Newf Brand Notes

Getting in touch with company employees, owners and other staffers can often be a complicated and frustrating task. You dial an 800-number and have to dial your way through 15 menus until you get someone…and you discover they’re not even in the same country as you are! Or you send an email into the abyss and wonder if anyone will answer it or whether it will just get lost in spam filters.

We are striving to use new and old methods to let our customers get in touch with us and that’s why we’ve just implemented a new chat interface to allow you to contact us instantly with all your questions, comments, suggestions or random thoughts. Visit our Contact Page to chat with us now!

There’s only a week left until Valentine’s Day. Have you already bought or made your special someone a gift…or are you procrastinating? If you don’t have a gift yet, how about trying one of these ideas. Everything is under $50 with varying degrees of skill needed! And since the weekend is coming up, you’ll have a bit of time to gather supplies and finish up a great gift.

Create a box of IOU’s and love verses - This can be time consuming, especially if you cut the pieces of paper yourself, but it’s a pretty simple gift and comes over very good. A few years ago I took a large shoe box and covered it with craft paper. Then I cut out hearts on pink and red paper. I used a tracing template so they’d all be about the same size but you can freehand them as well. I stuck a few hearts on the outside of the box as well as an envelope for hearts that had already been used up. Then I filled the box with 365 hearts – one for each day of the year (don’t forget this is a leap year so you’ll need one extra to make it until next Valentine’s Day!) You could also do one for each month or week…but a huge box of hearts just looked so cool in my opinion that I had to go for broke. Half of the hearts contained an IOU card for things like a surprise picnic, a massage, a night out on the town and a few freebie cards. The other half of the hearts had quotes about love from famous people and other random quotes about love that I liked. Then my husband got to take out a heart every day which would either get him something fun, or would remind him how much I loved him. Just use your imagination and personalize the cards to things that you enjoy doing with your partner. You can even include things that you might not usually be willing to do. But do remember that if you’re not actually willing to do something, you shouldn’t include it on a heart. And immediate redemption (or at least later on the same day unless it’s something really elaborate) is always a good idea! You can find quotes here on romanticlyrics.com and here on lovingyou.com (the latter are even divided into categories!)

Make your Valentine a garden heart - Does your special someone love to garden or be outdoors? Lowe’s Creative Ideas website has a quick tutorial about making this moss-filled heart to give your love a special garden treat to start off spring right.

Speak to his or her stomach - A lot of people believe the best way into someone’s heart is food. Why not make a nice dinner at home for the two of you. Afterwards you can hit up a bar or club to let the fun continue…or just light some candles, turn on some music and make your own magic happen. AllRecipes.com is one of my favorite recipe sites and they have a special Valentine’s Day page with menus, ideas to soothe a sweet tooth, food aphrodisiacs and ideas for breakfast in bed. Or try this top-rated Valentine’s Day Menu for Two from SouthernLiving.com

Take the day off together – Maybe it’s been a while since you spent some real time together…or maybe not. Either way, maybe you both want to just take this day as an excuse to stay at home, turn off the phone and not leave the bed. The best thing is, it won’t cost much…except maybe for the food you have delivered during the day! Plus if you’ve bought yourselves the Venereous Shaving Trio, you’ll want to try out your close new shaves! If you still need to get the products, don’t forget that we’re offering free shipping until Valentine’s Day!

Share the love with others, not just yourselves – Instead of worrying about a lavish dinner or just the right way to say “I love you,” you may want to do something really generous and donate your time to a local animal shelter, at a food bank or with another organization that you feel passionate about. If you’re with someone, donate your time together…and if not, maybe you’ll find the man/woman of your dreams there!

We’ve got more ideas for you in the articles section of our website. Click here to read them all!

As you may know, Newf Brand Bath & Body Care strives to be an all natural cosmetics company. Of our three products, only one contains any sort of chemicals and they make up only 6% of the product vs. the other 94% which is organic (Venereous Shaving Jelly). One of my personal concerns which is also a concern of the company and a reason why it was founded, is the high number of chemicals that are in the products we use daily on our bodies. As I glance through the products in my shower, I find a long list of things I can’t even begin to pronounce and I certainly have no idea why I need them. Even after researching some items, I sometimes have to wonder just why they are in products when they seem to serve no purpose at all. So I’ve decided to start focusing on one product from my bathroom each week, listing everything in the item and doing my best to explain what those items are and how harmful the contents may or may not be. And hopefully I’ll be able to continue switching out these products with natural products as time passes (and as Newf Brand’s product line grows!)

First up is one of my favorite shampoos, Paul Mitchel’s Cleanse Awapuhi Shampoo®.

The list of ingredients: Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamide MEA, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl PG-Propyl Dimethicone/Hedychium Coronarium (White Ginger)/PEG-12 Dimethicone, Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl PG-Propyl Dimethicone/Algae/Aloe Barbadensis Leaf/Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile)/Henna/Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba)/Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary)/PEG-12 Dimethicone, Glycol Stearate, PEG-14M, Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynl Butylcarbamate, Fragrance, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate

So, there’s plenty of things in that list which I can’t even begin to pronounce…but all in all most of the ingredients really aren’t that bad. Some of them are even natural – but somehow that still doesn’t make me feel great about using this every day. But you can make your own decision about what you use on your body. You can click on the names and other words in this post to take you to more detailed descriptions of everything on our website.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (aka sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES)) – A cleansing detergent and surfactant found in many personal care products (soaps, shampoos, toothpaste, etc.) which is very inexpensive and an excellent foamer. People with sensitive skin should avoid using products containing SLS or SLES. After the product is washed from the body, it strips moisture from the top layers of skin which could cause further irritation. There are rumors on the internet that these ingredients cause cancer but that is unconfirmed. SLES can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane (considered a probable carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends manufacturers strip out this contaminant. The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association discourages the use of SLS in products intended for prolonged use, unless contained in low concentrations.

Cocamide MEA (cocamide monoethanolamine) - Cocamide MEA is used in shampoos and bath products to increase foaming capacity, stabilize foam and thicken the water portion of cosmetic and personal care products. It may be a skin irritant but is not considered harmful.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine - Cocamidopropyl betaine is used as a medium strength surfactant in bath products like shampoos and hand soaps and in cosmetics as an emulsifying agent and thickener. It also serves as an antistatic agent in hair conditioners and has antiseptic properties, making it suitable for personal sanitary products. It usually does not irritate skin or mucous membranes.

Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl PG-Propyl Dimethicone/Hedychium Coronarium (White Ginger)/PEG-12 Dimethicone – Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl PG-Propyl Dimethicone is used to condition hair without build up. It is commonly used in products which treat color, perm, sun and heat-damaged hair. PEG-12 Dimethicone is added to provide luster and sheen. It’s my understanding that a hefty silicone compound is created with the above silicones and the white ginger essential oil to enhance the quality of the shampoo.

Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl PG-Propyl Dimethicone/Algae/Aloe Barbadensis Leaf/Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile)/Henna/Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba)/Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary)/PEG-12 Dimethicone – Same as above but with different ingredients and essential oils.

Glycol Stearate - An emulsion stabilizer which helps to keep an emulsion from separating into its oil and liquid components. It’s considered safe for use in cosmetics by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel.

PEG-14M - It is used in a wide variety of products including bath products, shaving products, skin care products, makeup, skin cleansing products, shampoo, hair conditioners and deodorants. It’s considered safe for us in cosmetics by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel.

Tetrasodium EDTA - EDTA, also known as edetic acid, and its salts were developed to counteract the effects of hard water and heavy metal ions in the manufacture of textiles. By binding with metal ions, these ingredients prevent the metals from being deposited onto the hair, scalp and skin. It’s considered safe for us in cosmetics by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel.

Citric Acid - Citric acid is widely used in the cosmetic industry as a preservative and to adjust acid-alkali balance. It is said to have antioxidant and toning properties and is one of the alpha-hydroxy acids. AHA’s are used not only to reduce wrinkles but also to brighten your skin.

Sodium Chloride – Sodium Chloride, or table salt, can also increase thickness of the aqueous (water) portion of cosmetics and personal care products. Sodium Chloride occurs naturally in seawater and as the mineral halite.

DMDM Hydantoin – DMDM Hydantoin is a preservative used to protect cosmetics and personal care products from spoilage. It’s considered safe for us in cosmetics by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel.

Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate – Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate prevents or retards bacterial growth, thereby protecting cosmetics and personal-care products from spoilage. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel views Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate safe as a cosmetic ingredient at concentrations less than or equal to 0.1%. It should not be used in products intended to be aerosolized.

Benzyl Alcohol - Benzyl Alcohol is used in cosmetics and personal care products as an external pain reliever, fragrance ingredient, preservative, solvent and to decrease the thickness of liquid cosmetic products. Benzyl Alcohol is found naturally in many foods such as apricots, snap beans, cocoa, cranberries, mushrooms and honey and also in the essential oil of many plants, including jasmine, hyacinth and ylang-ylang. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel concluded that Benzyl Alcohol is safe for use in cosmetics and personal care products at concentrations up to 5%.

Benzyl Benzoate - Benzyl benzoate is generally used to treat lice and scabies infestations. As a medicine, it is believed to be absorbed by the lice and mites and destroys them by acting on their nervous system.

Sources used to learn about these ingredients: Wikipedia, CHEC’s HeatheHouse Chemical Profiles , CosmeticsInfo.org

The phrase “Manscaping America, One College Campus at a Time” was the winning slogan for a team of women from the University of Michigan. They participated in the “Create Buzz for Braun” competition which asked business school students across America and won $40,000 for their marketing idea. Not too shabby!

Personally I’m pretty happy to see more companies take on the topic of manscaping since you all know how much I like talking about it…but one thing I have failed to mention in the past is that it’s not just about pubic hair. Manscaping encompasses most of the hair on a man’s body below the neck. That means chest, underarms, legs and, yes, even the unpleasant back hair.

If you are a furry beast of a man, that’s who Braun is now targeting with their new body groomer. Unfortunately if you live in the U.S., you may have to wait a while to get your hands on the product. It’s supposed to be launched as the Body Cruzer in Canada and Germany “soon,” but no word on when it might hit American markets. If you’re dying to get your hands on a product like this, you can try the Philips Norelco’s Bodygroom which came on the market in 2006. Be sure to watch their flash intro about using the product on your body. Quite amusing with a very Van Wilder feel to it.

Or check out their music video below:

You can also read a great review here about the Bodygroom from a man and a woman’s viewpoint!
Read the full story about the competition at Forbes.com.

Well, it’s Monday again and we got a lot of brainstorming done here at Newf Brand this weekend. I can’t share all the details with you but I can say that there will be some exciting new street marketing events in our future and we can’t wait. Unfortunately it’s still a bit too early to tell you everything but we currently hope to have events in Switzerland, Holland and Florida this year. Yep, we’re all over the place. Naturally, we’ll be sharing a lot more details as everything develops.

In addition, we took our first steps to finally starting Team Newf, our collection of sponsored athletes. Team Newf will be a group of motivated, strong and incredible women who give their all when they’re participating in the sports they love. We’ve currently got our eye on individuals involved in rock climbing, snowboarding, triathlon, motocross and surfing. But we will look forward to expanding into a few other sports once our team gets off the ground. If you want to be sponsored or know someone who is looking for sponsorship – drop us a line!!