the options are confusing, but what if someone wants a scrub free masque and an exfoliating scrub both?

Also, I am all over those home fragrance blends! Apple Mallow sounds wonderful. I just got a soapstone oil burner so I need to take on its maiden voyage with some Gingerbread and Vanilla Cream tonight....

Shake that GB & VC before using because it separates. Also, the Apple Mallow is real close to the green apple perfume that you had. The dominant note is that apple but the mallow acts to sweeten it and soften it a little. But it's real crisp. Sweet and fresh and very present when burning. I may or may not have also made both of those scents in a scrub.

I voted for the masque without the apricot seed powder (in my experience any sort of seed exfoliant is way too harsh for my face), but I would like to see both the masque sans powder and a sugar scrub in the future. Thought I would note this in the comments as this wasn't an option on the poll. I'm dying to get my hands on this masque...

Yea, from my experience, apricot is quite harsh, it doesn't do much for my pores, but sugar scrub is fine. I actually read online before that apricot scrubs open the pores instead because they are too rough... but I don't really know about that.

I love masks and whatever you are planning sounds great! Anyways, I voted for non-scrub!

I was thinking of maybe selling little baggies of the apricot seed powder separate if someone wants to mix it in. This way you could add it to any of the masques you prefer. I used the apricot seed with the new fruit masque test (I hadn't made it in a while so I'm just double checking I was happy with the original recipe) and my skin was freaking glowing and looking really really awesome yesterday and today. It's like creamy and dewy and soft. So I'm really into the scrub but as someone else mentioned, the exfoliant added does limit how often you could use it.

Thanks for your input guys. I'm leaning toward creamy.

I like the idea of a separate bag!

Solstice Scents wrote:

Very interesting that the people posting are primarily wanting it without the exfoliant but the poll shows 5 wanting it plus a future sugar scrub (was that option confusing?)

Sweetheart... I just want it all!!

Solstice Scents wrote:

I was thinking of maybe selling little baggies of the apricot seed powder separate if someone wants to mix it in. This way you could add it to any of the masques you prefer. I used the apricot seed with the new fruit masque test (I hadn't made it in a while so I'm just double checking I was happy with the original recipe) and my skin was freaking glowing and looking really really awesome yesterday and today. It's like creamy and dewy and soft. So I'm really into the scrub but as someone else mentioned, the exfoliant added does limit how often you could use it.

Thanks for your input guys. I'm leaning toward creamy.

I am open to whatever since I am not picky I am just really looking forward to this mask, but this is also a great idea Angela (sell apricot seed powder separate).

I think the idea of selling the apricot seed powder is a great idea! Kind of like the Buffing Grains that Bobbi Brown sells. The exfoliant can then be added to any cleanser to make it an exfoliating cleanser/masque as needed.