Discover How to Make This Soap at Home!

The other day, Frank of the Falling Leaf Soap Company sent in another great recipe for you to try out.  You can check out his very popular K-9 Doggie soap here.

This recipe is for a Lavender and Tea Tree Oil Soap that he developed!  Here is what he had to say:

I’ve found that although Olive & Palm Oil combination makes soap, when targeting specific concerns /relief and/or remedies, as sited here , to treat various skin disorders, I feel that adding some lighter oils like Apricot Kernel and Sweet Almond oil, not only give an increased conditioning value to the soap, it also aides in allowing the Olive oil penetrate the deeper into the dermis. and not just sit on top of the skin.
Another oil I add is Castor oil, not only because of it’s super conditioning and lathering properties, it also has a pretty decent capacity to act as a bio-pesticide by repelling insects, too much lavender and the bees will follow you.
I’ll  also use 15% coconut oil to regain some of the hardness and cleansing value given up by the castor oil and the lighter oils.
I add melted Shea butter at trace, which is always a nice addition to any bar, it has a middle range conditioning value and adds to the hardness of the bar.
I then add at trace Jojoba oil, which is actually a liquid wax that is very similar to sebum in its chemical composition. It contributes a nice stable lather, has remarkable absorption and moisturizing qualities and unlike some of the other luxury moisturizing oils, has a very long shelf life – 1-2 years! I also infuse the Jojoba oil with Alkanet Root, which when added to the soap will make it turn a yucky gray (so you’re not surprised!!!), Remember… .it will render a nice light natural shade of purple resembling the Lavender as the soap cures, the more you infuse or add the deeper the shade will be.  I use a few other oils as shown below in my blending sheet.

The ingredients of this soap can aid in the relief of various skin ailments.  Try it out!

Frank’s Lavender & Tea Tree Soap Recipe Ingredients

You can get most of the ingredients you need from Mountain Rose Herbs and Amazon.com.  Amazon even carries lye that you can use.

At sunset on March 5, 2012, on a beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico...

...J asked this couple from Vancouver to help him by taking pictures...

...As he proposed to his unsuspecting girlfriend, Natasha...

...

...And she said yes!

Shea Butter Can Impart Amazing Properties to Your Soap!

by Scott Malin

African Shea Butter

African Shea Butter is made from the seeds of the Karite tree (known as the Tree of Life) which grows wild in West Africa. In Africa, there are number of therapeutic uses for the “King of skin care ingredients” including ingesting it for colds and flus and as a ceremonial food. Africans use it on the skin of infants, because of it’s incredibly mild properties on the most sensitive of skin. Also, it does an amazing job of protecting and moisturizing their delicate skin. Africans also use Shea Butter with the elderly to help with aching joints and to keep their skin supple. Due to the dry nature of the Sahara, it is also used regularly to help with cracked and dry skin.

The 7 Top Reasons to use Shea Butter

1. Dry Skin – Helps dramatically reduce the issues associated with dry skin. Specifically, Shea Butter helps prevent chapping, chafing and skin cracks (especially on the feet and elbows).
2. Psoriasis, Eczema, Dermatitis – Has shown to have remarkable effects on rashes, psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis. French dermatologists used Shea Butter on 35 people from different age, sex and racial backgrounds for a period of ten days to 5 months. These subjects had all types of skin disorders ranging from dry and wrinkled skin to serious burns and rashes. There was substantial healing in all of the cases, and in some cases the healing was almost miraculous. These clinical trials have all been well documented by the French Ministry of Health.
3. Skin Irritations - Minor skin irritations including allergies, insect bites, frost bites, sun burns, burns, and small skin wounds all respond positively to treatment. Shea Butter glides on smoothly and easily and penetrates into the skin immediately, having a very quick effect.
4. Wrinkles - Helps dramatically with wrinkles. Shea Butter works by rejuvenating skin cells and cleaning pores. Shea Butter also helps by preventing wrinkles by keeping moisture protected in the deeper dermal layers of the skin.
5. Dry Hair and Scalp – Helps prevent weak hair from breaking, fading or thinning out. Unlike almost all other hair conditioners on the market, which use Petroleum by-products, Shea Butter does not clog pores or block the hair shafts. It also helps prevent dandruff and revitalizes split ends. In addition, it will protect the hair from the damaging rays of the sun, hair dryers, perms and dyes. A good idea is to use it before swimming in a pool or the ocean to help protect your hair from chlorine and sea salt.
6. Sensitive Skin – One of the best choices for people with ultra-sensitive skin, including infants. Why? The chemical composition of shea butter is close to vernix, the substance found on newborns at birth, so there is no negative reaction to it by even the most sensitive people.
7. Stretch Marks – Excellent for the prevention and treatment of stretch marks and other kinds of scar tissue. It works by moisturizing and feeding nutrients to these areas which helps dramatically reduce the appearance of scars or stretch marks. In addition, Shea Butter is also good for the healing of sore nipples of nursing mothers.
8. Aging – Wonderful for older people who are looking to prevent bed sores and want to keep the suppleness of their skin. Shea Butter works great for the elderly population and can be used everyday.

Scott Malin is rapidly becoming a widely respected writer on the subject of organic, all natural skin care. You can find excellent advice about how to have healthy and beautiful skin at:
http://www.organichealthandbeauty.com/Skin-Care-Smart-Guide_ep_209-1.html

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

The videos were created by GoPlanetEarth.com.

How to Make Soap Heart Bars (Melt & Pour)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bF6ORBrphI

How to Make Valentine’s Cupcake Soaps (Melt & Pour)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdozAI60Yfk

Want to Learn More About Melt & Pour Soap Making?

Shona O'Connor's Soap Making Course is the Best I've Seen for Melt & Pour

I recently had an opportunity to check out Shona O’Connor’s “Soap Making Course”.  I can safely say that it is the best course on melt & pour soap making that I’ve seen.

The course gives you everything you need in order to go from never having made melt & pour soap to being able to do advanced projects like creating soap petals from flowers!

It is broken down into 23 short, individual videos so that you do not get overwhelmed.  The videos cover:

• Adding Colors & Fragrances the Right Way
• How to Add Herbs, Petals, and Other Additives
• The Secret to “Floating” Additives So They Don’t Clump
• How to Create Incredible Marbling Effects
• How to Layer Your Soap So That It Comes Out Right - Every Time!
• Fun Projects Like Creating Loofah Soaps
• And More!

Shona’s Soap Making Course also includes the following bonuses:

• The Essential Secrets of Packaging and Labeling
• Marketing Tips for Getting Your Soap Business Started
• Personal 1-On-1 Email Guidance from Shona O’Connor for 12 Months!
• And 10 Additional Bonus Videos (Not Mentioned on Her Site) that Have More Melt & Pour Projects for You!

Shona really went all out with this course and it shows.  I had a chance to correspond with her last week and she seems like a great person who genuinely loves to teach soap making.  In fact, she used to teach melt & pour soap making courses out of her home when she was in the UK!

If you’ve always wanted to master melt & pour soap making or you want to start your soap making adventure without worrying about handling lye -- this is course gets my biggest recommendation!

Click Here to Find Out More About Shona’s “Soap Making Course”!

Rhassoul Clay is a favorite in luxury spas for the toning and enriching
benefits. It is high in minerals such as silica, magnesium, iron, calcium,
potassium and sodium, making it truly exquisite! These minerals make the
clay detoxifying as they have the ability to exchange themselves for toxic
compounds, (like metals) in the skin. So in essence, the clay cleanses your
skin while also replenishing depleted minerals.

Along with the high mineral content, rhassoul clay also has amazing
astringent properties and absorption properties, making a wonderful
cleansing and detoxification experience.

Rhassoul Clay has been used for over 1400 years in Rome and Egypt and has
been praised for the way it made women lovelier by softening and soothing
their skin.

Spunky Suds has formulated a unique blend of Rhassoul Clay, Lemongrass and
Lavender essential oils to make a finely detailed bar of soap.

Lemongrass essential oil has great benefits as a skin toner and is used for
oily skin, opening up blocked pores and clearing up acne.

Lavender essential oil has been used to disinfect the skin, help acne and
eczema, great for healing damaged skin, and helps soothe and prevent
breakouts.

Also, please note that the lemongrass and lavender essential oils are both
Young Living brand, and are fully pure and therapeutic grade.

Quality ingredients for quality soap!

Try a bar today!

Visit www.spunkysuds.com

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOd8n0WCGNQ

Here is a video that will show you how to create your own “soap rocks”.  This method of creating rock molds could also be used to create your own molds with other shapes as well.  It seems like you could possibly use this for cold process soaps as well as melt & pour!

Click this link to get ComposiMold on Amazon.com

With this recipe, you will be able to customize the scent and properties by using your favorite essential oil.

Thanks, Robyn!

Robyn’s Shampoo Bar Ingredients

You can get most of the ingredients you need from Mountain Rose Herbs and Amazon.com.  Amazon even carries lye that you can use.

4 lb batch

12 oz coconut oil
19 oz mid grade olive oil (not virgin or pomace)
12 oz castor oil
6 oz lye
16 oz distilled water
1/2 oz your favorite essential oil (If the bar is to be used by a pregnant woman DO NOT USE ROSEMARY)

1st in a stainless steel pan combine the water and lye then rest of the oils (except essential) and heat to 100 degrees F. Stirring GENTLY and constantly with metal spoon. Once reaching the proper temperature add your essential and stir in completely.

Pour into mold(s)lined with saran wrap or vaseline. Insulate (cover) for 24 hours. Uncover and leave in mold until soap is hard enough to take out (usually 4-6 days). When hard enough remove from mold and cut into desired size bars. Allow to cure for 4-5 weeks. This soap remains soft for quite a considerable time longer than normal cold pressed soap. IT DOES EVENTUALLY HARDEN into nice bars. Enjoy!

Here is a Dog Soap Recipe Submitted By Frank

Just the other day, Frank who is one of the Soap Making Fun Newsletter readers, submitted this recipe for his K-9 soap.

He said that in the past 2 years, this soap has been one of his best sellers at craft shows.

With the combination of oils in the recipe, you know it’s going to have your dog smelling great!  On top of that, those same oils will act as a repellent to mosquitoes and fleas!

Try it out and see what you think!

Thanks, Frank!

Please be aware that this recipe is ONLY FOR DOGS.  This soap should NEVER be used on cats or rabbits!

Frank’s K-9 Soap Ingredients

You can get most of the ingredients you need from Mountain Rose Herbs and Amazon.com.  Amazon even carries lye that you can use.

Make Your Own Soap with Chamomile or Other Natural Ingredients!

I found this recipe for a chamomile face soap from MakeBathProducts.com.

Chamomile is known to have numerous beneficial properties that would be great to have in any soap.  Chamomile is an anti-inflammatory, is an anti-bacterial agent, and can help soothe muscles.

Chamomile Soap Recipe Ingredients

You can get the ingredients below at Mountain Rose Herbs, Amazon.com (for lye), and your local grocery store.

• Olive Oil
• Vegetable Shortening
• Coconut Oil
• Lye
• Palmarosa Essential Oil
• Patchouli Essential Oil
• 1 chamomile tea bag

As an alternative to the chamomile tea from a bag, you can make your own strong chamomile tea using 1/2 cup water steeped with 2 ounces of chamomile buds.

You can get the specific amounts at the MakeBathProducts.com.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOY7QFOVv6A

This is a great video on how to make your own bath bombs. Making them is pretty easy and it’s something else you can add to your bath and body craft making abilities. They also make great gifts!

If you like making bath bombs, I suggest you check out Jane Church’s book “The Handcrafters’ Companion”. In it you will get tips and recipes for:

I really think you’ll be able to get a lot out of her book. It is definitely a must-have if you want to increase your bath and body crafting prowess! You can get your copy here.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0wQwMQN954

Here is a recipe that I found at eAudrey.com.

It isn’t often that you find a melt and pour recipe that includes ingredients like shea butter.  If you know about shea butter and it’s great benefits, then you know why having it in your soap is such a big deal.

I hope you like it!

If you have any soap recipes that you’ve created that you would like to share, please send them to me using the Contact Us Page.  I’ll create a page on the site specifically for your recipe and will make sure to have your name all over it=)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7V0dJNhos-w

Here is a recipe that I found at eAudrey.com.

I was looking for an aloe vera soap recipe but most of the web pages I found did not actually have a soap recipe on it.  Luckily, I found this one for “Aloe Soap Balls”.

It’s a little different because this is actually a milled soap that calls for castile soap shavings rather than making the soap from scratch.

I hope you like it!

If you have any soap recipes that you’ve created that you would like to share, please send them to me using the Contact Us Page.  I’ll create a page on the site specifically for your recipe and will make sure to have your name all over it=)

To celebrate 5 Years of Soap Making Fun, I’m giving 50% off of the Soap Making Fun Business Guide to anyone who has EVER purchased Gary Everson’s “Soap Making for Profit” OR “Soap Making Oil Properties”!

With the Soap Making Fun Business Guide, you will discover:

• How to Get Started in the Soap Business – Even on a Tiny Budget!
• Money-Saving Tactics for Increasing Your Profits
• Marketing Methods Proven to Work for Selling Soap
• The Basic Steps for Creating Your Business Legally
• The Mistakes Beginners NEVER Think About & How to Avoid Them!
• Little-Known Strategies to Get Your Soap Into More Customers Hands
• Why Having a Website is a MUST for Developing a Solid Business
• Why Repeat Customers Are So Critical to Your Business
• How to Effectively Prepare for Craft Shows
• The Undercover Techniques of Savvy Soap Business Owners
• Extraordinarily Important Legal Aspects All Soap Business Owners
  Must Know!

All of this knowledge in the Soap Making Fun Business Guide usually sells for $77 but you get it for only $38.50 when you buy or already bought Gary Everson’s “Soap Making for Profit” OR “Soap Making Oil Properties”!

How to Get Your 50% Off Discount Link:

1. Return to this page with your receipt number from Gary Everson’s “Soap Making for Profit” OR “Soap Making Oil Properties”.
2. Enter your email address and receipt number into the form below.
3. The 50% Off Discount Link will then be mailed to you!
4. That’s it!

Just enter your email address and your  Gary Everson’s “Soap Making for Profit” OR “Soap Making Oil Properties” receipt number below to get the Secret 50% Off Link!

Discover the Secrets of Selling Your Soap for Profit!

This page is available to anyone and everyone who would like to contribute their tips and tricks for running a soap making business.

Simply use the comment section below to enter your tips!  All contributions are moderated so your post will be made available after approval.

This page is available to anyone and everyone who would like to contribute their tips and tricks for making other types of bath products.

Simply use the comment section below to enter your tips!  All contributions are moderated so your post will be made available after approval.

Get Step-By-Step Help with All of the Most Popular Soap Making Methods!

This page is available to anyone and everyone who would like to contribute their tips and tricks for the melt & pour method.

Simply use the comment section below to enter your tips!  All contributions are moderated so your post will be made available after approval.

Simply use the comment section below to enter your tips!  All contributions are moderated so your post will be made available after approval.

Discover the Easiest Way to Learn How to Make Soap - Guaranteed!

This page is available to anyone and everyone who would like to contribute their tips and tricks for the cold process.

Simply use the comment section below to enter your tips!  All contributions are moderated so your post will be made available after approval.

Discover the Joy of Making Your Own Soap Today

As promised, here are some pictures of me skydiving=) Ann, Greg, and I went on the jump to celebrate Ann’s 40 birthday. Ann is EXTREMELY afraid of heights and HATES flying so she decided it was time to push herself past those fears.

When she asked if I wanted to go, I said “sure”.  I didn’t really think about it.  In fact, I didn’t even consider that the people conducting the jump would charge for it=)  That just shows how much thought I put in before I said I’d go.

However, in the two weeks leading up to the jump the reality of the situation hit home.  I was about to jump out of an airplane!  People DIE doing this.  It wasn’t as though I hadn’t done things in the past that were ill advised and put my life in danger but this was different.  With this, I was going in knowing that it was dangerous.

The nerves stuck with me up until the day of the jump.  Who knows, maybe I resigned myself to whatever fate may lie for me after leaping from a plane but I was surprisingly calm.  There were a few remaining jitters but once we suited up, all of that was gone.  Nevermind the fact that I signed paperwork saying that what I was about to do could kill me, I was ready to jump!

I met the guy that I would be tandom with during the jump.  He explained what I needed to do, what to expect, and a lot of other things before we got to the plane.

We loaded onto the plane and Ann screamed.  The plane started to move and Ann screamed.  When we hit 11,000 feet and they opened the door, Ann screamed all the way out the door as they fell into the sky.

I was up next.  We got to the door and I looked down.  Fear hit me for a split second before we leaped out into nothingness.  We fell at 120 miles per hour but it really didn’t feel like falling.  It was more like floating with a lot of wind.  After freefalling for a while, my instructor pulled the chute and  we started to drift to the ground.  We did a few turns and circles.  ”This is what eagles feel like,” the instructor said.

He was right and I completely understand why people choose to jump out of “a perfectly good airplane”.  Skydiving was one of the greatest things I have ever done.  I seriously recommend it if you ever get a chance.  Besides, as they say at the school where I jumped, “There’s no such thing as a perfectly good airplane.”