New Stuff: Whipped Scrubs!

The benefits of daily exfoliation are widely known. When we exfoliate we help remove dead skin cells from the outermost layer of our skin, the epidermis, which the keeps skin clean, and helps reduce dry flaky skin. Exfoliation helps to expose newer skin cells and helps to unclog pores, allowing sebum to flow and keep skin moisturized. Exfoliation also increases blood flow to the surface of the skin so toxins can be more readily removed and exfoliation can help improve the tone, texture and evenness of skin color.

Available in Cinnamon Coffee, Key Lime & Grapefruit and Lemon Gingergrass. This product emulsifies into a creamy scrub when applied to wet skin. It will leave your skin feeling soft and hydrated without feeling too oily! 6 oz/ 170g. in a cute bail jar available at naiadsoaparts.com. 

98% natural.

Our Fragrant Cinnamon Coffee scrub is made with Natural Cocoa Butter, high in vitamin E and easily absorbed by the skin, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, and Coffee Grounds for a more intense scrub. With a sweet Cinnamon, citrus scent!

Our Key Lime and Grapefruit scrub smells like fresh squeezed Key Limes and Pink Grapefruit and is made with Organic Shea Butter. Shea Butter contains beneficial fatty acids thought to promote cell regeneration and circulation. Wonderful for dry and aging skin! The antioxidants in vitamin C from Grapefruit and Lime are said to reduce damage to the skin caused by free radicals.

Our Lemon Gingergrass scrub smells like Lemon Ginger Frosting and is also made with Organic Shea Butter. The antioxidant in ginger, gingerol is a powerful antioxidant that fights skin damaging antioxidants and Ginger and Lemon are both used to promote an even skin tone.

Infused Liquors Part One: Recipes & Method

 Grapefruit Lavender Gin,

Blueberry Lemon & Rosemary Vodka and Chai Whisky

A couple of years a go my friend Nikole gave me a jar of vanilla beans with instructions on how to make your own vanilla extract. I was thinking about her and remembered the gift which was the inspiration for these infused liquor recipes! I am thinking I will give them as gifts to my friends who drink alcohol and are looking for something adventurous to try!

In Part One I will show you how to make the infusions and in the second part I will show you some packaging ideas and recipes!

Materials:
32 oz widemouth Glass containers with lids
Small Food Processor
Mortar & Pestle
Herbs, dried fruit, spices and citrus peels

Method:
Prepare ingredients by dry toasting and grinding herbs with Mortar & Pestle, chop or food process dried fruit and bruise fresh herbs and citrus peels. Add the ingredients to your glass jar and fill with liquor. Tightly seal and label. Store in a warm dark place and shake twice a day for 24 hours to one week depending on the strength of the herbs. Strain liquor with a coffee filter and fill glass storage containers.

Grapefruit Lavender Gin
Ingredients:
Peel of one Grapefruit
1/4 cup of Organic Dried Lavender
30 fl. oz. of Gin

1) Peel the Grapefruit rind being careful to avoid the white bitter parts and add to your jar along with the Lavender Buds. 2) Add the Gin. Let sit in a warm dark place for 1 week. Shake the jar twice per day.

Blueberry, Lemon and Rosemary Vodka
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Dried Wild Blueberries (Trader Joes)
Peel of one Lemon
sprig of fresh Rosemary bruised or 1 Tablespoon dried and chopped
30 fl. oz. of Vodka

1) Peel the Lemon rind being careful to avoid the white bitter parts and add to the jar. 2) In a food processor pulse the blueberries and a few ounces of the vodka until the blueberries start to break down. You do not want to form a paste, just break them up a bit. 3) Add the Blueberries and vodka to the jar along with the rosemary and remaining vodka. Let sit in a warm dark place for 1 week. Shake the jar twice per day.

Chai Whisky (or Bourbon)
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Cardamom Pods
1 Tablespoon White Peppercorns
2 Cinnamon Sticks broken up into about 1 inch pieces
1 Tablespoon fresh Ginger chopped (dried pieces are ok or 1 Teaspoon ground)
1/2 Teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon ground Cloves
2 Vanilla Beans washed and broken into 1 inch pieces
30 fl oz Whisky or Bourbon

1) Toast the Cardamom, Peppercorns and Cinnamon until the spices start to pop. BE CAREFUL - the Peppercorns with go up like popcorn if they get too hot! 2) Transfer to a Mortar and Pestle and grind to a coarse consistency just to release the oils. You will have a lot of large pieces of Cinnamon. 3) Chop the Ginger if necessary and add all of the ingredients to your jar and fill with Whisky or Bourbon. Let sit in a warm dark place for 24-48 hours. Shake the jar twice per day.

Stay tuned in a week or so for packaging tips!

For Organic Herbs and Spices:
http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/

New Market Specials 5.3.11

The Market Special is a limited edition soap sold by the slice without a box similar to how you may buy your soap in the market! These soaps are still 4.25 - 4.5 oz in weight but only $5.50 per bar!

This week Bromeliad and Wild Orchid and Lemon!

 Shop all Market Specials

Bromeliad: a light floral with hints of ginger and cotton candy sugar. The bright colors through the middle reminded me of vibrant Bromeliad flowers!

 Wild Orchid and Lemon: A bright sharp floral with lemon zest and coconut milk. If you like the English Apothecary Lemon Gardenia you will love this scent!

Lip Balms and Sugar Cubes get a Facelift!

Wow! I hadn't realized it has been so long since my last post! I have been Busy, Busy, Busy for the holidays, I recently got engaged (yay!), am planning new classes at the Nova Studio (more details to come!) and just launched the new package design for the Lip Balms and Bath Sugar Cubes! There are new scents and new flavors like Lemon Gingergrass Bath Sugar Cubes with natural color and essential oils and 100% all natural Lemon Sorbet Lip Balm. Enjoy! xoxoxo

New Sweet Acai Berry and Lemon Sorbet Lip Balms

 

New Lemon Gingergrass Bath Sugar Cubes

And our popular Brown Sugar and Fig Bath Sugar Cubes are back with a feature in HGTV's Handmade Gift Guide under Gifts for Her

To learn how to make these scrubs you can but the eClass from the Nova Studio or sign up for one of two classes I am teaching at the Nova Studio in March 2011!

FINALLY! Geeeze! Presenting Sugar Whipped Soaps (again)

New Sugar Whipped soaps have arrived! (Just in time to still have them up March 15th, at least PST, so I don't look like such a slacker!
Just $11.00 for a 10oz tub! Look for them in the Body Scrub section of my Shop!

Six Yummy Scents, Bubbly Lather, Saturated with fine Sugar for a gentle scrub! Run Down:

~ Key Lime Pie ~ Buttery sweet graham cracker crust filled with sweet, citrusy Key Lime custard and sugared meringue!

 ~ Cardamom Vanilla ~  Warm buttery vanilla custard and fresh ground spicy green cardamom! 

~ Lemon Poppy Cake ~ Mouth watering Lemon butter cake drizzled with buttercreme icing!

~ Orange Sherbet ~ Cold and tangy orange sherbet filled with vanilla bean ice cream - just like an orange creamsicle! You will want to lick it! (but don't!)

~ Very Berry ~ Luscious, tart Acai Berry, Raspberry and Black Currant mingle into a perfect juicy sweet scent!

~ Brown Sugar Pumpkin Crunch ~ Sweet baked Pumpkin with golden crisp brown sugar and butter crumb topping!

Sugar Whipped Soap - 20 FREE samples

So, I am working on some fragrances for new Sugar Whipped soaps. So far I have Very Berri, Lemon Poppy Cake, Cardamom Vanilla (the same as my Marshmallow Cream soap), and Brown Sugar Pumpkin Crunch! The next 20 orders over $20.00 will get one of these 4 oz Sugar Whipped Soaps free! I would love some feedback on how you like the scent, texture, scrubbiness and any other comments! FYI - The label is a working label and bound to change so I would love suggestions on that too!