The PRODUCT Blog - Pure Ingredients for Gorgeous Hair

Waste Not, Want Not

The Christmas holiday is just around the corner, and this weekend many will be out making a flurry of last-minute purchases.  Hasty decisions made under pressure rarely reflect our true feelings or priorities - so consider this article by Dave Chameides (aka Sustainable Dave) as a little 'moment of zen' to inspire some outside-the-box thinking about what to give those dear to you this year. 

In addition to Dave's excellent ideas for how to do more meaningful - and less wasteful - giving this season, there's the website whatididnotbuy.org.  Up and running since December 10, the site was created by BRAC USA, BRAC being a non-profit organization that operates in the developing world.  You can read on the 'What I Did Not Buy' site about how BRAC dispenses micro-loans and provides health services, see what others chose to forgo this year (so far, everything from flowers to a BMW!), and learn ways in which the redirected funds can make a tangible difference to people throughout the world. 

Another benefit of spending less time shopping?  More time to show yourself a little TLC.  Total Beauty has a short and sweet list of 10 Budget Beauty Tips that pamper without turning you into a pauper -  utilizing easily acquired, natural, and household items to leave you looking and feeling gorgeous ... Enjoy!

Off the Beaten Path

The holidays can leave one feeling like the proverbial hamster in the wheel.  But we're humans, not hamsters!  Perhaps this season is the perfect time to try stepping away from the wheel.  When you do, you just might find yourself inclined to reinvent it.

The economic crunch and the merging of DIY and sustainable, eco-friendly purchasing into the mainstream are combining to give people pause about how much stuff we give & get.  And in that pause is the possibility for change.

There are tons of options for creative and 'green' giving (including PRODUCT - the multi-tasking, unisex, organic pomade!), and we thought we'd pass along some we've come across this year that piqued our interest:

• With the idea that "the greenest product is the one that already exists," the eBay Green Team and ecofabulous have begun a re+purpose campaign, with a website full of inspiring instruction on finding fresh uses for seemingly stale objects.  They also have a thought-provoking Think Green page that merits exploration as you head out to do your purchasing.  Source:  Care2

• Husband and wife team La Familia Green makes uniquely beautiful stationery, journals, and more from recycled materials.  All items are 'limited editions' and a portion of profits goes with great love to local animal shelters.  For a personal touch with style and heart, these quality paper goods are the way to go.  Source:  MNN

• On Etsy.com - that place where craft and commerce harmoniously collide - prix-prix designer Laura Skelton refashions neckties into an array of wallets and an assortment of necklaces.  Super chic and affordable, her accessories are a winning sustainable gifting option.  Source:  MNN 

• A personal fave, Ferdinand Home Store has various handmade and crafty items on offer.  The drumming squirrel tees for men & women, and onesies for babies, are a huge hit and never fail to provoke a smile ... 

Feel free to share any tips or links to 'green' gifts you've discovered - we'd love to hear!

Boos & Ghouls

Decorations, costumes, treats - the potential for a sasquatch-sized carbon footprint at Halloween is huge.  But help is no more than a mouse click away ...  here are some of the web standouts with advice on greening your fright fest: 

Planet Green put together a series of articles with ideas for how to shrink your environmental impact this year - and grow your creativity in the process!  Contributor Leslie Billera shares some alternatives to the usual confectionary suspects that don't take the fun (or deliciousness) out of the occasion ...  And Blythe Copeland has some inspired tips for making costumes and decorations, my favorite being the spooky skeleton made of socks whose partners have gone missing.  

Another great source for DIY innovation is Jenn Savedge on MNN.com - she provides instructions for how to construct some fun costumes on the fly, or in a time crunch.  And if the party's at your house this year, she also has fantastic ideas for Halloween games that will keep everyone involved and entertained, as well as help channel some of that treat-induced energy. 

Hope everyone enjoys a spirited and safe Halloween!  

Say Cheese!

School days are here again:  fresh notebooks and pencils, new schedules and teachers!  It's a tumultuous time of year, full of excitement and expectation - emotions are running high ... 

One thing that always looms large with the start of a new school year is PICTURE DAY.  This is an occasion on which LIL PRODUCT can come in handy.  A small amount of LIL PRODUCT can make a big difference in your child's class photo style.  LIL PRODUCT is wonderful at smoothing unruly strands, separating and beautifying curls, or adding texture to assist with braids.  And LIL PRODUCT is not just for girls - boys can use it too, to create direction or movement and achieve absolute adorability. 

So if you're looking for a styling aid that's simple to use, safe and natural, and designed especially with kids in mind - look no further.  You can trust that LIL PRODUCT is made only from organic ingredients that protect hair from damage and won't irritate your child's delicate scalp.  Get the school year off to a green start!

Simmer Down

Well, well - welcome to August.  July is certainly going out with a bang - there has been some intensely warm weather here along the West coast lately.  Summer's coming along quite nicely ...

I became aware this year of the amusingly large number of superfluous holidays that populate the US calendar because one of my date books seems to list every obscure and inane holiday you've never heard of or could possibly imagine.  So this sweetly enthusiastic multimedia article in Paste Magazine's online newsletter, which celebrates our abundance of occasions in the month of August (also known as "Admit You're Happy Month"), put a smile on my face ...

Some notable days:  be sure to "Wiggle Your Toes" on August 6, yuk it up on "Presidential Joke Day" (August 11), and schedule your next relationship spat for the 25th so you can properly celebrate "Kiss and Make Up Day."  And even though I didn't see "Trim Your Own Bangs" Day listed, you can do that this month, too, thanks to Daily Candy's 'Easy Does It' how-to video!

If time flies when you're having fun, hope everyone's August is like a supersonic jet. 

Liquid Assets

PRODUCT pomade for hair is a solid substance.  But sometimes - in, say, a heat wave such as the one we are now experiencing in Los Angeles - it transforms into another type of matter:  liquid.  Average daytime temperatures here this past week have been hovering around 90 degrees, and the jar of PRODUCT that I keep in my car was definitely feeling the heat.  So I wanted to issue this PRODUCT (and LIL PRODUCT) "Public Service Announcement" about the possibility of warm-weather melting. 

If your PRODUCT or LIL PRODUCT melts, don't panic!  As the instructions on the jar state, the pomades must be liquefied before application, usually by heating it up between your hands.  So any weather-induced melting is actually saving you a step in the process!  Though it can be dismaying to twist open your jar and find a fluid when you're expecting a solid, there is nothing to worry about, and the integrity and effectiveness of the pomade has not been compromised. 

You can proceed to use your PRODUCT or LIL PRODUCT in its liquid form and wait for it to coalesce as the high environmental temperature subsides (in which case we simply recommend that you make sure the lid is sealed tightly to prevent any spillage).  Another option is to pop your jar of liquiform pomade into the refrigerator.  It will pretty quickly solidify to its original, silky smooth, buttery texture - no harm done. 

We hope this allays any anxiety for users of PRODUCT and LIL PRODUCT who have experienced this phenomenon, and we will be happy to respond to any questions and address any concerns on the subject via the Contact Us page on the PRODUCT website.

Also, speaking of melting, July 19th is - clap your hands - National Ice Cream Day!  We're fortunate to have a variety of delicious ice creameries here in the Southland, and one of the best is going to be doling out celebratory free scoops this Sunday.  Just show up at Milk in LA and utter the phrase, "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!" to receive a complimentary scoop of freshly made, cool and creamy decadence.  Just what the doctor ordered after this searing hot week!

Let Free-dom Ring

We hope everyone had a safe and festive Fourth of July celebration! 

Throughout the month of May, PRODUCT partnered with InStyle Magazine's online home, InStyle.com, to offer their readers a chance to win one of 100 FREE jars of PRODUCT all-natural pomade.  The response was terrific, and we are thankful to all who participated.  The lucky winners' jars were shipped out yesterday, and as promised, to show our appreciation to all who entered the contest we are e-mailing everyone a super-special promo code for a discount on any purchase made in the PRODUCT online store throughout the months of July and August.  We hope you'll give PRODUCT (and LIL PRODUCT) a try this summer!

Givin' the Dog a Bone

Bow-wow!  It's National Take Your Dog to Work (TYDTW) Day.  At participating workplaces today, your 'best friend' is permitted to tag along and see where it is you go for all those hours of the day when he/she is napping, eating, playing, chewing up furniture or shoes, and/or waiting patiently for you to come home.  This year marks the tenth annual TYDTW Day - a milestone for any annual event.  I'm shocked, though, that in a decade of "dog days," a Take Your Cat to Work Day hasn't yet been instituted (feline lovers, you now have a mission!). 

TYDTW Day was started by the organization Pet Sitters International.  Their goal was to build awareness of what wonderful companions dogs can be and encourage their adoption from shelters and rescue groups.  Being 'mom' to an adopted dog, I can attest that giving an animal a chance at a better life is rewarding beyond words.  Watching our dog make progress with socialization, obedience and learning to have fun and play (all things that were missing in her prior home) has been enormously satisfying.

   

The Pet Shop blog has some helpful tips for how to make sure dogs brought into the workplace stay comfortable, safe and happy.  And if you are so inspired by the fullness animal companionship brings to your life, you can also help our canine friends while social networking.  DogTIme, "the place for all things dog," has created a Facebook application that earns points to help feed and nurture shelter dogs - when they feel confident and secure, they're more likely to find a home.

There are a wealth of online organizations that facilitate dog (and cat!) adoption and fostering ... Daily Candy recently featured Mutts Like Me in their 2009 Dog Guide, Best Friends is an extremely dedicated organization, and the list goes on ...  Or, if you're not quite ready to take the leap into pet ownership, you can still help out animals in need of a home by taking a shot at trivia questions on either of the Free Kibble sites - one for dogs and one for cats!

Pop Rocks

The man of the hour this weekend is definitely Dad.  Plus, Father's Day coincides with the first day of summer this year, so there's plenty to celebrate this Sunday ...

Recently, I was impressed by the father/daughter story behind Chris Rock's heartfelt, personal and undoubtedly funny documentary, 'Good Hair Day,' which was honored with the Special Jury Prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival.  I found it touching that Mr. Rock was inspired to make his doc after learning of his daughter's distress at not having, as she put it tearfully, "good hair."  Her strife spurred him on a quest to explore the "good hair" concept, to get enlighten himself on the subject in hopes of being of help to her, and to understand where she was coming from. What a dad!!

'Good Hair Day' apparently delves pretty deeply into African American hair culture, spending time with the general public in salons and beauty parlors, and interviewing celebrities and prominent social figures about their hair attitudes and experiences.  Rock expands his focus to include a history of and discussion about hair styling in the black community - a topic of great significance to many people individually, but rarely part of the larger discourse.  Ethnic hair care has its own world of issues, concerns, ideals and practices, and has developed as a part of African American social culture for generations ...  Who would have thought a father's concern would lead to a documentary about black womens' hair styling preferences?  Unexpected, and a delightful turn of events in my opinion ...

Enjoy your Father's Day!

Fit for Beauty

Word is definitely getting out about PRODUCT - and we're happy to see awareness of our truly unique all-natural pomade growing!  Guests at two events here in So Cal next week will get to experience PRODUCT's organic hair styling goodness ...

An organization in San Diego, Pediatricians and Communities Collaborating Together (PACCT), selected PRODUCT & LIL PRODUCT to be included in gift bags for attendees at their annual luncheon on June 5.  PACCT is a valuable program that educates University of California San Diego and Naval Medical Center of San Diego medical students about pediatric care needs in the community.  Begun at UCSD medical school in 1984 as an elective course of study, the classes evolved into a requirement for all medical residents at both UCSD and NMCSD.  PACCT's Community Pediatrics Rotation works with over 40 local community programs to discover how circumstances influence the health and well-being of children.  To help budding pediatricians develop skills as advocates for children and families, med students are encouraged to select a culture, community, or agency with whom they develop a long-term relationship for the duration of their medical residency. 

PACCT's annual luncheon acknowledges the work of these community organizers and champions for children's health, and we are proud to be a part of that show of appreciation for their efforts.

Then, here in Los Angeles, PRODUCT was chosen to be part of a slightly more glitzy event - the June 3 grand opening of a Pineapple Fitness outpost.  Pineapple is an exercise experience - the yellow and grey platforms vibrate as you work out on them, to provide constant destabilization that forces deep core muscle work just to keep from tumbling off!  (The technical term for this is "bio-oscillation").  And anyone who marveled at Robert Downey Jr.'s physique in the movie Ironman will testify to its effectiveness - he trained on a Pineapple machine to achieve those results; and word is he's back at it, buffing up for the Ironman sequel.  Originated by international fitness instructor Nick Morris, the Pineapple Fitness Revolution has been gaining ground, and high-profile adherents, since 2002. 

Whether it's giving back or getting buff, PRODUCT is excited to be a part of these local celebrations of health and wellness.