I’ve been so blessed to have two of the most fabulous interns this semester, and am happy to get to introduce you to Jenny. Even though she’s a graduate of the University of Kentucky and a huge Wildcats fan, I’ll still keep her around, ha!

We are excited to have found an intern of Jenny’s caliber and are happy to announce that she’ll continue working with us after her internship ends, so you’ll hear a lot more from her in the future. She’ll work on media outreach, contributing to the blog, and overseeing the Eco Baby Botanicals website that is launching soon. She’s been an incredible asset to the team already and I’m happy to welcome her to the Vintage Body Spa family!

Tell us a little about yourself
Hello everyone! As one of Vintage Body Spa’s newest interns I am thrilled to have the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Jenny; I graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2010 (go cats!) and I am so excited to be a part of the VBS team. Alyssa has been such a wonderful mentor and working for her has been an absolute blast (corny or not, I am always excited for my next project!)

(I want to emphasize that I did NOT ask her for praise or promise her a raise for being so positive about her job!

What sort of projects are you working on for Vintage Body Spa?
In August I was given the opportunity to design a newsletter template for the company and had so much fun with it. I’d love feedback from anyone who received a copy (positive or negative). I have also contributed to the company’s social networks and soon I will be pitching story ideas to nationally recognized magazines!

It is wonderful to work for such a down-to-earth company that has more to offer than just its products. Vintage Body Spa’s “Behind the Curtain Initiative” was a big contributor to my interest in becoming an intern — it’s nice to know that a portion of every purchase goes toward helping others.

What are some of your hobbies?
As far as my life outside of VBS – I love spending time with my husband and dogs. My idea of a perfect night: on the couch with glass of red wine, dogs on my lap, husband by my side and a great show on T.V. It doesn’t get much better than family time!

I am so excited to continue my work with VBS and cannot wait for what the future holds. Thanks for taking the time to get to know me, and always feel free to ask questions!

Latin Name: Zingiber officinalis

Family: Zingiberaceae

Description: Ginger is a perennial herb that grows to about 3 feet high and has a thick, spreading root system. Each year is grows a stalk with narrow, spear-shaped leaves and white/yellow flowers. Essential oil is steam-distilled from the unpeeled, dried ground root.

Countries of Origin: Australia, China, India, Thailand

Scent: Ginger has sharp top notes and fiery, spicy undertones. It blends well with citrus and floral essential oils.

Properties: Ginger is a warming oil and stimulates both digestion and circulation. It is often used for both travel sickness and morning sickness. Ginger oil is used in massage when muscles are cold and contracted. Ginger has been used to combat Seasonal Affective Disorder, fatigue and loss of libido as it is arousing and stimulating psychologically. Some use ginger oil in massage oil to speed up the healing of bruises.

Precautions: Do not use if you have very sensitive skin. Use at a low level (less than 2%) in massage oils. Ginger oil is non-toxic, but may cause photosensitivity.

Products where you can find Ginger essential Oil: Our Orange Ginger Spice soap.

Remember, the FDA has not evaluated the above statements. No claims are made regarding any medicinal value of ginger oil. The information presented here is for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases.

As we take today to remember those who gave their lives so we could be free, we offer up thanks and a prayer for those who serve today to keep us safe and free. God Bless all the members of our military and their families.

UPDATE: 4/24/11 – Thanks to such a wonderful response, we have closed our call for product testers at this time. Everyone that has emailed up to this point will be contacted shortly. We will announce another call for volunteers whenever more are needed. Thanks to everyone who has emailed to participate!

We’re looking to expand our volunteer product tester panel – are you interested? We don’t test any of our products on animals, just humans, and we’re often looking for more people to test new product formulas and provide feedback. We use information gathered from the tester panel to decide whether or not we’re going to launch a new product or if it needs to go back to the lab for further tweaking.

If you’ve tested products for us previously, no need to sign up again. We’ve kept your name on the list and will be in touch when there is a new product ready for you to test. If you’re interested in joining the panel, please send an email to customerservice{at] vintagebodyspa (dot} com with ‘Tester Panel’ in the subject line. We’ll then send out a brief form for you to complete, so we know the best types of products to send. Each product sample will have an evaluation form for you to complete and send back.

There is no cost to join the tester panel. You’ll get to keep the sample product you’re testing and provide important feedback to help make our products the best in the marketplace. Thanks for considering volunteering to help us develop new products and product lines!

As many are wont to do this time of year, blog posts abound on lessoned learned in the past year. This is no exception. I’d reviewed and analyzed my year both personally and professionally and have been working for weeks on my 2011 vision board, goals and plans, though I hadn’t planned on sharing most of my review with the world. As one of my goals is to share more of my personal life with you just as I’d like to learn more about you, my readers and customers, fans and friends, I was inspired by @MichellePippin (a phenomenal coach and inspirational woman – I strongly recommend you read her blog and work with her if you are a business owner) and her honest and direct post on her 2010 and decided to do the same. I hope some of the lessons I learned can encourage you in whatever road you’re traveling in life – many of these lessons can be applied not just to business owners, but anyone working on a goal or dream. So without further ado, here’s a list of some of the things I learned in 2010.

I learned that all work and no play does indeed make me dull – especially when I let my spiritual and physical health falter by being too ‘busy’ with work. This year one of my words is ‘intentional’ – I will be intentional with my work, not wasting time on unimportant, unproductive or ‘busy work’ so that I can devote the time I want to and need to to my faith, my family and my own well-being.

I learned that I wasted too much time trying to ‘convince’ certain people to support me in my business. I won’t do that again – it is not my responsibility to convince others to believe in me – it starts with me and the dream God has placed in my heart, and if I’m the only one on the planet that believes in me (which I’m not) then that is sufficient. I learned that I do have some incredible supporters in my corner, and that I need to reach out to them when I’m faltering or in need of a little boost. I do need and will seek out in 2011 a small accountability group of likeminded business women to support each other in our spiritual and business walks. I need to have their support during tough times and I also need to use my gifts of listening and encouragement to help support sister believers.

I learned that it’s critical to keep investing in myself. The investment of attending Spark & Hustle was the best thing I could do – everything I learned there contributed to the greatest strides in my business to date. I will continue attending this incredible conference for years to come. Coaching is another key to my success which I had let falter – never again – the accountability and feedback are imperative to my success and I won’t be without a coach again.

I learned to give myself credit for the strides that were made in 2010, especially while working another full time job and having a complicated pregnancy and delivery. Consistent action steps, even the smallest of steps lead to big gains both personally and professionally, and ‘action’ is another word of mine for 2011. My work day may not be as long as others’ but it will be just as, if not more productive, as my actions will be intentional and purposeful. Along that vein, I will be growing a team in 2011 to help with the workload and provide greater products and services to our customers. I want to capitalize on my strengths and hire others with different talents to do the tasks that I’m not so skilled at (or have no interest in doing) but are necessary to running a business.

I have many plans for this next year and look forward to all the excitement and blessings it will bring. What are some of the lessons that you learned in 2010, and how will those lessons affect your 2011? Here’s to a wildly successful new year for all of us!

Winter weather has started to set in here in Kentucky, and while it certainly isn’t as cold as some places I’ve lived (Hello, Alaska!!) the weather can still wreak havoc on your skin if not properly cared for. That’s why this month we’re offering a special on our Whipped Shea Butter, so you can easily protect and nourish your skin. For December only, you can pick one up for just $13 – that’s almost a 25% savings!

Shea butter comes from the Karite tree in Africa and is known for its moisturizing and healing properties. It has been used for centuries to protect skin and treat conditions such as excessive dryness, eczema and psoriasis. Since shea butter restores elasticity to skin, it is also a popular ingredient for pregnant women to use on their bellies to help prevent stretch marks.

Our shea butter is blended with grapeseed and jojoba oils for even more skin-loving goodness and whipped to a light, fluffly consistency. The butter easily glides on your skin and penetrates deep to restore moisture and smoothness. With the variety of scents available you can pick up one for just about everyone on your holiday shopping list and still have money to pick up one for yourself! Head on over to the Whipped Shea Butter page and find your new favorite scent!

Avoid the long lines at the big box retailers and take care of your holiday shopping with Vintage Body Spa! Cyber Monday we’ll have some deep discounts on our wonderful products. Prices good on Monday, November 29, 2010 only from 12:01 am – 11:59 pm EST.

Wake Up Sugar Scrubs 50% off – only $10!