Written by Elinor on August 10th, 2016.
0 comments
Natural hair conditioner
This conditioner formulation contains jojoba oil and grape seed oil, rich in omega 6 and vitamin E. It has excellent detangling and wet combing properties.
I have found it wonderful for conditioning the dry ends of my hair.
(Makes 1kg)
Step 1
775g water
90g conditioner pellets
Step 2
40g organic jojoba oil
30g organic grape seed oil
30g organic avocado oil
40g glycerin
10g vanilla essential oil
5g Geogard 221
Method
Gently heat Step 1 ingredients in a pot until the pellets have melted.
Blend off and on until cool and starting to thicken.
Add Part B ingredients and continue blending until thick.
Pour into containers.
|
|
Written by Elinor on August 3rd, 2016.
0 comments
Papaya peel-off face mask
This orange-coloured face mask is designed to be used in exfoliating and regenerating treatments.
It's made with high-quality alginate which makes a very solid gel. The mask contains papaya extracts, a fruit known for its richness in papain, a proteolytic enzyme which digests proteins and eliminates dead cells on the upper layer of the horned skin.
Papain has a regenerative effect. It contains precursors for arginine and proline, two amino acids known for their stimulating action in cell renewal.
Papaya is rich in carotenoids known for their strong antioxidant and immunostimulating properties, which make it a good ingredient to fight skin ageing. |
|
Written by Elinor on July 27th, 2016.
0 comments
Household cleaner
Wonderful for scrubbing bathrooms and kitchens. I love it.
It's a great replacement for products like Jif.
240g baking soda
75g borax
50g liquid soap
50g warm water
2T vinegar
1T lemon essential oil
Mix the dry ingredients, add the rest and stir until combined. |
|
Written by Elinor on July 11th, 2016.
0 comments
Cardboard tubes
Finally arrived!
They look gorgeous too. |
|
Written by Elinor on July 5th, 2016.
0 comments
Grapefruit seed extract
We get quite a few inquiries for grapefruit seed extract (sometimes sold under its trade name Citricidal) from customers wanting to use it as a natural preservative.
We used to sell it years ago, but then we started to hear disturbing details about it. We no longer stock it.
The marketers of grapefruit seed extract (GSE) have done a great job of promoting it as a natural broad-spectrum preservative.
But, it’s not that simple.
It is, in fact, a very highly processed product which is chemically modified.
Be sure to read the two links below, the authors of which do a much better job of explaining the processes than I would.
http://chemicaloftheday.squarespace.com/most-controversial/2010/1/27/the-truth-about-grapefruit-seed-extract.html
http://www.hebebotanicals.co.nz/grapefruit-seed-extract-gse-let-the-buyer-beware/
Written by Elinor on June 30th, 2016.
0 comments
Oatmeal, lemon & honey CP soap
250g water
115g sodium hydroxide
230g coconut oil
230g sunflower oil
100g palm oil organic
100g pomace oilve oil
50g castor oil
50g shea butter
50g oatmeal
30g lemon verbena FO
30g honey
Instructions for CP soap are online under Resources. |
|
Written by Elinor on June 20th, 2016.
0 comments
Chest and nasal relief balm
A great balm to ease chest and nasal congestion.
Makes 100g.
55g olive oil
15g beeswax
10g menthol crystals
11g camphor essential oil
8g eucalyptus blue gum essential oil
1. Gently heat the olive oil and beeswax until the beeswax is melted. Take off the heat.
2. Add the menthol crystals and stir until dissolved.
3. Add the camphor and eucalyptus essential oils and stir until blended.
4. Pour into containers.
NB: The essential oils and menthol used are volatile oils and will reach their flashpoint if heated.
At their flashpoint the oils will flash flame.
SO DON'T HEAT THEM PLEASE. |
|
Written by Elinor on June 9th, 2016.
0 comments
Shea and coconut oil butter
Makes 200g
120g shea butter
76g coconut oil
In a saucepan, cut the shea butter into small pieces, add the coconut oil and melt just a little.
Whip 10 mins with a beater you would use to whip cream with. Not a stick blender. You need to get air into the mixture to fluff it up.
Spoon into containers.
|
|
Written by Elinor on May 30th, 2016.
0 comments
Lavender & chamomile nappy balm
Makes 100g
40g kawakawa infused oil
20g shea butter, wildcrafted
20g calendula infused oil
10g coconut oil, organic virgin
10g NZ beeswax
few drops lavender and chamomile essential oils (optional)
Method
Melt everything (except the essential oils) together gently in a pot.
Take off the heat and add the essential oils. Stir.
Pour into a container and leave to set. |
|
Written by Elinor on May 12th, 2016.
0 comments
Cool safety glasses
A MUST for soapmaking!
Tired of the same old boring safety glasses?
I certainly am after 15 years of wearing them.
Two colours: pink and green/black.
Chelsea, to the right, is making a fine job of modelling them.
|
|
Written by Elinor on May 2nd, 2016.
0 comments
Toothpaste
2T coconut oil
1.5T baking soda
20d spearmint essential oil
Melt the coconut oil, add the rest of the ingredients.
Stir on and off while it is solidifying so the baking soda doesn’t sink to the bottom.
This recipe fits in a 50ml pot.
Use a spoon (or something other than your toothbrush) to put some of the paste on to your brush.
The brush will very likely contain water which will introduce mould to the paste.
|
|
Written by Elinor on March 29th, 2016.
0 comments
Whipped shea butter
120g shea butter
76g coconut oil
Soften the shea butter and coconut oil, but don't melt.
Whisk for at least 10 minutes.
A stick blender won't work as it doesn't whip the ingredients.
Adding a fragrance is optional. A few drops is all that is needed.
Spoon into a pot. |
|
Written by Elinor on March 21st, 2016.
0 comments
Green goddess clay mask
1 tablespoon green clay
1 drop chamomile essential oil
In a small bowl, mix the clay with just enough water to form a paste.
Add 1 drop of chamomile essential oil and mix.
Using your fingers, spread the paste over your face and neck.
Leave it on for 15 minutes then wash off with water. |
|
Written by Elinor on March 14th, 2016.
0 comments
Bentonite clay mask
1 tablespoon bentonite clay
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
In a small bowl, mix the clay and the apple cider vinegar to form a paste.
Using your fingers, spread the paste over your face and neck.
Leave it on for 15 minutes then wash off with water. |
|