Ex*tracts: a hotbed of creativity: the 12th edition of this personal care trade show attracted 150 exhibitors and more than 2,000 buyers of personal care products. - Household & Personal Products Industry

THE 12TH EDITION of Ex*Tracts, held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, Oct. 11-14, showcased some 150 exhibitors for an overall combined market attendance of 6,500, including 2000 dedicated personal care buyers. Not confined to personal care and aromatherapy lines (although strong in those categories), the show also provided a venue for color cosmetics, natural and organic therapies, and fragrance products for both personal and home use.

'The fall market reinforced Ex*Tracts' position as the innovative hotbed for personal care products,' said Elizabeth Murphy, show manager. 'By supporting the entrepreneurial spirit, the show nurtures the creativity, which is the very lifeblood of the booming personal care industry.'

Ex*Tracts has become a prime staging ground for new lines of cosmetics, fragrance and personal care lines. Each year, all Ex*Tracts exhibitors are invited to enter an innovative product for the Product Display. Those products are then judged by a group of trade magazine editors. The winners and finalists for the Best Product awards are an indication of the diversity the show now draws. The winners and finalists are:

* Best Overall Product: Lather (Pasadena, CA), all natural personal care line;

* Finalists: Original Bombshell, LLC and Fruits & Passion and

* Most Creative Booth: Original Bombshell, LLC (New York, NY).

The Altruistic Angle in Abundance

The latest trend to show up at Ex*Tracts, the semi-annual trade show for personal care and lifestyle-enhancing products was altruism.

PeaceKeeper is the brainchild of Jody R. Weiss, founder; who explained, 'The goal of PeaceKeeper is to raise money for women's health advocacy and human rights issues by donating all profits, after taxes from the sales of the company's beauty and food products to targeted organizations.'

The PeaceKeeper color cosmetic line includes lipstick, lip gloss and nail lacquer. Described as 'the ultimate in dual-purpose cosmetics,' PeaceKeeper proposes to 'instill women with the power to help others as they help themselves.'

The 12 Lip Paint colors, with names such as Paint Me Empowered, Paint Me Open Minded and Paint Me Healthy, includes vitamins C and E to help moisturize and protect lips. The Nail Paint promises to be toluene- and formaldehyde-free in 10 shades with names such as Paint Me Heroic and Paint Me Generous. The PeaceKeeper lip gloss is available in eight shades. The products are available at Henri Bendel, Apothia at Fred Segal and Nordstrom in Paramus, NJ.

Finding a Good Cause

Green Daisy Inc., the Grand Rapids, MI-based manufacturer of Wuvit, a patent-pending therapeutic pillow that can be microwaved for hours of moist heat or frozen for icy relief, is launching a new Pink Ribbon fabric design Wuvit called Faith, Hope, Love to benefit breast cancer research. Green Daisy is donating a portion of the proceeds of all sales of the Pink Ribbon Wuvit to the Faith, Hope & Love Fund to benefit charities supporting breast cancer research. The Faith, Hope, Love fabric and product launched at Ex*Tracts.

'This just fits our philosophy,' said Kim Lavine, president of Green Daisy, 'who doesn't know somebody touched by breast cancer? We have to find a cure for this in our lifetime.'

Green Daisy's Wuvits are available at a range of outlets, including spas, home decorating stores, fine gift stores and hospital gift shops.

The 13th semi-annual edition of Ex*Tracts will once again take place at the Jacob Javits Center in New York from March 28-31, 2003.

More info: For exhibitors, George Little Management LLC, 10 Bank St., White Plains, NY 10606-1954. Fax: (914) 948-6180. For attendees: (800) 272-SHOW or (914) 421-3206. Website: www.extractsny.com.