osmosis

Trying Something New

2011-10-21T22:31:00.000-05:00

For my birthday in September, my dad made me a wooden soap mold and my husband bought me some lye (sodium hydroxide). I had put out a request because I had been dreaming of trying my hand at cold-process soap making. In making lip balm, you often find recipes for other bath and body products because the ingredients work for all sorts of fun things. I had some supplies left over from last fall's mad rush of Osmosis orders and decided making soap would be a good way to use them up.

I've made liquid soap in the past and could have done that again, but I still have a little bit of soap paste left in the fridge, so I thought I'd give bar soap a try. Knowing a smidge about the oils I had to use, I decided to add a 25% base of coconut oil. The rest of the recipe was made up of shea butter, jojoba oil, and cocoa butter. I ran it through the lye calculator and ta dah, I had my recipe. I decided not to use colorant or do anything fancy since I'd never tried this before. After watching videos on lye safety, I gave it a whirl... using my handy dandy stick blender (a bday gift from Mom a few years back). I poured it in the mold and wrapped it up in a towel and left my house for the weekend.

Now I have to say it's a good thing I left my house for a few days because my minimal patience would not keep me from peeking at my soap every couple hours. As it was, it was the first thing I did when I came home! I promptly unmolded it and sliced it up. And yet, I had to be patient once more. Unlike my liquid soap which is ready to use as soon as you are done making it, bar soaps need curing time... 4-6 weeks of curing time. So. Hard. To. Wait.

Here we are 5 weeks later and I am so happy to say that I've given one of the bars a home in my shower. There was a little learning curve with using the bar soap... It's been soooo long since I've used a bar of soap in the shower that I about forgot how to do it. I just stood there holding the wonderful thing in my hand for a while. Happy to report that I figured it out and the soap did its job and cleaned my skin without leaving it feeling all stretched and dry. My definition of successful soap!

I have a plan for most of that batch of soap and it's going to be shipped off somewhere special soon. Since I won't be keeping it all and it takes soooooo long before I can use it, I thought I'd better get started on a new batch. This time I thought I'd get creative. I used 50% olive oil as the base and added some coconut oil and cocoa butter (the last of last year's supply). I decided to split the batch and do a layer of color. I used a bit of iron oxide from my lip balm supplies (the base color for Winter). This batch went to trace much faster than I expected and became thick too quick! I managed to get it into the mold and then promptly left my house for two days. Good planning on my part!

Away from my soap, I visited Dad and convinced him to throw together a soap cutter for me... since my first attempt at slicing soap wasn't so straight. My Dad rocks at throwing together stuff made from wood. He had me set up in no time and my new cutter was the first thing I unpacked when I got home. I quickly unwrapped the soap and pulled it out of the mold. (Hubby helped the cause by photo documenting my big reveal.)

The results are okay. There are definitely signs that it was too thick when I poured the colored part into the mold. I had also sprinkled some jojoba beads on top of the soap thinking they would be pretty sprinkles, but alas, they seemed to have melted. I also see that I have a smidge of soda ash on the outer edges... oh well. Next time I'll try mixing at a cooler temp and see if that goes better for me. It smells yummy though... cherry blossom.... one of my few favorite florals. This soap is for me. It'll be a loooonnnnngggg time before I can try it though. I'll let you know how it goes.

Other than the links listed above from Bramble Berry and Soap Queen TV, I have also been reading about soap making in these books:

All three are available at the library!

Why Osmosis?

2011-08-18T17:25:00.000-05:00

I love my Osmosis lip balm! I should... it's the recipe I made just for me.

There were very few lip balms and glosses that I could use which didn't leave my lips feeling drier than when I put it on. Is it a conspiracy from big business to keep you coming back for more and more and more??? Some people think so. I can't say it worked on me though. It just kept me looking for the perfect lip balm. I had so many almost full tubes of balms that didn't work, that I was able to decorate my Osmosis Christmas tree with tissue wrapped tubes. From trying so many different kinds, I figured out on my own that those with petroleum ingredients were the ones that bothered me the most. I gave up Chapstick a looooong time ago. Recently, Karley at Chic & Green did one of her famous What's in it Wednesday posts on Cherry Chapstick. Go check it out! You'll be surprised at what you learn.

A note on how long my Osmosis lasts me: I have a tube of Honey Butter Balm that I use in my bathroom at bedtime and in the morning... basically just after I brush my teeth. I just got to the bottom of my tube and I've been using it since the beginning of last summer. In addition to that tube in the bathroom, I have a tube in my desk drawer at work and a tube in the car in the winter... I've never used up these tubes. I throw away the one in the car as soon as it's warmed up too much outside to leave it in there any longer. I also have a tube in my purse which is mostly used for kid emergencies. Aside from religiously using lip balm morning and night, I really don't put much on my lips the rest of the day. This hasn't always been the case... Osmosis is just that good... for me.

Closet Hippies

2011-07-14T22:41:00.000-05:00

I have no pictures for this post... don't want to show you the proof. ;)

Part of being in this lip balm business is doing research. Now I can't say I've done tons of serious research, but I spend time online and find that I pick up bits of knowledge here and there. Some would warn to be careful with just bits of knowledge... and I agree. I am not writing this post to influence anyone. Influence would require some major education and research efforts. I will share that through the course of gaining these bits of knowledge, I have tried some things I would have never even thought of before.

This past month I attempted to make my own laundry detergent. Why? Well, I don't really know how to answer that question. I found this post and found it intriguing. I didn't jump right in an make it though. I found lots of other recipes online and compared them and read the comments from those who attempted to use the detergent. I finally decided to give it a try. It was a combination of the mad scientist in me and my frugal nature. This has nothing to do with chemical awareness or being green.

I bought 2 gallons of distilled water... probably could have used tap water, but I'd need the jugs anyway. Plus who knows how the different minerals in the tap water would affect it... not that I don't use tap water to actually wash my clothes!
I bought a bar of Fels Naptha laundry soap and grated half of it with the cheese grater. I like the smell of this soap. It just smells clean. I decided against using bath soap like Ivory. Some bath soaps have added ingredients that just are not necessary and really aren't meant to be used on clothing... the things that help moisturize your skin, for instance. The laundry soap has some added ingredients, too, but they are in there to help with laundry issues. There is another laundry bar soap called Zote. I could not find that brand at my local grocery store, but I'd be willing to give it a try as well.
I already had borax, so I bought a box of washing soda. I learned from some of my research that washing soda is not the same as baking soda, but both come in a yellow box from Arm & Hammer :)
Even with buying the water, this all came to less than $6. Minus the water, these supplies will last quite a while and who knows how many batches I'll be able to make.

I used my big canning pot to heat 1 gallon of water and the grated soap to a boil. After the soap melted, I added 1 cup each of the borax and washing soda and kept stirring it with a spatula until it all of a sudden boiled up. I removed the pot from the heat and then added the other gallon of cool water to it while stirring.

While it was still warm, I had my husband carry it to the garage where we tried to fill the empty gallon jugs without making too much of a mess. Let's just say I need a bigger funnel.

We filled the two jugs right up until they bubbled over a bit. I used the little bit that was left in the pot to wash the pot and my utensils and then I was done. Super easy.

I was so excited to try it I did as many loads of laundry as I could :). I am very pleased with how all the clothes came out. I enjoy the scent despite not being a big fan of perfumes. The scent is very subtle and very clean.

I imagine I'll need to be diligent on pre-treating stains and I'll need to add oxiclean to the whites in order to get some optical brightness in there... nothing I shouldn't already be doing!

And then...
About a week later, my husband announced he would be needing antiperspirant on our next trip to the store. I was still pretty excited about the laundry detergent experiment and I since I had this recipe for deodorant already bookmarked, I offered the idea to him. See, he's really not a sweaty person, so for the day to day stuff he really doesn't need antiperspirant. He has also mentioned how aluminum is connected to Alzheimer's disease which concerns him. Aluminum is the active ingredient in antiperspirant... another tidbit of information. Deodorant leaves out this ingredient because it's purpose is just to keep you from getting stinky and it doesn't keep you from sweating.

Just like the laundry detergent, I read through all the comments before I attempted it. And I may have done a search on natural deodorants and anti-microbial essential oils. My husband is not a big fan of tea tree oil ever since I mentioned it's link to enlarged breasts in pre-pubescent boys. So I found that cedarwood essential oil is also microbial (and Dr. Oz may have mentioned its usefulness for acne as an alternative to tea tree oil, too.)

Now I use the term anti-microbial lightly. Like I said, I have not done extensive research but only have a limited knowledge. Microbes tend to include bacteria, fungus and whatever other nasties there are. I tried to explain to my kids that the stink in their arm pits and shoes is from these little nasties having a party and eating too many beans. Anyway, the coconut oil used to hold the recipe together is also anti-"nasties" and as most know, baking soda is a natural deodorant. The corn starch is a soft powder to help absorb some of the sweat that will be happening since there is no aluminum. All in all, the recipe really seems set up to do the job!

Some more tidbits: Coconut oil is solid resembling Crisco when at room temp or lower. In the summer, it's pretty much liquid. Because of this you may need to keep your deodorant in the fridge.... refreshing! Essential oils have very strong fragrances. At first whiff, my husband thought his cedarwood deodorant smelled like a musty basement... think cedar lined closet. The nice thing about cedarwood essential oil is that the strong scent disappears rather quickly leaving the very calming scent attributed to it by "those in the know" about aromatherapy. If you don't want to use corn starch, you can apparently sub arrowroot powder. If you have sensitive skin, the link includes instructions to lessen the baking soda.

How it's going: Hubby got over the basement smell and has to admit that he has not been stinky even in the summer heatwave. He does wish he didn't have to go to the kitchen to put it on. I've been using the leftovers on a spoon and have to say that I really like it. I used it a few days and then when I went to work I decided I'd better use the regular stuff, but I noticed that even though it's an antiperspirant I still got the same amount of moistness, but without the powder to help absorb it, so I'm giving up the antiperspirant, too!

So between the homemade lip balm, soap, laundry detergent, and deodorant; my husband wonders if the neighbors know they're living next to hippies ;)

SLS-Free Adventure

2011-04-15T21:25:00.002-05:00

About two months ago I was running low on my favorite Herbal Essences so I put it on my grocery list. Low and behold, my trusty mega super mart did not have that particular flavor anymore! So I decided to wait and see if I could find it at another mega super boutique. No such luck. Good thing I wasn't totally out yet :)

It didn't take too long before I needed to take a serious browse down the haircare aisle.

Don't you dislike being in the haircare aisle? So may products to choose from and not a clue where to start. Not to mention the fact that there are always people in that aisle. There are people who know what they want and they really want you to get out of their way. There are also people, like me that day, who clog up the whole aisle with there grocery cart while they read the back of every bottle of shampoo.

So there I was, reading labels, trying to remember what I've read on the internet about chemicals in cosmetics. I knew I wanted to avoid sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS).... not just because it gets picked on by everyone. Over a lifetime of shopping for shampoo a person starts to realize what really works and what doesn't. I prefer to wash my hair every other day. Not every shampoo out there works for that. I narrowed it down to shampoos that use ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS) verses SLS. The ones with SLS I would need to use everyday because my hair would be oily on the second day. The ones with ALS at least got me through the second day with minimal greasies. So there I was in the haircare aisle looking at the back of all of the shampoo bottles for ALS.

Now over the past couple years I've been reading quite a bit about chemicals in cosmetics. In the course of this research I learned that in Europe they don't even allow SLS/ALS in their products. There are reports that these harsh surfactants contribute to the formation of cancer cells. There are other reports that refute this. I don't know which is true and I'm not letting that contribute to my decisions. What I do know is that SLS/ALS are very strong surfactants. They are very, very good at their job. Unfortunately for our skin and hair, they can do too good of a job and strip your body's natural oils and wash them down the drain along with the dirt and grimies. (find more info about sulfates here)

My first experience with dropping the sulfates was when I switched to my homemade liquid soap. I noticed that this past winter, when my hands and skin would normally be crying from the dryness, my skin was holding up quite well. They dried out the most when I was at work... using the bubbly, sulfate-filled soaps. I have also been using the homemade liquid soap on my face and body with the same results. After using, I don't feel like I have to run to the bottle of lotion before my face cracks!

So, back to the haircare aisle... While reading the bottles, I found a line called Organix that said it was sulfate free. The thought occurred to me that maybe this is the way I should go since the switching my soap was going so well. The shampoo was a bit more expensive than what I would normally pay for shampoo, but I thought it was still worth the try. I chose the Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shampoo because I have straight-ish hair and it's best to just go with what you have. (I thought it smelled good, too.)

The first thing I noticed... and I think everyone notices... is that there just aren't that many bubbles (this is true of my liquid soap, too). I figured this would be the case since the sulfates really make things bubbly. I took the amount I would usually take to do my whole head and it just did the front part of my scalp. I had to squirt some more to get the back of my head down to my ends. Without all the bubbles, it's harder to tell if you gotten all the hair. I have noticed that since that first time I don't need two squirts of shampoo to accomplish the job... I wonder if it just had a lot of junk to clean off my head! I used my usual conditioner. Note: The smell of this shampoo does not linger in my hair.

After drying, the first thing I noticed was how soft and fluffy my hair was. It was not super straight like I thought it would be given the name of the shampoo. This disappointed me a bit. I also noticed fly away hairs. You know the ones that give the halo effect? This annoyed me a bit. I squirted some hairspray on to smoosh them down and went on with my day.

A wonderful change since using the sulfate free shampoo has been that my hair doesn't get oily fast. I could go three days between washing if I wanted to!

With the flyaways still annoying me, I ventured to try another product by Organix to try to smooth them out. The Rejuvenating Cherry Blossom Ginseng Shine Spray sadly did not do the trick. I found it drying and strong smelling. I think it could double as perfume. That's a little bit of money I won't get back.

Despite the flyaways I have kept using the shampoo. Since switching, I have noticed less hairs going down the drain and/or into the trash and/or all over the bathroom floor. (LOVE this!) I have also noticed the halo flyaways are getting longer too... as is the rest of my hair. I wish I had thought to measure it before I switched shampoos so I could give you some numbers. My hair grows quite slowly, so this is a super bonus!

So I now have these thoughts about the fly away hairs.... I believe that all of those hairs were damaged and broken from using the harsh sulfate shampoo. The same shampoo that has dimethicone in it to smooth all of the hairs giving me a sleek, shiny hair-do. All this time I thought my hair was healthy and I see now that it is damaged. I am hoping that by sticking with the sulfate free shampoos that my damaged hair will soon be replaced by the new healthy hairs growing. In the meantime, I'll be trying different things until I get those hairs to lay down.

Just last week, when I was back in the haircare aisle... I found another line of sulfate free shampoos called RenPure Organics. Attached to the bottle was a rebate card refunding the full purchase price. Naturally, I couldn't resist and decided to give it a try... it was only going to cost me a stamp, anyway. I picked up i love my hair / Body & Shine Shampoo - I thought maybe this would be better at taming the flyaways. I have used this three times. I love the smell. The scent stays with my hair, unlike the other one. It seems to bubble a little more. Sadly, the flyaways are still there... yet still getting longer... eventually, they'll just lay down.

Note: I did not get these products to review them, nor am I being compensated by anyone to write my opinion.

Update & Thank You

2011-01-27T13:46:00.001-06:00

I know, I know, it's been a while since I've posted on the goings on here at Osmosis.

When I last posted, I was wavering on where I wanted Osmosis to go.

I had a lot of fear and anxiety.

I had made a commitment to do the winter craft shows. I wanted to see if anyone came back for more.

My table at the Redeemer Holiday Bazaar November 13, 2010

I had 2 craft fairs in November. The first was the Mayo Clinic Craft Fair on November 6, 2010. This was my second year selling at this fair. You can see how last year went here. I had a prime spot for my table... one table away from the entrance. I had people coming and going. I'm sure this affected my sales and feel blessed by my location. I sold a whole lot more than last year! Last year I sold about 50 tubes and this year I sold 113! I had at least 5 people come specifically looking for me... I felt so honored! It was a great day.

The second craft fair was a Holiday Bazaar held at Redeemer Lutheran Church. I like to have a small show after the Mayo Craft Fair because I anticipate having plenty left over and hope that I can sell my stock at the second show. What I didn't anticipate was actually running out of certain flavors at the first fair! I needed to RE-stock the Honey Butter, Florida, Cookie Dough, Agave Sugar, and Winter. I sold about 50 tubes at the Holiday Bazaar in addition to taking a few orders. Again, there were return customers!

For the holidays, I again offered the limited time fragrances of Fall Spice and Cherry Soda. Cherry Soda did very well, but Fall Spice didn't. I may not bring Fall Spice back again next year.

I introduced a few new items at this year's shows. There is a new flavor called Relief. Relief is the only lip balm I make with essential oils. Relief has rosemary essential oil along with a cherry flavor. It reminds me of Carmex. Rosemary essential oil has a medicinal scent to it which reminds some of Vick's Vapor Rub. You can read more about Rosemary essential oil here.

Pink Poppy and Barely Blush Colored Glosses

Barely Blush and Pink Poppy were two new colored glosses I introduced. These colors are more sheer than the original "Seasons" colored glosses. Barely Blush is just that... barely a blush of glossy color. It is flavored with vanilla. Pink Poppy is sheer coral gloss inspired by my dear friend Josie Blaine. It is flavored with cherry. Barely Blush was a hit at the shows!

Glosses have clear domed caps.

Also new this year was my labels. I decided to drop the No.1 and No.2 I had used previously to distinguish the balms from the glosses. I now have my Osmosis logo on each tube. I have transitioned to full size labels on the balm which have room to include the required FDA warning on them. I plan to transition to full size clear labels on the colored glosses by next year's craft fairs.

Again, I am committing myself to participate in winter craft shows. I got discouraged last year when I did not have customers seeking me during the course of the year. I now know that some people just hadn't run out yet! I also understand that it is much easier to pick up some Blistex while in the check out at Walmart. My prayer is that I will continue to have return customers. Of course, anyone can order, any time of year, through my Artfire shop using PayPal. And don't forget that Osmosis is a great gift for your friends, family, teachers, etc.

I would like to thank everyone who has supported me in this small business endeavor. I am so thankful for a husband and sons who support me by corralling themselves downstairs when I'm in the "lab" and for running for all of the things I ran out of, or forgot, when I was at the fairs. I want to thank my mother-in-law, Joyce, and my sister, Holly, for helping me at the Mayo craft fair (for the much needed potty breaks and supplying me with food). I want to thank my friends for stopping by my table to cheer me on. I want to thank the customers that have returned because they love Osmosis. You are the reason this small business still exists.

Wordle

2010-09-10T10:40:00.000-05:00

You can make one, too! http://www.wordle.net/

So Many Thoughts

2010-08-08T19:55:00.015-05:00

I know it's no secret, but I've been hesitating with Osmosis. I have not been promoting and expanding like someone who is excited about a business.

Osmosis started purely on faith. I felt God gave me the recipes, the names, the contacts, and the suppliers. He made it so easy for me! It was exciting and it was a gift.

Have you ever received a gift and later decided to hide it away to "keep it safe"?

We have been in the process this summer of moving our boys to separate rooms. All of a sudden we realize how much "stuff" we have. So many things are on boxes on shelves in unused rooms... put there to "keep them safe." For example, I have a Tracy Barbie Doll that I keep in the dress she came in and never played with her hair... all in the name of keeping it safe (I thought she'd sit on the table next to my wedding cake!). My husband has toys in immaculate condition and carefully put away... "to keep them safe".

How can we get joy from not using things and hiding them away in a box? Soon you find whole rooms in your house with all of these things.

We are now at the point where we need to decide what to do with these things. Do we keep the dolls (even though I have only boys)? Do we let the boys play with the classic GI Joe or do we sell it? Or do we stuff as much as we can in the little cupboard under the stairs?

I have been keeping Osmosis safe. I am afraid of sharing it with others because I don't want it to be ruined. I don't want people to tell me it isn't good enough, that I've labeled my ingredients wrong, or that they've broken out in a rash since using it. It's a slippery slope and I'm stuck in a pit just worrying my gift away.

I follow two blogs regarding cosmetics. One is my angel and one is my devil. They both sit on my shoulder and one encourages me and one discourages me.

Now you may ask why I bother to listen to the discourager. The discourager has a great deal of knowledge about the ingredients in cosmetic products and the scientific research determining which we should avoid. She once had her own line of cosmetics/skin care products. But, she also points out all of the failures of the cosmetic companies and unfortunately, I don't feel I can live up to her expectations. She would expect me to stop making Osmosis because I am not able to prove the safety of my product.

The encourager also knows a great deal about ingredients in cosmetic products because she owns a business that supplies ingredients to small soap and cosmetics companies. She reads books about positive business role models and shares what she learns and how she runs her business. She has an open mind about the science that is used to determine what is good for us and what is bad for us. She would expect me to keep trying.

Somewhere between the thoughts arguing in my head is God's voice telling me which way to go. Why is it so hard to hear Him!

*** ***

As I waiver back and forth, I have had a couple orders come in from new customers. One requested one of each flavor! Regretfully, I have not been a good customer service rep for myself. I have put off making the Osmosis and have made the customers wait (sorry Paula and Cindy!) I did finally open the lab last night and powered through the order. This time I tried an assembly line approach.

Here you see the oils and waxes waiting to be nuked.

Here you see them after nuking and adding the butters.

After that, I had to take one at a time to finish them off and pour them into the tubes. I'm surprised I had not thought of this before. Maybe that was God's voice helping me out.

After the balms, I took the same approach to the colored glosses. Here are the micas and oxides for Spring and Winter prior to adding them to the gloss.

I also took some time to try a new color. I've tried a coral and rose(?). These colors are mixed to be a little sheerer than the Seasons. Maybe they'll get a name in time for the craft fair in November.

(Did she just say craft fair?) Yes, I'm planning to do the craft fair again this fall. I have made that decision. I'm going to at least give that another chance and see if I have any return customers. So no final decisions yet on the status of Osmosis. I, of course, will keep you posted here if there are any changes. In the meantime, please pray for me to follow God's leading and enjoy your Osmosis!

SOAP!

2010-07-05T21:27:00.005-05:00

Over the holiday weekend, I packed up all my supplies and headed to my mom's so we could attempt making soap for the first time!

This is not your ordinary cold-process bar soap... oh, no, I must be different!

We made liquid soap!

We used the Soap Queen's Castille Castor Soap Recipe. And followed her instructions from the e-book offered at Bramble Berry. I also consulted this book which was loaned to me from a friend (who will for sure be getting a sample of the soap!)

Mom took some pics of me in my lye-handling get-up:

The recipe is quite simple, however a lot of time goes into making liquid soap. A lot of time standing in the kitchen. A lot of time stirring, stirring, stirring. A loooonnngg time cooking.

I think we decided we won't do this again until Autumn, when we can let the cool breezes into the house. But, then again, we certainly would make more if we ran out!

So far, we've loved the soap for our hands and mom even washed some dishes with it and they came out squeaky clean. It does behave a little differently than what we've come to call soap these days. It does not get super bubbly and foamy. That's okay, bubbles and foam are not what clean your hands! Bubbles and foam help to dry them out!

I am looking forward to testing this soap over the next weeks! I can seriously foresee offering liquid soap at the craft fair this fall!

What's up?

2010-06-30T17:00:00.013-05:00

I know it's been a while since I last posted. I have not been pushing the Osmosis since good ol'fashioned fear started creeping in a few months back. It's time for me to push fear aside and get informed. First step will be contacting the insurance man and seeing what he has to say. I'll let you know how it goes!

In the meantime, I've been playing with more bath and beauty recipes. I am still perfecting a couple different lotion recipes. I have one favorite which is thick and glycerin rich for hands. I'm still dreaming of a perfect light lotion for the rest of me.

Recently, the same lovely person who got me started down the lip balm road lent me her liquid soap making book. She has not attempted it yet, but makes wonderful cold process soap. In addition to this book, I have downloaded an e-book from Bramble Berry on liquid soaps and watched the video on Soap Queen TV. (you can too: here)

I've ordered the supplies and stopped at a local restaurant supply store to find a stainless steel pot. I will just need gloves, safety glasses, and a bigger scale before I can truly get started.

I am looking forward to giving this a try. It's something to keep my mind going in between small Osmosis orders. Yes, I am still taking orders for Osmosis lip balms and glosses. If you're running low, lost your last tube, or think it's time to replace a stinky tube... send me an email or stop by the Artfire shop and I'll make you a fresh order.

I would love to hear what you think about Osmosis! Please leave me some feedback so I know if anything needs to be changed and made better!

What One Can Discover in the Breakroom

2010-03-02T20:28:00.005-06:00

I was in the break room this morning waiting for the clock to turn the magic 7:53 so I could swipe in. There was a mark. magalog on the table. For those of you who don't know mark., it is an AVON spin-off geared towards teens and college aged gals.

As I was paging through, I came across this product:

It comes in just 4 colors and I'd like you to look closely at the colors... Don't they look an awful lot like Osmosis Seasons?!

No, I'm not thinking they ripped me off!

What I'm thinking is what a great idea... Go ahead and try it! There is no reason why you can't use your Seasons as blush.

The other product I came across is this:

I've been meaning to try a lip tint and I may check into this one. The thing about a lip tint, is that it stains your skin and does pretty much nothing else. I think this would be great under any flavor of the clear glosses. The color would last a long time and you would still be able to use your favorite Osmosis lip gloss!

If you want to see more of mark. - go to www.meetmark.com

Discouraged

2010-02-28T21:30:00.005-06:00

Though still enjoying the prospects of playing with more lotion recipes, I doubt if any will ever be released as an Osmosis product... I have also decided to not add Osmosis sales to anymore local shops...

Over the past couple months, I have been feeling more and more discouraged about the Osmosis business.

I have not had a lot of orders, which is understandable since a lot of people got a fresh tube for Christmas. This stuff is so good, you don't have to re-apply every five minutes - which also means you don't need to buy a new tube every week. I am okay with this and it's why I wanted to create the business, so I could share a great product with you.

My main form of discouragement seems to creep up in the form of worries.

I will file my first Schedule C with the IRS this year. This gives me heartburn. I know there are lots of resources out there to help with taxes and, really, I should just call and make an appointment. There is a little bit of pride creeping in with the taxes... we've always done them ourselves. It bugs me that I can't figure this out myself. Well, I could figure it out by following the directions... but I won't be certain that I've done it the right way unless I ask for professional help.

The prospect of adding lotion to my product line has caused me to do some additional reading. There are so many things in lotion making that complicates the whole process. There is a greater risk of liability because of the risk of nasties growing in the lotion. There is huge debates regarding the use of preservatives and the different types of preservatives. The last thing I want is for anyone to get sick from using any of my products.

I do want to clarify why I set out to create this business. I did not go into it thinking, "Oh, won't it be fun to make lip balm all day and sell it online and in local shops?!" I went into it thinking, "I want to make this recipe available to others because I believe in it." It became too expensive for me to just keep handing out lip balm to everyone and I realized that I needed to be compensated for my supplies and my time.

Now, with the discovery of my new favorite lotion recipes, I feel the same as before. I just want others to experience what a good lotion does for dry skin. However, I do hesitate greatly before proceeding to a new product.

At this point, I will continue to take orders for Osmosis Lip Products. I do know there are those of you who really love it! I am so glad that you do!

I will continue to read and do research about the prospects of expanding to lotion, but it will take time. If I do decide to start selling the lotions, I will have that information posted on this blog.

Lotion, oh Lotion

2010-02-11T14:20:00.017-06:00

The solid lotion trial is still going, so I do not have any news to report on what people think of it. I do have my own opinion and I'm trying not to skew the results of the trial by sharing my opinion too soon. However, I do want to compare 3 different lotion recipes that I've been playing with this past month.

My first experiment was with the solid lotion (which we're doing the trial on right now). The reason I wanted to play with adding the solid lotion to the product line for Osmosis was because it was a natural evolution. Customers were already using their Osmosis lip balm as a cuticle cream and have joked about putting it all over their skin. Solid lotion is essentially lip balm for the rest of your skin. It is made with oils and waxes, just like lip balm. (Do not use it on your lips, though, because the fragrance is not approved for lips.) The results of the solid lotion trial will determine if it will become a regular product for Osmosis.

My second experiment came from a recipe I found at Soap Queen's blog here. It is a whipped shea butter recipe that looks an awful lot like frosting, yet definetely not for eating! I had the ingredients left over from the holiday rush of lip balm making, so I thought it was worth a shot. This recipe is super easy and you can generally get the ingredients at a natural food store or online. It is entirely made of fats... aka solid oils. By whipping them, you add air and make it easier to apply to your skin. It also keeps you from using more than is necessary.

My third experiment came from Wabi Sabi Baby's blog here. It is a simple 3 ingredient liquid lotion. You will need to find the emulsifying wax online. This recipe is so simple it's insane! No one should ever have to buy the commercially made, petroleum laden lotions ever again. There are lots of variations you can make to this recipe and I have found a concoction that I absolutely love!

What I have learned from these experiments:

Oil-based lotions are meant to hold moisture in. Just like a waxy lip balm, it keeps the air from pulling moisture from your skin (by osmosis).

Castor oil (a humectant which I use in my lip balms to help draw moisture to your lips) is too heavy to use on your skin.

Because the first two lotions listed above are oil-based, it is best to use them after a long soak or shower. The solid lotion would be excellent to use after finishing the dishes!

Drink your water! Give the lotion something to hold in!

The second recipe is almost like magic, but I'd have to do another trial to confirm that. I've been using it after shaving and it seems to slow the re-growth. I have also used it on my arms and have seen a positive effect on my keratosis pilaris (aka chicken bumps). (I had read of a person using just extra virgin coconut oil on her keratosis pilaris and seeing it greatly improve... I imagine that ingredient is why this is working.)

The 1st two oil-based recipes will be oily on your skin until is soaks in. It is best not to sit on the couch right after applying. Putting clothes on will be fine because you can wash your clothes.

The 1st two recipes will eventually go rancid because they are oil-based. Vitamin E, an antioxidant, will slow that process.

The 3rd recipe above has water in it. Water is what bacteria and mold need to grow and thrive. Without a preservative, this should be treated like food. Once it is open, it should be checked each time it is used for unwelcome growth.

The 3rd recipe will need to used up, so make small batches.

In my concoction for the 3rd, water-based recipe, I added glycerin. Glycerin is a water-friendly humectant. It does the same thing that the castor oil in my lip balm does. It draws moisture to your skin.

The water based recipe is "oil in water", which means the water hits your skin first and then the oil sits on top to hold it in.

I have mostly been using experiment #3 on my hands at bedtime. It makes my hands super soft.

I would, personally, like to add the liquid lotion to my line of products, even without a trial. I feel with the glycerin as a humectant, it fits very nicely into my main purpose for creating Osmosis. The only problem with the liquid lotion is the need for preservatives. There is a big movement in the cosmetics industry to keep parabens (a type of preservative) out of products. Apparently, there has been some studies that found parabens in breast cancer tumors. Parabens do have estrogen-like properties. There are other types of preservatives, but none that are natural. I have been trying to educate myself on the use of preservatives. As you can imagine, this is very time-consuming. It will come down to my personal views after educating myself on both sides of the issue. At that point, I will decide if I can offer the liquid lotion to customers.

In the meantime, you can read up on the use of preservatives, too! I've found some insight here and here and here.

I can't wait to hear from my solid lotion trial participants! I hope I'll have some results to share with you all, soon. In the meantime, keep drinking all that water and use your Osmosis lip products.

Osmosis Solid Lotion Trial

2010-01-16T11:20:00.004-06:00

I had mentioned that I had been working on perfecting a recipe for a solid lotion. If successful, it may find a home in the product line at Osmosis.

I am ready to start a trial. If you are interested in helping me out by testing the solid lotion, please let me know by sending an e-mail to osmosis4lips@gmail.com

If you choose to participate, I will reply to your e-mail and include a an attachment. I will need you to complete the attached survey and sign the consent form/waiver.

It is important for you to understand that these products are in a trial stage. Although each separate ingredient should not cause a person harm, the combination of ingredients has not been tested by the FDA. By signing the consent/waiver, you remove all liability from Osmosis and its owner for any negative reactions caused directly or indirectly by the trial product.

Once I receive the completed survey and consent/waiver, you will be sent a trial size of the solid lotion recipe of my choice and asked to use it on your hands for 5-7 days while completing an additional survey. During this period you should not use any other lotion on your hands. If you have any adverse reaction to the product, you should discontinue use of the product immediately and report the reaction to Osmosis.

The initial trials by yours truly have not been conclusive so I can't wait to hear your input!

Can't wait to try it!

2010-01-15T12:44:00.003-06:00

I was breezing through some of my favorite blogs this morning and came across a recipe I can't wait to try.

I've been toying with lotion recipes. So far I have only attempted solid lotions because it doesn't venture into the great unknown. It's pretty much like lip balm for your skin ;)

But I'm also waiting for an order to arrive with emulsifying wax so I can attempt a liquid lotion (read: water based). AKA: the great unknown.

In the meantime, I plan to try a recipe found at Soap Queen's blog.

This recipe will make the perfect in-between, waterless, fluffy soft lotion. I feel blessed she shared the recipe and it would be stingy of me to not share it with all of you.

If you try it, let me know what you think!

Mad Scientist

2010-01-09T14:28:00.004-06:00

I was feeling a smidge crabby this morning when I woke up. (I know some of you who read this know I am not a morning person anyway.)

It's Saturday, you know, and I'm supposed to sleep in! The kids are big enough to get breakfast and to let the dog out, but somehow I am forced to get up to assist or remind them (read: scold) that the dog needs to go outside after being in the house locked up all night long and she needs to go BEFORE you bring out the laser pointer to get her all wound up and excited.

Well this morning I decided to channel my irritation into mad work in my laboratory. By the time I had the floor and counters cleaned, I was starting to feel better. Some tender care disinfecting the instruments and I could feel my mood softening. The bright winter sun warmed the room for me and filled the room with light reflecting off the snow. Sunlight makes me feel better than Prozac.

I started with a batch of Agave Sugar Balm, which I needed to make to fill an order. Then I turned the lab time into MY time. I worked on the perfect solid lotion recipe. It's amazing how much my scientific brain loves this stuff. You see you have to balance the oils, waxes, and butters to make the perfect consistency. Too much oil and it's a goopy mess. Too much wax and it's like a crayon. What you want to achieve is a solid that melts slowly when it comes in contact with your skin.

Once the consistency is figured out, then you can experiment with the different ingredients, swapping one oil for another or deciding which oil should get top billing. Or which wax or which butter. . . The possibilities are endless!

Keeping in mind my goal for Osmosis products to draw moisture to your skin, I'm trying to use ingredients like those in the lip balm. I want there to be some Castor Oil in the mix. The Castor Oil is a humectant and does the job of drawing water to your skin. The other oils and butters I considered needed to be emollient, but not greasy or glossy.

So I have 3 versions of my solid lotion recipe for me to try in the next weeks. I am hoping to find something as fabulous as Osmosis lip balm to use on my hands. This is the best time of year to do the testing. The air is cold and dry. My hands are constantly being washed to keep from the many germs looking for a place to call home. Combine it all together and my hands can get downright flaky or worse - my skin actually can hurt.

I'll let you know how it goes and if there is any potential for a new product from Osmosis in the future. If anyone wants to volunteer to test the solid lotions, let me know!

Be Patient!

2010-01-07T15:11:00.006-06:00

I am waiting - on this cold, blustery, snowy Winter day - for the UPS man.

I know he's coming because the tracking email told me my package was out for delivery.

Why is it that it is so hard to wait, especially since I know it's on it's way?

If I could tell my dog, she'd be sitting by the door waiting, too.

He's a good UPS man. He ALWAYS remembers to bring her a treat. And believe me, she knows it! She hears him toot the horn as he backs into the driveway and she races me to the door.

The problem with today, is that it's cold, blustery, and snowy. Mix it all together and you get a winter weather advisory at minimum, a blizzard at worst. And I know the roads are bad because I was foolishly driving on them today (I had to head to Staples for more labels!)

In the box on it's way to me will be a variety of packaging for new products. You see, I have it in my head to try my hand at creating a solid lotion for Osmosis. I did experiment with one recipe while my sister was here for Christmas. She took that sample home with her. I'm not sold on that recipe and will be working to perfect a recipe that will keep my hands from drying out during the cold months here in Minnesota.

In the meantime, I sit and wait... wondering if my box will even make it to me today.

Did You Get Osmosis for Christmas?

2009-12-26T21:32:00.003-06:00

Lip balm is a favorite stocking stuffer for Santa. Everyone needs it and it fits so nicely in the stockings.
I happen to know that Santa picked up some Osmosis from me just for this purpose and I'm wondering if anyone who found it in their stockings (or wrapped as a gift) have wandered here to my blog to find out more about Osmosis.

If you are here for the first time... Welcome!
I started to keep this blog back in May. It's a fun way for me to document the happenings of my little business. If you go back to those first posts from May, you find some background info on how I got started making lip balm and why I call my brand Osmosis.

What I love best about Osmosis is that it doesn't just sit on my lips and keep the dry air away like many commercial brands. Because Castor oil is the main ingredient, moisture is actually being drawn to my lips when I wear Osmosis. You see Castor oil is a humectant. A humectant is a substance that draws moisture from the air to it and holds it there.

Here is a list of my favorite ingredients and why I use them:

Castor Oil : a humectant made from the oil of the Castor bean
Jojoba Oil: a liquid wax from the jojoba seed, absorbed easily by the skin (pronounce ho-HO-ba)
Cocoa Butter: a stable fat from the cacao bean (the same bean we get chocolate from)
Shea Butter: an emollient oil from the Shea tree nut
Honey: thought to be a humectant and used medicinally throughout the ages
Vitamin E: an anti-oxidant that helps to extend the life of the product by keeping the oils and fats from oxidizing (going rancid)

Osmosis is free of preservatives and petroleum-based ingredients. I cannot call them vegan because the honey and beeswax are technically from an animal. I cannot tell you the percentage of the product that is organic, however some of my suppliers do send organic ingredients.

A note on shelf-life:

Osmosis is made in small batches by hand. I do not "stock" my lip balms because I want them to be made with the freshest ingredients. All of my balms and glosses are dated on the bottom of the tube. The date on the bottom of the tube refers to the date on which it was made.

The shelf-life of your Osmosis will depend on how it is used and stored. To extend the life of the product, store it in a cool, dark location. Some users have told me they even keep it in the fridge (especially the clear glosses).

If the consistency or smell of the product changes, please discard and purchase a new one. The main problem will be with the oils going rancid. Bacteria is not likely to grow because they need water to grow and Osmosis does not contain water. Despite the lack of water, it is not recommended that you share your Osmosis to avoid the spread of germs.

I have some tubes of Osmosis that are still good after a year, and others that changed after a few months. Play it safe and replace as soon as the consistency and smell changes.

I truly hope you enjoy using Osmosis. I'm open to all of your comments. Please leave them in the comments space on the side bar to the left.

If you are a fan of Osmosis, I encourage you to join the Osmosis fan community on Facebook. (Occasionally, I offer specials through the fan page.) There is a place to leave a review and give Osmosis a rating on the fan page. Just click on the tab called "Reviews".

To order more, you can send me an email or head to my Artfire studio by clicking on the link at the side bar.

Thanks for visiting and check back again to see what's happening at Osmosis!

Scoping out the Competition

2009-11-30T20:44:00.004-06:00

Ran over to About Face for their Pink Monday sale today (15% off everything in the store... and I just ran out of Mineral Veil - what luck!) While I was over there, I stopped in a gift shop nearby.

Now this is an almost famous gift shop downtown. People love to to get things there for those who have it all. Fun, bright assortments of everything you didn't know you needed! A co-worker had told me that the store sold locally made lip balm. She thought maybe I could get my Osmosis in there, too. I had an idea of whose lip balm this would be, but I thought I'd check it out for myself. It is such a fun store... with little pictures of kids with food all over their faces and the words "Smile, your on camera" placed strategically all over the store. I found some bath products (made locally by the person I had imagined would sell lip balm there), but no lip balm.

I thought I'd make it out without buying something, but a little something caught my eye and will be sent to my mom for Christmas.

As I was checking out, low and behold... lip balm... locally made... (by that same person mentioned earlier)... $5.95 (per tube).

To buy it and try it is the question... but to spend that much when I love Osmosis so... Dilemma.

Black Friday (thru Sunday) Special

2009-11-27T19:41:00.006-06:00

For my awesome fans of Osmosis, I am offering my own deal for this special pricing weekend.

Order any of the Seasons colored glosses and get one Honey Butter Balm for free!

1:1, 2:2, 3:3, so on and so on and so on...

All you have to do is send me an email with your order. Tell me which Seasons you want and I'll throw in the Honey Butters for free!

If I need to ship them to you, I will need you to cover the $.25 extra shipping for the Honey Butter Balm.

Here's a recap of my pricing system:

Clear Glosses or Balms are $2.75 each
Seasons Colored Glosses are $4.25 each

If you buy any combination of 2 or more, you will save $.25 on each.

If it needs to be shipped to you, you pay $1.75 for the first tube and $.25 for each after that. Never more than $5.00 for shipping, though.

Send me an email with your order at osmosis4lips@gmail.com
before midnight on Sunday, November 29, 2009!

Success at the Fairs

2009-11-18T09:12:00.010-06:00

Last Friday, the 13th, I spent the day getting ready for my first craft fair. I had my table set up in time for dinner. I don't remember what I ate for dinner though... I was in a fog that day.... too many butterflies!

Thank the Lord that my sister, Holly, came to help keep an eye on my kids and, more importantly, an eye on me. She came up with the idea to use bed sheets for table covers. (She watches a lot of Create T.V.) She's generally more artistic than me too, so it was nice that she was there to approve my set up (and fix my Christmas tree). Thanks, Holly!

Saturday morning I was off to the civic center at 7:10am with my product and way too much change. The morning started off pretty slow and I did feel a little discouraged now and then. Eventually, the traffic picked up, yet the customers were not walking around with many bags. I hate to blame it on the economy because everything gets blamed on that...

My husband, mother-in-law, and sister came to relieve me with food and a much needed potty break. My mother-in-law, Joyce, is an excellent sales rep for Osmosis. She loves to chat with people and my table was always busiest when she was there. Thanks, Joyce!

All in all, it was a good day. I got my name out there and I've already had a few orders come in from those who bought that day or friends of people who bought that day. Hopefully, Osmosis will continue to grow from word of mouth. I did sell 50 tubes and 2 Season Packs that day.

I also had a winner for the drawing for the Osmosis bag and a Season Pack. Joan Bauer was so excited to win and she was an actual customer, too. Her daughter, Pat, picked up the prize for her yesterday. I hope you enjoy it, Joan!

As tired as I was at the end of Saturday, I knew I needed to prepare for my Sunday expo in Pine Island. (Not to mention getting ready to teach Sunday School in the morning.) My sister and I wound down by watching "The Proposal" and then I was off to bed.

Sunday's expo was much smaller and only a half day. It wasn't advertised extensively and it was the first time they had done it. It was a bargain for the table and I couldn't really pass it up. I had plenty of product to sell, too. I did manage to sell 10 tubes and 2 Season Packs at that expo. Plus, other "expo people" know who I am now and I get invitations to other expos. I have not decided if I want to continue with the expos yet. I'm ready for a little break from that.

Now, remember that I made over 250 tubes of Osmosis for these fairs! Don't worry about those! I had some orders waiting for me to fill after the fairs (one for 20 tubes, thanks Deanna!) Some people out there will be getting some pretty sweet stocking stuffers and Secret Santa gifts. I'll be sending out some surprise treats to some friends of Libbie's, too. Thanks, Libbie!

Let me know if you need anything for Christmas! I can always make more, but I have plenty in stock, too.

Thank you to every fan for spreading the word about Osmosis - God bless you all!

A Tisket, A Tasket, a Green & Balm-Filled Basket!

2009-11-08T21:58:00.005-06:00

I have been working hard to prepare for my first Craft Show. I have made more than 250 tubes of Osmosis to bring with me on Saturday, November 14 to the Mayo Civic Center. It's the Mayo Clinic Employee Craft Fair. It's free to the public and there are tons and tons of handmade items to buy!

I will have all 5 of my basic flavors available in both balms and glosses. I will have all four of the Seasons colored glosses. Plus, I will have two special flavors just for the season: Fall Spice and Cherry Soda.

Fall Spice, smells like, well, spices found in traditionally fall things like pies, mmm

Cherry Soda, smells like Big Red pop, mmmm

These two flavors will be available as balms at the craft fair, but you can order them as a gloss if you wish. They will be around until Christmas. Don't miss your chance to get them!

Oh, and here is a sneak peek into my lab-or-a-tory ;)

I just have some displays to work on for my table and I've got to get sewing on the Osmosis bag for the drawing... I'll be sure to post pictures of my table and how I'll have it set up!

Introductory Pricing Nearing It's End

2009-10-29T21:32:00.002-05:00

FYI to those of you Osmosis fans itching to try one of the colorful Seasons... The introductory pricing will end on November 13, 2009. That's Friday the Thirteenth - one of my "lucky" days. Being born on the 13th that fell on a Friday, I've always thought it a special day for me. No superstitions here!

As with anything introductory, the introduction needs to end. This date has been chosen because on November 14th, I will have my first public sale of Osmosis at the Mayo Clinic Craft Fair. I'd like to have everything priced to offer me some fair compensation for my time and effort making Osmosis. Don't worry, I'm not looking to gouge your pocketbooks... And the price of the regular balms and glosses will remain the same.

So, for now and until November 13, balms and glosses (including the Seasons) will be $2.75 ($2.50 if ordering more than one). After November 13, the price for the Seasons will increase.

If you'd like to place an order prior to November 13, head to the Artfire studio or send me an email.

Don't Miss Your Chance!

2009-10-21T20:20:00.003-05:00

My friend Libbie at The Middlest Sister is celebrating the kick-off of her blog by giving away a set of Osmosis! Don't miss your chance to score some free Osmosis while checking out a super cute blog. Details at The Middlest Sister.

Autumn Color at it's Peak!

2009-10-21T19:59:00.007-05:00

Much like the season has been this year in MN, the color took a while to get here. I've been really appreciating the bright colored leaves this year because it's been so rainy and dreary. How blessed are we that God is such an artist!

Here is the long awaited launch of Autumn! Sorry it took so long. A few friends got a sneak peak at homecoming a few weeks ago. I'm happy to say they are pleased with the color. It is a brown-red color that reminds me of a dewy oak leaf in the fall. I hope you like it!

Send me an email if you want to place an order or visit the Artfire studio.

Free Stuff!

2009-10-10T00:17:00.002-05:00

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a bargain hunter. Boy did I get a great offer in the mail today. After submitting my business name to the State, I have been getting - well - junk mail. It hasn't been too overwhelming and today it paid off. I got a mailing from Vistaprint.com which is a printing company. They had a bunch of free trial products listed in the mailing. Intrigued, I went to the website to see what the catch was. There was a little bit of pushing for their products, but in the end I really did get free samples. Not just junkie, random samples, but pens, key chains, business cards, magnets, labels, and brochures with MY LOGO on them! I am so excited! I can't wait to get them in the mail... after all, if you know I'm a bargain hunter, you also know how much I love paper/stationary products. Another bonus to all of this is that I will have business cards to hand out at my craft fair and expo next month :) Can't wait!

Autumn is Slow in Coming

2009-09-24T15:08:00.003-05:00

Much like our extended Indian Summer... My color for Autumn/Fall is delayed. I worked on the second try for color last night. I haven't decided my feelings on it yet. Part of the problem is that being a "Winter" myself, the color does not complement my skin tone. I think I may need to ask some friends for their opinions on this one. I may try whipping up Autumn version 3 first though. My goal is to have this color done by next week when I can unveil it for my friends at Homecoming!

Fall is around the Corner

2009-09-15T18:35:00.002-05:00

As you know, I'm planning to add an Autumn (or Fall, as I find myself calling it) color to the line of colored glosses. I received a package from one of my suppliers yesterday and despite being super busy, I set off to try Fall #1. The first batch came out a little browner than I thought it would. It is more of a rusty, brick red. I'm going to play with the recipe and see what other colors I can create. The best color will win the honor of being called Fall (just because I can't seem to call it Autumn). Hopefully, I'll have Fall in time for Fall!
Ok, maybe it will be Autumn in time for Fall?
Name and color to be determined.... soon!

Clean Up

2009-09-07T13:31:00.001-05:00

I had various small bowls with my experiments taking up room on my counter. So before I sent my sister on her way, I melted them up and poured them in tubes and sent them with her. You just never know what you're going to go home with when you visit my house!

Osmosis is in the Bag

2009-08-30T10:59:00.005-05:00

This is my first draft of the bag I will be offering along with 3 tubes of Osmosis at the Mayo Craft Fair on November 14th. It will be a drawing... hopefully "drawing" people to my table to check out what Osmosis is all about.

I had some trouble with the transfer paper for the logo. Hopefully that will be fixed when I buy new transfer paper. I already have all the fabric cut for the give-away bag. I just need to apply the transfer and then I can start sewing.

Who doesn't love Winter?

2009-08-28T17:59:00.005-05:00

It is official, and as much as I dislike typing the words: Winter Is Here!

Of course I wouldn't be this excited if it was the Winter weather I was talking about... but I love the Winter color added to the Osmosis line of colored glosses.

I've heard people describe it as a wine or plum color. It reminds me of a lipstick I used to wear a long, long time ago called Raspberry Ice. It is much darker than Spring and Summer.

I hope you like it, too! Let me know what you think.

Supply Run

2009-08-27T19:14:00.002-05:00

I had to make a run to the Good Food Store to pick up some supplies before I get started fulfilling orders today. Needed to restock on Jojoba oil, Cocoa Butter, and Stevia. Thankfully, they've always had it in stock when I needed it! Now to work on making some Osmosis!

Spring Has Sprung!

2009-08-21T21:45:00.007-05:00

It is official, Spring is here and here to stay! Spring is the second in my line of colored glosses. For those who have had their colors analyzed, you know the difference between Spring and Summer. Summer is in the "warm" family along with Fall. Spring is in the "cool" family along with Winter.

Summer is a warm shimmery color. It really works well with tan skin. I have heard it described as a coral beige. It is a light, young color. Summer's scent is a fruity, flowery scent - a top note of rose.

Spring is a cool, sheer pink. It has a blue undertone to it which gives it it's coolness. It is a fresh, light color. It almost matches my hydrangea exactly! Spring's scent is also a fruity, flowery scent, but a sweeter scent.

I am currently working on adding an Autumn and Winter to the collection. Once I get those perfected, I will let you know!

Test Listing

2009-08-13T16:35:00.003-05:00

I posted a test listing at my Artfire Studio today. Facebook Fans of Osmosis were encouraged to hop on over to the studio to pick up my test listing. The first fan to get there got free shipping! Congrats to Kelle for being a quick clicker!

The purpose of the test listing was to discover any glitches in the orders process. Kelle was very helpful and forwarded me an error message she got from PayPal. I think I may have that fixed, so keep your eyes peeled for more test listings! Facebook fans will get notification once the listing is up - so if you haven't fanned Osmosis yet, what are you waiting for?!

To get to the Artfire Studio, click on the Artfire link on this page. Or go to:http://www.artfire.com/modules.php?name=Shop&seller_id=38900

24 tubes in 24 hours

2009-08-09T22:26:00.001-05:00

Cocoa

2009-08-09T20:16:00.003-05:00

I had run across a recipe for lip balm using cocoa powder to give it a chocolate flavor. I, of course, thought it best to come up with my own version. It was just a trial run to see what would happen. I ended up with what looks like a tube full of fudge. It really doesn't smell like chocolate, so right there it loses some of it's appeal. It does color the lips brown in a transparent sort of way. It's still glossy and does it's job... I just don't think it has great appeal to the masses. I may try again another day.

Craft Fair

2009-08-04T20:45:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow I register for my first craft fair. The fair isn't until November, so I have lots of time to perfect my lip balm making. It is $35 per table. I'm hoping to get at least one person to share the table with me. I've already asked a couple people and they're thinking about it. Seems like I could never fill a table with my lip balm, plus I don't know what kind of profits I'll make after the cost of the table. Most importantly, though, it would be nice to have someone to talk to during the down times.

Today was the 2nd issue of my legal notice for my certificate of assumed name. I should be getting the go ahead (and a nice bill) sometime soon.

Math

2009-07-26T19:34:00.002-05:00

I'm doing some computing today. I got a small electronic scale from my father-in-law so I could figure out my cost per tube of lip balm/gloss. Very interesting! I think I'll have my husband double check my numbers... but it's looking good. The best news for my customers is that I will be able to keep my pricing the way it is and include the tax! 1 for $2.75 and 2 for $5.00 (subject to change).

Getting Closer

2009-07-23T16:55:00.002-05:00

I'm getting closer to getting this business up and running. I got my certificate of assumed name from the secretary of state this week. Since then, I've applied for my tax I.D. number (which is done online and quite fast). I dropped off my certificate of assumed name at a local paper so they could run it in the legal section. In about two weeks, it'll be official.

Behind the scenes, I'm getting ready to open my Artfire Studio. I've drafted my studio page and added my logo :) I'm doing some research on envelopes and mailing cost. I'm going to do my best to keep the shipping as low as I can... especially for such a small, inexpensive product.

I also continue to research about FDA regulations and taxes. Those are the scariest things about this whole lip balm business. There is so much to read and learn about. I hope I won't make too many mistakes, but I anticipate there will be some made.

Logo

2009-07-19T21:55:00.003-05:00

I've been playing with MS Paint today to see if I'm creative enough to make my own logo. What do you think?

Assumed Name

2009-07-15T13:49:00.003-05:00

I just put it in the mailbox. I will soon know if I can run my lip balm business under the assumed name of Osmosis.

A preliminary check shows no other businesses in MN with the name Osmosis... so chances are great that I'll be able to use it.

I just need to be patient now and wait for word from the Secretary of State. Then I have to run the info in the legal section of the newspaper for 2 consecutive issues.

After that, I can apply for my tax ID and then I should be able to accept your orders!
Thank you for being so patient while I work through all these legalities :)

Who Knew?

2009-07-13T19:58:00.003-05:00

Doing a little research on FDA guidelines. I'm afraid that Osmosis falls under the category of drug instead of cosmetic, even if i don't tout the SPF in Summer.

Man, this is much more complicated than I ever imagined.

People like my lip balm. They want to have it. I don't want to pay for it all.

I think the problem is that I want to do it right. I bet all those sellers on Etsy and Artfire have never even thought about FDA labeling rules and regulations.

To sell or not to sell, that is the question.

4th of July

2009-07-04T20:05:00.006-05:00

4th of July may be a holiday for some, but I'm busy making Osmosis! I've made 3 batches and one was a double batch. I've got fresh Florida lip balm and lip gloss as well as Summer. I also poured my first "tester." Now people will be able to smell and touch the product before purchasing.

Experimenting with the Summer. I had a little separation action happening with the tube of Summer I've been using. I wonder if this is from the honey. This time I left out the honey and used a little Stevia to sweeten it up. Didn't quite make the full 2 tubes, though. We'll see if it works better.

If you have found your gloss or balm to separate or leak honey, please let me know!

Almost dark now, so time to head outside for fireworks!

Happy 4th of July! And a big thanks to all who have served and are serving our country.

Facebook Fan Page

2009-07-02T23:51:00.003-05:00

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000080706423#/pages/Osmosis/94552619723

Now you can show off your love for Osmosis by joining the Fan Page on Facebook!

You can have the latest news from Osmosis in your newsfeed on your FB page. You'll be the first to know when the store is up and running :)

You can also leave comments about the product on the Osmosis Page.

Secured Name for Artfire

2009-07-02T17:06:00.002-05:00

Although my shop is not set up yet, I was able to register as Osmosis on ArtFire.com. I am excited about this! For as obsure a name as Osmosis, it has been difficult to claim as my own. For instance, for this blog or my email, osmosis was already taken so I had to use osmosis4lips. Not that that is bad... it has the brand and description all in one... but I'm excited that my shop will have my brand name - unmodified!

Art Fire

2009-06-28T18:44:00.002-05:00

I have stumbled across a possible online selling venue for my lip balms. The well-known Etsy has tons of lip balm for sale. It concerns me that mine won't stand out. Not to mention, they get a commission on everything I sell.

The new venue, ArtFire.com, on the other hand is still in beta form, having just started last year. There are a few familiar lip balms from Etsy, but much less of them. The biggest bonus is that I will be able to list my items for free and owe Art Fire nothing when my product sells.

I'm getting so much closer to getting this business up and running. Still waiting for my small business guide to come in the mail, though. I want to be sure I do this the right way!

Thank you for the support and patience of everyone who loves Osmosis!

Hot Pocket Test

2009-06-20T21:44:00.002-05:00

Took my Florida balm with me to a cookout this evening and carried it in my front pocket. I don't normally carry lip balm in my pocket, but I know a lot of people who do. I thought I should check out how well it withstands the heat. I am proud to proclaim that it withstood the hot pocket test! There was no separating or leaking and it was a good warm day outside, high humidity and all. It probably handled the heat better than I did!

I'm not sure if the glosses will do as well in the heat. I'll have to try that test later.

Note: It is not recommended to leave Osmosis lip balms and glosses in hot locations (think: car-in-summer) for long periods of time. If the consistency changes or the scent changes, please discontinue use and order a new one.

Summer with SPF

2009-06-20T10:08:00.005-05:00

Say hello to Summer!

This girly lip gloss has a little bit of shimmer and color.

The biggest deal with this one is the sun protection factor. The active ingredient is Titanium Dioxide. At approximately 10%, this lip gloss has an SPF of between 8 and 11.

Titanium Dioxide is a mineral used as a sunblock because it refracts light and absorbs UV rays. It is a very common sunblock, even gentle enough to use in children's sunblocks - check some of your sunblock labels!

Because Titanium Dioxide is a white opaque mineral, I've added some mica for color and shimmer.

Sorry to the guys, I don't have a lip balm with SPF for you yet!

Oooo La La!

2009-06-19T22:52:00.002-05:00

I know it's too late at night to be experimenting, but I've just made 3 tubes of Summer!

My latest shipment came with the supplies to make lip balm with SPF and a little color. It also came with a new scent/flavor. I could resist the package no longer! Life should never be too busy to make lip balm!

This product is really for the girls! It's glossy and shimmery and desires to be with you as you sit by the lake!

Can't wait to see how it looks come daytime... it's loving the nightlife.

Pics to be posted soon!
Welcome Summer!

New Shipment!

2009-06-18T22:46:00.002-05:00

Just received a new shipment which included a new fragrance/flavor. I also now have the supplies needed to attempt a lip balm with SPF & maybe a little bit of color! Can't wait to try it out!

Customer Feedback

2009-06-13T16:47:00.004-05:00

Please leave your comments here by clicking on "comments" below.

I have added a ratings scale below as well. So, include in your comments a rating between 1 & 5 stars!

New Flavor!

2009-06-12T17:12:00.003-05:00

I was excited to try this new flavor. It is inspired by Cathy at work. When Cathy peels into an orange, she brings the peel to her nose and inhales deeply. She says the smell wakes her up!

When I made the lip balm and gloss today, I asked my husband and 1st born what they thought it smelled like (without telling them what it is supposed to smell like).

My husband said it smelled like South Dakota...?

My son said it smelled like lemons. When I asked him if it was closer to an orange scent, he agreed and said it smelled like citrus.

So, I've decided to name the scent "Florida." If you think it smells like something else, please comment below! I can't wait to hear what you think!

Shipment Came!

2009-06-09T10:44:00.007-05:00

My shipment of supplies came yesterday in time for me to whip up 6 tubes before heading to mom's for a couple days. She had requested some to give away. She's my personal lip balm rep - passing on samples in the hopes of causing addiction and potential sales.

Most of this batch is going with her to Colorado this week for our family out there.

I made 3 Agave Sugar Balms (mom's favorite) and 3 Natural Honey Butter (no artificial flavor).

I also tried out the shrinkwrap. Now they are ready to be sold!

When I get home, I'll be trying out my new flavor... name to be announced later!

Feeling Discouraged

2009-06-06T22:16:00.002-05:00

I just looked through 161 pages of results of lip balm at etsy.com! That's a lot of lip balm.

Etsy is a site where people can sell their homemade creations. It would be a great site for me to start selling my lip balm to people other than friends and family.

What can I do to make my lip balm stand out amongst the big, huge crowd of others?

I have tried to keep my labels simple so they could cross gender lines. I'm limited to black and white labels for now.

There were some pretty cool labels on some balms on Etsy. At no time in my life did I have an inkling to be a graphic arts person, but it would be helpful right about now.

Waiting...

2009-06-05T14:48:00.002-05:00

Trying to wait for my shipment of ingredients. Really wish I could be making lip balm today.

Fresh Batch

2009-05-28T12:54:00.003-05:00

This is Agave Sugar Lip Gloss. 1st Batch, we'll see if it's as big of a hit as the Agave Sugar Lip Balm!

Gotta wait until a new shipment of lip balm supplies comes before making any more...

SPF no go so far

2009-05-27T21:47:00.003-05:00

Stopped by the Good Food Store on my way home tonight to check and see if they would have zinc oxide. Unfortunately they do not. I'll have to do some more checking online to see if I can find a smaller amount. A pound is just too much when you don't know how it will go.
While I was there I decided to get a bit more jojoba oil. That is one of the spendier ingredients, I must say, but worth it.

Hoping to get a batch of Agave Sugar Lip Gloss made tomorrow!

Burt's Bees

2009-05-25T14:38:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I found my tube of Burt's Bees and thought I'd give it a chance overnight. Brushed my teeth and then applied - like I do every night. The texture was definitely balmy and not glossy. For a second I thought I might have some real competition.

Then the fragrance (or flavor, if you can call it that) hit my nose. At first my brain really wanted to think it was the smell of honey, but one cannot outsmart one's sense of smell. I realized, as I lay in bed trying to fall asleep, that what I was smelling was reminding me of a popular deodorant scent often called powder fresh. I know lots of people love to use the baby powder scented deodorant and I am not knocking it. I personally don't care for the smell unless it is associated with a baby's cute behind. So right under my nose as I drifted off to la la land, was the smell of someones armpit... more specifically, right on my lips.

This morning I thought maybe it had been my imagination, or that all the fresh air from yesterday must have skewed my sense of smell. I attempted to give it another try (after brushing my teeth) but I popped off the cap and decided as it neared my nose that I needed to recap it. Agave Sugar it will be today, my friends.

Brand Name Lip Balm

2009-05-24T23:04:00.003-05:00

So far in my little lip balm poll, Burt's Bees has the lead with 50% of the vote. Honestly this doesn't suprise me. I hear people talking about Burt's Bees all the time and see it almost everywhere I shop. I haven't tried it, YET - but I do have a tube I got as a gift tucked away somewhere. I think it's time to find it and see what the hype is all about. Can't imagine it's better than mine ;)

Time to Order

2009-05-21T22:05:00.002-05:00

It's time for me to order more supplies. I need more lip balm tubes. I think I'll order some shrink wrap for the tubes, too. They will keep the new separated from the old and will help protect the labels.

I'll probably throw in a new flavor with the order, too. Anyone have any favorites?

SPF?

2009-05-17T14:50:00.002-05:00

Today I am researching how to make lip balm with some sun protection factor. Seems the appropriate thing to do since summer is upon us (And because I'm noticing freckles on my lips). So far, I've found some interesting info on zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. I just need to find out if the Good Food store sells it. I'd prefer to try it before I buy a pound of it.

2nd Label Attempt

2009-05-16T13:29:00.003-05:00

Here is the result of my second attempt at labels. The "O" in osmosis was cut off of about half of them. I think I can fix that though. I'll keep trying...

BTW... this one is for my dear friend, Pam!

First Attempt at Labels

2009-05-15T14:44:00.004-05:00

This was my first attempt at labels. I've got to perfect them still so they will print better. Working on it....

No.1 = balm

No.2 = gloss

Please feel free to leave comments below.

First Flavors

2009-05-15T14:18:00.003-05:00

Currently there are four flavors available:

Honey Butter (natural), Agave Sugar, Cookie Dough, & Macaroon

Favorite Ingredients

2009-05-15T13:52:00.003-05:00

Castor Oil - A humectant from the castor seed.

Jojoba Oil - A liquid wax from the jojoba seed. (pronounced ho-HO-ba)

Cocoa Butter -A stable fat from the cacao bean.

Shea Butter - An emollient from the Shea nut.

Honey - Thought to be a humectant.

Vitamin E - A natural preservative.

Brand Name Chosen

2009-05-15T13:02:00.000-05:00

Osmosis was chosen for the brand name for my lip balm because it applies to the product. (Not to mention, it rolls nicely off the tongue!) I was always a big fan of osmosis in science classes. God created a perfect way to balance the large amounts of water in our bodies & we named it osmosis. Unfortunately, the air is often much drier than our water-weighted bodies and osmosis draws our precious moisture from our skin. Osmosis for lips will help draw moisture back to your parched kisser and keep it there. (Wish I could come up with something for my sad flaky hands!)