The Joy of Soap

Gardener's Hand Scrub

A garden is a delight to the eye, and a solace for the soul ~ Sadi

Lately I have had the luxury of spending many hours outdoors tending to the garden, and so far all of the work has involved cutting, pruning and weeding. Thankfully I can say that the garden no longer looks like an emerald carpet with branches poking out here and there; I can see the earth now. In the process of cleaning through the jungle we uncovered some poor plants and bushes struggling to survive, and now hopefully they have a chance to grow stronger.

My back has been suffering throughout the garden clean out process, and my hands look and feel a bit like sandpaper. To help soothe my hands before they become cracked I am going to whip up a batch of moisturizing hand scrub. The oatmeal is a good cleanser and exfoliant. The honey moisturizes the skin, and the oil softens and cleanses too.

Gardener's Moisturizing Hand Scrub
Ingredients
1 T oatmeal
1 t honey
1 t grapeseed or jojoba oil (or other oil you may have at home)
1 T lemon juice (juice of 1/4 lemon), or more if needed
1 T herbal infusion* (Optional)

*Some people might like to add 1 tablespoon of an herbal or floral infusion. This ingredient provides an additional skin soothing benefit, and is not required if you do not have the ingredients or the time to make the infusion. For example: If I had the ingredients at home, and the time, I would make a small amount of marigold flower infusion to provide an added benefit for my dry hands.

Mix all of the ingredients together.
You can add more lemon juice if you feel the mixture is too dry.
Scrub your hands and rinse off with warm water.

This recipe makes enough scrub for one use.
Enjoy!

Pamper your skin   Indulge your senses

   
 

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

   
 

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.

 

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

   
 

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?

Invigorating Rosemary Spearmint Body Scrub

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing. ~ Abraham Lincoln

So here we are two full weeks plus in to the New Year and I am tired. This is not good. Already my best intentions are drifting away to that space where they will either disappear entirely, or where, if I can summon the energy (or is it courage?) they will be restored and some may even experience implementation.

On Sunday morning we (my husband & I) decided that the day would be a work day; the day to cross items off of the To Do List. I'm chuckling as I write this because essentially what we have accomplished is moving the white board from where it was hanging in the garage to a prominent position in the office. I haven't decided if this is good or bad because 1) in the garage the white board became the place where we left each other, and guests left us, sweet notes and drawings, and 2) my husband rarely uses the large (36"x48") wall calendar also hanging prominently in the office.

I am looking at the wall calendar now, and of the nineteen items currently on the calendar my husband added exactly one of them. I have now transferred the To Do List from a piece of scratch paper to the white board. Any wagers on how long before items will be crossed off or added to by someone other than myself? Stay tuned...  

Back to the primary issue here - me being tired. Before my parents traveled to Mexico for their annual holiday my mother requested a batch of my rosemary spearmint body scrub which I was delighted to make and send to her. When I woke up this morning I decided that I really needed some of this scrub myself to wake up my senses and invigorate my skin. If you have read earlier posts of this blog you already know how much I love rosemary.

This recipe will make enough scrub for one use. I use organic oils and Dead Sea salt in my scrubs, and you can use other types of oils based on your personal preference.

Rosemary Spearmint Body Scrub
Ingredients
2 TBSP Sea salt
1/2 TBSP Hemp seed oil
1/2/ TBSP Evening Primrose oil
10 drops rosemary essential oil
4 drops spearmint essential oil

Put the dry ingredients in a seal-able container.
Pour in the oil and mix all ingredients.
You may need to add more salt or oil depending on the consistency you prefer. You want the scrub to be slightly slushy, but not runny.

Once in the shower scoop out a handful and apply in circular strokes over your body.
Rinse off.
If you are not shaving you can gently pat your body dry once you leave the shower and let the oil from the scrub sink in to your skin.

*Do not use on the face as the skin is too delicate for this type of scrub.

Try to keep the scrub container closed and free of water. This will help the scrub last longer.

What oils do you use to wake up your senses and invigorate your skin?

Tis the Week Before Christmas special discount

Perhaps the best Yuletide decoration is being wreathed in smiles.  ~Author Unknown   

In my home we have thankfully completed part of our Holiday preparations with some shopping done and other gifts ordered and sent off to their new homes. Yesterday we enjoyed brunch while addressing and stamping our holiday cards. There were other diners at the restaurant who walked by our table and felt compelled to tell us that they wish they were so organized. I guess that was a compliment?

If you are still shopping and looking for a few small gifts and stocking stuffers why not give your friends and family a variety of vegan handcrafted soaps made with certified organic oils. These soaps are just good, clean fun!

To entice you we are offering 30% off in our online store this week.
Simply enter this Coupon Code: 1260039660 in the Coupon Code box in the shopping cart.

Happy Holidays!

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