Remembering Father’s Day & Celebrating Dad with a Limited Edition Gift Set!

Each year around Father’s day I feel excited and proud to have had the Dad I had growing up! He taught me to work hard, never sleep past 8am, have great work ethic and how to market my talents!

He woke up at 4am every day and drove 1.5 hrs to his job in the city. This showed me how to be on time and “SHOW UP” for life! He also had a knack for finding old cars and restoring them to their original beauty, seeing the possibility in an item when the outside looked hopeless. My imagination and ingenuity I garnered from him rang true when we were out in the countryside, or fishing in the summer.

Although our relationship has not turned out as I truly WANTED it to, I can still take a hard look at what he taught me good AND bad! We all have people in our life that we learn something from, all of our life events help shape our character.

I wanted to celebrate Father’s from all walks of life, and all of the positive traits we can find in ourselves that we were taught from them!

For a LIMITED TIME ONLY, I am offering a special Father’s Day Gift Set for $24.99

This includes all in the photo with a FREE LIP BALM! All orders placed on or BEFORE 6/15 will receive this in time to gift it to your Father, or other man you are celebrating this Father’s Day!

It would still make a great gift AFTER the holiday, as I am considering it as a Men’s Gift Set to have all year round!

Visit HERE if you would like to order one now!

Happy Father’s Day Dad & all of the other Dad’s in the world♥

A New Baby Bee on the way and NEW products for Expecting Mamas!

I have been waiting to announce to you all about our NEW Arrival coming September 15th! So here it is officially, we are expecting our 2nd child in September. Here is a picture of me earlier in the month, 5 months along!

Most of you know about my journey through my business and the reason why I started my business in the first place…….to be a Work-At-Home-Mom! It was my plan BEFORE I had my daughter to not be away from home. It was SOO important to me that I prepared years in advance so I was ready. More on that story soon!

Now it is a different road I will be taking. My business is more established than before and I have a 5 year old who I am also homeschooling, running my business, running a household…… Somehow I believe it will all come together and work out! It just has to, there is no other option!!

I am doing my best to get prepared for my time off with the baby when HE arrives! Yes, we are having a BOY!! So excited 🙂

So there will be some time where I will be putting my shop on vacation and orders will be on hold for a while. I predict a few weeks as I am bringing in some helpers to make the transition as smooth as possible. One thing that has been on my mind is that I need to share with you all the products I have been using since I have been pregnant!

There are only a few essential oils that are safe for expectant Mamas. I of course use my own products I make and some are not fit for use during pregnancy. So I have re-formulated some of my daily favorites to accommodate my new needs!

♦Organic Hair Rinse> I have replaced the Rosemary & Rosewood with Ylang-Ylang & Lavender Essential Oil. Still good for Brunettes!

♦Organic Hair Gel>I have replaced the Rosemary with Ylang-Ylang, and have kept the Lavender Essential Oil.

♦For muscle aches>I have been using Organic Ginger Lemon Lotion. It is safe during the 2nd & 3rd Trimester, but should be avoided during the 1st Trimester due to the strong circulation action of the Ginger Essential Oil.

Great for muscle aches and safe for expectant Mamas during the 2nd & 3rd Trimester!

I chose Lavender for its healing properties and gentle scent! Safe for expectant Mamas and children, it is one of the safest essential oils available!

I also chose Ylang-Ylang as it is safe for expectant Mamas plus these other benefits! It helps to lift moods, plus using ylang ylang essential oil as a hair treatment will promote the growth of hair and reduce hair loss.

I am packaging these 3 favorites plus a small bar of my Organic Jasmine Soap for shampooing into a special “Expectant Mama Beauty Set”!

You can find it in my Etsy shop, or on my website! Ordering from my website will save you on your favorites EVERY TIME!

 

Do you know someone who is expecting that would benefit from my new products? Do you have a favorite product that YOU would like to see reformulated for Expectant Mamas?

Leave your comments below! I love to hear from my readers!

 

 

No Lye = No Soap

Jasmine Soap

Over the years that I have been making soap, there have always been questions customers have for me about my products. Today I am addressing the most frequent question I receive about my SOAP!

“Do you use LYE to make your soap?” My Answer is YES!

Yes, I use LYE to make my soap BUT the soap no longer contains Lye once it has combined with the oils and cured!

Without LYE, also known as Sodium Hydroxide, you cannot have soap!! Even glycerin bars, melt & pour bars, liquid soap…….ALL SOAP requires either Sodium Hydroxide(LYE for bar soap) or Potassium Hydroxide(LYE for Liquid soap) to make it soap. You see, Sodium Hydroxide is a chemical that is harmful ALONE! When you combine it with the right ratio of oils & water, it binds to the molecular structure of each producing a COMPLETELY different element, SOAP!

The end result is no longer, Lye, Oils OR water, but a combination of all to produce the soap!

The Babylonians were the ones who invented soap at 2800 B.C. when the mixing of animal fats & ashes produced a cleansing product used for utensils & skin conditions. Even today, Lye CAN be made from ashes, rock and hay in a large wooden barrel. Now, Lye is produced commercially so it can be calibrated for modern recipes using exact measurements, thus refined for exactness. It is still a caustic substance that can harm you if touched!

Do not approach Lye lightly. ALL precautions MUST be taken when handling it and making soap. The Saponification of the Lye & Oils, (chemical reaction that creates soap) happens over time.

Here I am mixing the Lye into the water wearing ALL of my protective gear!

Here you see me mixing the Lye with the water. I am wearing protective eye wear, long gloves and an apron. I am also mixing on a newspaper lined table in my work station AWAY from children, pets and distractions! This is the MOST important!

Getting the right temperature before combining the Lye into the oil!

After the Lye has come to the 100-98 degree temperature, I then mix it with the oils of the same temperature. It immediately starts swirling in the pan, showing me that the two are combining.

The oils & Lye start combining!

I then stir and “mix” with my immersion blender. This helps speed things along. You CAN use just a spatula or spoon to stir, but it does take much longer, as I have tried this method, before learning about the immersion blender 🙂

“Pudding” like consistency tells me it is ready to pour!

Then after it has produced a “pudding-like” texture, I pour it into wooden molds lined with freezer paper for easy removal once it is set.

Clay Tea Tree Soap Just poured into the mold!

It sits, covered, for 24-48 hours before being cut. It still MAY contain some traces of Lye in the water molecules left in the soap, so I handle WITH my gloves on!

Clay Tea Tree Soap Curing

They then are exposed to air for 4 weeks minimum, being rotated every day for even drying. They are then ready to use, OR the best option would be to let them dry/cure longer!

**Why CURE soap?**

There is a reason for “curing” the soap. This is to allow the traces of lye that may remain in the left over water found in the soap to evaporate. The longer the soap sits, the better! It will harden up nicely and last much, much longer!

Did you know that the longer it sits, the better it gets?

Soap is not going to “go bad”, it will actually get BETTER! For example, there is one bar from last year that I found in my toiletry bag used for travelling. When I used it recently on an overnight outing, it lathered up MORE than before and was VERY hard! Even though I used it frequently for a few days, it looked as though I had not used it at all!! This just goes to show that the longer it sits, the longer it lasts 🙂

Organic Cinnamon Roll Soap

*So the take away from this post is:

~Without Lye you do not have soap of ANY type!

~4 weeks minimum is needed before soap is ready to use.

~The longer it sits the better it gets!

~Keep soap well drained & dry in-between uses so it lasts longer! *************************************************************************

I will be covering different questions that are frequently sent to me about my products!

♦Do you have any questions about my products that you want answered?

♦Do you understand the basics of soap making and how LYE is on every soap?

Please leave your comments below!

Organic Rosemary Hair Rinse – I want what she has!

For half of my 40 plus years of life, I have worn my hair short.  Very short.  My mother, who had four daughters, was too busy messing with all of our hair, especially mine.  She didn’t allow me to have long hair, and I got used to having a short cropped cut. You see, my hair is very abundant.  I have such thick hair that every single hair stylist I have visited so far has exclaimed, “My, you have a lot of hair!”

While many women wish for this kind of abundance, I have always considered my plentiful hair a curse.  When I moved to the United States from Germany 20 years ago, I started growing my hair long.  My husband likes me hair long, and I do, too – most of the time.  Except it gets poofy in damp weather, and folks, let’s face it: I live in a climate that gets 100 inches of precipitation a year!  What am I thinking?  If I were vain, I would moved a long time ago.

When I first met Melissa from Honey Bee Holistics, I was struck by her gorgeous hair.  It, too, is thick and naturally wavy like mine, but hers looked so… un-frizzy, so… contained and shiny.  I wanted what she had.
Enter her organic rosemary hair rinse.

This is how she keeps her hair so stunning, and I wanted a piece of that action.  So I headed to the shower, washed my hair, and then tested out this hair rinse.  It’s a concentrate, so you you have to dilute it in a quart of water.  All it takes is a little squirt of the concentrate.  It is so fragrant!  It smells like a woodland forest, which is just about my favorite smell of all times.
Melissa advises to massage the rinse into the scalp after cleansing.  The massage and ingredients help with circulation, healing and skin regeneration of the scalp, which in turns makes the hair grow healthier.  I knew that vinegar is great as a hair rinse because it helps restore proper pH, but never tried it before.  This hair rinse contains organic apple cider vinegar infused with rosemary, as well as essential oils of rosemary and rosewood (hence the heavenly smell).
In short:  I love it!!!  I usually have to put massive conditioner in my hair because it’s pretty dry, but I haven’t used any conditioner ever since using this hair rinse.  My hair is shinier, softer and looks healthier than it did when I religiously used conditioner after shampooing.  And it makes my hair smell so nice!

*****Thank you Corina for such a wonderful review!! Corina’s hair IS so very thick and beautiful! I am so glad it worked out for her:) She shared with me that she had used henna on her hair, and the rinse did not effect the color at all. My Mom, who colors her hair professionally, DID in fact see a bit of her hair color wash out. I am bringing this up just in case you DO color your hair, you might see a washing out of sorts happen when you use the rinse.

I would like to point out a few benefits that the Organic Rosemary Hair rinse has that other commercial conditioners do not toute!

♦Organic Rosemary is a circulatory stimulant! The many benefits of the rosemary plant {Rosmarinus officinalis} extend beyond cleansing, it also stimulates the hair follicles to increase hair growth. This is another reason why I include in the instructions for use, to gently massage the rinse into your scalp with your finger pads. Remember to NEVER use your nails for massaging as this damages the scalp.

♦Organic Rosemary is also an age-old remedy for dandruff. The branches used to be used as hair brushes so the oils would distribute throughout the hair & scalp. It stimulates the skin on the scalp to regenerate and renew, thus improving the health of the scalp, reducing dandruff & itchiness over time.
*This information along with other helpful tips are found in this book.

♦The natural resins found in the rosemary also help to darken brunette hair types over time. If you have ever pulled off the fronds of a rosemary twig with your hands, you know what the resins feel like! It is a sticky sap that comes out of the rosemary petals. Of course, in the hair rinse it is not sticky as it has been dissolved by the acids in the vinegar.
The acids in the vinegar is what helps bring your hair to the proper pH balance after shampooing. I would recommend one of my shampoo bars for the shampooing part! Like my Organic Walnut Apricot shampoo bar here

I have made a new batch of this shampoo bar this week and it will be cured & ready for sale on Valentines Day, 02/14!!
I WILL take pre-orders if you are interested in claiming a bar of your own ahead of time, or you can visit my Etsy shop to pre-order!

♦There is also Wild Nettle infused into the vinegar rinse as well! Wild nettle, Urtica dioica, grows wild here in the Pacific Northwest. It only shoots up from March-May, so each year you will find me in the fields harvesting my heart out so I have enough for the year ahead! It contains Iron, Vitamin C and minerals from the soil that help to re-mineralize & heal the scalp.

So as you see, there are many benefits to using my Organic Hair Rinse for Brunettes! You can find the rinses for Brunettes & Blondes here in my Etsy shop. The formula for red hair is available by custom request only at this time!

Coming soon…………. Information on another favorite herb of mine, Calendula! I will go over the benefits of this flower, plus the Why & How I incorporate it into my products!

!!!!WIN an 8oz bottle of your OWN hair rinse formulated for your hair type: brunette, blonde or red hair!
ALL you have to do is leave a comment below answering the question: Why do YOU need to switch your conditioner to Honey Bee Holistics Organic Vinegar Hair Rinse? How do you think it can help YOUR hair?

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED——- 01/22/2014
The WINNER is……………….

loucheenaJanuary 18, 2014 at 8:33 AM

I would LOVE to win the rose rinse! I’ve been doing my best to grow my hair long and thick, and I think all of the benefits of the rosemary stimulating the scalp would make it even easier for my hair to grow.

Rose Ales chulo282009@live.com

CONGRATULATIONS Rose for being the WINNER of the 8oz Organic Rosemary Hair Rinse!!

Organic Honey Bee Face Mask – just like chocolate fudge on your face

This is the most fun I had with a product review so far. I put on Honey Bee Holistic’s Organic Honey Bee Face Mask while my four year old daughter watched. Here is our conversation:

Eva: Why do you look like that?

Me: Because I want to make my skin look pretty.

Eva: Can I lick the chocolate off your face?

Me: It’s not chocolate.  It’s clay and honey.

Eva: Is that from a muddy puddle?

Me: No, honey, it’ super special clay that Melissa collects when she’s hiking in the mountains.

Eva: Can I have some on my face, too?

Me: Sure you can.

She wasn’t so sure about it.  

Me, though?  I loved it!  Do you remember playing in sticky mud when you were a kid?  What’s not to love?

Apart from the entertainment factor, the reason I love this product is because it made my skin so soft and moisturized.

Let me start from the beginning.

I was a little nervous about putting a mask containing clay on my super sensitive, dry skin.  I’ve had bad experiences with clay before, leaving my skin stressed and even drier.  Not this mask.  Melissa puts honey and jojoba oil in it, which are both incredibly moisturizing.

I didn’t have any directions on how to apply this and how long to leave it on, so I just opened the jar, put my finger in it, and tried to put it on my skin.  That didn’t work, because it was too thick, so I mixed it with a little water, and – voila!  It adhered to my face like a charm.

I noticed immediately that this mask is different than other products I’ve tried before finding Honey Bee Holistics.  The minute I put it on, I felt nourished.  I also noticed some gentle exfoliating effect, probably from the oatmeal. 

Eva kept asking me funny questions, which made me laugh.  When I opened my mouth, I noticed the taste of honey.  Yum!  I had to remind myself not to lick my lips and eat the stuff, especially since it looks like chocolate fudge.

I left the mask on while I told Eva stories under the Christmas tree.

After 30 minutes, I decided to take it off.  It never dried, which I love, because whenever clay dries, it pulls on my skin and kind of hurts.  The mixture came off nicely with a warm wash cloth.

My skin felt amazing!  I never even put moisturizer on my skin afterwards!  I usually HAVE to put lotion on after washing my face, even if it’s just with water.  But with this mask, I didn’t need to.  Even now, hours after removing it, I know I won’t have to put any moisturizer on my face until tonight, after my shower.  Wow!!!

I told you I was having fun with this product!

See?  Nice and rosy skin!

Now for YOUR chance to WIN a 2oz jar of YOUR OWN Organic Honey Clay Face Mask customized to YOUR skin type!
Enter below!! Please don’t forget when you get to the entry for commenting that you comment here on the blog post, and not in the giveaway link box!! Thanks!! Good luck!

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