Even though we are a makeup company, there are three subjects more important to us than makeup….
Happiness, health, and sustainability take the (gluten-free) cake at Afterglow…
because we know that there is no amount of makeup that can make you calm and glowing the way taking time to truly relax and reconnect with yourself does.
We talk a lot about sustainability and the importance of selecting sustainable, organic ingredients and designing our business to reduce waste and run efficiently. Since I started Afterglow in 2004, I’ve witnessed the exciting business trend towards using sustainable ingredients and business practices to better the planet and reduce waste.
But there’s a serious disconnect…
We humans are left out of the sustainability conversation in American business.
America has been dubbed by many as the “no vacation nation”. In fact, according to The Center for Economic and Policy Research, Americans take less vacation time than any other country in the world. While most of Europe enjoys 30 days of vacation, Americans aren’t even taking the two weeks average. According Jack Dickey’s Time magazine (June 1, 2015) article entitled, “Save Our Vacation: What we must do to revive a cherished American institution”, Americans leave an average of 4.9 vacation days a year unused. I believe this is due to a workaholic culture and a fear of taking vacation due to job loss and advancement consequences.
Incredibly, the US is the only country that does not require employers to offer vacation time as The Center for Economic and Policy Research shows in their graph below.
Yikes! It’s no wonder that we as a nation feel burned-out!
So, we’ve decided to continue embodying Gandhi’s dream of being the change I wish to see in the world.
In this case, I wish to see a healthier, happier America where we have the time to truly enjoy the life we work so hard for. I want businesses to look at not only giving more time off, but encouraging employees to take time off to unplug, rejuvenate, relax and reflect.
There’s no better place to start with change than with that beauty in the mirror…
In the words of one of my virtual business mentors, Marie Forleo, who inspired me to initiate this two week team hiatus through her own team vacay announced here:
“If you’re always listening to the noise of the world, it’s impossible to hear the whispers of your soul.”
Is taking time to listen to the sweet whispers of your soul once a year too much to ask?
Nope!
Continuing our philosophy from last year, all Afterglow employees will be required to take two weeks off from December 25th to January 7th. We’re calling it our Winter Wellness Vacation.
Yes! I am so excited to see this vacation experiment work its magic on Team Afterglow!
We are thrilled to be able to take this time with family and friends knowing that we will return to start the new year happier, more relaxed, and ready to go!
How could we be authentic to our mission and our holistic lifestyle if we did anything less?
Never fear! Through the magic of the internet, you will still be able to place orders 24/7 via our website during our December 25th – January 7th Winter Wellness Vacation. During this period, your orders will also process and ship within our regular, speedy processing and shipping time frames. Check out our holiday and regular shipping schedule here.
Winter Wellness Vacation: Frequently Asked Questions
This Q&A should answer the majority of your Customer Care and shipping questions related to our Winter Wellness Vacation. As always, our Customer Care mantra is “We will take care of you.” If you have a specific concern, please contact us and know that we will do everything we can to make it right for you!
Q: If I place an order between December 25th and January 7th, when will it process and ship?
A: There will be absolutely no delay in processing and shipping your orders outside of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Please refer to our Holiday Shipping Schedule here to determine when you should place your order to receive it by Christmas. All orders will ship out within our three-day standard processing time and shipping times (per the carrier you select).
Q: I never received my order. Where is it?
A: You should receive an email with a tracking number for your shipment. Please check all your email folders (spam, trash, social media, etc.). If you didn’t receive your shipment and can’t find your tracking email, please email us at support@AfterglowCosmetics.com. We will respond to you by January 9th. At that time, we will ensure you receive your order ASAP. If your tracking indicates that your order shipped but never delivered during the promised shipping time-frame, we will refund you the full price of your lost holiday package and immediately ship you a replacement.
Q: I need to make a return. When will my return be processed?
A: Please email us at support@AfterglowCosmetics.com and we will process all returns as soon as possible once we are back in the office January 7th.
Q: I would like to exchange a product. How will this delay my exchange?
A: In the interest of (almost) instant gratification, don’t wait for an exchange. Instead, email us at support@AfterglowCosmetics.com and we will process all returns as soon as possible once we are back in the office January 8th. Jump back on our site and purchase your more loved products directly from us.
Q: I emailed and/or left a voicemail during your Winter Wellness Vacation. When will you respond?
A: We can’t wait to respond to you! We will jump back on all Customer Care correspondence January 7th. Expect a response from us sometime between January 7th and January 11th.
Q: I posted and messaged your social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest). When will you respond?
A: We will respond to social media comments and questions on January 8th and respond to any social media direct messages by January 12th.
We are so grateful for your continued support. We wish you a very relaxing and happy holiday season! We are excited to greet the New Year with the best bubbly of all… a happy, healthy body and soul!
The post Why We’re Taking 2 Weeks Off… appeared first on Afterglow Cosmetics.