The busy home of entrepreneurs Stephanie Greenwood and Steve Thomas smells of lemon, cloves and lavender.
White marker-boards cover walls of the home, which serves as headquarters of Bubble & Bee Organic. On one board is a list: “Due Nov. 15: Pit Putty = 800, Lip Balm = 1,800, Lotion Sticks = 600, Geranium Lime = 800.”
The list is for products that the rapidly growing company will stock in Whole Foods Markets, after making agreements this month to stock products in 16 Whole Foods stores in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Idaho and Wyoming — an increase from four Utah stores in which Bubble & Bee has been supplying products since July 1.
Bubble & Bee makes and sells organic deodorant, shampoo, shower gels, soaps, lotion sticks, lip balms, salt scrubs and bath salts. Growth has been so fast that Greenwood and Thomas, who are partners in life as well as in business, are still not quite sure of their profit margins, how they want to grow, or even how big they want their company to become.
The couple began experimenting with personal-care products when they lived in Phoenix. Greenwood wanted products that didn’t contain parabens and phthalates. She had suffered the effects of hormonal imbalance most of her life, and through research, she learned that some of the chemicals in products that she put on her body, such as parabens and phthalates, could be contributing to the problem.
“They’re estrogen mimickers,” she said. “They act like estrogen in the body.”
Working in her kitchen, she developed a lotion stick made of beeswax, cocoa butter and essential oils. She gave them to family and friends, who encouraged her to go into business.
Photo by Bubble and Bee Organic.
Matt @ Permanent Fitness on November 15th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
I think that when comes to cosmetics and food organic is the way of the future . If these can have and additional positive effect on health, that’s just fantastic.
Bubble & Bee has found a perfect niche
Jaclyn on November 15th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I have to agree with Matt, this is a great idea and a great thing to be in business for. a lot of people rely heavily on all natural products even for medications due to the ongoing lists of side effects that everything has now a day’s. i mean…you almost have to check a bottle of shampoo to read for side effects before using it, all natural is the way to go on a lot of thing’s already, and it look’s like it’s getting into the lotion and deodarant business as well.
cassy on November 16th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Its very true that many people are now buying natural and organic products as personal care and medication. Natural products dont have side effect if we use it.
The couple have found a nice business that will help woman to be look more beautiful by using Bubble & Bee Organic.
jaeda on December 8th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Yes I absolutely agree on that!
Natural beauty comes from a natural beauty products….
GOD BLESS………….