ABC Conference In Orange County

Last week we went to the Association Of Bridal Consultants conference at the Surf and Sand Hotel in Laguna Beach. Jill Watson, one of our favorite wedding planners in Orange County, was kind enough to invite us to the monthly ABC event. Now that we are expanding our custom wedding favors we thought it would be nice to meet with other vendors and wedding planners. Jill Watson was kind enough to take us under her wing and introduce our products to other wedding planners and vendors in our area. Jill is a very well established and wonderful wedding planner who actually planned our intern’s sister’s wedding this past October. The wedding was flawless thanks to Jill’s hard work (see photo above).

The ABC event was magnificent! There was live music, wonderful food and a beautiful view of the ocean. We got to meet some of the best wedding coordinators and vendors in all of Orange County.

If you are planning a wedding or any event and looking for a special dessert you must look into hiring Fry Girl. The owner Shelley Beals comes to events with her mini donut-making machine and makes delicious, warm bite size donuts on the spot. Guests can pick from a variety of toppings. We definitely ate our share!

It is so important to have a wedding coordinator when planning a wedding and we met some great ones. In case you are in need of a wedding coordinator here are a few planners to contact:

Jill Watson: www.thepamperedbride.net

Susan MacDonald: www.sumacproductions.com

Wendy Dahl: www.dahlweddingcompany.com

Lisa Simpson: www.lisasimpsonweddings.com

We are excited to be presenting Chivas Skin Care custom order products at the ABC conference on August 11^th. We had such a wonderful time and just wanted to congratulate ABC and Surf and Sand Hotel for putting on such a wonderful event. 

Recap of 2009's Ojai Lavender Festival

On Saturday, June 27, Chivas attended the Lavender Festival in Ojai, and it was so much fun! Along with our Lavender Oatmeal and Lavender Pine Chamomile soaps, we also featured our other soaps, facial crèmes, and lip balms. It was smelling pretty nice and fragrant over there!

We also had a fun give-away contest going on where people guessed how many lip balms were in the mason jar – Lili was our winner for the day and received a $50 gift certificate to our online store.

Chivas seemed to be a hit – perhaps because our interns put some of our soap into the women’s bathroom?

All-in-all, the Lavender Festival was a great day for spreading the word (and the soap) about Chivas Skin Care.

Chivas at the Ojai Lavender Festival!

This Saturday, June 25^th, is the 2009 Ojai Valley Lavender Festival in Downtown Ojai, where over 50 vendors (Chivas included!) will gather to showcase their products, all of which are infused with lavender (it is called the Lavender Festival, after all).

We will be there with our Lavender Oatmeal Goat Milk Soap, Lavender Pine Chamomile Goat Milk Soap, lavender sachets, and more. We’ll also have our other Chivas products for you to check out.

Need more convincing to make your way to Ojai this Saturday? Check out some of the benefits of hooking yourself up with lavender.

• claimed to soothe and heal insect bites
• lavender oil is said to soothe headaches
• Lavender oil (or extract of Lavender) is claimed to heal acne when used diluted 1:10 with water, rosewater, or witch hazel
• used in the treatment of skin burns and inflammatory conditions
• has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties

Lavender; it’s a beautiful thing.

Q&A with Carrie & Taylor, our summer interns

Taylor Harkins and Carrie Widder grew up together in Newport Beach, California. We're excited for the energy they bring to our team! Taylor attends Santa Clara University where she studies Marketing and is a member of their women’s water polo team. She will help us expand our custom order business and work on sales and marketing efforts. Carrie will contribute to our social media efforts, including writing for our blog and newsletter. An aspiring journalist, she is currently an English major at New York University. To get to know them a little better, we had Taylor and Carrie interview one another for our blog. Here's what they had to say:

Taylor: So, Carrie, how did you hear about Chivas?

Carrie: Funny you should mention that. You actually told me about Chivas and how much you were loving your summer internship. How did you hear about Chivas?

Taylor: I heard about it through someone who had worked with Angie [our marketing/sales director] previously and knew Chivas was looking for interns. I applied and now here I am, playing with goats and computers - not together, for obvious reasons. So, I have a fun question for you. If you had a goat of your own, what would you name it and why?

Carrie: I love the show Lost, so I think I would name the goat after one of my favorite characters - either Desmond, Sayid, or Sawyer. Should my goat procreate, there are an endless amount of character names on the show to continue the naming legacy. What would you name your goat?

Taylor: My first instinct is Santa, but that's a lot of pressure for a goat. I think I'll settle on Blitzen, one of his reindeer. Also, fun fact, Blitz means lightning in German. Bet you didn't know that.

Carrie: Actually, I did, because I'm the one who just told you that.

Taylor: Sassy.

Carrie: I know. You mentioned that there are some pretty crazy animals at the Johanson's house, like tortoises and pigs. I'm excited to meet them when we're at the farm tomorrow. What animal would you add to the mix?

Taylor: Ideally, a baby elephant. Unfortunately, due to size limitations, climate, and probably health codes, that's not really a possibility. More realistically, I think I would bring in a female German Shepherd so that Moose [the Johanson's male German Shephard] could not only have a companion but also a girlfriend. Carrie, last question. What is your favorite Chivas product and why?

Carrie: I have to say the Chivas Original Vegan Lip Balm. Not only is it perfect for summer, it doesn't use that lanolin nonsense! After helping to research the answers for our lip balm FAQ, I was a little grossed out by the idea of putting lanolin on my lips.

Your Questions Answered: Lip Balm 101

When I found myself 'addicted' to my many brands of medicated lip balm, I realized I needed an intervention. And so my mom and I formulated Chivas Vegan Lip Balm using high-quality ingredients, quite different from many of the 'other' lip balms on the market. The result? I've officially kicked my must-reapply habit. And so can you! 



What makes our lip balms different? And what exactly is a Vegan lip balm? And what are some of those ingredients in the 'other' lip balms anyway? You asked; we answer.

Q: I often see lanolin as an ingredient in lip balm. What is it? Why doesn't Chivas use it?

A: Lanolin is a greasy yellow substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool bearing animals, usually sheep. Different forms of lanolin can be found in shoe polish, printing ink, and hairspray.

For some people, using cosmetic products that contain impure lanolin can result in an allergic reaction.

That certainly doesn't sound too appealing to us! Unlike many others on the market, our lip balm is proudly lanolin-free.

Q: What does it mean when you say your lip balm is vegan?

A: A vegan product is a product that does not contain any kind of animal product. That said, you won't find animal products like lanolin and beeswax in our lip balm. Instead of beeswax we use plant-derived candelilla wax, which serves as the hardening agent in the balm. We also add coconut oil and Shea Butter, which at room temperature are hard oils. This combination keeps our lip balm firm yet smooth.

Q: What other ingredients are unique to Chivas' lip balm?

A: The other oils contained in our lip balm are not often found in lip balms. Why? Because they are of such high quality.

These high quality oils set our Chivas Original Vegan Lip Balm ahead of the rest:

• Jojoba Oil: Made from the seed of the jojoba plant, and is an exceptional moisturizer.
• Rosehip Oil: Has a high vitamin-C content and is often found in anti-aging products. The fatty acids in rosehip oil are good at regenerating the skin and smoothing out wrinkles.
• Vitamin-E: Nourishes the skin and leaves it soft.
• Neem Oil: A vegetable oil made from the fruits and seeds of Neem trees. Also said to be very therapeutic.

Springtime at Chivas Skin Care Farm

We wanted to share some photos from our property in Camarillo, CA, Chivas Skin Care's home base. Our farm is not only home to our adorable goats but also where where we grow fruit and veggies along with some of the herbs used in our soaps. We enjoy our oasis of country living that's just an hour's drive from Los Angeles.

Your goat questions answered!

We've had several customers express interest in learning more about our goats. For the curious, we've prepared some FAQs related to the goats and their birthing process.

Q: Who is in charge of the goats?
A: Donna is certainly our resident expert on our French Alpine goats. She's been raising farm animals for years, and this photo of her with Lauren and her eldest son John speaks to her experience.

Q: Will you keep all the kids that are born this year?
A: Most of the kids that were just born will stay on our farm. We already have demand for any kids we can't keep from people who are interested in starting to raise their own goats.

Q: Is a veterinarian involved in the birthing process?
A: Our vet handles check-ups, but Donna takes care of the day-to-day issues that may arrive. If we have a problem, then we certainly involve our vet. The way a goat handles her pregnancy is different for each mother, just like with humans.

Q. How much milk do your goats produce? Do you still milk your goats before and after they give birth?
A. Depending on the season, our goats produce between 1-2 gallons of milk each day. Donna hand-milks the goats twice a day and enjoys this time as a reflective, relaxing part of her day. Our goats aren't milked during the last few months of their pregnancies and until after about three months after they give birth, when we wean the kids. We miss having fresh milk for our morning coffee and other goodies, but we think it's important for the kids to have this nourishment from their mothers. This practice goes against industrial farming practices where kids are taken off their mother immediately and fed a powdered milk replacer.

Q. If you're not milking the goats, then where do you get milk for your soaps?
A: To plan ahead for being without milk for a few months, we store surplus milk in our industrial freezers and use this in our soaps while the goats prepare for their kids.

The smell of spring

Enjoy the delicious aromas of spring with our limited edition Spring 2009 soap scents.

Citrus Chamomile, Herb Garden, and Santa Rosa Valley are refreshing, nourishing scents sure to remind you of Spring year round.

Just like our other scents, co-founder Lauren Johanson mixed these yummy Spring scents herself using plant-based essential oils.

New Chivas Kids

A tribute to Monna

In honor of this year's Mother's Day, we shared this tribute from Donna in our Mother's Day newsletter, and we wanted to share it with you too.

---
From Donna:

A tribute to my Mom, who we call "Monna" (a nickname given to her by her first grandchild):

I miss my Mom so much. We were like two peas in a pod. I miss the twinkle in her eyes and her cute smile. My love for cooking, animals, and gardening came from my Mom. Even when we lived in suburbia, she had a small vegetable garden and helped me rescue animals in need. She gave the best parties and enjoyed all the preparation, planning and cooking involved. Monna was young at heart and enjoyed whatever life gave her to the end. There was never a dull moment when you with her, she had such savoir vivre.

My Mom was there when I made my first batches of soap. She would spend hours meticulously removing leaves from our dried rosemary to add to our soaps. For this reason, I am dedicating our "Herb Garden" soap to her. For the first two years of making soap, Monna had the title of "Inspector Clouseau"; she made sure that all the soaps were trimmed, edges beveled, and hand buffed perfectly. She definitely was one for detail.

Monna would be so proud to know that my daughter, Lauren, is my partner in Chivas Skin Care. She passed away before Lauren came on board. As you can see in the photo, even though she was wheel-chair bound, she did not lack enthusiasm, adventure, or curiosity.

Mom, I hope you are looking down with a big smile. Hope you are as proud of Lauren and me as I am of you. You are the greatest!

~ With love from Donna

Chivas named to Lucky Magazine's 'great picks'

We were delighted to see Chivas Skin Care named to Lucky Magazine's 'great picks.'

Lucky featured our Original soap, writing, "A Camarillo-based mother-daughter team whips up batches of this soap using milk from goats they keep in their own backyard."

Thanks, Lucky!

Photos of our Farm

Donna hand-milking one our goats, named Sugar Muffin.
She milks them twice a day, everyday.

Donna watering our herb garden. We use the fresh sage
and peppermint in our Wise Sage and Spearmint Soaps.

Our classic photo: Donna, Lauren and our first two goats,
Sugar Muffin and Precious. We now have 5 goats, 3 of which are pregnant :-)

Photos from our Holiday Boutique Party

Thanks to everyone who helped make this event a great success! If you have any photos, please share. We were so busy, we didn't get the chance to take that many.

The boutique was held in our backyard - you can see the 8 different vendors, as well as the goats in the bottom left corner.

Pierce Jeans - hot, designer, organic denim!


Homemade goodies made with Goat Milk & fruits from our farm.

Our Chivas Skin Care display with Julie and Lauren in the background

Beautiful and quirky pottery

What Does Social Activism have to do with Cosmetics?

As you may or may not know, Lauren is also a co-founder of and writer for http://www.yourdailythread.com/. Her most recent post regarding the dangers of commercial skin care certainly pertains to the issues that Chivas Skin Care "lobbies" around, so we thought it might interest you too!



What Does Social Activism have to do with Cosmetics?
January 21, 2009 Written by Lauren Johanson


As part of this week’s focus on social activism, today’s issue of Wellness & Beauty is about how to help make cosmetics safer. If you don’t know much about the dangers of commercial cosmetics, this might sound like a strange call to action. So here’s a quick review of common personal care ingredients that are known, or suspected to be, toxic:

• Mercury (often listed as “thimerosal”): possible human carcinogen and reproductive toxin. Found in some eye drops, ointments & mascaras.
• Placenta: Produces progesterone, estrogen and other hormones that can interfere with the body’s normal hormone functions and can lead to health problems like breast cancer. Found in some hair relaxers, moisturizers and toners.
• Lead Acetate: Known human reproductive and developmental toxin. Found in some hair dyes and cleansers.
• Petrochemicals (petrolatum, mineral oil and paraffin): May contain human carcinogens, as well as 1,4-Dioxane (which is not listed on ingredient labels). Found in some hair relaxers, anti-aging creams, foundation, lipsticks and more.
• Phthalates (such as dibutyl and diethylhexyl): Probable developmental toxins and endocrine disruptors. Found in some nail polishes, hair sprays and fragrances (which are then used in most other products like soaps, shampoos, etc.).

And here’s the logic for why you should care:

• The Government should be protecting us, but they’re not. The loopholes in federal law prevent the FDA from governing cosmetic safety. For example, the EU has banned 1,100 chemicals in cosmetics; the US has banned just 10.
• The beauty industry certainly isn’t. The $50-billion cosmetic industry lobbies AGAINST laws that would regulate chemical content.
• Therefore, we have to be informed and protect ourselves.
  
  (Information from “Unmasked: 10 Ugly Truths Behind the Myth of Cosmetics Safety”. You can download full brochure here.)
  
  

If this issue compels you to act, here are the ways that you can get involved:

• Get Educated: Sign up for the latest news on cosmetic safety via www.safecosmetics.org/join. And read “Want to learn more?” below.
  
• Get Shopping: The easiest thing to do is download the pocket size “Shopper’s Guide to Safe Cosmetics” and stick it in your wallet. Or you can browse the full Cosmetic Database here.
  
• Get Active: Tell your cosmetic companies that you want safer products. Each month The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics posts a new “Action Alert” where you can easily send a message to companies or agencies. This month “Ask Bath and Body Works to offer non-toxic kids body wash"
  
• Get Vocal: Talk to your friends about this issue. Download talking points here.


• Get Creative: Have fun making your own natural cosmetics. Click here to view DIY recipes. Or sign-up for one of my DIY skin care workshops right here in LA. If you’re interested, email me: Lauren@yourdailythread.com
  

Want to learn more? The easiest way to learn more is to visit http://www.safecosmetics.org/. You can also get a more in-depth analysis by reading “Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry” by Stacy Malkan, the co-founder of The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. I am actually reading a signed copy of the book this month and will be bringing you a “book report” soon.

How did I get a signed copy of “Not Just a Pretty Face”? I was lucky to meet the author, Stacy Malkan, at last year’s “Beauty and Sustainability” event hosted by Opportunity Green at Lululemon in Beverly Hills. Stacy was a speaker on the panel discussion hosted by Rachelle Carson (actress & wife of “Green Guru” Ed Begley Jr.) and joined by Renata Helfman (owner of Vert, eco-friendly beauty boutique in Venice). The panel was preceded by complementary mini-facials from Jurlique, eyebrow shaping from Jenny Wax, mini-manicures, organic hors d’oeuvres, fine wines, gift bags and more. This event is just one example of the many events that go on all the time in L.A. They are generally open to the public and are a great way to meet people and learn more about sustainability. I believe that activism requires knowledge of the issue, passion for change, and the willingness to get involved. So, go on and get out there. You can learn about a slue of upcoming events at the ydt Events Calendar.

The New Year has brought a new friend to the Chivas farm

We are so in love with our new pot belly pig that we wanted to share pictures of her with you. Her name is "Piggles" (cuz she wiggles her hips like a salsa dancer) and she rocks our world!

Piggles learns to eat whole foods for the first time.

Lauren feeds Piggles fresh goat milk , yum!Lauren and her brother, Kurt, sing Piggles lullabies as she falls off to sleep.