Teddy Soap Making Kit - How To Make Soaps With Kids?

Teddy Soap Making Kit Instructions

Making your own soaps with your children is a fantastic way of introducing healthy skin care in a fun and bright way. Make bath time fun and rewarding with a product made by little hands.

Safety Guidelines

Melt and Pour Soap does not need to be boiled so make sure you heat gently until the soap is just melted. If you are worried about little hands getting burnt use a plastic measuring jug so you have a handle to move the soap around and it is nice and easy to pour.

Soap Making Checklist

First time making melt and pour soap. Ensure you have all you need with our soap making check list.

Make sure you have the teddy bear mould like this denny teddy craft mould.

Melting Your Soap

You will need 200g of soap to make 4 bear faces. Cut your soap into small chunks and return to the microwave container. Melt the base slowly on a low setting starting with 40 seconds. Then burst of 10 seconds until all the lumps have gone. Try to avoid boiling as this will affect the quality of your finished soap.

**SAFETY** Ensure children are supervised when cutting and heating soap.

Colouring Your Soap

You now need to work fast once your soap base has melted. Add your colour a few drops at a time until you reach your desired colour. Add colour slowly because you can always add more but you cannot remove colour if it gets too deep.

If you want to make a brown bear, try adding some cocoa powder just a little from your kitchen cupboard. Will make the bear smell divine and give you a chocolate brown looking bear. The more cocoa powder you add the darker the bear.

REMEMBER: Only use our cosmetic grade colours and take care handling these colours as they are very concentrated. Protect all clothes and work surfaces.

Add Your Fragrance

Add you cosmetic grade fragrance oil in a general ratio of 2mls per 200g of soap base which is one fifth of a glass bottle. The intensity of the fragrance is personal choice but in general do not add more than 10mls per kilo especially for sensitive kids skin. Choose a fragrance that your children love.

**NOTE** Chocolate, coconut and vanilla can change the colour of your soap.

Pouring into the Soap Mould

Pour an equal amount of soap into each teddy mould, letting any air bubbles rise to the top. Lightly spray the top of the soap base with surgical spirits and the bubbles will disappear. Allow the soap to cool for one to two hours then place in the freezer for a few minutes. This helps to release the soap from the mould.

Removing The Soap From The Mould

Turn over the mould and press with your middle two fingers to release the soap. Press gently at first gradually increasing the pressure until your soap pops out. It should take around 15 seconds for the soap to release, do not exert sudden pressure on the mould as this can damage the mould.

Wrapping Your Teddy soaps

As your soap contains natural glycerine, it will attract moisture from the air so you will need to wrap it in a protective layer. Use cellophane or cellophane bags to keep your teddies safe for bath time.

Where To Start?

You can either pop along to our shop with your shopping list and select what you need or try our teddy soap making kit which has everything you need except the microwave.

Eucalyptus Essential Oil - Information and Allergens

Eucalyptus Essential Oil Description

The luxurious deep herby smell of Eucalyptus Globulus supplied in a quality 10ml Glass Amber Bottle with a dropper lid. Heavenly!!

Botanical Name: Eucalyptus globulus
Plant Part: Wood and leaves
Extraction Method: Steam
Description: The Eucalyptus tree is beautiful; it is a tall evergreen that can grow up to 90 metres high (270 feet). The young trees have oval bluish-green leaves while the mature trees develop long, narrow, yellowish leaves, creamy-white flowers and a smooth, pale grey bark.
Colour: Clear
Consistency: Thin
Note: Top
Aroma Strength: Strong
Blends well with: pine, thyme, lavender, rosemary, marjoram, cedarwood and lemon.
Aromatic Scent: Eucalyptus has a very herbaceous scent. It also has soft wood undertones.
History: Eucalyptus essential oil has long been used in homes in Australia. In Spain, the timber of Eucalyptus was used in construction.
Cautions: Eucalyptus should be used in dilution, and avoided during pregnancy.

Usage Information

This is a concentrate which can be used in Soap, Candle and Potpourri making. This is also beautiful when burnt in an oil lamp to pamper yourself or maybe create a mood for that special massage.

This is a beautiful concentrate which can be incorporated with any of your soap or candle making materials to be sold within this country.

Candle Flash Point 47°C

Vegetable Waxes & Paraffin Wax Maximum Use 10%

Potpourri & Incense Maximum Use 50%

Bath Oils, Soaps, Bath Gels Maximum Use 10%

Lotions & Perfumes Maximum Use 5%

Cleaning Products Maximum Use 10%

Green Range Recommendations

Less is often more with Essential Oils so often just a few drops in a cosmetic cream or cosmetic body butter is perfect. For wash off products such as Melt and Pour Soap, Bubble Bath, Shower Gel, Organic Shampoo and Organic Conditioner try using 1% per volume so the essential perfume lasts in the product.

If you want to try a scented face cream or hand cream really try to keep the essential perfume at a minimum. 1 to 2 drops per 100g of product. Your skin will appreciate this.

Foot creams and butters you can add more but remember absorption into the feet is the quickest way into your blood stream so consult an aromatherapist if unsure.

Aromatherapy massage oils are heavenly but again keep your additions to a minimum and if unsure ask an aromatherapist. Adding the 100% pure oils to carrier oils such as grapeseed oil, extra virgin olive oil is a great way of maximising the usage whilst being kind to your skin.

 

Allergen Information

• LIMONENE
  • Inclusion Level: 8%
  • CAS Number: 5989-27-5

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Why We Use Aluminium Containers?

Why We Use Aluminium Containers For Our Toiletries and Cosmetics?

We have been asked by many of our customers why we use aluminium containers over PET plastic.

• Is it because they look contemporary and stunning? Yes

• Is it because they keep the contents in prime cosmetic shape and increase shelf life? Yes

The main reason is however re-use in two forms. We have an independent article later on from hydro.com about how aluminium is the green metal being so recyclable.

Aluminium Re-use At Home

Why not reuse our containers for your own home made cosmetics or household products such as washing up liquid to add a touch of style.

 All but the bubble bath come with a pump so they are just perfect. We can supply a pump for the bubble bath if you ask.

Even the tins can be used for storage of buttons, pins,etc..

The wadding can be removed and after a good wash they are perfect for anything.

Just remember when you have finished with them make sure you pop them in the recycle box.

If the perfume is still that little bit too strong, try washing with just a touch of vinegar to help neutralize the container.

Aluminium the Green Metal

(Original Resource: http://www.hydro.com/en/Subsites/Extrusion-Ltd/Aluminium/Recycling-Aluminium/)

Aluminium has a unique and unbeatable combination of properties that make it into a versatile, highly usable and attractive material.

Lightweight, high strength, durability and resistance to corrosion are some of the key benefits of aluminium.

Aluminium is also one of the most environmentally friendly metals in use today.

One of the major advantages of aluminium is that it is recyclable, which is a characteristic that can be designed into any product, regardless of its use.

What starts life as a walkway on a bridge can, in another incarnation, become a window or curtain walling section.

In fact, Aluminium is infinitely recyclable which is why it is often referred to as the “green metal”. Because of this feature, 70% of all aluminium which has ever been produced is still in use.

The properties of the recycled material are no different from the primary metal. In contrast to many other materials, aluminium’s properties never change.

However recycled aluminium uses only 5% of the energy used when producing primary metal from raw materials, reducing environmental impacts by 95%.

Today 95% of aluminium used in automative applications is recycled. For buildings and cans the recycling rate is 95% and 57% respectively.

Hydro scores highest among aluminium companies in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) rankings. All process scrap, even swarf, is recycled, different alloys being segregated to achieve optimum recycling economies.

Used metal recycling is an area that Hydro will be concentrating on in the future. By 2012 Hydro will have doubled the volume of aluminium scrap that we recycle.

Calendula Oil - Why We Use It In Our Cosmetics?

Calendula Oil Benefits

Calendula flowers or its petals are steeped in oil to extract a golden orange coloured oil. Calendula oil is one of the amazing oils for alleviating a number of common skin problems. We use calendula petals steeped in Sunflower Oil due to its emollient properties.

Calendula, also known as pot marigold is a genus, that includes around 12 to 20 species of annual or perennial plants. Calendula or pot marigold is a herbaceous plant that belongs to the plant family Asteraceae. Its flowers are bright yellow to orange-colored, and their petals are used to extract oil with the help of steam distillation.

This is basically classified as infused oil, as the flower petals are infused or steeped in oil, we prefer Sunflower Oil. The oil extracted in this way is usually golden orange in color with a wonderful aroma.

This oil is known for its amazing healing and soothing properties. Even the ancient Egyptians were aware of its benefits for skin, and used it for curing a number of skin conditions.

Calendula Oil Uses

It is cherished for its mildness, for which it can be used even by those people who have a sensitive skin. Apart from being a mild and soothing oil, calendula has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibacterial and anti fungal properties, which make it an ideal oil to treat a number of skin disorders and infections.

More commonly, it is the oil preferred for treating dry and chapped skin, skin rash, wounds, burns, inflammation, skin irritation and several other skin disorders. Commercially, it serves as an excellent base for salves, lotions, creams, herbal ointments and many other natural cosmetics. It is also one of the commonly used base oil in aromatherapy.

Calendula Oil Benefits

Its benefits can be attributed to its medicinal properties. This oil possesses anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiseptic and antimicrobial properties. At the same time, it is so mild that it can be used on infants and young children as well. Even people having sensitive skin can also benefit from this oil.

• It is an excellent remedy for soothing and moisturising dry and chapped skin.
• Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, this oil can be used for skin sores and inflammation. It can relieve the swelling and inflammation caused by bruise or muscle sprain as well.
• This oil is gentle enough to be used on babies or infants. Using this oil for diaper rash can help to provide significant relief in this skin condition.
• The oil extracted from calendula blossoms can also be used for accelerating the healing of minor cuts or wounds, acne, burns, insect bites, bed sores and sore feet.
• It is a traditional remedy for some common digestive problems like, stomach cramps, flatulence, constipation and colic.
• People suffering from dermatitis, psoriasis and eczema can also benefit from the topical application of calendula extract and oil. This oil can reduce the skin inflammation associated with such conditions.
• It is renowned for its antifungal properties. It can work as an amazing remedy for ringworm, jock itch and athlete's foot.
• This oil can also be helpful for conditions like, varicose veins, spider veins, leg ulcers and chilblains. Chilblains is the condition characterized by the inflammation of the hands and feet, due to an exposure to extreme cold or moisture.
• Apart from these, you can use it for scars, or for preventing or reducing the formation of scar tissues. Oil derived from calendula can increase the collagen level, and this is the reason why it can prevent the formation of scar tissues, while facilitating the healing of wounds.

So, this oil can be considered beneficial for maintaining a healthy and problem free skin. It can be termed as an invaluable oil, when it comes to skin care. Using this oil for massaging the skin can help in cell regeneration, besides making your skin soft, supple and radiant.

  Original Article By Chandramita Bora

Stephensons White Opaque Melt and Pour Soap Base - Technical Information

Stephensons White Opaque Melt and Pour Soap Base

The Stephensons Melt and Pour White Soap Base is the same formula as the Clear Soap Base. It is odor free and is cream to white in color. This Glycerin Soap base is all vegetable oil and contains no alcohol or harmful products to dry your skin! Glycerin, a natural emollient, draws moisture out of the air to benefit skin health. It cleanses without stripping or upsetting the delicate natural pH balance necessary for soft, healthy skin. And, since we use no heavy animal oils, our soap rinses clean and leaves no soapy film behind. All our soap bases are produced from the highest quality double distilled and deodorized clear coconut oil, forming luxurious lather and sparkling clarity.

Features

• Highly moisturizing formula
• No artificial colors added
• No animal testing
• 100% Vegetable base
• Biodegradable
• Creamy luxurious lather
• Wide temperature ranges, from 140 F to 180 F
• Odorless base for a superior fragrance lift
• Neutral pH of approximately 7.8
• Compatible with wide range of fragrances

Top Tip

Ingredients

• Water
• Glycerin
• Sodium Stearate
• Sorbitol
• Sodium Laurate
• Propylene Glycol
• Sodium Laureth Sulfate
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
• Sodium Chloride
• Stearic Acid
• Lauric Acid
• Titanium Dioxide
• Pentasodium Pentetate
• Tetrasodium Etidronate

Our Review

We have found this base to be one of the best generic melt and pour bases out there with a soft lather and brilliant white finish.

It does contain a very small amount of SLS but we find it suitable for all but the most sensitive of skin. This base feels much nicer on the skin and seems leave the skin softer than the Claranol SLS free version.

The natural base is the other alternative which contains no synthetic foamer but we really don't like that base. It doesn't leave a nice feeling on the skin and hardly foams.

So unless you have ultra sensitive skin this is a great base to start your adventure into soap making.

The base can also be coloured but the shades won't be as bright as with the Crystal Clear version but you can still make very pretty coloured soaps.

Where To Start?

Clary Sage Essential Oil - Information and Allergens

Clary Sage Essential Oil Description

The luxurious deep earthy floral smell of Clary Sage supplied in a quality Glass Amber Bottle with a dropper lid. Heavenly!!
Botanical Name: Salvia sclarea
Plant Part: Leaves and Flowers
Extraction Method: Steam
Description: Clary Sage is a short biennial or perennial herb that grows up to 1 meter in height (approximately 3 feet). It has large, hairy leaves with small bluish – purple flowers.
Colour: Light Golden Yellow
Consistency: Thin to Medium
Note: Middle
Aroma Strength: Medium to Strong
Blends well with: Clary Sage essential oil blends well with generally any essential oil, though it works particularly well with Bergamot, Cedarwood, Roman Chamomile, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Neroli, Orange, Rosewood, Sandalwood and Ylang Ylang.
Aromatic Scent: Clary Sage essential oil has an earthy, fruity and floral aroma that is both nutty and herbaceous.
History: The name Clary Sage is derived from the Latin word for clear – probably because the herb was once used for clearing mucous from the eyes. During the sixteenth century it was also used in England for brewing beer as a replacement for hops.
Cautions: Clary Sage is non-toxic, and non-sensitizing. It is not to be used during pregnancy.

Usage Information

This is a concentrate which can be used in Soap, Candle and Potpourri making. This is also beautiful when burnt in an oil lamp to pamper yourself or maybe create a mood for that special massage.
This is a beautiful concentrate which can be incorporated with any of your soap or candle making materials to be sold within this country.
Candle Flash Point 79°C
Vegetable Waxes & Paraffin Wax Maximum Use 10%
Potpourri & Incense Maximum Use 50%
Bath Oils, Soaps, Bath Gels Maximum Use 10%
Lotions & Perfumes Maximum Use 5%
Cleaning Products Maximum Use 10%

Green Range Recommendations

Less is often more with Essential Oils so often just a few drops in a cosmetic cream or cosmetic body butter is perfect. For wash off products such as Melt and Pour Soap, Bubble Bath, Shower Gel, Organic Shampoo and Organic Conditioner try using 1% per volume so the essential perfume lasts in the product.

If you want to try a scented face cream or hand cream really try to keep the essential perfume at a minimum. 1 to 2 drops per 100g of product. Your skin will appreciate this.

Foot creams and butters you can add more but remember absorption into the feet is the quickest way into your blood stream so consult an aromatherapist if unsure.

Aromatherapy massage oils are heavenly but again keep your additions to a minimum and if unsure ask an aromatherapist. Adding the 100% pure oils to carrier oils such as grapeseed oil, extra virgin olive oil is a great way of maximising the usage whilst being kind to your skin.

 

Allergen Information

• GERANIOL
  • Inclusion Level: 2.2%
  • CAS Number: 106-24-1
• LINALOOL
  • Inclusion Level: 24%
  • CAS Number: 78-70-6
• LIMONENE
  • Inclusion Level: 1%
  • CAS Number: 5989-27-5

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Coconut Oil - Why We Use It In Our Cosmetics?

The health benefits of coconut oil include hair care, skin care, stress relief, maintaining cholesterol levels, weight loss, increased immunity, proper digestion and metabolism, relief from kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and cancer, dental care, and bone strength.

These benefits of coconut oil can be attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, and its properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, soothing, etc.

How is Lauric Acid Used by our body?

The human body converts lauric acid into monolaurin which is claimed to help in dealing with viruses and bacteria causing diseases such as herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, and even HIV. It helps in fighting harmful bacteria such as listeria monocytogenes and heliobacter pylori, and harmful protozoa such as giardia lamblia.

As a result of these various health benefits of coconut oil, though its exact mechanism of action was unknown, it has been extensively used in Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medicinal system. The Coconut Research Center has compiled various references on scientific research done on coconut oil.

Before we move on to the benefits of coconut oil in detail, let us understand its composition.

Composition of Coconut Oil

Coconut oil consists of more than ninety percent of saturated fats (Don’t panic! First read to the last word. Your opinion may change), with traces of few unsaturated fatty acids, such as monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Virgin Coconut Oil is no different from this. Let us have a bit detailed study of this.

• The Saturated Fatty Acids: Most of them are Medium Chain Triglycerides, which are supposed to assimilate well. Lauric Acid is the chief contributor, with more than forty percent of the share, followed by Capric Acid, Caprylic Acid, Myristic Acid and Palmitic.
• The Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: Linoleic Acid.
• The Monounsaturated Fatty Acids: Oleic Acid.
• The Poly-phenols: Gallic Acid, which is phenolic acid. These poly-phenols are supposed to be responsible for the fragrance and the taste of Coconut Oil and Virgin Coconut Oil is rich in these poly-phenols.
• Certain derivatives of fatty acid like Betaines, Ethanolamide, Ethoxylates, Fatty Esters, Fatty Polysorbates, Monoglycerides and Polyol Esters.
• Fatty Chlorides, Fatty Alcohol Sulphate and Fatty Alcohol Ether Sulphate, all of which are derivatives of Fatty Alcohols.
• Vitamin-E and Vitamin K and minerals such as Iron.

  Let us now explore the benefits of coconut oil in detail:

Hair Care:

Coconut oil is one of the best natural nutrition for hair. It helps in healthy growth of hair providing them a shiny complexion. Regular massage of the head with coconut oil ensures that your scalp is free of dandruff, lice, and lice eggs, even if your scalp is dry. Coconut oil is extensively used in the Indian sub-continent for hair care. Most of the people in these countries apply coconut oil on their hair daily after bath.

It is an excellent conditioner and helps in the re-growth of damaged hair. It also provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair. It is therefore used as hair care oil and used in manufacturing various conditioners, and dandruff relief creams. Coconut oil is normally applied topically for hair care.

Skin Care

Coconut oil is excellent massage oil for the skin as well. It acts as an effective moisturizer on all types of skins including dry skin. The benefit of coconut oil on the skin is comparable to that of mineral oil. Further, unlike mineral oil, there is no chance of having any adverse side effects on the skin with the application of coconut oil. Coconut oil therefore is a safe solution for preventing dryness and flaking of skin.

It also delays wrinkles, and sagging of skin which normally become prominent with age. Coconut oil also helps in treating various skin problems including psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections. Therefore coconut oil forms the basic ingredient of various body care products such as soaps, lotions, creams, etc., used for skin care. Coconut oil also helps in preventing premature aging and degenerative diseases due to its antioxidant properties.

Immunity

Coconut oil is also good for the immune system. It strengthens the immune system as it contains antimicrobial lipids, lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid which have antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties. The human body converts lauric acid into monolaurin which is claimed to help in dealing with viruses and bacteria causing diseases such as herpes, influenza, cytomegalovirus, and even HIV.

It helps in fighting harmful bacteria such as listeria monocytogenes and heliobacter pylori, and harmful protozoa such as giardia lamblia.

Healing and Infections

When applied on infections, it forms a chemical layer which protects the infected body part from external dust, air, fungi, bacteria and virus. Coconut oil is most effective on bruises as it speeds up the healing process by repairing damaged tissues.

Coconut oil is very effective against a variety of infections due to its antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. According to the Coconut Research Center, coconut oil kills viruses that cause influenza, measles, hepatitis, herpes, SARS, etc. It also kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, etc. Coconut oil is also effective on fungi and yeast that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush, diaper rash, etc.

Other Benefits

Coconut oil is strongly recommended for other benefits which are given below. Usage of coconut oils mildly helps for the following: Liver: The presence of medium chain triglycerides and fatty acids helps in preventing liver diseases as they substances are easily converted into energy when they reach the liver, thus reducing work load on the liver and also preventing accumulation of fat.

• Kidney: Coconut oil helps in preventing kidney and gall bladder diseases. It also helps in dissolving kidney stones.
• Pancreatitis: Coconut oil is also believed to be useful in treating pancreatitis.
• Stress Relief: Coconut oil is very soothing and hence it helps in removing stress. Applying coconut oil to the head followed with a gentle massage helps in removing mental fatigue.
• Diabetes: Coconut oil helps in controlling blood sugar, and improves the secretion of insulin. It also helps in effective utilization of blood glucose, thereby preventing and treating diabetes.
• Bones: As mentioned earlier, coconut oil improves the ability of our body to absorb important minerals. These include calcium and magnesium which are necessary for development of bones. Thus coconut oil is very useful to women who are prone to osteoporosis after middle age.
• Dental Care: Calcium is an important element present in teeth. Since coconut oil facilitates absorption of calcium by the body, it helps in getting strong teeth. Coconut oil also stops tooth decay.
• HIV and Cancer: It is believed that coconut oil plays an instrumental role in reducing viral susceptibility of HIV and cancer patients. Preliminary research has shown indications of the effect of coconut oil on reducing the viral load of HIV patients (Reference).

Finally, coconut oil is often preferred by athletes and body builders and by those who are dieting. The reason behind this being that coconut oil contains lesser calories than other oils, its fat content is easily converted into energy and it does not lead to accumulation of fat in the heart and arteries. Coconut oil helps in boosting energy and endurance, and enhances the performance of athletes.

Coconut Oil and Alzheimer's Disease: There are reports of  research conducted by Dr. Newport stating that coconut oil is useful for treating Alzheimer's disease. Apart from this there is no scientific evidence or traditional knowledge or coconut oil being used for treating Alzheimer's. It was also not known traditionally that coconut oil helps in the brain function.

Why is Coconut Oil Solid?: Unlike most other oils, coconut oil has a high melting point - about 24 to 25 degress Celcius or 76-78 Farenheit. Therefore it is solid at room temperature and melts only when the temperatures go high. Hence, if you buy a bottle of coconut oil and find it solid, don't think that there is some problem with it. Coconut oil is like this only. And of course, don't keep it in your refrigerator. How to Use Coconut Oil?: If you are using coconut oil for topical purposes, especially hair care, just melt the oil (if it is solid) by keeping the bottle in the sun or warm water. You can also take some coconut oil out and put it in a small bowl and heat the bowl over a flame (do not use microwave). Then take the oil on your palm and apply it to your hair. If you want to use it for internal consumption, simply replace butter or vegetable oils with coconut oil in your recipes. Remember, you need not switch to coconut oil completely, as you will miss the benefits of other oils and dairy products. Article Courtesy of Kiran Patil