Gardein Stuffed Turk'y

Every year at Thanksgiving I kind of feel like the odd woman out because, as a vegetarian, I don't actually eat turkey. That also means that depending upon where I am eating, I may not be able to eat the stuffing or the gravy or the mashed potatoes. This is crushing for me because although I no longer eat meat, I really LOVE to eat. 

My family has become adept at cooking vegetarian stuffing (no giblets or chicken stock) on the side as well as no chicken stock in the mashed potatoes. However, I've had a tough time trying to replace the actual turkey since I became a vegetarian 16 years ago. Sure, I've tried Tofurky (gross with a capital "G"). I even made vegetarian shepherds pie one year and this amazing puff pastry layered veggie torte one year, but it is truly not the same. 

So, imagine my surprise and delight when I saw the Gardein Stuffed Turk'y in the freezer section of our health food market! I was a little worried that they wouldn't deliver, although I have yet to try any Gardein products that I haven't liked. I was pleasantly surprised that these were absolutely amazing! Great texture, the stuffing was dead on and the gravy that came with it was to die for (although I did add sauteed portabella mushrooms to the prepackaged, frozen gravy)!

"New limited edition gardein™ savory stuffed turk’y is made with vegetables, ancient grains and plant-proteins (soy, wheat, and pea) and is a delicious meat-free main course with 22 grams of protein, 9 grams of fat and 270 calories per serving. The turk’y is breaded with toasted crumbs and is stuffed with celery, onions, cranberries, and bread crumbs. Cooking time is 25-30 minutes in the oven."

All in all, I would definitely buy the Stuffed Turk'y again, although it is a seasonal item and I don't know how much longer it will be available. If you're looking for a turkey alternative for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, give Gardein a try! 

Allison B. Kontur

www.BathBodySupply.com

Small Business Saturday Extended!!

To support small business this holiday season, American Express is extending the offer to give $25 back to Cardmembers who register & use their card at a small business ANY day through 12/31. Register now! All small businesses that accept Amex are automatically enrolled. 

For everyone else, whatever the form of payment, Shop Small!

Allison B. Kontur

www.BathBodySupply.com

Small Business Saturday - Double Rewards Points Extended!

First there was Black Friday, then Cyber Monday. This year, November 27th is the first ever Small Business Saturday, a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country. Small Business Saturday is a national movement to drive shoppers to local merchants across the U.S.

More than a dozen advocacy, public and private organizations have already joined American Express OPEN, the company’s small business unit, in declaring the Saturday after Thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday.

Join the movement, spread the word!

And, in honor of Small Business Saturday, our Double Rewards Promotion has been extended to midnight Saturday (11/27/10). So, if you missed your opportunity to gain double rewards points today, you can place your order from now until Saturday at midnight to double up on points!

Allison B. Kontur

www.BathBodySupply.com

Giving Thanks

"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." ~ Eric Hoffer, Reflections On The Human Condition

I become more and more conscious of taking time to truly appreciate the things I am thankful for. I believe in always counting blessings and never counting chickens before they've hatched. (Contributions from both Catholic school and farm life!)

My Family

My parents believed a less worldly lifestyle ensured strong, prepared and respectful children. We had daily chores and few luxuries (like television). Childhood on the farm prepared me to work hard, inspired me to rebuke excuses and taught me the value of a dollar. I am thankful to have a strong work ethic today and an unparalleled education because of my parents.

Grampa & Gramma Kontur

My grandparents believed in the power of family and the grace of God. Faith has been an ever-present facet of life. Grampa Kontur (above) taught me to give thanks each day. He believed if we surrendered our worries to God, lived honestly and worked hard, we would have everlasting life. Having lost both of my grandfathers in the past two years, I am thankful to have been given the opportunity to know them at all, to feel their love and to now see (and be part of) the legacy they have left behind.

Lacy (Sister), Sydni (VP, Smell No Evil, Ltd.), Me

I am lucky to have a network of caring and considerate friends from all walks of life. My ever expanding network of business colleagues includes my two business partners who help me navigate Smell No Evil, Ltd. and now AliMar Labs, LLC. I am thankful for the ability to maintain a healthy balance between my personal and professional lives and for the opportunities that have come my way as a result of maintaining that balance.

Mom, Her Brothers & Sisters

I live in America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. She's not perfect, none of us are. There are scars, bumps, bruises and a bloated deficit; but underneath it all she has determination, pride, grit and the desire to conquer seemingly impossible obstacles. America and I have a lot in common. I am thankful for all those who still believe in this country and what it stands for. For each and every brave soul who fights and especially those who have died to protect and defend her.

Dad, His Brothers & Sisters

"Thanksgiving is the holiday of peace, the celebration of work and the simple life... a true folk-festival that speaks the poetry of the turn of the seasons, the beauty of seedtime and harvest, the ripe product of the year - and the deep, deep connection of all these things with God." 

~ Ray Stannard Baker

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. Count your blessings, today and every day.

Allison B. Kontur

www.BathBodySupply.com

Recipe: Football Inspired Air Fresheners

If you missed our Sachet Bead Tutorial previously, you can revisit Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3.

For this project, you will need:
8 oz Sachet Beads
2.5 oz Fragrance Oil
Powdered Mica, Pigments

We used: Bonfire Fragrance Oil, Black Oxide, Radiant Gold Mica, Radiant Beige Mica
 
Phase 1: Measure sachet beads, mica and fragrance oil (into separate glass jars for each fragrance/color) that has a tightly fitting lid.

Phase 2: Cover with a lid and allow to sit for up to 1 week. Agitate several times a day. The beads will eventually absorb the fragrance oil and become dry to the touch. Some fragrances absorb quickly and others require longer to absorb. Be sure to agitate frequently to ensure color and fragrance are distributed uniformly.

Phase 3: When beads have dried, pack them into a metal cookie cutter (the ring type) to about 1/4" deep. For best results, place your cookie cutters on a non-stick baking surface before filling.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cookie sheet in oven for 5-10 minutes. Keep careful watch over your ornaments to prevent them from completely melting. The sachet beads will melt slightly and run together, but will not completely flatten out. The beads will retain a slightly bumpy appearance on top. Some smoking is normal as some fragrance oil will burn off.

When time is up, allow ornaments to cool completely before removing the cookie cutter. The ornaments will appear to be stuck to the cookie sheet, but will lift away rather easily. A nail or other sharp object can be used to poke a hole through the top of your ornament. Tie with jute, cord, or ribbon and package.

Note: It is best to hang these air-fresheners rather than to lay them on any surface as the fragrance and/or mica may damage plastic or upholstered surfaces. 

Tip: Remember that you are working in reverse if you are doing any detail work (we forgot, so our helmet is backwards!). We found it easier to create the detail (#9 & fleur de lis) first and place in the oven until the bind together slightly, then add the filler beads and complete the process. You could also make them in a solid color and add in the details with metallic Sharpie markers if you have a steady hand!

Allison B. Kontur
www.BathBodySupply.com

MyRewards - Black Friday Double Rewards!

Are you familiar with our MyRewards Program? Do you like to save money? If you have placed an order online anytime since January you may have points available for use! 

To redeem points, log into your account on our website using the email address you entered at time of purchase. Under the "Other Features" header near the bottom of the screen, you can click on your "MyRewards" link to redeem your available points. Every time you accrue 250 points, you can redeem them for $10 off your next purchase with us! 

Now is as good a time as any to check your account and redeem your points. To sweeten the deal, this Friday, you can earn double points on all of your purchases at BathBodySupply.com! Place an order online this Friday, November 26th and you will earn double points!

Allison B. Kontur

www.BathBodySupply.com

New Fragrances

Two new fragrances have made their debut at BathBodySupply.com!

Vanilla Swirl Flavor Fragrance

A mouth watering blend of Creamy Vanilla, Rich White Chocolate and Raw Sugar Cane. 

This flavor fragrance is safe for use in skincare products including those for lip application as well as home fragrance products like candles.

Satsuma (Tangerine) Fragrance

Tangerines are my favorite sweet, juicy citrus scent and this smells exactly like the real thing. 

This fragrance oil is safe for use in skincare products and home fragrance products. It is NOT lip safe.

Allison B. Kontur

www.BathBodySupply.com

Holiday Hours & Lead Times

Order processing times have increased to 3-4 days. Please plan accordingly, especially if you have deadlines to meet for tradeshows, holiday shows or home parties.

Orders containing Custom Scented/Colored items will not ship same day, regardless of delivery method chosen. Please add 3-4 business days processing time to UPS time in transit to estimate delivery of your order.

As a reminder, there is limited UPS service the week of Thanksgiving. BathBodySupply.com warehouse and offices are closed on 11/25 &11/26.

Allison B. Kontur
www.BathBodySupply.com

Do You Crowdsource?

© Solarseven | Dreamstime.com

Crowdsourcing is the act of outsourcing tasks, traditionally performed by an employee or contractor, to a large group of people or community (a crowd), through an open call.

The difference between crowdsourcing and outsourcing is that a task or problem is outsourced to an undefined public rather than a specific group. In crowdsourcing the activity is initiated by a client and the work might be undertaken on an individual, as well as a group, basis.

The perceived benefits of crowdsourcing include:

• Problems can be explored at comparatively little cost and often extremely quickly.
• Payment is often omitted.
• Your company can tap a wider range of talent than might be present within your own organization.
• By listening to the crowd, you can gain first-hand insight on your customers' desires.
• The community may feel a brand-building kinship with the crowdsourcer, which is the result of an earned sense of ownership through contribution and collaboration.

A few months ago we needed to do some research regarding a service we were planning to implement. By enlisting our followers on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, this blog and via our newsletter we were able to systematically utilize those who are already familiar with what we do to give us feedback on our project. Crowdsourcing confirmed a need and desire for our new service in mere minutes rather than months. 

Additionally, by surveying those in the "crowd" we learned of concerns we hadn't thought of. As a result, we built a relationship with several individuals who wanted to utilize our new services and several of those relationships have blossomed into much larger sales and far more leads than expected.

In an interview with Andrea Grover [a curator of crowdsourced art], Grover is asked if web-based collaborative projects tend to be different from face-to-face projects. She states that individuals tend to be more open because they are not being physically judged or scrutinized...In an online atmosphere there is more attention being given to the project rather than communication with other individuals.

Crowdsourcing is not limited to any particular industry or even a specific purpose which makes it an inexpensive method for anyone to find solutions to just about anything. With the recent surge of CrowdFunding, we're sure to see this method of information-sharing explode alongside advances in technology. So, if you need answers cheap and on the fly, Crowdsourcing or even Crowdfunding might be the solution you're looking for.

Allison B. Kontur

www.BathBodySupply.com

New Lip Bases

Introducing two (2) newly reformulated lip balm bases!

Natural Lip Balm Base (For Pots)

Our Natural Lip Balm Base (For Pots) is perfect for mini-pots, slide tins or small jars. Contains 4 ingredients including Lauryl Laurate, a vegetable derived cosmetic ester designed to impart unique conditioning, emolliency, moisturization, emulsification, thickening, slip and superfatting in skin  and hair care applications. This base is not thick enough to use in tubes.

Natural Lip Balm Base (For Sticks)

Our Natural Lip Balm Base (For Sticks) was created specifically for use in "stick" type products like solid lip balms and lipsticks. This base contains 9 ingredients including Lauryl Laurate, Beeswax to create a product thick enough to be used in a tube. (It can also be used to make solid perfumes!)

Note: Both bases are melt and pour varieties. Simply melt the base in a double boiler, add optional flavor fragrance, sweetener and color. Pour into your containers and allow to set up before capping. 

Allison B. Kontur
www.BathBodySupply.com

Shea & Aloe Lotion

© Valentyn75 | Dreamstime.com

Shea & Aloe Lotion is a ready to use base can be used “as is” or it can be customized with color and fragrance.

This cream-type base contains Shea Butter, Aloe and Silk Amino Acids which are well known to help moisturize and repair skin damage. Silk Amino Acids provide a protective barrier and silky note to the lotion keeping it from feeling greasy.

Shea & Aloe Lotion creates a light barrier without the heaviness associated with many creams, it is the lightest cream in our product catalog, with a light, whipped consistancy.

Purchase Shea & Aloe Lotion in Bulk, Unscented/Uncolored

Purchase Shea & Aloe Lotion in Bulk, Scented and/or Colored

Allison B. Kontur

www.BathBodySupply.com

Recipe: Foaming Hand Cleanser

You will need:

4 oz Bubble Wash Concentrate

12 oz Distilled Water

1 oz Oat Straw, Tincture (Organic)

5 ml (1 tsp) Fragrance Oil (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a sterile glass mixing container. We used an immersion blender to fully incorporate the ingredients. Allow to sit for at least an hour or until you can see through the soap and it is no longer foamy. Pour into foamer bottles and cap.

Allison B. Kontur

www.BathBodySupply.com

8 Guidelines To Get Me As Your Vegan Consumer

Is your business catering to vegans? Available research claims Vegans make up roughly 1% of the population in the United States. With more and more high profile Vegans like Steve Wynn, former president Bill Clinton, Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Akron native Chrissie Hyndes, the numbers of Vegan converts are certain to rise. How confident are you that you know what vegan consumers want? Do you keep on top of trends? As a vegan, I'd like to share 8 guidelines to get me to be your vegan consumer.

1. Educate yourself first. Know what Vegan means and know that it is a lifestyle, not just a diet. Sounds simple, but I can't tell you how many times I've spoken with salespeople who didn't know the actual definition of Vegan and could not discern an animal-based product from a vegan product. It matters to vegans. Make it matter to you.

2.  Don't assume I know your products. You know what you carry, I likely don't. Tell me what you have to offer in an educational way and be prepared to explain what qualifies your product as Vegan. Make sure your staff and sales team understand the products they are selling.

3. Don't preach. Not everyone is a vegan for the same reason and many people are new to the concept of an animal-friendly existence. I'm already on your side, inform me but don't lecture me and don't use scare tactics.

4. Be patient. Not everyone is a seasoned vegan. Be prepared to answer a lot of questions while new vegans acquaint themselves with vegan lifestyle and ingredients.

5. Be honest. If some of your products are vegan and others are not, clearly label them so there is no mistaking which one I'm buying. If you only carry a few vegan items or if you are reformulating non-vegan products to include vegan ingredients, disclose it.

6. Always list all of the ingredients. It's not good enough for me to simply see a "Certified Vegan" or "Vegan" logo on a product. I'm a label reader. Make sure your labels comply with FDA requirements and list ALL ingredients so that buyers can avoid ingredients that they need to avoid. This includes full disclosure of all colorant ingredients and some research into fragrances which may contain animal derivatives.

7. Offer me a way to connect with your business once I leave your store/website. I want to know when you release new products or if you're having a sale. Social media is a great way to build a community around your products! Twitter, Facebook and an email newsletter are simple (and inexpensive) ways to accomplish this.

8.  Give me a reason to come back. Incentives like free product samples, sweepstakes, tell-a-friend deals, repeat buyer coupons, and other "action oriented" incentives are great for ANY business. However, I've found that in smaller communities of like-minded individuals (like vegans), incentives go a long way to expand your client base simply by word of mouth.

Allison B. Kontur

www.BathBodySupply.com

What is "Certified Vegan"? (Part 3/3)

We've defined "Vegan" and we've defined "Vegan Skincare", but what makes a product "Certified Vegan" and why does it matter?

The "Certified Vegan" Logo is a registered trademark for products that do not contain animal products and that have not been tested on animals. The Logo is intended to be easily visible to consumers interested in vegan products and helps vegans to shop without constantly consulting ingredient lists; it helps companies recognize a growing vegan market; and it helps bring the word "vegan"—and the lifestyle it represents—into the mainstream. 

The "Certified Vegan" logo is administered by The Vegan Awareness Foundation (official name of Vegan Action), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about veganism and to assist vegan-friendly businesses.

Please note that product certification refers to processes which are intended to determine if a product meets minimum standards, similar to quality assurance. All product certification programs are not created equal. 

Some certifiers use an active means of maintaining and auditing the processes required for their particular certification. 

• A good example of an "Active Certification" is the USDA Certified Organic certification program where a producer or handler is approved by an Accredited Certifying Agent as being in compliance with the National Organic Program (NOP) regulations. Then, the Producer or Handler is authorized to sell, label, or represent products as being “certified organic”. 
• In active certification programs, your products may be audited or inspected at any time to ensure compliance and those who are non-compliant can be stripped of their certification which is then listed publicly (in this case on the USDA website). 
• The USDA (responsible for overseeing the NOP) can and will fine those who willingly and knowingly violate the provisions of the program or for using the Certified Organic logo or terminology without going through the certification process.
• Status of Program: Active. Accepting new applicants.

Other certifiers use a passive means of maintaining and auditing their certification programs. 

• The Certified Vegan certification is an example of a "Passive Certification" program. To apply for permission to use the "certified vegan" logo, the producer or handler submits an application agreeing not to use banned ingredients, banned processes or animal testing. 
• There are no accredited auditors to verify the producer/handlers claims nor inspectors to ensure compliance. Unless the producer/handler notifies the certifier of any changes to their product, the certifier will likely never know. While the Vegan Action website provides a list of companies selling "certified vegan" products, they do not list companies who have violated or lost permission to use the logo. 
• At this time, no information is available regarding the handling of violators of the Certified Vegan logo. Many companies have created their own Vegan standards and logos instead of applying for certification.
• Status of Program: Active for current Certified Products. Not accepting new applicants.

Both the Certified Organic and Certified Vegan programs require annual fees and annual re-submission. The similarity ends there. The two logos are non-inclusive of one another. Products may be Certified Organic without being Certified Vegan and vice versa.

More information is available regarding the "value" of each of these certification programs as pertains to public perception at www.GreenerChoices.org

• Certified Organic
• Certified Vegan

The reality is this, Certification is only as good as the Certifier and the Certification Process. Before you spend time and money applying for certification for your product, research your investment. Some certifications aren't worth the paper they're printed on if they don't add value to your customer.

*Did you find the series helpful and informative? We'd like to hear your feedback in the comments section!
 

Allison B. Kontur

www.BathBodySupply.com

What Is A "Vegan" Skincare Product? (Part 2/3)

© Parpalea Catalin | Dreamstime.com

Yesterday we defined vegan as:

          a.) containing no animal ingredients or by-products, 
          b.) using no animal ingredients or by-products in the manufacturing process, 
          c.) and not tested on animals by any company or independent contractor.

This same definition applies to the skincare products we use everyday. Not only do Vegans want to avoid wearing animals or ingesting animal material, they don't want to apply skincare containing animal derivatives (or those which have been tested on animals) to their bodies.

Seems simple enough, doesn't it? It's pretty easy to determine that cod liver oil and beeswax come from living creatures, right? I mean, it says so right in the name.

Less likely additives like lecithin, which is used in eye creams, lipsticks, liquid powders, hand creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos, foods and medicines can be derived from both eggs (animal) and soybeans (vegetable). Do we know which type of lecithin is used in our lip balm? We should. Especially if we're marketing it as Vegan.

Makeup brushes and sponges create another host of issues. Bristles of makeup brushes can be made from either synthetic polymers (vegan) or animal hair like sable, badger or boar hair. Popular, "all-natural" sea sponges used to be animals that lived in the sea and are becoming scarce. Vegans want to avoid these items.

Surely, vitamin and silk enriched hair conditioner will pass as vegan, right? Wrong. Biotin, a B-Vitamin often used in hair care is commonly derived from milk (it can also be derived from yeast, a plant source). And silk comes from silkworms (a living creature killed during the silk-harvesting process).

Cool, autumn weather brings out the exfoliating sugar scrubs. Sugar itself comes from sugarcane (a plant). But bone charcoal (bone char), made by roasting bones in an airtight container, is sometimes used  to refine cane sugar. Bone Char is also used to make black pigment for eye makeup as well as to refine crude oil in the production of petroleum jelly.

These products, derivatives and processes create a veritable nightmare for someone who is looking to avoid the consumption of any and all animal material. This is why it is so imperative to educate ourselves about a label before we use it to define our product.

Vegans take their lifestyle choices very seriously. When buying a product labeled as "Vegan", the expectation is that it be completely free of animal products, animal derived products and to not be tested on animals. We do not expect to find Red Lipstick containing Carmine or Cochineal Extract (derived from beetles) labeled as Vegan. Nor do we expect to see exotic perfumes containing musk (a perfume fixative derived from the musk deer) labeled as Vegan. However, it does happen and often not intentionally.

Vegans have taken the time to learn what comes from a plant and what comes from an animal and as manufacturers of Vegan products, we must take the time to learn it too if we intend to successfully sell Vegan Skincare Products.

There are a plethora of chemicals, additives, colorants and accessories that are either derived from animal sources, processed via animal sources or tested on animals. You can view a listing of several hundred of these ingredients here. Although this is not a comprehensive list, it is an excellent source which will continue to be updated as new information becomes available. If you currently market your skincare as Vegan, this list is an indispensable resource.

This information is solely intended to define Vegan Skincare and to educate you regarding the expectation of Vegan Shoppers. Stay tuned for the conclusion in Part 3 where we will discuss Certified Vegan Products as well as the difference between Audited and Non-Audited Certification Programs and why you need to know the difference.

Allison B. Kontur

www.BathBodySupply.com

What Does "Vegan" Mean? (Part 1/3)

© Viola Di Pietro | Dreamstime.com

Veganism is a philosophy and lifestyle whose adherents seek to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose. Vegans endeavor not to use or consume animal products of any kind. The most common reasons for becoming a vegan are human health, ethical commitment or moral conviction concerning animal rights or welfare, the environment, and spiritual or religious concerns. Of particular concern to many vegans are the practices involved in factory farming and animal testing, and the intensive use of land and other resources for animal farming.

According to The Vegan Society, veganism is a lifestyle that abstains from causing any form of exploitation or cruelty to animals. This means, adopting a plant-based diet and lifestyle that is free of animal products, including meat, dairy, eggs and honey. (Honey and all other bee products, by definition, are not vegan.) In addition, products must be cruelty free in that they are not tested on animals.

The Certified Vegan logo is a registered trademark signifying that products are vegan, defined here as:
          
          a.) containing no animal ingredients or by-products, 
          b.) using no animal ingredients or by-products in the manufacturing process, 
          c.) and not tested on animals by any company or independent contractor.

The logo is administered by the Vegan Awareness Foundation, also known as Vegan Action, a nonprofit organization promoting veganism.

This information is solely intended to define the meaning of the term Vegan. Stay tuned for Part 2 which will discuss what makes a skincare product Vegan as well as a detailed list of prohibited ingredients in Vegan Skincare Products (There are well over 100 animal-derived ingredients/products commonly used in the skincare industry).

Allison B. Kontur

www.BathBodySupply.com