by: James Pickavance

Goats’ milk is rich with nutrients like proteins, vitamin A, B12, B6, E, beta casein, and minerals. Skin absorbs beta caseins easily and helps in rapid hydration of the dry skins. Goats’ milk helps in moisturizing and soothing the skin as it is natural emollient.

It can make soap creamy, moisturizing, as well as lovely. More over goats’ milk will lower the Ph value of soaps, so that it becomes skin friendly. Goats’ milk soaps are effective for acne treatment as well as other problems of skins. With these qualities, goat milk soaps have positives for regular use.

One can easily make goat milk soap at home. You might be wondering how to make goat soap at your home.

For soap making goats’ milk soaps, milk is used as either liquid milk or powdered milk. It is easier to buy powdered goat milk from food stores. Use either pure milk or equal quantity of water and milk. There is hot process and cold process for making soap with liquid milk.

Two ounces of glycerine, three cups of goats milk, two teaspoon of borax, six and half ounces of lye, one and half pounds of fat etc makes a simple recipe for goats milk soap. Like this, various recipes are there for making goat soaps.

Melt and pour method is widely used for making goat milk soaps. You can buy both bases of pour soap as well as goats milk melt. Decide the recipe for the soap. Decide the type of molds for using.

Decide the shape of the soap that you want to make. Once you stock the goats melt milk as well as base for pour soap, you can look for colours and fragrances for the soap.

It is important that you follow the recipe for goat soap making. Using Vaseline, grease the molds properly so that soap does not stick after it sets. Melt the fat and cool it up to temperature range of eighty-five and ninety-degree Celsius. Pour lye into the paper cup, and then add goat milk. Slowly keep adding the lye. Mix the solution with hand mixer.

Chemical reaction will change the colour of milk to golden one, and the mixture becomes hot. So let the mixture to cool up to eighty-five degrees. To this mixture add glycerine, oatmeal, borax and mix well with the hand mixture for at least fifteen minutes.

Then keep it to rest and then mix at regular intervals of five minutes. Until noticeable changes takes place in consistency keep continuing the above process.

Pour the mixture of soap into the molds and allow it to set. Cover the top part of the molds with cheesecloth. For 24 hours, keep this soap at room temperature, which must be constant.

Remove the cloth off the top of molds and then take the soaps out of it. If the molds used is larger one, cut the soap into equal sized bars.

It is better to cure the soap by the air-drying method for a period of four to six weeks before using.

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by: Chere Deshayes

What Is Soap?

Soap is the oldest cleanser around. It is created by a chemical reaction between oils, water and lye. Although lye is used to make soap there is no lye left after saponification (the chemical reaction that makes soap) is complete. There is no such thing as a bar of soap that was made without the use of lye. Different kinds of soap are made using a variety of different oils. Both animal & plant oils can be used in the soap making process, each adding different qualities to the soap.

Conventional Bar Soaps

Much of the soap available in the store today is not really soap at all, but a detergent. Detergents are a petroleum based product, like gasoline and kerosene. Have you ever noticed how regular soap leaves your skin feeling dry, itchy and tight? Alkali, the most common irritant in soap is often the culprit. Others ingredients in mass-marketed soap have been proven harmful to human health and can cause severe skin irritations in some people. These include ingredients such as DEA, Isopropyl Alcohol, BHT and Triclosan (commonly found in anti-bacterial soap). The most common ingredient in conventional bar soaps is sodium tallowate. It is the natural product of combining tallow, or beef fat, with lye. The attractiveness for tallow for mass producing soap is that it processes quickly, produces a hard bar of soap and is cheap and plentiful.

The New Bar On The Block

While there is nothing new about handmade soap, its popularity is growing rapidly. The sales of handmade soap continue to grow as part of society’s movement toward buying products that are healthy and good for the environment. With the ever increasing use of synthetic chemicals and studies about their dangerous effects, consumers are on the lookout for more “green” alternatives.

Benefits Of Handmade Soap

Evidence abounds of the healing properties of a handmade bar of soap. Those who suffer from skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema, as well as people that have sensitive skin or are hypoallergenic often find immediate relief by switching to handmade soap. Compared to store bought soap, handmade soap is very mild. They are often made from vegetable-based oils, such as olive, coconut, and palm and do not contain the potentially harmful chemicals found in conventional bar soap. One of the biggest differences between commercial soap and handmade soap is glycerine. Glycerine is a clear liquid that absorbs water from the air and is a key factor in keeping skin soft and healthy. Glycerin soap is especially good for sensitive and delicate skin, and for children. Because it is a high quality by-product in the soap making process, many mass commercial soap manufacturers often extract the glycerine and sell it as a by-product to be used in higher priced products like lotions and skin creams.

Handmade Soap Is Good For Your Body

For adults, the skin covers approximately 20 square feet of the human body. It is the largest human organ and is the bodies first line of defense against dehydration, temperature, infection and harmful substances. Handmade soaps give your skin the care it deserves and make bathing a gentle, soothing experience.

Handmade Soap Is Good For Your Mind

For many of us today, life seems to move at an often hectic pace. While the stress of everyday life increases, personal time is at minimum. A fragrant, handmade bar of soap is a simple indulgence that fosters a feeling of relaxation and being pampered. Treat yourself or someone you love to the benefits of handmade soap!

About The Author

Chere Deshayes is the owner of Bath Plantation, a company that specializes in fine handcrafted bath and body products. Subscribe to her FREE newsletter at http://www.bathplantation.com/newsletter.html or visit her site at http://www.bathplantation.com.

by: Grand Illusions

If you like your soap natural, you are not alone. While there are many mass-produced soaps out there, natural soap is a nice departure from all of that. All natural can smell just as great as those manufactured soaps, but they are better for your skin as they usually are not nearly as drying or as irritating to your sensitive skin. Handmade natural soap can be purchased for those that want natural soap because they have sensitive skin or because they just don’t want to treat their skin with chemicals, which is what a lot of the mass produced soaps contain.

Natural handmade soap doesn’t have to be all that expensive, although some people think that it is and that is what keeps them from buying it. Often times, handmade all natural soap is actually cheaper than the soap that you can buy at your typical grocery store or drug store, because the natural ingredients are cheaper to buy. Handmade and natural soap can also be made by the consumers themselves, which can make it even cheaper to use and keep using! The great thing about buying natural soaps or making them yourself is that it is often cheaper and it often smells just as great as anything else that you could buy!
If you are looking for something that is clearly natural soap you should be sure to check out the ingredients and be sure that there isn’t anything in it that you are adverse to. Pure and natural soap usually does not contain harsh cleansers or alcohol that will dry out the skin. These soaps can be purchased in health food stores, online, or can even be made by you!

Grand Illusions was created by Nick Ronald and David Roberts in December 1987, initially with just one small store in St Margaret’s, Twickenham. The mission was to promote gifts, cards and accessories of good design and taste at an affordable price - still very much the core business ethic to this day.
Shortly afterwards, they discovered and developed a paint range that was to transform their lives. In those days, painted furniture was something of a rarity, and a twenty two drawer chest painted in one of the new paints caught the eye of ‘Homes & Gardens’ magazine - the small feature resulted in over a thousand telephone calls and the seeds of the highly acclaimed furniture collection were sewn.
This also led to the publication of three Grand Illusions books on decorating techniques and design inspiration, published in five countries by Ebury Press and accompanied by guest appearances on BBC2’s Home Front and various local BBC radio stations.

They published their first mail-order catalogue in 1990 which was immediately voted as one of the top 200 catalogues in a new worldwide review and several issues later, they were awarded the contract to operate ‘Country Living by Post’ on behalf of the magazine, in addition to their own unique programme.
Today, the company’s activities are currently concentrated on their two stores in St Margarets and Shaftesbury, with mail-order, paint studio, trade-sales and distribution also located in Dorset. The team regularly exhibit at quality retail and trade fairs like Country Living, Top Drawer and the RHS Flower Shows at Chelsea, Hampton Court and Tatton Park. Their products are now available at quality retail outlets across the UK and some stores in Japan, USA and Germany.

The publication of this web-site sees the return to mainstream mail-order for the accessory collection, which is just one of the exciting developments planned for the near future - so watch this space.

About The Author

Grand Illusions was created by Nick Ronald and David Roberts in December 1987, initially with just one small store in St Margaret’s, Twickenham. The mission was to promote gifts, cards and accessories of good design and taste at an affordable price - still very much the core business ethic to this day. http://www.grandillusions.co.uk

• Basics for Making Herbal Tinctures, Salves and Oils
• How to Make Herbal Oils & Ointments
• How-To: Ointments & Salves
• Kalyx: About Our Herbs - How to make an infusion, decoction, water-based extract, alcohol-based extract (tincture), and salve.
• Making Ointments
• Making Ointments at Home
• Ointments/Salves
• Ointments & Salves
• Plantain Ointment
• Reconstituting Ointment
• Skin balms, salves and ointments

Always consult your physician if you have high blood pressure, are pregnant

or have other medical concerns before using essential oils or herbs.

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SIMPLE RECIPE FOR NON-PETROLEUM JELLY

1/2 oz Beeswax

2 oz. Sweet Almond Oil or olive oil

Melt together in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a hand mixer until creamy. Pour out into a sterilized glass container with a screw-on top and allow to set up. Makes 1/2 cup. Add less beeswax is you prefer more of an ointment consistency or more if you prefer a firmer texture.

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ALL-PURPOSE SALVE

This multipurpose salve provides relief to sore muscles, reduces inflammation, heals scrapes, relieves minor burns, and even provides a measure of protections from biting insects. Excellent chest rub to break up congestion. Mix into your favorite salve base or use the recipe for non-petroleum jelly listed on this page.

1 part Plaintain Leaf (topically healing and soothing)

1 part Lavender Buds (antiseptic, topically healing, pain relieving, repels insects)

1 part Peppermint Leaf (cooling, anti-spasmodic, and pain relieving)

1 part Thyme Leaf (antiseptic and anti fungal, increases blood flow to the area, healing and astringent)

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HEALING HERB SALVE

1 oz dried Comfrey Leaves

1 oz dried Calendula Flowers

2 cups olive oil

1 oz Beeswax

4 drops Tea Tree EO

4 drops Lavender EO

1 400 vitamin E

Heat herbs in olive oil over low heat for about 5 hours. Do not let the oil boil or bubble. A Crock-Pot or the lowest temperature setting on a range should be suitable for heating this mixture. (If the lowest setting is too hot, turn off the heat once it has warmed the oil…it should keep warm for at least and hour….then repeat the process twice.) After cooking, strain out the herbs while oil is still warm. Place 1 1/4 cups of the herb oil in a pan, add beeswax and heat just enough to melt the wax. Add essential oil and stir. Finally, pour the salve into wide mouthed jars. Store at room temperature. Use for minor scrapes and cuts, to protect and promote healing.

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SUMMER SALVE RECIPE

1 part Lavender Buds

1 part Peppermint Leaves

Steep in 3 ounces of Sunflower Oil for 45 minutes. Strain. Try using coffee filters to squeeze out every drop of oil.

Melt 2 ounces of Cocoa Butter or coconut oil in microwave, then add 1 ounce of Beeswax and melt together.

Add strained sunflower oil and mix together. After it has cooled slightly, add 1-2 teaspoons lavender and/or peppermint essential oil. Lavender is healing, and peppermint is cooling.

Pour into container and let harden. Add more oil if you wish it to be more of a lotion. Just remelt and add.

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• Adele Dawson’s ‘Boiling Oil’ Method of Making Salves
• Basics for Making Herbal Tinctures, Salves and Oils
• Directions for Making Salve - Includes 7 recipes.
• Herbal Salve Recipes
• Herbal Salve Recipes
• Herbal Salve Recipes
• How-To: Ointments & Salves
• Kalyx: About Our Herbs - How to make an infusion, decoction, water-based extract, alcohol-based extract (tincture), and salve.
• Ointments & Salves
• Salve/Cream Magick
• Skin balms, salves and ointments

Always consult your physician if you have high blood pressure, are pregnant

or have other medical concerns before using essential oils or herbs.

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MAKE YOUR OWN COLLOIDAL OATMEAL BATH

1 cup oatmeal (quick or slow-cooking)

Blend or process the oatmeal in your blender or food processor until you have a very fine powder (pulverized). This helps the oatmeal absorb liquid.

To test the colloid property of your oatmeal, gently stir 1 tablespoon into a glass of warm water. If the oatmeal readily absorbs the water and give it a milky look and a silky feel, you’ve processed it enough. If the oatmeal simply sinks to the bottom of the glass, it needs to be processed further.

Sprinkle the oats into a tub of running water and stir the water with your hand several times to ensure even distribution. For babies, use 1/3 cup.

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OATMEAL MILK BATH

3 cups dried milk
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup ground oatmeal
EO or FO

Use 1/2 cup in your tub or tie in muslin.

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OATMEAL SOAK

In blender, mix: 3/4 cup oats
1/2 cup Lavender Buds
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup Sea Salt
EO or FO

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Chicken pox

Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac

Dry skin

Insect bites

Eczema

Diaper rash

Anal itching (often from pinworms)

Windburn

Sunburn

Shingles

Always consult your physician if you have high blood pressure, are pregnant

or have other medical concerns before using essential oils or herbs.

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MOISTURIZING BUBBLE BATH

1/2 cup soap flakes

1 cup boiling water

3 tablespoons Sweet Almond Oil

A few drops of EO (optional)

Dissolve the soap flakes in the boiling water, stirring gently. Immediately add almond oil, then essential oil (optional). Stir constantly while you add 4-5 tablespoons to running bath water. The rest can be used later, but you will need to stir prior to using again.

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*BIG BUBBLE* BUBBLE BATH

1 cup soap flakes

1 cup water

2-3 tablespoons Vegetable Glycerine

A few drops EO, if desired

Mix all ingredients together and store in container or glass bottle. Add 1-2 tablespoons under rapidly running water to create large bubbles. This mixture can also be used as a shower gel. Shake before using.

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Bubble Bath Drop

Bubble Bath

Cherry Berry Bubble Bath

Lavender Dreams Bath

Lilac Sensation Bubble Bath

Solid Bubble Bath

Violet Days Bath