Lí Ban Ireland Soaps – International Friendship Soap Swap

elegant, pretty, decadent, feminine, mysterious, skin-softening, luring, addictive…

 These are the Lí Ban Ireland Soaps that sweet Rose sent me for the International Friendship Soap Swap!   http://libanireland.blogspot.com.es/2012/03/fantasia.html 

She sent me two soaps – Fantasia and Indulgence - as well as an un-scented lip balm which leaves my lips soft and moist for hours after putting it on! 

Both of the soaps are stunning.  I am in love with her stamp and I detect some glitter around the stamped area... just a touch which adds something fantastical and mysterious…  and the scents are so unique,  I think Rose is a bit of a master at blending essential oils.   The suds are quite different from my soaps as there appears to be no Olive Oil in them.   Differnet but LOVELY suds.  Big, bubbly, rich and creamy.  And my skin feels fresh, clean and soft after right after use.

I just love these gorgeous, luxurious soaps as well as the lip balm.

Thank you so much Rose!!

Shaving Bar

Very excited with my new shaving bars...

One of my goals for the year was to create 3 great new products.  I think this is one of them.

  (Bar 1 - With goat milk, organic extra-virgin olive oil, castor oil, cocoa butter, avocado oil, coconut oil and fuller’s earth. Scented with essential oils of spearmint, patchouli, lavender and vetiver…)

Round works for me for a shaving bar as it fits so nicely in a shaving mug...

(Bar 2 - With organic extra-virgin olive oil, castor oil, cocoa butter, argan oil, coconut oil, fuller’s earth and silk. Scented with bergamot, cedarwood and frankinsence…)

I like both of the aromas, but I LOVE the Bar 2 aroma.

A question for those of you who either make or use shaving bars:

We always recommend a good, draining soap dish for our soap... so what's up with the shaving bar that sits in a non-drainable mug?  Do you recommend that users simply drain after each use?  If not, doesn't it get soft and mushy?  (This is what I do.... I pour out any suds or liquid after use, so that it stays relatively dry and hard.)

(Bar 2 on left)

Happy Soaping and Happy Shaving!!

xo

Jen

Soap Studio Update - We are getting there...

 Packaging Room

 

Front Room

Not finished yet! But here are some of the latest photos.  Spaces are all divided up.  Painting, cleaning and moving things in.  Trying to use as many things as I already have and adapting to the purpose... to keep costs down.  The packaing area is outfitted for the moment with an old bedroom set of my daughters!  Production area had to be tiled (walls) and stainless steel work tables which were donated by friends in the restaurant business.  It seems to be coming together but still a long way to go!! 

Production area (not finished, currently organizing)

Sometimes I drool over those beautiful photos on Pinterest of the perfectly decorated and organized work-spaces... but then I realize that they are photos.  This is real. And usable.  And practical.  And within my budget. And my dream is coming true.

One of the storerooms

Working together with the technical architect and the person I have chosen to be my technical representative (as I am not a chemist or pharmacist) in order to get all the health and safety details together.

Wishing you all a wonderful inspired week full of dreams!!

xoxo

Jen 

International Soap Swap - Somerset Garden

For the International Soap Swap organized at: http://soapartists.blogspot.com.es/2012/02/intercambio-internacional-international.html

I was paired with:  Suzanne from Somerset Garden at:    http://www.somersetgarden.co.uk/

I am in love with her soap!!   We have similar soaping philosophies - only natural & mostly local ingredients.  I also believe that like me, she doesn’t use any palm oil.

I am loving the Spring Floral soap she sent me! The essential oil blend (orange, geranium & frankincense) is out of this world!  I keep going back to sniff and sniff again.  The scent also lingers on my skin.  The soap is nice and hard, the suds are amazing and my skin feels wonderful after using it. 

And what lovely packaging! That box!!  I look at it and fantasize about my own packaging process getting quicker somehow, yet being as simply elegant as Somerset Garden’s.

Thank you Suzanne for this awesome opportunity!!

Xo

Jen

In Love with Barcelona

 What a wonderful trip it has been!

  

a great soap shop I stumbled across

After growing up in a city, I became more and more attracted to smaller towns when I backpacked around Europe for a year in 1990, before university.

 

But this past week, I have fallen head over heals in love with Barcelona. What a city.

eclectic, colourful, lively, architectural contrast, melding of old and new, liberal, fairy-talesque, amazing food, helpful people, accepting, artistic, innovative…

Some of my favourite balconies & doors

I went crazy with my new camera.

The architectural and artistic wonders of Gaudi

colourful characters 

 
a mask maker at work in her studio

Vibrant shops and storefronts

another soap shop and candles

street art

Mum, Aurora and I

No doubt I will return to this marvelous city that captured my heart…

 

We went on from there to Salou¸ a coastal town with on of Spain’s largest theme parks – Portaventura.  I ended up on a lot more roller coasters than I imagined I would go on and we had a wonderful day with tons of laughter.  Cheers to Mum’s patience, my daughter’s impatience and spontaneity and an unforgettable adventure together.

Now back to soaping and setting up the studio!!!

Xoxo
Jen