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Iris Visions and Business Values

As a child I was entranced with flowers and had my own little flower garden in which I dug to my heart's content. That sense of delight is still with me, and curiosity, which led me to study flower essences, herbology and finally aromatherapy. During a massage in 1981 I very plainly heard an inner voice tell me to make up massage oils with the addition of various essential oils to further enhance the therapeutic benefit of body work. Iris Herbal Products thus began, and I channeled my creative energy into making up combinations that were beneficial, aromatic, and had meaningfully descriptive names.

As the years went by I added salves, perfumes, chakra and ritual oils, bath blends and herbal tonics. With each book I read and course I took I further refined the recipes and the quality of the essential oils that I used.

Cathy Hope:   Iris Herbal Products

At present I use more than 175 essential oils, which come from all over the world. Of the 70 essential oils which are used most frequently, all are ethically wildcrafted, certified organic, or unsprayed. Many products, especially the salves, contain infused oils. Of the 13 infused oils, 10 of them I grow organically in my garden or wild craft near my home. Most of the essential oil blends were only added to the catalogue after friends, various massage therapists, their clients and I used them on ourselves. No ingredient or product of Iris has ever been tested on animals.

In 1994 I introduced a line of tincture formulas after several months of research. Over the winter of 1996-97 I found myself led to expand this research, exploring more fully the traditional herbs of my adopted Southwest, as well as herbs from the South American rainforest and the Indian Ayurvedic tradition.

My most frequently asked question is "do you grow all your own herbs?" Living in northern Taos County at an elevation of 7700 feet, where the USDA map says Zone 4, but where I've already experienced -38° F(!), it is impossible to grow all my own herbs. But I am becoming quite adept at stretching the boundaries of what is possible, and having rather a lot of fun as I garden, experimenting with tunnels and straw bales, and now a free-standing passive solar greenhouse.

Iris Herbal Products is mostly just me, though I do occasionally hire friends to help gather, process, label and sell. All the recipes are mine and everything is made individually or in small batches as needed, and only when I'm in a good or calm mood. I'm continually trying to improve the products and the quality of their ingredients. When filling orders, all packaging materials and most of the boxes are recycled. Where possible, only amber glass is used because it is best for the product and easiest for you the consumer, to recycle.

On March 25, 2007, Iris celebrates 25 years of herbal adventures, beginning with its initial formation as an herbalists’ guild in Atlanta, GA. Some of my favorite highlights:

* Studying flower essences at the Flower Essence Society in Nevada City, CA, and then making my own flower essences in Hawaii.

* Pouring all my old essential oils down the toilet when I first smelled the better quality oils coming into the states from Europe.

* Discovering that growing techniques that worked great in Atlanta were utter failures here in Northern New Mexico as my healthy weeds and stunted veggies so eloquently proved.

* Exploring diverse herbal medicinal systems and realizing that all cultures have important and unique herbal wisdom to share.

* Watching 40mph golf ball size hail destroy my garden and vowing to build a greenhouse… and then designing and helping to build a passive solar greenhouse (that works!).

* All the wonderful stories of customers and clients who have used Iris products over the years with enjoyment and success.

* All the friendships I have developed with folks who have patronized and supported Iris. Thank you!

This Web-site fulfills a long-standing dream of mine: to make available a comprehensive line of herbal formulas that are of the highest quality and yet still affordable. I welcome feedback and answer letters. Thank you for your support.

Blessed be,            Cathy Hope

Iris Vision & Business Values

How To Order

IRIS HERBAL PRODUCTS
HC 81, Box 640  -  Questa, NM 87556
(Toll free) 1-877-286-2970  -  e-mail
Outside of the USA, please call 1-575-586-1802

                               


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