That is a day when you will find specials around the net.

So I thought it would be a good day to offer some specials and then some.

Watch your email for Monday's specials next Monday and the one after that too, for a total of 3 Mondays. To stay on theme, I'll post 3 specials on each.

Items are available while supplies last. 

So today is… drumroll please -

Virgin Coconut Oil - just the thing for a white Christmas! 1lb – 8.99 Reg 12.99

More Information about Virgin Coconut Oil 

Rosehipseed Oil – a lighter oil for dry, winter skin

8oz – 12.99 Reg 19.99

34oz – 39.99 Reg 49.99 

More Information about Rosehipseed Oil 

Basil Essential Oil -  this essential oil always screams Christmas to me, even in the summer time (maybe I'll get some peace and quiet around here in the New Year :0)

1oz 4.99 Reg. 6.99

4oz 14.99 Reg. 19.99

More Information on Basil Oil  

You can navigate around the main website using the continue shopping on the cart or go to handmadesoap.ca to shop further. 

Just so you know, there is a minimum purchase requirement of 35.00, but you can purchase anything from the site to make the minimum.

Also, SALE PRICES RUN FROM MON TO THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY AND THE SALES LINK IS AVAILABLE ON THIS PAGE ONLY. 

Also, please note that the stamp special is sold out, we have acacia gum in stock and probably won't be restocking emu oil. If you have a wholesales supplier in Canada that you'd like to recommend, I would love to hear from you.

Post from: Skincare Naturals Blog

Cyber Monday Skincare Sale x 3

2 of these oils in particular are born to blend. I just can't wait to get my pipettes on them.

They are a new Clary Sage and a new Frankincense.

Both are slightly different than the ones I had (of course) with some amazing potential for freshening up a nice lemon/citrus blend as a room freshener, deodorant or soap.

A Kick You Know What Lemon Soap 

I've been wanting to make one of these since the day I opened (my company name is Sunshine Soap Co, long story as to how my websites ended up with different names, but the name has been calling for a signature lemon soap for a looooong time!)

So I am going to be spending some time in blending land this weekend and barring anything weird coming up.

LIKE BEARS DOING A B&E ON MY VEHICLE

I've been on a roll lately, the latest escapade being a bear smashing in the side passenger window of my jeep with a repair bill of 380.00, the good news being that I yelled at him (from my house window and he sauntered off in the right direction, which was down the driveway) and the saddest being the loss of our family dog Maggie to pancreatitis.

I will have more on that as it was a shock to us and something everyone should know about to protect their pet. The place sure seems empty without her smiling face.

ON MY LIST OF OILS TO BLEND 

The main oils that I am looking forward to playing with are our new frankincense, clary sage and 5 fold lemon (I was so happy to get one with better staying power iin soapmaking), and white grapefruit, sandalwood, geranium – I'm not sure whether or not to go with chinese or rose, maybe a blend with both? Basil, lavender (wish I still had some high altitude, it would be perfect), bergamot, patchouli and maybe cinnamon.

Who knows what else?

You can see more about those essential oils. 

I'll keep you posted on the new blends next week and maybe even have a rockin lemon soap recipe for you to play with and some links for you to check out the new oils.

I worked on them last night, but wouldn't you know it, managed to lose half of it.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE?

On the subject, the new cart is coming. I am basically setting up a new site with the new product pages so it's taking more time than I had planned on, but when it's finished, it will be far more functional and have better features than the one we've been using.

I'm really looking forward to it.

Be sure to let me know if there are any features or products that you'd like to see and I'll do my best.

Here's a bit more info on it as well as how you can put up your own site if it's on your list of things to do.

Creating a new website 

Post from: Skincare Naturals Blog

Born to Blend

As big business has begun to embrace the concept, small companies have become more confident as well, although the temptation to include some of those nifty synthetics is ever looming. 

To be honest with you, when I first started in, I was passionately natural and mortified at the flavour of many of the skin care and soap making mail lists etc that crucified anyone who would suggest that natural is better or at least safer and really would not even discuss the merits of natural (yup – I know that all natural is not all safe, a good observation and another topic for another day).

But I've seen things soften over the years as we seem to have come full circle, much to my pleasure. It was quite dismal there for awhile!

Thinking big picture, I think that we as a society on the whole have reached our peak for complicated and 'plastic', seeing the futility in it and are retreating back to our roots in simplicity.

It's funny, as things seem to spiral ever more out of control, I see more hope today than I ever did 6 years ago – about the time I threw up my hands in frustration and realized the people either get it or they don't, and if they don't, they'll have to find out for themselves (that probably applies to just about anything :0).

The unfortunate part is that we all need to suffer with them as our environment is forever polluted as a by product of all this stuff – it's kind of like second hand smoke – remember the days when it was the norm almost everywhere? (I used to work in a bingo hall, bet some of you remember those days. I'm amazed that anyone could see the cards!)) 

All in all, the hardest thing to deal with for me is the question of what will be left for our children, I am at the point of shuddering to even think what will be left for our grandchildren. Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised as I am certainly seeing a rise to common sense.

I can only hope that it will be enough. 

And continue to go natural when ever I can, of course. 

SO ANYWAY, WHAT IS NATURAL SKIN CARE? 

To me, it's fairly simple and boils down to 5 things.

• fragrance – does it contain synthetic fragrance or essential oils – or no scent at all.

• colour – is it coloured using dyes etc.

• preservatives – you will be hard pressed to find any off the shelf product that doesn't contain preservatives but there are some gentler than others, with new choices becoming available every day. It's a good idea to educate yourself on these, I will have more on this coming up.  This is one of the biggest reasons to make it for yourself or shop from a truly natural company who will be up on this stuff or producing waterless products.

• biodegradable – as a rule, if you don't have the above ingredients, it's probably a biodegradable product. Packaging is another area to look at. The less the better. One of the biggest problems we face these days is over packaging.

• ingredients list – if a 'natural botanical' shows up last on the list of ingredients, after preservatives and scent which are used at a relatively low percentage, I am not impressed with any natural ingredient claim to fame.  Also, if many of the ingredients are chemicals that I recognize as things that I wouldn't choose to use, of course, it gets a thumbs down.

Something to think about - not only do we need to look at the above factors, but we need to keep in mind the method that items are manufactured, what bi products are produced in the process.

Think large scale. What chemical companies come to your mind? Do some research and find out just how many of them have had chemical spills, lawsuits or moved their operations over seas where the laws and regulations are even more lax.

And what ever you can find, in many cases you can bet there is plenty 'buried' out there that we won't find out about any time soon.

Your choices DO effect the world today, on a larger scale than you may think. 

Bottomline – if you want to do your best you need to be diligent in researching ingredients. As a rule, the simpler the better. 

And my hat is off to all of you who support the natural skin care industry by making, selling and using truly natural skin care products and to all who want to learn and make the right choices for themselves and for the world around us.

Please jump in, I'd love to hear your views and ideas!

Post from: Skincare Naturals Blog

What Is Natural Skin Care?