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Company Profile & Review: Hejin Body Works
Sunday, April 19, 2015
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| courtesy hejin body works |
Hejin Body Works
PREMIUM HEALTHY SKIN CARE
When I stumbled across this company, I was instantly happy! Not sure if it's the cute little pig or the bubbles in the logo, but when I saw it, I immediately wanted to take part. Great marketing on the part of Christina and her husband Matt. Although I've not communicated with them much, just from the look of their shop and the products they produce, their fun-loving spirit endears me to them and hopefully soon, I will have the honor of meeting them (big plans in the works ;).
Hejin (pronounced "Hedge In") Body Works' origin story has to do with a pig that liked mud but not using harsh chemicals to clean himself. Thus he began a journey to create great natural skin care products - Sounds perfectly sound to me!
Every facet of company is creative and playful. I fell in love with the product names just as much as I enjoy the great quality of their soap and the fantastic price! Hejin body works makes a wide variety of cold process soaps (and yes, variety is the spice of life!) as well as lip balms, lotions, massage oils, bath teas pet shampoos and other skin goodies. At $3.95 per bar of 4 oz bar of soap and $8.95 for 12 oz of body butter, this company has to have one of the lowest price points I have seen for handmade body products. Don't let the price fool you, I truly enjoyed their products from the groovy names to the bubblocity (it is a word and I'm sticking to it). If you're ever in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, stop by their shop, it will be well worth the trip!
REVIEW
I received my box of Hejin Body Works products quickly - their website is clean, and easy to navigate as well as fun to read. All orders are shipped priority mail with free shipping on orders over $30 and $5 flat rate shipping for orders under $30.
In my box were a bar of Pina Koala, Go Bonkers and the Pink Himalayan Salt Bar.
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| courtesy hejin body works |
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| courtesy hejin body works |
Last, but certainly not least was the Himalayan Salt Bar.
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| courtesy hejin body works |
More Hejin Body Works? Find them here:
These
profiles are compiled based on my personal experiences and research;
and unless otherwise noted, do not express the views, opinions or
positions of the owners, employees or representatives of this company.
I do my best to thoroughly research all information prior to
publishing, however, any of the information contained in this profile
may have changed. All logos and product pictures posted, unless
otherwise noted, are my legal property or I have obtained proper
authorization for posting. For further information on this company, its products and services, please contact them directly.
Recipe: Easy Creamy Sugar Scrub
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
EASY, CREAMY SUGAR SCRUB
(Citrus Lavender Edition)
Exfoliating skin is the best way to experience the maximum from your bath and body products. As skin ages, the top layer dries up and dies (sad, but true). This dead layer of skin is unable to absorb vital nutrients, conditioners and lipids (fats) that help skin to be healthy and glowing. By scrubbing this layer of skin off you reveal healthy, young skin that will readily accept all of your awesome body products and put them to good use!
If you happen to be without a good sugar scrub or would like to save a little money, I'm going to share a very simple sugar scrub recipe that you can make in about 10 minutes and you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now!
As far as scrubs go, I prefer a creamy texture versus those with the sugar and oil that separate, that way, I don't have to mix up the scrub each time I want to use it. So, for my favorite creamy body scrub basic recipe you will need:
1 cup white or brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup Crisco (which is pretty much just hydrogenated vegetable oil and palm oil - you can substitute one or the other if you prefer)
1/4 cup olive oil (grape seed, sunflower, safflower, vegetable or any combination of these is also acceptable)
That's pretty much it for the base formula. Simply mix them together until well blended and there you have it! You can always add more or less of each ingredient to get a firmer or thinner consistency. This recipe yields about 2 cups of scrub.
I make a double batch and separate into jars then add different fragrance oils/EO's to have a variety of different scents. For my personal use, I use simple deli containers to hold my scrubs - but you can dress them up to give as gifts. There are tons of cute ideas on Pinterest for mother's day scrub gifts!
This recipe does not include preservative - so I wouldn't suggest keeping around for more than a month. To help with shelf life, use a scoop or spoon to put scrub in your hand to avoid water getting into the jar. Vitamin E or Grape Seed Extract ARE NOT preservatives and will not extend the shelf life of your scrub. If you would like to add a preservative 4 or 5 drops of Liquid Germall Plus mixed in with the other ingredients can extend the shelf life for up to a year.
But wait, you say - what about the Citrus Lavender??!?!?! Easy Peasy. Simply add a few of drops of lavender essential oil and a drop or two of lemon, lime, orange and/or grapefruit essential oil and mix in well (Total drops of EO should be no more than 5). Start with a few drops and mix well to test fragrance. With essential oils, it will not take much to get a nice scent. I adore this blend it is very invigorating and great for the Spring and Summer. If you have some dried lavender buds and/or dried citrus peel, add a bit to the scrub for extra exfoliation and they make it really pretty.
This simple recipe can be used as the basis for any fragrance of scrub with any additives you can think of (just remember if you're not using a preservative, do not add anything water based to the scrub). Let your imagination go wild!
What kind of scrub would you make?
Company Profile, Review & Giveaway!: Unearth Malee
Monday, April 13, 2015
I was drawn to the Unearth Malee Etsy Shop by the unique simplicity of the product packaging. I am a strong believer in the power of packaging as advertising. I believe in this, because it personally draws me in. When I see a uniquely packaged bath and body product, I instantly want to know more about it.
Marie, the proprietor of Unearth Malee, grew up in a Thai-American household and through her experiences with Asian culture and cuisine at home, she developed this ethereal line of products including candles, soap, body moisturizers and lip balms. Using a name her family passed down for generations, Malee - which in Thai is the name of a jasmine flower, Unearth Malee using natural organic and Eco-friendly ingredients to create it's delicate, aromatic offerings.
This principle of naturalness and earth-friendliness echos throughout the line. Unearth Malee's soaps contain no palm oil because of the adverse impact increased palm harvesting has on the forests of Malaysia, especially the habitats of orangutans. The packaging for their soap is made from seeded paper that can be planted to grow wildflower even the lip balms and deodorants are packaged in eco-friendly tubes.
REVIEW
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| The soap arrived wrapped in paper and sealed with this cute sticker |
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| A generous amount of samples is always good in my book |
I received a set of 6 soaps (Thai Lime Rosemary & Japanese Citrus Chamomile will be awarded to readers in the giveaway. I also received Dragon Fruit Green Tea, Bali Flowers, Lavender Lotus Blossom and Papaya Ginger Lemongrass, which I used to develop this review) along with the cocoa butter lip balm. I was impressed with the care and packaging of the soap when I received it. (Again, forgive my pictures).
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| The whole set |
Because of the lack of any artificial fragrances, I felt like Bali Flowers and Dragon Fruit Green Tea had a very subtle fragrance, however the ones containing Lavender Lotus Blossom and Papaya Ginger Lemongrass were nicely herbal in fragrance and exhilarating in the shower!
Of note, I did find these bars to not have the exuberant lather of other soaps I have used and they were on the soft side in relation to other cold process soaps. I am sure this is due to the lack of palm oil and it is not a bad thing, especially if you want to incorporate all natural, vegan products in your routine and lessen your footprint in regards to palm oil consumption. The soaps produced enough lather for me to feel clean after using them and I will happily add these into my rotation for times when I want to cleanse my soap palette.
Initially, I was concerned that the lip balm container being totally from paper, would not stand up to my daily routine of using it, dropping it in my purse, leaving it in the car, sticking in my pocket, etc., etc. However, it did stand up to my routine and the lip balm itself was moisturizing. For those sweet addicts, this is not the balm for you as it does not have any flavor added, but it works well and is a great choice for a light lip moisturizer.
More Unearth Malee? Find them here:
These
profiles are compiled based on my personal experiences and research;
and unless otherwise noted, do not express the views, opinions or
positions of the owners, employees or representatives of this company.
I do my best to thoroughly research all information prior to
publishing, however, any of the information contained in this profile
may have changed. All logos and product pictures posted, unless
otherwise noted, are my legal property or I have obtained proper
authorization for posting. If not, proper credit has been assigned and
photographs are posted to ensure no bandwidth stress to these company's
websites. For further information on this company, its products and services, please contact them directly.
Company Profile & Review: Willow and Honey
Sunday, April 5, 2015
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| handmade, soul nourishing skincare with a chef's touch |
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| courtesy willow & honey |
"From my heART to your shower" is on the home page of this bath and body artisan's website. Like many other handmade soap creators you find on Etsy and in local farmer's markets and craft bazaars, the founder of Willow & Honey developed her talent for creating bath and body products through her passion for artistic creation in other forms. For this young lady, it was food. She is a trained chef and when her son developed eczema at 18 months, she started working to develop something to soothe his irritation from commercial soaps and lotions (their children being another big reason people begin making handmade skincare items).
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| Water Lily Bubble Bars courtesy willow & honey |
Whenever possible, all of Willow & Honey's products are made with non-gmo/organic oils and butters and are lightly scented with skin safe fragrance/essential oils.
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| Morning Glory Soap courtesy willow & honey |
I was drawn to sample this product line because of the whimsical nature of the products. I really like that she incorporates food and other natural ingredients to the fullest extent. And how cute is a soap with little eggs on the top? Her handcrafted items look as sweet as they smell. I also applaud the awesome contrast of her simple black and white packaging. It does not overshadow the quaint fanciful nature of the products, yet works well when coupled with her colorfully designed bath treats.
PRODUCT REVIEW
I ordered the mermaid hugs soap bar and orange blossom lip butter. My packaged arrived from the west coast (I am on the east coast) approximately 5 business days from the date of my order, which is very reasonable. The order process was a bit more difficult that I would have liked. The website is as cute as a button, however when you click on a product, the "add to cart" button is not visible until you mouse over it at the bottom of the description. Once you get that figured out, the rest is smooth sailing. To top it off I received samples of "Midnight Coal" and "Zen" soap with my order. As a product junkie I love, and as a business person I absolutely encourage, the sending of samples with orders. I know that more than 50% of my own personal repeat business with a company is due to receiving a sample of something that I really like and most times it is something I might not have picked just from the description.
I took these picture of the products I received before having good lighting. I just don't understand how the lights in my house seem fine enough to live by, but try to take a picture, even with a high quality camera and comes out crappy. For this I apologize.
I absolutely adore the look of the mermaid hugs soap. The vibrant blue/green of the soap is like looking into the ocean and the gold on top is a great complimentary color. The colors washed away clean and though the lather was slightly colored by the soap, it didn't stain my white wash cloth.
This cold process soap bar was 4.5 ounces and extremely firm. The fragrance was delightful, a blend of "fresh rain, lily of the valley, green botanicals and ocean mist". It really smelled like fresh ocean air - extremely refreshing. The fragrance was great in the shower but does not linger very long on the skin. The lather was excellent, with abundant, large bubbles that left my skin feeling clean and not stripped. Priced at $8.00, it is a little more that I would usually pay for this size bar. It is indeed a high quality, great bar of soap, lasting a little longer that the average 6 showers I get from this size bar (I am a lengthy showerer, lol). The extra bath or 2 is a means for justifying the cost and would not deter me from re-ordering.
The orange blossom lip butter has to be one of the cutest lip balms I have ever seen. That heart in the middle is just so sweet! Colored with lip safe colorants, it does not color your lips at all. At $6.00, this was worth every penny! The butter is easy to apply, goes on easily and doesn't leave a sticky residue. For the winter, I would like a lip butter that is a little heavier, but for the spring and summer this is great! Though I am not a fan of tubs of lip balm/butter than I have to stick my hands in - with a lip brush, this stuff is amazing! Even though the description says it is flavored with orange essential oil, because of the name orange blossom, I was imagining more of a neroli essence. It is definitely orange but not at all disappointing!
More Willow & Honey? Find them here:
These
profiles are compiled based on my personal experiences and research;
and unless otherwise noted, do not express the views, opinions or
positions of the owners, employees or representatives of this company.
I do my best to thoroughly research all information prior to
publishing, however, any of the information contained in this profile
may have changed. All logos and product pictures posted, unless
otherwise noted, are my legal property or I have obtained proper
authorization for posting. If not, proper credit has been assigned and
photographs are posted to ensure no bandwidth stress to these company's
websites. For further information on this company, its products and services, please contact them directly.
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