Not every person is a natural-born salesperson. Some people have a special talent for conveying value, and reading a customer that makes them great at selling! Even if you weren’t born with this natural gift, there are some ways you can easily upgrade your customer service skills to grab those sales and some things you can avoid to keep them … Read More
How-To: Lavender Orange Foaming Scrub
Warmer weather is just around the corner, and that means light, clean scents are too! The smell of orange is clean, zesty and bright, just in time for longer, sunnier days and more outside fun. Lavender is a mellow scent, the perfect yang to the orange yin. Combined, these two fabulous fragrances make a sunny product that will help your … Read More
Vegan, Fair Trade & Organic: Learning the Terminology
Now more than ever, consumers are concerned with what they’re putting in and on their bodies. Consumers are beginning to pay attention to where their products are made, whether or not their products are sustainable, and if they recognize and can pronounce the names of the ingredients the products contain. For the handcrafted soap and cosmetic industry, this is great! … Read More
Let’s Talk About Glitter!
There’s been a lot of noise lately about one of the craft world’s love-to-hate embellishments: glitter! When we say glitter, you’re no doubt thinking about the tiny, sparkling particles of magic that never seem to go away. You may even be thinking about the fact that glitter is made up of tiny little plastic pieces, and that might make you … Read More
Fragrance Blending: A Quick Guide to Making New Blends
Think of one of your favorite scents right now. Imagine it in your head. What is it? What does it mean to you? Our sense of smell is a truly incredible thing. A subtle waft of buttered popcorn can transport you back to the cramped movie theater where you first saw your all-time favorite movie, or the strong smell of … Read More
2018 Trends: Let’s Talk Inspiration!
We’re only a few weeks into 2018, but the search for inspiration is never ending! As we look back at 2017, it’s hard not to remember the trends and fads that defined the year. Rose gold everything, contouring, fidget spinners, and rainbow colored foods abound. What will 2018 bring? Now, we don’t claim to have a crystal ball here in … Read More
7 Candle Facts to Light Your Fire
Ah, wintertime. Here in Upstate New York, the weather change is marked by the sound of studded snow tires, the feel of fluffy jackets, and the smell of spices. One thing that we can agree keeps us cozy all year long is the benevolent glow of a well-made candle…but do you know the history behind this old flame? There is … Read More
Bath Teas, Soaks and Bombs: Enhancing Your Customers Bathtime
As a Handcrafter, you provide quality products, but you also provide a quality experience. For example, your customer could go to any big store and purchase a bar of generic soap; it would clean them, which is after all, the purpose. But, not only does your soap help them get clean, it also makes them feel good by smelling amazing, … Read More
What’s a Tincture?
Tincture: a word that is fun to say, but not a word that most people know the meaning of. Think of a tincture as a really versatile concentrated extract that can be used orally or topically-for the purposes of this article, we will be discussing primarily topical tinctures. What Are Tinctures Used For? Tinctures can be made to solve a … Read More
The History of Cosmetics: Makeup Edition
As a Handcrafter, you are taking part in an industry that has a long and storied history. Products produced by hand throughout the centuries for royalty and common people alike speckle the timeline of handcrafted cosmetics. In this article, we’ll discuss the history behind cosmetics that are applied to the face and hands. Nail polish, eye makeup, lipsticks-all of these … Read More