How did you come up with the idea for Your Scent Essentials?

It wasn't an instant idea, but something that evolved over time. I began making my own candles – I had the idea that I would make candles for men, in scents like beer, pizza, freshly mowed lawn, and so on. While people found it amusing, there wasn't a lot of interest in the form of buying any. I wandered into making solid soap after that, as most of the same suppliers are involved. From solid soap, I went into liquid forms – particularly pet shampoo, since my sister is a groomer. It HAS always bothered me that Wecouldn't get shampoo to match my perfumes, though, and at some point, I found the right supplier with excellent impostors and things took off. My concept of custom scents in the party format is officially registered as a federal trade mark, so please do not try to copy me.

Why are your products so popular?

Because you can get terrific value custom made just for you that you can't get anywhere else. If you buy your perfume in a department store, we can give you nearly exactly the same fragrance in a better product (the fragrance lasts longer and you don't use as much) for a tiny fraction of the cost. If you shop at Bath and Body Works or Victoria's Secret, we can get you the exact scents in a wider range of products at a cheaper cost. If you loved a scent that has been discontinued, we can still get it for you. But mostly it is because my products are excellent quality in a complete line-up, so you can truly Surround Yourself with Your Favorite Scents!

How do I place an order?

If you have a Paypal account or are willing to create one, you can just order through the website. Be sure to note which scent you want in the comments box for each product before you click the "add to cart" button. If you do not want to use Paypal, you can email or call your order in (224-944-7935). We can take credit cards and debit cards without going through Paypal that way. You can also host a party and order through one of those.

How can I get my order?

If you did not order through a party, but you live in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, we can arrange to meet somewhere – we can drop off at your home or work – drop offs are done on weekends or evenings. If you live elsewhere, shipping is the best option. Or you can schedule a party. Again, evenings and weekends are the only available times right now.

How long does it take to get my order?

If you choose a scent from the list of those currently in stock and you order less than 10 pieces, we nearly always have your order prepared within 24 hours. If you order more than 10 pieces, we usually have it ready within 48 hours. If you ask for a scent we do not have listed, your order will usually be ready within 7 days.

How do the parties work?

The parties work like most other similar businesses. We choose a time for you to host anywhere from 4 to 20 friends to come over. One of our representatives will come see you, bringing at least 30, up to 300 of our scents with them as lotions for you and your friends to touch, feel, and smell. Based on how many sales are generated, the person who hosted the party will receive a free gift. The people who order have the option of choosing shipping direct to their homes (at their cost) or free delivery to the host home. Orders are gegenrally ready within one week of closing the party.

What if I want a scent that isn't in your list?

We will do our best to find it. The only scents we tend to have trouble finding are those that are brand new. The manufacturers wait to see what is popular before they copy it. In the opposite direction, we do have scents that have been discontinued - from Guess to old Bath and Body Works. It doesn't hurt to ask, whatever it is you're looking for. If we can't find it and you really want it, we can try to reproduce it. We will either need a detailed description or to smell the original.

I am interested in your stuff, but I love my old products. What do you suggest?

We suggest that you try the sample sizes of our products first to make sure that their performance is up to the standards of your old products. Once you try them, you will love them. Everyone has so far, anyway – We have gotten nothing but glowing reviews. But if there is anything that you would like done differently, just ask. We will do out best to make you truly happy with our products. We spent months and months testing different formulas to try to give you the best results for the best price.

Why don't you use any dyes?

We feel that our products should be as natural as possible and try to limit the number of chemicals in them. While dye can make it prettier, it doesn't help the performance any, and it just costs you more in the end. The more complex something is, the more likely it is to cause problems. So we don't use it. We can add dye if you request it, though.

Do you take special requests for products?

A resounding yes!!! We are currently working on finding a hair spray that takes the fragrances well (as in, doesn't have a scent to begin with), that actually works, that isn't too expensive. It isn't going too well (the expensive part) but we are looking! You can use an unscented spray in the mean time to avoid interfering with the Your Scent Essentials fragrance. (Same goes for deodorant.) But if you would like something we don't currently carry, please ask. We will do our best to meet your every bath and body wish.

I love your stuff and think I want to sell it, too. What should I do?

Email us! We can send you more details about the different levels in which you can join our sales staff. The first entry level costs $99 to buy the pamphlets with your contact information and the lotion samples to host a party with, and will earn you about 15% of all the sales you generate. Even if you don't have a sales mentality, this is easy work because our products sell themselves. Everyone needs to wash. Everyone wants to smell good.