The Joy of Soap

Power of Calendula

Earth laughs in flowers ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

At The Joy of Soap one of our most popular handmade soaps is Feeling Frisky, and many people ask about the petals and their purpose in the soap. These are calendula flower petals. In addition to providing a nice looking element to the soap, and a mild exfoliant property, the flower petals also provide anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties as well. What a powerful herb! It is the essential oils and salicylic acid naturally found in calendula that make this a wonderful skin-healthy source for people to treat external infections and skin problems.

With all of these powerful properties you will find skin soothing calendula not only in soaps, but also in creams, tinctures and salves used to treat burns, infections, rashes, and eczema. Calendula contains an important phytochemical, carotenoids, which are known to accelerate healthy skin cell repair.

Calendula-infused tea (made from the flowers) is used internally to help the immune and lymphatic system fight bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic infections. Please consult a medical professional for more information and appropriate dosages before attempting to treat yourself.

Calendulas, also called pot marigolds, are an aromatic herb that are easily grown from seeds. They grow quickly and if left alone and are treated with some love they should continue to grow year after year.

Some people also recommend rinsing your hair with calendula tea to help bring out highlights in blond and brunette hair. For bath fans, you can easily put some dried flowers and/or petals in a muslin bag, soak the bag in the warm water and then squeeze the bag to bring out more skin-soothing benefits. Personally, I have soaked calendula flower petals in grapeseed oil for a few weeks, and then used the strained oil for making a homemade skin soothing cream.

NOTE: Do not use if pregnant or nursing. People with allergies to plants in the Aster/Compositae family, such as ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and daisies, may have an allergic reaction to calendula.

Please feel free to share your homemade calendula inspired recipes.

Pamper your skin   Indulge your senses

   
 

Soothing Bath for Eczema

Your mind will answer most questions of you learn to relax and wait for the answer ~ William S. Burroughs

Many people ask me what I can offer or suggest to them for treating eczema. The Joy of Soap's mild all vegetable soaps do work well for many people, and there are other people who cannot tolerate essential oils or additives of any kind. For these people here is one suggestion to help with treating eczema as well as other irritated skin conditions. There are several types of eczema, and keeping the skin moisturized can help with symptom relief and healing.

This is a very simple homemade recipe that you can easily put together followed by a soothing warm bath.

Ingredients
1 tsp dried chamomile flowers (you can also use a bag of chamomile tea if this is what you have at home)
8 tbsp oats
Small cotton/muslin bag or square
String (if you do not have a small bag)

Combine the chamomile flowers and the oats in a bowl.
Place the contents of the bowl in the bag, or on the cotton square.
If you use a cotton square gather the ends together and tie with string.

Run a warm bath and soak the chamomile and oat filled bag in the water for a few minutes.
You can rub the bag directly on your skin if you wish although you should avoid rubbing the bag directly on any irritated skin.
Squeeze the bag and leave in the water.
Soak in the bath for at least 10 minutes.

Simple, right?
Please share your ideas and homemade treatment methods for soothing eczema and irritated skin.

Pamper your skin   Indulge your senses

   
 

Homemade Lemongrass Insect Repellent

In heaven you won't hear the mosquitoes ~Finnish proverb 

Similar to citronella oil as a natural insect repellent, fresh lemongrass also provides added antibacterial and anti-fungal properties to your homemade insect repellent.

Here is a quick and easy recipe for making your own insect repellent at home.

Ingredients
10-12 lemongrass stalks
Approx. 15 citronella leaves
4 tsp whole cloves
14oz sunflower oil (other oils you have on-hand will work OK too)

Wash the lemongrass and citronella leaves.
Lightly chop the lemongrass and citronella.
Place chopped items in a blender with the cloves and blend.
Pour the blended mix along with the sunflower oil into a heatproof bowl or a pan (a double boiler is what we're setting up next) and mix until all     ingredients are well blended.
Place the bowl or pan over a pan of boiling water and cover tightly.
Let boil for an hour, and then cool.

Strain the cooled mixture through a fine sieve or similar tool/material.
Pour the strained mixture into a pump spray bottle.   

To Use       
Shake well and spray liberally over all exposed skin areas.
Avoid the eyes.
Always reapply after washing.
If any irritation occurs wash off immediately and discontinue use.

This insect repellent will keep for about a year if stored in a cool and dry location.                                                           

Some people grow their own lemongrass from stalks purchased at the market, and if you can do this all the better for you. Maybe you can make some extra batches of the repellent and share with your friends and neighbors.

Other uses for lemongrass include herbal tea made from an infusion of the chopped herb soaked in boiling water and then strained. Used in this method lemongrass is good for helping reduce fevers, stomach cramps, and as a general digestive aid.

Although this recipe does not call for either lemongrass or citronella oils please note that neither oil should be used directly on the skin; they should always be diluted.

This is just one variation of a homemade insect repellent. Please feel free to share your own recipes.

Pamper your skin   Indulge your senses

   
 

Beauty Benefits of Kokum Butter

Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams. ~Ashley Smith

When I started to make my own body care products a few years ago I started to experiment with different ingredients in lotions and creams, and I really fell in love with Kokum Butter. You will find Kokum Butter in lotions, creams and body butters that advertise skin healing properties because Kokum Butter is composed of many compounds that help to regenerate skin cells.

Kokum Butter is rich in essential fatty acids, which aid in cell oxygenation and make nutrients more readily available for use by skin tissues, and also contains antioxidant vitamin E. And, yes, Kokum Butter is non-comedogenic (non pore-clogging) so it it helps with quick absorption. I find that the addition of Kokum Butter adds a more lush and silky texture to lotions and creams and makes my skin feel super smooth and soft for much of the day. Because Kokum Butter helps regenerate tired and worn skin cells and supports skin elasticity it is used in health and beauty products that advertise the ability to prevent dry skin and wrinkles. This is a great ingredient to look for if you have mature or dry skin.

The Kokum tree is a tropical evergreen fruit tree that provides culinary, industrial and medicinal uses especially in ayurvedic and eastern medicines. The trees are found in the forests of Goa in India. The dried outer skin is used as a culinary spice. The seeds, fruits, and extracted oils of and are used in curries and syrups. The bark and young leaves provide astringent benefits.

NOTE: We recommend that if you have persistent skin problems, such as eczema, please consult a physician before using Kokum Butter. Not recommended by those with nut allergies.

Enjoy and remember,

Pamper Your Skin

Indulge Your Senses

Tell us what inspires you.

Shower Together with Two in the Shower Tea Tree Handmade Soap

Everyone who has taken a shower has an idea. It's the person gets out of the shower, dries off and does something about it who makes a difference. ~Nolan Bushnell

Several times over the past week I had conversations with many people about a recurring topic - people with an idea or ideas who do something with them, and people who have ideas who do nothing with them. Why do some people act on their ideas, and other people choose to just dream?   

There are numerous answers to this question: fear, not knowing how to move from idea to production, resources (human and financial), knowledge, lack of dedication, laziness, and simply being content with having an idea. 

 What works best for me in moving from idea to reality? I think best, vet ideas and piece together action plans when cleaning or gardening. I won't go into detail about why this works for me (if you really want to know just ask), and I am curious about what works for other people. My husband has always worked through ideas and projects while showering so after last week I decided that perhaps I could partner my love of cleaning with showering, commingling my best thinking process (cleaning) with my husband's best thinking process (showering). ... 

What better soap to use than Two in the Shower Tea Tree. This vegan handmade soap begins with a base of organic oils and uses therapeutic grade lavender and tea tree essential oils. Lavender essential oil is soothing and healing, and is also known to relieve tension. Tea tree essential oil also provides healing and anti-bacterial properties. The added green tea powder provides a fun design to the soap while bringing anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial properties as well. Good clean fun.

 

Enjoy and remember,

Pamper Your Skin

Indulge Your Senses

Tell us what inspires you to dream.

 

Manly Man Soap

Life is too short to be little. Man is never so manly as when he feels deeply, acts boldly, and expresses himself with frankness and with fervor. ~Benjamin Disraeli

When many men find out that I make soap they look at me funny, and try to think of something to reply besides "oh" or "huh, interesting". I am used to this response so now I make sure to provide them with a sample so they can try handmade soap and experience for themselves just how much better it is than commercially made soaps.

Manly Man was made specifically with our male customers in mind. It has a very mild 'clean' scent, and the added finely ground pumice provides mild exfoliation. The sweet orange essential oil adds a faint citrus scent along with anti-bacterial properties, and the tea tree essential oil adds an additional anti-bacterial property to this handmade soap.

And, yes ladies, this soap is gentle enough for
you too.


*All of our soaps are made using therapeutic grade essential oils

Pamper your skin   Indulge your senses

Elizabeth's Wild Hair Shaving Soap

Anyone's life truly lived consists of work, sunshine, exercise, soap, plenty of fresh air, and a happy contented spirit.~Lillie Langrty

With the warm weather and sunshine I will have to consider shaving my legs more than once a week now.      ....sigh....
It's funny, when I lived in New York City I would shave my legs regularly without fail because I used to wear skirts all the time whether it was warm or freezing cold outside. In the winter I couldn't stand the sight or feel of stubble poking through my tights, and in the summer, well, you know.... I am not a fan of hairy legs. You may be, and that's good for you, but not so much for me.

So, when I do shave I use Elizabeth's Wild Hair Shaving Soap.

This handmade soap is made with our signature blend of organic base oils (olive, palm and coconut) with castor oil to help bring out the lather, and therapeutic grade peppermint essential oil.

What makes it special is the use of pumice and willow bark powder. The pumice helps exfoliate and lift the hairs, and the willow bark powder is a great astringent and anti-microbial ingredient.

A little clay is also added and is not only a gentle exfoliant, it helps to provide a silky and creamy feel to the soap.

If you're wondering who Elizabeth is well, wonder no more. She is my extremely knowledgeable and helpful acupuncturist, and you can visit her website to find out more about her and her business, Dancing Grass Medicine.

Elizabeth mentioned one day that she had an idea for a shaving soap, and we took her ideas and ingredient suggestions and developed this great soap.
 
My husband uses it every day to shave his face, and will even take it when traveling.  Thank you Elizabeth!

Pamper your skin   Indulge your senses

   
 

Romantic Rose Petal Bath

For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul ~Judy Garland

I realize that I am late for Valentine's Day planning at this point - very late indeed. It's the thought that counts, right? I have been meaning to plan something special for Valentine's Day, and truthfully you can try this idea at any time and for any occasion.

 

Picture yourself and your loved one soaking in a warm bath surrounded by rose petals, perhaps sipping champagne and enjoying a few quiet moments together.... nice.

To prepare your rose petal bath you will need a dozen roses.
Remove the inner petals from 2-4 roses and boil in a small pot of water (keep covered) for 10-15 minutes.
Cool and strain the petal water.
Prepare the bath, set out towels and light a few small candles.
Remove the remaining rose petals and set next to the bath.
Pour the petal water into the bath.
Add bath oil (if desired).
Enter the bath and relax.
Scatter the rose petals around you in the bath.

.... Enjoy ....

Of course, if you can, you may substitute true rose water for the boiled rose petal water although you will still want the effect of the rose petals in the bath.

Herbal Remedy: Soothing Sore Throat Ginger Tea

A good listener is not someone with nothing to say. A good listener is a good talker with a sore throat ~ Katherine Whitehorn

Thankfully I have managed to escape the flu this season, and I hope I haven't just jinxed myself  by putting this in writing - yikes! I have, however, been struggling with a cough and nasty sore throat for a few weeks now. When you tell people you are not feeling well and share your symptoms most folks are quick to tell you their favorite remedy for what is ailing you. Usually I listen to what they say because I like to think that I have an open mind when it comes to experimenting with cures whether they be pharmaceutical or natural. Plus I am willing to try almost anything to feel better.

Ginger is one of my favorite natural remedies and treatments when I have a sore throat and a stomach ache, and ginger has a long history of use as a medicinal and a culinary herb. Ginger was such a precious commodity that the Romans started taxing it around AD200, and around this time Ginger began to be used in Chinese herbal medicine. Ginger has a warm, spicy scent that I personally love, and ginger blends well with many other spices. Aromatherapists use ginger to help with digestive complaints, poor circulation and painful joints and muscles. 

Fresh ginger is often used in southeast Asian and Chinese cooking while dried ginger can be found as an ingredient in chutneys and curry powders and pastes. In non-Western medicinal practices both fresh and dried ginger is used for different purposes. An extract from ginger root contains protein, minerals, Vitamin A, and niacin and also has mild analgesic and antibacterial properties. You can find ginger in natural beauty products, including our Ginger Snap! handmade soap, as well as creams and hair conditioners as ginger is useful in promoting circulation.

As a treatment for my sore throat several friends and colleagues have suggested that I brew some ginger tea, and I will usually make a big pot of tea to last throughout the day. Accompanied by rest, reading in bed and snuggling with the cats this tea always brings me back to good health.

Ginger Tea
Ingredients
Fresh ginger root
Fresh lemon (if desired)
Honey (if light sweetness is desired)

Start boiling water
Cut off a few inches of fresh ginger and peel the skin 
Cut ginger into small chunks, and place into the bottom of a teapot or mug
Pour boiling water over the ginger and steep for 4-6 minutes

Pour into mug, and add fresh squeezed lemon and honey to taste

Enjoy!

What are some of your natural remedies?

NOTE: If suffering from gallstones, or if pregnant or nursing, consult a health care professional before taking large amounts of Ginger.

Soothing Dry, Cracked Winter Skin

A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked. ~ Bernard Meltzer

Thankfully I no longer live full time in a region with bitterly cold winters, and I am lucky enough now to live in a region where, in a few hours drive, I can be up in the mountains and snow when I have a need to go snowshoeing. During my early teenage years we lived in Minnesota, and one winter my parents thought it would be a great idea for me to take over my brother's newspaper route. Not only did he have two routes in the neighborhood, but our house was also the drop house which means that in the wee hours a huge pile papers would be dropped in our driveway - papers for all of the routes in the neighborhood, and I would have to count them out into neat piles before the other carriers arrived to pick up their stack of papers. 

Now I don't know if you have ever spent any time in Minnesota in the winter, especially outside in the  snow, ice and bitter cold from about 3-6am, have you? I can still hear my mom telling me how this paper route will build character and intestinal fortitude. I have been called a character many times, but I still don't have a clue about intestinal fortitude. Sounds like an illness to me... Webster's New World College Dictionary defines intestinal fortitude as: courage and perseverance; grit; pluck: a euphemism for “guts”. Nice. Hey everybody - I've got grit and pluck!

One of the biggest problems with this job in addition to wearing many, many layers of clothes in an attempt to stay dry and somewhat warm was the cracked skin that resulted from exposure. Every winter my hands, and especially my hands would become so dry that my skin would crack and sometimes even bleed. yuck.   

 Last winter I started to make a body and hand cream to help with this winter time dry skin, and I've found that it works great for me, my family and several people I've met while traveling in the winter in Alaska and around Lake Tahoe. Just a few days ago I received a compliment from a gentleman in a hotel elevator telling me how much he enjoyed my perfume, and when I explained it was my body and hand cream he wanted to buy the container right out of my suitcase - cool!

 Cracked Winter Skin Hand and Body Butter
Ingredients
1 oz. Kokum Butter
.5 oz Evening Primrose oil
.5 oz Grapeseed oil
10-20 drops Lavender essential oil
3 drops Vitamin E

Weigh out butter and heat slowly until almost melted, and remove from heat.
Weigh out oils while butter is melting and then pour into melted butter.
Add essential oil and vitamin E.
Mix all ingredients together and pour into clean container.

It will take a few hours for the butter to solidify. When ready to use take a small amount, maybe a dime size amount initially, in your hand and rub together to melt the oils before rubbing on your hands and any extra dry areas on your body. You will find that Kokum Butter melts quickly on your skin.

You may want to rub on your hands and cover with soft cotton gloves overnight to really help soften rough skin.

Keep storage container closed when not in use.

You can scent with any essential oil/s you prefer, or you may choose to leave the butter unscented.

I have also used jojoba oil in place of the grapeseed oil, and I have also used lavender infused grapeseed oil as well.

NOTE: Kokum Butter is not recommended by those with nut allergies.Kokum Butter is rich in essential fatty acids, which aid in cell oxygenation.  Kokum Butter is a non-comodegenic (non pore-clogging), and it helps regenerate worn skin cells and supports skin elasticity.

Do you have any intestinal fortitude or character building stories to share?