handmade, organic soaps and soy candles

5/28/08

Vegetable Shampoo Bar

I spent the day making something new--a shampoo bar. I have been putting this one off because it ain't that easy--eight different oils plus two optional and an essential oil (of course I have to use those too). But the tough part was stirring it all to trace. (You soapers' out there understand trace.) The recipe said not to beat or use a blending stick. It instructed to stir by hand until reaching trace. So I followed instructions. It took a long time. I had to call my husband in twice to take over stirring for me while I stretched and rested my arms and back for a couple of minutes. After an hour and just when I thought the batch was failing, the mixture started to thicken. I was nearly in tears with joy. I'll let you know just how beautiful it is in 4 to 6 weeks--after it is cured.

5/24/08

Tin Can Blues...

So, last week I'm eagerly awaiting a package via UPS. It finally comes and I tear into the box to find the metal tins I ordered. Nice tins, but turns out they are too small for the soy lotion bars I made to go inside them. Drat! That means I went to the market without the insect repellant soy lotion bars I had promised. Sorry folks. I'll have the situation remedied in the coming week.

5/19/08

Sustainable and Organic--Sensible and Healthy

We had another great day at the Market last Saturday and I sold out of my insect repellent soaps already! But, this week I am making a wonderful soy lotion bar with insect repellent essential oils that I know you'll love. It is a lotion bar in a tin that you simply rub on your skin (as you would a lotion--thus lotion bar). I've added essential oils that are pleasing to the senses but keeps those buggy varmints away. In the meantime, I'll be making more of this soap.

I've also decided to go ahead with the naked lotion as well--since so many of you have asked for it. It is goats milk and honey lotion. What essential oil shall I use?
See you on the 24th.

A fellow marketer

For organic vegan soap products that are free of chemicals, toxins, and animal products, come to the Tower Grove Farmers' Market and Bazaar this weekend.

5/13/08

Great Day at the Market

Tower Grove Farmers' Market & Bazaar

After a few stormy days, Market day turned out to be a beautiful 70 degrees, the rain holding off until after market

ended.

It was great to see everyone again--my regular customers and lots of new faces, old neighbors and new ones. It was like a big party with delicious food, great music and entertainment, and all the organic produce, and home made products and artistry.

I'm going to be very busy this week making more soaps and candles and getting ready for next Saturday. Look for a new product--a soy lotion bar. I'll be making a lotion bar that has bug repellent essential oils too. So don't miss the Market, there will be an equally good time this coming weekend, Saturday, May 17th. See you there!

5/6/08

Tower Grove Farmers' Market Kickoff this Saturday

I've been busy leading up to the start of the third Tower Grove Farmers' Market this Saturday, May 10th from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Not only is it a busy day for me, I look forward to seeing friends from past markets and enjoying all the entertainment lined up for market goers and vendors.

All the soaps I've had on the curing racks are now ready for market--including my "Buzz-Off" formula which is extremely popular during the spring and summer.

So, be sure to make some time to go to the market, take it all in and take some healthy, home-grown, home-made organic products home with you.

See you there!

3/18/08

If you haven't tried home made soaps...

...and wonder what all the fuss is about, read on! Long ago, soap companies began removing glycerin and other great natural soap ingredients to increase profits. This required the need to add other less "skin-friendly" chemicals. (Just read the ingredients label on your store purchased bar of soap.) This process made "soap" more detergent than true soap. Soap cannot be made without using lye (Sodium Hydroxide). Before you panic, let me explain. Lye is used in the soap-making process but the finished product contains NO LYE. When mixed with the skin-loving oils used in my soap, lye goes through a chemical change called saponification. The lye is gone and all you have left is a truly wonderful product that will clean your skin without drying it out! You will love the feel and you will find that handmade soaps lasts longer than commercially made "soap."

3/15/08

On The Curing Rack

I made the following soaps this week:

Shea Butter supreme face and body soap with lavender essential oil
Shea Butter supreme face and body soap with euphoric blend of Jasmine, Rose and Sandlewood
Sweet Almond & Jojoba with Rosemary & Lavender Herbs & essential oils
Oatmeal & Honey with extra Aloe Vera and Vitamin E, great for acne and itching.
Chamomile Flower & Honey with essential oils of chamomile and neroli.

These will be available in 4-6 weeks.

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.

1/21/08

Getting Ready For Spring

Now that the holidays are over and things have settled down, I'm gearing up for Spring. Many new herbal soaps will be available, as well as the usual favorites. S0, stay in touch, and let me know if there is anything special you would like. I do make custom soaps.

12/3/07

It's not too late to order gifts for the holidays!

I had a great time at St Margaret's Holiday Bazaar yesterday and it was good to see so many nice people, friends and familiar faces.

There was a lot of interest in the herbal soaps and soy candles, and I nearly sold out of both. That means the elves will be busy filling orders for the holiday candles at least, as the herbal soaps won't be restocked until after the holidays. But I do have some soaps left, so don't be discouraged about calling for some.

Holiday Soy Candle Scents include:

Christmas Tree EO

Holiday Aromatherapy Blend EO

Franincense & Myrrh EO

Frankincense & Myrr Cedarwood Orange EO

Orange Cinnamon & Cloves

Peppermint EO

Pumpkin Pie FO

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.

handmade, organic soaps and soy candles

5/28/08

Vegetable Shampoo Bar

5/24/08

Tin Can Blues...

5/19/08

Sustainable and Organic--Sensible and Healthy

5/13/08

Great Day at the Market

5/6/08

Tower Grove Farmers' Market Kickoff this Saturday

3/18/08

If you haven't tried home made soaps...

3/15/08

On The Curing Rack

2/10/08

On the Curing Racks...

1/21/08

Getting Ready For Spring

12/3/07

It's not too late to order gifts for the holidays!

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