6/26/11

giveaway time!

CONTEST CLOSED. CONGRATS TO HOLLY OF ELLENSBURG, WA
There is a wonderful homemade soap company that I am in LOVE with. And I mean love. I am very fussy when it comes to homemade soaps. Some are just too harsh and too granny smelling for me. And others, the scent just fades away. But this company, Funky Chunks makes amazing soaps. With scents that are just right, not too strong or too headache-inducing. There is this one soap called "surf wax" that smells exactly like summer, the beach, a beach house. You know that smell you get after spending all day at the beach, come home, shower, and your body, your hair smell just so good--just like the beach only cleaner; it's just so hard to duplicate that smell at home. Surf Wax is it! I just had to get them on board for a giveaway because you guys have got to try this soap. They have other soaps that are just as fabulous, plus they have a bug spray, an all natural bug spray that actually works. Trust me, where i live the mosquitoes are in mass quantities here. And can I share with you, I got an extra bar of surf wax to crumble up into small bits to place in a bowl which now sits in my office. So everytime I come into my office it smells just like a beach house. I love it. Perfect for the summertime.

IMG_4751

Michelle of Funky Chunks was kind enough to answer a few questions about her business, and some techincal questions I had on homemade soaps. soapmaking, and ingredients. Just like food, soap making is a craft along with a small dose science. Very interesting--have a read:

What made you want to get into the soap business?

I grew up with handmade soap. My great grandmother was a soapmaker. I decided to start my own soap company after a conversation with one of my girlfriends. We were talking about how disappointed we were with recent purchases at a big name, big dollar bath and body shop we frequented. The soap didn't lather well and the fragrance was barely noticeable. I decided right then and there to open up my own soap shop and I haven't looked back since.

IMG_4805

That scent of the surf wax is truly amazing; it's not too harsh or too soft; it's just right, but it truly reminds one of the beach. How did you get "that scent" just right?

We formulate many of our scents with the help of our wonderful customers. We have a customer testing program that has been a huge success for us. When it came to making a surf wax scent we went straight to our local surfing community for their ideas and opinions. If anyone is an expert on the scent of surf wax and the beach it would be a surfer. They tested 6 different soaps for us until we got the scent dead on. Thanks to their help we now have an insanely popular line of Surf Soaps.

I've noticed that with homemade soaps they tend to last longer and they also leave no film on your skin. Can you explain why that is?

Handmade soaps are made with natural oils and butters and contain natural glycerin. These ingredients produce a hard, long lasting bar of soap. Commercial soaps are made with harsh chemicals, additives and have the glycerin removed from them. Handmade soaps rinse so clean because they don't have chemicals and additives that get left behind on your skin.

IMG_4752

Since i love the surf wax smell so much, are there any plans to make a perfume with it?

Actually we are working on a new line of body sprays that will be launching late July. They will be customizable just like our lotions and scrubs. You will be able to get any of your favorite Funky Chunks fragrances made into a body spray very, very soon.

What other scents can we look forward too?

Even though it is the beginning of summer we've been hard at work developing new scents for fall and winter. We're looking forward to bringing back customer favorites like Frosted Pumpkin, Mistletoe and Twice The Spice as well as several new creations especially designed for the cooler weather. We even have a bakery line of cupcake soaps coming out in the fall. We love to get ideas and requests from our customers. They come up with some amazing scent combinations that we use for our limited edition soaps.

IMG_4746

Judging from your tweets on twitter @funkychunks , you're awfully busy delivering soaps. I take it business is good?

Business is fantastic! (we have a the greatest customers in the world) It's still hard to believe how much our small company has grown in the last few years. It's been a crazy ride and we look forward to seeing what the future has in store for Funky Chunks.

IMG_4806

Is there a lot of "homemade soap" competition?

Absolutely! Just go to Etsy and search for handmade soap to see how much competition there really is. There are so many products to choose from! We love the competition. The more soap makers there are the more the word gets out about how wonderful handmade soap is. The trick is to do what you love, never compromise your values and find your niche in the market. There is definitely room for all the soapmakers out there.

Interesting right? I loved that they went right to the source (the surf community) to get their thoughts on surf-like scents. Smart!

giftbag2

To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is answer the question "Name one of the signature funky soap scents?" here in the comment section.
Hint: to find the answer, go over to funkychunks.net

I will do the drawing on July 5, 2011. ONE COMMENT per person. Extra entries will be deleted. And for the love people, no anonymous comments--what can i do with those but trash em. Have a valid email address and NAME.

The gift bag includes all this (retail value of over $150.00):

large canvas zippered beach bag
large beach towel
pair of flip flops
apple-tini drink mix
flip flop highball tumbler
framed photograph from Beach Bum Photography
Surf Wax Soy Candle
Surf Soap Six Pack
large Quit Buggin' Body Spray
8 ounce body lotion - Midnight Swell scent
4 ounce Whip'd Body Butter - Midnight Swell scent
4 ounce Sugar Scrub - Midnight Swell scent
Midnight Swell soap Chunk

306 comments:

  1. Clean Joe sounds awesome. Thanks for the fun giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello Sweetie love the colors and the scent sound wonderful! Great giveaway
    paulahennig@msn.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Green Tea Zen..I could surely use a little of that in my life.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Green tea Zen!
    annaeiger at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Strawberry shortcake? Yum! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I saw Suntan, Wasabi (which is one of my favorite foods), Surf Wax and Jersey Girl... Jersey Tomato also sounds kind of fantastic :) I think I'm going to have to order myself some of the Wasabi just to see how they got the scent of Wasabi into a soap :D

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oatmeal honey almond, ahhhhhhh.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello Sweetie! I would love to win this!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Jersey tomato! I have super sensitive skim and use homemade stuff only! Danaadell@ gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have to wonder what the Sea Glass one smells like! I love the colour of it!

    ReplyDelete
  11. No. 27!

    These all look amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  12. SEA GLASS! Tandy.Wolters@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Sea Glass!

    -Alex S.

    ola90210@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. Kathy Kurowski6/26/11, 6:11 PM

    I have 2 boys and Dirty Boy screamed my name!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Jersey Tomato and Lavender Tonic?! WOW! I am really curious in the Surf Wax too because you praised it so highly. My favorite scents are those that remind me of the beach/summertime. Fabulous giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hello Sweetie! You have a mighty sweet blog!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hello Sweetie! All of them look awesome! Loving the giveaway :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. sea glass. and it sounds like it smells amazing!!

    andreatrautman812@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. Jersey tomato!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Good Earth, sounds right down my alley =)
    hana24mumu@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love to grow "Jersey Tomato" :D

    ReplyDelete
  22. jersey tomato! b/c i'm from jersey :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Jersey Tomato!!! Good luck everyone!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Wasabi! This company sounds so so cool! I love that making soaps was a family thing. Thanks for the giveaway dawn :)

    Erica
    itzyskitchen at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  25. Green Tea Zen!!

    ReplyDelete
  26. OMG - what an amazing giveaway Dawn. The green team zen soap looks and sounds to die for.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Lavender Tonic - and it sounds divine. I love a good lavender soap!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I can only imagine how amazing jersey tomato smells :) yum!

    ReplyDelete
  29. I can't wait to try Jersey Tomato. I love the unmistakable smell of a tomato vine. Wasabi sounds interesting too!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Asbury Park! My favorite place in a soap :) Thanks for such a great giveaway! - lisswrzesniewsky@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. Surf Wax most definitely. The smell of home for me!

    ReplyDelete
  32. What a fantastic giveaway - would love to try the surf wax!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Lavendar Tonic! Sounds like what I want to smell like :)

    Thanks for sharing the soap!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Sea glass!

    Jamie-Lee

    free_2b_unique@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  35. These are so adorable! All of them sound great to me! Not so sure about tomato though...lol. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  36. Jersey Tomato, baby. Sounds awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Wasabi! thanks for sharing this looks awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Sea Glass. I just love handmade soaps!

    ReplyDelete
  39. am DYING to smell Surf Wax

    ReplyDelete
  40. Thanks for introducing me to this great site! As a mom who loves to cook and garden, Clean Joe would be a good choice. But, the Hairy Eyeball sounds yummy too!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Sea Glass! If they smell as nice as they look they must be wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Jersey Tomato !! I can't wait to try their soaps.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Jersey Girl, cause that is what I am ..long time ago.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Hello Sweetie! The scent sounds intoxicating and the colors look awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  45. Jersey Girl, 'cause that is what I started out a long time ago.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Hello Sweetie!

    ReplyDelete
  47. I am and always will be a
    JERSEY GIRL !!! Spent many years a the Jersey shore !!!

    ReplyDelete
  48. Sea Glass.. I love the smell of the ocean!

    ReplyDelete
  49. Hello Sweetie! It sounds like a type of soap I would definitely buy. aspeed2 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  50. Surf Wax sounds amazing! Great giveaway. thanks for the chance. Good Luck to everyone!

    moore79 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  51. I like the looks of "Hello Sweetie!" I'd love to win this prize.

    ReplyDelete
  52. "Hello Sweetie" looks really good. What beautiful soaps.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Oh oh oh ...I totally want the No. 27!!! Kick ass giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  54. Hmm... I wonder what Dirty Boy is all about?;)

    ReplyDelete
  55. Asbury Park is where it's at! Nice giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  56. I'm sold on Surf Wax, but Suntan looks interesting too! m.breunig.hunt@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  57. Frosted pumpkin sounds good enough to eat! lauwil07 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  58. Wasabi is the one that's intriguing me most! Great giveaway! eccentric.oyster@gmail.com

    -Susan

    ReplyDelete
  59. Lavender Tonic (which sounds amazing!!!)
    -Michelle

    ReplyDelete
  60. Asbury Park soap! That's from where me and my co-blogger grew up :)

    Love it, I never knew of this company before!

    - Maggie

    ReplyDelete
  61. Ooh, the Oatmeal Honey Almond sounds AMAZING.

    ReplyDelete
  62. Oatmeal Honey Almond!

    Cori S. nicsuss972@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  63. No. 27 has me wondering. :)
    scrambledhenfruit(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  64. Laughing about Hairy Eyeball!!!

    ReplyDelete
  65. Wish I could smell the Surf Wax!

    ReplyDelete
  66. Hello sweetie! Not you. That's the name of the scent! LOL But Hello to you too!

    pcdfan1 at yahoodotcom

    ReplyDelete
  67. Green Tea Zen... it sounds ideal.

    ReplyDelete
  68. I think it's No. 27. But I have a great scent for winter....Cinnamon Toast. Would love to try some of her stuff. Thanks for all the great recipes and giveaways.
    riwnkelman3235@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  69. Green Tea Zen sounds both delicious and relaxing! mmm

    ReplyDelete
  70. Hello Sweetie sounds like a great soap! That and No.27. Pick me pick me!

    ReplyDelete
  71. Jersey Tomato sounds intriguing!I used to follow Michelle's blog all the way back in her "Life, Lightly Salted" days,and am glad to see tha she's doing well.

    ReplyDelete
  72. Jersey Tomato. I would be thrilled to win this giveaway. I love summer scents.

    ctummel@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  73. Oh, these sound awesome and I love the look and packaging. I have to go with Dirty Boy, haha :)

    ReplyDelete
  74. Surf Wax does sound pretty amazing... Thanks for the post!

    ReplyDelete
  75. Honey Oatmeal Almond, sounds yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  76. jersey tomato sounds good with a little basil

    ReplyDelete
  77. Green tea zen...didn't mean to double comment but didn't name one of the soaps in the first, so feel free to delete that one!

    kristina@roeingoaks.com

    ReplyDelete
  78. Sea glass sounds wonderful, thanks for the giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
  79. Hello Sweetie!
    susitravl(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  80. I have my eye on that surfwax either way!

    ReplyDelete
  81. Ohhhh, I never enter giveaways, but this would make me so happy!

    ReplyDelete
  82. dawn, what a fun & fab giveaway! thanks for including me !
    GOOD EARTH!!!

    ReplyDelete
  83. hello sweetie

    ReplyDelete
  84. Jersey Tomato..

    Those soaps sounds delish!

    ReplyDelete
  85. Jersey Tomato! This line looks awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  86. wow, these soaps sound awesome. and the jersey devil is intriguing :) would love to try some of these out!!

    ReplyDelete
  87. Wasabi! - wasabi, green pea and cut grass? no way.. hubby would LOVE that! what a great giveway :) ps-i have the quarter pound chocolate mint cookies and pb chocolate bacon cookies on the menu this week.... yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  88. Asbury Park! What a fun giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
  89. Sea Glass sounds terrific! :) Thanks for the great giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
  90. I bet Oatmeal Honey Almond is amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  91. bullyvanwrinkle@aol.com6/27/11, 10:30 AM

    Jersey Tomato. I can't wait to smell it. Clever beyond my imagination, thats for sure!

    ReplyDelete
  92. Green Tea Zen! I definitly could use some Zen in my life :)

    ageloudi926 at gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  93. Lavender Tonic - sounds right up my alley!

    ReplyDelete
  94. Lavender Tonic
    emmy_g56@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  95. I'm from Jersey, so I have to say Jersey Tomato. Really curious what that one smells like!

    ReplyDelete
  96. Surf Wax! Which sounds amazing according to your description...

    ReplyDelete
  97. I would love to try Jersey Tomato or Honey Oatmeal Almond. Yummm!!

    ReplyDelete
  98. Lavender Tonic!
    What a great giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  99. On The Rocks sounds pretty great!

    ReplyDelete
  100. Marissa Pacelli6/27/11, 11:12 AM

    Good earth sounds good!

    mandbr1@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  101. Suntan...I could reallllly use one...

    ReplyDelete
  102. Sea Glass sounds amazing! All the soaps look wonderful, though!

    ReplyDelete
  103. I never heard of Funky Chunks before! I just placed an order. Thank you for the introduction!

    ReplyDelete
  104. Oatmeal Honey Almond sounds like exactly what my mom's chemo ravaged skin needs!

    ReplyDelete
  105. Asbury Park and Sea Glass both sound amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  106. Sea Glass - how yummy is that?
    Jan Canyon@msn.com

    ReplyDelete
  107. Yay! I love giveaways ^^, But i also love your recipes! I love the sound of the surf wax soap! I think Ill have to try to order some of these ^^, (I´m sorry if I sent in two comments, something weird happened on my computer just as I sent in the last one, so I decided to do it again :) )

    ReplyDelete
  108. Lavender Tonic looks great to me!

    ReplyDelete
  109. Wow, what a giveaway package. I love the idea of Jersey Tomato soap since I have a tomato blossom candle that I love the smell of, katbaro at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  110. I am loving the Lavendar Tonic but the colors of the Hello Sweetie are amazing!

    Thank you for the referral - great gift ideas!

    ReplyDelete
  111. I'm thinking that BeachCruiser sounds fabulous. they have so many great scent combinations!

    ReplyDelete
  112. Green Tea Zen sounds amaxing!!

    Thanks for such a fun giveaway.

    larkspurpurple (at) gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  113. great looking soaps! love me sum Sunt An ganesh is cute!

    ReplyDelete
  114. Lavender Tonic and it sounds awesome. :)

    ReplyDelete
  115. sea glass!

    nhh1234@optonline.net

    ReplyDelete
  116. No. 27 - definitely want to try that one!

    ReplyDelete
  117. Jersey Tomato! they all look so wonderful!!!

    ReplyDelete
  118. Lavender Tonic- sounds relaxing!
    jgamny@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  119. Green Tea Zen!

    heatheranne99 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  120. Sea Glass! I'm placing an order now!!! One can never be too clean!!

    ReplyDelete
  121. Sea glass or Surf Wax for sure! I need a little bit of the beach at home or in the office.

    alyssa.linda.lee@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  122. Jersey Tomato reminds me of a great friend from the Jersey shore who claims that no tomato can compare to the ones back home!

    ReplyDelete
  123. Surf wax sounds amazing but I am interested in the wasabi one too.

    ReplyDelete
  124. Green tea zen sounds amazing!
    martha.dzwonkowski@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  125. Lavender Tonic sounds yummy.

    ReplyDelete
  126. Sea Glass! sounds so refreshing!
    yarastu@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  127. The Surf Wax sounds amazing!! I love the fact that it has the smell of the beach ahh if only I were there now :)

    ReplyDelete
  128. Wow! They sound good enough to eat! What a lovely gift.

    ReplyDelete
  129. Sea Glass sounds amazing!! What a great giveaway.
    rachellconners@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  130. with three young men in my house...my kids--i think DIRTY BOY is called for around here!
    thanks

    ReplyDelete
  131. Oatmeal Honey Almond sounds fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  132. Sea glass! =)

    ReplyDelete
  133. no. 27 - such an awesome name for a soap!

    ReplyDelete
  134. sea glass or sunshine!

    ReplyDelete
  135. Sea Glass sounds great!

    ReplyDelete
  136. I'll go with No. 27, 'cause it is my favorite color!

    ReplyDelete
  137. surf wax :) thx for having the giveaway

    ReplyDelete
  138. what would the Hairy Eyeball smell like???

    ReplyDelete
  139. Sea Glass looks wonderful! christina564@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  140. Sounds fun & unique-great gift considering the economy. Bless you for the offer...

    ReplyDelete
  141. Green Tea Zen sounds absolutely amazing! :)
    what an awesome giveaway
    tianarae@msn.com

    ReplyDelete
  142. Hello Sweetie! Although I don't know if I want to wash with it or eat it!

    ReplyDelete
  143. What an amazing giveaway! Thank you for the chance to win such yummyness! Sea Glass or Surfs Up sound like it would right up my alley perfect to me.

    ReplyDelete
  144. good earth.

    thanks for "introducing" me to this company.

    ReplyDelete
  145. Jersey Tomato...YUM!!!

    ReplyDelete
  146. Surf wax!

    kdietter@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  147. Hello Sweetie sounds like something I would love... sugary smells are my fave! And this giveaway is fabulous. I would love to win!

    ReplyDelete
  148. Suntan would be safe !

    ReplyDelete
  149. ... it's summer - surf wax soap of course!!!

    ReplyDelete
  150. Surf Wax sounds great to me, too!

    ReplyDelete
  151. Good Earth!

    elahnah@aim.com

    ReplyDelete
  152. I checked out their website and the Oatmeal Honey Almond looks amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  153. Sea Glass sound so nice.

    ReplyDelete
  154. sea glass looks so pretty!

    ReplyDelete
  155. Mmmm....surf wax please! Just got back from vacay in San Diego!

    Robin
    wolfgramrm at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  156. Sea Glass! I search for it all the time!

    ReplyDelete
  157. Sonja Erskine6/28/11, 6:58 AM

    Lavender Tonic!

    sonjaerskine@rogers.com

    ReplyDelete
  158. The Beach 3 pack!
    The photo of the Green Tea Zan looks good enough to eat. :)

    ReplyDelete
  159. Frosted Pumpkin, Yum!

    katiemur@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  160. WASABI!!!!!....what an interesting idea for a soap.....love your blog and your fun giveaways...thanks :-)

    ReplyDelete
  161. Asbury Park - reminds me of my all time favorite musician!

    ReplyDelete
  162. "Seaglass" is one of my favorite things about the beach, and this soap looks amazing.

    ReplyDelete

I love your comments!

Share

Get This