How did you get your start?

I started when I was pregnant with my son. I got really into handmade body products, then rediscovered glycerin soapmaking. It suits my need for instant results and creativity!

Neopolitan Soapsicle : $8.00

Do you have any formal training?

No. I just goofed around until I started figuring things out. I got a book once but it was pretty basic.

When and why did you create your business?

In February 2006 I launched a website, but then discovered Etsy which is where I did all of my business until just recently. Etsy was so much fun!

Has it changed at all since you began? How?

Oh my gosh – it’s always changing! I added a shopping cart to my own site a couple of months ago and pulled out of Etsy to try to simplify my life a bit. I’m a WAHM with 2 kids and the feverish pace of Etsy was not fitting in with my day! So now I blog and do more advertising than I used to.

Confetti Soapsicle : $8.00

What is the best part of running your own business?

Making my own hours for sure. And doing whatever I want! I was in the corporate apparel world for 10 years so I’m glad to be independent now.

and the worst?

The stress of not knowing how much profit I’ll be bringing home! Ugh!

You create so many wonderful pieces. Where does your inspiration come from?

I am inspired by many things, but mostly by images I find online and in magazines. I love fashion trends, interior design, the food network, and flickr!

Who is your favorite indie designer?

Oooooh…. tough question! Gosh, I can’t pick one. I love many designers for all different things they do. But here are a few: A Little Hut, Stoopid Girl, Pukashell Creative, Bird Nerd, Everyday is a Holiday, Kup Kup, My Paper Crane, Orange Peel Enamel, and Rik Rak Creations. There are many more! I hate to leave anyone out!

Nilla Sammie Soapsicle : $8.00

What was your most recent indie buy?

I got some awesome custom package tags letterpressed by Joie Studio for my new line called The Soap Lab. Her work really added the elegance I wanted!

What music/books/magazines are you into right now?

Domino Magazine. I love when I get a new one!!

What advice would you give to other designers that are just starting out?

Try lots of things when it comes to selling and advertising. The more you experiment, the more you’ll find the people who are really attracted to what you make. And follow your heart! Make what you love!

Candy Carousel Soapsicle : $8.00

Do you have any new projects on the horizon?

Yes, I’m writing a soapmaking tutorial book which will be published next fall, and I just launched The Soap Lab at www.thesoaplab.blogspot.com which will have my most progressive and innovative soap designs ever! Definitely different than my Soapylove Soapsicles – but don’t worry, I have lots of new styles coming up there, too!

www.soapylove.com

Pin Up Lip Balm began as a passion for design, a celebration of the femininity of women, along with the simple idea that all natural ingredients can and should be an important part of glamorous cosmetic formulations. These pin up inspired lip glosses come in a variety of flavors and each flavor has a different pin up design on the package. Every design/flavor combo is so adorable … it makes it hard to choose which one is for you!

The 8-Ball Gift Tin is perfect if you can’t decide on just one lip balm but a single tin will only run you $4! Buy them at www.pinupbalm.com

rouge aromatics offers a delicious selection of aromatic skin care and wellness products created by a certified aromatherapist. These products work! Formulated with organic and natural ingredients using only natural preservatives. No synthetic fragrances, petroleum products, or parabens.

Handcrafted skincare balms are blended with herb infused oils and organic essential oils; each balm is formulated for a specific therapeutic purpose. Bestsellers “Calm Me” to soothe upset nerves and “Soothe Me” to calm upset skin have had remarkable results for clients! Facial care products include “Rose Me” a luxurious facial elixir with organic damask rose essential oil and “Cleanse Me” a soap less face cleanser made of ground herbs and spices.

Add aromatic bliss to your day with the “Inhale Me” series of smelling salts to calm you, wake you, or decongest you. Or enjoy one of the exotic natural floral perfumes “Love Me” or “Jasmine”!

Creator Kari Morford is a certified aromatherapist completing programs with the Institute of Dynamic Aromatherapy and the Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy. Her continuing studies include botany, herbalism, natural perfumery, essential oil chemistry, French medical aromatherapy and sacred aromatics. Kari’s interest in aromatherapy grew from her years as a floral designer. Working with fragrant flowers and herbs blossomed into a strong appreciation for the power and allure of natural scents.
Site:  rouge.etsy.com

bōbÄ“ bath essentials is a fresh new face in the bath and body community. Their goal is to provide superior products at an affordable price. Who doesn’t love that?

Visit bōbē today!

Garden Girl is the new natural skin care line created by herbalists using the very best ingredients from nature. All of their products are not only soothing to the skin, but soothing to the soul. Garden Girl’s products are free of harsh chemicals and unnecessary paraben-based preservatives. They combine essential oils and extracts that address specific skin care needs while invigorating (or calming) your mood. The products are made from extremely gentle non-irritating blends.

I tried many of the products including the Starting Over natural microdermabrasion cream. It was so gentle on my skin unlike alot of the other microdermabrasion kits out there. The hand cream is also fantastic for dry and cracked hands that many of us have right now.

Site: www.gardengirlskincare.com

At the time of year when spirits are stirring and things go bump in the night, it’s difficult not to get caught up in the dark romanticism of it all. Independent perfumery Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab embraces that notion, and has stocked their online shop with potions and elixirs that, for the goth and the goth-at-heart, will make everyday feel like Halloween.

Browsing BPAL’s online catacombs, it is easy to become enchanted by their sweeping array of themed scents that run the gamut from amour to the afterlife. However, with befitting monikers such as Love Potions and Dark Elements, one can easily navigate the collections and find scents to tickle your senses with devilish delight.

Perfectly befitting autumn and its melancholy atmosphere, The Lab’s Bewitching Brews collection is rife with perfumery fit for a Queen of the Night. Thirsting for something dark & ominous? The musky undertones of The Raven could be just what you are looking for. Looking for a signature scent with a little more bite? The bitter blackness of The Lab’s Count Dracula scent promises to add a more sinister spice to your perfume repertoire.

My own gothic teeth were cut on The Cure, Bauhaus and Siouxsie & The Banshees, not to mention a steady diet of black hair dye, talcum powder and my trusty Kohl eyeliner. So, imagine my delight when taking a virtual stroll through the dizzying selection of tantalizing scents and aromatic oils found at BPAL.

Amongst the mythological and magickal concoctions, you will also find numerous limited edition scents, such as the Halloween-themed Pumpkin Patch collection. With five “delightfully strange” variations, including #2, a combination of pumpkin with cocoa, hazelnut, & walnut, there is certainly one that will appeal to you. And don’t worry – a quick search on BPAL’s user forums offers up customer reviews of each Pumpkin Patch scent so you can, indeed, find the one that appeal to your personal scent preference.

In fact, the forums are an endless source of ideas & inspiration from perfume enthusiasts who love to talk shop, experiment with and swap their BPAL stash. Seriously, I can’t think of another indie shop that has developed a cult following such as The Lab’s, one that collectively thirsts for their aromatic blends, and will gladly wait the 21-30 days it can take to process, hand-blend, package and ship orders.

The funny thing is – with such a ravenous fan base, I have to admit my curiosity is piqued. Now to whittle down my wishlist to one that won’t break my budget.

From the antiqued labels, vintage cobalt & amber vessels, and spine-chilling artwork, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab has found their niche in perfumes for the dark-at-heart, and delivers them with dead-on diabolical accuracy.

For others who are intrigued by Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab’s extensive menu of intoxicating perfumery, visit their website, and be prepared to while away your witching hours browsing their virtual shelves laden with seductive scents sure to steal your heart.

Site: www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com

By: Mary Rajotte of www.outstandingink.com