The Natural Beauty Workshop

Reader Question: Lotion Recipes & Liquid Castile Soap Recipes

Do you have any good recipes that include essential oils and fragrant oils in lotions and/or liquid castile soap? - Anonymous Plugoo User

Essential Oils and Fragrance Oils can both be used to add scent or properties to lotions and liquid soaps.  

Here's a simple lotion recipe that uses some of my favorite Essential Oils.  Blossom Body Cream can also be made with Fragrance Oils, just leave the Essential Oils out of the recipe, and add one teaspoon of your favorite Fragrance Oil in its place.

You can add Fragrance Oil to Liquid Castile at a rate of 5% (about 24 ml per 16 ounces of soap) or you can add Essential Oils at between 1 - 3%, depending on the Essential Oil you are using.  As always, make sure you research the safety and recommended usage for any Essential Oil before using it in a recipe. In general, the aroma of Liquid Castile Soap blends best with sharp scents such as citrus, herbs, or fruits.

Reader Question: Arnica Oil in Melt & Pour Base

As a former massage therapist, I have used arnica oil for massages, but am curious if it can be used in a melt and pour base, and if so how much may I use per pound of soap? - Anonymous Plugoo User

Thanks for your question!  You can certainly incorporate the properties of Arnica into Melt & Pour Soap. There are two different ingredients that you can use.  I'll go over each of them to help you pick.

• Arnica Oil - This Arnica Infused Soybean Oil will add a bonus of moisturizing power to your Melt & Pour Soap, however, it can reduce the lather.  Add Arnica Oil at a rate of 1 tablespoon per pound of soap to your recipes.
• Arnica CO2 Extract - This super concentrated Arnica Extract can be added at a much smaller rate than Arnica Oil.  Add just 1 - 2% to your Melt & Pour Soap to infuse the base with Arnica properties. 

Personally, I would probably use the Arnica CO2 Extract over the Arnica Oil in a Melt & Pour Soap.  Melt & Pour Soap needs all the lather it can get, so I would be hesitant to risk reducing it by adding Arnica Oil.

Have a tip for adding Arnica to Melt & Pour Soap?  Share it with us in the comments below.

My Tool Box

Making handmade bath & body products is naturally, very hands on.  Whether I'm working on a new recipe, or whipping up a batch of an old favorite, I always keep my collection of tools handy.  This is an overview of my most used tools and equipment, basically my desert island list for DIY bath and body.  Is there something in your cupboards that you just couldn't live without?  Perhaps some fantastic tool that makes certain projects a breeze?  Let us know in the comments below.

Mixing Bowls
My mixing bowls have seen a lot of action.  I keep one set of melamine in small medium and large, as well as a matching set of stainless steel bowls on hand at all times.  In addition to the mixing bowls, I keep a set of Pyrex ramekins handy as well.  The tiny bowls are perfect for mixing micas, EO or FO blends, or mini batches of recipes that I am still formulating. 

Utensils
I adore my stainless steel whisk, but life would be far from complete without my collection of spoons and spatulas.  (I keep a pile of mini spatulas around which are not only cute, but surprisingly useful.) Knives are also a great thing to have nearby.  I reserve a good sized cleaver, a paring knife, and a butter knife reserved for crafting use only.  My stash of wooden Popsicle sticks and chopsticks are more than necessary. Their presence is practically luxurious.

Measuring
Handmade bath and body products are all about precision.  I keep a tiny, but super accurate scale in my work space, which can measure in fractions of a gram, perfect for making everything from creams to small batches of soap.  Its big brother, a larger sized Kitchen Scale comes in handy when I'm making large batches of soap.  These two are the flagships for an entire fleet of measuring equipment including Measuring Spoons, Measuring Cups, plastic beakers in every shape and size imaginable, graduated cylinders, and my personal favorites, 2 different sized Pyrex Beakers.  .15 cc Scoops are not to be forgotten.  These tiny little treasures are perfect for portioning out Mica, Powdered Extracts, or other itty bitty ingredients.

Cooking 
My Universal Doubler Boiler has a twin sister, my second Universal Double Boiler.  I can't imagine surviving with less than two.  I reserve two sauce pans to accompany them as well.  The two pans selected for crafting purposes are low grade, bargain basement types, which is just fine since they will never know the joy of heating up actual food.  Like my entire DIY skin care collection, these pots are only used for crafting.  I also keep a cookie sheet, a brownie pan, a mini cupcake pan, and a legion of multi-shaped ice cube trays in my collection.

Other odds and ends I can't live without: my Thermometer, hordes of Pipette Droppers, and a supply of Cheese Cloth.  My favorite luxury items would have to be my Drum Grater, and my Mortar & Pestle. So what do you keep in your DIY Bath & Body stash?  We'd love to hear about your favorite tools, equipment, or gadgets.  Tell us all about them in the comments below.

Kind Words From a Fellow Beauty Blogger

I was tickled pink to receive this wonderful compliment from fellow blogger, Lindsay, on her blog today.  Here's what Lindsay had to say about From Nature With Love, The Natural Beauty Workshop, and me, Emmy Gabriel.

From Nature With Love (fromnaturewithlove.com) is a website, web store, informational powerhouse and resource so vast and valuable, I almost considered keeping it my little secret.

But, alas I cannot keep my mouth shut or my fingers quiet enough NOT to share this wonderful site with you!

From Nature with Love is a web store that retails all natural ingredients for skin care, aromatherapy, spa and craft industries.

The beautiful site is incredibly user friendly and inspires the creation of an all natural skin care regimen after browsing the site.

After all, the skin is the largest organ of the body and absorbs whatever products we place externally on it. From Nature with Love is about chemical free, "green," all natural ingredients that are safe, therapeutic and non-toxic.

In addition to retail, the site offers a resource center that includes a recipe database, an information library, a soap making calculator and more!

My favorite feature is their blog, "The Natural Beauty Workshop."
http://www.naturalbeautyworkshop.com/

Here you can find almost daily, detailed recipes for natural skin care. 

I would love to get my hands on their warehouse and learn from the author of the blog Emmy Gabriel.

Click here to be inspired, learn and shop From Nature with Love:
http://fromnaturewithlove.com
And read the daily blog here: http://naturalbeautyworkshop.com

Thank you, Lindsay, for your kind words, and vote of confidence! 

Candy Shop Solid Sugar Scrubs

These super cute, single use sugar scrubs are a fun twist on an old favorite.  Made with Melt & Pour soap base, they are a cinch to whip up, and to make they are totally adorable!  For this recipe, we used Rosehip & Jojoba Melt & Pour Base, one of our many unique specialty MP Bases.  To customize this recipe, try substituting any of our other MP Bases, along with the Fragrance Oil and Carrier Oils.

Candy Shop Sugar Scrubs

Ingredients

• 16 ounces Rosehip & Jojoba Melt & Pour Base
• 2 ounces Fractionated Coconut Oil
• 2 ounces Rosehip Seed Oil
• 4 cups White Sugar
• 1/2 oz. Cotton Candy Fragrance Oil (Raspberry is a great choice too!)
• 1/2 teaspoon Pink Glimmer Mica
• 1/2 teaspoon Cobalt Mica

Special Equipment Needed

• 2 Brownie Pans (9" x 13" Baking Pan)
• Double Boiler

Directions

This recipe is made in two batches.  Start by lining the brownie pan with a sheet of parchment or wax paper.  Use enough paper so that you'll be able to lift the edges out once your scrubs have cooled.  Next, chop 8 ounces of Melt & Pour Base into cubes, then melting it in a double boiler.  While the Base is melting, measure and pour 2 cups of Sugar into a mixing bowl.  Add the Pink Glimmer Mica to the sugar and mix it well, making sure to break up any clumps.  Once the Melt & Pour Base has melted completely, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add 1 oz. of Fractionated Coconut Oil, 1 ounce of Rosehip Seed Oil, and 1/4 oz. of Fragrance Oil to the Base and stir well.  Next, slowly pour the colored sugar into the Melt & Pour Base, stirring continuously.  Make sure the sugar is fully mixed by breaking up any clumps that appear.  If the mixture begins to harden too quickly, return the double boiler to the hot water as you stir.  As soon as the sugar is mixed in, pour the hot mixture into one of the brownie pans.  Use a spoon to quickly spread out the mixture, creating one even layer over the pan.  

Wash out your double boiler pot and repeat this process, substituting the Pink Glimmer Mica for the Cobalt.  Once both batches are finished, you'll need to leave them in a cool, safe place for them to harden up.  Make sure you give them plenty of time to cool, or you could damage them during the next step.  Once you are sure the scrubs have cooled completely, you can pop them out of the brownie pans.  Use the paper lining to gently lift them out of the pan if possible.  If that doesn't work, turn the pan upside down on a clean work surface and tap the bottom to help knock them loose.  If you are still having trouble, try popping the pans into the freezer for two minutes each.

When the scrubs come out of the pans they should be in two large slabs.  Carefully trace a grid of horizontal and vertical lines in the surface, then carefully cut along the lines, creating cute little cubes of scrub.  Package them as soon as you can to keep them from attracting moisture.

Usage & Packaging

These itty bitty little scrubs are meant for single use.  On your way into the shower or bath, grab a cube and use it to scrub rough spots on your arms, legs, hands, feet, or back.  These are a little too harsh for your face, or other sensitive areas.  The scrub can be rubbed on as is, or you can crush the cube into a more classic texture, but gently pushing on the edges after it has been warmed in water.

Candy Shop Sugar Scrubs fit quite well in our Acetate Soap Boxes, and will look extra cute when they are decorated with our free, printable labels.  Click here to download a label sheet: Download Candy Shop Sugar Scrubs Sheet

 

Rainforest Lip Butter Recipe

This creamy, moisturizing lip butter is made with some of the most beneficial skin care ingredients that the rainforest has to offer.  Rich Cupuacu Butter, nourishing Acai and Maracuja Oils are blended with natural Beeswax and Andiroba Oil to create a soft, conditioning lip treatment.  Mango Flavor Oil adds an exotic aroma to this recipe, but if you prefer an all natural balm, try using 1/2 teaspoon of your favorite Mint Essential Oil in its place.

 
Rainforest Lip Butter
Makes about 5 Ounces, enough to fill about 15 1/4 oz. Slider Tins.

Ingredients
1/2 ounce Maracuja (Passion Fruit) Oil
1/2 0unce Acai Berry Oil
1 ounce Andiroba Oil
2 ounces Cupuacu Butter
1 ounce Beeswax
1 teaspoon Mango Flavor Oil

Directions
In a double boiler, gently melt the Beeswax and Cupuacu Butters together.  Remove the mixture from heat, then add the Maracuja, Acai, and Andiroba Oils.  When these are mixed well, add the Flavor Oil and stir again.  If you like a very intense scent in your lip balm, add an extra teaspoon of Flavor Oil to the mixture.  Personally, I prefer how a hint of Mango Flavor Oil blends with the natural aroma of Cupuacu Butter.  Carefully pour the mixture into Lip Balm containers.  Be careful not to over-fill the slider tins, as they will not close properly if they too full.  Allow the Lip Balm to cool completely before moving them.

Usage & Packaging
This nourishing Lip Balm can be applied to dry lips as often as you like.  They look great in our 1/4 oz. Slider Tins, and will look extra special with our free printable labels.  To download our label template, click here: Download RFLabelSheet These can be printed onto plain paper, card stock, or sticker paper.  Please note, that they do not conform to Avery or Word Program templates. 

Reader Question - Using Jojoba Esters in Body Butters

It's almost that time again when the summer months will be very hot and humid in North Carolina.  I wanted you to tell me about the different jojoba waxes; (50,60,70).  I wanted to know if you think that adding the MP-70 jojoba wax with some beeswax will help the body butters from melting so much.  My butters are getting popular; and they are oil based; and I didn't necessarily want to change from oil based to water based because that's what makes them so unique, I need all the help that I can get.  I usually keep them on ice--then I give to customers, I tell customers NOT to leave them in the car or in the pocketbook.  Any more suggestions will be appreciated. - Antoinette

Hello Antoinette,

Thanks for asking about Jojoba Esters.  Like liquid Jojoba, Jojoba Esters are a very special type of wax.  When they are cool, they are firm and waxy, but when they are warmed they melt into the lovely and familiar texture of Jojoba Oil.  I find Jojoba Esters to be a great way to increase the firmness of whipped body butters without making them feel overly waxy.  They harden well, but will soften upon skin contact, making them a perfect additive for Body Butters.  To determine exactly how much of the Esters to add to your existing formula, I would recommend experimenting with Jojoba Esters 70, the hardest of the esters, by adding it to your body butters at a rate of 5%, 10%, and 15%.  (The softer esters aren't likely to make a noticeable difference in this type of formula.)  Compare the three experimental batches to see how they feel on your skin, and how the behave when you subject them to various temperatures.  Of course, no additive can completely protect an oil based product from melting in extreme temperatures, but by adding Jojoba Esters you may be able to improve your butters' resilience slightly.  Many handmade skin care purveyors choose not to offer their body butters online during the summer for this very reason. Mail and UPS trucks can get extremely hot. So hot, that even firm lip balms have been known to melt during transit.  Another option you might consider, is to notify your customers of the danger of melting, and then let them choose, based on their local temperatures, whether or not to take the chance of ordering it during the summer.

Does anyone else have tips for dealing with summer heat and melting products?  How do you protect your recipes when the weather heats up?  Share your experiences in the comments below.

Natural Facial Cleansers

Choosing the right facial cleanser is integral to the success of your regular skin care routine.  Some faces need require a gentle touch, while others need something a little more astringent, or exfoliating.  No matter what your skin care needs are, creating something all natural, and tailor made to your needs, is sure to make your skin happy. 

The simplest to create, and my personal favorites, are facial scrubs.  To put it simply, scrubs are made by combining an exfoliant with a wetting agent.  When it comes to facial scrubs, I prefer to use the most gentle exfoliants possible.  The delicate skin on your face doesn't need much scrubbing power if it is exfoliated regularly, and it can actually be damaged by too much rough scrubbing.  When you look for a facial exfoliant, consider its shape, grain size, and composition.  Some of my favorites are Oat Flour, Banslochan (Bamboo) Powder, Adzuki Bean Powder, and Almond Flour.  Unless it has been specially milled for use in facials, try to avoid harsh exfoliants such as salt, sugar, or pumice.  These heavy duty exfoliants should be reserved for the body or feet.  There are countless possibilities for wetting agents.  Try to choose one that will be beneficial to your skin type. 

The simplest, and most neutral wetting agent to use is water.  Spring water or Distilled Water are best, but plain old tap water will do just fine.  Hydrosols are a great choice for custom made facial scrubs.  They have a huge range of properties that can suit all kinds of skin types.  Some are astringent, others are soothing, and some even tout anti-aging properties.  Fresh milk or yogurt is another great choice.  These natural dairy products contain lactic acids, which can help to brighten the skin by exfoliating very gently.  Some other ideas for wetting agents are green or herbal tea, diluted juices, or facial creams. 

You can enhance Facial Scrubs by including Powdered Extracts, CO2 Extracts, Essential Oils, or Moisturizing Facial Oils.  Whatever recipe you create, keep in mind that it should be used immediately, as these types of formulas don't tend to keep well.  I recommend storing the dry portion and wet portion separately, and combining enough for each serving as you use it.  This will not only provide you with the freshest Facial Scrub possible, it will help to avoid the hassle of including preservatives in your recipe.

Reader Question: Using Floral Waters to Create Body Splashes & Linen Waters

How do I make a Linen Water or Body Splash using the Floral Waters (FNWL)? - Brenda

Hi Brenda.  Making Linen Waters and Body Splashes from our line of Floral Waters is easy. Start off by picking a Floral Water to work with, or a blend of Floral Waters if you'd prefer a unique scent.  If you'd like the formula to be very strong, you can use the Floral Waters at full strength.  If you'd prefer a lighter scent, you can cut the Floral Waters with as much as 50% Distilled Water.  If you do choose to add Distilled Water to the Floral Water, you'll need to add an additional preservative.  Try using Liquid Germall Plus at a rate of .1%. That works out to about 4 grams per gallon of Body Spray or Linen Water.