Before we start creating...

When you are doing a craft such as soaping or making balms and lotions, you will find there are many different methods, ingredients and opinions on how you should do your chosen craft. I have put together a few things that I like to keep in mind when going through these processes.

S.H.O.C.K. – an acronym I have put together for when I am soaping or making lip balm or any other goodies that I might be trying to concoct!

·         S – Safety! Make sure your work area is safe. No broken equipment, protective clothing if required (a must when soaping) and a clean workspace.

·         H – Have fun! The most important part of all! Don't stress out over a failed recipe or technique, or worry about how much different your picture looks to the in the book – just have fun!

·         O– Organisation! You must be organised to be successful in this type of crafting. Preparation of colours, ingredients, utensils etc is key to a successful batch! Nothing worse when you’re trying to find all of your pigments to add to your soap and the trace is getting thicker and thicker!

·         C – Cleanliness! If you’re not into cleanliness in your work area, this craft is not for you! You need to have clean surfaces to work on; sanitised and clean utensils, bowls and containers, and you need to have cleaning tools on standby in cases of spillage. Make sure all spills are cleaned up straight away so there are no accidents!

·         K – Knowledge! Know your products, know your ingredients, know your procedures, instructions, preferences, colours, and anything else you can research before you start! With knowledge comes power, and with power comes the freedom to create! When you know what you’re putting into your creations, you have the power to change recipes, formulate your own, and really do whatever you want!

Ingredients –

You must know your ingredients! (K – Knowledge) This is one thing that I cannot stress enough. I can remember when I first starting experimenting with soaps and balms. I would read all of these recipes posted on the net, and not one of them would ever tell me the benefits of the ingredients used, the disadvantages of the ingredients used, the behaviour of the ingredients used, any information about who should or shouldn’t have that particular product on their skin and why you should use that product rather than another product! It would really drive me mad. When I found companies that obviously knew what they were selling, the flood gates opened and I can always rely on recipes, ingredients and service from those places.

When you are searching for recipes, or for ingredients, make sure that the company you get this information or product is

A.      Reputable

B.      Knowledgeable

C.      Willing to communicate

If you ask a company about where they source their ingredients and they are not willing to tell you... move on. If you research a company and find that they buy out of countries where labour is an issue...move on. If you find out that they are constantly giving bad service, inferior products or just have a bad rep... Move on. If you ask a company about a particular product (advantages, disadvantages, benefits, behaviour) and they can't tell you about it...move on.  These products that you are purchasing are for use on yours or others skin, hair, lips etc. You DO NOT want to buy something, if you don't know where it’s from, how it was processed, how it could affect yours/others skin etc.

Behaviour of a product is also a need to know but of information. If you don't know how it reacts when mixed with other products, heated or cooled a certain way or how it stores over time, then how could you possibly be ok with using it on yourself or others?? For example, I was one day, attempting to make a whipped body butter with Shea Butter, Cornflower and a bit of almond oil... the method was simple... melt butter and oil together, add cornflower, whip with electric beaters over cold water bath until whipped consistency is reached... simple huh??? Little did I know that when Shea butter melts at too high a heat, it becomes grainy and horrible – low and behold, my butter after my efforts, felt like it was full of sand, and even smelt slightly burnt. I had a better  look into Shea butter, and found that you should melt your oils together first, take your bowl or jug off the heat or out of the microwave, and stir in your Shea butter until it melts, then it won’t overheat. This, as I found out also, is the case for most other butters. Cocoa butter is slightly harder, so it does ok with the more direct heat.

Just being aware of what you are using can be the difference of a good product, a bad product or a great product!

Please help me get my word out on my blog... it is only new, and I am hoping to reach not only the soaping community, but those beyond who might want to give it a go!

Thanks for reading!

I would never use anything on my babies if I wasn't 700% sure it was safe, make sure you know everything you can, you can make some great products!

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba is my favourite carrier oil! I try and find an excuse to use it in everything I formulate, and I’m sure after reading this, you will too!

Jojoba (pronounced ho-ho-ba) Oil is firstly fascinating in that is not in fact an oil, but is a liquid wax produced in the seed of the Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) plant.

This Oil is fantastic on our skin as it replicates many of the properties of human sebum (oil). It is great for all skin types - treating dryness, acne, excess oil production, sensitivity and a list of other skin conditions. It also inhibits the growth of fungi and bacteria on our skin.  Jojoba oil is quite light in colour, and practically odourless meaning you can use it in a range of products, and it won’t affect the scent or look.

Treatment of Different Skin Types with Jojoba Oil –

·         Oily/Acne Skin - It is used in the treatment of Acne and oily skin conditions, as the action of the oil will help to break down sebum and unclog blocked pores and build up. I have also heard theories that Jojoba “tricks” the skin into thinking it has produced enough sebum to keep the skin nourished, and therefore will help an oily skin to balance. You can be the judge on that!

·         Ageing / Mature Skins - They will benefit from Jojoba Oil as it has been found to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles and add nourishment and suppleness to these skins.

·         Dry/Dehydrated Skins - They will benefit from the Jojoba Oil as it will add the necessary moisture and nourishment. It will also help in reducing flakiness, dry spots and chapped lips due to its nourishing properties.

·         Jojoba oil has also been used of late to help in the treatment of skin disorders such as Psoriasis, Eczema, Dandruff, Dermatitis and other itchy skin conditions due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

For all of us soapers out there, one the great benefits of using this product is that it has a great shelf life, and won’t go rancid like some other oils and fats can. This is a great advantage when you consider that Jojoba can be classed as a somewhat pricey product.

I use Jojoba in the following –

·         Soaps- not too much as it can cut lather, and can be used as super fatting oil. Makes a really nourishing bar.

·         Lip balms – used as part of the oil content, I still tend to lean on Sweet Almond Oil to take the bulk of my oil usage, with Jojoba usually accounting for 20-50% of my oil content.

·         Bath bombs – I add a small amount to give some indulgence to my bath bombs! (Along with some cocoa butter shavings...)  

·         Insect Bite Treatments – I use Jojoba as my main carrier oil along with my essential oils that I have chosen to help the oils absorb into the skin quicker!

·         Facial masks – a drop or two in a clay mask will leave the skin beautifully moisturized and nourished!

·         Skin oils – I use it as a good 50% of my oils in body oil formulations due to its healing properties and similarity to human sebum.

It can also be used in Hair conditioners and treatments, as well as creams and lotions. I haven’t dabbled in either of these just yet, but I will put up my progress as I start too!

I hope this has given you a bit of information on my fave – Jojoba Oil. If you have anything that you love using Jojoba Oil for, let me know – I would love to hear how you utilize such an awesome product!

Welcome to Kalm Beauty Soap & Balm!

Welcome to my blog!

I am not an experienced blogger, but I decided this was the best way for me to reach people that I know will appreciate the information and views that I post.

A little bit about me, I am currently training to become a Beauty Therapist. I have always wanted to do this course, and I am so so glad that I finally did. I will be qualified at the end of the year, and Im really looking forward to see what I can do with my new skills!

I am also an avid Soaper and Bath & Body crafter :) (meaning I like to make soap, balms, lotions & potions!). I have been dabbling in this for about 4 years now, and I am amazed at the information I have come across in that time. I research everything I use, and have a policy on not adding anything to my products that I dont know inside out and back-to-front.

To add to the above, I am also currently a stay at home mum, looking after my beautiful twin toddlers. They are my grounding. They keep me motorvated to make something of myself, and they are just so cute :) I will also blog a bit about them from time to time, because without them, I probably wouldnt be moving out of my comfort zone to blog anyway :)

I am hoping this blog helps others out there who might be looking for a bit of information on a product, inspiration for their next project or just who like to have a read.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog - Please come again! :)