Been Gone Too Long

It has been a while since I have blogged here.  I am really sorry to have been so remiss.
We have been working hard to improve our systems, products and presentation to make it better for everyone.  Lately my time has been consumed by the attempt to find new premises.  Hopefully we will be able to notify you in a few months of a change of location that should be easier and more convenient for everyone (fingers crossed).
I promise to be better at keeping up in the future!!

Mandarin Bath Salts 500gm Epsom salts 500gm Rock salt ½ teaspoon glycerine 2 tablespoons calendula petals Mandarin essential oil to your desired intensity Mix well squashing all lumps and package in airtight containers (Photo shows stand up pouches)   Baby Powder Fragrance Bath Salts 600gm Epsom salts 300gm Fine sea salt 100gm bicarbonate of soda ½ teaspoon glycerine Blue colour powder to your desired strength Baby powder fragrance oil (or one of your preference) Mix well together removing lumps and ensuring glycerine is well encorporated and package in airtight containers. (Photo ShowsAntique French Apothecary Jars and 100gm Plastic Jar)

Bath Salts I receive many inquiries from people wanting to make their own bath salts.  Their reasons vary from the desire to make attractive gifts for family and friends or their love of the product which has led them to desiring further exploration. Of course, these people are searching for something creative, useful and economical. Bath salts are wonderful for lifting the spirits, melting away stress and cleansing the body while nourishing it with minerals essential for your well being.  The addition of colours and fragrances enhance the experience by evoking multiple senses to enable full relaxation. There are a vast number of items which can be added to a bath salt recipe with  no hard and fast rules about what is right and wrong.  A recipe is a great place to start, or simply follow your heart with the items you would like to enjoy in your bath. Epsom salts are a favourite ingredient in many recipes due to its high magnesium content and dazzling appearance.  Magnesium aids calcium absorption which is an added benefit to your bones, muscles and circulatory system.  It is known to relax the mind, sore muscles, and draw toxins from the body. Our society is often deficient in magnesium, and a warm soothing bath is a great way to top up and replenish these stores. Epsom salts have a  short, rod-like structure which is  highly reflective and makes for an attractive end product. If you are thinking of making your own recipe: consider this ingredient as a must have. Sea salt (sodium chloride) is another popular ingredient created through the natural evaporation of sea water. Sodium chloride is a natural antibacterial ingredient that will reduce quantities of bacteria that may be on your skin. Sea salt has an added 1.8% of beneficial trace elements in it’s make-up compared to regular table salt.  This salt does not have additional iodine or anti-caking agents added – simply the minerals of the sea. Sea salt has either a fine granular form or a chunky rock salt version.  The only difference is the degree to which they have been ground.  Deciding which form of sea salt to use should be based around the visual presentation required and any practicality issues.  Fine sea salt is quite closely packed and does not reflect the light as well, however it dissolves in the bath very quickly.  Rock salt has a  larger  particle size giving a far different visual appearance which takes on colour more unevenly giving a much  more crystal-like facade. Bicarbonate of soda is an ingredient that is popular for its cleansing and deodorising qualities as well as its abilities to drain the lymphatic system of toxins. It is known for its skin softening capabilities and can absorb excess oil for those in need.  This quality can also be beneficial if you wish to add essential or fragrance oils to the salts as this ingredient will assist the salts to hold more fragrance without an oily runoff.  Be a little cautious using this ingredient as baking soda exposed to water will release carbon dioxide which may build up in your packaging.   Keep the baking soda away from water(oil is fine) until ready to use.  Bath bombs fizz because of this carbon dioxide/water reaction so ensure your salts stay perfectly dry and are not able to draw atmospheric moisture. An ingredient I am fond of in a bath salt mix is glycerine.  It is a humectant, meaning that it will  allow moisture to be drawn to the relaxing body immersed in the water containing the glycerine.  This will  aid absorption of the minerals that have been added from the bath salts as well as softening and rehydrating tired skin.  Use only a tiny amount – about half a teaspoon in a kilo of salt to bring out the depth from powder colourants that may have been used and to add a shine to the salt.  Overuse will cause a gluggy mess that is very unappealing. Botanical items can be used either for practical application or visual stimuli.  For those who like an all natural bath salt, cosmetic clays can be added for the colour they add to the package as well as the properties they add to the bath.  You must remember that clay does not dissolve in water.  The best you can hope for is a suspension where the clay particles float through the water for a while, but over time it will settle out will form a thin mud layer on the bottom of the bath.  You can use this to your advantage by scooping up the mud for a mud pack if you so choose.  Keep in mind that mud is slippery when it is time to get out of the bath. Dried flowers are great additions to bath salts, as seen in the mandarin bath salts recipe, contributing a beautiful relaxing  calm from  petals floating on the water’s surface.  Some flowers will add small quantities of the healing qualities  they hold but given the dilution rate cannot be relied upon to provide therapeutic values. Rolled oats or oatmeal makes a very soothing additive to a bath salt mixture.  Oats are known to reduce inflammation and assist itchiness in skin with either or both of these problems.  If adding this particular ingredient to your salt it is recommended that you place the salts in a fabric bag.  It should have a weave loose enough to let the dissolved salt and oat milk into the water without the oats themselves being loose in the water, but not so large that particles can free themselves into the bath. Fragrances and colours are optional additives to a bath salt.  To scent your bath salts you can use either essential oils orfragrance oils mixed well into your chosen ingredients.  Intensity can be as strong or mild as you wish to make it from a few drops for a mild fragrance to considerably more.  If using essential oils researching contraindications (technical term for the effect the oil can have on people with sensitivities to these ) for your salts  is highly recommended as reactions can occur with some medical conditions.  If using fragrance oils ensure they are suitable for skin application sourcing them from a reputable dealer specialising in this type of product.  Oils for burners and room scenting only are generally not suited to this purpose. To colour bath salts use a product that is content with both water and oil applications while being skin safe. Colour powders available from Heirloom Body Care  are the type I would recommend for this purpose and were used in the Baby Powder bath salts recipe.  Their brightness can be intensified with the addition of glycerine or a few drops of oil and stir well to ensure even distribution. As with any new procedure if you are pregnant or have any health concerns, please check with your doctor before using bath salt blends and their components. In the side panel are a couple of recipes you may wish to start with before beginning to play with your own ideas.

New Soap Moulds are in stock now 

Arabesque Tray Mould

Beehive Tray Mould

Sleeping Woman Bar mould

Hearts Tray Mould

We now have tray moulds in arabesques, hearts 
and beehive as well as bar moulds in "sleeping woman"

Soap Moulds - How should you look after them?

Basic Soap Mould Care

Cleaning the Moulds: Use warm tap water and soap (if the molds have been used for soapmaking, simply soak in warm water for a half hour or so). Hot water, including dishwasher water, may warp the plastic. Pour Temperatures: The moulds can tolerate wax and transparent soap temperatures of 135-145ºF. If you're concerned about warping, set the molds in a shallow cold-water bath for hot-temperature pours. Unmoulding: Please don't manhandle the moulds when releasing contents! If you have any difficulties with soap or chocolate, place the moulds in your freezer. For chocolate, a few minutes of freezer time will allow for easy unmoulding. For soap, 1 hour should be sufficient. Opaque Cold-Process Soap Considerations: Because opaque cold-process soap undergoes a chemical reaction in the moulds, there are a few extra considerations to keep in mind: Soap needs a certain amount of heat to saponify properly. Most cold-process soap books call for pour temperatures of 80-100ºF. These temperatures are fine if you're pouring several pounds into one large mold, but when soap is poured into individual 3 or 4 ounce moulds, heat is more easily lost regardless of how much insulation you use. If you've measured your ingredients correctly but your finished soap is soft and/or grainy, raise the soap's temperature to between 115-125ºF next time you pour. Transparent Soap Note: Opaque Cold-Process Soap Considerations don't apply to transparent soap since it's neutral when poured. Transparents also lack "stickiness," so there shouldn't be any problem unmoulding them. Pour Time: When filling many cavities, realistically consider just how much working time you have before your soap begins to thicken beyond the "easy-pour" state. Dividing soap up into smaller portions for different colors and fragrances will slow you down; some artificial fragrances will speed the thickening. If this is the case, think about making smaller batches. If your soap does thicken before all the cavities are filled, spoon the soap in and tap the moulds lightly on the counter top. The clear plastic will allow you to see if any air bubbles remain on the mould's detail surface. Super fattened Soap Problems: Super fatted soap and/or soap high in soft oils such as canola, avocado, safflower, etc. are a bit sticky, and therefore may unmould with more difficulty than firmer soaps high in palm oil or tallow. These softer soaps will unmould if placed in the freezer for 1 hour. One Great Soap Mould Recipe: For a firm, easy-release soap with a good lather try: 22 ounces palm oil or tallow 3 ounces coconut oil 2 ounces olive, canola or any other soft oil 4 ounces sodium hydroxide 8 ounces water Heat oils to 115-125ºF. then add 115-125 degree lye solution. Stir until traced. If temperature has dropped much below 115-125 prior to pouring, reheat on stove top. Makes 2 pounds, or enough soap to fill approximately 9-10 cavities. Tip: Mould designs show up clearer and "crisper" in hard soap than in soft soap. More on unmoulding soap: If the soap is allowed to remain in the moulds for 12-24 hours after cooling down, it releases much more easily than unmoulding it immediately upon cooling. (During this extra time the soap is both shrinking and crystallizing.) One final option: If you'd like to experiment with a fairly effective mould release, melt one part paraffin wax then stir into 3 parts mineral or baby oil. Best used when it is hot and liquid, but if applied to the molds when cold (as a soft paste) use a stiff brush to insure thin and even application, otherwise inconsistencies can mar the smoothness of the finished soap. Plain mineral or baby oil can also be used to lightly coat the moulds (vegetable oils or PAM may possibly saponify if used as a mold release).

For a long time we had heart shaped glass tealight votives that have proven very popular. Sadly the importer isnt bringing them in any more, but I have managed to get the same glassware in a frosted finish. These will also not be available once the last of the stocks have gone, so if these are something you adored in the past hoard mode would be a good idea :-)
http://www.heirloombodycare.com.au/small-frosted-heart-tealight-p-475.html?cp=76_148

If you like class in the bathroom have a look at these treasures!
Frosted glass soap dishes!!

The dishes come with an easily removed stainless steel draining section that allows for easy cleaning and will help keep your soap out of any excess water
http://www.heirloombodycare.com.au/soap-dish-frosted-glass-p-1384.html?cp=157

Cute Candelina Jars

We have had people asking us for smaller jars for bonbonerie and candle applications and have finally found some that are incredibly cute. The picture doesnt really reflect that they are only as tall as your index finger, lid and all.
http://www.heirloombodycare.com.au/mini-candelina-jars-75ml-p-1389.html?cp=98_101