What Can I Make With That ??

Ok so this is not the second part of the Vanilla Files Update, sorry .. You'll have to wait for that lol .. Today I want to share with you something I whipped up yesterday ..

Since I've had a big break from B&B over the summer it made sense to really sort through everything I have .. Not just on my soap shelf, but in all the raw ingredient storage spots throughout my house - and there are quite a few .. In the craft room I have all my FO's, colour additives, hand tools (spatulas, whisks etc) & packaging bits & pieces .. In the lounge cupboard I have my EO's .. Three large tubs of moulds, mixing bowls, lining materials, and bulk oils etc lives in the laundry .. With the rest of my oils finding a home in the kitchen/fridge .. Then finally all my clays and various other lotion making supplies are in a blanket box in my bedroom :D

So this last week I've been working out what's too old to salvage (eg: my Avocado Oil is rancid ?!!), what I need to buy more of (I'm totally out of Ginger & Rosemary EO), what I'm no longer going to order (Mango Butter & Macadamia Oil), and why the heck I bought Laureth 2, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Strawberry Fruit Powder, & Liquid Soy Lecithin ??

Anyhoo, after a few days of this I had a mounting range of supplies on the kitchen table - benefit of my lifestyle is I can leave them there all week and it wouldn't bother anyone! But I was itching to actually MAKE something ...

So went to the ever reliable blog of Susan Barclay-Nichols 'Point Of Interest' and started looking for things including the ingredients I wanted to use-up .. In her new (Favourite Recipes Handout) she talks about a Cuticle Balm she made for her mum, so I thought I'd give that a whirl ..

First I weighed out all the ingredients:

Lanolin - Bees Wax - Macadamia Oi
Soy Lecithin - Mango Butter - (lip safe) Honey Fragrance & Lemongrass EO


Put everything except the Fragrance/EO into a double boiler & mixed until melted & combined .. As usual the beeswax took forever so I should have done that first then added the rest but oh well - it's been a while & I forgot!


Once melted I took it off the heat, let it cool a little,
then whisked in the Fragrance & EO ..

Then poured into my container (+ a small sample one for my SnL swap partner), and popped it into the freezer to cool off ..



This is very tacky and personally I'd prefer some more Beeswax in it .. I also think I'd go with Olive Oil over the Macadamia if the situation were different (cos I'm obsessed with OO)

But it sure was a great way to use up my Macadamia, Mango, and Lecithin!

Oh and the reason I used lip-safe fragrance (aka Flavour Oil) was so it could serve double duty as both Cuticle & Lip Balm .. It's very shiny on the lips which again isn't isn't what I personally want in such a product - however I Love how shiny my fingernails are looking this morning after applying this only once before bed last night!

Well that's it from me for now .. I'm tripping over the hill (mountain range) to catch up with a soul-mate I haven't seen or spoken to in nearly six months!

Have a great week-end everyone .. I hope you enjoyed my little Show & Tell, and that there are lots of comments waiting when I return :P

*update* on the Vanilla Files (Part 9)

Once again I apologize for my complete lack of posting here .. I try, I really do! It's just that everyday chores and responsibilities keep getting in the way of any 'free-time' .. And when I do manage to make a little I often have other things I want to do .. For example, this last week-end I did a major sort-through of ALL my soaps curing and in storage - every single batch & box inspected!

Annnnnnd, you'll be happy to know I seized this opportunity to take some updated photo's and notes on my Vanilla Bars :



I gave them all a good wash and then took a layer off the top and side of each bar for colour comparison .. I found it interesting that only one batch still shows a slightly lighter interior, that being 'TCS's Pink Sugar' :




Also of note, especially since all these were made with the same formula, same batches of oils, in the same moulds, and stored in the same conditions ever since - the two lightest bars (Unscented & Black Raspberry Vanilla) have both started to show DOS (dreaded orange spot/rancid free oils) .. Something I've only ever had happen twice before in 2+ years of soaping!

The BRV only has a couple of spots on two of the bars, whereas the Unscented is so discoloured and foul smelling that I've actually thrown all but one out ..
































The Unscented bar (bottom row, far left) is now seriously Yellow & 'cheesish' :




Soooo does one assume that FO can help preserve/extend the life of soap by way of acting as an antioxidant ?? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this ..

I'm afraid I've run out of time but have more pics and fragrance notes (including a surprising new favourite!) to share, so hopefully I'll get that up in the next couple of days .. Don't laugh (or hold your breath) - I'll do my best!

And just before I go I've had a couple of questions about DS's Drizzled Honey-Vanilla, which as far as I know is still available .. I absolutely hate trying to navigate their site! But just had a quick look and was able to find it on the sample list, under 'For the Love of Vanilla Collection' :D