Have you ever started a project and realized the timeline you originally had placed on that project just keeps getting pushed back further and further?...That’s what I’ve been experiencing with the launch of our Detoxifying Mask & Scrub!
What I thought would take “just a few months” has turned out to be a year-long project with a couple of challenges along the way.
When I first came up with the idea to introduce a product line; I knew I wanted to create a scrub first. I wanted the scrub to be gritty enough to get those stubborn ingrown hairs, while also being gentle on the skin so that it wouldn't cause irritation.
The first thing you should know is that from concept to creation, products can take months to formulate - and that’s just for a sample. It took 2 weeks to create the ingredients list for the first batch, and an additional 3 weeks for it to arrive, and when it did, I was so excited to finally try it.
The scrub looked very nice when I had first placed it on my hand to try. It had a nice tan color to it, and it was fragrance free- just like I wanted. BUT, the consistency was very runny and once I started to exfoliate, it started to look like soap rather than a scrub.
I immediately called the formulators and explained my concerns and made changes starting with the consistency.
One month later, I received the new batch. This time I had changed the formulation to have Charcoal in it so that it could be used as a Mask and Scrub rather than a plain ole scrub. In case you didn't know- Charcoal helps draw out excess oil, dirt and other impurities that clog your pores and produces in-growns.
This new scrub smelled like something you’d find at a fancy spa, and I could see the pumice beads within the formula, which to me, was a good sign that it would properly exfoliate my skin. However, once I tried the scrub on my underarms, the pumice beads were not big enough to exfoliate the way I wanted it to, and after I rinsed it off, my skin didn't feel soft and hydrated. This is when I realized there wasn't enough moisturizing element to it.
I called the manufacturing company and once again, explained the changes I needed. This time, I needed bigger pumice beads and more moisture.
They reformulated the scrub and once it arrived, the beads were even smaller than the first batch! Turns out they misunderstood my request and added smaller pumice beads instead of bigger pumice beads. At this point, I had already turned away 3 samples. We had to come up with a better idea.
Since the lab is out of state and they don't allow visitors on site to test the product while it is being made, it was starting to get more complicated than we both anticipated. To save time, we decided it would be best to send me 3 different types of pumice grades and using the samples I already had, I can create the batch to my liking.
As challenging as this process has been so far, I have learned so much along the way and I am very grateful for the experiences I’ve had.
Check back with me next week to find out how I sample the scrub using the different grades of pumice. Wish me luck!
-XO
Desiree
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