It's 2016!

Dear Osmosis Customers,

It's been a looong time since I've updated this blog.  It took me a couple tries to get the password right!

Looking back at my old posts, it appears I first posted in 2009.  At that time I had been perfecting my formulas over a year and was getting ready for my first Craft Show.  Seven years have gone by and I haven't missed the annual Mayo Clinic Employees Craft Show for six of them... even though I came close a couple times!  Remember the year my supplies came the afternoon before the show and I pulled an all-nighter?  Remember the time(s) I forgot to register for my table and had to wait on the stand-by list? And last year.  Last year, I didn't have as many choices for you because we were in the middle of moving.

This year.  This year, I just can't.  I have to say no.  We are in the middle of renovating our new house and the kitchen is gutted.  And life.  I have two teenage boys who have kept me busy since school started.  I had hoped for a reprieve at the beginning of November, but it didn't happen.  I thought I could take my supplies to someone else's kitchen and make it there.  I just can't.  There isn't time.  It took me until just today to concede.  I won't be at the Craft Show.

I'm sorry.

I know there are some customers that look for me each year at the Craft Show.  If you need your Osmosis, please reach out to me by email.  I do have a small stash left over from last year.  I will work out a deal with you if I can!

I will keep my eye out for a good Craft Show in the Spring and see what I can do to get some product together by then.  I'm praying this kitchen reno will be done by Christmas!

You can reach me at osmosis4lips@gmail.com

With Warm Regards,
Sara

What's New Fall 2012?

There are a few changes I've made this year to what I'm offering at the craft fairs.  Here's the run down:

• The ingredients list has been revised to comply with INCI 2nd edition guidelines.  This mostly impacts the name used for Vitamin E (tocopheryl acetate) and the names used for colorants.
• I've created a new vegan formula and have changed Relief to this formula and also added Lavenilla.  Both of these use essential oils.  You'll know they're different by their green caps.
• Spring has been changed by using a different colorant.  It is now a almost nude, sheer pink with no sparkle.
• Summer has been removed from the line temporarily to be redesigned.
• Shimmer has been added to the line.  Shimmer just adds sparkle, but no color.  It works great over other colors of any lip product you use.  For this reason, it is unscented.
• Pink Poppy has been replaced by Cupcake.  Cupcake is sheerer and more pink than coral, but has lots of sparkle.  It has a frosting flavor.
• Stellar Bronze has been added to the line.  It is a sheer chocolate brown with lots of sparkle.  It has a hazelnut latte flavor.
• Sweetener (stevia) has been removed from all of the colored glosses.
• The new limited edition flavor this year is:  Pina Colada!!

If you've recently bought Osmosis lip balms or glosses and have questions, please feel free to send me an e-mail at osmosis4lips@gmail.com

So Many Thoughts

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!

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!

Be Patient!

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.

Success at the Fairs

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!

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

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.

Supply Run

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!

4th of July

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.

Summer with SPF

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!

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!

Shipment Came!

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!