Suppliers (January 1, 2011)
The quality of ingredients matters. I rely on a few suppliers that provide high quality ingredients.
- Unrefined vegetable oils
- Flora.
800-446-2110 Theirs are always excellent. They describe their oils as organic, cold-pressed, unrefined, and unmodified. They are also fresh. They put the press date on the label as well as a use-by date. All the bottles I bought had a press date a month or two earlier.
Unrefined camellia oil is available from Republic of Tea, the current product name is "Stir Fry Tea Oil." It is described as "Cold-Pressed, Extra Virgin, and USDA Certified Organic." The "extra virgin" means it has not been refined. I use camellia oil for cleansing my face when I cannot get almond oil.
Unrefined jojoba oil is available from Jancas in Arizona. They offer both a refined and an unrefined oil, make sure which you order.
I buy coconut oil from Radiant Life, 888-593-9595. There is a difference in coconut oils, which I discussed in person with the founders of Radiant Life some years ago. These coconuts are fresh and the oil is extracted by centrifuge.
- Shea butter
- I like the shea butter from L'Occitane.
I can find this product in a local shop, which saves me shipping fees.
I used to buy shea butter from Mode de Vie. They call their shea butter Karite-One. I also bought and enjoyed their Seamud Soap. They used to sell a green montmorillonite clay from France that was simply divine, sadly they no longer import it.
- Clay
- I like the clays from Phybiosis. The distributor is Naprodis. Both companies were founded by Dr. Paul F. Petit, DC, a former French family care physician, and are located in Poway, California. The website is still disappointing. I spoke to Dr. Petit some years ago and became convinced he does know clay. I am a satisfied user of his kaolin and montmorillonite clays. Lucky for me, there are two grocery stores in Marin County, California that carry his clays, so I do not have to mail-order them.
- Essential oils and hydrosols
- Suzanne Catty is a master of hydrosols. Her company,
Acqua Vita,
provides both products and invaluable information.
Highly recommended!
An excellent source of essential oils is Original Swiss Aromatics located in San Rafael, California (my home) and founded by Kurt Schaubelt and Monika Haas.