Someone needs to tell Caitlin Brotz that she could get a lot more than $12 for the anti-aging face serum she developed from pomegranate, blackberry and carrot seed oil.
After all, the big guns -- the Lancomes, the Crème de la Mers and the La Prairies -- charge up to hundreds of dollars per ounce for their anti-wrinkle creams.
"I always have to chuckle at their prices," says the 30 year-old creator of Olivu 426, an all-natural beauty products business she runs from a small storefront in Sheboygan, Wis. "I know exactly what goes into their products and the mark-up is insane. And I know we could get a lot more for our products, but I chose not to go that route."
But don't let the meager price tag fool you.
"The reason our anti-aging products make up a good 30 percent of our business is because they work," Brotz says. "We make everything fresh daily and use nothing but all-natural products."
One of her most ardent fans, a 50-something teacher, decided to pit Olivu's Night-Time Repairing Serum against a popular Lancome product. For a month, she applied Olivu 426 to the left side of her face and Lancome to the right.
"She appointed her husband as judge," Brotz says. "Not only did our product win hand's down, but her husband was so impressed, he now uses our products, too."
Men in Sheboygan, she says, don't normally like to admit they use "product," but thanks to the influence of Brotz's newly-minted husband, a semi-professional football player who uses Olivu 426 to control acne caused from sweating in his football helmet, they're starting to embrace the more than 120 products offered by Olivu 426.
Indeed, it was a male athlete who inspired Brotz to start making all-natural products in the first place. When she was 22, her then-boyfriend, a semi-professional snowmobile racer, was building a track out of wood chips. When it accidentally caught on fire, he was burned on 60 percent of his body and life-flighted to Milwaukee. Because his body (and the resulting skin grafts) could no longer tolerate lotion with alcohol, Caitlin started researching all-natural products with healing properties.
The 426 in the business name, in fact, was Adam's snowmobile number.
The other unique feature of Olivu 426 is that customers to the tiny 700-square-foot storefront are invited to make their own products, start to finish.
Just like paint-your-own pottery that spread across the country a few years ago, Olivu lets amateurs create such products as avocado whip lotion, emu oil body wash and lavender hydrating face mist. Or they can make lip balms, sugar scrubs, lotions and even insect repellent. The hard part is choosing which of the 150 types of herbs, scents and essences to add to their potions.
"We have everything from tomato leaf (it smells like a juicy Tuscan tomato) and orange Satsuma to baby powder and Brazilian water lotus," she says. "But oatmeal milk and honey is probably still our most popular. It's great for people with sensitivities or allergies or for those who can't tolerate much of a scent."
As far as she knows, Olivu is the only place in the world that offers customers that make-your-own option.
"Oh, there are places you can go and add your own scent, but our customers get to do it from start to finish right in our own test kitchen using the same blenders we use," she says.
Eventually, she'd like to franchise the make-your-own aspect that is highly-popular with the Wisconsin bachelorette party set.
Right now, she's focusing on growing the Internet business that makes up a good third of her business.
"People visiting Sheboygan stumble into our store and get hooked, particularly on the anti-aging serums," she says, adding that she has regulars from across the country and as far away as Japan.
"I didn't even think about that when I put up the website," Brotz laughs now. "I hadn't stopped to consider overseas shipping."
All, I have to say, Caitlin, is you better get ready. Olivu 426 is going to be huge.
Olivü 426, 511 N 8th Street, Sheboygan, WI 53081, 920.783.0809
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.