New Product Ideas: Where Do They Come From?

We've all heard the saying...

​ "Necessity is the Mother of all Inventions" 

​It's an old, old proverb that has been in use for centuries that means most inventions are created because of some need...thereby forcing the inventor to solve some problem. Well, more times than not, many of our products have come about because a customer needed something that wasn't available anywhere else.
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It all started with a problem...

A few years ago, a good friend's brother had issues with his feet always being dry and itchy. It didn't matter what cream or salve he bought or was prescribed. Nothing seemed to work. He asked me if I knew of anything that I could make to help. Well, that got me thinking about all the combinations of oils, butters, herbs and essential oils. I was excited with all the possibilities!

As I read about infusing oils with various herbs, using different types of butters for varying degrees of moisturizing, and the wonderful scents one could get from blending essential oils, I was determined to come up with  a recipe that would be moisturizing, full of herbs, and smell delectable.

I tinkered and mixed in the kitchen, blending this with that and testing it out. Too greasy or too soft or too stiff or too smelly...yikes! I was about to give up when I whipped up (yep, I literally whipped it with my soapy mixer into a butter-like consistency) the batch that has become known as Uncle Mark's Foot Cream. Eureka! I liked how it felt as it melted quickly into my skin and the scent was pleasant with a touch of Lavender along with Tea tree, calendula, and a hint of peppermint. 
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Now the real test...

Ok, so I liked how it felt and smelled...but would it work on Mark? I gave him a jar and asked him to use it for a few days and give me critical feedback so that I could tweak the recipe. After 3 days, he was all smiles and his feet were feeling great! Wow! He said not to change a thing except to make him a bigger jar. Yay!

Little did I know that this cream would be one of our best sellers! It amazes me how well-liked it is by all different folks. It's a thick, buttery cream that soaks in for heavy-duty moisturizing. It's perfect for winter-dry skin!

The recipe includes an herb-infused combination of coconut oil and Shea butter that seeps all the goodies out of calendula and dried peppermint during infusion. Then a bit of tapioca powder to help with any greasy feel, some beeswax to stiffen it up, and a blend of tea tree, Lavender, and peppermint essential oils rounds it all out.

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It's all in the name....

Once we come up with new products, naming them can be tricky to pick the best fit. In this case, the family pooch was laying by my feet as I was trying to think up possible names for this new wonder cream. As I looked at RP and pondered possible names, I thought, "Why not after the guy who inspired it?"  So it became Uncle Mark's Foot Cream.

Oh boy, then the next request was for an all natural foot powder...back to the drawing board...and voila, Uncle Mark's All Natural Body Powder was born.


​Just remember that "Necessity really can be the Mother of all invention!"

You can find both products here...
Uncle Mark's Foot and Body Powder - All Natural  

Special requests? Drop us a line! :)

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