Tutorials on soapmaking, bath fizzies, lotions and more
This week featured new ideas to try this holiday season. The Horse Sculpted Layers Soap Tutorial is a newer technique made popular by Claudia Carpenter of Om Nom Soap. It involves using cardboard cutouts to create shapes in your soap. We used a horse cutout and an in-the-pot swirl to create these bars. It is an advanced tutorial that requires patience, but we think the results are definitely worth it!
The holidays will be here before you know it, so now is the time to start thinking of gifts. This week the blog was full of handmade gift ideas. The Melt and Pour Gem Soaps are a great option. They’re easy to make and customize with your favorite colors and scents. Find more inspiration in the Holiday Project Ideas post.
This week the blog was all about coconut oil. It’s a versatile ingredient that can be used in scrubs, balms and more. It’s commonly used at 33% or less in cold process soap, otherwise it can be drying on the skin. However, you can make a soap with 100% coconut oil. A 20% superfat helps make it moisturizing. This 100% Coconut Oil Soap is made with annatto seeds, bergamot essential oil and litsea essential oil.
The home spa theme continued this week with projects like the Lavender Lotion Bars. They’re made with argan oil, avocado butter and white beeswax, which feel moisturizing and luxurious on the skin. The lavender 40/42 essential oil gives the bars a relaxing scent. They work well on dry areas like elbows, hands and feet. The bars are also ideal for traveling because they fit easily in a bag or purse.
The holidays can be a stressful time of year, especially for busy crafters. This week the blog featured projects that promote relaxation, like the Cucumber and Lavender Bath Bombs. They’re scented with a calming blend of Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil and Cucumber Melon Fragrance Oil. They also have skin-loving cucumber extract.
It’s hard to believe October is here already. This week the blog featured fall-friendly tutorials like the Crescent Moon Cold Process Soap. The bars are all about contrast. They have a dark gray base and a bright yellow embed made with the Mini Moon Silicone Column Mold. They also have a touch of Gold Sparkle Mica sprinkled on top. For a smoky and complex scent, the soap has Tobacco & Bay Leaf Fragrance Oil.
More projects made with the Autumn Frost Fragrance Collection were shared on the blog this week, including the Vermont Maple Melt and Pour Soaps. They have a classic orange and yellow color scheme, as well as plenty of shimmer dusted on top. The Vermont Maple Fragrance Oil gives them a complex and comforting scent.
The Vermont Maple Fragrance Oil is part of the limited edition Autumn Frost Fragrance Collection. It features four new fall and winter fragrance oils, and is only available until September 30th. Don’t wait – you save $10 when buying the kit rather than buying the fragrance oils separately. See the kit here.
This week we introduced the new Autumn Frost Fragrance Collection. It includes four non-traditional fragrances: Cocoa Butter Cashmere Fragrance Oil, Vermont Maple Fragrance Oil, Sparkling Snowdrop Fragrance Oil and Cedar and Amber Fragrance Oil. We tested hundreds of fragrances and found the best for your fall and winter projects. Learn more about the collection in this post. Until September 30th, try the collection and save $10.
This week was all about fall. When the temperatures start dropping, a cup of hot coffee or tea is a perfect start to the day. Coffee and tea are also great in soap. They give bars a warm color and subtle scent. You can also use coffee grounds to exfoliate the skin and coffee butter to moisturize it. Learn more in the How to Use Coffee and Tea in Soap post.
Olive oil was the main focus on the blog this week. It’s a classic soapmaking oil that can be used up to 100% in your cold process recipes. This is referred to as Castile soap. The Simple Castile Cold Process Soap Tutorial is gentle and moisturizing on the skin. For a fresh and herby scent, Tomato Leaf Fragrance Oil is added.
It was a tasty week here on the blog with recipes like the Berry Rhubarb Crumble Soap. It’s scented with the new Red Berry Rhubarb Fragrance Oil, which is a perfect blend of sweet and tart. It complements the base, which is colored with Magenta Mica and Brick Red Oxide Pigment. Walnut shells and rolled oats create a realistic crumble top. The soap is finished with a dollop of soapy whipped cream.
The honey projects ended this week with recipes that exfoliate and soften the skin. The Wildflower Honey Sugar Scrub has strawberry seeds for extra exfoliation. To ensure the skin feels clean without being too dry, the recipe includes skin-loving jojoba oil. Wildflower Honey Fragrance Oil adds a sweet, floral scent.
This week the blog was all about honey. It’s popular in handmade bath and beauty products because it helps moisturize the skin. In cold process soap, it also helps create lather. Because honey can scorch if it gets too hot, temperatures are important. Click through the How to Use Honey in Bath and Body Products post for more information.
To aid in the fight against Colony Collapse Disorder, a variety of items inspired by honey bees are 10% off until August 19th with the code: SAVEBEES. Click here to see all the sale items. The exact amount you save will be donated to the UC Davis Honey Bee Research Fund.
Purple projects closed out the #SoaptheRainbow series this week. It’s hard to believe it’s already over. We loved seeing all your beautiful creations. There is still time to enter to win a Grand Prize worth more than $250. Enter to win here. If you’re in the mood for more purple inspiration, this blog post has you covered.
