Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Featured Artist - Urrbody

Who are you? Cate Blanchard, bath and body product maker on Etsy, herbalist, techie, mom and Princeton, NJ resident.

What is your Etsy Shop Name/link? Urbbody - Urban + Herbal + Body care products = urbbody - urbbody.etsy.com

What tag categories do you specialize in? Bath and body products...right now I have solid perfume, sugar scrubs, alcohol-free sprays and talc-free powders and cuticle balms, herbal bath teas.

Do you create for children or adults, women or men? Women and men, though I just have the men's shower scrub gel in shop right now; more to come for the guys, I promise! And I am working on a kids and babies' line of products, too, that I hope to have up this summer.



What do you like about Etsy? Etsy is wonderful because it's very egalitarian and affordable for an online shopping venue. You get what you put into it. I think there is a great deal of opportunity and a chance to connect with a burgeoning DIY culture. Plus, it's just fun and full of items you could never find anywhere else.

Where do you find inspiration for your products? I studied herbalism and natural body care product making, and try to put what I've learned to use in my choice of ingredients. Of course, the first products I ever listed on Etsy, the solid perfumes, came from a different inspiration...the scents came from a study I read on the internet (where else?) about fragrances that are most arousing to (straight) men and the top scents were Pumpkin Pie & lavender and black licorice & donut. I couldn't believe it but I decided to make these scents, for....let's call it "research." I like them both though I don't know that they have any particular effect on my husband, or anyone else, though one customer told me that she was complimented quite a bit on it by a guy.



What do you love about your business? The fact that I am making things that people are using and enjoying while I enjoy making them!

What is your favorite product right now? Lemon cuticle balm...I need it! I love the lemony scent for summer.


What makes you unique at Etsy? I think the fact that I have a few unique items and really want to give a different spin on handcrafted bodycare products...hip without being "hippie" if you will.

What other street teams are you a member of? Etsy Green and Clean Guild

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create?
I get a lot of supplies from FromNature With Love and they have a great blog, http://www.naturalbeautyworkshop.com. Also, I received my herbalist education from Australasian College of Health Sciences and they are a great place to learn if you are serious about herbalism, aromatherapy or natural health in general.

Urrbody has lots of great looking items in her shop. This one really caught my eye, herbal bath teas, they sound fabulous!


Perhaps you know someone who needs this gift set?




2 comments:

Becca said...

OOOhhh looks cool, I'm off to check out your shop :)

hyperboLEE said...

Great feature!

Nicely done, EtsyNJ!