handmade, organic soaps and soy candles: February 2008

2/10/08

On the Curing Racks...

Freshly made herbal soaps this week are:

Shea Butter Supreme Facial Bar, unscented
A most gentle baby soap made with Jojoba oils
Bergamot, Sweet Orange & Ginger in olive oil soap
Orange/Cucumber with orange peel in olive oil soap
Patchouli in olive oil soap
Lavender Flower herbals in olive oil soap
Lavender/Cedarwood/Patchouli with herbs in olive oil soap
Rose Hips in olive oil soap
Peppermint Loofha foot scrubbies in olive oil and pumice soap

Soaps are made in small batches to insure quality. They are made using vegetable oils and pure essential oils, plus organic herbs. Each bar weighs 4.5 to 5 oz. each--larger than the average bar.

These soaps will be ready for sale in 4-5 weeks.

Soap Descriptions

Basic Olive Oil Soap
An often requested soap. Olive oil is the primary oil used—a very good moisturizer because it attracts external moisture and holds it next to the skin without blocking the natural function of the skin. It also contains coconut oil, which offers a gentle, non-foamy lather, and palm oil that makes the bar hard. Grapefruit seed extract is added as a preservative.

Baby & Child Body Soap (currenty out of stock)
Made with some of the gentlest oils available. This soothing soap is made with coconut oil, palm oil, sweet almond oil, shea butter, jojoba and avocado oils—a blend of oils that reputedly helps with healing and soothing baby eczema and diaper rashes.
· Also good for sensitive adult skin.
· No fragrance is added.

Bay Rum & Patchouli flowers Soap (out of stock)
Enjoy the bold, refreshing scent of bay rum—a staple in barbershops when cowboys hit town after months on the trail. I’ve added the dried flower of patchouli to give the bay rum added sensuality and exfoliation.

Black Coffee Soap (out of stock)
The addition of coffee grounds at the trace stage can turn this bar of soap into a heavy-duty soap, good for scrubbing your hands after working in the back yard or to remove the scents of garlic, onion and fish. Ground Coffee is nature’s own deodorizer! With its inherent ability to readily absorb odors, keep this soap close by the kitchen sink to wash away disagreeable odors.

Chamomile-Lavender Soap
Oooo Baby. This is a very nice combination of organically grown chamomile with Lavender essential oil, and a nice dose of Jasmine, Rose and Sandalwood essential oils. And you can’t have chamomile without a bit of honey. All of this is blended into my favorite Olive Oil soap recipe (with coconut and palm oils). Grapefruit seed extract and honey act as natural preservatives. Chamomile is perhaps the world's most soothing herb; it can be used to treat skin certain disorders and sunburns .

Cucumber Orange Soap
This is my richly soothing Olive Oil soap with cucumber and orange essential oils and orange peel. Cucumber essential oil is the secret ingredient in this moisturizing beauty soap. Not only do cucumbers contain many vitamins and other nutrients beneficial to your skin, the astringent properties of cucumber juice are ideal for oily skin. Try this bar in the morning with an invigorating scrub to exhilarate your senses, you'll feel refreshed and ready for a new day! Orange is refreshing and relaxing, it is a sunny and radiant oil, bringing happiness and warmth to the mind and helps people to relax. I’ve added orange peel to help with exfoliation.

Goat Milk Soap (out of stock)
The benefits of goat milk are legendary. It has been used for centuries as a luxurious beauty aid. The low pH level of goat milk is close to our skin’s own pH, making it a very gentle cleanser. Goat milk also contains alpha-hydroxy acids, which are known for their restorative and rejuvenating qualities.
· contains glycerin to help moisturize the skin.
· hypo-allergenic and does not clog pores.

Lemon-Lemongrass Soap (out of stock)
In aromatherapy, lemon essential oil is used to cheer, uplift and refresh. This is my richly soothing Olive Oil soap with lemon and lemongrass essential oils added. Lemon is used to cheer, uplift and refresh. Lemongrass oil has great benefits as a muscle and skin toner, and revitalizes the body and mind. You will also find a bit of lemon peel as a mild exfoliate—All natural, of course.

Lavender, Cedarwood, Patchouli Soap (ready about mid-June )
Hoochie-mamma! This blend of essential oils combines the a fresh, sweet, floral, herbaceous aroma of lavender that is soothing and refreshing, Cedarwood essential oil known for its tranquilizing and soothing effects, and Patchouli, a distinct heavy, earthy, musty, sensuous scent. Oh, and I've added just a dash of Spruce to really bring in the forest.

Peppermint & Rosemary

Scientific evidence shows that the aromatic Peppermint herb helps stimulate the body and mind. Rosemary essential oil has an overall stimulating and invigorating effect that works on both mental and physical levels as well; it is also a great antidepressant, antiseptic, and stimulant. Ingredients: saponified olive, coconut and palm oils, with added vitamin E, and grapefruit seed extract, crushed organic rosemary herbs.

Rosemary Lavender Soap (ready about mid-June )
Sooooooooooooo good. This soap combines the clean, pure aroma of lavender that encourages balance for the entire nervous system, acne and spotty skin, with rosemary, that is known as the herb for remembrance—it clears the mind and stimulates the memory. Rosemary has a warming, comforting effect.
Contains Coconut oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil, and jojoba oil. Also contains pure essential oils of lavender and rosemary, plus lavender flowers and rosemary herbs.

Shea Butter Soap
Shea butter is one of nature’s greatest moisturizers and has a vast number of proven healing properties. Because of its amazing properties, shea butter is an excellent ingredient for soaps, lotions and creams.
The high level of vegetable fats found in shea butter contributes to its ability to heal burns and wounds and to promote cell regeneration and capillary circulation. It is commonly used in the treatment of eczema, rashes and severely dry skin. This all-natural product also contains cinnamic acid, which provides natural protection against the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays.
The daily use of shea butter on the body and face reduces sun exposure, which can delay the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and help prevent skin cancer. It also acts as a natural barrier against the elements of cigarette smoke, and harmful chemical pollutants and smog in the atmosphere.
· Hypo-allergenic, non-comedogenic (does not clog pores), & protects skin against weather & aging.

Sweet Orange & Ginger.
This Olive Oil soap is made to go with my new Goat's Milk Body Cream. I've added essential oils of Sweet Orange and Ginger and a sprinkling of orange peel to decorate the top. Sweet Orange has an uplifting aroma that helps to relax and balance the spirit. Ginger is sought after due to its aphrodisiac and stimulant properties. Made with my favorite Olive oil recipe which includes coconut, and palm kernel oils, vitamin E , castor and grape seed oils--and the essential oils, of course.

Dog Soap: My Best Friend—Alpha Formula (two bars left)
Your best friend needs a little pampering too. Use this formula for a perceptibly shinier coat that will feel softer and stronger. The soap will help keep little pests like fleas and ticks away too. This soap is so nice, even my husband and I use it.

Ingredients include a complex mixture of olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil, palm kernel and safflower oils, plus essential oils of lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, fir needle, and patchouli.
Tested on humans. Approved by doggies.

Lavender
Lavender oil has a wide variety of uses, and brings a host of benefits Taking its name from the Latin lavare, meaning "to wash," lavender possesses a clean, pure aroma, and it encourages balance for the entire nervous system.

Buzz Off Insect Repellent Soap (out of stock)
A rich olive oil soap enhanced with Palm and Coconut oils and shea Butter. Scents of pulverized whole cloves, peppermint and geranium essential oils repel the insects while you enjoy your time outside.

Buzz Off Insect Repellent Soap #2 (ready about mid-June)
My Buzz-Off Insect Repellent Soap #2 is loaded with five 100% Natural Essential Oils known to repel winged creatures - Citronella, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Cedarwood and Lavender. Useful against no-see-ums and especially effective repelling Mosquitoes. Does it really work? Well, that's always a loaded question, because everyone's skin chemistry is so different. We all probably have someone in our family to whom bugs flock while leaving others alone. This soap becomes one of my Best Sellers from May –August. So it works very well for a lot of people, and it will probably work well for you too. You can use it as usual in the shower, or travel with the dry bar, and moisten the bar slightly to rub it on as a repellent. This is soap, though; so don't use it above or around your eyes.

Soy Candles make it easy to be green

Since its development in the mid 90s, soy wax has become a popular medium for making candles. Candle lovers who are health conscious and/or adversely affected by breathing chemicals prefer soy wax because it is an organic compound that releases no toxins when burned (and is safer for pets too). Environmentally sensitive consumers like the fact that soy is derived from soybeans, a renewable resource.

Due to its low melting point, soy wax burns cooler, longer, and safer than paraffin, the most common compound used in candle making. This feature also allows fragrances to be released into the air faster. Anyone who has ever tried to remove candle wax from virtually anything will appreciate the ease with which soy wax cleans up—hot soapy water, a little elbow grease and viola! You’re done. Additionally, soy wax is nearly soot-free when burned.