Tag: soap

Homemade Scrub Bars: 2 Super Easy DIY Recipes

Fun fact for the kids: after we die, our bodies begin a natural mummification process. This process of decomposition basically turns body fat into a substance that resembles wax and has the properties of a kind of castile soap, encasing and preserving our remains. Now I don’t now about you, but I feel like since our lives culminate with one big soap-making DIY, I really think we should at least practice.

These exfoliating scrub bars are a good place to start. They’re super easy to make and even easier to customize. The basic recipe is oil+ sugar (or salt)+ soap base. You can take that basic recipe and completely customize it by the addition of essential oils and other ingredients. Oatmeal Eucalyptus, anyone? If you haven’t already, you really should invest in one of these silicon molds. They make all your homemade scrub bars look so legit. Of course you can always use ice cube trays, but remember we’re all practicing for the grand finale so just go ahead and put your best foot forward. I like to store my homemade soaps in glass jars like the Vardagen Jar from Ikea, but as long as they’re stored properly, these scrub bars will last a long time. So without further ado, here’s 2 of my favorite recipes!

Lemon Peppercorn Scrub Bar

This combination from Burkatron is super refreshing! Peppercorn gently exfoliates, while lemon brightens the skin for a much needed escape from Winter skin woes.

Green Tea Ginger Scrub Bars

This super moisturizing combo from Hello Glow does wonders for dry skin. I absolutely love using ground coffee as an exfoliant. Trust me, your skin has never felt so smooth!

Other combinations:

Once you get the hang of making these scrub bars, they’ll be no stopping you! I’ve tried several combinations already, and I haven’t been disappointed yet. Here’s a few of my flavor combos, but if you know of anymore that I should make, definitely let me know in the comments!

  • Orange + Flax Seed
  • Honey + Oatmeal
  • Chocolate + Chia Seeds
  • Lavender + Honey
  • Grapefruit + Mint + Poppyseed
  • Jasmine + Himalayan Salt

The Easiest Homemade Almond Rose Soap Recipe (No Lye!)

Since I’ve rediscovered soap flakes, I’ve leveled up in my cleansing game.This is a simple soap making method, that doesn’t require too much effort, but the end result is awesometastic. The almonds gently exfoliate, while the rose petals soothe and calm irritated skin. I absolutely love this combination and you will too! It’s gentle enough to incorporate into your facial care routine, and you can follow it up with my favorite rose water toner.

Homemade Almond Rose Soap

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp dried rose petals
  • 1 cup pure soap flakes (find it here)
  • 2/3 cup boiling water
  • 1/2 cup rose water (homemade rose water recipe)
  • 2 tbsp ground almonds
  • 9 drops geranium essential oil

Directions

  • Pound the rose petals with a mortar and pestle
  • In a large bowl, combine the ground petals, soap, and water
  • Stir until smooth (If the soap starts to solidify during this step, place the bowl over hot water)
  • Stir in rose water and ground almonds, allow to cool
  • Stir in essential oil
  • Shape the mixture into about 6 balls and flatten each slightly
  • Allow the soap to harden between sheets of wax paper
  • use as you would any bar soap
  • Store in a cool, dark place between uses

Pure Soap Flakes—Your New (Old School) Secret Weapon to Clean EVERYTHING

When I was a kid, they still sold soap flakes in all the stores. Soap flakes are, well, soap flakes. Dried, 100% pure, vegetable based castile soap with no added preservatives, bleaches, phosphates, or perfumes. If you’re old enough to remember that, you’ll probably remember how amazingly versatile soap flakes were. You could use them to clean everything from delicate wood floors to laundry to newborn babies. They were magical and just like that, they started disappearing from the shelves at the grocery store and were replaced by all kinds of products containing heaps of toxins.

Anyway, I recently got my hands on some soap flakes and I’ve totally been on a cosmetic making rampage! I usually swear by Dr. Bronner’s liquid soaps, but some household products I make call for something a little bit thicker. Who doesn’t prefer creamy shampoo or laundry detergent? So I’ve been testing out some recipes for you lot, because of course I have. Not only are soap flakes extremely powerful (just imagine your laundry whites actually staying white), but they’re also gentle enough to use on the most sensitive of skin. This is an all in one kinda deal, folks!

Here are just a few of the many uses for soap flakes:

  • Laundering natural fibers and delicate fabrics including wool, cashmere, silk, linen, flannel, chiffon, cotton, and down.
  • Washing and cleaning children’s toys chemically free.
  • Cleaning precious ceramics, crystal and glassware, fragile china, porcelain and marble
  • Shampooing wool and other fine carpets and rugs.
  • Cleaning musical instruments, wood and metal.
  • Shampooing pets, show dogs and show horses.
  • Use in craft projects such as making frost for holiday trees, rock polishing, making soap crayons, carving soap sculptures.
  • Safely combine soap flakes with other natural cleaning ingredients such as baking soda, borax and washing soda for extra cleaning power.
  • Wash oak, pine, teak, walnut, linoleum and vinyl floors.
  • Wash walls and wallpaper, wood products, fine furniture and priceless antiques.
  • Wash boats, cars, and motorcycles with no harm to the environment.

Basic Laundry Detergent Directions

  1. Dissolve soap flakes thoroughly in hot water and allow to cool to skin temperature before use.
  2. Washing Items by Hand: 2 or 3 tablespoons per gallon of water. Work fabric in soapy mixture and rinse well. Squeeze or pat dry.
  3. Top Loading Washing Machines: 1/2 cup per load.
  4. Front Loading Machines: 2 tablespoons per load. Dissolve flakes in hot water before pouring into machine. Do not use machine’s detergent dispenser.

***Always wash garments according to garment label.

***Also, I like to add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the diluted mixture before throwing it in the washer. It smells divine!