The Indie Beauty Network

IBN Home > IBC Newsletter > Archives > 2001

Handmade Beauty Connection
March 19, 2001

A Publication of The Handmade Beauty Network
ISSN 1530-9630
March 19, 2001
Vol. 2, Issue 11

1. HBN Update ~ Welcome New HBN Members!!
2. Handmade Beauty Trivia Question ~ win a jar of Super Rich Cleansing Creme courtesy of Fioravanti Custom Products!
3. Handmade Toiletries Businesses Gain Increased Respect In The Financial World!
4. Business Tip of the Month: Power Up! ~ Part II: Style Tips To Make Your Business Stand Out In The Crowd!!
5. Handmade Beauty Product Review ~ Calendula Baby Soap by Sally's Soaps
6. Handmade Beauty Recipe ~ ~ "OHM" (Oats, Milk & Honey) Cleanser

1. HBN Update ~ Welcome HBN Members!

Welcome New HBN Members!!

Welcome Renewing HBN Members!

~ Rustic Hearth Soaps | Janice Shortridge | Minnesota

Log onto these and other HBN member Web sites through HBN's Online Member Directory, Now with 3 ways to search: (1) by state/country; (2) by member business name; or (3) by keyword search!

2. Handmade Beauty Trivia Question ~ Last week's winner was Eileen Kelley in Baltimore, Maryland!

Last Week's Question: One method of extracting aromatic oils from delicate flower petals is to place the individual petals on glass plates that have been covered with fat. The plates are held in place by a specially designed device. The aromatic oil is absorbed into the fat, and the resulting pomade is later treted to remove the aromatic oil. What is the proper name of the device that holds the glass plates on which the fat and flowers are placed?

Last Week's Answer: chassis

This Week's Question: I am one of the oldest native American plants that has been cultivated for tea and essential oil. My leaves are steeped to produce a spring tonic. While my essential oil has antiseptic properties and is recommended in dentistry as a disinfectant for root canals, it is mainly used as a flavor in soft drinks, candy and gum.

Be the first to state the name of the plant, and win a 6 oz. jar of Super Rich Cleansing Creme, courtesy of Fioravanti Custom Products!

Please read the contest rules before submitting your entry.

While time does not permit me to respond personally to all entrants, the winner will be notified by email and their name posted at the link above.

3. Handmade Toiletries Businesses Gain Increased Recognition In The Financial World!

Slowly but surely, over the past few decades, the handmade toiletries industry has grown at a steady pace. We never made a huge splash on the scene like the dotcoms and tech companies of 1999 and 2000. (Look at most of them now!) No soapmaker has ever dropped an IPO on Wall Street. No lotion maker has ever secured the kind of venture capital that large corporations see every day. Yet, with a tenacity that rivals any of those large companies, the industry is steadily marching forward.

As you know, one of HBN's mission is to increase the level of positive awareness of handmade toiletries products. By doing this, HBN helps create an environment where our members can charge a fair price for their products and make a fair profit, thus ensuring the growth and prosperity of their businesses and the industry as a whole. In keeping with this goal, I keep tabs on "mainstream" media outlet industry reports.

Last week, I was interviewed by a reporter for CNN Financial News. HBN member Barbara Bobo of WoodSpirits Soaps was also interviewed extensively, along with Catherine Failor. The article, published at CNN's Web site on March 12, clearly shows that the handmade toiletries industry is on the move and here to stay, and HBN members are at the forefront!

Be sure to attend the Handmade Toiletries Summit to be a part of this handmade toiletries explosion! Read the article here.

Business Tip of the Month: Power Up! ~ Part II: Style Tips To Make Your Business Stand Out In The Crowd!!

My Power Up! articles are bite-sized articles on things you need to grow your business. If you missed last week's style tips (innovate, plan, develop a mission statement, network, create a business logo), you can read them here.

This week's focus is on 5 more style tips designed to help make your business unique and stand out among the crowd.

6. Create A Cause. Make it your goal to make a genuine and visible difference in the lives of others. Your efforts must be genuine in order to gain respect, and they must be visible in order to make a difference and inspire others. Some examples of this concept include an aromatherapy company that makes blends for breast cancer survivors and donates some proceeds to breast cancer research and a soapmaker who donates pre-profit income to environmental and peace groups.

7. Design A Market For New Ideas. Asking your customers for feedback is the easiest and most efficient way to ensure that your business never grows stale. Accept their feedback, and weave their ideas into your business to keep a fresh, customer-focused perspective, stave off boredom and stand out in the crowd.

8. Become An Expert. Everyone loves an expert! If you could buy an aromatherapy blend from an "aromatherapy expert," or from "a person with aromatherapy experience" or "a person with an aromatherapy store," which would you choose? Sure, people who are not experts call themselves "experts" every day and we should not condone that. However, if you are an expert, you should proclaim yourself one and allow your hard work and expertise to work for you. Practice weaving your expertise into your business. Make it something your customers cannot do without ... because, well, they can't!

9. Collaborate. Collaborate with your industry colleagues to remain abreast of industry activities and maintain positive industry relationships. Work on a joint venture with someone. Announce new endeavors in a joint press release. Even exchange valuable items instead of cash, so long as there is a meaningful exchange for both parties and you don't go broke in the process.

10. Provide *Original* Content. If your business relies on the Internet for a substantial portion of its revenues, it is urgent that it be updated regularly to include original content. Links to information at other sites (with permission) is nice and often helpful for your visitors. But without fresh, original evergreen content, a Web site is dull, boring and just like everyone else's. So be update your site regularly with news, tips and information of interest to your customers. They will return frequently, and you will stand apart from your competition in a most memorable way.

5. Handmade Beauty Product Review by Donna Maria

~ Calendula Baby Soap by Sally's Soaps
4 oz. | $3.75

I bought this bar of unscented Calendula Baby Soap from Sally's Soaps nearly 15 months before I finally opened and used it. I was half way expecting to smell a bit of rancidity or staleness as I sometimes do when I open soaps over a year after purchase. But this soap, I am pleased to say, was as fresh as if it had been made last month. Julie Little, Sally's Soaps' resident soapmaker, tells me that this soap is a favorite of hers and her customers. She makes the soap in a base of calendula and chamomile-infused olive oil, which must be the reason for the gentle yet frothy and dense lather. Dried calendula is added last, and it has retained its beautiful brilliant yellow/orange color for over a year. I was sorry to see this soap dwindle to a little sliver, but it held up well until the end. Alas! Nothing lasts forever!

If you have a suggested recipe or trivia question you'd like to share, send it to Jenn@HandmadeBeauty.com. If we use either in an upcoming issue, we'll credit you!!

6. Handmade Beauty Recipe ~ "OHM" (Oats, Milk & Honey) Cleanser

I love creating new handmade beauty goodies! I receive lots of inquiries weekly from people who wonder how I come up with some many different recipes. All I can say is I love doing it! It hardly seems like work to me! It's so relaxing and gives me a chance to invent something new every week. But the best part is that you keep telling me you love them, and that spurs me on.

Last week's recipe was a creamy, rich Belly Balm. If you missed it, you can get it here.

This week, I made something delightfully simple using an essential oil that has been hiding in the back of my aromatic pantry for a while ... myrtle essential oil!

Myrtle oil has a clear, fresh scent and mixes beautifully with lavender. It's a great stimulator and is wonderful for blemished skin. I don't have that problem (at least at the moment!), but I dropped a bit in this treat anyway because it's so refreshing and complements the lavender so well. And the best part is that, not only can you make it in a snap, but it feel so great on the skin. Isn't it wonderful to cleanse your skin naturally??!! Enjoy!!

Ingredients
3 tablespoons finely powdered oats
1 tablespoon runny honey
2 tablespoons whipping cream or whole milk
2 drops myrtle essential oil
4 drops lavender essential oil

Blending Instructions
Combine the honey and cream (or milk) and stir well to dissolve honey. Add oats and stir. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add essential oils and stir again to ensure the mix. To use, wet face and scoop OHM Cleanser into palms. Secure hair away from face. Apply to face and neck using upward, sweeping motions, and gentle, circular motions to clean the skin. Repeat if desired (or just because you like the way it feels!) Rinse well and follow with toner and moisturizer.

Visit The Handmade Beauty Connection Archives.

Have your ad seen by over 1,700 subscribers! Click here to see why Essential Wholesale says that the returns from their newsletter ad "just keep on coming" and why the Aromatherapy Connection says HBC "is one of the most efficient and cost effective marketing tools we have."

Donna Maria, Editor-In-Chief, DonnaMaria@HandmadeBeauty.com
Jenn Givler, Associate Editor, Jenn@HandmadeBeauty.com
The Handmade Beauty Connection
The Handmade Beauty Network | www.HandmadeBeauty.com