The Natural Beauty Workshop

Cindy's Herbal Soaps, LLC

Cindy Smithson of Cindy’s Herbal Soaps, LLC has been a wonderful customer of ours for over two years.  Cindy started her Pennsylvania based business in 2006.  She specializes in home made soaps, but also carries a variety of bath and body products, natural candles, and a line of charming gift baskets.  Cindy is simply a delight to do business with and we were thrilled when she agreed to give us an interview.

How did your business get started?
I began making soaps in the late winter of 2006.  I was buying so many products to combat the winter dry and flaky skin both my husband and I suffered from. As I researched, I realized making my own soaps would go a long way in bringing moisture back into our skin.  They did!  After many trials and errors, and then the interest from my former coworkers who tested my products and showed their enthusiasm, Cindy’s Herbal Soaps, LLC came to be!

What has been your biggest challenge as a small business owner?  How did you overcome this challenge?
My biggest challenge was getting into a market here when I didn't know many people.  My husband and I moved out of state last year.  I applied for a Farmer's Market in a town close by.  There was already a soap maker there, in fact, there were two!  One of the vendors at the market called me and asked if I'd like to be a vendor at a new Farmer's Market.  Since she already had a soap maker she asked if I could make more candles and still carry some soaps.  I agreed and that was my start!  Once I got into that market, I became friends with the other vendors.  When the vendor next to me, who has become a wonderful friend, asked me if I would be interested in another Farmer's Market, I agreed.  Now both of the Farmer's Markets have given me great feedback, repeat customers, and openings into other areas for my products.  A friend has a shop in historic Gettysburg and she carries my products. I made samples of all the soaps I make.  I take them with me where ever I go, as well as business cards.  I can give them to B&B owners, or markets or shops as well as potentially new customers.  I have gotten an account that way with a B& B in town as well.

What has been your most rewarding moment so far?
A doctor in Orlando Florida (Dr. Scott Levine) and I became friends on line when I ordered his great fiber drink.  I told him I was making homemade soaps and coworkers were buying them.  I told Scott that I wanted to start my own small business and asked if he would try my soap and tell me what he thinks.  Within a few months I sent him my Milky Oatmeal Swirl soap.  When he received it, his son had just begun the agony of chicken pox.  Scott had one bar so he cut the bar in half and gave the other half to his son.  His son took three showers that day and told his dad that he had felt some relief!  Dr. Levine has endorsed my soap since then and I will always think of that story when I think of Dr. Scott Levine!  He is a wonderful person and friend!

Do you have a philosophy or a company motto that you would like to share with us?
I believe we live in a high stress world.  My goal is to help people to feel better about their skin while enjoying a scent from a favorite memory.  Possibly allowing them to take a step back away from the stress!  When someone smells one of my products and smiles, that is my reward!  When I get repeat customers and their wonderful feedback, I know I am doing what is right for my path in life!  I am trying to help people realize that they need to be pampered as well!

Do you have any advice for other soap makers or natural skin care enthusiasts that are just starting out? 
Research, research, research!  Take baby steps in establishing yourself.  The more care you give the baby steps, the better foundation you build for the future.  Carry samples and business cards at all times.  Look at the shops and markets in your area and check out your competition.

We asked Cindy if she had a favorite recipe that she would like to share with our readers.  She provided this wonderful formula that she calls Lavender Elbow Grease.

Lavender Elbow Grease

Ingredients
3 full Tbsp. of Castor oil
2 Tsp. of Beeswax
1 Tsp. of Shea Butter
1 Tsp. of Cocoa Butter
20 drops of Lavender, Bulgaria Essential Oil

Directions
In a double boiler, melt the wax with the Castor Oil.  Add the Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter and allow them to melt as well.  As it cools add half of the Lavender Essential Oil.  In a clean 2 oz. jar, add the other half of Lavender Essential Oil.  Pour the Castor Oil mix into the jar and allow to cool. After it is fully cooled, place a lid on the jar.  This formula is very rich, and great for cuticles and rough spots!

Cindy left us with some kind words regarding FromNatureWithLove.com.  Can you tell why we’re so fond of her?
I love the selection I get at FromNatureWithLove.com.  The bath and skin care ingredients, as well as the descriptions for use, give me great ideas.  I can log onto your site and get creative with planning my next new item or start planning for the holidays.  I love selecting the five sample Fragrance Oils!  I can try new fragrances and see if my customers like them as well.  The prices are great and I am always inspired to try something new from you!

We’d like to thank Cindy again for participating in our Featured Customer Interview series. To learn more about Cindy’s Herbal Soaps, LLC please visit their website.

If you are a small business owner or have a career in natural skin care and would like to be interviewed on The Natural Beauty Workshop please let us know. We would love to hear your story!

Wheatgerm Oil

While the germ of a wheat kernel only  makes up a minuscule percentage of the kernel's total weight, it contains a much more impressive portion of beneficial properties.  Wheat Germ is often used in nutritional supplements due to it's high content of protein, complex carbohydrates, and vitamin E.  When the germ is pressed for oil, wheat shows its usefulness in yet another application.

Wheatgerm Oil is a dense, viscous oil, which is often included in formulations at around 10%.  Like other wheat products it can help to reduce redness, inflammation, and skin irritation.  Rich in vitamins, A, D, and E, Wheatgerm Oil provides moisture and nourishment in skincare formulations.  It is also a popular ingredient for massage blends.  While the pure oil does not have an ideal consistency for massage, the high antioxidant value of Wheatgerm Oil can increase the shelf life of other oils when added to a blend. 

Wheatgerm Oil is also a popular ingredient in anti-aging formulations.  The high antioxidant value combined with its anti-inflammatory properties make Wheatgerm Oil an ideal addition to intensive facial blends.  As with other types of formulas, Wheatgerm Oil should be added at a small percentage.

Valentine's Day

February is just around the corner.  Before we know it, that special day that sets hearts all a flutter will be upon us.  Before you set your heart on giving a classic gift, such as chocolate or flowers, consider this.  While heart shaped chocolates are certainly romantic, pampering your sweetheart with a custom made home spa basket will knock their socks off. (Maybe more than just their socks!) Here are some great ideas for spa baskets that can charm men and women alike.

Sensual Massage Basket
A basket filled with hand blended massage oils carries the promise of a euphoric evening.  The loving touch of massage can be an enjoyable experience for both you and your partner.  Include some candles, a mix cd of your favorite soothing music, and perhaps a handy massage roller.  When the time is right, light the candles, and enjoy some quality time in the company of each other's affectionate touch.

Mani-Pedi Basket
A manicure and pedicure is a wonderful way to pamper your partner.  This would be an extra special treat for men, who may feel uncomfortable enlisting this kind of service in a salon.  Prepare a basket with manicure and pedicure tools, as well as handmade lotions, scrubs, and cuticle serum.  A monogrammed bath robe or hand towel would be a luxurious addition.  To add an extra flair to the arrangement, present this spa basket in a foot bath tub!  The best part of this gift will be when you personally treat your partner to a full manicure and pedicure treatment.   Now that is love!

Chocolates for the Bath Lover
Give your partner the decadence of chocolate without giving them the added "gift" of calories and carbs.  Milk Bath, Bar Soaps, Bath Melts, and Body Butter are just a few of the many possibilities for a themed basket.  Simply take your favorite bath and body recipes and fragrance them with a rich chocolate aroma.  Dark Chocolate Supreme is my personal favorite, but Milk Chocolate or Chocolover's are also nice choices.  If your partner isn't a chocolate lover, you can customize this idea by scenting your products with any other gourmet aroma.  If they have a taste for tropical fruit try making a Mango Basket.  If they are a fan of flowers, a Red Rose or Wild Flower basket would be lovely!

Bath and body products make fabulous, and unexpected Valentine's Day gifts, especially when they promote quality time spent together.  I picked a sampling of ingredients and accessories that I thought might help inspire your baskets. Enjoy!

Fruit & Vegetable Hair Oil

Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of any healthy diet.  Great for your body, but how about your hair?  This hair oil treatment was inspired by a food group that is loved by some, hated by others, and needed by all.  This simple formula is composed of five fruit and vegetable ingredients that each bring something unique and beneficial to the table. (No pun intended)

Broccoli Seed Oil is a surprisingly useful ingredient.  It lends shine and moisture to hair formulas without making them too heavy.  Blueberry Seed Oil is one of nature's most potent sources of antioxidants!  Its easily penetrating texture keeps this hair oil on the light side.  Jojoba Oil does not come from a fruit or vegetable, in fact, it comes from a nut.  But I just couldn't leave it out of a hair oil!  It's composition is very close to hair's natural conditioner, sebum.  Jojoba acts as an intensive conditioner, while helping to shield hair from damage.  Watermelon Seed Oil is an all around favorite ingredient of mine.  Traditionally called Ootanga or Kalahari Oil in Africa, it has been used for generations in African skin and hair care.  It is highly moisturizing and like its accompanying ingredients, non-greasy.  Helio Carrot Root (Total) CO2 Extract is is rich in beta carotene and vitamins A and E, making it a highly nutritive addition to the recipe.

Fruit & Veggie Hair Oil

Ingredients
1/4 ounce Jojoba Oil                                  
1/2 ounce  Broccoli Seed Oil                               
1/4 ounce Blueberry Seed Oil                               
1 ounce Watermelon Seed Oil                           
25 drops Helio Carrot Root Total CO2 Extract 

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a measuring cup and mix well.

Packaging
This recipe makes about 2 oz. of hair oil.  I recommend using a high density plastic bottle with a disc cap or snap cap for easy use in or out of the shower.

Usage
This oil can be warmed gently before use, or applied at room temperature.  Massage a small portion of oil into your hair and scalp.  Leave this conditioning oil in your hair for between 10 and 30 minutes.  Shampoo you hair as usual, adding another conditioner if needed.  Some people may need to shampoo twice to eliminate all of the oil from their hair. 

Nut Oils

Nut oils can be wonderful additions to soaps, lotions, or massage blends.  Pecan Oil, for instance, is very light in texture, with a high moisturizing ability.  Rich in oleic acid, Pecan Oil makes a nourishing addition to skincare formulations.

Walnut Oil is another nut oil that deserves some attention.  It is best known for its use in anti-aging formulas due to its supposed abilities to prevent and treat wrinkles.  This oil contains high amounts of vitamins A and E, as well as essential fatty acids.  It can also be used in formulas to treat skin conditions such as eczema or chronic dry skin.

Another intriguing nut oil is Hazelnut Oil.  A great choice for acne prone skin, Hazelnut Oil has natural stringent properties.  It has a light, pleasing texture that penetrates the skin easily, making it a wonderful choice for oily or combination skin treatments.  Hazelnut Oil can be used in lotions, scrubs, soaps, facial oils, or any formulation where light, non-greasy moisture is required.

These three featured nut oils are just a sampling of how nuts are used in natural skincare.  There are a huge variety of nut oils on the market, but oils are just one example of their many uses.  Nuts are also used to create exfoliating meals, and even butters!

Cherry Kernel Oil

This oil was a main ingredient in the Goddess Salt Scrub recipe, and I received a request for a little background information on it.  I'm always happy to oblige, so if you ever have a question, please let me know!  Cherry Kernel Oil is a light, emollient oil, similar in texture to Sweet Almond or Apricot Kernel Oil.  In fact, Cherry Kernel Oil can act a substitute for these oils in many types of non-soap formulations. Like other fruit or berry seed oils it contains a high amount of essential fatty acids.  The acids particularly high in Cherry Kernel Oil are the omega 6 and 9 acids. It is also rich in tocopherols, making it a very stable oil, therefor a good choice for soaps and cosmetic formulations.  Cherry Kernel Oil makes a great addition to lip balms, skin creams, scrubs or masks.  It can also lend its moisturizing properties to haircare formulas where lighter oils are often preferred. 

Goddess Salt Scrub

I invented this scrub when a friend of mine asked for a classic salt scrub that would be especially luxurious, feminine, but not childish.  The Bolivian Pink Salt looks gorgeous in a salt scrub.  Cherry Kernel and Mango Oil give this scrub a highly moisturizing, yet light base.  Scented with Rose and Sandalwood, this recipe is exquisitely feminine.  Needless to say, my friend found the finished product to be as charming as I did.  After all, it is fit for a goddess!

Goddess Salt Scrub
1/2 cup Bolivian Pink Salt, Fine
1 ounce Cherry Kernel Oil
1 ounce Mango Oil
30 drops Sandalwood Essential Oil *
15 drops Rose Otto Essential Oil *

* For a more economic version of this scrub, the essential oils can be substituted with 3/4 teaspoon of Sandalwood Fragrance Oil and 1/4 teaspoon of Red Rose Fragrance Oil.

Broccoli Seed Oil

Though it seems an unlikely candidate for skincare, broccoli seeds yield a surprisingly beneficial oil.  Broccoli Seed Oil has a light consistency which penetrates hair and skin with ease.  It lends a non-greasy sheen to hair formulations including warm oil treatments and conditioners.  Broccoli has been made legendary for the nutritional value it brings to the dinner table.  While the use of this plant in skincare sounds a bit odd, it isn't at all surprising that Broccoli Seed Oil adds nourishment to skin and hair.  One lucky difference between the plant and the oil is Broccoli Seed Oil's lack of aroma.  Unlike a pot of steaming Broccoli stalks, this oil is relatively odorless.

Borage Oil

Borage, or Starflower seeds, produce an oil with one of the highest rates of Omega 6, Gamma Linolenic acid. Omega 6 is a fatty acid that is most prominently found in breast milk. It helps to regulate not only skin condition, but also immunity. The human body does not produce Omega 6 on its own, making the regular consumption or application of oils containing this rare fatty acid extremely helpful to beautiful skin. It is also thought to be helpful to those suffering from psoriasis, a skin condition that is related to immunity dysfunction. Borage Seed Oil is a superb ingredient for use in facial serums, masks, and intensive creams.  It can be added at just 10% to most formulations to provide hydration and restorative benefits, but can also be used at its full strength as a facial or body oil. Other oils rich in Gamma Linolenic Acid are Evening Primrose and Blackcurrant Oil.

Babassu

The oil from the Babassu Palm Tree is often referred to as Babassu Butter, due to its solid consistency. Babassu Oil has a melting point of around 76 degrees, making it a wonderful substitute for Coconut Oil in many formulations. Like Coconut Oil, Babassu is very high in lauric acid. When used in soap making, Babassu creates a wonderful moisturizing lather. It is also useful in many other skincare formulations. It conditions and soothes the skin effectively, making it a moisturizing addition to body butters, lip balms, or massage bars. Although it is solid at room temperature, Babassu melts on contact with the skin and is quickly absorbed, keeping balms or scrubs made with Babassu Oil from becoming too greasy.