New essential oil blend: Optimism

I have created and released a new essential oil blend for use in many D2BN products.

Optimism Blend contains bergamot, lavender and pink grapefruit essential oils.

Bergamot, may alleviate depression, anxiety, and skin problems

The many benefits of Lavender oil have been listed in an earlier post devoted entirely to that essential oil.

Pink Grapefruit oil may stimulate both mind and body, is said to be antiseptic, induces a positive feeling and hope, cures depression and relieves of anxiety and stress.

Optimism Blend is a lovely oil to use in products that start your day to get it going on a positive note, or at the end of the day when you need to shrug off the things that have weighed you down.

It is available in:

Soaps

Body Wash (shower gel & bubble bath)

Hand & Body Lotion

Bath Milk

Bath Salts

It may be appropriate in other applications, please contact me for details.

Naturally or plant derived- what does that mean?

Sometimes, if you pay close attention to the ingredient list on body products, you'll notice some long, complicated names that are listed as being plant derived, or naturally derived.

What does that mean?
Simply put, these ingredients come from a non-petroleum mineral, another natural source (such as water), a plant or a fruit-based source — not from an animal or petroleum source.

D2BN does not use any ingredients that have been tested on animals.
Never have, never will.

The only animal products used in our products:

•  beeswax, which is used in my balms- foot balm; sinus balm; calm balm; sleep balm (and my now discontinued lip balms, whihc some customers may receive as free gifts from time to time). Every time I come across a balm formulation without beeswax, it produces a runny, sloppy goo that's just not nice.
• milk products: goats milk, which is such an invaluable ingredient for sufferers of eczema and psoriasis; buttermilk & skim milk powder which I use in my bath milks
• I have also recently added "milk & honey" soap to my product range, after investing in the ingredients in my failed attempt at making solid shampoo bars

The majority (but not all) of my ingredients are naturally derived. The ingredient names may sound long & scary- for instance, just what is Capryl Glucoside? Well, it's a sugar, made from palm kernal oil, and is a mildly foaming cleanser. Now, the few times a product does contain a synthetic ingredient, it's often to prevent using a sulphate or paraben.

I have also ensured that I have sourced soap colours that are vegan-friendly. I have several customers who are vegan, or who have family members who are vegan, who find it really difficult to source products that are animal free. I hadn't even given a thought to my colourants, and had to make many enquiries to suppliers before I could source colourants that are acceptable to vegan customers.

However, I have not found a solution to the lovely lady who contacted me for goats milk soap for her grand-daughter..... who's a vegan.

Mother's Day at Cranleigh School

As mentioned in an earlier post, I was asked to make 80 soaps for the mothers of Cranleigh School students.

As usual, one of my simple ideas quickly grew into a craft bonanza. I can get a little manic in my head when given free reign to craft up.

Making the 80 soaps was probably the most straight forward part of the process. As I have 10 mid-size guest soap molds, I figured I would just make 8 different sets- 8 smells & colours. So I settled on:

yellow = melonberry

orange = orange rockmelon

pink = baby powder

red = red cafe

light blue = sun showers

dark blue = chai

light green = kiwi kisses

dark green = hummingbird

Halfway through making the 80, I realised I needed more soap base, so I fired off an order to my supplier, ordered more cello bags,  and labels, and waited....


It's the waiting that does it every time, because then I start thinking.

How to pretty them up?

Fire off another email ordering organza bags, the ones I had were either a smidge too small or too incredibly big.

More waiting.

Tags- one of my hobbies is making cards & bits and pieces, and I have a friend who is a Stampin' Up! independant demonstrator, so I have lots of (woefully underused) craft bits.

So, 80 tags, colour co-ordinated with the soaps.

Tags done, waiting recommences.

Soap arrives! So, 80 soaps, ten every 2nd day for 8 days.

Cello bags arrive, one afternoon spent bagging them.

The labels arrive the next day (of course!), so that afternoon spent labelling.

So, a three day wait for organza bags. Another afternoon bagging them up in organza bags, and then working out the best way to tie the gift tag on- I'm a bit ribbon challenged.

So, here is the final result. 80 guest soaps to spoil the beautiful Cranleigh Mums.