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.

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.