Striving4Zen

First conceived by mother-daughter duo Judy Zimmer and Jocelyn Murray in 1996 and franchised in 2000, now has 70 locations, with more scheduled to open within a year, and plans to expand to Northern Europe. recently opened in Dillard's.

A mix between an upscale Manhattan loft and the production line of a factory, stores are the "drop-in spa." We sell small indulgences and self-pampering, and are bringing back the seemingly lost art of customer service.

Each product from 's wide selection—including phosphate-free bubble bath, mineral-oil free moisturizers, talc-free liquid powder, exfoliating salt scrub, spa tub-safe bath crystals, alcohol-free body mist, SLS-free shower gel, head-to-toe body wash and conditioners, anti-bacterial handwashes, and a full line of pet products—are custom-blended right in the store to customers' specifications.

With 200 fragrances to choose from, customers can create their own dream blend (gardenia and watermelon? We won't judge) or for the easily overwhelmed, fragrance menus of favorite blends are available. Customers can also select their products' tints, allowing them to simply choose a favorite color or create the perfect match for their bathroom's color scheme.

Think of it like a soda fountain for bath products: scented and tinted to your specifications, and mixed up in-store before your very eyes's. products safe for even the most sensitive skin. Most are paraben and SLS-free. We don't test on animals, either— only ourselves. And we only use the best.

On a mission to take over the world with smelly goodness, has recently stepped out of the tub and launched their Domania home line. Domania introduces the world's first custom-scented, multi-surface, anti-bacterial household cleanser, Clean Freak; a custom-scented odor neutralizer, Domain Spray; custom-scented Fine Linen Wash and Fabric Softener; and SLS-free Clean Freak Dish Soap.

Bath Junkie

Labels: Bath Junkie, cool new place, Cool Store, customization, innovative, NYC

Earlier this year we covered customizable energy bars from LA-based YouBar, and recently a similar contender out of the Midwest crossed our proverbial path.

Chicago-based Element Bars aims to give users a simple, step-by-step process for designing their own energy bars from scratch. Customers begin by selecting a chewy, oaty, crispy or datey "core" that defines the bar's texture and base. They can then add nuts, fruits and sweets as well as protein, fiber, Omega-3 and vitamin boosts. The site warns users if they have selected incompatible ingredients, and it will even recommend a mix for users who answer a few lifestyle-oriented questions. Meanwhile, a Nutrition Facts box is updated each step of the way to reflect the user’s current selections.

There's nothing we love more than seeing a good idea spread, and that includes virtually anything in the realm of customization.

Read more...

Labels: customization, Element Bars, energy bars, health trend, innovative, new product, Springwise

Customers of You Bar can choose every ingredient that goes into their nutrition bars: the base, protein powders, nuts and seeds, fruits and berries, sweeteners, seasonings, grains and infusions.

One consumer might select cashew butter with shredded coconut, organic molasses and nutty rice cereal, for example; another might choose dates, soy protein, walnuts, ground cinnamon and dried banana. Special requests for organic ingredients or "extra crunchy" can also be accommodated.

Consumers can choose a name for their specially designed bars, and You Bar will print it on each wrapper. For those feeling overwhelmed by the list of choices, on the other hand, You Bar offers three popular bar styles—"Honey Cashew," "Great Date with Chocolate" and "Breakfast Bar"—that are still customizable, but based on set ingredients. All bars are freshly made to order in You Bar's kitchens; pricing is $40 plus shipping for 12 fully customized bars, or $30 plus shipping for 12 of one of You Bar's popular styles.

Los Angeles-based You Bar was founded about two years ago by a mother-and-son team frustrated with the limited choices on the retail shelves. They're certainly in good company, as consumers have begun to expect having it their way, all the time. Because the bars fall into the realm of snack foods, they also lend themselves particularly naturally to use as gifts—promotional or otherwise. It's hard to imagine a health club, for example, that couldn't delight its members with specially concocted and self-named nutrition bars.

Thanks!

Labels: customization, great idea, health food, innovative, nutrition

LOVE THIS!

As much choice as there may be in the cereal aisle, nothing beats made-to-order, especially if you can mix and match 70 different ingredients. Which is what Mymuesli offers through its online cereal store.
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First, they pick a foundation (oats and other grains), then add fruits, nuts and seeds, and finally extras like organic gummi bears and alfalfa.
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Customers can name their mix, which is also assigned an ID that's printed on the muesli box. This makes it super easy to reorder a specific mix, or recommend it to friends. Those who aren't feeling creative can order one of the German start-up’s personal favourites, like tropical Copacabana Days, or Alte Freunde, a choc and nuts mix. Mymuesli only uses organic ingredients (which helps explain the hefty price tag), and offers exotic fruits like goji berries and sour cherries to spruce up the most important meal of the day.

Labels: customization, great idea, made-to-order, start-up