Soap Fragrance Oils - Making Your Own Custom Scented Bath Products

Why don’t you consider making soaps scented with natural essential oils in your own home? While it might seem difficult at first, it just might turn out to be one of the easiest and most relaxing things you’ve ever done. Essential oils and herbs are a way to bring plants’ healing properties into your daily routine. Frequently used in aromatherapy, you can also bring essential oils into your life by making your own soaps.

Some essential oils have stimulating fragrances, while others have completely the opposite effect and can help you relax. Every essential oil has distinct and unique properties. For example, rose oil comes in handy for treating sore throats, sinus congestion, or puffiness. Rosemary helps treat physical and mental fatigue, rheumatic pains and aches, and respiratory problems such as asthma.

Each of the natural essential oils has specific, beneficial properties. Chamomile has long been used to help with digestion, but many people don’t know that it helps ease premenstrual pain as well, and applied to the skin, it will help clear up acne, eczema and other sensitive skin problems. Eucalyptus is administered orally to help coughs, colds, bronchitis and viral infections; when applied to the skin, it eases muscular aches. Many people find geranium oils useful for healing sores, infections, and other skin problems. And lavender not only smells pleasant; it can also be useful for soothing headaches, healing bruises and insect bites, and reducing swelling.

Sandalwood not only smells great; it’s calming and soothing, and can help heal dry, cracked lips. Jasmine helps you when you’re feeling down, and neroli treats anxiety and insomnia, and will help improve your blood circulation as well. It’s a good idea to try to find ways to bring essential oils’ beneficial properties into your life.

Herbs are low-growing aromatic plants that can be used either fresh or dried; these include annuals (which must be seeded each year) as well as perennial herbs (which survive the winter to grow again in the spring). Usually, it’s herbs’ leaves that are used to enhance skin care products’ benefits.

For more on handmade herbal soap making as well as candle making and other do-it-yourself crafts visit the soap making resources center at Pure and Natural Soaps where you’ll find articles, recipes, instructions, ideas and tips.

To discuss these and other craft projects visit the Soap Making Forum - a community message board for soap and candle making as well as other crafts and do-it-yourself projects. Discuss techniques, share ideas, learn new methods, post your favorite recipes and meet new friends.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Freeland

Flowers and Food for the Bath

According to Reader's Digest...Bathing for Health and Relaxation by Eva Gizoska, fruity and flowery bath preparations not only smell wonderful in the water; they also have an instant feel-good effect on the psyche and many therapeutic benefits for the skin.

Commerical preparations may smell good, but they are almost synthetically produced. In order to experience the full, natural qualities of fruits and flowers, you use the real thing. You can add them directly to the bath or apply them directly in the form of packs and tonics.

Fruit and Other Foods

Milk for silky, smooth and soft skin. Not just a favorite with Cleopatra, but Indian women have used milk for centuries. You can simply pour as much powdered milk or fresh milk into a hot bath.

Grapes for blemish-free skin. Add grape juice to your bath, or make a decoction of vine leaves for a cleansing, antiseptic effect.

Ginger helps stimulate circulation. It is warming and aromatic. Add a few tablespoonfuls of ground ginger, or deoction from the fresh root.

Pineapple contains a natural enzyme that helps to improve the skin. Add freshly squeezed pineapple juice to the bath, or use it on your face as a toner.

Honey has natural healing, antiseptic qualities. It helps blemished king and is very moisturizing. Stir a few tablespoons into your bath.

Citrus fruits(lemons, oranges, limes) smooth the texture of the skin. Grate the rind and add it to the bath. Apply lemon juice directly to elbows, feet and knees. Or place the rinds in a cheesecloth or muslin bag, and rub the skin briskly to exfoliate.

Tropical Fruits (melons, papaya, cantaloupe) possess skin-beautifying proprieties. Papaya, especially, is rich in enzymes that can improve skin texture. Mash these fruits into a pulp and apply them to the face or body. Leave fo about 15 minutes and rinse off. Or add some ground almond meal to the fruits and the mixture to exfoliate your skin while you bathe.

Cornmeal and oatmeal are good exfoliants - oatmeal is beneficial to dry, irritated skin. Add them directly to the bath, or make them into a paste with some hot water and a tablespoonful of lemon juice. Massage over body and then rinse off.

Strawberries soothe skin irritations and sensitive skin. Mash them up, appy them to the skin as a pack, and rinse off.

Peach is helpful for inflamed, blotchy skin. Mash the fruit and make into a pack. Apply to the face or body for 15 minutes. Rinse off.

Vanilla smells warm and comforting. Add a few drops of vanilla essense to your bath.


Flowers

Honeysuckle calms skin irritations. Make an infusion from the blossoms, and add to the bath.

Iris helps improve circulation and has a calming effect. Scatter petals in your bathwater.

Marigold helps dry, sensitive skin. Add an infustion of the flowers to your bath.