Researching and Formulating

Today was a day of researching and formulating. Tonight, I jumped in and made another test batch of Jojoba-Mint Natural Shampoo made in a base of coconut, castor and jojoba oils with hints of mint and Panthenol. If this batch passes our test (meaning if our willing, tried and true testers say “yay”) then it will be available by mid Fall. Just in time for the gift-giving season. We also have been working behind the scenes formulating a Hair Pomade that would not only benefit the hair but the skin as well (not sure what we will call it). As of today’s date it is has passed all the test phases (thank God!). If all goes well with our Jojoba-Mint Shampoo, the Hair/Body Butter (Pomade) will be available by mid Fall as well. The best thing about both products is they both are all natural, handmade in the USA and will be available for local pick-up at Locs of Love in Raleigh.

Since my mind was in overdrive and I have spent nearly 4 hours making the Jojoba-Mint Shampoo, I had to find something fun to do while I waited for the soap paste to do its thing. Anyways, I created two items that will be included in every order once they are printed and in our hands. This is something we are already doing, but wanted to spruce it up a bit. We will have a Soap Pamphlet printed that tells a little about our soaps and how to maintain them. In addition, we will be printing a new post card to include in every order that offers customers 15% off of their next online purchase (only one use per customer). The good thing about this is customers who have already taken advantage of this offer will receive a new card with a new code. This could not come at a better time with everything around us sky-rocketing. Many of us can appreciate a DISCOUNT!

Gardening and Cleansing

Yesterday was work in the garden day. Hubby and I planted some beautiful flowers in a corner in our backyard. We plan to turn it into a meditation area complete with a hammock and water fall. It will be a quiet area where we can go to clear our minds, collect out thoughts, and rejuvenate the thinking process. Of course after spending hours in the sun working with soil I felt really gritty and grimy so I was in desperate need of a good soak and my body, particularly my arm pits, thanked me for it. My hair was in need of some TLC also. So here is what I did:

1. I washed my hands with our Garden & Kitchen soap which contains cornmeal and grits that gently scrubbed my soiled hands clean and gave a nourished, polished look due to the hearty helping of shea butter.

2. Since my hair requires what I consider a pro-long rinse (rinsing hair for about 15 minutes after it’s washed), I have to wash my hair in the shower. I ran a warm, others would say hot, shower and just stood under the shower head while allowing the warm water to open my pores. I stood there for about 5 minutes. Then I grabbed my favorite shampoo Rosemary Mint from LaVida Given By Nature and used only a quarter size to wash my entire head of hair, which is dreaded and about shoulder length. This shampoo is so concentrated that only a small amount is needed to produce loads of lather, which gets my hair squeaky clean. Therefore, you save money and most importantly it is all natural and Vegan friendly. Be sure to get yourself a bottle TODAY!

3. So after washing my hair with loads of lather, I just stood under the shower head for about 20 minutes allowing the water to rinse the lather away and allowing my body to relax. I followed by washing my body with our Sunshine Handmade Soap that really gave my grimy, gritty body a good cleanse. The olive-based bar left my skin feeling very hydrated and the beautiful aroma from a proprietary essential oil blend allow my senses to continue to appreciate a natural aroma (remember the first natural aroma was from the flowers planted, then the Rosemary Shampoo, now the Sunshine soap).

4. My cleaning regime was not over. I had to protect and nourish my hair, so of course I used my favorite Ginger Juice and Berries from Lavida Given By Nature on my naturally dreaded hair. It has the perfect balance, not too thick, too oily or too heavy. Just the right amount of herbs and oils that coat and protect my hair from the environmental elements while still nourishing and strengthening my hair.


So check out Karess Krafters and Lavida Given By Nature to get yourself a natural cleanse from head to toe.

Cast A Spell

Cast A Spell is a very romantic fragrance that mixes a sweet bouquet of mandarin, bergamot and orange enhanced by luscious hints of peach and berries with an undertone of musk. A true aroma that is soft and sensual just in time for hot summer weather. Enjoy the wonderful fragrance with our wonderful bath bombs while relaxing in your tub full of shea butter after a long day. Then lather up with this beautiful aroma with our gentle and mild olive-based handmade soap. Typically after bathing with our bath bomb a moisturizer is not required, however, if you desire to slather yourself with pure moisture-binding luxury our SheaMonoi is perfect for your hydration needs. Available in a clean crisp fragrance or enjoy the natural aroma from its quality ingredients.

Why Handmade Soap?

So what is the big deal with Handmade Soap and why should we use it?

Well, commercially made soap usually contains detergents, fillers, chemicals, petroleum, high animal fat content, and irritants. Thus making them less eco friendly and generally less expensive that impacts your skin and the environment in a less than desirable way.

Natural handmade soaps popularity is growing. Many people are beginning to discover the benefits of handmade, chemical free soaps. Handmade natural soaps are made with vegetable oils, have a high content of glycerin, and are better for you and the environment. In addition, no fillers or detergents are added for the sake of cutting cost and they are never tested on animals.

Benefits of Handmade Soap
• Are noted for healing those with skin conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema
• People who have sensitive skin or are hypoallergenic often times find immediate relief
• Most handmade soaps are made from vegetable oils, such as olive, coconut and palm
• Do not contain harmful chemical or fillers
• Has natural occurring glycerin (which is often extracted from commercial soap and repackaged in higher priced beauty products)
• Gives your skin the care it deserves. By the way, the skin is the largest human organ
• Bathing is gentle and soothing
• If stored properly, it can last twice as long as commercial soap


As you can see, using a bar of luxurious handmade soap makes sense. It is not only good for you and your skin; it is good for the environment.

Soapmaking Methods

Often times we get asked the question, how do you make soap? We simply answer our soaps are made by combining oils (olive, palm, coconut, etc.) with sodium hydroxide. Once the ingredients are combined, a chemical reaction takes place called saponification. The final result is soap, which is technically Sodium Palmitate (a salt) that has natural occurring glycerin in it (glycerol). So now that the process is out there, so what method do we use and how many are there? Well, you can make soap using the Cold Process (our preferred method), Hot Process or Melt & Pour method. Obviously, like everything each method has its pros and cons. So we will attempt to give you a brief overview of each, along with the benefits and drawbacks of each.

Cold Process

If you have heard stories about Grandma’s soap, then the method she used is “Cold Process” often referred to as “CP” soap. It is made by combining fatty acids (olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter, etc.) together with sodium hydroxide (lye). All ingredients are then blended together until what is known as trace (everything is well mixed with no streaks of remaining oil) occurs. Most soapers add fragrance/essentials, color, herbs, etc. at the point. Once all ingredients are blended together, the soap is poured into molds. It then set up in the mold until hard enough to remove (generally within 24 hours). After it is removed, it is then cut and set out to cure for a minimum of 4 weeks before it is ready to use. During the curing process the soap hardens thus allowing for a mild, gentle bar of soap. Just like fine wine, the longer the soap cures, the better it is.


Pros:
• Control over ingredients to use
• Ability to enhance bar with color swirls and layers.

Cons:
• Cure time
• Precise measuring
• Sodium Hydroxide (lye) can cause severe chemical burn and should be stored carefully, particularly away from small children.

Hot Process or HP

In essence this method is the same as cold process, but heat is applied to accelerate saponification. The soap is therefore, thoroughly cooked until saponification is complete. Once this is achieved, the soap is then scooped into molds. We use the word scoop because often times HP soap, once it is cooked, is like gooey, taffy that can be difficult to transfer from the cooking pot to the mold. However, the cure time is not nearly as long as CP soap making.

Pros:
• Shorten cure time, can generally used right after unmolding
• Just as CP, complete control over ingredients to use


Cons:
• Color/design control is limited
• Need to work extremely fast because soap can rise out of pot
• Just as CP, Sodium Hydroxide (lye) concern

Melt and Pour or MP

MP soapmaking is made from a soap base. However, each soap base is not created equal. Therefore, many MP soap crafters have searched out and tested many bases that offer the same beneficial, skin-loving ingredients found in soaps made from the CP or HP method, which yields a mild, gentle bar of soap. In addition, the eye appeal creation is limitless.

Pros:
• Can use soap immediately
• No use of Sodium Hydroxide

Cons:
• Limited to base of choice

Shea Monoi - the ultimate natural moisturizer

Our SheaMonoi is the ultimate all natural moisturizer for your skin. Its light and fluffy texture is derived from the highest quality; naturally extracted African Fair Trade unrefined shea butter.

We begin our SheaMonoi with 80% of unrefined shea butter. Then we add Monoi de Tahiti Oil, Virgin Coconut Oil, Meadowfoam Seed Oil, and Vitamin E. Once all ingredients are carefully weighed, it is double whipped into the consistency of frosting making it a luxurious cream with a light, silky smooth texture that melts into your skin on contact, thus creating an intensive moisturizer to pamper your skin. You can enjoy the natural aroma from the fine ingredients or a fresh, clean aroma.

This product is highly concentrated, so a very little goes a long, long way. Be sure to apply less than what you’d need and you’ll be pleasantly surprised as to how far a dab will go.

Benefits:

Unrefined Shea Butter – restore skin’s natural elasticity, protect from UV rays, help prevent stretch marks, nourish hair and scalp.

Monoi de Tahiti Oil – beautifully scented, penetrates and hydrates

Virgin Coconut Oil – yummy aroma of coconut, moisturizes and protects skin and hair


Recommended Uses:
Massage
Daily Body Moisturizing
Dry Skin Relief
Irritated Skin (unscented only)
Razor Burns
Chapped, Red skin
Sunburn
Eczema (unscented)

May is all about the Feet

Too many of us are inclined to forget that we have feet until something brings our attention to them, such as exposing our toes through peep-toe shoes. Walking with confidence in your flip flops or strutting in your strappy pumps with charming to the eye beautifully formed feet is only moments away with Karess Krafters foot care line. Just in time for the summer shoe season!

A good foot care regimen includes: soak, scrub, wash, dry and moisturize

Soaking your feet helps soften the skin and allows the botanicals and oils to penetrate while you pamper yourself as well as take care of your feet. The nicest foot soak to use are the ones with Dead Sea Salt and mint because the salt draws out impurities, relieve swelling and comfort tired feet while the mint refreshes your tootsies. Our Foaming Foot Soak is a well-balanced formula with hints of mint, Dead Sea Salt and botanicals that lavishly soften, condition, and revitalize feet.

Following an invigorating foot soak, wash and exfoliate with our Pumice Foot Soap that has been formulated with natural exfoliants of blue cornmeal, pumice, and walnut shell to help improve rough and calloused areas of your feet. The inclusion of Cocoa and Shea butters lends a moisturizing, yet gentle soap for sore feet and hardened heels combined with Tea Tree essential oil because of its reported natural infection-fighting properties that ultimately reduce foot odor. *Note: the use of a pumice stone may be required for stubborn calluses.

After you have soaked, washed and exfoliated your feet, it is very important to dry your feet thoroughly, especially between your toes.

Finally, use our Lemon-Mint Foot Balm to moisturize and soothe your feet. Our formula is designed for rough, dry, peeling or cracked feet. The beneficial and healing addition of the miraculous Emu oil, skin-loving Fair Trade African Shea Butter and moisture-binding Jojoba oil lends an extremely rich and penetrating balm that will revive your feet. *Note: If you are doing this at night, a special treat is to heavily apply the balm and then put on cotton socks to allow plenty of time for the ingredients to absorb.