This year has been unusual for everyone: lockdowns, cancelled air travel, conferences moving from physical to digital locations – having to adjust to a rather disturbing ‘new normal’ has taken its toll on all of us.

But there have been positive moments too.

I count myself among the very privileged to be able to work with what I love most – and that has been able to continue throughout this year.

Gardening for Skincare

Handcrafted infusions and extracts of all kinds have been ongoing all year in my lab. Apart from my regular walks (where I shamelessly forage for skincare-useful botanicals), I also decided to plant a few things in the garden. Helichrysum, lavender, lemon balm, rosemary, and thyme are now living right outside my door - ready to be enjoyed on the dinner plate or in an extract.

I also discovered to my joy that the lovely little pine growing in the garden offered the most amazing resinous cones and the neighbors beautiful butterfly bush had the most fragrant blossoms imaginable hanging right over the fence – just waiting for me to capture their fragrance.

Two New Publications

I am so thankful that these 2 books joined my list of publications this year :

The positive feedback on both of these (and your continued requests for more) is the best kind of reaction I could wish for.

I want to thank each and every one of you who have bought either of these (or any publication) from me and promise I am doing my best to deliver on the subjects you are asking for (more on that in the New Year).

New Course at Tisserand Institute

I am immensely proud to be a member of the Tisserand Institute team of educators and once again worked with Hana and Robert Tisserand to develop a new 4 week course that went live this Fall. Emulsion Essentials is level 2 of the 12-week Certification program: Aromatic Formulation.

Level 1 – Essential Formulation – is an 8 week course that was introduced last year and opened again for enrollment in the late Spring of this year.

We were thrilled to see so many signups and want to thank the lovely participants from last year for recommending this course to so many!

New Tutorial at Tisserand Institute

I also worked with Hana and Robert to create a single-lesson tutorial: The Fresh Lavender Hand Rescue Bar. The goal was to offer a ‘quick and easy’ lesson that can be accessed 24/7. The Tutorial has had a fabulous response and the many comments of ‘I didn’t know it was possible to make a non-greasy solid lotion’ have been received with much gratitude.

If you’re a little curious about any of the courses at Tisserand Institute and want to get a little ‘taste test’ of the style and format, this tutorial might be just the thing for you.

Confident Creators

And to all who have taken any of my courses at Tisserand Institute: you have been absolutely wonderful to work with! Your input has been hugely inspirational and I am continuously impressed at how many creative and imaginative formulators are bursting onto the scene.

Promise me you will keep your newfound confidence, give yourself the credit you deserve, and go out there and make some magic!

A Decade of Blogging

I was really looking forward to celebrating 10 years of blogging on Google’s Blogger platform this year (it has been a positive experience overall), but unfortunate circumstances caused a change of plans with an extended (and still ongoing) move.

Most of this has been happening ‘behind the scenes’ and for those of you who subscribe to the blog, you may not even have noticed much difference. If that is the case, then my ongoing behind the scenes work can be categorized a success.

Regardless of online location, I am proud to have reached an entire decade of blogging and still enjoy it immensely.

Thank You

So, thank you for sticking around, for subscribing to my newsletter, for sharing and following me on Instagram, for liking my posts on Facebook, and for all your wonderful and inspiring comments and questions. Your support and wonderful feedback has really helped make this topsy turvy year feel a little less unstable and a lot more positive.

Stay safe and stay healthy.

Much love