Bellissima's Blog

Change Is Good, Change Is Good, Change Is Good...

2011-02-14T11:36:00.005-05:00

Change Is Good...

It's what I keep telling myself, even though I completely dread the thought. Not about everything - I actually enjoy change in many forms: the change of seasons, change of attitude, a change of heart... even the change of life doesn't scare me half as much as the change I'm experiencing right now.

We're changing the Bellissima Minerals Logo.

We've had the same logo that I created for us back in 2005 - and it's time.

While the 'old' logo defined us and served it's purpose for a very long time, allowing us to be easily recognized and distinguished us from other brands very well, it just wasn't representative of Bellissima as a business any longer.

Since the initial logo creation, Bellissima Trucco Minerale ('gorgeous mineral makeup' in Italian, in case you were wondering) has expanded into Lip Care, Handmade Soap, Skin Care and Spa, Bath & Body Products. We've also introduced Foot Care and Facial products, and are now working on Hair Care and Nail Care.

So we felt we needed to update our Logo to better reflect the developments in our business. We wanted it to be more current, more hip, more clean, crisp, clear and concise. We wanted it to be brighter and more distinct - striking, even.

But we also needed it to be authentically Bellissima - not so far off base from the old logo that our customers didn't recognize us... just an updated, cooler version. And we think we did it. We're pretty happy with the results.

Take a peek:

But now for 'the change'... switching everything over to a new logo is a huge challenge. And could be a tremendous financial undertaking if done all at once. But as a small business, that's just not an option for us. So we'll be doing it piecemeal...

Just a few things at a time, starting with the mineral cosmetics, paperwork and the websites. We'll change the labels on the jars and invoices first, then slowly move onto all the other products. We'll have to remember all the minor things we hardly think about anymore, too - like return address labels and email signatures. But we'll move gradually, in intervals, until we've completely changed over to the new Logo. It'll be stressful, but also thrilling!

And so, I'm excited to officially introduce the new 'Face' of Bellissima to the public - that's you, my loyal and ever so appreciated Blog Readers!

Please don't hesitate to tell me what you think!

Ask Me For a Favor… an Event Favor, That Is!

2011-01-17T11:47:00.005-05:00

Tradition dictates that events such as bridal & baby showers, receptions, corporate events and weddings require a ‘take-away’ - a token of appreciation that guests will not only remember the event by, but also hopefully use and enjoy.

While Jordan Almonds, matchbooks and instant cameras may have been the old stand-bys, everything from fortune cookies and mini gumball machines to mousepads and flower & herb seed packets have made it into guests’ hands at all types of events.

But trends now tell us that hostesses and party planners are looking for less traditional and more unexpected favors. They’re looking for items that reflect their personality and the theme of the event. They want items that are fun and memorable, unique and whimsical, often practical and functional, even regional in many cases.

And in these economic and eco-friendly times, handmade favors top the trend lists!

Handmade favors offer a wide range of options, and always come from the heart. They tend to be more innovative and distinctive, certainly more personal. Thought and care goes into creating each and every piece, making a handmade favor a much more intimate and sentimental choice - and in many cases, much more budget-friendly, too.

The ideas in handmade favors are endless: homemade wine, candies, cookies, truffles, sachets, recipes, herb blends, spice rubs, cds (or, as in my day, ’mix tapes’), candle tins and of course, spa, bath & body items.

And that’s where Bellissima comes in…

I’m always incredibly honored when asked to create favors for an event. It’s a pleasure to help a planner make an event successful and memorable and just a joy to have even a very small part in someone’s most treasured moments.

Bellissima’s most popular favor items are personalized 1oz Soap Bars and .25oz Lip Balm Tins, but we also offer Mini Triple Butter Bath Bombs, Bath Salts, Solid Lotion Bars, Trial Size Body Lotions, Crème Perfumes, Mini Body Butters, Single-Use Soap Petals and even Mineral Makeup MiniKits that may all be purchased at wholesale rates and personalized and presented in customizable packaging.

Asking for favors is simple, really: just contact me!
Let me know what your event is and how many guests you’ll be hosting. You may already know what you’d like, but if not, we’re happy to help by making recommendations based on the specifics of your event.

We’ll ask you to submit text and/or an image for your labels (it may be just the names & date for a wedding, a company logo, place card info, or just a graphic representing a theme - almost anything goes!) or we’ll create a variety of options for you to choose from.

We’ll provide you with proofs - and never print anything until we have your approval. And we’ll even send you photos of your favors right before we pack everything up for shipping.

In many cases (but depending on the size and variety of the order), we can produce your favors within 7-10 days.

So, with handmade favors being the more creative, personal, eco-friendly, budget-friendly and deadline-friendly option, why choose anything else? You’ll never go back to Jordan Almonds again…

Have a great idea for a handmade favor? Please add it here!

Welcome 2011! Bellissima's New Year Resolutions

2011-01-15T11:38:00.006-05:00

Time passes so quickly, doesn't it?

Another year... come, gone.

Reflecting on this past year, I realize that I've accomplished quite a bit - mostly in my professional life, but I've also made some moderate improvements in my personal life, as well.

Establishing and reaching goals is so fulfilling, I strive to make them for myself - and work to reach them - on a regular basis. And while, in most cases, the satisfaction itself is it's own reward, I try to find small ways to compensate myself for achieving my goals - minor indulgences that I wouldn't ordinarily treat myself to: an hour in the tub with a glass of wine and a good book, a professional manicure, a pint of Ben & Jerry's, etc.

It's a life philosophy based on a sort of behavior modification that I find works for me (those Psych classes in college really stuck with me, I guess). It keeps me challenged and motivated and always struggling to be the best I can be.

And this is the time for Resolutions, right? As private as most resolutions are to people, I've decided to share mine here - well, my professional ones, anyway (who cares about my personal ones but me, anyway?). I'm hoping that by putting them in writing - in bold type, no less - it will force me to set the more difficult ones and work even harder to achieve them.

So, here we go:

1. Get Organized!

This is on the top of a lot of people's list of resolutions. I think that we're always in a such a rush to get things done that we seldom take the time to pay attention to the small details that help keep us more organized. In teaching me to cook, my Mom always said 'If you clean up as you go along, you won't be looking at a big mess when you're done.' So I hereby resolve to Clean Up As I Go Along: take better notes, label things properly, put things back where they belong, etc.

2. Keep In Contact!

Again, probably on a lot of folks' professional & personal lists. While I have all the tools I need to contact my customers and potential clients, I often let this very important (and valuable) responsibility fall by the wayside. So I hereby resolve to Connect & Communicate: post on my blog, send out my Newsletters, participate in my newsgroups & forums, etc.

3. Stay Focused!

As I sit here writing, I can think of the 12 other things I have on my list of things to do today - which inevitably leads me to starting 6 things, working on them all at once and never finishing more than 2 or 3 by day end. And I know that if I can just focus on 1 item at a time, I would be much more successful. It stems from me thinking 'if I at least get it started, I will finish it today' - and that's usually just not the way it works. So I hereby resolve to Work the List: create a prioritized list and never start a 'lower' task until the one above it is finished - period.

4. Stop Procrastinating!

Yes, also a very popular Resolution - and for a very good reason: it's hard! And I'm guilty of it on a regular basis - as I have mentioned in at least one prior blog post. It's always a battle of procrastination against sheer willpower - and I believe I need a serious plan of attack in order to conquer it once and for all. So my first strategy is to hereby resolve to Acknowledge the Enemy: when I find I'm putting something off 'til tomorrow, I will recognize that I'm procrastinating and will myself to get it done.

5. Reduce Stress!

I put this one last because I honestly believe that a lot of my stress comes from my poor management of goals 1-4. By achieving - even just working on - my first four goals, this one will will basically accomplish itself! There are so many sources of day-to-day stress, but I can only work on the ones I have control over - so I hereby resolve to Stop Obsessing Over Things Out of My Control, and try to only concern myself with the things I can improve on my own.

Well, I think this is a pretty good start. I have lots more, as we all do at this time of year.

Some resolutions we achieve immediately, some we work on day by day (and even year-after-year) and some will fall by the wayside, but all resolutions are made with good intentions and can be labors of love. And some will change us, whether we succeed or not, into better people.

Want to put a few of your New Year's Resolutions into print? Share yours - and your plan for success - right here!

Blog Neglect - Am I the Victim or the Perpetrator?

2010-09-19T13:42:00.010-04:00

My poor, poor Blog.

Yes, I've neglected you for quite some time now.

But things got in the way... life got in the way.

And even when I knew I needed to pay you some attention, I still chose to neglect you. And the longer I neglected you, the harder it got to come back to you. I was afraid: afraid of how long it had been, afraid of having lost that connection - that flow of continuity that existed when I was with you every day.

And afraid I could never get that back.

So I decided to just bite the bullet and come back. Face the empty box that had been the basis of my fears for so long.

And admit my faults and admit that my ability to commit is my fatal flaw.

But I also thought it might make me (of course me, who else?) feel better to post just some of the things that have kept me from my Blog for so, so long:

Bellissima now offers 3 Facial Masques for different skin types:

~Sea Clay for Oily/Acne Prone Skin

~Green Tea for Normal Skin

~Gentle Floral for Mature Skin

Facial Masques come in a Set including Clay Mask Base, Toner, Stir Sticks, Cotton Pads, Spa Bag & Instructions.

Bellissima's new All Natural & Vegan Gentle Makeup Remover is designed to thoroughly & efficiently remove makeup while softening and moisturing the skin. Non-greasy and 100% alcohol-, fragrance- and colorant-free.

Bellissima introduces PediWorx! All natural, spa-quality products to help you put your best feet forward!

PediWorx Grapefruit & Peppermint Foot Scrub & Cream with Tea Tree and Neem Oils work together to tenderly remove surface skin cells & condition and soften skin and nails to reveal smooth, healthy-looking & feeling feet!

And there are more 'excuses': 3 new Mineral Correctors, Bellissima Triple Butter Body Souffle, Shea & Sugar Body Polish, Hydrating Body Lotion, Solid Lotion Bars - all natural, of course!

I won't make any promises... I can't.

But what I will do is: if I need to be away from my Blog for a while, take some time to post the reasons why.

Thank you for hanging in there and waiting for me!

The LipSync Project: 15 Days of Treats for Your Lips, Day 5

2010-02-18T12:01:00.013-05:00

I thought today would be a great day for a recipe and Lip Balm Tutorial!

Making Lip Balm is actually a very easy process - and an amazing introduction into the world of handmade bath & body products! If you’ve ever considered making your own soap, lotions, body creams and more, lip balms are the perfect place to start to get your passion going and creativity flowing!

There are lots of wonderful, Do-It-Yourself Lip Balm-Making Kits available, which make it even easier to jump start your project. They also make fun and educational activities for school classes, birthday parties, girl scout troops and more!

But if you want to start from scratch, here’s a recipe and tutorial along with some guidelines and helpful hints to make your own lip balms.

While every formulator has their own version that works best for them, the basic components of any lip balm recipe include approximately:
40% Liquid Oils - oils that remain liquid at room temperature
25% Solid Oils - oils that are solid at room temperature
20% Waxes
15% Brittle Oils - oils that are solid at room temp with a firm, brittle consistency

And here’s a list of examples of each type of oil:
Liquid Oils: Olive, Sweet Almond, Apricot Kernel, Grapeseed, Avocado, Hemp Seed, Jojoba, Sunflower Seed, Macadamia Seed, Rice Bran, Evening Primrose, Castor, Soybean
Solid Oils: Coconut, Palm, Mango Butter, Shea Butter, Babassu Oil
Brittle Oils: Cocoa Butter, Illipe Butter, Kokum Butter, Palm Kernel Oil
Waxes: Beeswax, Soy Wax, Candelilla Wax, Carnauba Wax

It’s important to remember that each of these oils and waxes will impart different properties to your balm, and each will effect your recipe differently, as well. For example, Soy Wax is much softer and has a lower melting point than Beeswax, so it will produce a softer balm if the recipe is not adjusted with a higher percentage of brittle oils.

First things first - compile your tools. You’ll need:
- Small postal or jeweler’s scale
- Heat-resistant measuring cup
- Stir Stick or Spoon
- Dispensing Pipette (optional)
- 8 Lip balm tubes or alternative containers (small clean tins, jars or pots are okay, too)

Basic Lip Balm Recipe, 2oz Yield (fills about 8 .15oz lip balm tubes or 4 5g size jars):
.8oz Sweet Almond Oil
.4oz Beeswax
.5oz Coconut Oil
.3oz Cocoa Butter
2 Drops Vitamin E (optional - Vitamin E adds moisturizing & protective benefits and helps prolong the shelf-life of your balms)

Directions:
1) Measure out all oils, butters and waxes

2) Heat gently in Microwave in 20 second bursts until completely melted - Careful! Melted Oils are Very Hot!!

3) Add 2 Drops Vitamin E and stir well (optional)
4) Pour or dispense using pipette into tubes or containers

5) Allow to cool completely before capping and using

Here are some Helpful Hints:
- Some Brittle oils & Butters may become grainy in lip balms unless they are tempered - allowed to remain at a sustained temperature for a period of time (just like tempering chocolate). Heat and maintain a temperature of approximately 100 degrees for Cocoa and Mango Butter, 170-185 degrees for Shea Butter, for a minimum of 15 -30 minutes before cooling and adding to your recipe.
- As lip balm cools, there is a tendency for settling to occur, making for an uneven surface. Keep some melted balm set aside to ‘top off’ your tubes as they cool.
- Flavor Oils or Essential Oils may be added at about 1% off your formula. Be sure to use essential oils that are not photosensitive and flavor oils that are oil-based and intended for use in lip balms (not food flavorings that are alcohol-based!). Too much flavor oil can prevent your balms from solidifying properly and give a bitter aftertaste to lip balm.
- Cosmetic-grade colorants may be added in very small amounts - be sure you are using pigments that are skin-safe and safe for use on lips.
- Lip Balm came out too hard or too soft? Just remelt and add more liquid oils or brittle oils! Lip Balm recipes are very forgiving and correcting mistakes is as simple as reheating and adjusting your oils.

One of the most fabulous things about a basic lip balm recipe is that it’s completely multifunctional:
- add flavor or essential oil for a flavored lip balm
- add a small amount of lip-safe, colored mica for a tinted lip balm
- add peppermint essential oil and tea tree oil for a rejuvenating foot balm
- add Tea Tree Oil and Vitamin E Oil for a healing cuticle balm
- add essential oils for an aromatherapeutic body balm
- add fragrance oil for a solid perfume

The best advice I can give you is to try your recipe with different oils, butters and waxes to find the combination that you like best!

Here’s your LipSync Lip Treat for Day 5:

LipSync Mineral Tinted Lip Butter in Chocolate Truffle - .25oz Slide Tin

LipSync Handmade Lip Butters are extra-emollient and moisturizing and enriched with Vitamin E. Formulated with only the highest quality ingredients - and 3 different ultra-rich butters - they're the ultimate in promoting soft, supple, smooth, kissable lips. And with a hint of sheer color, they can be worn alone, under or over lipstick and lip liners. Chocolate Truffle Lip Butter imparts the scent of dark, rich chocolate and adds a sheer tint of deep brown shimmer to your lips.

LipSync Mineral Tinted Lip Butters are available for $4.00 each plus shipping at http://lipsync.etsy.com/!

Discount Alert: Use Coupon Code ‘LipSyncBlogProject’ for 10% off your LipSync Purchase! Just note the Code in the Message to Seller Box during Checkout and I’ll refund your discount!

Tune in for Day 6 of The LipSync Project!

The LipSync Project: 15 Days of Treats for your Lips. Day 4

2010-02-15T16:40:00.004-05:00

I know what I like in a Lip Gloss:

High Shine
Glossy Lustre
Subtle, sheer color
Flattering shades
Long Lasting
All Natural
Smooth Application
Moisturizing, Softening & Conditioning Benefits
Protection from the Elements

And I know what I don’t like in a Lip Gloss:

Thick, petroleum feel
Sticky, Slippery or Tacky Feel
Unnatural Looking Color
Chemical-y Fragrance and/or Flavor
Greasy
Synthetic ingredients
Rubs or slides off easily
Globby, Clumpy Application
Chemical Preservatives

Lip gloss doesn’t have to feel like you’ve spackled Vaseline on your lips!

There are so many benefits to wearing lip gloss, many cosmetic, and some even contribute to the health of delicate lip tissue.

And the best way to obtain those benefits is with a natural gloss.

When coming up with my formula for LipSync Lip Gloss, I kept my list of ‘likes’ in mind and tested and fine-tuned until I managed to get as many ‘likes’ from the list in my Gloss as I could. I was so pleased with the results - and with having an all-natural substitute for my favorite name brand, petroleum-based, chemical-enriched glosses!

Okay, I know Lip Gloss doesn’t tend to have much staying power and needs to be reapplied over and over again throughout the day - but I definitely wanted each application to provide moisture, hydrate & condition lips every single time. And provide great protection from dry, winter air and hot, sun-drenched rays of the sun in summer.

And the color - oh the color!
Natural mineral pigments and mica provide such a wide variety of shades that some days I don’t know where to start - and then I don’t ever want to end - creating gorgeous, glossy colors!

Right now, there are 8 Shades in the LipSync Lip Gloss Line - and I’m adding more during this Project - but I’m also working on developing some fabulous collections! I’m hoping to introduce the Precious Metals Collection (bold, shimmering coppers, bronzes and golds), the Precious Gems Collection (beautifully delicate garnets, opals & rubies) and the Vineyard Collection (rich, stunning plums, grapes and wines) by the end of the year.

But until then, here’s your LipSync Lip Treat for Day 4:
LipSync Natural Mineral Tinted Lip Gloss in Seriously Suede - Net Wt. .340 oz./9.6g

Gorgeous, Glossy Lips - Every Time!

LipSync Natural Mineral Lip Gloss is designed to impart a sheer hint of color and rich gloss to your lips. With natural, good-for-your-skin ingredients like Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter and Sunflower Oil, your lips receive a healthy dose of vitamins, nutrients and emollients to help your lips look and feel beautiful!

LipSync Seriously Suede Lip Gloss will moisturize, condition and soften delicate lip tissue while giving your lips a sheer hint of chocolate brown color, tons of shine and a touch of shimmer with every application.

LipSync Lip Glosses are available for $5.95 each plus shipping at http://lipsync.etsy.com/!

Use Coupon Code ‘LipSyncBlogProject’ for 10% off your LipSync Purchase! Just note the Code in the Message to Seller Box during Checkout and I’ll refund your discount!

Tune in for Day 5 of The LipSync Project!

The LipSync Project: 15 Days of Treats for Your Lips - Day 3

2010-02-07T14:01:00.006-05:00

Welcome to Day 3 of The LipSync Project!

When it comes to flavoring lip products, we have basically two choices: essential oils or flavor oils.

Essential oils, because they’re derived from natural sources (mostly plant materials), provide a limited selection for flavoring purposes. Many that may be used for flavoring are from the citrus fruit family: lime, lemon, orange, but there’s also anise, cinnamon, clove, peppermint, etc. But some essential oils can cause photosensitivity, and may cause the skin to burn more easily when exposed to sunlight, particularly when used in leave-on products like lip balms.
Flavor oils are synthetic (I always choose pthalate-free!), and therefore can be manufactured in just about any possible flavor. They are available sweetened, but I prefer the unsweetened - with a sweetener, there is a tendency to lick, which may promote dry, chapped lips.

As with fragrance oils, when I add new flavor and essential oils to my inventory, I open each bottle as soon as they arrive and smell the aroma, touch to feel the consistency and try to see how it feels on the skin - and just get an overall first impression for my records.

Along with many formulators, I make up a large batch of lip balm and lip gloss base each week, and then flavor & color smaller quantities to order. I want every customer to receive as fresh a product as possible!

I start testing by melting a small amount of base and adding the manufacturer’s minimum suggested percentage of each Flavor Oil per batch. I test and record how each oil dispurses in the base, how it affects the color and of course, how it smells. Once the base solidifies, I test and record how the flavored balm feels on the skin, how it tastes (even though flavor oils have no actual flavor, too much can create a bitter aftertaste in balm) and how long the aroma lasts.

I then remelt the flavored base, adjust the amount of Flavor Oil as necessary, and then more notekeeping. I may do this several times - or start over from scratch - until I get exactly what I want: intense, long-lasting aroma that doesn’t adversely effect the foundation of the Lip Balm or Butter.

When I have the percentage of each flavor oil recorded for future formulating, I can then start playing with color! I test which shades of mica will work best with each scent, carefully recording amounts and colors so it can easily be recreated later.

And then I can finally name my new Lip product! And that’s a big part of the fun - I love coming up with awesome new blends and fun names for my products. I’ll sit with a notebook for hours on end drawing up potential names - and am usually quite pleased with myself when I come up with a yummy new Lip Butter flavor like Mexican Hot Chocolate (coming soon!) or memorable, descriptive Lip Gloss names like Fiercely Fuschia and Marvelously Merlot (superlatives are a fun trademark of my LipSync Line of Lip Glosses).

And here’s today’s LipSync Lip Treat for Day 3:

LipSync Mineral Tinted Lip Butter in Vanilla Latte, .25oz slide tin
LipSync handmade Lip Butters are extra-emollient and moisturizing and enriched with Vitamin E. Formulated with only the highest quality ingredients - and 3 different ultra-rich butters - they're the ultimate in promoting soft, supple, smooth lips. And with a hint of sheer color, they can be worn alone, under or over lipstick and lip liners.

Vanilla Latte Lip Butter imparts the scent of rich, creamy coffee with a hint of vanilla. This Lip Butter adds a sheer tint of a light chocolate-brown shimmer to your lips.

LipSync Vanilla Latte Mineral Tinted Lip Butter is available for $4.00 + Shipping at my new shop on etsy:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39491564

Tune in to Day 4 of The LipSync Project: 15 Days of Treats for Your Lips for more fun - and maybe even a recipe - and of course, a brand new treat for your lips!

The LipSync Project: 15 Days of Treats for Your Lips - Day 2

2010-01-31T10:14:00.005-05:00

We're on Day 2 of The LipSync Project!

Choosing the right ingredients for lip balms and butters is very important. Many commercial brands contain petroleum by-products (petrolatum, petroleum jelly, mineral oil), aluminum salts (alum), alcohols, camphor, phenols, menthol, preservatives and more… Many of these ingredients may initially feel soothing, but in fact may dry out delicate lip tissue and aggravate dry, chapped lips.

Because most lip balm/butter formulations have no water content, a preservative is unnecessary. Yes, a lip balm can get wet, but the liquid cannot be introduced into the balm, and therefore, it cannot support bacterial or microbial growth. But the oils and butters can go rancid due to age, so a good antioxidant (like vitamin e or rosemary oleoresin extract) is necessary.

I based my choice of ingredients on the properties of specific oils, waxes and butters. I knew I wanted my products to soothe and soften, nourish and condition, protect and lock in moisture, help fight against signs of aging and help prevent future skin damage. And of course: feel wonderful and look incredible on the lips!

So, for LipSync Lip Butter formula, I chose:

Coconut Oil: Coconut Oil is an excellent moisturizer and skin softener. It’s full of antioxidants that help keep the skin smooth and supple, helps fight against free-radical damage and signs of aging, and provides a protective layer on the skin that helps fight against the damaging effects of the elements. It also provides a level of natural sun protection.

Beeswax: Beeswax provides a protective layer, sealing in moisture, hydrating while softening the skin. It's also a naturally nourishing moisturizer as well as being anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-allergenic and provides antioxidant properties.

Cocoa Butter: Cocoa Butter helps lips retain moisture, helps prevent dryness and cracking, and helps protects skin from environmental factors. Cocoa Butter nourishes and conditions lips, making then feel soft and smooth.

Mango Butter: Mango butter moisturizes and soothes rough, dry skin, helps heal and relieve dryness, itching, rashes and other skin conditions. It also aids in the regeneration of skin cells and restores elasticity. Mango Butter also helps fights against signs of aging, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and helps protect against UVA/UVB sun damage.

Shea Butter: Shea butter is a rich emollient that contains essential fatty acids which are needed to maintain the elasticity and softness of healthy lips. It protects the lips from excessive dryness and sun-damage, soothes dry, chapped lips and helps prevent damage from free-radicals.

Sweet Almond Oil: Sweet almond oil is easily absorbed into the skin, improves moisture levels and helps to maintain firmness and elasticity. It helps to combat dry skin and has wonderful healing properties due to its high mineral content.

High-Oleic Sunflower Seed Oil: Sunflower Seed Oil is rich in vitamins and essential fatty acids that nourish, condition and soften lips. With it’s light texture, it’s easily absorbed into the skin, providing immediate and long term relief to dry skin.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and protects the lips against premature aging by preventing the formation of free radicals. Vitamin E also has anti-inflammatory properties which can help soothe lip damage caused by sun, wind and excessive dryness.

You’ll find as many different formulas for Lip Balms & Butters as there are ingredients - each and every one providing different benefits. Be sure to check your ingredient labels and choose Lip products that are best suited to your specific needs.

And here’s today’s LipSync Lip Treat for Day 2:

LipSync Mineral Tinted Lip Butter in LemonBerry, .25oz slide tin

LipSync handmade Lip Butters are extra-emollient and moisturizing and enriched with Vitamin E. Formulated with only the highest quality ingredients - and 3 different ultra-rich butters - they're the ultimate in promoting soft, supple, smooth lips. And with a hint of sheer color, they can be worn alone, under or over lipstick and lip liners.

Lemonberry Lip Butter imparts the scent of sweet, plump berries and tart lemons. This Lip Butter adds a sheer tint of a barely-there pink shimmer to your lips.

LipSync Lemonberry Mineral Tinted Lip Butter is available for $4.00 + Shipping at my new shop on etsy: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39492235

Tune in to Day 2 of The LipSync Project: 15 Days of Treats for Your Lips for more on natural lip care and a brand new treat for your lips!

The LipSync Project: 15 Days of Treats for Your Lips - Day 1

2010-01-30T10:08:00.005-05:00

And so, The LipSync Project is off to a belated but fabulous start!

I’m so excited to be expanding my line of Lip Balms, Butters, Glosses and Plumpers! New brand, new flavors and colors, new products, new formulas, new packaging - what a thrill!

I thought it might be interesting to start off by talking about lip balms and lip butters and what the differences are: The Basics, as they say.

I’ve posted previously about the importance of protecting and caring for the lips - please see “5 Steps to Beautifully Perfect Lips” at http://bellissimasblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/5-steps-to-perfectly-beautiful-lips.html

Lip Balms and Butters help in relieving dry, chapped lips and preventing moisture loss - and the addition of flavor and color only enhances the product and provides cosmetic benefits to the consumer.

The main difference between a lip balm and a lip butter is exactly what you’d think:
Lip Butters have a higher percentage of butter (usually cocoa, mango and/or shea - but other butters like pistachio, macadamia, kokum, illipe and coffee bean may be used), creating a very rich, emollient product that absorbs into the skin, soothing, softening and replenishing moisture.

Lip Balms, on the other hand, usually have a higher percentage of wax (usually beeswax, but soy, candellila, carnauba, even jojoba esters may be used), creating a stiffer product that sits on top of the skin, locking in moisture and providing a protective layer against the elements.

I like both, as they serve different purposes - and together, they’re a double-whammy against dry, cracked, painful, chapped lips!

Whether it’s in a tube, pot or tin, there’s no doubt that lip balms and butters are a must for lip care!

And here’s the LipSync Lip Treat for Day 1:

LipSync Mineral Tinted Lip Butter in Cherry Almond, .25oz slide tin
LipSync handmade Lip Butters are extra-emollient and moisturizing and enriched with Vitamin E. Formulated with only the highest quality ingredients - and 3 different ultra-rich butters - they're the ultimate in promoting soft, supple, smooth lips. And with a hint of sheer color, they can be worn alone, under or over lipstick and lip liners.

Cherry Almond Lip Butter imparts the scent of freshly picked cherries and rich toasted almonds. This Lip Butter adds a sheer tint of mahogany shimmer to your lips.

LipSync Cherry Almond Mineral Tinted Lip Butter is available for $4.00 + Shipping at my new shop on etsy:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39497336

Tune in to Day 2 of The LipSync Project: 15 Days of Treats for Your Lips for more information on lip balm ingredients - and maybe even a recipe - and of course, a brand new treat for your lips!

First Big Idea for 2010: The LipSync Project

2009-12-29T13:35:00.010-05:00

I have so many fabulous things planned for 2010!

Lots of exciting new products & projects are in the works - I'm unbelievably excited!

And one of the things I'm most thrilled about is expanding my LipSync line of natural lip care: mineral tinted lip butters, glosses, plumpers and more.

Since I'll be introducing fresh items, developing new flavors & shades and launching some amazing new all-natural lip care products, I've decided that my LipSync line will grow big enough to warrant it's own shop on Etsy.com!

I've established the shop - with a cool new logo & banner! - and just need to start listing inventory. Check it out: http://LipSync.etsy.com

So I thought that this might be a great time to announce a new Blog Series: "The LipSync Project: 15 Days of Treats for Your Lips"

Those of you who were with me earlier this year for 'The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days' may remember what fun it was! I learned so much and made lots of new friends. It was a wonderful experience and I vowed I'd do it again - possibly even once a year. So I thought that with the opening of the LipSync shop, the timing is perfect for another series.

So this month, I'll begin The LipSync Project, creating 15 different lip products in 15 days! I'll work on everything from lip balms & butters to glosses and plumpers, as well as lip exfoliators, creams and other all natural lip treatments.

Here at Bellissima, we are very passionate about lip care - I've written blog posts and squidoo lenses about it, and hope my new blog project will reinforce my commitment to providing information about natural ingredients and skin care and offering healthier alternatives to traditional cosmetics.

So join us over the next month for lots of great fun!

And if you've got any suggestions for The LipSync Project - lip gloss colors you've always wanted a more natural version of, for example - I'd love to hear about it! Feel free to leave a comment....

Guidelines on Getting It There by Christmas

2009-12-14T09:56:00.008-05:00

It's not too late.... honest!

With so many people shopping online this Holiday Season, it's important for buyers (and sellers!) to acknowledge deadlines. Sales deadlines, ordering deadlines, shipping deadlines, postal deadlines, etc.

It can really make your head spin!

What's the best way to make sure that gift you ordered online is going to be under the tree on Christmas Day?

Here's a list of my helpful

Online Holiday Shopping Tips for Buyers:

View the US Postal Service's Holiday Shipping Deadlines at: http://www.usps.com/holiday/shippingcalendar.htm

*Although no delivery is guaranteed (except 'Guaranteed', of course), the USPS has fairly accurate cut-off shipping dates.

View the online seller's shipping policies

*Does the Seller ship on the same day, or within a day of ordering? Even if Priority Mail delivers within 3 days, it won't matter if the Seller's policy is to ship only on Wednesdays and you've ordered on a Friday!

See if the Seller offers a variety of shipping options, like Priority or Express mail

*Many Sellers offer several different shipping options, including alternative carriers in the event a package needs to get there fast.

Look for shipping upgrades at reduced rates

*Some Sellers will offer an upgrade from Parcel Post or First Class Mail to Priority or Express Mail for a minimal fee - in many cases, the price difference may be negligible and well worth it!

Communicate the need for prompt delivery with the Seller

*Send the seller an email before purchase and let them know by what date you need the package - most Sellers will be upfront with you and let you know if it's feasible for them to honor your request.

Ask the Seller to provide you with your package's Tracking or Delivery Confirmation Number

*Knowing where your package is - or at least knowing it's on it's way! - will provide security and peace of mind during this stressful Season.

Look for complimentary gift wrapping services

*Having your Gift pre-wrapped can save lots of time, especially if arriving at the last minute!

Look for Sellers who'll ship to alternative addresses

*Many Sellers will send your gift directly to your recipient, and with nominal or absolutely no additional fees - a real time saver!

Following these Guidelines will hopefully help relieve some of the stress of Holiday Shopping - and shipping - online!

If you have any other online buying tips to pass along, please post them by adding a Comment!

The Value of Customer Testimonials - Both Giving & Receiving

2009-12-04T11:52:00.009-05:00

We all know how important Customer Testimonials are to our businesses - particularly small businesses. Most indie businesses benefit from word-of-mouth advertising more than any other - and flattering reviews, positive feedback and satisfied customer testimonials are incredibly valuable and often translate into sales.

We at Bellissima are profoundly grateful for our own favorable reviews and are accustomed to asking permission to reprint complimentary comments for our own marketing purposes. And with appreciation, we're always glad to offer them up for products and companies we truly believe in.

I recently blogged about sending out Bellissima's first email newsletter (better late than never!) and my experience with http://www.hostway.com/ 's new Newsletter Broadcast.

I was so impressed with Hostway's simple set-up, ease of use and attractive designs - and was so proud of myself for finally getting our Newsletter issue under control - that I had written a glowing review on my blog, never giving it a second thought.

But shockingly (as most things tend to happen to me - & Bellissima), I received a phone call the next day from Hostway. They were making a customer service call, asking if I knew about or had used their new Newsletter Broadcast service. I let them know that I did, and had - and they asked for my opinion. I directed them to my blog post - since it was all right there in black and white for all the world to see - why shouldn't they?

It was funny really, and quite serendipitous.

Hostway was working on promoting their Newsletter Broadcast, including details in their own monthly email newsletter, and thought a customer testimonial fit in perfectly with their plans. I gladly approved excerpts from my blog post for a quote and gave my permission for them to use.

I received their Newsletter just yesterday - and was thrilled to see my quote published on the page! But even more thrilling was clicking the link and seeing my full product review - with a screenshot of Bellissima's Newsletter - right on their website!

I'm flattered to have been chosen to represent Hostway's customers, but even more than that, I'm thrilled to endorse a product that I truly believe in - and one that's helping me build my business and making it more successful!

Oh, and if you'd like to subscribe to Bellissima's monthly Newsletter, you may do so here!

Bellissima Black Friday Sales Extended Through 12.31.09!

2009-12-01T11:49:00.005-05:00

Just a very quick post today, but a pretty big

announcement:

I've decided to extend all the Bellissima Black Friday - Cyber Monday Discount Promo Codes through December 31st, 2009!

Just check this post or click on the link below for all the Specials and insert the Promo Codes during Checkout for the Discount:

http://bellissimasblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/black-friday-deals-at-bellissima.html

So stop by BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com or www.bellissimatruccominerale.com to save through the end of the year!

Tune in for more of the Bellissima Holiday Shopping Guide coming soon!

Something to be Thankful For: International Exposure for Bellissima Minerals!

2009-11-30T11:00:00.009-05:00

We had something extra special to be thankful for this weekend - and it came as a delightful surprise!

When one of our items was published in Consumer Reports Shop Smart Magazine back in October, we were absolutely ecstatic. But we thought that, if it wasn’t a once in a lifetime thing, we’d wait years for something like that to happen again - at least.

But we didn’t have to wait that long - and this time, we’ve been published in an international magazine!

And the debut issue, to boot!

A new - and stunningly beautiful - magazine out of the Czech Republic with a creative eye towards Indie fashion and beauty has hit the stands!

With both print and digital editions, Styl Magazine has made it’s inaugural debut.
And it is gorgeous!

We’re incredibly honored and thrilled to have our Bellissima Mineral Tinted Lip Gloss in Beautifully Blush appear in their ’Heart & Bruised’ editorial by Kristin Walko. It’s a dazzling spread on a new look in beauty & cosmetics that focuses on the ethereal: “The key is going soft, muted and with some sort of sheen - be it very fine shimmer or in a cream.” One peek at these striking photos and you’ll want to wear this look!

Bellissima wishes to send heartfelt thanks out to Riz Sedek and her collaborators at Styl for publishing such a magnificent mag and for turning the spotlight on indie beauty and fashion with such an inspired eye. We wish her much continued success!

Be sure to take a peek at Styl’s website: http://www.stylmagazine.com/

Support this effort to promote handmade and indie businesses by subscribing here (PayPal accepted): http://www.stylmagazine.com/subscribe.html

And if you’d like to take a few minutes to offer up a bit more support for this admirable endeavor, please tweet, blog, facebook, stumble upon, digg it - anything you can to help spread the word about Styl Magazine!

We'll continue with the Bellissima Holiday Shopping Guide tomorrow - so be sure to tune in!

Bellissima Holiday Shopping Guide Day 5: Soap Gift Sets

2009-11-29T09:57:00.011-05:00

♥´¨)
¸.·´¸.·*´¨) ¸.·*´¨) We're Moving in to the 'Big Boys'!
(¸.·´ (¸.·´♥

Those gifts that are substantial and hefty enough to deserve their own spot under the tree!

But trust me, these won't even make even a minor dent in your wallet... you can feel confident in presenting thoughtful, meaningful, enchanting, gratifying gifts that won't break the bank.

First on the list? Soap, of course!

Soap is a great gift for everyone: practical yet decadent at the same time.

Handmade soap retains glycerin - a natural by-product of the soap-making process that most commercial brands remove and sell due to it's value - making handmade soap much more moisturizing and emollient than store-bought brands. It feels heavenly on the skin and really is a special, pampering treat. It can provide the same extravagant pleasure as an expensive trip to the spa.

And if you guive a man a bar of handmade cleansing pumice or coffee soap, shave soap or shampoo bar - trust me, he'll never want Lava, Barbasol or Suave again!

And Bellissima handmade soaps come in so many varieties, you're sure to find something for anyone: all-natural, botanical-infused, all-veggie oil, goat's milk, scented, utility and more!

We've put together a fabulous 4-piece Soap Gift Set that's sure to please! It comes with 2 bars of our delicious handmade soap - each more than 5oz huge! Each Set includes a pine soap deck and a netted bath sponge. We also add in our Handmade Soap Guidelines - helpful hints for using, storing and extending the life of your Handmade Soap!

Bellissima Handmade Soap 4pc Gift Sets are available at either http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com or http://www.bellissimatruccominerale.com

And be sure to check our previous post for lots of Promo Codes for Discounts valid for through Monday Only!

Bellissima Holiday Shopping Guide: Day 4 of Stocking Stuffers

2009-11-28T09:56:00.008-05:00

And we're back to regular programming!

Still talking about Stocking Stuffers, too.

While just about everything we sell at Bellissima could fit into a stocking, they all don't qualify as stocking stuffers. And why is that?

Well, one very old legend of unknown origin tells the story of a nobleman who had lost everything after his wife died and was living as a peasant. He was quite poor and in need of dowries to marry off his three daughters. Saint Nicholas happened to be visiting the town and heard talk from the villagers of the family's dilemma. He knew the family would never accept charity, but decided to help anyway. He waited until the family was asleep and peeked through the window. He noticed the girls had hung their stockings by the fireplace to dry, and climbed down the chimney to drop gold coins in them - enough for each daughter to be able to marry. Thus, the very first Christmas Stockings were born.

There are other popular stories, too, but suffice it to say that they all involve footwear by the fireplace and small coins, balls or toys.

So, it's tradition to just use small gifts for stuffing stockings. And, it's what fits! Nowadays we save Stockings for just small-sized presents, usually inexpensive, designed to make the recipient smile.

And what's the most perfect Stocking Stuffer of all? Gift Certificates!

Bellissima is offering shop Gift Certificates this Holiday Season in a wide variety of denominations - from $10.00 up to $1,000,000.00 (just kidding...)!

They never expire, include the cost of shipping and are valid on everything in the Bellissima Shop! We can email a .pdf version for you to print out or snail-mail the real thing.

So if you need just one more thing to top off that stocking, Bellissima Gift Certificates are the way to go. You can find them at http://www.bellissimatruccominerale.com

And don't forget to check yesterday's post for lots of discount promo codes valid for this weekend only! Or this post for themed stocking stuffer gift ideas!

Stay tuned for more of the Bellissima Holiday Shopping Guide coming up!

Black Friday Deals at Bellissima Minerals

2009-11-27T10:32:00.018-05:00

It's here!

The biggest retail shopping day of the year!

Once Thanksgiving is behind us, the focus switches quickly to Christmas and Holiday Shopping.

No doubt, many of you were up at 3:00, 4:00, even 5:00 am looking for those special gifts at just the right price!

I thought I'd offer some great deals at Bellissima, too... but no scrambling, hustling or bustling allowed! Just curl up, nice and comfy (preferably in your fave pj's and slippers), in front of your computer and grab a cup 'o coffee, tea, whatever.... log in to either

http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com or

http://www.bellissimamineralmakeup.com

and enjoy these amazing deals!

~ Free US Shipping on all Bellissima Handmade Soap Sample Stacks!

Use Promo Code 'Black'

~ Free Shipping on all Bellissima Mineral Makeup Kits!

No Promo Code Necessary

~ 15% off of all Bellissima Full Size Single (or Double pack) Handmade Bar Soap!

Use Promo Code 'Friday'

~ Free US Shipping on all Bellissima Mineral Tinted Lip Glosses!

No Promo Code Necessary

~ 15% off of all Bellissima Handmade Soap Gift Sets!

Use Promo Code 'Cyber'

~ BOGO - Buy One Bellissima Soap Sample Bar, Get One Free - No Limit!

Use Promo Code 'Monday'

~ B3GO - Buy Three Bellissima Full Size Soap Bars, Get One Free - No Limit!

Use Promo Code 'Weekend'

~ B2GO - Buy any Two Bellissima Mineral EyeShadows or Mineral Tinted Lip Butters and Get One Free - No Limit!

Use Promo Code 'Deals'

~ 25% off the Cost of all International Shipping Fees!

No Promo Code Necessary

Fine Print & Red Tape (there always is, isn't there?):

* Sale & Promo Codes Valid from Friday, 11.27.09 - Monday 11.30.09, 12am EST

* Be sure to note Promo Code in Message to Seller Box during Checkout

* You may wait for a Revised Invoice reflecting the Discount, or Discount may be issued as refund after payment is made

* Black Friday Weekend Specials are not valid with any other discount, promo or Bellissima discount Gift Certificate

* 25% off International Shipping is based on Flat Rate Priority International Shipping Rate

And please don't hesitate to email me with any questions or if you need any assistance at all!

Taking A Break in the Action for Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T11:38:00.007-05:00

I think it's time for a break in all the action to stop and be thankful today.

Thanksgiving's a day to set everything aside and just relax - to gather together and spend time with family, friends and loved ones, enjoy a wonderful meal and think about all the incredible blessings that have been bestowed on us throughout the past year.

Life is so fast-paced these days: we're racing for all the right reasons and to succeed at the things that mean the most to us. A little reflection helps us to refocus and reprioritize, set new goals, recover a bit and realize that our work is always rewarded.

Many of us today will list all the things we're thankful for, but I'd rather just note much more eloquent words from people I admire and who say it all so much better than I ever could:

"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." Albert Schweitzer

"When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup." Sam Lefkowitz

"Nothing is possessed save in appreciation, of which thankfulness is the indispensable ingredient. But a thankful heart hath a continual feast." W.J. Cameron

"Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life." Northrup Christiane

"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them,is the true measure of our thanksgiving." W.T. Purkiser

"Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse." Henry Van Dyke

"Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow." Edward Sandford Martin

"This is the finest measure of thanksgiving: a thankfulness that springs from love." William C. Skeath

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." John Fitzgerald Kennedy

"An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day." Irv Kupcinet

I'll definitely be watching what I eat today!

Have a joyous, restful, relaxing, reflective and Happy Thanksgiving!

Bellissima Holiday Shopping Guide: Day 3 of Stocking Stuffers

2009-11-22T10:18:00.005-05:00

As a girl, I loved cosmetics - I still do. And like many other girls of a certain age, I was addicted to nail polish, lip color, eyeshadows, etc. I can even pinpoint the exact time when my fascination with everything that beautifies began - but that's for another post!

I really wish a few things were different back when I started using makeup:
- I wish I knew as much about skin care as I did about cosmetics
- I wish I cared more about what I was putting on my face than how it looked
- I wish there were much healthier options available

I attribute most of the skin issues I'm experiencing today in middle age with the transgressions of my youth. Unfortunately, we just didn't know any better.

But now we do.

And I firmly believe that girls today will have much healthier skin tomorrow because of it!

My step-daughter will soon reach that age when makeup becomes a vital life necessity, and I can't wait to introduce her to mineral cosmetics - Bellissima, of course!

And the perfect introduction is with a Trial Size Mineral Makeup Kit - it makes an ideal stocking stuffer for the Holidays, too!

Our 7pc Trial Size Kits include small 5 gram jars filled to the brim with Minerals: Foundation, Mineral Veil, Concealer, Blush and Bronzer.

We offer them in every shade of Foundation, and the companion products are in coordinating shades. We also include either a mini Kabuki Brush or 5pc Mini Brush Set (your choice) and our detailed Mineral Makeup Application Guide. Each Kit offers approximately 2 weeks of daily application, depending on use.

And it's affordable, too: $12.50 with Free US Shipping!
They're available at both shops:
http://bellissimatruccominerale.com
http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com

So, whether you've always wanted to try mineral cosmetics yourself or you know a Tween or Teen just getting into makeup and want to introduce them to a healthier alternative to traditional cosmetics, Bellissima Trial Size Kits are the perfect choice!

Want to try before you buy? I’ll send you 5 Bellissima Mineral Makeup Samples - totally Free of Charge - to do just that! They're in smal 2"x2" ziplock bags, are great for testing shades and will last 1-2 applications.
Just visit http://www.bellissimamineralmakeup.com, go to the Contact Us Page and fill out the form. We promise to protect your privacy and never spam you.

Stay Tuned for more Stocking Stuffers from Bellissima!

Bellissima Holiday Shopping Guide: Day 2 of Stocking Stuffers

2009-11-19T11:17:00.007-05:00

Okay, admit it: you know you’re getting socks and underwear for Christmas. Most of us do - whether we need them or not. Whether we want them or not.

Stockings are, in many households, predominately for filling with the necessities of life: batteries, razors, pens & pencils, toiletries and the aforementioned unmentionables.

But how do you give these types of gifts and avoid the inevitable look of utter disappointment?
Make it FUN! And make it an annual tradition.

My Mom made it fun by choosing undergarments with cool characters or fun designs - an awesome change from the pure white we were used to the rest of the year. She gift wrapped even the most mundane item, usually even more elaborately than the ’real’ gifts. And she made it a tradition by doing things like a variation on theme every year. One year our stocking might be filled with nothing but blue items or T-Shirts, the next year might be nothing but purple stuff or makeup!

But no matter what, we always looked forward to opening our stockings - in spite of the fact that we knew that there was a strong possibility that there’d be socks and underwear in there. And I try to keep it fun and build a tradition for my loved ones now, too.

Soap is one of those gifts that you can have fun with. And with our soap sample bars, you can have a blast! At just over 1 oz each, they’re both inexpensive and practical, and perfect for stuffing stockings. Here are some great ideas for themed stocking stuffing:

DIY-er or Car-Lover Gift Idea: Fill with handy tools, measuring tape, car wax, a nice chamois and a few sample size bars of our Orange & Tea Tree Mechanic’s Companion Pumice Soap.

Cook’s or Chef‘s Gift Idea: Fill with mini cookbooks, utensils, spices, oven mitts and a few sample size bars of our Black Diamond Coffee Kitchen Companion Hand Soap.

Fruit-Lover‘s Gift Idea: Fill with an apple corer, citrus peeler, small jars of jams or preserves and a few sample size bars of our Anjou Pear, Blackberry Hibiscus or Avocado & Lime Soap.

Gardener’s or Florist Gift Idea: Fill with a spade & trowel, gardening gloves, apron, seed packets and a few bars of our Red Rose & Ivy, Exotic Orchid, Flowers & Ferns or Lavender & Lemongrass Soap.

Dog-Lover’s Gift Idea: Fill with a pet brush, chew toys, pet treats, leash & collar and a few bars of our Comfrey & Tea Tree Oil Dog Shampoo Bar.

All-Natural Themed Stocking: Fill with organic snack bars, 100% cotton socks, hand-made paper stationary and a few bars of our Oatmeal, Milk & Honey, Triple Mint or Cracked Black Pepper Soap.

Hair-Care Themed Stocking: Fill with brushes and combs, bows, ribbons, clips, hair spay & styling gel and a few bars of our Amber Vanilla Shampoo & Body Bar.

Shave Themed Stocking: Fill with disposable razors, a cotton facial cloth, soothing aftershave or aloe gel and a few sample bars of our Chamomile Aloe Shave Soap.

The ideas are endless, really - and only limited to your imagination! Oh - and to make it easy and economical, we offer our Soap Sample Bars in 4-, 5-, 6-, 8- and 10-Pack Variety Stacks!

All of our Sample Size Soap Bars are available at:
www.bellissimatruccominerale.com
BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com
So have some fun this year, and start a tradition that will keep your family looking forward to opening their Stockings every Holiday Season!

Bellissima Holiday Shopping Guide: Day 1 of Stocking Stuffers

2009-11-16T09:59:00.013-05:00

When I was a kid, I always saved my Christmas Stocking for opening last. I’d run and tear open the boxes under the tree as fast as I could - and it was exhilarating! But I’d always take my time with my Stocking. I’d carefully take each item out one at a time, trying not to peek at the next treasure underneath. I’d cherish every single gift, knowing it was special - thoughtfully chosen just for me.

And remembering the absolute joy they gave me, I always stuff stockings for my loved ones.

And I’m not the only one!

So for the start of the Bellissima Holiday Gift Guide, I thought I’d showcase some of those items ideal for stocking stuffers.

Bellissima Mineral Tinted Lip Butters fit all the prerequisites for the perfect stocking stuffer:

*They’re compact, leaving plenty of room for lots more treasure in the stocking
*Come individually wrapped
*Come in a variety of flavors and shades
*Are practical, but still a guilty pleasure
*Great for women of all ages

And Bellissima Lip Butters are chock full of fantastic ingredients, including sweet almond and coconut oil and lots of cocoa, mango and shea butter. They’re extra-emollient and moisturizing and are enriched with Vitamin E. Formulated with only the highest quality ingredients, they're the ultimate in promoting soft, supple, smooth lips. And with a hint of sheer color, they can be worn alone, under or over lipstick & lipliners.

From November 16th - 23rd only, I’m offering a Blog Reader’s Discount of 10% off of all Bellissima Mineral Tinted Lip Butters! Just enter the Promo Code: ‘STUFF' in the Message to Seller Box during checkout. We’ll either send you a revised invoice reflecting your discount or your discount will be refunded back to your account. I’m sorry, I cannot combine this with any other offer.

The Discount Code may be used at either of Bellissima’s Online Shops:
BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com
Or
www.bellissimatruccominerale.com

Tune in Tomorrow for more Stocking Stuffers from Bellissima’s Holiday Shopping Guide!

Countdown: 40 Shopping Days 'Til Christmas

2009-11-15T18:30:00.007-05:00

It's hard to believe, isn't it?

And it seems like the older I get, the faster the Holidays sneak up on me. I used to be so organized - I used to start my Holiday shopping in July, buy one gift a week and be done and ready to start wrapping by the end of November! It was actually a yearly ritual for me to wrap my first present on Thanksgiving night.

It seemed like such a practical thing to do, but in hindsight, I was usually over my Holiday spending budget by September. And by October, I was buying duplicate items, double-gifting (my term for buying two presents for the same person), forgetting who I'd already bought for, buying just for the sake of buying and running out of room to hide everything!

So these days, I wait until closer to the Holidays to start my spending spree.

And honestly, I enjoy shopping during the Holiday Season. I adore looking for - and especially finding - that perfect 'thing' that will make my Mom cry or my husband laugh. It raises my spirits and brings me joy. Of course these days, I'm more likely to put on a CD of Christmas Carols, plug in the tree lights, grab a cup of hot chocolate and cuddle up to my laptop in my pajamas rather than get up at 5am to join the bustling crowds!

And I'm not alone. The largest online shopping day of the year in 2008 was December 8th with over $880 million in total sales. While pure convenience tops the list, there are so many reasons why online shopping gets more and more popular year after year. I appreciate it so much as a consumer, and now as an indie biz owner, too.

Last year was the biggest Holiday Season so far for Bellissima. We've been working hard to get ready for this Season, so I thought I would blog a Holiday Gift Guide of sorts and highlight some Bellissima items perfect for gift-giving this Holiday Season!

Starting tomorrow, I'll be posting some great ideas for Holiday Shoppers from the Bellissima Catalogue. There'll be bargains galore - everything from discounts and coupons to shipping deals that will be available at both of our shops: BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com and www.bellissimatruccominerale.com! And I'll be putting together some special offers just for our Blog Readers - so be sure to Stay Tuned!

The Three P's to Perfect Mineral Makeup Application

2009-11-10T09:45:00.010-05:00

I have written several Squidoo Lenses and am so proud and love each and every one! For anyone not familiar with Squidoo, please be sure to refer back to my blog post:
My Love Affair with Squidoo

I did so much research making sure they were interesting, enjoyable, very informative - and most of all, accurate. And I think one of them has some information that bears repeating here. It’s from my lens “ Troubleshooting: Mineral Makeup Application Hints, Tips & Tricks”.
Check out the righthand sidebar for links to some of my other lenses.

It’s my Three P’s to perfect mineral makeup application.

Anyone who’s tried mineral makeup has experienced, at one time or another, some kind of issue: flaking, ashy-ness, uneven-ness, etc. And so many women experience a problem on their first try and give it up, thinking it’s just not for them. But mineral makeup is so good for your skin, just the thought of even one woman abandoning it due to an issue that can easily be solved bothers me. I honestly feel that, because I formulate and sell mineral cosmetics, it’s my job - my duty - to do everything I can to help inform and educate women so that they can feel confident trying it - and hopefully learn to love mineral makeup.

And so, I advise that an extra few minutes spent a day following these steps can help resolve so many mineral makeup issues.

And here they are:

The Three P's to Perfect Mineral Makeup Application Every Time:

Step 1. Prime the Skin
Cleansing and exfoliating are the basics of most daily skin care regimens and are very important steps to great mineral makeup application. Wash the skin with a gentle cleanser to remove surface skin oils, dirt and debris. Exfoliation aids in the removal of dead skin cells and can be done as simply as:

gently scrubbing with a cotton washcloth
naturally by using a bit of honey mixed with brown sugar and smoothing over the skin
using an over-the-counter brand name product

Be sure to search out products that are targeted toward your skin type.

Step 2. Prepare the Skin.
The most fundamental step in applying mineral makeup is prepping the skin. It's crucial to moisturize prior to application. Why? Because most mineral cosmetics contain no hydrating properties and naturally absorb moisture from the skin (especially surface skin oils - which is good!). Moisturizer will help keep minerals from looking dry & flaky on the skin. Even if you have oily skin, this step is still important - try an oil-free moisturizer or one made specifically for oily skin. And be absolutely certain your moisturizer is completely absorbed before applying your minerals.

Step 3. Practice!
Very few people get things right the first time out - and as they say, practice makes perfect. Play with your minerals! Practice your technique over and over, try different application methods and discover what works best for you. Some women achieve perfection by applying their mineral foundation with a brush, others are successful using a flocked sponge. Some women prefer to apply their eyeshadows dry, while other love the look they get with ‘foiling‘ - applying their mineral eye colors wet. Just like with anything else, the more times you do it, the easier it will become and the faster you'll be able to apply your minerals every day.

If you’ve tried mineral makeup and thought it wasn’t for you, please give it another shot! I’ll even send you 5 Bellissima Mineral Makeup Samples - totally Free of Charge - to do just that!
Just visit http://www.bellissimamineralmakeup.com/, go to the Contact Us Page and fill out the form. We promise to protect your privacy and never spam you.

And then let me know if you’ve tried the Three P’s - and if it’s made a difference in your application.

I’d love to hear from anyone who has any other suggestions or tips for applying mineral makeup, too!

Sunday Indie Biz Focus: Product Packaging

2009-11-08T13:13:00.005-05:00

And speaking of packing and packaging…

There are so many things that happen behind the scenes at an indie biz. Hundreds, if not thousands of small and large, even monumental decisions that must be made every minute of every day. Some of these decisions have very little impact on the customer - or are even evident to those peering into the ‘storefront’ - but are important -sometimes crucial - nonetheless.

But it’s the ones that do impact the customer and the ‘storefront’ that are the hardest decisions to make.

Packaging, in my humble opinion, is the toughest issue, and make for the most difficult decisions.

There are so many reasons why, but here are my personal top three:

1. Discovering that your current packaging is just not working - for whatever reason - means money down the drain. Investing in new packaging and discarding old packaging can become a bit of a financial burden, and can sap resources very quickly.

2. Changing packaging means not only an investment in new jars/tubes/bottles, but also in new lids, labels, product photos as well as making changes to listings, marketing tactics, etc. There’s a lot more to it that just putting a product in a different container.

3. Making a change to one product’s packaging often means changes are necessary for compatible products, as well. Keeping a product line’s packaging streamlined is very important to aesthetics, branding and appeal. It's the most professional thing to do.

It’s very rare when I can count on my first choice in packaging to work for any extended period of time.

Take for example, our LipSync Lip Gloss packaging. After several months of use, we discovered that many of the tube’s plastic inserts (you know, the part that the sponge-tip scrapes on when the wand is pulled out of the tube) were popping out after only a few uses. Not all the inserts were defective, however we couldn’t tell just by looking at them which ones were going to cause a problem. In my opinion, this was actually worse than all of them being faulty.

So we had no choice but to make the decision to scrap them all and get brand new packaging.
And the hunt was on….

After about 40 different suppliers and 60 different samples and months of testing, we finally settled on the one we thought fit in best with our LipSync line, was professional looking and quite appealing, and most importantly - each one worked perfectly every time!

After developing new labels, taking new product pics, rewriting listings, editing our printed materials, making minor changes to marketing campaigns, and announcing the changes to our sales people, we were done.

And we’d love to hear what you think of them! The top photo is of our former packaging, and the bottom pic is of our current, brand new packaging.

And if you’ve tried Bellissima LipSync Lip Gloss, be sure to add a comment - we want to hear from you!

Online Sellers: Pack Your Items Like You Mean Business - Because it Does

2009-11-06T11:29:00.008-05:00

There was an active thread in a popular online marketplace forum a few weeks ago about packing sold items for shipment. Literally, the topic was: “Does how you package an item really matter?”
Seeing this question in the forum of an online sales venue over 100,000 sellers strong generated some serious thought from responders, but just some stunned bewilderment from me.

Now, I’ve been selling Belissima online for at least 6 years, and involved in web sales an awful lot longer than that. As an employee for companies who had an online presence, I can go back as far as 1992! Personally, I’m more than a little bit amazed that this question is even asked. While I would never ‘call out’ any of the posters in the thread, I have to take issue with any seller who admits to ‘just putting a business card and the item in a mailer’ and shipping it out.

After some thought, I realize that my astonishment at this particular ‘strategy’ comes from being a part (small as it was!) of the early days of online sales. I remember all too well how incredibly difficult it used to be to try to convince consumers that buying online was not only safe and secure, but also that they were buying quality items, that they would still receive top-notch customer service and that, other than waiting a few days for their purchase to arrive, their buying experience would be no different - if not better - than shopping in any brick-and-mortar retail establishment.

I may be dating myself, but I still recall so many of the questions I fielded as one of the pioneers in the early days of online retail sales:

‘Is this a real business?’
‘Are these items used?’
‘Will I really get what’s in the photo?’
'How do I know you’ll send the right thing?'

'How do I know you'll send anything at all?'
‘What happens to my credit card information?’

'How do I know you won't take off to Aruba with my Credit Card Number?'

In these days of HSN, eBay and Amazon, questions like this may seem a little silly, but believe me - we answered the craziest of questions with all seriousness. We struggled to build relationships and establish trust. We believed in the world wide web as a viable sales venue and worked hard - in our own small ways - to help pave the way for every seller online today.

And one of the most important keys to success was in making our customers feel special. When we launched Bellissima, we decided that each and every buyer would feel as if they just walked out of a high-end boutique. We would package and ship every item quickly, with the utmost of care and as beautifully as possible. And in recent years, we take conservation into consideration, using 100% recycled materials whenever possible.

We try to give our customers an extraordinary buying experience and make them feel exceptional. We make sure they know that we value their business and care about their satisfaction. And we are rewarded every day with treasured repeat customers, priceless referral business and precious word-of-mouth advertising that money just can’t buy.

And so, to all my fellow online sellers who‘ve asked themselves or others, please take some advice: Pack Your Sold Items Like It Means Business - Because It Really Does.

Bellissima Enters The World of Publishing... Email Newsletters, That Is!

2009-10-31T10:42:00.010-04:00

Email Newsletters are a huge part of online retail marketing, and I’ve always known it’s something we should be doing. Every time I receive a company’s newletter in my inbox, I think to myself “When am I going to buckle down and finally get this done?“

I even started collecting subscribers over 6 months ago in anticipation of publishing monthly newsletters. But somehow, even though I set my mind to it, I never managed to decide on just how I could make Bellissima‘s email newsletter a reality.

Over the years, I’ve researched lots of email marketing companies and have been terribly confused, incredibly overwhelmed or just plain disappointed. And if I were to be perfectly honest with myself, quite intimidated, too. Confused by too many choices, overwhelmed by the necessity to learn yet another software program, disappointed in the lack of value offered by most companies for the money.

Until yesterday.

Scanning my inbox yesterday morning, I was pleasantly surprised to see a new email marketing offer - encouraged, but definitely somewhat cynical.

I’m very satisfied as a customer of www.hostway.com, the company that generated the offer - I have been purchasing several website domain names from them for many years now. They provide services from web hosting to pc backup and utilities - and now marketing and promotional tools. So I couldn't resist taking a peek…

And lo and behold, my skepticism all but vanished when I discovered that their new email newsletter service is just as easy as writing this blog post, looks professional and attractive and is even FREE with my current domain name subscription! Of course, I’m restricted to only 100 email addresses (an additional $9.95 per month gives me unlimited addresses), but as a test run for my first foray into newsletter publishing, I can live with that.

And:
I can use their templates.
I can use my own photos.
I don’t need to download any software.
I don’t need to follow pages & pages of complicated instructions.
I don’t need to know any html.
It’s actually easy - and fun!

And so, Bellissima‘s very first Email NewsLetter went out yesterday afternoon… and I’m delighted!

If you’d like to take a peek, be sure to send me your email address!

New Bellissima Product: Creme Perfume

2009-09-28T10:46:00.007-04:00

And speaking of more new Bellissima products….

We’ve been making and selling solid perfume for a while now. We offer them in complimentary fragrances to our scented soaps & lotions, and up ‘til now, have only had them available in our 3pc Trial Size MiniSpa Kits.

One of the reasons for this is that, although they’re fine the way they are - and exactly what you’d expect a solid perfume to be, they’re not quite what I personally happen to like in a solid perfume.

This is one of the unending internal debates every crafter/artisan/indie biz owner goes through: to formulate a product that meets the expectations of a wide customer base, or create a product that I not only love and would use every day, but something I’m incredibly proud of and dream others will love, too?

I’ve been true to myself from the very beginning, and I can’t find a reason to stop now!

I’m satisfied with most aspects of our Solid Perfume: the depth and longevity of the fragrance, the look of the product, especially the fact that one jar will last months and months! But what I really wanted to change was the consistency - the way it feels on the skin.

I really wanted more of a creamy, rather than waxy consistency. I want it to feel rich and velvety going on - an ultra smooth and luxurious texture that’s indulgent and pampering. I wanted it to be really decadent.

This means that the usage won’t be quite as extensive, and I run the risk of it melting during shipment in the warm weather months if I'm not very careful, but I believe it will be a much more enjoyable product.

The first thing I changed in my formula was the Beeswax. Although I love beeswax, I think it can be a bit stiff in certain applications - like this one. I replaced a majority of the beeswax with soy wax, which has a lower melting point, will absorb into rather than lay across the skin and has a much more creamy texture.

I kept the High-Oleic Sunflower Seed Oil, Rice Bran Oil & Sweet Almond Oil from the original formula for their moisturizing qualities and because I love the way this combination feels on the skin. Then I added in lots of Shea Butter to increase the richness and emolliency.

I ended up with a wonderful, silky smooth, luxurious perfumed crème that feels as delicious as it smells!

Right now, they’re only available in scents to accompany my soaps, but I really hope to expand further into my own perfume blends at some point.

You’ll receive a trial size crème perfume with any of the 3pc Trial Size MiniSpa Sets (along with a trial size body lotion and sample soap bar) in your choice of available fragrances.

Full size crème perfumes will be available soon (in convenient 1oz tins) at

http://www.bellissimatruccominerale.com and http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com

If you’ve tried our Solid or Crème Perfumes, be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Bellissima Finds National Exposure!

2009-09-20T10:40:00.008-04:00

This is a first for us - exposure in a national magazine!

And, wow - is it exciting!

Several months ago I was contacted by the press contact at etsy.com regarding one of my items and product photos. He said that he had been in touch with a national magazine doing an article about cool online finds for a bathroom makeover article, and would be submitting information about etsy. He requested permission to send in my product photo, with a notation that there was no guaranty that it would be used.

Not a problem!

I told him I would be honored to have etsy consider my shop & photo as representive of what etsy has to offer - in any way at all, and he had my express permission to send anything he wants to anyone he wants! Who would/could say no?

And the wait was on. The etsy press contact knew it would be the October issue, but wasn't sure when it would be out.

And then a few days ago I received a lovely convo (etsy-speak for an email through their messaging system) from a fellow etsian congratulating me on having my shop mentioned in the Online Shopping Secrets October 2009 Issue of Consumer Reports Shop Smart Magazine! I think I was just as amazed that someone saw it and took the time to email me about as I was about being in the magazine!

So there we are: Page 43, the top photo on the right hand side.

Etsy is listed under 'Best for Unusual Bath Accessories' in 'Where to Find Cool Bathroom Stuff' in the 'Instant Bathroom Makeovers' article that begins on page 37.

They feature my Calla Lily Scented All-Veggie Oil Soap photo and listed the URL for my etsy shop.

Some of the other online shops mentioned in the article include potterybarn.com, cb2.com, sundancecatalog.com, overstock.com, bedbathandbeyond.com, westelm.com and crateandbarrel.com. I'm just overwhelmed to be among such a prestigious group of retailers in this magazine!

I'm really grateful to Etsy for choosing my item and shop to submit for this article - especially when there are just so many incredibly talented soapmakers and bath-item artisans on Etsy!

And I was beyond excited when I ran to Borders, grabbed up a copy and saw my shop and photo in Consumer Reports Shop Smart Magazine! The man standing next to me reading Computer Digest must have thought I was nuts!

I hope every indie biz gets to experience this... it's just the thrill of a lifetime!

New All Natural Lip Gloss Shades For Fall

2009-08-07T10:12:00.007-04:00

And speaking of Lip Gloss…..

I’m really excited to introduce some great new shades for Fall!

It took me a long time to perfect our Lip Gloss formula. I wanted all natural ingredients (of course!), lots of shine and none of that thick, petroleum feel. I used some wonderfully skin penetrating oils with lots of nutrients, both cocoa and shea butter for richness and emolliency, and both beeswax and candelilla wax for shine and to lock in moisture.

I decided not to use any synthetic flavor oils to keep it all natural and only use cosmetic grade, lip-safe mica for color. This creates a pure product with a sheer, barely-there hint of color that makes them perfect for every skin tone and incredibly good for your lips!

The first (top, left) is a gorgeous, intense bronze with subtle hints of burgundy and amethyst, plenty of shimmer and lots of shine: Remarkably Raisin.

The second (right) is a striking deep pinky-orange shade with copper undertones and unbelievable shimmer and shine: Absolutely Apricot.

And the third (bottom, left) is a stunning peachy-pink shade with red and gold undertones, high shine and enormous shimmer: Beautifully Blush.

Each all-natural Bellissima LipSync Lip Gloss comes in a see-through tube with a convenient sponge-tipped wand applicator.

They're available for $7.50 each, including US Shipping. We also ship Worldwide!

Through the rest of the Summer (at our Etsy Shop only) we’re running a Buy 3, Get 1 Free special for $22.50 - and Free US Shipping!

View all 7 shades at either of our stores:

http://www.bellissimatruccominerale.com/

http://bellissimaminerals.etsy.com/

Have a suggestion for a new Bellissima Lip Gloss Shade for Winter?
We’d love to hear it!

5 Steps to Perfectly Beautiful Lips

2009-08-03T12:14:00.007-04:00

I’m a huge Lip Gloss fan!
I’m a huge fan of lip products… period.

For lots of reasons:
~ lips are one of the first places age begins to show on most women
~ delicate lip tissue is vulnerable to damage from harsh elements
~ lips have no oil glands and can’t replenish moisture on their own
~ lips have little melanin and are susceptible to UVA/UVB sun damage
~ dry, cracked, chapped lips are incredibly painful
~ soft, moist, supple lips are sign of good health

And I can certainly sympathize with women who suffer from dry, chapped lips all the time.
I have to keep huge dehumidifiers running year ‘round in my mineral makeup ’lab’ and I spend a majority of my time there. They can really wreak havoc and draw unlimited amounts of moisture from the skin.

I like to advocate a 5-Step approach to keeping lips healthy and youthful-looking:

1. Proper Nutrition: Drinking lots of water daily, eating plenty of fresh fruit and green veggies and ensuring your diet is high in vitamins and nutrients is always the first step to healthy skin!

2. Sun Protection Daily: whether your facial moisturizer has it, your lip balm or gloss has it, your mineral makeup has it or you’re applying it separately (or all of the above!) - make sure you’ve got it on! Sun protection from UVA/UVB rays is highly important and cannot be stressed enough.

3. Use a Lip Exfoliator 3x a Week: even though the skin on the lips is much more fragile, gently exfoliating the dead suface skin cells helps to keep your lips smooth and healthy-looking and feeling!

A lip exfoliator should be extremely gentle - many natural exfoliants are wonderful (like pumice, nut shell powders and even fruit/berry seeds), but way to harsh for tender lip tissue! We use ground Camelina Meal in a thick, rich, all natural cream base for Bellissima Gentle Lip Exfoliator. It’s as kind as can be, offers wonderful nutritive properties, helps soothe and smooth the lips and moisturizes, too!

4. Apply Lip Butter/Balm Often: replacing the moisture in your lips is difficult, but a good lip balm/butter with lots of emollient oils and butters plus beeswax for sealing in moisture will work wonders!

Lip Balms are not all created equal! Balms with a high percentage of beeswax can pull and tear at delicate lip tissue during application, causing more harm than good. Bellissima Lip Butters use a smaller percentage of beeswax and high amounts of cocoa, mango and shea butter to deliver a creamier consistency that will smooth on easily, moisturize and help relieve dry, chapped lips. We also use unsweetened flavor oil to reduce the detrimental ‘lip-licking’ syndrome produced by sweetened lip balms.

5. Use Lip Gloss: a lip gloss full of healthy ingredients (and maybe even some natural sun protection) will help lock in moisture and protect the lips from harsh elements and future skin damage.

Lip Glosses don’t have to feel like Vaseline! You can have shiny, glossy lips without that thick petroleum jelly feeling. Bellissima uses all natural ingredients to produce a skin-healthy Lip Gloss that moisturizes, shines and conditions your lips. And we use cosmetic grade iron oxides and micas to produce our sheer, colorful tints!

I take lip care seriously.
And we’ve made healthy lips a priority at Bellissima. We want to make it simple and affordable for women to look fantastic and feel good about what they‘re putting on their skin. We’re constantly expanding our LipSync Lip Care line and hope to be able to offer something for everyone.

Be sure to take a peek and see if there's something for you!

New Product Launch: Bellissima Mineral Makeup Setting Spritz

2009-07-31T16:03:00.008-04:00

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I'm working on several new product launches for Fall - and in time for the Holidays!

The one I'm most excited about is a product that's been requested for a few years now - yes, I said years. When we first introduced Bellissima Mineral Makeup, I believe it was during the first week that a customer asked if we had a Mineral Makeup Setting Spray. We didn't, but the seed was planted... and we've been working on it ever since!

The thing is, I didn't want 'just' a mineral setting spray - I wanted something that would be great for all skin types, would improve the look of skin and the minerals, that would be skin-healthy - and would actually work!

And of course, in true Bellissima style, it had to be as natural as possible and completely free of oils, alcohol, parabens, synthetic fragrance and, as I found out through my research, propylene glycol.

Propylene glycol, while 'natural', may cause eye or skin irritation, and as far as I'm concerned, just doesn't belong in a leave-on product that will be misted on the face. Since it's main purpose in this type of application is moisturization, I figured I could replace it with ingredients more appropriate and certainly less controversial.

And so, after much research and testing, I developed Bellissima Mineral Makeup Setting Spritz!

The ingredients are simple and healthy:

Floral Waters of Rose, Rosehip and Lavender for astringent and antibacterial properties, their vitamins and nutrients, as well as for their aromatic and aromatherapeutic qualities
White Willow Bark Extract for its astringent, moisturizing and toning properties
Green Tea Extract for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and soothing properties
Chamomile Extract for its anti-inflammatory, soothing and healing properties
Rose Canina Extract for its emollient, astringent and antioxidant properties
Vegetable Glycerin for moisturizing and emolliency
Citric Acid for balancing ph
Aloe Vera Juice for its moisturizing, anti-inflammatory and healing properties
Vitamin E (Tocopherol T-50) for its antioxidant, photoprotectant and moisturizing properties
Silver Citrate, which in conjunction with Citric Acid, is part of a natural preservative system known as Tinosan SDC - which is free of parabens, formaldehyde and phenols.

And I'm so, so pleased with the finished product and it's performance!

It's main purpose is to set your mineral makeup application to help prevent smudging and smearing and help reduce the need for touch-ups throughout the day. It provides a protective layer that seals the minerals and helps in resisting water, humidity, even tears. And the vitamin and nutrient rich ingredients will also help provide moisture, reduce inflammation and provide anti-aging benefits!

It can also be used as a gentle leave-on toner after cleansing and as a primer beneath your mineral makeup. I leave mine in the fridge during the summer months to provide a cooling, refreshing spray of moisture anytime I need it!

Bellissima Mineral Makeup Setting Spritz, 2.4oz in a conveniently sized spray bottle, is now available at two of our online shops:

http://www.bellissimatruccominerale.com
http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com

If you have any questions or have given it a try, feel free to leave a comment!

Back From an Unintentional Blog Vacation!

2009-07-30T10:31:00.005-04:00

I feel just horrible...

oh so neglectful...

Here I was, thinking I was working towards a lifelong habit of daily journaling and a true love affair with my Blog.

One of my goals for 'The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days' was to develop a strict routine of posting to my Blog on a regular basis - and I've dropped the ball already. I posted several times after the Series ended (and actually thought I was doing pretty well!), but haven't since.

I can be quite hard on myself, especially about things like this, but I don't plan to drag on about it.

What I will do however, is update on what has been occupying all my time when I haven't been blogging:

I've been working on reorganizing and streamlining the Bellissima shops. We have several shops, as well as a 'Main' website (www.bellissimamineralmakeup.com) and working on those and getting them organized and updated has been very time consuming!
I've been recruiting new Bellissima Affiliates. Bellissima has a wonderful work-from-home Program that allows people to get discounts off of our products, promote Bellissima and earn money while doing it! We have some amazing and successful women working with us now, and I'm personally proud of each and every one of them!
I've been working on producing more beautiful product photos! Selling online means being as visual as possible - with both pictures and words, so I've been trying to improve on our photos and product descriptions!
I've been developing some new items for the Fall Season. We've got some big product launches in store for our customers, including the much requested All Natural Mineral Makeup Setting Spray!
I've been preparing for the Holidays! It's never too early to start getting ready for retail's biggest selling season, and we've all been scurrying around like elves planning and strategizing for the Holidays!
I've been working on ideas for the next Blog Project! I had so much fun doing The Lather Project that I want to make sure I've got two blog series' planned a year. I don't want to give anything away, but we're planning on expanding our Spa, Bath & Body line soon - possibly in time for the Holidays!
All of these activities (and more, trust me!) has kept me pretty busy - but I never want to be so busy that I can't update my blog. No more unanticipated, unintentional, unplanned blog vacations! I am publicly re-dedicating myself to blogging on a regular basis, and making Bellissima's Blog a huge priority for my and my business.

So stay tuned - there's a lot more to come!

The Lather Project: Soap Updates

2009-06-16T18:18:00.006-04:00

I wanted to do an update on a few of The Lather Project Soaps, since they’ve had some time to ‘sit’ now for a few weeks.

If you recall, there were a few soaps that used fragrance oils that I knew would ‘morph’ a bit - change the color of the soap. Many fragrance oils with a vanilla scent base will do this - and I used several of them during The Project. There are color stabilizers and non-discoloring fragrance oils, but I prefer to use some ingenuity in combating this issue. I used layering, blind swirls and a few other techniques to actually take advantage of the discoloring and try to create a pretty bar of soap.

Amber Vanilla Shampoo Bar (Soap #15) is one that I knew would discolor over time, and I tried some layering that wouldn’t be visible for a week or so, so I didn’t post photos then - but here they are now! This is one of the prettiest bars - although not the best layering job - with the cream and browns. And I love that the coloring is all completely natural!

Another one was Soap #10 - Lemon Poppyseed. With this one, I had split the raw soap into two batches, coloring one with a little yellow oxide and adding the poppy seeds - but no fragrance oil - therefore no discoloring. I then added the fragrance oil only to the second half of the soap base, after removing about 2 tablespoons of raw soap. Then I swirled in the leftover 2 tablespoons - since this soap has no fragrance oil either and won’t darken. I had hoped I’d get a beautiful brown & cream swirled bottom half with a yellow-poppy seed top half - but it didn‘t quite darken as ‘brown‘ as I‘d expected.

And the last one with a big change is my Botanical-Infused Lavender Vanilla (Soap #6)! The Vanilla half turned a beautiful deep brown and created a really interesting-looking bar! And it smells soooo delicious…

Overall, I’m quite pleased with all The Lather Project soaps - even the ones that didn’t turn out exactly as I’d anticipated! But that’s all part of the fun!

I’m still offering The Lather Project Soaps at 10% off in my etsy shop http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com using the Promo Code ‘Lather Project’!

Choosing something else? Receive a free sample bar of a Lather Project Soap with any purchase using the same Promo Code!

Thanks again to everyone who followed The Lather Project! It was great fun and I look forward to my next blog series!

The Lather Project Fun Facts

2009-06-14T13:35:00.009-04:00

Sadly, The Lather Project is over. I’m not sure what to do with all this extra time on my hands! Actually, I’m busy dreaming up a new Project…

But anyway, I figured it might be fun to post a few fascinating facts about The Lather Project. When I look at the numbers like this, I’m just plain shocked!

Here's Some Interesting Lather Project Fun Facts....

Soap Facts
The Lather Project resulted in:
~ 30 3.5lb Soap Loaves
~ Over 105lbs total of Soap
~ 240+ Full Size Bars of Soap
~ 120+ Sample Size Soap Bars

Ingredient Facts

During The Lather Project, I used:
~ Almost 19lbs of Coconut Oil
~ Over 11lbs of Olive Oil
~ More than 7 Gallons of Distilled Water

~ Over 6lbs of Sunflower Seed Oil
~ Almost 6lbs of Fragrance and Essential Oils
~ Over 2 lbs of Botanicals

~ More than 2lbs of Goat's Milk

Types of Soap
~ 5 Men’s Soap
~ 2 Soaps with Shea Butter
~ 9 Goat Milk Soap
~ 3 Botanical Infused Soaps
~ 9 All-Natural Soaps
~ 8 Vegan Soaps
~ 1 Pet Soap
~ 2 Shampoo Bars
~ 2 Facial/Complexion Bars
~ 1 Shave Soap
~ 1 Pumice Bar
~ 1 Kitchen Soap
~ 1 Sea Salt Bar

I posted:
~ 1 Tutorial

Blog Facts during The Lather Project:
~ 293 Entries to Lather Project Giveaway
~ 164 Comments left on the Blog
~ 73 New Blog Followers
~ 4 Posts/Write-Ups on Other’s Blogs
~ 2 Blog Awards Won
~ 39 Tweets Referring to The Lather Project

Time Invested in The Lather Project:
~ Hours spent soap making - over 46.5
~ Hours spent writing posts - over 22.5
~ Hours spent taking photos - at least 7.5

~ Hours spent listing soaps in my shops - over 12.5

And there were so many things I wanted to do during The Lather Project that I just didn’t get to: Whipped Soap, a Cold-Process SoapMaking Tutorial, Cream Soap… but I’m hoping to cover these and more during The Lather Project II! Look for it either in the Fall or early next year!

Remember, too, that I’m still offering The Lather Project Soaps at 10% off in my etsy shop

http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com using the Promo Code ‘Lather Project’!

Choosing something else? Receive a free sample bar of a Lather Project Soap with any purchase using the same Promo Code!

Tune in next time for photo updates to some of The Lather Project Soaps!

I'm Honestly Honored - By The Honest Scrap Award

2009-06-11T11:08:00.006-04:00

Bellissima‘s Blog has won another award - my 2nd - and I couldn‘t be more pleased and incredibly honored!!

I actually won The Honest Scrap Award during The Lather Project, but decided to wait until after it was over to post on it - but boy, was it hard… I’m so excited!

I want to thank Invites By Jen for honoring me with this fun and wonderful award! You can read her post and visit her Blog here:
http://invitesbyjen.blogspot.com/2009/05/honest-scrap-award.html

Jen has a super blog and an absolutely amazing shop at etsy. Take a moment to visit for creative handmade cards, stationery & invitations - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6121975

There are a few requirements to accepting the Honest Scrap Award:

1) The Honoree must thank the person who gave the award and list their blog and link it (please see above!).

2) The Winner must list 10 honest things about themselves - and here are my ‘Confessions‘:

I find old episodes of ‘Frasier’ hysterically funny

My bookshelf is filled with horror novels

I wish I had earplugs every time my husband puts death metal on - or Howard Stern

I put mineral makeup on whether I’m leaving the house or not - because I know it’s so good for my skin

I like listening to ‘80s pop music while I’m working in my 'lab'

I love to watch old movies on TMC when I’m not feeling well

I know all the words to every Abba Song - I love ‘Mamma Mia’

My Mom, my Husband & my Step-Daughter are my best friends

I cringe whenever I look at early pics I took of my products

I believe I could live on shrimp, watermelon and brie (not together, of course!)

3) The Winner must put a copy of The Honest Scrap Logo on their blog (please see sidebar).

4) The Winner must select at least 7 other worthy bloggers to pass The Honest Scrap Award on to & list their links - and here are my choices:

Boutique By Bonnie
Its just me, Amber
Random Splashes of Thought
Sweet Cuddle Cakes
My Little Aura
Living The Mid-Mod Life
The Seasonal Cottage

5) The Winner must notify the bloggers of the award and advise of the acceptance requirements.

Congratulations to all the 'Honest Scrap' Award Winners!

Thank you for offering such interesting posts and fabulous photos. You're all incredibly talented and have given me lots of joy - and I can‘t wait to learn a bit more about each of you!

If you have a moment, take some time and get to know a few of the Award Winners by clicking on the links and visiting their Blogs & Shops!

Things I Learned During The Lather Project

2009-06-10T12:16:00.007-04:00

I learned so much during The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - mostly things about myself that I had never really thought about before, but a few other things as well. So I figured that - in a moment of self-revelation - I’d post a few here:

1. I have the most understanding, supportive and loving husband in the world.
2. Necessity breeds creativity - requiring a new soap every 24 hours for a month sparked tons of ideas that I might never have come up with otherwise
3. I love writing - almost as much as creating
4. I really can take a decent product photo!
5. Forcing myself to be creative and produce something new every single day allowed me to discover that I can be a resourceful, inventive and imaginative person
6. Inspiration comes from everyone and everything - I’ve opened my eyes and gained new insight into just about all that exists
7. Experimentation is the mother of invention - not necessity (see #2)
8. I can be a success at time management - I don’t have to let it overpower me and surrender to it
9. I am surprisingly much more organized than I’ve ever given myself credit for
10. Procrastination is the devil’s handiwork - and will lead you down the wrong path every time
11. Murphy’s Law applies to everything - especially when it comes to scalding hot oils and caustic lye
12. Some stuff that smells incredibly awesome just plain stinks when added to soap
13. Apparently, I will never get tired of or bored with making soap - ever
14. Perfect strangers are wonderfully willing to encourage, support, cheer on and wish luck on a project that you truly believe in
15. I have a lot more stamina, resilience and determination than I ever thought I had - my own stick-to-it-iveness and never-give-up attitude sincerely astounded me
16. I genuinely love a challenge! And I honestly enjoy pushing myself to do more - and do it better
17. I get a sense of pride and much more satisfaction out of my little indie business than I’ve ever gotten from working for someone else
18. Failure builds character and success builds self-esteem - it’s a win-win situation
19. Did I already mention that I have the most appreciative, accepting, encouraging and devoted husband in the whole-wide-world?
20. I would do it all over again - any day!

I looked forward to each and every new batch as if it were my very first time making soap. And my own wide-eyed wonder at sniffing, slicing and testing each new soap came as a total and complete surprise.

I want to keep this incredible child-like fascination and amazement when it comes to my craft throughout my entire life. And I sincerely believe the secret to it is to keep creating, designing and inventing, continue experimenting and testing and trying new things and definitely keep challenging myself on a daily basis.

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 30, Soap 30

2009-06-07T19:27:00.006-04:00

It’s (still) Day #30!

If you missed the announcement of the winners of The Lather Project Soap Giveaway, be sure to scroll down to today’s earlier post!

So, for the very last soap of the Project, I thought I'd finish up the last of the necessary inventory replenishment - with Red Rose & Ivy! I was down to a single bar! I’m now completely & fully stocked with all my regular soaps and have dozens of new soaps to offer to my customers and in my shops!

I’m sad to have The Lather Project end. I’m incredibly moved by all the support I received and I’ve enjoyed every wonderful comment that's been posted. I’m also pretty proud of myself for sticking with it and absolutely thrilled with the results! I’m already focused on dreaming up my next blog series…

I’ll be adding lots of post-Lather Project updates, including follow-ups to several soaps, some observations I noted during the series and I have a great list of interesting and fun facts to post - so be sure to come back and enjoy!

And for the very last time, here’s the description for Soap #30:

Our line of Botanical Infused Bath Bars are a special treat for your skin - infusing teas, flowers, plants and herbs in oil or water and using it to create soap not only imparts their amazing benefits, but also allows for the most nutrients and enrichment possible from the botanicals! And with real red rose petals, this soap offers gentle - and beautiful - exfoliation!

Our incredible Red Rose & Ivy Soap offers a harmonious blend of sweet, red rose petals in bloom and fresh green ivy. And in true Bellissima style, this is not your average floral rose scent! Intoxicating red rose, fresh geranium and tropical lily merge sensuously with cool herbs, lush greens and subtle earthy moss to deliver an unforgettable twist on a timeless fragrance!

Soap #30 is available for sale at my etsy store

http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com!

Remember to use Promo Code ‘Lather Project’ to receive 10% off your Lather Project Soap purchase!

Choosing something else? Use the Promo Code to receive a free sample bar of your choice of Lather Project Soaps!

Tune in Next Time for Post-Lather Project Updates!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Giveaway Winners!

2009-06-07T11:47:00.008-04:00

Day 30 - the last Day of The Lather Project. And I am a bit sad…

I’ll be posting Soap #30 a bit later on, but I thought I’d go ahead and announce the Winners of The Lather Project Giveaway first.

I received almost 300 entries in the Giveaway (293, to be exact!) - and thank you to everyone who was kind enough to post a comment, blog about The Lather Project, follow me on Twitter, rate my Squidoo lenses, request Bellissima mineral makeup samples and Twitter about the Giveaway!

For anyone curious as to how I kept track of all the entries - I admit I had some help!

Did you know that TweetLater provides a great Twitter Service, alerting me with an email anytime I have a new follower, receive a direct message and especially useful for my Giveaway - provide me with a list of keyword alerts. I set up alerts so that any time a keyword is used on Twitter - such as ‘Bellissima’ and ‘Lather Project’, I’m notified.

This keyword alert is very similar to another service I use - Google Alerts. But Google will notify me of the use of any of my keywords across the entire web - blog posts, website references, online newspaper articles, and more.

These services helped me track all the entries, but I don’t trust that they catch absolutely everything, so I’m thrilled that most were kind enough to post links to their Tweets and blog entries!

Oh - and each comment, tweet, blog entry, etc. was assigned a number, and I used a true random number generator to choose the Winners! The numbers were: 211, 280, 92, 52, 259, 167

And it’s Time to Announce the Winners!

Drum Roll Please….

1st Prize Winner:

Brandon -2 Full Size Bars of Lather Project Soaps
2nd Prize Winner:

Baroness Bijoutery - 1 Full Size + 1 Sample Size Bar of Lather Project Soaps
3rd Prize Winner:

Mia - 2 Sample Size Bars of Lather Project Soaps

And, because there were just so many entries, I decided to award some Honorable Mentions, who will each receive 1 Sample Bar of their choice of Lather Project Soaps!

Honorable Mention:

Rose
Expressions by Devin

Snowflake Design

Congratulations to all the Winners!!! I really hope you enjoy your Lather Project Soap!

Tune in Later today for Soap #30 - and don’t forget to come on back for some fun post-Lather Project follow up posts!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 29, Soap 29

2009-06-06T17:39:00.007-04:00

It's Day 29 - and it’s hard to believe that The Lather Project is almost over! I’m a little sad, I think…

Today’s the last day to enter The Lather Project Soap Giveaway and tomorrow I’ll be posting both Soap #30 - the last one - and announcing the winners of the Giveaway! So get your entries in before midnight EST tonight!

http://bellissimasblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/lather-project-soap-giveaway.html

And I’ll be blogging about some fun post-Lather Project topics during the next week - so don’t forget to check back for the follow-up!

While I’ve had a blast developing new soap products, I can’t forget that I’ve got inventory to restock, as well! And one of my most popular soaps was getting low - only 2 bars left! So replenishment was in order…

Here’s the description for Soap #29:

Our amazing Melon & Ginseng Soap is incredibly creamy and full of lather with our triple blend of protein-rich milk (goat, cow & organic coconut), luxurious all-veggie oils and lots & lots of Shea Butter & Cocoa Butter to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated.

Melon & Ginseng imparts the scent of a medley of ripe melons: canteloupe, honeydew, watermelon and cassaba. Bright citrus notes, herbal elements and an added touch of ginseng make this is a fresh & clean, crisp and refreshingly fruity, fun fragrance!

Melon & Ginseng, Soap #29 is available at our etsy store

http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com

Remember to use Promo Code ‘Lather Project’ to receive 10% off your Lather Project Soap purchase!

Choosing something else? Use the Promo Code to receive a free sample bar of your choice of Lather Project Soaps!

Tune in Tomorrow for Soap #30 & the Announcement of the Winners of The Lather Project Giveaway!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 28, Soap 28

2009-06-05T22:59:00.006-04:00

It’s Day 28!

And tomorrow’s the last day to enter our Lather Project Soap Giveaway! 3 fabulous Soapy Prizes and lots of easy ways to enter and WIN!

http://bellissimasblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/lather-project-soap-giveaway.html

And again, for those of you who voted in our fragrance Poll and did not select Amber Vanilla (Soap #15), I have no intention of disappointing! Today’s soap is Triple Mint!

This is such an exhilarating soap!

Peppermint tea provides wonderful antioxidants, crushed dried mint allows for gentle exfoliation and peppermint essential oil offers a scent to awaken the senses! This is a super soap for those who are definitely not morning-people! Better than a 2nd cuppa coffee!

Peppermint oil contains numerous minerals and nutrients including manganese, iron, magnesium, calcium, folate, potassium, and copper. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Peppermint is believed to help relieve symptoms of allergies and asthma, aid in relieving nausea, headache and stress, as well as reduce muscle spasms. And it may nourish dull skin and improve oily skin.

So, here’s the description for Soap #28:

Bellissima Handmade Triple Mint Triple Milk Blend Soap

Our amazing Triple Milk Blend Soap in Triple Mint is incredibly creamy and full of lather due to our triple blend of protein-rich milk (goat, cow & organic coconut) and luxurious all-veggie oils like olive, high-oleic sunflower seed and rice bran to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated.

Our Triple Mint soap delivers a truly revitalizing aroma! Peppermint essential oil in the lowest therapeutic amounts, peppermint tea that’s full of antioxidants and real crushed mint for exfoliation make this an all-natural spa-quality experience! This is a stimulating and refreshingly cool, clean scent!

Look for Soap #28 at our etsy store

http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com in the next few days!

Remember to use Promo Code ‘Lather Project’ to receive 10% off your Lather Project Soap purchase!

Choosing something else? Use the Promo Code to receive a free sample bar of your choice of Lather Project Soaps!

Tune in Tomorrow for Soap #29!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 27, Soap 27

2009-06-04T19:13:00.005-04:00

We’re on Soap #27!

And only 2 Days left to enter our Lather Project Soap Giveaway! 3 fabulous Soapy Prizes and lots of easy ways to enter and WIN!

http://bellissimasblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/lather-project-soap-giveaway.html

Today’s soap is another inventory replenishment - well, restocking was one of the basic reasons I started The Lather Project, after all!

And it’s Blackberry & Hibiscus Blossom!

Hibiscus flowers and seeds have always been an important ingredient in Chinese herbal medicine and recently has been popularized by Ayurvedic

practices in India. One common belief is that the flowers and leaves contain many properties that benefit hair and scalp and help in the treatment of dandruff and hair loss. It is also believed to help restore the normal acid-alkaline balance of the skin and scalp and help in the elimination of toxins.

Hibiscus blossoms have been used in cosmetic formulations for years due to it’s high content of alpha-hydroxy and amino acids. And its anti-oxidant and exfoliating properties are ideal for soap!

So here’s the description for Soap #27:

Bellissima Handmade Botanical-Infused Blackberry & Hibiscus Soap

Our line of Botanical Infused Bath Bars are a special treat for your skin - infusing teas, flowers, plants and herbs in oils or water and adding it to soap not only imparts the amazing benefits to the soap, but also allows for the most nutrients and enrichment possible from the botanicals!

Our amazing Blackberry & Hibiscus Botanical Infused Bath Bar is enriched with luxurious oils to nurture your skin and real Hibiscus flowers to gently exfoliate and leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated. Bathe in fruity scent of blackberries and the sweet tropical florals for a fabulous, spa-quality experience!

Soap #27 is available in our etsy shop: http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com

Remember to use Promo Code ‘Lather Project’ to receive 10% off your Lather Project Soap purchase!

Choosing something else? Use the Promo Code to receive a free sample bar of your choice of Lather Project Soaps!

Tune in Tomorrow for Soap #28!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 26, Soap 26

2009-06-03T15:22:00.004-04:00

Day #26!

I wanted to try something creatively different and totally cool!

Don’t forget to enter our Lather Project Soap Giveaway! 3 fabulous Soapy Prizes and lots of easy ways to enter and WIN! http://bellissimasblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/lather-project-soap-giveaway.html

Hot-process soap can be a real bear to work with when it comes to design. The consistency of the raw soap is… well, ‘gloppy‘.

Remember the kid’s gimmicky toy (if you could call it that) ‘Slime’ from back in the ‘70‘s & ‘80‘s? It came in a little garbage bucket and it was basically green goop - it was gross, smelled funny and had virtually no purpose whatsoever. I was trying to explain it last night to my 10 year old step-daughter after a trip to Cracker Barrel Restaurant. My husband and I were reminiscing about all the retro toys and candy they had for sale and Slime just came up.

Well, anyway, raw soap is kind of the consistency of Slime - but really hot!

So it’s pretty difficult to work with, and once it starts to cool off and you add fragrance and colorants, it begins to harden into more of a play-dough texture. So you can imagine how tricky it is to try and get it into a mold and then have it come out looking gorgeous!

Well, I wanted to try to represent sort of a floral bouquet - pinks, yellows, purples and greens - since the fragrance I blended is Flowers & Ferns. It kind of ended up looking more like scooped sherbet, but I’m okay with that! It was fun!

Here’s the description for Soap #26:

Bellissima Handmade Triple Milk Blend Bath Soap in Flowers & Ferns

Our amazing Triple Milk Blend Soap in Flowers & Ferns is incredibly creamy and full of lather with our triple blend of protein-rich milk (goat, cow & organic coconut) and luxurious all-veggie oils like olive, high-oleic sunflower seed and rice bran to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated.

Flowers & Ferns delivers a bouquet of sweet, bright flowers and earthy, herbal greens. Morning Lily, Jasmine, Geranium, Hyacinth and Violet blend beautifully with green mosses, clover, rosemary, patchouli and cedar. A touch of zesty lemon adds an element of surprise to this clean, floral, ultimately fresh scent!

Look for Soap #26 at our etsy store http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com in the next few days!

Remember to use Promo Code ‘Lather Project’ to receive 10% off your Lather Project Soap purchase!

Choosing something else? Use the Promo Code to receive a free sample bar of your choice of Lather Project Soaps!

Tune in Tomorrow for Soap #27!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 25, Soap 25

2009-06-02T23:07:00.006-04:00

Today is Day 25!

Don’t forget to enter our Lather Project Soap Giveaway! 3 fabulous Soapy Prizes and lots of easy ways to enter and WIN!

http://bellissimasblog.blogspot.com/2009/05/lather-project-soap-giveaway.html

Soap #25 is another cut and dry case of inventory replenishment.

And calendula is one of the very best botanicals, in my opinion, in soap. Did you know that calendula is better known by it’s more common name: Marigold?

Calendula flowers have been used on injuries to reduce inflammation and as an antiseptic against infection. It has also been used as a remedy for a variety of skin problems ranging from skin ulcerations to eczema. It provides one of its greatest benefits in relieving eruptive skin disorders such as shingles, a viral infection. It’s considered by many to be an effective detoxifying herb that can help with the toxicity associated many severe fevers and infections.

Calendula may also be helpful in healing minor skin wounds and sunburns.

Research continues as I write, but I don’t need a scientist to tell me how good it feels on the skin!

So here’s the description for Soap #25:

Bellissima Handmade Botanical-Infused Cucumber & Calendula Bath Soap

Our amazing Cucumber & Calendula Botanical Infused Bath Bar is enriched with luxurious all-veggie oils like olive and rice bran to nurture your skin and real calendula petals for added benefits and for gentle exfoliation to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated.

Look for Bellissima Botanical Infused Cucumber & Calendula Bath Soap for sale at

http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com in the next few days!

And remember to enter Promo Code 'Lather Project' to receive 10% off your Lather Prject Soap purchase!

Choosing something else? Enter the Promo Code to receive a sample bar of your choice of Lather Project soaps!

Tune in Tomorrow for Soap #26!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 24, Soap 24

2009-06-01T22:53:00.005-04:00

It's Day 24!

Don’t forget to enter our Lather Project Soap Giveaway! 3 fabulous Soapy Prizes and lots of easy ways to enter and WIN! Just scroll down 2 posts back....

Growing up, we had lots of fruit trees in our backyard - peaches, apples, even red grapes!

This was amazing to us, since our house sat right on the water - a little inlet off Narragansett Bay named Warwick Cove (and my Mom‘s still there). We always thought our land would be too highly saturated with salt water to sustain much growth, but we had lots of trees, bushes, flowers, plenty of weeds and our gardens usually did pretty well.

The biggest and the best fruit tree we had, though, was a huge wild blackberry bush! We‘d be so excited as we would check and check to see if they were ripe yet! And when they finally were, it somehow always caught us by surprise, so we’d stretch the bottom of our t-shirts out, making a cotton ‘bowl’ out of it and fill it with as many juicy berries as we could possibly fit!

Of course, the problem with this method of berry-picking was the big purple stains that inevitably covered our fingers - and the front our T-Shirts! We didn’t care, but my Mom would give a big groan and then an even bigger sigh when she saw us coming in the house with the first blackberries of the season!

And it was worth the scolding - they smelled and tasted delicious! So I’ve chosen Blackberry Grapefruit for the scent for Soap #24.

And here’s the description:

Bellissima Triple Milk Blend Soap in Blackberry Grapefruit

Our amazing Triple Milk Blend Soap in Blackberry Grapefruit is incredibly creamy and full of lather with our triple blend of protein-rich milk (goat, cow & coconut) and luxurious all-veggie oils like olive, high-oleic sunflower seed and rice bran to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated.

Blackberry Grapefruit delivers the aroma of tart wild blackberries and tangy grapefruit - and that’s just the beginning of this wonderfully complex fragrance! Sweet mint, herbal sage, citrus-y lemon, fresh greens, spicy vanilla and tropical floral notes elevate this to a most sophisticated, fruity fragrance!

Look for Bellissima Blackberry Grapefruit Triple Blend Milk Soap for sale at

http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com in the next few days!

Tune in Tomorrow for Soap #25!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 23, Soap 23

2009-05-31T23:28:00.005-04:00

It’s still Day 23!

Don’t forget to enter our Lather Project Soap Giveaway! 3 fabulous Soapy Prizes and lots of easy ways to enter and WIN!

I’m super excited about Soap #23!

Mainly because it’s a special request.

A lovely young lady contacted me and told me about the bridal shower she’s hosting for her sister. She had made some beautiful Lavender & Chamomile herb pillows for party favors and had a thought that some matching soap might be a nice touch.

What’s more pampering and relaxing than Lavender & Chamomile scented pillows and soap? And what woman wouldn’t like to receive spa-quality items as a gift?

I completely agreed with her!

Since she was a little short on time (the Shower is June 13th), she had certainly done her research by hunting down a hot-process soapmaker. The hot-process method of soapmaking essentially ’cooks’ the lye out and speeds up the saponification process by weeks. While the soap is ready to use right out of the mold, the more time you give before using the bar translates to a harder, longer lasting bar of soap. But it’s ready to cut, package and ship within 24-48 hours.

So I used Egyptian Chamomile-Infused High-Oleic Sunflower Seed Oil (and infused the chamomile in distilled water, as well), added lots of real Lavender buds, scented it with 3 parts Lavender and 1 part Chamomile and gave it a pretty purple iron oxide swirl to come up with her matching soap!

She’ll have them in hand and ready to decorate and pair with her pillows by the weekend! And since I fell in love with this blend, I have plenty extra to list in my shop!

Here’s the official description for Soap #23:

Bellissima Botanical-Infused Lavender Chamomile Soap

Our line of Botanical Infused Bath Bars are a special treat for your skin - infusing teas, flowers, plants and herbs in oils or water and adding it to soap not only imparts the amazing benefits to the soap, but also allows for the most nutrients and enrichment possible from the botanicals!

Lavender Chamomile is a harmonious blend of sweet, fresh lavender with just the right amount of herbal chamomile to elevate this to a relaxing and heavenly scent. This is an unforgettable floral fragrance! And with real lavender buds and Egyptian Chamomile, this soap offers gentle exfoliation and is a visual delight!

Look for Bellissima Botanical-Infused Lavender Chamomile Soap for sale at http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com in the next few days!

Tune in Tomorrow for Soap #24!

The Lather Project Soap Giveaway!

2009-05-31T14:16:00.006-04:00

We’re on Day 23!

And with only 7 Days left in The Lather Project, I’m officially announcing a GIVEAWAY!

Yes, I’m going to give away 3 'Scent-Sational' Prizes:

1st Prize is 2 Full Size Soap Bars from The Lather Project - Winner’s Choice!
2nd Prize is 1 Full Size Bar & 1 Sample Size Bar - Winner’s Choice!
3rd Prize is 2 Sample Size Soap Bars - Winner’s Choice!

The Winners will each get to select two of the 30 Bars we’ve made during The Lather Project!

How do you get in on this sweet deal, you might ask?

Well, if you’ve already commented on any of The Lather Project Posts, you are automatically entered to win! Surprise! I appreciate every single person who has taken the time to comment on posts, blog about The Lather Project or feature Bellissima on their site - and every single one of you has earned one entry in the Giveaway!

And here’s how you can earn an entry - or additional entries into The Lather Project Giveaway (there‘s no limit to the number of entries you can earn!):

1. Post a comment on any Lather Project Post from Day 1 to Day 29
2. Write a blog post about The Lather Project or The Lather Project Giveaway (counts for 2 entries)
3. Feature Bellissima’s Etsy Shop on your Blog/Site - http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com (counts for 2 entries)
4. Follow Bellissima on Twitter: http:/twitter.com/BellissimaMMU
5. Rate and comment on any of Bellissima’s Squidoo Lenses (see sidebar for links)
6. Visit

http://www.bellissimamineralmakeup.com and request your FREE Mineral Makeup samples
7. Make a purchase from our etsy shop and use Promo Code ‘Entry’ in Notes to Seller http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com (counts for 2 entries)
8. Buy any Lather Project Soap using the discount codes found on our Blog (counts for 2 entries)
9. Twitter about The Lather Project providing a link to this Blog: http://BellissimasBlog.blogspot.com
10. Twitter about Bellissima’s Etsy Shop providing a link to my Store: http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com

So Enter as many times and ways as you can! Be sure to let me know if you post about The Lather Project or feature Bellissima's Shop on your Blog - it’s the only entry we may not be able to track!

The Winners will be randomly chosen from all the entries and announced on Day 30!

Good Luck to Everyone!

Soap #23 will be posted a bit later on today - so don‘t forget to Tune In!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 22, Soap 22

2009-05-30T22:31:00.004-04:00

On to Soap #22!

And just one more scented soap for Father’s Day!

I just love spicy scents for men.

Chances are very good that it harkens back to memories of my Dad and his absolute favorite aftershave - Old Spice. I relate scents (and music, too) to people and places from my past and certain smells (and tunes) can literally transport me back to another place and time.

To this day, if I get a whiff of cherry pipe tobacco, I think of my Grandfather.
BubbleYum bubblegum reminds me of the 1st boy I ever had a crush on.
Lysol brings me right back to my high school locker room.
Aquanet hairspray send me right back to high school… period (I went to an all-girl school)
Cherry LifeSavers always make me think of my best friend from 3rd grade.
And Old Spice triggers cherished and loving memories of my Dad.

So I wanted a nice, blended spice for Soap #22, and here’s the description:

Bellissima Cardamom Spice Triple Milk Blend Soap

Our amazing Triple Milk Blend Soap in Cardamom Spice is incredibly creamy and full of lather with our triple blend of protein-rich milk (goat, cow & coconut) and luxurious all-veggie oils like olive, high-oleic sunflower seed and rice bran to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated.

Cardamom Spice delivers a warm, sensual and exotic aroma. Cinnamon, cardamom and clove blend beautifully with white florals, notes of earthy amber and musk and a touch of sweet, creamy vanilla. This is a sultry and sexy scent, passionate and memorable for either men or women!

Look for Cardamom Spice Triple Milk Blend Soap for sale at

http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com in the next few days!

Tune in Tomorrow for Soap #23!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 21, Soap 21

2009-05-29T19:04:00.003-04:00

It’s Day 21!

Three weeks down, only 9 more soaps to go! And to put it in different terms, over 60 lbs of soap down and almost 30 more to go!

For Soap #21, I wanted another masculine scent for Father’s Day. I’m not so sure this one succeeds as a manly man’s soap, but the scent reminds me a bit of those commercial ‘deodorant’ soaps, so it should appeal to men who like Irish Spring!

I had acquired this Fragrance Oil at the beginning of the year, and have been using it to scent my homemade liquid laundry detergent - yes, it smells that fresh and clean! And yesterday I went back to the supplier’s site that I bought it from to get a peek at the fragrance description, and it’s been discontinued.

This happens all the time, so I’m not terribly surprised, just s bit disappointed. I have a full pound of it, so I’m not likely to run out of it anytime soon, but I can’t access a description for the scent. It’s been completely eliminated from the website as if it never even existed! I always go back to the supplier for the manufacturers’s scent description so that I have all the elements of the fragrance correct, and then add my own take on it. So I really felt at a loss on this one….

However - I absolutely stunned myself by doing something with amazing forethought and unbelievable organization and planning. Back when I first started buying fragrance oils, I wanted to document my initial sense and thoughts on each one as they came in. I actually made a list and wrote down my impressions of - and renamed as I saw fit - every fragrance oil I’ve ever bought!

I had stopped doing it a few purchases back - but believe me, I’ll be continuing this practice religiously now that I realize how important it is and how being able to refer back to the list comes in extremely handy!

So, here’s the description for Soap #21:

Bellissima Handmade Triple-Milk Blend Soap in Hunter Green

Our amazing Triple Milk Blend Soap in Hunter Green is incredibly creamy and full of lather with our triple blend of protein-rich milk (goat, cow & coconut) and luxurious all-veggie oils like olive, high-oleic sunflower seed and rice bran to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated.

Hunter Green delivers a relaxing blend of woody and herbal notes. Cedar, cinnamon, rosemary, sage and other green herbal elements blend harmoniously with hints of patchouli, and clove and just a touch of musk and vetiver to create a complex and stylish scent. This is a bright yet earthy scent and a refreshingly different clean fragrance.

Look for Hunter Green Triple Milk Blend Soap for sale at

http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com in the next few days!

Tune in Tomorrow for Soap #22!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 20, Soap 20

2009-05-28T22:37:00.006-04:00

We’re on Soap #20!

I can hardly believe it - only 10 more days left on The Lather Project!

For those of you who voted in our Poll and did not select Amber Vanilla (Soap #15), I have no intention of disappointing! Today’s soap is Cracked Black Pepper!

With Father’s Day coming up, I wanted to offer something in a more masculine scent. I have to admit that although I have lots of fragrance oils, I have very few - if any - that specifically (and supposedly) appeal to men. No bay rum, no sandalwood, no cedar - although I have every intention of adding these and more to my collection someday.

Men just don’t think about scented soap the way women do - I think…

My husband, for example, likes all kinds of soap fragrances - everything from a simple vanilla to the highly complex Avocado & Lime. But his favorite so far? Prickly Pear Cactus (Soap #19) - who’d have thought that would appeal to a man? But he drooled over it all day yesterday (and today), asking me three times already when he could grab one for the shower.

So I don’t quite buy into the stereotypical men’s scents - I like to think that a man’s sense of smell is every bit as sophisticated as a woman’s, and that a wide variety of fragrances are as appealing to them as they are to us.

But personally, I prefer spicy for a man - and Cracked Black Pepper fits the bill!

So, here’s the description for Soap #20:

Bellissima Handmade Cracked Black Pepper Coconut Milk Soap

Our amazing Coconut Milk Bar Soap in Cracked Black Pepper is incredibly creamy and has impossible lather due to lots & lots of organic coconut milk! Our lavish blend of vitamin- & nutrient-enriched all-veggie oils keep this bar vegan friendly and luxuriously nourishing. I include olive & coconut oils to make this wonderfully cleansing and sunflower and rice bran oils to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated. Pure black pepper essential oil and real cracked black peppercorns elevate this soap to a spa-quality experience!

Cracked Black Pepper delivers the sweet, spicy, warm aroma of sun-dried peppercorns with a hint of woody and floral notes and fresh, green, almost-fruity undertones. Cracked Black Pepper is exotic and earthy, stimulating and sensual, energizing and refreshingly different - and without a doubt a sexy and masculine fragrance!

Look for Cracked Black Pepper Coconut Milk Soap for sale at

http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com in the next few days.

Tune In Tomorrow For Soap #21!

We Interrupt Programming for a Short Announcement....

2009-05-28T11:02:00.004-04:00

I'm interrupting The Lather Project for a moment -

but don't worry, Soap #20 will be posted a bit later on today!

The reason for the interruption?

Bellissima's Blog has been awarded our very 1st Blog Award!!!

I'm so thrilled - and completely surprised and totally honored!

Amy of Chicy Creations has so kindly bestowed this incredible award on us - and we're ever so grateful - thank you Amy! Be sure to visit her shop for hair bows, clippies and the most adorable tutus you will ever see!

We humbly accept One Lovely Blog Award, and in doing so, post the Rules of Blog Award Acceptance:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.

2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

And Bellissima's Blog Proudly Passes 'One Lovely Blog Award' on to:

CarpetBagger Creations

Totally Tutorials

AllOver Art

Samantha's EcoFriendly Art Endeavors

Jacaranda Designs Jewelry

Serenity Art

gemsbyjerri

On The Mary-Go-Round

Spritual Counseling, Perfume, Healing and Me

gretchenmist

Life As We Know It By Paula

Congratulations to all the 'One Lovely Blog' Award Winners!

Thank you for offering such interesting posts and fabulous photos - you're all incredibly talented and have given me lots of joy!

If you have a moment, take some time and get to know a few of the Award Winners by clicking on the links and visiting their Blogs & Shops!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 19, Soap 19

2009-05-27T21:32:00.010-04:00

Today is Day 19!

Given the option, I will choose a milk soap over any other (oh, and a goat’s milk soap with shea butter wins every time!), so I decided to make a few in some of my favorite scents. Well, I could never make for others what I wouldn’t use myself, could I?

And, as you’ve probably noticed, I have an awful lot of faves. But that’s because I base a lot of my fragrance selections by mood:
~ If I’m tired and need a pick-me-up, I enjoy fresh and fruity.
~ If I have a lot of work to get done, I like crisp and refreshing.
~ If I’m tense and need to relax, I go for earthy and herbal.
~ If I’m feeling down or a bit blue, I prefer florals.
~ If I’m feeling romantic, I always choose spicy and exotic.

That makes sense, doesn’t it?

So I was torn between fresh & fruity and crisp & refreshing for Soap #19 - and decided on Prickly Pear! If you’ve never seen the Prickly Pear Cactus or tasted the fruit, you’re missing out on a sweet delicacy!

I tasted my first Prickly Pear while living in Arizona - I worked at the Grand Canyon Resort for a few years in my youth and fell in love with it. The flowers of this particular cactus ripen into fruit (also called Indian Figs) that can be eaten and prepared in a variety of different ways. Prickly Pear juice, candies, jelly, pies - even margaritas and mojitos (did I mention I was a Bartender while at the Grand Canyon?) - are simply delicious.

While it depends on the variety, I think prickly pear tastes most like a cross between strawberries, melon, bananas & fig - and what a delicious cross it is! If you ever have the opportunity, give it a try!

Here’s the Description for Soap #19:

Bellissima Prickly Pear Cactus & Coconut Milk Handmade Soap

Our amazing Coconut Milk Bar Soap in Prickly Pear Cactus is incredibly creamy and has impossible lather due to lots & lots of organic coconut milk! Our lavish blend of vitamin- & nutrient-enriched all-veggie oils keep this bar vegan friendly and luxuriously nourishing. I include olive & coconut to make this wonderfully cleansing and sunflower and rice bran to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated.

Prickly Pear delivers a fruity, sweet-tart aroma with notes of melon, strawberry, plum, banana and fig that blend harmoniously with a hint of aloe & mint and nuances of glorious herbal elements and green florals. Refreshing and clean, this is a cool, crisp invigorating scent!

Look for Prickly Pear & Coconut Milk Soap for sale at

http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com in the next few days!

Tune in Tomorrow for Soap #20!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 18, Soap 18

2009-05-26T22:07:00.006-04:00

It’s Day 18!

And we’re still talking about using milk in soaps.

Adding milk - just about any kind of milk - to soap just makes it so much richer and creamier. It’s all about bathing your skin in luxury when it comes to milk soaps.

And it works so well because milk contains vitamins A, B and D and minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. Milk also has alpha-hydroxy acids which helps in exfoliation - essentially softening skin, making it more supple, leaving it rejuvenated for a younger-looking appearance.

My favorite milk to add to soaps is coconut milk. Not only do you get most of the advantages of goat’s milk, but the higher sugar content in the coconut milk really boosts up the lather! Soap made with coconut milk makes a great shampoo bar, too!

Now, I’m a best-of-both-worlds kind of girl (something me and Hannah Montana have in common), so I actually like to blend goat milk and coconut milk together, and then add in cow’s milk so I can replace all the liquid in my soap with milk. And of course, the obvious choice for a milk-blend soap (for me, anyway) is Oatmeal, Milk & Honey!

The softening and silkening benefits of the milk, the exfoliating and soothing qualities of the oatmeal and the ability of the honey to draw and trap moisture is a triple threat in a bar of soap!

So, here’s the description for Soap #18:

Bellissima Handmade Triple-Milk Blend Oatmeal & Honey Soap

Our amazing Oatmeal, Milk & Honey Exfoliating Bar Soap is formulated to be as gentle as possible and is luxuriously creamy with our triple blend of protein-rich milk (cow, goat & coconut) and our lavish blend of vitamin- & nutrient-enriched veggie oils. I include olive & coconut to make this wonderfully cleansing and sunflower and rice bran to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated.

Our Oatmeal, Milk & Honey Exfoliating Bar has no added fragrance or colorants - just pure, natural, gentle soap with finely ground oatmeal to lightly exfoliate and real honey for added moisturizing! And its mild cleansing is great as a facial bar or for your whole body.

Look for Soap #18 for sale at http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com in the next few days!

Tune in Tomorrow for Day 19!

2009-05-25T21:11:00.005-04:00

It’s Day #17!

And we’re moving right along - to milk soaps!

The only word I can use to describe milk soap is… okay - I need more than one word: rich, luxurious, creamy, lush, velvety… I could go on and on and on!

Milk not only enhances the texture and consistency, but also adds remarkable health benefits to soap.

All milk contains natural emollients, vitamins and triglycerides that moisturize the skin. Goat milk specifically contains the highly effective moisturizer capric-capryllic triglyceride, as well as amino acids that are easily absorbed to nourish and rejuvenate the skin.

Goat's Milk has a PH level similar to our skin, which may help protect the skin from invading free radicals, bacteria and chemicals we come in contact with every day.

Goat milk soap can relieve dryness and leave your skin feeling silky soft. And it’s often recommended by dermatologists for their patients who suffer from skin sensitivities and conditions such as psoriasis, eczema and acne.

With such incredible benefits - as well as the wonderful feel it has on the skin - who can resist Goat Milk Soap?

And so, here’s the description for Soap #17:

Bellissima Handmade Anjou Pear Goat Milk Soap

Our amazing Anjou Pear Goat Milk Soap is incredibly creamy with plenty of protein-rich goat milk and our blend of luxurious all-veggie oils. I include olive & coconut to make this super-cleansing and sunflower and rice bran for ultra-moisturizing and to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated.

Anjou Pear delivers the aroma of crisp tree-ripened pears with hints of tart green apple and sweet pienapple. Notes of aloe, ivy and just the slightest touch of ginger & cinnamon raise this scent to a sophisticated and refreshingly different fruity fragrance!

Look for Soap #17 for sale in our shop at http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com soon!

Tune in Tomorrow for Soap #18!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 16, Soap 16

2009-05-24T23:24:00.004-04:00

It’s Day 16 - and we’re past the halfway point in the Project!

And our last of this week’s utility-themed soaps is a Doggie Shampoo Bar! Now normally, I like to do a liquid soap for doggie shampoos, but I had a request for a bar, and this was the perfect time to do it!

There is some controversy over handmade soap for pet use, due to the ph factor. Since it’s difficult to control the ph of soap, and a dog’s skin does not tolerate temporary ph changes as ours does, the question remains how healthy lye soap can be for animals. However, if you’ve ever read the ingredient listing on the bottle of any commercial pet shampoo, you’ll wonder how any of that stuff - chock-full of chemicals and wholly unnatural ingredients - could possibly be good for any animal. Handmade soap has got to be better!

And the greater advantage is not only in the ability to choose the healthful oils, but also in selecting beneficial and all-natural ingredients to take the place of those chemicals. There are some wonderful herbs and botanicals that will help achieve similar results - repelling fleas, ticks and mosquitoes while nourishing and soothing the skin and fur.

Comfrey and chamomile can help in soothing and calming dry, stressed and irritated skin. Eucalyptus and sandalwood may aid in repelling fleas, ticks, mites, mosquitoes, chiggers and other annoying critters. Aloe, oatmeal and lavender can help to calm and heal bug bites, scratches and sores. Rosemary has antibacterial properties.

I also added essential oils - but only in the absolute lowest therapeutic amounts - tea tree oil and peppermint essential oil to aid in repelling bugs and black pepper as an antiseptic.

But this soap’s not just for dogs - people who plan to be in the outdoors and want a more natural bug repellent will benefit from use, as well! And since most of these ingredients are antibacterial, antiseptic, soothing and gentle - it also makes a great soap for acne-prone skin!

So, here’s the description for Soap #16:

Bellissima Handmade Comfrey & Tea Tree Dog Shampoo Bar Soap

Our Comfrey & Tea Tree Dog Shampoo Bar is incredibly lathering and wonderfully creamy with our luxurious blend of vitamin- & nutrient-enriched veggie and plant oils. I include olive & coconut for cleansing, castor oil for extra lather and lots & lots of shea butter, sunflower, grapeseed and rice bran oils to leave your pet’s coat soft and shiny and their skin healthy and nourished.

Both comfrey & chamomile are added to sooth the skin, eucalyptus & sandalwood included to help repel bugs, aloe, oatmeal & lavender help in calming itchy skin and rosemary acts as an antibacterial to help in healing sores and scratches. The lowest - and safest - therapeutic amounts of tea tree oil, peppermint and black pepper essential oils are added as well, to pump up the repellent and antiseptic qualities of this Dog Shampoo Bar!

Look for Soap #16 for sale in our shop in the next few days:

http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com

Tune in Tomorrow for Soap #17!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 15, Soap 15

2009-05-23T23:14:00.002-04:00

It’s Day 15 - and we’re already halfway done with The Lather Project! It’s hard to believe - this series is just going by sooooo fast!

Now, several readers were kind enough to cast their vote in our Poll to choose the scent for today’s soap - thank you so much! And the Winner was Amber Vanilla - so exciting!

And we’re also keeping with this week’s theme - soaps that serve a purpose - by creating a bar that works well as both a bath soap and a shampoo bar with Amber Vanilla fragrance.

In creating a soap that can also serve as a Shampoo Bar, I designed the recipe to include oils that would produce a bubbly and creamy lather as well as provide a number of benefits for skin, hair and scalp. While extremely luxurious as a body soap, it will work incredibly well as a shampoo bar, effectively cleansing and naturally moisturizing and nourishing.

And the additives I chose are beneficial for hair, too: Aloe strengthens the hair shaft, makes hair smoother, silkier, and more manageable and a touch of beer provides shine and manageability. Infused rosemary stimulates while chamomile soothes the scalp, promoting growth.

Unfortunately, I won’t be posting photos of this one until the end of the Project. I know that this is a soap that will discolor over time, and I’ve tried some layering that won’t be visible for a week or so - right now, though, it looks exactly like Soap #14 - but smells much, much better!

Here’s the description for Soap #15:

Bellissima Handmade Shampoo & Body Bar Soap in Amber Vanilla

Our amazing Amber Vanilla Shampoo & Body Bar Soap is incredibly lathering and deliciously creamy with our lavish blend of vitamin- & nutrient-enriched veggie & plant oils. Olive oil helps to promote full-bodied hair and a healthy scalp. Meadowfoam seed oil helps to silken hair and aids in detangling. Rice bran and Sunflower oils contains proteins that may help strengthen the hair shaft and prevent split ends. Sweet almond and Cherry Kernel oils add sheen and manageability while moisturizing and conditioning both the hair and scalp.

Amber Vanilla delivers a romantic and sensuous aroma with rich notes of amber, sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli and bergamot blending harmoniously with the resonant spicy sweet and warm tones of vanilla. This is a sexy and passionate fragrance, elegant yet intense - definitely distinctive and unforgettable!

Look for the Amber Vanilla Shampoo & Body Bar at our shop in about ten days at http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com

Tune in Tomorrow for Day 16!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 14, Soap 14

2009-05-22T12:10:00.008-04:00

It’s Day 14!

And we’re still doing soaps with a purpose - other than just cleaning, that is! And today it's my alltime favorite! It’s a facial complexion bar!

Skin care is a passion for me. And I’ve spent years trying and testing facial cleansers - with some satisfaction but so much disappointment. The common theory seems to be that because cleansers spend so little time on the skin, there is low penetration and therefore, very little benefit from even the best of ingredients. But my feeling is that it’s another important and wonderful opportunity to feed your skin the very best nutrition you can!

So I wanted a really nourishing complexion bar and chose some fantastic ingredients:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil for quality moisturizing
Coconut Oil as an emollient
Meadowfoam Seed Oil for its ability to penetrate and moisturize and nurture damaged and distressed skin
Castor Oil for its lubrication and ability to draw and hold moisture to the skin
Evening Primrose Oil as a super-emollient and its ability to protect and condition the skin
Avocado Oil because it’s protein and vitamin-rich and has healing and regenerative properties
Grapeseed Oil for its absorption abilities and moisturizing properties
Sweet Almond Oil for conditioning and softening properties
Rice Bran Oil for its high moisturizing abilities
High-Oleic Sunflower Seed Oil for its absorption and moisturizing properties
Vitamin E because it’s an anti-oxidant
Honey for its ability to draw and hold moisture to the skin
Oatmeal for its ability to help bind emollients to the skin
Chamomile & Calendula for their ability to soothe irritated and sensitive skin
Aloe Vera for its ability to heal and soothe skin

Amazing, right?

So, here’s the description for Soap #14:

Bellissima All-Natural Luxury Facial Bar Soap

Our All-Natural Luxury Complexion Bar Soap is incredibly lathering and deliciously creamy with our lavish blend of vitamin- & nutrient-packed all-veggie & plant oils. I include lots of both evening primrose and meadowfoam seed oils to make this bar super-nourishing, castor oil for plenty of lather, sweet almond and rice bran for softening and conditioning and sunflower, avocado and grapeseed oils to leave your skin feeling smooth and hydrated.

I carefully infuse aloe juice with oatmeal, and infuse water and oils with gentle chamomile and calendula to produce a soothing and moisturizing Facial Bar. I added Vitamin E as an antioxidant and honey to help draw and trap moisture in the skin. I’ve left this bar fragrance- and color- free to leave this an ultra-luxurious and all-natural facial soap!

Look for Soap #14 for sale in our shop soon at

http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com

And the fragrance winner in our Poll is Amber Vanilla - so be sure to Tune in Tomorrow for Soap #15! It's our First Reader's Choice!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 13, Soap 13

2009-05-21T23:13:00.006-04:00

Today is Day 13!

And time for another soap that serves a purpose: shaving soap!

The first time I shaved with handmade soap a tear came to my eye - and not from pain for a change!

I spent years investing in higher quality and more expensive razors, testing various hair removal products even trying hot wax and sugaring. When those Smooth-Away sandpaper-style pads came out, I had to practically restrain myself from picking up the phone and ordering! Shaving has just always been an issue for me.

But handmade soap has solved so many of my shaving problems. I rarely nick, scrape or cut myself anymore, there’s no stinging or cringing, no peeling, chafing or dry, flaky skin afterwards. I get the closest shave I’ve ever been able to achieve and my skin looks and feel fabulous! I don’t even need to use the gallons of lotion afterwards like I used to!

There are so many wonderfully emollient oils and soothing ingredients that can be added to a handmade soap, making a shaving soap that really works and feels fantastic. It actually helps to make shaving a pleasure rather than a chore - well, almost!

And here’s the description for Soap #13:

Bellissima Shaver’s Companion All-Natural Luxury Shaving Soap

Our amazing All-Natural Shaving Soap is incredibly lathering and deliciously creamy with our lavish blend of vitamin- & nutrient-enriched all veggie & plant oils. I include lots of both mango and shea butter to make this bar super-velvety, castor oil for plenty of lather, and sunflower, sweet almond and grapeseed oils to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated.

I carefully infuse aloe juice with soothing oatmeal, and infuse water and oils with gentle chamomile and calendula to produce a gentle and moisturizing bar of shaving soap. Kaolin clay is added to provide ‘slip’ to help the razor glide smoothly across the skin. We’ve chosen to leave this bar both fragrance- and color-free for a completely natural shaving experience.

Look for Soap #13 for sale in our shop soon at

http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com

Tune in Tomorrow for Soap #14!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 12, Soap 12

2009-05-20T23:21:00.005-04:00

It’s Day 12!

And in keeping with our ‘utility theme’ this week - soaps that serve specific purposes, I thought I’d make a Mechanic’s Companion - pumice soap. Remember Lava - that soap that would virtually strip two layers of skin off your hands while also scouring dirt & grease? Well, handmade pumice soap will still remove the dirt and grease, but leave the skin on your hands - and keep it looking and feeling fabulous!

The difference is in the oils. With handmade soap, we can control the properties of the finished product by carefully choosing the oils. Oils like coconut and palm are cleansing, oils like castor and nut butters provide lather, oils like sweet almond and apricot kernel are conditioning, oils like rice bran and sunflower are gentle and emollient. Additives like chamomile or calendula for gentle soothing, orange essential oil to cut grease and tea tree oil to help with disinfecting can really turn a plain pumice soap into a spa treatment!

And I love a good pumice soap for my feet! I’m still plagued with callouses after spending years working on my feet during my youth. I find pumice stones and files too abrasive, but a good moisturizing pumice soap always does the trick! My feet are almost summer-ready!

So, here’s the description for Soap #12:

Bellissima Mechanic's Companion Orange & Tea Tree Pumice Soap

Our amazing Orange & Tea Tree Pumice Soap is incredibly lathering and deliciously creamy with our lavish blend of vitamin- & nutrient-enriched all-veggie oils. I include olive & coconut to make this super-cleansing and lots & lots of mango butter, sweet almond and grapeseed oil to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated. Finely ground pumice adds to the deep cleaning and brings the exfoliating factor. Wonderful for the mechanic or gardener in your life!

Orange & Tea Tree Pumice Soap works as hard as you do! Pumice is fabulous for removing dirt, grime, tar, ink, paint, adhesives and more while the orange essential oil works overtime to help dissolve grease and oil. Tea tree oil is added for it’s antibacterial and disinfectant properties while a touch of black pepper essential oil adds a mild antiseptic. Super for either heavy-duty clean-up or for a spa foot treatment!

Look for it in my shop at http://bellissimaminerals.etsy.com/ in the next few days!

Tune In Tomorrow for Day 13!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 11, Soap 11

2009-05-19T23:13:00.009-04:00

It’s time for Day 11!

I’m so fortunate that everyone I know is a fabulous cook! The kitchen was always the busiest room in our house when I was growing up and there was constantly something on the stove or in the oven. And having married into an Italian family has just reinforced this tradition - although the aromas are just a little bit different from my family’s Irish cooking!

The biggest complaint that any cook has - while certainly not every one - is the lingering scents left on your hands after cooking with particularly pungent ingredients. Fish, garlic and onions leave odors that are really difficult to get rid of - and I'm embarassed to admit I’m guilty of even taking steel wool once to try to eliminate these overpowering smells!

So, in honor of my family of fabulous cooks, I decided on a Kitchen’s Companion for Soap #11. I chose oils that would be highly cleansing and provide lots of lather. I used double-brewed black diamond coffee and added a few tablespoons of coffee grounds, since coffee works wonders to absorb odors and the grounds work to gently exfoliate.

Oh, and if you choose to believe everything you read, coffee grounds are fantastic for helping to smooth cellulite! So it's not just for use in the kitchen!

Here’s the description for Soap #11 on Day 11:

Bellissima Kitchen Companion - Handmade Black Diamond Coffee Exfoliating Soap

Our amazing Black Diamond Coffee Soap is incredibly lathering and deliciously creamy with our luxurious blend of vitamin- & nutrient-enriched all-veggie oils. I include olive & coconut to make this super-cleansing, castor oil for extra lather and lots & lots of mango butter, grapeseed oil and sweet almond oil to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated.

Black Diamond Coffee is a gently exfoliating hand soap made with double-brewed black diamond coffee and lots of finely ground fresh coffee beans. This soap is fabulous for nourishing the skin while eliminating grease and removing strong kitchen odors. Some of the coffee aroma remains, but I’ve left it fragrance-free to give you a pure, refreshingly cleansing experience!

Tune in tomorrow for Day 12!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 10, Soap 10

2009-05-18T14:31:00.007-04:00

Today is Day 10 of The Lather Project!

Time is just flying by and there’s still so much I want to do! So many soaps, so little time…

Soap #10 is a bit of a follow up to yesterday’s hot-process soap making tutorial (Day 9). We used a very simple recipe, ready available tools and even an cardboard box mold to show how accessible soap making is for the home crafter.

So, I wanted to use the same 3 oil recipe for Soap #10, but show how we can dress it up! And even though iron oxide colorants, additives and fragrance oils are not as readily available, I still wanted to show that even a simple recipe can produce a beautiful bar of soap with a little creativity!

I know from past experience that my Lemon fragrance oil will, over time, darken my soap to a deep brown shade. Many fragrance oils with a vanilla scent base will do this. There are color stabilizers and non-discoloring fragrance oils, but I prefer to use some ingenuity in combating this issue.

I split the raw soap into two batches, coloring one with a little yellow oxide and adding the poppy seeds - but no fragrance oil - therefore no discoloring. I then added the fragrance oil only to the second half of the soap base, after removing about 2 tablespoons of raw soap. Then I swirled in the leftover 2 tablespoons - since this soap has no fragrance oil either and won’t darken, I’ll get a beautiful brown & cream swirled bottom half with a yellow-poppy seed top half.

I hope. it’ll actually take about 10 days to 2 weeks for the fragrance oil to completely discolor the soap, so I’ll have to update you at the end of the Project! But you can actually already see a bit where the soap will darken.

So here’s the description for Soap #10 on Day 10:

Bellissima Handmade All-Veggie Oil Lemon Poppyseed Soap

Our amazing Lemon Poppyseed Soap is incredibly lathering and luxuriously creamy with our simple blend of vitamin- & nutrient-enriched all-veggie oils. Coconut oil makes this soap super-cleansing and one third olive oil leaves your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated.

Lemon Poppyseed Soap delivers a citrusy-fresh and totally tempting bakery-style fragrance! Tart lemons, a hint of orange & lime and just a pinch of mint merge harmoniously with buttery graham, sweet vanilla cream and spicy nutmeg & cinnamon to produce a rich and deliciously inviting scent! Poppyseeds add a touch of gentle exfoliation and dash of authenticity!

Soap #10 won't be available for sale until the color finishes 'developing', but be sure to look for it in about 10 days at

http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com

Tune In Tomorrow for Day 11!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 9, Soap 9

2009-05-17T19:03:00.014-04:00

We’re on Day 9!

And I thought now would be the perfect time for a hot-process soapmaking tutorial. While I enjoy all methods of soap making, I find that the hot-process method allows for greater control over the finished product and satisfies my need for immediate gratification!

First things first:
Step 1. Assemble all your tools and ingredients. For this tutorial, we’re using:

4 Quart Crockpot
Postage Scale
Stickblender
2 Plastic long-handled Spatulas
1 2 Quart Plastic Container
1 4 Cup Plastic Container
1 2 Cup Glass Container
Rubber Gloves & Protective Eyewear

Ingredients:
Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Soybean Oil
Sodium Hydroxide
Distilled Water

This is a take on the soap recipe fondly known in soap making circles as the ‘Walmart Recipe’. It’s known as such because all the oils are readily available and can be purchased at Walmart as well as many grocery stores and wholesale clubs.

Here’s how my 2 ½ lb Recipe looks, and it will yield almost 3 1/2 lbs of soap:
14oz Olive Oil
14oz Soybean Oil
12oz Coconut Oil
15.2oz Distilled Water
5.7oz Sodium Hydroxide
*Remember when soap making to run every recipe through a soap calculator to avoid any errors or oversights.

Step 2. Measure out the Olive Oil, Coconut Oil & Soybean Oil. Melt the oils in the Crockpot on the Warm setting.

Step 3. Measure out distilled Water and in a separate container measure out the Sodium Hydroxide. Be sure to don your gloves & goggle before handling lye. I prefer to freeze my distilled water (or any liquids) before adding the lye because it cuts down on fumes and keeps the temperature from climbing too high. Slowly add the lye - I add in 1/4ths - to the Distilled Water, carefully stirring the entire time.

Step 4. Once the oils are melted and the lye water is almost clear, carefully pour the lye solution into the crockpot with the oils. Use the stick blender for about 1 minute to ensure all the lye is incorporated.

Step 5. After about 15 minutes or so, your soap will start solidify - it looks to me like a very thick pudding. I tend to hand mix a bit at this point, but it’s not necessary.

Step 6. After another 15 minutes or so, the next stage the soap will reach is a ‘mashed potato’ stage - it will still be thick, but more grainy-looking rather than smooth. Time to stickblend again for about 1 minute.

Step 7. After another 15 minutes or so has gone by, the soap will thin out and have a clear and chunky texture - commonly know as ‘applesauce’ stage. Here is when I take the stick blender and mix for about 1 minute.

Step 8. You’ll see that the soap starts to become glossy after about another 15 minutes. It should be somewhat translucent and shiny. This is the first time you can check to see if you’ve got soap! The best way to tell if all the lye has cooked out is to take the ‘tongue-test’ - touch your tongue to a bit of cooled-off soap. If you feel a tingling (or ‘zap’), lye is still present and you must continue to cook. Continue cooking and check again after every 15 minutes. If you feel nothing and it has a soapy taste, you’ve got soap!

Step 9. Once your soap passes the tongue-test, it’s time to put it in the mold. I’m using a cardboard box that Domino’s sandwiches come in lined with a garbage bag to show you don’t need anything fancy! Carefully ‘glop’ your hot soap into the box, banging on a hard surface after each addition to eliminate any air bubbles.

Step 10. Cover your soap with a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap. Use a folded towel to smooth the top. Allow to cool and unmold.

You can trim and slice your soap as you please!

Stay Tuned Tomorrow for Day 9!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 8, Soap 8

2009-05-16T14:46:00.004-04:00

We’re on Soap #8!

I can’t believe we’re already on Week #2 - the first week went by so fast! Over 20 lbs of soap down, less than 70 to go!

The last few soaps in the Project have had kind of a pale palette, and I realized I totally needed something bold and colorful - a true feast for the eyes! I wanted some serious eye candy!

Since I normally only use cosmetic grade mica, oxides and ultramarines for soap colorants, I know I’ll never achieve some of those brightly hued soaps that are produced by using liquid soap dyes. What I also know, however, is that some amazing colors can be achieved through completely natural sources - things like alkanet, turmeric and even pumpkin puree can create gorgeous colors in soap. And I can’t wait to experiment with them to see what I can create!

I also thought I’d try more layering with Soap #8. Now, layering hot-process soap is not an easy task. At the end of the cooking process, the soap is a hot, thick, glossy mass that has to be maneuvered - I believe the technical term is ‘glopped’ - quite carefully into the mold to prevent air bubbles and other catastrophes. Scenting & coloring hp soaps are skillful talents in themselves, but layering adds a higher degree of difficulty. And because I’m an unbelievably impatient person, this is always a particularly tricky challenge for me.

But it was so much fun! And I love the festive, ‘ice cream cake’ quality of the soap loaf!

So, Soap #8 on Day #8 is:

Bellissima Handmade All-Veggie Oil Blend Bath Soap in Exotic Orchid

Our amazing Exotic Orchid Soap is incredibly lathering and deliciously creamy with our lavish blend of vitamin- & nutrient-enriched all-veggie oils. I include olive & coconut to make this super-cleansing and sunflower and rice bran to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated.

Exotic Orchid delivers the lush, heady aroma of fragrant orchids and notes of ylang ylang, frangipani, white lily, hyacinth, gardenia and creamy vanilla add interest and complexity to this delicious fragrance. Passionate and romantic, vibrant and intoxicating, luxurious and exhilarating, this is an incredibly unique and distinctively glamorous scent!

Soap #8 is available for sale at http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com

Mention Promo Code ‘Lather Project’ in the Message to Seller Box for a 10% discount off of your Exotic Orchid Soap purchase!

Choosing something else? Enter the Promo Code to receive a Exotic Orchid Sample Bar! (Either wait for a revised invoice or I’ll refund the discount back after payment)

Tune In Tomorrow for Day 9!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 7, Soap 7

2009-05-15T19:56:00.003-04:00

I’m so excited about Soap #7!

I’ve been wanting to do a Salt Bar since the day I first heard about them. Living here in Rhode Island, there’s not a place in the State that’s more than an hour from the Ocean (hence RI‘s nickname, ‘The Ocean State’). And I was fortunate enough to grow up on the water, spending every moment above 60 degrees at the beach, on a boat or in the sea.

I’ve always loved how my skin felt after a day in the ocean. The salt water gently exfoliates and softens the skin, leaving it glowing and silky smooth. And salt has natural antimicrobial properties, helping to detoxify and purify the skin. In my youth, I always found that sea water would help in clearing up my acne-prone skin.

And salt bars accomplish the same effects - without spending the day at the beach! I added lots of dead sea salt to a blend of coconut oil (for cleansing), shea butter (for moisturizing) and castor oil (for lather) to create a spa-quality sea salt soap bar. Because the salt bar can be a little abrasive during the first few uses, I left just a strip of pure soap to make it a bit more gentle on the skin. And to that point, it’s important that those with ultra-dry or super-sensitive skin try a test patch to ensure that the high amount of salt doesn’t irritate their skin.

So, here’s the description for Soap #7 on Day 7:

Bellissima Handmade Sea Salt Spa Bar in Cucumber & Aloe

Our Sea Salt Spa Bars are made with a combination of Coconut Oil, Shea Butter & Castor Oil and lots and lots of Dead Sea Salt to create a Spa-Quality salt bar. Thoroughly cleansing, gently exfoliating, and highly moisturizing, our Sea Salt Spa Bars will leave your skin radiant, hydrated and silky smooth.

Our amazing Cucumber Aloe Sea Salt Spa Bar imparts the scent of crisp cucumber with notes of fresh aloe vera, green apple, casaba melon, a hint of mint and airy, delicate white florals. This is - without a doubt - an invigorating, rejuvenating and bright scent, both revitalizing and relaxing at the same time!

Soap #7 is available for sale at http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com

Mention Promo Code ‘Lather Project’ in the Message to Seller Box for a 10% discount off your Cucumber Aloe Sea Salt Spa Bar purchase!

Choosing something else? Enter the Promo Code to receive a Cucumber Aloe Sea Salt Sample Bar! (Either wait for a revised invoice or I’ll refund the discount back after payment)

Tune In Tomorrow for Day 8!

The Lather Project: 30 Soap in 30 Days - Day 6, Soap 6

2009-05-14T15:00:00.005-04:00

Soap #6 is another special request.

One of my very first sales after I opened up my Etsy Shop was from lovely woman with a true passion for handmade soap! I firmly believe she has bought from and tried some from every single soap seller on etsy, bless her heart!

She had left me flattering feedback and sent a convo asking if I had her favorite scent - Lavender Vanilla Soap - and at the time, I didn’t. But I offered to make her some - and unfortunately, I moved on and completely lost track of her request.

I forgot about it.

It happens to all of us. And when I discovered her request yesterday as I was sorting through and filing old emails (thank goodness I save everything!), I was horribly embarassed and wracked with guilt! And decided immediately that Soap #6 would be hers. This one’s for you, Emma!

Here’s the description for Soap #6 on Day 6:

Bellissima Handcrafted Botanical-Infused Lavender Vanilla Soap

Our line of Botanical Infused Bath Bars are a special treat for your skin - infusing teas, flowers, plants and herbs in oils or water and adding it to soap not only imparts the amazing benefits to the soap, but also allows for the most nutrients and enrichment possible from the botanicals!

With this amazing Lavender Vanilla Soap, I infuse both distilled water and sunflower oil with Lavender to get the absolute most out of it’s healing and aroma-therapeutic qualities. I added a bottom layer of vanilla to warm up and complete the scent profile - the herbal elements of the Lavender and the creamy, spicy yet sugary sweet notes of the Vanilla are perfect together! And then I sprinkled real lavender buds on top and between the layers for both their beauty and for gentle exfoliation.

Soap #6 is available for sale at http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com

Mention Promo Code ‘Lather Project’ in the Message to Seller Box for a 10% discount off your Lavender Vanilla Soap purchase!

Choosing something else? Enter the Promo Code to receive a Free Lavender Vanilla Sample Bar! (Either wait for a revised invoice or I’ll refund the discount back after payment)

Tune In Tomorrow for Day 7!

The Lather Project: 30 Soaps in 30 Days - Day 5, Soap 5

2009-05-13T17:03:00.004-04:00

Soap #5 is purely for stock replenishment - and one of my scent faves!
It's so complex & sophisticated!

I was down to one bar of my Avocado & Lime Soap and couldn’t relist it in the shop until I made more!

I tend to sell my soap in pairs - it may not be the smartest marketing choice, but I think it gives buyers the most bang for their buck! I can ship two bars for slightly more than it costs to ship one, so I can offer a much better deal to my customers on the purchase of two bars. And with the size of my bars, it’s like getting four bars for the price of two!

Now, I could possibly sell more by offering them as single bars… probably would sell more. And actually, I have this internal debate quite often, but I feel like I’m being a bit stingy sending out one bar or a single soap sample - irrational and ridiculous, I know. And I am honestly so passionate about the benefits of handmade soap that I really should be doing everything I can to get some into the hands of potential users.

Okay, this is it. I am officially announcing that Bellissima will now be selling sample bars and single bars of handcrafted soap! Aahhh, I feel so much better now that the decision’s been made!

So, onto the description of Soap #5 on Day #5:

Bellissima Handcrafted All-Veggie Blend Avocado & Lime Soap

Our amazing Avocado & Lime Soap is incredibly lathering and deliciously creamy with our luxurious blend of vitamin- & nutrient-enriched all-veggie oils. I include olive & coconut to make this super-cleansing and sunflower and rice bran to leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated.

Avocado & Lime - thinking Guacamole? THINK NOT!!! This incredible scent offers one surprise after another: an amazingly complex blend of ripe avocado, cilantro, sweet lime, sugared lemon, mint and lots of delicate white florals. This is a bright & confident, refreshingly different and oh so sparkling fragrance!

Soap #5 is available for sale at http://BellissimaMinerals.etsy.com

Mention Promo Code ‘Lather Project’ in the Message to Seller Box for a 10% discount off your Avocado & Lime Soap purchase!

Choosing something else? Enter the Promo Code to receive a Free Avocado & Lime Sample Bar! (Either wait for a revised invoice or I’ll refund the discount back after payment)

Tune In Tomorrow for Day 6!