Way back when we were first starting our business (2009!), we were challenged with the question: “Who are your products for?”
My easy answer back then was “Everyone!”
Even though our target market was this “moms whose hands are messed up from all the frequent hand-washing”, we knew that behind every woman with extremely dry hands is a man who will snag her Beesilk and use it himself.
Last month, I asked some of my customers if the guys in their household use MadeOn products, and what they use them for.
I sent out the email, took my kids to the lake for the afternoon, and came back to an inbox flooded with answers. Within a week, I had over 100 answers. I personally copied and pasted most of them here until my fingers were sore, they needed their own Beesilk treatment.
This may just turn out to be the longest email you’ll receive all weekend, that is if you sit and read through it all.
So let me first send you to a list of the favorite man-approved products and then you can read on to find out what the guys think…
Man-Approved Skin Care by MadeOn
WHAT THE GUYS THINK:
Jennifer C: Hubby uses Beesilk Jr in the winter for his dry, cracked hands.
Sarah R: My husband & son use the bug block to keep the bugs at bay when we go hiking. My son also uses Beesilk lotion to soothe his eczema.
Carol P: My son uses the Second Life Hair Butter on his hair and beard (27 years old). He says it makes his waves softer and his scalp feels better (his hair is already thinning). The same reason for his beard. I gave him the sample size for Christmas and just ordered him the family size since he likes it so much.
Laura D: My husband and sons use the hard lotion and lip balm for preventing/reducing chapping, general maintenance, rough nails/cuticles. It reduces incidences of chapped lips, keeps from mindlessly picking/biting the uneven areas around the nails.
Caitlyn: My husband really likes the hard lotion bars since his palms aren’t left oily or wet like lotion. His hands get dry from all the recent hand washing, cooking, and yard work. He usually waits until they are cracking and bleeding but now has a Beesilk bar on his nightstand and uses it most nights to prevent his hands from getting dried out. For that reason, he’d probably love the roll on hard lotion but I haven’t shared yet 🙂 He’ll get his own though soon!
Amanda X: My 5-year-old son uses made on for his Cracked feet.
Rachael W: We started using the Beeksilk Jr. on my son whose skin is very dry and then I started using it every night on my dry hands and then my husband discovered the benefits of it as well! We like the Beesilk Jr. because it is easier to apply. And of course, the lip balm is a favorite of the whole family.
Julie K: My two sons use MadeOn products. My younger son uses bug block, peppermint lip balm, and the lotion bar. My older son uses the lotion bar and peppermint lip balm. They both have found the lotion bar to be the only thing to keep their hands from getting dry.
Heidi S: My husband uses the unscented lip balm and used the shaving soap that you had for a short time. My son loves the Beecool sticks for sore muscles.
Kimberly G: Dad and teen sons in my house have used BeeSilk Bars, both shea and cocoa, as well as BeeCool sticks for many years! Our home is transracial, so we run the gamut on skin types. Everyone from vanilla to dark chocolate calls the lotion bars their absolute favorite for hands (vanilla)—and even all over (milk and dark chocolate tones). One of my guys has hands that would bleed without it, and another has skin that looks ashy shortly after mainstream lotions. BeeSilk is the ONLY product that keeps his skin looking and feeling great all day. We also use the BeeCool stick following muscle-intense activities 🙂 We love MadeOn!
Pamela S: I have teenagers/men in my family who use Made On products. My son uses the Bee Silk Jr. for his eczema since it spreads on easier for him than using the lotion bar and the lip balm. My husband uses the Bee Silk or Au Chocolate (if he can pry it away from me! Ha!) hard lotion bar for his dry, cracked hands in the winter. Your products have been helpful for both of them, providing relief when they need it.
Michelle C: My husband “does not use lotion”. He is a manly man of the 1970’s. But….if I see him scratch his hands or arms and I grab a Beesilk bar or a scoop of my MadeOn recipe higher oil content cream and approach him, he holds out his hands for me to rub it in! I guess if it is my idea and I am the one who applies it, he can maintain his manly status!!! No joke! I have also used the Footrub stick on his nasty feet!
Betsy V: My hubby has hard-working hands and we live in a dry sub-Arctic climate that can be very harsh on skin, especially as we age and our natural oils diminish. He loves Bee Silk and Au Chocolat. He also likes the smell of the MadeOn vanilla bar I use, and would probably use that too if I made it available! 🙂 Lotion bars have always been a right before bed routine, and if he forgets, he (and I!) notice right away. The scaly skin comes back. I also have made homemade lotion bars using Renee’s recipe many times, and that is good too. Thank you so much for all the great products and awesome customer service. You are one of my all-time favorite companies!
Lisa W: My son uses my hard lotion bars for hands when needed and also as lip balm in a pinch.
Valerie M: My late husband, Doug, loved your natural lip balm because it lasted so much better than anything else he’d ever used. He also used BeeCool to clear a stuffy nose and FootRub to keep the skin on his feet soft and smooth.
Jessica S: Husband, Peppermint chapstick
It works!! And I buy it for him and put it all around the house
Suz T: My husband is definitely not a “lotion” type of guy, unless he has a very specific need, like when various skin sensitivities flare up. That’s why I was so excited when we found MadeOn – the few, high-quality ingredients work to soothe (not further inflame) irritated skin. So grateful that they are truly fragrance-free, too, which is the only kind of lotion he’d tolerate. Pure classic BeeSilk lotion bar works best for him. At first, it took a little persuasion to get him to take the extra few seconds to rub it in, but then he noticed that it’s that very quality that makes the lotion work better and longer for him as a barrier to hydrate and protect his skin. (He loves BeeCool too – perfect excuse for a backrub when he has sore muscles.. : )
Amy D: To answer your questions, yes, my husband loves the lip balm. He has taken my peppermint one and I bought him a spearmint last time I believe it was. He says that it keeps his lips from feeling so dry and chapped, especially in the winter when it’s cold.
Ashlyn S:
My husband uses it
2. He uses the lotion sticks
3. He uses it for when his hands get dry
1. My son uses it
2. Shea facial emollient
3. He gets eczema on his face and even the hard lotion won’t clear it, but the shea butter will.
Barbara C: My husband uses Bee Silk lotion bars. His hands get extremely dry and cracked (especially in the winter) so he uses the lotion bar at night before bed and it works wonders for him!
Rebecca G: My husband loves the au chocolate lotion bars. And he probably would love the shave soap since that’s what he prefers to use, a shave soap, to shave with. He has used the Beesilk lotion bars as well. He has dry hands and that’s what he likes the lotion bars for.
Tami B: husband
2. Bug block & simply soothing
3. Keeps bugs off when camping or hiking; simply soothing helps with any rashes or irritated skin he might get
Sheri L: My husband’s hands will get dry on top and sometimes crack in between his fingers. He uses a Bee Silk stick when he’s at work to help the trouble spots, and he uses a lotion bar for all-over coverage when he’s at home and doesn’t have to worry about the slight oiliness before it all soaks in. He even lets me know when he needs a replacement stick! Also, my two adult sons are big fans of the lip balm. One loves the peppermint flavor, and the other prefers unscented.
Barbara C: My husband uses Bee Silk lotion bars. His hands get extremely dry and cracked (especially in the winter) so he uses the lotion bar at night before bed and it works wonders for him!
Rebecca G: My husband loves the au chocolate lotion bars. And he probably would love the shave soap since that’s what he prefers to use, a shave soap, to shave with. He has used the Beesilk lotion bars as well. He has dry hands and that’s what he likes the lotion bars for.
Tami B: husband
2. Bug block & simply soothing
3. Keeps bugs off when camping or hiking; simply soothing helps with any rashes or irritated skin he might get
Sheri L: My husband’s hands will get dry on top and sometimes crack in between his fingers. He uses a Bee Silk stick when he’s at work to help the trouble spots, and he uses a lotion bar for all-over coverage when he’s at home and doesn’t have to worry about the slight oiliness before it all soaks in. He even lets me know when he needs a replacement stick! Also, my two adult sons are big fans of the lip balm. One loves the peppermint flavor, and the other prefers unscented.
Jill H: My husband uses hard lotion when his hands get dry in the winter or rough from working outside. He likes it because it actually helps his skin and doesn’t leave him feeling greasy.
Ann V: My husband, Curtis uses your soaps. It helps to keep his skin in good condition. Especially during the winter, he gets so dry. Also with all this hand washing, I’ve had him use the Bee Silk Jr. That has helped us both!! So thank you for creating it! 🙂
Phyllis: My husband is a big lover of Bee Silk for his overworked hands. He uses and abuses his hands daily in his construction business and reaches for the Bee Silk bar each night to help with dryness and big cracks/splits. It really does the job!! Thank you for such a great product.
Hillary G:
- My husband
- Simply shea facial emollient
- He rubs it on his bald head to moisturize it. (He shaves his head, so his scalp gets dry easily).
Pam F: Husband uses the foot stick as it helps his dreadful heel cracking.
Julie W: The whole family (husband and 3 boys +me) uses the MadeOn lip balm. Also, everyone uses the Bee Silk bars for dry skin. The bars were especially great on a trip out west when the boys had windburn on their cheeks and chapped lips. They could rub the bar over their face and lips at the same time.
Rosa R: My husband started using the shaving soap because I bought it for him once, after that he changed his usual shaving cream for this soap. He loves it. He said it left his skin very soft.
My brother has a very dry and crack feet so for Christmas I have to him the bee silk bar and he said I saved his feet.
My son, husband, and all of us use the bug stuck all summer. My son is 9 years old and liked it because the scents are very pleasant, it is easy to split and works.
Anastasia M: my husband
2. Bee silk
3. For dry hands—it helps a lot. He doesn’t like lotions, says they just don’t work—but he likes Bee silk!
Melissa W: My husband and my son both use the natural lip balm. They use it for chapped/dry lips because it lasts a long time, no having to put it on 10 times an hour.
Robin F
1. Yes, husband and teenage son
2. Beesilk hard lotion bars and bug block
3. Dry lips, skin, and to prevent bug bites when working/camping
Becky C: My son uses rash cream as it relieves occasional rashes.
Donna B: My husband uses the bee silk, bug block, and the shaving soap the most
Sue S:
1. My hubby
2. He uses the soap (all of the varieties) when he showers
3. He likes it because it does not irritate his skin when he uses it on his face.
Karen H
My husband, Tim, really likes the lotion bar used on his back when I
give him a back massage. He tends to get dry red splotches on his skin in the cold dry winters here in Minnesota, and the lotion bar really helps with preventing that. It’s also helped his feet, really cutting down on cracks in the skin on his heel.
Lori M: My boyfriend uses the Bee Cool stick for sore wrist joints.
Michele M: My husband uses Bee Cool sticks. I keep them on hand all the time to help ease his shoulder pain.
Tammy W: The lotion stick helps my husband with skin irritation from gardening.
Kym R: My 13 old son uses Bee Silk Junior. He uses it for severe eczema which he’s had since infancy. We have been desperately trying to find something that doesn’t burn his skin when he applies it. He’s tried TONS of natural products and Bee Silk Junior is now the hero at our house because it doesn’t burn. He’s used it for about 2 weeks and is over halfway through the container.
Niki R: My husband, Les uses the shampoo bar and the goat’s milk soap. He ran out of his bottle of shampoo and since I use and love the shampoo bar, I asked if he would try it. He has short hair, so I’m positive he could use anything without trouble, but I’m thankful he and my teenage boys (and myself) all use the shampoo bar now! My shower is much simpler with fewer products and we are using products that are much better for my family! ♥️
Kathy D: My husband uses Simply Soothing on skin irritations and it’s also helpful for poison ivy!
Lauri M: Both my husband and 13-year-old son use your products- my son loves them! 2) lip balm and lotion bars mainly (my son goes through several in the cold months). 3) dry, cracked skin and lips for my son. My husband uses the lip balm and lotion bar before going out in the cold weather to run- it is a great barrier against the cold and wind!
Rhoda S: Yes, my 16-year-old son loves the peppermint lip balm. For years he licked his lips raw as they were dry which resulted in cracked and very chapped lips year-round. We tried many different store-bought lip balms but nothing ever really helped. Then I learned about MadeOn 4-5 years ago and fell in love with Bee Silk lotion bars and peppermint lip balm. I let my son try the lip balm and had to order more as he kept taking mine–but your lip balms work! He no longer has issues with his lips cracking or chapping. He uses the lip balm year round but during the winter months, he keeps an extra tube in his coat pocket as his lips tend to get dryer then. But there is no more cracking! Thank you for the great products for the whole family.
Aimee L: My husband uses and loves the shaving soap! But since he shaves in the shower, I didn’t photograph that. 🙂 He also uses Bug Block. He currently works the night shift in a small city with several marshy areas surrounding it. In the summer, the mosquitoes show up in force. He doesn’t always have a lot of time to apply Bug Block between calls for service, so the stick works perfectly for him!
Amanda S: My son uses a hard lotion stick when he has dry skin in the winter—typically before bed. It works and it doesn’t smell “girly.”
Denise O: I originally purchased hard lotion for my younger son to help with his eczema. I wanted a more natural product because the only ointment that helped him had petroleum jelly in the ingredients. Yuck! Now that we have hard lotion, no more yucky by-products on our skin!
My husband quickly found that it helped his chronically dry and ashy skin too. This is a big deal for someone with a darker skin tone, like my hubby. Hard lotion has been a mainstay in our house for more than 2 years.
Dawn M: The man in my household who uses a MadeOn product is my husband. When we get into bed at night, I often notice that his hard-working hands are rough and dry, so I offer to rub my hard lotion bar on his hands. (I use the d-i-y recipe that I learned from you years ago and I keep it by the bed). He says that it helps his dry skin, and it is a nice touch from his wife.
Barbara F: My husband loves the MadeOn Foot Rub! Joe asks for it and doesn’t want to go without as it has transformed his feet, specifically his cracked heels, into nice smooth tootsies. His heels used to rip the bedsheets they were so cracked! Thanks for making such a great product….one of so many that we love!
Melissa E. My husband uses your Bee Silk lotion stick all winter to combat dry, cracked skin on his hands. It’s the only thing I can get him to use, and he has sticks stashed everywhere; on the end table next to his favorite chair, in his nightstand, in his music room, and in his desk at work. He hates for his fingers to feel greasy so having lotion in stick form allows him to just apply it to the problem areas on the backs of his hands and around his knuckles. We are both Essential Workers during this horrible pandemic, which means our hands have been taking a beating from all of the extra hand washing and hand sanitizer use they’ve been seeing. We both consider our lotion sticks to be Essential Products and have been using them constantly. Thanks for making such a great product, and having it in such a convenient form.
Emily S: Yes, my husband.
2.) Avocado soap and shaving soap.
3.) Because I keep it in the shower so it is there easy to use. 🙂 But he hasn’t complained!
Sela: My 12-year-old son uses the BeeSilk stick. He has mild eczema and your lotion helps with the itching and dryness. Some of the patches have actually completely healed using only BeeSilk sticks.
Layna V: Yes all three of the men in my house use MadeOn!! They all use the chapsticks. My older son who works out a lot uses the BeeCool stick, we’ve even used to be cool kinda like Vick’s when they’re not feeling great. My husband has used the regular BeeSilk bar for extra dry rough spots on his feet and then covered them with socks. MadeOn products are staples in our home!!! If they weren’t all asleep I’d send you a picture!! But it’s almost midnight when I’m writing this!!
Nicole M: Yes- husband and son
2. Beesilk (husband) Beesilk jr., Simply soothing rash cream and Simply Shea
3. My husband uses it to heal his dry, cracked knuckles in the wintertime. He used to refuse it when I offered, but now he asks me to rub it on his knuckles whenever he needs it. He still doesn’t like the feel of it on his palms, but I’m thankful he’s taking baby steps to use my all-natural products. I apply Beesilk Jr. or simply shea to my son (4.5 months) whenever he gets eczema on his face/body. I alternate between those depending on which room of the house I’m in, but I feel the simply shea works so much better/faster and leaves his skin feeling so nice- even overnight! I’ve used the simply soothing rash cream on some rashes on his neck after a bath and they consistently improve (if not resolve) by the next morning.
Carol H: My husband uses the Bee Silk bar for rough hands and the bar soap.
Jennifer E: my husband uses the hard lotion stick on his eczema. He also uses the natural lip balm, which is actually mine.
Karen G: My husband is a big fan of the BeeSilk Lotions. He also likes the Tea Tree Soap, especially in the summer.
Sandra: My Husband uses the Shaving Soap, Bar Soap for bathing, Bee cool on muscle aches, Bee Silk on his hands The Shaving Soap he uses for shaving (obviously) but he uses it because it does not dry out his skin, especially in the summer months. He also says that the Shaving Soap makes his razor slide smoother, resulting in fewer nicks on his face and he ends up with a closer shave. I think it also makes his stubble, less prickly and sharp.
The Bar Soaps we get from you leaves his skin cleaner, softer but most of all cleans the “man funk” off of his skin. He leaves the shower pink, shiny and sweet-smelling. He also uses the Avocado Soap on his face. He says that your soap does not dry him out while getting him clean.
Dan works a very physical job and often comes home sore from the day. After showering he routinely rubs some Bee Cool on his shoulders and upper arms due to the strain of the days work. He also has an old ankle break that pains him and he uses the Bee Cool there. It relieves the ache in his foot.
Dan carries Bee Silk everywhere with him. He has a small tin in his truck, also in his lunch box, and on his desk at home. And there are many times he will ask for my tin of Bee Silk out of my purse because his hands are dry or he has a patch of itchy dry skin. He doesn’t even care if it is lavender! LOL
Dan has suffered from extremely dry skin from the time we got together but after using MadeOn products for a few years now, he does not suffer as much. He knows how to treat it every day and to be honest, he is one of your biggest supporters. He is continually telling people about MadeOn and can recite your website address from memory. In fact, the last time I was in the hospital, my nurse was complaining about how dry her hands had become because of Covid19 and additional hand washing. Dan reached in his pocket and brought out a tin of Bee Silk and gave it to her. (A new one still sealed!) Then he explained how to use it and how it works and HOW it does not wash off with repeated hand washings. She was excited to try it but did not want to take his (new) tin away from him. He pulled his old, almost used up tin of Bee Silk to show her that he still had some to use himself. He’s a good guy.
Judy T: My son uses Bee Silk for hair control, hand soothing, stand in lubricant for mechanical parts, water repellent on fishing gear, and lip and face balm and protectant. He even introduced it to his wrestling team for Tender Manly Part salve. It’s great stuff!
Sarah M: My husband uses your soap in the shower. His favorites are peppermint and bay rum scents. He uses the bee silk on his hands. When my four kids and I had the flu in January he was the only healthy one so he was taking care of all of us. The bee silk was the only thing keeping his hands from cracking after all the handwashing. He also uses the second life hair butter on his goatee. It keeps his face from itching and makes his whiskers softer.
Christy P: All my guys use the hard lotion after a shower – my husband, and 3 teenage sons! They have dry skin, especially my husband in the winter. We also live in a very dry climate and other lotions don’t work as well. My sons also used your lavender all-purpose roll-on bottles at night (2 adopted sons have trouble going to sleep), my oldest son uses your foot rub lotion stick (he goes barefoot on the carpet and occasionally has cracks in feet), and my middle son uses your lip balm (chapped lips).
Tricia J:My husband uses hard lotion, shaving soap, and lip balm. Hard lotion in the cold winter months because he likes how quickly it works to help with dry skin. Shaving soap: he uses this to shave both his face and his balding head. It has significantly reduced in-grown hairs and the bar lasts such a long time! Lip Balm: Works the best! So of course we all use it!
Janice H: Husband and son both have used Beesilk, son likes the citrus scented one. My husband for dry feet, cracked heels; son for rough red skin on the backs of his hands from lots of washing and reactions to some soaps/water in public areas
Tara Hall: My daughter’s boyfriend uses the Beesilk lotion bar. His hands are dry and cracked because he has to wash them so frequently for his work. He asked for ideas and I suggested he use the lotion bar before going to bed. He tried and it and now asks for it every night! It has definitely helped!
Sheila M: My son really loves the au chocolate lotion bar. He gets really dry elbows and sometimes his hands get pretty chapped also. The lotion bar clears up dry skin very quickly and also prevents it when I remember to use it regularly! We also use the bug block on him in the summer to help with bug bites up north. The gnats are getting just as bad as the mosquitos!
Katie L: My husband likes the shampoo bar. He says it doesn’t smell girly and it works well.
Tiffany R: My husband uses the Bee Cool stick for his back and neck pain. He had bulging disks in his back. When the pain is really bad he will use Bee Cool to take the edge off. Thanks for your wonderful products!
Jenny : My son, who is 12, uses the BeeSilk stick on his arms. He usually has small red bumps on his upper arms and the Bee Silk helps them go away. =)
Benita M : My husband isn’t totally on board with all of my natural living. He’s fine for me to do it, but he still likes his “regular” soaps and lotions, and especially bug spray laden with DEET!
Every summer we go and pick wild blueberries. Last summer was a particularly wet summer, and therefore more mosquitos around than usual. Before heading into the woods, he sprayed himself with DEET and I put Bug Block on myself and the kids. Typically I’m a mosquito magnet! I will walk away from our blueberry picking sessions covered with bites and he’ll have only a handful. Well, last year he was getting bitten alive and the kids and I had almost no bites. Finally he caved and asked for some of the Bug Block. Last week when I placed an order he made sure to ask if I needed to add some Bug Block to my order!
Sylvia: My husband is a rancher whose hands are tough, cut, and dry. I have tried everything. My first order from you was for him. He told me he loves the lotion bar. It’s on his bed stand and he uses it every night on his hands and feet. Thank you for your great products.
Trudi: My husband uses the lotion bar for his hands. He’s in construction/remodeling, so his hands are constantly exposed things that will dry them: working out in the elements, working with wood (sanding wood is very drying), and using chemicals (adhesives, grout, caulk, paint, etc.). He’s either always looking for the tin I keep on the kitchen counter, or if we’re out somewhere, asking me for the tin in my purse!
Cindy H: We have a girl scout a boy scout and a cub scout. My husband and sons all use the bug stick. It is SO much better than the spray on. It smells good.
DID YOU READ IT ALL THE WAY TO THE END?
I’m so proud of you 🙂