Handmade Beauty Connection A Publication of The Indie Beauty Network
March
28,
2005
ISSN 1530-9630 | Vol. 6, Issue 13
To subscribe, click here.
1.
IBN
Update: Welcome New
& Renewing IBN Members!!
2.
Feature Article: On Loss & Love: One IBN Member's Journey From
Grief To Celebration!
3.
Handmade Beauty Recipe Of The Week:
Lavender, Lemon and Thyme Bath Salts
4.
Beauty & The Business
Trivia
Question: win some
lavender products!
5.
Handmade Beauty Product Review:
Lavender Products by Victoria's Lavender Gardens
1.
IBN
Update: Welcome New
& Renewing IBN Members!!
Renewing Members!
Dragonfly Soap | Jacquelyn
A. Barth | Pennsylvania
* renewing member; handmade
soap, body care products, and non-toxic household cleaners
Angelique
Skin Care, LLC | Connie Patti | Michigan
* renewing member; makeup
is made with micronized minerals, handpoured lipsticks and the Just You and
Nature line
Mad
Woman's Lab | Pamela Zidik | Pennsylvania
* renewing member; handmade
skin cream and lip balm made from the finest 100% natural oils, butters and
beeswax
New Members
Bon Sante Corporation |
Cindy Summer | Oregon
* wholesale and private label cosmetics
including cleansers, toners, serums, moisturizers, scrubs, facial peels,
mineral makeup, and bath products
New York Premium | Hugo
Comuzzi | New York
* fragrance oils, essential oils,
exotic vegetable oils and bath accessories for personal care
Rose
Petals | Deena Brock | Canada
* cosmetic and therapeutic blends
based on aesthetic aromatherapy, effective for even the most problematic
skin condition
IBN Members On The Move!!
Traci Vanover of The Creative Concept is excited to invite you all to the Soap and Candle Bee in Fort Wayne, Indiana on June 11, 2005. The Theme is "Fresh Ideas -- Fresh Outlook" and I'll be the keynote speaker -- hope to see you there! (IBN members, put "IBN OFFER" in the shopping cart comments to get your FREE spa CD when you register!)
The Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild conference will be in Pittsburgh, PA, on April 27 - 30! Enjoy their theme, "Transitions For Growth -- Reaching Your Goals." Speaker topics Master Soapmaking classes, Merchandising & Customer Service, Teaching Soapmaking in West Africa, Trademarks, Copyrights & Patents and more! Click here for details!
Learn more about our members and
their exciting activities by visiting their Web sites through
IBN's Online
Member Directory, now with 4 ways to search: (1) by
state/country; (2) by member business name; (3) by keyword search;
or (4) using our new alphabetical listings.
2. Feature
Article:
On Loss & Love: One IBN Member's Journey From
Grief
To Celebration!
Everyone
has a story to tell, and IBN members are no exception. Many member businesses started as a result of a great deal of adversity -- job losses and layoffs,
sudden physical challenges, skin conditions that traditional companies could not
address, etc. But once in a while, a story comes along that just begs to be
told; a story that inspires and encourages all of us. Here is one such story.
IBN member Marilyn Thompson (pictured at left) was a successful real estate company executive, rising through the ranks from office secretary to successful broker to managing a team of 25 agents for a real estate company in Portland, Oregon. As a rising star in an industry where the sale of one piece of property could bring a commission big enough to feed a family for months, Marilyn and her 2 daughters had it made. There was nowhere to go but up, and up she went when in 1992, she married the love of her life who had a daughter of his own. Troy was a landscaper with a love for the great outdoors. Marilyn's new husband was a perfect fit for her lifestyle. The two soon found themselves purchasing land to build a home where they could grow a family and a farm. It would be the perfect place to enjoy their new blended family.
But while they were yet newlyweds, and very shortly after the birth of their daughter Victoria, Troy began experiencing odd physical symptoms including fleeting but intense physical pains and an unusual inability to control his muscle movement. After batteries of tests and specialists, 32-year old Troy was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, an incurable neuromuscular disorder which robs the body of its natural ability to control muscle movement. Devastated but determined to continue to live life to the fullest, Marilyn began a long and exhausting journey as primary caregiver to both Troy and her 4 daughters. Troy enjoyed life to the fullest for the next 4 years, then he finally succumbed to the disease.
As we all come to grips with some of the most intense emotions we and our loved ones may have in light of the Terri Shiavo case, in her own words, Marilyn shares a bit about living with Troy as he endured excruciating physical and emotional pain, and she traces her journey from heartbreak to triumph and the success she continues to enjoy as a home manager and entrepreneur.
dM: During Troy's illness, how did you
manage everything?
Marilyn: It was difficult. I was working full time at the real estate company
and when I came home, I was full-time caregiver to everyone. For the last year
or so of Troy's life, we were fortunate enough to have a nighttime caregiver so
I could get some rest after 10:00pm -- unless of course there was a crisis
(which happened fairly often). I laugh when I recall how many
people told me that I needed to remember to take care of myself too. I always
tried to be gracious and appreciate their input but I couldn't help but silently
wonder exactly how on earth I was supposed to do that.
As Troy's condition progressed, his speech became more slurred and it was abundantly clear that his life was slowly ebbing from him. Assisted suicide was available as an option, especially since we lived in Oregon, the first state to sanction doctor-assisted suicide. Troy was a Christian and he decided quickly that was not the option for him. Instead, he chose to pray not for relief but for the grace, strength and courage he would need to endure the path, no matter how hard it might be.
dM:
Was that prayer answered?
Marilyn: Yes, in spades. But the decision
was not without its severe challenges.
dM:
What do you mean?
Marilyn: Well, for example when Victoria was barely a year old, Troy was
playfully chasing her through the house when he suddenly had a seizure. To avoid
falling full force on his little daughter's head, Troy was able to shift his
body weight enough to fall on her back instead while his face smacked the
hardwood floor causing a large cut to form and begin to swell across the bridge
of his nose. His eyes began to bulge from his head as one of my older daughters
removed Victoria from the room. It became clear quickly that he was in acute
distress not so much due to the physical injury but because we had removed
Victoria from the room so fast that he did not know that she was OK. When
Victoria returned, she repeated, "Papa, Papa, Papa" as a sort of
healing mantra. After some time in the emergency room, both of them were OK but
that's just one of the many challenges we encountered because of Troy's
decision to squeeze every precious minute out of the life God had given
him.
dM:
What an honor it must have been to be married to a man with such conviction.
When did the idea of using herbs, lavender and essential oils enter the picture?
Marilyn: We began using herbs and supplements for Troy
early on as there was very little that traditional medicine had to offer.
The lavender idea came after he was gone, when I was searching for a
business that I could start that would incorporate our dream of using the
property that we had built our home on.
dM:
What were some of the first products that you made?
Marilyn: I started doing dried bouquets of lavender and
miniature roses, both of which I had in abundance on our property.
Next, I added sachets, and later soap. I made some pretty ugly bars of
soap looking back, but somehow they seemed to sell at holiday gift shows, etc. Making soap came as a result of a much needed vacation to Hawaii that I
took the 4 daughters and my Mother-in-law on after Troy died.
We visited a soap store on Kauai and I loved watching the whole process,
the colors, textures, smells, etc. A
few books later, and my bath products business started to grow.
dM:
What a lovely tribute to both of them. How did you come to start your
business, Victoria's Lavender Gardens?
Marilyn: After
Troy passed away, I reached the point of severe burnout in the real estate
industry. I took a few years off to write a book and later, launched a
wedding consulting business with the lavender business as a side hobby.
But it was the one that I really loved, and it started to take off.
I used savings and liquidated real estate (our beach house) to live on
while starting and growing the business. Next
I used loans to obtain the financial means to expand the business.
dM:
What are the most challenging things you face as a
handmade beauty business owner?
Marilyn: Not enough hours in the day! It’s not that I
find any of it to be particularly difficult since you can always find the resources
to help with the things you don’t know. I just can’t seem to find the physical hours and energy
each day to keep up with my brain!
dM:
What are some of the best things about owning your
business?
Number one is working from home and being here
for Troy's and my 11-year old daughter when she comes home from school.
That wasn’t the case with her older sisters, and I feel like I’ve
been given a second chance to do things right this time.
I’ve always been in business for myself to some degree, and would have
a hard time working for someone else. In
other words, like most entrepreneurs I find it rewarding to have creative
license and to reap what I sow. I
have only myself to hold responsible for the results.
dM:
I see
that you joined IBN in just 3 months ago. How did you find out about IBN and how has it
served you?
Marilyn: I found out about IBN through seeing the logo on the Internet. I just joined
for the first time this year, and am extremely glad I did.
First of all, I had no idea that some of the suppliers give discounts to
IBN members! My dues are already paid for
and it’s only March! Secondly, it
caused me to look deeper into the benefits for members such as the Handmade
Beauty University and Beauty Calls
which
I’ve already taken advantage of in just these few months.
And third, but most important, is dM herself as a resource.
Fabulous lady!
dM:
Thank you for such kind words. What are your most popular products, and why?
Marilyn: My soaps, and lotions.
Probably because of the quality of their ingredients and they truly do
provide benefits to the user, as well as their visual appeal.
dM:
Yes, I can testify to that from personal
experience. What advice can you offer to people who are working hard to meet the challenges
of entrepreneurship in our industry and others?
Marilyn: I encourage people to choose career paths based on their passions. It sounds corny, but part of my process in
choosing this business was making a list of the things that I love to shop for,
read about, etc. I think each of us has
been gifted by God with different talents that come into use at different times
in our lives. But if we pay attention to
the things that draw us the most, we can often find answers there.
dM: Thank you for sharing some of the intimate details of your life. While most of us will never have the opportunity to rise to the same exact challenges that you have, perhaps your and Troy's story of living on purpose not matter what the cost can encourage someone else this week. You are an inspiration to all of us.
3. Handmade Beauty Recipe Of The Week: Lavender, Lemon and Thyme Bath Salts
Sprinkle
Lavender, Lemon and Thyme Bath Salts into a warm bath
for a heavenly scent which is both relaxing and invigorating!
When you visit MakeYourCosmetics.com, it's easy to buy the ingredients you need by clicking on our Selected Supplier links:
Essential
Wholesale: pure essential oils, over 200 cosmetic bases, hundreds
of carrier/fixed oils such as meadowfoam, cranberry, jojoba and shea
butter plus a new Short Run Private Labeling Program!
Bramble
Berry, Inc.: over 105 different fragrance
and essential oils (including their exclusive "Energy" and
"Relaxing"), all soap tested, soap molds and unscented soap
bases!
SunRose Aromatics: pure essential oils (many organic), carrier oils and other aromatherapy products, each carefully selected for quality. Check out their new Perfumer's Emporium.
The Scent Shack: fragrance oils and soap supplies. Fragrance oils are pre-tested in cold process, melt & pour soap, and candles, and test results are listed at the Web site. Scents tested by soapers for soapers!
From Nature With Love: over 1,600 ingredients and supplies, including cosmetic ingredients, spa supplies, bath accessories and packaging supplies!
4. Beauty & The Business Trivia Question: last week's winner was Dolores Rys of Pittsburgh, PA. Dolores won some handmade amber soap!
Last Week's Question:
According to the leading trade association for candle companies, what are the four most important factors affecting candle sales?Last Week's Answer: scent, color, cost and shape
This Week's Question: ALS is often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease in honor of a man who played baseball for the New York Yankees, and whose career was cut short by the disease. He attended Columbia University on a scholarship, not for baseball, but for this sport.
Be the first to name the sport and win some lavender products made by Victoria's Lavender Gardens!
Please read the contest rules here before submitting your entry. Put "TRIVIA CONTEST ANSWER" in the subject line or your answer will not be considered.
While time does not permit me to respond personally to all entrants,
the winner's name will be announced in the next newsletter!
5.
Handmade
Beauty Product Review: Lavender Products by
Victoria's Lavender Gardens
Lavender Products by
Victoria's Lavender Gardens
Ahhh, Lavender! That most delicious herb which has so many uses, including looking and smelling fabulous. In addition to that, it's a veritable workhorse for the skin, which is one of the many reasons why Marilyn relies heavily on it for her Victoria's Lavender Gardens line. I tried several goodies, among them those reviewed here: Sensitive Skin Massage Oil, Dead Sea Mud Face Mask and Lotion Bar.
Sensitive Skin Massage Oil
4 oz. | $8.50 or 8 oz. | $16.00
I have been using this soothing blend of oils for about a week now and
really enjoying it. The 4-ounce flip top plastic bottle makes it really
easy to use in the tub area with small children. Especially with my son,
it's easy to take him from the tub, quickly wipe the excess water from his
cute little chubby self and pour a quarter size of this oil in my palm.
Massaging it in is easy and enjoyable for both of us. The aroma comes from
a combination of oils like apricot kernel and grapeseed with lavender
essential oil and fragrance oil added to make a pleasant, clean aroma. I
run what's left after massaging my son into my dry cuticles and elbows.
Lotion Bar
1.5 oz. | $10
The pretty flower shaped molded lotion bar is made with shea butter. Need
I say more? Well, for good measure, it's also got lavender and jasmine
essential oils. That alone should be enough to make any aromatic junkie
love this product. The balance of butter to wax and the aromatic
combination is very pleasant. Cupping it in the palm of my hand makes it
super easy to use and the sealed tin container in which it comes also
contains a pleasant sprinkling of dried lavender buds.
Dead Sea Mud Face Mask
6 oz. | $12.00
Of the 3 products, this one is my favorite! It's not just great for the
face, but for all over my body too. It's made with Dead Sea Mud, glycerin,
lavender and cucumber essential oils and clay. Unlike other masks, it's
more liquid than solid, making it easy to apply a little or a lot
depending on your tastes. The smell is very "earthy," despite
the lavender essential oil. It's great on my body after bathing and I can
feel a slight tingling sensation as it draws impurities from my skin. This
product also seems to tighten my pores well and give my face a smooth,
healthy glow. According to Marilyn, it can also be used as a mud hair
pack. I'm still waiting to have enough time to do that. Plus my hair is
pretty long and I might have to use it all up at once! So I'm saving it
for my face and will probably use it more as the weather warms up.
You
can get these and other delicious goodies (including some beautiful, soft,
handmade neck wraps filled with fragrant lavender buds) at Victoria's Lavender
Gardens.
Visit The Handmade Beauty Connection Archives.
Visit our suite of Web sites serving the handmade toiletries
industry:
HandmadeBeauty.com: the
leading industry trade organization
MangoButter.com:
450+ suppliers of raw materials and packaging, updated weekly!
MakeYourCosmetics.com:
ingredient encyclopedia & original cosmetics recipes
DonnaMaria.com:
sound advice for your small business, Create The Life You Love™
Have your ad seen by nearly 5,000 subscribers! ! Click here to see why Essential Wholesale says that the returns from their newsletter ad "just keep on coming," and why The Scent Shack says, "Our sponsorship of The Handmade Beauty Connection went over very well, we had a huge number of hits on the day the newsletter was published, plus we got quite a few new customers."
Donna Maria, Publisher & Editor-In-Chief, DonnaMaria@HandmadeBeauty.com
The Handmade Beauty Connection
The Indie Beauty Network | www.HandmadeBeauty.com
Copyright (c) 2000 - 2005 by The Indie Beauty Network (IBN) and Donna Maria. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized distribution or reproduction is prohibited. IBN does not necessarily endorse any product, event or ideology featured in The Handmade Beauty Connection (HBC) or on IBN's website. All information is provided on an "as is" basis and no express or implied warranties are given. Any use of the information contained in the HBC or on IBN's Web site, including Recipes, is solely at your own risk. IBN and Donna Maria disclaim any liability in connection with the use of all recipes, products reviewed and other information. Except for sponsorships, HBC refuses compensation from companies to feature or mention their names or products. Opinions expressed in any Product Review are personally those of the reviewer and do not represent the views of IBN, Donna Maria (unless she is the reviewer) or any other person or company.
