A Publication of The Indie Beauty Network
ISSN 1530-9630 | Volume 7, Issue 8
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1. IBN Member Update: Welcome New & Renewing IBN Members!
2. Lifestyle CEO Report: Success Principles With Jack Canfield of "Chicken Soup" Fame!
3. Handmade Beauty Trivia Question: win something wonderful!
4. Handmade Beauty Product Review: Groove Sea Salt Body Scrub
5. Feature Article: Indie Beauty With Soul
6. Nominate Your Choice For The 2006 Handmade Beauty Business of the Year!
7. Products Liability Insurance Update: The Letter's Been Sent!

\Life.Style CEO\n. A person who owns and manages a business, not solely for financial gain, but also to enjoy the personal rewards of entrepreneurship, independence, flexibility and fun.

Upcoming Lifestyle CEO Internet Radio Shows:

February 20, Paula Deen, best selling cookbook author, owner of The Lady and Sons restaurant in Savannah and host of the hit show Paula's Home Cooking will join me to share her journey from divorced single mom to entrepreneur, restaurateur, author and more!

February 27, Thomas Davidow, renowned family business consultant and owner of Thomas D. Davidow & Associates, will join me to provide strategies for owning and managing a family business. How do you divide up responsibilities? How do you keep family relationships separate from the business? Should you?

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!

Groove Sea Salt Body Scrub
8 oz. | $21.00 or 16 oz. | $40.00

Scrubs are great, don't you think? Anyone can make and use them, and you can use anything in them. The oil of your choice is usually in a cabinet in your kitchen if not in your craft or small manufacturing area where you keep all your "stuff." You can add texture and color to create just the right "feel" for your skin.

But the thing that makes a scrub unique is not so much the base oil used, or even the type of exfoliant -- sugar, salt or whatever. What makes a scrub most unique is the scent it transfers from jar to hands to skin. If you're looking for a scrub with some "grove," the scent of this one is quite special. Made with peach, sandalwood, honey, vanilla, pineapple and other indulgent fragrance oils, this combination if a Carol's Daughter original. It's reminiscent of fruit, but with a heady twinge from oils with more depth like vanilla and musk. The honey adds a sweet touch while the sandalwood grounds things a bit.

Carol's Daughter is becoming known for her rich fragrance combinations, and this one is one of the newest. Get your "groove" on at Carol's Daughter, where you'll find tons of other goodies and some nice Valentine's gifts for him and her.

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A Glo is Born

Terina McKinney of IBN member Innerglo Home Spa Products conceived the idea for her company in 2004 when she found out that she was pregnant after 8 long years of diagnosed infertility. “I became pregnant after implementing lifestyle changes that included fasting, juicing, herbal tonics, hydrotherapy and other aspects of holistic healing,” she says. "Natural living led to the conception not only of my miracle child but also of my company!" adds Terina.

Out of her desire to avoid stretch marks and other pregnancy side effects, Terina looked for natural products to nourish her skin. Not finding any that were 100% natural, Terina started making her own. “As a hobby, I had always made candles and natural skin products such as soaps, scrubs and masks for my loved ones and myself,” she says. For Terina, it was an easy transition to start her own handmade beauty business. Still young in the industry, Terina’s business is simply arranged. Her office is in her guest bedroom and her manufacturing facility is in her garage. She works her business around mommy responsibilities like play dates and story times at the local library.

The name “Innerglo” came to Terina in a dream  when Terina was "glowing" herself with the joy of being pregnant. “When I was pregnant, my creative juices overflowed,” she says. “My motto ‘Allow Your Natural Beauty to Radiate’ came the same way.” She handcrafts all her products herself and Terina says “each one is 100 percent natural. I use no artificial fragrances or preservatives, “she says, “And each product is marked with its own freshness date. Our products make the luxury of high end spa products affordable and accessible to everyone.”

Just the name of her “Cleansing Bath Honey” sounds yummy all by itself. Terina says its made of honey, shea butter, and essential oils and castile soap. “I worked on it until the lather produced just the right amount of foam and the scent of the essential oils became prominent” she says. “It washes without stripping the body of its oils and for people with dry skin, it’s a godsend.” She says women also love her Dead Sea Salt Scrubs because they exfoliate without irritating and use the powerful properties of Dead Sea Salt to nourish the skin. The ‘Pleasure’ scrub is filled with rose petals and smells like a floral paradise, while the ‘Awaken’ scrub has lemon peel in it and the most amazingly refreshing concoction of citrus essential oils,” she says. Besides Pleasure and Awaken, Innerglo’s collections include Luxuriate (orange and patchouli); Meditate (cedarwood and lavender) and Unwind (a blend of eucalyptus, ginger and rosemary. Only pure essential oils are used for scent.

Building The "Buzz"

Creating a buzz about Innerglo on limited funds is the toughest part of running her own business Terina says. But she’s working hard at it. “With no paid advertising at all, I have increased my mailing list tenfold and orders are coming in regularly,” she says. Terina started Innerglo with a very small gift from her mom and she used a credit card with one year at zero percent interest to fund the rest. She credits her great products and word-of-mouth for helping to keep her in business. Her efforts are slowly paying off as Innerglo tea baths, herbal blends packaged in large tea bags that Terina says soften the skin while providing aromatherapy and healing benefits, were featured as “bubbles,” hottest/coolest product on the Home Spa Shopping Connection, and her massage balms were featured in Craft Revolution, an independent design and craft association.

A Mommy First

Terina says motherhood remains her top priority and that being a mom makes owning a business joyful, but also tough. “Many people can to grow their businesses and prosper in their careers without having to deal with diaper changes, snack time, Sesame Street and play dates,” she says. “It’s not an easy task to process orders, fold the laundry, handle customer service and get dinner done all at the same time," she adds. How does she make it happen? "I prioritize and multi-task,” says Terina. “I also have a supportive husband who does what he can, but he works 12 hour days and commutes three hours a day," she adds. “I’m certainly not complaining,” she says, "Because being home with my daughter and giving her the foundation to build life on makes it all worth it.”

Terina is also uplifted by positive customer testimonials. “Nothing feels better than hearing that my salt scrub is a person’s absolutely favorite product on earth, or having someone order a dozen of my bath honeys because her husband can’t stand to be without them. That's a great feeling!!" she shouts.

Sculpting the Future "Glo"

Terina loves to use her hands to take a concept from idea to fruition, whether it’s a bath salt, a massage balm or a piece of sculpture. She quilts, sews, scrapbooks, crochets, beads, draws and paints and designs leather accessories. Before she was pregnant, Terina was a full-time college student and an emerging accessory designer, commuting to New York College four or five days a week. She designs accessories now on a whim because she feels she can only balance motherhood, household duties and one business --  Innerglo. “Some women do run multiple businesses and I’d like to be one of them, but until my daughter enters school on at least a part-time basis, designing (my first love!) is on hold,” Terina says.“ My ultimate goal is to open a boutique like Manhattan's Henri Bendel in South Jersey. I’d sell my line of leather goods, re-worked vintage dresses, the work of other emerging designers, and, of course, Innerglo home spa products,” she says.

Don't Be All Things To All People

For other up and coming handmade beauty products manufacturers, Terina advises that assert your independence from what everyone else is doing. “Know why you are starting your business. This will help you stand out in the crowd. It’s so easy to follow the trends, but customers are smart and each is looking for something specific,” she says. “It’s impossible to please them all so do the very best in your particular niche/specialty and those with discriminating tastes or those who relate to your philosophy will always come back for more," she says. Terina adds, "Don’t forget to call on dM and use IBN. It's  phenomenal,” says Terina. "dM has always been there to listen and offer insight and advice. I don’t know that I could have the peace of mind and confidence in my ability to grow my business without seeing others just like me involved in IBN. Innerglo Home Spa Products is a labor of love for my family and I hope that all who use our collection can feel the love and care that goes into each and every product,” says Terina.

Visit the Innerglo website to get your own taste of Terina's love and care, and enjoy your own dose of Indie Beauty With Soul! While you're there, ask about Terina's Valentine themed products, including cozy heart themed spa slippers! 

Help IBN Celebrate 6 Years of Serving the Handmade Beauty Industry!! 

As you know, IBN has formed the Home-Based Personal Care Business Task Force to address the fallout surrounding one of the (if not the only) nation's only 50-state suppliers of products liability insurance for personal care products businesses who operate from their homes' decision to cease providing such insurance for companies that gross over $5,000 per year in revenue. The decision has his many IBN members hard and because I know that the memberships of other organizations are also affected, several of us have banned together to form the Task Force.

Click here to view our letter to RLI expressing our concerns and advising of the devastating impact their decision has had our home-based manufacturers and their families.

There is power in our numbers! While this letter may not change RLI's mind, it will also be sent to the insurance commissioners' of all 50 states, including yours. It is therefore the first step in an advocacy strategy that I expect to extend throughout 2006 and beyond. Stay tuned for more reports to come!

Best & Success!!
Donna Maria
Editor, The Handmade Beauty Connection
The Indie Beauty Network | www.handmadebeauty.com

Copyright (c) 2000 - 2006 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.