Win A Scandle

In Touch Magazine is running a giveaway right now for the CMA bags with the Scandle Candles in them, the link is http://winit.intouchweekly.com/itw/enter/drawing/e3dad595bdc41098d5655fa357977478f6719799.

Beauty Goes Green

There is a lot of hype in the beauty industry right now about so called "green" products. There are literally thousands of products on the market claiming to be green, environmentally friendly, natural, safe, organic, flower & plant based, pure, botanical, eco-friendly, etc - all undefined terms in a largely unregulated industry. Here are some helpful tips to navigate your way around these products and feel good about what you are putting on your skin.

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

Green products can be broken down into two basic categories
1.) Products that have been manufactured and packaged using the cleanest and greenest energy, manufacturing practices, and packaging possible. Look for:

• Companies using sustainable energy sources such as wind power.


• Packaging made using recycled materials and/or printed with soy ink. Choose containers that can be recycled or re-used and re-filled like The Scandle Body Candle.
  

Products like The Scandle Massage Candle that have been developed and manufactured using ingredients that will not be harmful in any way to the consumer or the environment.

Look for:

• Biodegradable ingredients


• Organic and natural ingredients
  


• Your skin is your body's largest organ, so it stands to reason that what you rub, lather and smooth into your skin should be made using ingredients that don't have any damaging side effects. Absorbing small amounts of toxins into your skin over a long period of time can have a cumulative, damaging effect.

Make sure that you read the ingredient list! While many products have a long list of "organic" and "natural" ingredients - they might still be using potentially harmful ingredients that could irritate your skin. Some products will be free from one or two bad ingredients, but include other potentially harmful ones. It is important to pay attention to what is in the product, as well as what isn't. Keep in mind that some potentially harmful ingredients do have a "natural origin" too.

WHAT TO AVOID
These are some of the potentially toxic agents commonly found in beauty products that you should avoid.

• Parabens: A group of chemical preservatives that is possibly carcinogenic. Linked to breast cancer, reproductive toxicity, and endocrine disruption.


• Sulfates (harmful): Sulfur-based compounds that are found to be irritating and drying to skin and hair.


• DEA: A type of Ethanoloamine which has been connected to Immunotoxicity and believed to cause harm to the brain and nervous system.


• Ethoxylates: Chemical compounds which are irritating to the skin and thought to be carcinogenic.


• Silicone: A synthetic additive which can be harmful and irritating.


• Phthalates: These compounds are commonly found in nail polish and fragrances. They are thought to be harmful to reproductive system, have been linked to developmental disorders in children, Immunotoxicity and Endocrine disruption.


• Petrolatum: Developed from Petroleum, it can be irritating to the skin, clog pores, and may be contaminated with toxic impurities.

Find out what The Scandle is About

The Scandle was recently featured in the following publications:

Chic-Critique - Scandles - Moisturizer on Fire
http://www.chic-critique.com/2008/12/scandlesmoisturizer-on-fire.html

Sterling Mineral Make Up - Great Last Minute Gift Ideas
http://sterlingminerals.blogspot.com/2008/12/great-last-minute-christmas-gift-ideas.html

Come on Baby, Light Our Fire!

The Scandle recently received glowing reviews on the following sites:
All American Mommie.com Holiday Gift Guide

GlobeTrottingBride.com
JustLuxe.com 10 Affordable Luxuries to Love

MyInspirationLounge.com Eco-Shopping with Discounts

Support Small Business Owners

Small business is the backbone to our economy. Support one of the female entrepreneurs here! Here is the creme de la creme of gifts for the holiday season. 50% off on your Scandle Purchase:
http://www.savorthesuccess.com/thebeat

Find Out What The Scandle is About

Scandle Spa Candles were recently featured as one of The Hottest Holiday Gifts at Book Room Reviews.
http://bookroomreviews.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/beauty-products-elizabeth-grant-giveaway/

Scandle Spa Candles were also featured on Party Blue Print's Hot Holiday Gifts


https://www.partybluprints.com/Articles.asp?ID=147

And Scandle Spa Candles were also featured on Lake Champlain Chocolates Blog on Holiday Gift Ideas (yes, we make a body candle scented with Chocolate Strawberry Truffle...yum!)

http://blog.lakechamplainchocolates.com/post/Holiday-Shopping---A-Box-of-Chocolate-Truffles-and--what.aspx

Check out what the Scandle is about. Scandle is featured on Spa-Kit (click below to view)

See What The Scandle is About!

See What The Scandle is About!
By ScandleBodyCandle
Check out The Scandle Body Candle in About.com's Top 10 Holiday Gifts Under $50 http://skincare.about.com/od/facialcleansers/ss/HolidayUnder50_10.htm
Also, check The Scandle Massage Candle out in A Parent in Silver Springs Reviews

See What The Scandle is All About

The Scandle Body Candle was recently featured in The November/ December issue of VegNews in the Holiday Gift Guide. Grab your copy on newstands today!
In addition, The Scandle Massage Candle was also included on LA Splash's Beauty & Health Holiday gift guide:
http://www.lasplash.com/publish/cat_index_Beauty_and_Body/Health_Beauty_Holiday_Gift_Guide_2008.php

Happy Travels with The Scandle!

See a recent review of The Scandle Body Candle by Mary Jo Manzanares, Travel & Culture Channel Editor for b5media:
http://www.travelproductguide.com/scandle-is-both-a-candle-and-a-body-lotion/

Take Your Spa's Retail Sales to the Next Level

Want to increase your retail sales? Most spas today could double their bottom line with a serious retail sales management plan. In this day and age, spas need to adapt their ways of dealing with retail due to numerous retail giants crossing over into sacred spa waters. To survive in this economy your spa needs to power up how it sells, stocks, and promotes its retail offerings. Here are 10 ways:

• Focus on results - Many spas todays are so focused on relaxing spa-goers that thre is little attention paid to what they are looking to achieve during their spa experience.


• Cultivate Selling Skills - Your spa customers have tons of products, which is why you need to know what is better or different about your products. (i.e The Scandle is not just another candle, but a candle that you can use for massage, manicures/pedicures, or as a daily moisturizer)


• Attractive Displays - Make your displays tell a story.


• Pay Attention to Product Selection - Start with at least 3 full brands


• Offer a Reason to Buy Today - BOGO's work well!


• Get ready to sell! - Allocate the necessary time for boosting spa sales.


• Out of Sight is Out of Mind - Don't put shelves too of your shopper's peripheral vision.


• Create A Bundle of Joy - Design spa packages by adding products to the offering. For instance, many spas will offer a Body Candle Massage Treatment and give the un-used portion of The Scandle to their customer to take home.


• Sell from start to finish - Selling starts the moment the guest walks through the front door.


• Capitalize on impulse Purchases - Place a small collection of inexpensive or fun items at the cash and wrap station like The Scandle Travel tins.
  

Have some ideas on taking your spa or beauty sales to the next level? Share them with us today!

Is Private Labeling Right for Your Spa?

Competition in the spa, salon, and beauty products industry is at al all-time high. Day spa signs are sprouting up around us like spring grasses, grocery stores and gift shops have their own little “spa aromatherapy” departments, and .com companies have the huge beauty and wellness market firmly in their sights. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for even large retailers to retain their share of the beauty products market when so many means of access to these goods is now available to their customers. Customer have beauty.com, eve.com, and the now famous Bliss catalog at their disposal and these companies make it very, very easy for your customers to browse and buy at home or work. If you haven’t awakened to this business challenge yet it won’t be far off.

This is precisely where selling your own spa brand makes especially good sense. As far as the consumer is concerned the only place to get your brand is from you, whether it be at the retail counter, by mail order, or through your own online store. Department and grocery chains are dedicating increasingly larger amount of shelf space to house brands in an effort to reduce costs and limit competition. Many even feature “select” or upscale choices within their own lines as a means of eliminating holdover ideas in some customers that house brands are merely generic or of a lower quality than better-known products. The decline of cereal giants like Kellogg is an example of the success of this strategy for retailers.

So are private label products right for your spa business? Only you can answer this question accurately. But if retail profits, customer protection, and building some real brand-equity into your company investment has any meaning for you there are fewer options available that can help you better than this can.

Scandle offers their award-winning body massage candles with private labeling. Contact us for information.

Scandle® Body Candle Packaging Goes Green

Today Scandle® LLC announced their new sustainable packaging, designed to coincide with the our already eco-friendly body massage candles.
Read all about it!

Find Out What The Scandle is About

The Scandle was recently featured in the following publications

Dallas Morning News - Presents Your Lover Will Love http://www.quickdfw.com/sharedcontent/dws/quick/columnists/jblock/stories/DN-life--sexcolumn_1211ick.ART.State.Edition1.4a7d2d4.html

MamaDivas.com - Holiday Gift Guide
http://www.mamadivas.com/2008/12/holiday-gift-guide-unique-thoughtful-super-gift-ideas-and-stocking-stuffers

Focus Organic.com - Ultimate Green Christmas Holiday Gift Guide
http://focusorganic.com/ultimate-green-christmas-holidays-guide/

Edge - Holiday Gift Guide
http://www.edgeunitedstates.com/index.php?ch=style&sc=life&sc3=&id=84003&pg=1

Pogan el Cafe - Holiday Gift Guide
http://ponganelcafe.blogspot.com/search/label/Holiday%20Gift%20Guide

Gay List Daily - "Igniting a Little Scandle."
http://www.gaylistdaily.com/los_angeles/entries/igniting_a_little_scandle/

Massage Candles Made in The USA vs. China

I recently received an email from a company in China that is manufacturing Massage Candles like The Scandle Body Candle. As I mentioned in an earlier blog about buying USA, in this case, it is important that consumers know exactly what they may or may not be getting when purchasing a spa, beauty, or massage product from China. Sure, it may be cheaper, but here's what you should consider, paticularly if you are as committed to sustainability as Scandle:

1.) In light of the recent recall of toys and other consumables coming from China containing led, etc. It's important to that products coming from China do not have any regulations. Although they may claim the product is all natural, there is no way to be sure!

2.) There are no regulations on bath and body products coming from China. Factories can operate in unsanitary conditions, which can be a huge liability issue when it comes to body massage candles. This company is claiming that their massage candle base (which is a straight soy wax, not like The Scandle that contains soy butter, shea butter, jojoba, & Vitamin E) is made in the United States, but again how can you be sure?

3.) China is one of the top contributors to environmental waste.
So if you see a Body Candle that looks like this, be LEARY!

I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic and the importance of buying USA made beauty & spa products.