2 for 1 deals at The Grapeseed Co. Carpinteria Grand Opening this Saturday June 16

What: 

Grand Opening of

The Grapeseed Co. Carpinteria

When: 

noon- 5:30 
Saturday June 16, 2012

Where: 

4193 Carpinteria Ave #9 
Carpinteria, CA

fabulous goodie bags with purchase, 
free hand treatments, food, fun & incredible 
2 for 1 deals on different products every hour!

AMAZING 2 for 1 SPECIALS

every hour on our BESTSELLERS

noon-1PM 

chamomile grapefruit moisturizer

1-2PM 

summer crisp chardonnay body butter 

(and another surprise product!) 

2-3PM

mojito man aftershave balm

3-4PM

Dirty Dog Organics wash

4-5:30PM

Vine Eyes anti-aging eye cream with eyebright

(and another surprise product!)

yep... that means you buy one AND you get one free! 

Give it to a friend, save it for yourself, 
or stash it for a gift down the road.

THANK YOU for loving our products! We would not be opening store #2 without your support; thanks for spreading the word about what we do. June marks 8 years we've been bringing you the natural goodness of botanical beauty from wine, first online and now in 2 locations! Cheers- see you this Saturday.

xoxo,

what I've learned about business ethics this past week

Sometimes I blog about being an entrepreneur here at Green Skin Care Blog. There are fabulous and not so grand things that come with that title. I usually share the exciting, energetic, hard working, wonderful side of it, because that's how I roll. I'm a "think positively," "what can you learn from this situation" type of person. Today I'm going to share 2 rather difficult situations that were quite a learning experience.

"Business ethics" are two words I've pondered a few too many times in the past week...
One evening, I logged into hootsuite, a great tool for posting and tracking the impact of your social media accounts all in one place. I scrolled through my columns and spotted a fellow member of the Indie Beauty Network (IBN), @bellalucce, commenting someone had copied text verbatim from her website with links to her page and the copied page. I clicked on the link and was surprised to find someone I knew on the other end, another IBN member. I clicked on  the "wholesale" tab of the site to find an exact copy of The Grapeseed Company intro wholesale page...

I was a bit astounded; as members of the IBN trade network, we sign a membership statement specifically saying we will adhere to a certain code of ethics. This got to me on another level, because I have personally answered quite a few helpful questions for this member on where to get equipment and supplies. The member was contacted and the situations was dealt with; the copied text was removed in a matter of days.

What a powerful reminder that social media is not only a great communication tool, it can be an incredible business ethics tool. By tweeting and other IBN members re-tweeting the copied text, those involved were contacted and other members voiced their support. The problem was solved quickly and efficiently. Not to mention it was quite an effective reminder that you always have to watch your back as a small biz owner, no matter what.

I strolled into work Tues. to find another situation that left me dumbfounded and seriously questioning business ethics. Overnight, our next door neighbors in the small plaza we're located in closed up shop, stripped their restaurant and vanished in the middle of the night. Our joint places use to be one large unit, and the combined areas still share power, water & gas utilities. We had been paying the restaurant the beginning of each month our portion of the utilities for the month ahead since the meter needed to be assigned to one of our businesses and as a restaurant, they used more. Upon calling the electric company, I came to find out our neighbors had pocketed our money leaving bills unpaid. When I asked to transfer the account to my name since I was worried the power would be shut off, the rep I spoke with was trying to hold me liable since we shared the same meter number! Finally I got a manager who listened to our saga and went through the account notes, looked at my forwarded emails and reviewed our history to help me resolve the bum situation I had blindly been put in. Thankfully I had good notes and copies of everything in writing! I will be following up with our property management company since this is a situation our business never should have been put in in the first place. It's OK and human nature to get upset when things like this happen, but as an entrepreneur, you need to focus on the end goal of solving the problem, treat people with respect, and keep a written record for everything. Thank goodness for Evernote!

I have learned so much from other entrepreneurs who have shared their ups and downs. I hope these stories help others. I love being an entrepreneur. I like to see the good in people. Sometimes when weeks like this happen, it's hard to, but writing about it helps to focus on what I've learned from the experience and hopefully others can learn from it as well. I will always stick to the golden rule when it comes to business ethics; Treat others the way you want to be treated.

TGIF: Free Shipping until midnight PST

TGIF! Get free shipping on all of our dirty dog organics, baby g and grapeseed co. products through midnight tonight. Valid on retail orders $30+ only (not valid on wholesale) 

code: tweetFB11

5 things I've learned opening a retail store

1. People respond in two ways when you tell them you're opening a retail store.
scenario #1 "Are you crazy in this economy? Stores have been closing left and right!"
scenario #2 "You've 'made it'! Congratulations!"
Funny thing is, I don't think scenario #1 or #2 applies to us. Here's why...

2. Opening a retail store isn't crazy, nor is it our definition of "making it". For us, it was a strategic move to continue to self-fund our expansion. The addition of retail to our existing wholesale, online and private label business has allowed us to grow our production space and crank out larger orders. It's given us a beautiful showroom and an opportunity to teach the community about the benefits of natural skincare made by hand, with local ingredients. Adding the retail component or "the icing on the cake" (as I've been referring to it) has helped pay for that expansion, without outside investors or loans.

3. I get face to face interaction with customers daily. This is invaluable. I can spend hours on twitter, facebook posts, our e-newsletter or this blog, but nothing takes the place of face to face interaction when someone is touching, smelling and experiencing your product. Conversation and feedback right at your fingertips daily-- that's priceless.

4. Everything is a learning experience. This isn't something new I've learned, but it has been a fabulous reminder (as if being an entrepreneur isn't) that there is something positive to take away from every situation. If something doesn't go as planned, I look at how, why, and what can I learn from this? Focusing on that helps frustration, disappointment or dare I say anger (I was there today :) get the better of me.

5. Multiple revenue streams are a key to success. Examining those streams and where the money is coming from help determine focus, therefore making me more productive.

I could keep going, but these are the most prominent in my mind after being open for 6 weeks. I'm sure I will continue to learn a million more things as we roll into the holiday season!

Friday freebie: lavender rose toner

free travel 2oz lavender rose toner
with your purchase of $30

valid on retail purchases online 

or in store
with coupon code

coupon code:
toneup

 

visit our new boutique and custom scent bar

at 201 W Carrillo St in downtown Santa Barbara

11-6 Tues thru Sat

12-5 Sun

details: Not valid on wholesale orders orders. One-time use only, not valid with any other coupon or discount. Valid while supplies last.

Benefits of Red Wine for the Skin

Dr. Oz has a great article on his blog this morning called "Cheers To Red Wine". While many health professionals and media people like Barbara Walters have done features on the health benefits of red wine, I was particularly pleased to see Dr. Oz mention the great effects red wine and products made from grape seeds can have on the skin!

Dr. Oz says skin benefits come from "Polyphenols (that) protect the skin from UV light and keep it elastic. It also strengthens the cross-linking of collagen, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Studies also show that people who drink red wine have fewer cancerous skin lesions. If you cannot consume alcohol, you can get these same benefits from a grapeseed oil scrub made from the seeds/skins of red wine grapes."

You can checkout the full article on Dr. Oz's blog and read more about the skin benefits here. If you're interested in learning more about the health benefits of red wine and grape seeds, I highly recommend reading The Longevity Factor: How Resveratrol and Red Wine Activate Genes for a Longer and Healthier Life by Dr. Joseph Maroon. We also posted a series of videos about a year ago on health benefits of wine, here are the links to check them out.
Resveratrol: Barbara Walters Investigates
The Science Behind Resveratrol: part 1
Resveratrol: Can You Intervene the Aging Process? (part 2)

I want to give a quick shout out to a twitter friend and customer who sent me this link today; thanks @erinstoupe for thinking of me! I know how I'm planning on unwinding this evening, a nice glass of Santa Barbara syrah and maybe even a custom vinotherapy mask to go along with it.... Have a fabulous Friday!

cheers,

PersonalCareTruth.com is here!

Good Morning,

I  just launched a new website! My latest venture has been a labor of love and ultimately frustration with the crazy misinformation out there about what is safe in cosmetics and personal care products.

My good friend Lisa Rodgers, creator extraordinaire of Cactus and Ivy, and I have been collaborating for months on this massive project. Lisa contacted me one morning with an idea based on a dream. I could not have asked for a more solid partner to cofound the site with! Lisa shares my work ethic, passion, and need to spread the truth, based on scientific research when it comes to beauty products.

I invite you all to spend some time at Personal Care Truth. This site was founded by beauty industry insiders, but meant for YOU ~ everyone and anyone who is concerned about what they are putting on their skin. Personal Care Truth is not about scare tactics, generalizations, fear mongering, or hopping aboard what’s considered trendy at the moment. Personal Care Truth is about education, facts, questions, research, sharing knowledge, and empowering consumers to make the choice that’s right for their families. We believe it is more powerful to provide information to educate and empower YOU as opposed to scaring you with information that has not been backed by science.

Welcome to Personal Care Truth ; come meet and learn from our well researched contributors. World renowned experts share their knowledge and research in the industry.

One more person I must give a shout out to is Jennifer Smith of Eco Office Gals. Thank you so much for helping us build the site and being the wonderful, entertaining person you are. We could not have done this without you.

Have a fabulous Monday, and let us know what you think about PersonalCareTruth.com

cheers,


 BTW, You can also follow @PrsnalCareTruth on twitter.

how to look fab on little shut eye

In an ideal world, we'd all be logging 8 blissful hours in la-la land every night. In the real world, we're students, travelers, parents, entrepreneurs, business men and women, friends, family and oh so much more. Sometimes these things prevent that ideal, uninterrupted pillow time we only dream about! Here are five quick tips to fake it 'til ya make it... 
and best wishes for a long and restful night sleep; that combined with these tips will make you look smokin'! 
cheers,

1. melt the bags!
Keep 2 spoons in your freezer. Lie down. Place 1 spoon, cup side down, on each eye and relax for a few minutes. This will help reduce puffiness.

2. eye cream. the savior product for anyone 30+
I just turned 34 a few weeks ago. I spent age 32-34 developing and launching our Vine Eyes anti-aging eye cream with eyebright. The unscented, 80% organic formula is rich in antioxidants that plump and smooth the delicate skin around your eyes. Nourish, then conceal (see #3).

3. hey dracula, my circles got yours- hands down!
The dreaded dark circles. The #1 complaint both men and women had for issues around their eyes when we surveyed on our facebook page and twitter a few months back. I have discovered the miracle cure ladies and gents, it's a yellow toned mineral makeup/concealer. Yes I said gents. Blended correctly, you too can pull it off. Most mineral makeup companies make one, my favorite is Bare Minerals Well-Rested. The key is the yellow tone neutralizes the bluish purple and the proper application brush. Blend gently, blend well.

4. a brush o'bronze
Yep, the sun-kissed glow perks up your tired, sallow, "my baby was screaming all night and we're ferbering" look all my friends have been talking about. Get a quality mineral based bronzer and brush all over your complexion for an instant perk me up. Guys, what I said in #3 applies here too many brands make a matte version, no shine or makeup-y glow. (side note: I really can't believe I'm suggesting man makeup, but desperate times call for desperate measures)

5. coffee
How could I leave out the obvious essential?

reader tips & every day is earth day winner

We asked our readers to share tips on how to respect the earth everyday. Here are their fabulous responses. 
Feel free to comment with your own!

"Use the rain that falls naturally from the sky to water your gardens instead of sending it down the sewers and into the streets"
Kathy

"I keep 2 reusable bags in my purse, that way I absolutely never leave home without them!" 
Jennifer

"#1 - We keep a number of reusable bags in each vehicle so that we're never without.
#2 - We recycle our kitty's water into the bird bath."
@ecstewart 

"Dispose old medications responsibly. Here are guidelines: http://bit.ly/cq2hQV" 
Reena Kazmann 

"Since we bring reusable bags with us to the store and don't have many plastic bags around the house anymore (thank goodness), I reuse produce bags and the bags our newspaper is delivered in for Mabel's daily constitutionals."
Katie L.

"Women could choose to use a menstrual cup (www.divacup.com) and a washable pantiliner (www.lunapads.com) instead of tampons and pads. Think of the paper usage, and saving that from the landfills! Also, think about the dioxin that will not be entered into the body, from bleached products."
Blogger Grrl

"My biggest green tips would be to eat lower on the food chain, carry reusable bags and food containers with you. Walk everywhere and take short showers. Composting is pretty awesome and easier then you think!"
 Amber Zuckswert 

"Here at our aromatherapy studio, we diffuse essential oils into the air for natural, clean fragrance. Not only are synthetic air fresheners comprised of chemicals, their packaging creates a lot of waste. For essential oil diffusion, you only need a diffusing source such as a candle diffuser or nebulizer, water, and essential oil which comes in a very concentrated form. One bottle will last you a long time!!"
Kathleen McManus

"We replaced our old, cracked windows and noticed a dramatic change in heating bills this winter, plus we got the tax credit for making our home more energy efficient. Big investment, but a great time to do it!"
Sarah B.

"Enjoy a litter-free lunch! Get up 5 minutes early and make (or prepare the night before) a fresh, organic lunch and then pack it in a re-usable, recyclable container. Throw in a washable cloth napkin and you'll eat healthier while saving money and the environment!"
Gregory

"We have a water catchment system we rigged for rain, we then use the water in the garden."
Sam Perry 

"My tip is to Install low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets."
Eve

"I started switching off my internet router and electronics at night. Since they're all on a power strip, it's as easy as flicking a switch to cut off phantom electricity drain. I also started lining my trash bins (in all rooms except the kitchen) with washable reusable bags. I just don't have many plastic bags lying around anymore. "
NotEasytobeGreen  

"We switched to a green trash hauler this year. The trucks are smaller, quieter, and more fuel efficient. The trash doesn't go into a landfill. It goes to a trash-to-energy facility and creates electricity. Ferrous metals are recycled. It even costs less than our old traditional trash hauler."
 Lee Hemming 

"Recycling is an easy way to make a difference. Starting you own compost for fantastic organic plantings is rewarding. Unplug. It not only help saves the planet but it cuts your electric bill down to size."
tlr33960  

"Bring your own coffee cup to work instead of using the disposable one's. If you want to go even futher, use re-usable dishes and silverware at work as well instead of the paper and plastic ones provided by your office. This is a GREAT way to cut down your footprint."
heater

"Val from IOWA: GREEN TIP is recycle old shoes/boots/sandals give to women's shelter & men's shelter!! OR give to any of the many international groups that send shoes to DARFU or ANYWHRE necessary!! THANKS :)"
Valerie (Val) Hirschhorn 

"In addition to using more reusable shopping bags lately, we recently purchased reusable sandwich and snack bags. Also, we use refillable water bottles rather than drink bottled water. I usually brew coffee at home, but when I do grab coffee on-the-go I skip the paper sleeve and use my handmade fabric coffee sleeve. It folds flat so it is easy to carry in my purse and perfect for both hot and cold coffees."
erin

"Use cloth towels to dry your hands instead of paper towels" 

Evelyn Damptey

Thanks so much to everyone for your contributions and terrific ideas. We're pleased to announce our winner from the random drawing: 

CONGRATULATIONS  

Sarah B. 

Please email: orders(at)thegrapeseedcompany.com with your shipping info and "earth day winner" 
in the subject line. 

ENJOY!

cheers,

Kristin

introducing... Friday Tweet Deals!

this week it's more of a Friday Tweet Steal!
Get a FREE 2oz bath & massage oil with your order

Hey there! This is the 2nd Friday we're posting a super secret code on our facebook fan page and twitter page for all of our friends and followers. All you need to do is become a FB fan or twitter follower to receive the code. Each Friday morning, we'll feature a special promo for our friends and followers with a code that will be valid Friday and Saturday of each week. This week's code is for a FREE bath & massage oil with your $30+ order! Become a FB fan or twitter follower by clicking the links below and have a wonderful, sweet smelling weekend :)

The Nitty Gritty:
Friday Tweet Deals code will be valid for one-time only on retail purchases
May not be combined with any other code or discount
valid Friday and Saturday of each week from the time code is posted on Friday until 11:59PM Saturday

tweeting & greeting in SB

Peter and I had a great time last night @CarrWinery for the Santa Barbara Holiday Tweet Up. It was fun to meet other entrepreneurs, small biz owners and members of our awesome community in person. Special thanks to @LuvenRN for organizing the SB Tweet Up and making sure we got a photo of most of the crew!
We are very thankful for all the amazing people we've connected with on twitter this past year. From customers, to spas, press, wineries, friends and colleagues, twitter has been an integral piece in how we've grown our business and help spread the word about others with great products, services & entrepreneurial spirit. Cheers to you all, and happy holidays!

Connect with us on @grapeseedco and @dirtydogorganics

tweet cloud @grapeseedco

I'm often asked "what do you tweet about?" by family and friends. Well, a cool free service tells you just that! Checkout tweet cloud to generate a cloud of your tweets- the words you are using most often. A snapshot of mine from the last 3 months is above.

free vinotherapy product with purchase until midnight!

Don't miss out... OUR birthday gift is actually for YOU!

In celebration of Green Skincare's 1st birthday, The Grapeseed Company is offering a
FREE FULL SIZE product with every order*
until 11:59 PM PST tonight
*THE DETAILS*
sign up for The Grapeseed Monthly News for the free product code
shop www.thegrapeseedcompany.com
enter code at checkout
product will be added automatically to your cart with code and $25+ order
valid Thurs. 8/27/09 to Thurs. 9/3/09 11:59 PM
*free product is choice of The Grapeseed Company
please, no requests :)

our birthday gift is for you

Happy 1st Birthday
Green Skincare Blog!
As a thank you to all of our readers, customers,
media, friends and family,
I have a big gift for all of you...
Starting today, Aug. 27 thru next Thurs. Sept. 3,
we will include a FREE FULL SIZE product with every order

THE DETAILS:
sign up for The Grapeseed Monthly News for the free product code
shop www.thegrapeseedcompany.com
enter code at checkout
product will be added automatically to your cart with code and $25+ order
valid Thurs. 8/27/09 to Thurs. 9/3/09 11:59 PM
free product is choice of The Grapeseed Company, please, no requests

Enjoy and thanks to our fabulous customers!
~ Kristin

$5 gift certificate code!

It's been a while since we've had a sale or promo, and there's no time like the present! So indulge in a sweet something for yourself, or a unique gift for the organic enthusiast, grape lovin' guy, or green gal in your life! And get out and enjoy the summer sunshine while you can...

Enter code sunshine09 at checkout for
$5 off your purchase of $25 or more!
shop The Grapeseed Company

the nitty gritty:
valid through Sunday August 23rd 11:59 PM PST
cannot be combined with any other discount
this is a one time use coupon code, but you can pass it on to all of your friends!

Make Dad a Mojito Man!

In honor of Father's Day, we're offering a sweet deal to our most loyal customers who follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Green Skin Care.

Get $5 off your purchase of $25 or more through Father's Day
code: DAD09 at checkout
cannot be combined with any other discount or promo

How about a little Mojito Man for your special guy? 70-90% certified organic ingredients and an intoxicating scent that makes you go ga-ga!

shop The Grapeseed Co. ~ botanical beauty from wine

Friend us up on twitter & facebook (links to the right) to hear about exclusive inside deals and discounts first---->

a view from grapeseedco's tweet cloud

@grapeseedco started tweeting back in the summer of 2008, before twitter hit Oprah, celebs and mainstream news...
We've made some wonderful connections and continue to learn and share info with fabulous green folks who are customers, colleagues, retailers, bloggers, writers and so much more. Check out our word cloud generated at twittersheep.com from the bios of @grapeseedco's followers.

We'd love to connect with you on twitter too! It's a great place to engage with like-minded folks.

great business

life information live green

blog products dog

world like web design company who small

network makeup fan our soap blogger

owner santa author out help

making coach organic consultant

home twitter others junkie bath more

internet lifestyle professional living

lover wine

best designer women news online

product real music beauty

things time skin fashion people work

handmade media creative artist

new body speaker
entrepreneur care

can about day health

food dedicated natural

wife make spa founder

helpingboutique expert community us writer travel all

pamper mom special today only!

BLOG, TWITTER & FACEBOOK SPECIAL
TODAY ONLY TO PAMPER MOM
20% off your entire order includes all grapeseed co. organic vinotherapy spa products, soy candles and gift sets. Even includes Dirty Dog Organics products! Guaranteed priority mail delivery for Mother's Day.

CODE: tweetmd
click to shop! enter code at checkout

ENDS May 6, 2009
Shipping is FREE with all orders $60+

Under $60? Chose $5.95 FLAT RATE at checkout.

Ole!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!