Category: new-item

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Now Selling Essential Oils

Many of you have asked the last few years why we don’t sell essential oils. We buy them in bulk for the stuff we make here, and it only makes sense that we would sell them as well.

We are pleased to announce that we are about to do just that. At this time we are putting the finishing touches on labels. We will shortly have product listed for sale and will post an update at that time.

Here is the preliminary list of Essential Oils that will be offered. Most will come in a ½ ounce (15 mL) size. Some of the rarer oils may be offered only in a smaller size.

  • Allspice Leaf
  • Amyris
  • Angelica Root
  • Anise Star
  • Aniseed
  • Basil
  • Bay Laurel – Laurus nobilis
  • Bay Rum – Pimenta racemosa (West Indian Bay Leaf)
  • Benzoin (resinoid)
  • Bergamot
  • Bergamot – Bergaptene Free
  • Bitter Almond
  • Black Pepper
  • Cade – Juniperus oxycedrus
  • Calamus Root
  • Camphor
  • Carrot Seed
  • Cassia
  • Cedarwood – Atlas (Cedrus atlantica)
  • Cedarwood – Chinese (Cupressus funebris)
  • Cedarwood – Himalayan (Cedrus deodora)
  • Cedarwood – Texas (Juniperus mexicana)
  • Cedarwood – Virginiana (Juniperus virginiana)
  • Celery Seed
  • Chamomile – German
  • Cinnamon Bark
  • Cinnamon Leaf
  • Cistus
  • Citronella – Ceylon
  • Citronella – Java
  • Clary Sage
  • Clove Bud
  • Clove Leaf
  • Coffee – Green
  • Coffee – Roasted
  • Copaiba Balsam
  • Coriander Seed
  • Cypress
  • Cypriol – aka Nagarmotha
  • Dill Seed
  • Elemi
  • Eucalyptus – Blue Mallee
  • Eucalyptus – Citriodora
  • Eucalyptus – Dives
  • Eucalyptus – Globulus
  • Eucalyptus – Radiata
  • Frankincense
  • Garlic
  • Geranium – Bourbon
  • Geranium – Egyptian
  • Ginger Grass
  • Ginger Root
  • Grapefruit – Pink
  • Grapefruit – White
  • Ho Wood
  • Jamarosa Root – Cymbopogon nardus
  • Juniper Berry
  • Labdanum
  • Lavandin
  • Lavender – Bulgarian, organic
  • Lemongrass
  • Lemon
  • Lime – (Key Lime)
  • Litsea Cubeba
  • Mandarin
  • Myrrh
  • Myrtle
  • Niaouli – Melaleuca quinquenervia
  • Orange Bitter
  • Orange – Blood Orange
  • Orange Sweet
  • Palmarosa
  • Parsley Seed
  • Patchouli – Dark
  • Patchouli – Light
  • Pennyroyal
  • Peppermint – Japanese (Mentha arvensis)
  • Peppermint – Supreme (Mentha piperita)
  • Petitgrain
  • Pine Scotch
  • Ravensara
  • Rosemary
  • Rosewood
  • Sage (Dalmatian)
  • Sandalwood
  • Siberian Fir Needle
  • Spearmint
  • Spinach Leaf
  • Sugandh Kokila
  • Tangerine
  • Tea Tree
  • Tea Tree – Cajeput
  • Tea Tree – Lemon (Leptospermum petersonii)
  • Thyme – Red
  • Tuberose – (nature identical)
  • Turmeric
  • Vanilla – (10 fold oleoresin)
  • Vetiver
  • Wintergreen
  • Ylang

This is a preliminary list and may be modified as we proceed.
2021-01-29 — 03:20

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Lotions – More – 29 Nov 2020

Here are the latest updates for Lotions now available for sale…

Lotion No. 11a is made with macadamia nut, hempseed, and jojoba oils, stearic acid, BTMS, and allantoin. Scented with Musk Rose, which smells clean and fresh.

Lotion No. 12a is made with fractionated coconut oil, monoi butter, isopropyl myristate, stearic acid, and BTMS. Scent is provided by the Monoi butter, which is derived from a tropical flower similar to plumeria or gardenia.

Lotion No. 13a is made with fractionated coconut and tamanu oils, isopropyl myristate, olive squalane, stearic acid, BTMS, and allantoin. Scented with rosemary. The tamanu oil itself has a clean earthy smell.

The Tamanu oil, used in No. 13a,  is reputed to have special healing qualities, as does olive squalane. That said, all of the oils we use are renowned for being especially skin friendly.

Lotion No. 14a is made with walnut, olive, and jojoba oils, isopropyl myristate, stearic acid, emulsifying wax, and allantoin. Scented with Rockrose (Cistus essential oil).

  • Vitamin E and a minimal amount of preservative/germicide is added to all our lotions.
  • All have a medium consistency, neither thin nor thick.
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Lotion Update – 18 Nov 2020

Now available for sale is Lotion No. 10a which is made with meadowfoam, mineral, and jojoba oils, isopropyl myristate, stearic acid, BTMS, and allantoin (see link below). We add vitamin E and a minimal amount of preservative to all our lotions.

This batch is lightly scented with litsea cubeba, which is a refreshing, rejuvenating essential oil with a lemony aroma. We will have unscented lotions available as well.

No. 10a is a moderately thick* lotion. It absorbs moderately quick and leaves a soft powdery feel. Hands stay comfortable even after washing.

*Update – 29 Nov 2020: I would no longer classify this lotion as thick. Like all of the lotions we have made recently this one is about right in the middle, neither thick nor thin. – John

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New News on Lotions – Allantoin

We recently made our first batch of lotion using an ingredient called allantoin. I wanted to post a little information about it so you would know what it was. The following description is from one of our suppliers…

Allantoin is a synthetic, free-flowing hygroscopic powder widely used in cosmetic, dermatological and pharmaceutical formulations for its soothing and anti-irritating properties. Allantoin has a moisturizing and keratolytic effect, increasing the water content of the extracellular matrix and enhancing the desquamation of upper layers of dead skin cells, increasing the smoothness of the skin; promoting cell proliferation and wound healing; and a soothing, anti-irritant, and skin protectant effect by forming complexes with irritants and sensitizing agents. Allantoin stimulates healthy, normal tissue formation even at low concentrations.

While allantoin is present in botanical extracts of the comfrey plant, it is generally chemically synthesized to meet worldwide demand. Our Allantoin is a nature-identical, synthesized product made to USP specifications. It is non-toxic, non-irritating, and non-allergenic.

Allantoin has been classified by the FDA as an Over-The-Counter (OTC) Category I (safe and effective) active ingredient skin protectant. It is FDA approved for this use at 0.5% to 2.0% in formulations. If you include it in your formulations and on your ingredient labels, but make no drug claims for it, it remains a cosmetic ingredient and need not be declared as an “active ingredient.”

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Now Testing Liquid Lip Balms

We are now testing a series of liquid lip balms. This bulletin is posted for those doing blind testing who did not receive a printout of what may be in any of the numbered samples you received.

Any of them may contain: Lanolin oil, Macadamia Nut oil, Mineral oil, Squalane (derived from olive oil), Arnica oil, or Mixed Tocopherols T50 (natural vitamin e). All of them are blends.

A friend commented recently that he loved the Balm No.3, but that he had to apply it relatively often. I said I would get him a little baby dropper bottle of what I used on my own lips, and that is how this began.

I myself use the Balm No.3 mainly on my hands. The single largest ingredient in No.3 is Shea Butter, followed by Macadamia Nut oil, Beeswax, and Jojoba, with T50 (vitamin e). It absorbs well, at least on my skin, and is non-greasy. It is because it absorbs well that regular application becomes necessary.

Every test pack also included a small dropper of Organic Unrefined Hempseed oil. It will not have a long shelf-life and should be used up within 6-8 weeks. Apply to cuts, scrapes, or dry skin and see if it lives up to its hype or not. It has a beautiful dark green smell and color.

– John

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Balm No.3 Now Available!

I am not calling it a night until I finally get our Balm No.3 listed on the website. We purposely chose to not just call it Lip Balm because even though it is great on lips it is simply an all around great balm for anywhere.

It is made with shea butter, macadamia nut oil, beeswax, and jojoba with a few drops of vitamin E. As I have said here before, I usually put a few drops of essential oil in each batch too. Last time I used Lemon and Bergamot. I always say I am probably not going to add the essential oils again in the next batch, and then each time at least one or two people tell me they like that I scent or “flavor” them.

A young friend of mine called me a couple days ago to say that she had received one of our Balms in her Christmas stocking. She is a lip balm aficionada, she said, and this balm was fabulous. The best ever. Her favorite lip balm before this had been an expensive one made by some company in New York, and she was almost out. I love hearing stuff like this, that people really can tell the difference when choice ingredients are used.

Anyway, the point of all this is that I am done testing these. They are poured in a ‘large’ tube that is 3-4 times the size of a regular lip balm. It holds about one half ounce. You may look for them on the site anytime after tonight. At $4.99 each they are a bargain… even if the labels still look kind of homemade.

John

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Bath Salts Added to Store!

We now have Bath Salts listed on the website. I made a dozen versions or so in the beginning, testing regular sea salt, Dead Sea salt, and even Epsom salts. We finally settled on No.3, with Lavender oil, and that is what is listed. No.3 uses regular sea salt.

There is also a fresh batch made of our famous “Balm No.3” (the lip balm I make in the large tubes). Labeled for the first time, I still haven’t gotten it listed on the site yet. I never really knew what to sell it for so I usually just gave it as gifts. What makes it so good is that it’s made with shea butter, macadamia nut oil, beeswax, and jojoba, with a few drops of vitamin E. I usually put a few drops of essential oil in it too. This time I used some lemon and bergamot, although I may not add any at all next time.

I received some nice compliments recently regarding the lotions we continued to make through last year, and wondering if they were still available. They were excellent lotions, I thought, and a lot of research went into them. I never understood why they were not a bigger hit, except that I think lotion must be a pretty personal thing. Then again, you may be saying that this is the first you have heard of them. I’ll tell you more about them in a coming post, and need to get these too added to the website. Labels are now made.

All present orders should be filled and on their way by tomorrow and we will be caught up for the first time in a while. I have really appreciated the orders… Thank you. ❤️

More to come…
John

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Alma-Clean Now Offered in Thieves Blend!

When doing our original formulating and testing of Alma-Clean in 2018, our own Thieves blend (formula #4) was one of the original scents that went out. It tested well, but in the interest of keeping things simple I chose to offer Alma-Clean initially in two choices: Original Tea Tree, and Basil & Thyme. Both are about equally popular, even if most customers have a definite preference for one or the other.

While taking orders this season however I had some unexpected queries of, “What happened to the Thieves?” In truth I had some on the shelf that I had held back for special requests, and we had all the oils necessary to make more. So we generated a “Thieves Blend” label, got some bottled, and were pleased to fill these orders.

Alma-Clean Thieves Blend – has now officially been listed for sale as well. Ho ho ho!

Thank you for your business, and Merry Christmas!

John

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Holiday Update – 7 December 2019

Another Facebook post from last week…

I have a friend who stays constantly angry at me that I don’t keep my posts here up-to-date. And for good reason. It’s really bad manners!

I poured soaps again all day today. I continue to update the online store, post new inventory, and new images. Will start getting some backed up orders out next week too.

I have a new Peppermint soap with bentonite clay that is really cool. It’s gorgeous, and it smells great!

I got the scent worked out on the Hemp soap, so those bars are good to go. They really look cool, and they’re good soap.

Many of our bars are larger this year, and/or the prices have come down. I have kind of been going against the grain of what some believe is the trend and have actually been working on lowering our prices – not raising them.

I added a new bar to the line-up, Playful Plum. I hope you will like it. It’s a pretty bar. It’s colored with ground madder root, something that has been used for millennia to achieve a gorgeous burgundy color in fabrics. I try to mostly use natural colorants.

I worked on a special bar for an old friend to go along with his product line and the pour turned out to be a disaster – laugh! Will have to revisit that one.

We have continued to add regular customers for the Alma-Clean, our highly effective laundry booster and all natural disinfectant, and I am really thankful for that. We have plenty labeled and ready to go.

Oh, I made like 40-50 lbs of lavender bath salts too, although I haven’t gotten them posted to the site yet. I have been making them forever but thought there wasn’t any interest in them until recently. Almost no one bathes anymore!

Running late to be somewhere… as usual!
❤️

John

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A Holiday Collection

I was going through a bunch of soap pictures I had taken while trying to get a decent “group” photo. There was one in the middle which was plainly taken by accident, and this is it. It was the only one that didn’t look staged.

We’ve got a Soothing Sandalwood, surrounded by Heavenly Hemp, Ancient Ocean, some pink thing I haven’t named yet, a Kashmir Goat Milk, Leinie for your Heinie, Black Cashmere with Charcoal, a Lemony Lemongrass, and some Awesome Orange.

Holiday Collection “oops” photo

Wish you could smell it all.
— John

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We have added a Surprise! bar

I have added a Surprise! bar to the line-up. I did this originally so that I could run some Shopping Cart and Checkout processes on the website without skewing our inventory. Technically, this SKU (product) is not an inventory item, so there is no inventory to mess up by running transactions against it. After setting it up I decided to make it a part of our official offering.

It is not unusual to hear a friend say, “Just send me ten of your best soaps, and let me know what I owe you.” This is that item — the item to purchase if you simply want a quantity of great soaps at the best price. These are all first-rate soaps, not seconds or duds. We want you to come back and buy again!

We do lots of test pours — trying some new scent, process, or ingredient. These are often great soaps, just that for whatever reason we don’t immediately list them for sale here to the online store. We may be waiting to hear what our testers say, or how well a scent holds… something like that. These are regularly added to orders that leave here, in hopes of receiving feedback, and these are soaps that may be included here.

In short, these may be any size bar, in any base formula.
More to come!

John