Rose Harvest Difficulties

This just in from our Bulgarian producer.  He was confirming our preorder of Rosa Alba (White Rose) CO2 Extraction, but warned us of a significant increase in cost, and asked whether I still wanted the material, since the price had escalated. (I said of course!)  His explanation of the reason for the increase will be upsetting for all true Rose lovers.

The reason - totally failed rose campaign because of unfavorable weather conditions during early spring. The situation is not only local for our company, but this is valid for the rest of the Bulgarian processors and rose growers. 

Actually the price of flowers exceeded a 50% increase during the rose harvesting, which finally influenced the price of all kind of rose products. 

In addition the total production of rose oil for whole Bulgaria is down 30% below what it has been during the last several years!!! We have been updated for a similar situation in Turkey, thus your decision to buy organic certified rose oil earlier this year turned to be a wise decision... :)

(He refers to an offer he made of some more of the 2014 certified organic Rose Otto. We bought not one but TWO kilos, and are grateful today for that (seemingly!) extravagant purchase.)

We hope to have  enough on hand to meet all your aromatic needs until the 2016 harvest.  This is one time that I will NOT sell out all of our stock without reserving some for my personal delight.

Helichrysum and corporate greed

Helchrysum and greed

Many of you know that last year we received 1/3 of our requested allocation of rare Corsican Helichrysum.   We tried.  We were not able to get more. For this reason we were unable to offer this most healing of essential oils in bulk or in wholesale sizes.  We even removed our 15 ml standard size in an attempt to make this precious oil last until the next distillation.

In years past we have never applied our "standard" pricing formula to Corsican Helichrysum.   Instead, we lowered the price to cover our costs, of course, but to try to make it available to all who needed it.   No other source for Helichrysum italicuum offers both an acceptable level of Neryl acetate and the high level of italidiones, rare ketones found only in this oil, and, in our experience, the component that allows Corsican helichrysum to have the almost magical effect we have seen on surgical and burn scars.

We posted on our website "Only one per customer."  We limited availability to the two smallest sizes we offer. And we increased the price, not to make a profit, but to try to ensure that our supply would last through the year until this summer's harvest.

This year I received confirmation about my request.  If we are fortunate, we will receive the same limited amount we received last year. There is no possibility of more.  Why?  Because a luxury skincare company is featuring Corsican Helichrysum italicuum in a luxury anti-aging line of products. And they have bought the entire crop of Helichrysum being cultivated on the Island of Corsica through the year 2020.

Having a perfumer buy all the available Rose de Mai from Grasse saddened and frustrated me. I love Rose de Mai absolute.  But there are other roses to perform the magic that rose performs on a woman's spirit and skin.   There is nothing else with the italidione count of the Corsican heli.  And they don't even mention the Italidiones in their advertising.  They talk of the Neryl Acetate. LOTS of Heli  has high Neryl acetate.

I hope those who can spend well over a hundred dollars for a small vial of anti-aging skincare products enjoy their "youthful glow".  Those who bear physical and emotional scars that perhaps could be healed by Corsican helichrysum salute you.