Our Partnership with Farm Sanctuary

Danielle Schreier of Farm Sanctuary contacted me a couple of weeks ago inviting us to participate in their upcoming Gala at the Beverly Hills Hotel in L.A. on September 8th. Farm Sanctuary is a non-profit organization that fight the abuses of industrialized farming and to encourage a new awareness and understanding about farm animals.

Quoted directly from their site, "Our rescue and education work continues, as we advocate for laws and policies to prevent suffering and promote compassion. We are reaching out to legislators and businesses, and working to bring about institutional reforms."

We are happy to announce that we have donated Crush On You for the gift bags at the Gala this coming weekend (picture above shows the pile of yum) and we are going to donate 10% of proceeds of all website sales made on Product Body Shop for the whole month of September. Every time you or anyone else purchases from our website, you will be helping Farm Sanctuary continue their rescue, education and advocacy work. Below are a few pictures of a few animals they have rescued that now live on their farm.

Aren't they sweet?

Let's join together and make September our biggest month ever, so we can give Farm Sanctuary a boost!

A reminder: We do NOT test on animals and never will.

Update On Give-Away

You all can comment on any post from Sunday August 26th through September 7th to be included in the give-away drawing. I don't want to limit you if you want to comment on posts before the 29th.

Don't forget, though, if you sign Anonymous, and your comment is chosen, we have to toss it for obvious reasons.

I love the comments! Thank you!!!!!!
-jo

Are You Ready For A Give-Away?

I haven't received as many pictures as I hoped for the Product Body Photo Contest, and I know there is plenty of time, but I'm ready for another fun give-away. Luckily for you, I have a terrible sense of patience so I am starting something new in the meantime.

I will be drawing a name from the pool of comments made on this blog from today until September 7th. The winner will be picked randomly and will receive a goodie bag filled with generous samples of our Crush On You, Pumpkin Scrub, new bath melts and a surprise gift.

I guess if you comment, you have that many more chances to win the loot. Good Luck!!!!!

We Love Foam!

Crush On You was featured in this month's Foam. The nicest glossy magazine dedicated to the surf, geared to girls and women and includes articles, fashion and other trends. Nice.


If you can't read it, go to the Press section on productbody.com.

Just had to share. :)

Tupelo Honey....

I have been getting a lot of emails about the Honey Scrub I have been asked to create. I am picky about what I sell, so it has to be right before I put it out there. I am very close to completing it but it needs more tweaking. I have tupelo and orange blossom honey that I am working with, however, the tupelo is grown locally, and I am always looking to work with local farmers and suppliers.

Every time I see the word "tupelo", I think of Van Morrison's song, "Tupelo Honey".

Whipped Soap at The Soap Bar

Check out my blog entry on whipped soap at my other blog, The Soap Bar. Boy, I wish I could make it myself!

Street Art In NYC

Having grown up in NYC, graffiti was all around me .... tags littered walls, phone booths and trains, but there have always been the street artists as well, Keith Haring being the most famous. Back in the 80's, he was inspired by graffiti art and began making chalk drawings on blank advertising panels in New York subway stations.

I was just looking through Streetsy, a website dedicated to street art and found some interesting pieces I thought I'd share with you. When you are looking for something different than museum art, go check the some of the street photos. The guy posts about 7 pics a day and others upload photos as well from other cities, so it's a mix.

There is so much going on in this photo. Click on it to get more detail. Hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

Pumpkin - Available September 1st

If you are into the smell of pumpkin pie or pumpkin bread as well as the texture of cookie batter, then you are going to LOVE this scrub. I have moved my Crush On You out of its scrub-spot by the sink for now, because I must use the pumpkin every day now. I'm addicted to it.

I don't know about you, but I am ready for Autumn even though it's 95 degrees here every day. Today was the first day of school for the sunny state of Florida. Back to school signifies back to eating and smelling sugar cookies, pumpkin pie, fresh banana bread while cranking up the air conditioning so I can nestle under my fleece blanket with my slippers on with hot cocoa and marshmallows on the table next to me.

The Pumpkin Scrub is priced under $20, weighs 9.5 ounces and has real pumpkin in it! I made a batch today and it took everything I had not to eat it. I really have to remember to eat a meal before I start formulating because all of my products look like one food or another.

yum.

My New Favorite Thing

I have been on a mission to find a coconut scent that I like from well over a dozen different vendors of mine. They never smell like coconut, though.....not even close to the real thing. It is kind of like every candle that claims it's vanilla, smells like this gross bleck. I actually love the smell of real vanilla but can't stand vanilla in general because it smells heavy, musky, yucky and fake.

So I still haven't found the perfect coconut fragrance oil, but I finally bought some organic virgin coconut cream oil and when I popped that cap off.... Wow! Gorgeous coconut smell wafted from the rim. It was a perfect blend of coconut and coconut. Not a strong smell, but a true scent. I had to pry my nose out of the opening. I could have breathed it in like that all day. Well, it really goes to show ya that the real thing is key.

I might have to play around with some coconut products very very soon. More concoctions, I love it!

I have 4 of these coconut trees a-swaying in my backyard and they are bursting with coconuts! I should get a machete to hack off the shell to get to the goods. (Knives don't work. We've also tried smashing on concrete, cracking, hammering....those are hard suckers)

The Beauty Addict: Kristen Kelly

Kristen is the beauty blogger that has written about us more times than anyone, and definitely helped put us on the map. Beauty Addict is a favorite of mine, one I go back to time and time again. She is a true authority on aal things beauty related, and she's funny.

Without even telling me, I found a post (The Itchy & Scratchy Show) on her blog about moisturizing her arm which has been in a cast for weeks. One of her 2 picks for moisturizers was Product Body's Mama Bomb. So I publicly thank her and ask all of you to check out her blog if you haven't already.

Kristen, thank you again for your kind words!!

Free Stuff Free Stuff 2

In the last post, I created a contest for all my readers and Product Body users. I have asked everyone who uses Product Body or is planning to use it, to send us a picture of yourself or a friend with your favorite Product Body product.

It was pointed out to me by a very fine blogger, Meghan Greenhalgh of Faking Good Breeding that it might be nice for people to know what the free prize will be. I really thought it would be interesting to leave it up in the air, but I can see why someone would need the actual carrot to see as an incentive to continue walking forward. So, taking the advice of a dear blogger, here is the list of goodies: The amazing, fantastic Fresh Pumpkin Scrub which has not yet been released (9.5 ounces), Honey Vanilla Bean Scrub which has not yet been released (9.5 ounces), Mama Bomb belly balm (1.6 ounces), and a jumbo Sea Salt Bath (16 ounces -any scent we've got our hands on...list will be provided at the time of winning!!).

I will provide pictures once the Pumpkin and Honey scrubs are fully photographed and labels for the honey is complete. If you are having trouble deciding where to shoot, some suggestions are, but of course, not limited to: On the beach, in a boat, at the Grand Canyon, in a cave, under a waterfall, at work, in a bath, on the street, in a car, or a bar, in your house or on a mouse, by your cat or wearing a hat!

Again, snail mail or email is fine, although digital photos are easier-but anything you've got is fine! Looking forward to it, guys.

Free Stuff! Free Stuff!

We are getting ready for Fall.... sprucing up our line and gearing up for give-aways.

Send us a picture of yourself with your favorite Product Body product and we will publish it on my blog all over my blog. Be creative because the photograph that we think is the best will not only get published on our productbody.com website, but you will get $75 in free bath goodies!!

So think hard, get creative and email them to me at jo(at)productbody.com or snail mail them to me at:

PO Box 3773
Tequesta, FL 33469

Winners will be picked on September 21st. That gives you plenty of time to enjoy the rest of the Summer, settle back into the Fall groove and get those snappies to me.

I can't wait to see!!

Bath Melts and Bath Cupcakes

My children are between camp and school so we decided to try some "baking" in the kitchen. Not a huge success as far as the final project, but we all had fun creating them, and I am sure they'll have even more fun bathing with them. I used Ann-Marie's bath cupcake recipe loosely (very loosely). I worked around it with my own ideas, changing this here and that there, but I think it all was a flop.
The cupcakes came out too mushy. I was going for a squishy marshmallow texture, but instead, I ended up with a crumbly fudge-like base. I pored them in paper cupcake holder to keep them contained, because before I stuck them in the freezer, they were pretty gooey.

My frosting consisted of confection sugar, cream of tartar, 3 egg whites(the real ones), color, warm water and caramel lip flavoring. I had no meringue or egg white powder and I used far too much water (that was an accident). Then we topped our own cupcakes with cosmetic glitter, Starbucks Mocha Powder, real caramel, and smashed bittersweet chocolate. The toppings were the most fun to play with and eat.
Of course working in the kitchen with two ten year olds and a seven year old can be a slight challenge, but I had no agenda except for having fun and seeing what we could create with what we had in the house.
As I mentioned in my last posting, I want to get more creative and introduce more fun colorful items to the line, but I have a long way to go. The confection perfection that some have may be unattainable for me because I am a mixer and maker, not a decorator. I tried today, but I am not so good at it. I will keep trying because it is fun, but I am not at all close yet!

Itching To Create

I have become inspired by all the interesting looking bath products out there. It's given me the itch to be more visually creative in my bath product making, so I have been going crazy trying to think of something original and cute while still being effective. My focus has been more about the product and not so much the beauty of it, but I see the lure. I am attracted to the cute bath treats, so why aren't I making any?

I've been thinking about it so much, I dreamt about cute ideas all night, so my brain has been charged and I might experiment some more today. I have a million things to do, and yet my inner artist is nagging at me while my biz needs me to get to work.

So today will be a bit of business dealings and also a bit of creating for me. My children are between camp and school, so they are here with me today. That won't be a challenge at all! =)

Soap Blog

My friend had a beauty - life blog and announced that she was interested in testing and reviewing handmade soaps. I thought it was a great idea! Her life, however, recently took a turn in another direction and is unable to keep up with the project. I decided to take on what she started (with her blessings) because A) I love soap and B) I want to help expose handmade soap makers to the public and give them the kind of press that jump started Product Body only a short time ago.

Beauty bloggers review make-up, body products, bath stuff, fashion, you name it. People have come to me, both individual customers and spa/shop owners through the reviews that several beauty bloggers posted about our products. The bloggers were great. I first contacted them to see if they might be interested in trying my products, then I mailed them samples and waited.... hoping they were going to post positive things about us. Well, they did, and without the exposure they gave us, I don't think we would have been considered for the magazines we've been in so far or have secured some of the retailers that carry Product.

I can't wait!! So here is my OTHER blog (as if I am not busy enough!), where I will be posting shortly! It is called The Soap Bar Blog. Come check it out soon, and if you make soap, send me some and I'll write about you!! :)

So excited!!

Pumpkin Is The Obvious Choice

I concocted dozens of batches, most ended up in the garbage immediately. We are now finished with our formulating and testing and we all love the scrub. My mother has visited a number of times and commented on the smell of my garbage... "You have the best smelling garbage of anyone I know!" Hmmm. Strange comment. I suppose she is right; My garbage smells like pie!

Pumpkin is great for your skin- the enzymes found in pumpkin dissolve dull skin and contain essential fatty acids, antioxidants, zinc, and high levels vitamins A and E which can diminish the appearance of wrinkles, and some say can soften the effect of stretch marks. It also contains high amounts of antioxidants. Free radicals are the primary agents in the advancement of the aging process, and antioxidants, applied topically and eaten, are the best defense... So, if you eat plenty of pumpkin and rub it all over your body, you are ahead of the game. Sounds good to me.

It will be available September 1st, just in time for Fall - weighing 9.5 ounces. And priced under $20! I am still working on other Autumn surprises, including the Honey Scrub which is still going through our vigorous testing process. We are close for those who have been asking.

As I have said before, I welcome comments; I love to hear from you, so please let me know your thoughts.

Baby, Come On Home.... (Led Zeppelin)

Hey, all. Thanks for being patient. I was away on a well-deserved vacation with the family. Believe or not, my husband, two kids and I went to Orlando and had an uproariously good time. We stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel on site at Universal/Islands of Adventure Parks.

What a joint. The pool was HUGE 12,000-square-foot pool with a sand beach, underwater stereo, interactive fountains, a 260-foot pool slide and the popular Beach Club pool bar, and concerts of Madonna, Cold Play, The Police, Ozzy Osbourne...etc. play on a big screen. We actually didn't spend much time in the pool, but it is worth mentioning because it was so over the top.

We visited both parks, both days and I think the temperature in the shade was 98 degrees with no breeze. Brutal. I have to say that the park was really not very crowded on Wednesday, but pretty full on Thursday. The best thing about it was not waiting on long lines. When you stay at The Hard Rock, you can use your key cards as an Express Pass which puts you on a separate line than everyone else. Well, we waited a maximum of 15 minutes per ride, while others waited well over one hour per ride. Totally worth it!! Waiting online at these parks can kill you, especially in the heat. We hit so many rides and it was so fun! We felt like movie stars, pictured below, in Faux Hollywood.

So we got back at one in the morning and I am bleary eyed and so achy. We walked more in two days than I have in 2 years. Ooooh - oww.

So I am back and I apologize for being negligent about posting. Missed you!
xo Jo

Letter From A Customer

I got this great letter from a customer. I asked permission if I could post it, and she graciously agreed.

I just wanted to let you know that I ordered both the Shea Butter and “Crush on You” about two months ago. They are the most fabulous products that have ever touched my body! I used the body butter this morning on my legs and arms – it’s been about 4 hours since application and I can still smell them and my skin feels AMAZING!!

You also gave me a little jar of lemon scented hand cream that just about makes my day every time I use it.

Thank you for creating some of the most perfect products on the planet.

Just thought you should know they’re the best.

Best,

Anna Jordan

Thank you Anna. I love to hear from you and anyone else that has any feedback for me. It's what makes it so fun to create!

Pumpkin Scrub For The Fall

Well, formulations are complete on our new Pumpkin Scrub (I know, boring name, but to the point). We formulated batch after batch and the whole place filled with pumpkin smell for weeks! It smelled as if someone was baking a pumpkin bread or pie. (The scent still lingers....)

I am pretty excited. I have been fanatically researching new ingredients, their properties, finding suppliers for them and so on. I think we are spot on with this scrub, but I have no interest in duplicating it with different fruit or vegetables. I like to create new, unique scrubs each time. More work and more fun make it more interesting for buyers. I look at competitor's scrubs, and it feels like their just tweaking one or two ingredients, but basically, they all have the same stuff in it. Makes sense if one is happy with a formulation, duplicate, duplicate. But, not me. I find that each product is its own entity and that my next scrub will be completely different.

I have started my Honey Scrub, for those of you who told me they want me to create one. I am close, but not quite happy with it. I must change a couple of things to make it right, but OH MAN, honey is amazing! It is a wonder ingredient. Sticky, yes, but so good for your skin and so yummy smelly. Since my research on honey, I am thinking of doing a multiple honey taste test. I had no idea how many different kinds of honey there are. I will be purchasing all of my honey locally from a well known Florida apiary.

I'm not a big bee fan, but they make honey, beeswax, and royal jelly, all good for you. So to celebrate, I had honey on buttered toast last night for dinner. Dripping with honey. :-)

Homemade Soy Candles, In My Kitchen

So last weekend when my 10 year old daughter had her good friend over, I thought it would be fun to make candles with them. They loved the idea! I have been wanting to make candles again so this was my chance. No more excuses. I had soy wax and wicks left over from years ago when I made candles.

The process was very easy. We melted the wax beads in a double boiler added candle-specific fragrance (I chose "Citrus") and my daughter and her friend thought cream would be a good color. We stirred the melted wax, color and scent together, set the wicks up in cute frosted candle pots, and poured the mixture. It smelled divine! These pictures show my daughter, her friend and the poured candles in my kitchen. We had so much fun!

They were so giggly and excited. We don't normally allow dangerous wax melting and pouring with the children, so this was a first.

According to some candle makers, you should let soy wax "cure" for 4 days before burning, to have the most effective scent throw. Don't know why exactly, but we did. When we burned the candles, they smelled up the room so nicely. The scent shouldn't be called "Citrus". It really should be called Creamy Perfection".

Aren't they pretty?

Another Interview

The interview with Cheri at Beauty Buffet blog just got posted on her website. I interviewed months ago and forgot I revealed my addiction to Haagan Daz chocolate peanut butter ice cream. (I ate a half a pint just last night ;-0).

You should check out the blog when you get a chance. She has product reviews, beauty tips, diy recipes and more.