Pure Cocobong

A while back, Julia, of Cocobong, sent me gifties in the mail:  her soap.  Soap as pure as a first snow and Julia is sweeter than honey.

Here is what she sent:

 Wrapped all gorgeous and stuff!

 PURE stands in the center.

Ingredients:  Palm oil, olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil, avocado oil, palm kernel oil, sunflower oil, goat milk, coconut milk, (and I can't read the last ingredient because I ripped it and didn't notice that I ripped off the last material).  I had to translate from German to English, mind you... I am not well versed in other languages, sadly.  Yeah, I am a typical American.   But I know some American Sign Language and I took 4 years of Spanish in my teens!

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I have been using PURE exclusively for about 2 weeks now in my shower, and I quite love the simplicity of it. Unscented, pure handmade milk soap.  LOVE milk soaps... they are a slice of heaven.  PURE has a natural scent that is unique, gentle, nutty almost, but ever so faint.  The lather is creamy with small bubbles, the way you know that the bar will be soooo conditioning on my skin.  Big BIG bubbles in a bar of soap doesn't mean the opposite, however.  I make plenty of conditioning bars of soap that are crazy in the fat bubble department.  Don't ask me how.

PURE washes on smoothly, slowly, silky.  Stealth-like, rippling with muscles and smoothness.  Then the soap rinses off cleanly as if the bar came, washed and then vanished exposing the skin left behind with nothing but softness.  I'm trying hard to give it the visual impact it gave me, but I'm not sure I am recalling it as powerfully as I experienced it.

Knowing a dear friend made this soap added a greatness to it.  A balance of excellence, skill and love went into it, and I feel it when I bathe.  With every bubble.

Julia, you are my Queen.

My Very First Video...

Ok, I promised to step it up.  This isn't a how-to video, but it's a start.  I am unmolding soap and explaining embeds and scents.  So I present to you the video:

Thanks for your undying support, you guys!

xo

Stepping It Up

So I have been thinking that I need to step it up here at The Soap Bar because there is just so much to share and I have you all as an audience, so why not make this the best place to come visit.  Right?

I have had my issues this year between medical stuff and life (you know how that can get)... but listen, I am ready to bring it on.

What I'd like to do is start making videos of what I do in the lab.  Tutorials, simply making soap, etc.  I kind of have to figure out how to work a camera like Tiggy of Future Primitive and Celine of Soaperstar, but it can't be THAT hard, can it?  I have no one to "tape" me when I formulate, so it may take a little time to get it right to where it will be fun to watch.  I hate myself on video and photos, but I'm over it.  I am 41 years old and who really cares - it's what I'm doing.

So there you have it.  I will be attempting to video myself and bring to you some more content.  I'd love some feedback, really.  I need you to tell me what interests you.  This is the busy time of the year for me, so I will be struggling to make my Christmas/holiday offerings but, I am committed to this blog and so my attempt at giving the time this blog deserves is real, a passion, a love.

Please leave your comments, as this will fuel me.

I love you
xoxo
Joanna

A Peek Before It Browns

I tried a new scent out (Blueberry Vanilla from Daystar) and I kind of figured that it would brown due to the vanilla content, but I used some, not a lot, of titanium dioxide and blue mica for swirls in a test batch.  You can see the swirls on top that went brown after three days.  Even though the whole test batch will be brown as a bear, I captured the blue/yellow when I cut the loaf.  It reminded me of those rocks that look plain on the outside and once it gets cracked open, there are gorgeous jewel-like stones inside.  I've seen them in museums and specialty gift shops.

Sad to say, but completely expected... the soap is now fully brown, but it was fun to stare at it while it lasted. :)

Carrot and Other Ramblings

I have been playing with vegetables and fruits in my soap and I am really loving how much of a vitamin punch it gives the soap.  The next batch I'm making will be with carrots and perhaps goat milk or buttermilk.  Haven't decided.  I am going to make it a facial bar so I am thinking white clay, a few extracts, chamomile, shea butter and rice bran oil.  I'm not sure if I should scent it with an essential oil or just leave it pure.  My feeling is leave it pure and unadulterated.  I'd like to use carrot seed oil, but I don't have any on hand and it is quite pricey.

Budgeting now... trying not to spend everything I have before the holidays.

There are so many fragrance and essential oils I want to try and there are so many I have that I don't use.  I wish there was a room where everyone could put their unwanted oils and choose the oils they wanted from others and it wouldn't cost anything.  We could just trade up.

Yeah, I'm a dreamer.  But that would be nice, right?

Cocobong Sends Me Soap

Featured here before you are soaps from Germany.  Julia, of Cocobong, is a friend of mine and she decided to send me a care package.  Aw.  These three soaps were so delicately and carefully wrapped in beautiful paper and raffia.  It took everything in my power not to dig in before the camera came out, but I'm so glad I waited because this first shot is my favorite.  It's simplistic beauty is what I love so.

When I finally got into the soaps themselves, I found these.  Petit Monsieur, Pure, and Florida Sunshine.  I love the smell of each one, even though Pure is unscented, I do like the smell of unscented soaps.  :)

I must admit, I haven't tried them yet due to my incredibly busy schedule as of late, but I needed to post these pictures.  Why deprive YOU of these soaps, right?  I want to give Julia's soaps the attention they deserve, so I don't plan on washing my hands quickly or showering with one just to throw up a review.  I must savor the moments with each bar.  And then return.  

Thank you, Julia for your generosity and powerful kindness.

Weekend Post

My mother periodically writes about her experiences that she has with my products.  Here is her story of the weekend:

"I wouldn’t define myself as a miser, but when it comes to my daughter’s products, I use them sparingly or until they beg to be thrown out.  Well, this week-end my granddaughter was over and of course teenagers shower a catrillion times a day.  So I thought nothing of it, until last night when I went to take a shower.  Then I saw my prized soap, (one I had been saving, still in its wrapper, that Jo made for me some weeks ago, that smelled like fresh spring flowers in a green field and it exfoliated) opened by that child.  I was waiting until the soap Jo had previously given me was down to the size of a quarter before I replaced it.  SHE SAW IT, WANTED IT, OPENED IT - AND USED IT…….Of course Jo would say, well that’s what it’s for.  

Ohhhhhhh, she doesn’t understand.  But she’s right, of course. 

If that wasn’t enough, the second trauma of the week-end was when Jo asked me to bring my jar of Crush On You to her that I kept next to my bathroom sink.  I thought perhaps she was going to use it, I use it sparingly, but she’s the artist of these soaps so I would never deny her.  I brought her my jar and she poured it into the sink.  I drew a deep breath and said “What are you doing!?”  She said, “How old is this jar?”  “I don’t know, a year?”  She then gave me a Crush On You that had a magnificent scent of summer fresh air, freshness: Sexy Laundry Day.  “What is wrong with you? I make these products and you save them like they’re irreplaceable.  You need a fresh one.”  I said, “they’re precious to me”.   

I love my daughter. 

Anyhow, the lesson I learned from my two girls is “learn to treat yourself better, lavish yourself today or your stuff will get sour.”  That goes for everything in life………….."

Ugh, my mother who saves her soap for two years... what am I going to do with her?  She can have anything she wants from me and she uses the products as if she can't get anymore.  I am trying to teach her that USING the soap and sugar scrub is good and that I will replace it whenever she needs it.

Hopefully, she will learn.  ;)

Pieno Vonios Soap Maker Feature

I have admired Evelina, of Pieno Vonios, for some time and it just makes sense to show off the nature of her work with many photos to make you swoon the way I do.  Swooooooon..... According to translations on the internet,  Pieno Vonios means Milk Bath.  I don't speak Lithuanian, so I'm not sure if that is a correct translation.

I am blown away by the beauty of these soaps.
The photography is also outstanding and creates such a peaceful mood with the use of natural light, that it just relaxes me when I gaze upon her soaps.

Rhapsody soap

by pienovonios

Rhapsody swirl in the pan

Oats, milk and honey goat milk soap

and then, cut...

Oats, milk and honey goat milk soap

Soap Cupcakes (mmmm)

Chai Latte

Castile soap

looks like white chocolate fudge! Yummy...

Melon + Green Tea soap

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I would love to know where to get my yearning hands on some of her soap.  Evelina:  Do you sell your soap online?  That would be awesome.

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Maleficent Megtron

Meghan's fingers!

We got a wonderful product review from Meghan Runyon who writes Maleficent Megtron.  She is the owner of Dreaming Tree Soapworks and has become a good friend of mine.

She wrote a glowing review stuff she bought from us.  Now let me tell you this about that:  Meghan has high standards and is very critical of body products so, suffice it to say, I feel pretty good about this review.  I didn't ask for one and I didn't know it was coming.  She blindsided me with compliments and I am blushing. (Loving it!)

You must visit the very talented Meghan, of Dreaming Tree Soapworks, who makes excellent B+B stuff including the best candles.  My favorite candles burning in my house, like ... always burning, are Hobbiton Banana Bread and Naboombu Isle!  Ahhhhh.

She rocks.
Thanks, Meggie!
xoxo

Meghan Runyon

Please go visit her blog and read the awesome review!


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Inspiration: The Soap Bar Flickr Group

Prairie Mist by Shieh Design Studio



Lemon and Juniper Soap by Тонкая Материя







Lemon Poppy Seed by Life Soap Simple






Cocoa Orange Pie by LIfe Soap Simple







Cucumber soap by Spiral Soap





Honeywash by Laurence73






Pine Tar Regular and Shampoo Bars by Appalachian Heritage Soaps






Coconut Milk Soap by Sraigutes Namukas



I love that I set up the Flickr group and I'm tickled that we, as a community, are using it.  But a reminder:  The group is as strong as it members.  Keep sharing!  :)  We all love the soap porn!!

Jo