Blueberry Thyme Soap - Stormy Ocean Wave!

Blueberry Thyme Soap - Stormy Ocean Wave!

I saw this recipe online at one of my favorite soaping sites, and thought it was so pretty I must give it a try.  It has all the great ingredients of a good homemade, handmade soap like, castor oil, coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil, sweet almond oil and sunflower oil.  I loved the texture that the added red sandalwood powder gives, and of course, the blueberry thyme fragrance is just delightful.

My soap didn't turn out quite as pretty as it should have because I neglected to read the instructions carefully enough and I added too much black oxide making the soap much darker in color than it should have been.  Hence the name Stormy Ocean Waves.

It was fun to make, it's always fun to try out a new soap recipe.  The excitement of having to wait to unmold and cut into bars to see how it turned out makes the process so much fun.

Blueberry Thyme Soap - Stormy Ocean Wave!

I have this loaf for sale at the Shelby, NC Foothills Farmer's Market.  Stop by and give us a look see.

Carpe Diem! Lil and Bill

Coconut Oil Soap - da Lime in da Coconut

Coconut Oil Soap - da Lime in da Coconut

Welcome to the newest soap here at the Farm!  I do love a soap that is simple, quick to cure, and as gentle as it comes.

This soap breaks the rules of soapmaking.  It's made with one oil, coconut oil, and it uses aloe juice in place of water.  It makes a smooth and creamy lather that cleanses well and leaves your skin soft and hydrated.  Normally, this soap would be considered a no-no, but in this formula it works, and it works beautifully!  This soap is 20% superfatted.  That means there's 20% of the coconut oil free floating within the soap (that the lye hasn't converted into soap) to moisturize your skin, so it's not drying at all.

If you've read any of my other posts, you are aware of the tremendous benefits of coconut oil.  It's moisturizing, cleansing, antibacterial, and is an antioxidant, all so good for your skin.

Coconut Oil

The other major ingredient in this soap is aloe juice.  The aloe juice replaces water that is usually used in soaps.  The aloe juice helps this soap to be soothing, healing, and is an antioxidant and antibacterial, all to help promote healthy skin.

Aloe Juice

That is it, a simple, pure, and unadulterated bar of soap that anyone can use.  Can I just say that the coconut lime fragrance is refreshing, and reminds me of Spring, Sun, Beach, and things growing green.  

Coconut Oil Soap - da Lime in da Coconut

I will be making this soap in at least one more fragrance, it will be a soft delicate scent that we all love and recognize, Baby Powder.  Stay tuned, it's coming soon!


Carpe Diem! Lil and Bill

Goat Milk Spa Soap with Charcoal and Rose Kaolin Clay

Here it is, the face soap that will be great for your skin and will complete the facial care system we have happening here on Wit's End Farm Blog.  The basis of all good skincare is clean skin, and I said I was coming up with a good soap that includes Kaolin Clay that will help to draw out the impurities from deep within your skin.  Here it is.  We have been using it here for a while, and all reports are in with a grade of A+.

Goat Milk Spa Soap with Charcoal and Clay

This soap starts out with a basic goat milk soap recipe, then we add in the activated charcoal and the kaolin rose clay.  The fragrances in this soap are just divine.  You can just imagine being transported to the most luxurious spa you've ever experienced, while staying right there in your own home.  And, it's so much less costly!

Let's look at the benefits of the ingredients in this soap:

Goat Milk

Goat Milk:  Goat milk soap is wonderful for people with dry or sensitive skin, or conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. It is also perfect for healthy skin that wants to stay that way. Unprocessed, raw goat milk contains the following benefits:  (1) Goat's milk contains precious skin loving minerals like selenium and  (2) it is loaded with vitamins, particularly vitamin A, the most important vitamin for the skin.  (3) As with other milks, goat's milk contains lactic acid, which is an alpha hydroxy acid, or AHA.  It is both an anti-aging wonder and a lifesaver for dry and sensitive skin.

Activated Charcoal

Homemade Ocean Breeze Dead Sea Salt Soap

I first saw this soap on Pinterest posted by Rebecca's Soap Delicatessen, and I immediately liked the idea of a salted soap. Unlike my standard shampoo bars, this one is a simpler soap, but with the added benefit of salt nutrition and exfoliation by the way of Dead Sea Salt. So, I decided to give it a try, and my version of it is this one.

It's made with coconut oil, olive oil, palm oil, and shea butter.  Added right at the end is a handful of Dead Sea Salt for the nutrition and exfoliation benefits and then sprinkled on the top to make for a beautiful soap bar that is so good for your skin. According to the San Francisco Salt Co., "Dead Sea Salts contain 21 minerals including magnesium, calcium, sulfur, bromide, iodine, sodium, zinc and potassium. These essential minerals naturally occur in our bodies but must be replenished, as they are lost throughout the day. These minerals are known to treat, detoxify, and cleanse our bodies."  

Handmade Rose Petal Soap!

A Beautiful Rose!

Roses. What woman doesn't love roses...the fragrance, the beauty, the softness of the petals. I think that roses are one of the most beautiful flowers on earth!  I love getting roses from the love of my life.  I love getting any flowers at all, from anyone at all, but, there's just something very special about a vase full of roses.

The sad part comes for me when they're spent and it's time to throw them away. I tend to keep them way beyond the last vestures of beauty because I resist parting with them.  Well, my friends, I have discovered a way that we can keep our roses and enjoy their lingering fragrance and delicate softness for months and months while using them to pamper ourselves and benefit our skin.

Handmade Rose Petal Soap!

To clarify, this is not a soap recipe or a tutorial on how to make soap.  This is a couple of ideas for you to incorporate into your very own soap recipes if you so desire.  

DIY Antibacterial Facial Cleansing Soap

I've been doing a bit of research whilst looking for a facial cleanser that will have a significant impact on acne.  It seems that charcoal has the ability to draw out impurities and toxins from the skin.  In so doing, it can help to relieve certain forms of skin problems.  Charcoal is a safe, gentle and natural ingredient that you may want to try.  It will not harm your body, some even advocate taking charcoal internally.  I, personally, haven't gone there yet.

Gentle Antibacterial Facial Cleansing Soap

I decided to use a pre-made soap base, or melt and pour (MP) soap, for this project.  I used a combination of Coconut Milk soap, and Aloe Vera and Olive Oil soap. The benefits of coconut for the skin are many.  As discussed in several other product blogs I have written, coconut is a moisturizer, antibiotic, multivitamin, and has anti-aging, anti-wrinkle and an anti-oxidant properties. Coconut Milk provides deep and real moisture. It helps strengthen underlying tissues and helps remove excessive dead cells on the skin's surface.  

Homemade Shampoo Soap Bar!

Luxurious Shampoo Bar!

I have spent a lot of time researching homemade shampoo.  I have even tried a couple of my own recipes, without much success.  Not too long ago I came upon this recipe from Great Cakes Soapworks for a Fabulous Shampoo Bar Recipe.  I have always used salon quality shampoos and conditioners, therefore I was a bit apprehensive at first.  We ladies can be very protective about our hair, but I went for it and made up a batch of her recipe, and wow, was I ever pleasantly surprised!

Hot Process Soap Making!

Hot Process Soap Making!

Making hot process soap is no easy task!  It does take some time and experience to get it right, and to get the artistic component down.  My first effort at making hot process soap was the Apple Crisp recipe.  I cooked the soap way to long, I had difficulty determining when it had reached the proper stage called saponification.  I had real problems when it came time to mold.  It was way too dry, and seized up when I began to mix in the additives.  I have since learned that I could have added water.  A whole bunch of the bars crumbled into pieces when slicing them.  Others may have thrown out the entire batch, it did cross my mind, but I just couldn't bring myself to waste all that good stuff!

Homemade Coconut and Kaolin Clay Soap!

Homemade Coconut and Kaolin Clay Soap!

More soap creations from the farm!  My daughter must inspire me.  When she places an order for soap, my brain goes into overdrive thinking of ways to make them different, and pretty. These are my latest.  I used coconut melt and pour soap base.  I just love coconut oil for my skin.  I love the way it moisturizes, protects, nourishes, and exfoliates all at the same time.

Homemade Coconut and Turmeric Soap!

Homemade Coconut and Turmeric Soap!

When I look at these soaps, I immediately think of those Creamsicles that I used to love as a child.  I probably still do, but I deny myself the pleasures.  I shouldn't, life is short.  But getting back to this soap, it not only looks delicious, but it smells wonderful, too!  It is colored using Turmeric powder,the benefits of which I noted in my post Homemade Pumpkin Turmeric Aloe Olive Oil Soap.   Blood Orange and Citrus Basil essential oils make taking a bath or shower with these lovely big bars an enjoyable experience.  Sweet Almond Oil will lightly moisturize, leaving your skin feeling soft and smooth to the touch.

Homemade Jasmine and Green Tea Soap!

Homemade Jasmine and Green Tea Soap!

This soap was inspired by a comforting cup of tea.  The generous size makes this honey and green tea soap great for the bath or shower.  The amber tea leaves mix wonderfully with the earthy green color of the wheat grass powder.  Bergamot, jasmine, and blood orange essential oils give a warm, sensual fragrance to the soap.  Olive oil softens the skin for a soft, smooth feel.

I used one pound of honey melt and pour soap.  I didn't have suspension soap base on hand, so I used Honey base instead and as a result, the tea leaves sunk to the bottom.  I steeped the green tea leaves for several minutes, then pressed out the water in a sieve before adding to the melted soap.  Then I mixed in the wheat grass, olive oil, and essential oils.  I made three large, 4.5 oz., bars, with a little left over for tiny sample bars.  I froze the unused tea leaves that had been soaked for later use, and used the tea water on my face as a detoxifying rinse.  Waste not, want not!

Homemade Pumpkin Turmeric Soap!

Homemade Pumpkin Turmeric Soap!

I found this recipe in a book that was given to me by a dear friend. It's the beginning of the Fall season, and pumpkin is in the air, so I decided to adapt the recipe to accommodate my Fall musings. The book is called "Soapmaking The Natural Way" by Rebecca Ittner.  I love this book, I find it to be totally inspiring!

Now, on to the formula for this beautiful soap!  I used an Aloe and Olive Oil Melt and Pour soap base.  For the coloring, I used a blend of Red and Gold Mica Powder and Turmeric to get that beautiful spicy deep pumpkin color.  For the scent I used Pumpkin and Apple Pie Spice fragrance oils to get that warm, pumpkin, spicy fragrance.

Homemade Juniper Breeze 3-Butter Soap!

Homemade Juniper Breeze 3-Butter Soap!

This all natural three-butter soap consists of Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, and Mango Seed Butter scented with Juniper Breeze Fragrance Oil.  To this I poured in about a cup of sage powder infused soap which created the two-tone color of the bars.

Homemade Chamomile Spice Soap!

Homemade Camomile Spice Soap

This wonderful spicy warm golden soap is made from Goat Milk and Honey melt and pour soap base.  I've added all the good stuff that's in the previous post, Homemade Citrus Sage Soap, except I exchanged the Sage for the Camomile Powder, and the essential oils in this soap are Vanilla, Cinnamon, and Clove.   I love it, both the fragrance and the color.  I made this one for a friend, but I want to make another batch for myself!  Here's a little information about the stars  of the show in this one:

Homemade Citrus Sage Soap!

Homemade Citrus Sage Soap!

This is one of the nicest soaps I've made!  It's very nice to look at, and it also smells wonderful.  This soap is made with Coconut melt and pour soap base.  To that I added lots of oils that are so very moisturizing for your skin, like Grape Seed Oil, Castor Oil, and Evening Primrose Oil. Then I added Sage Powder, Lemongrass, Lemon, and Grapefruit Essential Oils.

The result is a fragrant, pretty, so good for you moisturizing and beneficial soap bar.  This soap will make not only a wonderful body soap, but will be a terrific face cleansing soap as well.  Here are some of the benefits of these ingredients:

Homemade Face Cleanser & Make-up Remover Pads!

Face Cleanser & Make-up Remover Pads!

This project has been one of my most difficult ones to do, well, except for shampoo, I haven't been able to master that one yet.  There's lots of formulas out there for wipes, but I wanted one that would actually make my face feel good and look good.  We've all gone to bed with our make-up on, or just without washing our face, because we're too tired to go through the whole big rigmarole.  So, these are your answer to that problem if you're tired of using the commercial ones that cost a fortune, and make your skin dry, or worse yet, make you break out as they do me.

These are made with your simple cotton pads, in a 4 oz. jar containing 15 pads soaked with a whole bunch of goodness for your skin like:

Shea Butter All Natural Soap Tarts!

Shea Butter All Natural Soap Tarts!

Let me just say this, these are wonderful!  They're all natural with Sage, Alkanet, and Chamomile, and they weigh 2.6 oz. net wt. each.  I added all the natural oils that are in the "cookie" soaps, and added Powdered Sage and Sage EO to the Sage green tart, and Chamomile Powder and Orange, Nutmeg, and Clove EO blend to the yellow Chamomile tart.  The brown Alkanet tart has no additional fragrance, but with the Shea Butter and Coffee Oil, it has a very light fragrance reminiscent of a mochachino. The list of ingredients for these soap tarts is as follows: