Can oils penetrate our skin?

Have you ever wondered if fatty acids and triglycerides in oils can penetrate our skin?  In this post by Susan Barclay-Nichols titled Can Oils Penetrate Our Skin? explains it in detail on what happens. It is a very interesting read and if you want to learn about this subject, this post has it all!

Grapefruit Geranium Hanger Swirl

Here is an interesting cold process recipe to try - Grapefruit Geranium Hanger Swirl from I'd  Lather Be Soaping. This soap recipe is made by the hanger swirl method.  If you have never tried doing cold process swirl by this method, then you may give it a try.

Nourshing Nail Oil Recipe

Give your cuticles a little winter lovin’ with this nourishing combination of oils. Chia, Argan and Jojoba are packed with vitamins and skin-loving fatty acids, and the additional Vitamin E oil provides a boost of anti-oxidants. This simple Nourshing Nail Oil recipe from the Soap Queen takes about 10 minutes to create and doubles as a small, thoughtful gift or, economical version of something you spend 10X more for in the salon.

Healing Facial Mask

According to The Natural Beauty Workshop, our skin is exposed to wa whole lot of trouble on a regular basis. Nasty little microorganisms like mold,  yeast, fungus, and bacteria can sometimes creep in and wreak havoc.  Redness, itching, and even acne can be caused by these minor invasions.  Luckily, nature has provided us with some excellent ingredients to help drive these little beasts out.  Healing carrier oils like Karanja and Andiroba process natural properties of these oils also help our skin to calm down and recover.  These ingredients are combined with other ingredients in a Healing Facial Mask  to create a fresh mask to soothe and cleanse irritated skin.

Soothing Baking Soda Oatmeal Bar

For the ultimate skin-soothing bar of soap, you can’t get much better than this Baking Soda Oatmeal Bar recipe from the Soap Queen. According to the post,  Baking soda provides gentle all-over exfoliation, and oatmeal is renowned for its ability to calm irritate skin. If you make this recipe, you may find that some may prefer this bar unscented so they can enjoy the gentle exfoliation of the baking soda and soothing effect of the oatmeal, but you can certainly add Lavender or Chamomile Essential Oil to give it a mild scent.

I've Made My First Batch of Soap....How Long Until I Can Sell It?

Now that you are really into making first batch of cold process soap and you are thinking about selling it. Amanda from Lovin' Soap has written an informative post titled  I've Made My First Batch of Soap....How Long Until I Can Sell It? .  In her post, Amanda gives some really great tips on selling your soap.  It is a very important read for anyone who wants to sell their cold process soap, but it also good for those who make M&P Soap or any other body product.

Rainbow Hearts Melt & Pour Soap

As I aged, I went through fazes on what I liked.  There were the stuffed animals, etc. There was the period when I was into rainbows and then I was into hearts. When I saw this Rainbow Hearts Melt and Pour Soap tutorial from the Soap Queen rekindled my love of rainbows and hearts. This is an intermediate melt and pour project that takes two hours to make. Even though Valentine's has passed, I am all in favor of heart themed projects.

Coconut Oil Liquid Conditioner

Winter can reek havoc on our hair. To help with dry brittle ends, using a coconut oil conditioner can help with that problem. You want a conditioner that has the right balance of coconut oil but too much could make your hair greasy.  The perfect solution is this Coconut Oil Liquid Conditioner recipe from Point of Interest. Give this conditioner a try and see how it works for your hair.

Bed of Roses Melt and Pour Soap Loaf

I know that Valentine's Day is long over, but when I saw this on the Wholesale Supplies Plus website I had to share it. This Bed of Roses Soap Loaf project has pretty pastel roses that complements the wild rose fragrance that every time you wash you will think that you are in the middle of a rose garde.

Fragrance Balm

Here is a easy product to make that fits into small purses, backpacks and pockets.  This Fragrance Balm recipe from Wholesale Supplies Plus is a great way to customize and give out as party favors to friends or to customers.  Would you believe this recipe makes 33 sticks of fragrance.

Can free fatty acids penetrate our skin?

Have you ever wanted to know if free fatty acids penetrate our skin and if they do, what effect do they have? Good News!  Point of Interest recently posted on their site an entry titled Can free fatty acids penetrate our skin? that explains what free fatty acids are and how they penetrate our skin. This is a really interesting piece of information.  I recommend that you read it.

Amethyst Garden Soap Tutorial

Amethyst is the birthstone for anyone who was born in the month of February. If you want to create a cold process soap that commemorates those in your life that were born in the month then check out this Amethyst Garden Soap Tutorial  from The Soap Queen.  This project is an advanced that takes 45 minutes to make 12 pounds of soap.

Cold Process Planets in a Melt and Pour Galaxy

Are you wondering if cold process soap and melt and pour can be combined into one soap?  Well, guess what?  It can!  This really cool Cool Process Planets in a Melt and Pour Galaxy by Guest Blogger Alesia appears on the Soap Queen Blog. This tutorial is similar to the Intergalactic Planetary Melt and Pour project that had previously made an appearance on the blog, but it definitely has a twist - the planets are made from leftover shreds of cold process soap.

All Olive Oils Are Not Created Equal

Are you a cold process soap maker and wondering if you were to purchase Olive Oil from your local grocery store, how would the soap turn out?  Well, in a recent blog posting titled All Olives Are Not Created Equal from The Soap Queen. Through trial and error The Soap Queens reveals what happens.

Dandelion Zebra Swirl

When I saw this cold process tutorial called Dandelion Zebra Swirl from The Soap Queen I had to share it.  The colors are reminiscent of warm days, green grass and freshly sprouted tulips. The key to this technique is having a recipe that moves slowly and stays at a thin trace to get a beautiful layered swirl in the middle.

Spiced Gum Drops Sugar Scrubs

Ever since I took Erin Pikor's Sugar Scrubs class at The Nova Studio I loved making and using sugar scrubs in the shower.  As I cruised Wholesale Supplies Plus recipe page, I found this recipe for Spiced Gum Drops Sugar Scrubs. This is an intermediate level project that takes an hour to make 48 scrubs. I really think these are cute and I want to make them real soon.

Massage Cream Tutorial

In a recent post from The Soap Queen titled White Thyme Essential Oil and Massage Cream Tutorial talks about White Thyme Essential Oil and reveals an easy recipe called Awakening Massage Cream.  Believe it or not, thyme was used by the Egyptians for embalming, by the Greeks as incense and in Europe in the Middle Ages to ward off nightmares.

Pink Salt and Shea Bath Bar

Want to create a bar that is both moisturizing and exfoliating?  This Pink Salt and Shea Bath Bar recipe from The Soap Queen is the answer to your question. One thing to be aware of, this bar does not lather well because of the high amount of salt, but it is sensual and luxurious.

MP Soap: Glitter & Glam

If you love making melt and pour soap and want to glam it up, then you may want to check out this project from Wholesale Supplies Plus recipe called Glitter and Glam.  What is great about making this soap is that the design on each soap will be unique and one of a kind. These soaps will be really great to make and give as gifts to your friends and family.  It only takes one hour to make eight bars of soap weighing about 2.85 to 3.70 ounces.

Five Handmade Bath & Body Projects to Make For Your Valentine

Do you believe Valentine's Day is a week from today?  Well. it is.  If you are trying to think of something to make for your Valentine, you may want to consider taking a looking at this post from The Natural Beauty Workshop titled  Handmade Bat and Body Projects to Make for Your Valentine.   There are some really cute ideas and I have posted them before.  So if you have not seen these ideas before, you may want to take a look to see what you can make and give as a gift.

Plenty of Melt and Pour Soap Projects from Otion

Check out the archives from Otion! In the category of melt and pour soap, there are several projects that you can create including Peppermint Pizazz, Spooky Spiders, Cold Process Planets in a Melt and Pour Universe, and the Gorgeous Geode Soaps.  I particularly like the geode soaps myself.  What about you?

Double Java Lip Balms

Are you the type that needs that extra jolt of coffee? And do you love to use lip balm?  If I told you that there was a way to combine the two? Then try this Double Java Lip Balm Recipe From The Natural Beauty Workshop. Get your daily java fixation and make this simple recipe. And if you have enough to share with friends, they would be happy to receive this as a gift,

Coconut Oil & Pink Salt Scrub

If you loved the Pink Salt Foot Scrub recipe that appeared here yesterday, then you will love the Coconut Oil and Pink Salt Scrub recipe to use all over your body.  This is another easy project from The Soap Queen that can be made very quickly.

Pink Salt Foot Scrub

To tell you the truth I am not much of a cook, but I have heard of Pink Himalayan Salt use for that purpose.  Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner I found this recipe for Pink Salt Foot Scrub that use a pink colored salt as one of its ingredients. This recipe from The Soap Queen is easy to make and only takes 15 minutes to make and results in eight ounces of scrub.  So if you have a lot of loved ones on your Valentines on your list, you can crank out of scrub at one time.

Natural vs. Organic

This year marks my 10th year teaching bath and body products.  And the one thing I noticed is that students seemed to be confused what the difference between Natural and Organic.  When I explain what the difference, some will get it and others will still be confused.  To dispell the confusion here is a post from The Soap Queen titled Natural vs. Organic that breaks all down in simple terms. I recommend that you read it and absorb the information provided.  It will help clear up any questions that you may have.

Mini Heart Bath Bombs

Would you believe that in less than two weeks Valentine's Day will be here?  I saw this project from the Soap Queen called Mini Heat Bath Bombs I thought would be a cute project to make and give out as gifts.  It looks really easy to make so it should not take too much time to make a batch to give out.