The Natural Beauty Workshop

Rose Bud Bath Melts

These lovely little Bath treats pack plenty of romance into tiny foil cups.  In this decadent recipe, each Melt is topped with a single rose bud, and scented with heavenly Rose Otto Essential Oil.  Alternatively, you can substitute Rose Fragrance Oil for a more affordable version.  Adding Red Jojoba Wax Beads is also optional.  We created two batches, one colored with Red Jojoba Wax Beads, and one left without color.  Both batches look beautiful, and create a striking presentation when arranged side by side.

Rose Bud Bath Melts
Makes between 8 - 10 melts

Ingredients
1 teaspoon Jojoba Esters MP70
1/4 teaspoon Red Jojoba Wax Beads (optional)
1 ounce Babassu Oil
1 ounce Coconut Oil
1 ounce Passionfruit (Maracuja) Oil
1 tablespoon Fine Colloidal Oatmeal (sifted)
8 - 10 Pink Rose Buds
1/2 teaspoon - 1 teaspoon Rose Otto Essential Oil*
8 - 10 Small Foil Cups

 Directions
Begin by covering a baking sheet or platter with wax paper or parchment paper, then set it aside.  In a double boiler, gently heat the Jojoba Esters (and optionally, the Red Jojoba Wax Beads) until fully melted.  Next, add the Babassu and Coconut Oils and heat until they are fully melted as well.  Add the Colloidal Oatmeal to the hot mixture.  This works best if it is sifted through a fine mesh strainer or flour sifter as it is added.  Stir the mixture well, then remove it from heat.  Add the Passionfruit Oil, and the Essential Oil and stir well.  Carefully pour the mixture into the foil cups.  If you fill the cups completely you should have enough for about 8 melts, but I recommend leaving a 1/4 inch or so of space in each cup.  If you do this, you should have enough for about 10 cups.  Allow the Melts to cool for about 5 - 10 minutes.  The Melts should thicken as they cool, leaving a firm layer on the top.  The time that this will take will vary depending on your room temperature.  After this layer forms, carefully place on Rose Bud in each cup.  Allow the Melts to set for another hour or two before attempting to move them.

Usage & Packaging
Rose Bud Bath Melts should be used one at a time.  Simply unwrap the melt and pop it into a warm bath.  The Essential Oil will fill the bathroom with its wonderful aroma while the moisturizing oils begin to melt in the bath water.  These Bath Melts look beautiful when packaged in small candy or gift boxes.  Check out your local craft supply or baking shop for small boxes.  Ribbons, stickers, and even fresh flowers can be used to enhance the presentation of your melts, especially when giving them as a romantic gift!

* Red Rose Fragrance Oil makes an affordable substitute for Rose Essential Oil. 

Organic Body Care Recipes by Stephanie Tourles

Stephanie Tourles, author of The Herbal Body Book, A Spa of Your Own, and Naturally Healthy Skin, has graced our shelves with yet another of her wonderful books.  Organic Body Care Recipes features a whopping 175 recipes for all natural skin care.  There is a great variety of recipes including cleansers, toners, serums, body oils, bath recipes, scrubs, and more.  My personal favorites from this book include her Lemony Whip Cleansing Cream, her Crazy for Coconut Balm, and her whimsically named, "Too Sleep Perchance to Dream" Balm.

Organic Body Care Recipes begins with a crash course in basic skin care knowledge, touching on physiology, skin and hair types, and the importance of skin care routines.  The book also includes a thorough introduction to basic ingredients and techniques.  This thoughtful introduction makes the book user friendly even to those who are just beginning to make their own natural products.  Throughout the book, Tourles also makes plenty of references toward important subjects like shelf life, essential oil safety, and sustainable resources.

I found Organic Body Care Recipes by Stephanie Tourles to be a great read, and I'm looking forward to making many more of her all natural skin and body care recipes.  Have you made anything using this book?  Please feel free to comment, and share your story!

Using Fresh Props for Product Photography

Using fresh ingredients such as herbs, plants, fruits, or berries as props can easily enhance product photos.  Make sure to pick your props carefully, looking for the freshest, most brightly colored specimens, being careful to avoid any bruised or over-ripened fruits. If you depend on natural light for your photography than you may be forced to wait for favorable conditions before taking your photographs.   Make sure to keep your fresh props well stored if you can't use them right away.  Many fruits, berries, and herbs can be rejuvenated prior to the photo shoot by being dipped in a quick bath of cool water.  Allow any leaves or stems to soak up plenty of water before removing them from the bath. Drain the props on a clean towel and gently dab them to dry.  This should also help the fruits and greenery to appear as fresh and colorful as possible.

Here are a few shots from some product photography I did this weekend.  I love how the colorful berries enhance each image.

Do you use fresh fruits, plants, or veggies in your product shots?  We'd love for you to share your work with us on The Natural Beauty Workshop's Flickr Photo Group.

Yarrow

Yarrow, a flowering herb that grows in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia, is used to create two very special skin care ingredients, Yarrow Essential Oil and Yarrow Hydrosol.  The flowers of the Yarrow Plant are steam distilled to create these special ingredients, which carry many of the beneficial properties that Yarrow is so well known for.   In addition to its use in skin care, Yarrow is also used in herbal medicine, and in food.  Young leaves of the Yarrow plant are sometimes prepared similarly to leafy vegetables such as spinach or chard.

Yarrow Essential Oil has a deep blue color due to a high content of azulene, which is also found in Chamomile Essential Oil, and provides both Oils with a strong anti-inflammatory effect.  Yarrow Essential Oil is also astringent, making it a great choice for the treatment of acne, and oily skin.  It is often used to soothe itchy, dry skin, or minor skin irritations such as insect bites or mild rashes.  Yarrow Essential Oil may also help to promote hair growth and the regeneration of skin cells.  You can add Yarrow Essential Oil to creams, balms, or serums, but it also makes a wonderful ingredient for fresh spa treatments such as scalp or facial masks.

While Yarrow Hydrosol is not as potent as its counterpart, Yarrow Essential Oil, it does carry many of the same properties.  Yarrow Hydrosol makes a wonderful toner for sensitive, combination, and oily skin types.  It can help to balance, and soothe the skin gently.  Yarrow Hydrosol is also an ideal wetting agent for fresh masks and facials.  This water soluble ingredient can also be used to create fresh creams and lotions, soaps, or hair rinses.  According to Suzanne Catty, author of Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy, Yarrow Hydrosol may also help to relieve a number of maladies, including: aches and pains, hemorrhoids, menstrual cramps, rheumatic and joint pain, and insomnia.    

* Photo by Kriss Szkurlatowski

Yuzu Garden Salt Scrub

We recently added a very unique product to our line of high quality Carrier Oils at FromNatureWithLove.com.  This new Oil is pressed from Cucumber Seeds, and has a very distinctive appearance and aroma.  The crisp, fresh scent of Cucumber Oil is surprisingly potent, and provided me with a special challenge when it came to blending it with other scents.  After experimenting with a few different Essential Oils, I found that Yuzu's light citrus aroma complimented the green scent of Cucumber Oil quite well.  I added a few drops of Ylang Ylang to provide a little more richness to the overall aroma, then used the scrub to create a fantastic salt scrub.  I hope you enjoy this recipe, it is already one of my personal favorites.

Yuzu Garden Salt Scrub
Makes about 4 ounces of scrub

Ingredients
1 ounce Chardonnay Grapeseed Oil
1/2 ounce Cucumber Seed Oil
1/2 cup Sea Salt, Fine
1/2 teaspoon Organic Rosehip Powder
15 drops Yuzu Essential Oil
8 drops Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

Directions
Mix the Oils, Salt, and Organic Rosehip Powder together in a small mixing bowl.  Add the Yuzu and Ylang Ylang Essential Oils and mix well.

Packaging & Usage
I prefer to package this scrub in PET Plastic Jars. These crystal clear jars show off the product well and are very durable.  In a sealed container, this scrub should last several months, but after it is opened it can easily become contaminated during use. Keeping the jar away from water, and using clean utensils to scoop out the scrub will help to keep it from becoming contaminated.  You can also package the scrub in single serving containers so that they will be used up completely after they opened.

Mini Lip Balm Pots

Our new Mini Lip Balm Pots are simply adorable.  They are itty bitty, holding only about 2ml, or 1/16th of an ounce by volume, making them ideal for samples, small gifts, or my personal favorite, creating multi-packs of fun, flavored lip balms.  I recently made up a batch of these tiny treasures for my cousin's triplets, and they were a huge hit, even with the boys!  Here are some fun Flavor ideas for each of our three colors of Mini Lip Balm Pots:

Try using the following Flavor Oils for our Mini Lip Balm Pots in Green:

• Apple Candy
• Asian Pear
• Caramel Apple
• Coconut Cream
• Kiwi
• Lime
• Vanilla Pear

The following Flavors would be great for our Mini Lip Balm Pots in Pink:

• Bubble Gum
• Cotton Candy
• Cranberry
• Fruit Punch
• Red Licorice
• Peach
• Pomegranate
• Strawberry
• Watermelon
• Watermelon Candy
• Wild Cherry

Try filling our Mini Lip Balm Pots in Purple with a Lip Balm made with one of the following Flavors:

• Black Cherry
• Blueberry Delight
• Brambleberry Preserves
• Black Licorice
• Raspberry
• Raspberry Truffles

Also, try blending your own unique Flavors by combining two or more Flavor Oils.

Packaging Hint: Labeling each Mini Lip Balm with ingredients can be a pain. Instead, try packaging your Mini Lip Balms in small bags, or boxes that include your ingredients, and company info. 

Heart Shaped Goodies at FromNatureWithLove.com

Dress up your Valentine's Themed Recipes by pairing them with some of our favorite Heart Shaped Products! 

Bath Accessories

Our Heart Shaped Bath and Massage Brushes are simple, affordable, and make wonderful additions to gift baskets. 

Bath Brush: Heart - $2.00 each

Massage: Heart Shaped Peg Cellulite Brush - $2.75 each

They also look great when they are paired with heart shaped Lotion Bars, Massage Bars, Bath Fizzies, or Soaps made with our durable PVC Heart Shaped Molds.

Soap Mold: Heart - $4.00 each

Packaging

Our Heart Shaped Glass Bottles make adorable containers for Bath Salts, Milk Baths, and other dry formulas.  This lovely bottle can also be used in conjunction with a Large Wick Stopper to create an attractive oil lamp!

Bottle: Heart Bottle w/ Cork (7.65 oz) - $3.16 each

Red, Heart Shaped Glitter can be sprinkled in gift baskets or layered in tissue paper to add extra pizazz to your holiday projects.  This tiny heart shaped Glitter can also be used as confetti in craft projects.

Clearance: Glitter: Red Heart Shaped - 8 oz. $38.00

Raspberry Truffle Lotion Bars

It may seem a little early for Valentine's recipes, but if you ask me, it's always a great time for love!  Besides, Valentine's Day is about a month away, and you may need some extra time to plan out that perfect valentine.  These sweetly scented Lotion Bars look adorable when they are made with our Heart Shaped Soap Molds, and make great gifts for your special valentines.  Made with aromatic Cocoa Butter, skin nourishing Passion Flower Oil, and a touch of candy sweet Fragrance, Raspberry Truffle Lotion Bars make a decadent treat for thirsty winter skin.

Raspberry Truffle Lotion Bars
Makes about four 2.5 ounce bars

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces Beeswax
1 teaspoon Red Jojoba Wax Beads*
4 ounces Cocoa Butter
2 ounces Babasssu Oil
1 ounce Red Raspberry Seed Oil
1 ounce Passion Flower (Maracuja) Oil
1/4 ounce Raspberry Truffles Fragrance Oil*

Special Equipment Needed
1 Heart Shaped Soap Mold

Directions
In a double boiler, gently melt Beeswax, Jojoba Wax Beads, Babassu Oil, and Cocoa Butter completely.  After the oils and waxes are melted, remove them from heat and allow them to cool for a few moments before adding the Passion Flower Oil and Red Raspberry Seed Oil.  Stir the mixture well, then add the Raspberry Truffles Fragrance Oil. Carefully pour the mixture into four cavities of the Soap Mold, initially leaving about 1/4 inch of space in each cavity. Split any remaining mixture between the four cavities.  Allow the bars to cool completely before attempting to remove them from the molds.  I don't recommend forcing them to cool with a freezer or refrigerator, as this could cause the bars to crack. 

Usage & Packaging
Lotion Bars can be rubbed directly onto dry skin.  Doing so after a shower or bath can help to replenish moisture and form a protective barrier over the skin.  Lotion Bars can be stored in small airtight tins or plastic containers.  When giving them as gifts, try packaging them in Small Cello Bags, as pictured above.  Tiny red heart stickers look adorable polka dotted on the package, but these bags can also be embellished with ribbons, paper, or other crafty goodies.

*For a more natural product, these Lotion Bars can be left unscented.  The rich aroma of Cocoa Butter in the recipe, combined with the slight fatty aroma of Raspberry Seed Oil will create a subtle, pleasant scent.  The Jojoba Wax Beads can also be removed from the recipe, and replaced with additional Beeswax.  To add a natural color to your Lotion Bars, try infusing 1/2 teaspoon of Alkanet Root Powder in the warm oils.

Sangre de Drago

Long known for its medicinal properties by the native people of Central and South America, the Sangre de Drago tree is a beautiful example of the power of Amazonian plants.  This majestic tree bleeds a dark red sap, also known as "Dragon's Blood", which has been used for generations as a natural healing agent for wounds, insect bites, skin conditions, and even internal medicine.  The sap of the Sangre de Drago contains powerful antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Components within Sangre de Drago are also known to help promote collagen formation and skin regeneration.  The powerful antioxidants in Sangre de Drago, combined with its natural anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antiseptic properties make it an ideal ingredient in healing and restorative formulations.  It may also be helpful in the treatment of eczema, chronically dry skin, psoriasis, acne, and other skin conditions.   

Sangre de Drago Resin has a dark red color and a slightly woody and medicinal aroma.  It has a thin, watery texture and is soluble in water.  It can be used as-is or added to the water phase of lotions, creams, soaps, and salves.  Sangre de Drago may also be used to create herbal infusions and water based recipes such as sprays and rinses.  Yet another use for Sangre de Drago is that of a wetting agent for fresh masks, facials, and poultices.

New Year's Home Spa Day

The new year is the perfect excuse to treat yourself to a full body, home spa treatment.  Many people find themselves worn out after the hectic holiday season.  Natural skin care is a healthy way to relieve stress, build self esteem, and refresh the body and spirit.  I'd like to encourage all of my readers to set aside some time during January to treat yourself.  Pick a special say to schedule some valuable alone time.  Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to prep your recipes and to enjoy them!  Using the recipes found on The Natural Beauty Workshop, you can give yourself some much needed pampering from head to toe.

I've highlighted some great recipes here, but you can find many more on our Recipes Page. 

Hair
Dry winter conditions can leave your hair thirsty for moisture.  Try one of the following recipes as an intense conditioning treatment for your hair:

Ayurvedic Hair Cream
An intensively moisturizing hair cream made with Shealoe Butter, Amla Oil, and Mahabhringraj Oil.

Fruit and Vegetable Hair Oil
This nourishing hair oil combines Carrot Seed CO2 Extract with four nutritive carrier oils.

Jasmine & Acai Berry Pomade
An all natural pomade and intensive hair conditioner made with Acai Oil and Jasmine Floral Wax.

Face
Relax while you treat your skin to a fresh, handmade facial.  Choose the right facial according to your skin's type, and current condition.

Apple Granola Face Mask
A fresh facial mask made from apples, used to brighten and tone skin.

Chocolate Milk Mud Mask
This fresh facial mask is made from Moor Mud, Cocoa Powder and fresh cream.

Energizing Facial Mask
This fresh mask is made with antioxidant rich Acai Oil and moisturizing Green Coffee Oil.

Oatmeal-a-mole
A fresh made mask with soothing Avocado, Oatmeal, and Chamomile.

Red Raspberry Facial Mask
This fresh mask made with Red Raspberry Seed Oil, Honey Powder and Pink Kaolin Clay is great for normal and combination skin types.

Body (Exfoliation)
A full body scrub can be a great way to stimulate circulation while softening and refreshing the skin.  These recipes are simple to make, and an absolute pleasure to use.  I've highlighted a few of my favorite scrubs here, but you can find many more in our Scrub of the Month series.

Chocolate Truffle Sugar Scrub
A decadent sugar scrub made with Demerara Sugar and Pure Cocoa Butter.

Goddess Salt Scrub
Bolivian Pink Salt gives this moisturizing salt scrub an ethereal appearance. Rose and Sandalwood essential oils make it positively heavenly.

Kiwi Salt Scrub
This delicious looking scrub looks like fresh kiwi, but is actually made from Dead Sea Salt, Parsley Powder, Dried Kiwi Fruit Seeds, and a blend of nutritive oils including Kiwi Seed Oil.

Patchouli Cupcake Body Polish
This superfine Body Polish is sweetly scented with a blend of Patchouli and Vanilla.

Body (Moisturizing)
I love following a body scrub with an intensive moisturizer.  Try a blending a special Body Oil or whipping up a Fresh Cream to treat your parched skin to some serious moisture.

Blissful Body Mousse
A fragrant variation of Whipped Shea Butter made with a delightful blend of Vanilla, Bergamot, and Ylang Ylang.

Blossom Body Cream
Ultra Refined Cocoa Butter, Mango Butter, and Babassu Butter are combined in a rich, flower scented cream.

Margarita Body Cream
A fresh cream made with Lemon Balm Hydrosol and moisturizing oils and butters.

Organic Body Oil
This skin nourishing Body Oil is made with an all Organic blend of Camellia, Hemp, Argan, Jojoba, and Red Raspberry Seed Oils.

Details
Don' t forget the little things!  A New Year's Home Spa Day is all about you, from head to toe, which is why I've suggested one last recipe.  The ultimate self-loving indulgence, a lip scrub!

Mint Twist Exfoliating Lip Scrub
A sweetly scented lip exfoliator made with Jojoba Wax Beads and creamy Shealoe Butter.

After you've finished pampering your body at home, consider treating yourself to a haircut, a manicure, or a pedicure.  After this total body makeover, you'll be ready to face the new year refreshed, and invigorated.