Many hobbyists, me included, love making hand made soap. I enjoy using it myself and I adore giving it as gifts to family and friends. They always say “Wow!” when I tell them I made it myself.
Here are some reasons why making hand made soap is so great:
Creativity
It’s fun. Making your own hand made soap can be a lot of creative fun. Let your creativity soar with your choice of design and ingredients!
Control
You control the ingredients. That means your soap can be full of high quality, good stuff for your skin and not full of harsh chemicals or unnecessary additives.
Color
You choose the color. You can make your soap any color you want! Even lime green, if you like that color.
Scent
You control the scent. If you want to make unscented soap you can. If you want to make highly scented soap you can. If you want to think up an interesting scented and colored soap, such as lemon meringue, you can.
Shape
You control the shape of the soap. There are all kinds of soap molds available: hearts, flowers, seashells, even gingerbread men!
Ease of Creating
You can make your own soap today if you use supplies sold at hobby stores. Go shopping in the morning and use your own hand made soap the same evening.
Gift Giving
If you’re stuck thinking of a gift for someone, you can make them some wonderful hand made soap. The recipient will love a gift of gorgeous soap nestled in tissue paper in a pretty gift box. They should be even more impressed when you tell them you made it yourself!
Satisfaction
The satisfaction you derive from making something that’s creative and useful. You don’t have to rely on the stores to provide your soap - you can provide it for yourself and others.
Be warned that soap making is an addictive hobby! I have fun thinking up new scent and color combinations, and when I happen upon a winner, it’s an awesome feeling. Soapmaking encourages my creativity and I’m sure it will encourage yours as well!
Scented Candles &bull Scented Soaps &bull Scented Products
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Scented Soap Makes a Good Baby Shower Favor
Friends and family will most likely organise a baby shower for the mom to be. These are festive and happy occasions for all concerned as excitement builds in anticipation of the patter of tiny feet. Many moms like to thank their guests by giving them a baby shower favor. In addition to showing their appreciation, they can also be used as fun prizes for party games.
There is a lot to organise for the shower, including invitations, decorations for the room, catering, tableware and gifts. Many showers are given a theme and the baby shower favor presents can fit in with this. They can also be used as room decorations. Many companies provide favors with personalized gift tags and they tend to be colorful and inspired by nursery themes.
Hand made sweets are common, especially sugared almonds. These come in blue or pink and are presented in baby bootees, lace trimmed gingham baby bibs, gingham dungarees or in baby sized dresses. The bibs can be re-used and these items sometimes contain fizzy bath salts. Various colored sweets are shaped as pacifiers and little, crocheted prams also contain sweets. There are also baby rattles with sweets inside and scented bath duck fizzers. A baby shower favor can be personalized, such as boxes of sweets in wrapping paper with nursery animals and the name of the guest.
Scented soap baby shower favor is another popular item, wrapped in a heart shaped tulle and tied with a ribbon. Fragranced bath bombs in a tulle are also available. Miniature milk bottles contain bath salts, scented with geranium, lavender, lemon or rose. Bath ducks are very popular as a baby shower favor and there are duck photograph holders and duck shaped candles. Block candles are on sale with a teddy bear on top. Crescent moon shaped candles have blue or pink rabbits.
Building blocks are another common theme, with the letters of the alphabet inscribed. These sometimes contain sweets. Metal key rings and key ring charms are a practical baby shower favor and are adorned with a pram or teddy bear. Cookie cutters, in different pastel colors are also useful. For sheer indulgence, guests could receive miniature champagne bottles filled with chocolates.
Party games are a great way of getting the guests into a party mood and they can win their favors. Typical games include guess the date, weight or sex of the baby. Blind food tasting games are also popular and bingo is often played at showers. These parties are a great way of providing practical and emotional support to the mom to be.
Scented Candles &bull Scented Soaps &bull Scented Products
There is a lot to organise for the shower, including invitations, decorations for the room, catering, tableware and gifts. Many showers are given a theme and the baby shower favor presents can fit in with this. They can also be used as room decorations. Many companies provide favors with personalized gift tags and they tend to be colorful and inspired by nursery themes.
Hand made sweets are common, especially sugared almonds. These come in blue or pink and are presented in baby bootees, lace trimmed gingham baby bibs, gingham dungarees or in baby sized dresses. The bibs can be re-used and these items sometimes contain fizzy bath salts. Various colored sweets are shaped as pacifiers and little, crocheted prams also contain sweets. There are also baby rattles with sweets inside and scented bath duck fizzers. A baby shower favor can be personalized, such as boxes of sweets in wrapping paper with nursery animals and the name of the guest.
Scented soap baby shower favor is another popular item, wrapped in a heart shaped tulle and tied with a ribbon. Fragranced bath bombs in a tulle are also available. Miniature milk bottles contain bath salts, scented with geranium, lavender, lemon or rose. Bath ducks are very popular as a baby shower favor and there are duck photograph holders and duck shaped candles. Block candles are on sale with a teddy bear on top. Crescent moon shaped candles have blue or pink rabbits.
Building blocks are another common theme, with the letters of the alphabet inscribed. These sometimes contain sweets. Metal key rings and key ring charms are a practical baby shower favor and are adorned with a pram or teddy bear. Cookie cutters, in different pastel colors are also useful. For sheer indulgence, guests could receive miniature champagne bottles filled with chocolates.
Party games are a great way of getting the guests into a party mood and they can win their favors. Typical games include guess the date, weight or sex of the baby. Blind food tasting games are also popular and bingo is often played at showers. These parties are a great way of providing practical and emotional support to the mom to be.
Scented Candles &bull Scented Soaps &bull Scented Products
Natural Wax Scented Candles
There is no doubt that scented candles continue to be very popular when trying to find that perfect gift for yourself or for that special person. But with so many different products available to choose from how, do you know where to start and how do you know which scented candle brand is the right one for you?
The market for these products has grown incredibly quickly over the past ten years with so many variations now available: beeswax scented candles, natural wax scented candles or paraffin scented candles to mention but a few. Perhaps the information below will aid you in the selection of your perfect scented candle.
Whilst the demand for paraffin-based scented candles continues to be very strong, over the last two decades society has been alerted to the "toxic air agents" that they omit when burned. Paraffin scented candles can contain additives and chemicals, that are a by product of petroleum and there can be up to a dozen carcinogenic compounds found in a paraffin scented candle. Another downside of the paraffin scented candle is that they produce soot; this soot contains some of the compounds given off by burning diesel fuel. This can be an irritant and harmful when inhaled. Taking all of this into consideration, paraffin wax scented candles are still the most in-expensive scented candles on the market and therefore for many people still provide the perfect solution.
If the comments above concern you then beeswax scented candles offer a fantastic alternative to paraffin-based scented candles. Beeswax scented candles have health benefits as they are non-toxic, hypoallergenic and release negative ions into the air. These ions cleanse the air leaving it feeling fresh and highly scented which has proved incredibly popular with asthma sufferers and anyone with respiratory problems.
Consumers who use beeswax scented candles also love the fact that the scented candle omits a warm, natural colour and optimum clear flame which generates a good source of light. Obviously the major benefit of a beeswax scented candle is the fact that they last much longer than paraffin based scented candles as they burn slower: the negative side however is that of supply and demand; the bees cannot produce it fast enough! This unfortunately has resulted in the price of beeswax scented candles costing significantly more than paraffin candles; in fact in some cases 10 times more!
As a result of the increased demand for natural scented candles entrepreneur Michael Richards realised there was a need for a cheaper natural alternative to beeswax scented candles. In 1992 he invented soy wax which is a blend of hydrogenated soy bean oil, coconut oil and palm oil. One of the main advantages of scented candles made from soy wax aside from the cost is that they are manufactured from a renewable source. Soy wax candles tend to be a little cheaper than beeswax candles but in turn don't burn for as long.
As a result of consumers being more environmentally aware and wishing to purchase greener products we have seen the sales of natural wax scented candles dramatically increase as an alternative to paraffin wax scented candles.
However, probably the most important consideration once you have decided whether to choose paraffin, beeswax or soy is the "burn time". There is a significant probability that a candle which retails at four times the price of another will burn for at least four times as long. When shopping for that perfect gift always ensure you know how long that special candle will keep your room smelling beautiful.
Scented Candles • Scented Soaps • Scented Products
The market for these products has grown incredibly quickly over the past ten years with so many variations now available: beeswax scented candles, natural wax scented candles or paraffin scented candles to mention but a few. Perhaps the information below will aid you in the selection of your perfect scented candle.
Whilst the demand for paraffin-based scented candles continues to be very strong, over the last two decades society has been alerted to the "toxic air agents" that they omit when burned. Paraffin scented candles can contain additives and chemicals, that are a by product of petroleum and there can be up to a dozen carcinogenic compounds found in a paraffin scented candle. Another downside of the paraffin scented candle is that they produce soot; this soot contains some of the compounds given off by burning diesel fuel. This can be an irritant and harmful when inhaled. Taking all of this into consideration, paraffin wax scented candles are still the most in-expensive scented candles on the market and therefore for many people still provide the perfect solution.
If the comments above concern you then beeswax scented candles offer a fantastic alternative to paraffin-based scented candles. Beeswax scented candles have health benefits as they are non-toxic, hypoallergenic and release negative ions into the air. These ions cleanse the air leaving it feeling fresh and highly scented which has proved incredibly popular with asthma sufferers and anyone with respiratory problems.
Consumers who use beeswax scented candles also love the fact that the scented candle omits a warm, natural colour and optimum clear flame which generates a good source of light. Obviously the major benefit of a beeswax scented candle is the fact that they last much longer than paraffin based scented candles as they burn slower: the negative side however is that of supply and demand; the bees cannot produce it fast enough! This unfortunately has resulted in the price of beeswax scented candles costing significantly more than paraffin candles; in fact in some cases 10 times more!
As a result of the increased demand for natural scented candles entrepreneur Michael Richards realised there was a need for a cheaper natural alternative to beeswax scented candles. In 1992 he invented soy wax which is a blend of hydrogenated soy bean oil, coconut oil and palm oil. One of the main advantages of scented candles made from soy wax aside from the cost is that they are manufactured from a renewable source. Soy wax candles tend to be a little cheaper than beeswax candles but in turn don't burn for as long.
As a result of consumers being more environmentally aware and wishing to purchase greener products we have seen the sales of natural wax scented candles dramatically increase as an alternative to paraffin wax scented candles.
However, probably the most important consideration once you have decided whether to choose paraffin, beeswax or soy is the "burn time". There is a significant probability that a candle which retails at four times the price of another will burn for at least four times as long. When shopping for that perfect gift always ensure you know how long that special candle will keep your room smelling beautiful.
Scented Candles • Scented Soaps • Scented Products
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Making Scented Candles
Candle making has long been a popular hobby, but each generation seems to put its own twist on the process and final product. Today candle making is a fun hobby or craft. For some, it is a very profitable business venture. Candle making provides you with the ability to create wonderful designs and crafts out of your candles. There is no limit to the shapes, sizes, and colors you can make your candles in.
A candle is a device to provide light or fragrance. Candles have become very popular for the wonderful aromas more than for their ability to produce light. Some candles give off a popular smell such as vanilla or jasmine. Others smell like a chocolate cake or cinnamon rolls.
For candle making to be fun instead of frustrating, start with making simple candles. This is a great opportunity for you to discover what works well with your set up and gives you the chance to make necessary changes. Initially, work at implementing good safety habits and melting your wax at the proper temperatures. You will also want to experiment with your cooling process. Once you have these areas down, you will start to relax and the process will become more natural to you. This is the right time to start experimenting with dyes, scents, and shapes for your candles.
The candle making process is easy to follow if you take your time and learn from your mistakes. Those who are impatient and take multitasking to an extreme will most likely not enjoy the art of candle making. However, it is very enjoyable by those who have plenty of time to take with the process and who enjoy creating things. Candle making supplies aren’t expensive so use the best you can. This will also help ensure your candles form well and burn properly.
Scented Candles &bull Scented Soaps &bull Scented Products
A candle is a device to provide light or fragrance. Candles have become very popular for the wonderful aromas more than for their ability to produce light. Some candles give off a popular smell such as vanilla or jasmine. Others smell like a chocolate cake or cinnamon rolls.
For candle making to be fun instead of frustrating, start with making simple candles. This is a great opportunity for you to discover what works well with your set up and gives you the chance to make necessary changes. Initially, work at implementing good safety habits and melting your wax at the proper temperatures. You will also want to experiment with your cooling process. Once you have these areas down, you will start to relax and the process will become more natural to you. This is the right time to start experimenting with dyes, scents, and shapes for your candles.
The candle making process is easy to follow if you take your time and learn from your mistakes. Those who are impatient and take multitasking to an extreme will most likely not enjoy the art of candle making. However, it is very enjoyable by those who have plenty of time to take with the process and who enjoy creating things. Candle making supplies aren’t expensive so use the best you can. This will also help ensure your candles form well and burn properly.
Scented Candles &bull Scented Soaps &bull Scented Products
Best Selling Soap Scents
What are the best selling Scented Soap products on the market today? It seems like old favorites never truly disappear, so you will find plenty of rose, mint, coconut, and lavender scented soaps at your grocery store, bath shop, and online.
If you are making your own soap at home, then the sky's the limit! You do not have to limit yourself to what sells best and can try scents like Chocolate Fudge! It seems the easiest way to get started in soap making is to use the melt-and-pour soap making method. A good recipe is a must if you’re just starting out, but once you’re experienced, you can make up your own recipes and get really creative.
Hand crafted soap makes great gifts to give to your friends and family, especially if you use unusual soap molds. I know my friends are impressed when I give them gorgeously scented and coloured heart or flower shaped soaps and tell them I made them myself.
So have fun making your own melt-and-pour soap. The only problem is, once you start, it’s hard to stop!
Scented Candles &bull Scented Soaps &bull Scented Products
If you are making your own soap at home, then the sky's the limit! You do not have to limit yourself to what sells best and can try scents like Chocolate Fudge! It seems the easiest way to get started in soap making is to use the melt-and-pour soap making method. A good recipe is a must if you’re just starting out, but once you’re experienced, you can make up your own recipes and get really creative.
Hand crafted soap makes great gifts to give to your friends and family, especially if you use unusual soap molds. I know my friends are impressed when I give them gorgeously scented and coloured heart or flower shaped soaps and tell them I made them myself.
So have fun making your own melt-and-pour soap. The only problem is, once you start, it’s hard to stop!
Scented Candles &bull Scented Soaps &bull Scented Products
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Popular Candle Scents
Do you make your own candles or buy them? Do you collect them and keep them or give away as gifts? Do you frequent thrift shops looking for special jars and glasses for your hand made candles, or candle stands for your growing collection? Do you burn a scented candle every night because it smells good, looks good, and is comforting?
If so, then you probably know a lot about scented candles. It seems like they have been increasing in popularity, and I have noticed there are candle scent trends and fads, haven't you?
For a long time there were some standard candle scents being sold everywhere. Remember those days when all you could buy was strawberry, rose, pine, or mint? There has been a virtual candle scent explosion and I defy anyone to come up with a scent that is not already being used in a commercially available candle.
Popular today are dessert scents in candles. In this line you will find cheesecake scented candles, cookie scented candles, chocolate scented candles, mint chocolate scented candles, white chocolate scented candles, lemon mirangue pie scented candles, chocolate chip cookie scented candles, and the list goes on and on.
Of special interest are the multi-layer jar scented candles. My personal favorite is called 'Death by Chocolate' and has three scented layers! The top layer is chocolate kiss, the middle layer is hot cocoa, and the bottom layer is hot fudge icing. It's like getting three candles in one!
Another popular line of candle scents these days is based on our favorite coffee drinks. Besides plain coffee scented candles, you can buy or make candles which emit the familiar scents of your favorite boutique cafe blend. Love your custom cappuccino the barista at your coffee hang out has created for you? I'll just bet if you search online you will be able to buy a candle to match it.
If so, then you probably know a lot about scented candles. It seems like they have been increasing in popularity, and I have noticed there are candle scent trends and fads, haven't you?
For a long time there were some standard candle scents being sold everywhere. Remember those days when all you could buy was strawberry, rose, pine, or mint? There has been a virtual candle scent explosion and I defy anyone to come up with a scent that is not already being used in a commercially available candle.
Popular today are dessert scents in candles. In this line you will find cheesecake scented candles, cookie scented candles, chocolate scented candles, mint chocolate scented candles, white chocolate scented candles, lemon mirangue pie scented candles, chocolate chip cookie scented candles, and the list goes on and on.
Of special interest are the multi-layer jar scented candles. My personal favorite is called 'Death by Chocolate' and has three scented layers! The top layer is chocolate kiss, the middle layer is hot cocoa, and the bottom layer is hot fudge icing. It's like getting three candles in one!
Another popular line of candle scents these days is based on our favorite coffee drinks. Besides plain coffee scented candles, you can buy or make candles which emit the familiar scents of your favorite boutique cafe blend. Love your custom cappuccino the barista at your coffee hang out has created for you? I'll just bet if you search online you will be able to buy a candle to match it.
Lavender is Very Soothing
The extraordinary healing properties of lavender have been scientifically documented. Lavender is highly effective in relieving stress, aiding in sleep and restoring balance. It energizes, refreshes and promotes an overall sense of calm.
Lavender has been used for centuries to soothe and bring tranquility to both mind and spirit. It is known around the world for its therapeutic benefits.
Another property of lavender is antiseptic. It is also an anti-inflammatory substance. It is also a mild sedative and is useful for inducing a natural sleep, erasing the symptoms of restlessness and agitation many insomniacs report.
Lavender can have a positive impact on our emotions. Because it is a natural antidepressant, lavender lifts depression, eases stress and relieves most anxiety. Most people don't realize it is also useful in overcoming headaches, even migraines.
Lavender is useful for healing a variety of skin conditions. It is especially mild and so is suitable as a part of your daily facial skin care routine. When it is added to massage oil, lavender has been proven to ease the pain of aches and sprains, which in turn helps promote healing.
Scented Candles &bull Scented Soaps &bull Scented Products
Lavender has been used for centuries to soothe and bring tranquility to both mind and spirit. It is known around the world for its therapeutic benefits.
Another property of lavender is antiseptic. It is also an anti-inflammatory substance. It is also a mild sedative and is useful for inducing a natural sleep, erasing the symptoms of restlessness and agitation many insomniacs report.
Lavender can have a positive impact on our emotions. Because it is a natural antidepressant, lavender lifts depression, eases stress and relieves most anxiety. Most people don't realize it is also useful in overcoming headaches, even migraines.
Lavender is useful for healing a variety of skin conditions. It is especially mild and so is suitable as a part of your daily facial skin care routine. When it is added to massage oil, lavender has been proven to ease the pain of aches and sprains, which in turn helps promote healing.
Scented Candles &bull Scented Soaps &bull Scented Products
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