For years, we have used a wooden mitre box and a pastry scraper to cut the soap.  If you choose to use a knife to cut with, [...]]]>

The number one question we receive on our bulk soap loaf site is, how do I cut the loaf of soap into bars?  What do I use?

For years, we have used a wooden mitre box and a pastry scraper to cut the soap.  If you choose to use a knife to cut with, make sure it is large enough to slice all the way through the loaf of soap — but, too large of a blade or too thick of a blade can cut away more soap than is needed.

If possible, invest in one of the better pastry scrapers, the kind with the firm or wooden handle attached.  They also come as one piece of metal with a curve on the end for the handle, but this type tends to warp over time.  They are, however, more affordable – usually only about $6.95.  The better scrapers should run around $15 and up.

The reason we choose a wooden mitre box as a guide for cutting a soap is simple — it can be altered.  Most mitre boxes do not have grooves that go all the way down to the floor of the mitre box.  With a wooden model, you can insert a saw into the straight cut (you do not want to cut your soap on an angle for regular bars) and finish sawing the groove down to the floor of the mitre box.  This insures that your bars of soap will be cut all the way through.

Now is the time to decide how wide you want your bars to be. Most people choose to cut their soaps into a one inch thickness. At Green Pergola, we cut our soap bars 1.25 inches thick, which gives us 12 bars from a loaf of soap. When you decide your thickness, measure over from the straight cut and make a mark on top of the mitre box to the right of the guide.

So, slide the soap loaf into the mitre box from the left and bring the edge of the soap over to the mark you’ve made on the top of the mitre box. Now, take your pastry scraper and start from the back side and begin sliding the blade into the soap loaf in a rocking down motion until the blade falls into the straight groove closest to you. You have now cut your first bar of soap off of your soap loaf. Repeat until finished. Any left over soap pieces, save for yourself or use as soap samples.

The benefits of massage are known to all and sundry. They include relaxation, the improvement of blood circulation, relief of stress and pressure, lessening the effects of muscle tension, and the enhancement of both the physiological and emotional states. Of course it is necessary to include the use of the essential [...]]]>

by Fred Quaye

The benefits of massage are known to all and sundry. They include relaxation, the improvement of blood circulation, relief of stress and pressure, lessening the effects of muscle tension, and the enhancement of both the physiological and emotional states. Of course it is necessary to include the use of the essential oils. They are known to soothe the body and mind. This is mainly the point of aromatherapy massage. It employs essential oils which are added into the base oil. When used, they are easily absorbed deep into the skin wherein they directly go towards the bloodstream. They may also enter the body when they get inhaled through the nose.

A Point Gets Strengthened

The advantages of massage are popularly known by many. Aromatherapy itself somehow strengthens the fact that massage can truly be therapeutic. The oils that are used are great additions to the effect that it poses. The aromatherapy techniques can either be done by a masseur or by an aroma therapist. Whichever is the case, you have two options too. It is either you go to a spa clinic or the specialist visits you at home.

Getting into Your Choices

The services of the aroma therapist or massage therapist always involve giving you the chance to select the essential oils or blends to be used on you. They can also blend the essential oils as per your request and they may give you what remains so you can bring it home. If you will be seeking this type of massage because you have some problems, then the practitioner will have to use a special mix to help alleviate your worries.

Aromatherapy at Home

The massage itself can be done even within the confines of your home. In fact, the massage oil can simply be prepared. If the oil is to be used to an adult, add 20 up to 25 drops of the essential oil for every two ounce of the base oil. If the oil is for a child, just add 10 up to 12 drops of the essential oil. If a baby is to be massaged, put on 5 up to 6 drops. It is as simple as that!

Available Aromatherapy Materials

Aromatherapy products are sold everywhere. Several companies are manufacturing them nowadays. After all, they are known for their pain relief, cleansing, and healing process advantages both for the mind and the body. There are also a variety of uses to which it applies. The medical arena sees it essential for lifting the depressive mood of the cancer patients. Athletes also enjoy the benefit of such in soothing their tensed muscles. At the same time, it energizes the body.

As you shop around, you will find different products being sold in the market. You will see the aromatherapy components contained in lotions, massage oils, conditioners, shampoos, candles, air diffusers, air fresheners, baby lotions, warm oil burners, laundry products, bath beads, bath salts, shower tablets, and the plug ins. There are products that are meant for both the adults and the children.

Most of the aromatherapy massage produces are safe to use. However, it is still necessary to consult your doctor prior to using any of the products in case you suffer from some special medical circumstances. You may also get in touch with a herbalist for more information on the use of the A General Overview on Aromatherapy Massage

The benefits of massage are known to all and sundry. They include relaxation, the improvement of blood circulation, relief of stress and pressure, lessening the effects of muscle tension, and the enhancement of both the physiological and emotional states. Of course it is necessary to include the use of the essential oils. They are known to soothe the body and mind. This is mainly the point of aromatherapy massage. It employs essential oils which are added into the base oil. When used, they are easily absorbed deep into the skin wherein they directly go towards the bloodstream. They may also enter the body when they get inhaled through the nose.

A Point Gets Strengthened

The advantages of massage are popularly known by many. Aromatherapy itself somehow strengthens the fact that massage can truly be therapeutic. The oils that are used are great additions to the effect that it poses. The aromatherapy techniques can either be done by a masseur or by an aromatherapist. Whichever is the case, you have two options too. It is either you go to a spa clinic or the specialist visits you at home.

Getting into Your Choices

The services of the aromatherapist or massage therapist always involve giving you the chance to select the essential oils or blends to be used on you. They can also blend the essential oils as per your request and they may give you what remains so you can bring it home. If you will be seeking this type of massage because you have some problems, then the practitioner will have to use a special mix to help alleviate your worries.

Aromatherapy at Home

The massage itself can be done even within the confines of your home. In fact, the massage oil can simply be prepared. If the oil is to be used to an adult, add 20 up to 25 drops of the essential oil for every two ounce of the base oil. If the oil is for a child, just add 10 up to 12 drops of the essential oil. If a baby is to be massaged, put on 5 up to 6 drops. It is as simple as that!

Available Aromatherapy Materials

Aromatherapy products are sold everywhere. Several companies are manufacturing them nowadays. After all, they are known for their pain relief, cleansing, and healing process advantages both for the mind and the body. There are also a variety of uses to which it applies. The medical arena sees it essential for lifting the depressive mood of the cancer patients. Athletes also enjoy the benefit of such in soothing their tensed muscles. At the same time, it energizes the body.

As you shop around, you will find different products being sold in the market. You will see the aromatherapy components contained in lotions, massage oils, conditioners, shampoos, candles, air diffusers, air fresheners, baby lotions, warm oil burners, laundry products, bath beads, bath salts, shower tablets, and the plug ins. There are products that are meant for both the adults and the children.

Most of the aromatherapy massage produces are safe to use. However, it is still necessary to consult your doctor prior to using any of the products in case you suffer from some special medical circumstances. You may also get in touch with a herbalist for more information on the use of the essential plant and root extracts. essential plant and root extracts.

About The Author

Soy candles have many advantages over the more traditional paraffin candles. They were first offered to the public by a chain of stores known as The Body Shop. Even though they have only [...]]]>

Soy Wax Candles – Why Candles Made Out of Soy May Be the Healthy and Natural Alternative
by Connie Ragen Green

Soy candles have many advantages over the more traditional paraffin candles. They were first offered to the public by a chain of stores known as The Body Shop. Even though they have only been around since the early 1990′s, candles made out of soy have continued to grow in popularity. This is no accident; these candles are more inexpensive than ones made of other ingredients, they are natural, and they also distribute more scent into the surrounding atmosphere.

It turns out that beeswax costs about ten times as much as paraffin. In searching for a cheaper alternative, soy candle wax came to be developed. When vegetable wax was combined with partially hydrogenated soybean oil, coconut oil, and palm oil, the resulting mixture was soy wax. A final additive, beeswax, was the magic ingredient that created the mixture that is now known as soy wax. This is now the most economical way to make a natural wax candle.

These soy candles have a longer burning time than those made of paraffin and other blends. This is also the reason that less soot is produced when they burn. They burn with a smaller flame, which account for this longer burn time. Also, the wicks tend to be larger and more split. It turns out that this wax contains much larger molecules with a lower volatility. It is believed that this is the reason that soy will burn for longer periods of time.

You will want to make sure you have adequate ventilation in any room where you burn candles. Trimming the wick will keep the flame going for a longer time. Make sure you do not have too many candles burning simultaneously. All of these are safety tips that will allow you to enjoy your candles even more.

Soy candles are often scented with essential oils. These oils are taken from aromatic plants and intended to enhance both health and beauty. One of my favorite scents is lavender. Candles that are scented with lavender oil are supposed to increase the alpha waves in your brain, making it easier for you to relax. There are many more scents you can choose from.

You can make your own candles out of soy fairly easily, once you know how to do it. In fact, it is much easier to make these types of candles than those made out of paraffin. Flaked soy wax will be easier to use than block wax. You can combine soy candle wax with fragrance and dye to have just the right candle for you.

About The Author

And now I invite you to learn more about the benefits of soy wax candles by visiting http://soycandleu.com Soy Wax Candles and start burning, and even making, the candles that are the healthy and natural alternatives to tradition paraffin.

original source – articlecity.com

There are a number of similarities in making soap and candles. Both require pouring the raw materials into molds to give them shape.  Candles and soap need scents and color as well. Many stores s…

Candle and soap-making supply stores are found nationwide and on the Internet. [...]]]>

by Thomas Morva | August 28, 2005

There are a number of similarities in making soap and candles. Both require pouring the raw materials into molds to give them shape.  Candles and soap need scents and color as well. Many stores s…

Candle and soap-making supply stores are found nationwide and on the Internet. It is easy to find materials for very reasonable prices.

Making soap is similar to making candles. The early steps are alike, in that they both involve melting the materials in order to pour them into a mold to give them shape. While wax or gel is used to make candles, a glycerin compound is usually used for soap. This is normally a mixture of natural vegetable oils, pure water, glycerin, and a soothing moisturizer. Once the raw materials are melted, they are poured into a mold that gives them shape. There are an endless variety of molds available for both soap and candles. Candles and soaps can be molded into a number of designs and shapes. Another difference, besides the materials used, is that soap molds are usually smaller than candle molds.

Also, candles often stay in containers or votives, while soap is always taken out of its mold.

Candles and soaps both benefit from the addition of colors and aromas. There are a number of dyes to give color to soap and candles. It is important to use the correct kind of dye for the soap. Candle dyes could be toxic and create skin rashes or discoloration if used in soap.  There are scents that can make candles and soaps more pleasing, tiny bottles of concentrated liquid that give soap or candles an aroma.

Candle and soap-making supply stores have all of the ingredients needed to make either product. It is important to use the materials for their intended uses rather than mixing and matching. The processes of making soap and candles are similar, but they are not identical.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Candle Making Supplies provides detailed information on wholesale, discount, soy, gel, and bee wax candle making supply, and more. For more information go to http://www.e-candlemakingsupplies.com



This is [...]]]>

Emulsifying wax is a necessary ingredient when it comes to making lotions and creams. Everyone has heard the term “water and oil don’t mix”.  The use of emulsifying wax will do just that – bind your oils and water together on a molecular level with the end result becoming lotion or cream.

This is the method by which lotions and creams are made, by binding together oils and water.  Years ago before I began making lotion, a friend was attempting it by using beeswax.  After seeing almost two dozen jugs of failed lotion batches on her workshop counters, I did a little research and found Ewax, also known as emulsifying wax.  We made it together in her workshop and the very first batch turned into lotion without separating.  You can use beeswax as an emulsifier as long as you include borax in the formula, but keep in mind that beeswax isn’t actually an emulsifier – it is a thickener.  The problem is that is makes a greasy lotion and the results are unpredictable.   Borax helps the beeswax do its job. The difference between beeswax and Ewax seems to be the strength of the emulsion. You cannot use as great a quantity of water with the beeswax.  Beeswax usually handles about 50% oils and 50% water without separation. More water and the lotion will eventually separate.

Incorporating emulsifying wax into your recipe will keep the oil and water from separating by creating an emulsion between the oil and water. Emulsifying wax will also thicken your recipe. Using too little of the Emulsifying wax and the lotion recipe will not hold together.  There were batches in the past that I obviously measure incorrectly because, at first, it looks like a successful gallon of lotion.  However, after cooling for an hour, half of the jug contained water at the bottom and a runny lotion floating on top

The percentage of Emulsifying wax usually begins at 5% of the total formula but can be used at a higher rate to create an extra thick lotion.  My personal recipe calls for 6 ounces of Ewax but I always use 6.4 ounces, just to be on the safe side.

The most common emulsifiers used are: Emulsifying Wax NF,  Cetearyl Alcohol and Polysorbate 20.  I have always used Emulsifying Wax NF.

Unlike some emulsifying waxes, Ewax  does not deteriorate on heating, experiencing only a slight difference in color at temperatures up to 150-152°C for two hours. Under these harsh conditions, it may lose 2-3% in weight with minor hardening of the wax.

While Emulsifying wax NF is contains some natural ingredients like palm oil, it does go through a chemical process in order to manufacture it.  With this in mind, I prefer to stay on the safe side and tell myself that it is completely un-natural.  That way, I can safely say that my lotions and 94% natural when I have used 5% ewax and 1% preservative.

FROM NATURE WITH LOVE, a major bath and body supplier, describes their Emulsifying wax as such:

Our NF quality, vegetable based emulsifying wax is used to keep the oil and water from separating in your creams and lotions. It is supplied in white waxy pellets or flakes, and it has low odor. The emulsifying wax is made from vegetable source fatty alcohols however, this product is not considered “all natural.” It combines the emollient, emulsifying, thickening properties of cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. Emulsifying wax can form extremely stable w/o or o/w emulsions. Use at 5% – 10% in your “water in oil” or “oil in water” emulsions. Melt the wax with your other fats and waxes and then slowly add your water phase while continuously stirring. The key to forming a stable emulsion is to keep the formulation in motion until it cools completely.

To put this whole Emulsifying wax topic in perspective, here is a basic formula for creating lotion.  The recipe below makes ½ gallon of lotion.

First, the percentages – beside it, the actual numbers for the recipe indicated after “OR”, based on 64 ounces.  Note – preservative is calculated OUTSIDE the numbers of the formula and is based on 1% of the TOTAL recipe.

75% water OR 48 ounces water

5% shea butter  OR 3.2 ounces shea butter

10% olive oil OR 6.4 ounces olive oil

5% jojoba OR 3.2 ounces jojoba

5% Ewax OR 3.2 ounces Emulsifying Wax (Ewax)

0.64 ounces preservative if using Germaben II, otherwise, reading directions for the type of preservative you are using.

PROPER NAME: eucalyptus radiata

ORIGIN: Australia, Spain, Tasmania

PARTS USED: leaves, twigs

FRAGRANCE: camphorous, fresh, strong

AROMATIC BENEFITS: balancing, cooling, invigorating, stimulating

SPIRITUAL USES: healing, health (maintain), protection, psychic energy, purification

PHYSICAL USES: acne, analgesic, animal bites, antibacterial, antibiotic, antifungal, antiinflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiviral, bedbugs, bleeding gums, blisters, bronchitis, burns, candida, chapped [...]]]> COMMON NAME: eucalyptus

PROPER NAME: eucalyptus radiata

ORIGIN: Australia, Spain, Tasmania

PARTS USED: leaves, twigs

FRAGRANCE: camphorous, fresh, strong

AROMATIC BENEFITS: balancing, cooling, invigorating, stimulating

SPIRITUAL USES: healing, health (maintain), protection, psychic energy, purification

PHYSICAL USES: acne, analgesic, animal bites, antibacterial, antibiotic, antifungal, antiinflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiviral, bedbugs, bleeding gums, blisters, bronchitis, burns, candida, chapped lips, chlamydia, colds, coughs, cuts, cystitis, dandruff, decongestant, deodorant, diabetes, diarrhea, disinfectant, diuretic, drug withdrawal, fibrositis, flatulence, flea repellent, hay fever, heartburns, heatstrokes, hyperprexia, insect bites, insect repellent, itching, jet lag, lice, lower abdominal pain, lumbago, muscular aches, muscular dystrophy, muscular fatigue, neuralgia, normal hair, osteoarthritis, pneumonia, prostatitis, rashes, rheumatoid arthritis, rosacea, sinusitis, sunburns, swelling, tendinitis, tennis elbow

SAFETY WARNINGS: Avoid if using homeopathic remedies, history of epilepsy or high blood pressure. Dilute before using on skin.

Bibliography
• Lawless, Julia. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils: The Complete Guide to the Use of Oils in Aromatherapy & Herbalism. Element Books, 1995.
• Hayes, Kenneth R. Aromapedia
• Cunningham, Scott. Magical Aromatherapy – The Power of Scent. Llewellyn Publications, 1989

DISCLAIMER: The intention of Making Bath Products is to provide you with information concerning the uses of essential oils and plant extracts for health and well-being of body, mind, and spirit as it is currently being practiced in this country. Much of the material is based upon various published sources including scientific and clinical research. There is no warranty made regarding the completeness of the accuracy of this publicly available information. This is not intended to replace the advice or attention of the proper health care professionals, direct their behavior or replace their independent professional judgement. Consult your health care professional and a professional certified aromatherapist together if you are unsure of an essential oils proper use. Do not apply undiluted essential oils directly onto the skin. Do not ingest essential oils. If you are pregnant, epileptic, have cancer, liver damage or any other medical problem, use oils only under the proper guidance of a qualified aromatherapy practitioner. It is safe practice to consult a qualified aromatherapist before using oils with children. A skin patch test should be conducted prior to using an oil that you’ve never used before.