01
Mar ’23
New Beginnings
Posted by James Elliott in store news
Watch this space. It doesn't look like much now but you’re going to love it.
10
Nov ’22
What You Could Not Visualise
Posted by James Elliott in events
When a rock star becomes your life coach, your life is never the same again.
31
Jul ’22
Stand Up, Fight Back
Posted by James Elliott in the more you know, transparency
To the people asking why I would turn away sales, or to the business owners who question me requiring U.S. customers to contact their representatives, allow me to present what’s about to happen in the fall when SCOTUS reconvenes and listens to arguments for 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis. [Source: Supreme Court of the United States]
To date, amicus briefs for this case have been filed by 20 Republican Senators and 38 House of Representatives, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Colorado Catholic Conference, the General Council of the Assemblies of God, the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and Samaritan’s Purse. [Source: KLTV; Catholic News Agency]
Given that we know SCOTUS met and prayed with a right-wing evangelical activist directly following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, it’s safe to assume that the Court will side with 303 Creative LLC, which will allow businesses to discriminate against LGBTQ people on the grounds of “religious beliefs.” [Source: Rolling Stone]
Currently in the U.S. there are 27 states without LGBTQ nondiscrimination policies. In terms of numbers, 6,274,000 LGBTQ Americans in these 27 states could lose their employment, housing, and health services at minimum because of “religious beliefs.” (This number was tabulated from a 2020 poll of Americans who identified as LGBTQ within each of the 27 states.) [Source: Movement Advancement Project]
State lawmakers are already working on their own “Don’t Say Gay” legislation to follow in Florida’s footsteps. [Source: NPR]
We are being shown – in broad daylight – what they mean to do to us.
So when you ask why I am requiring all U.S. customers to contact their representatives, this is why.
29
Jun ’22
Defending our rights
Posted by James Elliott in store news
Effective immediately, all U.S. orders will require proof that you contacted your elected officials demanding they fight to protect full bodily autonomy. Failure to produce proof will result in a cancellation of your order.
Here are some links to help you fight back:
Here are some book recommendations:
- The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
- How We Can Win by Kimberly Jones
- Artists in Times of War by Howard Zinn
You can text RESIST to 50409. Answer the questions the bot texts you, and in two minutes you’ll have sent a letter to the elected officials of your choice: your members of Congress, state legislators, or many more.
I will follow up with you when you place an order and ask for a screenshot or photo of you contacting your elected officials. I will delete all images and I will not share your information. I am instituting this requirement for all U.S. orders until we take back our rights for full bodily autonomy.
If you are not ready to fight, then get the fuck out of the way.
16
Aug ’21
IFRA Compliance
Posted by James Elliott in IFRA, the more you know, transparency
The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) works hand in hand with the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM) to test materials and deem appropriate safety levels in 12 categories of consumer goods. Lip products are category 1; candles are category 12; and fragrances are category 4. IFRA standards change as needed, so all things fragrant must stay ever vigilant with material safety levels.
In the U.S., IFRA draws different reactions from myriad perfumers: conspiracy theories about corporations and chemicals; dramatic eye rolls; stern looks over eyewear to remind you the standards are not mandatory; and prepared monologues condemning other perfumers who choose not to follow the standards.
U.S. cosmetics safety laws presume you, the business owner, know what you are doing when it comes to making and selling all things fragrant. This is in stark contrast to other nations that set and enforce regulations to protect the safety of their citizens. The de facto state of the U.S. market is litigation when products harm consumers.
I use Bergamot FCF which is bergapten-free (not photosensitizing). I have the Certificate of Analysis and Safety Data Sheet to verify this. Bergamot FCF shares the same Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) number as regular Bergamot (8007-75-8), and IFRA standards restrict the use of Bergamot oil to 0.40% of a finished fragrance. Despite one of my natural fragrances containing 0.67% of Bergamot FCF – bergapten-free – according to IFRA I’m still using too much Bergamot. I could petition my supplier to register a different CAS for their Bergamot FCF, but “citrus bergamia peel oil bergaptene reduced” (CAS number 68648-33-9) still falls under the same restrictions.
To ensure everything in my collection in IFRA compliant, I’ve reformulated 12 of my original natural fragrances using a mixture of natural and synthetic materials.
- AEON
- AURELIA
- DE-LUXE
- GLIDER
- INCURABLE
- IOTA
- LIVONIA
- LOVESLEEP
- SIXTEEN DAYS
- SOUND & FOG
- SURFER ROSA
- WAX & WANE
My goal with these reformulations is that you don’t notice any loss of the original fragrance. I have a Bergamot replacer from a flavor and fragrance manufacturer that, frankly, doesn't smell at all like Bergamot to me. The choice was clear: I made my own Bergamot accord that is bergapten-free. In AEON, I’m using the maximum amount of Bergamot FCF (0.40%) plus my accord, resulting in the finished water perfume containing 1.04% Limonene and 0.38% that are far below IFRA standards for each material.