Mrs. Meyers Iowa Pine Holiday Set

Mrs. Meyers products are all natural using plant surfactents and essential oils instead of synthetic detergents to clean your house. This cute Season’s Cleanings holiday gift set includes countertop spray, liquid dish soap, and liquid hand soap in a fresh, clean pine scent. And 20% of all proceeds goes towards the Arbor Day Foundation.

Wanderlust Perfume Roll-On Trio by Pacifica Perfume

Pacifica Perfume has amazing scents for lotions, candles, reed diffusers and perfumes. Their Wanderlust Perfume Roll-On Trio contains three scents of Tahitian Gardenia (my favorite!), Indian Coconut Nectar, and Tuscan Blood Orange.

Holiday Dark Chocolate with Peppermint Crunch

Endangered Species chocolate bars and pieces not only taste fantastic, but 10% of net profits are donated to organizations that support species conservation, habitat preservation and humanitarian efforts. This Dark Chocolate with Peppermint Crunch is also vegan and gluten-free.

Envirosax Reusable Shopping Bags

Who says reusable bags have to be brown and ugly? Envirosax reusable bags put a sophisticated spin on the boring canvas bag. Check out their After Dark Series (shown above), plus many others at their website. Go shopping in style and save the environment!

Castor & Pollux Organic Cat Treats

For your friends with furry companions, Castor & Pollux Organic Cats Treats are made with no meat by-products, grains, gluten or added preservatives or flavorings. They are all natural, made with human grade ingredients. It’s the only treat I feed to my own cats, they love them! They also make treats for dogs too.

Susan Nichole Love Bag in Eggplant

Vegan fashion accessories aren’t limited to hemp purses and straw hats. Check out this fashion statement Love Bag in Eggplant by Susan Nichole. Like all of their handbags and wallets, it contains no animal products, and all materials are recyclable and/or recycled, are earth-friendly and are ethically made in the USA or abroad using fair trade principles.

Adopt a Polar Bear by World Wildlife Fund

What better way to help save endangered species than adopting an animal by the World Wildlife Fund? For monetary donations as low as $25, the gift recipient will receive an adoption certificate, photo and species information card. Larger donations can receive a plush 30″ polar bear and gift box. The WWF also has many other animal species you can adopt, such as Emporer Penguin, Tiger, and Snow Leopard to name a few.

Frankincense & Myrrh Holiday Soy Candle by Aquiesse

Soy candles are a preferred choice over paraffin candles because they burn longer and cleaner, and produce less emissions which means the air in your home stays fresher, which is a plus during the chilly months when the windows are closed. Celebrate the holidays with this traditional fragrance of Frankincense & Myrrh soy candle by Aquiesse.

Handmade Vegan Soap by Wink Soap

What holiday gift guide wouldn’t be complete without some handmade soap by Wink Soap? All of our products are handmade using natural ingredients such as vegetable oils and butters, and organic shea butter. Our soap will leave your skin soft and smooth because it contains natural glycerin, not harsh detergents like other soaps. Our vegan lip balm contains candelilla wax, a plant alternative to beeswax and tastes great. Get our new Pumpkin Spice soap just in the time for the holidays!

The post Natural & Organic Holiday Gift Guide 2012 appeared first on Wink Soap.

Because the soap you buy from a mass merchandiser is not actually soap at all, but a harsh detergent filled with chemicals and synthetics.

Cold process handmade soap is created by mixing caustic soda ash with oils and butters warmed to a certain temperature. When these two substances mix together a process called saponification takes place, where the soda ash turns the oils and butters into soap. During this process a substance called glycerin is created. Glycerin is a humectant, meaning it attracts water to your skin and keeps it moisturized and supple.

Handmade soap retains all this natural glycerin and deposits it on your skin as you use the soap, along with scrubbing away the dirt and germs, of course. This leaves your skin moisturized afterwards, and moisturized skin looks and feels younger, retards wrinkles, age spots and is less irritable.

Commerical soap starts out the same way, by mixing soda ash with oils, but afterwards all the natural glycerin is removed and sold for use in other high-end products. Then the soap goes through a milling process, where it is first shredded and then chemicals and preservatives are added to make it smell good and to retard mold growth. Then it is re-melted down into the typical bar shape you find in the stores.

This leaves you with not real soap, but a harsh detergent that strips the natural oils from your skin. Ever wonder why you are always reaching for the lotion bottle after washing your hands? Because the “soap” has removed all the natural oils that keep your skin moisturized. Detergents are great for washing dishes or clothes, but not for skin!

Compare for yourself. Check the label of your soap bars and see how many of these are listed:

Sodium cocoyl isethionate (synthetic detergent)

Stearic acid (hardner)

Sodium tallowate (sodium salt of cow fat)

Sodium isethionate (detergent/emulsifying agent)

Sodium stearate  (emulsifier, also used as a cheap stabilizer in plastics)

Sodium dodecylbenzonesulfonate  (synthetic detergent, skin irritant)

Sodium chloride (table salt used as a thickener)

Trisodium EDTA (stabilizer, used in industrial cleaning products to decrease hard water, skin irritant)

Trisodium etidronate  (preservative, a chemical that is used in soaps to prevent soap scum)

BHT (preservative, common skin irritant)

“What is handcrafted soap made with?”

Our handcrafted soap is made in small batches using the cold process method that many individual soap makers use.  We select the highest quality pure skin-loving oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, sweet almond oil, hemp oil, and jojoba oil. We also use rich butters and other rich oils to enhance the moisturizing capabilities of the soap, butters and oils like cocoa butter, shea butter, mango butter, aloe vera, and castor oil. Essential oils, natural herbs, and specially formulated body safe fragrance oils give the soap a special fragrance; cosmetic-grade colorants and natural herb powders add color to our soap; and botanicals, spices, and other natural ingredients add texture and are excellent exfoliants. It is not unusual to find handcrafted soap made with such things as oatmeal, sliced almonds, corn meal, rosemary leaves, lavender leaves and buds, and other goodies that provide light, gentle exfoliation for your skin. Most of our handcrafted soaps are enriched with additional oils that are suspended in the soap and applied directly to the skin while bathing, providing even more moisture.

“What’s so great about glycerin?”

Glycerin is naturally produced during the soap making process. In fact, pound for pound, glycerin costs more than soap, which is why most soap companies remove the glycerin from the soap and sell it to manufacturers of lotion. We do not remove the glycerin from our handcrafted soap, so when you purchase soap made by us, it contains all of the naturally occurring glycerin. With our handcrafted soap you get a fabulous cleanser and a moisturizer all in one, which was created for top moisturizing ability.

“Will the lye in my handcrafted soap burn me?”

No! Although lye is used to make handmade soap, the chemical reaction between all of the ingredients used in the soap making process causes the lye to be literally “reacted away,” and transformed into a mild, effective bar of pure handcrafted soap. There is no lye in the final product.

“How do I take care of my handcrafted soap?”

Since handcrafted soap has no synthetic chemical preservatives but has natural preservatives such as carrot root oil, grapeseed oil extract or Vitamin E, your bar of handcrafted soap needs more care and diligence to insure a long life. Even with natural preservatives, if kept cool and dry, natural handcrafted soaps generally have a shelf life of 1-2 years.  Some may have less depending on the composition of the specific soap.

To ensure the longest life of your handmade soap, keep it dry and cool as much as possible. Do not allow it to sit in a puddle of water. The best way we’ve found to keep soap fresh is using a slotted wooden soap dish, which allows the water to drip off after each use. If you will not be using your soap right away, it’s best to store in a dry, semi-airtight container to preserve the fragrance as much as possible. It is natural for some fragrance to dissipate over time.

“I have sensitive skin, can I use handmade soap?”

Yes! Numerous people who have sensitive skin, eczema and psoriasis have found relief with handmade soap because they contain no chemicals or irritants. If you are concerned about the fragrance oils or colorants, we have an all-natural Unscented soap bar that contains nothing other than saponified oils.

Many people with skin problems do not go back to commercial soap after using handmade soap, even those without skin problems! I encourage you to try a bar and see for yourself!

The post What’s So Great About Handmade Soap? appeared first on Wink Soap.

You will need to first measure out your lye and water mixture on the scale. Combine the lye with water in a well vented area or outside. It will get very hot and give off toxic fumes. While the lye mixture is cooling you can measure your oils.

Use either vegetable or animal oils and measure each using the kitchen scale. Next warm them up slowly in the pot until they are all melted and combined. Next use a kitchen thermometer to measure the temperature. When they have cooled you will add the lye mixture into the oil mixture. Now you will stir everything together. This can take a long time.

When the soap mixture has reached trace it is ready to pour into the mold. Make sure the wooden soap mold is lined so the soap does not stick to the mold. Next wrap the mold with some towels to keep it warm during the saponification process. After 24 hours has passed you can unwrap the mold and cut your soap.

Now you can make handmade soap and answer the how do you make soap question.

The post How Do You Make Soap appeared first on Wink Soap.

For special occasions you may want to buy gifts for vegan. Many products on the market today are not vegan friendly, so finding a gift for vegan can be difficult.

Finding a vegan bath and body product can be time consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. Natural soap can be vegan if it is made with all vegetable oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, sunflower oil and organic shea butter. All of our natural soaps are vegan and made with vegetable oils. No animal products are contained in our homemade soaps.

Vegan lip balms can also be vegan if they contain no animal oils or beeswax. Alternatives to beeswax lip balms are candelilla wax or carnauba wax. Our natural lip balms contain candelilla wax and are vegan.

Other gifts for vegan include vegan lotion, vegan hair care and vegan shoes and purses.

2Handmade.com

The post Gifts for Vegan appeared first on Wink Soap.

The oils used in natural soap can be either vegetable based or animal based. Vegetable based oils include olive oil, palm oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, palm kernel oil, shea butter and many others. Animal based oils include beef tallow, porcine tallow or lard.

So if animal and vegetable oils are natural, what is not natural? Non-natural oils include petroleum based oils, mineral oils, and synthetic detergents such as sodium laurel sulfate or laureth sulfates.

Natural soap is made by the cold process method, which is labor intensive and time consuming. Many soap bars on the store shelves are made by a milling process, which compresses the soap and makes it extra hard and forms it into the familiar oblong shape. Much of the natural soap glycerin is extracted and replaced with synthetic detergents.

The next time someone asks you “What is Natural Soap?” you can tell them it soap made with vegetable or animal based oils by the cold process method of soap making.

The post What is Natural Soap? appeared first on Wink Soap.

10. White Gardenia – A sweet, summer floral that is also rich, warm and highly fragrant.

9. Lilac – A floral favorite this is light, airy and crisp.

8. Sandalwood – A woodsy aroma with a slight sweet scent, popular with men.

7. Patchouli – This earthy scent is musky, smoky and deep and with a bit of exotic spice. –  A woodsy aroma with a slight sweet scent, it is popular with men.

6. Lavender – A long-standing favorite, lavender is a floral-based scent mixed with small notes of refreshing green and clean crispness.

5. Sweet Pea – This sweet floral is simple yet delicate with a balance of a spring floral mixed with a dash of freshness.

4. Vanilla – A tried and true favorite, the warm scent of vanilla is both comforting and relaxing. Vanilla is usually mixed with other scents, but can work great on its own.

3. Jasmine – A powerful floral scent mostly used in oriental mixes, but also is a great blender for light florals.

2. Ocean Breeze – Crisp and clean, this scent envelopes you as you walk along a secluded tropical beach with the waves gently spraying a fine mist.

1. Lick Me All Over – This exotic and seductive scent is rich with the essence of fruit and tropical paradise. Customers love the alluring aroma of this exotic blend which combines raspberry, melon, and citrus with a slight floral accent.

So there you have it. If you were wondering why some fragrances flew off the shelf and others sat still, it was due to the popularity of the scents. Looks like a lot of customers wanted to hold onto the summer scents that reminded them of the past season.

Source: Save On Scents

Published by: Wink Soap http://winksoap.com

The post Top Ten Fragrances for September 2012 appeared first on Wink Soap.