Reg

I was out of the soap/cosmetics loop for almost a year, and just read one thread that mentioned pop micas were discontinued. Is this true? If yes, why?

Thank you everybody! I ordered cyclomethicone (hoping it ships soon).

Here's my story: my daughter has long hair, down to her waist (she is 3 y.o.), and recently her hair started tangling up horribly. I tried using detangling sprays that are made for kids, and they don't help. I tried braiding her hair overnight, and that helps some for nighttime tangles, but not 100%. During the day I try to keep her hair in a ponytail, but the elastic still slips off over time (or my dd takes is out) and her hair still tangles. Now I need to invent some sort of conditioner or concoction to help hair stay tangle free. I prefer more natural stuff if there is an option. But I was thinking of adding a "slippery" ingredient to her current hair conditioner (I use natural organic baby conditioner). What I don't understand is what happened to her hair? It never tangled like that before. Now if I don't braid/tie her hair right away after combing (and she absolutely hates combing), in about 30 minutes she starts getting dread locks. HELP!

Do they ever do free shipping or at lest 10% off you purchase (or something like that). I am willing to wait if something like this appears closer to holidays.

Wanted to place an order, and was blown away by the shipping price. Does anybody know of any current promo codes form them? I want to offset the shipping a bit.

TKB has lots of info, thanks!

like I need another hobby, but it just won't leave my mind. I want to make my own mineral makeup (love BE stuff, wish I could buy every item they have). Finally decided that it would be a lot cheaper and more fun to make my own. Are there good sites with tutorials/recipes, and decent-priced suppliers? I found some info on WSP, just a few recipes, and that's it so far. TIA!

Yes, it is expensive, that's why I really wanted to make my own. So far I lived on samles (every time I went to Sephora, or BE boutiqe, I'd ask for a sample).

Weirdly enough Bare Escentuals has it in a plastic bottle, the kind you would put liquids in, see the link: http://bareescentuals.com/RareMinerals%20Renew%20Reveal%20Facial%20Cleanser/42175,default,pd.html?start=1&cgid=BE_CLEANSE Their stuff is pretty "flowy", maybe that's why they had to put all the fillers in. But the jar with a small scoop sounds like a nice idea.

That sounds like a mini spa! I like the idea of adding fruit and veggies to it. I didn't even know that powdered coconut milk existed. Thank you! I learned so much on this board, love it!

That "acne" bar cracks me up. Maybe I am wrong, but when I was a teenager, I remember reading all about acne and such, and it said that benzoyl peroxide is drying to the skin (therefore use it on the pimles directly, not all over the face), and mineral oil plugs up the pores (causing more pimples). Back to the topic, woud anything exfoliating be skin brightening as well?

I also make some "liquid soap" from it, I just crumble up or grate some of the cut-offs, and put it in an empty foaming soap botte from bath and body works, fill it up with distilled water and add a couple of drops of essential oil. Give it some time to dissolve (swirls gently once in a while), and viola - foaming hand soap! I don't measure anything out, so I don't have a recipe for it, I just throw some in and see how it turns out (add more water or soap if I am not satisfied). Since foaming soap is pretty runny, it doesn't take much actual soap to make it.

Thank you for your reply!!! Is tapioca starch a lot different then corn starch?

I've been checking out bare minerals a lot lately, and finding ideas that I want to try. I got a sample of their cleanser which was in a powdered form (you just mix it with water to use). I really liked how it worked on my skin, it really gets rid of the blackheads for me, and it's not drying. Did anyone ever make anything like that? Here's a link to bare minerals one: http://bareescentuals.com/RareMinerals%20Renew%20Reveal%20Facial%20Cleanser/42175,default,pd.html?start=1&cgid=BE_CLEANSE And it can double as a mask if you make it thicker consistency. Any idea what key ingredients to use to make a basic formula?

Thank you! I had no idea where to start (because I never made a face cream before), so I was not sure what's omitable, and what the proportions should be. Looks like I need to get some more ingredients before I can start my experimenting. One question, do I use aloe gel or juice or some other form of it?

I also remember reading that OO soap would help crear up eczema (I think that person said they used extra virgin OO to make their soap,I don't know if that makes a difference)

I like Burt's Bees (for cooler weather) http://www.burtsbees.com/natural-products/face-moisturizers/radiance-day-creme.html And Bare Minerals (in summer) http://bareescentuals.com/RareMinerals%20Purely%20Nourishing%20Moisturizer%20and%20NEW%20Active%20Triple%20Treatment%20Eye%20Cream/600026,default,pd.html?start=4&cgid=BE_TREAT And since I started making my own stuff, I wonder if it's possible to replicate these at home. Both of these list their ingredients online, but I would have no idea how much of what to use, and which ingredients would be optional (not even sure what some of them are)

I saved this recipe from a book I had checked out from the library recently (I can find out the name of it if you need it). I haven't made these myself, so I have no idea if this would clump at all, but the recipe is small enough to try this out without wasting too much in case you don't like it. Also I don't know what concentrated sea salt is, never heared of it before. Stress-Relieving Bath Salts 1cup (237 ml) Epsom salts ¼ (59 ml) cup concentrated sea salt 1 (5 ml) teaspoon sweet almond oil or apricot kernel oil A few drops of lavender or other relaxing scent (optional) Mix the salts together, then stir in the almond or apricot kernel oil, a few drops at a time, until it’s evenly distributed. Add the essential oil if desired. Use ¼ cup (59ml) of salts per bath, adding them under running water. Shelf life is 2 to 5 months.

I am drooling here just reading the ingredients! Next time you make a batch, skip the FO and add a bit of sugar, and you can probably eat it OK now, I'll probably have to go search for the food grade cocoa and shea butters... Almost forgot, thanks for the tips on cooling! I haven't done much of B&B stuff, so it's nice to know the tricks ahead of time.

Actually cocoa butter is what making me want to put chocolate in the product to give it a little more chocolatines (more smell and more color without chemicals).

I have never tried using glycerin in bath salts, but like the PP said, glycerin attacts moisture. What is the purpose of glycerin in this recipe, is it to make it a bit moisturizing? I wonder if using a light oil instead would work better. I know I've seen recipes that called for some light oil .

I am not an expert here, but table salt usually has some sort of anti-caking agent (look at the ingredients on your table salt, and most of the time you'll see at least one more ingredient besides salt). My understanding is that anti-caking agent prevents salt from absorbing moisture (which is supposedly why it's not good for you to consume). I was grocery shopping today and saw a box of pickling salt, so I had to inspect it. It claimed that it has no other stuff, just salt, but it did not have an official list of ingredients on the package at all. What is in your recipe that it gets that wet? I only made bath salt once, and it was epsom salt, sea salt, a few drops of food coloring and a few drops of essential oil, then shake well. Nothing clumped, and nothing was moist in that concoction. I am just curious, but you don't have to tell me if that is your trade secret.

I want to make something with chocolate for my frined's birthday. So if I wanted to add chocolate to things like body butter or lotion bar (all oils, no water), do I need a preservative, or something like vitamin E would be sufficient? And should I add cocoa powder or bakers semi-sweet chololate or something else? TIA!

Thank you! I guess I'll play with it. I use unrefined shea because I want my products to be as natural as possible (I don't sell), and I actually like the smell of unrefined shea to the point that I want to eat it, but the label on the container says, "external use only":( I made some body butter just recently (shea butter, almond oil, and corn starch), and I did notice a little graininess. At that point I chucked it up to the starch, but I guess it is shea that's doing it.

What would cause shea to become grainy? (I am cluless here)