I have been questioned a lot about why I chose to formulate Arctic Blast with peppermint oil and not one of the more commonly used oils like lavender. I have to say originally I picked peppermint because of its energizing and mood elevating properties. I really wanted to feel energetic while cleaning and not relaxed or sleepy. The surprise later after working with it, doing a bit more research, and experimenting with the Arctic Blast is that the peppermint in our formula seemed to have other helpful uses. For instance spraying Arctic Blast on mosquito bites helps stops the itching and aides in the healing of the bites! I found that one out firsthand myself one evening. And others have reported the same results when they tried it. It also is a good way to repel pests in your home and garden. The smell seems to deter many annoying bugs including – ants, aphids, and white flies. Peppermint oil has also been reportedly useful to deter mice, rats, cockroaches, and other vermin which dislike the smell. I haven’t tried all of that yet but I personally have used the Arctic Blast with great results on the ants, aphids, and white flies. I have also read that in test tubes, peppermint oil kills some types of bacteria and viruses, suggesting it may have antibacterial and antiviral properties. I haven’t performed that experiment myself but I’m inclined to believe it. It did help heal my mosquito bites and we do have pediatric clinics that buy Arctic Blast from us to use on their tables between patients. I think these are all great reasons to use peppermint oil but maybe the best reason of all is it just smells so good. So clean and fresh! Let us know what you have discovered yourself using Arctic Blast. It truly is beginning to sound like the Windex in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding and we love to hear about your experiences using our products! Here’s to happy healthy… and ENERGETIC cleaning!

I really can’t believe it! Our company, Herb’n Organics, is 2 years old! We made our first sale April 19, 2008, at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market, and our first customer was Jennifer Wadsworth, founder of Arizona Home Grown Solutions and a good friend. How did it all come about???
Candice Hartwell and I met on June 29, 2007, at a birthday gathering over brunch and champagne. She came with our friend Phil–we hadn’t met before. Since we didn’t know each other, she gifted me with her handcrafted household cleaning products because, as she puts it, “I knew you were an ecologist, so I figured you’d appreciate ‘green’”! She had that right. Her business card was taped to the bottles, Herb’n Organics.
That was the beginning of an amazing voyage. I realized that what she had created were fantastic household cleaning products that are chemical free, with all natural ingredients, and safe, safe, safe— products that young moms and chemically sensitive people had been searching for as I read their blogs and letters to editors. Candice and I started talking about perhaps starting a business, but it had to be developed along sustainable pathways. It took us a few months to hammer out our mission and to begin building a product line.
First came the ‘Big 3″ our Green Clean Products…Arctic Blast, Oh, So Orange Furniture Frappe and Peppermint Power. Then came Asana room spray, soon followed by Monsoon and Shanti room sprays to overcome the sometimes unpleasant odors left behind in a yoga classroom. Our Go Green Dog products came about when a customers at market showed us her dog’s painful and itchy skin condition–the result of too many washings with chemical laden commercial pet shampoos. Candice looked at the suffering pup and said, “I can do something about that” and she did.
Whole Foods Markets approached us to become a vendor in March 2008. D’arcy Landis met Candice at market and was impressed by our products and our mission. We realized that we needed to tighten up our carbon footprint in order to join Whole Foods and began searching for high quality USA made plastic spray bottles. It wasn’t easy, but we now have great bottles made in California…a much smaller footprint than our initial ‘made in China’ bottles.
During our first 2 years, we have worked diligently to become more and more local and sustainable in our production and marketing. We are member of Local First Arizona and committed to their 10% shift–purchasing from Arizona-owned businesses whenever possible. We found a wonderful local print company that provides us with paper created with wind energy, banners and labels made of re-purposed vinyl and inks that are water based. We found a delightful lady who makes old-fashioned soap flakes, and we found several family-owned product ingredient suppliers. Our market accessories are hand-made by a fellow market vendor, Helen Sands, she of the organic cotton washcloths and nylon netting scrubbies that we tuck into our market baskets.
We owe a special shout out to Cindy Gentry, director of the Downtown Phoenix Public Market, who has consistently supported our efforts and provided invaluable encouragement. Thanks for making us a part of the new Urban Market!
We’re still producing our wonderful products in the cottage on the back of my property, lovingly dubbed “the Peppermint Palace” and doing all our own deliveries, but we have expansion and growth aspirations. We believe we have the best products on the market and as word spreads we have been growing even in the current economic downturn. We are fully committed to becoming ever more environmentally responsible to ourselves, our customers and the earth’s web of residents. It’s been a gratifying journey thus far with lots of learning curves, challenges and joy. Our next steps involve extending our Arizona market area with the help of a green delivery company and a green bottling operation.
But for now, and in closing, we’d just like to say a huge Thank You to all our wonderful customers!! Thanks for your feedback and suggestions. Thanks for bringing your friends, family and bottles back to our booth. Thanks for buying Herb’N Organics at Whole Foods Markets, at the Urban Market, at Tempe Farmers Market and Tempe Feed and Tack. Thanks to the health care community for your support! And special thanks to local animal hospitals for using Arctic Blast to clean kennels and freshen the air for our 4-legged friends!

Since dogs should be bathed every month to remove toxins accumulated in their fur that can make them more susceptible to disease choosing a natural, safe, and gentle shampoo is very important for your pet’s health and comfort. Bathing with harsh detergent shampoos can remove natural oils and dry out your dog’s skin and coat. Synthetic detergents may also contain ingredients that can be toxic and harmful to our four legged friends and many animals develop sensitivities to the chemicals found in the pet shampoos being sold today.

We make Go Green Dog Shampoo with all of this in mind. Ingredients such as pure soap flakes, vegetable glycerin, vinegar, and essential oils make this blend a natural in helping to control odors, ticks, and fleas. Our gentle blend is a nontoxic, mild, and hypoallergenic alternative to detergent and chemical shampoos made just for our furry friends and it is perfect for dogs with sensitive skin! We recommend using a washing mitt allowing you to massage the shampoo into your pet’s coat very effectively. And then because it is a low sud-sing shampoo it rinses out quickly leaving your pet soft, fluffy, and itch free!
We believe you and your pets will love Go Green Dog Shampoo as much as our own little Emma pictured on the label does! So buy with confidence and here’s to happy healthy dog shampooing!