Last holiday season, my husband and I were scouring a craft fair for unique, homemade gifts when I first spotted Bee Happy. I was smitten by the name, intrigued by the products, and thrilled when I later found a full selection of them in my holiday stocking (points for hubby!)

Fast forward a few weeks to my best friend’s birthday; I was so excited about Bee Happy that I had to get my girl a set of her own yummy-smelling, all-natural lotions and such. I ordered online last-minute (of course), totally ignoring the blatant banner reading (in short), “Hey folks, I’m on vacation so orders will be delayed until I return). Ugh, oh.

Enter Kerry Carter, creator of Bee Happy, to the rescue. She called me from a beach in Mexico (yes, probably holding a fruity drink with an umbrella), and arranged for her husband to leave my purchase in their milk box for me to pick up. Really. She’s that cool, and that dedicated to her business.

It’s for that reason, and the fact that I adore her reasonably-priced products, that I decided to feature her here. Kerry’s dedication and ambition shined through nearly immediately after we started chatting.

“I started Bee Happy almost 5 years ago,” explains Carter. “I saw someone making a product similar to my Bee Balm but it was too greasy. I thought, I can do that, and I can do it better.”

And better it she did. A pharmacy technician by trade, Carter had the background she needed to get started. Bee Balm was first, a lotion bar perfect for rough heels and elbows, followed by body butter, lotion, cuticle cream, and lip balm. Then she got FDA approval for SPF 15 in her lip balms, a definite plus for the Colorado altitude. Her latest release? Eye cream, the result of a large number of client requests.

“I formulated these products for myself, using only the best ingredients, only the things I’d want on my skin,” states Carter. “I’ve gone back to the basics, and it works. People love it and they come back for more.”

I can attest to that.

As you would expect, either beeswax or honey is an ingredient in every Bee Happy product. She explains that with the exception of a small amount of preservative to keep the liquid products stable, they are all-natural. They are also paraben, gluten, and petroleum free, and come in a variety of scents, including original light vanilla, creamsicle, cucumber melon, almond, and citrus basil (for men).

Carter still works her day job in addition to Bee Happy, but has plans to transition soon. “I’d like to do Bee Happy full-time,” she admits. With the steady rate at which she is expanding, and the months it takes to devise a new formula, Carter will need it.

In the meantime, she’s plenty busy handcrafting and packaging all her products at home. “A sore muscle cream is next,” she reveals.

I’ve only tried her original light vanilla scent thus far, but it is divine. I’d like to sample another scent or two as well as the eye cream, but no worries; I have plan. It includes my holiday wish list and a husband willing to earn more points (wink).

You can find Bee Happy at craft fairs and retailers throughout Colorado. Carter also has representation in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New Mexico, and Wyoming. All products are also available online at www.BeeHappyLipBalm.com.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.