Whipped Cream Soap for Bath Parfaits

Have you ever heard of whipped soap? Well, I found this fun idea from Rustic Escentuals Crafting Library called Whipped Cream Soap for Bath Parfaits.   This would be a great idea for all ages and for either sex...just be creative and create a scent that will appeal to whomever you are giving it too.  Just fair warning this is made from a pre-made base.

Using Rebatch Soap Base to Make Swirled Soap

I am sure many of you cold processed soap makers have heard of the swirled soap technique have done it yourself.  But guess what?  I found a tutorial from Rustic Escentuals Crafting Library on how to do the swirling technique with rebatched soap.  In this tutorial called Using Rebatch Soap Base to Make Swirled Soapshows you step by step and pictures on how to do this technique with rebatched soap.  Give it a try and let us know how it turned out.  Take some pictures and show us how your batched turned out.

Snowball Candle Tutorial

It has been awhile since I posted a tutorial on making candles.  And it has been a week since we celebrated the winter solstice, I found this tutorial on to make a Snowball Candle on a site I found by accident called Rustic Escentuals Crafting Library. Rustic Escentuals Crafting Library is a pretty cool site with a lot of great bath and body tutorials that you should check out.  In the future I will be posting some of the ones I find to be most interesting.

Witch Hazel

Some time ago, one of my student's in my class asked me about Witch Hazel.  I did not know much about it.  The only thing I did know about it was it was an astringent.   I found this post about Witch Hazel from The Soap Queen that goes into detail about the subject.  So if you want to learn about more about Witch Hazel like I do, then read this post.  It is very interesting.

Walnut Shell Scrub

Over the years I have taken classes in bath and body products, I have learned to make salt scrubs and sugars.  And I never heard of making scrubs with anything else until I saw this recipe from Point of Interest called Walnut Shell Scrub.  Just wondering out there if you have heard of any other scrub recipes made with ingredients other than salt or sugar?

Creamy Marsala Lip Tints

Have you ever been interested in learning how to make your own lip tints but you were afraid?  There are recipes that are from scratch but this Creamy Marsala Lip Tint from The Soap Queen has a pre-made lip base to start with.  The color of 2015 from Pantone is Marsala.  It is a earthy wine color.  When I took the lip balm and lip tint class in November at The Nova Studio, my lip tint color that I created was very similiar to this. 

Simple Citrus Furniture Polish

Primarily I usually post interesting bath and body recipes, but I found something that is used for your furniture - furniture polish.  This Citrus Furniture Polish recipe is from The Soap Queen and it is very simple.  I have to say I have to make this recipe some time soon! How about you?

Warming Ginger Carrot Body Balm

 Do you like to use body balms?  Here is a recipe called Warming Ginger Carrot from The Natural Beauty Workshop that is rich and conditioning balm that is great for soothing dry patches of skin.  You can add a coat of intense moisture to your arms and legs with this balm.  I think it is a cool idea is packing body balms in a stick tube or a deodorant container which makes applying a body balm quickly and easy.  Plus it makes it easy to travel with.

Shimmering Sea Glass Cold Process

I love the look of sea glass.  What about you? The Soap Queen says that the ocean is a constant source of inspiration....from the icy blue colors to the fresh ozone scents.  It was so inspiring that this recipe for Shimmering Sea Glass Cold Process Soap uses clear melt and pour pieces to mimic the look of translucent glass found on the beach.  The melt and pour pieces are embedded with the cold process soap and are placed on top for a crystal like effect.  The cold process portion of the soap is made by a simple In-the-Pot Swirl technique that creates a fluid swirl of teal, purple and white.

Oil based scrubs

If you are looking for a last minute craft item to make at the last minute, here is one from Susan of Point of Interest called Oil Based Scrubs.  The recipe provided is called In The Tub Scrub is a very simple one to make and can be whipped out in no time.  So you can cross off as many names as you need.  Yes, Christmas is just a week a way.

What do you want to know? Which products are worth making at home?

Since 2003, I have taken a lot of classes on how to make bath and body products at home.  I must admit some of the supplies, ingredients and equipment has taken over my living space.   There are some products that are easier to make in the home than others due to space constraints, but my favorite is probably lotions, bath salts, and bath bombs.  I would love to do cold process soap but I just do not have the room to allow them to cure.  But this question Which Products are worth making at home? was asked to Susan Barklay Nichols of Point of Interest. If you read the blog post, Susan gives you insight on this subject.

Where to Sell Products: Online, Markets and Retail

Now that you have perfected your soap, bath or body products, you decided that you want to sell them?  Right?  Deciding where to sell your products can be overwhelming and a tricky process.  Your options range from selling at community markets to online to retail shops.  Selecting the channel you where you sell your product depends on your personality, skills, budge and your time.  With so many options, where do you start.  In a recent posting called Where to Sell Products:  Online, Market and Retail, the Soap Queen breaks down this subject in simple terms so you can decide which avenue to take.

Melt & Pour Bath Crayons

Do your kids love to play in the tub?  Well, if they don't then maybe you should created these Melt and Pour Bath Crayons.  I found this idea on the Soap Queen's site and I just had to share it. I thought it was a neat idea for the kids to have fun in the tub.  This tutorial created three sets of six colors:  red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.  According to the Soap Queen, each tube uses undiluted Lab Color to give the crayons their intense color.  It is a simple and quick project that easily wash away in the tub.  Be on the safe side and test the soap crayons in a discrete area on your tub before unleashing your child's creativity.

Holiday Spice Bath Truffles

Here is a delicious recipe for the bath from The Natural Beauty Workshop called Holiday Spice Bath Truffles.  These truffles are deliciously scented dollops of Cocoa Butter and Babassu and are packed with Whole Milk which adds an extra layer of soothing. conditioning moisture to the tub.

Tupelo Honey & Almond Lip Balm

Love making your own lip balm?   I found this recipe for Tupelo Honey and Almond Lip Balm on the Wholesale Supplies Plus website.  You are probably thinking, yeah right another lip balm recipe.  This is an interesting recipe because it uses both beeswax and candelilla wax.  Also this recipe has almond butter as an ingredient which along with the sweet almond oil will help keep your lips moisturized and hydrated.  This is a moderate level project and  should take one hour and resulting in 24 lip balm tubes.

How to Make Fresh Rain Sugar Scrub – Short Video

Recently in California we had some good rain to start us off.  It helps but we have had three years of drought.  Midweek it is forecasted that there is a huge storm coming in...the biggest we have seen in years.  But I digress, here is a sugar scrub from the Soap Queen called Fresh Rain. In this Soap Queen video short shows you how to make this simple to make and a really nice alternative to the traditional oil and sugar scrub that can be greasy and slippery in the shower.

Queen of Hearts Cold Process

This cold processed soap project was inspired from the character from Alice in Wonderland.  The Soap Queen recently shared this Queen of Hearts Cold Process Soap which is created with melt and pour embeds, cold process base and soap frosting.  This project does required a little extra prep so if you want to give it to your Queen of Hearts for Valentine's Day, you will need to get started really soon.

BERRY BLUE CHRISTMAS SOAP RECIPE

Here is a festive holiday soap for Christmas - Berry Blue Christmas Soap from the blog of Lisa Maliga.  This a very simple melt and pour soap project that you can do in a jiffy and have them ready to give out as gifts.  So you better not cry, you better not shout because I am telling you to get started....Now!

All About the Trace

So, you just started to learn to make soap by the cold process method....That is great!  But as a newbie your are confused how to recognize trace.  You probably wondering when trace actually happens?  What is trace?  Trace happens when the oils and lye water have emulisfied in the soap making process.  Once the soap has reached thin trance, it will continue to thicken over time. What to learn more?  Check out the recent post from The Soap Queen called  All About Trace.

Winter Gardenia Room Diffuser

Now that the rain has started here in California and now the house is all closed up until Spring.  I thought what can I do to make the house smell nice?  I found the instructions from the Soap Queen on how to make this Winter Gardenia Room Diffuser.  This is a very easy project to do. It only takes 20 minutes to get the results of one diffuser.

Vitamin E Oil

I started to learn how to make my own bath and body products way back in 2002.  In some of the classes, I learned how to use Vitamin E in some of the products.  I knew some information about this ingredient, but when I saw the entry from The Soap Queen called Sunday Night Spotlight:  Vitamin E, I learned even more.  Give a moment and read this to see if you learn something new.

MP Soap: Santa's Tree Farm

Now Thanksgiving is now over and December is now here, it is time to ramp up the holiday ideas.  From Wholesale Supplies Plus is this melt and pour soap project called Santa's Tree Farm .  This is an intermediate level project that should take an hour to get six bars of soap weighing about five ounces each.  These would be cute gift ideas for the holidays.

Neon Embed Cold Process Soap Video

For all of those experienced cold processed soap makers, here is a really cool project from The Soap Queen you should try.  It is called Neon Embed Cold Process Soap.  This blog entry includes the recipe for this project but as a great video so you can watch and follow along.

Oatmeal and Honey Bath Fizzies

Now that you have finished your Thanksgiving meal.  It is crunch time for holiday shopping. After you have hit all of the malls to look for those perfect presents at great prices, you need to take time out for yourself and take a hot soak with the added benefit of Oatmeal and Honey Bath Fizzes.  The decadent aroma of Oatmeal and Honey will leave your skin rejuvenated and replenished after your luxurious soak.    This is an moderate level project that should take one hour. When you are done you will get (24) one ounce bath fizzies.

Sculpting Mustache Wax

Rarely do I find a project for the guys. If your guy has a stash, then you just might want to make him this Sculpting Mustache Wax.  This intermediate project was posted on The Soap Queen's site.  It takes about an hour to complete this recipe and you should get about three 5 oz containers of this product. If you have someone who is growing a mustache for Prostate Awareness Month, this would be great for them too!

Peppermint Salt Glow Recipe

There are some great scents for the holidays:  orange and clove, orange and cinnamon, gingerbread, and  guess the one of top is peppermint.  Here is a great holiday recipe from the site of From Nature With Love called Peppermint Salt Glow.  This simple scrub recipe was submitted by Pamela and would you believe it would be great for pedicures.  What a great idea to make for those who have a lot of girlfriends to give gifts too.

Peppermint Cocoa and Marshmallow Cupcakes

I know this will be the third melt and pour soap project that I have posted,but I could not share this Peppermint Cocoa and Marshmallow Cupcake soap project from Wholesale Supplies Plus because they look so delicious. Are you like me to eat these when you smell the delicious peppermint cocoa aroma of these soaps?  I could not and I would give these out as gifts or party favors for the upcoming holiday season.  This is a moderate level project that should take you two hours to make 12 soap cupcakes.

12 Days of Christmas: Chocolate Mint Melt and Pour Squares

I love Andes candies/mints.  It has been a long time since I had some.  But when I saw this Chocolate Mint Melt and Pour Squares Soaps project from The Soap Queen's 12 Days of Christmas series, I just wanted to run to the store and get some. These would be adorable guest soap for any powder room in the home.

Lotion Melt and Pour Cubes

The Soap Queen has been posting a lot of great ideas in her 12 Days of Christmas series.  This recent posting for Lotion Melt and Pour Cubes is a really interesting one.  The project takes melt and pour soap and incorporates a Aloe Lotion base.  But as The Soap Queen says that adding oils and butters to melt and pour bases can be tricky.  Extra oils can cause the base not to set up correctly or inhibit lather.  But guess what?  She has found a way to add Aloe Lotion Base to the Shea Melt and Pour bases to create a creamy, firm bar,  There is an very important step in the process, that I am not going to reveal. You will just have to find out by reading the instructions.  You cannot forget the step or the lotion and the base may just separate.

12 Days of Christmas: Winter Gardenia Ombre Candle

What's up? Need to bring some light into your Christmas Holidays? For those who are into candle making, here is a project that would be great for the holidays.  This Winter Gardenia Ombre Candle appears in The Soap Queen's 12 Days of Christmas series. Any level of candle maker can do this project even though it is ranked for the beginner.  It takes about 5-6 hours to make one (8) ounce candle but it would be a great gift to give.  So if you want to make a lot of these for the holidays, I would suggest you get started soon than later.

Peppermint Pucker Lip Scrub

The countdown in the Soap Queen's 12 Days of Christmas continues with this recipe for Peppermint Pucker Lip Scrub.  This easy recipe lightly exfoliates, allowing the lip balm that you apply soak in better.  So you will have more hydrated and happy lips.  It takes only 30 minutes to make this recipe and you will have enough to give out for holidays!

12 Days of Christmas: Minty Layered Bath Salts

It has been awhile since I have made bath salts since I rarely use myself or know to many people who have time to soak in the tub. But if you know people who do like to soak in the tub, you may want to check out this recipe for Minty Layered Bath Salts from The Soap Queen.  This recipe is from her 12 Days of Christmas.  If you missed any of the recipes, I have been posting them religiously or go to The Soap Queen's website.

12 Days of Christmas: Whipped Champagne Shea Butter

The Soap Queen has a really great series going on called the 12 Days of Christmas.  I have posted most of them already but I wanted to share each and every project that is posted. The next project posted was a Whipped Shea Butter recipe.  According to the posting this recipe is rich and creamy that helps protects the skin from the harsh elements and restores moisture.  Shea butter is a medium hard butter that begins to melt upon contact with your skin.  When it is whipped, it becomes light and fluffy in texture which makes it easy to apply.

12 Days of Christmas: Green & Red Wax Melts

For those who are candle crafters, The Soap Queen recently posted Green and Red Wax Melts in her 12 Days of Christmas Series.  She has not forgotten about you in this posting because these wax tarts are great alternative to candles.  They are flame free and easy to make.  These wax melts will fill your home with scents in minutes. All you need to do is simply place the cube on a warmer tray to melt the cube to release the wonderful fragrance.  These wax melts would be great holiday gifts.

12 Days of Christmas: Glamorous Gold Eye Shadow Quad

Do you like to make your own make your own mineral make-up?  Or you never have and would like to start with a simple project?  Well, in her 12 Days of Christmas, The Soap Queen has posted a project for Glamorous Gold Eye Shadow Quad.  Gold and Cooper eye shadow is perfect for special occasions and is also great for everyday wear.  What is great is that the gold tones are extremely flattering for a wide variety of skin tones. This is a simple project for the beginner and it takes only 30 minutes to make two eye shadow quads.

Melt and Pour Soap: Skeleton Cupcake

I know that Halloween was two weeks ago, but I just saw this posting from Go Planet Earth for this Skeleton Cupcake Melt and Pour project.  When I saw the picture of the project, it reminded me of Tim Burton's movie The Nightmare Before Christmas.  This would be a great project for next year's Halloween party that you will be having.

12 Days of Christmas: Snowy Stencil Melt and Pour

Good news for those who are melt and pour soap makers....The Soap Queen has posted her third installed of her 12 Days of Christmas,  It is a Snowy Stencil Melt and Pour Soap project. It is a very easy project that takes two hours to get (12) 4 oz bars of soap. Which means you can knock off several gifts or favors to get out at the holiday.  Bet started soon before you get too busy to make these.

Peppermint Bubble Cakes

It has been a couple of weeks since Halloween has happened and now it is on to Thanksgiving.  The race will be on until the end of year.  Take a break with a soak in the tub with this recipe from Wholesale Supplies Plus called Peppermint Bubble Cakes.  This is a moderately difficult recipe to make.  It takes about 2 hours to make twenty (1 oz) cakes.  These would make great stock stuffer gifts for your friends.

Chickpea Almond Sugar Scrub Recipe

I like chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans).  But I did not know that it comes in a flour form and it can be used in a body scrub!!! Yes! I learned something new today from The Natural Body Workshop in a post called Chickpea Almond Sugar Scrub.  It has been a traditional ingredient in Indian beauty and skin care for generations.  It has a soft, gentle texture that lends itself perfectly to body scrubs.  When it is paired with sugar, Chickpea flower can polish your arms, legs, back and torso to a silky, soft finish.  Sweet Almond Oil helps keep your freshly buffed skin happy and well conditioned.

12 Days of Christmas: Spicy Holiday Potpourri

I love the scent of potpourri. It is really easy to make.  The Soap Queen has just started a series on the 12 Days of Christmas.  Here is the second in the series called Spicy Holiday Potpourri.  Like I said making potpourri is really easy and this recipe is just right for someone who is a beginner.  It takes only about 10 minutes to make 2 bags. Of course, you may get addicted and make more to give out at the holidays.

12 Days of Christmas: Scented Beeswax Ornaments

You probably noticed that I post a lot of the Soap Queen's tutorials. I must admit that I follow her on blog and I really like her ideas that I have to share them.   She has a lot of great bath and body products all year around.  But this year for the holiday she is posting a series on the 12 Days of Christmas.  For the first posting she has a great one.....Scented Beeswax Ornaments.  This is an easy project for the beginner that takes 1-2 hours to get approximately 20 ornaments. Since they are easy to make, they are just as easy to give as gifts.

How to Throw a DIY Sugar Scrub Party and Winter Gardenia Sugar Scrub Re

Do you have the love of crafting? As you probably can tell mine is making bath and body products but I am game for learning a new craft.  Anne Marie Faiola (The Soap Queen) recently posted about having a crafting party with some girlfriends and told her readers all about it in a post called How to Throw a DIY Sugar Scrub Party plus she included a recipe for a Winter Gardenia Sugar Scrub.  I think having a get together with your friends and doing a craft is a great idea of doing something different.  Anne-Marie makes some really great suggestions to get you started.  So put on your thinking caps and set a date!

Snowman Bath Fizzies

Gosh!  Thanksgiving is in less than three weeks.  It will be coming up really soon. And then the holiday madness will begin.  If you want make the perfect stocking stuffer, a great teacher or hostess gift, why not make these adorable Snowman Bath Fizzies.  This is a moderately difficult recipe from Wholesale Supplies Plus that takes one hour to make a total of six snowmen.  What a fun wintery gift to make and give to those who love to take baths!

Raspberry Love Sugar Scrub Recipe

Love using sugar scrubs?   Do you love raspberries?  Would you believe there is a recipe combining the two?   I found this recipe on the website From Nature with Love called Raspberry Love Sugar Scrub when I was looking for products to buy with the certificate I won through The Nova Studio's 11th anniversary celebration raffle.  I have always made my sugar scrubs with regular granulated sugar and this one uses turbinado sugar.  So I am not sure how it feels on the skin or not so I cannot give you my honest opinion about using that type of sugar in a scrub recipe. Give it a try and see how you like it.

Vibrant Mehndi Cold Process

Have you ever heard of mendi?  It is a henna body art that is a very popular tradition in India.  Henna, or mendhi, is a paste of crushed leaves and twigs from the henna plant.  When the paste is applied to the skin, it leaves a beautiful stain behind.  The tradition is often used to celebrate a happy occasion or special day.  Would you believe that you can recreate mendhi's intricate details and gorgeous designs on cold process soap?  Yes, you can!  The Soap Queen recently posted a tutorial called Vibrant Mehndi Cold Process on her site.   Now, this is project is for the more advanced soap maker and it takes 2-3 hours to complete but remember allow time for curing.

Dealing with Dreaded Orange Spots

As a cold process soap maker, you may have experienced dreaded orange spots.  Would you believe that many cold process soap makers unfortunately experience this phenomenon?  You are probably wondering how to deal with the dreaded orange spots?  Well, good news!  The Soap Queen recently posted an entry called Dealing with Dreaded Orange Spots. Dreaded Orange Spots (DOS) are exactly what they sound like....orange spots on your soap.  According to The Soap Queen is that the most common cause of DOS is rancid oils, but there are several other factors that can contribute to dreaded orange spots.  And this blog entry goes further into this subject.

FREE Oil Saponification Values (SAP), Properties, and Availability Table

If you make a lot of cold process soap, you know that the oils that you use have different saponification values.  But if you are changing the recipe and want to use a different oil, you may not know its value.  If you would love to have a chart to consult, you may want to check out this blog entry called Free Oil Saponification Values (SAP), Properties and Availability Table from the Soap Blog.  While Erica Pence was writing her eBook called Formulating Your Own Soap Recipes, she complied a lot of information regarding many oils from a variety of sources,  This allowed her to create a saponification table that lists SAP values for far more oils than any source she found. Additionally, most of the oils have a very basic listing of oils.  Finally, she has listed whether the oil comes in organic, sustainable, fairly traded or wild craft varieties.  This information can be difficult to find.

Shower & Tub Tabs - Sinus Blend

Do you suffer from a sinus problem? Here is a recipe for a Sinus Blend Shower & Tub Tabs from Wholesale Supplies Plus.  This product is perfect for the shower or the bath tub. These tabs are simple to use.  All you have to do is allow the tabs to have contact with the water and they will start to fizz which will release a wonderful aromatic aroma.  This is a moderate level product that takes only one hour to complete.

Argan & Sandalwood Vanilla Lotion Bar

Now that we are back to standard time, the morning seemed to be a little more nippy.  So for some of you, your skin will experience more dryness. Well, here is a recipe from the Soap Queen called Argan & Sandalwood Vanilla Lotion Bar that will help with moisturizing your skin while doing our winter skincare routines.  What is great about lotion bars is that they are made from luxurious oils that make a fantastic option when your skin becomes dry and needs extra TLC.  In this recipe, the lotion bars are created with argan oil and mango butter will help your skin from the elements.

Classic CP Swirl Soap on Soap Queen TV

Are you comfortable making cold process soap?  Never done the swirl technique? Want to learn how to do the classic cold process soap technique? The Soap Queen recently shared her technique in a recent post called Classic CP Swirl Soap on Soap Queen TV.  This posting includes the video showing you how to do the technique plus the recipe she will be demonstrating.

Decorate Your Lip Balm Tubes

Are your lip balm tubes boring?  Want to cover up the unsightly commercial look of your lip balm tools?  Here is an idea to cover them up...Washi Tape! You can find Washi tape at most craft stores such as Michaels.  Here is how it way it was done....read the following blog post Decorate Your Lip Balm from Washi Tape Crafts!  Go ahead and get creative.....

Five Sweetly Scented Lip Balm Recipes You Can Make at Home

Love to make lip balms?  Well here are five recipes from The Natural Beauty Workshop:  Sweet Carrot, Jelly Bean, Coconut Plum, Lavender Macaron, and Vegan Vanilla Pear.  All of these recipes can be found in a posting called Five Sweetly Scented Lip Balm Recipes You Can Make at Home.  Just to let you know that Vegan Vanilla Pear and Jelly Bean are sold as kits. But whatever one you chose, any of them would be great as party favors, stocking stuffers etc. anytime of the year.