Great drama here at our bucolic HQ this week. I arrived on Monday to find a fire engine, firemen and various employees of the businesses based here turfing cardboard boxes into the courtyard while smoke poured out of the roof of one of the units.
The farm owners were looking on with ashen (no pun intended) faces, clearly concerned that not only was one unit going to go up in flames but that the rest would follow.
Not wishing to get in the way but desperate to know what was happening (and to ascertain whether Queen was in any danger and I whether I should therefore stop gawping and start heading across the fields with vats of lipstick, moisturisers and cleansers), I asked as casually at possible what had happened.
"Boxes piled too high and caught fire from a light bulb," was the reply from the owner's son as he dashed past with a fire extinguisher.
Once the 'blaze' was under control and people started to gossip, we found out that it was The Tiny Box Company whose boxes (of boxes - are you with me?) had been set alight, packed as they were up to the ceiling in a far too tiny space. Fortunately, they didn't lose too much stock but the farm is now dotted with piles of boxes airing in the sunshine.
The rest of the week has been rather less dramatic. We have been busy perfecting formulations of our new organic range which we hope to launch in a few months. It's been quite difficult to make the products without relying on the essential oils, essences and perfumes that most ranges use. We want to stick to our philosophy of using as few ingredients as possible and for making the products perfume and fragrance free. We think we now have a really lovely product and hope that it will be the answer for sensitive skins who prefer to use natural ingredients. I want to call it OrganiQ with a little crown over the Q like our main Queen logo but I need to do some research as the name is bound to be taken.
Elsewhere, compliments on Queen products continue to come in as our reputation spreads (I want to say 'like wildfire' but that seems a bit tactless). Says one lady:
"For some years a small patch of skin on my face near the hairline has been flaky and very rough, but with using your day cream Moisturiser, it has now healed and I have great hopes it will not return."
She ends: "Long may Queen exist!" A sentiment echoed by all of us here!
A lovely woman who bought some samples a few weeks ago came in to buy full sizes of Moisturiser, Light Night Cream, Medicated Cleansing Lotion and Non-Alcoholic Toning Lotion. She was full of praise: "I just love the products and can't believe how good my skin feels."
She was holding a lovely red handbag which I admired and which she said was from a new shop opened locally by a friend of hers. Of course, I thrust some brochures in her hand exhorting her to tell her friend how marvellous Queen products were and that she should stock them in her shop. Well, in these difficult economic times, one must take every opportunity to spread the word...
At the other end of the spectrum are people who keep writing to us requesting samples with no intention of buying or just sending us mad, rambling letters. We are happy to send free samples. We make this clear on our website - current free samples for your information are: Sensiderma Day Moisturiser and Light Night Cream and, if people telephone us, we are always pleased to discuss what products might be right for them and to send them samples free of charge. A letter scribbled on half of an old envelope arrived today in a familiar hand:
"I would like to try again free samples of Queen anti-wrinkle cream, Non Alcholic-Toning Lotion, Sensiderma Rich Hand Cream, Sensiderma Cold Cream and Eyelash Cream. I would like to try it. Please, please send send it to me please!"
I suppose at least this person is honest and says 'try again' and maybe she thinks we will be flattered by her interest. Sadly, we can't afford to send out what would amount to more than £10 worth of samples on a regular basis!
Well, we have to get the orders up to the post office so had better get on. No time to tell you about this week's John Bell & Croyden visit. There were no celebrities yet again so you're not missing too much.
Come back soon.
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