12.28.07
Seize the Shea!
DorNee’ Shea Body Soufflé was born out of necessity to fill an emollient need.
By Joanna Cosgrove
Online Editor
As a salon owner and nail technician for 17 years, Torrian Denise was on a quest to find products that would moisturize her client’s dry skin, hands and feet. In 2001, while searching for foot pampering Christmas gifts for her clients during the cold Ohio winter months, Ms. Denise’s aunt introduced her to the benefits of raw shea butter and was soon after recruited to create shea butter-based foot butters for her clients. In 2005 she again turned to shea butter while caring for her mother, who was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer. Although the shea butter proved to be the best emollient for Ms. Antoinette, the smell of raw shea butter left a lot to be desired. Before Ms. Antoinette’s untimely passing in 2005, she encouraged her daughter to embrace her passions, prompting Ms. Denise to immerse herself in the study of shea butter. The result of her research is DorNee’ Shea Body Soufflé, an eleven-product line of shea butter-based products that deliver supple skin with a pleasing fragrance.
The DorNee’ line is softly scented with various essential and fragrance oils, but still maintains all of the important qualities of natural shea butter.
“I wanted to make sure that I stayed true to the healing and moisturizing attributes of shea butter, so when I transform the raw materials into the final product I am diligent about not removing any natural properties that shea butter possess,” Ms. Denise explained.
In addition to shea butter, the products are formulated with moisturizing ingredients such as mango butter and natural oils of macadamia nut. “For healing and skin restoration, my products also include ingredients such as hemp seed and emu oils,” she added.
Shea butter is the secret ingredient in the DorNee' line. |
The DorNee’ line is segmented into four product families: Body Luxuries, Spa Collection, Spa Hand Set and Foot Care.
The Body Luxuries line consists of an 8oz. Shea Butter Soufflé ($15), 4oz. Body Silk Oil ($10) and a 12-scent assortment of 4oz. Moisturizing Bars ($5). The Shea Butter Soufflé and Body Silk Oil are available in 11 and 10 fragrances, respectively, with scents such as Sweet Almond Joy, Cocoa Love, Sweet Crème and Renee’s Apple. There are even two scents for men: DorNee’ Men and Brisk.
The Spa Collection is comprised of an 8oz. Crème Body Scrub ($15) that is formulated with fine grade European sea salt to gently exfoliate dry skin, and shea butter and oils of grapeseed and jojoba to restore moisture; 8oz. Shower Gel ($10), 16oz. Body Pudding ($20) shea and aloe butter plus emollient hemp, emu, macadamia and olive oils; and 4oz. Hand Lotion. Each product in this category is available in three fragrances – grapefruit, Island Dream and Mellow Kiss.
The $25 Spa Hand Set features a Hawaiian Rose scented exfoliating Scrub and a moisture restoring Hand Silk.
The Foot Care category consists of an 8oz. Suga Foot Pumice Scrub ($15) and 4oz. Heel Shield Foot Butter ($10) which is “packed with mango, organic coconut and cocoa butters, along with the essential oil of tea tree to penetrate and maintain soft and supple feet.”
Ms. Denise said the current product lineup will soon be added to with a complete line of facial cleansing and moisturizing products, as well as an expanded line of products for men and children.
Ms. Denise’s Aunt Janet, who is credited with playing a major role in the development of DorNee, is no longer able to help in the manufacturing process, but Ms. Rucker says she still provides a great amount of support and instrumental insights as she endeavored to expand the line.
DorNee products are sold via the company’s online store www.dornee.com, as well as through several local distributors in Ohio and other salon and spa markets.