Essential Oil Archives - Page 6 of 7

Neroli Gone Wild

March 30, 2010 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Neroli
Originally uploaded by Starzyia

Neroli Fragrance Oil is our choice for a fantastic orange, citrus scent that’s not too sweet but not too bitter. It’s just right. Vickie L. just posted on our Facebook Fan page today that Neroli “smells just like orange blossoms *swoon*”

Neroli Essential Oil is highly prized for its therapeutic properties including sedative, calmative and a natural sleep aid. However, this wonderful oil is very expensive in the all natural essential oil and doesn’t last very long in cold process soap. So, we created a fragrance blend that smells as close the natural thing as we could find.

This exclusive Bramble Berry fragrance blend which contains some Neroli essential oil and is strengthened with notes of Cinnamon, Dill weed, Eucalyptus and orange fragrance. The Neroli blend is green on top and its heart is a fruity citrus accord. This fragrance lasts and lasts in cold process soap and better yet, it’s more cost effective than essential oil!

Try my top five favorite blends using this fabulous fragrance oil!

3 parts Neroli, 2 parts Indian Sandalwood Cybilla

2 parts Neroli, 2 parts Baby Rose, 2 parts Nile Queen Cybilla

2 parts Neroli, 2 parts Cucumber, 2 Parts Green Tea

2 parts Neroli, 2 parts Bergamot Essential Oil, 1 part Tangerine Essential Oil

2 parts Neroli, 2 parts Sleeping Angles, 2 parts Vanilla Bean

Soap Queen TV Presents: How to Make Rebatch Soap

February 18, 2010 Filed Under: Cold Process Soap

Ever wonder what Rebatch soap (or Triple Milled soap or French Milled soap) is? In this episode of Soap Queen TV, I show you how to make Rebatch soap. Rebatch is great if you want a soap that’s a little more natural and rustic looking soap but don’t want the hassle of dealing with Lye when making Cold Process from scratch.

Soap Queen TV: How to Make Rebatch Soap from Soap Queen on Vimeo.

Ingredients:
1 oz. Pink Grapefruit Essential Oil
1 oz. Lemon Essential Oil
2 oz. Dried Calendula (Marigold) Petals
1/2 oz. Sweet Almond Oil
1/2 oz. Annatto Seeds
4 pounds Basic Rebatch
3 Tbsp. Distilled Water

Molds used:
ELF Slim Rectangle mold
Bramble Berry’s 2 pound loaf mold
Plastic food container

Are you a blogger? Please feel free to embed this video on your blog. If you need any help just let us know! [email protected]

Rose Bath Fizzy

February 14, 2010 Filed Under: Bath Fizzies

I posted this project last year in preparation for Valentine’s Day. In case you missed it, here is a fabulous and easy idea for last minute Valentine’s Day gifts and goodies. And, Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Here’s what you’ll need:
Pyrex Glass measuring cups
Fragrance Oil or Essential Oil (optional)
Citric Acid
Baking Soda
Simple Heart Mold
Witch Hazel

Recipe
1 lb. Citric Acid
2 lbs. Baking Soda
1/4 ounce Fragrance or Essential Oil (optional)
1/2 ounce rose petals (dried or fresh)

Step 1: Measure Citric Acid and Baking Soda. Mix together thoroughly. Blend clumps fully out and add rose petals. Spritz in with hazel – just enough to dampen and wet the mixture until it holds together, like a slightly dry pie crust.

Step 2 (optional): Add Rosehip Jasmine Fragrance Oil for a great smell.

Step 3: Press into molds. Allow to air dry.

Romantic Reeds Tutorial

February 4, 2010 Filed Under: Home Crafts

Reed Diffuser Basics

Ingredients
Fragrance Oil or Essential Oil
DPG (Dipropylene Glycol)
Rubbing Alcohol
Reeds
Reed Bottle

Mix 1 part fragrance and 1 part DPG. Next add rubbing Alcohol to thin it down to a watery consistency (usually less than 25% of the total blend). The amount you use will vary depending on the consistency of the fragrance or essential oil.

Fun Blends

Here are some romantic, Valentine’s Day Blends that we came up with. Give ’em a try and impress your Valentine!

1 part Vanilla Select, 1 part Sugar Plum Fairy

1 part Passion Fruit Rose, 1 part Herbal Essence

1 part Jasmine Dreams,1 part Vanilla Select

1 part Dark Rich Chocolate,1 part Moroccan Mint, 1 part Tahitian Vanilla

Get Creative!

Personalize your reed bottles with Mod Podge (a decoupage glue) for a one of a kind reed diffuser and a one of a kind gift! As you can see, I had a blast.

This is my favorite. I cut up the program from Wicked in London for a souvenir that will forever remind me of a once in a life time trip!

This black and white is bottle is super simple. I used white tissue paper with Rub-Ons, which are stickers used for scrapbooking. I love how the texture turned out. It reminds me of paper-mache!

Last but not least is a collage from my old magazine collection (I knew I saved them for a reason). I just picked out fun colors and things that I love…notice the iphone, Twitter bird and the work out girl.

Please note: The cute curly Ting Ting sticks don’t wick-up the fragrance blends like the reeds do – but they are so cute I used them as is. If you are trying to fragrance a large room try mixing in some reed diffusers with the curly Ting Tings.

Soap Queen TV 2010 Season Begins!

January 28, 2010 Filed Under: Soaks & Scrubs

Soap Queen TV is back with a fun and unique project perfect for Valentine’s Day!

This year we are focusing on other types of projects and techniques including Cold Process Soapmaking, Lotions, Scrubs and so much more so stay tuned!

Soap Queen TV – Massage Candles from Soap Queen on Vimeo.

Massage candles are a wonderfully luxurious treat to make for yourself or that special someone. A massage candle is a blend of skin safe waxes, oils and essential oils that melt at a low temperature, perfect for a warm and soothing massage.

Ingredients

4 oz. Container Soy Wax

1 oz. Deodorized Cocoa Butter

4 oz. Avocado Oil

5 oz. Shea Butter

1/2 oz Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

1/2 oz Patchouli Essential Oil

4 six oz. Candle Tins

4 WU 250 Wicks

Buy everything you need with the click of a button!

Candy Cane Soap Tutorial

December 11, 2009 Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

Are you having guests over this Christmas? Sneak these Candy Cane Soaps into the guest bathroom for holiday ambiance. Just tell the little ones not to eat them, they look and smell like the real thing.

This project involves mixing melt and pour with glycerin to give it a softer, pliable texture. As soon as the soap is cool enough to handle, it’s cut into strips and molded into candy cane shapes. Timing is crucial for this project. Once you pour the soap into the mold, don’t walk away! The cooler and harder the soap, the more difficult it is to mold.

Once you start twisting and molding the candy canes, work quickly. We recommend having a soaping buddy for this process. If the slab of soap becomes too cold, it becomes very difficult to twist the soap without breaking.

Ingredients
6″ Silicone Slab Mold

7 oz. Clear Melt and Pour Soap

3 oz. White Melt and Pour Soap

2 mL Peppermint Essential Oil

1 oz. Liquid Glycerin

Red Mica
Fine Silver Rainbow EcoGlitter
99% Isopropyl Alcohol in Spray Bottle

Click here to add everything you need for this project to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

ONE: Melt 3 ounces of White Melt and Pour Soap Base in the microwave using 10 second bursts. Add 1 mL of peppermint essential oil and 0.5 ounces of liquid glycerin. Stir together. Pour the soap into the mold and spritz with 99% isopropyl alcohol to eliminate bubbles. Let the layer cool for about 5 minutes. If the soap has a skin on top that can support more soap, it’s ready for the next layer.

TWO: Melt 3 ounces of Clear Melt and Pour Base in the microwave using 10 second bursts. Add 1 mL of Peppermint Essential Oil and 0.5 ounces of liquid glycerin. Stir together. Add about 1/16 teaspoon of the Red Mica and mix together. Once the red soap has cooled to 125 degrees F, spritz the white layer of soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol and pour the red soap into the mold. Let the soap cool for about 5 minutes.

THREE: Once the soap has cooled enough to unmold but is still warm, remove it from the mold and place it on a cutting board. With a craft knife and ruler, cut the soap into thin strips.

My creation

FOUR: Place two of the freshly cut soap strands on top of each other (so they look like a checkered board) and squish them together as much as possible.

FIVE: Gently twist the soap and curl the top so it looks like a candy cane. Timing is very important. You need to work quickly to mold the candy canes while the soap is still pliable. You’ll have about 5 minutes to do all of the twisting before the soap gets too hard to be pliable and breaks.

SIX: Once all the candy canes have been twisted, melt 4 ounces of Clear Melt and Pour Soap Base using 10 second bursts. Mix in about 1/4 teaspoon of Fine Silver Rainbow EcoGlitter. Feel free to add more glitter if you prefer. Dip the candy canes in the sparkly soap. Then, you can either lay the soap flat on a silicone mold to dry, or create a “hanging contraption” as shown below to allow the soap to drip off. Allow the soap to fully cool and harden. Enjoy!

Candy Cane Drying Contraption: We came up with a silly contraption to dry our candy canes, and you probably have the supplies in your home to make one too. We used 2 medium sized jars (or mugs), a ruler, a chopstick (or skewer) and salt to weight the jars so they don’t tip over.

Candy Cane Soap Tutorial

These candy cane soaps look and smell just like the real thing!

Author: Soap Queen

Recipe type: melt and pour

Ingredients

6" Silicone Slab Mold
7 oz. Clear Melt and Pour Soap
3 oz. White Melt and Pour Soap
2 mL Peppermint Essential Oil
1 oz. Liquid Glycerin
Red Mica
Fine Silver Rainbow EcoGlitter
99% Isopropyl Alcohol in Spray Bottle

Instructions

Melt 3 ounces of White Melt and Pour Soap Base in the microwave using 10 second bursts. Add 1 mL of peppermint essential oil and 0.5 ounces of liquid glycerin. Stir together. Pour the soap into the mold and spritz with 99% isopropyl alcohol to eliminate bubbles. Let the layer cool for about 5 minutes. If the soap has a skin on top that can support more soap, it's ready for the next layer.
Melt 3 ounces of Clear Melt and Pour Base in the microwave using 10 second bursts. Add 1 mL of Peppermint Essential Oil and 0.5 ounces of liquid glycerin. Stir together. Add about 1/16 teaspoon of the Red Mica and mix together. Once the red soap has cooled to 125 degrees F, spritz the white layer of soap with 99% isopropyl alcohol and pour the red soap into the mold. Let the soap cool for about 5 minutes.
Once the soap has cooled enough to unmold but is still warm, remove it from the mold and place it on a cutting board. With a craft knife and ruler, cut the soap into thin strips (about ¼ inches or smaller).
Place two of your freshly cut soap strands on top of each other (so they look like a checkered board) and squish them together as much as possible.
Gently twist the soap and curl the top so it looks like a candy cane. Timing is very important. You need to work quickly to mold the candy canes while the soap is till pliable. You'll have about 5 minutes to do all of your twisting before the soap gets too hard to be pliable and just breaks in your hands.
Once all the candy canes have been twisted, melt 4 ounces of Clear Melt and Pour Soap Base and mix in about ¼ teaspoon of Fine Silver Rainbow EcoGlitter. Feel free to add more glitter if you prefer. Dip the candy canes in the sparkly soap. Then, you can either lay the soap flat on a silicone mold to dry, or create a "hanging contraption" to allow the soap to drip off.

Natural Hand Germ Busters

November 9, 2009 Filed Under: Personal Ramblings

Early this morning I was on the Martha Stewart Sirius Radio Show discussing all natural hand sanitizers. Since it’s officially cold and flu season, we’ve been busy testing all natural “germ busting” recipes that you can take on the go! Our goal is to share natural recipes that you can make in your own home without most of the chemicals that are in most sanitizers on the market. Here’s what we’ve been working on. Enjoy!

Please note that all the recipes contain the maximum-maximum we’d ever recommend for usage rates. You can use less for your recipes or if any sort of irritation occurs. Each ml is approximately 36 to 40 drops if you are using drops.

Recipe 1 “Thieves Oil”
3 tablespoons water
2 ml Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil or Cinnamon Leaf
4 ml Lemon Essential Oil
4 ml Eucalyptus Essential Oil

*Directions: Mix all of the ingredients together. Shake and use.

This type of recipe is dated back to the 15th century. Thieves covered themselves in something similar to this oil so they could steal from plague victims and dead bodies without catching the disease. Studies about ‘Thieves Oil’ have also tested essential oils like Oregano & Thyme and shown they are effective against a host of bacteria (Journal of Essential Oil Research [J. Essent. Oil Res.]. Vol. 10, no. 5, pp. 517-523. Sept-Oct 1998.). With this recipe, you’ll need to shake the bottle each and every time you use it because essential oils and water don’t naturally mix. Cinnamon Bark and Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil can be irritating to skin. If any irritation occurs, double the water (use 6 Tablespoons) to decrease irritation. If irritation continues, switch out the Cinnamon Leaf EO with Tea Tree Essential Oil.

Recipe 2
1 tablespoon rubbing alcohol
3 tablespoons Aloe Vera Water/Juice
2 ml Cinnamon Leaf EO
3 ml Tea Tree EO
3 ml Lemon or Lemongrass EO

*Directions: Mix all of the ingredients together. Shake and use. Since Alcohol is a natural emulsifier, this recipe will turn white and not require shaking each and every time before use. Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil can be irritating to skin. If any irritation occurs, double the liquid (use 6 Tablespoons) to decrease irritation. If irritation continues, switch out the Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil with Tea Tree Essential Oil. This blend is based on the research in the Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery (2009) available online at www.sciencedirect.com

Recipe 3
3 tablespoons Aloe Vera Gel or Liquid
5 ml Lemon EO
4 ml Tea Tree EO
Optional: 2 ml White Thyme Essential Oil

*Directions: Mix all of the ingredients together. Shake and use. Can also be used on furniture (but do a small test patch before you spray it all over your grandma’s heirloom antique chest of drawers).

Naturally Emulsified
1 ml White Thyme Essential Oil
1 ml Litsea Essential Oil
2 ml Orange Essential Oil
1/2 C. Aloe Vera
1/2 Teaspoon Lecithin

*Directions: Combine the lecithin and the essential oils together in a small container. Slowly pour the essential oil mixture into the aloe vera while stick blending the mixture. This will naturally help emulsify the mixture (think salad dressing). Lecithin is typically found in health food stores and is a natural emulsifier. It has a shocking yellow color. This blend will go salad dressing thick and will not easily spray unless the spritzer is very hearty. Because of its lotion like texture, this recipe is best used on hands and body rather than furniture.

If you have favorite recipes to share, let me know. This is an area we could all use helpful tips and tricks in to keep us as healthy as possible this holiday season.

Here are some great links that really helped me with my research: Thieves Blend, Fungus Killed by Essential Oils, Antimicrobial Essential Oils, Antibacterial Soaps, Tea Tree oil antimicrobial, Tea Tree Oil & Fungus, Tea Tree Oil.

Checkered Heart Release

October 30, 2009 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

I am totally loving the versatility of this swell Checkered Heart mold – the latest addition to the SoapyLove line. We’ve done this mold in all kinds of color combinations and love how each and every color combo looks. Kudos to Debbie for coming up with such a user-friendly design.

In other Bramble Berry news, we’ve halved the price of our Patchouli Essential Oil. Our latest crop smells incredible and the market price on this commodity has dropped significantly to $44.50 per pound.

Shop Nostalgia {Organic Soaps & Toiletries}

October 20, 2009 Filed Under: Business Musings

Back to the Nostalgia life. If you missed the first part of this interview get caught up HERE. Now, if you don’t mind, Elea and I are going to pick up where we left off…
Anne-Marie: Your packaging is adorable! How long did it take to perfect the look you were going for?

Elea: A long time! It took me well over two years to finish all the designs on the fabrics and papers that house the soap. From concept to completion, it generally takes about 2 months for me to design the packaging for each product. I have drawers full of sample bottles, jars, boxes, papers and just about every type of packaging you can think of – that I experiment with until I finally decided on the direction to take. But, I love designing and drawing and sketching out new ideas for the fabrics and prints – so that part never really feels like work. But, I’m my own worst critic so it does take me quite a long time. I also carefully consider packaging for its recycled or recyclable content or try to offer packaging that can be repurposed after the product is gone. So, it’s a slow, nail-biting process, but seeing the joy on people’s faces when they touch the little bows and giggle at the bluebirds – makes it all worthwhile.

Anne-Marie: Where do you find your inspiration? Elea: I draw inspiration from a lot of different sources, but most of it comes from my childhood and grandmother. I love the purity and wonder of childhood. And, somehow, for me, that directly correlates to offering wholesome, natural products. However, my grandmother is definitely the biggest source of my inspiration. She was just a really special lady that took time to consider even the tiniest detail – if she thought it would put a smile one someone’s face. For example, she would hand-embroider flowers and birds and things on my pillowcases because she knew I loved it. So in her spirit, I try to add happy little details like that in my collection. I’m also inspired by the color palettes and imagery from of my grandmother’s day.

Anne-Marie: Tell us a little bit about yourself on a personal level. What do you like to do when you’re not making soap? Elea: I love spending time with my family and discovering new things with my 2-year-old son. We have our daily outings together that I really cherish. We walk to the park, journey to the zoo or play silly games like hide and seek. I also love traveling, watching a good movie or trying new restaurants with my husband. If I’m not doing any of that – I’m probably crafting something.

Anne-Marie: What’s your favorite Bramble Berry product and why?

Elea: Bramble Berry has so many wonderful products – that’s a tough choice. But, I love their awesome selection of organic essential oils and botanical extracts.

Anne-Marie: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Elea! Good luck with your business and keep us updated! We want to know the latest and greatest with Nostalgia!

If the packaging isn’t cute enough as is, the wrapper that comes around the soap is a set of instructions on how to reuse the bag. The instructions on my Sweet Orange Soap teaches me how to turn my cute bag into chicken shaped egg cozy. I haven’t attempted yet but I’ll let you know how it goes!

Nostalgia Bl og
Nostalgia Website
Wholesale Information
Nostalgialife on Twitter

Siberian Fir Needle Essential Oil

October 19, 2009 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Botanical Name: Abies Sibirica

Bramble Berry’s Fir Needle Essential Oil is natural and comes straight from Siberian Fir twigs and needles (native to Russia and Mongolia). The steam distillation method is applied to create a colorless to pale yellow oil. It has a smooth, fresh, evergreen aroma that is refreshing and harmonizing. This essential oil has top notes of pine, a sweet and fruity middle note with a woodsy finish.This winter fragrance is believed to be emotionally vitalizing (I keep a little bottle at my desk for an occasional pick me up). According to the ‘Natural Healing Guide’, it also naturally acts as an anti-inflammatory so it’s perfect for aches and sore muscles. Try our refreshing foot cream recipe with fir needle essential oil. It will have your feet feeling fabulous in no time!Grab your Fir Needle Essential Oil Here

New at Bramble Berry

September 28, 2009 Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

Soapylove Colorants, Fragrances and Soap

Bright White Melt and Pour
Naturally Clear Melt and Pour
Candy Jar Fragrance Set
delectable Desserts Fragrance Set
Jewelry Box Soap Colorants
Sweet Treats Soap Colorants
Scalloped Heart Mold
Scalloped Rectangle Mold
Scalloped Round Mold

Fragrance Oils
Mandarin Myrrh Fragrance oil
Bay Rum Fragrance Oil
LoveSpell Type Fragrance Oil
Lavender and Herb Fragrance Oil
Patchouli Fragrance Oil
Summer Melon Spritzer Fragrance Oil
Vanilla Oak Fragrance Oil

Essential Oils
Balsm Peru Essential Oil
White Thyme Essential Oil

Soap Molds
Heavy Duty Molds

2 Piece Ice Sphere Mold (check out a fun tutorial here)

Pumpkin Soap Mold

Colorants
Chocolate Shimmer Mica (lip and eye approved)
Copper Penny Mica (lip and eye approved)
Deep Blue Mica (eye approved)
Lavender Mica (lip and eye approved)
Matte Yellow Mica (lip and eye approved)
Super Blue Mica (eye approved)
Super Green Mica (eye approved)

Red Jelly

Toxic Waste Dump Yellow

Yellow Jelly

We’ll have our popular ‘What’s New’ category updated on the Bramble Berry site soon enough but until then, I hope this helps you to not miss anything new and exciting that we’ve added in the last two months.

Soothing After Sun Oil

July 15, 2009 Filed Under: Lotion

Check out my other summer and skin friendly lotions and potions…

Making a Healing, Soothing Sunburn Lotion

Making an easy Spritzer

Skin Soothing Oil and Infusing

Soothing After Sun Oil

To make this into a soothing after-sun exposure oil, add 30 drops German Blue Chamomile, 15 drops Lavender EO, and 15 drops Egyptian Geranium Essential Oil to 2 ounces of infused oil, shake well and apply to painful skin.

Remember, if you are planning on selling these products, you must follow all applicable laws about labeling your product. Click here for more information.

I’ve copied the most relevant information below. Making a claim that your lotion will soothe skin is different than the claim that this product will heal sunburn. Be sure to read over the ‘Compliance Guide for labeling Drugs’ before you go down that labeling route and here.

What labeling information is required?

The following information must appear on the principal display panel:

• An identity statement, indicating the nature and use of the product, by means of either the common or usual name, a descriptive name, a fanciful name understood by the public, or an illustration [21 CFR 701.11].

• An accurate statement of the net quantity of contents, in terms of weight, measure, numerical count or a combination of numerical count and weight or measure [21 CFR 701.13].
The following information must appear on an information panel:

• Name and place of business. This may be the manufacturer, packer, or distributor. [21 CFR 701.12].

• Distributor statement. If the name and address are not those of the manufacturer, the label must say “Manufactured for…” or “Distributed by…” [21 CFR 701.12].

• Material facts. Failure to reveal material facts is one form of misleading labeling and therefore makes a product misbranded [21 CFR 1.21]. An example is directions for safe use, if a product could be unsafe if used incorrectly.

• Warning and caution statements. These must be prominent and conspicuous. The FD&C Act and related regulations specify warning and caution statements related to specific products [21 CFR part 700]. In addition, cosmetics that may be hazardous to consumers must bear appropriate label warnings [21 CFR 740.1]. An example of such hazardous products is flammable cosmetics.

• Ingredients. If the product is sold on a retail basis to consumers, even it it is labeled “For professional use only” or words to that effect, the ingredients must appear on an information panel, in descending order of predominance. [21 CFR 701.3]. Remember, if the product is also a drug, its labeling must comply with the regulations for both OTC drug and cosmetic ingredient labeling, as stated above.

Making Skin Soothing Oil – Infusion

July 13, 2009 Filed Under: Lotion

Infusing Oil

Infusing oil can be done with a warm method and a cold method. This tutorial will cover the stove top warm method.

Cut the Calendula into small pieces.
Put into a double boiler (double boiler bottom pan is filled with water first)
Cover with oil over the top of the herbs but no more than just covering the petals. I used jojoba for this project but you can use any liquid oil.
Heat gently on low to medium for 4 hours (minimum) up to 2 days (turning stove off when left unattended)
Strain Calendula Oil through a cheesecloth or coffee filter. It will be a little cloudy. It’s practically impossible to strain every teensy little bit of herb out.
Bottle and use within 6 months to 1 year (depending on the shelf life of your oil of choice)

This oil alone is skin soothing, moisturizing, healing and excellent for your skin. It’s a great way to add a healing twist to any oil. Tomorrow, I’ll help you put the finishing touch on your infused oil to make a soothing skin oil.

Tip from reader Sebastien’s Nook: A little note on an easier way to get the oil out of the calendula – go to the store and get one of those french coffee presses. It works wonders for extracting oil, while leaving the herb behind. I can get more oil out of the herb this way then with the hand squeezing method.

After Sun Care Spritzer & Skinsicles

July 12, 2009 Filed Under: Lotion

Day One: Making a Healing, Soothing Sunburn Lotion

Day Two: Making an easy Spritzer & Skinsicles

Day Three: Infusing Oils

Day Four: Soothing Massage Oil

Making an Easy Spritzer

There are a variety of ways to make a spritzer to spray on sunburn relief.

1.You can go the all natural, but sometimes separates route

2.You can go the mostly natural and doesn’t separate route

A note about Aloe Vera ‘Gel’ – When you crack open an aloe vera plant, a gel comes out. However, within a few minutes, the enzymes in the gel break down into a watery substance. The product Bramble Berry sells is this final product – a watery aloe vera substance. In order to get an aloe vera gel, thickeners are always added. If you have an aloe vera gel-gel, check the ingredients and see what thickener is in there. Because aloe vera gel is 95-99% water and the ‘gel’ present immediately after cutting is a complex web of polysaccharides that breaks down without a synthetic gelling agent, natural aloe vera ‘gel’ is a liquid as shown above in the photo.

All Natural, sometimes separates:

4 oz. Aloe Vera Water

2 oz. Witch Hazel

1 oz. Distilled Water

30 drops German Blue Chamomile Essential Oil

15 drops Lavender Essential Oil

15 drops Egyptian Geranium Essential Oil

Optional: Germaben II preservative .3 oz.

Examples are packaged in Bramble Berry Brushed Aluminum Bottles

Instructions: Add all the ingredients together. Whisk together to emulsify the mixture. Pour into sprayable containers.

You an also add some baking soda to this mixture to make a thin soothing mixture to apply like a cold poultice.

Mostly Natural, won’t separate

4 oz. Aloe Vera Water

2 oz. Witch Hazel

1 oz. Distilled Water

30 drops German Blue Chamomile

15 drops Lavender EO

15 drops Egyptian Geranium Essential Oil

.5 oz. Polysorbate 20

Optional: German II Preservative .35 oz.

Examples are packaged in Bramble Berry brushed aluminum bottles.

Mix the Polysorbate 20 with the essential oils. Add to Aloe Vera and water mix. Stir well. Mixture may get cloudy and tends to stay cloudy.

You can also use Peppermint Essential Oil to make a cooling spray. Some people find this soothing (not so much myself).

See that all natural blue color? It’s the azulene content in the Blue Chamomile (German) Essential Oil. It’s healing goodness to the nth degree.

For extra cooling goodness, pop these recipes into the freezer and making a soothing ice cube with the skin loving ingredients. They both freeze to a mostly-solid. They don’t pop out of ice cube containers well but larger containers, like small flexible tupperware, are great for making Skin Soothing Popsicles.

Check in tomorrow to learn how to infuse oil using calendula petals to create a healing skin oil.

Find the supplies you need for this project below