# Poison oak soap



## bombus (Jun 10, 2009)

Here is my attempt at a poison oak preventative.
It is a simple bastille, with all of the liquid ingredients infused with a local 
plant known to treat poison oak. I don't know if the active ingredient 
survived the lye process. I added Tea Tree Oil also.

uncut loaf:












Now I need to find some landscape guys to test it.


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## Guest (Jun 10, 2009)

I love the look of the bars, they are totally stunning  wow

Kitn


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## ewenique (Jun 10, 2009)

Pretty and practical - what a combination!


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## shutejute (Jun 10, 2009)

If  you don't mind....what plant is used to treat or prevent poison ivy?
Shutejute


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## krissy (Jun 10, 2009)

jewel weed is used to treat it. maybe she used that? 

the soap is stunning! it looks like some kind of jewel or something.


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## shutejute (Jun 10, 2009)

Oh..that soap?  It is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen!   The marbling is wonderful!   
Shutejute


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## artisan soaps (Jun 10, 2009)

..


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## topcat (Jun 10, 2009)

Truly wonderful colour combination & beautiful swirls!

Tanya


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## krissy (Jun 10, 2009)

bombus said:
			
		

> Here is my attempt at a poison oak preventative.
> It is a simple bastille, with all of the liquid ingredients infused with a local
> plant known to treat poison oak. *I don't know if the active ingredient
> survived the lye process. I added Tea Tree Oil also.
> *



my brother knows someone who makes this kind of soap and he says that if you use the soap immediately after exposure it works best but it helps lessen irritation if it is used after the rash has developed


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## heartsong (Jun 10, 2009)

*x*

   lovely soap!   

it looks so fresh and green.  nice job!


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## LJA (Jun 10, 2009)

Those are soooooooooo pretty!!  I just love the look of them!


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## waychie (Jun 11, 2009)

How wonderful, I love the swirlies!  :shock:


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## vivcarm (Jun 11, 2009)

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous, I love the swirls, and the almost transparent look of that gorgeous green. I have to say it again-Gorgeous!


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## Deda (Jun 11, 2009)

Very Pretty!  I love those swirls!


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## bombus (Jun 11, 2009)

Thank you all for your nice comments. 
I think the transparency comes from the complete gel it went through. 
The green color is from infusing the oils with plant material. I lightened it with TD for the swirls



			
				shutejute said:
			
		

> If  you don't mind....what plant is used to treat or prevent poison ivy?
> Shutejute



I live in the west. We don't have jewel weed here. The Valley Gumweed, grendelia robusta grows in open, 
sunny areas that have been disturbed. In my town, there are a couple of empty lots where it is abundant.
Here are some photos of it.











The leaves and flowering heads are very sticky- it is a nasty job to remove
the leaves from the stems. You have to wash your hands with alcohol every few minutes. 
It is named "gum weed" for a reason!

I grind the leaves & flower heads & infuse it into my oils & also the aloe vera that I substitute 
for the water.

I have also made a cream that my landscape workers say works well!

As I understand it, jewel weed has sap that is effective. This plant's stems are dry inside and very woody. 
But I think that any of these plants will work for both poison oak & poison ivy, as both plants produce the same irritant.


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## eucalypta (Jun 11, 2009)

fab swirls! Like the colour combo very much


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## mamaT (Jul 4, 2009)

I was at the flea market today and talked to somone who was selling a slave that he makes using jewel weed.  He said that it works well.  He was using the jewel weed in combination with olive oil and petroleum jelly.  He takes the leaves and puts it in the blender with the olive oil and pet jelly and blends it up.  He said that he's making real good money with this.  I didn't find out what he's charging for the salve but it was a very small tin.  That was all he was selling.  I asked why he was using petroleum jelly and he said that it needs to adhere well to the skin to be effective.  Also the blended up plant in it's fresh state by itself works best. I'm going back tommorrow so I'm gonna find out what he's getting for that little tin.  I am willing to bet my life that the most expensive part of his product is the container.

I'm soo glad that I saw him because I have a lot of poison oak on my property and I knew about jewel weed but had no idea what it looked like.  He actually had some of the plants with him and he said that where there is poison oak and ivy, jewel weed is usually close by.  Low and behold I have jewel weed all over the place and I just pull it up or cut it down not knowing what it was.


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## gekko62 (Jul 4, 2009)

hmmm...I LOVE that green   

Let us know how your testers do Bombus.I'm also interested to see whether that beautiful color endures


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## Guest (Jul 5, 2009)

Thank you for posting that Bombus , I found it fascinating ..

Kitn


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## rubato456 (Jul 5, 2009)

beautiful soap. really enjoyed the ensuing discussion too!


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## bombus (Jul 10, 2009)

I have given the cream to several people who have poison oak rash.
If they have the beginnings of a break-out, a pink spot and a terrible itch,
it seems to prevent the rash from developing. If they have a blistery rash,
it seems to take it away with 2-3 applications. 
If the rash is a week old, it seems to help the skin heal faster. I think after
a week, the poison oak is gone, and the body has set up a reaction that
is just itchy skin.

I haven't done any trials on the soap yet.


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## soapbubble (Jul 10, 2009)

Bombus - that is soooo beautiful!  the marbling is to die for!  wow ...and it's practical too...great job!


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