Pretty is as pretty does. So when it comes to skincare, why not choose a company that's pretty through and through? From green packaging to all-natural and organic products to a charitable mission and a commitment to fostering an eco-friendly lifestyle for all, Bambola Beauty is simply gorgeous, inside and out. Here, we talk to Bambola Beauty founder Faith Zelenko about her burgeoning beauty business, why all-natural was a natural choice for her, which products she cannot live without and why she's determined to help save the Earth, one skincare product at at time.   THE FAMILY GROOVE: What inspired you to start Bambola Beauty? Faith Zelenko: I was always’ obsessed with beauty products even at an early age. When I was 18 I attended beauty school. Many years later I had the love for aromatherapy and essential oils which lead to a regiment of using natural skincare products. I worked for a cosmetic manufacturing company, was a retail beauty consultant and most recently worked with a QVC beauty maven. Aparently my passion was passed down to her only daughter, Kristine, who would graduate college and enter the world of beauty by landing a job at one of the largest cosmetic companies in the world. Together with our has combined years of unique experience we are fulfilling a lifelong dream. Our dream has resulted in the launch of Bambola Beauty, which combines a “strategy of blending natural and botanical elements with science to create a full line of natural skincare products for every skin type.” We worked tirelessly with a team of chemists and skin care professionals to develop exclusive formulas that offer results. TFG: What does bambola mean and why did you choose it for your name?  FZ: My husband has called her his “doll face” since they first met and Kristine was his “little doll face”. Bambola in Italian means doll. It was only “natural” to name the line Bambola. TFG: Why is using natural skincare products so important? FZ: Eliminating chemicals from your regiment is a commitment to feeling and being healthier. TFG: You have an extensive line of all-natural premium skincare, made from food-based ingredients, botanicals and minerals. What are some of your favorite products?  FZ: That is such a tough question because I have a full regiment that I wouldn’t want to miss out on any of it. My husband constantly complains because he says that I’m obsessed with “everything”. But for the basics: Cleanse: My favorite is the Acai Anti-Oxidant Cleanser. It removes all of my makeup, is creamy and smells like creamsickles; Moisturize: Our CoEnzyme Repair Crème does everything I need it too—especially diminish those fine lines; Exfoliate: Glycolic Sugar Cane Exfoliant. You only need it a couple of times a week and you apply a thin layer before bed and it goes to work while you sleep. You wake up and your skin looks radiant. Okay, the exfoliant is my ultimate fave.   TFG: As a green business, you walk your talk in a number of ways, from creating products that promote an eco-friendly, healthy lifestyle to contributing a percentage of profit to the Save the Earth Foundation. Why did you choose that particular organization to support? A few reasons, first we wanted to support an organization that we were confident that the funds actually were at work to getting results, not organization administration costs. Next, I felt pretty strongly about the education aspect and the impact of the research that was being done by the Save the Earth Foundation. They spend considerable dollars partnering with the University of Washington in Seattle, where my daughter now lives and is involved in several charitable groups. TFG: What is your proudest moment as a business owner? FZ: The day we flipped the switch for our website and got our first order. Kristine and I were on the phone just crying, saying “we did it!” TFG: What exciting things are on the horizon? FZ: We are working on the launch of our latest product a Calming Serum due to come out later this summer. It’s for those with sensitive skin or suffer from rosacea. It contains natural–derived panthothenic acid, from mushrooms, along with restorative grapeseed. For more from Bambola Beauty, go to www.bambolabeauty.com.    

"The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it." —Thucydides We honor the memory of the American men and women who died in our nation's service, giving their lives to protect we the people.    

Woo-hoo! (The unofficial start of) Summer is here—finally! Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Do not head to the big box chains for your darling daughter's swimwear or your own until you see what Girls4Sport's got in store for the season. Fashionable, full-coverage, UPF 50+, mix-and-match, these versatile swimwear separates suit an active lifestyle for the on-the-go mom and the sporty girl-in-the-world who wants to look hip, fresh and modern sans being gratuitously sexy (bordering on inappropriate). “We want women to feel comfortable going to beach or pool and jumping into the water—whether it’s to surf or swim or just splash around,” says Kim Ruby, president of Girls4Sport.  “Our mix-and-match swim separates offer a variety of cuts so women can find the swimwear coverage that’s right for them.” Top Tops More modest styles include tankinis in halter, tank, short sleeve, half-sleeve and sleeveless options for women and girls. Those seeking full coverage, can opt for long sleeve tops that protect from neck to wrist. For the women, the swim tops, made from a nylon/spandex fabric blend with a maximum sun protection factor of UPF 50+, include a built-in shelf bra and extra length in the torso to keep them from riding up. The Bottom of It  Coordinating swim bottoms for women and girls range from boy briefs to full shorts. The active lifestyle  design house also offers a loose-fitting ankle-length sports pant and extra-long board shorts, along with knee-length beach skirts. Enjoying the spoils of summer shouldn't be fun, easy and carefree—and so should the clothes you wear. Girls4Sport.net is offering TFG readers 15% off with code GROOVY15.

Pandas and iguanas and Bengal tigers, oh my! The high-quality, well-made and oh-so realistic-looking stuffed animals at This Place is a Zoo stand out amidst a sea of blah. Here, we talk to Kirk Larsen about his awesome site (you will love how the animals are portrayed) that includes over 1300 different items, which animals are king of the jungle when it comes to popularity and how his zoo has gone global.   THE FAMILY GROOVE: What inspired you to start your business? Kirk Larsen: For most of my life I worked a regular full time job. I had always had the bug to have my own business and over the years had tried several things but nothing ever panned out. Then in the late 90's, when the computer revolution was taking over, I thought trying an internet  business would be the idea way to start a business. I went to the Seattle gift show to try to get some ideas and ran across a company that made beautiful and high quality stuffed animals. Since I had wanted to be a wild animal catcher when I was a kid, this was the perfect fit. I started very small and gradually built the business up to now having over 1300 different items. TFG: What makes your stuffed plush animals stand out? KL: My niche is realistic stuffed animals. I am adding a few whimsical items now but my main focus is on quality items that are realistic looking. I try to carry a full line of animals and I have one of the most complete selections available on one site. There are very few animal species that I do not have. TFG: You feature a huge selection of plush animals (large, jungle, exotic, North America, farm, domestic, marine and more). Which ones are the most popular? KL: It is hard to say what category is the most popular because they all have their moments, but the marine section is very popular. This could be due to the fact that I have probably the best marine animal selection available anywhere. Other single animals that have been very popular are the sloth, platypus, kangaroo and wolf. TFG: I love that you display the stuffed animals in a natural setting. They almost look real! You can tell that you have a passion for what you do. Which ones are your favorites? KL: I take the pictures of the animals myself, mostly in my own backyard. When I get a lot of new marine animals I will take a trip to the beach and take pictures there. My favorites are some of the whales and dolphins where I have caught some wave action just behind the picture. I also like the penguins in the snow. It does not snow here very often so getting those pictures with a snow setting was very nice. Some of the birds in trees are also my favorites, like the kookaburra. TFG: What is your proudest moment as a business owner? KL: I think the first proud moment as a business owner was getting my first online order. Then it was when I first realized that the business was going to survive and actually do well. Another proud moment was when the Hansa rep told me that no matter where he goes people everywhere, including foreign countries, tell him that they saw his products on This Place is a Zoo website. He said I was getting famous. That was rewarding! TFG: What exciting things are on the horizon? KL: This year we are going to be upgrading the website to newer format. It will give me more hands on access to updating the site. It will also allow for more features and specials. We are also looking into starting a Facebook page this year which will help us stay in better touch with our customers. For more from This Place is a Zoo, go to www.thisplaceisazoo.com. Get 10% off with the code TheFamilyGroove.  

Know someone who's always on the prowl for the cat's meow? Send 'em over to Cat Alley for the latest in artisan-crafted cat-themed and cat-inspired home decor and gifts. Here, we talk to Cat Alley owner Gail Rossi about her purr-fect site that's sure to strike your cat fancy and about a certain section of it called, ahem, Dog Lane for those of you who—doggone it!— know that puppy love is really where it's at. THE FAMILY GROOVE: What inspired you to start Cat Alley? Gail Rossi: I was a property manager in New Jersey when the idea of CAT ALLEY was born. On vacation in a small town in the deep south, I wandered into a tiny hole-in-the-wall shop that featured nothing but cat themed items, and thought: I could do this! I befriended the owner and assured her I would never open a similar store within 200 miles, and she became my mentor. I began by renting a small space in a mall in Paramus, NJ, and attending trade shows. I bought fixtures, inventory and a cash register, and was up and running in July of 1993. One year later I moved myself, my cat Sagami and my store to La Jolla, CA, and started a website. We are now online only. TFG: You also have a section on the site called Dog Lane. People are usually either cat people or dog people. What are you? GR: I love all dogs and cats (and horses, rabbits, etc.), but have always been "owned by" cats, since the age of 4, so I'd have to say I am predominantly a "cat person"! TFG: You also recently launched Animal Town USA, a site that features animal-themed/inspired gifts, housewares and artisan creations. The items are really special and unique. How do you find them? I already had a stable of wonderful artists and suppliers who offer wholesalers an array of cat/dog themed items, so I opened the door to their other critter creation as well. Sometimes artisans find me, and I also discover talent at trade shows and on a wholesale online website that offers a plethera of fabulous options to specialty retailers. TFG: Can you share with us a favorite gift or two? GR: Some favorite gifts are Cranky Cat prints by Cindy Schmidt, as well as the Buddha Cat collection in a array of beautiful colors by Gary Steinborn. Funny cat and dog doormats by High Cotton and clocks by Michelle Allen of Allen Designs are other popular items that have remained popular through the years. TFG: What is your proudest moment as a business owner? GR: My proudest moments occur every time a customer takes a moment to email and tell me how happy they are, or how much the recipient of a gift purchased from my store enjoyed it! TFG: What's new for the season? GR: We are adding new goodies all the time. Check out the fabulous rainbow colored ceramic collection by J. Stiles, including an all-new heart shaped box in feline motif, and the to-live-for custom cat jewelry by D. Estrin, featuring actual photos of customers' pets! Another cool custom gift item is the wonderful PhotoSilk optical lens cleaning cloth of soft, smooth microfiber, featuring gorgeous full-color images or even an actual reproduction of your fur, feathered or otherwise fabulous friend(s)! For more cat-tastic items, go to www.CatAlley.net.