NCS Fall Craft Fair 2021!

November 1, 2021 7:22 PM

Come see me and other wonderful local artists and crafters at the Northwest Christian School Fall Craft Fair on Saturday, November 20th, 2021 in Barn 6 at the Sussex County Fairgrounds, located at 37 Plains Road, Augusta, NJ 07822.

Northwest Christian School Fall Craft Fair 2021

A Moving Fundraiser!

May 20, 2018 3:38 PM

We are going to be moving out of Brooklyn at the end of June, and we are putting a short hold on making and restocking products until we settle into our new location.

This is a great chance to stock up on your favorite By Ceci products because we will be matching a portion of all our sales from now until the end of June to help our sister, Rachel, and her friend, Brianna, fund a trip to the NATUWA Wildlife Sanctuary in Costa Rica! To help out, simply place an order, and leave the rest to us!

NATUWA Wildlife Sanctuary Logo

Handmade Magazine Interview!

November 19, 2017 6:34 PM

There are so many wonderful things happening to By Ceci lately that make my little business heart beat a bit faster. It has been very important for us from the very beginning to let By Ceci grow slowly and organically to ensure that it would not implode. We always only invested the company’s profits back to the company to ensure that By Ceci wouldn’t be a burden on our personal finances. So we tagged along slowly but steadily and we are very proud on how far we came in the 4 years since By Ceci started. Especially the growth since last August when we finally launched our website and ventured outside our friends and family circle was very exciting and also a somewhat scary adventure. We knew our trusted customer base believed in our products but getting out of our comfort zone and offering our line to strangers can be very daunting at first. I have always been more of an artist and creator and less of a sales person so growing in that arena has been quite challenging but came with great reward. It is quite fascinating seeing the response of our beloved products out there in the open market.

In the last month we then got some great opportunities in creating custom orders and in cooperating with other local companies and I cannot wait to tell you about it.

Today's post, though, is about another awesome thing that happened to By Ceci. We were featured in the November issue of Handmade Magazine! Handmade Magazine is "the leading monthly print magazine, inspiring handmade soap making cosmetic artisans." and we were featured in their Artisan Spotlight!

Click here to check it out!

Handmade Magazine November 2017 Cover

Beer Soap!

November 4, 2017 2:22 PM

Soooo, my husband works for this awesome company called The Bosco. They create state of the art photo installations and unique brand experiences. If you have been to a company party in the last few years, the odds are good that you've seen one of The Bosco’s GIF booths. And seriously they are just so much fun!

The Bosco GIF
The Bosco Lite

They recently had some beer from the Bronx Brewery from such a party left over, and even though I had no doubt they would be more than capable of finishing it up soon enough, I thought it wouldn't hurt to snatch a few cans and make some beer soap exclusively for The Bosco employees. And, as hip as only such a company can be, they were on board right away!

So here we go, we made some deliciously creamy Bronx Spring Pale Ale Beer Soap according to the beer's description:

"A blend of black and chamomile teas brewed to perfect balance with 2 row barley malts and a refreshing lemongrass and pine hop bitterness."
Bronx Brewery Spring Pale Ale
Bronx Spring Pale Ale Soap

We made our lye solution with the Bronx Spring Pale Ale and infused it with some chamomile and black tea to give the tea notes some extra kick. To stay true to the identity of the beer itself, we made a wonderful crisp blend of Siberian Fir Needle and Lemongrass essential oils and tempered it with some Cedar Wood and Amyris to add some earthiness and to give the soap a balanced experience. Since pale ales usually have a citrusy flavor, we threw in some Pink Grapefruit as well.

I wanted The Bosco employees to feel extra special for giving me this great opportunity to play around with some beer in my little chemist kitchen and the pleasure to know my husband will work with clean coworkers, so I decided to make them some personalized packaging. I kept it simple and natural following our By Ceci beliefs while making space for The Bosco's image.

The Bosco/Bronx Brewery Spring Pale Ale Soap

Baby Shower!

November 3, 2017 1:05 PM

We really love making custom orders. Helping making your day memorable and providing your guests with a little gift that reflects your heart is what we strive for. This particular custom order was especially precious to us since it was for our very own baby shower!

Baby Shower Parents
Baby Shower Balloons

It was such a wonderful day we shared with our family and dear ones. It is truly amazing to know that all these people will be part of Zeida's life, and we are very grateful for it. The little favors we made for this occasion were just a little token but represent one of my favorite things in life: Gifting people I care about something made with my own hands and filled with the love and appreciation I feel for them. That is what makes them special. It is not merely a bar of soap; every single bar I make is filled with devotion and creativity.

Baby Shower Soap Favors
Baby Shower Gifts

For this special occasion I made little half bars of my whole By Ceci soap selection because I know how diverse the tastes run in our family. Most of my scent variations came to life for exactly that reason. To make the little favors extra personal I bought little wooden tags, and I burned a Z for Zeida into each one of them by hand. They look so cute and so exquisitely handmade!

Thank you so much for making this day so special for us and for your generosity towards our little serene bean!

Fall! The best season of all!

October 10, 2017 10:11 PM

...at least for me that is. This Fall is giving us a very slow start with summer still clinging on, but I am sure we can soon enjoy strolls among colorful leaves with a cozy scarf wrapped around us, sipping our favorite pumpkin spice drink. And then it's time for apple pie, apple cider doughnuts, pumpkin pie, chestnuts, and more! Who wouldn't love this time of the year? October especially has always been my favorite month, and this year especially has got me super excited for October! Our little baby girl is due any day now, and we just cannot wait to meet her!

As Anne (with an e) of Green Gables very fittingly puts it:

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn't it?"

So, while you are sipping your pumpkin spice coffee, eating pie, and enjoying this wonderful Fall, we have some great seasonal products for you for making your Autumn experience complete!

Our Fall picks for you!

Pumpkin Spice Soap
PUMPKIN SPICE

Embrace Fall with all things Pumpkin Spice, including this seasonal soap!

Huntsman Soap
HUNTSMAN

Join the hunt with the invigorating scent of Star Anise and Peppermint!

Cedar Wood Soap
CEDAR WOOD

Get cozy with the warm and comforting scent of Cedar Wood. Perfect for those brisk Fall days!

Patchouli Clove Soap
PATCHOULI CLOVE

Become one with nature through the musky aroma of patchouli and spicy clove.

Baby it's Cold Outside!

December 12, 2016 11:13 PM

Keep yourself warm this winter! We have exactly the right stuff for the season!

Introducing Bath Teas!

Days are getting shorter, colder, and darker. Lighten up your evening with a hot revitalizing bath, and soak in the wonderful aroma that winter time brings with it. Embrace the season with its wonderful treats! We all know no one would take hot bath in the depths of summer!

Our bath teas are very versatile. Use them as a compress on your temples, on tired eyelids, neck or other pulse points. They also make great herbal washcloths, you can even include some grated soap. Empty and rinse cotton bag and allow to dry in between uses.

Shop Bath Teas

Bath Teas

Introducing Bath Salts!

Our bath salts are perfect for enjoying the ultimate aroma bath experience. Add some scoops and relax your tired muscles in this calming and soothing bath.

Our blend of dead sea, epsom, and pink himalayan salts will give you the needed mineral boost and make you feel alive again. Milk and oats have been added for a truly royal treatment, garnished with a blend of flowers to nurture your soul. Cherish yourself and make this your comforting routine.

Shop Bath Salts

Bath Salts

Introducing Patchouli Clove!

We have a new soap! Our Patchouli Clove is like being wrapped in a warm and cozy embrace by Mother Earth herself. The musky and full-bodied aroma of patchouli finds a perfect harmony with the tempered and spicy notes of clove. A hint of peppermint adds an uplifting and energizing touch and makes this the perfect bar to awaken the inner hippie that is slumbering in each of us.

Shop Soaps

Patchouli Clove Soap

If you still need some little presents or some stocking stuffers we've got you covered!

Merry Christmas

Follow us on Instagram to see what the New Year has in store for By Ceci

Ho, Ho, Ho!

December 10, 2016 5:50 PM

Celebrate this holiday season with beachy cheer while discovering beautifully crafted unique gifts from some of the most talented local artisans and makers, and enjoy a day full of FREE fun activities, food, mojitos, mulled wine, and seasonal craft beer in the historic Greenpoint Loft!

Come see me and other wonderful local artists and crafters at the Greenpointers Holiday Market!

Featured in Bedford and Bowery and Gothamist.

Greenpointers Holiday Market 2016

'Tis the Season!

December 4, 2016 5:05 PM

It’s that time of the year again, and Christmas shopping is hopping! Right in time for the cold season, By Ceci is introducing two new lines to our all natural products.

Lip Balms are back!

We made them extra big this time (0.40 oz) so you can smile year round. We are so proud to announce that they come in 100% recyclable kraft paperboard tubes which are renewable, biodegradable, and recyclable and a great eco-friendly alternative to tubes made from petroleum-based plastics.

Shop Lip Balms

Lip Balms

Body Oils!

Our skin-loving blend of apricot kernel, sweet almond, and avocado oils is readily absorbed leaving you feeling soft and silky. It is a splendid addition to your daily body care routine as it perfectly replaces any body lotion. A few drops added to a hot bath will help you unwind from the constant hectic modern life.

Shop Body Oils

Body Oils

Soaps, Soaps, Soaps!

And of course we still have soaps! Check out our winter collection of Huntsman, Siberian Fir, Mulled Wine, Spearmint Orange, Pumpkin Spice, and Winter Frost as well as our all time favorites!

Shop Soaps

Soaps

We wish you all a wonderful Christmas holiday and a happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

Follow us on Instagram to see what the New Year has in store for By Ceci

Website Release

August 21, 2016 3:51 PM

THE DAY HAS FINALLY COME!

THE ALL NEW BY CECI WEBSITE RELEASE IS UPON US!!

First of all a big thank you for all your support, patience, and enthusiasm that you have been pouring over me and my little enterprise in the last years, months, and days. It was a big adventure, and like all endeavors, it had its ups and downs, but as you follow the path straightforward with all the bends and curves it brings with it, you will surely see the end of it and reach your goal. That is how I have been pursuing this walk, and I am so happy to have reached this important milestone. First, being officially a business owner, and now releasing a real website. This is very very exciting, and I wouldn't have come this far without having all of you supporting me and most of all liking my products!

I must say it wasn't easy at all trying to come up with a design that satisfied me on a esthetic level as well as incorporate functionality and user experience. With a lot of trial and error, discarded designs (seriously a lot of lousy attempts and really ugly templates) and a lot of wise input of my beloved slave programmer and husband, we now proudly present our results with the release of byceci.com 2.0.

Oh Happy Day Bitmoji
Team Awesome Bitmoji

Like every good project it is and always will be a work in progress with many more features and releases to come, but now we are happy and excited of all the features this version brings. With this new website you now can pay online with credit cards, and our wonderful products are displayed with beautiful pictures, descriptions, and ingredient lists to help you choose. You can also create an account that allows you to sign in for faster checkout and enables you to save address and payment information as well as review your order history.

We now also accept coupons, and is there a better way to celebrate a website release than offering you a 10% off coupon to thank you and introduce you to the all new byceci.com? We didn't think so either, so enter SITERELEASE10 at the order review page during check out to save and celebrate with us! (This coupon will expire on Labor Day, Monday, September 5th at 11:59 pm)

This is also the time to finally announce our

SOAP NAMING CONTEST WINNER!

We have selected our winner from all the wonderful entries. Thank you to Barb Ulrich from Wappingers Falls, NY for your wonderful suggestion! We felt that your name really embodied what we were trying to create with this unique essential oil blend. It also inspired us to give this special soap a really poetic description on our website:

Midnight Forest Soap

MIDNIGHT FOREST

This unique essential oil blend is reminiscent of a midnight walk in a dark forest when, after a warm sunny day, the world goes to sleep, and only the brave and adventurous venture into the depths of the woods to discover the secret and forgotten beauty that lies within.


We are really excited about this vast participation and the opportunity to reward the winner with a $20 off coupon for purchases on byceci.com.
This whole experience was such a success that we will surely hold a Soap Naming Contest again in the future.

Thank you all again for your enthusiasm and support!!

#HuddyEverAfter

August 14, 2016 7:11 PM

Like many of you know I am sometimes new to American customs. This year I had the chance and pleasure to be involved in two new-to-me experiences: being a bridesmaid, and wedding favors. "Bridesmaiding" was truly a new adventure with all the ups and downs that come with big endeavors, and it was exciting to be part of such a big day and all the organization that comes with it. And the best part of it? At the end of the day I got to add a new sister to my family. Those who truly know me know that I value siblings as high as not many other things in the world, with exception of maybe Nutella. Ha! No seriously folks, I have now 13 (!) siblings, and I cannot wait till the future will bring more through marriage. Believe it or not, 9 of the 13 are still unmarried!! At the end we will be a whole horde, and family reunions will be just so much more fun!! I seriously can't wait. I am a truly blessed girl!

Jess and Ryan on the dancefloor
Ryan kissing Jess

Now to wedding favors, because we all also know that I am not writing a blog just for pleasure (yeah, I do really not enjoy writing). I had the pleasure to provide the favors to this wonderful wedding. This part I enjoyed particularly, and that for many reasons. I cannot even explain how gratifying it is to supply my soap to folks who really enjoy my products, and having the opportunity to introduce By Ceci to their friends and family is almost overwhelming. It was also so fun to customize my soap design, wrapping paper, and labels to the wishes and visions of the couple. I really wanted to make these soaps their own and make this a special memory of their significant day.

Custom wedding soap

It really sparks my creativity. The scents of choice were Lavender Rosemary and Lemongrass. I really hope the guests will enjoy them! The wrapping design was printed on 100% recycled kraft paper and the tags were made from 1/8" Baltic Birch laser engraved and have a magnet on the back.

The ceremony had such a breathtaking view of the never-ending Catskill mountain range, and to design my soaps to resemble this scenery was great! For this I had the opportunity to learn the layering and gradient technique with activated charcoal. I think the soaps are just stunning.

Catskill mountains
Mountain soap design

I liked this technique so much that I incorporated it in my new Sea Salt Soap. This time, instead of using activated charcoal, I tried pure indigo powder to get a lighter and "bluer" shade to resemble the waves of the ocean. To stay in tune with the ocean theme I made an essential oil blend of Tea Tree, Anise Seed, Cedar Wood, Eucalyptus, Ho Wood, and Lime.
This blend is so fresh and sweet that I wish I were by the ocean right now! But hey, in just a few weeks it's: "Ocean Grove, here I come!!" The Sea Salt soap will be available in time for our new website release in hopefully just a couple of weeks! Till then, happy soaping everybody! And to Jess and Ryan, truly a #HuddyEverAfter!

Sea salt soap
#HuddyEverAfter

Ocean Grove and the Soap Naming Contest

June 7, 2016 10:13 AM

I hope you all had a great start in the summer. It looks like it is gonna be hot and fabulous. We started our summer season by heading down to the beautiful Ocean Grove. It is a idyllic little Christian town that is very close to our heart, and we are still very thankful to our friends that introduced us to it and invite us back there every year. We really love it there.

Ocrean Grove beach
Ocean Grove boardwalk

Like every year, besides good times with friends, the yearly flea market is the occasion. For that event, the Ocean Pride, which is suited right next to the market, has a yard sale (yes, it is waaaaay cheaper than a table at the market), and we are really blessed to be able to sell our By Ceci products there.

Soap table

This year, out of a sparkle of inspiration, we tried something new: In occasion of the release of a new soap next month we held a Soap Naming Contest where we asked market visitors to smell our new soap and suggest a name for it. It was so much fun seeing so many people engaged with the contest and our new product and most of all getting to talk to such wonderful individuals. I never had such a great time introducing By Ceci to an unknown audience. We collected numerous fantastic name suggestions and it will be challenging picking the winner next month.

Name this soap

It was so gratifying seeing so many people eager and excited to trigger their creativity and imagination, and it is so rewarding to see that my product with its scent and design can spark memories, engage people, and ultimately create a connection.

We are really excited about this large participation and the opportunity to reward the fortunate winner with a $20 coupon for byceci.com next month. This whole experience was such a success that I will surely hold a Soap Naming Contest again in the future. Thank you all for your enthusiasm and support!!

A Soapy New Year!

January 31, 2016 1:04 PM
Soaps

First of all a big THANK YOU!

Christmas sale was such a success and I found myself sold out of most of my soaps! Thank you all again!

2016 is finally here and I love setting goals and resolutions. Anyone who knows me knows that my list has no end but I cannot help it, there is so many things I want to do. My DGA Assistant Director Trainee application is out and soon the 3 selection rounds will start and prayers in that direction are always welcome.

But as high as my goals in the entertainment industry might be, "soaping" has won a big spot in my heart and in my future that I cannot help but having a long achievement list on the byceci horizon. One being writing about it like I am attempting right now. I want to keep you informed what is brewing in the byceci kitchen, what new product lines I want to try out and generally anything that makes my soaping heart beating faster.

There is so much I want to develop this year so that when I start thinking about possibilities I overrun myself with ideas and overwhelming real fast and I have to stop and take a breath. So that is why I decided that the first step in the new year should definitely be restocking on all the sold out soaps in my store and that is what I have been doing since beginning of the new year.

So far I made new batches of Lemon Vanilla, Lemongrass, Eucalyptus, Lavender Mint, Lemon Mint, and HEAR HEAR finally my supplier had LOOFAH back in stock and I got my Loofah order in yesterday.

New Soap Packaging
Lemon Mint Soap

First thing this morning I made a new batch and right now my beloved Rosemary Mint Loofah is sleeping in the mold ready to be cut in a few days. The new Batches of soap will soon be available. When exactly that will be you can check here.

After replenishing my stock I want to venture into new scents and type of soaps. What I have in mind? Bars of soap like milk and honey, milk and coffee, Aloe vera soap, Hibiscus flower, and, and, and. I want also try out new styles of soap like liquid soap.

And then I would like to venture into Lip Balms, Bath Oils, Massage Oils, Bath Bombs, Conditioner, Deodorants, Candles and and and. Like you see the possibilities are limitless.

Other plans for this year include of course finishing up the website ( a real professional one, with credit card checkout, blog portion, item description etc.. made by Christopher himself), founding an LLC, taking professional product pictures (I work in the entertainment industry for a reason, right?) designing more beautiful wrapping papers, and including party favors with personalized wrapping as a services.

Before all of that happens I want to deepen my understanding, and for that I stocked on literature. I am planning on becoming a pro in this!

Soap Books

Like I mentioned before one of my priorities this year is keeping you informed of what is happening in the byceci kitchen and I want to develop a exchange of ideas and suggestions. I will try to write once a week and see how that works out. I will ask you about your opinions and ideas in for example naming and renaming soaps, new wrapping designs, new scents and soap types, and your product wish lists, and this is why I (by that I mean Christopher) will be adding a comment field to this side. So please stop by and say hello.

Thank you all again so much and happy soaping everyone

Cecilia