Easter Basket Soap Tutorial from The Soap Queen

Easter is just around the corner and I found this really cute Easter project from Anne Marie aka The Soap Queen. It is making soap to look like Easter Basket Grass. This project can be found on The Soap Queen's Blog - Soap and the Finer Things.

According to Anne Marie this project will take about 30 minutes of total soaping time, broken up into two sessions. This entire project is very simple and could easily be done with children above the age of 4 with adult supervision. One small obvious safety note, when you are showering with your Easter soap, consider pulling the plastic, sharp-edged objects out of your soap. The little feet in the bird will scratch you and your loved ones in a rather unattractive manner. For this project, Anne-Marie used: White Melt and Pour, Non-Bleeding (Pink & Blue) Colorant Clear Soap,Lilac Fragrance, Labcolor Aqua, and Milky Way Square mold. All of these supplies can be purchased through Brambleberry.com.

You will need the following equipment to complete this project : Spoon, Pyrex or heat safe melting glass, Cheese Grater, and Plastic Dropper. The directions for this project are pretty basic. So follow them to the "T" and it should come out beautifully. And if you would like to take this project a step further, make sure to check out part 2 of this project called Soap Nesting Easter Soaps.

Funny Observation

This morning I was flipping the channels and I came across HSN (television shopping channel) and I saw that they are selling kits to make your own melt and pour soap, bath scrubs and body oil. For $44.90 (event price) you received 3 essential oils (lavender, citrus, vanilla), packaging materials (labels, bottles, etc) , and supplies for what kit you chose (melt and pour soap base, safflower oils, salts). I thought the presentation was nice but I thought that it was rather expensive.

If you would like to see what HSN is selling to make your bath salts, M&P soap and body oils, you can check out the following links:

Bath and Body Oil Kit
Lisa's Kitchen Gentle Soap Kit
Lisa's Kitchen Sea Salt Scrub Kit

Also sold separately were 3 additional bottles of essential oils (.34 oz each) of lilac, gardenia and rose for $25.00, Lisa's Kitchen Soap Extras Refill Kit for $25.00 and a kit that contained colorants (red, yellow and blue) and dried flowers (lavender, angel wings which are my favorite and a couple of others).

I would admit that these kits are of a higher quality than you would find at Michaels and they probably are a great starter kit for someone who wants to try and make these products for the first time. But I think I would rather purchase a larger quantity of supplies to make more than having to go back and repurchase the kit if I wanted to make more. It would probably cost you alot less in the long run....

Aromatherapy Massage Bars

Cocoa Butter has a delicious chocolate scent. If you prefer,substitute Shea Butter or mango butter for the Cocoa Butter. Here is a wonderful recipe from Aromatherapy Massage Bars from Natural Holistic Health.

The supplies you will need to create these massage bars are 3 ounces Beeswax, 3 ounces Apricot or Almond oil, 3 ounces Cocoa Butter 1 teaspoon essential oil or combination of oils and Soap bar molds (available at most craft stores)

The directions are very simple. Heat Beeswax, Apricot or Almond oil and Cocoa Butter in a double boiler over low heat just until melted. Remove from heat. Add essential oil when mixture has cooled slightly. Pour into Soap molds and cool until hardened, approximately 2 hours. Place in freezer for a few minutes before popping bars out of molds. To use, rub massage bar onto the skin — the warmth of the skin immediately melts the bar.

Rose Garden Bath Tea Recipe

Remember that song that had a lyric, "I never promised you a rose garden". Well, this bath tea surely comes close. This recipe for Rose Garden Bath Tea from The Bonnie Bath Company combines various flower petals froms roses, calendula, lavender buds and chamomile buds with geranium, ylang ylang, bergamot and lavender essential oils to make this fragrant and relaxing bath tea.

Striped Easter Eggs Project From Martha Stewart

Are you looking for something to decorate for the Easter holiday? Then you may want to check out this really cute Easter project from Martha Stewart - How to Make Striped Easter Eggs which appears on the Martha Stewart website. These striped eggs would be perfect as a tablescape on your table or side board.

Striped Eggs How-To

Combine various techniques -- bands, leaf garlands, and flowers -- to dress up plain and dyed eggs.

1. To make stripes: Cut strips from a folded sheet of crepe paper with pinking shears. Apply glue to each end of strip; adhere to egg.

2. To make a garland: Cut 18 leaves for each egg from crepe paper. Glue bottom tip of each leaf to egg, overlapping slightly.

3. To make a flower: Cut a 1 3/4-inch circle from crepe paper. Fold in half, and then fold in half again. Pinch pointy end; insert a finger among paper layers and spread them to look like a flower. Fold pointy end, and glue it to underside of flower; let dry. Cut out 2 leaves. Glue flower and leaves to egg.

Elegant Orgami Paper Easter Eggs from Martha Stewart

What an Easter project that can last from year to year? How about creating these Elegant Easter Eggs? I happened to see Martha demonstrate this project on Comcast's InDemand and wanted to share this project with you. Complete instructions for these Elegant Eggs are from Martha Stewart's website.

Inspired by an easy Japanese technique, MSLO created these delightful decorations to enjoy this Easter and next.

Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/article/elegant-eggs?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/easter-eggs#slide_10

Easter Egg Soaps

This year instead of making hard boiled eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt, how about creating these glycerin melt and pour Easter Egg Soaps from A Big Slice? What is really great about making egg soaps instead of hard boiled eggs is that the eggs do not go bad. Instead they can use these soaps to wash there hands. And what a perfect idea to get the whole family involved in this craft project.

To be honest, I wanted to create these for many years but could not figure out how to get the melted soap in to the plastic Easter Eggs. After looking at A Big Slice's instructions, it all makes sense.

If you would like to be more daring and would like to your decorative eggs soaps to the next level, then I would suggest that you check out the Egg Soap Instructions by Bob Sherman from One Stop Candle.

Body wax - Hair removal wax kit based on bee wax and honey

Summer time will soon be here and it is that dreaded time to remove some unwanted hair. How you like to create your own? Well, I found this article from a website called "Skincare Recipes
and Remedies". In this article titled, "Body wax - Hair removal wax kit based on bee wax and honey" has three different recipes that you can make in your very own kitchen. The three recipes are Homemade hair removal wax, Honey based body wax
and Strawberry honey hair removal body wax kit.

Did you know that the ritual of body waxing is not recent? According to the article, tt goes back to ancient Egypt where women were encouraged to cultivate the ritual of hair free bodies. They paid much attention to beauty and body appearance, and this was a pefect blend of cosmetics and hygiene.

You are wondering on how it was done in ancient times? Well, it was a basica mixture based on honey and hair remover based on sugar were used to make hair removal wax kit. The tradition of body wax preparation continued into ancient Greece but declined in the mid 10th century. After that, the attention we pay to waxing and hair removal still remains strong and present as a major part of our beautifying routine.

English Ivy Body Scrub Recipe

Are having trouble with cellulite? Well, I found this really interesting body scrub that you may want to try to make. This recipe for English Ivy Body Scrubs is from the website Essential Oil Recipe. What I found was really interesting is that Ivy is supposed to be a well known cure for cellulite because it helps to rid the body of fluid build-up and it stimulates circulation. I did not know that.

Most of the ingredients in this recipe are pretty much available but I think the most difficult would be the ivy. Does anyone know where this item can be purchased?

Cutting Costs of Materials - Making a Supplier Comparison Chart

Are you a small business and are wondering if there is a way to cut cost on materials? This article titled, "Cutting Costs of Materials - Making a Supplier Comparison Chart" by Erica from The Bonnie Bath Company is for any small business that is looking to cut costs on their materials without sacrificing quality. Since many of you to cut some costs now, Erica thought she would share how she went about it. There are probably plenty of ways to cut overall business costs, but in Erica's article, she focuses on one method. She demonstrates how she creates a comparision chart of reputable suppliers to come to the best conclusion on who to buy from. It maybe alittle work, but it in end it is well worth it.

Kathy's Pomegranate Lime Cocoa Butter Lotion

Do you love pomengrantes? How about lime? Then why not create this lovely Pomegranate Lime Cocoa Butter Lotion Recipe which appears on Essential U Blog. Too be honest I never thought of combining the scent pomengrantes and limes. And I really do not have the foggiest idea if that that two would actually compliment each or what. If you try to do this project, you will have to let us know.

Kathy, who created this recipe, decided to add this recipe to the Essential Wholesale Recipe Wall of Fame. The recipe is simple to make and has a delightful fresh aroma. Why not try and create today!

Hot Process Tutorial

Are you having problems with your hot process soap making batch? Well, check out this Hot Process Tutorial from Anne-Marie (aka The Soap Queen). This article which appears on Anne-Marie's blog Soap and the Finer Things in Life will help you fix your ruined batch of soap up to 24 hours after you ruined your soap.

Make Your Own Soap Cake/Cupcake

Brambleberry has these new cupcake molds which makes it easier to whip out some really cute cupcake soaps.

If you would like to make these adorable & delicious cupcake soaps, then visit The Soap Queen's Blog Soap and the Finer Things and check out the easy instructions on how to make Soap Cake, Cupcake. These would be an adorable favor or easy enough to make at a girl's birthday.

How to Make a Jar Candle

Do you love those jar candles in the store, but do not love the price? Then why not create your own. Learn how to make your own Jar Candle from this tutorial from Sinply Fun Stuff.

What is Potash?

Are you wonder what potash is? Here is a defination from Wisegeek.com:

"Boiling hardwood ash in water creates runoff that can be processed to form either lye or potash. Potash contains high amounts of essential plant nutrients; therefore it is mostly used as an agricultural fertilizer. With a long history of mining and manufacturing, the potassium salts help form soap, glass, and dyes.

Chemically, potash consists of potassium carbonate, but also might contain potassium oxide or potassium chloride, depending on how pure you consider the mixture. Usually, potash takes the form of powdery salts. Modern methods of extraction almost all rely upon deposits mined from ores, like sylvanite.

Historically, the manufacture and trade of potash traces an interesting period in the New World's economy. As one of the largest cash crops of the late 1700s and early 1800s, potash established strong trade routes through upstate New York, Canadian provinces, and overseas to Russia and England. At a time when land covered in hardwood forests was more valuable as farmland, settlers felled hundreds of thousands of acres of trees. Not only did this create lumber for building, but also they found a way to extract even more money by creating potash.

The word potash is a compound of "pot" and "ash," showing how the salts were first made. All leftover tree material, including damaged branches and roots, were burned on a dry day. The most popular wood came from broadleaved trees, namely Elm.

When these ashes were soaked in hot water for a while, then filtered, the rudimentary stage of potash created lye. If this lye, filling huge pots in a kiln, was baked down to evaporate all the water, "black ash" resulted. Black ash was like an unfiltered kind of potash. Farmers could make far more money trading potash than either lumber or food crops.

Nowadays, our potash comes from mining and goes toward inorganic fertilizer rich in potassium. In fact, the widespread use of these kinds of fertilizers on major crops like corn, wheat, and vegetables means arable land yields more edible food per acre. Potassium protects plants against disease and pests, allows them to flexibly adjust to changing weather conditions, and encourages them to absorb more nutrients. The resulting crops are larger and more nutritious. "

For more information on potassium hydroxide for your liquid soap making projects, check out these links:

http://www.chemicalland21.com/industrialchem/inorganic/KOH.htm
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0839891.html

http://www.potassium-hydroxide.com/
http://www.thesoapdish.com/caustics.htm

How To Make Melt and Pour Gemstone and Rock Soap Tutorial

Do you love the natural look of gemstones? If you would like to learn how to make melt and pour gemstone and rocks soaps, then check out the tutorial from Soap Making Forum. The tutorial gives you alot of tips on what you should do to make your soap look like a geniune gemstone.

I have seen someone create these gemstone soaps and they looked like the real thing. Before starting you may want to look at a book of gemstones to see what your favorite gemstone looks like in its raw form.

MP Soap: Pamper Me Pedicure Soap

Spring is almost here. And you are going to start wearing our favorite sandles? But your feet need a pedicure? Then why not try and make these Pamper Me Pedicure Soaps from Wholesale Supplies Plus. These pedicure soaps are very easy to make and all of the supplies can be purchased through Wholesale Supplies Plus. Since these soaps are simple to make, why not create enough to give out as gifts at the holiday? How about giving these out as favors at your next bridal or baby shower? The ideas are endless. I know I would enjoy receiving one of these as gift.

Bath Bombs from Duffin's Soap Bakery

Take a look at these bath bombs from Duffin's Soap Bakery. Don't they look good enough to eat? The presentsation reminds me of a wonderful plate of cookies.

If you would like to see how these bombs were made then check out the article titled Bath Bombs for Fun. The ingredients that were used in this recipe were baking soda, citric acid, fragrance/essential oil, sweet almond oil, witch hazel, colorant and a surprising ingredient of corn flour. I am not sure what corn flour adds to the end product so I am going to ask the author about that particular ingredient in this recipe.

Hydrating Lip Buff (aka Lip Scrub) Recipe

What is the purpose of a lip buff? According to Alison of DIY Skincare, of using a lip buff or scrub is to exfloliate dead skin cells that tend to dull the skin. When the skin on the lips gets excessively dry, the dead skin cells can begin to flake off, which results in peeling or chapped lips. At this point, lip balm will not help to remedy the problem unless the dead skin cells are removed first. A gentle, natural lip scrub can get the job done quickly! I know that my lips get especially dry during the winter months or if I have been licking my lips alot. I try to not do the latter.

So if you would like to try and make your own lip scrub recipe, then may I suggest the Hydrating Lip Buff Recipe from DIY Skincare.

Soap Making Oils for Cold Process Soap Making

Do you love making cold process soap but you are having troubles selecting the right oils? By using a variety of soap making oils, you can tailor a soap to meet the needs of any skin type. Want to learn more? Soap-Making-Essentials has a great page on their website devoted to information on Soap Oils for Cold Process Soap. This page is devoted to a list of oils that you can find more information on, formulating a recipe, and ideas for formulating certain soaps (Bring on the Bubbles, Condition Me, The Anomaly, Love That Creamy Lather). If you cannot still decide what oils to use then you should check out their homemade soap recipes page.

Cleansing Clay Fizzers Recipe

Here is a really cool recipe that you may want to try. It is like a combonation of a mud mask and a bath fizzy bomb that you can use for your whole body. So if you like the feel of a mud bath that you could get at the spa? Why not try this product cleansing clay fizzers from "Design It Yourself" Skincare sponsored by Bath Body Supply. This unique recipe contains a few ingredients including Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda), Citric Acid, Sea Clay, Bentonite Clay and Shea Olein, witch hazel and fragrance of your choice.

Flowery Suds Soap Design Tutorial

When I first saw this picture, I thought that the flower soaps could be made with melt and pour soap base. But they were not. Would you believe that these flowery designs were created by the cold process method? I have taken an advanced cold process soap class at The Nova Studio but I have never seen anything like this before.

If you are a cold process soap maker and you are looking for an interesting look to your soaps, try making these Flowery Suds Soaps from Lovin' Soaps. These soaps are truly unique and would be perfect to create for the spring or if you are having some type of retro event.

How To Make Aroma Beads

According to Cajun's Candle and Soap Making Supplies, aroma beads are are small translucent plastic beads that absorb up to 40%* of their weight in fragrance oil. The fragrance can last up to six months, depending on the fragrance oil used. They are perfect for use in potpourri, sachets for cars, closets, drawers, luggage, etc. and as an alternative to candles. The aroma beads look radiant in organza baggies or in pretty glass jars, or even as dry potpourri. Aroma beads are easily colored and hold fragrance. You can make one color or multicolor mixes with the beads.

If you would like to make aroma beads but do not know how, then check out the instructions to Cajun's aroma beads recipe.

Soapylove Technique Post: Using Silicone Molds with M&P, Part 1

If you are a melt and pour soapmaker and you are having troubles with your 3 D silcone molds, you may want to check out this article written by Debbie Chiltas (aka SoapyLove) on Using Silicone Molds with M&P Part 1 which appears on The Soap Queen's blog Soap and the Finer Things in Life. It shows you step by step on how to create a bar of soap with a 3D mold. I really like the purse shaped soap that comes out of the mold. If you are interested Part 2 Tricks and Tips goes into coloring, using different soap bases and putting surprises in your creations.

Soy Wax Vs. Paraffin Wax

by Shanda Lynn Markham, BellaOnline's Candlemaking Editor

This article is focusing on the controversial topic of paraffin wax versus soy wax. The intent of this article is not to convince you of which is better, but to help you understand the real differences between soy and paraffin. Ultimately, it is each candle maker’s personal choice which wax to use and either one is a good choice. I hope that any discussion in the forum not be combative or “bashing” of one or the other, but more a quest to truly understand the differences.

The most highly touted inaccuracy is that soy wax candles do not soot and paraffin wax candles do. This is a false statement. A candle is a combustible and combustion equals soot. Soy candles produce white soot that is generally not seen by the eye whereas paraffin candles produce black soot. Neither soot is better than the other or healthier for you. It is important to note that sooting mainly happens when the flame is disturbed. This can happen by an air draft, an improperly trimmed wick, as well as a clogged wick. All these things happen in both types of candles. It is even more important to note that it the amount of soot you are exposed to by burning candles is minimal. It is very unlikely that it will cause health problems. Now if your house were to burn down due to a candle accident, the soot from the house burning would be harmful to you. I use this example to show you the difference in the amounts of soot you are exposed to. We sometimes forget to think about these things when we are bombarded with statements made to cause us to be fearful.

The main difference between soy and paraffin waxes is that one is “renewable” and the other is not. Soy wax is a by-product of soy beans and is thus renewable. We can plant more soy beans without adversely affecting our natural resources. It is also helpful to farmers who grow and sell their soybeans. Paraffin wax is a by-product of petroleum which is not renewable. But I also want to help you look at this in a different light. We do not drill for oil solely for paraffin wax. Petroleum is used in almost every aspect of our lives. It is used in the plastics we use for storage, the make-up we wear on our face, the clothes we wear and furniture we use. Petroleum is a basis of our life and we have become very dependent on it in our lives. When crude oil is sent to be distilled, it goes through many phases of distillation producing many different products from that one barrel of crude of oil. The categories made in order of distillation are: fuel gases, liquefied petroleum gases, aviation gas, jet fuel, kerosene, distillate fuel oil, diesel fuel oils, residual fuel oil, lubricants, greases and finally waxes. I do not claim to understand the distillation processes, but it is obvious that waxes are the final product made. They are more greatly distilled and cleaner. Food grade paraffin is used in many of our foods and is FDA approved. Food grade paraffin wax must meet different standards than plain paraffin wax. I personally use food grade paraffin wax in my candles.

Ultimately, I am not bashing either type of wax. My only issue is that current trends have brought us to believe that one wax is better than the other and this is not true. The only true difference is that one is renewable and one is not. It is a choice of personal preference. I prefer a highly fragrant candle and this is better achieved with paraffin wax than soy wax. The candle maker adds additives to both types of waxes to change the melting point, hardness of the candle and the ability to hold scent.

Permission to reprint by Shanda Lynn Markham, BellaOnline's Candlemaking Editor. Original article - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art52885.asp

Glittered Sticker Eggs

I so happened to catch Martha demonstrating this on Comcast's InDemand and want to share the instructions with you. If you would like to make something different for the holiday, just download the instruction for these Glittered Sticker Eggs and keep them in your records.

These beautifully glittered Easter eggs are a sparkling alternative to coloring them with dyes.

Tools and Materials

Double-sided "Flora" sticker roll
Tweezers
Blown-out eggs (Martha used pheasant eggs)
Colored glitter
Canned air
Standard 1/4-inch hole punch

Glittered Eggs How-To

1. Remove double-sided stickers from roll and place on the egg, keeping the paper on the top part of the sticker intact (tweezers help with this).

2. Once you have covered the egg with stickers, remove the paper covering the other sticky side of each sticker.

3. Roll the egg in glitter, making sure to get glitter on each sticker.

4. Blow on the egg with canned air to remove excess glitter.

Tips

1. Use a sticker to cover the hole(s) left in the egg by the egg blower.

2. Use a standard hole punch to punch dots from the negative space on the sticker roll, and use these to make a polka-dotted egg.

Resources

The double-sided "Flora" sticker roll and colored glitter (Martha used purple sapphire, blue sapphire, green agate, and bronze) are available at http://www.marthastewartcrafts.com/. Pheasant eggs are available at thefeatheredegg.com. A hole punch and canned air can be found at office-supplies stores. An assortment of glitter colors is available at the Martha Stewart Shop. More information about blowing out an egg is available in our Everything Easter center.

How to Make Jelly Soap

Are you having a difficult time getting your kids to take a bath? Well, how about creating these fun Jelly Soaps with your kids? I happpened to find this recipe by ehow contributor Alicia Bodine while I was looking for instructions on how to make jelly bean soaps. According to Alicia, these soaps aking jelly soap is a fun craft to do with children. It is also a great way to get them to want to take a bath. Once you get the hang of making jelly soap, you may want to make some for friends and family members for gifts at any occasion.

I found the process of making this soap very interesting because Alicia used a combination of ingredients such as liquid soap and vodka to create the soap. I was expecting that she used a glycerin melt and pour soap base. I am so intrigued with this recipe, I will have to give it a try.

Simple Lavender Salt Scrub Recipe

I would say that Lavender happens to be one of the top fragrances students put in their bath and body creations. I think it is because of the is known for its soothing, calming, and relaxing properties which would make it a great nighttime product.

For those who love lavender and want to create their very own salt scrub recipe, here is a Lavender Salt Scrub recipe from The Soap King. What is really interesting about this recipe is the introduction of liquid glycerin and lavender buds. There is no carrier oil in this recipe so maybe it is not as greasy. As you can see from the picture that there really is not much color to the salt. But according to the recipe, there is a colored mica powder. Sometimes liquid colorant can be overpowering, so if you like a light touch of color then go for the mica powder.

Retro Roses Soap Design Tutorial

Here is another advanced cold process soap technique from Amanda Griffin at Lovin' Soaps. To be honest, I have been to alot of arts and wine festivals and I have never seen anyone sell a soap like this Retro Rose Soap Design. This soap has the definate WOW factor that no one else has seen. I would be a great gift for Mother's day or as a favor at a bridal shower. And I think if someone were to make and sell this soap that this would definately be a winner.

Types of papers used for wrapping soap

Paper for wrapping soap is the first order of business in packaging soap. Unlike products presented in bottles or jars, soap packaging doubles as both the label and the exterior for protecting the goods. There really are no hard and fast rules to packaging soap, other than that the packaging should protect the soap during shelf life and handling, convey information about the soap and incidentally, look good.

When looking for paper to wrap soap it is important to understand that the weight of paper that one chooses is very vast. Although, the weight of the paper depends on the type of paper used yet typically 20 pound weight paper is regular writing paper, while weights that are more substantial such as 60-80 pound weights will wrap a soap bar encasing it almost like a box. This may be fine especially for soap that is damaged easily.

Textured paper is a always a favorite, especially handmade paper. Though not practical for soaps sold in large amounts, handmade paper is great for small boutique soaps or to give as gifts because it is expensive and the supply inconsistent. Most handmade paper is made in far flung lands and by the time it gets to the market here it becomes a luxury item, rather than a staple. Still, if one can find a steady, consistent supplier, handmade paper maybe the way to go. It is always important to note that though we are trying to protect the goods, people shop with all five senses and handmade goods looks especially earthy and rare in handmade packaging.

There are however some great inexpensive papers for wrapping soap. My favorite on the list is Kraft paper. There is nothing that says handcrafted like Kraft paper. And although I am heavily influenced by exotic handmade paper, yet Kraft paper with a little jazzing up is really very special packaging. Plus there are several versions of Kraft paper one can get. It come s packaged on the roll, in 8.5x11 sheets, in label sheets and as butcher paper with a slick side. All of these types of Kraft paper is great to wrap soap with.

The primary reason this is one of my favorite papers to use is that it makes a good foil for simple images - unlike other kinds of paper that need colored images, Kraft paper looks great with very simple lines. That could be due to its natural color. With that said, let me say that Kraft paper does not have to be simple wrapping for soap. It can be dressed up. in fact my favorite way to use Kraft paper is to add metallic touches to the finished label, such as a metallic stamp or simple line art with glitter/metallic gel pen. Kraft paper also is nice with natural elements such as leaves, twigs and even shells!

Reprinted with permission from Winsome Tapper, Soapmaking Editor ,www.Bellaonline.com/site/soapmaking

Making Your Own Silicone Liners for Your Wood Molds

For those soapmakers who make their soap by the cold process method, I know you use wooden molds for your batches of soap. You may line your molds with parchment paper or garbage bags and you may find that cumbersome. And right know you cannot afford to purchase a new mold with a liner. How would you like to create your own silcone liners for your molds? Well I found this post on a blog titled The Soap Bar that tells you how to do it. In this article titled DIY Silicone Liners for Soap Moulds tells you how to do so and where you need to get the materials. Give it a go and let us know how it turns out.

How do you tell if a product is Eco-Friendly or Not?

In an article by Mary Macvean, titled “Clean and Green…Shopping Aisles transformed by variety of Earth-Friendly products” appeared in The Daily News On January 26, 2011 talks about how the grocery aisle of cleaning products is now offering better choices in cleaning products for the consumer. There is dizzying selection of these products and liquids that claim not only to clean but also healthy for people, pets and the planet. The most common eco-friendly brands that one may find in the market place would be Meyer, Method, Seventh Generation and Dr. Breuner. In the last two years there has been a real change in the large traditional brands such as Johnson and Johnson who are introducing greener versions of their products. But one wonders if they really are truly Earth-friendly are not.

An early complaint about one company called Earth-Friendly was that their products did not cause any harm but they really not effective either which means they did not clean very well. Products have now improved, but now consumers have to sort through the claims for non-toxic, green, planet-friendly and other attributes without clear definitions.

If you are really wondering if a product is really eco-friendly, one thing to do is check for the EPA’s Design for the Environment seal indicating the product has met the program’s sustainability requirements or criteria. This seal will include the product’s effect on human health. According to the article, in 2003 43 products qualified for the seal and now more than 2,000 products from 300 manufacturers qualify for this seal including store brands and traditional older manufacturers. Plus government and private efforts are underway to regulate product testing, ingredient disclosure and the ways companies communicate green marketing messages. In late 2010, the California Air Resources Board adopted a rule that will mean reformulations of about 2,000 consumer products to release volatile organic compounds or VOCs.