What have we been up to?

Well, for starters, we brought our first batch of the new Mashed In over to the NJ Beer Co. to be sold in their tasting room.

Matt decided to give the soap counter space instead of putting it across the way on the shelves with the shirts & hats.  This way, it doesn't get lost in the shuffle and people notice it while sitting at the bar.

Soap is little, after all.

So we got to hang out with Matt, and I know at least one or two bars were purchased the first weekend, which is pretty nifty.

And then this past Sunday, we did another craft fair at the Minerals Resort & Spa in Vernon.  This time, we worked on featuring our NJ Beer Co. Mashed In beer soap.  Eric was funny, calling it our "Superbowl beer soap."  It was Superbowl Sunday, after all.

It's hard to see in the photos, but we had the Mashed In up on a higher tier back there.  Behind the soap are three Chocolate Decadence pillar candles too.

And Matt even gave us one of his posters to display!

We thought it was funny, because we were, in fact, "serving" NJ Beer Co. beer.  Just... y'know... in soap!

Collaboration

Remember this?  When I told you we were beer snobs?

That, as you may know, is our Mashed In beer soap.  Awesome stuff.  My absolute favorite of our soaps, in fact.

Well, the original batch, the batch in that photo, was made with Sam Adams Noble Pils.  Beer is great for the skin, and that's an admittedly darned good beer.

Wait.  Beer is good for the skin?

Yup.  Good for the skin.  I've read that in ancient Egypt, long considered the birthplace of beer, women of the upper classes used beer for all sorts of cosmetic and therapeutic purposes, such as to freshen the skin and reduce the risk of skin conditions.  And more recent scientific studies have shown that brewer's yeast can help improve the symptoms of acne and maintain a balanced pH in the skin.  As a result, cosmetic companies are starting to incorporate brewer's yeast as an active ingredient in their formulas.

So... beer soap.

But we found better beer.  Local beer.  New Jersey Beer.

The NJ Beer Co. is local to Reef Botanicals, just a few minutes away at 4201 Tonnelle Avenue, North Bergen, NJ.  It was founded by president Matt Steinberg.

Photo:  Peter Kennedy

A very nice guy, and exceedingly talented at what he does, his take on it all is that the "New Jersey Beer Co. is dedicated to crafting quality beer for all; from the occasional beer drinker to the beer aficionado.  We believe that good products come from good people, and strive to do our very best for our community and our customers.  We believe we can provide happiness through doing what we love, and that a good beer can make the good times great."

It's that sense of community and quest for good times that led the NJ Beer Co. to open up a tasting room, which offers free samples of NJ Beer and a tour of the brewery from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays, and 2-6 p.m. on Saturdays.

To keep up with their events, be sure to become a fan of their Facebook page.

But that sense of community is going even farther now.  We're teaming up with them to produce our new version of Mashed In, a collaboration between Reef Botanicals and the NJ Beer Co.  For our first batch, we've used my favorite of their beers, the Garden State Stout.

Because we're using a stout and the same chocolate malted barley used to make the beer, as well as hops, this batch of soap will necessarily be darker.

And because it's a stout, in addition to the cedarwood essential oil we used in the original Mashed In, we've added a touch of coffee essential oil too.

It's in the molds and ready to go!

The best part?  Not only will our NJ Beer Co. Mashed In beer soap be available at the Reef Botanicals website, we'll also have it this Sunday, February 6, at the Minerals Resort Winter Wonderland craft fair!

Know what's even better than that?  You'll be able to buy our new Mashed In at the NJ Beer Co. brewery!  Go for a tasting, try some of the amazing beers, and buy Reef Botanicals Mashed In... all in the same trip!

My Name is Mud

Or... at least my face is.  Don't believe me?  Look!

The things I do for you guys.

I kept joking with Eric that we were going to be making mudpies, but this is oh so much more than that.  Our first mud mask!  Yes, really.  And this is some high-end stuff, which is making its way into our luxury line.

The primary ingredient in this mask is Dead Sea mud.  Then, we added Rhassoul clay, Bentonite clay, and sea kelp to make our own custom blend for the biggest benefit.

What's the hype about mud?  Why Dead Sea mud?  Never having used a mud mask before, I had the same questions!  So I did a little research, and here's what I found out about Dead Sea mud...

Believe it or not, it's believed that Dead Sea mud is one of the healthiest things you can use on your skin.  Seriously.  And it's pretty much for the same reasons so many people travel to the Dead Sea itself to reap its benefits.  What are those benefits?  Improved blood circulation and natural skin generation, cleansing and removal of dirt particles, impurities, and toxins, skin relief for disorders such as psoriasis, eczema, acne, and even wrinkles, moisturizing, and the removal of dead skin cells.  And as it dries, it pulls out any toxins that may be present in your skin cells from your everyday diet, while firming and tightening this all-important organ.  Yes, that's right, if you remember from your first anatomy class, skin is the body's largest organ!

This mud has such a high concentration of all natural salts and minerals that your skin needs, like potassium, magnesium, sodium, bromine, and calcium, that it's unlike mud from any other place in the world.

And with a mud mask like this, you don't have to travel to Jordan or Israel to get these benefits!

If the mud is so great on its own, why did we add the clays?  The better question is how could we not?  We wanted an all-in-one product that provided the absolute most value it could.  So... about those clays...

Rhassoul clay has been used for over 1400 years as a natural beauty treatment for skin and hair. It has a unique ability to absorb tremendous amounts of water, which makes it ideal for cleansing and detoxifying the skin. It also has a higher percentage of trace minerals than other clays, without any petrochemical derivatives, synthetic preservatives, surfactants, or artificial colors, all of which are common in commercial soaps and cleansers. It has been found to leave the skin with less dryness, less flakiness, improved skin clarity, elasticity, and firmness, and improved skin texture.

And Bentonite clay has long been known for its therapeutic abilities.  Due to its high absorbency and its ability to pull oils and toxins from the skin, it is one of the best clays for making poultices and an excellent ingredient for skin care and spa treatments.

And then there's that sea kelp again, which we also use in our Mock Turtle shampoo and Deadwood Spa Bar.  What's up with the sea kelp?  Sea Kelp is being used increasingly for cosmetic purposes, due to its high vitamin and mineral content, as well as its essential fatty acids and chlorophyll for detoxification purposes.  It has a natural elasticity that makes it an ideal ingredient in cutting-edge anti-wrinkle beauty regimens.  It can revitalize both skin and hair.

So you see, we didn't cut any corners with this stuff.

At all!  And it's easy to use.  You take just a little on your fingers and coat your entire face lightly, being careful to avoid your eyes.  It starts off feeling cool, of course, while it's wet.  As it dries, it feels warm and tingly, and you can feel it tightening on your face as it works.  By the time the photo was taken, it had been drying a while, and it wasn't actually easy to smile!  Once it's dry, after about 10 or 15 minutes, you rinse it off, and it comes off clean, leaving your skin pretty darned smooth and soft.  At least, that was my experience.

And Eric's.  He wouldn't let me snap a photo of his muddy face, but he loves mud masks and you can bet your socks he tried it too.

(And no, I have no idea where I came up with "bet your socks," but I kinda like it!)

We've dolled up our Dead Sea Mud Mask in these beautiful little jars, and they're all ready for you now!  So... have at 'em!

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