Updated Website

I have worked very hard to update my Weebly Website. I still have the Lily site, https://lilyshop.com/store/LydiaMariesBoutique but need to update that as well.
The Weebly site had been under the Pocket Full of Sunshine Boutique name and since I couldn't just change the name, had to build a new site. I incorporated a collage of many previously made products as the header of most pages.
Check it out here http://lydiamaries.weebly.com

Oh no!!.......Oh yes! More Soap Cupcakes!!!

I could seriously make soap cupcakes every day of my life!!! These are sooo much fun to make. I need to spend a day making decorative embellishments. I should also plan ahead, deciding what fragrance and design I am going to make ahead of time, so I am prepared. As of now, I just fly by the seat of my pants and am not as creative as I might be otherwise.
Here are my latest creations:

Japanese Cherry Blossom

Blackberry Amber

Cabernet Sauvignon

Dead Sea Mud & Salt Spa Soapcake

 

These will be ready to sample in 2 weeks. I am anxious to try them out, especially the Spa Soapcake. I made a bar soap some time ago with this same recipe but I put salt in the bottom layer, which crumbled when I cut it. So, this time, I put a plain layer of soap first, followed by a layer with salt and then a layer with the Dead Sea Mud. Not that is matters with this design, since I won't be cutting these.

Going Crazy With Soap Cupcakes

It has been quite some time since I posted. I have mentioned in the past that I was having some health problems. Unfortunately, this has been a prolonged challenge. I was finally able to have a couple of days of feeling well enough to play. I am on a CUPCAKE kick!!! Here's some pics.

Scented with Wedding Cake Fragrance Oil. My flower making skills are not the best, but, with anything, practice makes perfect. Piping with soap is much different than piping with icing!

Scented with Wedding Cake Fragrance Oil. Simple but elegant.

Scented with Juniper Breeze Fragrance Oil.

Scented with Jack Frost Fragrance Oil.

Scented with Gingerbread Fragrance Oil.

Scented with Peppermint Stick Fragrance Oil.

Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover

I have made countless batches of soap over the years. Some have been prettier than others. Having said that, I will explain the title of this post.
I made a batch of soap about 5-6 months ago and scented it with Lavender and Eucalyptus Essential Oils. I added green and purple colors, as seemed appropriate for the fragrance. Initially, I was pleased, however, over the months the colors faded. I eventually tossed the soaps into a box which was labeled "Eucalyptus Lavender -- Yuck -- Ugly". The purpose of the label was to alert me to soaps for either personal use, or, to "repurpose" at a later date. By repurpose, I am referring to adding the soap to a new batch to make it more pleasing to the eye. Here is a picture of the soap.

When shower time arrived this evening, I wandered to the basement to fetch a new bar of soap. I spied the box of "ugly" Eucalyptus Lavender soap so decided that was my choice.
First, I want to say I just LOVE essential oils! While I appreciate  the variety of scents afforded by fragrance oils there is just no substitute for good ole fashioned essential oils! It is just so fresh and uplifting, not to mention the beneficial properties.
Well! The soap lathered beautifully and the aroma was delightful! So while maybe it isn't the prettiest thing to look at, it was pure pleasure to use and left my skin smooth and soft.

Update Coming Soon

Sorry I have been MIA lately. I have been working a lot at my day job, busy with family functions and having some minor health issues. I am anxious to spend some time on new creations over the next couple of days and will post details and pics as soon as I can.

New Melt and Pour Base Experiment

In my last post, I wrote about a new venture. Making my own melt and pour soap base. While I accomplished my mission, I was not overly thrilled with the recipe itself. Having been a soap maker for many years, and never tiring of the endless combinations of oils and butters when creating soap recipes, the recipe provided in the book I purchased for melt and pour soap base from scratch did not include ANY oils or butters. Huh? How could it even be soap? So, I continued my journey to find a true SOAP that could be made, melted and poured.
The key ingredient in any melt and pour soap is propylene glycol. As with every other ingredient on the earth, there are no doubt "studies" that have been done, deeming this ingredient as skin "unfriendly". There are just as many articles declaring it's benefits and safety. Regardless, this product is what makes the soap base meltable.
I didn't have enough of said propylene glycol for the recipe I found, but, being the impatient person I am, decided to make it anyway, using the amount of propylene I had, to see how it would  work out.
I soon discovered the resultant glitch from not having enough. After the soap was made, it wanted to skin over immediately as soon as I stopped stirring it. Not to be thwarted, I continued on.Into the mold it went.

Giving in yet again to my impatience, I popped the little darling into the freezer until it had sufficiently hardened that I could remove it from the mold.

Doesn't look too bad. Glad the yellow color toned down a bit. Now, to see if it will cut easily and remelt?

Yes! Nice and soft. Cut easily. Now. Will it melt?

Yes! However, can you see the skin on top? THAT is the thorn in my side, but, reminding myself this is an experiment.

I added some color, just for the sake of adding color. Didn't bother with fragrance. That skin is really starting to annoy me!

In the mold and then, yes, you guessed it! Into the freezer. lol

It came out of the mold easily, even tho it was still warm. (I did mention I was impatient, didn't I?)

It lathered good. Hmmm. What's this? My hands felt "sticky" when I was done washing my hands. Too much glycerin? Hmm. Then, a few minutes later, I realized the sticky feeling was gone and in it's place, my hands felt very soft and moisturized; as if I had put lotion on. Hmmm.

All in all, this was a successful project. I learned a lot. I have taken a giant step towards developing the most incredible melt and pour base on the planet. Well, maybe not that good, but really good! I DEMAND perfection. Stay tuned but don't hold your breath! My experimentation must be placed on the back burner for a few days while I work long hours at my day job.

Soaps Made with Scratch M & P Base

My initial Mad Scientist session is completed. Clear and White melt and pour bases made from scratch - noted in the previous post. Now, the final product.

These are little soaps made with the White Base. As you can see, they colored a beautiful pastel color. The base is very very white. The soaps unmolded like a dream, only requiring the slightest pressure on the back of the mold. Beautiful if I do say so myself!

I was pleasantly surprised when the clear base accepted the color so well, considering the color of the base was light amber instead of clear. This base required the tiniest bit more pressure on the back of the mold to release, however, I have a feeling this was because of impatience on my part and being in a hurry to unmold. They were still slightly warm.

Now for the all important suds factor. As previously noted, the clear base was a recipe named High Sudz.

I found it to create a creamy lotion like lather after a vigerous 30 second hand rubbing. Not at all what I would consider "High Sudz". A bit of a disappointment in my opinion.

The White base fared better.

A nice fluffy lather after only a few seconds of rubbing. This one is a keeper.

I will work on reformulating the clear recipe and work on a recipe for a base with additives such as oils and butters. The above recipes were simple, basic recipes.