Scents of the Season

We have a brand new scent for the fall/winter season. Our newest scent is Flannel Pajamas. (Thank you Andrea for the name.)

This scent is a warm, cozy scent. It reminds me of curling up in a chair in front of the fire in my PJ's.

You can get Flannel Pajamas in lotion or room spray.

Our room sprays are great for freshening up your home, car or linen. Also try our other new room spray - Crisp Linen. This spray is a sanitizing fresh spray using the disinfecting properties of rosemary, tea tree and lemon.

Fall Celebration

Welcome to fall. This is my favorite time of the year! I absolutely love the holiday season which for me is from Halloween to Christmas.

This month we have a bunch of new things on the way. First let's start with our Passion and Purpose Customer of the Month.

This month Colleen is our featured customer. Colleen has selected the Komen Foundation to receive 10% of the profits from November's sales.

Colleen has also dedicated a product to her mom. Our newest dedication is Choices Conditioner. Here is the dedication:

"In life we always have choices. We can choose to focus on the good things that make us smile or the not-so-good things that make us feel bad. Choices Conditioner is dedicated to a wonderful mother/daughter team who did not always have the best relationship. In the end, they found a way to focus on the happy times that they had together and let the other parts of their lives fade into the background. Choices are not always easy but it is the hard ones that bring us the most peace."

Choices Conditioner is available in Lemongrass or Unscented.

Natural Skin Care

Have you made the switch yet? You know, the wardrobe switch? Time to put away the light colors and fabric of summer and switch to the sturdy earthy fabrics of fall.

When you switch your clothes, it is also time to review your skin care products. Toss old out of date products, open a fresh mascara and eye liner, and change your facial products.

If you were using an astringent for summer, its time to change back to a toner which is less drying to your skin. It's also time to review your cleanser.

This month we are featuring our milk cleanser. This cleanser is a cream cleanser that is extremely gentle on your skin. It cleans your face without harsh ingredients and allows your face to retain its natural moisture.

To get the most from this cleanser, wet your face with warm water and then apply the cleanser to your moist skin. Wipe the cleanser away gently with a warm wash cloth.

This cleanser is so light that it will not leave a soap residue behind. Soap can dry your skin out and make it feel tight. The milk cleanser will leave your skin feeling supple and silky.

As this is a gentle cleanser, it is great for sensitive skin. It will not however remove heavy layers of make up. If you wear a heavy foundation in the winter, try our Green Tea Cleanser for best results.

SPECIAL - Our Milk Cleanser is an unscented product. For this month only, if you would like it scented in our limited edition fall scent, Lemongrass & Thyme, you can order it online. Unscented is still available.

New Scent for Fall

Happy Fall!

This month we have a brand new limited edition scent for you. We have created Lemongrass & Thyme. This scent is uplifting and a clean. For some reason it stirs up childhood memories and makes me feel nostalgic whenever I use it.

Fall is a great time for nostalgia as you plan for a new holiday season which means spending time with friends and family that you might not see all that often.

Lemongrass & Thyme is available in Linda May Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash, and our featured product of the month - Milk Cleanser.

New Web Site

Hello everyone. I hope you have had a great summer. I have been busy building a new web site and updating the B-cause product line. The new site is easier to navigate and looks fresher than the old site.

In addition the credit card security features are enhanced. The new site is PCI Compliant. Which means your information has the highest level of protection out there right now. You can still use PayPal as your preferred form of payment if you would like which is PCI compliant as well.

If you have any feedback on the new site, please feel free to share it. I am always open to your comments.

July Special

Can you believe July is here? It is time for a new special and time for a new charity. This month our Passion & Purpose customer, Suzanne O'Connor has selected a terrific charity to receive 10% of July's sales.

The Food Pantry at the Church of Saint Vincent de Paul serves over 2600 families in the Albany area annually. That figure includes children, senior citizens and adults. During these difficult economic times, those who live on the margins of society are the people who suffer most. More of the working poor are coming to the Food Pantry for assistance than ever before with an increase of 15% over the last year. Thank you for helping the hungry in our community.

July features our Shades of Summer Sale. All of our foundation powders are on sale. Be creative with these powders. Not only do you want a shade that matches your skin tone, you can use a second powder that is darker than your skin tone to highlight your face. A deeper tone can be used to contour your face or give it a bronze highlight. I often use a "bronzer" to make me appear tan.

Visit us at www.BeautyWithACause.com. Happy summer.

Five Things To Do This Summer

No this is not a list of vacation spots. Well, maybe it is, but not in the traditional sense. This list is five things to do to take a mental "vacation" so that come fall you are recharged and ready to set off at a frenetic pace again.

Summer is a time to do things a little differently. Do you remember as a child when school break came, your entire routine changed? Summer seemed so long back then.

Now, we never seem to take more than a one week break if that. Our schedule remains the same except maybe the scenery.

So here is a list of five things to do for July and August to give yourself a change in routine. Your life can have a different rhythm and feel refreshed by making minor changes.

1. Change your route to work. I have two ways to get to the office that are almost equal in drive time but I tend to stick to just one of them. It is a habit I don't have to think about - my car just goes that way. Going a different way makes you alert to new scenery and new traffic situations.

Maybe you don't have a great second route but try to find something to mix up your drive time. Remember it is only for two months that you will try an alternate path. There may be a way that you avoid so that you don't get stuck behind a school bus, now is a great time to use that route.

2. Next change your daily routine. Pay attention to your morning "get up and go" routine and see where you can change it for the summer. Maybe you can switch your coffee, take a shower in a different bathroom, let your hair airdry instead of styling it. Whatever - look for something that will make your morning "feel" different. When you go back to your old routine it will feel fresh. You need this break.

3. Take advantage of the extra day light. Get up a little early and go for a walk or take a walk in the evening when you would normally be settling everyone down for the night. This is not a long term commitment - getting up a little early won't be that painful. You will benefit from the fresh air and exercise.

You dont' have to do homework with the kids so dinner can be a little later if need be. Take this little bit of me time!

4. Let it go - let housework lapse for the summer. You don't need a pristine house for two months. Chances are you are spending more time outside anyway and a little mess never hurt anyone. Relax and enjoy being sloppy for a little while.

If you are like me, it will drive you crazy by the end of the summer but for the short run it feels a little rebellious. I know, I'm really living on the edge here! HA HA.

5. Learn a new trick. Find something new to learn over the summer - speed reading, a new language, perhaps a new sport. I refuse to be an old dog! Learning keeps me young. If you remember that you don't know it all then there is still a world of wonder waiting for you.

Watch how a child finds wonder is the simplest things. Find that again for yourself and explore something new that never occurred to you before or something that you never took the time to learn in the past.

I hope you have fun and mix it up for yourself this summer. Come September 1, you can go back to your old routines, they will still be waiting for you but now they will feel new. Perhaps you've made some changes that will stay with you.

Look at it as a two month vacation for your mind and the best part is, you don't have to deplete your vacation day bank to do it.

What's your toxic beauty score?

Do you know how many potential toxins you are exposed to before 9 AM?

Many major skin care and beauty products contain potentially harmful ingredients. On average a woman uses between 10 and 20 products before 9 AM.

Perhaps you are saying to yourself, “Well, I don’t wear make-up so this doesn’t apply to me.”

Think again. Toxic ingredients are hiding in your toothpaste, soap, lotion and deodorant in addition to beauty products.

So take the test – check all the items you used as you got ready this morning:

Toothpaste
Mouthwash
Shampoo
Conditioner
Body Wash/Soap
Shaving Cream
Lotion
Powder
Deodorant
Hair spray/gel
Facial Cleanser
Facial Moisturizer
Foundation
Blush
Eye Shadow
Eye Liner
Mascara
Lip stick
Perfume
Nail Polish

So how did you score?

What is the danger posed by all these products? Well, alone and used occasionally, not much, but used in conjunction with one another and over a lifetime the threat to your health is quite real.

Each of these products may contain a different mix of ingredients that have been related to birth defects, breast and other cancers, allergic reactions, asthma and other breathing disorders, hormonal dysfunction, skin sensitivities, tooth decay just to name a few.

As a consumer, you need to be informed about what is in your products and demand safer products that do not contain suspected and known harmful ingredients. Some of the ingredients you want to avoid are parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, butyl-), phthalates (often hidden in fragrance and nail polish), sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, talc, PEG, TEA and fluoride.

There are many companies dedicated to making better products that do not contain toxic ingredients. A great resource to find these products is the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (www.safecosmetics.org). To find out more about ingredients to be on the look out for visit the Eco Friendly Digest (www.eco-friendly-digest.com).

You are your own best advocate and you deserve quality skin care products but you need to create a demand for them. Support small businesses making non-toxic products!

Progress

Tonight - a breakthrough!! It only took two years but my husband finally stopped midway to the garbage can, turned and went into the garage to put the plastic bottle in the recycle bin.

Usually, I wind up finding a bottle in the trash and have to pick it out and recycle it on my own. (Not one of my favorite tasks.)

I am encouraged by this progress but, boy, I never expected it to come so slowly.

Oh, well - I'll take it!

June Passion & Purpose Special

Our Passion & Purpose Customer for June is Joan Sheehan. Joan has become a good friend and wonderful customer who shares the same goal as Beauty with a Cause.

Joan is committed to educating women about the environmental factors that increase the risk of developing breast cancer. She is the Co-President of the Capital Region Action Against Breast Cancer (CRAAB).

Joan is also a breast cancer survivor. She has selflessly supported other women in their battles against this disease and advocates for healthy lifestyles.

Her commitment to help women is being honored by a special product dedication. Joan is a member of the breast cancer dragon boat team called Hope In The Boat. This team of cancer survivors has worked diligently to form a team and overcome such overwhelming odds as the lack of a boat to race in. This team could be found practicing on dry land with the goal that one day they would actually have a boat to ride in.

Recently the dragon boat team raised enough money to purchase a boat and now they are off!

Beauty with a Cause is happy to dedicate our body lotion line to Joan Sheehan and her dedication to helping women beat breast cancer. Our body lotion line is now called Hope In the Boat.

June's special features our Hope In The Boat lotion. See our Summer Soother Special below.

Ten percent of June's sales will be donated to Joan's organization, CRAAB. Read about CRAAB below as well.

Capital Region Action Against Breast Cancer

Beauty with a Cause is a proud member of CRAAB and is thrilled to be donating 10% of June's sales to the amazing organization.

Capital Region Action Against Breast Cancer (CRAAB!) is a community-based organization created in 1997 for several reasons: 1) to make the eradication of breast cancer a priority through education & advocacy; 2) to empower individuals to participate fully in decisions about breast cancer; 3) to raise awareness about new research and potential causes of breast cancer; and 4) to provide support services to survivors and care givers in 10 counties in upstate New York. CRAAB! offers both in-depth educational programs and well-researched publications so that survivors and caregivers can make better informed decisions about treatment options, risk reduction, and primary prevention. Education formats include CRAAB!’s website; inform-ative newsletters that include a Recent Research column; panel discussions and films; resource guides & brochures on care giving issues, nutrition, exercise, risk reduction and environmental links; and original Essential Bookmarks that list print and online resources in English & Spanish. Annual lecture series, since 1997, by nationally recognized cancer researchers and health advocates have included Sandra Steingraber, PhD, ecologist and author; Suzanne Snedeker, PhD, BCERF at Cornell University; David O. Carpenter, MD, Albany Medical Center/College, past Dean, U-Albany School of Public Health; plus researchers from Fox Chase Breast Cancer Research Center, and the Gen*NY*Sis Center for Excellence in Cancer Genomics, all of whom spoke on gene/environment interaction, lifestyle & environmental connections to breast cancer.

Led by a diverse board and officers, five of whom are breast cancer survivors, CRAAB! understands that there is no “one size fits all” treatment for breast cancer; therefore we develop support services that close gaps in the resources available in our region, including Patient Navigation & Mentoring services, Life Coaching support groups at 2 locations, Medical Massage in Your Own Home in 5 counties, Walk for Wellness program, The Lebed Method Focus on Healing Through Movement & Dance, Yoga & Meditation in 3 counties, and Gentle Pilates.

CRAAB! partners with local hospitals, church groups, healthy weight loss organizations, local YM/WCA’s, and area shopping malls to promote greater access to quality care and to provide services to underserved communities. CRAAB! participates in approximately 15 Health Fairs annually; sits on the board of three NYS Cancer Services Programs in Albany, Rensselaer and Fulton-Montgomery counties; and is active in the American Cancer Society’s Community of Solutions. CRAAB! is a founding member organization of the New York State Breast Cancer Support & Education Network, a coalition of 23 breast cancer and health advocacy groups in New York State started in 1998; and a member of the National Breast Cancer Coalition.

June Summer Soother Special

Summer is just around the corner and that means it is time to adjust your skin care routine. Warmer more humid weather often causes more oil to be released by your skin creating an unwanted shine. Switching to an astringent will tone down the oil on your face giving you more of a matte finish.

If your skin is overly dry do not switch to an astringent, rather remain with a toner.

Our June special features our Summer Soothers - all facial moisturizer, toner, astringent and body lotions are on sale. Keep your skin from drying out and keep your pores from clogging. Our special Summer Soother Set includes all that you need to get the job done.

Visit our store to get more information and your special Summer Soother Set.

Check

Do you keep a "to do" list? I always had a disorganized list system on scraps of paper. Usually the list was made with good intentions but then would wind up at the bottom of my handbag. I would come across it while cleaning out my bag and then think - why didn't I keep this handy. I never did "this" or "that".

I read a book last month on organizing your life. I didn't hold much hope for it as I had read many such books and for the most part, I was the same old advice. BUT I did pick up a very useful tip which has now become a habit.

I now keep a master "to do" list in a binder. One sheet for each month so I can write down stuff as it occurs to me and log it in the month I need to deal with it. Then I can forget it. I can put notes, appointment cards and related stuff in clear pockets I keep for each month.

I then use my master list to make my daily lists in my day planner. I have gotten so much done in the past month! I am chewing through my "to do's" faster than I ever have before.

I love being able to say "check" and mark another thing off my list. I am addicted to checking things off. I am hooked.

Another rather revealing side note to this is I got insight into my life. One of my favorite authors, Larry Winget, pointed out that the things that get focus and get done are the things that are important to you. If you want to know where your priorities lie, look at the things you do with your day.

You may say that spending time with your family is important but look at your day - did spending time with your family rank high on your "to do" list?

Now that I am very aware of how I spend my day and what I have to get done I see where my priorities are. I plan my days differently now that I could see I wasn't spending time on my priorities.

Now if only I had the energy to do it all!!

In the emotion

Have you ever wondered why you can make a commitment one day and fall apart the next?

I have wondered the same thing many times. Recently I was listening to an audio book, Predictably Irrational. The book explained that when you are emotionally detached from a topic you can make smart, rational decisions.

But as soon as you layer on emotion, our ability to make rational decisions falls apart.

For example, have you ever made a commitment to go on a diet and really truly meant it? Then just hours or days later, when out with friends, you see everyone having dessert and decide, "Oh, well, I'll start my diet tomorrow." As soon as the emotion of being with friends and enjoying yourself came into play, you caved.

That is just what happened to me today. All week I was saying to myself that I can run/walk a 5k in under 35 minutes. I could see myself doing it. I knew I only had to shave 40 seconds off my time to make it. I felt sure success would be mine when I got on the treadmill.

Then...I got on the treadmill. I started running and boy was it not working for me. After two minutes I was telling myself, "Well, it's been two weeks since you ran last." Followed by, "Boy it's hot in here." I didn't think I could make another minute.

In fact I stopped. After all it was hot and I needed to take my tee-shirt off (never mind, I was catching my breath at the same time.) So I started again in my running shirt, now cooler and caught up on my breath.

Another six minutes and the talk started again. "You really can't expect to make it under 35 minutes. After all, it has been two weeks since you ran last."

Then I realized what I was doing. I was rationalizing my lack of commitment now that I was experiencing the emotion of how tough it was going to be. I reminded myself how angry and guilty I would feel if I gave up.

But boy was I tired. I started walking for about 15 seconds. Then the thoughts really kicked in. If you give up this easily, you are a total wimp. Start running!

I pushed myself and played mental games continuously. In the end I decided to take it minute by minute. Run a minute + just ten more seconds. Then walk. Guilt. Run another minute + just ten more seconds. Then walk. And on it went.

In the end, I finished the 5k in 34 minutes and 40 seconds. I did it!

Let the victory dance begin. Now the talk became, "I knew I could do it. I just needed to get past those first few minutes." Yeah - who am I kidding, I struggled the whole way through.

But I did it. So the tidbit I am passing on to you is - yes it is tough to stick to a commitment. Yes, it may down right "suck" the entire time. But in the end, if you did it, you get to do the victory dance (and in my case, eat a nice dish of soy ice cream) afterward.

The alternative, is more guilt and more negative self talk. No thank you.

Try it. Even though it hurts, it only hurts for a short time. The time on the treadmill, the time it takes to say "no thanks" at the restaurant. These are mere minutes. Just be strong for those few minutes and you get to feel good for a whole lot longer. Try it!

A Call to Change

The past few days have been full of dramatic change in my world. Two different paths, each started two years ago, have been suddenly called to the next level.

What brought about abrupt change - reading!

Two different pieces of literature stumbled into my life - one a book and one a magazine article.

I am stunned how just a few minutes spent reading the text of each called to me and inspired me to make two major changes in my life.

Never underestimate the power of the written word.

Take the time to read but not to lose yourself in the story rather to find yourself in the message.

I wonder if at a different time or in a different mood if the texts would have affected me so profoundly.

In any case, I feel I have been called to change the direction of the two paths I am on.

I hope someday I write something that is able to affect a change in the reader too!

May Special

Hello all. I don't know about you but I am totally confused as to what to wear. Should I put the winter clothes away or bundle up? One day it is 89 degrees and the next I am shivering in my sweatshirt.

As the season plays havoc with our body temperature, so do bugs and viruses with our system. In this case I am referring to computer bugs and information systems and not the swine flu. Someone with nothing better do to hacked into my web host's server and infected my home page. For those of you who haven't been able to reach my website for most of April, I do apologize.

The problem should be fixed now. If you are still getting redirected to a "looney tunes" page then try this. Go to your internet Tools tab, click on Options and then under privacy or security (depending on your browser) delete your Browsing History. This should delete any saved addresses in your browser search bar. (This has no effect on favorites or bookmarks.)

After that you should be able to get to my site without a problem. If you still experience a problem, please email me at jprice7733@gmail.com. (My normal email address has also been affected by the bug.)

So having said all that, we are re-runing the Gavin's Gift and the May Celebration specials. Please go to beautywithacause.com to read Gavin's story. We are donating 10% of April and May's sales to Gavin's Gift and we are matching the funds raised.

The Celebration Gift Sets that we created just for this cause smell wonderful. They are grapefruit and pink grapefruit scented bath and body products. The lotion is one of my favorite products. I call it my "happy" lotion as the scent always brightens my mood. I hope you will support Gavin and give yourself a pick me up at the same time. Happy May!

Ten tips to spring clean in less than six hours

Growing up, do you remember your mother or grandmother doing her Spring cleaning? Do you remember how thorough it was? Cabinets were emptied and cleaned. Throw rugs went out to be aired. All the windows were cleaned. A good week of solid cleaning ocurred. Who has time for that these days? Most of us don't.

In our rushed daily lives, cleaning takes a back seat to more pressing needs. Unfortunately our homes today need more of grandma's touch than older homes ever did. New construction has made our homes very air tight. Therefore germs can build and breed in our recirculated air and on our floor and furniture surfaces.

To get the benefit of "grandma's clean" without the time commitment here are ten effective cleaning tasks that will do the most to get germs out of your house in less than six hours.

1. Open the windows - As simple as it seems, the best way to get germs out is to circulate fresh air throughout your home. Time commitment - 5 minutes

2. Steam clean your carpets - Carpets are a breeding ground for germs and allergens. As an added bonus having your carpets steam cleaned is environmentally responsible as chemicals are not involved. Hire a professional that only uses steam and skip the rental cleaners. Time commitement - 5 mintues (the time it takes to make a phone call)

3. Clean major traffic doors - Finger prints, mud and dirt build up all winter long. You can't help but see them every day as you go about your life. Cleaning these highly visible areas will go a long way to freshening up your visual space. Clean with a simple solution of baking soda and water. This solution is gentle on surfaces yet effective. Best of all there is no lingering odor or chemical exposure. Time commitment - 60 minutes (assuming 10 minutes per door and 6 major doors)

4. Eliminate odors - Open a box of baking soda and leave it in windowless rooms and closets. Baking soda will absorb orders and leave the air fresher than a chemical freshener. Time commitment - 5 minutes

5. Toss it - Throw away the lonely mitten without a mate, the scarf that your kids will never wear, the snow pants that don't fit. Don't pack away stuff that won't get used next year. While it is still in sight, deal with it. Toss it or give it away. Time commitment - 10 minutes

6. Attack the kitchen - Clean all surfaces with a baking soda and water or a vinegar and water solution. Wipe away fingerprints from cabinets, stubborn spills from appliances and scuff marks from base boards. You spend a great deal of time in the kitchen even if you don't like to cook. In many houses the kitchen is the heart of the house. Focusing time here will pay off more than in lesser used rooms. Time commitment - 60 minutes (upbeat music is mandatory for this one)

7. Change the curtains - Remove heavy winter drapes for lighter sheers or go "naked." More daylight will brighten your spirits and liven up your entire home. Time commitment - 60 minutes (if you have a lot of windows like I do)

8. Clear out the vanity or bathroom drawers - At least twice a year you should review your toiletries and toss expired cosmetics and personal care items that have just been there too long. This is an area where clutter can build up quickly since you are typically rushed in the morning. Time commitment - 30 minutes (if you have to think how long its been there - toss it)

9. Get a few house plants - Green house plants can brighten up spaces or make them feel more serene. As an added benefit, plants clean the air. If you already have house plants, give them fresh soil and fertilizer. Trim off dead leaves and branches. You will just feel better with healthy foliage around you. Time commitment - 60 minutes (to go to the store or repot existing plants)

10. Refresh your personal area - Everyone has a favorite spot in the house. Chances are this is the place where clutter reigns - magazines that need to be tossed, piles of paper that need to be dealt with, etc. Since this is your personal refuge, cleaning this area will greatly impact your mood and leave you feeling refreshed. Time commitment - 60 minutes (I am assuming you are a bit of a pack rat or indecisive here; motivational music is needed)

Six hours and you are done. You can accomplish this easily over the course of the weekend. Come Monday you are fresh and ready for a terrific spring and summer season ahead!!

Grapefruit Oil

Now that warmer weather is on its way you are most likely feeling your spirits rise. Grapefruit oil will help stimulate this wonderful feeling even on rainy days. Grapefruit oil has been shown to have an uplifting positive affect on your mood.

It is a helpful oil when you want to curb your appetite resulting from stress or depression. If you are like most women, eating, even when you are not hungry, is a defense mechanism to deal with stressful situations and an overall feeling of depression. The busy activity associated with spring can bring these feelings on. By uplifting your mood, you can decrease the craving for comfort food.

Grapefruit oil has also been shown to clear oily congested skin which is one of the downsides of warmer weather. Grapefruit oil dissolves fat and stimulates the metabolism of adipose tissue. Its astringent-like qualities are useful in cleansing the skin and removing the oily residue.

Grapefruit oil is one of my favorites. I call my pink grapefruit lotion my "happy" lotion. I use it every morning to get ready for the long day ahead. I keep more at my desk for whenever I need a little pick me up. Discover the wonderful benefits of this oil for yourself. You can find special grapefruit products at our store http://www.beautywithacause.com/ or pick up a bottle of essential oil at your local healthfood store. I get my essential oils from http://www.jeansgreens.com/.

April Special - Gavin's Gift

Our special for April is a continuation of the celebration of spring and of youth. Our Passion & Purpose customer has asked to be anoymous but has a wonderful story to share. Ten percent of the sales for April will go to Gavin's Gift. Gavin is a three year old boy who was diagnosed last month with leukemia. Gavin's family is still coming to grips with the new reality they are faced with and how Gavin will be effected. Fortunately, Gavin has a wonderful support network of friends and family who focus on Gavin "the healthy boy" and not the "little boy facing a life-threatening disease." As Gavin's father is also a friend of mine, I will match whatever is raised through the website.

Twitter

Hello all. I am learning how to use Twitter. What a new and strange world. Some people pass along great web information. Some folks talk about extremely personal things - almost like they forgot the whole world can see what it going on in their lives - wonder if they are concerned about privacy protection. Others just write to see themselves in print. I am learning all kinds of new words - like retweet and tweetdeck. I feel like such a newbie.

What is the take-away from all this? You can learn new things at any age, even things that belong to the newest generation. We were all young once and we don't have to grow old ever. Stay young and keep learning. Having fun is the opposite of boredom. I choose fun. How about you?

Looking for small skin care crafters

I am looking for a few small independent hand crafters of skin care products - in particular companies that have a very small product line and haven't had the ability to launch their own webstore. If you are passionate about your products (or know someone who is) and do not use toxic ingredients, reach out to me. Please visit our website at http://www.beautywithacause.com/ to see what our company is all about. If you are committed to making a product that is healthy for your customers to use then our store is the perfect showcase for you.

Twitter

Just set up a Twitter account for the first time. I am wondering if this tool is like have a phone conversation with someone with out the phone. I think if I look at it in those terms it make sense. Otherwise, why would someone care what little boring everyday things I am doing at the moment I am doing them. Anyone who knows me well knows I hate talking on the phone so Twitter could be a good thing for me. If you want to talk to me using Twitter my user name is BEAUTYWITHCAUSE (no "a"). I will probably get back to you faster than I would return a phone message.

Humn, that's two pieces of technology in the same month - I think I have made my quote for the month. For those of you that are technophobes my advice to you is start with just one piece of technology and live with it for a while. Start too many at once and you will drop them fast. On top of the fact that you won't be able to remember a single password! Take it slow and don't allow yourself to be overwhelmed. One new tool a month is plenty. I am always willing to help if you need it. Sometimes the blind leading the blind can be fun.

Techology simplified

If you are like me, all this web 2.0 stuff is a bit confusing. I attended a seminar the other day that made sense of one piece of technology that I thought was valuable enough to share. Have you heard of igoogle? It is a neat way of consolidating a whole bunch of free tools into one useful location. You create your own home page of sorts tht has the items you care about on it. My igoogle page has a to-do list, an appointment calendar, my gmail account, a news feed, my horoscope, inspirational quotes, free itunes download feed and more. These tools are all free - they are called "gadgets." You can load them on to your igoogle page and whenever you log in you can see everything at once. In addition you can create a secondary page where you can subscribe to feeds from websites and blogs you really like to follow and then see just the updates on one page.

This tool has made staying current and organized so much easier for me. Igoogle is easy to set up and you can customize your page any way you want. There are hundreds of gadgets to choose from and it's all free. If you want to set up a page, you need to have a gmail account - again free. Then click on igoogle up in the upper left of google search page. Have fun setting it up. If you have questions, feel free to email me or respond to this post.

Welcome

Welcome B-cause We Care, Beauty with a Cause, newsletter subscribers. The newsletter will now be delivered in blog format. You can continue to recieve it in the normal email link fashion or you can subscribe to updates with a RSS feed. We have switched to this format so that we can bring you news and updates quicker and in a more flexible format. I hope you enjoy the new format.

Preferred customers and their passions drive Beauty with a Cause

We are very excited to announce our new Preferred Customer program, Passion & Purpose. Preferred Customers now get to express their passions to the B-cause community by picking the monthly special and the charity that will receive 10% of all sales for a month.

Our debut Passion & Purpose customer is Tami. Tami loves lavender and has requested we create more lavender scented products so...

This month's special is SPRING SHOWERS. This is a limited edition, lavender scented shower line. We are offering our body wash, our shampoo, our conditioner and our body lotion in lavender scent. We use only essential oils to scent our products. You can get these items in a full size set, in a travel size set or as a la carte full size items.

In addition Tami has selected the American Diabetes Association Research Foundation to be the recipient of 10% of March's sales. At the American Diabetes Association Research Foundation one hundred percent (100%) of every dollar contributed to the Research Foundation helps support more than 406 awards at over 164 research institutions across the country, all working toward a day without diabetes. To find out more about this foundation visit their website here.

To purchase these items, visit our web store at http://www.beautywithacause.com/. Thank you Tami for being a Preferred Customer and sharing your passion with all of us!

What can lavender oil do for you?

This month's special is a lavender scented SPRING SHOWERS line of bath products. Lavender is a wonderful oil that not only smells light and fresh, it also has many health benefits. Lavender oil can calm the nerves and is used to soothe migraines, headaches, depression, anxiety, and stress. Lavender can also increase mental clarity and relieve exhaustion due to nervous tension. It's soothing properties are also known to help with insomnia and induce sleep. Lavender has been shown to lower blood pressure and improve circulation.


With lingering spring colds, it is helpful to know that lavender is also beneficial to the respiratory system. Used in a vapor form, lavender oil can aid with the healing of throat infections, bronchitis, the flu, common colds and other respiratory problems.



Lavender has antiseptic properties that are beneficial to the skin. It can reduce inflammation and help treat acne and psoriasis. Lavender in shampoo and conditioner is also beneficial to the scalp by killing off parasites.



Our SPRING SHOWERS line is not only beneficial in that it is free of sulfates it is also scented with healing lavender. To see our limited edition SPRING SHOWERS line visit our web store at www.beautywithacause.com/.