Where to start?!

It is always at this time of year that I start making my grand plans for kicking the proverbial butt of the following year.

This has been such a rollercoaster for me on both a personal level and a professional one. Posh Brats celebrated it's first year in business, opened a retail store, became a distributor for two major bath & body lines and enjoyed huge growth.

I am just proud as can be and needless to say a bit overwhelmed too!
Right now we are up to our eyeballs with holiday orders (already!!) and making sure all our ducks are in order to keep things flowing smoothly.
We are also finalizing details on our new retail location opening in Knutsford in January. This has been a long long saga that began back in March 09, when I decided a move to another location was necessary.

My American mind still has a hard time getting around just how LONG it takes to do anything in the UK. The myriad of red tape, paperwork, meetings, meetings about having meetings, etc can be exhausting. SO, the finding of a new location then securing that location is now tantamount to my idea of hell. I look forward to a time when I can hire someone to do that sort of thing for me.

The past months have seen me behind the scenes developing my own product line. It's nowhere near completion...one hurdle at a time.....but it IS coming in the new year. I have been busy tweaking recipes, researching, and planning. I love the lines I carry and I believe in them but I am very aware that the only thing that will push Posh Brats over the edge into big business is to have our own line of products.
Thankfully my years and background spent in the beauty industry has assisted me greatly BUT the main source of inspiration in this journey are the customers. I have some dedicated product testers that are brutally honest with me and that is priceless!

So...... watch this space because I will be making announcements soon regarding the new retail space!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

**I am off now to bake my pies and tea breads (and sample)**

Villainess' Silk and Cyanide Soap - a bloke's view

I have been kindly allowed to squat in the Posh Brats blog by Brittany and write about one of my favourite new products - Villainess' Silk and Cyanide soap.

Often referred to as my favourite drug of choice, Silk and Cyanide has provided me with many hours of wonderful company in the shower.

Now, being a bloke, I am not ashamed to declare my love of this soap and also being a bloke, I can say this devotion (almost obsession according to some) is based on some well observed facts, of which I shall try and write down in a logical manner.

1. It is made from all natural ingredients
2. It smells great
3. It feels great on my face
4. Oh, and it smells great.

In truth the biggest plus for me is that it has cured my face of horrible ingrowing hairs which I get if I don't shave for a couple of days - which for me is often as I like to grow a bit of the 'ol designer stubble.

So there you have it. From having a face that was tarnished with enough spots at times to make a teenager look in disgust to nothing in a month.

I would not class myself as a metrosexual or label myself with any other tag that is conveniently hoisted on us for marketing purposes; all I am is a simple bloke who has found his definition of soap heaven.

Elvis Impersonators

I think probably if Elvis is looking down from heaven right now, the thing he regrets most in his life is that he grew those big hairy sideburns and wore that tacky white sequined outfit with the cape during his last concerts. I'm sure even he's sick of being impersonated in that look. Can't anyone just give the guy a break and put on some khakis and a sportshirt for once?

I just hope I don't die in my hair-dye stained nightgown, granny drawers up to my neck and sporting badly stubbled legs in need of a shave or all my friends will be imitating ME like that for eternity!!! Now that would be truly tragic.....

Posh Brats & Villainess present: The Seven Deadly Sins Collection!

In case you hadn't heard about it, Villainess has just released a brand new product called Smack!

This is destined to be as addictive as the drug....we all love pretty coloured and fragranced scrubs but they can wreak havoc on sensitive skin.Problem solved, folks! This is a much more natural look at the ever-popular sugar scrub.

This what Villainess has to say:

" The Villainess Smack! is a big wet kiss of luxury. A gentle blend of foaming agents, spiked liberally with skin loving vegetables oils - grapeseed, cherry kernel, coconut - and anti-oxidant Orchid Extract, and laced with botanicals and cane sugar to simultaneously cleanse, buffer, and exfoliate."

The scents are unreal and in an excited frenzy I put together my own collection of scent combos and have named this:

The Seven Deadly Sins Collection

Numbers are limited on this so get to our website and order yours if you'd like your "fix"!!www.poshbrats.com

Price:

$ 15.00 USD

£ 10.00 GBP

The collection:** Order by the sin!!!**

Lust/Luxuria

1. Buttercream Cupcake

Heaps of buttery sweet icing slathered on moist yellow cake.

2. Cherries Jubilee

Syrupy black cherries and a twist of orange zest.

3. Chocolate Mousse

Smooth pools of decadent dark chocolate.

4. Espresso

Strong, dark-roast, black coffee.

Gluttony/Gula

1. Berry Patch

Vine-warmed strawberries, tart wild blackberries, a handful of blueberries and a splash of sweet cream.

2. Marshmallow

Sticky, sweet confections doused in powdered sugar.

3. Lemon Meringue

Creamy lemon filling in grandmother's impeccable pie crust.

4. Coconut Milk

Cool coconut cream.

Greed/Avaritia

1. Fresh Squeezed Citrus

Sweet orange, pink grapefruit, lemon, lime and a bubbly splash of champagne.

2. Buttercream Cupcake

Heaps of buttery sweet icing slathered on moist yellow cake.

3. Raspberry Plum

Juicy red raspberries and succulent plums.

4. Honey Nut

Toasted almonds tumbled in clover honey.

Sloth/Acedia

1. Candy Floss

Fluffy, spun pinkness with a soft skin-scent, and crisp candy.

2. Tropical Fruit

Bananas with a big splash of pineapple, mango, papaya and passionfruit.

3. Vanilla Bean

Perfection. Vanilla, neither rich, boozy, artificial nor creamed.

4. Limeade

Spritzy, green, candied lime peel.

Wrath/Ira

1. Cherries Jubilee

Syrupy black cherries and a twist of orange zest.

2. Spice Trade

Cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and a homey splash of clove.

3. Pomegranate Fig

Bursts of tangy red fruit over the earthy sweetness of dry figs.

4. Incense

Frankincense, myrrh, oppoponax and dragon's blood resin. Smoke not included.

Envy/Invidia

1.Sugared Roses

Perfect, pink, long-stemmed roses, crusted with pure cane sugar.

2.Unearthed

Dark, loamy dirt and touch of antique patchouli.

3. Lei Flowers

Big tropical blossoms - gardenia, neroli, plumeria, and orchid.

4.Red Woods

Sandalwood, mahogany and cedar very lightly spiced with sage and cardamom

Pride/Superbia

1.Pomegranate Fig

Bursts of tangy red fruit over the earthy sweetness of dry figs.

2. Spice Trade

Cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and a homey splash of clove.

3. Cherries Jubilee

Syrupy black cherries and a twist of orange zest.

4. Chocolate Mousse

Smooth pools of decadent dark chocolate.