Soap Queen

Tutorials on soapmaking, bath fizzies, lotions and more

Tutorials by difficulty level:

Home Spa: Handmade Potpourri

Filed Under: Home Crafts

For the final installment of our Home Spa Collection of projects I made a short video on how to make your own potpourri. I used many of our dried herbs & flowers and placed them in a container in pretty layers. It’s very simple and the results are beautiful and much less expensive than a store bought version.

Interested in our other Home Spa Collection projects? Check out our Emulsified Scrub, Soothing Eye Pillow, Gentle Gel Serum, and Pink Salt and Shea Bath Bar.

To make this project you will need:

Click here to get everything you need to make potpourri
Click here to get the ingredients for the fragrance oil blend
Click here to get the ingredients for the essential oil blend.

 

 

Home Spa: Soothing Eye Pillow Sewing Tutorial

Filed Under: Home Crafts

I’ve recently become obsessed with sewing. I suspect it has something to do with the knowledge that I will be making Halloween costumes for the next 12 years. So, it’s only natural to see what I can make in the bath and body arena. Eye pillows are an easy project for even me, a very beginner sewer. After a long marathon-soaping weekend, treat your happy (but exhausted) self to this soothing eye pillow from our #HomeSpa collection. The natural scent of the lavender buds helps to calm the senses, and a few seconds in the microwave will give the pillow a comforting warmth perfect for soothing tired eyes. It’s the perfect finish after tub time with the scrubby Shea Salt Bars and before finishing your relaxation routine with the Gentle Gel Serum.

What you’ll need:

Fabric (100% cotton quilting weight)

One piece 3X5″ (red)

One piece 2X5″ (green)

One piece 5X5″ (tan)

One piece 8X5″ (a different green)

One piece of applique lace,  at least 5.5″ long

One piece of sew-in lace, at least 5.5″ long

Tools

Scissors or Rotary Cutter

Sewing Machine (needles, coordinating thread)

Measuring Cup

Funnel

Cutting Fabrics

Miscellaneous

1/2 cup Lavender Grade 1

1/2 cup Uncooked Rice

(optional) 5 drops Hungarian Lavender

ONE: Applique the lace to the center of the red fabric by placing the wrong side of the lace on the right side of the fabric length-wise and top-stitching. The lace should be parallel to the 5″ edge of the fabric.

TWO: Stitch the green fabric to the red along the 5″ side using a 1/2″ seam allowance.

THREE: Stitch the tan fabric to the green along the 5″ side using a 1/2″ seam allowance with the in-seam lace sandwiched between the layers of fabric. Trim any excess lace.

FOUR: Press the seam allowances of the pieced top away from the in-seam lace so that the lace lies flat against the tan fabric.

FIVE: With the right sides together, stitch the pieced top to the 8X5″ green fabric all around using a 1/2″ seam allowance. Leave an opening about 1-1.5″ long and back-tack at the beginning and end of the stitch. Trim the corners of the fabric, making sure not to clip through the seam. Press the seam allowances to the center of the pillow on both sides.

SIX: Turn the pillow right-side-out through the hole left in the seam. Use a chopstick or skewer to turn out the corners sharply.

SEVEN: Press the pillow one last time after it’s turned right-side out.

EIGHT: In a separate container, mix the rice, Lavender Grade 1 and optional Hungarian Lavender Essential oil.

NINE: Place a funnel into the hole that was left in the pillow and pour the lavender/rice/essential oil mix in. Make sure that the funnel’s spout is big enough for the rice and lavender herb to get through!

TEN: Finish the pillow by edge-stitching the hole closed, back-tacking at the beginning and end of the stitch.

That’s it! You’re done. You can use this for a hot or a cold eye pillow. Put in freezer to cool tired eyes or put in the microwave for 15 seconds and make adorable hand pocket warmers for winter.

Home Spa: Pink Salt and Shea Bath Bar

Filed Under: Melt & Pour Soap

Transport yourself to the seaside of a breezy Mediterranean village with this #HomeSpa Pink Himalayan Sea Salt tutorial. Skin-loving Shea Melt and Pour base combines with scrubby Pink Himalayan Salt to create a bar that is both moisturizing and exfoliating. One thing to be aware of, this bar does not lather well because of the high amount of salt, but it is sensual and luxurious.

What You’ll Need:

32 oz. Shea Melt & Pour

16 oz. Medium Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Super Pearly White Color Block

12-Bar Round Silicone Mold

1.3 oz. of Spring Meadow Fragrance or Essential Oil Blend

Click here to add everything you need to make this project with the Spring Meadow Blend to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

Click here to add everything you need to make this project with the Essential Oil Blend to your Bramble Berry shopping cart!

 

 

ONE: Cut the Shea Melt & Pour into 1 inch cubes and place in a heat safe container. Melt in the microwave on 30 second bursts, stirring between each heat.

TWO: After the soap has been fully melted, shave off chunks of the Super Pearly White Color Block and stir vigorously to melt the color block into the soap. Since the soap is already white, the color block will add a slight shimmer to the soap.

THREE: Add the fragrance blend and stir with a whisk or spoon until the oil has been fully incorporated into the soap.

FOUR: Portion out the Medium Pink Himalayan Sea Salt and add it to the soap. The crystals will sink to the bottom of the soap. This is part of the design and is difficult to avoid because of the thin viscosity of the soap when melted versus the heavy grains of salt.

FIVE: Because the salts are heavy and will sink to to the bottom of the container, use a spoon to scoop 2 – 3 spoonfuls of sea salts into each mold cavity to enhance the evenness of the design. Yes, you are pulling the salts from the melted soap that you just put the salts into – reach your spoon all the way into the bottom of it to get a heaping spoonful. After you  have an even coat of salts, pour the melted soap over the salts and spray with Isopropyl Alcohol to disperse bubbles. Repeat this process for each cavity. If the soap starts to harden, pop the mixture into the microwave for 15 seconds.

Allow the soaps to harden for 2 – 3 hours before unmolding!

Wrap in saran wrap (not sure how to do that? Watch Episode 11 of SoapQueen.TV), download the FREE label templates, print on label stock and stick onto your soap for a professional, finished look.

Home Spa: Gentle Gel Serum

Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials

Relieve tired eyes with a serum part of the Home Spa collection of tutorials. The ingredients in this formula were specifically selected for their skin-loving properties. For example, Carrot Seed Essential Oil, which some studies suggest provides a natural source free-radical-fighting antioxidants, is wonderful for mature skin. Additionally, the Evening Primrose Extract is extremely gentle and is often used to treat acne, eczema and  psoriasis. The Bulgarian Lavender provides an element of aromatherapy, and it’s all held together by a combination of nourishing oils and waxes. Finish off your creation with our vintage label design. Download the free PDF template here.

What You’ll Need:

1.5 oz. Chia Seed Oil

1.2 oz. Fractionated Coconut Oil

.24 oz. Evening Primrose Extract

1 tsp. Cera Bellina Wax

3 drops Carrot Seed Essential Oil

15 drops Hungarian Lavender Essential Oil

2 Droppers

Non-Stackable Clear Lip Butter Pots

Label Template

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

ONE: In a microwave safe container, combine the Chia Seed Oil, Fractionated Coconut Oil and Evening Primrose Extract.

TWO: After the oils and extract have been thoroughly stirred together, add the Cera Bellina Wax. Place in the microwave on 30 second bursts until the wax is fully melted.

THREE: After the wax has been fully melted into the oils, add the Carrot Seed Essential Oil and Hungarian Lavender Essential Oil and mix well.

FOUR: Slowly pour the mixture into the lip balm tins. Pour until you reach the indented groove in the tins.

FIVE: Place the tins without their lids in the freezer for 30 minutes to an 1 hour. This step is essential or your gel won’t set up!

If you make this or any of our Home Spa Collection projects we’d love to see them! Share them on Instagram or on Facebook and be sure to add #homespa so we can find them.

Treat Yourself to a Home Spa

Filed Under: Bramble Berry News

From the cobblestone streets of Paris to the watery canals of Venice, Bramble Berry is bringing the treasures of old world Europe a little closer to home this summer. Starting tomorrow and going through August 2nd, we’ll introduce a variety of new tutorials that make up our Home Spa collection. Expect plenty of soothing, exfoliating and skin-pampering items with artisan ingredients such as Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, Evening Primrose Extract, Mango Butter and delicate blends of fragrance and essential oils. Escape and indulge without leaving home!

In addition to newsletters and tutorials, look out for special Mid-Week Mayhem coupons and exclusive offers. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout the promotion, we’ll release a coupon code good for just 24 hours. Find out about the day’s discount on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, Bramble Berry’s home page and the Soap Queen Blog.

Newsletter subscribers will receive bonus tutorials and get the full schedule of Home Spa-related sales in advance, so if you aren’t signed up already, head over to Bramble Berry and enter your email address on the right hand side. Don’t forget to click through the confirmation email to activate your subscription, and be sure to check your spam filter for emails from info(at)brambleberry(dot)com.

We’ll be tagging all Home Spa projects with #HomeSpa, and we encourage you to do the same! As you create projects, tag them with #HomeSpa then share them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Pinterest. We will add our favorites to our Bramble Berry Home Spa board on Pinterest.

We’ve created a unique fragrance oil blend and a unique essential oil blend to choose from for each Home Spa project. Each recipe below makes enough for all six projects, and we encourage you to experiment to see which blend (or blends!) you like best.

 

Scent Blends

Spring Meadow Blend (about 4.5 oz total)

2.0 oz. Spring Meadow Fragrance Oil
1.0 oz. Orange Peel Fragrance Oil
1.0 oz. Lavender Fragrance Oil
0.4 oz. Patchouli Fragrance Oil

Click Here to get everything you need to make the Spring Meadow Blend.

Essential Oil Blend (about 4.5 oz. total)

2.0 oz. Red Brazilian Mandarin
1.0 oz.Grapefruit Essential Oil
1.0 oz. Hungarian Lavender Essential Oil
0.4 oz. Patchouli Essential Oil

Click Here to get everything you need to make the Essential Oil Blend.

If the Patchouli in either blend is too strong for your taste, reduce the amount to .2 – .3 oz. Don’t forget that this will yield less total oil, so factor that in when scenting your recipes!

We are stirring up a little mayhem at Bramble Berry – so relax and enjoy it! The fun starts tomorrow…