Homemade Decongestant Chest Balm

As a child, I remember Vicks Vapor Rub.  Do you?  While I was checking my Facebook page, I found this recipe for Homemade Decongestant Chest Balm recipe that one of my friends posted. So if you are in need of a decongestant, instead of purchasing one how about making your own?

Mint Candy Lip Balm Tutorial

Well, tomorrow is Halloween and October will be over and the next big holidays coming up are Thanksgiving and Christmas.  It is not too early to start thinking about stocking stuffers. Here is a really cute idea from The Soap Queen called Mint Candy Lip Balm that would be perfect to make.  It reminds me of the Starlite Mint Candies that you see around the holiday.  Even though that this is made from Brambleberry's own lip balm base I do not think that you can substitute your own favorite lip balm recipe instead.  But if you make your own I would get the bleached beeswax instead of the natural color so you can replicate the correct color of the candy.

Oils: Cherry kernel oil

Cherries are on my favorite fruit list.  In all of the classes I have taken on bath and body products, I did not know that there is a Cherry Kernel Oil.  But according to Point of Interest there is one. If you are like me and want to learn more about this oil, then I will have to read this post immediately to see how I can use it in my lotions and other products.

Pumpkin Seed Oil: Sugar Scrub Bars

Point of Interest has been doing a series on their site about Pumpkin Seed Oil.  In the next installment in the series,  Susan provides more information about this oil and a special recipe on making a sugar scrub bar.  If you are intrigued, then I highly recommend reading Pumpkin Seed Oil:  Sugar Scrub Bars.

Herbal Dye Gift Bags

Just wondering - do you like putting small gifts  such as lip balms or potpourri into muslin bags?  Well, did you know that you can dye the bags with herbals to make them special?  Yes, you can and it is really easy. Just check out this tutorial from The Mountain Rose Blog on how to Herbal Dye Gift Bags.  Since I will be participating in a holiday bizzare at Deborah's Palm in December, I may do this instead of stenciling an image on the bag.

Chai Tea Latte Candle Tutorial

It has been a long time since I posted a tutorial on a candle project. Maybe it was because I did not see one I liked.  But here is one from The Soap Queen called Chai Tea Latte Candle that I really caught my eye.  This is an intermediate level project that should take someone 30 minutes to make one candle.  This would make a wonderful gift for the holidays.

Pumpkin seed oil: Creating an emulsified scrub

Do you love using pumpkin seed oil in your body products?  Have you thought of using it in a scrub?  Well, here is an answer to solve that problem.  This Pumpkin Seed Oil:  Emulsified Scrub recipe from Point of Interest would be perfect to give as gifts or to add to your product line if you make and sell your own bath and body products.

Using Optiphen ND with Proteins or Goat's Milk

Do you use the preservative optiphen in your body products?  Have you ever wondered about using optiphen Nd with proteins or goat's milk?  In this posting by Point of Interest answers such question in a posting called Using Opiphen ND with Proteins or Goat's Milk. Plus you may want to check out some of the comments from some of their readers because their is a lovely recipe to try.

Pumpkin Seed Oil: A Whipped Butter

Halloween is just around the corner.  And a lot of us are thinking about getting the perfect pumpkin to carve.  Did you know that there is a pumpkin seed oil that you can purchase and use in making your body product?  There sure is.  And Point of Interest recently posted about it in   their post titled Pumpkin Seed Oil:  A Whipped Butter. This post is very informative plus there is simple whipped butter that I am going to have to try.

10 Tips to Selling Soap on Etsy

Now that you have been making soap for awhile and you have been thinking how you can make some money from your craft.  One of the ways of selling is on Etsy.  Never heard of Etsy?  Well, it is an online site that you can sell your craft.   But it can be discouraging since there are so many people selling soap and other bath and body products.  Inner Earth Soap recently wrote a post on 10 Tips to Selling Soap on Etsy. I would say that this posting has some really great tips on selling on Etsy. So read this posting to see what would be helpful to you.  If there are others out there who have sold on Etsy and would like to share any other tips that are not on this list, we would love to hear them.

Java Junky Lotion Recipe

Are you a java junky?  Would you believe that there is a lotion recipe especially for you?  Saffire Blue Inc. has a simple recipe call Java Junky Lotion that is supposed to smell like a frothy latte fresh from your favorite barista.  So if you need to get an extra fix of java, then this is the perfect to put all over your body.

Explaining and Preventing Soda Ash

If you are new to making soap by the cold process method, you may have experienced soda ash on your batch.  There are several things that may cause it to happen in your final product.  If you want to learn more about soda ash and how to prevent it, The Soap Queen has posted information in a post called Explaining and Preventing Soda Ash.  This is a very informative article for the novice or experienced cold processed soapmaker.

Fall Leaves Melt & Pour Tutorial

Can you believe it is the middle of October?  There is still time to make some really neat fall soap. Here is a Fall Leaves Melt and Pour Tutorial from The Soap Queen website.  This is an intermediate project that should take two hours and results in 3 1/2 bars of soap. 

How to Make Naturally Tinted Lip Balm

It has been only a month since the Fall season has started.  But you have probably noticed the chill in the air. Well you know it will Winter before you know it. That is when your lips take a beating.  So do want to find a way to moisturize your lips?  Here is a recipe called How to Make Naturally Tinted Lip Balm  from Frugally Sustainable.  It is a pretty easy recipe to give your lips moisture and some color.

Peppermint Exfoliating Foot Soap Recipe

We are well into the Fall season and soon Winter will be here.  Though wearing sandals is a long time away, it is still not too early to start exfoliating our fee.  A way to do this is to use an exfoliating foot soap.  And here is a refreshing and exhilarating recipe from Saffire Blue called Peppermint Exfoliating Foot Soap.  It is a very easy recipe to make this since it is make with opaque melt and pour soap base.   Since the holidays are far enough in the future, you can start making them in the next couple of weeks and have them ready for gift giving.

Frog Foot Swirl

You heard of the peacock swirl technique for cold process soap, right?  Here is a new one for you - Frog Foot Swirl. Anne-Marie of Soap Queen and Brambleberry fame has been obsessed with the swirling technique because of a new easy swirl tool  that Brambleberry is selling.  What is the difference between the peacock swirl and the frog foot swirl?  Well, it is a secret until you read the tutorial.

Making Whipped Shea Hair Butter

Have you ever heard of hair butter?  I never had until I saw this recipe on the Soul Scentsibility site.  Maybe I never heard of it because it is probably used by someone who has dry hair.  So if you are interested in trying this product for your hair then check this Making Whipped Shea Hair Butter from Soul Secentsibility.  Give it a try and let us know how it works on your hair.  If anyone is using a hair butter, let us know how it has changed your hair for the better.

Fall Lufah Soaps

Do you need to exfoliate your skin while you shower?  Here is a bar  of soap that can exfoliate your skin and bring in the senses of fall.  This Fall Lufah Soap tutorial from Wholesale Supplies Plus is an intermediate melt and pour project that takes approximately one our to make (3) leave and (3) pumpkin soaps. Once these soaps have been made and hardened they can be used immediately.

Holly Berry Cold Process Soap

Would you believe that Christmas is just around the corner? There is only a short window to make a cold process batch of soap.  So you better get started if you want to give soap as gifts this season. If  are having a difficult time deciding what recipe to make for your gifts, here is one from The Soap Queen called Holly Berry Cold Process Soap. 

Palm Oil in Cosmetics

In August 2012, I took a class from Marla Bosworth of Backporch Soap Company on making your own shampoos at The Nova Studio. She had a brief discussion on why we should go palm free. In her series on her blog she has a couple of postings about the subject.  Here are two of the postings that I would like to share with you that gives you the low down on this important issue.  Palm Oil in Cosmetics Part 1 discusses the issues and Palm in Cosmetics Part 2 has some recipes for you to start using if you do not already have any.

Melt & Pour Soap Making: Splatter Loaf

What do think of the splatter look on this melt and pour bar of soap?  I think it looks pretty cool.  It reminds me of the opening of the show In Living Color.  It is very modern looking.  Looking at the posting on the blog Denise's Yada Yada on Soapmaking, Crafts and Ramblings called Melt & Pour Soap Making:  Splatter Loaf looks pretty easy to do.  Will have to give it a try.  What about you?

All-Natural Peppermint Kissed Lip Tint Recipe

So far the recipes I have found for lip tings have been in tubes. But I found this one from Herbs and Oils Hub that is actually in a tube. it is called All Natural Peppermint Kissed Lip Tint Recipe.  The actual recipe is from Fresh Picked Beauty and was originally posted in 2011. The Fresh Picked Beauty's  Lip Tint recipe looks very simple to make.

Leopard Spot Melt & Pour

It has been awhile since I posted a tutorial for a melt and pour bar of soap. I guess I have not seen anything really that caught my eye until I saw this Leopard Spot and Pour from the Soap Queen.  I thought that it was an unique name for this soap so I had to share.  If these colors do not work for you then spice it up your own way!

Lavender Cream Recipe

Just can't get enough lavender in your life?  Here is a recipe from Saffire Blue for a Lavender Cream. It is a very think cream that would feel great on any part of your body.  Some of the oils are expensive so if you are on a tight budget, the author says that you can substitute more economical oils in place of the expensive ones.  Have fun making your new favorite cream.

Dolphin Soap, Miami-Style

If you a Miami Dolphin's fan like Jenny of I'd Lather be Soaping, then this soap is for you.  This Dolphin Soap, Miami Style is a cold process method of making soap.  Even though the season has started it is not to late to make this soap and have it cured before the season is over with.

Gifting Your Homemade Soap

Are you looking for a way to wrap your soaps so that you can give them as gifts?  Well, I found this idea on how to wrap your soaps on Craft Gossip for Bath and Body in a post called Gifting Your Homemade Soap. In the post it does not specify whether it is a cold process bar or melt and pour bar of soap.  But anyway,this is a cute way to package your soap.

Lemon Sugar Scrub Recipe

Love using sugar scrubs during your bathing routine?  Here is a whipped Lemon Sugar Scrub recipe from Saffire Blue Inc. that just screams Summer.  I know summer just ended over a week ago but I love the fresh scent of lemon and think it would be great scrub to use all year round.  What I found really interesting about this recipe that this recipe does not contain any sugar.  It seems like more of a body butter with jojoba beads.  Plus it has the ingredients of e-wax, stearic acid, cocoa butter, and shea butter .  So I am really confused about if this is a real sugar scrub recipe.  Anyone out there want to weigh in on this?

Sleepytime Balm Formula Recipe

Do you have a difficult time getting your kids to fall asleep?  Or do you have troubles falling asleep yourself? Would you believe that there is an easy to make formula to help with this problem?  The Sleepytime Balm Formula recipe from the Sapphire Blue Inc. website could help you get a good night rest. This recipe was adapted from 50 Simple Ways to Pamper Yourself by Stephanie Tourles.  She swears by this sweet-smelling balm that you simply to the temples before bedtime.  She says that it is amazingly effect, but gentle enough to pacify even the most irritable, restless little ones.  It will have to give this recipe a try because there are times when I have difficult time falling asleep when I do housesitting assignments and I use a sleep aid.  If this works then I can get off the sleep aid permanently.  And that would be a good thing.