The Handmade Beauty Connection
May 29, 2006

Welcome Renewing Members!

Parisian's Pure Indulgence | Kelli Parisian | California
* Parisian's Pure Indulgence takes a different approach to skincare. Our treatments refine, resurface and rejuvenate the skin with the nutrients provided by nature.

Wild Woozle Soap Co. | Daria Ross | Washington
* With inspiration from the rich cultures of the Pacific Rim, Wild Woozle creates products with a tropical influence. We take traditional ingredients and fragrances from Tahiti, Hawaii, and around the world and add unique, modern delivery with a sassy twist. The decadent and delicious smelling potions combine exotic natural ingredients, aromatherapy benefits, and creative perfumery to add a little unadulterated bliss to daily necessities.

Pine Hill Organics | Maryann Alvino and Donna Rocchetti | Kentucky
* Organic and natural handcrafted soaps, sugar and salt scrubs, body butter and bath tea.

Welcome New Members!

Olive My Skin | Connecticut
* Handmade soaps and toiletries.

Learn more about our members and their exciting activities by visiting their Web sites through HBN'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.

The article Janet is referring to was written by Kayla Fioravanti (co-owner of Essential Wholesale), one of our great contributing editors. Thanks for your feedback Janet! Email yours to me anytime!

Our magazine is sent to all HBN members as a benefit of membership! To join and get yours, click here. If you'd like to subscribe as a non-member, you can do so here!

Last Week's Answer: Marge Clark at Nature's Gift, who has been a member of HBN since June 2000.

This Week's Question: State the name of the HBN member whose business name is a clever play on the word "homemade." Here are a few hints: they are located in the midwest and their product line is a beautiful collection four products: sugar scrub, soy wax candles, body butter and bath salts.

Be the first to answer and win something delicious!

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!

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5. Handmade Beauty Product Review: St. Pete Beach Handmade Soap

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St. Pete Beach Handmade Soap
4 oz. | $6.00 or 4-pack for $22

Beau Savon has got it going on! You may know them as Wheaton Soapworks, but due to a recent name change, Beau Savon has emerged. There are many great things to say about their soaps. First of all, made by hand from scratch is a plus. Then there's the beautiful wrapping. Each soap is neatly wrapped in a sleeve and then placed into a crispy clear cello bag and topped with a pretty bow. It makes a very nice presentation. Then, when you open the package and get to sniff, the experience continues. I sniffed St. Pete Beach and Champagne Swizzle. I've only had a chance to try St. Pete Beach so far and I'm glad I chose it first because my kids of love sunny orange scent.

According to the Beau Savon website, the soap is named for St Pete Beach, in which there is a community called "Pass-A-Grille". Supposedly a green "pouf" is visible in the sky right at sunset. Beau Savon has captured it beautifully in this bar of golden sun, neatly swirled with streaks of orange, red and of course a green "pouf" or two. My kids love it especially because it turns the bath water yellow, thanks to a dose of colorant. A generous amount of olive oil and castor oil make it smooth for the skin.

You can buy St. Pete Beach, Champage Swizzle and tons of other bars for your own personal use or for resale in your store at Beau Savon.

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6. Feature Article: Love Yourself A Little More Each Day!
by Annette Esterheld

“I know it’s crazy,” says Taye, “it’s also hard, but all of my works are labors of love.” She also says she has the full support of “the greatest husband in the world, who also has a flexible schedule as a real estate agent.” “We communicate often to make sure nothing falls through the cracks and we’ve got everything covered,” she says. “I juggle it all by getting up early and staying up late, except on Sundays, when my family knows Mom sleeps in.”

Muntu means “essence of humanity” in Bantu, and in her soap business Taye says she combines traditional wisdom with a contemporary vision that encourages you to “love yourself a little more each day.” And isn’t that also part of the essence of humanity? Sankofa soaps is a nature based company, she says, one rooted in the belief that “nature nourishes best.” So saying, she uses the most natural ingredients and believes strongly in the philosophy of positive plant power.

Always a Dancer, Now a Soapmaker

Before I tell you about some of her outstanding, unique products, let me tell you how Sankofa soaps began. “The company started accidentally,” Taye says. “I was part of a mail order book club and after reviewing the selections I bought three books, one of which was a soapmaking book. Taye says she read the book, thought soapmaking sounded easy enough and decided to try it. “I was surprised when it worked, amazed that I could do something so useful,” she says, “and I was hooked!”

She wanted to make more soap and more soap and after awhile she started giving it to friends and family members who not only affirmed Taye, but they loved the soap and encouraged her to start the business. All of her family members support her business by shopping with her, promoting her company and bringing her new customers. Her husband, a realtor, buys a Sankofa gift basket for each person who buys a home from him.

She helped finance her company when she qualified for a matching grant, which was an incredible boost for her company. “While in New Orleans, I wanted to sharpen my business skills, so I took an entrepreneur and financial literacy course at an amazing organization called The Good Work Network that works with women and minority entrepreneurs,” says Taye. She adds that when she finished the course, she qualified for this matching funds grant where she contributed $1,000 and they matched it with $4,000. “It was an incredible boost for my company,” she says. Taye is now on the board of The Good Works Network and still a client with them.

Signature Scents 

Taye has three signature scents – Yummy, Serenity and Enchantment, all lovely-sounding names. I like the sound of the peppermint scrub and I can almost feel my feet tingle just thinking of her rosemary mint foot balm. Or how about a facial tea that “feeds your face” or body oil or mist called “Enchantment.” She says her best sellers are her soaps--Honey and Almond, Cinnameal, Cucumber Citrus, Aloe and Calendula and a scentless soap called Canela de Velho made with an assortment of Brazilian herbs.”

Personally Taye says she couldn’t make it through the day without some of her very own products. “My staples are the Almond and Honey soap and butter, Enchantment and Serenity body oil, healthy hair oil and facial steaming tea,” says Taye. She feels her business is quite unique not only because of the high quality products, but her attention to customer service. “We really go out of the way to let our customers know that we appreciate them,” says Taye. “Our customers are an essential part of product development because I listen to them and respond with the products they ask for.”

Thorns and Roses

Just like all businesses Taye’s has its share of both thorns and roses. The major thorns are those dreaded but oh so necessary record keeping and administrative tasks. And the roses? Taye says definitely the positive feedback she gets from customers who tell her how well Sankofa products work for them.

“I am especially pleased by the comments I get from those with eczema, psoriasis and sensitive skin,” she says. “I realy get a sense of fulfillment working in my business. I feel this is one of the things I’ve come to the planet to do.” Mommying her two kids is another reason she’s on the planet. And then there’s the dancing. “Once a dancer always a dancer. It’s a mind set!” says Taye.

Love to HBN

“Working with HBN has been great for my business as far as networking opportunities and increasing my company’s visibility,” she says. Taye believes we’re all stronger by being together rather than apart. For her, HBN is a one-stop shop for information and resources.

Retail and E-commerce

“Stabilizing my company and moving into a small retail and production space is my current business plan, Taye says. She firmly believes that using good natural products is like “loving yourself a little more each day” and that’s her company motto. With the opening of the retail store and expansion of her e-commerce business, Taye hopes more people will share her philosophy of “loving yourself a little more each day.”