Direct Sales

Who hasn't received an invite to a direct sales party hosted by a friend and made up some excuse to not go? Yep, guilty. I have struggled with this in the past - the pressure to buy something that you don't need, or may be too expensive, or, you just aren't interested. Then factor in the "I want to support my friend but I don't want to buy anything" conflict.
As a crafter, many fairs I've been to and sold at have had a ton of direct sales, which, personally, I don't want to see at a craft fair. I go to see handmade, unique items, not mass-produced stuff.
As a handmade seller, I hate seeing some of these, not so much your Silpada-types (which are actually pretty cute), but more the Paparazzi ones. They're so hard to compete with. It's a case of "Come buy my enormous necklace for $5", vs my handmade earrings which start at $10. :(

But, I have come to learn, some of them are awesome. Does this mean I am likely to start selling any of these? Well, no, I've got enough on my hands with my glass work, but, I am a fan of some in particular.

Reasons I love some of these companies -

Women, particularly those with children in the US struggle on several levels to maintain any kind of career. Childcare provision is incredibly expensive, and with very long (too long) summer holidays and Christmas holidays, paying for that unless you are earning over $50,000 a year barely seems worth it. Then, factor in those that actually want to stay home with their children for at least some of the time and would prefer to work part-time - only part-time work availability is utter rubbish at best.
These companies can be a great opportunity for some of those women to both get out and meet people, make some money for themselves and their families and build something they can call their own. For military families, it can be a great idea, especially with the options for online shopping through a consultant that some of these companies now have - so, when you move, your friends can still order from you.

Anyway, here are some of my personal faves, and the best part is, I've linked my consultants to them, so, if you don't know anyone that sells these products, then you can try them via these guys!

Rodan and Fields
You know the two dermatologists who developed "Proactive"? Well, they sold off that enterprise and now have their own signature line, developed specifically for adults and their own particular skin challenges. They have solutions for aging, redness, sun damage and acne. I decided to give them a go after having been a Clinique and Estee Lauder customer for YEARS and honestly, being a little underwhelmed at the results I was getting. Whilst my skin is very sensitive to what I eat (who gets breakouts from a corn allergy - I do), it is not where I wanted it to be, nor were my current products providing that, so, I figured I would change things up. Rodan and Fields is not cheap. The products cost a similar amount to other premium brands, but, here's just one thing I like - I would rather put some profit into my friend's pocket than into the owners and shareholders of Macy's. So far I am noticing definite improvements in the evenness of my skin tone and in the appearance of fine lines. More importantly - I haven't seen ANY bad things, which is often a barrier to trying new products for me.
If you'd like to give them a go, contact Melissa via her page!

Pampered Chef
I LOVE a Pampered Chef party. I remember a friend of mine being gobsmacked when I agreed to come along to one with her many years ago. I do actually enjoy cooking and I love gadgets. So, combine cooking with gadgets that actually work and are great quality and you have Pampered Chef. The parties often have food, because what better way to show off cooking products and there is something for everyone at all price points. Love their stuff.
Anyway, if you want to browse Pampered Chef stuff for yourself, take a look at my friend Trish's website or FB page. You can even order directly from her.

Young Living
I am a recent (2 years) fan of essential oils. I love the way you can diffuse them as a much more natural air freshener than the nasty chemicals you buy in an aerosol, but even more, I love that you can actually use them therapeutically. I am a huge fan of "Thieves" blend, which is a staple in our house when there are colds going around. I am also a fan of anything containing Vetiver for attention issues. Both my son and I use them and there are also scientific studies that show effectiveness of Vetiver for ADHD. Got a headache? Peppermint essential oil will get rid of it 10 times quicker than a Tylenol and it's MUCH better for your liver. I like to add blends to my bath, it's the most relaxing 30 mins (or 90 if I take a book and no-one else is draining the hot water) you will have.
I like Young Living products because their quality is good and their blends are great. I do have a friend who is an aromatherapist who doesn't like some of their advice (esp taking oils internally), but, the quality of their oils is good. Bottom line - remember that essential oils are potent and can be dangerous - just because something is natural, it doesn't mean you can take as much as you like, so, definitely be very careful with how you use them, and even more so with children, but, they are amazing additions to a healthy household.
I have a couple of friends who sell Young Living - Becky and Laura. You can go directly to their sites by clicking their names.

Thirty-One
I'm also a recent fan of Thirty-One. I kept seeing people at craft fairs with these really cool large tote carriers and thinking they were cool, then I went to a home show at one of my friend's houses, and another seller there was a Thirty-One rep. I got to put my hands on the products and noticed how innovative and well made they were. So, I picked up a tote as a present to myself. It's excellent. It's well made, cute and holds what two of my other craft fair bags does, which equals less trips to the car.
My friend Krista sells Thirty-One and even has a Facebook Page where she posts all the latest items and sale events.

So, there you go - just a few of the ones I like and personally buy from.
It's always good to support small business, and even better when you can give your money to your friends instead of strangers.