Holiday Gift Sets

We’ve got lots of holiday gift sets that I’m uploading into our on-line store as we speak.  You can see all the gift sets that are up so far here.

This photo is of our Deluxe Holiday Gift Set, which includes 1 Butterfield Road (Boutique/Peppermint Citrus) goat milk soap, as well as 1 facial creme, lip balm, and bath salt all packaged up in our brand-new wooden gift box, kraft crinkle and cranberry grosgrain ribbon.  These wooden boxes are extra special because they are handmade on our property using reclaimed wood, and are great to re-use again and again as a gift box or storage container.  This gift set is a perfect way to share the best of Chivas with your friends and family!

Can’t Decide What Goat Milk Soap To Try? Let Us Help!

Did you see us on Good Morning America and want to try our products for yourself? It can be difficult to decide which scent of our hand-made goat milk soap to get so we thought we would give you a few pointers to help you make the right selection!

Do you like to garden?

Try our Herb Garden Goat Milk Soap! It can be used as a hand soap and is tough on grime but soft on your senses. Poppy seeds & cornmeal exfoliate. Comfrey root relieves irritation. Hemp seed oil soothes dry, overworked skin. Rosemary, basil & fennel bring the garden into your home.

Is your face in need of some TLC?

Try our Clear Complexion Goat Milk Facial Soap. This soap is designed for acne prone skin. The bottom layer  helps prevent new blemishes from forming, while the top layer helps to heal current scars.

Still can’t decide?

Try all 6 of our most popular soaps! The 6-Pack of Essential Goat Milk Soaps includes one each of our essential goat milk soaps: Original, Sweet Nothings, Lavender Oatmeal, Spearmint, Wise Sage and Lemongrass.

Want more than just soaps?

If you want to try more goat milk skincare products than just our soaps try our Starter Kit. The Starter Kit is a great way to sample our line and includes Original goat milk soap, a Sweet Nothings goat milk facial creme, an Original lip balm and one Sweet Nothings bath salt sachet.

Testimonial: Chivas Goat Milk Soap Great for Eczema-prone Skin

We put love into every batch of goat milk soap and we are so delighted when we hear that our soap brings happiness to others. The following email was sent to Donna and we wanted to share it with you.

“I am getting ready to place my first order.  My 10-year old niece who has eczema has tried your soap and loves it.  Believe me when I tell you that this is a major step forward as we have tried just about every other over-the-counter product as well as several prescription treatments and they either do nothing or irritate her skin even more.  I see that you have a face cream, but was wondering if a body cream was available that she might be able to use.”

- Sharon Mathews

We enjoy getting to know our customers better and corresponding with them on-line.  Here’s what Donna wrote back:

Hi Sharon,

Thank you for your email.  Since your niece has eczema, we recommend that you order our Fragrance Free soap (all our soaps are great for hands, face and body).  Regarding the creme, at this point, we only offer the facial creme.  Once again, I suggest the Fragrance Free creme for your niece.  It can be used on the body also; but I realize that is a bit costly. I do know that many  customers with skin problems do have a lot of success with our creme. We have had so many customers asking for a body lotion; we are going to be offering it soon, but it may be at least a month or two.  Perhaps a solution would be to buy the facial creme to use on the body until the lotion is available.

We will let our customers know when any new products are available via our newsletter.  If you are not signed up yet, just fill in your email address and first name on the upper right hand side of the “home page” of our website www.chivasskincare.com.

Kind Regards,  Donna

If you have eczema or sensitive skin, you might consider trying one of these products:

Fragrance Free Goat Milk Soap ~ Our Fragrance Free Goat Milk Soap is designed for those with sensitive skin or sensitivity to scent, as it contains no added essential oils (and, of course, no fragrance oils).  Like all Chivas Skin Care soaps, this blend is moisturizing, nourishing & gentle for dry or sensitive skin. Made for your hands, body & yes, even your face.

Fragrance Free Goat Milk Facial Creme ~ Our Fragrance Free Goat Milk Facial Crème is made with moisturizing goat milk, soothing aloe vera juice and high-quality oils like avocado, jojoba and vitamin E.  Fragrance Free crème is great for anyone with ultra sensitive skin. It is nourishing and light for both day and night. Made with 82% Organic Content. Paraben & phthalate free.

Green Goat Shares Green Back-to-School Basics with Recycled Paper!

Recycling and using recycled materials is important to us!  So, we package our soaps with 100% recycled paper and we do NOT use any plastic packaging for our soaps. The Green Goat  knows that recycled goods are also important to you in all parts of your life, so he looked at the basic back-to-school shopping list and navigated through “The Ultimate Green Store” to find green alternatives for you, or your kids.

1. Notebook: Environotes Recycled Notebook contains 30% post-consumer recycled materials and Environotes recycles 98% of their scrap materials from notebook production.

2. Pencils: EarthWrite Pencils contain 60% post-consumer waster and the casing is made from recycled newspaper.

3. Ruler: TreeSmart Recycled Newspaper Ruler is made with recycled newspaper and recycled plastic.

4. Binder: The cover of the Universal Eco-Friendly Round Ring Natural Kraft Binder is made from 100% recycled materials and is dye-free.

5. Backpack: The Solar Converter Bag allows you to charge your phone, ipod and camera on the go with the 4 watts of solar power generated from the solar panels.

Since having a green and healthy lifestyle is important to us, we do what we can to incorporate those values into our product line.  In addition to using recycled paper to package our soaps, we use fresh goat milk from our farm and herbs from our herb garden to make our wonderful goat milk soap. Using local ingredients helps to reduce our carbon footprint.  Also,  our goat milk facial cremes are made with 82% organic content and our lip balms are made with 76% organic content. To find out more about our mindful product line click here.

Picture credit: (1)gwsports.com (2)chivasskincare.com

Looking for a Unique Bridesmaids Gift?

Looking for a nice gift to give all your bridesmaids? Consider the Chivas Mini Starter Kit! Read more below to learn why…

#1 If you know you already love Chivas products, the Mini Starter Kit is a great way to share a little of everything with your friend.  It includes (1) Mini Original goat milk soap (2) Mini Sweet Nothings goat milk facial creme (3) Original Vegan lip balm (4) Sweet Nothings bath salt sachet.

#2 All these goodies are packaged up in a small kraft gable box, so you don’t even have to wrap them up! (You can always tie on a bow for a little flair).

#3 Priced at only $20 each, you can buy these affordable gifts for all your bridesmaids (even if you have a large wedding party).

#4 Or if you want to splurge, you can give the Mini Starter Kit in conjunction with a necklace, shawl or clutch, which are other common bridesmaids gifts.

#5 Last, but not least, shouldn’t the gifts you give be in alignment with your core values: natural, local, fair trade & eco-friendly?

Click here to learn more about the Chivas Mini Starter Kit.

* Note:  We also specialize in custom gifts, including bridal shower, bachelorette party, wedding favors.  Click here to learn more about Chivas’s custom wedding gifts.

* Note: We know it can be hard to resist the temptation to buy something for yourself on our website… so we suggest you check out our Sweet Nothing bath salts. Preparing for a wedding can sometimes be stressful so relax and enjoy a warm, detoxifying bath with our bath salts!

NEW BOOK AVAILABLE: “Pizza and Wine” Cookbook with Goat Cheese Pizza Recipes

Chivas is all about goat milk!  While our website focuses on natural skin care products using goat milk (including our goat milk soap, goat milk bath salts, and goat milk facial creme), we also carry cookbooks with that offer great goat cheese recipes.  Our newest book is ” Pizza and Wine.”

In Pizza & Wine, Chef Leonardo Curti shares 65 delectable pizza recipes paired with the perfect wine to create an idyllic meal. Includes these delicious pizza variations and more: Quattro Formaggie Roasted Potato with White Truffle Oil Tuscan Salami Calzone Italian Fig and Prosciutto.

To find out more about this book and the authors, click here.

Granny Goat’s Advice on How Swimming Will Get You Fit and Tan This Summer

Swimming is a great way to get in shape, enjoy the summer weather and get tan. Swimming is a full body workout and you can do it in just 30 minutes. Our summer intern, Taylor, sat down with Granny Goat and shared swimming tips and swimsuit advice for the summer. Taylor has been splashing around in a pool since she was little and now is playing competitive water polo at Santa Clara University.

If you are new to swimming or just need some guidance Granny Goat has a provided a swim workout for every level of swimmer.

Beginner:

• 4 x 25 freestyle warm up ( minute rest between each)
• 4 x 50 freestyle ( minute rest between each)
• 4 x 25 freestyle sprints (30 second rest between each)
• 1 x 100 freestyle cool down

Medium:

• 4 x 75 freestyle warm up ( minute rest between each)
• 4 x 100 freestyle ( 30 second rest between each)
• 4 x 50 freestyle ( 30 second rest between each)
• 6 x 25 freestyle sprints ( 30 seconds rest between each)
• 2 x 100 freestyle cool down ( minute rest between each)

Experienced:

• 4 x 100 freestyle warm up ( 30 second rest between each)
• 8 x 100 freestyle ( 30 second rest between each)
• 4 x 50 freestyle ( 30 second rest between each)
• 6 x 25 freestyle sprints ( 15 seconds rest between each)
• 4 x 100 freestyle cool down ( minute rest between each)

If this looks like a foreign language to you Granny Goat has provided a list of some of the key terms in swimming:

• 25 yards = 1 lap (usually the length of one side of the pool to the other)
• 50 yards = 2 laps
• 75 yards = 3 laps
• 100 yards = 4 laps
• Freestyle= the most basic swim stroke and is also referred to as “free” and “forward crawl”
• 3 x 100 = this means you swim 100 yards (4 laps each) 3 times taking a break between each 100 yards.

Concern #1: Tan Lines

You may be worried that you will get odd tan lines in a one-piece swimsuit but recently swimsuit companies like Nike, TYR and Speedo have designed swimsuits that address this concern. Gossip Goats favorite is Nike Swim Polyester Cut-Out Tank (above). It comes in a variety of colors and has thin straps and a very open back.

Concern #2: Dry Skin

Chlorine can dry out your skin so it is important to shower right after swimming. We recommend using our goat milk soap in the shower to keep your skin moisturized and fresh after a nice swim this summer. If the chlorine makes your face dry try our Fragrance Free Facial Creme (above) and for dry lips try our lip balms.

Granny Goat’s Summer Skin Advice

Granny Goat Knows Best

Summer is here which means long days at the beach, hikes and BBQs! With all this extra time in the sun it is important to remember to protect your fragile skin. Granny knows best and these two quick and easy tricks will help protect your skin from looking like a lobster. This will only take you a minute and will have you looking radiant this summer without sun damage. 1)  After washing your face with our Clear Complexion Goat Milk Soap, put on Fragrance Free Goat Milk Facial Crème it will help keep your skin from getting dried out in the heat. 2)  Next, put on Sunforgettable Mineral Powder Sun Protection with 30 SPF. We have fallen in love with this mineral sun protection by Colorescience. Since it is a mineral powder you don’t have to worry about looking greasy, or smelling like sunscreen. The unique orb packaging makes it the perfect size for a beach bag and it is so easy you can apply it and reapply it all day. They even offer a small travel size orb! Colorescience products not only protect your precious skin… they make your skin look flawless. Even though we love this product it is not totally natural to learn more about this check out Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database.

The Luxury Spot Showers With A Goat!

Chivas Skin Care was recently reviewed by “The Luxury Spot”.  Read up on what Linda had to say about showering with a goat.

“I was recently given the Chivas Skin Care Starter Kit it’s a like a mini-spa retreat in a box! But unlike costly, time-consuming spa treatments with Chivas Skin Care products you can give yourself a quick, affordable indulgence each morning in the shower. The kit contains one Original Soap, one Sweet Nothings Crème, one Original Lip Balm and one Sweet Nothings Bath Salt Sachet.

Bet when you think of goats heavenly scents are not the first thing that come to mind.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised when just opening the starter kit box is actually your first treat.  In fact, the soap smells so soothing I almost didn’t want to start using it!  Almost.  The scent of the original soap is peppermint citrus and the blended all-natural fragrance is surprisingly uplifting and relaxing at the same time.  Truly a scent you’d think of as only available at a spa.

The soap feels wonderfully luxurious.  It’s incredibly smooth and moisturizing without being at all greasy.  The facial crème is another scrumptious blend of goat milk and eleven essential oils. The lip balm not only feels delicious on your lips, but is also made with peppermint essential oil and gives you a quick aromatherapy pop throughout your day.  If you have a little more time to indulge your senses the bath salts satchel is definitely the way to do it.”

Click Here to check out the full article!

More Q&A from Donna and Lauren

Check out the “Mother & Daughter Beauty Experts” article from New Beauty Fall/Winter ’09.

Here are a few questions that didn’t make the cut for the New Beauty “Mother & Daughter Beauty Experts” article but we feel are just as interesting nonetheless.

• How do you define beauty?

Donna: I tend to downplay beauty that is thrown at us through the media.  In fact, it really turns me off.  To me, beauty is an attitude and an expression of how we see ourselves.  If we are content with what we’ve been given and can get over the superficial hurdle of beauty self-consciousness, we can move on to real beauty.  A sincere smile, playful eyes, and good grooming out of self-respect are a few characteristics of natural beauty.

Lauren: Beauty is when you feel like you’re glowing.  You feel it on the inside – you stand up straighter, you smile more proudly, and you have that energy of peace, confidence, and excitement all at the same time.  When you feel that on the inside, others see it on the outside.

• What’s your beauty routine?

Donna: Considering I own a skin care business, my beauty routine is quite basic.  I love baths, especially when I add Chivas goat milk bath salts, and typically take one bath a day where I wash my face and body with our goat milk soap.  I spray my face with rose water and then apply our goat milk crème.  Once a week, I exfoliate my face and body just to remove dead skin.  Until I started using Chivas products, my skin would feel dry after about just a few hours of applying facial moisturizer.  Now my skin feels great all day long.

Lauren: If you define beauty as that “glowing feeling”, your beauty routine is synonymous with your entire lifestyle.  It’s not only how you care for you skin, how much you sleep and how often you exercise, but it’s also whether or not you feel grounded in your life.

That being said, respecting yourself means caring for yourself.  So I don’t think one’s skin care routine should be devalued.  Just like I feel better about my day when I make my bed, I feel better about myself when I take the time to wash my face.  I’m very basic though:  every morning and evening I wash my face with Chivas “Clear Complexion” goat milk soap, and apply eye crème (I’ve been using Weleda Rose eye crème lately, but we are hoping to launch a new Chivas eye crème in Fall 2009) and Chivas “Sweet Nothings” goat milk facial crème.   I try to exfoliate every day but that’s hit or miss.  I try to use a masque once a week, but I can’t tell you the last time I actually did.  My mom and I are both very simplistic when it comes to our personal skin care, which I think translates over to the simplicity of our Chivas Skin Care line.

• What’s the one product every woman should have (can be from your own line or an outside company)?

Donna: Every woman should have a facial crème that they have confidence in.  I look forward to applying Chivas Sweet Nothings Facial Crème.  Our facial crème contains jojoba, avocado and neem oils among many other skin conditioning ingredients.  I also love the scent, which is made from 11 essential oils and developed by my daughter, Lauren.  My skin has never been happier.

Lauren: Soap is the foundation, so every woman should have a soap that she feels is both cleansing and moisturizing.  For me that soap is our Chivas Goat Milk Soap, which suits my hands, body & face all-in-one. Many women use a more harsh body wash or face cleanser (which are technically detergents) and then have to counteract that with an expensive and rich body lotion or face cream.   If you have a good soap, it should leave your skin so moisturized that you don’t really need a body lotion.  I have not used body lotion even once since I started using Chivas soap.  Facial crème is a different story; I use it to protect the more sensitive skin from wrinkles. But honestly, my skin never feels dry!

• What’s the one product you can’t live without?

Donna: I could not live without Chivas Goat Milk Soap because my skin stays supple even though I wash my hands so often.

Lauren: I used to carry 5 lip balms with me everywhere I went.  I struggled with dry, crackly lips and switched around from one medicated lip balm to another.  Now, I have one tube of Chivas “Original Vegan Lip Balm” and that’s all I need.  And rather than using it once an hour, I used it like once every other day.  I think I still have the same tube I started with when we launched the product in 2008.  While I have nothing but good things to say about our lip balm, I feel I must also attribute my happy lips to the lifestyle change of drinking lots of water and using flax seed oil and fish oil supplements.  At the end of the day, it’s more about what goes in your body than what goes on it.

• Why is creating an all-natural product important to you?

Donna: I have been interested in natural products long before they became popularized.  I have never liked using artificial ingredients when cooking.  It didn’t make sense to use artificial ingredients on my body either.  Many companies use fragrance oils to scent their skin care products, and others combine fragrance oils with natural essential oils.  I admit that fragrance oils can smell really good, are less expensive than essential oils, and are more concentrated because they are man-made.  Lauren and I made a commitment to go the extra mile and only use all natural ingredients in our soap, which means no fragrance oils.  In fact, we are not required to list the ingredients on our soap label, but we are proud to list ours.

• What’s the best advice your mother ever gave you?

Lauren: Growing up, my Mom was not one to tell me what to do or how to do it.  For example, I pushed myself to be a straight-A student and my Mom was the one telling me not to worry so much.  Now, as I mature, I come to her for advice on life decisions – “Should I break up with him?” “Which school should I go to?”  She is a good listener.  She rarely gives set-in-stone advice, but gives me the space to come to my own decisions.  And it’s a comforting feeling to know that if I take a wrong turn, she accepts my mistakes.  This commitment to unconditional love is my Mom’s best form of advice.   She leads by strong example, not by empty words.

• Do you have a business motto?

Donna: Simplicity with integrity.

Lauren: Good for your skin. Good for your environment.

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