SEASIIDE MAKERS COLLECTIVE : our new stores in Santa Barbara and Carpinteria, California

The Grapeseed Co. has opened 2 new shops with a whole new concept! We're bringing together our favorite makers and artists in one place,  called Seaside Makers Collective. 

Meadow Rose Photo Art Wood Prints - Carpinteria Shop

We opened both the CARPINTERIA and SANTA BARBARA shops right before the 2018 holiday season, bringing together beautiful handcrafted jewelry, bags, children's apparel, wood work, pottery and of course, Grapeseed Co. in one store!

Grapeseed Co. Scent Bar at the Funk Zone SB Shop

Stop by Seaside Makers Collective in Carpinteria at 961 Linden Ave. and in the Funk Zone in SB at 209 Anacapa St. Grapeseed Co. has a Scent Bar in both stores you can visit daily to create your own bath & body products, or host a Scent Bar Party in our event spaces at either store.

Carpinteria Shop & Garden Event Space 961 Linden Ave.

We will also be hosting workshops and events to learn different crafts, and how to build your own Maker Business!We can't wait for you to experience this incredible shopping experience, stop by and visit us soon.

refresh, reset and recover : navigating running a business through natural disaster

I had the wonderful opportunity to tell the story behind The Grapeseed Company this past week on Indie Cruise in Ixtapa, Mexico.

Sunset in Ixtapa, Mexico

 This could not have come at a better time for me, as I was feeling beyond hope due to 6 weeks of crazy and historic natural disasters in the Santa Barbara area, where we are based. We lived through the largest wildfire in the history of California...

Downtown Carpinteria      photo credit: Alain Julfayan

Followed by the aftermath of horrific mudslides in Montecito -- a small, gorgeous town located right in between Santa Barbara and Carpinteria. We are extremely fortunate that our entire team is safe, and did not lose their lives or homes. Many were not so lucky. Our community is grieving heavily as over 20 have died, and hundreds have lost pets, homes and businesses due to the fire and mudslides. People are still missing. Our community has also been divided by the physical devastation of the mudslides shutting down all road access between Carpinteria and SB.

Montectio and the 101 freeway     photo credit: unknown

The 101 freeway is flooded with mud and has been closed for 11 days with no reopen date. The only way to transport product between our stores is a 5 hour drive around the mountains (it's usually 15 minutes!) The Grapeseed Co. has 3 physical locations: our flagship store and scent bar in downtown Santa Barbara, The Guilded Table collective shop in the Funk Zone in SB, and our warehouse store and production kitchen in Carpinteria, CA.

Our staff has been stuck on either side of this disaster trying to keep the business running the best we can as we usually move product between locations and ship wholesale and online orders daily. It's been stressful as we try to keep perspective of those that have lost everything while we operate day by day trying to keep things going with the roads blocked off. Transport has been limited both shipping our product and receiving ingredients and packaging to continue manufacturing, which we do daily.

I didn't think I'd even be able to make Indie Cruise due to the roads being closed to LA right after the mudslides hit. While the 101 North remains closed, they luckily opened the freeway South out of Carpinteria the day before our flight out of LAX. I felt extremely grateful, but also guilty leaving my community when we are hurting so badly. There was also little I could do staying here a week ago. First responders are the only folks being let in to help right now as the aftermath and cleanup is so dangerous. We've donated both as a business, and personally monetarily, but that didn't feel like enough with the great immediate needs in our community.

Leaving home turned out to be the best possible way for me to refresh and reset my mind so I can help Santa Barbara recover, both personally, and with the power of my company. Honestly, I showed up to Indie Cruise a bit in shock. We went out sailing together the first day. We got to know each other, went snorkeling and even saw whales! Water (especially warm ocean water!) has always been a healing force for me. Being in this beautiful, cleansing environment with such amazing entrepreneurs started to help me breathe again. Instead of just feeling thankful we were alive and didn't lose everything, I began to start thinking how I could help Santa Barbara recover.

The theme of Indie Cruise was Emerge, Engage, Evolve and Expand. My talk was about the Expand Phase. With the craziness of the past 6 weeks, I felt, "who am I to go speak about expanding when I made these huge decisions, signed leases, had to close our stores and now we are floating in the world of unknown in the aftermath of these natural disasters?!" 

We have been in business since 2004, and opened 2 more retail locations in the past 6 months; The Carp location opened at the end of the summer, and The Funk Zone location right before Thanksgiving. I had visions of this being a great growth move as our company is so rooted in the community with what we do upcycling grapeseeds to create our natural skin and body care products. 

I had recently moved from SB to Carp, and was excited to open our 2nd shop in my hometown where we needed to get our own warehouse since we'd grown out of our SB office and had been subletting warehouse space prior to fit our growing company. The Funk Zone is the new "hot spot" in SB that tourists and locals alike are flocking to. I had a grand plan of this being the best holiday season ever! 

Then we were hit by natural disaster and shut down for a great portion of December due to the Thomas Fire, and the heavy smoke and ash that lingered afterwards. Santa Barbara is a huge tourist destination, and tourism has basically stopped since Dec. 5, 2017. Even with 3 stores, we didn't scratch the surface of what we normally do in December sales. Again, perspective... we have our loved, ones, home and business locations still in tact. I learned no matter how much you plan, you can never plan for natural disaster. While I was listening to the 4 other speakers, and even to myself up there telling my own expansion story, something started happening...

@grapeseedco on instagram "Such an pleasure and honor to tell the story of expanding #grapeseedco this week on @indiebusiness @indiecruise and share the stage with these lovely ladies! Together we represent 4 important stages of building your business: emerge, engage, evolve and expand. Each story was amazing, heartfelt and inspiring!"

I felt a new sense of inspiration from this amazing tribe of people in the room with me. I sat alone late that evening on the deck of our room listening to the healing waves lap on the shore, reflected, and made a small step from Mexico to help those that lost everything.

@grapeseedco on Facebook & instagram: We are beyond heartbroken for our community and the tragic loss of lives, homes and businesses in #Montecito ❤️ We’re giving anyone that lost their home a free #organic #shampoo and #conditioner set at our #Carpinteria or #santabarbara stores! If you are stuck on either side of the #mudslide, visit both our main #Grapeseedco locations in Carp or #downtownSB and we’ll hook you up, and give you a hug! #montectiostrong #santabarbarastrong #carpstrong #sbstrong #805strong #community #locallove #givingback

On the trip home yesterday, I knew I needed to research what else we could do to help. Everyone who lives and works in the area is struggling and in different levels of trauma right now. Most have not been as fortunate as I was to escape the madness and are still in day to day survival mode. In addition to the greater loss mentioned above, people have lost their jobs, can't get to work and are worried how they are going to make it. Businesses have had to lay off their entire staff and close. We luckily are healthy enough right now to make it through with our current team in tact, and will actually be hiring another employee and providing a job in the area. Another little step to help the community. Small, local business like Grapeseed Co. provide jobs! 

I spent the travel time reading stories of amazing ways people are coming together and helping our community heal, from candelight vigils, to the Montecito Mud Angels, to registering to become a Red Cross helper. I'm coming back renewed with more energy I can put into recovery efforts. Part of that is sharing my perspective and ways you can help here. I shared my research on how we can help with some of our staff this morning. It touched my heart to see they wanted to volunteer and register with the Red Cross to help or find locations to donate clothing and personal care items. Each person doing what they can, and this is what it is going to take! Each and every one of us reaching out, lending a hand, giving a hug to our neighbors and helping in any and every way we possibly can. 

Since many of our wholesale and retail customers don't live in the area, this is to help you understand what's going on, and why we have been slower in response. We are also extremely grateful for you, right now (and always)! 

I am listing some resources on how to help the recovery efforts here, including ways to donate for those not in the area. Please LMK others in the comments as you come across them.

HOW TO HELP IN PERSON:
Register for training and volunteer with the Red Cross: Sign up for a disaster bootcamp- emotional advocate, crisis management, and shelter training.

DONATE:
Direct Relief International- This locally founded non-profit is providing relief fund directly to locals affected by the mudslides. 


Search Dog Foundation - The search dogs have been critical in the mudslide recovery efforts. They lost their building in Santa Paula during the Thomas Fire and are in great need.

United Way of Santa Barbara - In Santa Barbara County, the Fund will serve the long-term needs of Santa Barbara County families and individuals, as well as the short-term needs of Santa Barbara County nonprofit organizations helping evacuated individuals displaced by the Thomas Fire and floods caused by the fire scar. direct donation link HERE

Montecito Mud Angels - I've known Eric since he started the first TedX conference here in 2010. This guy knows how to rally and has a big heart. He is making sure donations go directly to those in the greatest need! The stories of how they are helping will bring a tear to your eye.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and your concern. To our wholesale partners and online customers, thanks for your understanding! Please be patient and kind with each other as we wade through this. The road to recovery here will take years, but I'm staying positive as I see our community coming together in beautiful ways. We will come out so much stronger from this! 

my baby... photo bombing our Indie group shot

And lastly, a special thanks to everyone at Indie Cruise for listening, sharing and helping get me out of that deer in headlights feeling, finding ways to take action, loving my baby, and motivating me start blogging again ;)! You are all amazing people and I'm lucky to have met you.

Peace,
Kristin

PRESS: The Grapeseed Company Showcased in National Craft Beauty News Feature

The Grapeseed Co. was chosen to be featured in a national news clip on Craft Beauty, and the rise of consumer awareness and demand for craft and handmade products. Watch as one of our customers, Dianne Duva, talks about why she chooses to shop at The Grapeseed Company for natural, organic skincare on ABC news...

Don't miss out on our last big sale of the year!

DETAILS (please read carefully!):

*20% off retail purchases only; not valid on wholesale.

*Valid now through Monday November 30,2015.

*Applies to all Grapeseed Co. stock products in store and on the website.

*Does not include: Organic Essence Deodorant, Everyday Minerals Makeup, Custom Scent Bar items or Gift Certificates. 

USE CODE:

GIVINGTHANKS

online, or mention you are a newsletter subscriber in-store! 

 

 GREAT GIFT IDEAS

For everyone on your list.....

California Dreamin' Gift Pouch

Includes: Cali Vine decadently rich face cream, sweet lips, pinot dreams whipped body butter & surf travel candle in a reusable hemp pouch.

RECEIVE A FREE SURPRISE GIFT

with a purchase of $25 or more when you 

shop in our Santa Barbara store 

Friday 11/27 or Saturday 11/28

LOCAL FRIENDS PLEASE SEE OUR EXTENDED HOLIDAY STORE HOURS BELOW:

HOLIDAY EXTENDED STORE HOURS

(STARTING DECEMBER 1,2015)

OPEN 

MONDAY - FRIDAY 10:30AM-6PM

Fall Favorites at The Grapeseed Company

Fall is Officially in Season!

 

Our fall favorites and Seasonal products are the perfect way to prep your skin for the change in weather! Grab a bottle of our Cali Harvest Serum, Pumpkin Pie Soap, or create your own Autumn inspired product to celebrate the season.

Cali Harvest Serum $30

The 2.3oz Cali Harvest Serum contains flax seed, cherry kernel oils, and organic pumpkin seed leaving the skin rejuvenated and replenished. Our serums are all oil based and have been infused with herbs and flowers for 30 days. Cali Harvest Serum is recommended for all skin types and ideal for this fall weather! Also available in a 1.2oz travel size for $18.

Seasonal Pumpkin Pie Soap $10

Our seasonal pumpkin pie seasonal Santa Barbara soap is perfect to kickoff the fall season. The dashes of pumpkin, vanilla, clove, oats, and cinnamon added to make this soap will remind you that the holidays are just around the corner. Pumpkin is rich in vitamin A and beta carotene while avocado, grapeseed & coconut moisturize as they gently cleanse your skin. 

Create Your Own Autumn Inspired Organic Bath & Body Products

Or, create your own custom fall scented product at our Scent Bar in the downtown Santa Barbara store, or the Virtual Scent Bar online! Create your own lotion, body wash, mist, bath salts, beard oil and more online or in our store. 

  

Check out some of our autumn inspired scents like:
Cranberry Spice, Clove, Cranberry, Honey Ginger Fig, Vanilla Fig, Atlas Cedar, Pumpkin Pie, Vanilla Chai, and Vineyard

 

visit our Apothecary Scent Bar at the flagship store in downtown Santa Barbara, California
{21 W. Ortega St. Santa Barbara, CA}

Free SPF 15 sweet lips lip balm tube with $30 Purchase

SPF 15 sweet lips lip balm tube

Take advantage of this special offer for our valued customers!

SPF 15 Sweet Lips Lip Balm Tube 

($6 Value)

Free with any purchase of $30 or more

  While supplies last, receive a FREE SPF 15 Sweet Lips Lip Balm Tube with your purchase of $30 or more in our Santa Barbara store or at thegrapeseedcompany.com. 

Our best-selling Sweet Lips SPF lip balm is made with a rich blend of organic coconut, olive and hemp oils leaving your lips moisturized and soft. There's also the added bonus of having an SPF 15 to make sure you're lips are protected from the UV rays.

NO COUPON CODE NECESSARY! Just place your online order of $30 or more, and we'll include it for FREE. See details below:

*Every order of $30+ will receive a free lip balm included in their shipment, or purchase in our store until we run out!

* Valid on retail purchase only online or in our store; not valid on wholesale orders. 

 

Vine Eyes Anti-Aging Eye Cream Special: $10 OFF this weekend

Vine Eyes anti aging eye cream with eyebright

Take advantage of this special offer this weekend! 
VINE EYES ANTI-AGING EYE CREAM
is on SALE for just $16!
(Originally $26)

From now until Sunday September 27* enjoy the great benefits of our anit-aging eye cream for $10 off its normal retail price ($26)! Vine eyes is made with eyebright, grapeseed & acai all known to target bags, fine lines, and dark circles. On top of erasing all those marks from your eyes, it also firms and restores moisture to the skin.  

Swing by our downtown Santa Barbara store or purchase online this weekend and see the wonders that it will do for your delicate skin around the eyes! 

$10 OFF ONLINE CODE: eyebright 

PROMOTION DETAILS:
*Enter code at checkout online or mention this promo at The Grapeseed Co. store

*discount is valid per purchase (cannot be applied to multiple eye creams in 1 purchase)

*Valid on retail purchase only online or in our store; not valid on wholesale orders

*Valid until midnight Sunday September 27, 2015 online

Friday Funday Savings in December: 25% off all SERUMS this weekend

Cali Harvest Serum

Guess what? We're offering amazing promos every Friday this holiday season to thank our wonderful customers for shopping with us and supporting small businesses this holiday season.

Resroli Serum

Every Friday from now until Christmas, we will announce a fantastic  
Friday Funday offer on some of our top selling products!

Kickoff starts tomorrow, with ALL 3 of our bestselling full size

The Grapeseed Co.

ORGANIC FACIAL SERUMS 

at 25% OFF 

with 

code: FFserum

{Friday-Sunday}

Pick up your favorite organic facial serum: 

Rose & Grape Serum

1. Rose & Grape 
2. Resroli
3. Cali Harvest

...or try all three! Promos will be announced Friday mornings via our newsletter in December. Sign up here so you don't miss out!

DETAILS:
*valid on full size only, not valid on travel size
*valid with code online and mention of newsletter in the store Friday through Sunday each week.
*valid on retail purchases only; not valid on wholesale orders.
*not valid with any other offer or discount.

Cheers & Enjoy!

Your Friends at The Grapeseed Co. 

Happy Holidays!

Fall Delights: Pumpkin Pie Seasonal Soap is back

IT'S BACK:Pumpkin Pie Santa Barbara Seasonal Soap 

  One sniff of Pumpkin Pie seasonal Santa Barbara soap and you’ll know it’s fall... the yummy, warming notes of pumpkin, vanilla, clove and cinnamon make you wonder if you should lather up or take a bite! Pumpkin is rich in vitamin A and beta carotene while avocado, grapeseed & coconut moisturize as they gently cleanse your skin.

Also try it with matching massage candle in the Pumpkin Pie Seasonal Soap & Candle Set

NEW RELEASE: Grapeseed Lotion Signature Scent Six Pack

NEW RELEASE: Grapeseed Lotion Signature Scent Six Pack

The ultimate Grapeseed organic lotion sampler set! Get all six signature essential oil blends in our deliciously rich vinotherapy lotion, formulated with natural ingredients to soothe and protect. Aloe, grape seed and coconut oils deliver a mega dose of vitamins and antioxidants to thirsty skin. This water free lotion absorbs quickly, is concentrated and will leave your skin feeling fresh and moisturized all day long. A perfect set for getting to know our signature scent blends, whether for yourself or as a gift!

Features:
~six 1.2oz recyclable PET bottles with pumps
~certified organic ingredients
~vegan, paraben + phthalate free
~made with love in CA

The perfect gift at an amazing price, just $16.99!  Get it HERE.
We predict this set is going to be a top-seller this upcoming holiday season.

Cheers,

Buy Pink Champagne Organic Wine Bar Soap in October, and 10% goes to Breast Cancer Research

The Grapeseed Co. pink champagne organic wine bar soap $9.99

Every year, we donate a percentage of sales to Cancer Research from our Pink Champagne Wine Bar Soap. This unique soap is made fresh in our production kitchen in Santa Barbara with local antioxidant rich grapeseeds and has even been featured in the Sunday Living Section of the
 
This October, we celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month by making a donation to the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara Annual Walk/Run taking place this weekend. The Cancer Center of Santa Barbara is doing some amazing things and you can help their efforts.

Here's a few facts on how your donation will help:
-More than 10,931 cancer patients were treated at the Cancer Center in 2013
-Over 6,000 cases were reviewed for eligibility for a clinical trial in 2013.
-The Cancer Foundation provided more than $3.5 million in financial support to the Cancer Center last year.

Will you please support The Cancer Center and help my friend (and one of our weekend warrior Grapeseed helpers :), Colby Boss-Adamski, reach her fundraising goal before this Sunday? Thank you in advance for your donation and support!

Follow This Link to visit Colby's personal donation web page and help me in my efforts to support Cancer Center of Santa Barbara.

Grapeseed Co. Skincare : Fresh from the Vineyard to Your Face

Here at The Grapeseed Company, we source local wine waste as the antioxidant rich base of our entire product line. Fall marks harvest season in the wine world, which means we collaborate with wineries up and down the California and Oregon coast to source red wine grapeseeds. This morning, my friend and Whole Foods Market Forager, Stacey, and I drove up to the Santa Ynez Valley to visit Bernat Winery and Vineyard for a grapeseed pickup.

Here's a peek inside our day and a little behind the scenes view of how we bring your fresh, vineyard to face organic skincare and bath products!

Here I am on the Bernat Vineyard grounds, checking out the grapes...

Meanwhile, Sam and his team have been pressing off syrah grapes this morning,

and have created this wine waste from the process of squeezing
juice from the grape.

The red wine seeds are amazing for your skin! They are concentrated with potent antioxidants and a powerful polyphenol, called resveratrol, that are the base of our product line at The Grapeseed Co. 

We take the wine waste back to our facility in downtown Santa Barbara, and go through a process of prepping the seeds for use in over 100 different skin care, bath, body, soap, hair care, men's skin care and baby products.

 

Harvest Crush Syrah Wine Soap

Bernat Winery is owned by Sam and Shawnda Marmorstein, who also own the delicious Los Olivos Cafe and Wine Merchant (a must stop in Los Olivos!) You can find Grapeseed Co. products at The Los Olivos Wine Merchant, and in the lovely vacation rentals they have on their vineyard... 

  

 

check out the gorgeous view! Plus a peek inside one of the vineyard cottages, where you will find this comfy bed looking out on the view above

...and the bathrooms stocked with Grapeseed Co. products!

Stacey and I having a little selfie fun in the mirror :)

 It's pretty neat to see full circle, the source of the products right outside the window. This soap is literally made with the seeds from
the vineyard you are staying at.

 

How cool is that?!

fresh from your kitchen: pineapple enzyme exfoliating mask

This easy but effective mask takes minutes to make, will renew your dull or sallow looking complexion (and leaves you with a juicy pineapple to much on!) All ingredients are easy to find organic at your local health food store or market. Enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup pineapple, cubed
1 T ground oatmeal (pulse in coffee grinder to make powder)
1 tsp almond flour

DIRECTIONS:

Cube 1/2 cup pineapple and mush with a fork or chop in food processor. Stir in oatmeal and almond flour, adding a bit more almond flour if you want to thicken the mask. Apply mixture to clean face and neck. Relax for 15 minutes and rinse off.

What it Does...
PINEAPPLE naturally contains multiple enzymes, such as bromelain and papain, that respectively break down dead skin cells while cleaning and calm skin while delivering rich vitamin A.

OATMEAL is a natural, soothing exfoliant known for it's calming and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has astringent qualities but is gentle enough for sensitive skin. It helps to draw oil and impurities out of the skin.

ALMOND are rich in vitamins A, B & E and often used in skin care for sensitive skin for its strong emollient and gentle softening properties. Almond meal is a flour made from the nuts; it's easy to find at Trader Joe's or your local health food store.

The Grapeseed Co. Cali Harvest Serum

Follow this enzyme mask with The Grapeseed Co. 
soothing Lavender Rose Toner and Cali Harvest Serum for 
an amazing, DIY facial with spa quality results!

Green Skin Care Blog brings simple spa delights to your home with Fresh From Your Kitchen: DIY skin care recipes & treatments you can create with a trip to the grocer or health food store. Direct from the creator of The Grapeseed Company's personal stash of fresh beauty creations and concoctions.