New Opportunities & Networking at 2010 HSMG Conference

There's one place you can always find me in May - at the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild (HSMG) Conference. A soap conference, you ask? Yes, a soap conference. For those of us in the industry, it's an annual event that is inspiring and uplifting. It's educational and fun. Oh, and the goodie bags and vendor events top the highlights.

This year's HSMG Conference was held at the Inverness Hotel in Denver, Colorado. Although I live in Boston, I am a Wyoming girl at heart. Gazing out at the snow-capped Rocky Mountains from my hotel room made my Western heart very happy - despite the daily 6 a.m. alarm clock.

I met many new colleagues and reconnected with other soapmaking and industry movers and shakers. In the next few weeks I'll be making a some exciting new announcements that came from networking at the conference.

Above is Kayla Fioravanti from Essential Wholesale and me. She and her husband threw a fabulous party Western party Saturday night that featured can can dancers and an improv comedy show. Kayla also gave a wonderful presentation entitled "You are the Secret Ingredient: Formulating Your Dream Business."

My presentation on New Opportunities in the Melt and Pour Market was sponsored by Debbie May of Wholesale Supplies Plus. Debbie hosted a wonderful dessert event on Friday evening. There were several thousands of dollars in giveways, and I won a $175 gift certificate! Debbie gave a very educational presentation on Taking Your Business to the Next Level.

One of my favorite presentations (there were many) I attended was one on Trace Analysis by Kevin Dunn (see photo above). Kevin's book, Scientific Soapmaking, is a must read for any cold process soapmaker.

Another favorite presentation was "The Safe and Effective Use of Essential Oils in Soap" by Robert Tisserand. He elaborated on aromatherapeutic oils and blends for soaps - antibacterial, skin soothing, skin protecting, etc. He gave examples of historical and current blends, and how to make blends that last and have fragrance impact.

Although I had already interviewed Joshua Onysko of Pangea Organics back in February, I enjoyed hearing him tell "The Story of Pangea Organics." Joshua shared how he took Pangea from the initial bright idea to an award-winning company setting new environmental and sustainability standards in the industry. (Pangea is the first company to introduce and be awarded for biodegradable, compostable, plantable packaging.)

There were many other wonderful presentations by Anne Marie Faiola, Donna Maria Johnson, Kelly Bloom, Amy Kalinchuk and Marie Gale. Check out HSMG's website for more info and check out their Facebook fan page.


Next year's conference will be held in Miami, Florida. Hope you will pack your swimsuit and join us!

Did you make it to this year's conference? What did you find valuable?

Win $100 in Free Bath & Body Products...and I'm One of The Judges!

From Nature With Love, founded by Kibby Mitra and her husband, Jay, is one of the nation’s largest suppliers of ingredients and raw materials to the micro-cosmetics industry. A few weeks ago, I was approached to judge a contest held by From Nature With Love and Indie Beauty Network which features the creativity of handmade bath and body product designers in an event showcasing how much fun it is to make your own health, beauty and lifestyle products.

How The Beauti-Fall Bath & Body Recipe Contest Works
The objective is to reward people for their creativity, and to enjoy a fun way to share interesting and inspirational ideas for seasonal gifts made with ingredients that are reminiscent of the lovely fall season. This is not a contest for food recipes! Bath, bodycare, skincare and home fragrance only.

All you have to do to enter is publish your recipe with a photo of the finished product and/or a video showing how you made it to your blog or website, and to IBN’s social networking site in our Recipe Contest Forum, between now and November 20, and our judges will announce the winners the following week!

Beauti-Fall Contest Rules
Eligibility. No purchase of From Nature With Love products is necessary to win. Membership in IBN is not necessary to win. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the United States or its territories in order to be eligible. One entry per person please, multiple entries will be disregarded. From Nature With Love or IBN employees are not eligible to enter.

Entry
To enter the contest, post your original recipe to your blog or website and then also post it (word-for-word) to IBN’s social networking site in our Recipe Contest Forum.

Disclosure
To enter the contest, post your original recipe to your blog or website and then also post it (word-for-word) to IBN’s social networking site in our Recipe Contest Forum.
To be eligible to win, the entry posted at your site and at our Forum must contain this disclosure: This recipe and post is submitted as part of the Beauti-Fall Recipe Contest. The contest is sponsored by the Indie Beauty Network and From Nature With Love, a supplier of raw materials and supplies to the cosmetics industry. Contest judges are Marla Bosworth, Lori Nova and LaShonda Tyree.

Important note to entrants: The judges names, Indie Beauty Network’s name and From Nature With Love’s name must be linked to their websites just like they are here!

Disclaimer
Neither IBN nor From Nature With Love nor the contest judges and organizers are responsible for recipes that are lost or which, for any reason, are not entered because of some fault of technology.

Entry Period
The entry period will be from 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time, November 6, 2009 to November 20, 2009 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. All entries must be posted to your blog or website and to IBN’s Forum by the deadline to be eligible to win.

Prizes
First Prize: A $100 gift certificate from From Nature With Love. Second Prize: A $50 gift certificate from From Nature With Love. Third Prize: A $25 gift certificate from From Nature With Love.

Judging
Judges will be asked to agree on a first, second and third prize as indicated above. Prizes will be awarded to the winners via gift certificate. Contest entries will be judged on originality, interpretation of the “Beauti-Fall” theme and presentation of recipe via photograph or video.

Originality
Your recipe and all accompanying graphics, videos, photos, etc., must be your original work original works of authorship on your part and have not been copied, in whole or in part, from any other work and do not violate, misappropriate or infringe any copyright, trademark or other proprietary right of any other person or entity.

Beyond Boston Gift Show: Taking Wholesale Soaps & Gifts on the Road!

It's a grassroots sort of year in so many ways for me and my company. After 12 years of exhibiting in Handmade of Boston Gift Show I've decided to do things a bit differently for all my retailers in New England: I've decided to take my show on the road.

In this year of change, it's imperative that we connect with each other and build on our relationships. There is so much more that exchanges between a retailer and wholesaler besides merchandise. It's networking, idea swapping, and cross-promotion. And unfortunately, this isn't conducive at trade shows. There simply isn't enough time.

If there's one thing I've learned from the past 14 months in business, it's that status quo just doesn't cut it anymore. And I'm embracing this change. Are you?

My schedule is booking quickly. Please call 781.934.8100. Now booking appointments into the week of March 30. For retailers out of New England, please call or email for sample sets or catalog. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, too.

Have you received our Summer 2009 wholesale catalog? Email me at marla@backporchsoap.com.

Many new and exciting Summer 2009 products: organic line, starfish soaps, sea glass soap in bulk, soap and lotion sets, seashell potpourri sea glass soap gift sets, private labeling, beach soaps and much more!

I look forward to connecting in person with you!

~Marla Bosworth

Founder/Owner

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Massachusetts Wholesale Soap, Connecticut Wholesale Soap, Rhode Island Wholesale Soap, Maine Wholesale Soap, New Hampshire Wholesale Soap, Florida Wholesale Soap, California Wholesale Soap

Restore Dry Skin and Sore Muscles with Our Jacuzzi & Tub Bath Salts

This time of year I get inquiries from customers who are suffering from dry skin, excema, psoriasis and sore muscles. They are frustrated with their skin condition, have tried products that haven't worked, and come to me looking for a remedy.

Several years ago a woman in Brant Rock, Massachusetts asked me to make a sea salt soak that would be safe for her jacuzzi. She wanted a moisturizing salt soak; that would soothe her sore muscles and alleviate her dry skin.

I spent many days in the studio experimenting with various sea salts and essential oil blends. The end result? A fabulous bath and jacuzzi soak that is therapeutic and moisturizing. I've taken a special blend of Caribbean Sea Salts and combined them with a moisturizing cocoa butter. This is a proprietary blend and is only available here at Back Porch Soap Co. After soaking in these salts your skin will be refresh and rehydrated.


Soaking in sea salt helps remove toxins from your body. Toxins are small molecules, and can cause disease on contact with or absorption by body tissues. By eliminating toxins, we enjoy a healthier, glowing body and overall increased energy. Drink plenty of water after your soak to help your kidneys and liver flush the toxins out of your body. The results are very similar to a full-body massage.

I've created three blends for the salts: Lavender, Lemongrass & Eucalyptus, and Peppermint & Eucalyptus.

Lavender ~ Relaxing, soothing and calming. The perfect night soak.
Lemongrass & Eucalyptus ~ Renewing, cleansing, and uplifting.
Peppermint & Eucalyptus ~ Invigorating, stimulating, and rejuvenating.

So what happened to the woman who helped me invent these products? Well, she's turned out to be one of my best customers. She's put herself on autoship and gets all three salts shipped to her every four weeks. She starts her day with a jacuzzi, and chooses whichever essential oil blend suits her mood for that morning.

If you don't have a jacuzzi, you can still enjoy these incredible salts in a long, relaxing soak in a bathtub. Here's to your health and relaxation!

This Holiday...Put Their Name in Soap!

Looking for something different to give to friends and family this holiday season? How about putting their name in soap? Or their picture, or dog's name, or dog's picture. We could go on and on. Don't forget the kids, the grandkids, and the grandparents. You're getting the picture, right?

This past weekend we had record holiday sales of personalized soaps! Some customers went crazy over dog breeds while others swayed toward friends and family names (including the ever popular "Nana", awwww...). Also on the top of the list are pictures of family boats (kind of cool, right?), monogrammed soaps, words of gratitude (Love, Believe, Unity, etc.), company names, bride and groom wedding favors, and family surnames.

These personalized soaps are exclusively made by Back Porch Soap Company. The image is made of a skin-safe material that I place in the middle of the bar of soap. It will stay with the soap throughout its use. They are moisturizing and long-lasting soaps, made with palm oil and coconut oil. To accommodate everyone, we make them unscented for even the most sensitive skin. Recommended for ages 3 and up.

So get out your list and start thinking. Whose name would YOU like to see in soap? You can start creating right here.

Join Me in Palm Springs for HSCG!

It's November, and I'm already looking forward to May 2009 when I'll be speaking at the Handmade Soapmakers Guild Conference in Palm Springs, California. Held May 12 - 14 at the Miramonte Resort and Spa, the conference draws bath and body companies from all over the U.S. together for lectures, classes, workshops and networking. I will be speaking on "Differentiating Yourself in the Market" which, of course, is vital for any business.

The keynote speaker for the 2009 Annual Conference will be well-known environmentalist and award-winner, Erin Brockovich. I'm looking forward to meeting Ms. Brockovich. She is a mover and shaker, which I admire. I'm thrilled to see she is currently working on bringing out the truth about Gardasil. It is shocking to me that 16 million doses of Gardasil have been administered nationwide. Apparantly parents across the U.S. are simply saying "Yes" to physicians without researching the cons to this vaccine. There is simply not enough information on long-term effects and more for me to give my 14 year old daughter's physician the nod in giving this vaccine. (Note: I'm digressing and will save this for another blog.)



Back to the HSCG Conference and the bath and body industry. Within the past three years the soapmaking industry has become a highly competitive market. Companies selling "just another bar of soap" are suffering from decreased sales. Attendees will learn how to increase sales by targeting niche and vertical markets. I'm presenting several interesting case studies - businesses who have focused on these niche opportunities and as a result have increased profitability. I'll also share my tricks and tips on developing an "eye" for demands and trends in other industries to stay ahead of the competition.

In addition to owning Back Porch Soap Company, this year I celebrate my 20th year as a business consultant and market research analyst. I have been consulting for companies of all sizes in the area of market opportunity, product development and positioning, as well as sales and marketing. My clients range from large companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Apple, Canon, IBM, and Xerox as well as small businesses. Contact me for more information on how I can help your company strategize and increase sales.

So, the HSCG conference looks fabulous and I'm looking forward to meeting up with industry colleagues. I've already check out the spa menu, and am putting in a reservation for Suprema Experienza - a 90 minute massage of choice, followed by a 45 minute bath, a 45 minute scrub, finished with a 90 minute Action Sublime Facial.

Hope to see you in Palm Springs!

Top 10 Tips for Alleviating Dry Skin, Excema and Psoriasis

This time of year many people complain about dry, itching skin - from arms to legs. It happens when we head into fall and winter. Homes and businesses start turning on the heat, which means less moisture in the air and less for our skin. Among other things, we tend to drink less water than in the warm summer months.

The good news is that there are 10 tips I'd like to share with you for bringing life back to your skin. (BONUS...scroll down to the bottom for a special promo on my handmade shea butter moisturizers.) Here's to an itch-free winter!



1. Nix the long, hot shower. I know, it feels good. Especially on a cold day. But you are robbing your skin of moisture and oils. So cut it short - 5 minutes is plenty - and use warm water instead. Besides, you'll save on your utility bill. And if you can, switch to showers every other day (for skipped days, wash your hair in a sink). You'll notice a difference in your skin.

2. Take your Omega 3 EPA/DPA Fish Oils. In capsules, liquid, whatever it takes. Not only will it help your skin, your ligaments and joints are going to love it. Dr. Andrew Weil recommends two grams of fish oil daily. Also, flaxseed oil is a wonderful supplement for keeping skin healthy and glowing. Check with your M.D. Even simply switching from salad dressing to extra virgin olive oil is another good move to putting good oils in your body for the benefit of your skin.

3. Drink plenty of water. Yes, it's true and you've heard it all before. Drink eight to 10 8 oz. glasses throughout the day. Your skin is the largest organ and needs to flush the toxins out daily.

4. Turn on the humidifier. Home heating takes the moisture out of the air during the winter months. A $30 humidifier will aid your skin and sinuses. Most come with an indicator. Try to keep it at 35%.

5. Moisturize after your shower. This is the best time, since your pores are open and ready for protection.

6. Choose wisely what you put on your skin. Our 100% shea butter (the pulp from Africa's karite trees) coats and protects the skin and is my first recommendation for those of you with a tendency toward super dry skin or even excema and psoriasis. It is a concentrated, therapeutic balm. You can find our certified organic shea butter here. I recommend Unscented for men and highly sensitive customers. For those of you who love fragrance, White Tea is my bestseller. It is light, sophisticated and rich. Do you have mildly dry skin? Then I recommend our shea butter body cream, which also contains soy, silk and aloe.

7. Skip the drying soaps and shampoos. Start reading the labels of these products and your skin will thank you. Don't use any products that have sulfates in them. It is an irritant and drying agent that literally strips your skin of its precious oils. Think of it as something you would use to degrease your car engine. While you're at it, throw out any products with parabens or dyes.

8. Take care of those hands and feet. Remember to moisturize them as well. Keep hands protect with gloves or mitten when outdoors. Protecting them from the elements makes a world of difference. Moisturize hands and feet when stepping out of the shower too, then again at bedtime. I recommend soaking your feet for a bit at night, then massaging them with shea butter and finishing off with a pair of cotton socks. You'll wake up with super soft feet.

9. Exfoliate twice a week with an inexpensive loofa or bristle brush. It aids circulation (start from the outer limbs and work toward your heart) and removes the surface layer of dead cells. Just think of it as prep work for applying moisturizer.

10. Cut down on Starbucks or your coffee of choice. Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it removes water from the body. A good rule of thumb is for every cup of coffee you drink, tack on another 8 oz. of water (in addition to the 8 glasses you should be drinking daily).

So you made it through all 10 tips! They will get you through the winter with soft, hydrated skin.

For blog readers, save 20% on orders of $40 or more. Hurry, this offer is only valid until Saturday, October 18! Simply use Promo Code SOFTSKIN upon cart checkout. In addition, spend $60 or more and get FREE SHIPPING! Now is the time to stock up for holidays and long winter months. This offer is valid for continental U.S. orders only.