Chloe, Conditioners, Cones and Comments

I was going to respond to Chloe's comment in the same thread, but she hit on something I wanted to elaborate on further so I figured it deserved its own post. That, and I haven't posted in a while and this is a topic I've been meaning to discuss.

All this talk about cones vs. no cones has really touched upon the heart of what Crater Lake Company is all about. I've always strived to make Crater Lake Company a celebration of our individuality and uniqueness. No two head of hair or skin type or chemistry are alike. And as with products, the same goes for scents. I am envious of people who can pull off coconut scents, like they're some beach goddess, Hawaiian honey or something. Me? Coconut turns a wonderful aroma of tropical plastic on my skin.

I previously wrote about how our True Lustre Dish is too heavy for my hair, giving me that oh-so-sexy shellacked look. Obviously Chloe, if you're looking to achieve the Michael Jackson Thriller hairstyle, then by all means, help yourself to a jar of Moisture Whip Light Conditioner! Otherwise, stick with the TLC kiddo. Personally, I prefer using our Moisture Whip Light Conditioner. My hair does fine with products containing cones and our Moisture Whip is what my locks would consider a light dish. A few of our customers have even used the dish as a leave-in. I tried this, but my hair tends to be oily so I was sporting the grunge look about 13 years too late. "Edie Veder called. He wants his hairstyle back."

In all the product categories we offer, you'll find that there's always a choice between two or more. For example, we carry two different kinds of cremes and butters because I realize that some may want a thicker moisturizer, while others want to be able to turn a doorknob 10 seconds after application. (Rats. Right after I wrote this, I realized we only carry one lotion formula at the moment). Okay, as for the lotion. I'm offering a slightly reformulated version of the Nourishing Lotion (nka Aloe Smoothie) we used to carry in the past. It was our best-selling formula so we're keeping it. However, we received feedback that it was a little too thick so I'm thinking of offering one that wears lighter for the warm weather to come. That's in the works.

So anyway, my point is this. Crater Lake Company's philosophy is to celebrate you exactly the way you are, both inside and out. So we give you a variety of choices, from the products we offer so you can find the formula that's right for you to the unique fragrance blends we create so you can discover those that speak to your soul, to allow you to celebrate your uniqueness. It's also a reason why we're very heavy-handed with our samples. Maybe in that stash of samples is one scent or product that you would have never considered otherwise. If I remember correctly, this is how Kristy discovered our Whipped Soy Body Butter and our Peppermint Cream Torte fragrance blend.

From your choice of scent strength, to your hair conditioner preference to how scrubby you want your scrub, we hope we can deliver quality products to your exacting specifications in a fun and exciting way. While at the same time providing you with the information you need (with as little bias or propaganda as possible) to make an informed decision.

And what with the CLC Creations we concoct? From Kathy's beloved Madras to Holly's Walking on Moonbeams, they're all there for you to help make your bathing and smell good experience unique and personalized; to help define and enhance what is and should be a truly indulgent experience.

I know I've said this before, but it bears repeating. CLC was borne out of my unrelenting pursuit to make this experience the best ever. Ever. Because to me, as is with many of you, bathing and enjoying all our goodies is essential to our well-being, both physically and mentally. It soothes tired muscles as well as souls, makes our skin smooth and keeps our sanity in check. A bath is the remedy for my hurting knees after a long training run or when I'm particularly stressed out. My Sunday evening showers, before Extreme Home Makeover is sacred. Do not, I repeat, do not try to take this time away from me for I will unleash uponeth you 4 feet 11 inches of belligerent fury.

My signature scent changes constantly.

Sometimes, I find myself staring at my stash, unable to decide what scrub formula or scent to use and the sick thing is…I enjoy this type of indecision!

On occasional Saturday evenings, I've been known to watch QVC or HSN, as I sift through my containers of CLC and non-CLC products to sniff, apply and organize my stash.

It's been documented that I like taking showers in strange airport bathrooms.

It's also been documented that I like taking pictures of said airport bathrooms.

I derive great joy from re-discovering scents.

This is how I like to experience my bath and body products. This is my very own slice of heaven.

I encourage you to find your slice of bathing heaven and truly own it. Own it because for the remainder of the day you will be a domestic warrior, corporate powerhouse or both. Own it because you've been living in those sweats for the last 2 days. Or because you’ve cooked enough meals to feed a battalion, cleaned up spills larger than the Exxon Valdez and produced work that got your boss promoted. Carve out however much time you can afford to scrub yourself silly, lather yourself lovely and soak yourself yummy, all with the products and scents that speak to your soul. Find it, own it and enjoy it exactly how you want to. And I hope that in one way or another, the products and unique fragrance blends we offer can help you celebrate your individuality and enhance your indulgence.

So let's hold our shampoo bottles up high and toast the different traits that make all of us unique and beautiful! Here's sniffing at you kid.