Lushbox
Fabulous vegan bath and body goods that are almost good enough to eat
By Marilyn Perez
Published: November 26th, 2006 | 9:45pm
If you find it tempting to taste a bar of cucumber melon soap, steer clear from the fluffy Almond Biscotti Body Frosting from Lushbox! Don't believe me? Recently, an anchorwoman from a nationally syndicated television program reviewed some Lushbox products and despite the warning on the package, it didn't stop her from sampling a taste of the non-edible moisturizer on air! "It was great exposure for Lushbox," says Fort Lauderdale-based founder Lauren "Luca" Cusolito, "...but it prompted me to step up my "Do not consume!" campaign on my product labels and website. Resist the temptation, people!" Lushbox brings to you a series of dessert- and cocktail-inspired vegan bath, body, and cosmetic products. It's torture for your sweet tooth! All ingredients used come from critter-friendly companies that do not test on animals.
Luca, a kooky fuchsia- and leopard print-loving real estate agent, started Lushbox in April 2006 after getting bored of the selection of bath and body products available in the market. The response to her first items, Vegan Whipped Body Frostings and Body Cocktail Moisturizers, was overwhelming. Luca found herself working 28 hours a day between commercial real estate and yummy body products. Just a few short months later, Luca decided to leave her day job and make Lushbox her full-time gig and has not looked back since. "It was one of the best and easiest decisions I've had to make...the response to my products has been truly overwhelming and my summer sales really gave me the encouragement to take this all the way."
Some flavors offered by Lushbox are Strawberry Shortcake, Cotton Candy, Dulce De Leche, Hot Fudge Brownie, Pina Colada, and Tahitian Punch! If the sweets menu isn't for you, she also offers floral and earthy scents like Lilac and Lavender. Luca makes sure she is up-to-date with the latest trends in various desserts and baked goods, and applies these notions to new fragrances for her products. The Food Network is her best friend. Lushbox products are also "sensitive-skin friendly" (i.e.: Eczema) in that it does not feel greasy, heavy, or stings on dry/sun-damaged skin.
A business that started with six fragrances to order has now grown to over sixty, "Nothing is off limits; I've had customers request fragrances like condensed milk, whiskey, and dirt. If I can get my paws on a specialty fragrance oil, I'll make it!" Now she spends her days packaging orders, corresponding with customers, running credit cards, sending invoices, listing on Etsy.com, networking in various forums, buying supplies, and creating new goods for custom orders. "I've mastered eating a full meal in three bites, and for this reason, keep a bottle of antacid next to the laptop. I also recently cut my hair short most specifically so that I don't have to hunt for a hair tie while I'm working."
The entrepreneurial drive runs in her family and she credits her mother for her work ethic. Her mother has her own gift basket business and her father recently opened his second tax preparation office. Luca has learned early on about building character and developing tough skin to run a business. "I've learned so much from every employment opportunity I've had and have put that knowledge to use in my own business. I worked primarily in the food service industry before leaping into commercial real estate, so excellent customer service and a good short-term memory were the difference between paying my bills or not." In real estate, Luca's experience with careful negotiations, navigating verbose legal documents, and treating every situation with the utmost of professionalism were the ingredients to a successful transaction. All of these traits have helped in making Lushbox a successful business in such a short amount of time. "Taking these skills and applying them to my own business have made this a smooth transition, although I will admit that I never thought I'd thank my mom for making me get a job as a teenager! It's been exciting, but I am definitely the hardest boss I've ever had."
Now that the holidays are coming, she is hard at work preparing holiday scents like Gingerbread, Egg Nog, and Pumpkin Muffin. More items coming down the pike to look forward to are vegan lip glosses, expanding the organic sugar scrubs collection, and the newly created Vegan Whipped Body Polish lines.
There are a couple of ways to purchase these delightful treats; you can order directly through her Web site at lushbox.com or through her Etsy shop at lushboxinc.etsy.com. If you happen to be in the Dania Beach area in Florida, you can purchase Lushbox items at Bettie (shopbettie.com), a Miami Craft Mafia members-owned business.
Issue #35
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