When I was in New York City last week, I found myself without lotion! I truly felt stuck because I have been used to just going to the blog kitchen or my craft room at home and whipping up another batch of lotion. Ack! I decided that one of the first things I was going to do when I got back was make a batch of lotion.

I chose Sammi Janette’s First Try for my recipe since it is an easy recipe. I did make a few changes to the recipe. Since I used Reverse Osmosis Water I knew my pH did not need to be altered anymore and so, the Citric Acid could be omitted from the recipe. The second change is that I used a small amount of Wheat Protein to replace the omitted Citric Acid.

I decided that these changes were not enough for having fun in the blog kitchen, so I made two batches of the lotion for comparison purposes. One batch used Liquid Glycerin as the humectant and the other batch used Sodium Lactate instead.

This lotion feels great on the skin and is light enough for applying in the summer. The Wheat Protein adds a light texture to the lotion that seems to make my skin feel silky. I think you will enjoy this lotion so much that it will become a staple in your life. It is in mine!

Join me as I get my groove back while making an easy lotion!

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Recipe: (Makes 35 ounces)

Weigh all ingredients except the additives (Germaben II, Wheat Protein and Apricot Freesia Fragrance) into the microwave safe container. Heat in the microwave using short time bursts until everything is melted. Blend the ingredients to a smooth, creamy consistency using the immersion blender. Add additives once the temperature drops enough that you don’t feel like you are burning your hands when moving the mixing bucket. Blend until completely mixed. Pour into bottles and allow to cool completely. Cap the bottles.

Notes: This is actually a thick lotion, so it would be best in a bottle with a pump or in a jar.

These samples have been labeled and then bagged together, so you can try each lotion and decide which humectant you prefer. The Lotion Comparison Test samples will been sent to the Shipping Department on Monday to send out in orders. (This means you can start requesting it now!) I really want to hear your comments about these lotions. I hope that anyone wanting a sample lotion set will request one and if we have any samples we will send them to you.

Completely cooled lotion on my finger.

Weighing Stearic, Emulsifying Wax and Liquid Glycerin.

Weighing the Sweet Almond Oil.

Adding water to the beaker.

Blending the ingredients together after heating.

Adding the additives.

Ready for some details?

• These specials start at 4 pm Mountain Time today and end on Friday, June 17th at midnight (again Mountain Time).
• Any orders placed during the next week between the times qualify for these specials.
• These specials are only valid for one week!

Ready for the specials themselves?

Special #1: Any order that has an item total of $150 or more will have a $10.00 shipping discount. Any orders that have an item total of $200 or more will have a $20.00 shipping discount. If your shipping is less than this amount discounted, you get FREE shipping! How cool is that? This shipping special starts at 4pm today and will extend for the whole week! This shipping discount is automatically (Can I say auto-magically?) applied to all orders that qualify, so you don’t even have to remember a special code or phrase to enter.

Special #2: If you purchase 2 extracts in 4 oz size, you can request a free 1 oz bottle of one of our new extracts, Green Tea Extract or Sea Buckthorn Extract! Now this is the perfect time to stock up on those extracts you need and try a new extract!

These are great specials! I hope you can take advantage of these while they last! Remember if your order is eligible, our Gifts & Teas are still available!

Collect Needed Materials:

Recipe:

Weigh all of the ingredients into a container. Whisk together gently until it is well mixed. Put into containers. Enjoy!

Finished Body Powder

Weighing Arrowroot Powder

Weighing Dry Flo Adding Fragrance Oil

Weighing Natrasorb Pouring into jars

]]> http://thesageblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/gentle-body-powder/feed/ 0 Andee taylor GBP1 GBP7 GBP6 GBP4 GBP5 GBP2 http://thesageblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/chocolate-lip-gloss/ http://thesageblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/chocolate-lip-gloss/#comments Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:00:50 +0000 Andee http://blog.thesage.com/?p=12505 ]]> Chocolate is a fantastic flavor. Did you know that chocolate is the world’s second most popular flavor? (Right after vanilla.) I decided that this week I also wanted to make a Chocolate Lip Gloss. I think we have a themed week here. Yay for chocolate! Come join me in the kitchen for this scrumptious chocolate lip gloss. 

I wanted a strong chocolate flavor for this lip gloss. I used bittersweet chocolate and our Chocolate Cream Flavor Oil to get a well rounded chocolate flavor. I wanted the lip gloss to taste like a chocolate bar but… not have the calories! Mmmm. Get your chocolate fix without the guilt!

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Recipe:

Weigh the Sesame Oil, Castor Oil and Beeswax into a microwave safe container. Heat gently until liquid. Add the Bittersweet Chocolate, Chocolate Cream Flavor Oil and Sugar Baby Flavor Oil. Stir well. Put into lip brush pens. Enjoy!

Finished Lip Gloss.

Weighing Oils

Weighing Fixed Oils

Weighing Beeswax Melted Lip Gloss

Adding Baking Chocolate Adding Chocolate Cream Flavor Oil and Sugar Baby Flavor Oil

I used Hydrovance because it is a super moisturizer and does not leave behind the stickiness of glycerin. Try this lotion. Apply it to the back of one hand and not the other. At the end of the day, note how each hand feels. One will be soft and silky; the other will be dry, scaly and rough. Don’t believe me? Request a sample in your order today! Try the power (and enjoy the luxury) of Hydrovance today.

Tamanu Oil was also added to the formulation. (I couldn’t resist.) As many of you know, I absolutely adore Tamanu Oil. I believe this oil should have a place in every soap makers closet, on every vanity and in every medicine cabinet. It is so incredible in soften the skin and helping the skin stay hydrated. I can’t say enough good things about Tamanu Oil!

Collect Needed Items:

Recipe:

Weigh everything except the Optiphen into a microwave safe container. Heat gently until liquid. Using an immersion blender, mix the solution together. Stir occasionally while the lotion cools. When the lotion has cooled to below 120 F, the Optiphen can then be added. Stir well and pour into containers. Enjoy!

Note: I did not add a fragrance to this lotion. If you would like a fragrance, add it with the Optiphen in this recipe. Remember, the sky is the limit.

Finished Lotion

Weighing Oils

Weighing Stearic Acid

Weighing Oils

Heated Lotion

Mixing Lotion

Mixing Lotion

Adding Preservative

Sadie playing with a crumpled Post-It note.

Four weeks ago I shared some cute pictures of Sadie after playing and since then, my e-mail has been bombarded with requests for more pictures. She is now two months old and I have been constantly amazed by Sadie’s antics and her new tricks. She moves so fast, I only got two good pictures out of the 20 I took this morning!

She loves to run across the house as fast as she can just to follow Victor or any feet of the people in the house. We’ve learned to shuffle in her presence! She usually can keep herself entertained with attacking small toy mice, climbing anything that will support her weight including her carrier, the cat condo, the sofa and even the bed. Sadie has also discovered that one of the cats, Leo, has a tail that twitches and that tail must be pounced on.

Sometimes when she pounces her tail will become fluffed. We have to laugh because it has coarse appearance like a skunk’s tail. Due to these silly antics she has earned herself several nicknames. My favorites are Tile or Carpet Shark, Tiger, and Little Stinker.

Sadie sitting on the top of the cat condo.

When at home, I usually spend time writing and Sadie has discovered that not all of my crumpled papers actually make it into the wastebasket. She will prance up to a crumpled ball of paper and swat it across the tile floor. She seems to prefer the colorful Post-It notes over the plain white notepaper and I can’t decide if it is the color or the size.

Tomorrow is her first appointment with the veterinarian and I think he will be pleased to see how well she is doing. I’m crossing my fingers that he gives us a clean bill of health and that Sadie won’t be too mad about her first shots.

I’ll share more pictures of Sadie this coming up weekend!

I wanted a soap that smelled natural. I wanted the scent of moss, fir, pines and other forestry scents. This soap makes me think of sitting under a pine tree not too long after it has rained, when all of the scents of the forest are sharp and fresh. It makes me want to pull out my sketch book and colored pencils, hike up a trail in one of our local canyons and draw the flora and fauna that I discover. This is truly the perfect bar for anyone who spends a great amount of time in the great outdoors. It smell fresh, natural and earthy. It is beautiful outdoors scent that carries all kinds of memories. Try it today!

Collect Needed Materials:

Recipe:

Weigh all of the oils into a microwave safe container. Heat gently until liquid. Add the lye to the water to for a lye solution. Mix the oils and lye solution and blend until a light trace is achieved. Add the essential oils and mix well. Pour into a mold and allow to sit for 24 hours. Cut the soap. Allow the soap to cure. Longer curing time will result in a harder bar. Enjoy!

Finished Soap

Melted Oils

Lye Solution

Essential Oils

Adding Lye Solution to Oils

Mixing Soap

Adding Essential Oils

Stirring in Essential Oils

Pouring Soap into Mold

Soap in Mold

It is amazing to stand on the ground and look upon a statue. I feel so small looking up, but I can’t help feeling proud of the country I live in. To know that so many have seen the statue in the past is inspiring. 3 million people visit the island each year!

While I don’t know if any of my ancestors came to the United States through New York Harbor, I had to take a moment of silence to remember those who made the courageous journey here. My 100 year-old great grandmother who recently passed on would have been tickled pink to know I was enjoying a trip to New York and learning “good information” about those who made the trip. In remembrance of my great grandmother, I’ve included some cool facts about the Statue of Liberty.

The Statue of Liberty is over 305 tall from the ground to the torch.

When the statue was first erected in 1886, it was the tallest structure in New York. Most buildings were only 5 stories tall and yet the Statue of Liberty is 22 stories tall!

The full name of the Statue of Liberty is The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World.

In 1885, not much money had been donated to help construct the pedestal. If it were not for Joseph Pulitzer, the editor/owner of The New York World newspaper, the Statue of Liberty may not have been able to be erected at all . He promised to print the name of anyone who donated at least 1 penny for the pedestal or other expenses. The money for the pedestal was raised in 6 months and the majority of the donors gave less than one dollar.

I hope that you learned something new!

Collect Needed Items:

Recipe:

Weigh everything except the Optiphen and fragrance oils into a microwave safe container. Heat gently until liquid. Using an immersion blender, mix the solution together. Stir occasionally while the lotion cools. When the lotion has cooled to below 120 F, the Optiphen and fragrance oils can then be added. Stir well and pour into containers. Enjoy!

Finished Lotion

Weighing Sesame Oil

Weighing Golden Jojoba

Weighing Virgin Coconut Oil

Weighing Emulsifying Wax

Weighing Stearic Acid

Weighing Water

Mixing Lotion

Adding Tahitian Vanilla Fragrance Oil

Adding Coconut Fragrance Oil

Finished Lotion

This was the first lotion I have used Emu Oil in. I must say, I was quite impressed. I tested it on one hand so I could compare. My hand was left soft, smooth and silky. The lotion did not leave a greasy feeling and I know some men who would be impressed by the texture as well as the results! Two days later after only applying the lotion once, my hand is still soft. Wow! I think Emu Oil will have a permanent location in my personal oil closet. Request some of Lorraine’s Vanilla Coconut Passion Lotion in your order today and test for yourself. There is nothing like trying, testing and evaluating for yourself.

Collect Needed Items:

Recipe:

Weigh everything except the Optiphen into a microwave safe container. Heat gently until liquid. Using an imersion blender, mix the solution together. Stir occasionally while the lotion cools. When the lotion has cooled to below 120 F the Optiphen and fragrance oils can then be added. Stir well and pour into containers. Enjoy!

Finished Lotion

Weighing Emu Oil

Weighing Borage and Kukui Oils

Weighing Emulsifying Wax

Weighing Stearic Acid

Weighing Water

Mixing Lotion

Mixing Lotion

Adding Fragrance Oils

Adding Preservative

Finished Lotion