Formulating on a Budget: An Introduction

As many as you know that making your own bath and body products is not an inexpensive hobby.  For me it was not because I purchased so many essential and fragrance oils, equipment and other items that it started to add up.  But once you purchase the basics and learn what ingredients you like and don't like, it gets easier. Plus fragrances and some colorants can be used for different products.  Would you like to learn more?  I found this posting from Point of Interest called Formulating on a Budget:  An Introduction that can make your purchasing decisions a little easier.

Chocolate Mandarin Lip Balm Recipe

As the days are getting colder, we need to protect our lips from the cold harsh wind.  I found this recipe from Saffire Blue called Chocolate Madnarin Lip Balm.  It is a wonderfully fragrant and rich treat for your lips.  According to Saffire Blue, this recipe is formatted using percentages so you can use grams or ounces so that you can make as much or as little as you want.

Basic Bath Tea with Spa Salts Recipe

Do you love taking baths?  Here is an easy recipe from Wholesale Supplies Plus called Basic Bath Tea with Spa Salts. This recipes yields 16 large bags so it would be great to make for favors at a bridal or baby shoer.  Or you can easily make it to give out as gifts.

Facial scrubs: Which exfoliant to choose? Physical exfoliants (part 1)

Always wanted to make a facial scrub and do not know what to put into it?  If you have had this burning question, then I would suggest reading this post from Point of Interest called Facial Scrubs:  Which Exfoliants to Choose Physical Exfoliants (Part 1),  Stay tuned for more posts on this subject from Point of Interest.

Pumpkin Pie Soap Loaf

                                                                                                            This  week is Thanksgiving.  And even though it is late this year it is too late to make this Pumpkin Pie Soap Loaf  from Wholesale Supplies Plus to give out for the holidays.  But keep it in mind for next year. This is perfect to give to someone who loves pumpkin pie.

 

 

Bath Salts with Botanicals

 

Do you have alot of friends to give holiday gifts to and you are on a budget?  Instead of buying each person a present, why not make something?  This recipe from Wholesale Supplies Plus called Bath Salts with Botanicals is an easy recipe that yields 50 eight oz bags. 

Charcoal and Rose Clay Spa Bar

Are you a melt and pour soap maker looking for a new project to try?  Here is one from The Soap Queen called Charcoal and Rose Clay Spa Bar. It is a unique combo of charcoal and rose that gives you a luxurious bar of soap.

Pumpkin Seed Oil: Making a Light Lotion

Are you looking for a lotion that offers protection?  Well, I found a recipe from Point of Interest that just may fit the bill.  The posting called Pumpkin Seed Oil:  Making a Light Lotion does not use cocoa butter so it is great for someone who has oily skin.  Plus it includes chamomile hydtosol, aloe vera, and witch hazel for anti-flammatory properties and glycerin as the humecant to draw moisture to the skin.

Jolly Jublee Embeds

Even though Thanksgiving is next week, it does not hurt to start looking for ideas for Christmas.  Here is a melt and pour tutorial from The Soap Queen called Jolly Jubilee Embeds.  This intermediate projects takes 90 mins. to make four soaps. So start thinking who you want to make soap for and how much supplies you need to order to make these adorable soaps.

Strawberries & Cream Soap: A cold process tutorial

Strawberries and Cream Soap  swirled cold process tutorial from The Soap Queen. This is an advanced recipe that takes an hour to make plus curing time to get 8 - 10 bars of soap.  This is a special tutorial inspired by the Soap Queen's book called Soap Crafting.

Homemade Holiday Snow Globe!

 

Do you love snow globes?  As a kid I had an inexpensive one but even as an adult I am still memorized by them.  Well, I have some good news.  Would you believe you can make your own?  Yes, it is true. I found simple instructions on Brambleberry's website.  Just follow the simple instructions for the Homemade Holiday Snow Globe and you will have a great gift to give at the holidays or put out every year at the holdays.



Pumpkin Seed Oil: Making a pumpkin seed butter with Lipidthix, then using it in a cuticle balm

Since Thanksgiving is next week, I remember I saved this posting from Pumpkin Seed Oil:  Making a Pumpkin Seed Butter with Lipidthix. This is a great recipe that you can use on your cuticles.  So if your cuticles get dry during this time of the year, you may want to try and make this cuticle balm recipe. If you wind up liking it, it would be a great gift to make and give out as gift during the holiday season.

Six ingredient lotion: Meadowfoam Seed Oil and Cocoa Butter

Point of Interest has been posting quite a few postings on Meadowfoam Seed Oil.  According to Point of Interest, Meadowfoam Seed Oil is a light, slightly greasy oil that has a long shelf life and can boost the shelf life of other oils. In their lasted posting called Six Ingredient Lotion:  Meadowfoam Seed Oil and Cocoa Butter has a recipe for a lotion that you may just want to try.  So read this informative post and see if you would like to try a lotion recipe.

Winter Blues Spray Recipe

Daylights Saving returned two weeks ago.  As it gets darker earlier, I seem to experience the blues more often.  Mountain Rose Herbs recently posted a recipe for a Winter Blues Spray that I may just give a try. This aroma spray combines four different essential oils that is supposed to uplift your spirits on a deary day. 

Massage Oil Recipe

It has been quite awhile since I posted a massage oil recipe. But I found this recipe on The Soap Queen site. Right now they are having a series on Givember and this time around the post is on Massage Oil.  This massage oil recipe is part of their Romance Gift ensemble which also includes bath salts, whipped shea butter, spruce scented candle, and pink salt scrub recipe tutorials.  You can also learn how to make these other products by scrolling down the page and finding them. 

Cheery Cranberry Seed Melt & Pour Tutorial

It has been awhile since I posted a melt and pour soap tutorial.  I saw this one from The Soap Queen called Cheery Cranberry Seed Melt and Pour. It is a pretty interesting project and that I thought I would share. After I checked the ingredients, I found that it calls for Cranberry Chutney fragrance oil.  Well, I have to say that I received my order from Brambleberry and I received a small sample of this fragrance oil.  I am planning to take it to the holiday bizarre that I am participating in and let the customers use for their potpourri.

Found a New Source For Muslin Bags

Previously I had order the small muslin bags from Mountain Rose Herb to use in a holiday bizzare that I will be participating in.  I thought they were too small but I kept them anyway.  I ordered the large size and I did not check the measurements.  But they wound up being 4" x 6" . They were too large.  I wanted something in between the 3" x 5" and 4" x 6".  I searched on line and found a company in Kansas City, MO called State Line Bag Co. I am happy to say that they had a 3.25" x 5" bag that was perfect.  State Line Bag Co. has a variety of sizes from 2" x 3" to 12" x 20".  So if you are looking for an unique size for muslin bags, then I would check them out.

Holiday Crimson Lip Stain

Do you normally love to wear a lip stain instead of lipstick? Guess what?  Here is a simple recipe from The Soap Queen called Holiday Crimson Lip Stain that you can make your own. It only takes 20 minutes and it yields 5 tubes.  What makes this so easy is that it is made with Brambleberry's Nourish Lip Balm Base which contains a luscious blend of coconut, sweet almond and avocado oils.  But if you already have a favorite lip balm recipe I am sure you can adapt it to this fun project.

Coconut Milk Pedicure Soak Recipe

Do you love when you are getting a pedicure and you get to soak your feet?  If you need or want to take time out of your busy schedule to pamper your feet, then you should try making this Coconut Milk Pedicure Soak recipe from Saffire Blue. It is a very simple recipe to make and it only needs four ingredients.  This would be a great recipe to make and give as gifts for the holidays. It would be great to make at baby or bridal shower as an activity.

Bramble Beer Soap

Are you a cold process soapmaker that wants to take their soap making to the next level?  Then you should check out this recipe from The Soap Queen.  It is called Bramble Beer Soap  and it is an advanced cold process recipe that takes 1 - 2 hours to make. Once you make this recipe you will get 8-10 bars of soap.

Festive Holiday Potpourri

Are you having a difficult time coming up with an unique gift to give to someone?  Or do you have a lot of people on your list and you are on a budget?  Have you ever thought of creating potpourri and giving it out as gifts?  Here is a Festive Holiday Potpourri recipe from The Soap Queen that just be the solution to your problem.  This is a simple recipe that a beginner can do in 10 minutes and makes one jar of potpourri.  Order enough supplies and make a bunch of sachets for each of the people on your list.

Six ingredient lotions: A great way to learn what you like!

Point of Interest has a concept of the six ingredient lotion which they encourage you to try because it is a really great way to learn what each ingredient brings to the product.  And what is really great about this process is that a first time beginner or an experienced lotion maker can make and learn from this recipe.  Are you interested?  Then check out the post from Point of Interest called Six Ingredient Lotions:  A Great Way to Learn What You Like!

Selling Success at Fairs and Public Markets

Since I took my very first melt and pour soap making class in 2002, I briefly thought about selling and only decided to teach classes.  But next month I decided to have a table at this year's Deborah's Palm Holiday Bizarre.  But instead of creating products to sell I am going to have a make and take potpourri table.  It has been a lot of planning since I signed up last month and I am hoping it will be a success.  But if you are planning to sell at fair, public markets or farmer's markets, you may want to read this posting from The Soap Queen titled Selling Success at Fairs and Public Markets.

Meadowfoam seed oil: Why is it so stable?

Point of Interest recently had a posting about Meadow Foam Seed Oil. Now they have a follow-up posting called Meadowfoam Seed Oil:  Why is it so Stable? So if you are interested in learning more about this particular carrier oil, then you should read these two postings.

How big a batch do you make for a first time product?

When I have taken any classes in cold process soap, shampoo or lotions, the classes the handout always is in a large batch.  Since I have limited space I always like recipes in small batches.  And to tell you the truth, I am mathematically challenged so I wish some one could give me some simple tips on how to do that.  But in a recent post from Point of Interest, they have recently wrote on How big a batch do you make for a first time product? In this posting gives the authors suggestions on what she does but also calls out for any suggestions from her readers.  I will have to revisiting this posting for possible suggestions that may help me out.

Meadowfoam Seed Oil

Have you ever heard of Meadow Foam Seed Oil?  Maybe you have but you are wondering what is all about and how do you use it in your body products.  In a recent post from Point of Interest called Meadow Seed Oil talks about that very subject.  SO take a moment and look at this informational and interesting post,

A few thoughts for the day on homemade deodorant with baking soda...

Do you use homemade deodorant?  Or want to learn more about it?  In a recent post from Point of Interest has as very interesting and informative post on the subject.  It is titled A Few Thoughts for the Day on Homemade Deodorant with Baking Soda. I putting out the call to my readers who might have a deodorant recipe they like and would possibly share.

Holday Sharing Expo with Transition Palo Alto

Holiday Sharing Expo - Sunday, December 8, at Common Ground in Palo Alto (559 College Avenue).We'll be sharing winter skills, holiday, garden, crafts, and other goods, and more at our NEW TIME, 1-3pm. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us! For more information about Transition Palo Alto check out their site - http://transitionpaloalto.org/.

French Curl Swirl Soap

Brambleberry recently came out with some new swirl tools.  On the Soap Queen site they posted a Frog Foot and Butterfly tutorials using these new tools.  You thought those were great recipes, here is another great advanced recipe called the French Curl Swirl. To me it looks like a peacock swirl with a twist. But it is also looks like the fancy paper marbling technique demonstrated by Martha Stewart I saw on her show many years ago.   So check this recipe out and if you like it then check out the Frog Foot and Butterfly.

Make Up Remover Recipe

Susan from Point of Interest recently posted a few recipes for make up remover for post Halloween.  I have never used a make up remover since I do not wear too much make up but if it good enough to remove Halloween make-up I am sure it would work well for everyday cosmetics. Can anyone out there chime in and let us know.