A look back and look ahead: Fairface 2020 and 2021
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Fairface Podcast transcript / show notes
Introduction
Hello my friends! How are you doing? I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah, or whichever holiday you celebrate. The sun is shining today! I know some of you get sun most every day but here in Seattle it is definitely something to celebrate! I am currently looking out the window at a blue sky and very few clouds and it is glorious.
Today is September...(oops ha!), it's December 28th to be exact, and our Christmas tree is still up, decorations are out, things are a little disassembled in the house but I'm thinking we'll get it cleaned up and put away this week.
Do you keep your tree up past Christmas or put it away right away? Some years I like to keep it up even the first week of January and other years I'm just ready to put it away right after Christmas. This year I feel a little push to get to the new year already...and get things put away. So we'll probably do that this week. How are you feeling this year? I hope that you had a wonderful holiday.
I also want to take a minute to thank each of you who purchased Fairface Washcloths, our other products like our mini facial pads and face masks for yourselves and as holiday gifts! We are so grateful for your support.
Many of you are long-time customers and it warms my heart so deeply that you continue to come back and support us and love our products. And for those of you who are new to Fairface - it is a pleasure to have you join us and I'm so grateful for your business. I actually tried to make a little thank you video on IG and got choked up and didn't post it because I was too emotional. And crying online isn't my favorite thing to do. Just know that your support has meant everything to us. And I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
New Fairface Product Updates
As far as our new products go, the timing didn't work out to get them launched before the holidays, but that's ok, we'll just continue moving forward. Our product labels did arrive this month, so we have everything we need to move forward on several of our new products, so that's exciting.
For those of you who have been following along with our new upcoming products, I can give you some basic updates.
For the cotton-silk pillow cases, I have cut out a bunch of the cotton-silk pillow cases and have cutting on the schedule for the stretchy bamboo headbands and hair scrunchies.
I find it is best to batch tasks, like I do all the cutting at one time, then all the serging, then all the top stitching if that's needed, for each product.
After I get everything cut I'll start batching that particular product, so I'll batch the sewing, then work on product packaging and inserts. So we're still a little ways out, but just taking one step at a time and we will definitely keep you posted.
A look back at 2020 and look ahead at 2021
I wanted to take a quick look back at our year 2020, and a peek ahead at what's coming next year in 2021. For as crazy a year as it has been, I'm surprised at all that we've accomplished. I hope you can take a little time to see what you have accomplished this past year. It may surprise you.
Whether it's as simple as you taking the calendar out and reviewing each month as you flip through the calendar, I think things will come back to your mind of things that you've accomplished that might give you a better sense of well-being and accomplishment. That this whole past year was not just a waste, although it did feel very strange, and months kind of crept by and flew by at the same time...like the whole year disappeared, until you take time to look through what you have done each and every month, that really was more significant than I think you think it was, so I hope you can take time to do that.
Fairface Podcast
This year, 2020, is the year I started this podcast! It seems a lot longer ago than this, but our first episode launched in February, and, I actually posted 5 episodes that first month. What can I say, I was on a roll! Then I posted every month or so, spread them out a little more, with a total of 14 episodes posted and this will make the 15th podcast episode for the year. So I think it's a good start for something that I just decided to start this year.
For this next year, for our podcast, I am going to try to stretch myself a bit more than I have. My goal is to start having guests on who can share their expertise and opinions on skin care, particularly for sensitive skin conditions. I have to say, it pushes me way out of my comfort zone, but I feel like it's important for me to grow and important information to share with you. So I'm going to put that on my goals list, for 2021. If you have any topics in particular or people that you want to hear from, like different skin care professionals, please send me a message and let me know. That would be helpful so I can give you information that would really be helpful to you.
Fairface Face Masks
In April of this year, we started making face masks, in addition to our other products. It was a scramble to get fabric and elastic in, since many vendors were out of stock. There was such a high demand all of a sudden.
I created a pattern and made some masks with our soft flannel and some without (2 layers of woven cotton). Because we didn't really have options to go out and find models or anything, I took photos of me and my husband and later my niece wearing masks for our listings.
Since our usual printer wasn't available, I created product inserts and just printed them myself. It was pretty amazing how many companies joined the movement to make masks and do what they could with what was available. I think you just had to be innovative and do with what you had and people were very receptive of the things that we could provide.
Using Grapeseed Oil on my Rosacea-prone skin
I tried a new skin care product in August, which may not sound like much, but it is a big deal for for me. Since having sensitive skin and Rosacea, I really stick with what I know. That's the truth.
But this year I tried Grapeseed oil. Unfortunately, for me, it wasn't something that worked. Although, the esthetician I purchased it from said that many people, many of her clients with Rosacea, actually really love it and use it long-term. So, it might actually work for you, so don't disregard it because of my experience.
But unfortunately for me, whether my skin was really dry or another product that I was using on my skin had an adverse reaction to the grapeseed oil, I'm not sure what it was, but my skin itched and broke out, so I stopped using it on my face.
I still have it in my bathroom cabinet to use on my hands and arms if I want to do that, but I also found another new product I love, which I'll share more about in a minute. But if you're interested in reading the blog post about my experience with Grapeseed Oil, you can read that on RosaceaWashcloths.blogspot.com. That's where I've written about how I used it and what happened and all of those things.
New upcoming Fairface Website
So the next big task on the list for the upcoming 2021 year is moving our current website to another platform. I've been wanting to move our website from our current format and migrate it to another host for a long time. And in particular, because Shopify seems to be something that is highly recommended by other online businesses, I think that is where I'm going to migrate the website so that it will be more streamlined and user friendly and hopefully a simpler process to find exactly what you need. I know our website, FairfaceWashcloths.com isn't the most user friendly and I have wanted to change that for a long time.
So for this coming year, that is on our list and I hope to get that, whether it takes 3 months or 6 months, we're still going to try to do that so it becomes a better, easier shopping exerience for you.
New Fairface Blogging Goals
I also wanted to up my blogging game, if you will. Blogging is a love/hate really because it's kind of like writer's block. Sometimes blog ideas come easily and other times they don't. And it's kind of like hitting a wall where it's hard to think up different ideas that would truly be helpful for you.
I recently finished posting the show notes for our last podcast, and will continue to provide those for each episode. Although it takes a lot of extra time to document each episode, I also understand some people are more readers than listeners, so I want to provide the information for everyone.
In addition to those posts, I really want this next year to blog at least once a month, and my intention is there, I just need to plan it out, so hoping for the best! And, I will plan it out so that it won't just be a hope, it will be a to-do.
Launching our New Fairface Products in 2021
This past year we also started working on new products, which is awesome. I've been feeling that itch to go beyond our washcloths, which are amazing, and to expand and offer even more great products.
I am passionate and driven to bring you more products for sensitive skin, because I know what it's like, and I test the products out myself. Since it's a long road to launching a new product, as I talked about in the last couple episodes, we'll be lauching many, if not all of our new products in 2021, so it will be very exciting and be sure to stay tuned for that!
In regards to new products, I do have to say that I feel very lucky that I was able to get the fabrics that I need, during a pandemic, when the supply chain was halted and people were not comfortable or able to go back into work. My distributors said they were having a hard time getting materials and some of them may not come in for months and months.
The fact that I was able to get some and start developing new products was really quite amazing. Definitely hats off to all the people who made an effort to go back to work so all of us can get the products and things that we need in our homes, in addition to businesses.
I have been really impressed with the way small businesses, and really small and large, have handled these challenging times. Some businesses have had to close, and others were able to pivot to a different way of delivering their goods. I am proud to be in a community of like minded people who really do their best to continue serving so we can provide the products that we do. I'm just grateful for so many things this past year.
My new favorite sensitive skin / Rosacea moisturizer - CeraVe Cream
I told you I was going to share another new skin care product I tried this year, and it's actually something I tried just this month, December, and have been using it for a little over a week now. It's CeraVe's moisturizing cream. The one that comes in a tub with the white and blue packaging. I realized it's pronounced "CeraVee" instead of "CeraVay". I think I was trying to be too fancy...but it is pronounced "Ceravee".
The lady at Bartell said the cream is for your body, but I use it on my face...and on the jar it says it can be used on your face or body. This particular brand and product was recommended by a couple of dermatologists on a skin chat with CeraVe. I've listened to a couple of their discussions and they've been really helpful. You can check those out on Instagram. If you just look up CeraVe on Instagram you'll find, I'm assuming, all of those chats have been recorded. They're really good.
I've started following a few of those dermatologists on Instagram and find their information really useful, so I would suggest that as well. I really love to learn about the skin and how it works and how all these skin care products and ingredients effect and help the skin. So, knowledge is power, as they say, and I really enjoy learning all of these things.
If you've been following me, you know that I am a big fan of Vanicream products, and I still am. I still use their gentle cleanser every day in the morning and at night. But the Lite lotion, I don't know if it's just this time of year, where the air is a little bit drier because of the cold or the drier air in our homes because of running heaters all the time, but I found the Lite lotion just wasn't quite giving me the moisture I needed on my face.
I even tried mixing a little of Vanicream's cream with the Lite lotion and I don't know how to describe it, it just felt a little uncomfortable on my skin. I don't know if it's something in the cream or that it's too heavy...the CeraVe cream feels really good on my face. It doesn't feel sticky or heavy or greasy, it just feels really moisturizing so I'm going to keep using it.
If you're not familiar with CeraVe cream, it has, listed on the package in the ingredients, it has, "3 essential ceramides that moisturizes and helps to restore the protective skin barrier" and it does feel really good on my skin and like I said, it provides the moisture that I need, especially right now in the colder, drier months.
I think I'm going to do a podcast on what ceramides are and what they can do for your skin - in particular as it relates to Rosacea and protecting your skin barrier, which is ultra important for those of us with Rosacea.
Are you feeling hopeful?
I'm sure there have been other things I'm forgetting that have happened this past year and even in thinking of things coming up this next year, I'm sure I have not touched on all of them. I just kind of wanted to share what came to mind when I was looking back and as I'm looking forward.
Are you feeling hopeful for the year ahead?
Does it feel different to you going into this new year?
I ran across an Instagram post from a new mom who was feeling particularly down and reminded each of us that it's ok to feel sad, or worried, or scared or uncertain, or whatever it is that you're feeling. This has been a tough year and each of us has gone through our own things. It just reminds us to give more grace to each other and be more compassionate because we don't know what this year has been like for anyone but ourselves, and their experiences might look very different from ours.
But I hope you can still see a light at the end of the tunnel, and feel hope for your future and for the year ahead. I think we'll all take different lessons with us into this new year.
I wish all of you a very happy and healthy new year and start to 2021! And as always, I'm so grateful that you're here and I will check in with you next time and hopefully bring you some really great new episodes in this coming year.
Happy New Year and I will see you again soon!
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