Anne-Marie Faiola, Author at Soap Queen

Activated Charcoal Skin Benefits & Tips for Use

January 23, 2017 Filed Under: Tips & Tricks

Activated charcoal has become a popular ingredient for skin care products in the past few years. But it’s not new – charcoal has been used in the beauty and medical industries for years. Charcoal is known for its ability to absorb and draw out oil from the skin. This makes charcoal a fantastic addition to soaps, scrubs, masks and more.

There are various types, including activated charcoal, sugar charcoal and Japanese charcoal (aka white charcoal). The different types of charcoal have various origins and production methods. “Regular” charcoal usually comes from wood, coal or peat. This type of charcoal is often used as fuel. Activated charcoal, on the other hand, is most commonly used for medical, beauty or purification processes. To become “activated,” the charcoal goes through a high temperature steam activation process. This process increases its surface area, which increases the charcoal’s ability to absorb and filter. This makes activated charcoal the proper choice for medical and cosmetic use.

In particular, activated charcoal is fantastic for oily skin. Its ability to absorb oil and dirt from pores leaves skin feeling balanced. If you have dry skin, activated charcoal may be a little bit too drying. Some use charcoal in their hair care to add volume, and some even use it in their tooth care regimen (keep in mind the charcoal at Bramble Berry is not meant to be consumed in anyway).

Want to add charcoal to your bath and body products? Interestingly, activated charcoal is not water soluble. A great example of this was in the Black Bath Bombs Test; the bath bombs made with activated charcoal left plenty of residue on the tub, because the charcoal did not want to mix with the water. A touch of Polysorbate 80 helped the activated charcoal blend in better with the water.

Activated charcoal is not water soluble, and does not work well in bath bombs without an emulsifier as shown in this post.

If you’re adding charcoal to your project, dispersing it in oil helps it mix in easier. Use 1 teaspoon charcoal to 1 tablespoon 99% isopropyl alcohol for melt and pour soap and a lightweight liquid oil for cold process soap. Activated charcoal can be added directly to melt and pour or cold process soap batter, but dispersing does help get rid of clumps. If you’d like to try adding it to emulsified projects like lotion, I recommend a small test batch first. We actually tried adding it to the clay mask recipes (which are essentially lotions) and found the charcoal did not mix in very well, even with plenty of stick blending (see photo below).

In our tests, activated charcoal did not mix in very well to emulsified clay masks.

In addition to the skin benefits, activated charcoal gives products a beautiful black color. Charcoal can create a gray lather and transfer color to a washcloth if a lot is used in a recipe. In my experience, I have not found charcoal soap stains washcloths permanently. If you use enough charcoal to create a dark black color, chances are it will give your lather a little color. For cold process and melt and pour soap, start with 1 teaspoon of dispersed charcoal per pound of soap. Add more color until you get the shade you like. A light to dark gray shade in soap will most likely not create a gray lather.

Charcoal is dispersed in oil and added to the soap batter in the Charcoal & Cedar Beer Soap Tutorial.

Now, let’s talk about handling activated charcoal. There is no way around it – this stuff is messy. It’s a very small and light powder, so it has a tendency to “poof” up into the air. If you’ve used activated charcoal, you know it can have a tendency to get everywhere. When working with it, I recommend closing windows and shutting off any fans to help avoid an unnecessary mess. If you do get charcoal on your hands while working with it, I recommend washing it off with water and soap. Once, I left activated charcoal on my knuckles for about an hour while formulating recipes. My knuckles were extremely dry for about a week! It has some serious absorbing properties.

Looking for some charcoal recipe inspiration? Check out the tutorials below, and be on the lookout for more recipes this week!

How to Market & Label Handmade Face Masks

January 20, 2017 Filed Under: Business Musings

Thinking about creating and selling your own skin care products? Our clay mask recipes (Lavender, Sea Clay and Turmeric) are a great place to start. Don’t let the list of ingredients intimidate you, they are easy to make. Because the recipe has such a large water content, they can be quite cost effective to sell. When selling skin care, there are some important things to keep in mind, including labeling and claiming what the product can do.

Mask Cosmetic Claims vs. Medical Claims
Depending on what claims you make, the product is classified as a drug, cosmetic or soap by the FDA. If your product claims to treat or heal the body in any way, it is considered a drug and requires additional testing. For your product to be considered a cosmetic, it can only claim to beautify, promote attractiveness or alter ones appearance. The clay masks are considered a cosmetic by the FDA. But, if you make a claim that the masks cure, treat or heal the skin, they are considered a drug. Learn more about medical vs. drug claims here.

So, if you’re planning on adding a clay mask to your line…what can you say? Acceptable claims include saying the masks are moisturizing, conditioning, calming, skin-loving, beautifying, mattifying, or hydrating. You cannot advertise the masks as intended for certain skin conditions. For example, calling the mask a “Sea Clay Mask for Acne,” implies that it is intended to cure acne. Even if it has beneficial properties for acne-prone skin, the product was not tested to treat the skin by the FDA.

Medical and cosmetic claims can be a little confusing and frustrating. I’m sure you have seen plenty of people selling their products by making medical claims. Every small business owner must make the decision for themselves to adhere to the rules of the FDA or not. I always recommend to err on the side of caution to protect you and your business. It’s not worth the risk!

Labeling the Masks
Now, let’s talk labeling. For each recipe, we included free downloadable labels that can be printed on label paper and applied to the jars. These labels are great for gifting to friends or for personal use. But if you’re selling the masks, they need to be properly labeled with ingredients. To properly label your products, there are several rules to adhere to; click here to see the complete labeling guide by the FDA. It’s not the most interesting subject matter, but reviewing labeling rules and regulations is a must for small business owners.

Let’s take a look at the recipe for the Lavender Clay Mask, and go over how to properly label this product. The ingredients need to be listed in order of prominence in the recipe. The list of ingredients need to include the common name for the ingredient. Including the INCI name in parentheses is not required, but can be helpful for your customers. Learn more about INCI names and labeling here.

Lavender Clay Mask Recipe
21.4 oz. Distilled Water
1 oz. Argan Oil
1.3 oz. Avocado Oil
1 oz. Polawax Emulsifying Wax
0.8 oz. BTMS-50 Conditioning Wax
3.5 oz. Kaolin Clay
1 oz. Purple Brazilian Clay
2 mL Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil
0.5 oz. Evening Primrose Extract
0.2 oz. Optiphen

The ingredient list would look like this:

Water (Aqua), Kaolin Clay (Kaolinite), Avocado Oil (Persea Gratissima), Argan Oil (Argania Spinosa), Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Montmorillonite, Kaolin, Mica, Emulsifying Wax NF, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Fractionated Coconut Oil (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride) Evening Primrose Oil (Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract), Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Lavender Essential Oil (Lavandula Angustifolia)

The first few ingredients are straightforward. Water, kaolin clay, avocado oil and argan oil are listed along with their INCI names in parentheses. Including the INCI name in parentheses is optional. Then, we get to purple Brazilian clay, which is made up of several ingredients. The ingredients within the purple Brazilian Clay are listed, separated by commas.

Moving right along, we get to the Polawax Emulsifying Wax, which is a brand name and is protected by trade secret laws. The official INCI for that is “Emulsifying Wax NF.” BTMS-50 is made up of different ingredients, so the individual ingredients are listed. The same goes for the evening primrose extract and Optiphen. Lavender 40/42 essential oil does not contain multiple ingredients, so the INCI name goes into the parentheses.

All the ingredients can look intimidating to a customer. So it’s important to educate yourself about the ingredients in your products to address any questions or concerns. Choosing to not properly label the product in order to make it look “safer” or more appealing is not the answer. Being able to address the importance of preservatives (“This product would grow mold without it!”) or the importance of an emulsifier (“That’s what binds together the water and skin-loving oils”) gives your customers the ability to make informed decisions about the products they buy. It will also build trust in you as a maker, and in your company.

If you’re looking for more labeling information and resources, check out the blog posts below. In addition, take the time to thoroughly read the Cosmetic Labeling Guide. If you find it overwhelming and boring (I hear you!), take it piece by piece and read small sections everyday. Marie Gale is also a fantastic resource on labeling; I highly recommend perusing her blog and investing in her book, Soap and Cosmetic Labeling.

How to Multi-Mask for Your Skin Type

January 18, 2017 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Tips & Tricks

Have you heard of multi-masking? Essentially, it’s the process of applying different masks to various areas of your face to target specific skin care concerns. For example, let’s say you have an oily T-zone but dry cheeks. Products for oily skin on your dry cheeks wouldn’t be the best fit…but your T-zone would love them! Multi-making is a fun (and usually colorful!) way to balance your skin and give it the TLC it needs. Learn more about our clay mask recipes and the benefits of each.

Below, Lily demonstrates how to multi-mask using the Sea Clay Mask and the Turmeric Clay Mask. Lily has an oily T-zone and normal skin on her cheeks. The Sea Clay Mask contains the most clay of all the recipes, making it great for oily skin. The Turmeric Clay Mask is suitable for combination to oily skin. To get started, Lily applied the Sea Clay Mask to the oily areas of her skin. In her case, this is her chin, nose and forehead.

Then, the Turmeric Clay Mask is applied to the cheeks to address those skin concerns. Because it does not contain as much clay as the Sea Clay Mask, it won’t leave her cheeks feeling dry and uncomfortable.

Once your skin is covered in homemade clay mask goodness, it’s time to wait. And if you’re getting your photos taken during this process, that obviously involves cheesin’ for the camera! 😉

After about 10-15 minutes, the masks will begin to dry. Wash them off with warm water. There is no need to wash your skin after, but you can if you’d like. If you are applying the Lavender Clay Mask, which contains less clay, it may not dry in 10-15 minutes. Because it does not contain much clay, it may remain a lotion-like texture. If your cheeks are dry rather than comfortable (like Lily’s), I would recommend applying the Lavender Clay Mask to your cheeks and the Sea Clay Mask to your T-zone. What’s your perfect multi-making combination?

Which Face Mask is Right for You?

January 16, 2017 Filed Under: Tips & Tricks

Facial skin varies widely from person to person. From dry and flaky to oily and shiny, everybody’s skin is a little bit different. Skin type determines which products and ingredients are the best for you. Last week, we shared three clay face mask recipes: Lavender Clay Mask, Sea Clay Mask and a Turmeric Clay Mask. Each mask is formulated for a different skin type and concern. Learn more about each mask below and find out which is right for your skin.

Not sure what type of skin you have? Think about how your skin would feel midday without a moisturizer. If your skin feels tight and uncomfortable, you have dry skin. If your skin is comfortable without a moisturizer, you are on the oilier side. If areas of your skin feel comfortable, while other areas feel dry, you have combination skin. Another good test is to run your finger across your T-zone (chin, nose and forehead) midday. Do you see oil on your finger? If so, you most likely have combination to oily skin. Keep in mind that skin type can change during the year depending on the season. You may be dry during the winter, and oily during the summer.

Lavender Clay Face Mask – This mask is formulated for dry skin. It contains the least amount of kaolin clay to lessen the oil absorbing properties. Purple Brazilian clay adds a beautiful color. The mask contains argan oil, which is well known for its intense moisturizing properties and large amounts of vitamin A and E. Evening primrose extract is wonderful for soothing dryness, making it a good choice for dry skin. Lavender 40/42 essential oil gives this face mask a soft, calming scent. If your skin is extremely sensitive, you may want to omit the essential oil from the recipe. Because this mask does not contain a large amount of clay, it will only dry on the skin if a very thin layer is applied.

Sea Clay Face Mask – The Sea Clay Mask is formulated for oily skin and contains the largest amount of clay. Equal amounts of kaolin clay and sea clay are used. Kaolin clay is a fantastic gentle clay, while sea clay adds some serious oil absorbing properties. It has a thick texture and dries completely on the face after about 15 minutes. Tea tree essential oil adds a refreshing scent, and some studies claim it has antimicrobial properties. Hazelnut oil is ideal for oily skin as it absorbs quickly with no greasy residue. This mask also contains ginseng extract, which comes from the ginseng root and is commonly used for homeopathic treatments.

Turmeric Clay Face Mask – This mask is formulated for combination to oily skin, or if you are concerned about redness or dullness. The only clay in this mask is kaolin clay, which has mild oil absorbing properties. This mask does contain enough clay to dry on the skin, giving that classic clay mask feeling. Turmeric contains curcumin, which is an anti-oxidant and is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties. Don’t worry about this mask leaving your skin yellow; it washes off cleanly with warm water. This mask contains carrot extract and carrot seed essential oil, both of which are rich in vitamins A and E.

Of course the best part about making your own skin care is being able to tweak the recipes for your skin. Feel free to swap out the essential oils, clay, extracts and more for something that may work for your skin better. A small test batch is always a good idea! Each clay post above also includes tips for recipe substitutions and changes. If you’d like to learn more about which kind of clay is best for your skin, click here.

Start 2017 Right – Join the Challenge!

January 14, 2017 Filed Under: Personal Ramblings

Phew! Can you believe we’re already into the second week of January? The kids are back in school (am I the only one that is super excited about that?) and some normalcy has resumed in my life. Of course, this routine-normal-phew-feeling won’t last for long. There are multiple business trips coming up – an event on succession planning (a fancy way of saying I’m going to spend 3 days in a hotel room learning all the ways that owners transfer companies and leadership when they retire, become incapacitated or die, none of which I plan to do anytime soon), working the Seattle Gift Show with the Best Day Ever stationery line and walking the Las Vegas trade show floor for some trendspotting. It’s a lot of airplane trips, but they are designed to be fast so I’m away from the family as little as possible.

Bramble Berry has been rockin’ and rollin’ with new product development (helllllo new best friend, my powerful stick blender). We just filmed new Soap Queen TV episodes (check our latest Instagram story to see sneak peeks before it disappears) and released some awesome all-in-one Handmade Beauty Box kits. I’m also starting to turn my eye toward the keynote at the Handcrafted Soap & Cosmetics Guild Conference in Las Vegas on May 1st and sketching out the talk.

It’s only been 2 weeks but so far, goals for 2017 are on track minus the sugar goal. What I thought would be the tough goals are making continual learning habit based and restarting my meditation habit. It’s been great to have my husband join me in getting up early so we can both do our daily planning before the children wake up. In addition to planning, I’ve been diving into Robert Greene’s books in the morning. They’re so dense, I don’t get much more than a few pages read before it’s time to make kiddo’s breakfast and start the school drop-off wrangle. Those few pages are worth it though. It seems like every other page is an ah-ha moment. Sugar on the other hand; man oh man, it is in **everything**. Which leads me to the below statement…

If your 2017 goal was to lose weight, start working out, sleep better, fight chronic illness or (sheepish grin) dump sugar, I’ve got just the thing! Starting January 16th, I’m leading another fitness and nutrition challenge; join me here! This 42 day-long challenge is not designed to be a “detox” or an “elimination diet.” Instead, this challenge is designed to give you the tools to positively change your eating and fitness habits for a lifetime. It’s the perfect way to get 2017 off on the right foot to make that investment in yourself and your best future. Included in the challenge cost are daily support and education emails (example of that below!), 3 pre-challenge days to ease you into it, a meal plan, a shopping list, a downloadable journal and an “accountability page” that helps keep track of your progress. It’s less than $1 per day and it’s like getting a little dose of me every morning in your InBox and Facebook feed =) Speaking of the the Facebook group, there are 63 active, friendly, and supportive people and there and we would love to have you join us. We officially start Monday. Learn more and sign up here. (And now, I’m going to go finish a Star Wars themed DIY gift pack for a 7 year old’s birthday party. I’ll post a photo of the final product on my Snapchat bramble-berry when it’s done).

I hope to see you in the challenge group. The past challenges have been so inspiring and rewarding. Helping others reach their fitness and nutrition goals is an amazing feeling. I love seeing the difference it makes in every aspect of life! Have the best day ever =)

DIY Turmeric Clay Face Mask

January 13, 2017 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Lotion

Turmeric is a plant of the ginger family, and is usually used in dry powder form. Its commonly added to dishes like curry and has been used in Chinese medicine for years. Turmeric contains curcumin, which is an anti-oxidant and is thought to have anti-inflammatory properties. This Turmeric Clay Face Mask recipe harnesses the properties of this powerful spice, along with luxurious ingredients like carrot seed essential oil and carrot extract. They’re a blast to make, and are a great way to get creative and give your skin a fresh start to the new year!

This clay mask was specifically designed for normal to oily skin types. It contains kaolin clay, which is fine-grained and gentle on the skin. Carrot extract is high in vitamins A and E, and is thought to soothe the skin. Carrot seed essential oil is rich in vitamins and carotene. It has a distinct herby smell that’s not everybody’s favorite, but this recipe uses a small amount so it’s not overwhelming.

I was a bit worried this mask would leave my skin yellow. Luckily, it washes of clean with no staining. On a personal note, I have a bit of redness to my skin and I felt this mask really made a difference. It could be the yellow color of the turmeric neutralizing that redness, but hey, I’ll take it! As always, if you’re selling this product, you cannot claim it cures redness or any skin condition.

Speaking of medical claims and skin care products, you’ll find plenty of claims online that turmeric treats various medical conditions. If you are selling a product that contains turmeric (like this mask!), be careful about making medical claims. If your product claims to treat the skin or body in anyway, your product is considered a drug and needs testing by the FDA. Learn more about cosmetics and medical claims here.

A few notes about recipe substitutions and changes:

Polawax Emulsifying Wax is a highly reliable and strong emulsifier. It could be substituted for the generic version, Emulsifying Wax, if you prefer, although this recipe was not tested with Emulsifying Wax. Due to the clay in the recipe, we splurged and used Polawax Emulsifying Wax to avoid any chance of separation.
This recipe calls for avocado and meadowfoam oil. Other oils can be used instead if you prefer; we recommend staying with liquid oils that absorb easily into the skin. Changing the total amount of oil in the recipe will change the overall texture of the mask.
Because this recipe is essentially a lotion and contains a large amount of water, a preservative is necessary to avoid mold and bacterial growth. We chose Optiphen, but other water soluble preservatives will work. Learn more about preservatives here.
Increase the total amount of clay if you want it to be better suited for oily skin, or decrease the amount to make it better for dry skin. Decreasing the amount of clay may create a thinner product.
If you prefer to use different clays, feel free to swap them. Clays have different absorbing properties, which will affect how it feels on the skin. Learn which clay is right for your skin.
If you have very sensitive skin, fragrance and essential oils can be irritating. Omit from the recipe if you prefer.
Carrot extract can be substituted with a different extract if you prefer.

[Read more…]

DIY Sea Clay Face Mask

January 11, 2017 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Lotion

Sea clay is a classic ingredient for facial masks. It originates from mud laid under the sea millions of years ago and has a grayish green color. Sea clay has great absorption properties, which makes it perfect for oily skin. This Sea Clay Face Mask was specifically formulated for oily skin with a combination of kaolin clay and sea clay. Tea tree essential oil gives the mask a fresh scent.

Because this mask contains plenty of clay, it has a nice thick texture. It also dries on the skin after about 10-15 minutes, giving you that classic “dry” clay mask feeling. You know the one! If you’d like to tweak this recipe for more normal or combination skin, you can decrease the amount of sea clay to 1-2 ounces. If you decrease the amount of clay, it may take a little longer to dry on the skin.

If you have extremely sensitive skin, tea tree essential oil sitting on the skin for 10-15 minutes could be a little irritating. If you’re concerned, you can omit it completely from the recipe. You can also switch out the extract for another if you prefer.

A few notes about recipe substitutions and changes:

Polawax Emulsifying Wax is a highly reliable and strong emulsifier. It could be substituted for the generic version, Emulsifying Wax, if you prefer, although this recipe was not tested with Emulsifying Wax. Due to the clay in the recipe, we splurged and used Polawax Emulsifying Wax to avoid any chance of separation.
This recipe calls for avocado and hazelnut oil. Other oils can be used instead if you prefer; we recommend staying with liquid oils that absorb easily into the skin. Changing the total amount of oil in the recipe will change the overall texture of the mask.
Because this recipe is essentially a lotion and contains a large amount of water, a preservative is necessary to avoid mold and bacteria growth. We chose Optiphen, but other water soluble preservatives will work. Learn more about preservatives here.
Decrease the total amount of clay if you want it to be better suited for dry skin. Decreasing the amount of clay may create a thinner product.
If you prefer to use different clays, feel free to swap them. Clays have different absorbing properties, which will affect how it feels on the skin. Learn which clay is right for your skin.
If you have very sensitive skin, fragrance and essential oils can be irritating. Omit from the recipe if you prefer.
Ginseng extract can be substituted with a different extract if you prefer.

[Read more…]

DIY Lavender Clay Face Mask

January 9, 2017 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Lotion

Usually clay masks are designed for oily skin. Because clay absorbs oil, it’s a natural fit. This Lavender Clay Face Mask was specifically formulated for dry and sensitive skin. Don’t let the list of ingredients intimidate you – it’s surprisingly easy to make! Transforming the clay, water and oil into a luxurious mask is a satisfying and rewarding creative process.

This Lavender Clay Mask recipe contains a luxurious blend of argan and avocado oil to moisturize the skin. Argan oil is well known for its nourishing properties, and contains high percentages of vitamins A and E. The oils and distilled water are mixed together with Polawax Emulsifying Wax and BTMS-50 Conditioning Wax. These emulsifiers create a smooth, creamy, lotion-like texture, and prevent separation of the oil and water.

A mixture of kaolin and purple Brazilian clay is added to the water and oils. The majority of the clay in this mask is kaolin clay, which is very fine and gentle. Purple Brazilian clay adds a beautiful color and helps create a thicker mask. Lavender 40/42 Essential Oil adds a light scent, but can be omitted if your skin is extremely sensitive. Evening primrose extract adds skin-loving properties, but can easily be swapped for any other extract you may prefer. Find out more about extracts here.

Overall, this mask has a lotion-like texture that spreads easily on the skin. Because it’s formulated with dry skin in mind, it contains a fairly small amount of clay. If you apply a very thin layer to the skin, you’ll find that after about 10 minutes it will dry. But if a heavier application is used, it may not fully dry and will continue to have a wet, lotion feel. If you prefer the mask to fully dry on the skin, increase the amount of total clay in the recipe to about 6 ounces.

A few notes about recipe substitutions and changes:

Polawax Emulsifying Wax is a highly reliable and strong emulsifier. It could be substituted for the generic version, Emulsifying Wax, if you prefer, although this recipe was not tested with Emulsifying Wax. Due to the clay in the recipe, we splurged and used Polawax Emulsifying Wax to avoid any chance of separation.
This recipe calls for avocado and argan oil. Other oils can be used instead if you prefer; we recommend staying with liquid oils that absorb easily into the skin. Changing the total amount of oil in the recipe will change the overall texture of the mask.
Because this recipe is essentially a lotion and contains a large amount of water, a preservative is necessary to prevent mold and bacterial growth. We chose Optiphen, but other water soluble preservatives will work. Learn more about preservatives here.
Increase the total amount of clay if you want it to be better suited for normal to oily skin types. Decreasing the amount of clay may create a thinner product with more moisturizing properties.
If you prefer to use different clays, feel free to swap them. Clays have different absorbing properties, which will affect how it feels on the skin. Learn which clay is right for your skin.
If you have very sensitive skin, fragrance and essential oils can be irritating. Omit from the recipe if you prefer.

[Read more…]

Rose Clay & Charcoal Soap Tutorial

January 6, 2017 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials, Cold Process Soap

After the holidays, I always feel the need for a bit of detoxing and rejuvenation. That desire to hit the reset button inspired this soap recipe, which contains rose clay and charcoal. Both are known for their oil-absorbing properties. Charcoal in particular binds to dirt and oil in the skin, bringing them to the surface. In these bars, charcoal is sprinkled in between layers to create rustic-looking stripes.

The rose clay in this recipe is dispersed in distilled water rather than oil to help compensate for the absorption properties. Learn more about working with clays in your products. The clay, along with Rosehip Jasmine Fragrance Oil, will cause the trace to become thick rather quickly. For this design that’s totally okay. These bars are meant to have a natural and rustic look to them, so you don’t need to worry about the layers being straight or the top being smooth. These bars really play up the thick texture!

After a few washes, the rose petals will fall off. But, I think they are totally worth it – they really are the cherry on top! Of course if you want to skip them, feel free. When it’s time to cut the bars, the rose petals can get caught under the knife and create drag marks. I threw caution to the wind and used the Multi-Bar Cutter. That created drag marks on about half the bars. But, I think they actually contribute to the “natural” look and feel. Depending on your preference, cut the bars on the side to avoid the drag marks, or embrace them by cutting straight down.

[Read more…]

How to Use Clay in Bath & Beauty Projects

January 4, 2017 Filed Under: Tips & Tricks

Clay is a versatile ingredient for a wide variety of bath and beauty projects. It’s probably most well known for clay face masks, but can also be used in cold process soap and scrubs. It adds color and various oil absorbing properties. If you’d like to add clay to your homemade beauty projects, find out which clay is right for your skin. Then, learn how to add it to various projects below.

Clay in Cold Process Soap
Because of their ability to absorb liquid, including oil, clays are a popular additive for soap created for oily skin. If you’d like to add clay to your soap projects, keep those properties in mind; clay also absorbs moisture in soap. To compensate for the moisture clay absorbs, disperse it in distilled water (rather than oil) for cold process soap recipes. The usage rate is 1 tablespoon distilled water per teaspoon of clay. In general, a usage rate of about 1 teaspoon of clay per pound of soap is a great place to start for cold process soap recipes. Feel free to use more if you’d like, just keep in mind clays also speed up trace. The more you use, the faster your soap will become thick. Learn more about trace here. Check out the recipes below for inspiration.

The French green clay used in the Avocado + Spearmint Cold Process Soap helps give it a soft green color.

Lavender & Lemongrass Hot Process Soap – contains green zeolite clay
Brine and Rose Clay Cold Process Soap – contains rose clay
Lavender and Rose Pink Salt Bars – contain rose clay
Natural Colorant Taiwan Swirl – contains dark red Brazilian clay
Honey Bee Soap – contains yellow silt clay, purple Brazilian clay and dark red Brazilian clay
Avocado + Spearmint Cold Process Soap – contains French green clay
Waves of the Sea Cold Process Soap – contains sea clay

Clay in Melt and Pour
Clays are great for melt and pour soap as well. To help avoid clumps, disperse the clay in 99% isopropyl alcohol at a rate of 1 tablespoon alcohol to 1 teaspoon clay. They give soap great color and absorption properties. Unlike cold process soap, you don’t need to worry about it thickening the “trace” of melt and pour, but don’t use too much. Adding too much clay to melt and pour soap can make it more difficult to work with. One teaspoon of clay per pound of melt and pour soap is a great place to start. Continue adding clay to the melt and pour until you reach your desired effect.

A combination of spirulina powder and green zeolite clay create a soft green color in the Star Anise Melt & Pour Bars.

Star Anise Melt & Pour Bars – contain green zeolite clay
Minty Clay Melt & Pour Bars – contain green zeolite clay
Tea Tree & Rosemary Cleansing Bar – contains green zeolite clay
Charcoal & Rose Clay Spa Bar – contains rose clay
Melt & Pour Clay Tutorial – contains yellow, dark red and purple Brazilian clays

Clay in Scrubs
Clays make a wonderful addition to body and face scrubs. This is especially true if the scrub is designed for oily skin, as clays pull oil from the skin. Because clays are fine grained, they usually don’t add much exfoliation to scrubs. But, they are fantastic additives for color and oil absorption. If your scrub is dry (does not contain any water or oil), simply add and mix the clay in with the other dry ingredients. If you’re mixing the clay into oil, keep in mind the clay can fall to the bottom of the oil and may need to be mixed up before use. In emulsified scrubs, dispersing the clay in a small amount of water or oil in your recipe can help avoid chunks, but is not completely necessary.

In the Sea Clay Dry Salt Scrub, a combination of sea clay, baking soda, salts and poppy seeds make a scrubby paste when mixed with water.

Walnut Facial Scrub for Men – contains kaolin clay
Sea Clay Dry Salt Scrub – contains sea clay
Rose Clay Sugar Scrub – contains rose clay

Clay in Bath Bombs
Clays can be added to bath bombs. Just keep in mind that clays are essentially dirt. If too much clay is added to the fizzy, it can leave a residue on the skin or the tub. Clays are great for giving bath bombs color, and can also help them hold their shape. In particular, kaolin clay is a popular clay choice due to the fine texture and neutral color. Kaolin clay can add structure and sturdiness to bath bombs. This help them hold their shape when unmolded, and is a popular additive for large bath bombs.

Because clays absorb, they can lead to a dry and crumbly bath bomb, so be careful to not use too much. This is especially true if you live in a very dry climate. A good place to start is about 1 tablespoon of kaolin clay per cup of bath bomb mixture. Add the clay to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly prior to adding liquid ingredients to make the mixing process easier.

Pink Brazilian clay and purple Brazilian clay give the Lavender & Clay Mondo Bath Fizzy stripes of color.

Mini Heart Bath Bombs – contain pink Brazilian clay
Lavender & Clay Mondo Bath Fizzy – contains purple and pink Brazilian clays

Clay in Face Masks and Other Products
Because clay is so good at absorbing oil, it’s commonly used in products formulated for oily skin. A popular clay beauty product is clay face masks. The masks can be “dry,” meaning water is added to the powder to make a paste and applied to the skin. Clays can also be mixed with oil for a more hydrating experience, or emulsified for a lotion-like texture. If you’re designing a clay mask, find out which one is best suited for your skin here. For some clay mask recipe ideas, check out the Soap Queen TV video below.

Clays are a commonly used in shaving soaps and cream. In particular, bentonite clay is a great addition to shaving soap as it gives the soap a nice “slip,” which helps the razor glide across the skin more easily. Kaolin clay is sometimes used in cosmetic products like eye shadow and blush recipes, as it has a very fine and powdery texture. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend using clay in lotion products, as it would leave skin feeling dry. In addition, clays may not be the best choice for lip products meant to hydrate.

Shaving Soap Tutorial – contains bentonite clay
Easy Whipped Shaving Soap Recipe – contains bentonite clay
Rose Clay Exfoliating Mask – contains rose clay and kaolin clay
Rose Clay Foot Mask – contains rose clay and kaolin clay
Oatmeal Facial Scrub & Mask – contains bentonite clay

What’s your favorite way to incorporate clay into your handmade beauty projects?

Which Clay is Right for Your Skin?

January 2, 2017 Filed Under: Tips & Tricks

When searching for effective skincare ingredients, the ground may not be the first place that comes to mind. But, clays (which are essentially types of dirt) are well known for their amazing cleansing and purifying properties. Natural clays have been used on the skin for centuries, and continue to be a popular ingredient in products today.

In general, clays are soft, fine-grained mineral substances. There are different types of clay which vary in composition depending on the origin. While the properties of each clay varies, they are most commonly used in skincare because of their absorption properties. When applied, clay pulls oil from the skin, leaving it balanced and clean.

Depending on your skin type, one clay may be better suited for your skin than another. For example, kaolin clay is a fine-grained clay with mild absorption properties, which makes it better for dry to normal skin. On the other hand, French green clay and bentonite clay have stronger absorption properties, making them a good fit for oily skin.

In general, clays are best for normal to oily skin types because they absorb moisture. If you have extremely dry skin, products containing clay can leave your skin feeling a little uncomfortable. Drier skins can still use clay products. But, it’s important to choose a milder clay. If you’re formulating skincare recipes and would like to include clay, learn which is best suited for your skin type below.

*A note about medical claims and clays – If you do a little research online about clay and skincare, you’ll find a lot of medical claims. According to the web, clays treat acne, reduce scars, treat psoriasis, regenerate skin tissue, draw out toxins from the skin and more. While it’s true that clay is great for the skin, if you sell products that include clay, you cannot claim that your product treats any skin condition. This would classify your product as a drug, which requires testing and approval from the FDA. Learn more about cosmetic vs. drug claims here. In the descriptions of each clay below, I specifically left medical claims out. While you cannot claim the products you sell treat the skin, these medical claims may affect which clay you choose and use for personal use.

Bentonite Clay
Bentonite clay is created from volcanic ash. The U.S. is the top producer of bentonite clay, with much of the production happening in Wyoming. In bath and beauty products, bentonite clay gives products a nice “slip.” This texture is great for shaving soaps, as it helps the razor glide over the skin. It has strong oil absorbing properties, and is able to absorb more than its mass in water. This makes bentonite clay a great choice for very oily skin.

Brazilian Clay (Natural, Dark Red, Pink, Purple, Yellow)
Brazilian clays are a type of kaolin clay, and come in a wide variety of vibrant hues. The’re naturally colored and do not contain any dyes or pigments. The various shades are achieved by variations in the minerals found in the soil in the different regions of Brazil. Bramble Berry carries five different natural clays — Natural Brazilian, Purple, Yellow, Pink, and Dark Red. Brazilian clays have an “average” amount of absorption, making them a suitable additive for a wide variety of skin types.

French Green Clay
This clay comes from France and is known for its terrific oil absorbing properties. It has a fine texture and is commonly used for color and and oil absorption in facial masks. The light green color comes from decomposed plant matter and iron oxides. It’s best suited for oily skin types.

Green Zeolite Clay
Zeolites are microporous minerals that form when volcanic rocks and ash react with alkaline groundwater. Green zeolite clay has a slightly larger texture than most clays, as well as great absorption properties. Because of the larger texture, it also has very gentle exfoliating properties. It’s best suited for normal to oily skin types.

Kaolin Clay
Kaolin clay is a very fine powdered clay, and can come in a variety of colors. The most common color of kaolin clay is off-white. The fine texture makes it easy to incorporate into a wide variety of projects. This includes eye shadows and cosmetics, as well as soap, bath bombs and more. It is a gentle clay, with less liquid absorbing abilities than most. This makes it suitable for more sensitive and dry skin.

Rose Clay
Rose clay is considered a type of kaolin (kaolinite) clay. It has a fine texture like kaolin, and is suitable for dry skin. The clay is a light to medium pink shade, which comes from a naturally occurring iron oxide. In some projects, it can take on a deep red color or an orange hue. Rose clay makes a fantastic soap additive for both color and gentle oil absorbing properties.

Sea Clay
A dark green clay, sea clay originates from mud laid under the sea millions of years ago. It has a dark green, grayish color. It is commonly used in facial masks to cleanse the skin. It is suitable for normal to oily skin types.

Dry Skin/Normal Skin – Rose Clay, Kaolin Clay, Brazilian Clay (Natural, Dark Red, Pink, Purple, Yellow)

Normal/Oily Skin – Sea Clay, Green Zeolite Clay, French Green Clay, Bentonite Clay, Brazilian Clay (Natural, Dark Red, Pink, Purple, Yellow)

Do you have a favorite type of clay for your projects? Personally, I have combination skin that leans towards oily so I gravitate toward sea and green zeolite clay. But in soap, I love rose clay and purple Brazilian clay for the gorgeous colors. Be on the lookout for some clay inspired recipes next week!

The Final Facebook and Instagram Photo of the Week

December 31, 2016 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Since the Bramble Berry Facebook page started, people have always shared their creations on the wall. They share everything from bath bombs to soap, and we love every minute of it. In 2012, we started a competition called Facebook Photo of the Week to highlight our favorites. The winners were featured on the blog and also won a little package of goodies.

The first winner was Brooke with Her Best Apple. Her unique and creative bar is made with Relaxing Fragrance Oil. Read more in the very first Facebook Photo of the Week post.

Since then, there have been more than 215 winners! The talent and creativity of the soapmaking community is amazing. This year we decided to end the four-year-long contest. The blog will focus more on informative posts, tutorials and business posts. We are sad to see it go, but also excited to roll out new content on the blog. We are still planning to share photos on Facebook and Instagram, so keep sharing your creations. We love to see them! Here are some of our favorite Facebook Photo of the Week winners over the years past five years.

Top row, left to right: Alaiyna B. Bath and Body, Amaitha Soap Works (now Modern Soapmaking), Auntie Clara’s Handcrafted Cosmetics
Middle row, left to right: Bathvs Soap, I Saponi di Guisty, Kiku’s Creations
Bottom row, left to right: Kokolele Soaps, La Fille de la Mer, Lathered Pony Soap Company

[Read more…]

DIY Moonlight Essence Spray Perfume

December 29, 2016 Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials

I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time spending $100 or more on perfume. Yes, they smell amazing and last forever…but it’s quite the investment! Making your own perfume is an affordable alternative. This recipe only requires two ingredients: isopropyl myristate and fragrance oil.

Isopropyl myristate is a unique ingredient, and is used in a variety of cosmetic products. In lotions, creates a nice slip and helps it absorb quickly on the skin. It can also be used at 100% as a perfume base, like in this recipe. It has a light texture, which makes it great for bottles with a spray top. It does have a slightly oily feel, but it absorbs pretty quickly. But, you may not want to spray it directly on a silk shirt for example to be on the safe side.

For this perfume, I used the Bramble Berry’s Black Opium Type Fragrance Oil which is based on the popular Yves Saint Laurent perfume. It’s a sultry combination of vanilla, cedarwood and just a hint of patchouli. If you prefer a different scent, feel free to swap it out. This product includes free downloadable labels that you can print on label paper, cut and stick on each bottle.

Make sure to use the correct usage rate for perfume for the fragrance you use. This information can be found on the fragrance oil IFRA document. If you need this information for fragrance oils purchased from Bramble Berry, you can email MSDS(at)BrambleBerry(dot)com.

[Read more…]

Set Your Goals for 2017

December 28, 2016 Filed Under: Personal Ramblings

It’s tempting this time of year to double down and decide that we’re going to call our mom daily (hi mom!), work out every single day, and never eat sugar again. And this is why most New Year’s resolutions either (a) don’t get started, because why bother failing again? or (b) start out strong for about 13 days and then crash and burn.

The good intentions that propel us to discern what could make our lives more fulfilling also push us over the edge of trying to take on too much. We get excited by the idea of the person we want to become. We see ourselves overcoming our fear of public speaking and getting adulation from the crowd, or finishing the LSAT with really strong numbers. But what we don’t see is the trudge. The ridiculously painful, long, boring day in and day out stuff that actually turns into the foundation, scaffolding and last step of the achievement.

When we make goals or New Years resolutions, we often don’t think of the everyday trudge. But, that’s the foundation to achieving the goal.

I had just that experience for the last 12 months. I made a ridiculous goal of being able to do the splits. I had some vague notion that it would be hard but not “hard-hard“ and that if I could do the splits, it would mean that I was healthy everywhere else. It was like the splits were my canary in the coal mine (which sounds morbid … but you know what I mean right?) So, I started on my trudge: every night, 15 minutes of hip opening yoga. That wasn’t producing the results I wanted so I bought online courses, but still nothing. I took yoga classes, I went to a rolfer, and did 3 hour yoga intensives.

In about 6 months, I stalled out at like 4 inches off the ground. No progress in the next few months. Nada. Zip. I added in some crazy myofascial torture pain that called itself a massage. The last three months were painful trials of persistence. I kept track of my nightly stretching. My record for the year is 93% consistency of doing stretching for a minimum of 10 minutes. Ninety-three percent. That’s 340 nights this year that I spent stretching for 15 minutes or 3,400 minutes, over business trips, illnesses and lazy weekends. My wallet will never be the same again after the yoga intensives, thai yoga, the rolfer, the online classes, etc. I could have funded a small deep sea exploration submarine for the investment in those hips and my (foolish?) goal.

So did I reach my goal? Is this an inspiring tale of triumph or a fizzle of four inches? Below is a photo that shows some of my progress. The answer is technically … sort of? I did reach my goal (yay, high fives all around) but there’s zero chance I can hit the floor without an hour+ of yoga in a warm room to ensure my muscles are limber and stretchy. So, it’s a draw. When you’re setting goals for this year, start where you’re at and be realistic in your goal-setting.

While I did make some progress, all my stretching and classes did not result in being able to do the splits without an insane amount of prep.

My goals last year were centered around family time, physical (in this case, the splits), diet (no sugar), daily movement and continual learning (reading). From these yearly goals, came my quarterly goals and monthly goals and then weekly goals and finally daily goals. Goals become the North Star, the guiding light, for your entire year. They affect how you plan your day, your week and your entire life. They affect who you hang out with, how your spend your time and how you spend your money.

Because of this, making goals can feel daunting. Sometimes, it’s easier to figure out where you want to go personally and professionally in 3 to 5 years and then work backwards. For example, do you see yourself married with kids? Do you see yourself leading a team of people doing interesting and inspiring work? Do you see yourself walking across a stage with a diploma in hand? All of those visions mean different goals for 2017.

I categorize my goals into different categories including business goals, personal goals and family goals.

I’ve thought a lot about what I want to commit to for 2017 versus what is realistic for me to commit to in 2017. I am coalescing around personal goals, work goals and family goals. Some personal goals include:

Twenty minutes of uplifting reading and/or planning per day.
Three stretch sessions per week.
Read 55 books.
Actively improve myself by participating in a Mastermind Group of female entrepreneurs worldwide with a formal mentorship program.

Family goals for 2017 include:

Two family trips.
Continue saving for Lily & Jamisen’s college (note: this will get a specific number once we’re done with family budgets for the year)
Research and save for a new (used) car for myself.
Research schooling and childcare options for Jamisen and Lily.

Business goals for 2017 include:

Run 4 fitness/nutrition challenges with Best Day Ever.
Expand the wholesale line for Best Day Ever.
Do a face-lift on Bramble Berry’s brand (design new brand, roll it out, upgrade marketing plan)
Develop a bulk / large customer program tailored to unique needs of larger businesses

There are more goals for each category, but those are the top four. Each one of them has a purpose that will help get the business, my family and my personal life to the 10 year plans and working them consistently – daily – will help get to that next level of stability and success. It takes planning, but it’s worth it! Are you inspired? Do you feel daunted? Work on your own goals for the year; write them down and post them below. Let’s inspire and accountability ourselves to our best futures.

~~I’d love to sweeten the planning incentives by picking 3 comments to win some planning & soaping goodies:~~ We have chosen the winners! They are Sherry, Ami and Andrea. Thanks to everyone who entered, we loved reading your goals for 2017.

– An Entry to the Best Day Ever January 16 Fitness & Nutrition Challenge + Paper Best Day Ever 42 Day Journal

– Bundle of Best Day Ever planning goodies (Best Day Ever Mug, Notepad – Official Listmaker + Notepad – Daily Scheduler)

– Pink Salt Scrub Kit