Wordless Wednesday

YouTube

Back in December, I took a class on social media at the Tennessee Small Business Development Center. I knew loads about Facebook, having a Facebook page already, and I was pretty confident with my Twittering abilities, but I knew next to nothing about YouTube, other than watching videos when I have the rare case of insomnia.

So, one of my New Year's Resolutions for the year was to create and maintain a YouTube channel! And I am excited to report that my channel is officially GO!

I've been working on my videos for about two months... At first, I was so self concious of my voice and my Southern Appalachian accent that I almost balked... But after two or three tries at videos, and finally getting my first successful video, I've found myself getting more confortable behind the camera!

So, here's a link to my channel! I have videos about my soaps (both pouring the soap batter and cutting the loaves), and a few how-to videos (the "in the pot swirl" video and the "1-2-3 sugar scrubs" video). I'm planning on adding more and more as I go along, so check it out for previews of new soaps, and interesting things that I come across!!

Let me know what you think! (But lay off my accent! Ha!)

Know your Skin Type

Oily, dry, normal, sensitive, combination... No, these aren't terms used in cooking or baking... they are skin types! But wait... how can you tell which one of these types you have? Well, all you will need is some tissue, and rub the tissue on your face when you wake up one morning.

If your tissue has oil spots... Congratulations, you have oily skin! Oily skin can be prone to break outs of acne, so make sure to keep your skin clean. You may also need to treat break out spots with an OTC medication containing benzoyl peroxide to help treat the acne.

If the tissue is dry and your face feels tight... Congratulations, you have dry skin! Dry skin occurs more often as we age, and can contribute to the occurrence of wrinkles. To combat dry skin, make sure to yse a moisturizer daily to keep the skin soft.

If the tissue is dry and your face feels normal... CONGRATULATIONS, you are one of the lucky ones with normal skin! You are really lucky! Normal skin requires little care, is not prone to acne break outs, and is not prone to wrinkles! Lucky dog!

If your tissue is dry, but your skin is prone to redness and irritation... Congratulations, you have sensitive skin! People have sensitivities to many different chemicals and irritants, so be wary when trying new products. The best way to try a new product is to apply the product on a “test patch” of skin and wait 24 hours to see if there is any irritation. A visit to a dermatologist can also help with discovering irritants or seeking treatment.

Some of us may have more than one skin type, and if so.... Congratulations, you have combination skin! One of the more combination-types involves the T-zone, or the forehead and nose. Commonly, the forehead and nose will be oily, while the cheeks and eyes will be normal or dry. Combination skin can be easily managed once it is discovered.

Also, be aware that as we age, skin type (like hair type) will change! However, when we are aware of our skin, we can clean, cleanse, and treat it the best we can in order to have the healthiest and happiest skin on the block!

Wordless Wednesday

Soap Ash: A Soap Maker's Nemisis

One of the most annoying parts of being a soap maker is the inevitable nuisance of soap ash...

Soap ash? What's soap ash? Can it hurt me?

Soap ash is the thin layer of white powder (or ash) that sometimes appears on handmade cold process soap. Among soap makers, there are a variety of reasons why soap ash appears, from impurities in the water to lye quality to overheating. It seems that most ash occurs when there are a large percentage of hard oils (like palm oil and coconut oil) in the soap, or when the soap does not completely gel (the soap takes on a gel-like consistency while hardening in the mold). Some soap makers have found that they can limit the amount of soap ash on their soap by covering the soap with plastic wrap while it is hardening in the mold, but even then, soap ash can still occur.

The most important thing to know about soap ash is that it is not going to hurt you! It is a natural byproduct of cold process soap, and it usually washes away the first time a bar is used.

Soap ash can be a nuisance, but it is completely harmless and can be easily removed!

Testing the Scrubs

Me and my testers have been scrubbing away with my latest and greatest product: sugar scrubs. I have made 4 or 5 different batches with different fragrances and colors, and so far, the reviews are stellar!

One of my testers is a massage therapist, and he is my go-to guy for all things in body care. Here's what he had to say after trying out two versions, grapefruit and sandalwood:

Testers!

"As a therapist, I've seen a wide variety of salt glows, sugar scrubs, body wrap products, facial stuff, etc. ... and this is some great stuff you've made! You can really tell a difference in a product like this vs. something you buy at the store or from a kit."

Another tester had this to say:
"My skin felt clean and smooth after using it! I was not dry! And I loved the smell (kiwi-apple-melon)!"

And when I asked my husband what he thought, he said "They're good." And when I asked him how his skin felt afterward, he said, "Clean." (My husband is a man of many words! lol!)

I have really enjoyed making these sugar scrubs, and I have liked using them even more! I am hoping to have some for sale in my Etsy shop by mid to late March, so keep an eye out for them!

Winterize your Skin

The winter season can be harsh on our skin... Cold winds, heated houses, steaming baths all take their toll on our skin. However, there are many things that we can do to help prevent the damage, or soothe the damage after it is done. 

 

Here are a few changes you can make... your skin will thank you:

• When showering, try to take warm showers, instead of hot showers. The temptation for a relaxing, steaming shower will be there, but the heat will make your skin sweat, and dry it out quicker in the cold. Hot showers can also do damage to hair by drying it out.
• Showers are all about getting clean, but the WAY that you get clean can affect your skin. When lathering up, use a glycerin-based soap over a detergent or cleanser bar. Glycerin is a humecant, which means that it binds water to it to be absorbed by the skin. Also, be sure not to over-scrub. You can use a loofah when you wash to exfoliate your skin without serious scrubbing, and will leave your skin soft.
• The best thing that you can do for your skin in the winter time is to keep yourself hydrated! Healthy skin is hydrated skin, so make sure to drink lots of water! Sodas, tea, and other sugary/caffeinated drinks do not hydrate as well as good old water, so drink up the clear stuff!
• If you prefer to use a lotion on your skin, check the label for a few skin-drying ingredients. Avoid lotions that contain ethyl or menthyl alcohol. Moisturizing lotions will contain glycerin, that wonderful humecant! 
• Go easy on the hand sanitizer! Just like some lotions, most hand sanitizers have a base of ethyl or menthyl alcohol, and they will dry your paws out fast. Instead, fight those yucky winter germs by washing your hands in warm water.

Have a happy winter with happy skin!

Testing!!

I am in live with my latest sugar scrubs! I have been on a sugar-scrub-making binge, and I have got these sweet cubes running out my ears!

I have given out a few samples to some close family and friends, and if everyone loves them like I do, I'll be putting them on etsy faster than you can blink!

Check out my samples:

Weather this weather...

I don't think that the plants in East Tennessee for the memo that it is still winter...

My favorite tree on the ETSU campus, this tall, beautiful magnolia, is already blooming! Come on, tree, it is only February 9th!

1-2-3 Sugar Scrubs!

I've recently been looking into expanding my product lines for Second Spring Soaps, and I finally decided to branch out into the world of sugar scrubs! I've been researching different recipes, from scrubs that you scoop into your hand, to cut cubes, to molded cubes... I finally decided on making my sugar scrub into cubes molded in my small silicone cube pan!

However, I felt a little uneasy about using a melt and pour base. I've been working on the side with melt and pour soap base, because the soaps that M&P artisans make can be absolutely amazing! However, when I tried to make sugar scrub cubes with it, I was less than happy with the results. I guess my cold process soap has spoiled me! Well, a little more research lead me to an invaluable post on the Soap Making Forum, and I am in love with the results! (You can read the original post here!)

Here's the breakdown of the recipe... You will need:

-A shredded soap base

-Oil or Butter (I used olive oil)

-Sugar (white or brown or a mix of both)

-A measuring cup or spoon

-Mixing bowl

-Microwave

-Mold (if you want shapes)

-fragrances and dyes (if desired)

The recipe is simple: 1 part oil or butter, 2 parts shredded soap, 3 parts sugar! The best part about this recipe is that you can make small batches or huge batches by just changing the size of the measuring cup or spoon!

1. Add your 1 part oil to your 2 parts shredded soap. Mix in a few drops of dye if desired.

Dough-like consistency

2. Heat your mix in short bursts until mostly melted. I found that 15-20 second bursts were perfect for my microwave.
3. Add your 3 parts sugar and add fragrance. Stir until the mixture acts like dough.
4. Mold your mix and set it in the freezer for a while. The original recipe called for 5-10 minutes, but my cubes did great after freezing overnight.
5. Remove from mold and let them air dry for a day. Store them in an air tight container.

And voila! You have ready to use sugar scrub cubes!

I also made a YouTube video walking through the sets, just in case you area a visual learner!

Tutorial: Handmade Massage Oil

Valentine's Day is less than two weeks away! Time to go pick up that same box of chocolates... Or, that pink teddy bear with the heart that says "Wuv Yoo!"... Wait, did you even remember Valentine's day? Dang, time to make a mad dash for a card... Or, you could pick up a copy of Barry White's greatest hits to go along with a big bottle of handmade massage oil, just for that someone special! 

Here's what you will need:

-A carrier oil (grape seed oil is a great one. It's cheap and can be found in most grocery stores. Jojoba, Avocado and Sweet Almond are fantastic, too, and can be found in health food stores or vitamin shops.)

-An essential oil (Classic scents include: lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree.)

-An amber-colored or blue-colored glass bottle with cap (Can be found in some craft stores, but ore commonly found in health food stores in the Heath and Beauty section)

- 1 tsp measuring spoon

-Dropper

My Lavender Massage oil with

1. Measure 4 tbsp of your carrier oil, and pour into your amber or cobalt blue bottle.

2. Using your dropper, drop 5 drops of essential oil into your bottle.

3. Repeat until your bottle is full!

4. Screw on your cap and gently shake your bottle to mix it all together!

You can dress up the bottle with a few ribbons, or a special label printed on sticker paper!

How to use:

-Put Barry White on your stereo ;o)

-Pour a small amount of massage oil onto your hands and run together to warm them.

-Massage away! (avoid sensitive areas, such as the face and, er, private areas!)

Tip:

For a fun twist, use flavor oils, like these found at Aroma Haven for edible massage oil! You can also use edible essential oils, like lemon, grapefruit, or mint, which are commonly found in health food stores, or in the health food section of some grocery stores. 

(Do not use flavors meant for cooking! These are often water-based or alcohol-based, and will not mix in with your carrier oil! It may smell nice, but it will be a hot mess!!)

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

The Kudzu Experiment: Out of the Mold

My soap was finally hard enough to take out of the mold 5 days after pouring!! That's a seriously long time, when most of my soaps are ready to take out of the mold after 2 days, but I shouldnt be surprised, since I had over 60% olive oil in these tiny batches.

The first one that I unmolded was the soap make with the kudzu-infused olive oil. The color greened in the mold, and the final result was a creamy green.
The second one that I unmolded was the soap make with the powdered kudzu. It actually took on this really deep, gorgeous green color, similar to a forest green! I'm going to watch this soap anxiously, since most plant add-ins tend to go brown over time (Lavender buds are notorious for this!).

I've been slowly adding videos to m blossoming YouTube channel, and last night, I added a video of me popping out these kudzu experiments... I forgot to mention in the video that I put the molds in the freezer for about an hour before I tried popping out the soap!

Enjoy! Check back in about 4 weeks for another video... My kudzu experiments will be cured, and I'll be trying them out for the first time!

Wordless Wednesday

The Magic of FotoFuze

I have been selling online for over a year (my soap shop, and previous shops on Etsy and ArtFire), and I cannot believe that it has taken me this long to find out about FotoFuze!

I was turned on to FotoFuze after visiting the Etsy forums one night... After reading so many rave reviews about the site, I HAD to check it out... And I am SO GLAD that I did!

FotoFuze is a site that works with your photography. I take my images and import them directly from Etsy. I can then highlight the object in my picture, and the site whitens the background! I have heard that it also works great with black backgrounds, but I havent experimented with those yet.

Check out these before and after pics:

Isnt it amazing! The site is easy to navigate, and their tools are simple and quick to use. They even have video tutorials for those of us who are visual learners!

Make sure to check out this site if you sell online. Your photographs will thank you!

The Kudzu Experiment: (Finally!) Making Soap

It's finally time to make my kudzu soap!

If you need a recap, here are my first and second blog posts on the Kudzu Experiment.

For both batches of soap, I made tiny 3 ounce batches of soap batter. Both batches contained the same oils: olive oil, coconut oil, and castor oil, which makes a mild and bubbly bar of soap.I did not use a fragrance oil or essential oil in either batches.

First, lets take a look at my kudzu-infused oil soap...
For this batch, I substituted my kudzu-infused olive oil for regular olive oil. The oil had a rich, forest green color, but once the lye/water mixture was introduced, it morphed into a creamy green shade. The batter did not a or d (accelerate or decelerate, which is the speed that the batter traces), which is fantastic!

Coconut oil, Castor oil, and Kudzu oil

Mixing everything together!

 Next, lets take a look at my soap with kudzu powder...
With this batch, I waited until the soap batter had reached a medium trace before adding the powder. This ensured that the kudzu did not all sink to the bottom once the soap was in the mold, but stayed suspended throughout the bar of soap. Before adding the powder, the soap batter was egg shell white (a nice off-white, traditionally what I get with this recipe), but once the powder was added, the color changed dramatically to a rich green with dark-green specks. This kind us surprised me a bit, because not all plant additives to soap will change the color throughout, but rather just make the soap speckled.
The powdered kudzu has always had a green tea-like scent to it, and I sniffed this soap in the mold last night, and it retained the smell! I'm very anxious to see if the scent lasts through the cure... Usually, with other plant matter, they dont!

After adding the powder!

Coconut oil, Castor oil, Olive oil

I had a little left over from each batch, so I mixed them together and made two more bars, which will be interesting!

Batch #1 in top, Batch #2 bottom middle, Mixes of the two on the bottom sides

 These soaps will be in the mold over the weekend. Usually, soap can be unmolded in about 2 days, but when I made up this recipe, over half of the oils are olive oil, so the soap will still be soft. I cannot wait to see what these babies are going to look like after their cure!!

I will be posting a YouTube video of the unmolding (yay!), and I plan on making a second video trying out the soap in about 4 weeks, so keep an eye out for those!

Wordless Wednesday

Are you one of those folks who is dying to try my lip balm, or cannot wait to bathe with one of my sweet, silky soaps, but you do not want to use PayPal as a payment method? Or, do you find using PayPal to run credit cards confusing?

Well, this is your lucky day! I've opened a second shop on a new site called WePay.com! WePay is very interesting... You can shop and pay for your items all at once, without using a separate credit card processor! Awesome! The site is not soley deticated to handmade/vintage, and it is brand new, so it needs all of the love it can get!

Do not worry, I am not abandoning Etsy! I love Etsy and my Etsy shop, but I wanted to give my sweet customers an alternative to Paypal!
Here is my new shop! I will be slowly moving my items over... They should all be live next week!

Have a wonderful evening!

Hydrotherapy: Relax and Soak

Baths are not just for kids anymore! A warm soak in the tub can be one of the most relaxing parts of the day. By adding a few small touches, you can make your soak a true therapeutic experience.

Set the mood!

To really get the best our of your hydrotherapy, set the mood! Lower the lights and light some scented candles or incense. Grab some warm, fluffy towels and set them near the tub. You can even bring your favorite music or that book you've never had the time to read!

When pouring your bath water, try to make it nice and warm, but not hot. Hot water can actually be drying to your skin, and is not healthy for people with blood pressure or kidney problems. A good temperature for a warm bath is right under 100 degrees.

Unscented bath salts and Loofah

Another nice touch to a bath is a scrub with a loofah. A loofah sponge comes from a Mediterranean plant, who's fruit is dried to make the sponges. Loofahs are wonderful at polishing the skin without over-scrubbing! They can be very relaxing. Take your loofah and wash your body in small circles for a relaxing experience! 

One more thing that you can add to your bath to make it even more relaxing are bath salts. Salts, like epsom salts, can be added to relax the body and relieve muscle aches. You can also use commercial or handmade bath salts as well. 

If you prefer a scented bath without the salt, you can add your own essential oils to your bath. Only add a few drops! A little goes a long way with essential oils! Here's some essential oils suggestions:

• To Relax, try lavender, ylang-ylang, or rose
• To calm yourself, try chamomile or neroli
• To invigorate and energize, try grapefruit, lemon, or other citruses

A nice, relaxing bath helps everyone to center themselves and feel refreshed! Give hydrotherapy a try after a long, hard day!

Wordless Wednesday

The Kudzu Experiment: Prepwork

Dried Kudzu

Here's the second installment of my kudzu experiment!

My kudzu leaves have been drying for a few (quite a few!) weeks, and they were ready to grind once they became brittle to the touch. A few people I know will grind herbs and other things using a blender or magic bullet, but I prefer to do it with a mortar and pestle.

Grinding the old fashion way!

The leaves were quite easy to grind. I would only work on one leaf at a time, or I had trouble with spilling. Also, when grinding the leaves, be very careful to remove all of the stems, because they will not grind up in the mortar and pestle.

Oh! And the kudzu smelled lovely as it was being ground up... similar to the smell of unbrewed green tea.

Once I had the leaves ground up into a powder, I decided that the best way to experiment with the kudzu would be to use it in soap in two ways: for one batch, I will add the powder straight to the soap batter and for the second batch, I will use kudzu-infused olive oil.

Ground Kudzu

To infuse oil with kudzu (or any herb you wish), you will need:

-A glass jar with a tight fitting lid (mason jars work fantastic!)

-A carrier oil (I prefer to use olive oil)

-A n unsealed tea bag

-About 3-4 tsp of your herb

-A pot (You'll need this to do a stovetop infusion)

You'll start by pouring your herbs into the tea bag and placing the bag in your jar. Pour your carrier oil over top of the bag, and seal up the jar.

After that, you can infuse your oil one of two ways. The traditional method is done using natural sunlight. You will need to place your jar in a window that gets lots of warm sunlight. The infusion will take about 6 weeks to completely finish.

Infusing: Stove Top Method

The second way is to do a stovetop infusion. You will place your jar in a pot with water, and place it on a low heat for a period of between 6 and 8 hours. The infusion will be sped up by the heat. Make sure to check the pot periodically and add water as it evaporates. Make sure to never leave your stove unattended, or leave the house with your stove on! Safety first! Your jar will be hot to the touch when it is finished, so take care when handling. Make sure to let your oil cool before using it.

Kudzu-Infused Olive Oil

I will be making my two kudzu soaps soon, so stay tuned to see how they turn out!