Cedar Trails

"Cedar Trails to you la-la-la until we meet again la-la-la"  You have to imagine this to the tune of "Happy Trails" by Gene Autry, I believe.  Of course I'm dating myself, but some of you may know the song I'm talking about.  Isn't it just crazy how a song will get into your head and refuse to leave?  This is what happened to me today while preparing to make soap, and thinking about this newest "outdoorsy" addition to my product line.

I made some bath salts/foot soak to match for a friend of mine this afternoon.  Well, actually for her hubby, and you know there was some left over so.....someone here will probably be soaking something this evening!  My husband loves the smell of this, (cedarwood, fir needle, ylang ylang & lavender) so his feet may get dibs on the first soak.   What do you think of the color?  It's all from the goats milk, honey and essential oils.  I didn't add any colorants at al.  I think it looks really nice and masculine.  It's a bit fresh, not ready for the general public yet, but I'm really anxious to try it.                                                                                                 

My Etsy Shop Finally had a Sale!! I was really starting to wonder if I should even bother with it when "poof" out of the blue!  It seems like when I concentrate on making soap, the sales just  happen.  I wonder if anyone else finds this to be true?  Also, keep your fingers crossed, our town is thinking of starting a Farmers Market!  It would be so much fun to have a booth here locally!  I'm pretty excited about the prospect.

Gotta go make some soap.  Today it's a natural vanilla experiment that I'm expecting great things from.  Wish me luck!   Happy Skin, all!

Little Shaving Soaps

Well, here is a photo of the shaving soaps I made yesterday. This afternoon I got to wondering about Bentonite. I knew it was a clay that helps give shaving soap its "slip", but I wondered if it might have some other benefits for the skin.

You all may know this already, but it was a pleasant surprise to me.

"Up until recently because of the unique compound and the fact that it can only be found in certain areas the volcanic clay ash was only used in the most exclusive spas. One that only the wealthy and the famous could afford, now this secret has been opened to the masses in a number of beauty products that can make it possible for everyone to enjoy the wonders and benefits of this well kept skin purifying and beautifying secret.

Volcanic Ash clay can help to beautify and purify the skin. It draws away the toxins and poisons that every day life puts on your skin letting its natural beauty show through. It can also help to reduce the signs of aging, give the skin a youthful appearance, and glow. It also helps reduce the signs of sun damage and the appearance of cellulite and acne. It really is one of the best ways to treat your skin."

This is a partial quote from an article by Lori Matthews which can be found here:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Volcanic-Ash-Clay-Skin-Care-Can-Do-Wonders-For-Your-Skin&id=1101979

After reading about the wonders of bentonite, and since I have a bag of the powdered wonder just sitting on my shelf, I decided to include it in a batch of my Oatmeal & Honey complexion soap. It will be ready to ship in four weeks, but you know I'll be using/testing it before then. I'm anxious for the "reducing the signs of aging" thing! Not to mention the cellulite thing! : )

I'll let you all know if I wake up someday suddenly sleek and beautiful! LOL

New Goats Milk Shaving Soap

I was feeling inspired this afternoon, and created two new variations on my Goat Milk & Honey Soap. The first is a shaving soap (with bentonite clay)that I fragranced with a blend of EOs: Fir Needle, Cedarwood, Sweet Orange, Ylang Ylang,(you know it's my new obsession)and a whiff of Lavender. Whew! That looks like a really long list, but it smelled pretty good to me. Of course you never know for sure just how the lye may distort it, but I'm anxious to see, er, smell!

I poured the shaving version into two mugs that a customer sent with me to do for her hubby, and the rest went into some adorable little flower-embossed moulds that I've used for shower favors in the past. The last time I made shaving soap was quite a while ago, and I added a bit too much bentonite & you can probably guess what happened. It was setting up as I was frantically scraping it into mugs as fast as I could. It turned out fine, but I made a mental note to use way less bentonite next time.

The other half of the batch has the same EO blend, but no bentonite. I'm hoping the scent will have some "man-appeal", as my product line really doesn't cater much to men at this time. I guess I'll give it the ol' Hubby Test in about a month, and then I'll know for sure. :)