Pandora Products

Elka “Kitten Kaboodle” Zolot is a true renaissance lady. Whether creating music, websites, jewelry, or beauty products, this intoxicating feline is a DIY diva with a flair for the fancy.

Elka is perhaps best known for her first-class fretwork in the Trashwomen; a Bay area trio that belted out a perfect mix of garage, surf, and punk. She has also been in several other bands, including, the Spastics, the Spoiled Brats, and the Count Backwards.

This independent 21st woman founded a line of homemade beauty products, after an urging from friends. Pandora’s products range from a family secret sugar scrub, coffee soaps, to rhinestone tiaras. “When glamour is your weapon of choice”, look to Elka’s skin care line and jewelry for your ammo.

Elka’s Smoove over Turbinado Sugar Scrub (a secret family recipe) leaves your skin smooth, and glowing. Her perfect combination of sugar, salt, and oils exfoliates, moisturizes, and polishes the skin, without leaving your shower a real mess. Priced for the FANCY budget you will give up that Bliss or Origins scrub instantly. We also recommend her wildly unique Chai latte soap. The sweet spicy scent of chai tea, cinnamon, and vanilla is addictive. It naturally contains antioxidants, which aid regeneration of new cell skins. Minx, Mom, Musician and much more, Elka was able to answer a few questions for us.

Where are you from? Are you are N. Cali native?
I was born in Hollywood, Southern California and lived there until I was about 15 years old. I left home to seek an exciting life in San Francisco. I LOVE San Francisco and lived there for about 15 years. The DOT.com Boom came and out went the SF natives, I had to move to Oakland, which was a bit more affordable and here I am! Hoping soon to move to the sunny San Jose, CA Area

When did you start playing guitar?
I started playing guitar at the young age of 6, however I have never had lessons, had I not had the 8 years of violin training I did I might not have been as good at guitar. I still don’t know the notes and play and write everything by ear only! I just have my own little system in my mind and fear if I was ever to take lessons it would only confuse me.

Some of your favs?
Hmmm, such a hard question... I would say Buzzcocks, old David Bowie, Atlantics, my new fave Mindless Self Indulgence, Weezer, Toadies, Tito Puente, old Motley Crue, haha as you can see my music taste ranges a LOT!

Other projects other than Trashwomen, Spoiled Bratz,
Spastics?
Yes, well my first band ever was a garage band that never even had a name, when I was 13 I played in a garage in my old friend “Gooch” mom’s garage in Compton (yeah crazy huh?). Then my first official band was called Bitch Fight, I played with a few girls, one of them moved on to be in Spitboy. Those gals, wow they started me on my career of punk bands. Bitch Fight was “interesting” I wouldn’t have called us good, but as a few of our friends in the “bigger” bands would say we “had potential” hahaha! Then after a few attempts of trying to put something together, I started a band called Eightball Scratch with a few friends, to this day that was my all-time favorite band ever! It was the most fun I ever had in my life! Great band, fun stage show and I miss those guys so much! Slim, Chris, Wendy and Dez, miss you guys!
Then there was Trashwomen, that was a buncha fun too, got to travel a lot! Then did some bands that did some recording but never got too into it. There also was the Glamour Pussies for a short time, sort of a
female shock-rock thing, I loved the gals, wasn’t into shock rock though... I have some recorded stuff that I did in my own studio and played all the instruments, I have yet to release those on the people!

How long have you had Pandora Products? How did it start?
I started the company as “Plush Pussycat” about 2 years ago. I changed the name recently due to the “adult” nature that many seem to tag on to the word “pussycat.” It made it hard for our mailing list members to retrieve their emails from us (email filters filter out the word “pussycat”). Hence the new name “Pandora Products”. I have always made my own bath products, as I am very sensitive and allergic to a lot of body/face products sold in most department and retail stores. My friends were all amazed at how good it worked for them, so they had said I should try to sell it on eBay to see if it would sell. Well, since I got in before EVERYONE was making sugar scrubs (big fad nowadays!) I sold every one of the auctions I had put up as well as got HUGE rave reviews for the first batch I had put up. From that point I thought it would be good to have a website and offer more than just Sugar Scrub. That I did, the rest is history!

Your products are for a large age/ethnic range?
Mostly women, but some male products?
Yes, my products are “everyone friendly” because of their gentle ingredients; there is nothing that would harm any skin type. I have had my products used on babies and even the most sensitive skin. This means that ANY skin type, any skin color, anyone can use these products. We don’t target a specific age/ethnic skin type because every one of my products will benefit any skin type, even if you have young skin and decide to use one of our formulas for mature skin, or vice-versa.

What are some of your favs?
Well my biggest fave of all, and everyone else’s is the Turbinado Sugar Scrub…hands DOWN!  It’s the best seller and I am constantly making new batches because this flies out the door! It just transforms a REALLLLLY bad skin day into your BEST skin day, it’s pretty amazing, and I have managed to even amaze myself! Haha! I also love the Glam Soap and use that frequently. The Bath Salts are heavenly smelling and really good for the skin.  I also have to say my new faves are the Crème De Menthe Soap and the Chai Latte Soap. They smell SOOO good I cant stop sniffing them. I love all natural scents over synthetic ones, so these are right up my alley! Also we are now selling candle and home accents, my favorite in that department is the Egyptian Cat Tart Burner (oil warmer) it’s SO pretty and elegant looking! Oh and I cannot forget the Tiaras, every one of them, all of them are gorgeous!

Do you wear your Tiara cleaning?
Cleaning is much more glamorous?
I haven’t actually thought to do that! But you know what, I think I will because I really don’t feel much the princess while cleaning, I could use a  good lift in spirits while doing the thing we hate to do most but do more than anything else!  I think from this point on I will definitely be wearing my tiara while cleaning! Thanks!

Are you a one women operation?
I sure am! I would love to get my daughter to help (she’s 14) but she has a busy life right now and a job at a radio station, she hardly has time to help mom with her business haha! I hope to one day pass this company down to my daughter.

Your products have such unique ingredients.
Where do you come up with such interesting formulas?
A LOT of testing! I try one formula just based on the ingredients and their properties, I have a lot of research and data of the benefits of every ingredient I use. I will test the formula on all skin types (friends, family) then if the formula isn’t “perfect” or could be improved, I will research more oils and ingredients and add those to the
new formula until I have a perfect mix. So with that I get a unique mix of exotic oils and such. I also just love being different, this is another way for me to be creative, somewhat of an art form, but instead of looking at it or listening to it as you would art or music, people get to use it and benefit from it.

The challenges you face now?
My big challenge is to find time for myself, I work about 16 hours per day and basically go to sleep as soon as I am done with work. I have to find a way to find time to relax and not always be working. Also, as the company grows I am running out of space, I am currently looking for a new space so that I may expand even more.  Also am planning to relocate to San Jose, CA. So not only moving myself but the entire company and inventory as well. I have not yet found a space that is within the space and price range, so that really is my biggest challenge at the moment.

Your sugar scrub is a family recipe, could you tell us more?
About that? Nope, can’t really tell the secret. Sworn to secrecy on this one, sorry Folks.

What do you think of the film Wasp Woman?
Sorry never seen this one, but I CAN tell you I have this HUGE phobia of Bees and wasps. If I did see this movie I probably have to leave for the Fact that if it at all involves a flying insect, I will freak out! Haha
I’m not kidding, ask any friend or family member of mine, a bee can be 20 feet away from me and I start screaming and running, arms flailing. The whole kit and caboodle! I’m sure it looks quite funny. In fact I
Know it does because everyone always laughs at me.

Where can find your products, and jewelry?
You can find all of our products at www.PandoraProducts.com  
I will also be opening a new company called IntoxiKitty where we will be selling clothing, accessories, and stuff a little on the darker side of “kitty glamour” so keep a lookout for that too!