Girl's Night Out

Girl's Night Out MOPS with baby girl in tow.

Have I mentioned before that my favorite part of being in the soaping business is the people I get to meet? Some of the best times have been the scheduled girl’s night out. I have done a few events ranging from 4 ladies to 60. I’ve even had the opportunity to instruct a troupe of girls from an American Heritage Girls. It was so much fun!!

I had someone approach me about doing events for a group of ladies and that started me wondering what we could do. I didn’t have the confidence to do a soap making class with them but knew we could think of something to do. Enter the bath bomb. Now, making round bath bombs takes a bit of practice and technique. I couldn’t see how the bombs would have time to dry during an event so that they could be safely transported home with each participant. Enter the Bath Bomb cupcake. Perfect for transporting as it would go home in its own perfect little container and packaging. I practiced a few batches myself before heading out and I planned to make frosting that had sugar and egg whites with the full knowledge that if the ladies didn’t wish to use it, they could easily remove it and set it aside.

My first event was with 4 ladies. We had so much fun packing our bath bomb bases and I had made such a large batch that each lady went home with about 3 bombs apiece. When it came to the frosting, I whipped it up and we set to decorating. Each used a glitter of their choice to top their high towering creations, and then we set back and enjoyed a great conversation. As we talked, the frosting on each of our cupcakes grew. At first slowly, and then fast it puffed and puffed and then at its peak, deflated and drooped. Soon our beautiful creations were sloppy messes! The ladies were such great sports as we laughed and compared disasters. Each went home and enjoyed their bath bombs none the less, sans the frosting, of course.

Next came the great group of girls from the American Heritage Girls. There were about a dozen or so girls ranging in age from about 8 into the early teens. We talked about chemistry, cake decorating tips and tricks. Then we got to decorating. This time, the frosting behaved better. Whew! What a relief!!!!

Cupcake made by one of the amazing girls at out class!

Photo Credit: Angelique Harmond

The last time I got to set up and make Bath Bomb cupcakes was with a group of about 60 ladies from our MOPS (Mothers Of Preschoolers) group at church. I took my Kitchen aid and set up in the kitchen. I’d pop back and forth from the kitchen to the table where the ladies would make and decorate their cupcakes. It was so much fun talking over the benefits of each of the ingredients and seeing the ladies having such fun with putting the rosebuds onto of the frosted cupcakes. Many of the ladies contacted me after that to tell me how much they had enjoyed their bath bombs. Much of this had to do with the fact that they had made it themselves. It was a very rewarding experience for sure.

It’s always fun to get to include others in the creative process. And I think that something like making a bath bomb is attractive because you get to then enjoy the fruits of your labor. You get to say: hey, I made that!  I am still learning with each new opportunity to do Girl’s Night Out. I have explored different decorating techniques and frosting options. Some things that work for me to do here in my Soaping Studio don’t translate well for taking on the road. There are still so many options to be explored. But, you can be sure that we always have fun along the way!

"Do you have anyting for Eczema?" Part 2

Today let’s talk a bit about what treatments are used for Eczema. If you didn't read part one that describes what Eczema is, click here to read it: Part 1.

Because, as we said yesterday, this is a skin condition that has no cure, treatment is usually focused on controlling symptoms. The first line of treatment is to deal with the itching caused by the condition. So basically, topical corticosteroids like cortisone are the first line of defense. This is often followed by oral antihistamines and antibiotics in the cases where the skin has been infected. There are cases that are sever enough to warrant oral treatments that will help alter the immune response to try and lessen breakouts.

So, that is a basic overview of what Eczema is. 

When I get the question, “Do you have anything for Eczema?” my answer is not always a simple one. If you are managing the condition well with the treatment your doctor is prescribing and are looking for a less medicated alternative or are not getting good results with the treatment you are currently using, here is my recommendation.

1. Remember that this is not something that is going to be cured. Nothing I or anyone can offer you will do that. But, there are things that can be tried that can improve your skins condition.
2. If you are any kind of oral treatment or are using anything with a steroid in it, don’t quit cold turkey. There are serious side effects that can occur when certain medications are not tapered off and I always recommend that you consult your doctor before trying anything new or radical.
3. What works for one person may not work for another. Remember how there is no set list of irritants for this condition? Treatment is also a lot of trial and error.

With all this being said, I can tell you what my customers have tried and what their results have been.

I always point them in the direction of 2 of our products.

Honey Bunches Of Buttermilk Soap in the mold.

Have to make it in large batches!

Honey Bunches of Buttermilk Soap. This is a fragrance free soap that is full of buttermilk, local fresh honey and oatmeal. It is also made with tallow, which I highlighted why I love tallow in this post: Tallow: Why I Use It.  )

·         Oatmeal: in this soap is soothing and it also provides a bit of exfoliation that helps to get the dead skin cells off so that the healthy skin underneath can shine.

·         Buttermilk: It is high in Lactic Acid, Vitamin B, and Calcium. It is known to soften and tighten the skin.

·         Local Honey: loaded with antioxidants, nutrients and healing compounds.

Aloe Vera Lotion. The ingredients include Aloe, Sweet Almond Oil and few other things.

·         Aloe Vera: Contains proteolytic enzymes which help repair damaged skin.

·         Sweet Almond Oil: This oil is fully absorbed by the skin and has a myriad of amazing benefits. From being anti-inflammatory to having great emollient (draws moisture to the skin) there a long list of reasons why this oil is amazing for your skin.

Aloe Vera Lotion comes in many different scents.

I have several customers that use these two products together on themselves or their children and have seen some really good results! Some have seen a reduction in breakouts and others have seen soft, healthy skin return.

Bottom line of why I think this combo works:

The biggest reason I believe these two products do so much good is that it is getting our skin back to a simpler, less chemically laden skin care. We are eliminating detergents, most fragrances, and are mildly and gently cleansing the skin. Because it is soap and not a detergent, we are also allowing the natural oils the body produces to stay and work their magic. It’s getting back to basics and letting the body work without a lot of outside interference. The products are playing back up to the amazing, self-healing abilities our bodies already have in place.

"Do you have anything for Eczema?" Part 1.

“Do you have anything for Eczema?”

I get asked this question a lot. So, I thought I’d address a little about this topic. First, let’s go over what Eczema is:

Eczema is a skin condition where the skin becomes inflamed and irritated. There are several different types, but the most common is atopic and is often accompanied by different allergic tendencies, i.e. Asthma and hay fever. Also, Eczema is often inherited, so if your mother of father had it, you have a high chance of having to deal with the condition yourself.

It is seen more in infants then adults as the great majority grow out of it. And those that continue to have issues with it in adulthood have a great chance of being symptom free with proper treatment.

It usually starts as a rash that is itchy and is most commonly found on the face, behind the knees and on the back of the hands, wrist or feet.  It can be simply red patchy spots that can look thick on the edges, or can ooze in the middle. If you are fair skinned, the affected area will look red or pink and if you are dark skin, the affected areas tend to be lighter than the surrounding areas.

Although it is not 100% established what causes Eczema, it is believed that the body is just overacting to outside stimuli. This paired with the fact that the skin is not doing its full job of moisturizing and creating a barrier to infection are what lead to the patches and sores.  It is a condition that has no known cure, but like I mentioned earlier, most cases can be managed with proper treatment.

Like a lot of other atopic conditions, Eczema has a wide range of things that can cause it to flare. There is a set-in-stone list, and this will vary from person to person, but there are a few common factors

·         Rough material

·         Getting too hot or too cold

·         Household detergents or soaps

·         Getting a cold or upper respiratory infection

·         Pet dander

Diagnosis is usually done with a simple visual inspection of the affected area by a pediatrician or family doctor. Sometimes an allergy test is the next step, more so to find out what may irritate the condition, rather than to confirm the diagnosis.

Tomorrow we will touch a bit more on what treatment looks like and what you can do about it.

Buttermilk Baby Soap

You would think that with as many kids as I have, Baby Soap would have been one of the first things on my list. But, no, it wasn't. I did make a batch of unscented soap just for my kids right as I started soaping. It has been one of my best soaps yet! Must be because it was for them. :)

It was an invite to a friend's baby shower that got me thinking about baby soap. I then went into research mode. I looked up a whole bunch of recipes, ingredients and soap qualities one would look for in a soap meant for newborns. I also came across Soap Queens baby soap tutorial and decided to make that one. I only made a very small batch and did it using the hot process method, because the baby shower was about 1 week out. For those that don't know what the hot process method is, it is when you cook the soap in a crock pot or oven or stove (I used a crock pot) to force gel and speed up saponification. Soap that is done by the hot process method is safe to use right away, although I still like to let mine cure a while just to make sure I get a good hard, long lasting bar.

Anyway, went to the baby shower and gifted my soaps. I was then invited to another baby shower not long after, and I included another one of those baby soaps in that present as well. Now, this baby shower was for my best friend's sister. And when she saw that I had given her sister a baby soap and hadn't given her one (she has three beautiful daughters of her own), well, let’s just say, as a best friend, I was in serious hot water!! I was saved only by the fact that I did still have one bar left and made sure it got to her ASAP. 

So, here is what is in my baby soap:

· Olive Oil: This soap has a very high percentage of Olive Oil which makes it a very mild and creamy soap.

· Coconut Oil: There isn't much coconut oil in this soap, since I wanted it to be very mild but still, little baby bottoms do need a bit of cleaning.

· Buttermilk: Long have the praises of buttermilk been sung as far as skin care is concerned. From being high in Lactic Acid to being a great treatment to sooth sunburns, it was a no brainer to add to a baby soap.

· Cocoa Butter: With antioxidant qualities, cocoa butter also provides a barrier for the skin. Have you ever used pure cocoa butter melted on your skin? It's amazing!

· No fragrance: Now, we all love that baby powder smell that makes us think baby with just one whiff. But, when making this soap, I wanted to make sure it was as mild as could be. I didn't want to alienate anyone with sensitive skin. Also, I don't like using essential oils on newborns. So, the buttermilk and cocoa butter do come through a bit in fragrance, but mostly it's just clean. Babies have that amazing, intoxicating natural aroma to them and I think that that gets to shine more when added fragrances don't interfere.

I have since had to make and remake this one for friends, family and customers. It is an amazing, mild, no frills soap that will get baby clean. Now, do please be aware that this is soap. As such, it is not tear free. For me and my babies, I haven't had an issue in keeping it out of their eyes. After all, those tear free liquid fragrance thingies are not soap. Don't get me started on those.......

Wedding Favors!

The bride came over and we decided on that the perfect favor for her big day was a guest size soap. She picked out the fragrance and the colors she wanted but left the rest up to me. What an honor! This was for a small wedding party, so I was able to work with the molds and supplies I had on hand. The size of the wedding played a big part in what I was able to do as far as packaging, because this would not be reproducible for a large number of favors. Other packaging options would have to be explored if we had needed, say, 50 or more.



I made a video of the making, cutting and packaging to these soaps and will link it here:



When all was said and done, I took a dark colored wicker basket, filled the bottom with tool that was in the same color scheme as the wedding favors and lined the favors inside. I got to personally deliver them to the reception since after all, I was invited. Ha! Would have crashed that party even if I wasn't! Ok, not really. I try to be very sensitive to special occasions and people's plans. But I was invited, so no harm, no foul. The bride was happy, the groom was happy, the guests were happy. And that was perfect. The best compliment payed me for the favors was when the mother of the bride came up, squeezed my hand and thanked me for making her daughters day as important to me as it was to her. What an honor. 

Scented in  White Tea and Ginger.

The guests have all gone home, the cakes been cut, the food eaten. And I'm sure, by now, the party favors have all been used up to. But the thing that remains is that a new path was forged by two very special people who have taken each other by the hand and started a new course together. And I got to be a part of the beginning of that legacy.

When It's About More Then Just Soap

One of the largest orders I ever had was for 30 bars of soap. One order. That was huge! But even better was who the order was for. I was contacted by someone in Idaho wanting to send soap to the Children's home in Costa Rica called Hogar De Vida (Home of Life). Now, this place is near and dear to my heart, as it is in my home town of Atenas, Costa Rica, and I actually worked there when I was in high school. I would work the evening/night shift three days a week. Among my duties were bathing kids and getting them ready for bed, cleaning up dinner, being on call if needed during the night, making breakfast, getting kids dressed and backpacks ready for school in the morning. Not all this at one time, but we would rotate between tasks. I would then ride the bus the next morning with all the kids to my high school for my classes.



Even better, is the fact that this in now where my mother works full time as the COO. So, when I say this place is near and dear to my heart, I really mean, it's been a part of my family. Working with the party that wished to donate, we came up with a plan to send the 30 bars of soap to the ladies and men that work at the children's home. What fun to run to the Dollar Store looking for packaging ideas just to find the perfect sized gift bags and of course, the perfect tissue paper to complete these gifts. My mother came up for a visit and was able to take all this back to Costa Rica for us.

Gift Bags ready for the Valentine's Day party.

The soaps were given out to everyone that contributes to making Hogar de Vida run as smoothly as possible. It was a Valentine's Day event and the party was a great way to celebrate all those that work hard to make a difference there. From the Tias (ladies that work in the homes with the kids) to the Psychologist and secretaries that work each in their own field. So, although it was my largest one-time order, it stand out for so many more reasons than just a number on a spreadsheet. I was blown away to hear how much they loved their presents. How special it made them feel and how they loved this soap or that. I am so very grateful for the patron that chose my little shop to use to bless this organization. What a blessing to be giving back to a place that has such special memories for me.

The ladies showing off their gifts.

If you would like to know more about Hogar de Vida and the work that is done there, here is a link to their website:
http://www.homesoflife.org/

Samara was one of the favorites.

There are many opportunities to serve the men and women working long and hard to change lives. From sponsoring a child, donating money or time, to purchasing their merchandise, there are many ways to lend a hand.

My Experience With Homemade Toothpaste

My Homemade Toothpaste.

Toothpaste. We all use it. Well, I hope we all do! I can't even remember a time when brushing teeth was not a part of my life. And now, as a Mom, I know the struggle of making it a permanent part of my kid’s lifestyle. Not, as our family has become more and more aware of what is in the products that we eat and what is in the products that we use on our bodies, toothpaste was one that came into question. After reading article after article about the bad chemicals that were in this brand or that and feeling very uneasy about what was going into my kiddos mouth, I started my search for a more natural alternative. Pinterest soon came to the rescue with several different recipes to try. Now, I must sing my hubby praises here. He is such a good sport. Most of the time he will try my crazy concoctions at least once. He is sure to let me know if it isn't up to snuff, but at least he will try it.

I must confess that I too was sceptic. I love store bought toothpaste. I love the foam and the bubbles. I love the minty fresh feeling that gives me squeaky clean teeth. There was just one hitch: a wanted to avoid all the bad stuff.  After I made my first use of the natural homemade toothpaste, I was less than impressed. No bubbles, no foam, and oh the saltiness! It was almost unbearable! It made me salivate crazy and I literally had to stand over the sink to avoid it running down the front of my shirt. I didn't want my experience to taint my husband opinion, so I said nothing. And I waited. I wasn't going to give up with just one try. After two days, I finally asked hubby his opinion. He and I compared notes, and here are a few things we noticed right away:

· We had a big reduction in bad breath. Usually after waking up in the morning, we would rush to brush because you could hurt someone with that breath. But after a few days of using the natural paste, we would wake up with less bad breath.

· A reduction in plaque. Again, this was one thing we both found decreased. We still had plaque, and needed to brush regularly, but the amount was less

· Teeth were whiter. After a week, my teeth were much whiter. I wish I had taken a before and after, but I did notice a difference. Not enough that I would say, use it as a whitener, but enough that I didn't feel I was missing out on my whitening toothpaste.

· My sensitivity to the saltiness got better. I still have a much greater production of saliva using natural toothpaste versus the store bought kind, but I have gotten accustom to it.

· My husband tooth sensitivity disappeared. It took about 2 weeks, but he all of a sudden realized that his teeth were no longer sensitive to temperature changes. WE proved this just last month when I was not able to remake our homemade toothpaste when we ran out and pulled a tube of store-bought stuff out of the cupboard. Two days into that, and he was complaining his teeth hurt with every sip of cold water.

· My kids don't eat the toothpaste. My kids don't love homemade toothpaste, but they certainly tolerate it. They have not tried, even once, to eat it, sneak it, have it for a snack. I make theirs with an organic strawberry flavor oil.

Now, we have been using our toothpaste for over a year now, and haven't seen a dentist yet to get his/her opinion yet. But from my point of view, I believe it is doing the job rather remarkable. I'll keep ya'll posted after the next visit. ;)

Here are a few tips I can share from my experience:

1.      Get a container that is easy to use. This paste will be more liquid or solid, depending of the temperature of your house. So having one that will facilitate both, is great. I use these travel size containers I got at Target for around $3. They are over in the travel size section. You can get something similar off of Amazon, but are a bit pricier.

2.      Find a flavor that works. My husband prefers minty, so we use a peppermint oil. My kids hate that so we use a strawberry flavor oil.

3.      Play with the ratios of salt. For my kids, I use very little to no salt. It just makes it easier to get them to accept the toothpaste.

I have made some modifications to the original recipe that I am linking here:

Live Simply by Kristin Marr: http://livesimply.me/2014/03/14/simple-homemade-peppermint-toothpaste/

 My modifications are:

• I add more clay. It does give a red tinge to the toothpaste, but I like a bit more clay.
• The second modification is that I decreased the Stevia. I find that if I use Organic Coconut Oil, it is sweet enough all on its own to offset any need for a sweetener. I do add this for my kids, though.

Have you tried homemade toothpaste? What has been your experience?