Introducing Solessence Solace Systems

Though technically it is the dead of winter, you may be off on mental jaunts to a sunny island somewhere. Or perhaps you really are getting ready to explore your inner Baywatch babe in Mexico, Mauritius or the Seychelles. Problem is:

1) ‘Water retention’ is the only moisturizing treatment you’ve had in ages.
2) In the interest of self preservation, you’ve been holed up in thick layers for months, and can only describe your current skin tone as ‘Dawn of the Dead’
3) No rest for the weary: Your normal routines aren’t providing any room for a needed break to even prepare for a vaca!

This is where a spa comes in handy. A good treatment can shake you out of your moody blues, jump start the detoxification process, and give your skin the much needed attention it deserves to stay soft, supple and in good health. You can (and should!) follow a great do-it-yourself maintenance plan with our at-home scrubs and facials. But in this do-it-yourself world, it is beneficial to hand yourself over to trained hands now and again and release yourself from the worries of the world. Just relax and let go…



To aid in this effort, we are pleased to announce the Solessence Solace System ™, where a comforting world revolves around you. Highlighted here, a series of hand/feet and cocoon wraps enable you to emerge refresh and renewed with each use. Each treatment is comprised of a main component, and corresponding capsules to heighten and customize the experience.

Each treatment consists of 8 luxurious steps, and include the Solessence signature Brush Off ™, Warm Up™, Rub Down ™, Down Time ™, Dry Down ™, Cool Down ™, Finishing Mist ™.

Treatments are formulated for water and waterless spas. We are pleased to expand this collection of natural, organic and vegan treatments for the wholesale spa market. Inquire at your favorite spa or, if you are a spa owner, please contact us directly at sales@solessence.com or 888.835.9888

Solessence Signature Treatments are natural, organic and vegan formulations designed to bring mental and physical solace, while adding a turbo-boost to your overall beauty routine. These gentle yet effective formulations excel whether moisturizing, detoxifying and/or re-mineralizing, and provide the highest level of pampering by your spa esthetician/technician.



Mexican Hot Chocolate Decadence
Rich, pampering, rewarding - and uniquely ours. Add a little kick-start with our custom blend of organic Coconut Creme, Chocolate and Vanilla Absolute, with a shot of cinnamon* for a self heating, decadently relaxing, circulation-stimulating wrap. Organic cocoa and shea butters deeply penetrate, leaving your skin in a silky state of softness. *optional. Those desiring to leave out the cinnamon may opt for the equally delicious Hot Chocolate Wrap

Making Waves Herbal
Create quite a stir with this mineral-rich, seaweed infused treatment. Take in the clean, herbal scent of lemongrass and clary sage , while you are smoothed down in aesthetic swirls of exfoliation. Emerge from this sea of a sanctuary refreshed and vibrant, as the appearance of dull, lifeless skin is effortlessly washed away.


Asian Persuasion Detox
It’s no mystery how you can quickly be persuaded by this blend. Jaw-dropping neroli, pressed from the blossoms of the bitter orange, is combined with patchouli, sandalwood and citrus to create a heady, rich, uplifting blend that will convince you all is right with the world. Mineral-rich Rhassoul detoxify and remineralize with silica, magnesium, potassium, calcium and additional trace minerals.


Yuzu Gold Glow - (including 24K treatments)
The Japanese revere the small Yuzu citrus for the balance it is believed to bring to one’s system. Fresh, at times tart, but always uplifting. Add a 24K Gold facial or body treatment, believed to aid collagen (that which keeps us youthful in appearance) to get the ultimate glow.


Girl With The Pearl Complexion
We don’t bother our oyster friends for this solution. Instead, a pearlescent Vitamin C resurfacing treatment is used to slough dead skin cells, even tone, and gently brighten. Enhance the experience with a Pearl facial to restore your luster from head-to-toe.

Please enquire about additional treatments, such as Raspberry Blues, Days of Wine & Roses, and more.

The Hummingbird Project

A note from Hillary Fry:

Hello everyone -

Has the segue to Fall been safely made? The chill is in the air over here - we are feelin' the thought of sweaters and a switch up of the whole hair, makeup and skin care routine! [photo right, you can see I am not excited about the return of the high waisted pants...or the crazy GoGo's inspired headband!]

I don't usually write a personally directed post, but I wanted to let everyone know about an important, wonderful project, taking place. Recently covered by Shannon Nelson at Beauty Pro, and dubbed Hummingbird Project, it is the first efforts of our newly initiated group, The Hummingbird Foundation.

The project revolves around a couple, James & Dorothy Sarjou, their efforts beyond what would have seemed possible in rural (with a capital R) South Africa, and how the Thembalethu Children's Home they have created continue to change the face and influence thinking in the Kwazul-Natal District. Without any such intentions, their efforts have been revolutionary. Since 1984, nearly 60 orphaned/abandoned and special needs children have been housed, clothed, educated and loved under their guidance, every year. Their goal is to make enough room for 100. Children previously under their care have grown and returned to teach at Themalethu. Others have gone on to enter as medical assistants, caretakers and in general, been given the opportunity to be contributing citizens to society.


Now the Sarjous approach the Fall of their lives at 70, and the need is great to find a new hire to change hands of leadership. This isn't as easy as switching up the wardrobe. There are a few challenges to this task, but we think the cause incredibly worthy. How do I personally know this? I've witnessed the metamorphasis. At 17 I had the privilege of helping build, brick by brick, the childrens home on the Sarjou's donated farmland. I've met and played and fallen in love with the original group of children that were housed there that first winter. I was recently reunited, by phone at least, with the Sarjou's daughter, who is in the US through the end of this year, working as an au pair. I know firsthand what their efforts and love have done to change a region and what hardships will take place if the home ceases to exist. But it isn't enough to know. It is important to take action.

The goal is to raise $50,000 for a 3 year committment of a new hire. To raise funds, Solessence, in conjunction with celebrity make up artist, is offering a custom brush, serum and finishing mist set, kicking off with an exclusive limited edition with only 100 available. When released, the Serum & Brush set will then be available for $125. Twenty percent of profit from both sets will go to the Hummingbird Project/New Hire.

Looking for other ways to help?: A tax-deductible donation is easy! We have a PayPal account designated for the fund as well. You DO NOT need to have a Pay Pal account to give! PayPal makes this so easy. Simply follow the instructions on www.PayPal.com to 'Send Money', using email donations@hummingbirdproject.org, and any funds you designate will be held for this project.

We'll have updates on progress, as well as upcoming features from others involved.

Catalog Available for Download

Don't always want to log on to peruse the wares?

Our catalog is now available in PDF format for download: http://www.solessence.com/solessence_catalog_2007.pdf

Asian Persuasion

Oranges symbolize wealth & luck in Asia, and are abundant during the New Year festivities. Get on your personal celebration with a slice of Solessence's Asian Persuasion soap - chock full of lemon, neroli (orange flower), sandalwood, patchouli and studded with orange slices and lemons, it packs a fragrant punch!

For our blog readers, mention 'blog' in the comments section of the checkout, and get the companion Yuzu Gold soap for no extra charge. This is the sweet, fragrant counterpart, the Yin to the Yang.

http://www.solessence.com/sp_asianpersuasion.html

Gift Set Shoot!

Our gift sets have undergone a fabulous photo shoot, but we're still plugging away at uploading to the site...so thought we could share here first:

Bringin' Sexy Back to Feet

As a California girl, I have a hard time giving up my open toe/heel/side shoes, even in the dead of Wisconsin winter. Nothing makes me happier than a beautiful pair of pedicured feet with a touch of deep, dark red toenails. But those pesky sandals and my constant running around have led to dry skin that I didn't really encounter on the left coast. I'm not alone either. Solessence blossomed after my friends developed troubled skin and I began giving them product for what ailed them. I started giving, then actually getting address and mailing, product to strangers I'd meet at the salon who were having the same problems (including a husband or two). So I'm not exactly a stranger to foot-yuck...

That's one reason I'm pleased to debut the Solessence Mani/Pedi Callus Care Kit. This set includes a patent-pending, surgical stainless steel tube that safetly and effectively removes dead skin. The small size allows for easy access to trim hang nails and also smooth down fingers where pads have turned hard and rough. No batteries and the portable size make it a breeze for travel.
This kit comes with Spa Socks, 3 - one ounce samples of Solessence Body Butter (to use with Socks), Body Lotion, and Body Scrub, a travel bag and instruction card. It is amazing and will keep you footloose and fancy free all year long, inclement weather or not! (p.s. Those are not my feet, dearies!)

Click photos for video & Check out the kit at: http://www.solessence.com/gt_manipedi.html

Holiday Metals

There's gold in them products!

Solessence is pleased to give you an early preview to the Holiday Metals collection. Yuzu Gold 24K features lotion, scrub, soap and sprays fortified with 24K GOLD with .9999% purity, and adorned throughout with 24K & 23K that gives a glimmer to your holiday rituals.
Many embrace studies that show 24K gold relieves pain of early stages rheumatoid arthritis. Some believe it is good to boost the system with the variety of metals our body takes in. Others feel gold gives immortality...

At Solessence, matte gold is our signature color, so we feel it is a fun, if decadent, way to express ourselves for the holidays and beyond. Items are carefully crafted with organic and unrefined oils for a luxurious experience. The lotion and butter offer a soft, fragrant shimmer, appropriate for day or evening. You may also use a scoop of the scrub in the bathtub for a body oil treatment, surrounded by gold...

Stay tuned for more holiday decadence...

It's a Beautiful Thing...Natural Perfumes

Growing up in the Aaron Spelling heydays of the 80's (a respectful 'gotta love him' btw), everything was big. Big Hair, Big Makeup, Big Scents. Oh...remember the scents? Over-The-Top, fill-the-room from miles away types...

At the time they seemed like a good idea. When I started to realize there were mysterious ingredients in the mix, and most of the population reacted in a sneeze fit or immediate migrane, it was like - eh, not so much. So what's a girl to do?

Solessence's Atmosphere Aromatic Dry Spray is one answer.

Multi-Purpose Spray:

• This super clean spray is a fast evaporating silica derivitive which serves to deposit the scent onto your skin. It provides a pleasant, silky-to-the-touch feel. It is a lovely touch to your wrists, midriff or hair.

But that isn't all!

• Atmosphere is non-staining, so you can use it on your linens and clothing to impart the Solessence signature scent of your choice. "I use the spray in my room for my sheets actually! I spray it just above my bed and the scent really hangs for a good amount of time "
• Spritz into the air to refresh your environment in a clean and lovely way. It truly is a multi-use item.

Solid Perfume Option: Solessence's SheaShea*XieXie Hand & Body Butter This combination of pure, unrefined/organic shea butter & oil serves to lock in moisture in a heavy duty way. The jars are small to keep stock fresh - each can last 6 months. A lovely scent is a benefit. Most of our customers also use this on their face to keep a beautiful glow. Apply a small amount as desires.

"I've gotten so many compliments on how soft and glistening my skin is when I use the scrub and the body butter. Both are great"


Soon-to-be-revealed: A lovely, natural oils and silica mix.

I love using these combinations and feel wonderful that I don't have any qualms about my son being near them. I can go a whole routine with one signature scent, or mix and match. It is a pleasure to have people fawning over an aroma instead of sneezing.

Stay tuned! Stay clean!

70,000 jars a month?!?!?!

I have always believed in the whole package. Meaning, it isn't enough just to scrub, for example. Sure, a quick fix is tossing together a couple of spoons of table salt with oil, but is that really an 'experience'? How is it benefitting overall? What is the sensory pleasure that we long for when in the shower or bath, and how can that continue once we have patted ourselves dry and start going about the day?

Being a California girl, I wasn't privvy to the serious bouts of dry skin and cracked heels that friends who had moved to other areas were experiencing. But I could feel their pain, as they would call and lament their woes. Nearly. Daily. Well, as much as to alleviate their growing angst (and mine), I started working on a heavy duty product that would gently exfoliate (remove the dead skin cells we all collect) while sealing in moisture which keeps skin soft and supple. Texture is always a big issue with me. What would be the ultimate experience?

My inspiration came from grandmother, who passed when I was 7. She was a baker with an impact in her area and had a recurring celebrity customer request her delicacies for his birthday. I remember the few short years I had with her, and she was always whipping up delicious items; my sister and I were always wanting to lick the beaters. Well, where this leads to is cake frosting. What is yummier? It has a lovely consistency, it goes on smooth, it smells great.

So, long ago and far away, I did just that. I developed an emulsified scrub - before they were seen on the market - that goes on similar to frosting. Packed full of unrefined/organic shea butter & oil, (which is also used in fine chocolates) and organic, nourishing coconut milk, it leaves your skin silky, and rinses off cleanly without an oily residue. Friends could not get enough of it. Other formulators actually, repeatedly, asked for my formula. There are no fillers. It also contains a natural, food grade preservative. You could practically eat it. I like to think of Solessence aspiring to be the Breyers of beauty!

In 2004, the Vice-President of a very famous, instantly recognizable English bath/body brand had tried the scrub. He loved it. He asked if I would be willing to make 70,000 jars a month for them for private label. Heavens! That would be fabulous. But no. This item is exclusively Solessence.

So, summer is here. If you are in need of getting your skin in a beautiful glow for bikini season, we've got the ticket. We have four of our best selling fragrances in our new, beautiful packaging (inner & outer), with more to come. Solessence's SheaShea Intense Scrub is the most delicious treat you will ever experience in your shower. And you don't need to lick any beaters!