Hello there, Penny Darlings!

Welcome back to another excitingly delightful episode starring me: THE Penny Darling.

I’m sorry. I’m in a really goofy mood. Our internet is STILL out from the storm that happened on July 27th. Do you know how many trips to the library, Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, and how much data I’m eating up?

A ton.

The answer is a literal ton of data.

But anyway, as I sit here click clacking away in the public libary (a super nice one BTW) – I’m a cup of coffee and two Redbulls into this day – so please forgive my silliness!

Anywhoozle – let’s get back to the meat & potatoes (yum) of this post!

As a person who is not a huge ‘goo hoarder’ as Jenna Marbles coined it – I used to not put a ton of stock into my beauty choices. I used cosmetics that my mom used or my friends had or that I got in free grab bags. I used to not really be picky about that kind of stuff.

As I get older, my skin gets less tolerant of putting dollar store lotion on it and chemically scented floral face washes give me migraines, and I never end up using the whole thing and then it just gets shoved to the back of the drawer when I get a different replacement product. And to get really high quality (like, think Sephora) quality stuff – you basically have to pre-surrender your first born child to buy it.

So, I have always been on the search for the PERFECT beauty products and what I have continually found is that the great ones are usually right under my nose. I started buying body scrubs and soaps and dandruff shampoo (Preston has a wickedly dry scalp) from places that made & produced their products locally – that were organic/vegan/less chemically and didn’t cost me a literal arm and a leg.

Today I want to talk to you about three local (or at least local to me!) companies, the products that I lovelovelove from them, and some links on where you can get them yourself! And just FYI – I get NO KICKBACK from you buying any of these products. I legit, for real, think they’re awesome.

And let’s talk about buying local for a second.

It’s important. As a content creator and a person who is trying to become their own boss – buying local is important. It supports your community, gives you access to better quality items, gives you the chance to actually talk to the people who make your products and ask questions or give suggestions. It stimulates creators to keep creating, helps towns from becoming more than just a Wal-Mart and a grocery store, and can truly be an important part of your community.  – Okay. I’ll get off my ‘soap box’ – Okay, I’m sorry for that joke – I’ll see myself out. But for real. I create content. They create product. We are not so different.

1.) Dicalabria

This dandruff shampoo has been a literal godsend for Preston. He’s been using it every day and I notice every day there’s less and less flakes on his shirt shoulders, his scalp looks a little less like a horror film, and his overall hair care has been awesome.

This product was recommended by a friend of mine, Veronica, who is A DAMN CHEMIST FOR THIS COSMETIC COMPANY. Like, what a cool job, right? I remember when I was talking to her at their HQ – they were all discussing scientific ingredients for lotion. It was crazy awesome.

And bonus: this local made genius product is from Paul Mazzotta, the founder of CosPro, located in my little hometown of Reading, PA. Who knew such a gem was just around the corner? (Literally, they are on a corner).

But this dandruff shampoo has been totally healing his scalp slowly but surely over time. For the first few days – the results were slow (I found out he was skimping on the scalp treatment) but once he added the scalp treatment (which did not make his already oil-prone hair greasy or gross) – he was sailing smooth. He’s been on the stuff for two weeks and it’s already making a difference.

Double bonus: it smells good and maybe this is a dumb comment – but it’s a unisex scent? It’s not really musky and masculine or super floraly or…pink. It’s a ‘nice for all genders’ muted citrus-y smell.

You can buy this product here!

 

2.) Paisley & Company

Paisley & Company is a bit more for the ‘crunchier’ gal. Most of their products pass the Whole Food requirements for listing ‘all natural ingredients’ (which I looked up and it is A LOT), are cruelty-free, and they even have several vegan options as well. It’s organic, local made, natural, and friendly for the eco-sensitive!

I discovered Paisley & Company because they are in my college town of Kutztown, PA! They have been there for years and are total staples of the town and employ the students as well! And the shop is absolutely DELIGHTFUL. When I opened my package from Paisley – it smelled like incense and cinnamon. Such a happy scent.

Joanne, the founder and managing partner, and I had a chance to talk a little about the journey to making Paisley & Company the thriving company that it is and her story was so incredible and well put that I wanted to just share her telling of it. I could never tell it better!

This was Joanne’s response to my question about her backstory!

“Our backstory…My education is in Fine Arts and my professional experience was primarily in various aspects of social work, from direct service to administration.  I left my job after 9/11, like many did, looking for something more personally meaningful for me.  I had made personal care products occasionally since the late 70’s, and was always a ‘nature girl’.  I started nursing an idea that some people, like me, may be wanting a more personal approach to body care, something not off-the-shelf, something with a maker behind it, not a giant company.  True story – I was walking down Main Street one evening, with my family and a friend’s, talking about this idea.  I looked across the street, and there was a sign on what had been an insurance agency, saying ‘for rent – $400, includes heat’.  That was Friday, and on Monday I signed the lease, and I spent the next three months making and making and researching an designing.  I opened on December 3rd, 2003, with 35 fragrances and about a dozen products.  Today we have over 300 scents, not counting custom blends, and I don’t even know how many products.  It’s a happy place to work, and our customers are the best.  They know they can come in and get just what they want – body wash with banana and coconut? – sure!  How about a foaming soap with heather and tulips, colored periwinkle to match your bathroom?  Ok!

After I started the business someone who had asked me how I got started said ‘sometimes you just leap, and the net appears’.  This has pretty much been my mantra since.  Take risks, and believe.”

Sometimes you just leap, and the net appears. 

Check out their social media with their Facebook & Instagram or if you want to shop some of these items – check out their website. I literally cannot recommend highly enough that Shea & Sugar scrub and the Goatsmilk Mousse. They are literally the BEST moisturizers and exfoliators I own. If you are going to try anything in this post – that Shea & Sugar scrub is the MVP of this post.

 

3.) Ms. Andry’s Bath House

Ms. Andry’s Bath House is the most WHIMSICAL place on Earth. For real. All the colors are bright and fun and cutesy and all the names of products are puns of plays on words. It’s bright, whimsical, happy, and totally awesome. This is for the ‘quirky’ gals out there.

This company is a feminist, quirky, kick some ass, #GIRLBOSS, awesome place. These are all my fave things, as you all know.

For example, I know right now they are working on CAULDRON SHAPED BATH BOMBS THAT ARE NAMED AFTER FAMOUS VILLAINS!

So I reached out to their founder and owner, Alex, recently came back to PA and settled in York (which is practically neighbors from me meow!)

I am now OBSESSED with this coffee soap bar (with exfoliators) because it so delightful smelling and gave me such soft skin. I am totally into it. And Lucille Balm (also how cute is this quirky name?) is Bubblegum scented and so soothing and totally not greasy. It’s the perfect amount. And that mouse bottle literally made my heart melt. IT’S A DAMN MOUSE.

Their story (as described by Alex) is:

“Ms. Andry’s Bath House is a feminist bath & beauty company. Started in 2015 with the goal of creating products for all bodies with zero judgement. We believe in building happiness through self-care, giving you products that make you feel awesome about your body, and never making you feel like your body is a problem to be fixed.”

And you know, my personal motto is that ‘YOU ARE NOT A WORK IN PROGRESS’ and I absolutely love that Ms. Andry’s feels the same way.

Be sure to check out her website here, the Instagram page, and her Facebook page!

(Bonus: Right now – 25% of the sales this week will go towards the Charlottesville tragedy.)

 

These are three of my local beauty faves!

I know not everyone is local to me – but all of these amazing companies have online sales, social media, and ways to enjoy!

That latte soap & that Shea & Sugar scrub are my two MVP items of this post for me and Preston is totally swearing by the dandruff shampoo and I’ve definitely noticed a difference on his shoulders.

But, I do think it is SUPER important to support local creators! These products are all INCREDIBLE and work better than the massed produced and are similar in price to what I’d buy at the grocery store. For real, why not get a better product for the same price and support your community?

Thank you to all of these amazing companies for sharing your stories & working with me! That was another nice thing – most times that I work with a company I work with a rep or a social media liason – but working with these companies – I got to talk to their FOUNDERS and CREATORS. That’s amazingly awesome.

What are your fave local beauty products? What companies are local for you?

If you have any questions about specific products that I posted about – please let me know in the comments!

Think Local. Shop Local.

Support your community!

(and your content creators!)

 

 

BONUS SURVEY: 

If Preston were to start being active with his Instagram and doing guy’s fashion and stuff about our relationship and stuff – would you follow him?

We were talking about how Corissa’s husband of FatGirlFlow runs his own sites and SM accounts under: FatBoyFlow

So Preston & I tossed around some ‘companion names’ for his Instagram of:

ThePennyDapper OR TheNickelDarling

Any thoughts? I lean towards ThePennyDapper

Which name do you like better? Would you follow him? Do you care? Let me know! Would you follow a retro inspired and novelty print clad dude?

 

SO HERE’S THE “END OF BLOG” SPIEL!

The next few weeks have some awesome stuff planned! I’ll be doing a post with Eleven60, Lady V. London, and  as well as more Gwynnie Bee & Society+ stuff, some lifestyle stuff, and more!

If you are at all interested in doing a collab or working with me – please feel free to check out my new Contact Me! page!

I definitely want to do more His & Her fashion. Do you guys like seeing Preston more?

Follow me on Instagram: @thepennydarling

If you want to follow my darling, Preston – you can click here!

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Comment for topics you would like to see me cover! Like to help my self esteem! What do you think so far? More fashion? More lifestyle? Do you like the mix?

Thank you for all that you do. You are truly extraordinary.

Love all you wonderful ladies (and gents!) out there!

How Very,

Abby