Supernatural Botanicals

A big thank you to EcoBold for not only supporting eco-minded people and businesses, but for also featuring Supernatural Botanicals today.  The following article is courtsey of EcoBold.  Visit their site to learn more about the great work they are doing…then let it inspire you!

The founder of Supernatural Botanicals, Robin Feltner has a chemistry background and she just knows what ingredients should or shouldn’t be inside skincare products. This line is completely paraben-free and phthalate-free. Learn more with the interview below:

Tell us a little bit about the background and story of Supernatural Botanicals.
Supernatural Botanicals is an eco-chic bath & body company specializing in skincare that follows Green practices and principals, and formulates its products with intent and purpose.

At the inception of Supernatural Botanicals, we knew we wanted to create a company that knows its demographic. Growing increasingly disappointed with mainstream bath & body stores catering to teenagers, Supernatural Botanicals wanted to target the grown sexy woman demographic. We also wanted to focus on being Green and creating products that not only feel and smell amazing, but products that are highly beneficial for the skin.

We created products formulated without Parabens or Phthalates. Green products come from natural and organic ingredients, and that’s exactly how we formulate our products…with intent and purpose, and as natural as we can. After literally hundreds and hundreds of prototypes, we formulated perfection, bringing to you natural products that smell as incredible as they perform.

What did you want to be when you were a kid? 
I’ve always had “entrepreneur” in my genetic makeup. I was selling homemade cards to neighborhood ladies at the age of 4. I wanted to grow up and have a double major as a fashion designer and interior designer. That dream never materialized. In hindsight, I wish I would have had a mentor to help me prepare, telling me which art and business classes I should have taken.

What’s wrong with standard skincare products and why do you think such ingredients are allowed? 
I believe lack of quality ingredients poses a huge threat. Not only has quality fallen by the wayside, but we also should be concerned with the toxins in the products we are using every day. Many common ingredients have been proven by scientists to be harmful, yet manufacturers continue to use them because they are inexpensive, thus allowing for more profit.

How did you choose your ingredients and what to put in each product? 
Extensive research! Having a chemistry/pharmacy background, I’m always extremely cognizant about using quality, natural ingredients.

What’s the biggest lesson you learned while starting Supernatural Botanicals? 
I’ve literally learned a wealth of knowledge in forming my company. I’ve learned that customers sincerely do appreciate companies that are going the extra effort to keep them healthy. I, too, have learned how many mainstream companies use cheap fillers in order to make profits. 

If you could choose just one of your products, which one would it be? 
Extremely hard to narrow that down as I love all of the products. I do favor our Beach Body Spray. Not only does it smell absolutely amazing and I get numerous compliments on it every time I wear it, but it’s a multitasker. It works great in your hair, giving your hair extra volume and beautiful scent. I even use it as a linen spray on my bed sheets. It’s also our best seller.

Describe a typical day in your life.
I’m an early riser. I tend to get a tremendous amount accomplished in the early hours. I work on the business end of the business from 5-8…networking, emails, following up on orders, PR, social media, etc. From 8-6 I’m in our workshop, formulating skincare products and filling orders. The day flies by, and I’m always hungry for more hours at the end of the day. In the past, it would be very common to find me in my workshop until as late as 11 p.m. I’ve luckily learned time management, and the importance of accomplishing that task.

What’s one thing we could do to have an awesome skin, naturally? 
Check your labels. Use products that do not contain parabens. Don’t be fooled by companies that splash the name of an all natural ingredient, only to flip the label over and realize that they natural product they are promoting only has trace elements within it, and is filled with other harmful fillers. 

If there is one thing/thought/idea that you could pass on to the next generation, what would it be? 
One huge concern I have for our next generation is the condition of our planet. Global warming and eco concerns will certainly be a problem in which they inherit. My hope is that we can educate the masses enough to get everyone on board with being green and eco-responsible. 

What’s your # 1 green tip? 
Recycling is an easy way to start being green. Every human being on the planet creates waste. There’s absolutely no reason we shouldn’t be more responsible for the garbage we create. This is also something that even children can learn and be a part of. If we start them early, it will become second-nature to them.

Smart Talk Connected Conversations will host Della Reese in Cincinnati May 17, 2011.  Raised in Detroit, Michigan, Della Reese is a world famous singer, actress and television star.  As well as a spokeswoman for the American Diabetes Association and an Ordained Minister!  Ms. Reese was born Deloreese Patricia and began singing at six years old!  By the age of thirteen she was hired by the late Mahalia Jackson to tour and perform with her.  A generous amount of television exposure followed Ms. Reese’s first recording successes. She was also the first female to host The Tonight Show. She was soon asked to host her own talk show, Della, (making her the first Black woman to host her own show). Her most recent television credit,Touched By An Angel she was able to combine her talent for acting and singing, as she sang the theme song. Della will inspire you with her ability to be more than an entertainer, more than an actress and more than a minister- she is living proof that you can dream larger dreams and watch them come true!

And we have free tickets to see Della Reese on May 17th.  Leave a comment below and let us know you want to go.

People magazine has their Sexiest Man Alive issue, and now they are letting the girls in on the action. They have named Jennifer Lopez as the World’s Most Beautiful Woman.  JLo says she feels at her best when she’s not wearing any makeup.  According to Jenny from the Block…”That’s when I’m my happiest,” she says. “Just being able to touch my face and rub my eyes and put my fingers in my hair and not having to worry about messing it up.  It’s so much better.”

What are your thoughts?  Is Ms. Lopez the most beautiful woman in the world in your eyes?

Rounding third and heading for home, the Smart Talk Connected Conversations finished it’s fourth in a five part series for 2011 with Alison Levine in Cincinnati last evening.  Alison was the Team Captain of the 1st American Women’s Everest Expedition and Groundbreaking Polar Adventurer; Alison Levine is no stranger to risk-taking.  She’s survived sub-zero temperatures, hurricane-force winds, sudden avalanches, and a career on Wall Street.  Levine was born with a life-threatening heart condition that precluded most demanding physical activities.  After her initial diagnosis she had surgery that changed her life – and climbing stairs soon gave way to climbing mountains.  To learn more about Alison, check out her website, www.AlisonLevine.com. 

As always, Smart Talk hosts another amazing women with yet another amazing journey.  Don’t miss the last speaker in the series, Ms. Della Reese.  She will be at the Aronoff in Cincinnati on May 17th.  For ticket information, see here.  

Julianne Hough’s new DVD workout, Just Dance, is the perfect workout if you love to dance.   Julianne’s DVD features three hip-shaking routines, Work It, Flaunt It, and Pump It.  The routines are fun and flirty…more of a club-style dance.  There’s no hint of a samba or waltz on this DVD.  This DVD provides a serious workout if you keep up with it.  Don’t worry, you can always modify to your level of endurance.  Not to mention, you can learn a few cool moves the next time you are out on the dance floor.

If you are serious not only about working out, but about being stylish while doing so, look no furhter…Spirit for Living  has got you covered. 

My friends over at Spirit for Living  was generous enough to send me one of their gorgeous classic boat neck shirts.  Being a huge Green fan, I was ultra-impressed that the shirt was made of natural soy and cotton blend.  The shirt is super-soft.  I love the way that the shirt just barely slips off one shoulder once in a while…a little dose of sexy without trying too hard.   

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 It’s a perfect shirt for working out, as it’s comfortable and not confining whatsoever, but it’s also a great shirt to wear with jeans or even a skirt.  We all love multi-functional pieces in our closet and need more of them. 

One look at Spirit for Living’s website and you’ll want every single item they offer.  My next piece will be the slim fit skirt.  It’s so pretty and flattering to the body….and it’s going to look great with my boat neck shirt.  Kudos to Spirit for Living’s founder, Jennifer Smith, for being a female entrepreneur with a consciousness about being Green and ultra-stylish.  Love that! 

Michelle Rhee is shaking things up in America, and for good reason…our children.  Michelle Rhee, dubbed as a warrior for our kids, is cleaning up schools by firing bad teachers and principals, and standing up to a failing system.  Michelle, is the former chancellor of the District of Columbia Public School system of Washington, D.C., in the United States.  In 1997 she founded The New Teacher Project (TNTP), which in ten years has recruited 10,000 teachers in twenty states. She announced her resignation as chancellor on October 13, 2010, effective at the end of the month. Rhee is the founder and CEO of StudentsFirst, a 501(c)(4) political advocacy organization which works on education reform issues. Michelle will be in Cincinnati with Smart Talk Connected Conversations.

Tickets are available for Monday night’s performance here.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKTfaro96dg

The color blue, reminiscent of the sky and ocean water, is not only relaxing, it’s also the hue that makes us more creative.  Researchers from the University of British Columbia says the color blue can amp up your creativity.  Consider painting your office a sensational shade of blue and get your creativity flowing.  Want more ideas for a fantastic home office?  Check out Home Office Design Blog to get your office gorgeous and productive.

If there’s one thing Ivanka Trump knows, it’s business.  Ivanka’s book, The Trump Card, is far more than stories from a spoiled little rich girl.  Her parents have groomed her into the successful businesswoman she is today.

Surprisingly far more than a story of nepotism at its finest, Ivanka is a credentialed and intelligent woman following in her father, Donald Trump’s, footsteps.

Ivanka, a former runway model, also has an eye for stunning business attire as well.  She is a perfect balance of business meets femininity.  If you want to emulate a businesswoman with fabulous style…Ivanka’s your girl.

It’s the second week in January….are you still keeping your fitness goals?  Keep yourself inspired and motivated with magazine subscriptions to fitness magazines.   Fitness magazines, such as Oxygen, Self, or Shape magazines keep you learning and yearning for more.  It’s literally the gift that keeps on giving.  Each month you’ll learn about new techniques and exercises to help you achieve a lean, strong, and healthy body.  And if you subscribe to a fitness magazine, you’ll get a new dose of inspiration every 30  days.  Without a doubt, you’ll see a body in those magazines that inspire you to work out harder, eat better, and push yourself to achieve your fitness goals.  From rookies to advanced gym rats, you’ll find something inspirational every single month.  *Frugal tip:  Borrow magazines from the library and have access to all the fitness magazines on the newsstands.