When making both cold process and melt and pour soap, a spray bottle of 99% Isopropyl Alcohol is helpful. Also known as rubbing alcohol, isopropyl alcohol helps to prevent soda ash on cold process soap, and helps layers stick together when working with melt and pour. It is also helpful to have on hand to clean up messy surfaces after making projects!
The two most common types of alcohol are isopropyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol. The basic difference between the two is that ethyl alcohol is commonly used for consumption, while isopropyl alcohol is used for topical application. Isopropyl alcohol is not safe for consumption.
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Archives for August 2014
Soapy Social Media Roundup
I hope you are all having a great Labor Day weekend! Mine has been filled with sunshine and gardening. With summer ending, I’m trying my best to harvest summer crops and get ready for fall. Luckily, the warm weather lasts into September here in the Pacific Northwest, so there is still time to enjoy the sun before the fall chill sets in. I do need to pull most of my kale because it got powdery mildew (yes, I dried water + milk 1:9 ratio and some other things I’ve read online to try), so I’ll be replanting kale this weekend too. Speaking of fall, be sure to sign up for our Newsletter to be in the know about upcoming promotions and exclusive projects. We have some really fun and festive holiday and fall ideas, and can’t wait to share them with you. In the meantime, here are my favorite pins, tweets and instagrams from the past few weeks! Pins: Left to right, clockwise:
- This Rose Necklace and Ring Tutorial by The Idea Room is adorable. I would love to use a deep purple color and wear the necklace during fall.
- Doesn’t this Tomato and Blueberry Salad look delicious? I have never tried blueberries in a salad before, I love the color they add.
- With vibrant colors and an amazing swirl, this Dusk to Dawn Soap by Petals Bath Boutique is a showstopper. If you’d like to try a Faux Funnel Pour, check out this Soap Queen Tv video!
- As summer ends, it’s time to start planning my fall garden. Here are 10 Vegetables to Grow in Fall, I might try to grow some garlic.
Instagram: With fall on it’s way and Pumpkin Spice Lattes officially hitting stores on September 2nd, we have been busy creating pumpkin inspired projects =) Be on the look out for them next week! Creating a textured soap top is easy; simply use a spoon to make peaks! Covering it with Sparkle Gold Mica doesn’t hurt either =) Tweets:
- When trying to lose weight, it can be tempting to hop on the scale several times a day. Here are 5 reasons why you should use your scale sparingly.
- It would seem that all scientific studies offer life changing breakthroughs, but many are simply bad science. When reading a scientific study, here are things to look for to help evaluate the claims of the study.
- According to the Wall Street Journal, yoga participation only grew 4.5% in 2013, while the sales for yoga apparel increased by 45%! Seems comfortable and stylish is a winning combination.
- What does social media’s ability to make us all “microcelebrities” mean for our lives? Creating and sharing content online continues to shape how we build relationships.
- If you suffer from anxiety, here are 6 Tips for Fighting Anxiety (with one being especially important!)
Have a great rest of your holiday weekend! To keep up with the latest soapy social media throughout the week, you can follow me on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine and YouTube.
Facebook Photo of the Week (Aug. 23rd ~ Aug. 29th)
Even though it’s almost September, here at Bramble Berry we haven’t given up on summer yet! We celebrated the sunshine with a yearly barbecue. Everyone brought a dish to share and we enjoyed each other’s company.
Whipped Cold Process Soap Frosting on Soap Queen TV
One of the amazing things about soap making is the wide variety of different techniques and possibilities. In this episode of Soap Queen TV, I show you how to create one of my favorite soapy techniques…cold process soap frosting! Simply whip together cool oils and lye to create a light and fluffy texture that is great for piping. Soap frosting is incredibly versatile, and works great for soap cupcakes, or soapy flowers.
Bramble Berry Summer Barbecue
Warm weather means fun outdoor activities like swimming in the lake, gardening and of course – barbecues! Here at Bramble Berry, we celebrate summer each year with a company barbecue. Everyone brings delicious dishes to share. We all take a break and enjoy good food, sunny atmosphere and great company.
Save the Honey Bee Melt & Pour Soap
The decline of the honey bee population, known as Colony Collapse Disorder, poses a serious threat to our ecosystem. Researchers estimate one-third of all honey bee colonies in the country have vanished. With a wide variety of agricultural crops pollinated by honey bees, the potential impact to our environment and economy is serious.
Unfortunately, the cause of the honey bee population decline remains a mystery. While theories have been posed, more research is crucial to identifying the cause. To aid research, Bramble Berry donates $3.50 for every Save the Honey Bee Mold sold to the UC Davis Honey Bee Research Fund.
As of July, more than $260 has been donated! Bramble Berry will continue to donate to the program every quarter. Not only are these molds supporting a great cause, they make an adorable bar of soap. Scented with Wildflower Honey Fragrance Oil, this project is a great way to get crafty while making a difference.
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Fresh Face Round Up + Chamomile and Calendula Infused Toner
Last week was full of recipes created to pamper your face. For dry skin in need of additional moisture, the Lavender and Aloe Lotion and Lavender and Chamomile Cleansing Bar feature hydrating ingredient such as Sweet Almond Oil, Shea Butter and Jojoba Oil. If your skin is on the oilier side, the Tea Tree and Rosemary Cleansing Bar and Oil-Free Lavender Lotion help control oil and keep skin feeling comfortable.
Top row (left to right): Lavender and Aloe Lotion, Oil-Free Lavender Lotion
Bottom row: Oily & Dry Cleansing Bars
Soap Queen Cuisine: Blueberry Breakfast Bowl
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Starting the day with a full stomach helps me to think clearly and maintain energy into early afternoon. Some days it can be hard to make time for breakfast, but I always regret it when I don’t. This recipe takes a little bit of prep, but it’s so worth it!
Made with protein-packed greek yogurt and a variety of nuts, seeds and fruits, this breakfast bowl is full of omega-3 fatty acids. The fresh fruit adds just the right amount of sweetness, but you can add a little honey if you like. Keep in mind the amount of ingredients listed below can easily be adjusted depending on your personal taste. I sometimes like to make this the night before, and throw it in my work bag in the morning.
Facebook Photo of the Week (Aug. 15th ~ Aug. 22nd)
This week on the blog was all about keeping your face smooth and refreshed, no matter what your skin type. The Fresh Face Skin Care Series included several skin-loving tutorials, including Lavender and Aloe Lotion. Made with moisturizing Sweet Almond Oil and lightly scented with Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil, it’s a lovely combination for dry skin. [Read more…]
Guest Post: Hot Air Balloon Melt and Pour
Erica Pence from Bath Alchemy makes beautiful soap and shares a wide variety of soapy tutorials on her blog. Today, Erica is sharing a tutorial for colorful Hot Air Balloon Soap! Below are the instuctions to make this soap using melt and pour, but as you can see from the photo below, it’s possible to use cold process as well. -AM
Searching for a New S.O.A.P. Panel!
Do you love testing new fragrances in your soapy projects? Here at Bramble Berry, we receive hundreds of fragrance oil samples. To help choose the very best fragrances to add to our line, we are looking for eight new members to join our S.O.A.P Panel! As part of the panel, you will have the opportunity to test eight new mystery fragrances, and help us decide which new scents to add to our lineup.
Each member of the panel will receive eight 1 oz. bottles of fragrance oil. These fragrances can be tested in cold process, melt and pour, lotions or other bath and body products. To keep opinions unbiased, the fragrances will not have names, but instead will be labeled with a number. Not knowing the name is part of the fun!
At the end of the testing and reviewing process, each S.O.A.P. Panel member will fill out a survey regarding the fragrances. We then review this survey, and choose the very best fragrances to add to our line. While not a requirement, many S.O.A.P. (aka: Soap Opinion Awesome Panel) members share their opinions and test results on their blog, Facebook pages or other social media outlets. We love hearing your honest opinions regarding the fragrances, so an ideal member of the panel won’t hold their feelings back!
Previous S.O.A.P. panel fragrance winners were: Mandarin Oasis Fragrance Oil, Mahogany Fragrance Oil, Autumn Fig Harvest Fragrance Oil, Lavender and Cedar Fragrance Oil, and Heavenly Honeysuckle Fragrance Oil.
Note: S.O.A.P. Panel members have about 7 weeks to test the fragrances. Please make sure you will be able to commit to testing all fragrances before entering. Because these fragrances can’t ship internationally, we are not able accept international entries.
This old post is a great example of what previous S.O.A.P. panel members have done for testing, blogging and tweeting. If you’d like to see more examples of how S.O.A.P. Panel members have shared their opinions and test results, check out the links below!
- Costa Productions: SOAP Panel Testing
- I’d Rather Be Soaping: Testing SOAP Panel Mystery Scents!
- Rustic Relevance: SOAP Panel Fragrance Review
- Presque Isle Soap Co: Soap Panel
Want to join in the fun? Entering is easy!
To Enter:
- Tweet, Facebook, Pin, Instagram or blog about your favorite Bramble Berry product (including the links) and why you should be selected for the S.O.A.P. team.
- Comment on this blog post, with links to your social media updates.
- The last day to enter is August 28th. You can still post about your favorite BB product, but you won’t be considered for the panel!
- S.O.A.P. Panel will be announced by September 5th and samples will be sent out by September 10th.
- Completed surveys need to be returned by November 3rd.
Ready, Set … Apply! =)
Fresh Face Oil Free Lavender Lotion
For oily skin, keeping the face hydrated can be difficult. While additional oil can lead to break outs, a lack of moisture can cause dry patches, tightness and flaking. This Fresh Face Oil-Free Lavender Lotion was created with oily skin types in mind. This lotion delivers light-weight hydration that leaves skin feeling refreshed without excess oil.
Made with conditioning BTMS-50, and oil-absorbing Tapioca Powder, this lotion keeps skin comfortable throughout the day. While it does contain a very small amount of oil via the Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil, you can omit the essential oil if you’d like. If your skin is dry, you may prefer the Lavender and Aloe Lotion Tutorial.
Fresh Face Lavender & Aloe Lotion
Light-weight and moisturizing, this Lavender and Aloe Lotion is great for dry facial skin. Made with skin loving ingredients such as DL-Panthenol and Sweet Almond Oil, this lotion helps skin feel soft and hydrated. It can also be used on the rest of the body to give additional moisture and smooth rough skin. If your skin is more on the oily side, you may prefer the Oil-Free Lavender Lotion Tutorial.
Fresh Face Cleansing Bars for Dry & Oily Skin
An important step in any skincare routine involves keeping your skin clear of excess dirt and oil. These facial cleansers created with melt and pour soap are specially formulated to suit either dry or oily skin.
For dry skin try the bar at the end of this post. Treat yourself to a luxurious and moisturizing blend of Shea Butter and Jojoba Oil in our Shea Melt & Pour base. This results in a soap that doesn’t really lather due to the extra oil & butter, but it is mild and gentle for dry skin. If your skin is on the oily side try the recipe directly below, Green Zeolite Clay helps absorb excess oil while Olive Leaf Powder is known for its antiseptic properties.