We here at Malin+Goetz aren’t going to pretend that 48 degrees is tropical weather, but when it’s 48 degrees in February in New York, it may as well be. Since that trusty little groundhog said spring is right around the corner anyway, why not make it feel a bit more like it?  Unless you’re one of those lucky New Yorkers who has access to an indoor pool, you’re probably not breaking out the swimwear just yet. But have no fear, there are some products you can use to put you in the Springtime spirit! The Malin+Goetz Mojito Candle ($52) is a great way to waft away the winter blues and summon the feeling of the tropics to your home or apartment. Perfect for a spring-themed party for your friends, or a casual night in with the cat and dog, this unique blend of mint leaves, lime, rum and basil instantly transports you to a warm afternoon, watching the sunset with a cocktail in your hand. The middle notes of spearmint and Chinese mint, and base notes of white musk bring to the olfactory senses the sure feeling that warmer days are ahead! With a formidable burn time of sixty hours, you may well be able to ride this candle’s wave of Springtime warmth until well into the equinox! Pair with our innovative Dark Rum candle for the true effect. This dynamic duo is the perfect way to start waving goodbye to scarves and gloves, and hello to tropical afternoons, and your favorite pair of boating shoes.

Brian Lynch, National Training Manager

Valentine’s Day. Whether you consider it to be the most romantic day of the year, the most depressing, or a ridiculous commercial creation, everyone secretly hopes to have a special someone to spend the day (and more importantly, the night) with. Mostly people would probably agree with me that the difference between a great date and a disaster can be something as simple as a kiss. Before technique and the perfect head tilt, the lips lay the foundation for a truly mind blowing kiss. Therefore, it’s essential to make your lips as irresistible as possible. One of the best ways to help do this is to exfoliate them. You already (hopefully!) exfoliate your face and body, so why not your lips? Valentine’s Day falls right in the middle of the bleakest part of winter, when lips are dry and chapped – and sometimes lip moisturizer just isn’t enough. The Jojoba Face Scrub by Malin+Goetz is perfect for such a job. It’s gentle, yet superbly effective. While you’re exfoliating your face simply purse those lips and spend a couple of extra seconds gently going over them in a circular motion (hint: something I love to do to up the ante is add a little bit of the M+G Peppermint Body Scrub). Once you rinse off, just apply a light layer of Lip Moisturizer and you’re good to go. Your lips will be impossibly soft and supple – sure to encourage lingering!

Here’s hoping cupid’s arrow finds all of you – there’s still a week left!

Brian Lynch, National Training Manager

Oh the pressure to look fabulous. Once a concern mainly for the ladies, the gender gap has narrowed, and now more than ever, men are feeling pressure to look stylish, have 6-pack abs and perfectly coiffed hair. As much as things have changed, there is no denying that the ladies are still held to a higher and practically impossible standard.

Don’t worry – I’m not going to tell you that you need to live in the gym, strictly eat organic and go for a weekly colonic.  While living a generally healthy lifestyle is, of course extremely important, there’s no need to go to extremes!  I love a good quick fix as much as anybody and this one is for the best looking décolletage.

What is the décolletage you ask? Well, put quite simply, it’s your cleavage, and the almighty cleavage confronts the same signs of aging that the face encounters. Now while I don’t have personal experience with this particular quick fix, the ladies in my office all swear by it. We all take care of the skin on our faces with the best treatment products, so why not up the ante for a hot night on the town? If you’re already an M+G devotee, you probably know how amazing our Detox Face Mask is for the face; it works the same magic when I applied to your chest. Whether you’re hitting up the beach in your teeny polka dot bikini or going out for a glamorous dinner in your favorite little black dress, you want to put your best, er, face forward. The Detox Face Mask will leave the skin of your cleavage looking clearer and feeling smooth and soft.  Follow this with a couple of drops of our fabulous Replenishing Face Serum for an instantly brightening and plumping affect and then our top selling Vitamin B5 Body Moisturizer for long lasting moisture retention.

Now- go wield those feminine wiles!

Brian Lynch,  National Training Manager

Recently we received a question regarding the gluten content of our products. Until recently, I had no idea that cosmetics and personal grooming products could even contain gluten; I had always thought it was the ingredient du jour that yogis and the body conscious among us were trying to avoid. After researching the matter further, I realized that gluten is not only found in food products, but all sorts of cosmetic products. In fact, a medical study was released in October 2011 which reviewed products from the top 10 cosmetics brands in the United States, and of these 10 only 2 offered detailed ingredient information. Not one of them offered gluten free products.

Let’s start with answering the question of what gluten even is. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barely. That may seem specific enough, but gluten can be found in products as varied as sausages, toothpaste, salad dressing and some lipsticks. For most of us this is not an issue, but for at least 1 in 100 of us (and the number is rising) this creates a real health concern. Some people have a gluten sensitivity known as Celiac disease,  a condition in which the body’s immune system treats this protein like an invader, damaging the small intestine. This can cause abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, even malnutrition.  Not cute.

Now back to the original question, do Malin+Goetz products contain gluten? The simple answer to this question, is no. However, I know a simple no will not satisfy all of you, and some will dissect the ingredient list, so for the sake of full disclosure, some of our products contain (gluten free) wheat germ oil and an oat derivative; these products are the Sage Styling Cream, Replenishing Face Cream and Vitamin B5 Hand Treatment. If you are concerned by this, please check with your doctor.

On another note, questions like these are great, as they don’t just educate you the consumer, but also provide an opportunity for me to further educate myself.  Feel free to ask away!

Brian Lynch,  National Training Manager

When you’re rushing to get the perfect present under the tree, or even just placing an order for over-night delivery because you’re out of Acne Treatment, it’s easy to forget that there are people helping you make this magic happen. Originally, our shipping team consisted of Matthew and Andrew shipping every order themselves from the back of our flagship store in Chelsea. As we’ve grown, they’ve relinquished these duties to our in-house shipping team who work dutifully (and hilariously) everyday to ensure that you get your favorite Malin+Goetz products. We thought we’d introduce you to the people coordinating the prompt delivery of your orders.

Chris is the manager of our shipping department, and is in charge of the daily operations of the shipping team. He has been a part of the Malin+Goetz team for two years. You can find him turning the radio dial to the classic rock station of his choice.  He lives in the Greenpoint area of Brooklyn with his fiancée Anna and his rabbit Bernie. Off duty he also illustrates a comic strip!

Supporting Malin+Goetz’ shipping needs requires a person to wear many hats, and wear them well. Fortunately we have Tre, the shipping department’s thespian, and jack of all trades. Occasionally, we catch him singing along to the radio while fastidiously picking out samples for customers to try. Off the clock he is a an actor who has performed in a variety of Off-Broadway productions including Hamlet.

Freddy is the latest addition to our shipping team, and the only life long New Yorker of the bunch. He was born and raised in Chelsea and has seen the neighborhood through its many changes. Even now, he lives in Chelsea with his wife and two children. We are thrilled to have him join Malin+Goetz!

Freddy, Tre, and Chris

We asked them to look tough for this photo. I think they succeeded.

Thanks gentlemen for all of your hard work. We are lucky to have you.

Sara Blanco, Digital Marketing Manager