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Whether you view rebatching as an art, a doorway for the addition of gentle ingredients, or a second chance for your soap, this method of soap making offers opportunity.The term rebatching for soap simply means remaking soap. This method would be very similar to melt and pour soap in that you are melting down soap that has already gone through the saponification process. Rebatching is more intricate than melt and pour soap though. Rebatching involves cold processed or hot processed soap bars that are melted down for specific reasons.A common technique used in soap making, rebatching allows many soap making handcrafters the chance to rework their soap recipes, introduce delicate scents and herbs, as well as add ingredients or colors they may have missed the opportunity to add the first time.Since rebatched soap has already gone through the saponification process, the rebatching steps do not involve lye. This is why rebatching allows the opportunity to add those delicate soaping ingredients; without fear. With the rebatching method, these ingredients; which normally would not survive the saponification process, now have the chance to add wonderful benefits to your finished bars of soap.Although time consuming, the rebatch process is fairly easy to do. To put it briefly, the rebatching process is finely grating the soap, then heating (sometimes with the addition of a liquid like water to help prevent burning). There are a few different ways to introduce heat to the shredded soap. These ways would include: double boiler, microwave, and crock pot. But, please advise: you must monitor the soap while it is heating because you never want to scorch the soap. This may be slightly more difficult using the microwave approach.Now, as the soap is heated and starts to liquefy; it will have a very thick gel like density. Once the soap hits this consistency, any additives or scents are added and stirred in. Once the soap is stirred well, it is then scooped into a mold, left to harden, and finally cut into slices.So, now that you have an understanding as to what the method of rebatching is, we will shortly post a blog as to the various reasons to rebatch. This post will also cover the benefits as well as the drawbacks of rebatching your soap.

Powerful Fragrance Oils"What are some of your most powerful fragrance oils?" is a question that gets asked daily by our customers. Especially our first time buyers. With over 800 fragrance oils to choose from, and a good portion of those are incredibly strong, it was very hard to keep the list under 100! However, we have gathered a few of our most powerful fragrances oils that are not just strong, but are Nature's Garden best sellers. These are the fragrances that will leave your room scented long after the candle has been blown out, or you have left your bathroom smelling sweet and fresh from a bath bomb, soap or lotion. We hope the following fragrances will help inspire you to create some amazing smelling products for your family or customers! Powerful Fragrance Oils: Fresh Brewed Coffee- World's Best Fragrance OilNature's Garden worked long and hard to find a true coffee fragrance that did not have any chocolate undertones to it. Fresh Brewed Coffee-World's Best fragrance has wonderful effervescent coffee top notes, and incredible scent throw! This fragrance is so strong; we suggest cutting back on the amount you use in your applications. Also, please do not judge this fragrance out of the bottle. It may smell intimidating and a little scary, but we are sure you will be pleased with how amazing your products are going to smell.Fresh Brewed Coffee-World's Best performed very well in our cold process soap testing. There was no accelerating, ricing or separating. It did discolor to a light beige, which is a perfect color for coffee scented products! The scent cured nice and stayed true. This fragrance also had amazing hot and cold throw in our candle wax testing and air fresheners. Your house is sure to smell like a coffee shop with this fragrance oil!We have a wonderfully, easy recipe that uses our Fresh Brewed Coffee-World's Best. If you are looking for a new, fun soap recipe our Coffee Melt and Pour Soap Recipe is perfect! Using our Goat's Milk Melt and Pour soap base, coffee grounds (for some amazing exfoliation), real coffee to give some natural color and of course our World's Best, you will have an awesome coffee scrub soap that will leave your skin refreshed and soft and smelling good! Powerful Fragrance Oils: Black Cherry Bomb Fragrance OilFirst, you have Black Cherry Fragrance Oil and then you have Black Cherry Bomb Fragrance Oil! This fragrance oil by Natures Garden will literally burn your nose hairs out..it's so strong! Obviously, we are just kidding! Seriously though, it is incredibly strong and a best Nature's Garden seller. A delightful black cherry aroma that is not too sickening sweet.This fragrance oil did awesome in our cold process soap testing. No ricing, separating, or acceleration! It had a perfect pour and the fragrance stayed nice and strong through it's cure time! Black Cherry Bomb is a soaper's dream! It also does amazing in all candle waxes and in air fresheners! Plus it made awesome bath and body products such as lotion and body sprays.What better way to use Black Cherry Bomb fragrance oil than in an actual bomb? A bath bomb that is. This Black Cherry Bath Bomb is the bomb-diggity in bath and body products! Your bathroom will smell amazing and your skin will be soft and smooth after an awesome soak in a warm tub! This recipe is sure to be a must have in your line of products! Powerful Fragrance Oils: Pumpkin Crunch Cake Fragrance OilTake my word for it, you're gonna love this fragrance oil by Natures Garden! This fragrance oil has the aroma of a favorite fall dessert. The smell of creamy pumpkin pie filling with rich Eagle Brand Milk; surrounded with freshly baked yellow cake, melted butter, pecans, and hints of spice. Burn this in a wax melt or in a candle, and people will be thinking you did some baking! This fragrance is so popular during the fall that we can barely keep it on the shelves!Now, Nature's Garden has some fragrances that are not body safe. Pumpkin Crunch Cake fragrance oil is one of a few that is strictly for candles and wax melts or in air fresheners. Don't let that discourage you soap makers out there! This fragrance oil is worth using in some simple wax melts and we have a perfect recipe that you can try!Pumpkin Clamshell Wax Tarts are adorable and easy to make! Using our Pillar of Bliss and some fun fall candle dye colors, and you have yourself some cute candy corn inspired wax melts to help get you into the fall-spirit! Mmmmm! Powerful Fragrance Oils: Dragon's Blood Fragrance OilThis fragrance oil by Natures Garden smells just like the essential oil. Dragon's blood truly has a smell all its own. The actual Dragon's blood is a resin that is collected from a number of different plants and has long been used as a varnish, incense, dye and in medicine. However, our Dragon's Blood Fragrance Oil is a Nature's Garden best seller and is a perfect duplication of the incense or essential oil.Dragon's Blood did wonderfully in our cold process soap testing. No ricing, separating, or accelerating. It did discolor to a nice, light tan and the scent was still strong and true after its initial cure time. This fragrance oil also did amazing in candle testing and in air fresheners. Dragon's Blood also did very well in all bath and body products. Powerful Fragrance Oils: Green Irish Fragrance OilGreen Irish fragrance oil is perfect for anybody that loves a strong, fresh clean scent. It is actually one of my favorites! I could sniff it all day and not get tired of it! Spicy-sweet blend of French verbena and lemon, a green Florentine iris and violet leaves, and sublime notes of Mysore sandalwood and ambergris. This should be a definite addition to your men's line of products, but we have quite a few reviews stating that it makes a good unisex fragrance. I know I like it!Green Irish fragrance oil worked beautifully in cold process soap testing! No ricing, accelerating, or separating! A perfect fragrance to work with if you want to add some color or swirls to your soaps. It did discolor to a light lavender, but adding soap colorant, micas or even a natural colorant would help cover it up. The scent retention stayed wonderfully strong throughout its cure time. This fragrance had amazing hot and cold throws in our candle wax testing. It also made wonderful air fresheners and did very well in all other bath and body products. Powerful Fragrance Oils: Margarita Fragrance OilMargarita Fragrance oil by Natures Garden is a fresh lime fragrance with hints of lemon rinds and fresh greenery. This fragrance oil has high levels of essential oil of lime for a true-to-name aroma. This is a perfect summertime fragrance! I know this scent makes me thirsty the minute I get a whiff! Either for lemonade or an actual Margarita would be nice!During our cold process soap testing, Margarita Fragrance Oil did amazing! A perfect pour with no ricing, accelerating, or separating and no discoloring! The scent stayed strong and yummy throughout the cure time! Margarita also did very well in candle wax testing, air fresheners and in all bath and body products!Sugar and salt scrubs are very popular nowadays. They are truly easy to make and they will leave your skin feeling soft, refreshed and clean afterward. Our Margarita Salt Scrub is a perfect example. Most margaritas are served with a salted rim, so a salt scrub was the perfect recipe for the fragrance. This scrub has an amazing product in it, Sodium Cocoly Isothionate or SCI. This is a gentle, foaming surfactant made from coconut and is a must for soft skin. We also incorporated Dead Sea salt, vitamin E, mango and shea butters, and jojoba oil. Some amazing skin nourishing ingredients in this mighty yummy salt scrub! This would be a perfect summertime addition to your products! If you are looking for the real thing, you can try one of these margarita recipes. Powerful Fragrance Oils: Lavender Mint WOW Fragrance OilThis fragrance oil by Natures Garden is a fabulously, well-balanced herbal blend of earthy lavender flowers and fresh peppermint and spearmint sprigs. Lavender Mint WOW is another fresh fragrance for a summertime line-up.Lavender Mint WOW is another fragrance oil that is a cold process soaper's dream! No ricing, accelerating, separation or discoloring with this oil! The smell was still going strong after its cure time. This fragrance also did very well in our candle wax testing, air fresheners and in other types of bath and body products! Powerful Fragrance Oils: Leather Jacket Fragrance OilYou are not going to get any closer to a Leather Jacket smell unless you are wearing the real thing! Leather Jacket is spot on to a black, leather jacket you get in an expensive leather goods store. Crisp and clean is the thought that pops into my mind when I get a whiff of this!Leather Jacket did amazing in our cold process testing. No ricing, accelerating, separating or discoloring. A perfect fragrance to work with if you like to get creative with colors or designs in your soaps. It also does very well in candle waxes, makes perfect air fresheners for your car and did well in other bath and body products! Powerful Fragrance Oils: Stormy Nights Fragrance OilStormy Nights is another one of my all-time favorite fragrances! This fragrance oil by Natures Garden is an earthy, yet ozonic fragrance blend reminiscent of the way the night smells after a storm. This fragrance oil begins with top notes of ozone, fresh air, and white flowers; followed by middle notes of ylang ylang and tuberose and well balanced with base notes of patchouli and musk. Fresh, clean and electrifying!This fragrance oil did perfect in our cold process soap testing. Once again, no ricing, separating, accelerating or discoloring. The scent stayed strong and fresh through its cure time. Stormy Nights also did amazing in candle waxes, air fresheners and in all bath and body products! Powerful Fragrance Oils: Sweet Orange Chili Pepper Fragrance OilThis fragrance oil by Natures Garden is the sassy, saucy combination of Valencia Orange, Sparkling Bergamot, Tangerine Zest, Tart Cassis, Orange Juice, Neroli, Ground Pepper, Fiery Chili Pepper, and Sheer Musk. Sweet Orange Chili Pepper is a Nature's Garden original and a best seller!This yummy fragrance oil did fairly well in cold process soap testing. We experienced some slight acceleration so soaping at room temperature is strongly suggested. However, there was no ricing, separating or discoloring to the soap. The scent stuck very well and stayed strong through the cure time. Sweet Orange Chili Pepper had wonderful hot and cold throws in candle making. It also made wonderful air fresheners and it worked well in all bath and body products.With such a popular fragrance, we needed a recipe to go along with it. Nature's Garden created Sweet Orange Chili Pepper Cold Process Soap Recipe. Our base soap recipe is helpful when creating the pretty red and orange swirls. There was no accelerating and it gave excellent time to do an in the pot swirl. Powerful Fragrance Oils: Strawberry Passion Fragrance OilI know that most people think that strawberry may seem like a delicate, light fragrance to work with, but not Nature's Garden Strawberry Passion! This fragrance oil by Natures Garden is an incredibly strong, rich ripened strawberry fragrance with bottom notes of cotton candy and French vanilla. Strawberry Passion fragrance oil will be a perfect summer addition and it will be sure to please those that like strawberries.This fragrance did awesome in cold process soap testing. With no ricing, accelerating or separating, it was perfect to work with. However, it did discolor to a chocolate brown. In this case, if you are looking to keep your soap white, we suggest using Vanilla White Color Stabilizer to help you out. Strawberry Passion also did very well in candle waxes with amazing hot and cold throws. It did equally well in air fresheners and in all bath and body products. There you have it folks! Just a handful of some of our most powerful fragrances that Nature's Garden has to offer. We feel that these fragrances would be amazing additions to any or all of your products that you have to offer. Since they are some of our best sellers and did amazing in all of our testings we are sure you will be pleased with the outcome!If you are looking to show off any products you have made using Nature's Garden ingredients, give us a shout out and show off your talents! You can find us on Facebook, Instagram (@ngscents) or on the Twitter (@ngscents). We also have a Show and Tell page on our website. Follow the link and upload a picture of your creation and let us know what Nature's Garden product you used! We love hearing from our creative customers!

The crisp, woodsy scent of pine is more than just a seasonal favorite, it’s a year-round reminder of nature at its most refreshing. Whether you're dreaming of a walk through a snowy forest or just love the clean scent of evergreens, pine fragrance oil is a must-have in any candle maker’s collection. What Does Pine Smell Like? The smell of pine is often described as crisp, clean, slightly resinous, and earthy with subtle hints of citrus or spice depending on the variety. Some pine scents are bright and invigorating, while others lean toward warm, woodsy, and comforting. That’s because there are many types of pine scents, each with its own unique aroma. Fragrance oils inspired by pine may highlight different elements of the pine tree: needles, bark, sap, or even the forest floor itself. A classic pine scent might bring to mind freshly cut trees and cool mountain air. Others are blended to evoke a Christmas tree farm, with deeper balsam or cedar notes layered in. Why Does the Smell of Pine Relax You? There’s real science behind why pine can make you feel calm. Forest environments, especially those rich in evergreen trees, are believed to help reduce stress and promote feelings of well-being. The pine tree smell, with its combination of earthy and refreshing notes, may trigger a similar response, even when experienced through a candle. In candle form, fresh pine fragrance oil can create a grounding atmosphere, perfect for unwinding after a long day or creating a calm holiday mood. It’s also one of the most nostalgic fragrances, often associated with wintertime traditions and cozy indoor moments. Types of Pine Scents in Fragrance Oils Not all pine scents are the same. Depending on how the oil is formulated, you might notice: Crisp and airy pine – Reminiscent of cold, snowy mornings and wind-blown branches. Deep and resinous pine – Highlighting the earthy, sap-like notes of the tree. Pine blends – Mixed with citrus, spice, or wood for a more layered profile. Nature’s Garden offers several options that fall under the pine family, including scents inspired by pine needles, balsam fir, or festive holiday trees. When choosing a pine fragrance oil for your candle, think about the mood you want to create, clean and energizing, warm and nostalgic, or something in between. How to Make a Pine Scented Candle Making a pine candle is straightforward with the right supplies and attention to detail. Here's a basic overview to get you started: Choose a suitable containerStick with candle jars or vessels specifically rated for candle making. Avoid repurposed containers that aren’t heat-resistant. Melt your wax safelyUse a double boiler to melt your wax flakes, soy wax is a great beginner-friendly option and works well with most pine fragrance oils. Add fragrance at the right temperatureOnce your melted wax reaches the recommended fragrance load temperature, stir in the pine fragrance oil. Refer to the fragrance oil’s product page for flashpoint info and usage rates. Secure your wickUse hot glue to attach a candle wick to the center of your jar, or use wick tabs. Make sure it's straight and secure before pouring. Pour and cureSlowly pour your wax, allow it to set, and let your candle cure for several days to improve scent throw. Trim the wick to about ¼ inch before burning. For a full candle recipe, always test your batch for performance and safety. And remember, Nature's Garden does not recommend including pine needles or botanicals in candles due to fire safety concerns. Tips for Working With Pine Fragrance Oils Pine oils tend to be strong, test at lower concentrations if you're unsure. Some pine blends may discolor wax slightly, especially in soy wax. Always test first. Cure time matters. Give your candle a few days to develop its full scent potential. Label your candles clearly, especially if you're selling them during peak seasons like the holidays. Bring the Outdoors In A pine scented candle offers more than a seasonal vibe. With the right pine fragrance oil, you can create a year-round experience that evokes fresh air, quiet woods, and peaceful moments. Whether you're building your holiday candle line or just love the scent of evergreens, pine is a timeless, versatile choice that never goes out of style. Disclaimer: Nature’s Garden is not responsible for the performance of any of the recipes provided on our website. Testing is your responsibility. If you plan to resell any recipes we provide, it is your responsibility to adhere to all FDA regulations if applicable. Please also reference IFRA standards for proper fragrance oil usage. If there are ingredients listed in a recipe that Nature’s Garden does not sell, we cannot offer any advice on where to purchase those ingredients. We also do not offer any advice on formulating or altering recipes.

Coloring your homemade soap can transform it from a simple bar into a work of art. But with so many options available, from liquid and powder to block colorants, how do you choose the best one for your needs? Understanding the different soap colorants and how they work can help you achieve the perfect shade and finish for every batch. Let’s dive into the various options and their unique benefits. Understanding Different Types of Soap Colorants When it comes to soap coloring, there are three primary types of colorants: liquid, powder, and block. Each type has its own advantages and can create different effects in your soap. Liquid Colorants: These are pre-dispersed pigments or dyes in liquid form, making them easy to use and measure. Due to their simplicity, they are ideal for beginners and are great for achieving consistent, uniform color throughout your soap. Powder Colorants: Powdered pigments, including micas, oxides, and clays, offer a more concentrated color. They are versatile, allowing you to achieve vibrant hues or subtle shades, depending on how much you use. Mixing powders with a small amount of oil or glycerin before adding to soap ensures even distribution. Block Colorants: These solid colorants, or pigment blocks, are typically melted or dissolved into your soap mixture. They can offer intense color saturation and are especially useful when you want bold, bright colors. How to Color Soap: Liquid, Powder, and Block Options Explained If you’re new to how to color soap, knowing the best practices for each type of colorant can make a big difference in your results: Using Liquid Colorants: To add liquid colorants to your soap, start with a few drops and gradually add more until you reach your desired shade. Liquid colorants blend seamlessly into melt-and-pour bases and cold-process soap, making them a versatile choice. Using Powder Colorants: Powdered soap colorants should be mixed with a carrier oil or water before adding them to your soap. This step helps to prevent clumping and ensures even color distribution. Micas are popular for powdered colorants because they create a shimmery finish. Using Block Colorants: Melt your block colorant according to the manufacturer’s instructions before incorporating it into your soap mixture. Block colorants work well in melt-and-pour soap bases, providing rich, consistent color. Each method has its benefits, and your choice will depend on the type of soap you’re making and the effect you want to achieve. Natural Soap Colorants: A Guide to Eco-Friendly Choices Natural soap colorants are an excellent option for creating eco-friendly soaps. They come from plant-based and mineral sources, offering a range of earthy tones and subtle shades perfect for those who want a more natural approach to soap coloring. Plant-Based Colorants: Common choices include turmeric, spirulina, and beetroot powder. These options can create beautiful, muted hues and offer additional skin benefits. For example, turmeric can provide a warm yellow tone, while spirulina creates a soft green. Clays: Clays like French green clay, rose clay, and kaolin clay are great for adding both color and skin-purifying properties to your soap. They create pastel shades and add a silky texture. Mineral Pigments: Micas are a popular choice for natural colorants for soap making because they are derived from minerals and create a shimmery, eye-catching finish. When using natural soap colorants, remember that the colors may be more subtle than synthetic options, but they offer a unique, earthy beauty that many soap makers love. Comparing Colorants for Soap Making: Which Type Is Right for You? Deciding between liquid, powder, and block colorants for soap making depends on your project goals and experience level. Here’s a quick comparison to help you choose: Liquid Colorants are best for beginners and those looking for convenience. They are easy to measure, blend quickly, and work well with both melt-and-pour and cold-process soaps. They are ideal for those who want consistent, uniform colors. Powder Colorants are great for more experienced soap makers who want more control over the intensity of their colors. Depending on the amount used, powders can create a wide range of effects, from vibrant hues to soft pastels. Block Colorants are perfect for creating bold, saturated colors. They are especially effective in melt-and-pour soaps but require more preparation, as they need to be melted before use. When selecting your colorant, consider the type of soap you’re making, your desired color intensity, and the overall look you’re aiming for. Tips for Using Liquid, Powder, and Block Soap Colorants Effectively To achieve the best results with soap colorants, follow these tips for each type: Start with a Small Amount: Always start with a small amount of colorant, especially with powders and blocks, as they can be highly concentrated. You can gradually add more to reach the desired shade. Blend Thoroughly: Whether you’re using liquid, powder, or block colorants, blend them thoroughly into your soap mixture to avoid streaks or uneven color. Test Beforehand: If unsure how a colorant will behave, test it on a small batch of soap first. This is especially important with natural soap colorants, which can sometimes change color during saponification. Consider the Soap Base: Different bases can affect how colorants behave. For example, clear melt and pour bases will show vibrant colors, while opaque bases may produce softer, more muted shades. With these tips, you can make the most of how to color soap and create beautiful, vibrant bars every time. Frequently Asked Questions About Soap Colorants Which type of soap colorant is best for beginners?Liquid colorants are the easiest to use and measure, making them an excellent choice for beginners. They blend easily and provide consistent results. Can I use food coloring in soap making?While food coloring may seem convenient, it’s not recommended for soap making as it can bleed or fade over time. It’s best to use colorants designed explicitly for soaps. Are natural soap colorants suitable for all skin types?Yes, natural soap colorants like clays and plant powders are generally gentle on the skin and are suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin. However, testing a small amount on your skin is always a good idea if you have allergies or sensitivities. By understanding the differences between liquid, powder, and block soap colorants, you can select the right option for your next soap-making project. Whether aiming for bold, bright colors or subtle, natural hues, there’s a soap colorant to help you achieve your creative vision.

There are many lemon peel benefits that you can use to benefit your body. Both the Lemon Peel Cut and Sifted and the Lemon Peel Powder from Natures Garden are perfect for nourishing your body inside and outside. You will love all the ways that you can use this bright citrus herb in your life. Not only can use this herb to enhance your food recipes, but you can use this herb to create lovely bath and body recipes. So, let's get into all the benefits and properties of lemon peel.Lemon Peel Benefits: Growing ConditionsLemon trees require a warm climate and are quite sensitive to the cold. The tree will become inactive below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, the fruit dies after being exposed to lower than 28 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes. So, they will need protection from frost, which can be helped by ensuring that your tree has enough water. Additionally, lemon trees should be provided with full sunlight. While these trees are temperature sensitive, they are able to tolerate many different types of soils. However, these trees will prefer soil that is slightly acidic and well-draining. Further, you should plant your tree in a hole that is slightly shorter than the root ball. Then, replace the dirt and tamp firmly. For those in the United States, anyone that doesn't live in a climate like Florida or California may want to plant your lemon tree indoors. As long as the pot is fairly large and the soil is well draining, the tree should be comfortable as an indoor plant. However, a typical lemon tree has the potential to grow to be 20 feet tall, so you will likely want to prune your tree as it gets too large.However, the lemons require hot summers to develop the fruit. So, it may be less likely for an indoor tree to produce fruit if you don't bring your plant outside in the summer. Luckily, there are dwarf lemon tree options, like the Meyer lemon, that are more likely to bear fruit. Since your plant will be inside, it is unlikely that pollinators, like bees, butterflies, and other bugs, can get to your plant. Instead, you can use a paintbrush or cotton swab to rub pollen within the flower. This increase your chance of fruit and lead to a better harvest.Lemon Peel Benefits: Industry UsesThere are many different ways that you can use the lemon peel herb in your daily life. First, you can add lemons to your diet to enhance the flavor of everything from water to dinner recipes. Further, adding more lemon in your food will provide you with some awesome health benefits. Also, your cosmetic recipes can benefit from the addition of lemon peel powder. Not only will your products pick up a lovely lemon aroma, but there will be able to provide you body with all kinds of benefits. So, let's get into some of the wonderful properties of this botanical herb.Lemon Peel Benefits: Medicinal UsesThere are some beneficial properties that you can gain from adding more lemon peel powder to your diet. This herb can be added to tonics or teas that you can use to provide all kinds of benefits to your body. Plus, the peel has a pleasant taste that isn't too overpowering. So, let's get into how this herb can benefit your body.Lemon Peel Benefits: Medicinal BenefitsFirst, you can use lemon peel powder to help promote good digestion. Many people have found that this herb can be used to reduce the symptoms of gas, heart burn, and indigestion. Also, the high fiber content can be useful for treating both diarrhea and constipation. Further, lemon peel is able to help your body eliminate toxins, as it promotes kidney function. In fact, this herb acts like a diuretic and has been known to be useful against kidney stones. Furthermore, it is thought that lemon peel can be used to detox the liver. Since this is the organ that filters and breaks down toxins in your body, helping flush these out will help your liver to preform at its best.A study on fighting skin cancer shows that drinking lemon peels in your tea may be beneficial in preventing this disease. Plus, this cosmetic herb can be useful for reducing bad cholesterol levels in the body. This lower cholesterol will be helpful for improving heart health and reducing the chance of a heart attack or stroke. Also, this herb has anti-inflammatory properties that are thought to help relieve inflammation in the walls of veins. So, this herb may be useful for varicose veins or hemorrhoids. Also, you can use lemon peels to help promote healthy bones, as it contains vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for the bones. Both the calcium and vitamin C are important for maintaining and building healthy bones. Additionally, this high level of vitamin C is useful for promoting a healthy immune system. So, adding more lemon peel to your diet may be useful for preventing a cold or other inconvenient illness.Lemon Peel Benefits: Cosmetic UsesThere are quite a few benefits that you can utilize in your bath and body products. This botanical herb can be used to nourish the skin and hair in your natural products. So, you can produce products that are beautiful, all natural, and great for your body.You can use the lemon peel herb nourish and enhance the appearance of your skin. First, this cosmetic herb can be used to cleanse the skin and help to break down dead skin cells. Further, this herb will help detoxify the skin with it's abundance of antioxidants. Plus, lemon peel can provide rough, dry skin with nutrients that can rejuvenate and soften your skin. So, this herb would be perfect for creating a lotion recipe or even a nourishing conditioner recipe.Also, you can use lemon peel to help even and brighten your skin tone as well as lighten your complexion. Further, this herb can be useful for promoting healthy skin growth. Plus, this herb can be useful in helping to prevent signs of aging. You can add this cosmetic ingredient to your lotion and soap recipes to help reduce wrinkles and fine lines. Also, you can use this herb to help reduce dark spots, like circles under the eyes or even acne scars. Also, the astringent and antimicrobial properties in this herb can be useful for reducing acne. So, this cosmetic herb would be perfect for adding to your typical soap making supplies.Lemon Peel Benefits: Natures Garden RecipesWe created a tea with the Lemon Peel Cut and Sifted and included it in our Hair Conditioner Recipe For Blondes. We made this recipe to create a product that will nourish and care for your hair. Lemon peel powder is a wonderful herb for your hair that will leave your locks looking healthy and shiny. Furthermore, this herb will help restore your hair and scalp's natural pH balance. So, this herb can be useful for balancing an oily or dry scalp, reducing dandruff and helping manage hair loss. Since this herb has many benefits for the skin, it is a perfect ingredient for many bath and body recipes. First, we used the lemon peel powder to create the Margarita Salt Scrub Recipe. We included this herb with our other body scrub supplies to create a scrub that can exfoliate as well as brighten and nourish the skin. So, this product will provide you with glowing, youthful skin. Additionally, we created many other bath and body recipes with this cosmetic recipe that you can find under the recipe tab of the Lemon Peel Powder.Lemon Peel Benefits: Food and BeveragesThere are many ways that you can use lemon peels to benefit your drinks and food recipes. Since this botanical herb is full of vitamins and minerals, it is able to provide the building blocks that your body can use to its benefit. Further, the lemon peels contain about 5 times more vitamins than the center or juice.First, you can incorporate lemon peels with other tea herbs to create a tea that it fantastic for your body. Alternatively, you could just boil lemon peels to create a simple lemon peel tea, which you can drink plain or even with a touch of honey. This is an easy way to add more nutrients to your diet and begin to feel the benefits of this herb.Additionally, you can add lemon zest to your dessert or meal recipes. While many cooks will refer to this herb differently in the kitchen, it is still just lemon peels that are grated a bit finer. So, lemon peels are actually utilized pretty well by good cooks, as this herb tastes good and is good for you! Check out Zest Is Best: How to Make the Most of Your Lemon, Lime, and Orange Peels by Bon Appetit for tips on zesting and recipes that you can create with your zest!Lemon Peel Benefits: Other UsesThere are some other uses of lemon peels that you can utilize in your daily life. In addition to the various health and cosmetic benefits that this herb can provide, you can find a few other useful ways to include this herb in your life.Also, this herb can be used to help whiten your teeth. Although you could use whitening strips, this method is less expensive and natural. If you are interested, then check out How To Use Lemon For Teeth Whitening by WiseShe. Plus, you can use lemon peels to help promote stronger bones. The vitamin C in this herb can be useful for preventing bleeding gums, scurvy, and even gingivitis. Further, the citric acid in this herb can be used to reduce your chance of having issues with your gums.Another use of lemon peel is that you can add it to a bag of brown sugar to help keep it fresh. Adding this herb will help keep the sugar moist and prevent it from getting hard. Just make sure that you only add the peel without any of the pulp or juice. Also, you can use this herb to use this botanical herb to freshen your fridge. Lemon peel is known to be able to absorb scent, so it can be useful for reducing the scent of your fridge. Plus, you can use this herb to create natural cleaners for the home. It is thought that lemon peel can be useful for polishing chrome surfaces.Lemon Peel Benefits: Ask Your QuestionsWe hope that you enjoyed learning about all the lemon peel benefits that you can gain from this delightful herb. If you have anymore questions about this herb or another others, then feel free to reach out to us! We are available in the store, on the phone, and online. Anyone that wants to find us online, may want to try one of our social media pages. We have a Facebook page as well as both a Twitter and an Instagram that uses @ngscents. Not only can use use this platform to ask your questions, but you can share your own personal opinions and homemade recipes, too. Hope to hear from you soon!Lemon Peel Benefits: Reminder About Our HerbsNote: Natures Garden sells our herbs, like the Lemon Peel Cut and Sifted and Lemon Powder, for external use only. We do not sell our herbs as food items. The information we provide is for educational purposes only. We do not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease with this information. Also, the Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated the information that we provide. You should keep all herbs out of reach of both your children and pets. Further, pregnant and/or lactating women should take special care when handling our herbs. Natures Garden accepts no responsibility (written or implied) for any products you make with our herbs and all testing is the responsibility of the customer.

If you want some tips on how to make homemade soap that exfoliates, then you are going to want to check out our list of natural exfoliants for soap making. Whether you are looking for a delicate face scrub or an effective foot scrub, we have the soap making supplies that you need for your handmade soap! These herbal ingredients are great soap supplies because they are natural and have great benefits for the skin!What is an Exfoliator?We know that an exfoliant is an ingredient that some bath and body products have, but what does it do? Well, these exfoliating products contain an ingredient or two that makes them more scrubby. This means that the product will be able to help remove grime and dead skin cells. Basically, an exfoliant is just another way to say skin scrubber! It removes that outer layer of bad stuff that would just get in the way and it leaves the living cells fresh and open for your skin loving bath and body products.Cosmetic ClaysIf you are looking for a gentle and sensitive way to exfoliate your skin, then a cosmetic clay is the way to go. Plus, clay powder is safe to use in facial recipes, as it is gentle enough to care for your face. So, anyone wondering "How to exfoliate dry skin on face?" should know that this is a great option! These wonderful ingredients are perfect homemade soap making supplies for removing dead skin without causing any harm. After the dead skin is moved out of the way, your product will be able to nourish the new layers below. Bentonite Clay PowderFirst, we have the lovely Bentonite Clay Powder for your all natural homemade soap recipes. Not only is this cosmetic clay a light exfoliant, but it is great for helping your soap glide. This glide is due to the slippery texture this soapmaking clay gets when its wet. One soap that benefited from this property was the Moonlight Tuberose Swirled Soap Recipe, which uses an abundance of different clays to swirl the melt and pour soap.Rhassoul Clay PowderAnother great choice for your soap-making is the Rhassoul Clay Powder. This clay is full of skin-loving minerals and is perfect for helping to cleanse the skin. We used this cosmetic clay in our own recipe, which is the Chamomile Clay Soap Recipe.Dead Sea Clay PowderNext, you could try out the Dead Sea Clay Powder in your soap recipes. This cosmetic clay is amazing for the skin, as it exfoliates dead skin as well as helps to remove toxins. Further, this soap-making ingredient is full of vitamins and minerals that provide your skin with nourishment. We included this clay in the Mechanics Soap Recipe.Kaolin White Clay PowderIf you have sensitive skin, then Kaolin White Clay Powder is perfect for you. This cosmetic clay is gentle is perfect for removing toxins and dead skin from your body. We used this gentle clay in our Swirled Melt and Pour Soap Recipe, but you can use this ingredient in any kind of bar soap and many kinds of natural cosmetics.Red Moroccan Clay PowderAlso, you can try out our Red Moroccan Clay Powder. This cosmetic clay is one of the purest forms of clay ever found. Not only does it gently exfoliate, but this cosmetic herb is able to remove toxins from the skin and moisturize! So, this is an amazing ingredient to add to home made soaps.French Green Clay PowderThe French Green Clay Powder is most commonly used by health professionals and spas for treating skin conditions, nourishing the skin, and removing impurities. Much of the nutrients for your skin comes from the composition of the clay, which is partially plant material. So, this clay is wonderful for skin care and nourishment.Rose Clay PowderPink Clay, or Rose Clay Powder, is another gentle cosmetic clay that contains kaolin, so it is perfect for caring for sensitive skin. Plus, this soaping ingredient is useful for exfoliation, drawing out toxins, and reducing irritation and inflammation. Further, this pretty clay adds a gorgeous, natural color to your homemade soaps.Whole Flowers and HerbsThere are many herbs that you can use to exfoliate your body. Some are more on the abrasive side and others are more delicate, but they all can be used to remove the outer layer of junk on your skin that you just don't need. Although you can find all of the herbs you need under the Herbs & Spices tab of the NG site, we would like to share some of our favorite herbs to use as exfoliants in our homemade bath and body recipes. Depending on certain properties, like hardness, the exfoliating herbs may have different levels of effectiveness.Poppy Seeds WholeOn great herb that you can use to create strong scrubs is the Poppy Seeds Whole. These seeds are hard enough to get a good scrub, which is perfect for feet and hands. Also, many people prefer this to salt for their more abrasive scrub recipes because you can use less and get similar results. This means less scrubby feeling with the same benefits. If you want to try this herb in soaps, then check out our Peppered Poppy Seed Cold Process Soap Recipe.Juniper Berries WholeAnother fun herb that you can add to your homemade soaps is Juniper Berries Whole. These seeds are similar to the poppy seeds in abrasiveness, but they are a bit larger. The size can be used for a different appearance or to increase the exfoliation slightly. While the poppy seeds have a hard protective shell, these larger berries are hard and will be able to exfoliate a bit better. You could use this herb in your feet scrubs instead, or you could even add some of these berries to a recipe that used poppy seeds, too.Calendula FlowersAlso, you can use Calendula Flowers in your handcrafted soaps for a lovely, light exfoliant. This is perfect for providing a lighter exfoliation for the body. Plus, this herb has some added benefits of nutrients that are useful for nourishing the skin. We used this lovely herb in our Calendula Swirl Soap Recipe, which is both for decoration and to provide a soft exfoliation for the body.Lavender Flowers WholeNext, we have a fragrant herb that is great for exfoliation, which is the delightful Lavender Flowers Whole. These flower buds provide a more gentle exfoliation that would be perfect for the body. So, your body will feel and smell great! We included this lovely herb in our own recipes like the Lavender Luxury Cold Process Soap Recipe where we sprinkled Lavender Flowers Whole and Rose Petals Pink on top to provide a surface for exfoliation. Just note that incorporating this flower buds into your cold process soap recipes could result in the lavender turning a brown color. They are still good to use, but they may not match your colors.Fine Cosmetic SaltAlso, you can add on of our cosmetic salts to provide an exfoliant in your homemade soaps. These are on the abrasive side so be sure that you are using your soap on an area that is not sensitive. You can use Hawaiian Black Salt Fine Ground, Himalayan Pink Salt Fine Ground. or Dead Sea Salt High Minerals Fine Ground to add some nice exfoliating power to your homemade recipes. We have used fine ground salt in recipes like the Total Hot Man CP Soap Recipe and it turned out great!Ingredients from Around the HouseWhile there are many wonderful cosmetic grade ingredients at Natures Garden that you can include in your home made soap recipes, there are some ingredients you can find around the house that are perfect for exfoliation. If you don't have a specific herb in mind, then you might as well try out the idea with something from home. There are even some instances where these house hold ingredients pair perfectly with your fragrance oil. Take a look at our ideas for homemade exfoliants and see what you think!OatmealOne way that you can have a soap that exfoliates naturally is by adding oatmeal. Embedding a bit of this ingredient into your soap will help you to scrub dead skin and toxins from your skin. Plus, you can change the intensity of the scrubbing power by different amounts of grinding. This means that coarse ground oatmeal will be more scrubby than fine ground oatmeal, which would be very mild.Coffee GroundsAnother way to naturally exfoliate is by adding fresh ground coffee to your recipe. We did this in our Coffee Melt and Pour Soap Recipe and it turned out great. Not only do the coffee grounds provide some mild exfoliation power, but the scent blends beautifully with the fragrance oil. We included a Fresh Brewed Coffee Fragrance Oil along with the real coffee ground and was blown away by the authenticity of the scent.Granulated SugarNext, you can use some granulated sugar in your various homemade soap recipes. While this ingredient won't make your scrubs as abrasive as a salt scrub, the sugar is great for exfoliation! One melt and pour recipe idea we had with this ingredient is the Gumdrop Melt and Pour Soap Recipe, which make it lightly exfoliating and looking cute!Coconut FlakesAnother fun idea for exfoliants is using coconut flakes in your homemade soap recipes. This would be perfect for soaps that use tropical fragrance oils, like the Coconut Craziness Fragrance Oil or the Coco Mango Fragrance Oil. This natural exfoliant would pair perfectly with these scents to create a perfect tropical themed soap.Natural LoofahAlso, you can include your own loofah in your homemade soap recipes. This is perfect for creating homemade body soap. If you don't have one yet, you could buy a Natural Loofah from the Natures Garden website. We included our loofahs in a few melt and pour soap ideas. Both the Loofah Honey Melt and Pour Soap Recipe and the Mango Loofah Melt and Pour Soap Recipe are great soap recipe for exfoliating dead skin while cleaning!What are the Benefits of Exfoliating?We have all heard what an exfoliator is and looked at different types exfoliation, but what is it good for? While you don't want to exfoliate every day, doing it a couple times a week can have a lot of great benefits for your skin! This is useful for reducing blemishes, unclogging pores, solving ingrown hairs, and so much more! If you are interested in learning about these benefits and others in a bit more detail, then take a look at The Importance and Benefits Of Skin Exfoliation article by Truly Scrumptious Beauty!Find Us OnlineIf you want a few more ideas for exfoliants, then check out the list of Exfoliants In Soaps & Other Bath Products from our Exfoliant Class. Also, you can ask us any other questions that you may have about adding exfoliation to bath and body products. You can ask us in the store, on the phone, or online. If you want to reach out online, then I would suggest either Facebook, Twitter (@ngscents), or Instagram (@ngscents). Hope to hear from you soon!

Hello everybody! I hope you re all having a wonderful day! For all you creative people out there, are you looking for something new and exciting to add to your products? Something out of the box that you probably wouldn t normally think of? Maybe kelp for example? And yes, I mean like seaweed kelp! Kelp is actually a very amazing product that would be a great addition to your soaps and bath and body products! Did you know that there is a possibility that kelp could actually be used as a natural renewable energy source? It s very effective in yielding methane, as well as sugars that can be converted to ethanol.Kelp can be used in many different products and industries including skin care, medicinal purposes, culinary purposes, hair care, and many bath and body products. Common products that can include kelp are body wraps, facial masks, lotions, creams, ointments, bath salts, scrubs, soaps, foot treatments, and bath teas. When used in soap making, kelp brings wonderful nutrients to the skin, as well as giving the soap a natural green color. Kelp is a great way to help hydrate your hair as well as helping to thicken, rebuild, and strengthen the hair. You skin will benefit from kelp use as well, it supplies the skin with many important nutrients and helps to calm any sensitivities. Kelp also helps to moisturize the skin, reduce any skin tumors, and it also helps to slow down the aging process!There are many wonderful medicinal benefits to using kelp as well. Did you know that it can help you to lose weight? It actually works as a natural diuretic, working to get rid of excess water weight. It also helps to regulate your thyroid, which in turn regulates your metabolism, which also helps you to lose weight! Kelp also has high content levels of iodine. Iodine is also amazing for helping with thyroid problems as well! There are some specific benefits to kelp uses for women as well. Kelp can be used to dilate the cervix to induce labor and delivery in pregnant women, as well as being used to dilate the cervix for medical procedures, and the placing of intrauterine devices. When the kelp is inserted into the cervix, it is sometimes called a tent. The tent can also be used to cause abortions as well as being placed before the performing of a D&C (the scraping out of the uterus.) Kelp can also be used as a natural antibiotic, helping to protect from colds and the flu, increasing insulin resistance, treating radiation sickness, and even helping to prevent cancer!Are you wondering how to get your hands on this wonderful product as soon as possible? Well hold on just a second because it gets even better! When you search kelp on our website, it will take you right to our Kelp Powder page. On top of the powder picture, you will see a little green link labeled Recipe. This will show you the name and picture of our Seaside Spa Scrub which is actually made with kelp! This wonderful recipe is one that you re sure to adore! While you re there, make sure to check out all the rest of our free classes and recipes as well! Enjoy these great products and keep watching for more Enlightened by Layla!

All About SLSASodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate is a surfactant that is derived 100% naturally. It comes from coconut oil and palm oil. It is also completely free of all sulfates. A surfactant is a surface acting agent, which basically means that it causes products to fizz and foam. There are a plethora of homemade cosmetic items that you can make with SLSA. Starting with bath bombs, the two most important ingredients to make them are baking soda and citric acid. The combination of these two is necessary in order to cause the fizzing reaction when the bath bomb hits the water. SLSA is going to contribute incredible foaming qualities to your bath bombs that will accompany the fizzy reaction. Another product that can be made using SLSA is bath bubble bars. This is the perfect surfactant to use to make these because of the foaming quality it contributes. Your bath water will be exploding with mounds of bubbles when these hit the bath water. You can also use SLSA to create many other cosmetic related products too, such as shampoo bars, liquid soap, and facial washes.The Benefits of Using SLSASodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate carries a lot of benefits along with it. SLSA brings to the table many elements that are very beneficial to the skin. What might just be the greatest quality of this surfactant is that it can be used on every type of skin and hair. We feel this characteristic is important, and products with SLSA work really nicely for people with dry and sensitive skin. There are so many different skin conditions out there such as eczema, rosacea, acne, and psoriasis. We want to be able to cater to our customers and provide them with products that will work for all types of skin. This is just one of the reasons we decided to add SLSA to our website. Another key benefit of using SLSA in your homemade bath product recipes is that it will provide a much thicker lather than other surfactants will. This quality contributes significantly to creating bubbles that are actually long lasting. SLSA readily dissolves in water because of its small particles, which is great for things like bath bombs. Other great things about it are the excellent flash foam that it has, the two year long shelf life, and the versatility of the product. Powder shampoos and bath salts are some of the other recipes SLSA can help create that we have not mentioned. SLSA in Comparison to Other SurfactantsSLSA is a product that is extremely versatile in this industry. It can be the perfect alternative to other surfactants such as Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate (SCI) and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS). SCI is a customer favorite that we sell at Nature's Garden. Each of these also contribute plenty of versatility in cosmetic recipes, projects, and products. Similarly to SLSA and coconut oil, SCI derives from coconut. Our Wicked Bath Bomb recipe was made using SCI. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is another type of surfactant that commonly gets used for soap making. It is an inexpensive item that makes for a great foaming agent in different personal care products. Many of the same recipes can be created with any of these. However, your recipes will have individual elements added to them based on the one you use.These three surfactants are great for making all kinds of homemade bath products. Some of the different ones include bath truffles, bubble scoops, and body scrubs. Although SLSA can be used as an alternative to both SCI and SLS, we wanted to share some of their differences. SCI has qualities in it that benefit the skin. Products that are made with SCI tend to have more moisturizing elements in them than those made with SLS or SLSA. One example of this is in bubble bars. Compared to other surfactants, a bubble bar made with SCI is going to make your skin feel more softened and silky smooth after taking a bath. However, a bubble bar made with SLSA is going to create a lot more lather and extra bubbles for your bath compared to the others. The surfactant you choose to use depends on what you are looking for. If you want more of a bubbly bath, SLSA will provide that.Recipes You Can Make with SLSA: Sangria Shimmer Bomb RecipeThese Sangria Shimmer Bombs. Who does not love to take a nice, relaxing bath after having a long day? These shimmer bombs are the perfect product to help you to a night of relaxation. To use the sangria bombs, run a couple under warm bath water. They will start foaming immediately. We love these bath bombs because of the bubbles they provide. Unlike bath products made with SCI, these have much more lather to them! This is because SLSA is a surfactant that has more of a foaming quality to it. Therefore, the products made with it are also more foamy and bubbly. These will give you one of the most relaxing baths you have ever had!

Hello everyone! For all you crafters out there, are you working on any new projects? Are you looking for new projects to try? Have your customers been asking you for something new and exciting? Or maybe you re just looking for a new way to spice up your future crafts or for a new product to use for beautiful homemade gifts for your friends? Well, have you ever tried anything with cosmetic clays before? Actually, rose clay to be exact? Yes, clays can actually be used in cosmetics! Rose clay can be used in many different products and industries! And we also offer six other different cosmetics clays here at Nature s Garden as well! Rose clay is definitely the product to use in your next projects!Did you know that rose clay is also known as pink clay? Actual rose clay can only be produced when the right weather conditions have worn down minerals containing aluminum silicate. While it is native to and originally found in France, rose clay can also be found in Australia, India, Germany, Bulgaria, Brazil, Iran, the United Kingdom, and many other countries worldwide. Rose clay is actually a very gentle and very mild clay that is amazing when used for sensitive and mature skin.There are many wonderful benefits to the uses of rose clay. It can actually be used in many different products and industries, one of them being an amazing ingredient in many bath and body products and cosmetics! Common products that can include rose clay are salt scrubs, face masks, bath bombs, soaps, mud baths, herbal tea infusions, and sugar scrubs. Do you know how rose clay gets its color? The pink color in the clay actually comes from the many iron oxides contained within the clay. There are many health and medicinal benefits from rose clay, especially when used in these bath and body products! For your skin, rose clay actually helps to reduce inflammation, remove dead skin cells, tighten pores, fade hyperpigmentation, and it also removes harmful toxins. Rose clay is also a great exfoliant for the skin, it reduces irritation, increases circulation, regenerates collagen, promotes new cell growth for skin, and also regenerates elastin within the skin.Are you wondering how to get your hands on this wonderful clay as soon as possible? Well then I ll tell you! All you have to do is type rose clay into the search bar on our website. That will take you directly to our Rose Clay Powder page. But don t hurry away so fast, because rose clay just keeps getting better! Here at Nature s Garden, we offer many free classes and recipes using rose clay. Try our Candy Cane Facial Mask or our Perfectly Pampered Shaving Soap, both just happen to be made with rose clay! When you are actually on our Rose Clay Powder page, there is a little green Recipe box on top of the clay picture. If you click on that, it will actually show you the name and picture of both of those fantastic recipes. By clicking either those, they are actually direct links straight to the recipes! Make sure to check out all of our other cosmetic clays as well! Enjoy this product and watch out for more Enlightened by Layla!

This cold process soap was made with heavy whipping cream. These bars have a very luxurious, creamy, lather and is super nourishing for your skin.In todays market, some of the most popular cold process soap recipes are the ones that involve dairy products such as milks, creams, and yogurts. The reasoning behind this popularity is the fact that cold process soap recipes that use dairy products actually result in finished bars that are very creamy, luscious, soothing, and moisturizing. In fact, milk itself is a gentle exfoliant- a perfect remedy for any sensitive skin types. This is because milk contains lactic acid, which slightly reduces the alkalinity of soap.When it comes down to making the cold process soap recipe, dairy products can be added (if applicable) in 3 forms:1. Fresh (can be added as water for the lye solution, part of the water for lye solution, added to your room temperature oils before the lye solution, or added at light trace.)2. Powdered (combined with a small amount of oil or water to make a liquid- then added at light trace and hand whisked in until incorporated.)3. Canned (used as half the water amount of the water ratio. This is usually added to oils before the lye solution to make the soap batter.)With the exception of the powdered, both the fresh and canned are commonly used in a frozen or slushy (almost frozen) state. This is done for two reasons. The first is to help control the lye solution temperature and the second is to help prevent the dairy product from burning. Burnt dairy products have a very distinct smell and will turn your soap batter a bright orangish color. This is due to the heated lye solution caramelizing the sugars in the milk. A great step to help minimize this reaction is to give the container you are mixing your lye solution in an ice bath. The other option that you have is to add the frozen/slushy dairy product at trace, allowing the batter to thaw the frozen like diary product. Then, blend well with a stick blender to incorporate.Temperature is everything.One of the most important things to realize when working with dairy products is their sensitivity to heat. This comes into play if you are mixing all or some of the dairy product to make the lye solution (which heats as the reaction is taking place.) Dairy products will burn and/or curdle if not combined correctly. The best way to combat this is to closely monitor the temperature of the lye solution using a thermometer. You never want the temperature to go above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The other tip to help control the heat of the lye solution is to take your time when adding the lye. Sprinkle in small amounts and stir. The key is to wait a few minutes in between the next small addition of lye again. Do not be afraid to truly take your time with this step. A good time gauge to set for yourself is 10-15 minutes to add all of the lye to the lye solution. This will help control the overall temperature of the lye solution.There is no set rule as to how much of the dairy product to use as the water portion of the lye solution. Some soapers prefer to use the dairy as the full water portion. Others play it safe by using a 50% ratio (half milk and half water.) This works by making a super concentrated lye solution (the full amount of lye the recipe calls for; then split the water amount in half. Mix the lye into the water. Let cool. Add the rest of the unused water portion as the milk- which is added to the room temperature oils before the lye solution is added to make the batter. The last option is the dairy product at 25% of the water ratio. This is done the same way as the 50% ratio, only it is 25% of the total water amount.The rest of the soaping recipe is done normally.Other things to consider:Superfatting may be affected. Do not forget to figure in the fat percentage of the dairy product. For the most part, general milk products (where the fat percentage is 4-6%), really won t affect your end bar. However, using a product like heavy whipping cream (which has a fat of 36%) will directly affect your end bar. In this instance, you may what to use the dairy portion of 25% of your water ratio. That is unless you play with your superfatting percentage number.Rancidity of your soap is always a possibility when using larger portions of dairy products in your recipe; especially those that have high fat content.Our Findings:Recently, we tried our hand at making cold process soap with the addition of heavy whipping cream. For our recipe, we selected the cream to be 25% of our water ratio since we did not want to majorly superfat our soap. The frozen heavy whipping cream was added to our soaping oils/butter before the lye solution. We found that this method worked perfectly. We had no issues with the remaining soap procedures.In the end, the bars that resulted were exactly as we imagined- pure creamy bliss! And, with all of the wonderful nourishing benefits that dairy products have; our skin loved it too.To see the full recipe for Natures Gardens Cleopatra Heavy Cream Cold Process Soap Recipe, click on the link. Or, you can also find the recipe on Natures Garden s website under the Free Recipes and Classes area.

Sodium Lactate: Most commonly derived by the fermentation of corn or beets, this natural body product additive has a smooth, clear appearance with almost no odor.Sodium Lactate is quickly gaining the spotlight as an additive in the creation of bath and body products. Although it is not a mandatory ingredient, sodium lactate can hold its own when it comes to functionality in a recipe. Sodium lactate, a water soluble ingredient, is added during the water phase of the creation. It is used in bath products and has many beneficial aspects to its use. It is a natural moisturizer, humectant (bringing moisture to itself), and pH regulator. Sodium Lactate is used in a variety of bath products such as soaps, lotions, and shampoos. In fact, when it comes to lotion formulations, sodium lactate can be used to replace vegetable glycerin. Why is this a benefit? Using sodium lactate instead of vegetable glycerin will give you a final product that lacks the stickiness that usually occurs when using vegetable glycerin in a lotion recipe. Sodium lactate also helps reduce the "greasiness" of the oils in your emulsions, while improving the absorption capability of emulsions. In emulsions like lotions, sodium lactate is used at the rate of 1-3% of the weight of your recipe.Sodium lactate is used in cold process soap recipes to harden the soap, making for a harder, longer lasting bar of soap in the tub. One of the great bonuses of using sodium lactate in your soap recipe is the easier releasing of the soap from the mold, especially if you are using more of a complex shaped mold. Besides adding moisture and conditioning aspects to your soap, sodium lactate helps to increase lather and can even add mildness to the soap.For cold process soap makers, the sodium lactate is added to your cooled lye water solution. What results is a harder bar of soap that will release from the mold easier, and can be cut earlier than the traditional cold process soap. Also, the physical appearance of a soap that has the addition of sodium lactate will improve. The bars will have a creamier look to them, and the soap will provide a more luxurious lather. Sodium Lactate aids in keeping your soap batter in a liquid state longer. This makes coloring/swirling and pouring easier. But once the soap is molded, sodium lactate will harden your soap faster, allowing for the soap to unmold easily.For hot process soap makers, sodium lactate is added to your lye water solution, and other ingredients are mixed in.Testing is key for finding the right percentage of use for sodium lactate in your recipe. For a great starting point is 1/2 oz. sodium lactate per pound of soap oils. But, test, test, test! Be cautious not to add too much sodium lactate, this will cause your soap to be brittle and/or crumbly.Natures Garden is not responsible for the performance of any of the recipes provided on our website. Testing is your responsibility. If you plan to resell any recipes we provide, it is your responsibility to adhere to all FDA regulations. If there are ingredients listed in a recipe that Natures Garden does not sell, we cannot offer any advice on where to purchase those ingredients.

Hey all you creative crafty people out there! Yes, I m talking to you! Do you love making soaps? Have you ever used shea butter in your products before? Well, you should! This great butter has many amazing benefits and it is absolutely wonderful for your skin! Here at Nature s Garden, we offer refined shea butter , unrefined shea butter, as well as shea butter melt and pour soap! We also offer many great free recipes made with shea butter!Shea butter originally comes from Western Africa, from the nuts of the shea tree. The tree itself is considered sacred because of the amazing things it can do for your skin, beauty, health and hair. Legend says that even the Egyptian Queen Nefertiti was said to owe her magnificent beauty to shea butter. There are many fantastic skin and hair care benefits of shea butter, and it can be used in a wide variety of bath and body products. Some of these include soaps, lotions, lip gloss, scrubs, and even lip balms. Shea butter works to deeply moisturize your skin, is great for scarring, wrinkles and fine lines, and helps your skin to produce more collagen. Shea butter is rich in many constituents such as vitamin D and E, and provitamin A and helps to strengthen and protect your skin and also protects it from harmful UV rays. Shea butter is a great antioxidant and even helps to enhance your physical endurance! It has many anti-inflammatory properties, and works to heal small cuts and burns. When used for hair care, shea butter helps to protect the hair from ultraviolet rays, repairs any damage caused by the sun and harsh weather, and works to soften and revitalize brittle and damaged hair. This great butter works to promote new hair growth, moisturizes the hair, and even works to get rid of any excess oils on the scalp.