Not the word, but the brand.
We do our best to not do that for you. It brings us much joy to hear what it means to you every time we hear someone tell us what they like about the products as well its image.
As a word, JÖL has many true definitions. It is the root of jolly and yuletide. It is a word for celebration large and small. Simply, it means a good time. Even as a slang word, it has a positive meaning. Tell you, “you are the bomb!” JÖL, as a brand, is about spreading positivity in subtle ways.
How JÖL is Different
In a world overflowing with options, we strive to be different from inside out. We don’t position ourselves as a artisanal maker of handcrafted goods. Although our products are hand made at this point, it is due to the scale of our business. As we grow, more and more items will likely be more mass produced – but still be people and not machines. Since inception, we have grown from making a very few at a time to now producing dozens. On the inside, we think bigger.
For now, our profits are very tight. This is intentional to help position us as being more of a value. We could charge more for our goods. Like products by other similar sized makers can be up to twice the price. Does that mean they are using better ingredients? No. Better packaging? Maybe – define better! We don’t wish to appear pretentious, or even arrogant. We priced ourselves to be attractive and to start the conversation around whether price equates performance. JÖL is intended to be a value when put up against artisanal and premium brands, without the sacrifice of performance. The prices we charge can be higher, but that means we sell fewer items. So, we charge less so more can buy – its great marketing too!
The mission is to continue to improve quality and performance while maintaining or lowering our pricing. The current market is making that a challenge, as the prices of everything are going up exponentially. By increasing our sales volume, we increase our buying power – the more we buy from our suppliers the more money we can save which helps lower our costs.
Fragrance Forward
Since our beginnings, scent has been a very large part of our identity. Having more to choose from to find a scent that suits your personality and your mood. Scent is as much of a part of your style as the clothes you wear and how you wear your hair. It is an extension of your tastes and your psyche. Scent can stimulate your senses to retrieve memories that hold some importance in making you who you are. Emotions and feelings from childhood, a loved one and even a special day – even if that a specific scent is not directly associated with that memory. Having layers that each tell a story and with varying levels of intensity
We work to offer scents that are less than common. Very few of our scents are wholly unique to us, yet so many are not something you will find everywhere. There are scents that hit a universal chord and are loved by many, and those we try to offer our own version. Even if the scent is more familiar, we may add our own spin; working to bring our specific notes that we think you will appreciate.
When we touch upon the more common, it is because it is what is tried and true – loved by many. There are distinct characteristics that are sought. A clear expectation that is present. In these instances, we wish to assure that we meet those expectations and excel with our uniqueness in presentation.
Neither Masculine Nor Feminine
Fragrances are without gender. We operate in the context of Bold vs. Light; Warm vs. Cool; Deep vs. Airy. Scent should not hold a stigma that reinforces false stereotypes. Just as much as women can enjoy spice and musk, there are men who enjoy floral and sweet. What matters is what pleases you and your tastes. Ultimately making you feel your best.
Keeping It Simple
JÖL is without false frills. There is no aire of elegance or superfluous luxury. Leaning on industrial, but warmed with a style that seems familiar; modern yet classic. Use of amber bottles and jars; black and steel. A mellow cream canvas with easy to read text. No flourishes, not overdone nor overly refined. We don’t think our labels scream at you, nor do they whisper too quietly. What the product is and its intended purpose are right there and easy to find front and center. Ingredients and product details are made easy to read; specific properties are highlighted.
We keep it simple in our formulas. Using commonly trusted and loved ingredients that do the job well. You will find Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Sunflower Oil, Glycerin and much more. All natural, plant based, ethically sourced and organic. We splurge on a few luxury ingredients like Argan Nut Oil, Moroccan Clay, Cupuacu Butter. These may not be familiar to some but have become staples in premium products that last few years. And, we can offer them without increasing the price. Everything we make is free of Sodium Laurel Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Parabens, and Phthalates. No synthetics, no silicone, no polymers – just pure natural ingredients! We are also moving away from using any added colors to our products – whether the colorant is natural or not.
Utilitarian In Nature
Function over Form: The focus is on offering well performing products that serve common needs, the basics we generally all share. For personal care, we focus on lotions and soaps. How we differentiate ourselves from the rest is by focusing on what the core purpose of the product will be and ensuring it does it very well with the least number of ingredients; using them in the right proportions to be effective. We strive for lotions the moisturize your skin without leaving you feeling oily, or greasy. Soaps that create voluminous lather that won’t dry your skin and rinse away without a residue left behind.
It regards to our candles and other scented home products, we strive for the fragrance to stand out, not the package. We chose paint cans for a reason – they are exceedingly more tolerant to fluctuations in temperature, will not shatter and allow the candle to burn longer, cleaner. That little edge of the can that holds the lid helps control cross drafts and retains the heat onto the wax. It is also infinitely recyclable and can serve multiple functions for reuse. We don’t use an adhesive label to allow you to dress it or down as you wish. Scent is the primary reason consumers buy such products, we just wish to make it more sustainable and functional while we let the scent speak loudest. And speaking of scent, we use the max fragrance load possible without altering the burn quality of the candle. Not all our scents are loud – some are whispers intended to just take the scent-edge off the room. Others scents will MAKE the room.
WHERE WE PLAN TO GO WITH JÖL
We are open to let JÖL travel wherever you wish for us to go, within reason. We can expand upon our current personal care and home goods into other parts of daily life. There are concepts we have that will bring us into your kitchen, boost your entertaining and make every day life a little less stressful. This are only concepts at this time, by telling us what your needs are we can work to service those needs wherever possible. This is the essence of JÖL and why we are not one thing. It is why we have a banner that is ambiguous as can be.
As we move onward, we want to have fun. There will always be a little whimsy and touches of humor, sometimes it may be a bit edgy or risque – we are not angels. We know that we cannot be all things to all people, and we will never try to be. There is too much of a “lowest common denominator” approach in the marketplace. We wish to create something more broad and embrace as much diversity as we can. Although we will not be all things to all people, there is room for everybody to find something they will like.
Please, follow along with us and give us as much feedback as you can give. We want to hear what grinds your gears as much as what makes you happy.