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Do You Believe in Magic?

By Lisa Link Phillips
Suds Report | November, 2002

"This time at Suds Report, I'd like to start with a few questions posed to our thoughtful readers: Do you believe in magic? Have you ever? Did you give up your beliefs as you grew older, or has age made your beliefs in those powers even stronger?

Magic: the concept of the supernatural, the presence of a divine force. Power. Magic has always been close to the center of many questions humankind has confronted over the course of history. Although the concept of magic has been largely dismissed by our current, western culture, there are obvious threads of these old beliefs still running through many areas of our lives. So many of our modern religious roots and "silly" superstitions hearken back to days when there were very real and deeply-held perceptions about the "forces" of good and evil, the roles they played in our daily lives, and, most importantly, our seeming lack of control over them. Ranging from the belief in the ancient gods and goddesses of Mt. Olympus, to the simple practices of protection spells or hexes in literally hundreds of different cultures all over the world, humans have a broad range of richly varied beliefs in supernatural power.

Today, modern science has provided explanations to many of our past notions about magic and the supernatural. However, I think that while many of us will publicly "poo-poo" the idea of magic, we secretly desire it to remain a part of our life. As a whole, I think humans find comfort in the fact that there just may be powers we can (possibly) harness to change or maintain certain areas of our lives. Magic fuels our hopes during the darkest times of our lives, and provides us with a common dialect for the human condition. Now, I know you all are thinking, "Interesting sociology lesson (or silly ramble) Lisa, but what the heck does this have to do with bath and body care stuff?"

Simple Magic in Practice

Trust me readers, I do have a method to my madness, so stay with me here. Many times, magic is based in forms of ritual, and the perceived power these actions can imbue within the person performing the ritual. Now, what ritual is more beloved to us suds fanatics than cleansing our bodies and "anointing" them with fragrant oils and lush creams? Paying proper attention to our bodies helps to refresh our mind, relieve stress, and is sensually pleasing. Basically, simple magic in practice.

I pondered these issues while I tried a bevy of "magical" bath and body goodies from Blue Moon Herbals. Admittedly, while I'm pretty firmly based in the camp of "99% of things can, or someday will, be explained by science," I do like to keep my mind open to the possibility that there just might an energy or power that will always remain a mystery to us.

Lunar Power

In my own quest, the first products I tried were those from Blue Moon Herbals, a small company specializing in handmade potions, scrubs and oils to "enhance psychological and physical being." Debbie Quinn, a woman who truly believes these products create power, runs Blue Moon. She has overcome cancer, three times, and she attributes much of her success to making the power of scent a part of her daily life. Also, almost all of her potions contain little "charged" gems and shells, which are supposed to add to the overall power of the product. I was certainly intrigued from the get-go.

Blue Moon products come packaged in pretty cobalt bottles, and with good reason. Beyond the simple visual appeal, the deep blue glass provides an important function. Since these products contain a high degree of delicate essential oils, the opaque bottles protect them from being broken down by light exposure. The charming, handmade paper labels added to the overall presentation of the products, and Blue Moon definitely comes out on top as "loveliest to look at."

First, I sampled the Moon Potions which are designed to fragrance yourself, or your living space (via a diffuser), and provide a "magical experience for your body and soul." I tried both Amber Seas (designed for inner peace and warm love) and Spellbound (designed for protection). Personally, these were a little too strong for me. Both fragrances have pronounced notes, like amber and patchouli, which are just a little much for my allergy-sensitive nose. However, if you enjoy stronger, earthy fragrances, these just might be for you.

I also tried the Sensual Scents which can be applied directly to skin or added to a bath for fragrance and moisturizing. I liked the two scents I tried, Hana Aloha (which means, "love work") and Mananalo (which means "Venus"), a bit better than the previous fragrances because they seemed to have a fresher, softer floral scent (Pikake and Plumeria, respectively). And, since these potions are packed with cold-pressed oils like apricot kernel oil, virgin coconut cream and kukui nut oil, they are wonderfully pampering, especially when added to the bath. My skin felt very soft and satin-y after a nice, long soak.

I was also delightfully surprised by the Aura Myst in Tranquility. Aura Mysts are scented waters designed to spritz on your body, around the house, or even on linens. I found the fragrance, a mixture of ylang ylang, rose, frankincense, rosewood, and tangerine, to be sparkling and bright; a lovely combination of floral and fruit, with just enough warmth to make it soothing. Even my husband thought it smelled, "yummy." We spritzed it on our pillows and sheets before bed, and slept

Overall, Blue Moon products were unusual and interesting, but I found some of the fragrances just smelled a little too much like incense for my taste complicated and strong...however, since loving or hating a fragrance is highly personal, I suggest you give them a try, and see what you think. You might even find a little magic for yourself."