The Soap Bar

Almost Edible

2012-08-05T09:48:00.002-04:00

Cinnamon Bun Soaps by Aubrey E Apothecary

Bacon and Egg Breakfast Soap Set by aj sweet soap

Falling In Love Cupcake Soap by Soap Much Love

Meringue by Mojo Spa

These are all so lovely and since I don't work with mp soap, I don't make stuff like this, but my sweet tooth loves it....

Gradient Soap Tutorial - Emily Shieh

2012-07-27T09:01:00.002-04:00

This post was written by Emily Shieh, of Shieh Design Studio. Thanks, Emily!!

There are many ways to do gradient layering style in cold process soap. Some soapers are more into the exact measurements and step by step instruction. Some soapers, like me, are the spontaneous ones, we soap by feeling and everything is approximated, well, except recipe calculation of course, that's what soap calculator is for. Once you know the trick to gradient (or ombre) soap there are endless possibilities. But today I'm only going to write about the basic one color gradient, I'll write the more advanced gradient- multiple colors and mixing layering- later, maybe, if you are interested.

There are two types of gradient you can achieve in cold process soap, one using non-bleeding colorants and the other using bleeding colorants. Non-bleeding colorants are typically ultramarines, mica, oxide or FD&C lake dye. Bleeding colorants are FD&C dye and lab colors. You should choose your colorants depending on what visual effect you want to achieve. Non-bleeding colorants will give you more of a landscape or rock formation layering. Bleeding colorants will give you smoother definition between layering like they are blending together over time.

There's no better choice, just different choices. I'm going to show you both in this tutorial.

Step 1:

Chose a recipe that is not slow tracing, I found it easier to layer when the soap batter is not watery. When soap is slow to trace you run into situation as upper layer penetrating into lower layer. We want medium to heavy trace batter. If your recipe is slow to trace, consider water discount or choose a fragrance that speeds up trace. We don't want soap on a stick either!

Step 2:

I only need one more bucket other than the one I use to mix lye and oil/butter in. I don't like cleaning, so the least amount of tools I can use, the better. In one color gradient, I only need 2 containers and 2 spatulas. Mix in your fragrance choice for the whole batch. Now eyeball how many layers you want your soap to come out. I usually do between 7 or 8 for one color gradient, the most I have gone is 11 layers. Pour 1/7 of the batter into the free container, then pour 1/2 of what you just poured again. Again, I do approximation, and don't worry, you won't mess it up in anyhow. Think about it this way, let's say you are doing 7 layers in total including the top white layer, if your first layer is 1/7, you will need 1.5 times that to mix in your darkest color. If you are confused, don't be, you will understand why later.

Step 3:

Add the heaviest amount of colorant you want your bottom most layer to be in the batter portion you just poured out. In my case, I chose activated charcoal to show you the non-bleeding gradient soap. Now pour 1/2 of the colored soap batter into the mold. You might want to smack your mold on your tabletop to 'burp' your soap to avoid trapping air in the soap. I didn't do it because I was lazy. Now you should only have 1/2 of the colored batter left in your container #2. Eyeball what you have left in container #2, now pour about the same amount of container #1 (the uncolored one) into container #2 and mix well. You should now see the color in container #2 is much lighter than layer #1. Pour 1/2 of container #2 into the mold for layer #2.

Step 4:

Now repeat that process of adding uncolored batter into colored batter to 'thin' down the color and pour 1/2 into the mold to layer up.

Tip: if your batter is too watery, by all means, use a spoon to scoop or pour on the back of your spatula down low to avoid penetrating into the layers you already finished.

Step 5:

Do this until you see only 1/7 of total batter left, pour that layer down and proceed to do the fancy peak top you want, the batter should be pretty heavy traced by now. Or if you prefer, make a smooth top by running your spatula side edge across your mold cavity from one end to the other to level it out.

This is the other batch I did at the same time, but using lab color. You can tell the layers are not as defined as the activated charcoal above.

Here are the cut photos:

In time, this blue soap should have the layer edges blend smooth together creating a less defined seam.

Here's a photo of the Mango Lava I made 3 weeks ago using lab color. You can the bottom layers are not having defined edges anymore. You can see the top 2 layers are still holding the defined layer line because I added titanium dioxide to achieve a whiter soap.

After you master the trick of my one bucket gradient soap, you can start thinking outside the box and apply it to more advanced projects like these:

Please visit Emily at her shop!
Thank you, Emily, for a fantastic tutorial!!

*

Gradient Soap Tutorial Coming Next!

2012-07-25T12:14:00.000-04:00

Emily, of Shieh Design Studio, has created a gradient soap tutorial for us and I am thrilled. She makes beautiful soap and her clear soap molds make it easy for us to peek at her lovely layers. I am waiting for one photo and then it will be posted.

Here is one lil' picture to make you drool. :P

Black Magic

2012-07-10T05:04:00.000-04:00

I just love the look of black soap. Charcoal is so good for the skin and we love it in my household. Here is some black magic for you. Hope you enjoy....

Product Body | Absolute Soap. photo courtesy of Cocobong Soap.

Elegant Rose Boutique

Scum Soaps

Batty's Bath

Bathing In Luxury (soap)

The Original Soap Stand

Mojo Spa

Enjoy your day, folks!! xo Jo

Santa Barbara Soaps : A Soap Review

2012-07-06T11:54:00.001-04:00

I had decided not to do soap reviews anymore. Since then, Julia, of Cocobong Soap, ended her soap review duties, I thought I should get back into it. I'm glad I did, because I am going back to what I love to do on my spare time. See, touch and use other handcrafted soaps. There is an deep-seeded pleasure I get from holding a bar made with care and thought from another person in this world. I am going back to the beginning when I was eager to begin my soap blog and got an overwhelming response with soaps from around the world...I loved giving back to the handmade community with reviews, which at the time, didn't exist on the internet.

Tracy Wells, of Santa Barbara Soaps, sent me bamboo charcoal when I was clean out of it for my Detox soap. WOW...she sent it for no other reason than she had some and I didn’t. What a generous gesture -- I was so impressed by the offering, I can't even tell you. Two weeks later I received a soapy package from her, including Salted Lavender Salt Soap. Now, as many of you know, I am not a huge lavender fan. I mostly like lavender blends…yes, it has grown on me, just like patchouli has (in a blend, mind you). But Tracy's soap was so pleasant smelling.

Tracy’s soap popped into the shower with me when I received the package from California. The smell was mellow, not medicinal, and the color, a calming light lilac with a swirled top. The soap was shaped like a cake instead of a straight up bar and the edges were smoothed when it arrived. Because salt soap is typically hard and rigid, I found the smoothed edges to be much more gentle as the bar slid over my wet skin. A stroke of genius, I say.

Bubbles, big and lovely, came to fruition quickly in the shower and then went to the tight, creamy bubbles that soothed my skin. Washing with Salted Lavender was a delight and my skin felt so nice afterwards. Sometimes with salt bars there is a slight tightening of the skin, which I did get with her bar, but I didn’t feel dry necessarily, just more firm, I guess, is the way to describe it.

I've tried a few others of Tracy's and they are quite nice. Check out how pretty her Frisky Kitten Soap is. So cute and feminine!

Photo of Frisky on my dining room table.....

At the moment, and perhaps even forever, Tracy is only doing wholesale, so this post may be a bit of a tease, but I leave you with photos and maybe in the future, she will sell to the public. Her wholesale clients are currently in the Santa Barbara area, so if you live there you can find them. Go to Tracy’s FB page for info or to browse some of the photos she has posted…. https://www.facebook.com/SantaBarbaraSoaps

One of Tracy's Salt Soaps....so you get the idea. Photo: courtesy of Tracy.

Tippy Tops

2012-07-04T06:53:00.003-04:00

I just love the look of soap toppings....the way people design their soap has always intrigued me and I am loving some of these raw soap tops. Mianra.... well, wow...what can I say??

Come see!


Shieh Design Studio

Kendra Cote - Amathia Soapworks


Trish Broedner of Sugar Monster Soaps

Mianra Soap - cake

Whimsical Cubes

2012-06-29T09:37:00.002-04:00

Luxury and Whimsy - Blue Lagoon Sea Salt Bar

My Beach Seduction Salt Soap Cubes

Sea Mist Salt Soap Cubes by Soaperstar (i am handmade)

Soap Cubes by Steamboat Soap

Pink Frosting by Eco Chic Soaps

I ordered soap cube molds because I like my salt soap like that. And it is easier to NOT cut them....So darn CUTE. I love all of these!

Standing Tall

2012-06-28T06:39:00.002-04:00


Empire Soaps

Missrimel's Photostream

Bobbysamat's photostream

Spiral Soaps

Adam & Eve Soap Co.

custom blueberry vanilla soap by me

Pinky Swear

2012-06-27T06:37:00.002-04:00

I have received a few soaps from a couple of you and reviews are underway on paper, but while you wait, I thought you'd enjoy some soap porn. ;)

Today's theme? Well, pink, of course! It's happy, cute and feminine.


Platypus Dreams: Pink Chiffon

La Belle Aurore: Pink Petticoat

The Happy Housewife and Her Soapy Obsession: Pink Cupcake Soap

How Do I Make Soap Blog: Frosted Pink Tree Soap Tutorial

Into The Future With Tiggy

2012-06-23T05:45:00.000-04:00

Tiggy Fiander of Future Primitive Soaps is not only a beautiful human being but she makes awesome soap! I have been the bearer of great soaps of hers that I've reviewed here and here. They are just a luxury that I will have to keep in my life. :)

I noticed recently that Tiggy's come out with a number of soaps have changed in size and shape and I am loving her new and unique style. Busy Bee. But let me say, that when I had my shop, I was so very productive and it looks like she has her work cut out for her, e specially now that she has her own dedicated space. It sure does make a difference. Working from home makes it harder to focus when there are everyday distractions that cannot be avoided.

Can we get to the soap porn already?? Here goes....and don't forget to visit her shop!


Roman Bath House

Tea Rooms


The Olde Embankment

Market Square

Festival


Cavendish Banana (OOS?! Waaaaah)

I must get the Banana when it gets back in stock. Banana, oatmeal, buttermilk and coconut?! Count me right in. Must go back to my Banana Buttermilk soap I used to make. I'll make it even better than before, darn it!

Tiggy, you are awesome and I love you!

xxoo Jo

Mossy Creek - Soap Porn

2012-06-22T06:39:00.002-04:00

Mossy Creek Soap photos make me swoon. I must try them soon. Which is YOUR favorite picture?
xo

Thank You David Fisher

2012-06-15T07:05:00.000-04:00

I get the about.com newsletter of David Fisher's soap and candle making column in my email once a week. This past week he talked about how to make a Salt Soap which I had already been making for years, but he talked about using less salt as an option.

It came at a pretty specific time where I had been thinking that my bars were too laden with salt because when I cut them, they got a bit crumbly. I love sea salt soap. It soothes, conditions and feels all around fantastic on my skin. It wakes up my pores, cleanses them and I feel glowey. It doesn't do that for everyone, because my husband hates them. Says it makes his skin itch. I don't understand that. I've never heard that from anyone else.

I have been making salt soap by using the same amount of oils to salt, so yesterday I made a test batch of salt soap but made with 80% sea salt instead of 100% salt to oils. Instead of one hour in the oven on and one hour in the oven off, I tried 1 1/2 hrs in oven on - 1 1/2 hrs in the oven off and then waited 30 minutes before cutting. They were not that different to cut, a little smoother. We'll see. I go back to my studio today or tomorrow and I will be able to tell once they have had the chance to cool completely.

I love the idea of using less salt to change the consistency of the soap. Next week, I will try a 50% salt-oil ratio and see what I like the best.

What's your favorite salt-oil ratio?

Photo Of The Day

2012-06-11T09:47:00.001-04:00

TANGO

Nubes de jabón - Clouds of soap

Salty Porn Porn

2012-06-08T09:02:00.002-04:00

Salt Soap by Swanee

Sea Mist by bubs & scrubs

Lavender Salt by Finchberry

Pepperbirch Salt by Good Forest Soaps

Salt Soap by A Delicate Matter

Salt Soap by Jenora Soaps

Zesty Lemon Spa Soap by Sheris Soap Opera

Dead Sea Salt Soap with Dead Sea Salt & Blue Clay by Tokyo Factory

Seaside Spa by Spiral Soaps

(I had to add this one because it was just too fantastic!)

Ah, now, I can ponder the ocean.

Yellow So Mellow

2012-06-02T09:02:00.000-04:00

So today in South Florida, it is hot, sunny and all the trees, flowers and sky are piercingly bright and cheery. Today I give you yellow soap to cheer you up, hopefully.

wild raspberry by raintree botanicals

lemon vanilla pie by AlaiynaBSoaps

sweet lemon cream soap by blushie

yuzu hot process soap by DelicateByNature

coco mango by SV Soap

coconut poppy carrot soap by daily repose

So that is enough sunshine for one day, yes?

Enjoy your Saturday!

My Ghost Mansion

2012-05-31T19:41:00.000-04:00

Today I spoke to a friend and told the story of my dream that I've so conveniently tucked away in the "not happening anytime soon" brain file. So many years ago, I had a vision for us soapers/crafters..... a dream to find an old mansion and restore it over time. This place would be my home, and it would have 12 or more bedrooms and two kitchens. I want to create a Soaper's Retreat.

Every person would come, be able to soap at will (all supplies provided), and there would be a small stipend for the supplies and running costs of that portion of the house. Overwhelmed people could just escape from their daily grind to vacation, soap, relax and socialize. They could either stay and use the gardens, lounge under the shady oak tree and soap! There would be a badminton course, tether ball, playing cards, backgammon and board games. When people would stay the night, we'd hire a chef for every dinner and supply fine wine. Or whip up dinner together.

The Soap Bar Blog has grown over the years and part of it was to introduce handmade soap and their makers to the world and to create a community between soap makers which didn't really exist online. I am still looking around for new ways to connect with all of you and have you connect with each other, but there just isn't the physical proximity and hands-on sharing that I long for. I know I am not alone. The Soapmaker's Guild Conference that occurs every year is one way to connect and learn, and I haven't been to one yet, but it is organized and scheduled which isn't the vision I have for the Retreat. This is a photo of an abandoned house.... looks so perfect.

Here is an old post about this very idea that I do hope can come to fruition after I become wealthy ;). Hey, ya never know! (re-posted from April 2009):

Soapmaker's Dream Getaway

My big fat brain has been thinking about a soapmaker's retreat location for well over a year now. Way back when, I had hoped that I could arrange a soapmakers get away here in Florida sometime during the Winter months and get a boat load of soapers together in one place. Who knows? From all around the world maybe?? I think many of us have made friends and acquaintances through this blog and through the soap community in general.

My dream consisted of a large 10-15 room mansion with a huge living room and dining room where we could all gather and get to know each other and relax and cook for each other. I also envision a commercial kitchen (?) where we could make a few batches of soap ..... a workshop or two planned for one day and the next, treated as a retreat poolside or beach side or whatever.

Or just a retreat. The cost would be airfare, room and board and cost of the workshop. Or no workshop. I like to dream.

Reasons:
a) I'd love to meet so many of you. I think so many of you also want to meet each other!
b) Not all of us can afford the Soapmaker's Guild Conference.
c) The Winter is brutal in so many places, Florida is heaven in January.

h e a v e n

...not so much in the Summer, though. Then one (me. everyone.) melts.
You could fry an egg on the hood of my car. Easily.
d) If you have children, maybe this is a wonderful reason to take time just for you.

I'm not pitching this, ya'see, because I don't have a mansion on the beach, and I don't know anyone who does. Tiger Woods is building his estate on Jupiter Island, but I don't think we'd be invited, and I don't think we'd find each other in that house anyway, not even in his 10,000 ft. small guesthouse. Also, Celine Dion lives there...they might be neighbors, I don't know... but I know she wouldn't have us there. We would be too rowdy!! (Jupiter Island and Tiger Woods house is about 4000 ft away if I flew from my house to his, according to Mapquest ariel view).

So even though I live just feet from some of the richest people in THE WORLD (!!!), it doesn't mean that there square footage has rubbed off on my house. (dumb house)

Too bad it's not contagious.

So I continue to dream. If anyone has a mansion they'd like to donate, I would take it by the tail and run with it and make the best damn soap connection ever.

So dream. It feels good. :)

xo Jo

(ps: I know a ton of you are members of the FB Group of ours, but please comment HERE, as there are plenty of people who read this blog that would love your input. Me too.

This N That

2012-05-30T08:05:00.000-04:00

I think May has been a rough month for some of us and certainly for me. Three failed batches of soap this month (No re-batching! Michael, re-batching is Satan's work ;))

I have been neglecting The Soap Bar for reasons I can't go into on this blog, but I am trying to make it interesting considering I don't have time for tutorials, photo shoots and extra time right now. I have gotten heavily into making soap more naturally and with an abundance of skin-loving goodies. I feel like it is time to recalculate my more basic formulas to be chock full of yummy stuff as well. I have have been loving making Carrotmilk, Fat Boy, Detox, The Sea Bar and Palm Beach Illustrated. They each have their own distinguishable ingredients that I adore.

I do love our Facebook group page. Every member is wonderful and I'm glad we have some humor going on. Life can get so serious sometimes. Geez! We now have over 600 group members and I am ecstatic about all the information we are sharing with eachother. I am in awe with the community feel I get from the place. I've made new friends and I am just chuffed!

I tip my hat to the Great Michael Kitney of My Planet Earth Soap Company for making this wonderful picture for our FB Group header (with my PBI soap in the shot):

‎"Agh, if you don't make perfect soap, like this, you will be banished to my work prison

camp and forced to rebatch forever!!!!! BAAAAAHHAHAHAHA!!!!"

(thank you Tracy Wells for the caption!!)

So this is what I did to it for our header:

Thanks, Michael for inspiration!!! And your humor! And for using my soap. And for being you.

Sand Bars Here We Come!

2012-05-18T16:40:00.000-04:00

Sand and sun....just was summer calls for right?? Baby steps to a fabulous one, folks!

Sand Soap by Soap Mystic on Flickr

and can I just say, "wow" on their soap packaging? Take a look!

Soap Mystic packaging.... so gorgeous

Loveland Organics

"..juicy ripe peaches and fresh coconut with hints of sweet milk with beach sand.."

Blue Pearl Jam by Soaptopa

Jasmine, Ylang Ylang and Nam Champa Essential Oils with Florida Gulf Coast Sand (exfoliant)

Miss Polly

2012-05-14T09:40:00.001-04:00

Ruby Grapefruit + Sugarcane by

Miss Polly Natural Skincare

I had the pleasure of using this delicious soap, made with care by Polly McNamara of Miss Polly's soap company in the UK. I was very interested in this scent because I love ruby red grapefruit already, but then adding sugarcane....? Oh please, help me...had to have it. They were adorable and compact. Almost half the size of a standard bar but beautiful all the same (as you can see in the picture). The color and design were cheerful and sweetly femine and the added dried roses on the tops were gorgeous until I got them in the water. Then the petals looked kind of sad.

The smell was how I had imagined it would be and I spent a considerable amount of time in the shower sniffing the soap and getting my sugar grapefruit on. :) The soap lathered quickly with creamy bubbles and was smooth on my skin with no "drag", which is something I have great fondness for. For me, the bar was a rectangular shaped block and it was hard for my hands to get comfortable with the soap. Now, this isn't to say it wouldn't work for other people, it just wasn't easy to wash with in the shower as I kept dropping it. That bar is long gone, but I still have another soap of hers that I will be placing in my bathroom at the sink. I believe it will be the perfect soap for handwashing.

Bravo to Miss Polly, with her beautiful soaps that are simple and sweet, with undeniably stunning and classy packaging. She obviously spends a great deal of care wrapping each soap which is gift-ready and perfectly adorable!

To Miss Polly from me: xoxo

Soap In The Raw

2012-04-28T09:57:00.005-04:00

Soap porn in the raw. Yes! It's true, I have a love relationship with raw soap. It is so beautiful in it's own dessert-pudding-like way. The final product is even more exciting, but when one finally takes their raw soap creation and puts in in a mold to become soap, it leads to me to a happy place of raw.

________________________

Christmas Warmth "batter" by Kinder Soaps

sandalwood vanilla by Bella Fresca

Carrot Buttermilk Soap By Soap Foundry (only found his blog)

Calendula + Chamomile by Dragonfly Dew

Triple Milk Vanilla Buttercream Luxury Shea butter Soap by My Planet Earth Soap

(my soap) Mar Bar unscented goat's milk soap by Product Body|Absolute Soap

Sweet Pea by Great Cakes Soapworks

Elixir by Amathia Soapworks

Carrot Something by Revive

Yum....what's up YOUR sleeve today?

Chuffed and Muffed?

2012-04-27T09:22:00.006-04:00

Over the past year, I have formulated very specific soaps after hours upon hours of research and testing. My soaps have come a long way since I started and I am very proud of how far I have come.

It is always a shot in the arm (a GOOD thing) when our products that I create get raved about. It's also amazing how hard I take a disparaging review or email from someone who hates my products. Why do I take it so personally? Because I work so hard to make them great and I am proud of my work, I guess.

A few months ago one of our soaps: Thai Sticky Rice Cocoa+ Shea Butter soap was scrutinized on a blog about how drying it was and the person who wrote it continued to say they didn't know what all the fuss was about it. (Ouch...) However, in the countless emails I receive regarding people's experiences with our products, I have only received incredible feedback regarding that soap. Drying? Just the opposite, according to all the other customers who brought it up.

So recently, we received an email from a disgruntled customer who bought Fat Boy Milk + Butter Bar. Hated it. That store-bought soap was better than that and what a waste of money it was. Then she left a 1 star review on our website.

Disappointed, more like a glycerine soap than a milk soap. Really wanted to like this soap but NOT! Did not leave with that smooth feeling I've always gotten from other milk soaps-after shgowering I can scratch legs & see marks(dry skin marks). I've felt better moisturizing qualities from Oily of Oly or some other top retail soaps. I cant really even say its very cleasing at least didnt feel so.I was not a fan will not repurchase; O I will say it last longer than alot of milk soaps I've purchased it stays firm when wet where most milk soaps will have a tendancy to dissolve more quickly than some soaps.

Look, I know not everyone will like everything I make. I don't believe it's possible for everyone to like everything. As Joe Jackson said once (and these are in extra loose quotes), "You can either go to the people and give the masses what they want, or offer your craft to the masses and wait for them to come." I put this in quotes, but I am paraphrasing a memory of mine about something he said that has stuck.

People will come. That's what I got from it. All the stuff out there that scream "interesting" are unique, so as long as it's out there, people will seek it out.

As I grow in this business, I have realized that I can't compromise my style and give the masses what they want. Because guess what? So will everyone else. And what would make me stand out? So this is one of the reasons we have discontinued the multiple elixirs we used to make. It was staggering how disjointed it made me.

So now, I make what I know is good and it's what I love to do. And if people like it, they will come, and if they don't, than they can go, but I will stay true to what I believe. I believe in quality, not quantity. I'd rather make Soap + Crush than offer one hundred things in one hundred scents.

Having come to this conclusion, and months later, I get a wonderful review from Julia at Cocobong Soaps blog. She really likes Fat Boy and this lovely lady is hard to please, especially in the moisturizing department.

I think I'll take THAT review over the one on my website. :)

photo courtesy of Cocobong Soaps Blog

MIA and Happy Soaps

2012-04-20T17:57:00.004-04:00

I just want to apologize for being M.I.A. on this blog. With reinventing my business, and trying to make enough soap to never run out of stock raising a new puppy, doing taxes/financial stuff and struggling with my body over the last week, I am pooped to say the least.

I've been basically asleep for 2 whole days. I have been having wickedly detailed and horrific nightmares, also. My body has full body aches, head and neck pain and severe exhaustion, like someone took a needle and extracted my energy for 48 hours.

Julia, of Cocobong, sent me a list of questions about my business so she can include a little Q & A in her upcoming review of my soap (I am SO nail biting), and I don't even have the energy to answer those questions properly. I will provide a touch of soap porn, as I really have nothing more to share with you right now.

I do have some things on the horizon to share: I HAVE to show you some of my own soap porn. For instance, Palm Beach Illustrated soap is the most beautiful of all three batches I've made. I haven't photographed this batch yet. The colors are blue and green and splendid! Also, I wanted to share our new plain design of our Lemon Scone Goat Milk Soap. It used to have a white dollop on top, but we decided to go basic on this one because the acceleration was tricky towards the end and I want a consistent looking bar for every batch. It's not as "pretty", but I like it even more because it has unified basic-ness (I know....not a word). That's all I'll say for now.

Ok, ON TO THE PORN! Today, I'd like to share some orange and pink soaps that I have dug up for you. For some reason, I've never made a soap with these color combos, and yet, I absolutely love the combination of pink and orange. Go figure. It is on my "to do" list now. Perhaps a Spring soap is due... The following soap photos have blown me out of my depressed sickly mode and into just feeling sickly mode.... ;) Get your seat belts on.

Glasshouse

I just love the pink, orange, purple combo! Gorgeous!!

"Sari" by Soap and Restless

Unreal and gorgeous beyond my words....

~~~

Another by Soap and Restless:

Gelato by S+R

Oh yummo. This is a stunning photo. Well done!!

Pure unscented coconut milk soap with Sea Buckthorn by SoGa Soap + CupFakery

A beauty! yummers.... :)

"Ambrosia" by Marcie Brown

This is one of her Spring soaps. Looks edible, doesn't it? Love!

TubTime Treasures (Renee Lillie)

So soft and precious.

Raspberry Lemonade by Pipestone Soaps

Great swirl!

****

Thank you for coming back every time you do. I am totally committed to making this the best blog for soap freaks like me (and possibly you). ;)

You may now go on to your regularly scheduled activities... Have a great and sunshiney day!

Today Is All About Blue

2012-04-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

Since I made blue soap yesterday, I thought I'd look at other blue soaps, too. Here's a crappy phone photo I took of my Palm Beach Illustrated Soap:

~~--------------------------------------~~-------------------------------------~~

The Shire Soap: Future Primitive Soaps

I am loving the blue/white swirl on top.

Closed lavender buds waiting to hatch, Geranium leaves tossed in Gardenia

absolute and a fistful of star-shaped Ylang Ylang flowers.

Coconut Cream Blue Flower Tarts: The Roche Shop

Sea Salt Soap: Empire Soaps

(lemon verbena and lemongrass)

Blossom Goat's Milk Soap: Two Blooms Design

Cotton Flowers

Big Ass Blue Soap: Heart Button Boat Soaps

Lives in my old neighborhood! :)

Colorful Logs: River Country Soapworks

The Soap Bar Blog Facebook Photos

2012-03-29T10:27:00.003-04:00

I am happy to say that, as of today, we have 327 members on the pretty new Soap Bar Blog Facebook Page! I have taken a few photos from the group. Nice soap, right? Come join us if you'd like. There is lots of sharing, technical info and all around good people here.

Thanks to all of you for letting me be me!
xo Joanna

s o a p * p o r n * f e e d s * us

DonnaOShaughnessy's soap
Charcoal soap scented with Lavender and Orange Essential oils.

Debbie's soap
Yesterdays soap. Organic olive,coconut and rapeseed oil with a ton of unrefined cocoa butter. Scented with peppermint, lavender and tea tree essential oils

Michael of My Planet Earth Soap Co.
Honey/Grapefruit (Raw Organic Honeycomb scented with Pink Grapefruit, Lime and Litsea Essential Oils), Oatmeal Stout (Black Amber Ale Beer Soap) and Winter I Freaking Hate You! (Scented with Litsea, Lemon and Bergamot Essential Oils).

Jan's soap (Sunlit Soap)
Apples a la Mode

Emma's soap (Spiral Soaps)
Lemon Soul, a sublime blend of lemon, may chang & black pepper essential oils, and a sprinkling of poppy seeds.

Leanne's soap (aromaNature Savon Naturel)
Locally Sourced Spiralina Soap

Ceri's soap (Oakwood Soaperie)
Buttered Rose Soap with tussah silk, rose clay, and floral eo's

Marcie Brown's soap
Cascade Trail. Very woodsy with pine, cedar, fir, spruce, juniper, dirt and earth FOs.

*

A Little Inspiration For The Uninspired

2012-03-27T08:46:00.001-04:00


Blueberry Bunny and Strawberry Oatmeal Soap by Bubble Bones

H. Hao-Cheng


Peppermint Pine Bar and Cinnamon Clove by luckyloulou Soap Co.

Laurel and Olive oil soap and wooden soap dish by Pabadoo

I found some beautiful soaps today, didn't I? All of these look so genuine, pure and honest.

I found some inspiration in my morning post. Hope you do too!

-Jo