About

Olive Oil Soap Recipes

2012-02-12T16:56:41Z

Buena Vista Images / Getty Images

Thanks mom!

My mother-in-law went to Costco and brought me two big jugs of olive oil yesterday. For years, I have bought my olive oil at the "big box" discount stores because they usually carry an affordable bottle of olive oil that's just "grade A" or "pure" but not "extra virgin." You don't really get any benefit, in soap at least, from using extra virgin olive oil, so the grade A is just fine. So I'm stocked up for several months now. Hmmm...what to make first?

Olive Oil Soap Recipes originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Sunday, February 12th, 2012 at 16:56:41.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

How Investing in Your Hobby Can Pay Off

2012-02-08T15:20:50Z

Congratulations to Marla Bosworth of the Back Porch Soap Company - she and her company were featured as the Fox News Small Business of the Day. Marla started the company in 1998 and makes soaps and other wonderful bath products - as well as teaches classes all over the country. She's also going to be joining me in Portland, OR in May for the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild's annual conference. She'll be speaking on Formulating Natural Lotions and Creams. Congratulations Marla!

How Investing in Your Hobby Can Pay Off originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 at 15:20:50.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

The Truth About Glycerin Soap

2012-02-06T19:54:22Z

Stockbyte / Getty Images

O.k....it may not keep you up at night...but one soap making pet peeve of mine is the misunderstanding about "glycerin soap." Many times, I've heard a salesperson or soap maker say, "Our soaps are all natural glycerin soaps." Or, "Our soaps are better because they're glycerin soaps." More often than not, they're referring to their melt and pour soaps. And while I don't usually answer, "You don't know what you're talking about." (Because often they don't...!) They usually don't really understand that the term glycerin soap is really a misnomer.

All real soap is glycerin soap. Here's why - All About Glycerin Soap

The Truth About Glycerin Soap originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Monday, February 6th, 2012 at 19:54:22.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

The Art of Soap - When Does Soapmaking Become More than Just a Craft?

2012-01-31T17:40:08Z

I think for all of us, our very first batch/bar of soap will always be a wonder - a work of art for us. We're amazed that we could combine this lye and these oils and come out with soap - real soap. But there are some soap makers who take their soap making craft to higher levels - making a real art out of their creations - for all of us. For some "art" is embodied in the inspiration behind the soap, for others it's in the why they make the soap, for others it's in the design or packaging of the soap. Author and proprietor of Soapylove Debbie Chialtas has collected 24 soap makers' stories in her book "The Art of Soap" - and whatever sort of soap maker you are, I promise that you'll find some kindred spirits in this book. Page after page I kept reading of other soap makers who had said and felt the same things that I had as I started making soap. I'm sure you will too.

More About The Art of Soap

The Art of Soap - When Does Soapmaking Become More than Just a Craft? originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at 17:40:08.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Special Shaving Mugs for Special Shaving Soap

2012-01-30T00:05:50Z

Painter's Pallette Shaving Mug - Morphy Auctions

I made a batch of cold process shaving soap today. (You can make melt and pour shaving soap too...) Before I made the soap though, I was looking at various shaving mugs to pour the soap into. I love to have a set of mugs ready and then just pour half of the fresh soap into the mugs - and half of the soap into a 3" PVC tube to use as "refills". Imagine my delight when I found a whole gallery of various historical antique shaving mugs featured on my friend and colleague Pamela Wiggins' Antiques site here on About.com. (I must admit, the batch of soap was delayed for an hour or so while I looked at shaving mugs, vintage valentine cards and Christmas collectibles.) I've always said that packaging and presentation can make or break a soap - at least from a retail sense - so why not dress up your shaving soap in a marvelous mug?

Special Shaving Mugs for Special Shaving Soap originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Monday, January 30th, 2012 at 00:05:50.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Melt and Pour Soaps for Valentines Day

2012-01-26T23:22:39Z

In all the years I've made and sold soap, the most popular of all time have been these Layered Melt and Pour Valentine's Day Soaps. No matter what exotic ingredients I may have used, or what complex essential oil blend I created...these were still the most popular. It probably has to do something with the funny text, the bright colors, the fun Valentines Day fragrances, that just delighted folks. They're really easy to make...and if you use a high quality melt and pour soap base, they can be just as good (well...almost just as good) as your "from scratch" soaps. And you'll be certain to delight your family, friends, spouses, significant others - or customers with them.

Valentines Day Soap Projects

Melt and Pour Soaps for Valentines Day originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Thursday, January 26th, 2012 at 23:22:39.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Custom Essential Oil Blends Inspired by the Chinese Year of the Dragon

2012-01-22T23:15:52Z

Stephanie Dalton Cowan / Getty Images

If you've been feeling a bit mighty and magnificent lately...if your confidence and enterprising energy have been burning brightly...if you've got a passionate fire in your heart...then you might just be ready for the Chinese Year of the Dragon. Feisty and gifted, full of energy and self-reliance, the Dragon is one of the most magical of the Chinese Zodiac symbols - and I've created some essential oil blends inspired by this Dragon energy.

Essential Oils inspired by the Year of the Dragon

Custom Essential Oil Blends Inspired by the Chinese Year of the Dragon originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 at 23:15:52.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Some Wild Candles!

2012-01-22T01:34:36Z

I came across this candle company in Thailand that is making the wildest candles! Created "for those who deserve something special" KIND CAT CANDLE "creates candles that combine the essence of colors and the elements of styles, to create a small sensation in the world of decoration." There are several painted and varnished/burnished styles, some rustic types, and these nifty chunk and floral patterned candles - I'm not sure if these are painted, appliqued, decals, a "millefiore" technique, or some combination of all the above - but they're neat! Who could ever burn candles like these? Browse through the catalog and look at the different variations for some candle making inspiration.

Wow!

Some Wild Candles! originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 at 01:34:36.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Icy Soap and Candle Projects

2012-01-16T22:00:20Z

Most of us in the Northern Hemisphere are in the middle of some really cold January weather. I debated whether to feature the Peppermint Ice Soap project, or the Ice Candles. The Ice Candles won. At least the candles will add a bit of "warmth" to the house. But take your pick. Grab some of that January ice and enjoy. Maybe next week, I'll make snowball candles...

Icy Soap and Candle Projects originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Monday, January 16th, 2012 at 22:00:20.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Adding Natural Clays to Your Soap Recipes

2012-01-13T00:38:08Z

The new year usually brings a desire to try some new recipes...or to try some ingredients I haven't tried in a while. Well this past weekend, it was clay...not the kind you make cups or pots out of, but the kind you make soap with. I've used clays in shaving soap recipes but clay is a wonderful additive for every day soap too. The first time I made soap with clay, I couldn't pick just one though, I ended up making four batches using kaolin, bentonite, rose and rhassoul clays. I cut the normal size bars in four pieces, and then assembled a full "bar" of the four different varieties. They came out wonderful! I love the silky creaminess of the soaps...and the super clean feeling they leave. Try out one of the clays featured in my Clay Soap Sampler recipe.

Adding Natural Clays to Your Soap Recipes originally appeared on About.com Candle & Soap Making on Friday, January 13th, 2012 at 00:38:08.

Permalink | Comment | Email this