I designed Rub Me All Over for a friend of mine who was really into weight lifting. An essential oil mix of coriander and rosemary, safely diluted in sunflower oil, gives the sense of a slight warmth that allows the muscles to loosen up a bit and release some of that soreness. I use it on the back of my neck and shoulders; my friend liked to use it on his calves and upper arms, to good effect.

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When my Bucza¹  was dying, we flew her sister Helen² come over from Poland to help care for her. In the process of helping Aunt Helen learn the basics of the area where her sister lived, my parents had to show her the post office, the pharmacy, and the grocery store. My mother started with the grocery store, and encountered a strange situation.

Aunt Helen froze. Then, she burst into tears. She finally got my father to translate what Aunt Helen was saying from his US-ethnic Polish: “There are too many choices,” he translated. “She’s overwhelmed by where to begin.”

It was an “Oh yeah,” moment for my parents. Communist governments in the 1980s weren’t so big on providing consumer options. As we learned later, Helen among other Polish people survived by stealing what they could and selling it back at black market rates.³

Bath and body shoppers face this same feeling of being overwhelmed. There are thousands of brands and microbrands all vying for you to buy things to slather and soap, to spritz and to steam. And any conscious shopper wants their shopping made easier: those of us who make what we make need to give you a reason to buy, a reason we’re different. And therein, pardon the pun, lies the rub:

One of the unavoidable facts of life in creating any bath and body product is that someone has done it before. While we may change the packaging and the pitch, when it comes to originality, each and every one of us who makes what we make learned at least the basics from someone else, even as we have divined the secret to making the basics really rock through trial and sometimes very painful error.

A good bath and body maker will have lined up the best suppliers or even gone so far as to grow/raise the desired materials. The ingredients for these materials, once someone know the ropes and can identify good quality from poor quality, are essentially the same: fats, oils, and extracts. Emulsifiers. Catalysts, here and there. Necessary-for-your-health-and-safety preservatives.

So what really sets us apart? Aside from skill – some soapers are better than others, some perfumers have more olfactory vision, you get the idea – it comes down to marketing and innovation. We draw you in with the prettiest packaging, with the best reputations, and with finding new ways to use the same old stuff, or new ways of presenting the same old thing. This is true of the  tiniest home bath and body business to the gargantuan giants of cosmetics.

This world has provided us a lot of materials to work with, and because of the abundance of the earth itself, we can allow trends to come and go. One year vanilla is all the rage, and the next we’re all about the pomegranite. Lately people are wild for figs. The way we recombine these has a broad number of combinations, but the basics are the same: base cosmetic at the desired consistency, preservative, emulsifier, fragrance when appropriate.

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1. Polish for grandmother [↩]
2. not a woman of good character, but a pretty typical example of a Polish black marketeer from the Iron Curtain era [↩]
3. Somewhere in Poland, there’s a now wealthy family that owes me two years of my college tuition. [↩]

Vegan labeling is hot-hot-hot these days, and we bath and body sellers are pretty eager to ride that bunny to a few bucks. The problem with saddling up, however, is that too many consumers and sellers alike just don’t understand the nature of the beast:

Vegan means no animal products or byproducts whatsoever.

Some people have a really hard time with this. Once, when I went to dinner with a vegan friend, we had to spend twenty minutes arguing with the waiter – he could not even conceive that she wanted a salad with no eggs, no ham, not even cheese. He actually argued with us, “You won’t be getting any nutrition!” In the end she still had to pick pieces of mozzarella out of her salad.

Vegan is not the same as vegetarian. Vegetarian is a diet choice; Vegan is both a diet choice and a total lifestyle.

A vegetarian does not partake of animal meats. Not fish, not chicken, not cow nor squirrel. However, vegetarians may enjoy milk, honey and eggs.

The part that confuses people is that vegetarian and vegan dietary requirements sometimes cross over into non-edibles, such as their soap and body products. Because decisions about what to eat are not always related to decisions about what to wear, it can leave bath and body sellers absolutely scrambling to figure out what label goes on what.

While in my opinion the best way to learn these distinctions is to try them for up to a week at the time, health allowing¹, for some people it’s just not that simple, especially those who are still deeply connected to US farming.

I see the most common mistakes in labeling on products that contain animal oils, milks, and bee products.

Neither Vegan Nor Vegetarian

• Emu Oil

The emu actually has to die in order to obtain the oil used for beauty products. This is neither vegan nor vegetarian.

Not Vegan but OK for Vegetarians – depending on the Vegetarian

• Goats’ or Cows’ Milk
• Honey
• Beeswax

There are a lot of reasons people opt for plant materials over animal materials these days for reasons beyond the usual philosophies that prompt a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. Since it’s not just the usual suspects or the usual reasons, I think that there is  growing confusion as to what and how something may be vegan or vegetarian – but here’s hoping that we’ve cleared up the basics.

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1. and ignoring the insulting advertisements of PETA claiming that veganism is a great diet, ignoring a number of plus sized vegans among their own ranks [↩]

I get asked more and more regularly by people who live close to my locale whether I have a storefront. I don’t.  While I know there are potential customers who would only consider buying from me if I had a physical storefront, I am placing my faith in the increasingly Internet-savvy group of customers who are already accustomed to the risks of buying bath and body products online.

¹

Most of the reasons for this are expense related: I started this business in 2006 on $200 and a pile of essential oils I still had from a previous business attempt. I have not and do not plan to take out business loans.

And perfume making is not the only thing I want to do with my life.

This is the world of multiple revenue streams: read “To get by, you need to do more than one thing for a living.” For some unfortunate underpaids in corporate life, that means two jobs are necessary. In my household, both my boyfriend and I work in multiple fields in order to pay rent, keep food on the table, and pay off student loans. A personal illness has complicated this matter, and it means that I in particular must find more creative ways to contribute to the household.

I know it would be easier on curious parties if I did have a store to just wallk in – but it would take away a lot more from me than I’m willing to give up, and in the long run wouldn’t make financial sense. I would have to set aside writing and writing time to keep regular business hours. I would need to raise my prices to meet overhead. Signage, maintenance, permits, insurance… all these things are things I would need to deal with. All these things would take me away from what I love.

So sorry, no storefront. But you’re welcome to explore our samplers listing.

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1. photo taken by magickalrealism on flickr [↩]

Nasal Rangers Evaluate Aromas
It’s one thing to have to sniff things I’ve made that didn’t work out so well, but this woman is paid $12.67 an hour to sniff things that people, er, made. And women aren’t still exploited in the workforce?

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1. Photographer: Richard Marshall, St. Paul Pioneer Press. [↩]

((Fritz was brought forth at LaughingManticore creations.))

I just wanted to take a moment and introduce Fritz, the first ever Spokeszombie for Magickal Realism Natural perfumery. So far he’s been a delight to work with, but that may be because we keep a bottle of Zombie Repellent in every shot with him.

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Skip reading the blogs and papers a couple of days, and I almost miss this:
Minnesota Lawmaker Campaigns for Scent Hazard Awareness.

Having lived in Minnesota for over a decade, this tells me that somebody’s wealthy kid had to sit next to somebody else who was not so considerate with the perfume application. In public schools, where kids are required to sit in close quarters for hours and hours, the recipe for misery and allergic reaction is obvious.

Representative Karen Clark tried for a ban, but “school authorities” are arguing against the ban. By authorities, this probably means principals and superintendents who do not spend as much time with students as the possibly allergic teachers do.

High school in particular is an awkward time for hygiene, and it often makes me think that along with those carefully worded health classes, a revisit to the old tradition of charm school would go a long way in solving these problems. If students are made aware of how much they communicate with smell and what that communication may do to others, they just might tone it down. Then again, we are talking about teenagers – there’s a certain point in life where all things must be learned the hard way.

Perfume is an essence and art form. When people just slap it on, it just becomes one more form of silly paint, and it becomes olfactory graffiti when it’s so overdone it triggers and asthma attack.

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We’re witnessing a great big fancy revival of DIY culture and spirit. Anyone “hip” has to get their little hands dirty creating something to wear, or taste, or to furnish – and this is great. Sometimes it saves money. Sometimes these little diy-ers discover hidden talents. And I know that many are taking away the satisfaction that they are somehow subverting “the system” by not putting their money in the hands of others (well, directly – there’s still money changing hands for materials, and some straight to the very organizations they’re trying to subvert.)

But along with the DIY spirit comes the dark side, because all things have at least a double-edged nature: what I would call DIY Greed, or more aptly, DIY arrogance. Sounds harsh, doesn’t it? I know. Please hear me out:

So DIY-er has had great success making pipe cleaner chains, and has decided to take this to the marketplace. That’s great. It’s certainly a developed skill that no one else has.

While at the marketplace, this new pipe cleaner chain business owner perceives that the fuzzy-wuzzy-weebit makers are doing brisk sales, and that they seem to unload a LOT of merchandise. DIYer then decides, in a fit of desire for the money that s/he believes the fuzzy wuzzy weebit maker is making, to then sell fuzzy wuzzy weebits.

So the DIYer goes out and buys Weebit Making for Dummies.  But the Weebits made according to those careful instructions keep tipping over. So this pipecleaner chain whiz goes tromping over to the original Weebit Maker. “How do you get them to sit up straight?”

Now, this Weebit maker, unbeknownst to the Pipe Cleaner Kid, has spent eight years training those Weebits to sit up straight. It’s taken wire, bribery, even electroshock. At long last the Weebit found the secret to making good, upright Weebits – and between the time, and the expense of the material, it’s cost that person around $5000. Weebit maker is only recently seeing a return on this initial investment. And all this goes through his/her head as s/he stares at the Pipe Cleaner Kid, wondering what the hell to say to this demand for hard won information.

Eventually, instinct wins: Weebit Maker says no.

And the result is that Weebit Maker immediately has a full-on-tantrum coming from the Pipe Cleaner Kid. The Pipe Cleaner Kid fully believes that s/he is owed the information,  that in a free society it should all just be shared and given freely. Pipe Cleaner Kid will not run a Google Search. Pipe Cleaner Kid will not visit the library and read some books on the information. No, Pipe Cleaner Kid wants it straight from the Weebit maker, the Weebit maker’s own business, time, and effort be damned.

¹

This is the parable of artisanship, and respecting artisanship. This is also where the DIY spirit and the artist-making-a-living-spirit diverges. It is not possible to be good at all things. In a free market economy, even a small one that allows for bartering, it is not necessary to be good at all things. It is, however, a duty to honor the talents of others and to recognize that when it comes to the exchange of money, goods, and services, that it is better to get it well earned and slowly than fast and sloppily by selling a product that is cheap and may eventually hurt someone.

I’m seeing this sort of thing happen a lot to my soap-making colleagues. Someone on Etsy sees a few soapers that are selling with great success, and jump on the bandwagon. “It’s easy!” they tell themselves, frequently buying a kit. What most don’t know is that there can be thousands of dollars and hours spent in making soaps that lather right, that are safe for the skin, that are the right texture and weight. Even those who use soap molds run into trademark issues with the molds available, and sometimes they are forced to add the skill of soap mold making.

More than one has told me about an acquaintance, witnessing their hard-won success, who decides “well, I’ll make soap too. It’s fast money!” The original soapmaker than has all sorts of trouble with product line imitations, demands for trade secrets, and a complete disrespect for the work that s/he has put in to making his/her soaps.

This isn’t the stuff of anti-competition. That’s another topic. This is the stuff of undervaluing a skill. Essentially, the “DIY spirit” can loop right back around to “Wal-Mart thinking” where all things are cheap at the price of someone else’s poverty. Stepping into the arena of bath and body, or any other art form, without practically revering it, devalues the people that have already put all the work in, and leads in the end to a shoddy product.

So when it comes to crossing the line between DIY and artisanship, remember: it’s about money earned, not money grabbed. Money earned slowly as people put down their investments in quality has a profound impact on changing our culture into a place that is sustainable for the earth, ourselves, and our neighbors. But making money “grabs” by doing something “fast and easy” just because you see someone else making money at it only enhances the poverty and mis-distribution of resources cycle.

Do what you’re good at, or what you’re passionate about. Take your time. Do it right.

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1. from the defunct show Daria. Used without permission, just great amounts of fan worship. [↩]

No, I did NOT forget about this series. I just had to set it aside because digging through regulations is a brain-numbing process, especially when it involves US regulations where some things are enforced, some things are not, and new information is storming the Internet like flying monkeys every single day.

((image by saturnine on flickr))

This will be the last installment of the series – the FDA has some new initiatives that need attention, and there is an overwhelming amount of information to research and make sure I understand. Also, this really is about the end of it for this particular act.

So, we already know the definition of cosmetics and that we’re not allowed to sell stuff that’s poisonous or adulterated (in theory.)

So, Chapter VI of this act: Cosmetics

Section 601  Adulterated Cosmetics

If it’s gross, if it’s made in gross conditions, or if it’s poisonus, you’re not allowed to sell it.  Special dispensation is made for coal-tar hair dye for who knows what historical reason, and then the label must read in exactly these words:

‘‘Caution—This product contains ingredients which may cause skin irritation on certain individuals and a preliminary test according to accompanying directions should first be made. This product must not be used for dyeing the eyelashes or eyebrows; to do so may cause blindness.’’

Section 602 Misbranded Cosmetics

This is really straightforward instruction.  Tell the truth on the labels. To make sure the truth is told, the following data should include on the packaging itself:

1. The name and location/place of business of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor
2. An accurate statement of the quantity of product contained in the package.¹
3. All required labeling needs to be easy to read and understand by the average consumer.

 Section 603 Exemptions

The Secretary of the FDA can change the rules for you if for some reason you have to have your materials repacked in a location away from where they are produced.

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1. Reasonable variations are allowed, so if you have 2.1 ounces of product instead of an even 2, the men in black won’t be knocking on your door. [↩]

I pulled this book from the Etsy book club reading list – I usually can’t participate in their online meetings, but I make time to read the books. This particular book grabbed my attention because of what it means to me as a female microbusiness owner.

Perhaps calling it a book review is a misnomer – it’s more of a concept review. As a microbusiness running on no loans whatsoever – not even credit cards – I’m particularly interested in the project from a debt avoidance/debt recovery point of view. After economist Mohammed Yunus encountered a woman in Bangladesh/former western Pakistan whose life could be transformed from abject poverty to reasonable comfort for the price of $27, he created a microfinancing project that eventually became known as the Grameen Project. In this project women – and only women – were approached and offered loans frequently totaling less than $50, so long as they could form an appropriate coalition of five women to put each other through the banking process.

It has turned out that Grameen (a variation of the word “village” in Bengali) has been extremely effective in raising families above the poverty line, worldwide.

The concept on which the Grameen Foundation operates – microlending – runs converse to what banks and economists practice. Banks demand literacy and collateral from their customers, but the system that Yunus established demands neither, and does not charge interest. It also rethinks the mindset of banking: the practice of microlending to end poverty is not about having “more” or about increasing luxury. It is simply defined as having a reasonably clean place to live, with a roof, regular access to food for the entire family, and necessary health care.

The mainstream practice of lending is, especially in comparison, by and for the already affluent: you must already have affluence to have collateral required for the loans requested, and the loans may only be of a significant size. The microlending of Yunus is not the stuff of credit card usury: people aren’t enslaved by these debts, they are interest free – and he reports a continuing repayment rate of 98% of borrowers, even in the face of natural disasters.

This particular program doesn’t apply to me, personally, but I am fascinated by what it might imply if more lenders began exploring these practices. I run on a bootstrap – and a shoestring. Often my end of month decisions involve making choices between packaging and raw materials, between customer service and legal/ethical obligation. It makes me curious, even though I most certainly am not experiencing poverty.

I’m well aware I have my feet planted in the ground of the seismically shifting US economy, and I fully expect to see microcredit and microlending become increasingly more common as we move progressively back towards cottage industries.

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