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Lavender
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Orange Dream
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Although I have been making bath and body products for many years now, I only took up Soap making 2 years ago. I have done lots of experimenting, with various oils, and developed my own very special method of using Milk and Creams in liquid form for my soaps. I would ask therefore that no one abuses my site by posting my Personal Recipies and the Milk & Cream soap making method on any other site without my express permission.
Some of my favorite Soap Sites are
Sugar Plum and Cousin of the Crow
I would also recommend
the following Excel Template for a soap making spread sheet, this link will
automatically download the template.
Sliverlink
Soap Making Lessons Lesson
1,
Lesson 2, Lesson 3, Lesson 4,
Basic Soap Recipes, Advanced Soap Recipes, Milk & Cream Based Soap Recipes,
Hair Products, Hair Conditioners, Treatment
for Head Lice,
Body Products,
Soothing Hand Oil, Eye Gels, Foaming Facial Scrub, Gel
Face Mask, Lip Gloss
Bath Products, Bubble Bath, Foaming Bath Wash, Bath Salts,
Fizzing Bath Salts, Invigorating Bath Salts,
Body Scrubs, Sea Salt Scrub,Pre-Wedding Body Scrub
Aching Muscle Relief Sack
Soap Making Lessons
The production of soap is a
method Called SAPONIFICATION, hence the word Saponify!
Soap is made due to the chemical combination of FAT, which is acid, and LYE
(Sodium Hydroxide), which is Alkali.
When you mix Lye with a liquid, which can be water, milk or cream it causes a
heat reaction, and then you add this mixture when cooled to a melted fat, the
reaction of the two ingredients cause a neutralisation process to occur. This
process takes approximately 6 weeks.
It is important to note that if you do not cure (neutralise) the soap it will
burn your skin! This process of curing can be speeded up with the use of extra
acid in the form of Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit or Orange juice.
When you
mix the Lye with a liquid you must use cold liquid, under no circumstances
should the Lye be added to hot liquid or you will have an explosion! I know from personal experience
when I first started making soap and added some lye to very hot water, it
exploded and I was very lucky not to receive any burns!
Another
important factor Lye gives off very nasty fumes if you have an extractor fan
please use it as the fume from Lye can damage the lung lining! Again I know from personal
experience.
Safety notes
1. Always read the
instructions on the Sodium Hydroxide container.
2. Always wear safety glasses-chemical burns to eyes can cause permanent
damage!
3. Always wear rubber gloves that are elbow length.
4. Wear an apron to protect your clothes.
5. Always measure the ingredients accurately.
6. Work in a well ventilated area, either outside or by an extractor fan, or
open window/door. Do not inhale the fumes.
7. Clean all equipment after use, and make sure you do this with your gloves
still on, or you will have nasty skin burns!
8. If possible keep a set of equipment only for soap making.
9. Never use Aluminum Pots or any aluminum equipment, because it reacts with
Lye giving off very nasty fumes!
10. LAST BUT NOT LEAST! Keep all pets, children and other distractions away
from you when soap making. You need total quite and the soap needs you
undivided attention at all times!
EQUIPMENT
A pair of scales that measure both ounces and grams.
2 cooking thermometers
2 Stainless steel or glass bowls with a capacity of at least 4 pints
1 glass measuring jug
some heavy duty plastic spoons and spatulas
a Stainless steel knife
News paper to cover surfaces
A pair of elbow length gloves
Safety Glasses
and some containers to put the soap into.
Just some note on moulds to shape the soap with before it is cut: -
I use free containers from Ice
cream companies the 1 Litre square or rectangle shapes are the best so that you
can get even sizes for the cut soap. I have also used the flat round yoghurt
pots that will produce a soap cake about 2 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick.
Now if you are thinking of make soap to sell or to make large batches I would
invest in some drain pipe (Yes I did say drain pipe) You should be able to
purchase off cuts that need to be cut into 1 foot lengths, the shape can either
be square or round. One end needs to be capped off - the wholesaler should sell
caps or you can cut cardboard discs and then use thick sealotape to seal around
the base of one end.
The moulds need to be greased lightly so that the soap can be easily removed
and then cut. I use a fine vegetable oil spray.
It is very important that
you MEASURE
EVERY THING 100% ACCURATELY
If you do not add enough Lye the soap will solidify but eventually will start
to leak fat and smell rancid, on the other had if you add too much Lye the soap
will be caustic and will have to be thrown away as when you cut it you will
notice Lye crystals in the soap structure.
There is an exception to
this rule when you add special oils at trace you can have UPTO
5 % more fat in the soap so that the soap has special qualities.
SAPONIFICATION NUMBERS
These saponification numbers will help you work out the exact amount of lye you
will require for some of the most popular oils/fats that I use for soap making.
You can use these in any combination or on their own.
ALMOND OIL 0.136
CANOLA (RAPESEED) OIL 0.124
COCONUT OIL 0.190
CORN (MAIZE) OIL 0.136
GRAPE SEED OIL 0.128
HAZELNUT OIL 0.136
LANOLIN 0.074
LARD (PORK) FAT 0.138
OLIVE OIL 0.134
PALM OIL 0.141
PEANUT (GROUNDNUT) 0.136
SUNFLOWER OIL 0.134
VEGETABLE LARD 0.134
To give you an example if you are using 16 oz of olive oil the lye amount needed will be 16 x 0.134 = 2.144 oz of Lye
One of my favorite special
mixes is
4 oz Olive Oil 4 x .134 = 0.536
4 oz Grape seed oil 4 x .128 = 0.512
4 oz Palm Oil 4 x .141 = 0.564
4 oz Almond oil 4 x .136 = 0.544
So the total amount of Lye you need will be 2.154 oz, I would round that down to 2 oz so that the soap was superfatted, but if you wish you can weight the Lye to 2.1 oz but you will need electronic scales.
METHOD
this is the same for all soaps whether you are making basic types as above or
the more advanced types I will give you information on next week.
The Ingredients need to be weighed out soap is never made by liquid
measurement!!
1. Weight all your
ingredients out and have them ready.
2. Put the water into a glass bowl, with a thermometer, then pour in the Lye
stirring all the time. The water will heat up very quickly and you need to
allow it to settle until it reaches 130f or 54c.
3. In the mean time put the fat/oil and bees wax into a steel saucepan put a
thermometer on the side and heat to 130f or 54c making sure that the bees wax
has melted.
4. When both the water/lye mix and the fat are at about the same temperature,
pour the water/lye mix into the fat and stir all the time.
5. What you are looking for is some thing called TRACE this is when the spoon
or whisk leaves a raise line on the surface of the soap.
6. At this point. Add the essential oil of your choice and stir well
7. Then pour into your mould and leave for 24 hours in a cool dry place until
hard.
8. Then push out of the mould and cut to your desired size, wrap in a clean
towel and put in a cupboard to cure for 4 - 6 weeks.
Milk and Cream as a base liquid for soaps.
Now most milk based soaps have milk added at trace in the form of dried milk powder! This method is very special and you use it as the base liquid.
As you should all know by
now when you add Lye to a liquid it causes a heat reaction. When I first
started using milk I added the Lye and ended up with a Bright Orange coloured
liquid, which Separated out into milk and fat with the fat floating on top.
When this was added to the soap it had to be beaten very hard into the fat to
ensure it mixed and didn't remain curdled!
So I got thinking, and after nearly two years of experimenting I have perfected
this method. The idea is that because Lye causes a heat reaction you need to
tame its properties. And therefore as you pour the lye into the milk it needs
to be made cool on contact!
So what you need to do is
weigh out your milk, I suggest that at first you use milk only, and once you
have gained confidence you can progress to milk/cream mixes and then on to
cream only.
You pour your weighed out milk into a glass dish and place it in the freezer,
and leave it until the milk is nearly solid, but soft enough to run a fork
through you should have lots of large Ice crystals and not liquid.
Once you have reached this stage, remove the milk from the freezer and put the
thermometer into the milk and pour the lye in to the milk very slowly mixing
all the time. What you are trying to ensure is that the temperature stays
constant at about 90F or 32C. The Lye should take about 5 minutes to add. Now
if you add the Lye too quickly the milk will darken - do not panic as you can
still use it. If you add the lye too slowly it will turn the milk into a thick
custard so increase the speed at which you add the Lye.
Now hopefully by the time you have added all the Lye you will have a beautiful
cream coloured liquid, which you then add to the fat.
Just a note on colour - by experimenting you can increase the darkness of the milk so that you can vary your soap colour, so don't worry as I said before if you do add the Lye just a little too quickly.
ADDITIVES
This is a very personal subject when making soaps. The special additives are nearly always added at trace, so that they do not loose all their special properties, although some is lost due to the lye in the soap. When making a 1 lb batch of soap you only need to add small amounts to gain the benefits - always go by the adage LESS IS MORE. But saying that if you feel that your first batch with additives is lacking you can always adjust the amount added next time. Unless stated use only 1 tablespoon of the additive at trace.
HERBS
Dried or fresh chopped herbs can be used. Please note that they do not retain
their original colour as the lye fades it, but their smell and texture remains.
The herbs can be roughly chopped or ground in a spice grinder. I like to finely
grind Lavender and Rosemary, but add some unground leaves and flowers for extra
texture.
Another way of using herbs is to infuse them into water or milk to produce a
more intense smell or colour.
Water infusions need 1 oz of the herb to 10 floz and bring to the boil and boil
until the water has reduced by half cool this and then strain through a paper
filter.
If you use milk add 1 tablespoon of the herb to 5 floz and bring to the boil
slowly, remove from the heat and allow cooling down and straining.
When making soap with infusions you can still add the herbs at the end if
wished.
EXFOLIATORS
These are excellent additives that help remove stains, and dead skin cells from
the body leaving it clean and buffed.
Oatmeal, cornmeal, bran, fresh coffee, ground almonds, ground hazelnuts
(Filberts) and eggshells.
HONEY
This is a wonderful source of vitamins and minerals; it is also antiseptic and
wonderful for delicate skins.
COCOA
BUTTER
This is a wonderful moisturiser, and needs to be added to the oil when being
heated - it produces a super fatted soap.
BEES WAX
This has the benefits of honey; it adds moisturizers to the soap, but it main
purpose in soap making is to help speed up trace.
ALOE VERA
This has wonderful healing properties; it is very soothing and very mild.
LEMON AND
ORANGE PEEL
Used dried and finely ground, it has a very high level of vitamin c - it is
antioxidant and the lemon is especially antibacterial.
SEAWEED
Adds a lovely colour but looses its properties due to the lye.
SPICES
These can be used, as natural colours, Cinnamon, Turmeric and paprika are the
best.
NATURAL
CLAYS
Fullers Earth, Kaolin, and French Clay, these are all idea cleansers for oily
skins, and should not be used in soaps for dry sensitive skins. They are also
astringent.
ESSENTIAL
OILS (EO'S)
Use 2 teaspoons / 1 lb batch. You can experiment with these.
But a word of warning they are very strong do not over do them as they can
cause sensitivity in some people - if your not sure about what to use Buy a
good book on Essential oils or stick to the following:
Lavender, Rose Otto, Chamomile, Benziod resin, Lemon, Orange, Grapefruit, Lime,
Tangerine, Lemon Grass and Tea Tree.
BORAX
This helps to increase the cleansing power of soap it is a water softener. Only
use 1 teaspoon / 1 lb batch or it will ruin the soap!
COLORANT
I personally do not like any form of unnatural colorant! - They can irritate
delicate skins - but if you want to use them you can purchase wax colours, and
powders.
Also a note about chemically produced fragrance oils - these come in a vast array of scents they can be used for soap and are much cheaper, but they do contain alcohol which can speed up trace too fast so that the soap seizes you can end up with a useless lumpy mass that cannot be put into a mould!!
The following are three very basic recipes for soap they all make 1 lb batches which is about 8 2 oz bars.
1.
Beef Cake
16 oz of Tallow (Beef dripping) If possible purchase pre-rendered fat as it's
easier to work with and you don't have to render it yourself!!
2 oz of Lye
5 oz of spring water, distilled water or filtered Rain water (Rain water is my
preference as it's free and tends to be softer)
1 oz of Bees wax (this helps to trace the soap better)
2.
The Pigs bath cleanser
16 oz of Lard (pork fat)
2 oz Lye
5 oz Spring water
1 oz Bees Wax
3.
The Veggies Delight
16 oz of vegetable lard or corn oil
2 oz Lye
5 oz Spring water.
1 oz Bees Wax
to these at trace you can add some Essential Oil of your choice you need about 5 ml per batch.
A
WALK IN A PINE FOREST SOAP Copyright Claire Gamble
8 oz Olive oil
4 oz Palm oil
4 oz Coconut oil
5 oz spring water
1 oz bees wax
2.25 oz Lye
1 teaspoon Pine eo
1 teaspoon Bay eo
CLAIRE'S
SAVON DE MARSEILLES
16 oz Extra virgin Olive Oil (Robusta)
5 oz spring water
2 oz Lye
ALOE VERA SPECIAL SOAP Copyright Claire Gamble
8 oz Olive oil
8 oz Grape seed oil
1 oz Bees wax
2 oz Lye
5oz Aloe Vera Juice Distilled
ORANGES
& LEMON SOAP Copyright Claire Gamble
4 oz Olive Oil
4 oz Palm Oil
4 oz Coconut oil
4 oz Grape seed oil
3 oz Pure Orange juice
2 oz Pure Lemon Juice
1 oz Bees wax
2.25 oz Lye
1 teaspoon Lemon eo
1 teaspoon Orange eo
THIS
SOAP HAS NO STING IN THE TAIL SOAP! Copyright Claire Gamble
12 oz Corn oil (Maize oil)
4 oz Palm oil
1 oz bees wax
5 oz of Stinging Nettle Decoction (made with fresh stinging nettle leaves)
2 oz Lye
1 capsule of wheat germ oil
1 tablespoon of very finely chopped stinging nettle leaves
1 teaspoon Rosemary eo
1 teaspoon Tea tree eo
Just a word of warning when picking or handling Stinging Nettles please wear gloves. If you're worried that the leaves will sting after the soap has cured NO THEY DON'T!!
SHADES
OF PROVENCE SOAP Copyright Claire Gamble
8 oz Olive oil
4 oz hazelnut oil
4 oz Coconut oil
5 oz Decoction of Lavender flowers
1 oz Bees wax
2.25 oz Lye
2 teaspoons Lavender eo
1 tablespoon of lavender flowers
HAWAIIAN
DREAM SOAP Copyright Claire Gamble
12 oz Coconut oil
4 oz Olive oil
5 oz Fresh Pineapple juice
1 oz Bees wax
2.25 oz Lye
2 teaspoons Ylang Ylang eo
SCOTTISH
OATMEAL & HONEY SOAP Copyright Claire Gamble
10 oz Vegetable Lard
4 oz Coconut oil
2 oz Palm oil
1 oz Bees Wax
5 oz Spring water
2 oz Lye
1 tablespoon runny honey
1 tablespoon very finely ground Oats
1 teaspoon Lavender eo
1 teaspoon Melissa eo
HONEY
MUMMY'S SOAP Copyright Claire Gamble
6 oz Corn oil ( Maize oil)
10 oz Olive oil
5 oz Rose water
1 oz Bees Wax
2 oz Lye
1 tablespoon runny honey
2 teaspoon Howood eo ( Or if you can afford it 1 teaspoon Otto of Roses and 1
teaspoon lavender eo)
All of these Soaps will make 8 x 2 oz bars.
Please remember to measure everything very carefully and use weight not fluid measurements!!
LOOFA
SOAPS
This is an additional interesting form of soap that I make as a body scrubber
using Loofas.
What you need to do is buy some cleaned Loofas and cut them into chunks about
3 inches long. You need to use a very sharp knife, or a good pair of shears.
Then wrap a piece of Wax paper around the Loofas and stick that into place
with sealotape. Stand each piece of Loofas on a piece of waxed paper and then
pour in your soap when it has traced. I would suggest that you use a soap
recipe that doesn't contain any herbs or oats etc., as the loofa is excellent
as a skin polisher!
I do hope that my own personal recipes have given you food for thought, and
that you have a go at making some of these!
I have learnt by trial and error and have come up with these through experimenting, Soap making isn't written in stone so you may prefer other oils as the base.
Also a word of warning - do not give soaps that contain any Nut oils as its base to people who suffer from nut allergies as the soap could cause a reaction
Milk & Cream Based Soap Recipes
MILK & CREAM BASED SOAPS
PEPPERMINT
CREAM SOAP Copyright Claire Gamble
8 oz Olive Oil
4 oz Coconut Oil
4 oz Palm Oil
2-½ oz Mint decoction
2-½ oz Double Cream
1 oz Bees Wax
2-¼ oz Lye
2 teaspoons Peppermint eo
CHOCOLATE
MILK & CINNAMON SOAP Copyright Claire Gamble
10 oz Corn (Maize) Oil
6 oz Olive Oil
½ oz Plain Chocolate
5 oz Goats Milk
1 oz Bees Wax
2 oz Lye
2 teaspoons Cinnamon eo.
ORANGE CREAM DREAM SOAP Copyright Claire Gamble
8 oz Olive Oil
4 oz Coconut Oil
4 oz Palm Oil
2 oz fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
3 oz Double Cream
1 oz Bees Wax
2-¼ oz Lye
1 tablespoon Fresh grated orange peel
1 teaspoon Orange eo
1 teaspoon Neroli eo
CLAIRE'S
OWN CASTILLE SOAP Copyright Claire Gamble
16 oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 oz Single Cream
3 oz Goats Milk
1 oz Bees Wax
2 oz Lye
2 teaspoons of Lavender eo.
CHAMOMILE
LAWN SOAP Copyright Claire Gamble
10 oz Olive Oil
4 oz Grape Seed Oil
2 oz Palm Oil
5 oz Goats milk
1 oz Bees Wax
2 oz Lye
1 tablespoon of Chamomile flower heads
2 teaspoons of Chamomile eo
ROSES & CREAM SOAP Copyright Claire Gamble
16 oz Sunflower Oil
5 oz Single Cream
2 oz Lye
1 oz Bees Wax
1 Tablespoon ground Dried Rose Petals
2 Teaspoons Geranium eo
SPICED CAFE AU LAIT SOAP Copyright Claire Gamble
12 oz Sunflower Oil
4 oz Grape Seed Oil
3 oz Extra Strong Coffee
2 oz Single Cream
1oz Bees Wax
2oz Lye
1 Teaspoon Bay eo
1 Teaspoon Patcholi eo
Homemade Shampoo's
I have two recipes for shampoo base - I call it a stew it will last for ever you can go down two different route either totally natural or more traditional.
Natural Soap Stew - uses
Soapwort root, which is obtainable from herbalists or good health food stores.
Take 12 grms Soapwort root and crush or pulverize very well
2 litres of spring water Boil the water and pour over the soapwort.
Leave to infuse for 24 hours then filter though filter paper or very fine
muslin then bottle in jars or bottles
Traditional Soap Stew
Take either 100 grms of unperfumed soap flakes or 100 grms of pure white
Castille Soap which has been finely grated
1 Litre of spring water
Bring the water to simmering point and add one of the above, and stir until
totally dissolved.
Allow cooling and then bottling as above.
Just one note about this
stew it does become lumpy with age but as the other ingredients are added in a
blender it doesn't matter.
As I'm not sure what type of hair you have I am setting out 4 different
variations of shampoo one of which is great for School age children who are
prone to hair lice. You will need one of the Soap Stews and a blender!
Normal Hair:
Add to 100 ml of soap soup
4 Drops of Geranium eo
4 drops of lemon eo
4 drops of borage eo
Dry hair:
225 ml soap stew
2 teaspoons almond oil
10 drops of jojoba oil
2 drops of Sandalwood eo
2 drops of lavender eo
Greasy Hair:
100 ml Soap stew
10 drops of Eucalyptus eo
5 drops lavender eo
5 drops rosemary eo
Anti head lice
shampoo:
100 ml Soap stew
10 drops Tea tree eo
5 drops lemon eo
5 drops rosemary eo
All you have to do is put the ingredients together in a blender and whizz on high for about 30 second putting the drops of eo through the hole in the top. Bottle up and use.
Just a note if you use the
Soapwort base you need to use about double the amount to produce a good lather
on the hair.
I did check on how much Soapwort costs to purchase now in the UK - for 1 KG it
is £20.00, but it goes a very long way you would make 167 litres of Soap Base
with this amount, which works out at 11 pence per Litre! If you don't add any
of the additional ingredients that is a real Frugal saving on shop purchased
products! If you purchase EO'S in 10 ml bottles you should get 100 drops per
bottle, for example Lavender EO costs £3.75 so if you use 40 drops per Litre
the cost would be 9 pence.
Basic Hair Conditioner Base
100 ml Liquid
Lecithin
100 mml Almond Oil
24 ml Jojoba Oil
12 grms Coco Butter
Put all of the ingredient into a Bain Marie, and stir until all the ingredients
have melted and combined together well. Pour into a Sterilized jar and use as
the base to the following conditioners.
Dry Hair
Conditioner
Put
the following into a Bain Marie.
2 teaspoons of Conditioner base
1 teaspoon of Avocado Oil
1 teaspoon of Sesame Oil
6 drops of Star Flower Oil ( You may need to use capsules or if you can't
obtain this use Evening Primrose Oil as an alternative)
2 drops of Wheatgerm Oil
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
5 drops of Lavender eo
Allow to cool a little and then apply all over the scalp and hair Wrap in a hot
towel, leave for at least 10 minutes, then rinse off and finish with a vinegar
Rinse.
Normal Hair
Conditioner
Put the following into
a Bain Marie.
1 tablespoon of Conditioner base
1 tablespoon of Almond Oil
6 drops of Evening Primrose Oil
5 drops of Geranium eo
Allow to cool, then apply to the hair , leave for 10 minutes , rinse off and
finish with a Vinegar Rinse.
Greasy Hair
Conditioner
Put the following into
a Bain Marie.
1 tablespoon Conditioner base
1 teaspoon of Sesame oil
1 tablespoon of Fullers Earth
1 teaspoon of eau de vie
5 drops of Lemon eo
Allow to cool, then apply to the hair , leave for 10 minutes , shampoo off and
finish with a Vinegar Rinse.
When you have
washed and conditioned your hair I recommend that you use a vinegar rinse
afterwards, it make the hair shine. This is a very simple and all you need to
do is add 2 teaspoons of cider vinegar to 25 ml of water with either 3 drops of
Lemon, Lavender, Rosemary, or Tea tree essential oil added.
Special Treatment for Head Lice
I developed this treatment for my two daughters when there was an outbreak of Head Lice at their school, it is totally natural and doesn't damage the hair or scalp unlike many of the commercial chemical preparations like to use it in conjunction with the Anti Head Lice Shampoo. I have only had to use it once, but I do use the weekly conditioning treatment. Head Lice will only attach themselves to squeaky clean hair, if you put conditioners on with neat Tea Tree essential oil, your children will never be reinfested.
You will need a 100 ml brown glass bottle.
Take 100 ml of Vegetable
oil I use Olive oil, but any type will do as long as it doesn't contain any mineral
oil.
To this you add 20 Drops of Lemon essential oil
20 drops of Rosemary essential oil
20 drops of Tea tree oil.
Shake very well.
How to use.
Comb hair with nit comb, and massage 1 tablespoon into the hair and comb well
so that some is on the skin as well. Now the bit you may not like, it must be
left on for 24 hours. Next morning wash hair and rinse with Tea Tree (2 Drops
in warm water) Comb hair again This may be repeated for up to 3 days, by then
all the lice will have gone.
The three essential oils are insect repellents, and the rosemary oil kills
them.
To ensure your children don't get repeats of infection only wash their hair
once a week, and after washing use a leave-in conditioner mixed with three
drops of neat tea tree oil, they will never get them again.
Barrier Jelly for Chapped or Sore Hands
Try using this wonderful
non mineral oil based Jelly barrier for sore, chapped or dry skin.
You need
1 tablespoon Arrowroot
1 tablespoon Glycerin
120 ml of either Orange flower water or Rose flower water
5 drops Lavender eo
5 Drops Geranium eo
Place the glycerin in a small bowl and heat slowly. Then to this add the
arrowroot and the flower water, and mix until the arrowroot dissolves. Once
this has cooled put it all into a blender and add the essential oil, and blend
for about 60 seconds. Pour into a jar and use as needed.
Soothing Oil Mixture for Chapped Hands
Try this special essential oil mixture, it is for chapped hands
10 drops carrot oil
10 ml avocado oil
10 drops jojoba oil
10 drops evening primrose oil
2 vitamin E capsules
Then add
5 drops of Rose eo
2 drops Lemon eo
1 drop Geranium eo
2 drops Sandalwood eo
Mix together in a brown glass bottle, you only need a tiny amount of this.
The method does take a little thought, and is two parts.
The basis for the recipes
is the use of a Decoction, which is prepared in the following way.
You put 1 oz of each herb to be used into a saucepan (- which must not be
aluminum or copper as these leach out minerals).
Add 1 pint of Distilled or rainwater, bring to the boil and then simmer for 1/2
an hour, keep a check on the liquid in case it evaporates too quickly - if this
happens add a little more water.
The aim after 1/2 an hour is to end up with about 1/2 a pint of liquid.
You then cool it, filter it 3 times (this is very important to ensure that no
particles are left in the solution,
The best filter system is coffee filter paper) and bottle. This liquid will
last about 1 week.
BASIC
EYE GEL
Use either 1 oz of Dried
Eyebright or Elderflower Make a decoction as above.
Then when cool dissolve the gelatin in to the liquid following the manufactures
instructions.
This makes a soothing and cooling Eye gel.
SPECIAL EYE GEL
Make a Strong decoction
with equal quantities of Chamomile, Calendula, Cornflower flowers and Mallow
leaves.
Take 90 ml of the decoction
30 ml of Witch hazel
1.25 l of Agar Agar
a pinch of Sodium Benzoate (This acts as a preservative and helps the gel to
last longer)
Heat together the decoction and Witch hazel until just below boiling point. Add
the Agar Agar and Benzoate (if using) and dissolve. Ensure that the Agar Agar
is totally dissolved or you will end up with a very grainy product. Leave to
cool and thicken. If the gel becomes solid it can be whizzed in a blender for a
few seconds to thin. Put into a jar with a screw top and refrigerate.
It is also possible to add some Essential oils to this gel when you blend it, but please patch test
before use!
To ever 100 ml of product
you can add:
For 18
-25 years old
2 drops Borage seed oil
1 drop German Chamomile eo
1 drop Carrot oil
For 25 - 40
years old
2 drops Borage seed oil
3 drops Evening Primrose oil
2 drops Lavender eo
1 drop lemon eo
Capsule Vitamin E
2 drops Carrot oil
For 40 -45
years old
6 drops Evening Primrose oil
3 drops Borage seed oil
2 drops of Ho Wood eo
2 drops Lavender eo
1 Capsule of vitamin E
3 Drops of Carrot oil
For over 45
years of age
2 Capsules of Vitamin E
5 drops of Jojoba oil
1 drop Lemon eo
1 drop Ho wood eo 1 drop Lavender eo
3 drops of carrot oil
Although the essential oils are expensive, you only use very small amounts so 10 ml goes a very long way. You could also just try one of the essential oils for example Lavender and use a maximum of 3 drops. Carrot oil can be purchased in capsules, which I have found hold about 3 drops each so you could use those.
~I hope that you like these~ great for presents too! ~
You will need to make some
soap stew using the methods described in the homemade shampoo recipe section.
Once you have made the base product this is what you need to do.
Take 50 ml of Soapwort Soup
50 ml of Liquid lecithin
1 tablespoon of Cider vinegar (don't substitute any other vinegar as they are
too harsh)
10 Drops of an essential oil of your choice from the list below that suits your
skin type.
3 teaspoons of very finely ground adzuki beans
Put all of the above into a
blender and blend well. Bottle.
To use pour a small amount on to the hand lather up and massage into face.
Essential oils List
Normal Skin
Type:
Lavender, German Chamomile, Rose, Lemon, Ho wood
Dry to Normal
Skin Type:
Lavender, Rosemary,
Calendula Sandalwood, Geranium.
Oily to
Normal Skin Type:
Frankincense, Lavender, Ylang-ylang, Lime, and Cypress.
As always dilute a small amount of essential oil in almond oil and patch test to make sure you don't have a reaction. Overall Lavender is the safest EO that you can use if you don't want to go to the expense of other EO'S
Also if you
have problem skin prone to spots or the such like,
you can use the following:
4 drops of Lavender
4 drops of Tea Tree
2 drops of Calendula.
This is a lovely face mask which differs from commercial face masks as its all natural, and you have a choice of base liquids to use. Once it is prepared you can put it into a jar and only a small amount is required for use each time. I prefer not to colour mine, but if you do make sure you are using a natural colorant.
Put the following into a sauce pan.
30 grms of Slippery Elm
Powder
with your choice of the following:
100 ml Rose Water - this is soothing
100 ml Orange Flower Water - this is stimulating
100 ml Witch-Hazel - this is astringent and must only be used for Oily Skins.
100 ml Marigold infusion - this is soothing
100 ml Aloe Vera - this is healing
100 ml Chamomile infusion - this is soothing
100 ml Stinging Nettle infusion - this is antiseptic.
Bring everything to a simmer slowly, and then simmer for 40 minutes with the lid on. Then strain through a coffee filter paper, and allow to cool. The mixture will thicken once cooled. Then put it into a blender and add 1 teaspoon of Almond oil, and add 5 drops of your favorite essential oil. Then pour into a jar. Use as and when required and leave on for 10 minutes before rinsing off with cool water.
This is a non petroleum based lip gloss that is very soothing
You'll need 25 grms white
bees wax
30 ml of sweet almond oil
10 drops of jojoba oil
5 drops of carrot oil
1 capsule of vitamin E
5 drops Geranium eo
5 drops Lavender eo
Put the bees wax in a Bain
Marie and melt it, then slowly add the almond oil stirring all the time. When
you have mixed that in add in the jojoba oil, carrot oil and vitamin E, which
acts as a preservative, keep stirring all the time. Once you have added in
these ingredients add the EO'S, Pour into a sterilized glass jar with a lid and
use as often as required.
You can also make a version for sore lips using
5 drops of German Chamomile eo
5 Drops Calendula eo
25 grms Soapwort crushed or
pulverize
450 ml Spring Water
2 tablespoons of Witch-Hazel
450 ml Almond Oil
Boil the water and pour over
the Soapwort - leave over night to infuse, then filter through a coffee filter
paper. Now pour the Witch-Hazel and almond oil into a blender and blend until
combined. Now through the top of the blender very slowly add in the Soapwort
infusion and keep blending until combined. Now you will need to divide this
liquid into 9 x 100 ml bottle and then add 45 drops of essential oil to each
bottle from the lists below and shake well. For a bath you will need 1 -2
teaspoons per bath.
Normal Skin
Lavender, Neroli,
Geranium, Sandalwood, Howood.
Dry Skin
Lavender, Chamomile,
Geranium, Pettigraine.
Oily Skin
Lavender, Orange, Lime, Lemon, Grapefruit.
Problem Skin
Lavender, Myrrh, Clay-Sage, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus
25 grms Soapwort
450 ml Rose Water or Orange Flower Water
2 tablespoons Witch-Hazel
50 ml Avocado Oil
50 ml Apricot Kernel Oil
350 ml Almond Oil
10 Vitamin E Capsules.
Make the bath wash in
exactly the same manner as the bubble bath, but after you have added the oils ,
then squeeze out he capsules into the blender and blend again well. Again
bottle up into 9 x 100 ml amounts, but only add 20 drops of essential oil per
bottle.
Because the bath wash is made with floral water I would suggest the following
essential oils:
Lavender combined with either Neroli, Pettigraine, orange, Lime, Lemon, or
Eucalyptus.
250 grms Washing Soda
Crystals
20 drops of Essential Oil - I would suggest using them from the list above.
3 drops of Natural food colouring.
Place the soda crystals into a blender, add the essential oil, and food colouring and blend until mixed well. Pour into decorated jars, lid and add material and ribbons if wished.
250 grms of Baking Soda
175 grms of Citric Acid Crystals
3 tablespoons of Cornstarch
Mix all the ingredients together and place into a jar,seal with a tight lid to ensure that moisture doesn't get in or the salts will react. You need to add about 50 grms per bath, and add 5 drops of essential oil to the bath at the same time.
250 grms Epsom Salts
50 grms Table salt
1 box of Baking Soda
5 drops of Lavender oil
5 drops of Eucaluptys oil
Mix all the dry ingredient together and then add the essential oils, and blend well. Pour into a jar and seal with a tight lid. Add about 50 grms per bath.
250 grms Course Sea Salt
Almond Oil
10 drops of essential oil
Pour the salt into a large Jar, and slowly add the Almond oil stirring all the time, the idea is to add enough Almond oil to saturate the salt, but do not over add the oil or it will end up swimming in it and you will not have the correct consistency. Once the salt is saturated add the essential oil. I would suggest Lavender, Rose, Neroli, Pettigraine, Tangerine, Orange, Lemon, Lime or Melissa. Seal with a tight lid. Use this wonderful scrub all over the body, especially where you have dry skin, the knees, elbows, hands and feet.
10 teaspoons of ground
Lemon or Orange peel
30 teaspoons of ground Rice
20 teaspoons of fine Oatmeal
1 teaspoon of ground Cloves
1 teaspoon of ground Nutmeg
10 teaspoons of ground Rose Petals - if possible use scented rose petals
ix all of these dry ingredients together and store in a jar with a tight
fitting lid.
To use:
Take 2 tablespoons of the dry mixture, and add enough Almond Oil to produce a
smooth paste. Have a warm bath, and the dry yourself off. Now take the paste
and roll it all over the body, trying to leave a very fine layer of paste.
Concentrate on any dry areas of skin and massage into those. Once you have
covered your body in a fine layer of paste, use the soft side of an exfoliating
glove to brush off the fine dust. If any sticks to your body gently use the
rough side of the glove to remove it.
You will need either
500 grms of Rice, Barley, Wheat grain, or Cherry Stones
a Good Handful of either
Hops, Lavender, Rosemary, Chamomile Flowers or any other herb that you like.
Some Calico Cloth and some Muslin Cloth about 1 meter of each.
Make two bags from the cloth, the muslin will act as a liner, use some fabric paints to decorate the Calico and make a draw string top to each bag. Now fill the liner with the rice and herbs, and tie off. Place inside the Calico bag and again tie off.
To use Place the bag into a Microwave Oven for about 4 minutes, remove and place onto any part of the body that aches, the heat is retained for a long time and it smells wonderful as well.