Raindrop Loaf Melt and Pour Soap

Some parts of the country got plenty of rain this Winter.  Some of us ie California got it early but not enough for the really important months.  Now that the calendar says it is Spring, the weather has not gotten the memo. This Raindrop Loaf Soap recipe from Wholesale Supplies Plus will not rain on your parade (we hope).  This is an intermediate project that give you eight 1" slices of soap.

Herbal Hair Rinse Recipe

In my lifetime, I have used shampoos and conditioners.  But I have never used a hair rinse before.  According to Alison of Bath Body Supply, Shampoos are used to clean the hair of dirt and oils. Conditioners are used to add body, control static and make hair soft.  Conditioners and other hair products such as hair gel and mousse contain ingredients that bind to hair and do not rinse away completely.  A rinse, such as this one, washes away this residue and adds shine.  It is usually used after shampooing.  So if you are like me and are interested in trying a hair rinse and would like to try and make your own, Alison has posted her recipe for Herbal Hair Rinse on her blog.

Labelling of Color Additives

If you make your own bath and body products you will see that they will be either white or neutral.  But most of us will add coloring to our products to make them look pretty or attractive.  And if you are selling your products you will need to label them correctly. According to Wholesale Supply Plus, generally there are two types of ingredients that can change the color of your product:  an ingredient that happens to change the color or an additive. It is very important to understand the difference betwen the two, for both product labelling and regulatory compliance.  In the article titled, Labelling: Color Addtives, Wholesale Supplies Plus discusses the history, ingredients that change color, color additives,  and product ingredient declaration. This is an interesting and informative article on the subject and if anyone out there would like to add anything that would help us understand this subject would be most helpful.

Dry Shampoo Recipe

Has anyone ever used a dry shampoo before?  I never had but I have heard of it.  I guess one would use dry shampoo if there was no access to a shower like climbing a rugged mountain in a far away land. Alison of Bath Body Supply has posted a simple recipe for Dry Shampoo,  Would you believe that there are only four simple ingredients for this recipe?  Yes, there is.  So if you are in need of a dry shampoo recipe then you should look into this one.

Aroma Crafting and EO Dillutions and Conversion Chart

If you like or would like to try your hand at blending your own essential oils but you are not sure what the conversions and dilution would be?  The check out this post from the Mountain Rose Blog on Dilutions and Conversions. This may help you out on how to make your measurements more accurately. I always have trouble converting from American Standard measurements to metric.  Do you have any measurements or hints to add to this?

New Palm Free CP Soap Recipe



Photo by Lovin' Soap

I am learning more and more about what is done when palm oil is being harvested and I am going to be more consciencious about using products that are palm oil free.  If you would like to get on the bandwagon and create your cold process soap without palm oil, I found a recipe from Lovin' Soap called New Palm Free Soap Recipe.  In this blog post, the author also tells the reader about a new soap mold liner from Brambleberry.  Check it and try the recipe for yourself/

Preparing Tinctures: A simple method

Are interested in learning about how to make tincture? If you love to learn the simple way of preparing tinctures, you should read this article from The East West School for Herbal and Aromatic Studies called Preparing Tinctures: A Simple Method.

Organic Cacao Body Butter

Doesn't this look good enough to eat?  But this Organic Cacao Body Butter is too be applied to the whole body. Some might find it too be too rich for the face.  Want to learn how to make this?   The East West School Herbal and Aromatic Studies shows you how easy it is to make.

Goats Milk Swirl Soap

Have you ever made goat's milk soap before?  If you have and would like to learn how to make it in the pot swirl technique you just might want to check out this tutorial from the Soap Queen called Goats Milk In The Pot Swirl.  In this tutorial Anne Marie provides the recipe plus a video that you can watch her making this soap.

Domino Lip Balm Tutorial

Do love to play dominos?  Well, if you do not you will still think this Domino Lip Balm is too cool.  This tutorial is from the Soap Queen is an interemediate project that takes 1-2 hours and you will get 10 lip tins out of this recipe.  Anne Marie says that bymanipulating hardened lip balm base, I was able to create a fun polka-dotty look with a tropical twist. Read on to learn how to create these adorable and yummy-tasting lip balms.  This would be a way cool gift to make and give out to your friends and family if you have regular game nights.

Creamy Carrot Salt Scrub

 

Are carrots your favorite vegatable? Well, we know that it is Bugs Bunny's.  This Creamy Carrot Salt Scrub recipe from The Natural Beauty Workshop has a great ingredient called  Shealoe Butter. It's so light, fluffy, and creamy! It has a remarkable texture that feels cool, clean, and soothing. Plus, it looks like frosting. Add a little Carrot Oil to shealoe and it turns a gorgeous shade of orange-yellow. This fluffy concoction is the base for our Creamy Carrot Salt Scrub Recipe, a moisturizing scrub scented with Ginger, Vanilla, and Lemon Essential Oils, making it downright yummy.

 

 

Peppermint Lemongrass Sage Swirl Soap

I have been following I'd Lathering be Soaping for awhile.  In a recent post Jenny wrote an on how she made this Peppermint Lemongrass Sage Swirl Soap.   I would have to say that I love the look of this soap, especially the yellow colorant.  Would you believe the name of the color is Fizzy Lemonade?  It is from Brambleberry.  If you would like to see Jenny making this vertical layered shop check her post with commentary and her video.

How to Make Macroon Soaps by the Hot Process Method

It has been awhile since I took a hot process soap making class at The Nova Studio but I was going through You Tube and found this really cute soap project on How to Make Valentine Macaron Soap by Soaping 101.Now even though this project is geared for Valentine's Day I think you can make it for anytime of the year.  These would be adorable as favors for Bridal or Baby Showers.  I have to be honest I thought this kind of cookie was called a Macaroon not a Macaron.  I guess potato/patato.  Let's call the whole thing off.

Warming Ginger Carrot Body Balm

Rich, conditioning body balms are great for soothing dry patches of skin, and adding a coat of intense moisture to your arms and legs. Packaging body balms in Stick Tube or Deodorant Containers makes applying them quick and easy. Carrot, Cranberry and Pumpkin seed oils are packed with fatty acids and antioxidants, making this balm extra nutritious for your skin. If this sounds good to you, then you may want to make this Warming Ginger Carrot Body Balm from The Natural Body Workshop.

Bath Fizzies: Robin's Egg in Nest

I saw this adorable idea for bath fizzies from Wholesale Supplies Plus - Robin's Egg in Nest.  This intermediate recipe makes 16 sets of two and would be a perfect gift for spring. You and your friends can watch these eggs hatch in the bath.  As they fizz in the bath they will fill the water with skin softening ingredients plus the sweet scent of birds of paradise.

Calming Facial Masque Recipe

Looking for a simple facial masque recipe that you make at home without all the gross ingredients that most mask have?  This Calming Facial Masque Recipe from Bath Body Supply Company suits the bill. It has only five ingredients (three dry and two dry) that can be simply combined to make a great masque.  Give this masque a try and see what it does to your skin.

Melt & Pour Soap: Sophie's Easter Chicks

Isn't this soap adorable? You cannot help falling in love with  a melt and pour soap called Sophie's Easter Chicks.  Denise from Go Planet Earth has kindly provided instructions on how to make these adorable soaps. Check out how to make these soaps and hopefully there still enough time to make these for the Easter holiday.

How To Make Crushed Loofah Soap

Totally Tutorials recently posted a blog on How to Make Crushed Loofah Soap.  This particular picture makes the soap looks like it would be best suited for Winter or Christmas.  But you can adapted for any shaped mold that you like.

Aromatherapy for Rosacea

If you or someone you know suffers from Rosacea, you may want to read this article called Aromatherapy for Rosacea  on the The East West School for Herbal and Aromatic Studies website. It explains what Roseacea is and what causes it plus there is an aromatherapy recipe to help with this condition.

Bunnies–a tutorial with M and P

Here is a really cute Spring/Easter melt and pour soap tutorial from Riverlea Soap...The Soap Fanatic. If you would like to learn how to makes these adorable soaps, then check out this soap Bunnies (M&P Tutorial).

Lemon Balm Tincture

Have you ever heard of a Tincture?  You haven't? A tincture is an alcohol-based derivative of a fresh herb or other natural plant material, used primarily as an dietary supplement or alternative medicine.  Here is a simple recipe that you may want to try.  This Lemon Balm Tincture recipe from BOrganic maybe the first one you would like to try or add to your library.

Manufacturing Lip Products

Image credit: dekay / 123RF Stock Photo

Are you currently selling bath and body products and were considering adding lip stick to your line?  Well, you may want to ready this blog entry from Bath Body Supply called Manufacturing Lip Products.  This article discusses good manufacturing practices and color additives that are permitted in the use of cosmetics.  These are two important subjects that you need to know about. So read up and get informed.

Recipe: Spring Alive Essential Oil Blend for Body & Hair

In her March 2013 newsletter, Joan Morais included a recipe for
Spring Live Essential Oil Blend for Body and Hair.  The ingredients for this recipe are 16 drops sweet orange essential oil, 6 drops lime essential oil ,2 drops rosemary essential oil (Joan prefers rosemary verbenone) and 2 ounces distilled or spring water.  Then follow these simple instructions: 
-Combine essential oils into a 2 ounce glass bottle.
-Fill bottle with water.

-Cap bottle with mister.
-Gently roll bottle in the palms of your hands to mix.
-Mist onto dry or wet hair and body. 

 

If you want to learn more about aromatherapy and essential oils, you can order Joan's book Aromatherapy:  Essential Oils for Body, Hair, Skin.

Solid Bubble Bath Recipe

Do you need a break today?  If you want to relax in the bath tub you may want to add these Solid Bubble Bath Bars.This recipe for Solid Bubble Bath Bars from The Soap Queen combines the earthiness of Patchouli, the sweetness of Orange and the balancing notes of Rose to make your bath extra relaxing.  What is great about this recipe is that the bars harden really quickly so there is no waiting time in order to use them

Sweet Carrot Lip Balm

Easter comes early this year.  So how about making Sweet Carrot Lip Balms for the Easter baskets you will be making?  This recipe for Sweet Carrot Lip Balm  from The Natural Beauty Workshop can be made anytime of the year and given out for any reason.  According to The Natural Beauty Workshop, Carrot Oil is packed with vitamins. The rich beta-carotene content in Carrot Oil gives it an almost surreal yellow/orange hue. When used in formulations, the oil acts as a natural colorant, tinting products with its bold color. Because of Carrot Oil's super saturated color, it's important to use it sparingly in formulations for skin care. This lip balm uses just around 16% Carrot Oil, enough to color the balm and leave a temporary tint on the lips. Like Carrot Oil, Murumuru Butter is rich in Vitamin A, making this lip balm excellent for soothing dry, cracked lips. In this lip balm recipe, The Natural Beauty Workshop used Tangerine Flavor Oil to give this balm a sweet scent, but it would be perfectly delicious if left all-natural and unscented. Now if you used Tangerine Essential Oil, you must remember that it is photosensitive which means that if you go out in the sun, your lips may become sunburn.  So it is better to use flavor oil instead.

Anti-Pinch Nail Polish

If by chance you do not have anything green to wear for St. Patty's Day, then you may want to consider making this Anti-Pinch Nail Polish from The Soap Queen.  If you are nervous making your own nail polish, don't worry this is a very simple recipe that anyone can do.  So no more worries about getting pinched or not being Irish for this day.

MP Soap: Easter Eggs - Embed Paper

Look at these pretty melt and pour Easter Egg Soaps!  This is a quick and easy way to make some Easter/Spring soaps for your holiday celebration.  These would be great to make for the Easter Egg hunt you may be having or great to you put out on your table to give out as favors for your guests.  Want to learn how to make these melt and pour Easter Eggs Soaps?  Then check out the instructions from Wholesale Supplies Plus. The most important component for this project is embedding paper into the soap.  So if you have never embedded paper into your soap before you should printout the patterned paper that Wholesale Supplies Plus has provided to you in their instructions. And it is really important to know that you must use a Laser Printer for printing the embed paper.

DIY Reverse French Manicure Video Tutorial

Do you love getting your nails done but is it getting too expensive for you?  Why not try this Reverse French Manicure recipe?  This video tutorial from The Soap Queen shows you how to make this unique technique. If you have never made nail polish before you may want to check out The Soap Queen's video on How to Make Nail Polish first before you try the Reverse French Manicure..

How to make a Salve: Carrot Rosehip Skin Salve

For the winter this Carrot Rosehip Salve recipe from The East West for Herbal and Aromatic Studies can be used on the face and body to prevent and/or treat dryness. The author says that this salve is a great addition to sugar scrubs,

MP Soap: Bunny and Egg in Basket

Recently, I posted instructions for a melt and pour Eggs in a Basket soaps from Wholesale Supplies Plus.  If you are going to make those for your Easter holiday, why not makes these Bunny and Egg in Basket soaps to complement the others?  Like the Eggs in a Basket soaps, these are an advanced level project that will take a half hour to make plus curing time and you should get 8 bars of soap.  If you like this project make sure to print out the recipe and add it to your files. If you like both of these projects, make sure to check out the other fantastic projects that Wholesale Supplies Plus have in their recipe box.

Vanilla Lip and Body Balm Recipe

If you love vanilla the here is a Vanilla Lip Balm recipe from The East West School for Herbal and Aromatic School.  The one thing I should warn you about is that the vanilla flavoring is not separate it is actually infused in the jojoba oil.  But I did find on the school's website that a recipe for Vanilla Bean Infusion  that you can refer to so that you can make prior to the lip balm recipe.

MP Soap: Easter Eggs in Basket

Looking for a fun project to make for Easter?  Here is an adorable Easter Eggs in a Basket soap that you can make to give out as gifts for the Easter Holiday.  These would be great to put on your Easter table as favor for your guests.  You should get alot of oohs and aahs.  This an advanced recipe which should take 1/2 hour to make and allow for curing time. Once complete you should yield 8 bars of soap. Wholesale Supplies Plus graciously posted the instructions for this project in recipe section of their website, so if you like this recipe you should check out the many others.