Texas Beauty Labs

Body Creams

Alyssa's Thoughts

If you haven’t done so already, check out our original Body Creams! These are the 99% natural, customizable, thicker sisters of our original Body Lotions.

Our Basic Body Cream, Cocoa Butter Body Cream, Shea Butter Body Cream, and Jojoba Body Cream all contain organic Aloe Vera Leaf Juice.

For a rich blend of organic cocoa butter, organic sunflower seed oil, and organic coconut oil, consider our Cocoa Butter Body Cream. Need to soothe dry skin? Our Jojoba Body Cream was created with just such a problem in mind. Read more about these and other winners on our website, or email us at [email protected] for more information.

Austin

Alyssa's Thoughts

At some point last year, someone repeated this well-known phrase to me: “You have to leave your home before you can really understand and appreciate it.”  After spending last academic year outside of my hometown of Austin,Texas (I spent the fall semester at A&M in College Station, Texas and then the spring semester in Italy), I was able to experience what that phrase actually meant. And it means…

… I love, love, love Austin! I thought I appreciated it before – I relished visits to an art gallery on fifth street to see work by Grace Slick, Janis Joplin, and Andy Warhol, I enjoyed floating around in the offbeat personality of the street Austinites call “The Drag,” and of course, driving towards the Austin skyline always meant that some journey had come to an end and I was safely home.

But I’ve never loved Austin as much as I do now. Austin is a wild paradox where all kinds of people, tastes, ideas, and convictions mesh, mold, and clash. Austin is high-tech, artsy, casual, funky, messy and beautiful.

Here are three reasons I love Austin:

1. Tex-Mex (I’ve visited the East Coast, the Western U.S., seven countries, and virtually all of Texas– and I firmly believe that Austin has the best!)

2. Where else can you find a “vagrant” that runs for mayor and embodies the soul of a city?

3. 101X

Add your own ideas about Austin!

Tantalizing Truffles & Personalized Products

Alyssa's Thoughts

Yesterday we had yet another fun team time here at TBL! To celebrate a summer of productivity and hard work, Mary treated staff members to a variety of delicious, melt-in-your-mouth truffles and an opportunity to create personalized products of their choice. We gathered around the chocolate truffles to indulge in what staff members have breathily dubbed a “chocolate experience” and then passed essential oils around – would we choose to create a coffee-scented body butter? A flowery bubble bath? A sweet perfume? Regardless of which scents we selected and which truffles we ate, one thing was abundantly clear – Texas Beauty Labs team times top all others!

Cherry Kernel Oil

Teri's Thoughts

Aren’t cherries delicious?  They are also so beneficial for us to eat.  They are high in all sorts of vitamins and a new study from the University of Michigan shows that they may reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  Cherry kernel oil is also good for us to use as a carrier oil in our products.  It is light and moisturizing, and rich in essential fatty acids and vitamins A and E.  It is good for all skin types and is an excellent choice as an aromatherapy carrier oil.

We can work this penetrating oil into a variety of lotions and creams, and also massage oils and sugar scrubs.  It’s so much fun to create a new product with this great ingredient!

Tingly Foot Scrub

Teri's Thoughts

Now that we are well into flip flop season and I am on a cycle of regular pedicures to keep my toes and heels looking acceptable, I try to care for my tootsies in between pedi’s with our Tingly Foot Scrub.  It is so minty and invigorating; it makes even my tired feet ready for a night out on the town.   The sugar gently exfoliates, while the grapeseed oil and soybean oil moisturize.  Peppermint oil and menthol crystals revitalize and leave your feet feeling clean and refreshed.  Don’t our feet deserve a little pampering?  After all, they carry us around all day, every day.

Revel in the Adventure

Alyssa's Thoughts

For three months at the beginning of this year, I took advantage of the amazing opportunity to live and study in Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy with a Texas A&M study abroad pilot program. After stressful preparation and heart-wrenching goodbyes to my family and boyfriend at the airport in Houston, I put on a brave face, stepped on a plane, and began my adventure.

I think I'll always remember the sick, sour feeling that sloshed in my stomach when I first spoke to my loved ones on a webcam from halfway across the world. I'll always remember the electric feeling of "being alive" that bubbled up in me when I first walked the streets of Florence and took in its essence. I'll always remember the new sense of self I gained from moving from country to country without guidance during my spring break travels.

During my time in Italy, I took eighteen hours of classes, helped teach English two hours a week in a local middle school, participated in community events, and went on weekly guided trips to important Italian cities. In addition, I got a delicious two weeks for spring break - I used that time to travel to Ireland, England, and Spain.

Some of my study abroad highlights:

1. Exploring some castle ruins on a rocky outcrop and then nestling down in the world's softest grass and watching the clouds in Wicklow County, Ireland

   

2. Feeding the pigeons in St. Mark's Square in Venice, Italy

3. Climbing to the top of a famous church and looking out over the city in Florence, Italy

4. Seeing Les Miserables in London, England

5. Going to the Velvet Underground, a popular pub in Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy, where musicians and bands played weekly

6. Visiting the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain

Before I left for Italy, people kept telling me, "This may be your one chance to live in Europe - make the most of it!" As much as I tired of hearing the advice - they were right. My time in Italy was about enjoying what was challenging and beautiful in each new day while I had the chance. It's true here too - we should revel in our days while we have them!

The Best Kind of Team Time

Alyssa's Thoughts

Our most recent staff meeting was my very favorite kind of staff meeting... poolside! After putting in several solid hours at work, we retreated to Mary's luxurious neighborhood pool and picnic area for team time, dinner, and fun in the sun. Yes!

Rock Band

Mary's Thoughts

As many of you guys can understand, being fellow entrepreneurs, I work really long hours.  And during those long hours, I have to do a lot of critical thinking, sales, math, cheerleading, etc.  Things that take a lot of energy and brain power.  So when I get home, I sometimes need to indulge myself in brainless activities.  While this usually means some quality time with my TiVO watching So You Think You Can Dance or reruns of The Office, I have some other relaxation techniques that are less, um, mainstream.   One of them is getting together with our close neighborhood friends and playing … Rock Band on XBOX. 

I resisted playing at first, protesting because I’m partially convinced that spending too many hours of video games rots your brain.  But after a margarita or two (on the rocks, extra salt, extra shaken), I was talked into trying it for the first time.  It was really fun!

Some of the songs remind me of growing up when my brother was rocking the mullet and blasting Metallica as he drove my friends and me to and from the sixth grade dance (where we danced to New Kids on the Block and OMG Joe is SOOOOOO cute!!).  But a lot of the songs are currentish and super fun to sing.  I also like to play the drums, but that’s less relaxing because of my competitive nature – I’m not very good.

But all in all, I like playing Rock Band, and no, it doesn’t rot my brain – it recharges it! 

Calista Cove

Mary's Thoughts

As you guys may have already guessed, I love to shop. And because I'm so super busy, I mostly do my shopping online. I've been a loyal customer of Jennifer Grove for a while now. In 2003, she started buying b.pure, my first bath and body line, for her online boutique, Maiden America Style. I started buying accessories, jewelry, and beauty products from Maiden America Style.

Fast forward five years and Jennifer opened Calista Cove - and I'm still one of her biggest customers! Calista Cove specializes in East Coast preppy-luxe designs and designers. Right now, I'm loving the Latico Double Framed Clutch Wallet, the Blue Ribbon Design Thank You Notecard Set, and for funzies, I love the Kenneth Jay Lane Gold Bee Ring.

Of course, you can never go wrong with b.pure Island Candles - my fave is Tahiti.

P.S. Always check out her Sale section for even greater deals!

A Message for You!

Staff Thoughts

Happy Fourth of July from the Texas Beauty Labs Staff! Whether you are spending time with loved ones, eating some delicious burgers and BBQ, or watching fireworks, we wish you a safe and fun Fourth!