Essential Oils for the Non-Believer Essential oils are often frowned upon by many who believe the ancient practice is not empirically validated in its effectiveness. However, most of this is due to a lack of knowledge and experience on the subject. Essential oils have not only been successfully used for centuries, for numerous purposes, but are also currently being studied for modern-day medicine.

A recent study presented in Edinburgh at the Society for General Microbiologys spring meeting was performed to test essential oils as a replacement for antibiotics. This study went beyond that to evaluate whether the essential oils could treat some of the antibiotic resistant superbugs that have hospitals and physicians across the world worrying.

The results of the study indicated that not only could some essential oils be used to replace antibiotic use, as an inexpensive and efficient substitution, but that essential oils even worked against these warped virus strains we refer to as superbugs.

Two Greek professionals, Dr. Effimia Eriotuo and Professor Yiannis Samaras, who performed the research, evaluated 8 types of essential oils derived from plants. Thyme essential oil was proven the most effective and was able to destroy all bacteria it was exposed to within an hour.

A combination of Thyme and Cinnamon made a powerful combination against several Staphylococcus strains. The researchers concluded that the effectiveness of essential oils made them a potential candidate for replacing antibiotics and for preventing the development of more antibiotic-resistant germs.

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Essential Oils for Romance The olfactory sense is the most closely linked to the brain, meaning that what we smell has a tremendous impact on our mood. Some essential oils bring a sense of calm, others invigoration, while still others are popular for inspiring feelings of romance.

Jasmine is a scent often worn behind the ears of women to intrigue their partners and to boost confidence. Ylang ylang, an exotic scent close to the smell of jasmine is used in weddings and on honeymoons to encourage feelings of love and connection.

Vanilla is a warm, inviting scent that Pre-Columbian Indians used to worship their Gods. It has long been considered an aphrodisiac. Clary Sage is often used to increase a partners interest. Its scent is nutty with a hint of fruit.

Patchouli is an earthy and pungent aroma that is pleasant enough to appeal to both genders. It is often used in treatment of low desire. While it has its roots in long ago history, it became popular again in the 60s, the era of the Beetles and Make Love not War.

Rose is a lovely scent that has long been associated with love and admiration. Supposedly, Cleopatra bathed in hot water with rose petals added to scent her skin. Sandalwood has also been used for centuries as an aphrodisiac. Like Patchouli, it is an earthy scent, but it has more of an oriental tone. It mixes well with rose or lavender for added effects.

Strangely, research has found that sandalwood sends out a scent closely related to the androsterone men produce under their arms when they sweat. It is thus believed that it has the effects of natural pheromones. Using essential oils to make a romantic massage oil, diffuse in a room, or even add scent to a candle, can enhance the mood and improve the closeness of a couple in love.

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Uses for Scented Candles Scented candles are one of the top gifts in the United States, because they are an item of universal appeal. Scented candles make excellent presents, especially when you know what scent or scents your gift recipient really enjoys. For example, if your mother loves the smell of cinnamon, a candle that has a true cinnamon aroma may be just the thing.

But candles are not just for gifts. Real estate professionals have long since learned that a home that smells nice sells faster. So, at home showings and open houses, you should expect to see a burning candle or two.

Aromatherapy is a use for scented candles that usually prompts people to buy the candles for themselves. Lavender is excellent for de-stressing, meditating, or soaking in the bathtub. Orange is an invigorating scent that can cheer up a room.

Candles often work for odor neutralizing. Just make sure you get the right candle for the job, or you might get forest pine-scented litter box smell. Some candles come with added odor neutralizing properties and others can do it simply with a strong enough scent and the natural effects of a little bit of smoke.

Finally, scented candles are a great visual addition to a room. With different colors, containers, and sizes, they can be used for almost any dcor. Additionally, when they are lit, the little flame creates a warm ambience in the room. Whether it is for romance or a home sale, scented candles can give that extra something that makes the atmosphere more pleasant and appealing.

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Three Ways to Make Beeswax Candles Beeswax candles became popular in Europe during the Middle Ages. They were expensive enough that most people could not afford them. Today, although still a bit of a luxury, households across America are enjoying beeswax candles for their classic look and their pleasant sweet scent.

Rolling beeswax candles is very easy and fun, simple enough for children to do as a supervised project. Purchase sheets of colored and/or scented beeswax (according to your preference) and a few wicks. The wick should be about 2 longer than the height of the candle.

You can cut the sheet for a shorter candle, or keep it the full height if desired. Place the wick near the edge of the sheet and begin rolling it evenly, tightly, and firmly until you have rolled up the whole sheet. Press the end of the sheet into the candle. Then, trim the wick and your candle is done! Or, if you want a thicker candle, add another sheet and keep rolling.

If you would prefer to melt your beeswax and form it into a mold, you need to heat the beeswax in a double boiler, to 170F. Color and add scent, if you like. Just make sure the dyes and perfumes you use are intended for candle making. You can spray the candle molds with releasing spray for a cleaner finished product. Place the wick as the mold requires and pour your beeswax in.

Finally, beeswax candles are really fun to make using the dipping method. This old-fashioned method requires taking a wick or wicks (lined up on a thin rod) and repeatedly dipping them into the heated wax (at 170F or a little less), allowing each layer to cool and harden briefly before dipping again. Layer will build upon layer until you get to your desired width. Hang them to dry and enjoy your homemade beeswax candles.

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Making Gel Candles For making gel candles, you will need to purchase a kit or pull these items together yourself: gel candle glasses, candle gel, your preferred essential oil(s), zinc wicks, a candy thermometer, liquid dyes, and if you like, you can also purchase embeds to decorate your gel candles.

Make sure that the dyes are intended for gel candles and that you do not use cotton wicks, because they will absorb the gel. You have several options for embeds. You can use polished stones, colored glass gyms (used in vases and aquariums), glitter, colored gravel, glass beads, shells, and even little metal charms. Whatever you choose just needs to be non-flammable.

Use a hot glue gun to attach the wick to the bottom of the gel candle glass. After the glue cools, cut up the gel into pieces to melt faster. Put them in a stainless steel pot. Dont overheat them. Just use a low-medium heat to melt them evenly.

The goal is 200F. Much higher than that and the gel will not set clear. So check your thermometer frequently until you get it right. Once the gel is smooth, you can start slowly adding your color, checking as you stir for the desired shade. Dont over-color if you want your embeds to show.

Approximately 1/3 teaspoon of essential oil should give each glass of gel a strong enough scent, but you can add a little more if you like. Make sure that before you pour, you heat up the glass to between 150F and 160F so you dont get bubbles in the gel. Dip the embeds in the hot gel before you place them in the candle and place them towards the outside of the container for increased visibility.

Pour your gel into the heated glass over a flat surface. Pour slowly to further avoid those undesirable bubbles. After you have filled your container, pull the wick up and wrap it around a pencil you can set over the top of the glass, to keep the wick straight while the gel dries. Once it is dried, you can trim the wick and present your finished project.

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History of Candles Candles go back more than 5,000 years. As electricity is a relatively recent invention, various forms of candles were used for light for many centuries across the world. While the actual wick candle was probably invented around 3,000 BC or a little earlier, ancient Egyptians from an earlier time used to dip the pithy core of reeds into melted animal fat to make what we refer to as rushlights or torches.

As far as history can tell, the ancient Romans made the first wick by rolling papyrus and dipping it over and over into beeswax or melted tallow. These simple candles were used at night, to light the interiors of their homes. It is not known exactly when this practice began.

But back in Egypt, we know they were making wick candles by 3000 B.C. During approximately the same period, Chinese citizens were rolling rice paper for a wick and using wax from insects and seeds to form candles. The ancient Japanese were using tree nuts for wax and in India, they boiled the fruit of the cinnamon tree for wax.

Much later, in 165 B.C., Hanukkah began to be celebrated, being called the Jewish Festival of Lights. Candles have ever since been a part of this religious ceremony. Many other cultures also have used candles as a part of their practices and rituals.

The early Western cultures used tallow, which is animal fat, to make their candles. The tallow candles emitted a foul odor. Moving into the middle ages, Europe began making beeswax candles because they burned more cleanly and had a pleasant sweet scent when lit. But, because of the expense, beeswax candles were only used for ceremonial purposes and by the wealthy for many generations.

It wasnt until colonial times that wax made from crystallized sperm whale oil was discovered. Unlike tallow candles it did not emit a foul odor, it did not soften on warm days, and it produced a brighter light than tallow candles could.

Later developments include stearin wax (made with a chemical extracting process of animal fatty acids), paraffin wax (made from petroleum), and soybean wax. Each of these improved upon older versions, burning cleaner and smelling better. Todays candles use these waxes, many being made of combinations of stearin wax and paraffin. While candle-making dropped substantially with the advent of electricity, today they are popular for their ambience and variety of available scents and colors that give a room that special something which only candles can give.

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Natures Fountain of Youth Wrinkles are definitely not a womans best friend. Is it any coincidence that there are thousands of products made to reduce, resolve, and prevent wrinkles? Anti-aging products are big business. But so many of them are full of chemicals.

Natural anti-aging products and practices are becoming increasingly popular with todays more health-conscious generation. The ever sought-after fountain of youth remains elusive, but there are many natural ways to combat wrinkles.

Starting with proper skincare practices, washing the face twice per day is important for clearing the pores from clogging debris and oil. Additionally, washing the face aids the process of cell shedding, revealing a fresher, younger-looking layer of skin underneath.

Using sunscreen, even a natural mineral-based sunscreen, can make a world of difference in the purity, brightness, and elasticity of skin.

If, in addition to these things, you use essential oils in the care of your skin, they can further improve the looks of your skin. Essential oils are concentrated hydrophobic liquids with volatile aroma compounds from the plants they are extracted from.

Buying natural products containing various essential oils can make a noticeable difference for an anti-aging skincare regimen. Are they natures fountain of youth? Thats for you to decide. But it is worth a try to see what changes you can make in the health of your skin using natural products and essential oils.

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Lavender Lavender is a plant with many uses. The most commonly used form is English lavender. Other lavender plants include Spanish lavender, French lavender, and Egyptian lavender.

In an attempt to create larger plants that are easier to harvest, hybrids have been created called lavandins, which are used often in commercial manufacturing. But critics say that these plants produce lower quality oil with less of a true lavender aroma.

In the culinary world, lavender is used in the fresh form, or as dried buds to flavor foods. For example, lavender is used to flavor honey in the Mediterranean and is sold worldwide. It is used in baking desserts and as cake decorations.

The flowers can be candied or blended with green, herbal, or black tea. Lavender is added to goats milk cheese and sheeps milk cheese and, in the U.S., many people with a discerning taste enjoy lavender scones and marshmallows.

Lavender is perhaps best known for its relaxing and sleep-inducing capacity. As an essential oil, it also has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. One may be surprised to learn that it was used in World War I hospitals for disinfecting walls and floors.

Lavender is often used to treat various forms of inflammation including acne, bug bites, burns and headaches. Lavender remedies should be used with caution and proper education, however, as lavender can be highly allergenic and is cytotoxic for pregnancy.

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How to Use Essential Oils Essential oils are used for a variety of purposes. From massage oil to facial steams, and from dry brushing to compresses, just a few drops of essential oils can make all the difference in the efficacy of these products and methods.

If mixing essential oil with carrier oil, for diluted products like massage oil, the general recommendation is 2.5% essential oil content. In other words, to an ounce of carrier oil, you would add 15 drops of essential oil.

But not all mixtures call for 2.5%. It is thus important to know that an ounce of carrier oil contains about 600 drops of carrier oil. This will help with formulating percentages of essential oil. For example, a 1% ratio would mean 6 drops of essential oil are required for an ounce of carrier oil. Or, for a much stronger solution, 10% calls for 60 drops (3 ml) per ounce of carrier oil.

There are several other natural products that can be made with essential oils. A facial steam is a simple mixture of 5 or 6 drops of the desired essential oil in a pint of hot water or in a facial steamer. And adding just 3 to 5 drops to honey, clay, and/or mashed avocado makes an excellent facial mask.

Many people are not aware of this, but a tiny amount of oil (3-9 drops) can be added to the water of a humidifier, and depending on the essential oil used, it can help a sick child overnight. Menthol, eucalyptus, and peppermint are excellent choices for opening up the bronchial airways and the sinuses.

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Essential Oils Essential oils are plant-based oils, in a highly concentrated form. The volatile aroma compounds are extracted from the desired plant, such as eucalyptus or peppermint, producing concentrated hydrophobic liquid.

Essential oils are often used in diffusers, to release their natural scents throughout a room. Often a favorite for diluting in massage oils, essential oils can provide a soothing or invigorating aroma when rubbed onto the skin.

Essential oils are also used for their physical and emotional benefits. For example, asthmatic sufferers often seek relief from minor lung inflammation by dabbing pure peppermint essential oil directly onto the base of the nostrils.

Breathing in the strong peppermint actually opens up the blood vessels, effectively reducing some of the tightness and burning caused by inflammation. While not at all a replacement for modern medicine, peppermint oil can nonetheless be an excellent addition to an asthma maintenance program.

Mental and emotional benefits of essential oils are many, as the olfactory sense is directly linked to the brain. Lavender or chamomile can soothe an anxious mood, while orange oil can invigorate and energize.

Essential oils have a myriad of benefits best understood by studying the available research and expert advice. While they may be an ancient source of comfort and healing, they continue to go head to head with more modern practices, as many individuals prefer a natural approach, when possible.

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RAINSHADOW LABS does the SPF Dance!!!! The beloved FDA is once again changing SPF requirements for our entire industry. Thus, RSL has pulled all of its current SPF formulas off of our shelves so to speak. RSL is brilliantly and ingeniously reformulating SPF options to meet the new regulations. We anticipate revised SPF availability in April...just in time for warm and sunny days played safely in the sun. Watch for our newsletter announcing the arrival of our revised SPF options. RSL will absolutely let you know!!!!!!

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RSL Automated Pricing System Implemented for 2012 In this watershed year of 2012 Rainshadow Labs is continuing our mission as a truly sustainable enterprise; one that is committed to a triple bottom line that includes the People, the Planet and a fair Profit. Our vision of a socially conscious enterprise recognizes that we cannot be committed to one without consideration of the other. So for Rainshadow Labs the TBL captures an expanded spectrum of values and criteria for measuring organizational and societal success: economic, ecological, and social. With this vision in mind we seek to source raw materials that are truly sustainably and thoughtfully grown; raw materials that measure success the way we do; we seek to participate in addressing social issues that our government is ill-equipped to address and this is exemplified in our work with Riverside Industries and mentally and physically disabled adults, the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation and Fences For Fido and finally, we seek to provide our shareholders and employees with a sustainable return on their investment.

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Holiday Souffle Moisture....from RainShadow Labs Indoor heated air, fluorescent lights, and harsh drying winter conditions can really do a number on your skin. Flaking, dry, and ashy winter skin is not necessary, nor is it attractive or healthy! RSL has whipped up this light and fluffy frappe of healing plant oils and nature based actives and extracts. Goes on like whipped cream and stays on for a full day of moisturized and resiliant skin. Nourish your epidermal winter suit with this wonderful whipped moisture creme. Added antioxidants in this formula will chase away the free radical scavengers and keep you looking and feeling taut and toned and hydrated, from the skin on in.

LALO Souffle Moisture

Click on the link for a perfectly whipped sample!

Have the most blessed Holiday Season Ever.

LALO Souffle Moisture: An all over moisturizer with an extra load of Aloe for great moisturizing properties, and Olive and Jojoba Oils for that glide and long-lasting softness. Whipped like your favorite soufflé.

Directions for Use: Apply generously all over face and body. Great mositurizer to keep in a jar in your livingroom to touch up those dry elbows and hands.

Ingredients:  Organic Herbal Infusion, Organic Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera), Isopropyl Palmitate (Palm Oil), Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Organic Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower Oil), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond Oil), Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, (2s)-2-Amino-5-Guanidinopentanoic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Olea Europaea (Olive Oil), Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Oil), Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexyl Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Tocopheryl (Vitamin E), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Organic Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea), Citric Acid.

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History of Soap #2 By the 1600s, most Europeans were using soap. Soap maker guilds were formed, who carefully guarded the secrets of their trade. Not only did they cook vegetable and animal oils with the ashes of plants, they also added fragrance. Their soaps were used for washing clothes as well as their bodies.

In France, Italy, and Spain, soap manufacture was one of the largest businesses of the time.  This was in part due to the fact that they had a steady supply of olive oil, a favorite for soap making. In 1622, King James the First accepted $100,000 per year from a major soap maker to allow the soap maker a monopoly.

Soap was considered a luxury item for some time. Taxes were heavy on soap products. So, many commoners were not able to afford it. When the taxes were lowered, almost everyone started buying soap and England became a more hygienic place.

In the American Colonies, in 1608, several soap makers came over on the second ship from England to Virginia. As the new colonies were very small, soap making was something each homemaker did for herself until professional soap making took off.
Until the late 1700’s, soapmaking was done exclusively with the ashes of plants (lye).

But in 1791, Nicholas Leblanc, a chemist from France, developed soda ash (sodium carbonate), a derivative of table salt. This brought the price down for soapmakers and expanded the soap making business extensively. This led to the shift from soap as a pleasurable item to a must-have for every home.

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RainShadow Labs Merry Holiday Schedule It is our specific intention to support the ease and abundance of our RSL community through the holiday season. It is with this in mind that we share with you the following important dates and closures for RSL.

RainShadow Labs will be closed for Thanksgiving, returning Monday November 28th

RainShadow Labs will be closed December 22nd  through January 2nd 2012 for our annual holiday closure

The last day to place an order for drop-fill orders that will need to ship before the Christmas closure will be November 30th

The last day to place stock orders to ship before Christmas closure will be December 13th

RainShadow Labs continues to be in service to our customers, our community, and our planet. We wish you all a beautiful and peaceful holiday season.

"A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work - he is the purpose of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to serve him."
  - Mahatma Gandhii

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History of Soap #1 Human beings have been concerned about cleanliness, to some degree, for as far back as we can tell. The earliest known proof of the existence of soap came from as early as 2800 BC. A soap-like substance was found inside clay cylinders in ancient Babylon. The cylinders had carved inscriptions on the outside that indicated that ashes were boiled with fats, the same method used today for soap making.

In ancient Egypt, the Ebers Papyrus of 1500 BC detailed the process of combining oils derived from vegetables and animals with alkaline salts to use for washing and for treating skin disease. In ancient Greece, bodies were washed with oil and ashes or oil and dirt, but actual soap was not made.

In Rome, the legend tells that the word “soap” came from Mount Sapo, a place where the ancient Romans sacrificed animals. Because the animals were sacrificed with fire, melted animal fat (tallow) would run down with the wood ashes into the clay soil of the Tiber River. The women, after discovering how helpful this clay mixture was, began washing their clothes at this site.

In 312 BC, the Romans built their aqueduct baths and bathed in large groups. During the 100s AD, Galen the Greek physician taught that soap was helpful for cleanliness as well as medicinal purposes. Back in Rome in the year 467 AD, when the nation fell, bathing ceased in much of Europe.

Europe fell into an unhygienic period leading to many plagues during the middle ages including Black Death in the 1300s. However, this condition was mainly exclusive to Europe. For example, the Japanese continued bathing daily during this period. Finally, in the 1600s, Europe became interested in bathing again and soap making became big business.

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Soap Chemistry Understanding soap chemistry begins with a basic knowledge of the washing agent, water. Water has surface tension that can be noticed by simple observation. The reason water beads on a surface, rather than spreading flat, is that the water molecules underneath the surface water molecules pull at the surface molecules.

Unfortunately, this makes it more difficult to thoroughly wet a surface and thus to clean the surface. Soap is, in part, used to reduce the surface tension, allowing the water to spread more effectively. Chemicals that allow this to happen are surface active agents, termed “surfactants.”

Surfactants are also important because they help loosen soil, distribute the soil throughout the soapy water, and trap the soil until it is washed off. Lastly, surfactants are helpful because they increase the alkalinity of the water, aiding in the removal of acidic soils. Surfactants are what make the soap slippery, bubbly, and slimy.

Genuine soap is made from fats, oils, or fatty acids, combined with an alkali (alkaline substance) such as lye. The combination of the fat with the alkali produces soap with an addition of glycerin, a mild, moisturizing substance that makes true soap bars soft and helps the skin retain moisture after washing.

In natural bars of soap, the ashes of plants produce the alkali used for soap making (lye). But, in commercial production, alkalis used in soapmaking are derivatives of sodium or potassium. The most common are sodium hydroxide (NaOH), often referred to as “caustic soda” and potassium hydroxide (KOH), “caustic potash.”

The saponification process involves the heating of the fats and oils (scientifically referred to as triglycerides) and then adding the alkali. This triggers the chemical reaction that creates soap. In commercial production, the moisturizing glycerin is usually removed from the product and sold to lotion making companies, leaving the bar nice and hard, but also very drying. These bars are often sold as “beauty bars,” “body bars,” and the like, because they are technically no longer soap.

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Typical Soap Ingredients In soaps, there are a variety of ingredients used for different purposes. Starting with the basic formula, alkalis are used for mixing with oils to make the basic soap. Alkalis also enhance surfactants, neutralize acidity in other ingredients, and increase the alkalinity of the final product. Examples are lye (made of plant ashes and used in natural soaps) and sodium carbonate (used in some commercially-produced soaps).

Abrasives are often added to soaps with the purpose of refining or smoothing skin. Coarser particles are for purposes like softening the feet, while very fine abrasives can be used on the face. Examples of natural abrasives are ground peach cores, sugar, and salt crystals.

Antimicrobial agents are added to many types of soap now, including dish soap and hand soaps. These antimicrobial products kill germs and inhibit the growth of germs on the soap and on the area washed. Triclosan is an example used in commercial production, with pine oil used in natural antibacterial soaps.

Colorants are added to make the soap attractive. Natural soaps often make use of food coloring to create aesthetically pleasing bars of soap for home use. Fragrances are also for the senses. Some are meant to sooth, like lavender, while others energize, like citrus.

Preservatives are used in commercial production of soap for preventing discoloration, oxidation, and/or bacterial growth. Examples are butylated hydroxytoluene and glutaraldehyde. Natural soaps do not usually have the years of shelf life commercial soaps do, but they do not contain chemical preservatives. Instead, natural soaps are generally made in fresh batches and purchased by consumers as they are used.

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Essential Oils for the Skin Essential oils are highly concentrated extracts from various plants. Essential oil of peppermint, for example, is made by extracting the oil of thousands of peppermint leaves. For this reason, essential oils are generally sold in very small bottle sizes, as it takes the harvesting of many plants and a great deal of pressing to fill just one tiny bottle. 

Able to penetrate to the subcutaneous skin layer of the skin, pure essential oils are often used in natural face and body products.  One example is essential oil of carrot seed (Daucus Carota). This essential oil is full of the antioxidant beta-carotene.

For a beneficial facial massage, use 2 tablespoons of jojoba oil and 6 drops of carrot seed essential oil. Massaging a teaspoon of this mixture into the skin of the face, for 5 minutes, can moisturize and revitalize the skin.

A second essential oil often used in skin treatments is German chamomile (Matricaria Recutita). With anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties, German chamomile essential oil is also very strong, thus requiring dilution for use on the skin.

For treating sunburns, take a quarter cup of distilled water, add an equal amount of aloe vera juice (the real stuff), and squeeze 5 drops of German chamomile essential oil into the mixture. After mixing, place the liquid in a spray bottle and spray on burned skin 4 or 5 times per day, until the sunburn heals.

Lavender essential oil (Lavandula Augustifolia) is one of the most commonly used essential oils for the skin. It has antiseptic properties, aiding in the treatment of bee stings and minor burns. For treatment of these conditions, you can use the essential oil, undiluted, directly on the affected area. Or, for an all-over sunburn, you can add 10-15 drops of lavender essential oil into a cool bath.

There are many essential oils that are beneficial to the skin, with a variety of benefits and uses. It is important to seek out a quality product and store essential oils in a cool dark place, to retain their useful properties. 

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Natural Soap vs. Commercial Soap Commercial soap is in ready supply, in every supermarket, in every city. But is it even soap? There’s a reason why so many of these products are called “beauty bars,” “body bars,” or “moisturizing bars.”

It is against the law for these commercial bar makers to call their products soap, if in fact they do not contain actual soap. The nature-based ingredients that have been used for decades, even centuries, of soap making are not often used by big manufacturers because they cost more than cheap chemical detergents.

Synthetic lathering agents are used in combination with harsh chemicals, like Triclosan. And while lye is used, as in natural bars, the best part of it is removed. To get a good hard bar, the manufacturers remove the glycerin content (created as a byproduct of mixing lye with the other products).

Glycerin is what makes a natural bar of soap soft and is also what moisturizes the skin. In fact, commercial manufacturers sell the glycerin they remove from their detergent bars to makers of moisturizing products.

A natural bar of soap contains none of the artificial ingredients found in commercial bars. Real soap moisturizes your skin with glycerin and leaves no toxins on your skin, which can absorb through your pores.

Natural soap is made of lye and fat (oil), but the caustic nature of the lye is destroyed in the saponification (soap making) process. The byproduct is the moisturizing glycerin.

Additives are scents, beneficial ingredients like oatmeal, and/or coloring agents. Look for those that use only natural versions.

One last important consideration is that using natural soap helps protect the environment. The UK’s Royal Society of Chemistry released a report announcing the finding that chemical byproducts of detergent bars persist in the water supply even after filtration. These byproducts include parabens, known carcinogens, and phthalates, which can lead to reproductive disorders. Spending the extra money to buy a natural bar of soap can thus lead to healthier skin and a healthier environment, at the same time.

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Safety Tips for Making Lye Soap Lye has been used in soap making for centuries. It begins as a dangerously corrosive alkaline that, when mixed with oils, is chemically altered and becomes harmless soap, with gentle cleansing properties and the mild and moisturizing byproduct of glycerin.
However, before it goes through the saponification process, it remains caustic. Often used in drain cleaning products, for example, the corrosive properties of lye allow it to burn through tough drain clogs, dissolving what stands in its way. Soap makers must practice caution when working with lye.

Only pure lye should be used for making soap, without any additional ingredients. For protection, when working with pure lye, make sure to always use safety goggles, thick rubber gloves that cover your forearms, an apron, and hard close-toed shoes in case of spills.

You will need a very heat-resistant container for stirring lye with water, before it is added to the oils. Use a pitcher or handled pot with a lid. Make sure this container is large enough for safe stirring. Also, do not use tin, aluminum, or zinc for storing or stirring lye, as lye will corrode these metals. Stainless steel is best, but a thick heat-resistant plastic will do.

When mixing the lye with water, it is imperative to remember to add the lye to the water, not the other way around. Add lye slowly and carefully to the water as you stir. Pouring water onto lye can cause a dreadful accident. Mix the lye into the water, while the container is in your sink, in case of a leak or spill.

Breathing lye fumes can burn your lungs. So, as you work with the lye, make sure the room is well-ventilated preferably with an open window and a fan to cycle the air. Try to stand back while you stir the mixture.

As with adding lye to the water, add the lye-water to the soap oils. Make sure that lye is always added slowly and carefully. Keep vinegar, an acid, on hand to quickly neutralize any lye that spills on you and then rinse the affected area with cold water.

For soap making at home, lye is a necessity that can be intimidating to would-be soap makers. But soap making can be a pleasurable and safe activity, when safety guidelines for working with lye are carefully followed.

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Soap Making Supplies Soap making at home is a pleasurable and popular activity that requires some specific equipment. While much of what is necessary may be found already in your own cupboards, there will likely be at least a few items you need to purchase before you can start. Review this list of important items to ensure that you have everything you need.

1) Start with safety in mind. Make sure you have quality rubber gloves and a pair of safety goggles. The lye you will be working with is caustic during the early part of the soap making process.

2) A food scale will help you measure ingredients that are added by weight.

3) Use stainless steel for as many of your soap making supplies as you can. Lye is highly acidic until it is processed. It will corrode other metals and poor quality utensils. Purchase a stainless steel pot that is large enough to process the batch size you intend to make.

4) Other stainless steel necessities would be measuring spoons, whisks or stirring spoons, and a ladle. Quality plastic supplies will also work as a substitute for stainless steel.

5) Select a 2-3 quart stainless steel or heat-resistant plastic pitcher for mixing the lye solution. Mark this pitcher with a permanent warning like “Danger- Caustic Lye!” and cover it with a lid. You don’t want any potential for accidents.

6) Depending on your preference, you can use ramekins, measuring cups, beakers, or small ingredient bowls for holding and pouring fragrance, color, and other additives.

7) Use a stick blender for mixing the lye with the oils, initiating the saponification process.

8) A thermometer will help you keep an eye on the temperature levels.

9) You will need a rubber spatula for scraping out the remaining soap from the pot.

10) Soap molds of either the loaf or individual soap size will help you finish the soap making process.

11) Finally, make sure you have some dishcloths that you can dedicate to cleaning up the soap making mess when you’re done.

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What is Aromatherapy? Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine. It uses volatile plant materials known as essential oils, and other aromatic compounds to help alter someones mood, thinking or health. While evidence for the efficacy of aromatherapy in treating medical conditions is not well established, there is some evidence supporting the therapeutic potential. The term aromatherapy was first used in 1937 in a French book on the subject.

The use of essential oils for healing purposes has been around for a very long time. Aromatherapy uses essential oils to treat or prevent disease. It is also used for anxiety reduction, short term memory improvement, relaxation, enhancing energy, preventing hair loss, and reducing eczema-induced itching.

Aromatherapy can affect the brain and limbic system through the olfactory system. Another affect is caused by the direct pharmacological effects of the essential oils. Aromatherapy doesnt heal, but allows the body to find a natural way to cure itself while helping improve immune responses.

Some popular uses of aromatherapy include using lemon oil as an anti-depressant. Lemon oil can help enhance ones mood and aid relaxation. Peppermint oil can deter ants when you apply a few drops on their trail. Lavender and tea tree oil are often used as antiseptics, and can be found in lotions or soaps.

Lavender oil is used to help heal wounds and burns. Essential oils have also been found effective when used in dental mouthwash. Essential oils are very concentrated and can irritate the skin, so they are usually used in a carrier oil before topical application.

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Benefits of Natural Soap Natural soaps are suitable for all skin types, especially those with sensitive skin. Natural soaps dont contain chemical additives such as alcohols, esters, low grade oils, wax and fillers. Natural sops dont contain animal fats, so they cut down on the soap scum often found in the shower or bath.

A natural soap wont strip your skin of its natural oils, so your skin will be left feeling soft and smooth. Natural soap bars are made with coconut, palm, sunflower, rice bran, castor or soya bean oils. You will notice a difference in the way your skin feels when you switch to a natural soap when youve been using a commercial soap.

Natural soaps are made using the cold process method. This means all the ingredients are mixed at a low temperature. This helps them retain all the natural goodness of the base and essential oils.

Natural soaps are loaded with glycerin. Glycerin prevents skin dryness and irritation and is a great moisturizer. Commercial soaps often have the glycerin removed in order to make a harder bar of soap.

Currently there are many different natural soap products available. Check out user reviews to see which soaps will best suit your skins needs. Your skin is the largest organ of your body, and caring for your skin will help you feel better all over.

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Uses of Essential Oils Essential oils can be used in many ways on a daily basis.  They can be used as air fresheners, in facial creams and lotions, foot soaks and hair care. Essential oils are also used extensively in massage and sauna situations, as well as in steam vaporizers.

Using essential oils can add natural fragrance while also giving you the therapeutic benefits of the oil. Essential oils can form an integral part of holistic living and healing. These oils are very concentrated, so only a very small amount is needed for most applications.

Essential oils can be used to treat a myriad of symptoms. Since essential oils are so concentrated, care must be taken in their use.  Too much of a good thing can also cause additional problems, or perhaps give an allergic reaction.

Essential oils can be used as topical antiseptics for minor cuts and insect bites. Muscle pain can be alleviated by using essential oils when massaging sore muscles. Fungal infections can also be treated effectively using essential oils.

Essential oils can be used in shampoos and conditioners, toothpastes and bath soaks. They are in perfumes and air fresheners.  Once you are aware of the many uses of essential oils, you will start finding uses for them almost everywhere.

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