Ok, so maybe not so new to everyone else in the Herby world, but totally new to me.

Handmade Soaps!

So much fun! Im totally and completely addicted.

So, here is how that happened. I was trolling facebook one day & saw all kinds of posts for these really (& I mean REALLY) creative soaps. Mermaid Tails sticking out the tops. Minion Faces imbedded, Troll faces etc etc. Anything that is popular was not only Inside the soaps, but topped in an intricate manner. Micas, Glitter, Food Coloring, Lake Oxides, Ultra marine Colors, more things than I could have ever imagined. I was astounded. I was also astounded that all these materials could be used in soaps. But to be honest, I was also a little put off by all the added ingredients. Food coloring in body products? No. Just no. Then I joined a few groups and realized, there is a whole world out there of soap makers that utilize natural ingredients. No one told me it was going to be addictive though.

A little warning would have been nice.

So the research began. Hours, days, weeks later I decided to try it. Ordered some Lye, Olive and Coconut oil and started. We already know that Herbally infused oils are nourishing for the skin. But did you know that these same oils can be used in your soap? As a general rule, I usually have about 10 to 20 mason jars filled with herbs infusing in Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I have a real problem. :) At least according to the Donkey. My 1st trial was with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. BEAUTIFUL Soap. Takes about 6 months to cure fully though.

UGH I want to use it as soon as possible. So the next day, yes the next day, I utilized Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, water and Lye. 4 weeks to cure approprietly and its good to go.

By the way, Soapcalc.net is an amazing tool to find out how much lye to use in your formulation. Know what I found? This is beautiful. Nourishing, soft, creamy and bubbly. The experimentating began! Chammomile, Comfrey,

Calendula infused Olive oil. All amazingly soft beautiful oils, turned into soap!

Next experimentation began with Lard. Why? Because its a sustainable source of a fat that is readily available to me. And it makes an amazingly wonderful bar of soap. Nice and hard, not too long of a cure time and affordable. Utilizing herbal infused olive oil and lard makes an amazing soap. Super easy to do, time and room consuming, but well worth every bit of it. It is absolutely amazing to create something that you, your family and your customers can use on the daily w/o worrying about synthetic or harsh chemicals.

Enjoy!