June 2016 Sale

This is a little over a month away, but I wanted to get the word out in advance so I can focus on promoting the event rather than gathering the event at the last minute.

So, this June Sale features:

• Buy 3 Get 1 Free soaps and skincare products. This offer includes all soaps, lotions, clay masks, spritzers, sprays, and body oils. This does not include cosmetics such as eye shimmers.
• Buy 2 Get 1 Free lip products. This offer includes all lip balms, lip butters, lip tints, and lip glosses. 
• 1 Free gift at random will be sent with every purchase. Even if you do buy a cosmetic item, you will still get a free gift. You will also receive a free gift even if you buy only 1 or 2 items. This free gift is chosen at random by me. It could be a lip balm, a soap, a lotion, a spray, an eye shimmer, or even a gift certificate to use in the Etsy store. It's a surprise! 

The offers included in the June Sale will not be able to be combined with previous offers. If you wish to use previous discounts that are still valid, they will need to be applied to orders before or after the sale and before they expire if they have an expiration date.

The sale will start June 17th at 9 am and end on June 19th at midnight. This will be the last sale we have for a while. 

The lip tints, new lip balms, new lip butters and lip glosses will go live in the Etsy store over the next couple of weeks. So, check back for those!

www.etsy.com/shop/EarthnMoon

Hope to see you all in June at our sale event! Happy shopping!

Cheers!

Kristine 

Featured Item of the Week: Apple Martini Lip Balm

Our featured item of the week is our new Apple Martini lip balm. Now, I will have to admit that I did not expect these to do so well. These are going fast! I am now down to a few and will be making these today.

They don't smell at all like alcohol like I thought they would. I held off making these because when I opened the flavoring bottle I got from my vendor, it smelled like straight alcohol and I didn't want to waste my lip balm tubes and ingredients. Well, I'm glad I took a chance and made a small batch.

When the flavoring is mixed with the other ingredients, the green apple really shines through better and smells and tastes pleasant, not grossly synthetic like the green apple candies you get from the grocery store.

I don't like anything green apple flavored, but this Apple Martini flavor is the best I've come across so far.

I also have other lip balms in Blackberry, Black Cherry, Honey & Clove, and Mango Margarita. However, out of the lip balms I have made, the most popular ones are

• Apple Martini
• Mango Margarita
• Lemongrass
• Blackberry

In fact, it seems that my lip balms are as equally popular as the soaps. I do get a lot of compliments on the texture of the balms. Unfortunately, I can not give away my recipe for these lip balms. However, I can tell you what's in them:

• Coconut Oil
• White Beeswax
• Apricot Kernel Oil
• Vitamin E Oil
• Olive Oil
• Flavoring or Essential Oil

That's it! No preservatives, no fillers, no weird ingredients you can't pronounce. Why no preservatives? Well, you don't need a preservative for mixtures with oils and waxes. If there is no water-oil emulsification, then there is no specific need for a preservative. Why use one when you don't need to? These lip balms will last a year just as the soaps will.

So, stop by the store and grab you some to try out for yourself. I will be making more of these this week.

Make sure to stop back by my blog to check out my next post on making lip gloss where I will be making lip gloss and show you how I make them. Yes, it will include a recipe so you can try your hand at making a fabulous lip gloss for yourself!

Cheers!

Kristine

New Items

We've gone ahead and started our new soap cupcakes. The ones we have made so far are called Tea in the Garden. They're scented with a blend of Black Tea, Green Tea & Cucumber, and Peppermint.

I am going to start posting more towards the product aspect of Earth N Moon rather than the personal/business experience side. If you want a more in-depth blog, there may be a future personal blog. For now, I will just be speaking about my items.

While I want to voice my opinions and experiences on certain things, I'd like to keep my focus on my products and off of myself right now.

My products are currently being featured in an awesome new hair salon located in uptown Roxboro, NC called The Room. So, if you are in the Roxboro area, if you're looking for a cut, color, and style, go see Jessica Brandon or Jessica Wesley to get your hair done. While you're up there, grab a couple of my soaps or some of the other great products from the other vendors featured there.

My next post will be about my new lip balms, lip colors, glosses, and eye shadows. I may even post a recipe/tutorial in there if I feel well enough. Lately, I have been feeling sick and just need to rest this evening.

So, thank you for following. I hope you are enjoying my posts and I hope to see you again soon!


Cheers!
Kristine

Vendors Be Cautious

So, I just wanted to post this idea out there for vendors who have had a similar situation. This is just some food for thought... I had a woman contact me about selling my products in her new store about wanting wholesale prices. So, being that I'm already signed up with An Artisan's Emporium in Roxoboro, I wanted to know what this new store was about and to do my research first (always do your research first!). Plus, I wanted to keep my arranged agreement updated as they have a right to know. Anyway, so I asked normal questions such as "what is the name and location of the store?" and "what items are you interested in?". I got a response back that stated she was interested in soaps, hair, and skin products. Anything organic for the body. She also mentioned that they were not disclosing the name of the store until construction was complete, but that the building was located in downtown Greensboro, NC. So, there were red flags all over this:

1. The main red flag--Even though construction is not complete, I have a right as a seller to know who and where my products are being sold. The fact that she is not willing to disclose the name of the store regardless of whether or not construction is complete is a big NO for me especially since I am in a contractual agreement with a local store in Roxboro.
2. The fact that I asked her which of my products she was interested in for me to give her wholesale prices and she did not give me a list of any of my products makes me suspicious. It tells me that she did not even look at my products on my store page. 
3. She did not respond after I told her I was in a contractual agreement with another store and needed to update them on other venues where I am selling.

So, I just let it go. 

My point is to just be careful when someone sends you a message and wants to do business with you. My tips for being fair to yourself and prospective business partners is

• Research your prospective business partner. Are they an actual business? Do they have a physical location? Ask for their address and business name. Don't be afraid to ask for this information, You, as a vendor, have a right to know about the possible venue where your items are being sold.
• If you feel like you are being pressured into something, think twice before you say "yes". Don't feel obligated or pressured into a sale or business proposal. Depending on the situation, it may not be in your best interest. Think about it before you do it.
• With the previous bullet, look at all of the factors before signing on. Is the business well-known? Do they have a lot of good reviews? Pay attention to the attitude of your prospective business partner. Will they represent your items well when you're not around? Remember, just because someone else may be selling your products, the people who are selling your items for you are also representing your brand. Customers and potential customers usually don't differentiate between physical store and what is carried in the store. So, if your customer or potential customer has a bad experience at the store where your products are being sold, it could result in a potential customer loss. It just depends on situations and customers. However, with that being said, a lot of times, you won't know if a customer has had a bad experience unless the customer expresses through personal complaint, social media, or other way.
• Make sure all of your questions are answered upfront before making a decision. Get all of the details on fees, booth/spot costs, payment dispersal, etc.

I am sure there may be some more that come to mind. So, if I think of any more, I will update this post.

Hoping this helps my vendor friends and followers!

Cheers!

Kristine

Lotions

I am now making lotions. I actually like making these more than the soaps. Okay, maybe that was a little lie. I really like making my soaps but making lotions is easy and the best part about it-you only need to let them set a couple hours before using them.

So, I wanted to talk about lotions today because I will have to use a preservative in order to keep mold and germs from growing in the lotions I make. Now, I know people see the word 'preservative' and they automatically think the worst. They're immediately turned off of a product because of the preservatives. There are all sorts of preservatives that are actually FDA approved and safe for the prevention of mold and bacteria growth in handmade products.

For example, in the Lavender & Basil lotion I made the other night, I used the preservative, Phenonip. Phenonip is a broad spectrum preservative that prevents the growth of mold, bacteria, and any other nasties that could grow in the lotion. Does it contain parabens? Yes, it does. I do have the option of using a paraben-free, formaldehyde-free preservative called Optiphen. However, putting things into perspective, I am selling these lotions and I do not want people to get sick or use a moldy product. So, to be safe, I do use preservatives in my lotions and I do not feel comfortable budging on this.

If you are looking for an all natural, preservative-free lotion, there are tons of DIY recipes online. However, they will not keep as well or as long as the handmade lotions with preservatives. Most of the recipes online for natural, preservative-free recipes will last 2 weeks if that. You will also need to refrigerate your lotion if you opt to not use an FDA approved preservative.

Now, with all of this being said, there are a few myths about natural preservatives. Grapefruit Seed Extract, Rosemary Extract, Vitamin E Oil, Tea Tree Essential Oil, and any other essential oil that you see in natural recipes as natural preservatives are not preservatives. They will not prevent the growth of mold and bacteria although they may help prolong the shelf life of the oils used in the lotion.

So, for anyone who was curious, I do make lotions but be aware that I do use FDA approved preservatives. This is only for the lotions. I do not use preservatives in any of my other items.
If you are curious about the other items I have, look to the left of my blog and you should see a link to the store. Hoping this helps!


Cheers!
Kristine

The Change and the Tired

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tired after a busy week between the craft show, orders, school, and keeping house. I am exhausted! But, after I get this inventory done, I can take a little break for a week to relax and recharge a bit. Right now, I don't feel like doing anything! But, I know if I don't do it, it won't get done.

I think for those who are in the same position as me, the best thing to do is make time for yourself when you can. If you keep putting yourself off, you won't be able to give the other parts of your life the attention needed.

So, today, I am going to clean and reorganize my house, do inventory, and that's it! I'll worry about my new soaps later. I have time.

Oh! did I mention that my application to display my soaps in the Artisan's Emporium store was accepted? Well, it was accepted yesterday and I am so excited and busy planning an exclusive line for the store. So, I'm buzzing around like a busy bee trying to figure out which soaps to include in the store and which to keep for online sales. There will be new soaps and projects coming up as well. However, the store soaps will have different packaging and will be taller than the ones we have available now to help them stand out in the store.

So, be on the look out on here and on Facebook for those upcoming events and soap goodies!


Cheers!
Kristine

Professionalism: Language! Part I

So, as promised in my Professionalism Prologue post, I will be addressing the use of appropriate language and communication in the workplace. It's really a simple concept, just speak politely and watch what you say. However, there can be other factors and situations that can present themselves as questionable.

As someone who has worked in a retail setting with the public since I was 18 (let's see, that's 11 years! Wow....), I can tell you that it's not an easy job by any means. Sometimes you will deal with the rudest customers that belittle you and try to publicly humiliate you while other times you will come across the kindest customers that make you feel wonderful and appreciated. The important thing to remember when working with the public is not to take things personally. If a customer does try to belittle you, you just have to remember that it's not a reflection of you but of that customer and their actions.

With that being said, there are different forms of communication that are common in the workplace in which your tone and language can be misinterpreted if not taken into consideration.

Written Communication: Email, Social Media, and More

Some people many not converse with customers via email on a daily basis. However, for those who do communicate with customers constantly through email and written communication, this section is for you!

For me, sometimes I enjoy communicating through email and written communication because it allows me to take my time to think about how to respond. Since I have been a stay-at-home mom for the past two years, I have not been in contact with people on a regular basis, so I feel somewhat similar to a hermit! It does take time to get used to talking with others especially in crowds and at markets where you are trying to sell your products to people. It can be difficult for people who are introverts. You get super nervous and have all of these negative thoughts in the back of your mind that you will fail, but you just have to set that aside and move on with what you need to do.

When communicating with customers and potential customers via written communication, it is important to remember these simple guidelines:

1. Avoid ALL CAPS- Capitalizing words suggests shouting. Customers may find this offensive and you may potentially lose customers.
2. Avoid bolding words- While good intentions may have been the idea, bolding words in customer emails may give the impression that you're assuming the customer is incompetent and can't read.
3. What your tone- How on earth do you convey a tone through an email? Simple, by choice and use of words. Is your message short, clipped, or lacking the respective words 'please', 'thank you', or 'you're welcome'? Well, maybe you should reconsider the tone of your message if you said yes to any of the above. A written communication with customers should be warm, friendly, and professional. Here's an example:

Customer:

Can you send me a sample of the following soaps please:

Lemongrass

Blackberry Sage

Clear Complexion

Here is my address:

Elizabeth Johnson

123 ABC Street

Roxboro, NC 27573

Considering that you send samples upon request and this customer is female, this is an appropriate response:

You:

Mrs. Johnson,

Thank you for contacting me in regards to samples. I can certainly send these out to you. I will send these today. I will send a confirmation email once your samples have been processed and shipped. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Kristine

Owner/Operator

Simple, professional, and friendly all at the same time. No need to over-talk your customer, but provide all of the information needed. Of course, this is not the only way to present yourself in written communication, but it is just an example.

The same applies for social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

Watch for the second part of this post:
Professionalism: Language! Part II

Cheers!
Kristine