novicecrafter

Im pretty sure its because epson salts arent exactly what we normally think of as "salt" . it is magnesium sulfate- with much different properties then regular sea salt. I have found that epson salts shouldnt really be mixed with anything but other types of salt and perhaps a carrier oil. anything else gets funky

I highly recommend mountainroseherbs.com I buy a lot of stuff from them and it is ALWAYS high quality. Great customer service too. They have very high business ethics- and their products are the most natural and ethically harvested available.=)

I was just wondering if aloe could work as a diluting agent for essential oils instead of regular carrier oils. I realize I would probably need to lower the percentage of e/o but could it work? Im trying to make myself a very simple (cheap) and effective inscent repellent/ mouisterizer/ problem skin lotion. Ugh hot humid florida!!!

thanks for the reply- unfortunatly I dont make soap yet. I thought about adding it to a bath tea and while Im sure it wouldnt hurt anything, I would like to know if it has any benefits?

I have way more green tea then I could ever drink, and it has a relatively short shelf life but it would be a shame to toss it (very high quality stuff). I was wondering if anyone knew if it could be used in bath/body formulations and if it has any special properties. I have done a search for green tea on the boards and was unsuccessful, and I have also tried to search online and have not been able to find anything usefull. I would love any advice/info you could offer=)

I honestly had no idea wow! It does make a bit more sense now and I applaud you for your effort (and for being legit). However the site mentioned in this post seems to be a little lax in the actual promotion part of the deal and the sample boxes were way more then $8. But thank you for clearing up a few things- now I (we) know that it is a legit and honest service :smiley2:

I just checked out their site. They arent doing anything illegal, but definantly immoral. Right up there with the "greatest vitamen in the world" or "earn thousands stuffing envelopes" scams. They cater to people who tend to fall for the get rich quick scams and "free xbox" (provided that you fill out 6 offers from their supporters). Just like the scams mentioned above of course it isnt truly free. You pay a whopping $20 plus shipping for this supposedly free box. They dont actually pay for anything. Products are free (sent by companies at their own cost) and they dont pay for shipping either (customers do). They do however make a nice profit of $20 for every time someone falls for their sceme. I bet you anything its someone very much like the middle aged woman detailed in the other "scam" thread who sits there and waits for the money to come in. Pretty disgusting really. I doubt it would take more then one person to really "run" this operation.

I highly recommend mountianroseherbs.com I have ordered from them for years now. Their quality standards are extremely high. they test absolutely everything for any residue, organic filth, even ecoli! while that probably isnt important for bath teas- you can be sure you will be getting the freshest and highest quality possible=) Their customer service is also awsome=) The prices arent high at all, I recommend getting the rose petals/ flower buds for bath teas, its a nice asthetic effect=)

I have been studying up and hanging around the forums for a month or so now.. and Im finally ready to take the plunge. I am in the process of buying supplies for the first time and I need some advice. Some of these questions have probably been asked a million times, but honestly I just couldnt find them in the search function. I usually ended up with 7 pages of posts that were made by people who know far more then I do, and used abbreviations for things I dont know. So I would appreciate it if you guys could answer these, or point me towards a source:o I am going to focus entirely on beeswax and soy candles, specifically starting with votive and container candles. I plan to purchase eco soya (container blend to start out with) from peaks, and I already have 1lb of beeswax (leftover from my bath and body projects) I purchased an alluminum pouring pot at the craft store. It seems a bit thin is this ok? Also I have seen two different versions of the double boiler method, one using a real double boiler (two pots) and another using the pouring pot sitting directly in the pot with water. Doesnt this make it more of a direct heat method? The bottom of the pouring pot touches the pot thats on the stove? I picked up a cookie cutter to put in between, but I still have some silly newbie worries of the pouring pot/cookie cutter melting somehow. I also purchased two knitting needles to stir with, hopefully the color on the metal wont bleed. As for dyes and fragrances I will leave that for when I have the basics down. I did however pick up two boxes of crayola crayons (.15cents each) with the intention of adding a small amount to give the candles a "tint". I remember reading about doing that in a few places, but I would like to know if its safe, works, and would affect the burning. I am not worried about getting a deep color to start out with, but a little bit of difference would be nice. The most difficult part of all this has been trying to figure out the wicking process. I understand that beeswax/soy will need a different kind then parrafin, I have read that square wicks are best (for pillars). I tried to figure it out based on peaks site, but there is just too much candle jargon!=) I plan on buying some wick pins to make the process of wicking votives easier. Which is better for soy/beeswax? (votives/containers/small pillars) Zinc core, HTP coreless wicks, cotton core and what in the world are LX wicks?? Its pretty overwhelming! I also have read in several places that soy/beeswax needs a larger wick then parrafin. Does this mean (for example) that instead of the Hp -41 for votives I should use the HTP -31 for small containers and just snip off the extra length? Or should I just use the HTP -41 instead of the smallest HTP -31? In other words, should I look at whatever the reccommended use for the wick is and move one up? I know that I will need to test everything I make, but it would help to have a basic starting point. Also they seem to come already primed with a high mp wax, if I am trying to stick to soy/beeswax because paraffin gives me a headache, will havinig the wick primed in it matter? Or should I buy unprimed wicks and do it myself? I have read up on safe containers for candles, but after a trip to the craft store now Im not so sure. I saw several adorable tins but I have no idea what they are really made out of and worry that the paint would bleed into the candle and possibly catch fire? Also my bfs mother gave me an entire set of beautiful glassware that her neighbor was going to toss, included were some adorable tea/coffee cups. I am pretty sure they are thick enough, but they feel kinda plasticy. Almost like they are mostly glass and a little plastic, could there be lead in it? also, I am a bit nervous about the safety hazards of making candles. I will do everything in my power to be carefull, but I just want to know how often do accidents happen for most people? How many times have you had wax accidentally catch on fire (not from forgetting about it on the stove) or had a candle explode?? I know Im being silly and paranoid but I just want to be extra carefull. Once again Im sorry if these are questions that have been asked a million times, but I just couldnt find a source that could walk me through it. Especially since Im using soy/beeswax.

Its something to consider if you are selling your creations. But I never bothered. I think as long as the seal is airtight, you dont accidentally introduce micro-organisms, and you use a stable oil you will be fine. btw I like your idea- infusing mint. I bet itll make a wonderfully cooling oil=) I think I will try mint/rosemary, it might have a nice cool/hot effect=)

I am not sure what camphor blocks are and they may be completely different from the essential oil, but I feel it necesary to mention that camphor is highly toxic. Menthol is fine, but I would recommend that you double check on the camphor.

I have only made a few different infused oils, but I will offer what help I can=) First it is important to choose a stable oil. I recommend starting with olive oil, its easy to obtain and is a great general body oil. Its also important to choose a suitable jar. You can find small glass jars with a hinged top (with a rubber ring to make the seal air tight) at most craft stores for .99cents or so. They are small but that is good to start out with. As far as herbs, its always better to use dried herbs. Fresh herbs have too much water content and can introduce microorganisms that can make the oil rancid. I had great success using rosemary and calendula. Rosemary warms the skin and increases circulation, but using the essential oil can be a bit too strong. I put the calendula in because it is also warming in a way, and great for hair/skin. You will have to do research on particular herbs, but anything you would normally use in bath and body recipes is fine. Try and chooses herbs that have distinct qualities you are trying to extract. Fill the jar 3/4 of the way with herbs and cover them completely with the oil. They must be completely covered. Close the lid and secure it tightly, then place the jar in a sunny window. Be sure to shake gently and turn the jar every other day or so. The longer you infuse it the stronger it will be. 4-6 weeks is standard. When you want to use the oil find some cheescloth,muslin bags, or any other organic cloth. Pour the oil/herb mixture through it and be sure to squeeze the bag to get absolutely every drop out. Put the oil in a jar or secure container . The rosemary/calendula mixture I made turned out great! I used it as a bath oil and even let my hair get wet. Oily yes, but both herbs are wonderful for hair- especially blonde. The main purpose was a massage oil, the warming qualities were wonderful and worked wonders on aching muscles.

I recently had the pleasure of discovering a WONDERFULL natural perfume site. www.tigerflag.com I cant begin to tell you guys how awsome her perfumes are=) She was kind enough to send me several samples (perfume on paper strips) and even tailored some of the selections to my somewhat vague idea of what I like. Her perfumes are natural based (many are completely natural) and there are several selections for people who are sensitive to chemicals=) I tried to make my own perfumes... but aparently there is so much more to it then putting a bunch of essential oils together and hoping for the best *blush*- so I figured that it was best left to people with more expierience. I even tried some natural perfumes from my main herb supplier... but they ended up smelling like patchouli and body odor. *ew. so.. I guess I just wanted to share my excitement:yay:there is nothing quite like finding exactly what you have been looking for for ages=) if anyone is looking for scents that are to die for... (and pretty darn fair on the price end) check the site out=) sorry if this is posted in the wrong place- feel free to move if mods=)

ok so this is probably a silly question but I know that oils and water dont mix.. so if I put the essential oils into water they will just sit on the top (I know this from my first attempts at making cleaning/room spray)... so how do I get it to disperse evenly? witch hazel extract? or do I have to add alchohol? also- when I added a little witch hazel to my essential oil/water mixture I think some kind of chemical reaction happened because it actually inverted the plastic spray bottle and seemed to mess with the plastic itself. I would like to avoid that of course...

I've searched everywhere for the answer- my personal herbal library and online but havent been able to find the answer to this. Hopefully you guys can help. I am trying to make some of my first skin care oils/mixtures- and I wanted to try using shea butter/ kokum butter along with some of my other oils. I know you have to heat up the butters slightly to turn them into a liquid... but when you add that heated up liquid to another oil or mixture of oils what happens? Does it resolidify when it cools and clump at the bottom leaving the oils on the top? or does it stay liquid when mixed with oils in its heated liquid state? I really want to find a way of adding the butters to oils but not making a balm- hopefully something sufficiently liquid it can be put in a lotion type bottle.

ooh I know what types of oils exist- its just a matter of knowing what you can buy in a grocery store. I would just go and write it down and come back- but at the moment its a little difficult for me to get around due to a sprained ankle... so Im being a little lazy and picking everyones brains;)

lol- you are correct I wasnt talking about oils for soaping. But I do plan on getting into that VERY soon so it is usefull to know:D I was thinking of which oils I could use to "carry" my essential oils. I *know* that olive oil can be used on the skin- but I was hoping for something that might have some great effects of its own. (and not just be a simple carrier for the essential oils)

I live in south florida - so nearby I have a winn dixie and a publix. What kind of potential carrier oils do they carry? Im a bit broke and cant buy online for a little while, but I just got a ton of essential oils....

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/nws/content/nws_2_1x_bubble_bubble_toil_and_trouble.asp without getting too far into my own opinion on using sls and similar chemicals in body care stuff- I would think twice about trusting results of a study done by PLACING UNDILUTED SLS INTO A BUNNY'S EYE. I posted the link above for reference. I am not a activist of any kind but I cant help but shudder at the thought.

thank you for the advice, but when I put "soy candles" in the advanced search for this forum I only came up with 3 posts- one of which was my own:cry2: but I will try again with just "soy" this time.:smiley2:

I am thinking of making soy/natural candles for my home but I have only seen really boring container candles (in stores). I would love it if everyone could show me pictures of their interesting and creative soy/vege candles.=) I want to see whats out there=)

:whistle: of course I wasnt thinking anything dirty when I read that title!! maybe the cashier didnt put it in your bag?

awsome! thanks for the advice=) I have noticed that this site has tons of info, though for some reason the cold soap making method doesnt have any instructions? it has a list/table of contents but you cant access the chapters?

hello everyone I am new around here but did not see an intro forum so Hello! I need a list of books that would be helpfull to buy. I am looking for ones that have great instructions for beginners and up to date info on different waxes/techniques. so if you can think of any great titles or perhaps the books you use as reference at home please post=) I understand that if I want to make some of the more creative candles using soy/vegtable waxes will not always be possible, but I would like to stay as natural as possible=)

oh wow how awsome! both candles are sooo creative! I am really glad I found this forum- I can see I will be getting lots of inspiration here!