Chocolate and skin care - a tasty mix. Sweet Beauty Spa owner Lisa Francoise united her two passions and opened her own manufacturing/retail store near University Village in April, branching out from her once-cramped, home-operated business.
The narrow, brown building at 2809 N.E. 55th St. is not in a bustling retail area, but that's OK for Francoise, who currently operates a majority of her business wholesale, with hours "Tuesday through Saturday by appointment or by chance."
She is often working in the shop's manufacturing space below but always welcomes walk-ins or appointments who are looking to try one of her gourmet products.
CHOCOLATE FOR THE BODY, SENSES, SOUL
Inside, organic, fair-trade chocolate bars from the Fremont-based chocolate company Theo and other unique manufacturers mingle with her various lines of fair trade, organic skin care, including moisturizing hand and body soaps, body scrubs and five different lip balms made with Theo chocolate.
Francoise plans to eventually create a fruit and vegetable line and set up a spa area in the back of the space for chocolate waxings, facials and more.
"Most people are excited just because the products look and smell so much like food. But before they even try them, the most exciting thing is that chocolate is the first or second ingredient. They're made with organic, fair-trade certified chocolate, but also they can get their chocolate fix without any calories," Francoise said.
"I like the way her products make me feel," commented longtime customer Jane Gregg, who loves chocolate, but was doubtful at first to the benefits of chocolate skin care.
The store's slogan is "Chocolate for the Body, Senses and Soul" because the chocolate creates more of a sensory experience, while the other ingredients do the heavy-duty work for the skin, Francoise said.
"I really thought that the beauty industry was getting a little too technical - 'laser this, exfoliate this, wear this kind of makeup' and what not," she explained. "It was like, 'well, wait a second, you're just pointing out all of the things that are wrong with me. I just want to feel good for the day.'
"And so my products are simple: They moisturize, they hydrate, they heal and the chocolate puts you in a real good mood. And you will feel good. You can feel the benefits for the whole day, and [with] some of the products like the milk bath, your skin feels great for a couple of days, which is realistic," she said.
HEALTHY CHOCOLATE, BUT NOT TO EAT
It's surprising for Francoise to now be a business owner and manufacturer of gourmet spa products. The business began out of her home and merged many of her interests and work experience. A licensed aestheti-cian, she began working in skin care in 1992 but also managed restaurants and cut hair.
In 2000, she first learned to make her own chocolates to create a unique Valentine gift for her boyfriend at the time (now husband). Chocolate has more than 500 different chemical compounds, according to Francoise, which create that almost-euphoric feeling that actually helps to fight cavities, along with antioxidants.
She initially pursued healthy edible chocolate recipes and wrote a thesis for her CIDESCO cosmetology certification regarding the benefits of chocolate. People were interested in her skin-care recipes, so she began selling her products wholesale to companies like Theo, and through word of mouth, business grew.
Francoise continues to rely on word of mouth to gain exposure. Most of her business is through wholesale, but she is excited at the possibilities. "Everybody is welcome in here, and I'm open to all sorts of ideas.... I want skin care to be simple and to make you feel good. If time shows that we need it, I'll have definite hours, but I just really wanted this cool place for women," she said.
The Sweet Beauty Spa will have its official opening on Thursday, May 17; call 729-7546 for details.[[In-content Ad]]
