Saturday 26 November 2011

Another Potpourri Soap...


Each batch of Potpourri soap is so different…

as all of my cut offs are unique.
I colour coordinated this one with only left overs from alkanet and pink clay soaps, both shavings and soap balls…
These tiny, curly shavings are made with my IKEA cheese grater, the same one I grate my soap rejects with, which I normally use to make my laundry soap.
The EO blend is Lavender, Lemongress, Fennell, Ylang Ylang, a blend I love and repeat, altering quantities slightly each time, until I get it perfect.


Happy and Passionate Soaping Everyone!!
xoxo Jen

Thursday 24 November 2011

Wonderful Gift from Nubes de Jabón


What a surprise! I received unexpectedly a gift of two beautiful soaps from Julia at Soap Artists & Nubes de Jabón http://soapartists.blogspot.com/ & http://nubesdejabon.blogspot.com/



Wonderful wonderful soaps!  The texture, feel, and suds are lovely and so very different from mine, the most different from mine of any hand-made soap that I have tried! 




White, milky, light, fluffy & bubbly suds…

 
 
Sweet and floral scents that last and last…


Soft conditioned skin that stays that way long after using them...

Thank you Julia for this lovely gift and opportunity of trying your soaps!

Also, for anyone who is interested, check out the soap photography contest she is hosting on her Soap Artists blog!  http://soapartists.blogspot.com/2011/11/concurso-fotografico-en-soap-artists.html

xoxo  Jen

Tuesday 15 November 2011

Olive Scrub Soap

An attempt at another exfoliating soap...



This one with olive pit bits in it. I got the olive bits from the mill where I get my organic extra-virgen olive oil from.  Apparently these are used to burn for heating, as are almond shells here, and also making pillows!


I tried two experiments.  The first one with vanilla 10 fold oleoresin, Patchouli & Sandalwood EOs...



and the second one with EOs of Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Pink Grapefruit, Patchouli & Peppermint...


Neither have any added colour.  The EOs did some pretty intense colour work!

I like the idea of the olive bits, although these are VERY scrubby soaps. Next time I think I would add less bits, maybe sprinkle some over the tops and also bring the soap batter to a heavier trace so that they are more evenly dispersed throughout the soap.

So far, this has been a wonderful Autumn full of experimenting and producing. I have some great new soaps on the way, a new facial cream, and have learned a ton.  I even tried making a liquid soap.  My first attempt was WAY too liquidy... but my goal is to have a great liquid soap recipe perfected before the summer season. 

Happy soaping... happy experimenting.... happy blogging... and happy Thanksgiving to all the Americans out there!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Jen