Thursday, July 13th, 2006
If you are like me that just adore easy recipes that do not involve preservative, this product is for you! You will LOVE the all-natural aspect of Soya Skin Butter Stick!
Did you know you can do much more with the Soya Skin Butter than just whipping it? You can add it to lotion, lip balms or make a lotion stick! Here’s a recipe for a very small batch of lotion sticks, you can double or triple the batch without any problems.
Ingredients for three 2 oz. sticks:
- 3.5 oz. Soya Skin Butter
- 1.25 oz. Rice Bran Oil
- 0.25 oz. squalane
- 15 drops of lavender essential oil
Directions:
Microwave in a pyrex glass measuring cup for 2 minutes on high. Melt it until you still have little lumps in the glass (see first picture), stir till it is all melted. Let cool. Add squalane and lavender essential oil, Mix well and pour into deodorant tubes or tins. Though it will be translucent until completely cool, the finished product will be white.
Posted in Body Care, All-Natural | 4 Comments »
Thursday, July 13th, 2006
Soapmaking requires the mixing of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide - NaOH) in water to produce a lye solution.
Lye is a very strong alkali and can cause severe burns.
When mixed with water it releases heat causing the mixture to heat up very rapidly. Mix your lye water outside if possible. Stay away from fumes coming out of your container as this steam can burn as well. Use a plastic pitcher for mixing and label this “LYE DANGEROUS”! Do not use this container for anything else.
Dry lye is fairly benign. Once dissolved in water, it becomes very ‘caustic’. A single bead or flake of lye can cling to moist skin and result in a small burn.
It is very important to wear long pants, long sleeved shirt, rubber gloves and eye protection. ALWAYS add lye to the water, NOT the other way around! If you do, a volcano can erupt out of your container and burn you! Keep your lye dry in a sealed, properly labeled container. Keep securely away from children.
Lye can attract moisture and become hard. If it does, it has lost its potency. Dispose of properly. Spillage of dry lye are best swept up and disposed of. Mop the area thoroughly with lots of water. Rinse all brooms, mops or dustpans afterward. Do not use vinegar to rinse off lye on your skin. Lye and vinegar create more heat, which causes more severe burns. Lots of plain water is best.
Respect your lye and it will respect you. 
)
Happy soaping!
Irena
Posted in Soap Safety | No Comments »
Thursday, July 13th, 2006
Every healthy human produces approx. 1-2 pints of sweat each day. On hot days, during physical exertion or at times of nervousness, this quantity can double. Fresh sweat is odorless. Only after two hours, does the decomposition of bacteria on the skin form substances with odor.
Zinc-oxide powder and essential oils prevent this decomposition from occurring. Unlike chemically based commercial products, a handcrafted deodorant doesn’t block
the sweat glands or inhibit their natural temperature regulation. Handcrafted foot powder is especially good for sensitive skin, as it treats your feet gently, with no irritation.
Foot Powder recipe:
Clean your feet and dry them thoroughly. Make a mixture of ½ cup of baking soda, 2 TBS. of zinc oxide, 2 TBS of china (or white) clay. Add 10 drops of Lavender, 5 drops of Clary Sage and 2-3 drops of Lemon Eucalyptus (or Lemon Tea Tree). Mix well and let sit for a day or two. This gives the essential oils a chance to get to know each other and blend better. This can be put in a powder container or shaker.
Sprinkle some on your feet as well as inside your shoes to keep your feet fresh all day long.
Happy Feet! )
Irena
Posted in Foot Care | No Comments »