Mugs for Jugs giveaway and coupon

Glynne's Soaps Staff January 19, 2012
[0] comments

As the Mugs for Jugs event at Front Street Brewery is fast approaching, the Glynne’s Soaps staff is gearing up for the event.  Some may even say we’ve gone a little crazy!

Please plan to attend this great fundraiser for the New Hanover Medical Center Foundation’s Pink Ribbon Project which provides free mammograms and also support to people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

The event is this Saturday, January 21st at Front Street Brewery and promises to be a night full of fun with a photo booth, raffle, dunk tank and other great activities you don’t want to miss.

In anticipation of the fun, we are giving away one of our Second Base Balms.  In order to win, all you have to do is leave a comment with a caption for the picture at the top of this post.  The funniest caption wins!  The winner will have to be able to pick up their prize at Front Street Brewery on Saturday OR at the tweetup (also at the Brewery the following Friday evening.)

Also, use the coupon code “MUGS4JUGS” to get 15% off any order placed on our website between now and Saturday night.

Posted in contest, events | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

Support Your Habit

Glynne's Soaps Staff February 17, 2011
[2] comments

Glynne’s Soaps is committed to the environment.  We strive to make sure that all our products are safe for the environment.  There are no chemical waste products during the production process or as a result of using our products.

I ran across a website run by the Global Footprint Network a few days ago that was very interesting.  It’s research showed that currently, the earth’s population is using an equivalent  of 1 1/2 earth’s worth of resources each year.  Since we don’t have more than one earth, we need to do something to slow down the rate of consumption.  It also has a calculator function which you can use to calculate your own ecological footprint.You can then get tips about what to do to reduce your footprint.  I took the quiz and found that I use 4 planets worth of resources.  One tip I was given was to reduce the amount of food I eat that is transported in.  That can be difficult, but in a few weeks when the Pleasure Island Fresh Market starts up, I’m sure it will be easier to find local foods.

We would like to challenge you to discover your ecological footprint.  Go to the Global Footprint Network’s calculator and take the quiz.  There is a basic version, which is quicker or a more detailed version which takes a bit more time.  (Warning – there is sound as well.)  Even the detailed version didn’t take more than 10 minutes.  When you are done, come back here and leave a comment with one thing you can do to reduce your footprint.  On March 1st, we will choose one comment at random and that person will win a $10 gift certificate to our website.

Posted in contest, News | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Free time

Glynne's Soaps Staff April 13, 2010
[3] comments

Fort Fisher Aquarium

Jenn, or soapmaker, is out of the office today taking her volunteer training at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher.  Jenn is very excited about being able to volunteer with the aquarium. Jenn’s undergraduate work is in Biology and we both have a love of nature and all things natural. While Jenn was out of the office today, I started to think about two recent conversations.

A few weeks ago, I had jury duty, and a fellow prospective juror asked if I had pets. When I answered that we have two dogs, three cats, a bird, a turtle and fish she asked if I charged admission to our zoo. Of course, we don’t charge admission but we also think we don’t have an extraordinary situation. You see each of the pets found us, we were just open to accepting them into our lives (except the fish, we purchased them). Rescuing animals is a labor of love!

Last week we had dinner with a very good friend, Mary Martha. We go to dinner with her a few times a month and it is always a lingering dinner with great conversation which meanders all over the map (it is one of the joys of my life – meandering conversation). In this particular conversation, Mary Martha made the comment “Y’all volunteer for everything” in response to our puzzled look, she began to list things we have volunteered for over the years. We had to admit we volunteer for a lot of different organizations and events; but we expect a lot. We expect a lot of ourselves and we expect a lot of others. We just expect that others are also volunteering to make their world a better place.

Kids don't try this at home

My blog post today is a challenge. If you are a volunteer, for any group, organization or whatever – leave us a comment. Tell us why you volunteer and how you believe it changes the world around you. If you’re not volunteering right now, I encourage you to find a cause and give some of yourself. Tell about your choice in a comment. On April 30th we will choose a winner from all the comments and send you a spring gift basket to say thank you for what you are doing for your community.

A person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service: or one who renders a service or takes part in a transaction while having no legal concern or interest – this is how Webster defines a VOLUNTEER. If you have trouble finding your volunteer niche send me an e-mail glynne AT glynnesoaps.com and I will send you some links to worthy organizations.

Posted in contest, Fun Ramblings | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Spring has Sprung

Glynne's Soaps Staff April 8, 2010
[2] comments

The last few days have been beautiful – warm, sunny  Spring days. Although here in Southeast North Carolina with temperatures topping 88 degrees, some of us feel we have just sprung into summer!  These beautiful days you want to spend as much time outside as possible.  Unfortunately, nice warm days also bring the summer bugs.  I got my first mosquito bite yesterday while spending some time enjoying the weather.

Of course, in our house, we are far more concerned with how the bugs affect our four-legged fuzzy children than we are with how they bother us.  Spring weather means fleas.  If you haven’t read the story about our fight against the flea, check it out here and here.   We have successfully been able to win the war against fleas will all natural products.  Products that are safe for our dogs, ourselves and the environment.  This is our battle plan:

First, we use an all natural soap to bathe our boys regularly.  Franklyn’s is a good choice because it contains Eucalyptus and Tea Tree essential oils which are both great at repelling fleas.  The Tea Tree oil has the added benefit of being a natural antiseptic so it will help ease the pain and itching from any flea bites.  Roxy’s is also very effective at fighting fleas.  If you can’t decide, you can always get a sample stack which includes a one ounce bar of each of our dog soaps.

To get rid of any fleas in the house, we use Borax.  It can be found in the grocery store with the laundry detergent.  We sprinkle the powder on the carpet, sofas, chairs, beds, etc.,  rub it in with a dry broom and let it sit for a few hours.  Then just vacuum it up.  Borax will suck out all the moisture from the fleas and kill them.

For the outside, we use food grade diatomaceous earth.  It is very important to buy the food grade material and not what you find at a pool store.  The diatomaceous earth at the pool store contains silica which makes the dust harmful if inhaled.  We sprinkle it all over the yard.  The small sharp crystals will literally poke holes in the fleas, killing them.  It also works for other crawling bugs – roaches, ticks, bed bugs, beetles and more.

We have been using this approach for the past year and a half and have had less problems with fleas then ever before.  We encourage you to fight fleas all naturally this year.  You, your pet and your environment will be better off. In our next post we will discuss the options for dealing with the pesky bugs which are out to bite you.

On another note, it is time to announce the winner of our Soap on the Run contest.  Congratulations to Amy whose comment was “I bought my first soap at the WB marathon expo and I love it. I am a walker not a runner so I will walk (but very fast) away from the soaps I have been currently using. Thank you for producing a product that I can buy locally.”  Send us an e-mail Amy with your address so we can get you your Soap in the Run.  Thanks to everyone who entered – be on the lookout for our next contest coming soon.

Posted in contest, Dog, Flea Treatments | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Run, Not Walk

Glynne's Soaps Staff March 31, 2010
[2] comments

If you are a regular reader of our blog, you probably know that our soapmaker Jenn, in addition to having her Master’s Degree in Chemistry, also aspires to be a triathlete.  So, while the name of this post is “Run, Not Walk” there are benefits to walking as well as running, especially if you are a beginner or have health or skeletal issues (aka-bad knees).  With that in mind, we encourage you to - Run, not walk, to your bathroom and read the ingredient list on the soap boxes, shampoo bottles and lotion bottles that you find.  If you see any of these words, carry the bottle to the trashcan.  All of these are alternate names for a chemical called Diethanolamine.

  • Cocamide DEA or Cocamide Diethanolamine
  • DEA Lauryl Sulfate or Diethanolamine Lauryl Sulfate
  • Lauramide DEA or Lauramide Diethanolamine
  • Linoleamide DEA or Linoleamide Diethanolamine
  • Oleamide DEA or Oleamide Diethanolamine
  • Any product containing TEA or Triethanolamine

Now I know that might be seen as a bit extreme, however I wanted to bring to your attention something that has recently caught mine. Diethanolamine (DEA) is a chemical found in most commercial soaps, shampoos and lotions.  It’s purpose is as a “wetting and thickening agent” which means that it thickens lotions and adds lather to soaps and shampoos.  Supposedly, DEA by itself is not the danger, however it will combine with other chemicals to form a compound called nitrosodiethanolamine (NDEA) that is not so nice.  NDEA is easily absorbed by the skin and has been linked to liver, bladder and stomach cancer.  The other listed chemicals are also considered toxic.

As more research is performed, the hazards of DEA are coming to light.  A study done at UNC and reported in Science Daily showed that DEA inhibits brain development in fetuses.  It also inhibits a body’s ability to absorb the nutrient choline which is essential for cell growth.  Pregnant women who can’t absorb enough choline can’t pass this nutrient on to their babies who in turn will not be able to develop properly.  Scientists are quick to say that the amounts of DEA needed to interfere with brain development are higher than what is routinely absorbed from personal care products, but why take that risk?  Why knowingly use something on our bodies that will cause us harm when there are alternatives?

Glynne’s Soaps has the alternative.  All of our all natural soaps and lotions are free from any harsh chemicals.  The soaps are specially formulated to have a great lather, without the use of chemical “wetting agents” such as DEA.  If you had to throw out all your soap in the beginning of this blog, give us a try!

Don’t forget to comment on last week’s post “Soap on the Run” and enter to win some Soap on the Run.

Posted in contest, Ingredients, Skin Care, Soap | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Soap on the Run

Glynne's Soaps Staff March 25, 2010
[4] comments

The Glynne’s Soaps R&D group has been jumping lately.  It seems that there are quite a few new all natural products that are available now, or will be available soon.  We thought we’d take a minute to give you a sneak peak at what’s coming this spring.

Our first new and exciting product is called “Soap on the Run”.

Soap on the Run

It’s an all natural soap, scented with eucalyptus and tea tree essential oils.  The best part about this soap is that it comes in its own container.  You can toss it in your gym bag, overnight bag, travel bag or desk drawer at work.  When you hit the showers, you have a safe gentle all natural soap that is great for your skin.  You don’t have to worry about a plastic bag full of slimy soap that is disintegrating and becoming unusable.  You won’t lose sleep wondering if your liquid soap is small enough to pass airport security yet large enough for you to use it your entire trip.  You won’t have to be concerned about what harsh chemicals and nasty preservatives are in the soap dispenser at the gym.  You will know that the soap you carry is all natural and good for you in a container that won’t set off alarms or leak all over your bag.  Going along with that, the essential oils used to scent “Soap on the Run” are great for active people.  Eucalyptus oil is the best all natural remedy for soothing sore, tired and achy muscles.  It also will combat mental fatigue.  Because it is an antibacterial, it is used as an all natural deodorant.  Tea tree oil is a natural therapy for bacterial and fungal skin ailments including acne, oily skin, athlete’s foot, insect bites and dandruff.  The next time you need an all natural soap that you can take with you, get some Soap on the Run.

But Soap on the Run is not the only thing that is new at Glynne’s Soaps.  We also have developed a soap that we are calling “man soap”.  It’s a manly sized bar, with 12 oz of soap scented with Grapefruit and Eucalyptus essential oils.  Man Soap is currently in the human and animal testing phase of Glynne’s Soaps R&D process.  (This means that we have given some to friends of ours and they are using it and giving feedback.)  It will hopefully be available on our website soon.

We have also developed a new scent that is currently available at festivals and will soon be available online.  It is called “Rejuvenation” and is a refreshing combination of Peppermint and Eucalyptus essential oils.

Our last new venture is still in the Glynne’s Soaps laboratory, but should be available for testing soon.  It is something we are very excited about – bath fizzies!  Be on the lookout for this and all our other new products.

On another note, it is time again for our monthly contest.  Thank you to everyone who entered last month’s contest!  We loved learning about your passions and what inspires you.  If you weren’t sure what your passion is, hopefully we encouraged you to find it and do something about it.

Now, on to our winner -

According to the random number generator which spit out the number 5, our winner is Jessica P. who wrote, “I am passionate about art. I am always thinking of new ideas to make and create…”

Thanks for entering our contest Jessica, and congratulations!  Please contact us via the “Contact Us” page of our website and we will discuss how to get you your soaps.

For those of you who didn’t win, thanks again for sharing your passion.  Feel free to head on over to our website and purchase some soap for yourself.  You might as well be clean while pursuing your passion.  Or afterward, as some of you expressed that gardening and digging in the dirt was what you enjoyed.

This month, leave a comment letting us know where you would most like to travel, taking a container of “Soap on the Run” with you (of course).  Leave your comment before April 7th.  The winner will receive a container of “Soap on the Run”

Posted in contest, News, Soap | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Soap Spotlight

Glynne's Soaps Staff February 24, 2010
[0] comments

During a business meeting this morning over coffee, Wrigley, our sales manager, suggested that we dedicate one blog post a month to feature two all natural soaps from our collection.  The rest of us thought this was a great idea.  So, be on the lookout for our “Soap Spotlight” As new products roll out, you can read about them here.  You also will get a more in depth description of the properties and benefits of soaps that are already available.  Today, we will highlight one of our dog soaps and one from the “people collection”.

Coalman’s All-Natural Dog Soap (Lavender and Oatmeal) – Like all our dog soaps, Coalman’s soap was named for one of our kids.  Coalman was Gayle’s first Dalmatian and he lived with her for 13 years.  They had a very close, special connection and he was a very calming factor in her life back when times were tough.  The soap that bears his name is equally calming.  Coalman’s All Natural Dog Soap is  made with lavender essential oil and ground oatmeal.  Lavender essential oil has been called a “must have” for dogs.  It is very safe and gentle, with antibacterial, anti-itch, and nerve-calming properties. It should reduce the itching and also calm and relax your dog.  Never mind the fact that it just smells wonderful.  The addition of ground oatmeal helps to nourish, moisturize and soothe the skin.  Washing your dog with oatmeal leaves an invisible protective coating on their skin protecting them from further itching.  Oatmeal also has anti-inflammatory properties.  It reduces the swelling and pain caused by the dry itching skin and gives your pet relief.   Adding these qualities to the skin softening benefits of using an all natural soap makes this a great product for any dog.

Zen Aura(Green Tea and Lemongrass) – Zen Aura is one of our most popular all natural soaps for people.  It is made using actual green tea, including the tea leaves and lemongrass essential oil.  The anti-oxidant properties of green tea are thought to help prevent skin cancer by boosting the effects of sunscreen and also by reducing the swelling of skin cells that are exposed to the sun. They also have shown some wrinkle reducing effects.  The addition of a small amount of tea leaves makes this soap a gentle exfoliant.  The lemongrass essential oil, besides the wonderful smell, gives this soap many beneficial qualities.  Lemongrass is known for it’s antidepressant properties. It has been shown to boost self esteem, confidence, and mental strength.  Doesn’t that sound like something you want to start your morning with?  It can also reduce pain and swelling due to muscle or joint aches and arthritis.

Both of these products, along with all the other soaps we produce can be found on our website.  If you have a particular product you would like to know more about, leave a comment and we will add it to the spotlight schedule.  You still have one week to enter our contest.  Leave a comment on last week’s post and let us know what you are passionate about.

Posted in contest, Dog, Soap | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

What is Your Passion?

Glynne's Soaps Staff February 11, 2010
[33] comments

Both Gayle and I recently finished a book called The Passion Test, by Janet Atwood.  It has given us lots to talk about and think about concerning what we consider to be our passions in life.

Obviously, Glynne’s Soaps is a passion for both of us, but not just because it is our business and livelihood.  There is a reason that we are passionate about all natural soaps, and if you spend any time with us at all I’m sure you find that out fairly quickly.

There is so much stuff out there that people take for granted.  ”If it wasn’t safe, my vet wouldn’t be selling it”  ”If it was harmful, you couldn’t buy it at the grocery store.”  But that isn’t always the case.  Topical flea treatments are concentrated pesticides.   Soap (actually most of it is detergent, not true soap) that you buy at the grocery store is full of harmful chemicals.  We’ve discussed the whys and hows many times before, so I won’t repeat all of it.  But it is the reason we are passionate about all natural.  It is safer for you and your pets.  We want to make sure that you and your pet live long, healthy and happy (and clean!) lives.

Of course, we have other passions.  We are passionate about dalmatian rescue and participating in agility with Wrigley.  Gayle is passionate about social media, and Jenn is passionate about participating in triathlons.  But our main focus is on creating a quality product that is safe for you, your family and your pets.

What are you passionate about?  Leave a comment and let us know.  Everyone that leaves a comment, letting us know at least one thing they are passionate will be entered into a drawing to win a free sample stack of Glynne’s Soaps (including shipping).  The winner will be chosen on March 3rd.

Posted in contest, Dog, Skin Care | Tagged , , , , , , , | 33 Comments

Winter Skin Care

Glynne's Soaps Staff January 20, 2010
[1] comment

We are right in the middle of the cold winter season.  For some, it’s the coldest winter on record.  Unfortunately, the cold weather is very drying to your skin.  And dry, chapped, cracked skin can be very painful and unattractive.  Fortunately, there are some things you can do that will help keep your skin soft and healthy through the long cold winter.  Here are some easy things you can do for your skin while the temperatures are so low.

  1.  Turn down the hot water.  Bathing in hot water is very drying to your skin.  If you turn down the hot and use warm to luke-warm water your skin will thank you.
  2. Exfoliate 1-2 times a week.  Exfoliating is the best thing you can do for dry skin.  Use an oil based sugar or salt scrub to get the best results.  The oil will also moisturize your skin.
  3.  Get rid of the detergent bar from the grocery store.  Detergent bars such as Dial, Ivory, etc strip your skin of dirt and oils.  All the oils, good and bad.  They will leave your skin clean, but extra dry without any protection.  Switch to an all natural soap made with olive oil and coconut oil (they are the most moisturizing), try any of the soaps from Glynne’s Soaps as they are all made with olive and coconut oil.
  4.  Moisturize.  An all natural lotion can go a long way toward keeping your skin soft and healthy.  Use it daily for best results.  Did you know that Glynne’s Soaps now makes lotions?  Check out our website for more details.
  5.  Pat dry.  Instead of rubbing and scrubbing your skin with a towel, pat yourself dry.  This will help your skin retain more moisture than rubbing does.

Follow these five tips this winter and you will notice a considerable difference in your skin.  Use Glynne’s Soaps all natural soaps and lotions and say goodbye to dry cracked skin and hello to soft touchable skin.

Don’t forget about our contest.  Sign up for our newsletter before January 28th and be registered to win a free sample stack of Glynne’s Soaps.

Posted in contest, Skin Care | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Every Day is a Holiday

Glynne's Soaps Staff January 13, 2010
[1] comment

There are those people who see Birthdays as a time to morn the passing of their youth. They dread the big day and hide it from anyone and everyone as much as they can. At Glynne’s Soaps, we have a different attitude about Birthdays; we see it as a day to celebrate the fact that you are alive.

Because we believe in celebrating Birthdays Glynne’s Soaps was closed for business yesterday.  It was Gayle’s birthday.  Therefore, we closed up the office, had a nice leisurely morning, spent the afternoon at the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher (head over to our facebook fan page to see our fun pictures from the Aquarium) and had a great Japanese Hibachi style dinner with a wonderful friend.  Overall, I think it was a day worthy of being called a holiday. 

We are still feeling “in the holiday spirit” this morning, and have decided to have a contest.  Everyone that signs up for our newsletter before January 28th will be entered into a drawing.  (If you are already, a subscriber you too are eligible to win.)  The winner will receive a free “Design Your Own” Sample Stack of our soaps (shipping included). 

Just pop on over to our website, click on the link that says “Sign Up for Our Mailing List”, follow the instructions and you will be entered to win. 

When you sign up, make sure and let us know your birthday.  We will also send you a gift on your special holiday.

Posted in contest, Newsletter | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment