Soap Queen

Tutorials on soapmaking, bath fizzies, lotions and more

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Simple Citrus Furniture Polish

Filed Under: Home Crafts

FinalWith the year coming to an end, it’s time to do a little tidying up around the house to give 2015 a fresh start. If you have some wood surfaces that need polishing, this Simple Citrus Furniture Polish is easy to make and leaves wood looking refreshed. Made with a combination of beeswax, olive oil and castor oil, this polish is firm yet spreadable. Castor oil gives the polish shiny properties, and yellow beeswax creates a solid texture.

With a small amount of Orange Valencia and Lemon essential oils, this polish smells bright, clean and spring-like. I used this polish on my cutting boards, and they look brand new. To use, apply wax onto a paper towel or rag, and apply to the wood. Massage the polish in and remove any excess. Check out the 9 Bar Birchwood Mold below, one half has been polished and the other has not. What a difference a little polish makes!

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How to Clean Oily Containers

Filed Under: Lip Products, Tips & Tricks

Here’s a quick video illustrating one of my all time favorite clean-up tricks. After making lip stick recently, I was faced with a dark red, oily and waxy mess. It may seem like an impossible task; but with a little melt & pour soap it couldn’t be easier.

I bet you have some great tips of your own. I’d love to hear them. Please share them in the comments below.

Sunday Night Spotlight: EcoSoya Advanced Wax

Filed Under: Home Crafts

Now that it’s winter time, there’s nothing better than cozying up in your favorite chair with a good book, a hot cup of tea and a richly scented candle with a softly flickering flame (and for me, that only happen during the kiddo’s nap time and I love that quiet time!). Bramble Berry offers a number of excellent waxes so you can make your own candles, and lately our favorite has been the EcoSoya Advanced Wax. It’s 100% vegetable based and sourced from soy beans grown exclusively by domestic farmers. Best of all, it has multiple uses: this wax is lip and skin safe, making it an potential replacement for beeswax in lip balm recipes.

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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.

Wax Tart Melts 3 Ways Tutorial

Filed Under: Home Crafts

If you’re like me, you know it’s not a good idea to have candles burning with toddlers running around. With another little one on the way, I sure don’t want to take any chances! To get all the benefits of burning candles without the fire hazard, I decided to try making a few wax tarts. Not only are they super easy to make, you can really dress them up by experimenting with different colors and finding a cute wax tart warmer.

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Bite Me Not Lotion Bar

Filed Under: Bath & Body Tutorials

Summer is the season of days by the pool, nights by the barbecue, and (queue scary music) mosquitoes!  Keep the bugs away without synthetic chemicals this summer by making your own all natural “bug off” lotion bar. We’ve custom blended some essential oils to keep bugs away and keep you smelling great all summer long. Apply the lotion bar to your legs and arms and let the bugs beware!

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Winter Lip Balm Recipe

Filed Under: Lip Products

Did you make the Winter Body Balm and have left over ingredients? Just alter the ingredients a little bit to make a lip balm. It’s great for the skier in your life and comes with the same darling, winter themed labels. The giant push tube allows for easy application on the mountain and you don’t even have to take off your gloves! That’s the beauty of using the big push tubes. And if you don’t have any skiers in your life, it’s a great lip balm for your purse (because it’s virtually impossible to lose).

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Winter Body Balm Recipe + Free Printable

Filed Under: Lotion

I love making balms because they’re so easy to create and there are so many different ways that you can make them. This Winter Body Balm recipe is designed to comfort and heal your dry, chapped winter skin making a perfect gift for that skier on your Christmas list. It has a creamy consistency for a balm, making it easy to apply to your feet, elbows, knees and hands (or anywhere on your body that is in need of extreme moisture). And if I haven’t sold you on this recipe yet, I’ve designed some winter themed labels that fit our ultra cute bail jars.

This winter body balm is great for dry, winter skin. The tutorial also includes a free printable to package your jars.

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How to Make Infused Lip Balm on Soap Queen TV

Filed Under: Lip Products

In this episode of Soap Queen TV, I’ll show how to quickly and easily infuse Sweet Almond oil with Calendula petals. Then use this nourishing oil in a simple, from-scratch lip balm recipe featuring Shea Butter and Natural Beeswax. You can also get creative and use the infused oil in homemade lotions, salves, and massage oils!

How to Make Infused Lip Balm from Soap Queen on Vimeo.

For more in-depth information on how to make infused oils check out my book Infusing: Herbs, Spices, Teas & Clays (there’s a print version and an e-book).

Ingredients you’ll need to make the project in this video:

For infused oil:
16 oz. Sweet Almond Oil
1/2 oz Dried Calendula Petals

For Lip Balm:
2.5 oz Calendula Oil
1 oz Yellow Beeswax
1/2 oz Coconut Oil
1/2 oz Shea Butter
5 mini scoops Stevia
about 16 lip tins

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Have a question about this blog post? Come join us at Bramble Berry’s Facebook page and we can help you out with any of your soapy questions!

Natural Beeswax Christmas Ornaments

Filed Under: Home Crafts

If you have a fake tree this holiday season, then you’re probably missing out on the fabulous Christmasy scent of pine tree; it just goes with Christmas. I’ve figured out a way to have your cake and eat it too. Or should I say have your fake tree and smell it too? However you want to phrase it, these wax ornaments are all natural, easy to make, and will definitely bring your some Christmas olfactory cheer. Check out this tutorial for another beeswax ornament idea!

These natural christmas ornaments are made with beeswax, and scented with essential oils to give your house a natural holiday scent.
Ingredients
Christmas Tree Flexible Mold
(NOTE: The Christmas Tree Flexible Mold and Flexible Bell Mold have been discontinued. They have been substituted with the 6 Cavity Christmas Assortment Silicone Mold.)
Twisty Ties (new or used)

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Infused Annatto Seeds? Check out this episode of Soap Queen TV to learn how to infuse Annatto Seeds in oil for an all natural colorant.

NOTE: If you have a big tree you’re going to want to make a bigger batch. And if you dare, you can even add more essential oil so it’s extra piney! This recipe makes 8 ounces total (two bells and eight trees).

ONE: In the microwave (and in a microwave safe container) melt 8 ounces of Yellow Beeswax. Be very careful when melting beeswax in the microwave, it has a pretty high melting point. Just make sure that you melt the wax in short bursts stirring between sessions.

These natural christmas ornaments are made with beeswax, and scented with essential oils to give your house a natural holiday scent.

TWO: Once the wax is melted, add 1/2 ounce of Fir Needle Essential Oil and 1/2 ounce of Cedarwood Essential Oil. Mix well and pour into the mold. Then add the twisty ties making sure half of the tie is sticking out.

(NOTE: The Christmas Tree Flexible Mold and Flexible Bell Mold have been discontinued. They have been substituted with the 6 Cavity Christmas Assortment Silicone Mold.)

These natural christmas ornaments are made with beeswax, and scented with essential oils to give your house a natural holiday scent.

THREE: Once the wax has cooled, unmold the ornaments and use the twisty ties to attach to your Christmas Tree! Have fun and get creative. You can mix it up with different scents, molds and colors.

These natural christmas ornaments are made with beeswax, and scented with essential oils to give your house a natural holiday scent.
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.
Have a question about this blog post? Come join us at Bramble Berry’s Facebook page and we can help you out with any of your soapy questions!

How To Fill 50 Lip Balm Tubes at Once

Filed Under: Lip Products

(It’s a small recipe so I had to multiply it by 10 to fill the entire tray)
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Once you place all 50 lip balm tubes into the pouring tray (as far in as they can go), you have two pouring methods to choose from…
“The Massive Pour”: Fill up all 50 tubes with one giant pour. Then scrape off the excess lip balm and save it for another batch. If you choose this option you will need to do a “clean up” (see below).
My creation

“The Conservative Pour”: Fill each individual tube just below the rim so there is no extra lip balm sticking out. This Method does not require a clean up. Let the lip balm harden and release from the pouring tray. Just pop on the caps and they’re ready for your 50 closest friends!
Picture 251
“The Clean Up”: Once the lip balm has hardened release the tubes from the pouring tray. Take your knife and slice off the tops (which you can melt and use again). Once the tops are smooth (as a baby’s you-know-what) pop on the caps. You’re done!
Picture 343


PS – You can cut with the knife going away from you depending on your comfort level with knives. Having officially taken a real knife skills class (yes, there is such a thing in the wonderful town of Bellingham), I was just a wee bit confident but you don’t need to be. Cutting the other way works just as well.
The best soap supplies on the internet are found at Bramble Berry. Click here to browse Bramble Berry.

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Have a question about this blog post? Come join us at Bramble Berry’s Facebook page and we can help you out with any of your soapy questions!

After Sun Care Recipes

Filed Under: Lotion

It is summer time. One the best parts about summer is sun and spending time outside. We all know that it’s best to wear sunscreen and a hat when you are outside but sometimes, the best intentions go out the window when the sun appears. If you over indulged a little, I’m going to spend the next 4 days going over practical and effective sunburn aftercare recipes. Please note that these are good for mild sunburns, not the blistering charred kind. If you have that severe of a sunburn, please go see your Doctor to get something stronger.
Day Three: Infusing Oils
Day Four: Soothing Skin Oil

Soothing Sunburn Lotion
Ingredients (by weight):
Tools:
Digital Scale
Stick Blender
one 16 oz. wide-mouth container
one 32 oz. wide-mouth container
Five 4 ounce bottles
You can also buy the Lotion Kit here and substitute the water portion with Aloe Vera (Gel) Water.
Why German Chamomile? German Chamomile has a high azulene content. Azulene helps calm skin inflammation and decrease redness. Lavender is useful for helping to reduce the sting in the burn and the aromatherapy properties may help to provide emotional stability during the painful sunburn recovery period. Aloe Vera Gel (water) is a well known healing and soothing plant for all kinds of common skin issues, from cuts to bruises to sunburns.

Step 1: Disinfect all of your tools and containers by dunking them in 5% bleachwater solution and drying them with fresh, off the roll, paper towels.

Step 2: In the large 32 oz. container, add the Sweet Almond oil, Avocado Oil, Stearic Acid and Emulsifying wax. Make sure this is all weighed out using a handy dandy digital scale (no volume measurements). Put in the microwave on 30 second bursts to melt the E-Wax and Stearic Acid. Despite the scary name, Stearic Acid is derived from Palm Oil and isn’t acidic or scary. It actually adds to the fluffiness factor of the lotion.
Step 3: Add the Shea Butter to the hot mixture and stir to melt.
Step 4: Warm up the Aloe Vera Liquid and add it to your oil mixture. Why do you need to warm it? Because if it is too cold, it will harden the waxes directly upon mixing. Vigorously stir with a spoon by hand to start. Then switch to the hand blender.

Step 5: Once the mixture is fully mixed and emulsified (usually about 2 to 3 minutes), take the temperature and add the preservative and fragrance. For Germaben II, Optiphen and Phenonip preservatives, you want the temperature to be below 140 degrees. Usage rates of all three of these preservatives start at .5% by weight. Fragrance and essential oil usage for lotions is very low (remember, you don’t want to inadvertently make a perfume!) so start small. This recipe literally calls for .2 ounces of essential oil and that is more than enough to make a lovely smelling lotion and get the therapeutic benefits of all the oils. Notice the blue color of the azulene in the powerful German Chamomile? That’s some pure healing goodness.

Step 6: Pour into prepared bottles while the mixture is still warm. If the mixture is too thick to pour, heat it up for 30 seconds in the microwave and stir. Repeat as needed until it’s thin enough to pour. If the temperature during re-heating goes above 140, you’ll need to add an additional .5% preservative.
Step 7: Allow to cool with the lids off. Then put on lids and label and impress your friends and loved ones with your handmade goodness. Remind them to wear sunscreen next time.

Check back tomorrow for after sun care spritzers.

 

Have a question about this blog post? Come join us at Bramble Berry’s Facebook page and we can help you out with any of your soapy questions!