The PRODUCT Blog - Pure Ingredients for Gorgeous Hair

Independence Rocks

It's Friday again, and this time a national holiday - Independence Day.  Grilling, pool parties, fireworks, and (this might be the BEST part) less traffic here in Los Angeles!

PRODUCT received some more blog love this past week, on The Lipstick Page.  The blog is part of 'The Broadroom,' a site that's 100% owned and operated by women which has forums where readers discuss beauty, fashion and lifestyle topics, a reviews page where readers post about results they've gotten with products they've used, and The Lipstick Page, with tips about new & noteworthy finds...

Also, on the "male tip," for guys who might not be checking out The Lipstick Page, PRODUCT was included in an article about the most genius hair goos for grooming and styling in the Summer issue of Nylon's men's mag called, appropriately, NYLON guys. 

Completely unrelated, but something I came across this week - Monday July 7th in Pamplona, Spain, the annual week of festivities begins, including (you guessed it) the running of the bulls...But there's also an event that's taken place the last four years in peaceful and good-natured protest of bullfighting - the running of the nudes.  That's right, animal advocates come out in all shapes and sizes and no clothing to try and raise awareness about the cruelty involved in the Spanish tradition of bullfighting.  A worthwhile cause, and public nudity is a savvy ploy to garner attention - love those Europeans!

Hope that everyone has a fabulous 4th, and I'll get back with you all next week!

It IS Easy Being Green

Happy Friday!  June is drawing to a close - it seems as though it just flew by...

Last Friday was the official beginning of Summer, the Solstice.  To mark the beginning of the season and to address a hair issue that affects many during these generally warmer, more humid months, the website Sprig.com featured an article about No-Frizz Summer Hair - and included PRODUCT in the styling aid recommendations! 

Sprig.com is an offshoot of The Washington Post that is dedicated to informing readers about how to become more green, and about all the benefits that green choices have to offer - environmental and personal health benefits, cost benefits, sustainability - the list is long...Sprig really demonstrates how stylish green can be, how the marketplace is shifting and manufacturers of all kinds of goods are becoming more responsible in their practices and with their products.  We're proud that PRODUCT is part of the 'green revolution' that's taking place, and excited to see it really taking hold in the public consciousness! 

As part of our efforts to ensure that we operate at peak green levels, we recently made a subtle change to our labels, which we are now printing on a substance called FiberStone that, believe it or not, requires absolutely NO trees to make and uses NO water to produce!  I find it amazing that FiberStone labels, which look and feel almost identical to our original paper labels, are made from limestone that is harvested from quarries mined by construction companies.  FiberStone takes less energy to produce than traditional paper products, creates zero waste, and uses zero chemicals.  We were introduced to FiberStone by a company called Natural Source Printing - their goal, according to their President, is to "go beyond recycled paper."  Vision and resourcefulness like this is thrilling to see and we're happy that PRODUCT can team up with innovators to promote sustainability efforts in the course of doing business. 

Until next week - be well and be green!

Back from the Road

Hello, hello!  What a wonderful trip I enjoyed!  Two weddings, five states, an absolutely stunning array of landscapes...I got to see mesas, cliff dwellings, the Monument Valley 'mittens,' and the granddaddy of all geological wonders, the Grand Canyon.  We visited national parks and Indian reservations...we actually spent one night in a traditional Navajo dwelling called a hogan.  We had some off-road adventures and attended a wedding at St. Francis, the oldest Catholic cathedral in the United States.  I even was able to swing by and visit my dad on Father's Day on the way home!  It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime excursion.

And now it's back to work!  PRODUCT is going strong.  Even during vacation we managed to add a new retailer...We are excited that PRODUCT will now be available at Supple Integrative Skincare in Berkeley, California.  Our first Northern California store, and a super chic one it is...

Also, PRODUCT is going strong with the NaturallyCurly.com crowd.  Thanks for the orders, Curlies!  It's fantastic to be able to reach a whole new hair type, and NaturallyCurly.com really is a curly-haired person's mecca.  Our special offer for their readers continues through the end of the month, and we hope at least a few more people will take advantage of it and give PRODUCT a try.

So I'll check in next week...hope you have a great one.  It's good to be back!

Road Trip

I am going away for a little over a week, so I won't be communicating with you all until I get back - I'm really excited, though, because I'm going to be seeing some natural wonders (the Grand Canyon!, Monument Valley!) and visiting places I've not yet been...

New this week:  Discovery Channel's fresh 'all eco all the time' channel, Planet Green, debuted on June 4th.  As you may know, PRODUCT was selected to be included in cast and crew gift bags for the show 'Supper Club,' hosted by Tom Bergeron.  We hope Planet Green is a huge success - you can find local listings by using their website's channel finder.  Other earth-friendly shows on the new channel feature chef Emeril Lagasse and rocker Tommy Lee, as well as Adrian Grenier from 'Entourage' who's not only pretty cute but also a big advocate of all things green...sigh.

Also FYI:  If you're looking for a little something for Dad, whose big day is coming up on June 15, you might consider giving him (or any significant other who you may be gifting on that day) a jar of PRODUCT.  Guys love the simplicity of the formula, the natural non-perfumey scent, and the way it styles hair without any crusty or flakey side effects.  Men are some of PRODUCT's biggest fans.

So I'm outta here!  Everyone please take care while I'm gone, enjoy early June and the gradual shift from Spring to Summer, have a super Father's Day...See you in a couple weeks!

 

Hello Curlies!

As we say on the website, PRODUCT works well with all hair types and lengths - and that includes curly hair.  PRODUCT tames frizz and flyaways, softens and conditions, and helps define and add shine to all varieties of curls. 

So we're very excited that in June PRODUCT is being introduced to all the curlies who frequent the best website for their hair type - NaturallyCurly.com.  The site was started by two curly-haired women who after years of struggling to smooth and straighten their kinky locks, decided it was time to let nature take its course and embrace the hair they were born with.  And thus a revolution was started - Curl Power!

Since PRODUCT is all about the beauty of natural, we look forward to establishing a positive hair-styling relationship with curly-headed girls everywhere.  On NaturallyCurly.com, PRODUCT will be featured as a "Hot Product" during June, will be listed in their CurlProducts section as a "New Product" and is being added to the inventory of their online store, CurlMart!  The curlies have high standards when it comes to what styling products they choose, and we're confident that our organic and plant-derived ingredients and simple, synthetic-free formula will appeal to them.  No silicones, no drying sulfates, no harsh chemicals - only the good stuff like shea butter, aloe vera and vitamin E. 

Welcome curlies, we can't wait for you to try PRODUCT!

Oh My Blog

Sorry to have missed a week!  I hope everyone out there is faring well.  Life has been getting the best of my schedule lately, and I fell down in my blogging obligations.  But I'm back in action, and happy to be posting today - the beginning of a looooong weekend.  When each day has been feeling like two days, I wonder what a three day weekend will feel like?  Maybe a two-week break?  I hope so, and I'm really looking forward to these next few days.

PRODUCT business has been brisk this week - YAY!  I'm thrilled to announce that we have added two new retailers - one online and one salon here in Los Angeles.  

A couple weeks ago I sent PRODUCT samples to an online beauty boutique, Skinbotanica.com. They quickly responded and are adding us to their extremely high-quality, organic inventory.  We're in very good company among SkinBotanica's offerings, and we look forward to helping their customers attain their beautiful hair goals.  

Our second new retailer is a splendidly chic salon in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, Gamine Silverlake.  They're in their second year of business and have made a name for themselves with their skilled staff, extremely friendly environment and cool aesthetic.  

Also, we got word that one of our Seattle salon retailers, KittyHawk Hair, is going STRONG with PRODUCT!  Since the salon is in my old 'hood (Capitol Hill), and their logo is completely adorable (a kitty with wings), they occupy a special place in my heart.  We're enormously pleased that their clients are getting great results with PRODUCT, and appreciate the warm reception.

So, everyone, please have a peaceful, relaxing weekend - and I promise I'll be back next Friday!  

Mamacitas!

Blogging a little late this week because of a busy weekend...I hope that everyone did something for their mothers!  And if you reading this are a mother, cheers to you!   Motherhood is a big responsibility, an enormous task, and a huge character-builder.  So far my only parenting experience is with a cat and a dog, so I can only imagine what's involved with guiding and nurturing a little human being...

Part of being a mother is preparing children for their futures, teaching them responsibility and compassion, taking care of them while helping them learn how to take care of themselves.  Currently, part of every person's education and growth involves learning to care for the environment - Mother Earth, if you will.  Mothers are the world to their children, and the world is a mother to all of us.      

For our part, we're committed to PRODUCT being a healthy, safe, sustainable beauty product.  PRODUCT's natural ingredients are safe for children (we even had a beauty editor tell us that she uses it on her little boy - the highest possible endorsement!).  Mothers can lead by example as well by instruction, and we're glad that PRODUCT provides a pure and natural option for hair styling and personal care.

Here's wishing mothers everywhere peace, health and happiness!

May Days

The month of May has arrived, and with it a few exciting bits of PRODUCT news:

We are happy to be May's Brand Spotlight at beautyofasite.com, and look forward to being used on a lot of new heads as a result...

Also coming out this month is the Spring/Summer issue of BeautyHabit's outstanding catalog.  BeautyHabit has a store located here in California, and is also a big online retailer.  We are proud that PRODUCT will be listed as one of the 'Best Bets' in this current season's catalog. 

It really helps to have great relationships with our retailers, and we're lucky to be able to work with these two very supportive ones! 

This weekend I'll be conducting my first interview about PRODUCT, for a 'greener living' project that will air on the web...Wish me luck!  I will definitely keep you posted as to when it goes live!  I'm looking forward to being part of this effort to raise awareness about each individual's ability to make a difference through informed lifestyle and beauty choices, and to talk about the positive impact that can have on our lives.  Decisions made in the interest of your own health are very empowering and nurture a sense of self-esteem, which will do wonders to enhance your outer beauty! 

Lastly, PRODUCT was selected to be included in gift bags for staff, crew and guests of Discovery Channel's Planet Green show 'Supper Club.'  It's a convivial program in which an eclectic and sometimes provocative mix of guests share a sustainable, ecologically responsible meal prepared by a celebrity chef and discuss hot 'green' topics...The show is hosted by Tom Bergeron (who hosts 'Dancing with the Stars'), and some guests slated to appear on upcoming episodes of 'Supper Club' include Marilu Henner, Arianna Huffington, Super Dave (!), Larry Elder, Melissa Joan Hart - like I said, ECLECTIC.  Can't wait to check it out, and the show staff was totally into PRODUCT - we're sure the guests will love it as well!

Beauty Buffet Blog and Bees!

Howdy all!  It's Friday, and I for one am looking forward to the weekend.

Great news - Cheri at Beauty Buffet shared PRODUCT with her readers in a post about "Rising Stars" beauty products.  She wrote that in addition to being great for styling hair, PRODUCT "works wonders on most common skin irritations like dry skin, waxing trauma and sunburn."  That's the first time we've gotten that particular feedback about alternate uses, which I love!  A couple of people even commented on the post, both of them excited about PRODUCT.  Wonderful...

Something else I just heard about today - like I need a reason to eat some ice cream - is Haagen-Dazs' "Help the Honeybees" campaign.  Haagen-Dazs is working to raise awareness of the unfortunate Colony Collapse Disorder phenomenon, which I've read about on a few occasions and which still mystifies biologists...it's causes are unknown.  CCD has the potential to affect all of us, because so many of our food crops are pollinated by honey bees that healthy hives are necessary to a sufficient food supply.  The "Help the Honeybees" site is super cute - it's home page is soothing with its green field and chirping bird sounds, you can create and send your own 'bee-mail,' and there's a list of some seriously tempting 'bee-dependent' ice cream flavors...Yum.   It also does a good job, however, of informing people about Colony Collapse Disorder and about what they can do to support beekeepers and bees.  Kudos to Haagen-Dazs for finding an adorable and appealing way to bring attention to this issue (and stir up cravings...).  But what would summer be without ice cream, after all?  Enjoy!

Happy Earth Day to You...

Hello, hello!  So this week it's all about Earth Day, which is April 22.  Special events taking place across the country this weekend include gatherings in parks to celebrate and honor our amazing planet and Green Apple Music Festival sonic extravaganzas.  Here in Southern California we have Ziggy Marley, Taj Mahal and actress/rocker Juliette Lewis with her band The Licks playing live at the Santa Monica Pier- love it! 

Personally, I try to be aware of my impact on the planet every day...I'm a bit obsessive (I'll admit it) about recycling, I bring my own grocery bags to the market, etc. etc.  I don't drive a hybrid yet, but I aspire to it.  That's the thing, it's a process for all of us.  It's incredible to me that we were aware of and addressing environmental issues as far back as the 1970's (there were solar panels on the White House for goodness sake!), but then priorities unfortunately shifted and those issues took a backseat during the 'greed is good' 1980's and dot-com boom 1990's.  Now we're facing global climate crisis and the green learning curve is pretty sharp - so, everyone, do the best you can.  Small changes, big thinking, conscious choices. 

So, what are you doing to celebrate Earth Day?  For tips on those small changes you can make and actions you can take, the site ecologue has a wide variety of suggestions and ideas...We're all in this together - humans, animals, plant life,  water, air, and Earth.  Taking care of ourselves is taking care of each other. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Earth Day weekend!