Smite the Mite

So, it's been a while since I've blogged.  You know.  Life.  But Barefoot Body has had a lovely summer doing two farmer's markets each month.  Check out Upcoming Events to see where we will be next.  In August, that will be the Hatboro Farmers Market and the Pretzel Park Farmers Market.  Make sure to stop by and say hi if you are local!  The decision to put Body Butter on hold for the summer was a sound one as they definitely do melt in the heat.  Along the same lines, two shops had our Vegan Bee Free version of deodorant out on shelves and they melted as well.  So.  It's July.  It's hot.  It's summer.  If you prefer bee free products, just keep in mind that they may need to be refrigerated when the temps rise above 76 degrees as that is the melting point of coconut oil.  Likewise, a customer at Bryn Athyn Bounty gave me some feedback that her travel size deodorant with beeswax got soft while traveling when left in a hot bag in a hot car.  I am going to work on inserts to accompany different products with advice for the best care of your product.  If you've ever forgotten a lip balm in the car, or had it go through the dryer, it will get soft and potentially melt depending on the temperature.  For all of my deodorants and lip balms, the containers should contain the product and if you pop it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, it should re-harden.  I encourage you to contact me via barefootbodybrand@gmail.com as I am happy to work with you to resolve any such issues in the way that works best for you.  If you are concerned over potential leaking of a product, I do suggest putting it in a ziplock type of baggie just in case.  I don't want any bags or clothing ruined!!

Moving right along, I don't usually blog about products in development as, well, you just never know.  But I'm really excited about this one.  Also, you can note that things I get excited about may be very different than things you get excited about.  And that's ok.  So, I have a pretty horrendous dust mite allergy.  Tack that on to pet dander and tomatoes (what?!  I know, I pretty much ignore that one, but that's what the doctor said.) and you have one unavoidable sneeze fest some days.  A few weeks ago, it seemed out of control and I started searching for some better relief.  I have all bedding and pillows encased already and we have ripped up most carpeting in our house.  I was in a carpeted room, and determined that that MUST be the culprit.  The carpeting.  So I looked for ways to rid it of dust mites.  Then I looked at the large, bulging bag of library books.  I am a school librarian and this summer, I'm determined to read as much of the picture book section as possible and determine if some of our books may be on their last legs.  So, I've got a bag of books, some dating back to the late 60's and decided that they perhaps might be a little dusty.  I moved the books out to the garage and just take a few out each night to read.  And determined that was definitely the bigger culprit.  But, in my searching, I also learned that humidity goes hand in hand with dust mite colonies.  And that July and August are the worst months for dust mites.  Ugh.

So, if you don't know dust mites like to eat dust.  And their own poo, three times.  Lovely critters.  In my past research, I knew you could basically put a barrier between yourself and the mites but really ridding your home of dust mites was near impossible.  If you have dust, you have mites.  If you have skin, you have dust.  When I clean, it kicks up dust.  Which sends me into a sneezing fit that could last up to an hour.  Which makes me despise cleaning dust.  Which creates more dust since I'm not cleaning it, which colonizes more dust mites.  Vicious cycle.  Yesterday, I was cleaning.  It is necessary sometimes of course.  Lest you think our house is a den of dirt and dust, let me say that my husband LOVES to clean and therefore, this is rarely an issue.  But I also like to clean, in theory.  So, I was cleaning.  And I was sneezing.  And I'm tired of it.  I thought to myself that there seems to be an essential oil for everything, and for each bugger in particular, so I wondered if there was one that would repel dust mites.  Again, I didn't think you could kill dust mites.  So, handy google research tools to the rescue and there are not just one but like 6 that KILL them.  It was suggested to spray bedding, carpeted areas, air duct vents, and to use it as a wet dust spray.  I mixed it this morning, sprayed like crazy, and I already feel like I can breathe more clearly.  If this works, it will be my own personal miracle!

I also read you shouldn't make your bed, but rather fold the covers down at the bottom of the bed to air out your sheets and mattress.  I had just gotten in the "good" habit of making my bed and now I have to convince my husband it's not good for my health.  Wish me luck!

Stay tuned to hear more about our newest product "Smite the Mite" Spray!  Do you have a dust mite allergy?  Comment below if you are interested in hearing more.

You guys.  I was going to include a dust mite picture.  I just looked and decided against it.  You're welcome.

Bare Body and Belly Butter On Hold

I had read from another seller on Etsy that they don't ship Body Butter in the summer because it will melt.  Which makes sense.  Because it's butter.  But I didn't realize it was summer yet.  Here in Pennsylvania, this week, it has been!!  Last week, I attended a conference in Hershey and my luggage was in my car until it was time to check in.  Lo and behold, when I unpacked, my bare belly butter had melted.  It re-hardened fine, but I like everyone to know the perils.  Transparency is key.  In an effort for this, I am putting listings for Bare Body Butter, Bare Belly Butter, and Bare Baby Bum Butter on hold for the warm spring/summer months.  Look for it to return (better than before?) in the fall in plenty of time for gift giving and dry skin.  I am still happy to make it for those who want to give it a go, but with the knowledge and understanding that it may melt and may need to be refrigerated in the summer.  With that said, I now have both 2 and 4 oz. containers.  The 2 oz. size was selling at $5 so the 4 oz. will be $10.

Also (limited time only!) I have a re-use opportunity.  To make the different types of butter as well as lip balms, etc, I have ended up with 4 empty 7 oz. containers, so if anyone was hoping for MORE, this is an opportunity to get it at a discount.  7 oz. will be $15 in the re-purposed shea butter containers.  Email me at barefootbodybrand@gmail.com for any of your buttery goodness needs.  Below is a picture of the shea butter container.

Contest from Mama Beads and Baby Baubles

Amy Martin from Mama Beads and Baby Baubles is celebrating her 1 year anniversary in business and is hosting a contest including MBBB and 14 other small business mamas.  Check out the contest before it's over for one of 14 chances to win!  Included in the contest is a prize of 2 deodorants and 3 lip balms, a great kick off gift for a newbie or a refill set for a current customer.

Earth Day 2015

So, it sounds corny, but especially since I am a day late here, EVERY DAY is Earth Day at Barefoot Body!!  The other day, my daughter looked at me, very excited and exclaimed, with raised eyebrows and sudden inspiration, "Mommy!  You should start a business!!"  To which I replied, "Oh, honey.  I did."  But I didn't start a business for the same reason most people do.  To make money.  Get ready for more corny.  Money is nice.  My husband would really like for this to turn a profit, but that's not why I did it.  I started a business to make a difference.  And to start a conversation about how certain aspects of our every day life can be different.  From the deodorant we put on to what we are washing down the drain to the re-usability of materials and recyclability of materials.  So, Earth Day (or, ahem, the day after) seems like a fitting time to highlight that conversation and the difference each of us can make through pretty simple choices.  So, let's begin at the beginning.

People often are interested in my logo and name and what it all means.  I like that it can be read different ways but that also lends it to being misinterpreted.  The name is not Bare Body, though I do like to think we are using the bare minimum on our bodies which is good.  The name is Barefoot Body for a reason.  And it has little to do with feet.  Being barefoot puts you in direct contact with the earth.  You are grounded and connected when you are barefoot.  Think of that feeling of your feet on soft grass, or even better, soft sand.  In those moments, you are one with the earth.  The decisions we make are also connected to the earth, in fact everything is interconnected.  Decisions we make impact other people, plants, the water, the air we breathe.  So, make good decisions.  Decisions you can be proud of and smile about all day long.

When I started this journey (not realizing, of course, that I was on a journey) on Pinterest, I found a homemade deodorant for a cream that you could make in a glass jar.  Glass is good.  I love glass.  I don't really like plastic.  But when it comes to deodorant, I wasn't interested at the time in a cream I would spread with my fingers.  Maybe that's just me, but it's true.  Later, I found a recipe for a deodorant I could pour into a plastic container.  At this point, I had no idea a person could purchase deodorant containers and only thought of the re-usability factor of my current deodorant container.  I looked at this container in a whole new light.  Just as it had never occurred to me that a person could make deodorant, I had definitely never thought to refill a twist up container.  I was now looking at lots of things around my house in a new or renewed light.  Lip balm, pump containers, every empty container that had been recycled in the past.  Why not!

So, I reuse containers for my personal use.  I still haven't used the Barefoot Body containers for deodorant yet, because I've refilled my old Tom's and Kiss My Face containers in rotation for the last year.  Likewise, when I mix my own body butter, I put it into the shea butter container that laid empty after making a recipe.  Lip balm.  Same.  Mouthwash.  Ditto.  Bug Spray and #2 Spray, you betcha!

And, here's the fun part.  You can too!  I do not reuse one person's container for a different person.  So, do know that if you choose to go this route, you will only get your same container back.  If you drop off or send me your container, I will refill it for your next purchase.  This can be a barefoot body container, or your old deodorant, mouthwash, lip balm, or jar.

And, if you're not interested in going the reuse route, do know that containers can be recycled through Terracycle's Beauty Brigade.  Naturalistic in Hatboro, PA participates in this program and as I've been getting products on the shelves of new retail locations, I've been telling them about the Terracycle Beauty Brigade program also.  So, if you can't bring yourself to re-use, save up your stuff and drop it off in the Terracycle Beauty Brigade box at Naturalistic and know that you're reducing the waste stream a little bit by having the plastics crafted into neato products.

Other low impact decisions.  Our handle bags are made of 95% post consumer 5% post industrial kraft on the inside and white on the outside.  The white is inked on post consumer kraft.  Our business cards are made from recycled pulp kraft paper and are recyclable (though I'd prefer you just keep passing them around if you're otherwise planning to throw it out :).  And, I highly encourage that you shop with a re-usable bag when at a farmer's market or event but I'm also happy with my bags to provide you with one.  When you're done with your bag, if you see me again, bring back the bag.  I'll totally re-use those again and again!

Yesterday we got a catalog sent to the Barefoot Body Shipping Department Manager.  My husband about died laughing and asked if he was the shipping manager.  I asked where we should make the "shipping department".  He indicated the hefty stack of boxes in the office would be a good corner for that.  But in all seriousness.  So far, I have been fortunate that I've been able to solely re-use boxes for shipping purposes.  I remove all prior labels and send them away.  My mother works at an eye doctor's office and I've found that eyeglass shipping boxes are the perfect size for single deodorants.  I also re-use packing material and filler when needed.  But when that is done, I plan to utilize shredded paper as any fill.  Did I mention that you can bring packing peanuts that are inadvertently sent your way to UPS?!  Any cardboard that doesn't end up in our "shipping department" gets cut into strips and composted in our backyard.

So, those are just a few of the steps I've taken to try to minimize my footprint.  What are some steps you take every day in this direction?  Share in the comments below if you are so inclined.  Thanks for joining me on this journey!

Removing Coffee Scrub Stain From Carpet

This morning, I learned how to remove a coffee scrub stain from the carpet.

Step 1: Don't tell Jeff (especially as he is sleeping)
Step 2: Wet a cloth in warm water and blot/wet the area.  Don't rub (or scrub).
Step 3: Mix 1 Tbs. dish soap, 1 Tbs. vinegar and 2 C. warm water, wet a cloth in the solution and lay over the stain.  Take the back of a spoon and smooth over the cloth to press down into the stain.
Step 4: Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Step 5: Wet a cloth and blot the area again.
Step 6: Apply a dry cloth to soak in any moisture from the area.
Step 7: Put coffee scrub container in a plastic bag.
Step 8: Do NOT put gym bag on a carpeted area.
Step 9: Consider washing gym bag tonight.
Step 10: Go to the gym.

Part of the reason I haven't yet pursued scrubs is because of their oily leakiness.  The containers I put them in for gifts seemed to seep oil out onto the twine I wrapped around the lid and my personal pickle jar has (obviously) not proven much better.  If you have thoughts on a water (really oil) tight container, please share!  I'd like to offer these as I have been incredibly pleased with the results but I don't want to leave anyone with a mess to clean up.  Though if you find yourself in that position, see the steps above.

Here are 3 Reasons to Make Coffee a Part of Your Skincare Routine.  The recipe at the bottom isn't exactly what I used but as you can see it is super SIMPLE to make this yourself.  Give it a go!  I've found that washing my face with an oil based scrub doesn't leave my face oily.  As you might assume it would, right?  I've learned our bodies are defiant little buggers.  Whatever you want to take away, your body will just overproduce it right back.  A lot like a five year old.  So, take oil, for example.  When I wash my face with soap or astringent, my skin either ends up oily after a while or really dry.  What do you do when it's dry?  Apply moisturizer, which might leave you oily.  When I first made this scrub, I considered it for rough patches, heels, elbows, knees, etc.  But I didn't consider it for my face.  Only when people came back and told me how much they LOVED it for their face did I try it.  And then I researched oil based washing.  I was floored by what I learned!  When I wash with oil, my skin is no longer fighting with me.  I don't have to moisturize.  My skin is soft and smooth and lovely.  And the coffee makes for a natural exfoliating agent.  I'm not a coffee drinker, but I love the smell.  And coffee ice cream.  It's a great wake you up in the morning.  I've been alternating with a rosemary mint sugar scrub and the mint is also quite invigorating.  Do you use a scrub?  Share what your experience has been like!

Here's hoping you don't have any carpet stains this morning!!

Lip Balm

And now introducing our lip balm!  For now, I am starting out with Peppermint and Grapefruit Mango, but I am planning to add the following SOON!

• Bare
• Mint Chocolate Chip
• Chocolate (maybe)
• Vanilla
• Lavender (maybe)

I've been asked by one of the retailers I work with to create a Lysine Lip Balm for sufferers of cold sores and I think it is do-able so that will be coming soon too!

Lip Balm as well as all of our products are available on Etsy and right here on this blog through PayPal.  Additionally, many of our items are available at the following retailers:

• Naturalistic in Hatboro, PA
• Doylestown Food Co-op in Doylestown, PA
• Enlightened Path Holistic Center in Pottstown, PA
• Artisan Marketplace in Southampton, PA

Please consider visiting and patronizing a local retailer!  And ask them about Barefoot Body while you are there!

As always, if you have questions about any of our products or special needs, you can always message me about ordering as well!  Be well and keep those lips happy!