Good Houskeeping Research Institute

I’ve just returned from one of the most wonderful experiences ever!  A few months ago, I was reading the GHRI blog (catching up on all the latest and greatest tips and tricks J) and ran across a sweepstakes to be a GHRI Product Tester for a Day. I immediately thought this would be so much fun!  I am inquisitive by nature and always love to try new things.  So, I submitted my quick 3 minute video about why I would love to be a product tester.  I am an off-site beauty product tester for GHRI and I do some fun shoe testing for a well known shoe company.  Plus, my career as a Scientific Glassblower at Arizona State University allows me to be part of innovative research everyday!  A couple of months later, they called me to let me know that they had chosen me to visit the GHRI!  The trip was scheduled for January, and I couldn’t wait to see the Institute in action.

I arrived in NYC on a cold Wednesday evening in.  I enjoyed a lovely dinner with some wonderful new friends, Christina Peterson (Product Analyst in the Home Appliances and Cleaning Products Lab) and Mary Clarke (Senior Product Analyst in the Health, Beauty and Environmental Sciences Lab).  I knew immediately that this was going to be an amazing adventure!  

The next morning, I was greeted promptly at 9:30 am by Miriam Arond, the Director of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute on the 29^th floor of the Hearst Tower.  Miriam generously welcomed me and gave me a quick tour of the Institute.  My first thought was, WOW!  I had no idea this was such a huge facility with so much innovative technology to efficiently and effectively test each and every product that comes through their door.  Obviously, I’d heard of the GHRI and read through the blog and magazine, but I had no idea how in-depth they really investigate these products!  It really is amazing.  I am definitely going to be searching for the Good Housekeeping label on products all of the time, now!

I started out the morning working with Carolyn Forte, the director of the Textiles Department and Eduardo Rodriguez.  We were testing umbrellas with a rain-making machine.  We were testing the absorption of water in a 5 minute downpour of rain.  What a fun test!  Next, we moved onto the strength of tissues and paper towels.    We used a very innovative machine that measured the strength of the tissues and paper towels both dry and wet.   So cool!  I moved over to do some vacuum testing with Christina Peterson.  She is a product Analyst in the Home Appliances and Cleaning Products Department. I was able to test out several vacuum cleaners and rate them according to ease of use, comfort, weight, maneuverability, etc.  The lab has a huge machine that does automated tests for them, as well.  What an interesting machine!

The next stop of the day took me to the Beauty Lab.  This was definitely a cool experience.  This is one area that I frequently use the Good Housekeeping blog to keep me up-to-date on the latest and greatest beauty products.  I was greeted by a wonderful group of ladies in the Beauty Lab, Birnur Aral, Mary Clarke, Sabina Burdzovic and Megan Inayoshi.  Who knew there is so much science behind this beauty product testing?  I love it!  One thing I like to teach to visitors of my facility at ASU, is that SCIENCE IS FUN!  And it truly is.  I removed my makeup and had my face analyzed on a super high-tech machine called Visia.  This machine counted my wrinkles (EEEK!), all of my age spots (UGH!), my texture and pores (OOHHHH!) and my UV spots (OH MY!).  My results are then ranks me relative to others of the same age, gender and skin type.  I’ve realized I really need to start taking better care of my skin…otherwise I am going to be shriveled up like a raisin in no time!  Yikes!  Luckily, I had the GHRI team to give me some of the best tried and trusted make-up products to fix my face that day.  Whew!

We all enjoyed a wonderful lunch in the Good Housekeeping dining room.  What a beautiful room!  When the new Hearst Tower was built, all of the original parts and pieces of the dining and living rooms were preserved and placed into the new Hearst Tower.  These beautiful rooms are located in the heart of the GHRI.  It was an honor to be a guest in the dining room.  It was a wonderful lunch, and a great time to get to know each and every member of the GHRI staff.

After lunch, I headed into the Kitchen Appliances Lab with Sharon Franke.  She told me all about the testing that happens for each and every appliance in the lab.  So fascinating!   The refrigerators that are currently being tested go through so many tests.  They are tested to see if they can not only withstand normal operating room temperatures, but also extreme conditions in a controlled room.   These refrigerators have to stand up to a test at 90° in 90% humidity! Wow, that is hot!  I also tested the ease of use on some new refrigerators.  

Moving on, I went to test some cell phone cases in the Engineering Department.  They are collecting data about wallet-type cell phone cases for a well-known phone.  I helped Dominic Catalano weigh and measure several cases.  Then, I tested to see how many credit cards could be inserted and the ease of taking these in and out.   It was interesting to see that some of them couldn’t hold as many cards as they claimed. 

Then, I was able to meet with Samantha Cassetty, R.D., the Nutrition director at the GHRI.  Samantha and I talked about what she does within the Institute and gave me some great advice about nutrition for me and my family.  I love that she shared some of her personal stories with me.  We realized we both have a son with allergies.  She offered some great tips on how to deal with this.  She also gave me a better idea of her 7 Years Younger diet plan.  It sounds like a wonderful plan! 

The last stop of the day was to tour the editorial floor.  There, I met the Editor Rosemary Ellis.  She is such a nice woman.  I really appreciate that she took time out of her hectic day to talk to me.  I met several other editors and contributors of the magazine.  I never really understood how much time and effort goes into one issue of a magazine!  Wow!  They all have earned much respect from me! 

I finished out the amazing day with a magnificent dinner with Miriam at a delicious Greek restaurant near Times Square and took in the wonderful Broadway show, Once.  Ironically enough, when the waiter filled my glass with water at dinner, the glass cracked and water spilled everywhere.  Go figure, a glassblower with a broken glass! Timing is everything! 

Thank you to the entire GHRI staff for the fabulous and eye-opening experience!  This is truly on experience I will never forget!