Does Mineral Makeup Cause Dark Skin To Look Ashy?

Many women with dark ethnic skin tones have been concerned about their skin turning ashy when they use mineral cosmetics. This has been expressed to me on more than one occasion so I decided it was probably time to explain exactly why this happens with some mineral makeup, but not with all minerals. Many also insist it is linked totally to the use of Titanium Dioxide in the products. This is only true to a degree.

Titanium Dioxide, when used in high concentrations, can cause an ashy appearance to dark skin since it is considered a pigment for lightening shades. It also has excellent light refracting properties only surpassed by diamonds, giving a brighter appearance to the face. However, not all minerals use this ingredient in high concentrations even if you see it as the first ingredient on the list. It may only be at a 5-25% concentration in the overall formula. If an ingredient list is primarily Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Iron Oxides and Mica, odds are this would be a formula that can cause considerable problems for turning dark skin gray or ashy.

A high quality blend of minerals and / or botanicals should readily melt with any skin tone if the ratios are put into proper proportion and Titanium is utilized more as a sunscreen component rather than a pigment for changing depth of shades. Different mineral makeup blends can achieve the lightening effects on pigments without it causing a white-out effect. Our blends of dark mineral foundation shades melt with your skin tone and the effect is the same for Delicate Rose Petal™, Dewy Rose Petal™ and Velvet Rose Petal™.

Another reason you may also appear ashy or gray is you are choosing the incorrect shade for your skin tone. If you should have a lot of golden, yellow or red in your skin using a shade that is geared toward neutrals, dark olive or cool chocolate (blue/red skin tones) will definitely create an ashy / gray appearance to the skin. So what you may have once been blaming on Titanium Dioxide, may actually be caused by too cool of a shade for your color. Also some companies may use black oxide in excess to darken shades and this will actually gray the shade instead of darkening it.

One other likely reason, and one that many dark skinned women don’t wish to accept at times, is heredity can give you a greenish / yellow cast to your face. This is your natural skin tone and is usually indicative of Olive skin. If you stray too far from this natural skin tone by trying to infuse too much red to counteract the yellow / greenish cast, you will appear as though you are wearing the wrong shade and can look pasty and ashy. Try to enhance your natural skin tone since this will look best on you. Other shading options are available through blush and bronzer if you wish to perk up a certain skin tone. A mineral makeup foundation done properly that truly matches and mirrors your natural skin will enhance it and you will suddenly appreciate what you were blessed with since your face will glow with the correct shade using a premium mineral makeup.

Another variation; dark skinned women wanting to counteract the deep reds they have in their skin for more of a golden yellow. Yet again, covering the deep reds that you possess naturally due to the depth of color you have, this will make you look like you are wearing the wrong shade. Too much yellow on a deep reddish brown skin will give you an unnatural appearance.

The best way to avoid a problem is to always try samples and make sure you purchase those in the warm deep golden / red tones if you have a reddish brown to caramel skin, or maybe try a more neutral tone to mix to adjust shade color or to enhance a true Olive skin. Sometimes unless the blue / red skin tone is quite obvious such in very dark skin tones, you may just not realize what you are doing to your skin with the incorrect shading. Sending a photo of yourself in natural daylight which includes face, shoulder, and neck and chest area to Sterling Minerals™ is always helpful so that I or one of my staff may further assist you in getting you close to a skin tone match with minimal sampling. You can send your photo to us at info@sterlingminerals.com.

Follow these simple practices and you will learn to “Celebrate Your Natural Beauty™”.

Below are shade examples for these ethnic skin tones. You can mix or lighten to achieve perfection in shading. To add more yellow and to neutralize red, using Xantha is an excellent option. Mirabella, Emily and Tawny are also excellent for lighter ethnic skin based on your preferred undertones.

Adriana

Ebony

Jacinta

Keira

Melanie







Mora


Olivia

YOGA And Sterling Minerals™! A Lifestyle With Healing Benefits!

What does Yoga have to do with Sterling Minerals™? Well it is a lifestyle I believe in. When stress sets in as I meet deadlines, work on new formulations or just plain deal with day to day issues, Yoga has been my saving grace for rest, relaxation and healing my body especially on those sleepless nights. On the days I neglect myself, I feel the pressures build within my soul and my outward appearance reflects this along with experiencing deterioration of my health.

Yoga instruction taught me how to breathe properly. I never realized how shallow a breather I was until I began doing my Yoga. I remember when I was learning my Asanas (Poses or Postures), I nearly passed out from breathing so deeply since I didn’t quite get the flow of exhaling also. This must be kept in balance to keep from getting light headed and literally keeling over. But that’s another story. Just know one thing; if your extremities begin to tingle, you are not breathing correctly, so stop and center yourself and grab a chair as you return to a normal breath pattern. Breathing deeply and correctly is actually a learning experience since most of us are shallow breathers by nature and we do it without realizing it.

I have tried many different forms of Yoga and my favorite to date is Vinyasa Flow. I do this mainly for increasing flexibility and to develop my breathing to work in unison with my body, and occasionally I will do some Power Yoga if I really want to build my body heat and develop strength. I began my journey with Yoga a few years back and started with Hatha which I still incorporate today in my life for a bringing about a soothing calm and restoring my soul from outside influences and stress relief. Plus this method of Yoga is very easy to learn. Yoga is wonderful for increasing blood flow, creating flexibility, aiding in deep breathing for cleansing our bodies and lungs, for centering our inner peace and quieting our minds from destructive thinking. Yoga has also greatly improved my allergies in terms of relief from asthma since I have trained my lungs to breathe and expand deeply. Bouts of pneumonia are also a thing of the past.

Yoga principals are my guidelines for keeping things even in my life, going with the flow and to realize many things within our universe are beyond our control. In living this way of life, it is also a main focus I brought into my concept when I developed Sterling Minerals™ .....by combining Science with Nature for creating a product line that utilizes ingredients that are still used today in the Ancient Art of Ayurveda. A product line that provides soothing, calming relief to the skin and body! It is for this reason we are so proud to be featured in YOGA Magazines’ February 2008 issue in their Natural Beauty Editorials. Look for this cover and pick up your copy today for some great articles including a Valentines’ day special on Kama Sutra to enjoy with your loved one. Our article is also in the UK Yoga Magazine Issue. Also look for our advertisement within U.S. issue only to treat yourself to our specials being offered and'Celebrate Your Natural Beauty'™.

Hey….Why Aren’t My Mineral Makeup Jars Full?

This is a question we have heard before, and the same question I had when I was first introduced to Mineral Makeup products many moons ago. It is a simple explanation and it involves understanding volume versus weight in makeup jars. Net Weight or Volume must always be listed on a jar according to FDA Regulations otherwise a company is considered selling misbranded products.

1. 5 Gram jars hold up to 1 gram by weight when full but without sifter with maximum fill.
2. 10 Gram jars hold up to 2- 3 gram by weight when full but without sifter with maximum fill.
3. 20 Gram jars hold up to 5-6 gram by weight when full but without sifter with maximum fill.
4. 30 Gram jars hold up to 9-10 gram by weight when full but without sifter with maximum fill.

Typically when you see this type of description on jar size, other companies may or may not list the content by net weight which causes confusion when referring to jar size. 28 grams is approximately a full ounce of product by weight. So needless to say a 30 gram jar for instance, is not actually giving you a full ounce of product as it may appear since minerals weigh far less than what size jar it would take to hold that much product. For example: 3-4 oz size jar would be necessary to hold this much product by weight due to the high volume of mineral powders. So if a company advises, you are getting your product in a full 1 oz size jar, you may really only be getting 6-10 grams of product by weight.

Another question we have heard is, “why are some jars fuller than others yet they weigh the same or less according to the grams / ounces listed?”

Answer: Certain Minerals, Pigments, and Botanicals weigh more than others. Iron Oxides are extremely dense, so the darker the shade the heavier the content would weigh, but fill volume would be less in order to meet the specified weight. Kaolin Clay, Untreated Mica, Ultramarines and Titanium Dioxide have higher volume with low weight, while Rice Powder, Methicone, Treated Mica, Iron Oxides and Zinc Oxide are quite dense so they have higher weight, low volume.

Sterling Minerals™ Foundations, Bronzers, Mineral Veils and Blushes are all packaged in 30 gram jars for ease of handling for everyday use, ease of packaging (cleaner fills), and customers preferring this size jar for reuse for mixing minerals together. So you would want to note our actual weight of the makeup, not the volume of the jar.

Our 5 gram jars are used strictly for sampling our product line and the amount varies in each jar. Foundations and Veils nearly fill the jars, Blushes 1/3 full, and Bronzers are about 1/2 full, while eye shadows are scaled down to a 1-2 cc amount due to what is required for application. So, these are not sold by weight since they are just that, a sample designed to determine if you appreciate our minerals to return to purchase full size jars. However, based on whatever item you purchase for sampling, you will always be provided enough minerals to sample for at least a week or longer depending on usage. The 5 gram jar is excellent for ease of application and our customers prefer these to sample baggies.

A prime example of weight variances are as follows: Evening Rose weighs 4 grams, yet the 30 gram jar is crammed full due to the volume of the Kaolin Clay formula. While our Satin Rose Veil and Rose Petal Foundation weighs 6 grams, yet they will appear 3/4 full due to the denser Rice Powder Formulas. Blushes are another example of weight variance. Since we use a dense formula combined with pure iron oxides for pigments, this product is quite heavy so a 30 gram jar will appear 1/3 full, yet they are a true weight of 3 grams and will last forever, up to 6-12 months. This is why weight matters since many colored mica based blushes require using more product to achieve some color, while ours is pure pigment that takes just a tiny bit to achieve a nice flush of color to the cheeks. Less is more so to speak and they won’t wear off during the day. Our eye colors are packaged in 10 gram jars due to how very little is needed for application and they will hold 1 gram by weight so they will appear 1/2 to 2/3 full, again depending on the colors due to deeper, richer colors weighing more than their fairer shade counterpart.

Unfortunately, companies that advertise volume rather than weight also insinuate companies that sell by weight are somehow cheating the consumer because our jars aren’t full, whereby brand X sold by the company selling full jars on volume are somehow giving you, the consumer the better deal, when it is those companies that are actually selling their products with variables in marketing inaccuracies. Due to the variations in mineral density, selling through volume is not giving the consumer the true value of weight in grams or ounces. You could be getting anywhere from 6-10 grams in a 30 gram jar depending on product formulation.

For instance; Bismuth Oxychloride is very heavy so it has low volume, so 6 grams of product containing this ingredient would actually offer you less than our products of equivalent weight. This is why placing a net weight on each jar can only give the consumer the complete picture of value for dollar. Furthermore, it is also very easy to fill a jar by volume since it takes less time at precision and there isn’t too much concern about setting price points.

Formulations, weight, packaging and truth in labeling should all enter into the equation of what you are actually paying for. It should never be cut and dry on one mineral makeup being as good as the next. If this were the case, I would not have struggled and worked so relentlessly to create the non-generic formulas we have to offer. We also wouldn't be seeing the results with men and women having improved skin condition due to our formulas being developed for different skin types providing the lowest risk of irritation. All of my formulas were designed with my skin in mind since I have some of the most problematic skin due to allergies, sun damage, rosacea and acne. So far, perfection with no problems like with other minerals I researched! Furthermore, I began my company out of a passion and desire to help other women with similar skin problems, not because minerals were on the fast track in the cosmetic industry. My customers have come to respect this fact and know our brand integrity leaves nothing to chance or without explanation. We disclose everything fully that pertains to our mineral cosmetics and is easily located within our site.

Also, keep in mind the handful of companies involved in creating and handcrafting their own formulas will include raw ingredients, formulation labor, packaging (filling jars), business costs (website, store front, insurance, employees, merchant services, international and domestic shipping, etc. etc.) in the final price you pay. Those that buy in bulk are not directly involved with the process for manufacturing or research and development of the products they promote, making their costs considerably less and their information generic. Plus this lends itself to over handling of the powders. And most of them enjoy selling their products more as a hobby than as an actual business since this would involve intensely hard work. This is the very reason we only offer wholesale of our brand to suitable brick and mortar Spas, Salons and Dermatologists since we also believe strongly in educating women and men about the benefits of using our products and we stand behind our formulations.

Competition is a driving force and I love the challenge, risk and REWARD! I also realize as much as I would love to be, my company cannot be all things to all people. I will always be working on expanding into new products and taking customer suggestions to make as perfect a product line as I can. I am currently researching excellent resources for producing our Spring of ‘08 lip colors and my skin care line as well with my focus remaining on natural, healthy, vegan friendly ingredients. Customers....they are what count. I love my customers and I love hearing from them about how we succeeded in our endeavor to help with their skin care and makeup issues in both men and women.

Testimonials:

First of all, I just want to let you know that I am having a wonderful experience with your product so far!! I am super picky, and have blemish prone, dry skin (in areas that need concealing, of course) and your Delicate Rose foundation is working amazingly well! I am even using it as a concealer and it is just fantastic. Please don't ever stop making it!!

Justine S.
Durham, NC

I used to wear sunscreens when I would play golf until I learned about mineral powders having a natural SPF. I found your minerals company on the Green People website. What a difference. No more slimy feel from my liquid sunscreen running down my face on those hot days on the golf course. The Evening Rose Veil is great for my skin irritation I get sometimes after I shave. The itching and redness disappear within minutes of applying. It is great how they blend with my skin. Even though the names are a bit feminine, I overlook that because of how well they work. Great Customer Service by the way!

Scott B.
San Diego, CA

It took 2 years of research and development before bringing my products to market and it is through that determination I continue to strive for brand recognition, brand integrity and quality control. Something that would get lost if I sold my mineral makeup in bulk......so I have decided I just won’t be one of those companies.

So there you have it, maybe the not so simple explanation of weight versus volume. Feel free to leave a comment or contact us for further information.

Understanding Ingredient Labels – Clearing Up The Confusion

How many of us have gone to our local drugstore, picked up a package of makeup, turned it over only to discover you need a magnifying glass to read the ingredient label? I ask myself, “is it my eyes or are these product labels shrinking?” as I dig through my purse for my spectacles. What also makes this frustrating for me and others is, if you go to these large companies’ websites, in most cases they do not offer an ingredient list on their site to assist with researching their products. You usually have to locate a reseller of the brand on the web in order to locate an ingredient list before you buy.

It seems as though the ingredient lists are not only getting longer, but the type is getting smaller due to the size of most packaging. To further add to the confusion, what some of those ingredient names are and mean. Some of these synthetic and chemical ingredients are scary and can have accumulative effect on the body and still offer little or no research as to their long term effects. Some Organizations are working diligently to remove some of this confusion and to explain products in simple language to the consumer without all the hype and puffery. FDA of Colors and Cosmetics provides many ingredient terms and what is allowed and to be considered safe for cosmetic use.

In accordance with the New Year, and wanting to address a concern I have had for a number of years I chose to write this article. As we head into an era of reducing chemicals in our skin care, diet, and overall everyday lives, this article is important as more and more of us demand companies disclose what we are using throughout our day. Going Green is the wave of our future.

Basically, the way to interpret an ingredient label is to understand FDA Regulations for cosmetic labeling. It is simple and concise but can still allow for vagueness in product labeling. Here is a list of the simplest ways to understand what you are actually purchasing.

Ingredients must be listed in descending order in terms of highest ratio to the lowest. They must list an ingredient as “Active” if it is considered an OTC drug, so in other words, a claim is made to treat or cure a condition.

Any ingredient used less than 1% can be listed in any order on the label after main ingredients are listed, or it can be listed as “and other ingredients”.

May Contain Ingredients: Is an easy way for the manufacturer to cover their bases without having to get specific with pigments including Titanium Dioxide. Also pigments can be in any order after the main list of ingredients regardless of ratios used. This further explains the non-inclusion of essential oils and preservative, and how the manufacturer can simply leave off the list the individual oils or preservative used, and be noted as "Fragrance". This leaves the consumer to speculate what is actually in the product.

Trade Secret Ingredient: A manufacturer may apply for an allowance of an ingredient to remain confidential to protect their formulations if only the ingredient has been proven to have some benefit to the product that no other company has used or has knowledge of. This can also be categorized under item 2, “and other ingredients”.

Last but not least the often confusing Incidental Ingredient. Some manufacturers leave off an ingredient based on a misinterpretation of an FDA Description feeling they fall into this category such as in coated or treated minerals or pigments. They should be listing these coatings since they are used to create an effect on the finished product and aid in the cosmetics’ performance. The Definition is as follows for exclusion from an ingredient list:

According to FDA Regulation: An incidental ingredient is defined in § 701.3(1) as:

• A substance added during manufacture and removed from the cosmetic in accordance with good manufacturing practices before the cosmetic is packaged in finished form. Example: Filter aid.


• A substance that is added during manufacture of a cosmetic, is converted to an ingredient declared on the label, and does not significantly increase the concentration of the declared ingredient. Example: Sodium hydroxide added to a sodium stearate and stearic acid-containing cosmetic (example: for making Soap. Or another example: Borax combined with Nitrogen to create Boron Nitride.) BN powder would be on the list, not the ingredients that it took to create it.


• A substance added to a cosmetic during manufacture for its technical effect in processing but present in the finished cosmetic at an insignificant level and not having any technical or functional effect in that cosmetic. Example: Defoaming agent.


• A substance added to a cosmetic as a component of a cosmetic ingredient and having no technical or functional effect in the finished cosmetic. Example: Preservative of a raw material added to a cosmetic as an ingredient at a concentration which reduces the preservative to a level at which it is no longer effective.

In Terms Of Mineral Makeup Powders:

Coatings such as Carnauba Wax, Dimethicone, Perfluoroalkyl Phosphate and Magnesium Myristate to name a few, are commonly used to create better performance to a main mineral ingredient, yet are rarely seen on mineral makeup ingredient lists. Or you will see them explained in obscure locations on websites and left off the label altogether. This is what some companies assume is an Incidental Ingredient. However, since these coatings are used to enhance performance and create an effect within the makeup for better skin care, then it would not qualify to be left off of the label.

Mineral powders are silken in nature and are not typically creamy, yet you may feel a creamy texture when rubbed between your fingers. Certain oils can be added for a variety of reasons but making a powder feel creamy is not one of them, and the oils can certainly enhance a powders performance and be beneficial to the skin. If a powder has a creamy, almost oily texture then it has been coated with one or more of the ingredients stated above. Some of these coatings may or may not cause further problems for the skin. We add Jojoba Oil to our Foundations and Evening Rose Veil to aid in soothing skin and healing acne yet it will not change the structure of the mineral powders.

In terms of ratios this can also be confusing for many.

Some experts’ advise to pay attention to the first 3-4 ingredients in a product since this will be the primary ingredients in terms of ratios. This is true to a point.

For Example: Titanium Dioxide may be the first ingredient on the list followed by a number of other ingredients. Does this mean Titanium has the highest ratio of overall product? Not necessarily! And same goes for any ingredient that is considered a primary ingredient. The ratio of Titanium could be equal to Mica or Zinc Oxide or any other ingredient on the list. But which one do you list first? This is strictly left to the manufacturer.

Another Example: Base powder formulations that consist of a multitude of other minerals and botanicals could be higher in ratio, but the individual ingredient in the base powder has a lower ratio than the primary so it must be listed in descending order. So in descending order Titanium would be the larger ratio in comparison to all individual powders, yet once combined within the formulation it may actually only be 5-25% of the total mineral cosmetic.

Final Advice: In lieu of sensitivities and to avoid ruling out the potential of using a great product for the face, when in doubt, contact the manufacturer to have them clarify at what percentage of an ingredient is being used in the overall products. First in line on the ingredient list doesn’t necessarily make this the highest overall ratio in a formulation. In fact, one mineral makeup company where they have received an SPF rating, the ratio of “Active Ingredients” for Titanium is 14% and Zinc is 3-6%. This is very low in terms of a complete formula, yet they must be first on the list due to being declared an OTC. And sensitivities are rarely a problem if any ingredient falls in less than the one percentile ratio. But when it comes to fragrances (essential oils) or coatings, wouldn’t you like to know exactly what it is you are applying to your face at all times? I certainly would, especially since I have sensitive / sun damaged skin. And many women have extreme sensitivity to certain essential oils, so at less than 1% of ratio, if the ratio is that of times 10 or 20 different oils, that can become a huge percentage of allergic reaction. This is why I always make sure all ingredients are disclosed on our product labels despite FDA allowances for certain ingredients.

So to understand product labels, even in all their clarity of list of ingredients, true ratios are still considered to be vague and are not required to be formally listed in this manner. I sincerely hope this has assisted those that were still not quite sure how labeling works for the cosmetic industry. Happy Hunting, Be Well and …….

Happy New Year!

Making coffee with coffee machines.

Making coffee with coffee machines.

Whenever you drink a cup of coffee, you have to realize about the flavor and quality of each cup not only the volume of water in a cup.

Making a delicious cup of coffee is not easy. You have to learn and practice for a long time. Now a day, technology of coffee making machines such as Moka Express, Espresso pot and French Press make everything easier.

These are important points for making coffee with coffee machines:

1. Clean the coffee machine before and after usage.
2. The water for making a cup of coffee should be clean and without chlorine.
3. Use fresh milled roasted bean for every cup.
4. The amount of coffee should be follow to the each formulation.
5. Do not use boiling water for making coffee.
6. Coffee maker should know the ratio of ingredients and know how to convert the unit.

The coffee cups

The coffee cups are the important part of making coffee that you should be not remiss. Coffee makers have to know which cup for each type coffee.

Espresso: The Basic Information

Normally, Espresso is a cup of coffee that has golden milk foam bubbles on the top of the cup. The art of making Espresso such as milk foam bubbles, wipe cream adding, or liqueur adding makes the Espresso named in many reputes.

Espresso and Black coffee

Many coffee drinkers have miss understanding about Espresso and Black coffee. Truly, Espresso is not similar to short black coffee.

The different of Espresso and Black coffee:

1. Coffee cup; A cup of Espresso is not more than 2 ounce but a cup of black coffee is 4 to 6 ounce.

2. A cup of black coffee always serve with cream or sugar but Espresso serve without cream and sugar.

3. Espresso has golden milk foam bubbles on the top of the cup but the black coffee has nothing on the top of the cup.

4. The flavor of Espresso will stay on the tongue about 15-30 min. but no flavor stay on the tongue after drinking black coffee.

5. The way to drink black coffee is sip slowly until finish but the right way to drink Espresso is drink all in one time.

How to drink Espresso

Normally, Espresso always drink during day or dinner and the right step for drinking Espresso is necessary to approach the truly flavor of Espresso. If you are interesting, try to practice follow the steps and you will get the miracle taste of Espresso.

1. Before drinking, you have to smell the cup of Espresso.
2. Sip a little bit of Espresso with loud voice and keep in your mouth a moment.
3. Drink the rest all in one time and stay moment in the mouth.
4. Try to remember the taste of Espresso and compare with the next cup.

Coffee Farming & Process

Coffee Farming & Process

The coffee plants in Kona will start to bloom from February to March. Green berries will soon start to appear after the flowers have been pollinated. Majority of the berries will be harvested from August to December or early January. It is estimated that each tree can produce around 20 to 30 pounds of berries.

During peak harvesting period, most mills work round the clock. All the berries will be processed within 24 hour time frame to maintain quality. The berries will be tested for freshness and color before being sent to the pulper. The pulper will strip the flesh leaving the beans. The flesh is transported back to the farms to be used as fertilizer. The stripped beans will next undergo a fermentation process of around 8 to 18 hours in giant tanks. After completing the fermentation process, the beans are cleaned and dried on drying racks covered by hoshidanas. Depending on the weather, it might take about 10 to 14 days before the Kona coffee beans are ready for the next process.

It is essential to constantly rake the beans during the drying phase. This is to prevent mildew from forming and maintain consistent quality throughout the batch. The beans are then graded according to size, shape and weight.

Controversial Kona

There is a high demand for Kona coffee due to its unique taste and quality. Many large corporations and individuals have tarnished the name by selling coffee that is not truly Kona. These blends are normally made up of only 10% Kona coffee and the remaining 90% from cheaper imports from Colombia or Brazil. It hurts the industry in Kona and gives a false impression to the consumers about the quality of pure Kona coffee. The farmers have been fighting a loosing battle to trademark the name. Even though there are labeling laws in Hawaii, there is no corresponding Federal law to support it.

Conclusion

There is no denying in the quality of Kona coffee. Great care is taken to ensure quality from the many who toil in the farms and mills to deliver you that perfect cup of beverage possible. They are all committed to deliver you the true taste of Kona - Gold of Hawaii.

How to buy the roasted coffee?

How to buy the roasted coffee?

After harvest the beans of coffee. The next step is roasting the beans with high temperature about 220-260 Celsius. Grind them to small molecules. The taste and smelling of the roasted beans may be different in each time, up to many factors such as the size of coffee after grind, roasting time or coffee sources.

These are the tips for select the best roasted beans:

1. Buying amount of coffee as you need for only one week.

2. The smelling of the roasted beans should be nice and no smelling of contaminate objects inside.

3. Do not buy roasted beans from the store or supermarket that estate near by the strong smelling food shops. The roasted bean will absorb the scent of each food.

4. Remember the flavor and characteristic of each type of coffee.

5. Kept the roasted beans in vacuum or air tight for stable quality of coffee.

6. Mill the roasted beans for single used only.

The first coffee plant was introduced

Kona coffee is a marketing name for coffee that comes from the Kona District of Hawaii. Pure Kona coffee is highly sought after all round the world. It has a richer flavor than others due to the location and environment they are cultivated.

The land of Hawaii is rich with volcanic soil and is perfect for coffee growing. The afternoon clouds also provide a good cover for it to grow. These factors give Kona coffee its character, loved by many around the world.

A Peek At History

The first coffee plant was introduced to Kealakekua-Kona by Reverend Samuel Ruggles in 1828. It was not considered a viable agricultural commodity at that time until very much later. During the California gold rush era, demand for coffee from this region starts to pick up and farmers start planting their crops along the slopes of Mauna Loa and Mount Hualalai. Many of the large estates were leased to their Japanese workers during the world coffee market crash in 1899. There are now about 600 plantations all around the district and each of them having a size of not more than 5 acres.

Finding the best gourmet coffee

Finding the best gourmet coffee

People who love coffee did not previously have enough information about gourmet coffee to be able to look for and find the best quality available to them. Popular companies like Starbucks have changed all that. There are also numerous coffee shops around the country that have got a hold of information about gourmet coffee to serve their customers the best high quality brewed coffee. Gourmet coffee is the best on the market, but can get quite expensive too, but if you are a coffee lover, you will like the taste enough to spend the money.

You can get information about gourmet coffee online. You can even purchase it online as well. However, your local caffeine shop can be your greatest source to finding the most valuable information about gourmet coffee. At the supermarket, you can guy coffee that is already grounded or you also can buy whole beans to grind them at home yourself.

There are a lot of gourmet coffee specialty shops, even in the airports and small shopping centers. These owners will always be willing to help you with any information about gourmet coffee that you need. These shop owners provide their expertise to you so that you can learn all you need to know when purchasing the best coffee. This is because they love what they do and they will have tons of information about gourmet coffee if you have questions.

Some people like when the coffee roast is darker because they think it is important to the taste of the grind. You might want to try different types until you find what you prefer; whether light, medium, or dark roast. Be sure to experiment and try different sorts until you find the one you like. Gourmet coffee is an international phenomenon so try coffee that is made overseas. You may be surprised that you end up liking it more. Have fun selecting your gourmet coffee from the information you have gathered.

high energy in the morning

People who drink coffee, for the most part, hardly pay much attention to what type of beverage they are drinking. If they could get the right information about gourmet coffee, then they probably would stop drinking any other coffee. Some people drink anywhere they can get it for cheap and it also depends on the convenience of getting their beverage. Before you go shopping you must get information about gourmet coffee and you will never drink another regular coffee ever again. The coffee most people drink taste like garbage, but just for a quick fix in the morning and because they don’t have the proper information about gourmet coffee, they will buy just about anything they can get their hands on.

There are people out there who have gotten the information about gourmet coffee to make an educated decision to drink finer tasting coffee with its dark color and amazing flavor. These informed gourmet drinkers don't just consume coffee to give them high energy in the morning, but instead these coffee experts drink their beverage to enjoy its rich flavor and subtle taste.