Thursday, January 29, 2015

How do I modify a recipe when I add or remove an ingredient?


Have you ever thought of adding or removing an ingredient from a recipe? In a recent posting on Point of Interest called  How do I modify a recipe when I add or remove an ingredient? discuss this very topic and uses a sample hand lotion recipe. So if you are interested in learning about this, then read this informative post.



Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Sea Clay Dry Salt Scrub

Is your skin feeling a little dry or flaky lately?  Well, it is time to scrub.  If you do not have a scrub then you can create this Sea Clay Dry Salt Scrub from The Soap Queen.  This dry scrub uses a combination of gentle baking soda, extra fine Epsom salt, fine grain dead sea salt and poppy seeds that creates a scrub that gives plenty of exfoliation.  Also in this recipe is a sea clay which adds a touch of gentle scrub and oil absorbing properties.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Is a Newsletter Right for You?

Long before social media (Facebook, Twitter) and blogs, newsletters were a great marketing tool.  But now since social media has taken over newsletters maybe old school.  Yes, newsletters are considered the oldest form of news media but you are wondering if this medium could still work for you?  In a recent post called Is a Newsletter Right for You? , The Soap Queen discusses the most important points of having a newsletter and you can decide if you want to actually publish one.  I would like to add that in the olden days, you had to make copies and distribute them.  Now a days we have the internet, so could have a wider audience.  I have an example to share.  For the last year and a half, I have been volunteering with the Los Altos Senior Center.  Every two months, they produce a newsletter detailing all of the activities going on at the center.  Since most of the seniors are in their 80's, most of them will pickup a hard copy at the center or have one mailed to them.  But for those seniors who are more tech savvy, there is a soft copy on the city's website.  So if they choose to print out a particular page, they do not have to waste paper,

Monday, January 26, 2015

How do I organize information on my ingredients?

Do you have a way to organization the information of your ingredients i.e. interactions with other ingredients. etc?  I really never thought of this myself, but someone asked Point of Interest what would be the best way to organize the information about ingredients.  In this recent post, Susan of Point of Interest answers the question How do I organize information on my ingredients? Read this post to see if it inspires you to organize the information on your ingredients.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Minty Clay Melt & Pour Bar

For those melt and pour soap makers that love to use natural ingredients in their soap, I found a recipe from the Soap Queen called Minty Clay Melt and Pour Bar. This project is full of contrasting, texture and refreshing essential oils.  The natural colorants are from activated charcoal, green zeolite and spirulina powder.  The poppy seeds add a subtle amount of scrub to leave your skin feeling smooth. As for the activated charcoal and green zeolite clays are known for their oil absorption properties.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Sea Clay Swirl Cold Process

For those cold process soap makers who love the beach, here is a recipe from The Soap Queen called Sea Clay Swirl.  According to the Soap Queen in order to achieve the wispy swirl, the white and green soap are swirled in one pot, then poured into the mold.  This technique is referred to as "in the pot swirl" and is a great method for either beginner or intermediate soap makers.

Friday, January 23, 2015

Lavender & Clay Mondo Bath Fizzy

Are you thinking of what kind of gifts you want to give out at on Valentine's Day?  Well, why not create something?  Here is a fun idea from The Soap Queen called Lavender & Clay Mondo Bath Fizzy.  This tri-colored bath fizzie has a lot of great ingredients in it - shea butter, two different kinds of clay and the great scent of lavender.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Whipped Tamanu & Shea Butter Recipe

Do you suffer from dry skin?  Does the long cold months of Winter when the air seems to constantly draw moisture out of your skin?  You may want to try slathering a dollop of this Whipped Tamanu and Shea Butter. This recipe from The Natural Beauty Workshop  is just the thing to replenish and protect your parched skin plus the natural anti-inflamatory benefits of Tamanu Oil are perfect for soothing any itchiness or redness that may result from prolonged dryness.


Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Six Reasons to Love Murumuru Butter

Have you ever heard of Murmuru butter? The first time I heard of it is just recently when I was reviewing some of the blogs I follow and I found this article from The Natural Beauty Workshop called Six Reasons to Love Murumuru Butter. Since there are six reasons to love this butter, I am not sure which kind of recipe I would use it.  I am probably thinking that I could use it in a balm recipe or something like that.  One place you can purchase Murumuru Butter is From Nature with Love and they list many more reasons to love this butter.  I may have to give this a try sometime when I find the right recipe to use it.  If you have uses this before, do you have any recommendations that I may use this ingredient?


Thursday, January 15, 2015

Rose Clay Exfoliating Mask on Soap Queen TV

It is has been awhile since I made a facial mask (It was probably 10 years ago when I took a class from Lori Nova Endres.).   And the mud mask I used to purchase at Walmart is no longer available. I cannot seem to find one I like. Recently, I saw this recipe for Rose Clay Exfoliating Mask from Soap Queen TV.  It seems simple enough to make that I may just give it a try.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

DIY Beauty: Nourishing Skin Serum

Do you use skin serums?  Would you be interested in a recipe that is simple enough so you can make your own?  Guess what?  I found one from The Mountain Rose Blog.  In a recent posting called DIY Beauty: Nourishing Skin Serum has one.  Give this recipe a try.

Friday, January 9, 2015

Burnt Sugar Shimmer Lotion

Never made lotion before?  Making it from scratch is easy but if you are just a beginner and are afraid to make lotion from scratch, I found a recipe from The Soap Queen that uses a pre-made Aloe lotion base.  This beginner  recipe is called Burnt Sugar Shimmer Lotion and it is a very easy to make.  But if you are comfortable enough to make lotion from scratch, The Soap Queen has provided a link on how to make the lotion base.  There is also a great tip:  Mixing the mica with fragrance oil help break up any clumps, and allows the colorant to blend into the lotion smoothly.  Will have to try that tip if I ever use micas to color my lotions.


Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Happy Soaking Bath Bombs

Love using bath bombs but tired of paying the high prices of them? Why not consider making your own?  Here is a cute idea from Rustic Escentuals Crafting Library called Happy Soaking Bath Bombs.  I love the shape of these bath bombs.....what about you?

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

What kind of ingredients do you need for making your own lotion?

So you are a newbie to making your own bath and body products. You want to venture out and make your lotions but you are scared to give it a try?  After you read this post from Point of Interest called What Ingredients Do You Need If You Are Starting Out?  Lotions and try making your first lotions, you will no longer be scared.

Monday, January 5, 2015

Rescue CP/OP Tutorial

Are you fairly new to making soap by the cold process and you are wondering if there is another way to make cold process soap without the six week curing period? Would you believe that there is?   Well, here is a tutorial from Rustic Escentuals Crafting Library called Rescue CP/OP Tutorial. CP/OP stand for cold process/oven process.  What that means is that you start your batch like you would with cold process then instead of letting it fully saponify over a long period of time, you put the batch in the oven, on a low temp of course, to help speed up the saponification process. This tutorial by Dreaming Tree Soapworks discusses the pros and cons of CP/OP soap making and how to do it.