Thank Goodness for Time Off

I'm off work this week for some much needed down time. It's a great opportunity to get things organized for the start of our market season. I have spent time this week taking a full inventory of what I have available, what I need to make, what needs to be labeled and organizing my Square storefront.

I've spent time making soap and planning soapy products. I'm waiting for a few ingredients to show up so other products can be made. I've pampered myself and I've enjoyed the sunshine in a way that I can't when I'm at work.

First, and foremost, soap has been made. Granted, I've only made two batches this week but, first, the week isn't over yet, and second, I really don't need that much soap for now. What I'm making now won't be ready for sale for at least a month (one of them).

I wasn't going to make it but the Poop emoji soap really did sell well last year. I sold out at the Christmas market and decided then that I wasn't going to make any more. Now that market season is about to start, however, I decided that maybe I should make a batch or two for this year's markets.

As I said, for some reason it always sells. I guess it's the snicker factor; everyone snickers when they see it. They're almost afraid to touch it but fascinated to find that it smells like Chocolate Fudge. It makes me giggle every time I watch people's reaction.

Another soap that sells well for me just happens to be one of our favourite soaps and I like to have in stock at all times. Salt soap is a mild soap; washing with it is like washing with salt water. It's gentle enough that I use it on my face almost daily (I have to try other products, too.... I don't test on animals, I test on me!)

I love these bar molds. I used to make this soap in a variety of sizes and shapes, including flowers but I like these shapes better. They fit nicely in the hands. The bars come in at just under 3 oz, so they're a nice size and, this way, they look very similar.

Yesterday, I made a batch of Fizzing Bath Melts, made with cocoa butter, citric acid, and baking soda. When added to your bath water, the cocoa butter melts, creating a skin-soothing bath. They're also made with fragrance oil, this time Lavender & Basil fragrance oil. I love making these using a moon cake press; it's so easy and they're so pretty.

This past weekend, I played with another product, something totally different.

They look edible don't they? Like strawberry marshmallows, right? Well, appearances are deceiving in this case. These are Marshmallow Body Wash Cubes; yes, they're soap! They look like marshmallows, they feel like marshmallows. You use them to wash yourself.

The recipe made a few more than I had anticipated. I'm thinking of bagging about four to a bag and adding a tag just to see how, or if, they will sell. They smell edible; they look edible. I'll definitely have to add a warning tag!

Today's only Wednesday; I still have a few days off. In that time, I'll be shrink wrapping and labeling soap; I'll be making and packaging other products, including shampoo bars and conditioner bars. I'll also be making sure I take time to enjoy the beautiful spring weather we're having. I'm not sure I'll be ready to go back to work next Monday; I'm enjoying my time off far too much.

I Love This Stuff!

I'm calling it Buttercream Body Frosting and it looks like buttercream frosting. It is a beautiful bath product. It's gentle and it foams like crazy.

It starts with a base that looks like (ew) lard or shortening and it whips up into this gorgeous, light, creamy foam cleanser.

Cooking up the base. It all comes together quickly. Once everything is dissolved and looks like a smooth lotion, it's time to let it cool before adding the preservative.

One kilogram of beautiful base. It does look like lard, though, doesn't it? At this point, it needs to cool and thicken up. It will be ready for whipping up by tonight or tomorrow. Once whipped, here's how it looks...

The one on the left is scented with Mango Sorbet and smells positively edible. So yummy. The one on the left is scented with Karma, a Lush duplicate that has become one of my favourite fragrances.

Just a little scoop lathers up like crazy. I'd probably use a touch more if I was washing myself but I wanted to show you just how well it lathers. (I need a new bath puff; this one's falling apart.)

This really is a gentle cleanser, with a pH of about 5-5.5 and is so luxurious. It isn't just for your body either. It can, in a pinch, be used as a shampoo, facial cleanser, shave cream, or a base for a sugar scrub. Fun stuff!

Both fragrances (and maybe others) will be available at the East Kelowna Sunday Artisan Market, starting up May 5.

Speaking of Hair

One question I received over and over at last year's market was, "Do you make shampoo bars?" I explained to those asking that the soap I make is a lye based soap and it really isn't the right PH for hair. In time, hair will be more damaged by a lye based soap than it will using shampoo especially formulated for hair. (That is, unless you wash and rinse it correctly and most people don't.)

Well, having said all that, I'm now starting to make shampoo and conditioner bars. The recipe I'm using is not lye based; it's a mild surfactant based shampoo (synthetic detergent) and oils that are good for hair. I've been using it for over a month now and I'm really happy with it. My daughter, granddaughter, and one of my nieces have been testing it as well and all reports have been very positive.

The front bar, with the 4-leaf clover is the shampoo bar. I scented this small batch (only 5 bars) with Pink Grapefruit. We all love the scent and we love how soft and clean it leaves our hair. My hair is quite dry, and quite fine (but there's a lot of it, according to every single hairdresser I've ever gone to) so I do need the conditioner; I'm finding the combination is perfect for me.

3 days after my last washing and it still doesn't feel like it needs it

I'll be making more this weekend and will be offering it for sale at this years markets, along with a few other new to me products. Keeping watching this spot for updates and news.