More about RAW ESSENTIALS
Posted on March 27, 2009 | by Attention Interactive LLC
Carol Alt’s exciting new line of skincare products, RAW ESSENTIALS, is eliciting a large number of comments and the feedback, which is “essential” to a new business, has been phenomenal. Carol is both grateful and somewhat astounded by the results that are being reported directly to her, by women of all skin types.
“I knew the results I was getting throughout the years, but at first, I thought it would seem kind of strange to have me, my mom, my sisters, and my friends reporting these fantastic results, because – let’s face it – that would tend to look like some kind of set-up. But the reality is that I was shocked by some of the results that my friends were reporting. We have testimonials on HSN, raving about the results of Raw Essentials. For example, my friend Kitty’s remarks about always having been a ‘before’, never an ‘after’, and that her skin was basically controlling her life, really moved me. She had been somewhat shy and didn’t really want people to look at her too closely, because she didn’t like the way her skin looked after having spent a great deal of time outdoors. She credits Raw Essentials with completely changing her skin and her outlook – she walked into the studio to shoot her testimonial with a whole new attitude and demeanor!
“My mother came in without makeup on her face. I can’t remember ever seeing my own mother without foundation on her skin, so for her to go on camera with nothing on her face was a total shock! Add to that the fact that she had had a 4” scar across her nose and one on her lip, both of which had all but disappeared, and it just shows how fantastic the results of using Raw Essentials can be.”
Carol explained how these testimonials came about. She and her business partner, Steven Krane, were only given a total of 5 sample packets to give away prior to launching the skincare line, so Carol gave one to her mother, one to her sister and one to her friend, Kitty. Steve gave the remaining two to women that he knew.
“Steve and I discussed the fact that it probably wouldn’t be a very good idea to only have 5 people try the products, not to mention giving them only a couple of weeks to try them out before we launched the website. Well, needless to say, it did work and the written testimonials we’ve since received are right in line with the on-camera ones.
“I’m really surprised that we got so many letters so quickly (following the launch in December) from women who wanted us to know how thrilled they were with the results they were seeing right there in their own mirrors. Talk about gratifying! One 66-year-old, for example, told us that she had never gone without foundation in her adult life, but with Raw Essentials, she was finally able to just put a little color on her face! We now have five stars on HSN, which is very rare, all based upon these letters that have been pouring in.
“My sister, Christine, has had terrible problems with her skin for years. She comes and raids my cabinets now,” Carol laughs, “just so she never runs out. She can wash her face and not worry about having an adverse reaction from some non-raw product.”
With results and word-of-mouth support such as this, it’s little wonder that Raw Essentials sold out after the soft launch in December and then again after the official premiere in January. “This wasn’t even the anti-aging line”, Carol says. “It was just the normal/sensitive skincare products that were selling out. The anti-aging products hadn’t even arrived yet!
“You know, with most other skincare lines, the big push goes to the anti-aging formulas. My own skin is maturing, of course, but I wanted to promote the normal and sensitive products first, not only because that’s what I’ve been using myself for several years, but because that is the line used by the largest number of people. I really can’t wait to see how the anti-aging products are received, once they become available!”
Carol wants to share a little about the process she went through when it came to choosing the actual packaging for the various products. “We had some complaints in the beginning about a couple of the containers – that the dispensers on the night cream and day cream weren’t working as well as they should. I want people to know that we do listen to criticisms as well as compliments and, whenever possible, we intend to correct any problems that are brought to our attention. In this case, we have already changed the bottles, because those complaints were absolutely valid. As a matter of fact, we were in such a hurry to launch the line, after so much work on the products themselves, that we accepted whatever dispensers were available at the time. We already had pre-orders, prior to the official launch and just couldn’t wait for our chosen bottles to arrive.
“We were able to immediately correct the bottle that was spraying the product too forcefully. That means that when someone re-orders that product, they’ll automatically be getting the “new and improved” dispenser.
“We also had some – not many – negative comments on the scent of the night cream. Well, those were only samples of the night cream that we gave people who ordered another skincare product. It was never intended to be the final scent. Of course, it’s understandable that nobody knew that – we never mentioned it and probably should have. Now the night cream smells exactly the same as the day cream. Those samples were a gift that we added at the last minute, using the original light ginger scent, which we already knew we were never going to use.
“I must say, it kind of amazes me how some people are so ready to throw out the baby with the bathwater. I wouldn’t care how a product smelled, if it had the results on my skin that ours does. Yes, I understand that some people are highly sensitive to certain scents, but come on! We use healthy, low temperature processed essential oils, not synthetic fragrances, and they are a light scent that dissipates leaving behind only…fabulous results!”
Carol acknowledges that starting a new company such as Raw Essentials has been a fascinating experience. Despite the difficulties of finding a laboratory that would create exactly what she wanted; the design challenges; and the entrepreneurial life in general, she is absolutely thrilled with the results. She thinks you will be, too.
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shelley.alexander@att.net says:
Carol, I am interested in finding out how I can purchase your products wholesale to sell to my clients and on my website. I am a holistic chef and certified healing foods specialist and I help my clients to achieve good health by making educated choices about what they put in and on their bodies. Your skin care line is pure and raw which I believe in. Please let me know if you sell wholesale or if you have a affliate program available. Thank you Shelley
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carol alt Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:11 pm
shelly,
how horrible this is…..i just found your emails as i have been answering all the different parts of my site, i think i just missed this section!!
i am so sorry.
my partner at raw essentials does the day to day business.
his info is skrane@rawessentials.com
thank you for asking and thank you for your patience
ca
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Ule says:
I love your products! The face wash, the day lotion, and the night cream. Right from the first moment I tried them I felt so fresh after washing my face. I look forward to the evening ritual of washing my face–something I would sometimes not do if i was too tired (a big no-no I know).
When are more products going to be available in Canada. Your eye cream is not available for purchase on the home shopping channel page. Any other places for Canadians to order your amazing products??
Ule
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carol alt says:
hi there shelley,
thank you for your question!
whole sale inquiries can be made at skrane@rawessentials.com to my partner Steven Krane!
i do lifestyle he does business….LOL!
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carol alt says:
hi ule,
thank you for asking, but right now the shopping channel has the exclusive! however, i will be on again in august around the 8/9th! we will be bringing new products for you to try! hope you can wait?
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Diana McGregor-Bosworth says:
Carol,
I absolutely love the products. All of them. It took no persuading for my 16 yr old daughter to use them, especially after her acne began to clear up immediately after she used them. I had read that acne was an inflammatory disease, and since your products had a heavy aloe content, thought they would help, and have they ever done the trick.
One question: do you plan on coming out with a shampoo any time soon. I can only imagine how nice it would be to use.
Thanks again for the product…
Diana
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josh Plessinger says:
Carol,
I love these products, one thing i would like is a shaving product for men or women. or if anyone knows of a similiar product I am really interested
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carol alt says:
diana-
thank you for your email! i am so happy that you and your daughter got such great results.
you know, RAW ESSENTIALS is a new (6 months old) and small company. so i am doing the products i can do as we can afford to do them!
the better the products sell, the more products i can do….
i am starting to do some color now for a November launch on HSN…..
but seriously, tell all your friends! the more we sell, the better we do and if HSN loves us, we will do shampoo AND conditioner, too!!
thank you for your support.
ca
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carol alt says:
Hi josh!
the wash is perfect for shaving. in fact even the hosts at HSN said so ON AIR!
now everyone is using it to shave, including my boyfriend.(i have always used it to shave….)
he feels that it is less irritating, he finds he has less ingrown hairs and his face stays smoother longer.
and of course, you get the same great smell, and NO HARSH CHEMICALS!!
have fun!
let me know what you think!
ca
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arceli says:
I was so excited when I bought your product. It is about time that somebody started to use natural, non chemical ingredients in our skin. However when I use the product I started breaking out. Is this unusual for someone to use raw, non chemical product to break out in acne? I don’t want to throw it away yet but I’m afraid to use it again. I need your comment of what I should do.
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Kelly Reply:
August 23rd, 2009 at 9:39 am
I actually had this problem as well. I started breaking out after using this product. I had not changed anything in my regime except start using this. If this is so natural, what’s up with the break outs? I’m returning this product unfortunately.
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Carol Alt Reply:
December 22nd, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Hi kelly,
i do not know which of my products you are using. if you are using anti-aging and you don’t need the extra moisture it could be too much for your skin.
My products ARE all natural. i stake my name on it. and in this life it is all i have!
i am sorry it is not working for you. but you did not give me enough info to help correct the problem!
return it for your refund.
CA
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Carol Alt Reply:
January 5th, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Kelly,
i have been thinking on your comments and here is
what i think may be happening:
When you stop putting toxic products on your skin, your skin skin starts to “de-toxify” (just like when you change
your food or clean up your diet or fast you can get flu-
like symptoms and break out.) So, i think that
you may be experiencing a detox.
But, in any case, you can rest assured that my products
are all RAW and there is NO SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS in it
AT ALL!
Thank you for your comment, it allowed me to think on
this subject and to address this and to maybe help
many other people who may be experiencing a
similar detox!
Happy New Year!
CA
carol alt Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:14 pm
arceli,
i am surprised, we usually get the opposite reaction-people who break out find relief.
i am not sure what you used and i am not sure what your skin type is so i don’t know how to answer this.
perhaps you can tell me what you used and what type of skin you have (mature etc)
thanks.
ca
ps sorry it took so long to find this email. we have moved everything over to ASK CAROL.
even if i am still slow, i do answer my mail.
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Jaclyn says:
Hi Carol!
I just started using your raw essentials skincare line two days ago and already I can see great results! My skin is clearer, more vibrant and I don’t need to use as much makeup as I used to (for covering up discolorations, blemishes and even dark circles under my eyes!)
Thanks so much for a great product!
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carol alt Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:15 pm
jaclyn,
YOU ARE WELCOME!
thanks for your feedback!
all the best,
ca
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Christine says:
Hi Carol,
Is it normal for my skin to break out after just starting your products? I do have problem skin that is controlled by products with “chemicals” in them and I’m looking for a more natural skin care line.
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carol alt Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:17 pm
hi christine,
can you give me more info?
what type of skin you have and what you are using?
it is not a normal response–although there are always exceptions to every rule.
let’s see if you are an exception or if something else is the problem.
cool?
waiting to hear from you.
ca
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Kotie Kidd says:
Carol,
Big fan of the eye cream (raw-juve eye coup), and several other products. Was wondering if you will be creating a shampoo/conditioner and/or scalp treatment soon? By the way, I have used your creams and serums on sunburned and dry skin and find them very effective. Thank you.
Kotie
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carol alt Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:18 pm
hi Kotie Kidd,
i did answer you in the ask carol section!!
all the best,
ca
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debra hulterstrum says:
Carol,
I ordered your your starter kit the day it launched on HSN and really loved everything about the line. I then discovered later your serums, which again, I really love. I just recently ordered the NEW starter kit in the new tubes and was a bit disturbed because first of all I love the original scent of the restore night cream and the way my skin felt the next morning. Have you changed the scent and the ingredients on this one? It doesn’t feel quite the same and does not smell of Jasmine. I noticed that the first ingredient was water. I believe it used to be Aloe. Second, your lip balm I am sorry to say has propyl/paraben listed in the top 10 ingredients and also mineral oil. These are not natural ingredients. What gives? I don’t want you to lose credibility with your Raw,Natural and Organic claims. There are many of us out there that read labels and truely want PURE,NATURAL AND IF POSSIBLE ORGANIC INGREDIENTS that work. Is using sodium hylauronic a possibility? This ingredient is supposed to hold moisture if used in a higher amount.
I do appreciate the fact that you want to bring us the best and make it affordable!
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carol alt Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:24 pm
hi Debra,
thank you for your email.
first of all, the night cream is the same night cream–at one point i was requested to change the scent to match the rest of the original line. but the scent was the only thing we changed. HSN had our formula already and to change anything takes too long. so, not that i know of was this formula changed–just the scent.
we went thru many incarnations of the scent.
mostly because one ingredient is rather pungent and since i don’t use chemicals to cover the scent, we were looking for something to make this ingredient smell nice.
as for the lip balm–i must say that i am surprised and i will look into it right away.
i was promised that this formula was raw–
in any case, just to put your mind at ease, we have hired a second independent researcher to re-check our formulas and i will bring it to his attention the second i am done with this email. for sure.
believe me, my reputation is in the line. and i don’t take that lightly.
thank you for your help.
ca
ca
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carol alt Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 10:52 am
Hi again Debra,
once again thank you for your email. i have gotten to the bottom of the confusion!
seems like my partners already got back to you on this but just in case, here was the problem:
the label was MIS-MARKED!
and i am so happy that you were able to point this out to us! i understand it was your email that shed light on the problem!
so thank you so much!
all the best,
ca
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robin says:
I am overwhelmed by all the products on the market. Your line consists of a multitude of products as well. Are all of them essential? How do you know which you should use and which aren’t really needed?
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Carol Alt Reply:
December 22nd, 2009 at 3:58 pm
that is why i went on HSN-to teach you what you need.
as i do not know your exact skin type or what your problems consist of, i am just being general here.
first of all many lines consist of several smaller lines. for examples my RAW line is ALL RAW and all the oils are ESSENTIAL
but we have several lines within this ideal for different skin types and different problems.
if your skin is normal to sensitive use the regular line. Moisture and wash is the most necessary basic. and you should do this morning and night.
if you have aging skin we have a moisture and wash for you, too! again morning and night.
from there you can build your arsenal-do you have dry skin around your eyes? eye cream
do you want to moisture at night? night cream.
are you exceptionally dry? moisture mask.
do you have fine lines and wrinkles? Vita A serum (it is excellent! (BTW)
so you see, you need to look at your skin and make your decision about what you need based on what your skin is telling you!
hope this helps?
ca
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Loredana says:
Hi Carol,
I have been using your products since they first launched on Canada’s Shopping channel and when you last came on air(yesterday, January 27th)I so wanted to call in to let you know how WONDERFUL your products are! I am in your age bracket ,and like you, look no where close to my age. I have always taken care of my skin, have used some of the most expensive skin care lines, and I have never come across skin care like yours! It is a pleasure to use the serums,the wash, the moisturizers, and even though I thought I had good skin, your products really deliver results by making skin smooth and beautiful.While using your products, I have gone back to using expensive products,perhaps still incredulous that your products could BE THAT GOOD for the price, and have again gone back to your products to see the results of pretty, effortless skin! I have now ordered your latest product, the skin tightening moisturizer, and am quite sure I’ll love it. One question:is it used for a.m. or p.m. , or both? It would be wonderful if you could formulate a foundation in Raw Essentials, do you think it would be possible?
Congratulations on this beautiful line , and for being beautiful yourself, both inside and out.BTW, is your line available in Italy?
Blessings
Loredana
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Carol Alt Reply:
February 3rd, 2010 at 11:58 am
Hi Loredana,
thank you for supporting the skin care line–and i agree
the line is “that good.” Please spread the word! we are a small
struggling company and we are struggling against the already
established lines and their endless pocketbooks to keep afloat.
as for the new product–here is a funny story:
when it arrived i did not know this was the “new” product i was waiting for. so i used it like a moisturizer! I am so silly!
so i was using it day and night! and i got nice results, but
ultimately i started to use it when i was doing something
special and wanted to look EXTRA good- you know what
i mean? when i needed that extra POW!
so, my advice to you is use it when you want to look extra
special good! if that is a date, fine. if that is at work ’cause
there is that cute guy across the way- FAB. but i try not to waste
it as an overnight cream. we have an anti-aging nigth cream for that!
hope this helps?
thank you for your email!
ca
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