How to use rice in homemade soap. Natural beauty treatment with rice.

Rice has been known as a natural beauty treatment for centuries. Why not add it to your homemade soap? Incorporating rice into your soap is easy. There are several ways to do this. Here are two that I have incorporated into my soap recipes.

1) powdered, pencil line
    2) rice water as your liquid

Rice water is used as a gentle skin cleanser and toner as it contains vitamins and minerals that brighten, soften, tighten and shrink pores. Antioxidant rich to fight free radicals that damage skin and cause fine lines and wrinkles. Rich in vitamin E (think anti-aging).

How to make Rice Water: 

Briefly rinse your rice in warm water to remove debris.

Cover rice with cool water and allow to soak for 10-15 minutes. Vitamins and minerals from the rice will seep into the water turning it into a lovely, milky, natural skin treatment. Use this rice water for the liquid in your soap recipe. You can also use this as a gentle cleanser/toner directly on your skin. Simply splash it on several times, rinse and pat dry.

For another way to use your rice try my  DIY rice mask recipe.

How to do a pencil line with rice in your homemade soap:

Grind your rice into a fine powder, you can use a coffee bean grinder, food processor or magic bullet type appliance.  Pour part of your soap batter into mold, sprinkle powdered rice in a thin layer over soap then gently pour or spoon the rest of your soap mixture over rice. I emphasize thin layer of rice, if you use too much rice your top layer will not adhere.

The rice line will show up as a cream colored line. As you lather up, the rice properties disperse in your suds, making a lovely homemade soap into a natural beauty soap. 

Japanese Mochiko is a spa soap I created incorporating beautiful Jasmine rice flour.

Mochiko is Japanese for rice flower.

Enjoy ,  Anna  :)

New Soaper Shout-Out to Violet from Arizona: Oatmeal Milk and Honey soap

New soaper Violet D. from sunny Arizona is a natural. This gal tackled a milk, honey, beeswax, oatmeal,  pencil line soap recipe as the second soap she's ever made, and it turned out fabulous. Wow. 

 Quite an accomplishment!

Topped with organic calendula leaves, this bar is solid moisturizing goodness for your skin.

Her milk of choice was goats milk; rich in vitamins, particularly Vitamin A which is necessary to maintain healthy skin, along with minerals, and Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA) that gently exfoliate and remove dead dry skin cells revealing healthy skin cells.

Oatmeal lends a gentle cleansing, soothing touch to the skin.

Honey being a natural humectant draws moisture to the skin, it is healing, and moisturizing.

 You do not need a lot of honey per soap loaf, I use 1-2 TBL per 3 LB loaf, warmed and added at trace.

Keep in mind that honey will darken your soap some. The bottom layer in Violet's soap is colored only by the honey and oils, no fragrance was added to this layer. The top layer had a lovely essential oil and fragrance oil blend that contained vanilla. Vanilla will always darken your soap.  

Nutrient rich beeswax is completely non toxic and non allergenic. Known for its healing properties and natural emolliency, (softens the skin), as it locks in moisture and protects skin from environmental factors. It is a great natural ingredient to add to your soaps. 

I recommend using beeswax at a 5% ratio or below in your homemade soaps.

Enriched with shea butter, which is a great luxury oil to use in soap as it has such a high skin moisturizing, conditioning level without clogging your pores. Shea butter is known to help even out skin tone, acts as a great healer and is safe for baby, elderly and sensitive skin.

I recommend using shea butter at a  5% ratio. Some soapers suggest between 2-5%.

In 40 oz total oil wt. recipe, that would mean 2 oz. of shea butter.

The pencil line is cinnamon.

The color, scent, ingredients and overall look of this bar is wonderful. It has a warm, all natural, rustic appeal that will leave your skin soft and moisturized, not stripped of its natural oils.

Good job Violet, thanks for sharing !

How to make a Strawberry Facial Mask

Strawberry face masks are easy, inexpensive and highly effective natural skin care for your face.
Updated: 2/16/16

RECIPE:  

2-3 strawberries

1 TBL warmed honey

1 TBL yogurt 

This fresh strawberry mask contains a super-packed hydrating, nourishing punch for your skin. 

The honey is a natural humectant, which means it draws moisture to the skin, hydrating and softening   it.  As well as providing nutrition, and anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant properties.

Strawberries are a natural alpha-hydroxy-acid (AHA) and rich in salicylic acid which sloughs off the dead, dry skin cells revealing healthy cells, as it tightens up pores and brightens your skin. 

It is high in anti-oxidants as well ... think anti-aging!

It's salicylic acid is known to help clear acne and reduce oil, naturally.

Yogurt plays a calming roll in this recipe. Nourishing, healing, soothing.

It's lactic acid is a gentle exfoliater, helping to rid the skin of dead cells clogging pores.

Spread facial on your face with a soft cosmetic brush or your fingers. A nice thin layer will do.
It makes a lovely pink face mask! Leave on 5-10 minutes, until relatively dry. Rinse off.
NOTE:  I like to blend mine in a "Bullet" type small blender as it makes it foamier, and easier to apply and stay on the skin. Or, just mash with a fork.
For educational purposes only, not intended to treat, cure or diagnose....!

Enjoy !   Anna
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This post shared with Mind Body and Sole's Wildcrafting Wednesday
and their 169th addition !

100% Olive Oil soap recipe, Castille Soap

Here is a simple, recipe for 100% Olive Oil soap, known as Castille soap, named for the region in Spain that made it famous. A traditional, ancient beauty soap known all over the world.

HYPOALLERGENIC  and  ANTI-AGING
Olive oil soap is a trademark in beauty bars. It is known to be hypoallergenic and an extremely gentle cleanser that is highly moisturizing and skin softening. Cleans without stripping your natural oils away. Rich in Vitamin E and beta carotene this natural oil is known to have anti aging properties as it stimulates cell growth, giving your skin a healthy, youthful glow, a smooth, soft feel and improving elasticity. Minimizes wrinkles.

ANTIOXIDANT RICH
Olive oil with its abundance of vitamins E and A, helps to fight free radical damage to our skin cells.
We come into contact to free radicals everyday through food, pollution, pesticides and the chemicals in our beauty products; using an all natural olive oil soap to cleanse your face and body is a great way to healthier happier skin.

DRY SKIN RELIEF
Known to relieve dry skin as it moisturizes and gently exfoliates dead and flaky skin cells. If you routinely itch after a shower using commercial soap, you will be astounded to feel the difference using a homemade olive oil soap. Low, creamy, almost lotion-like lather.

MAKE-UP REMOVER
Takes off make-up easily, even eye makeup. Keep out of eyes !

PSORIASIS, ECZEMA, ACNE, RASHES, SCARS, DARK SPOTS
People who use olive oil soap have consistently said that it has helped their skin problems. I am not making a diagnosis or treatment here, just stating common knowledge. Regular use of olive oil soap will improve your skin quality and appearance. Now you can make it yourself.......

RECIPE FOR A 3 POUND LOAF OF HOMEMADE UNSCENTED OLIVE OIL SOAP:

40 oz. of pure olive oil,  (you do not have to use virgin, or extra virgin olive oil)
13.2 oz  distilled water
5 oz   lye  (sodium hydroxide)

superfatted to 6%

Cut into approximately 4 oz bars, you will get about 11-12 bars from this recipe

Always check a soap recipe with a lye calculator, here's the one I use from Bramble Berry:

Simply packaged, this soap makes a fabulous gift.

How to make milk lotion.

Milk in lotion is naturally nourishing, moisturizing, and rejuvenating to 

your skin due to it's lactic acid,proteins, and Vitamins A, E and D which are 

essential to healthy skin.  The milk proteins help to soothe

dry and damaged skin, minor sun burns, and soften rough skin.

 Milk in a quality body lotion improves skin elasticity,  leaving it supple,

 healthy and radiant.  Antioxidant rich.

Here is a link to a tutorial and recipe to help you make your own

 quality milk lotion at home

by Susie from Our Simple Farm  (click link).

 Susie's recipe is using goats milk, I made the same recipe with pasteurized cows milk,

 and it came out gorgeous ! A real winning recipe !

Pictures below of my version of Susie's recipe. Click link above to get Susie's recipe, or comment below for help from me for formulating your own.

If making this, please take note of Susie's sterilization methods from her video.

Any question? Need more on this?  Just comment below !

Enjoy,   Anna

How to use Clay in soap

Updated: 2/4/16
Clay in handcrafted soap is beneficial on several levels. Used in shaving soaps it gives the soap "slip", meaning it helps the razor to glide or slip over the skin smoothly.  Used in daily use soap, it makes a lovely complextion bar, and all over body soap. The various types of clay add different properties and natural color to your soap as well.

Bentonite clay is an affordable, easy to find clay, with many awesome uses.  A light greenish color, bordering on grey, clay. The largest deposits being mined in Wyoming and Montana, USA.  It's greatest property is it's ability to absorb toxins and impurities. Hence, it makes a lovely complexion bar that gently cleanses skin,  is highly absorbent and good for oily, or acne prone skin.  Adding Bentonite makes a silky, creamy feel to the soap.  Pictured below is a soap I made with Bentonite clay, oatmeal, tea tree and rosemary.

Left: Bentonite clay

Right:
Kaolin clay




Rhassoul clay is a highly prized spa favorite all over the world. Only found in the beautiful Atlas Mountains of eastern Morocco, this reddish brown clay, makes the soap a light brown with specks. History shows it has been used for over 1400 years as a soap and skin conditioner. It contains higher percentages of magnesium, potassium and calcium than other clays which make it desirable additive to any skin care line. Rhassoul has been known to reduce dry and flakiness in skin, improving the skins natural elasticity. clarity, and tone, as well as absorb toxins. Suitable for all skin types. Pictured below is a soap I made with Rhassoul clay, calendula tea and orange essential oil.

French Green Clay, soft green in color,  is made up of healing volcanic ash that is full of important minerals. It is very effective in deep cleansing, and as with all clays is a natural de-toxifier as it absorbs and pulls out toxins deep within the skin cells. This helps to rejuvenate, tone and brighten the skin. This is another great shaving soap, as it makes a dense creamy lather with nice "slip". Suitable for oily skin.  Below is another Bentonite clay soap, with rosemary and lavender.

HOW TO ADD CLAY TO YOUR SOAP

1-2 Teaspoons of clay per pound of oils, ( I used 2 tsp)

Here are several methods:

1) Once your oils are melted, take out a few Tablespoons of oil and stir your clay into it. Mix well so there are no clumps, then add clay/oil back into your melted oils. Stir. Add your lye/water and proceed as normal. 

2)Another method is to add your clay directly into your melted oils and stick blend them in. I have seen little clumps this way, so be sure you stick blend well and fully disperse the clay. 

Then add your lye/water and proceed as normal.

3) At trace you can add clay in and stick blend until no clumps. I find this to be the easiest method and the one that I usually do.

Clay can be added in Hot Process and Cold Process soap methods.

Be sure and use cosmetic grade clay!

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO WITH YOUR CLAYS that you bought to make soap with?

Clay and Herb Mask recipe:

2 parts clay 

1 part finely ground herb, oats, and/or tea (I grind mine into a powder in a coffee bean grinder)

Hydrate this mix with water or tea, apply to skin in circular motions, leave on 10 mins. Rinse off.

Note: use wooden or plastic utensils when working with bentonite clay due to it's natural components and the reaction to metals.

According to Mountain Rose Herbs:  

Bentonite is very unusual in the fact that once it becomes hydrated, the electrical and molecular components of the clay rapidly change and produce an “electrical charge”… When it becomes mixed with water it rapidly swells open like a highly porous sponge. From here the toxins are drawn into the sponge through electrical attraction and once there, they are bound.

Clay facial

1 part clay

2 parts liquid, adding more if it's still too dry. You can use water for normal to oily skin,

or milk for normal to combination skin.

optional:  melt a little honey and add

Smooth on, leave on for 10 mins and rinse. Using a warm, wet washcloth works best. 

Then splash face with cool water.

Kokum butter uses in soap and skin care

Natural Soaper Wanda M. from He Loves Me Soaps,  made my Orange Tea Tree blemish bar soap, and like any true soaper she tweaked the ingredients to suit her needs.  In this case Wanda used a fabulous natural butter called Kokum in her soap, and created a facial bar to meet the needs of her family.

Kokum butter is a natural emollient, which means it is a moisturizer that makes the skin softer,  aiding in it's elasticity as well as increasing it's hydration by decreasing evaporation. It's ability to improve the skin's tone and texture and prevent and treat dry skin make this butter a great choice for this facial bar. Prized for it's ability as a natural astringent it's addition to this bar makes it a good choice for an acne bar.  Good for all skin types but especially for those with damaged skin, this butter is an excellent healer.

Kokum would be an excellent butter to use in lip balm recipes as it aids in healing of chapped lips. You will see it in the ingredient list of some of Bert's Bees products.

Cracked heals and hands?   Kokum butter would be an excellent addition to lotions and balms.

It's anti-aging properties lend to a great day cream additive as it reduces the degeneration of skin cells and aids in the prevention of wrinkles.   This is a hard butter with a two year shelf life.

Thanks Wanda for drawing our attention to this fabulous natural butter made from the Kokum Tree (Garcinia Indica) native to tropical regions of India.

Places to purchase Kokum butter:   I am not affiliated with any of these shops.
LuxNatures Supplies etsy shop
Essential Wholesale and Labs
Bulk Apothecary
Garden of Wisdom
Wholesales Supplies Plus

Click here for my original recipe, feel free to tweak it to suit your needs ! NOTE:  you should
always run any soap recipe through a lye calculator before making it !!!  Here are a few to try:
Bramble Berry Lye Calc
MMS the Sage lye Calc
9 of the best Lye Calcs


Enjoy,   Anna

How to use Tea in soap

      All natural handcrafted soap made with fresh brewed tea,  sweet meyer lemon and honey !

Tea is prized for it's healthy benefits, why not try it in a beauty bar?

If  you make your own soap, you simply use fresh brewed tea for the liquid in your recipe.

HOW:  Make a strong brew of tea, and freeze it in ice cube trays.

When measuring out your liquid for your soap, use your frozen tea instead measuring just as you would for liquid.  Pour your lye crystals right into your tea cubes and stir until melted and all lye is dissipated into the tea.

I also add 1 -2 TBL of warmed honey at light trace while stick blending. Honey adds it's natural humectant benefits to your beauty bar. Honey and tea are both antibacterial making this a lovely cleansing soap for troubled skin. 

Tea and honey in homemade soap make a great facial bar as well as body bar.

Add sweet meyer lemon, or lemongrass for scent and you have an awesome fresh smelling beauty bar.

Enjoy,   Anna