What Bath & Body Thing Have You Done Today?

[AliOop]

Soap is still my biggest seller. Shampoo bars move well but since I put them in glassine bags, they're not moving at all because people just can't see them. Steamers were a good seller, as were bath products (soaks and salts).

I bought and made bubble bath salts from the Two Wild Hares recipe:

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/496...793c0623f40e9fbc25e8109db43e71df6ae:496092134
They sold well and they're lovely recipes.

Thank you, that is so helpful! I've been container shopping today and am horrified at the price increases and the number of items out of stock everywhere.

To console myself, I'm headed into the soap room to experiment with a foaming sugar scrub recipe, using some product I have on hand from another project. If it works, it will be a one-and-done batch for sale, since I don't plan to repurchase that base product. We shall see...

 

[Misschief]

Thank you, that is so helpful! I've been container shopping today and am horrified at the price increases and the number of items out of stock everywhere.

To console myself, I'm headed into the soap room to experiment with a foaming sugar scrub recipe, using some product I have on hand from another project. If it works, it will be a one-and-done batch for sale, since I don't plan to repurchase that base product. We shall see...

You've got this, Ali.

 

[Dooleykins]

What a coincidence! I just made two batches of my foaming bath soaks. Veeeeery loosely based on recipes from Humblebee and Me as well as LotionCrafter.

I personally love them but I'm curious to see how they will sell in comparison to more traditional bath salts and milk baths.

 

[Megan]

Here are my results so far from my modified shark sauce. It has been 10 days and I was discouraged to look in the mirror yesterday because I m still struggling with my acne (stress/cycle and diet related) but I thought this morning I would snap a pic just because to compare and man…I do think this stuff is working.
The main spots I do have are because I can’t keep my hands off my face but everything is much more calm overall.
It looks like even my melasma is improving (one of the freckles above my lip too)…so yeah, I think I like this stuff.

 

[Misschief]

Here are my results so far from my modified shark sauce. It has been 10 days and I was discouraged to look in the mirror yesterday because I m still struggling with my acne (stress/cycle and diet related) but I thought this morning I would snap a pic just because to compare and man…I do think this stuff is working.
The main spots I do have are because I can’t keep my hands off my face but everything is much more calm overall.
It looks like even my melasma is improving (one of the freckles above my lip too)…so yeah, I think I like this stuff.

I'm definitely seeing an improvement there! That's amazing. We're going to be visiting my daughter at the end of June for my g'daughter's grad; she has cystic acne (as did her father). It under control but I think I'll bring her a bottle of the shark sauce to try. (Along with the rest of their wish list which includes Salt Soap, Foaming Bath Butter, Shampoo bars, B3/B5 Serum.... and that's just the girls.)

 

[AliOop]

@Megan that is pretty dramatic improvement there! Do you mind sharing how you modified that recipe?

 

[Dooleykins]

Here are my results so far from my modified shark sauce. It has been 10 days and I was discouraged to look in the mirror yesterday because I m still struggling with my acne (stress/cycle and diet related) but I thought this morning I would snap a pic just because to compare and man…I do think this stuff is working.
The main spots I do have are because I can’t keep my hands off my face but everything is much more calm overall.
It looks like even my melasma is improving (one of the freckles above my lip too)…so yeah, I think I like this stuff.

Wow!!! Your skin has really improved.

I'd also be curious to hear your tweaks.

 

[Megan]

Wow!!! Your skin has really improved.

I'd also be curious to hear your tweaks.

Off the top of my head, I took out the oil phase, added cucumber extract, I also didn't use any aloe (only distilled water) but might change that for the next time...that might be all but let me check my notes when I get home
She has three posts that discuss a similar formulation, so I kind of picked and chose from those three.

 

[AliOop]

@Dooleykins those are pretty! I've never heard of foaming bath salts before (runs off to Humblebee & Me to find recipe).

 

[Dooleykins]

@AliOop I kind of started with these and put my own spin on it:
humblebeeandme.com/lavender-oat-foaming-bath-salts
the hippy homemaker.com/diy-foaming-bedtime-bath-salts

I used SCI instead of SLSA because that's what I have.

I did include the baking soda and citric acid. Also added sea salts and Himalayan salt to the Epsom salts, mainly for label appeal. I buy them in 50lb bags so the additional cost isn't very much per batch.

 

[AliOop]

@AliOop I kind of started with these and put my own spin on it:
humblebeeandme.com/lavender-oat-foaming-bath-salts
the hippy homemaker.com/diy-foaming-bedtime-bath-salts

I used SCI instead of SLSA because that's what I have.

I did include the baking soda and citric acid. Also added sea salts and Himalayan salt to the Epsom salts, mainly for label appeal. I buy them in 50lb bags so the additional cost isn't very much per batch.

Thanks, that's great info. I use SCI and stay away from SLSA, as well.

The most expensive part of your recipe is probably the container, yes? I do love mason jars for many reasons but only use them for gift-giving due to cost.

 

[Dooleykins]

Thanks, that's great info. I use SCI and stay away from SLSA, as well.

The most expensive part of your recipe is probably the container, yes? I do love mason jars for many reasons but only use them for gift-giving due to cost.

The jar + scoop work out to about half the total cost. For my price point and target market I think they're worth it - zero waste is gaining a lot of traction in my area so plastic would be a no-go.

 

[WeLoveWabiSabi]

Thanks, that's great info. I use SCI and stay away from SLSA, as well.

The most expensive part of your recipe is probably the container, yes? I do love mason jars for many reasons but only use them for gift-giving due to cost.

I was thinking about trying some of these. I have SLSA. (I bought it to make bubble bars). I don't have any SCI. But I'm always trying for the best ingredients. Can you tell me why you prefer the SCI?Is it just because it's more mild?

 

[AliOop]

I was thinking about trying some of these. I have SLSA. (I bought it to make bubble bars). I don't have any SCI. But I'm always trying for the best ingredients. Can you tell me why you prefer the SCI?Is it just because it's more mild?

Yes, SLSA is very drying and a bit irritating to my skin, and SCI isn't. But I do tend to have sensitive/reactive skin, so take that FWIW.

 

[ivylorraine]

Last night I made a batch of Marie's Shealoe Emulsified Body Butter v. 3.0 (minus the cyclomethicone because I don't have it) for myself, and a batch of her super simple creamy conditioner (replacing BTMS 25 with BTMS 50 plus cetyl alcohol) for my husband to try on his beard!

So far I'm on the fence about the body butter; right now I find it feels like it's leaving a film of something on my skin other than the expected shea butter oiliness. Maybe the xanthan gum? Body products often benefit from a few days of curing, though, so I'm reserving final judgment.

I feel like it will take a few uses to know if the conditioner is beneficial for my husband's beard, which is super coarse and doesn't really absorb oils or balms. If this works without causing acne I will be stoked.

I just want to note that per advice from @cmzaha I am going to throw away the shealoe cream due to inadvertent inclusion of non-colloidal oats which had been sold as colloidal. Having that extra organic material in the cream makes it unpreservable. I don't want to keep a fungus and bacteria buffet around, let alone apply it to my skin.

 

[Misschief]

I just want to note that per advice from @cmzaha I am going to throw away the shealoe cream due to inadvertent inclusion of non-colloidal oats which had been sold as colloidal. Having that extra organic material in the cream makes it unpreservable. I don't want to keep a fungus and bacteria buffet around, let alone apply it to my skin.

So sorry to hear this.

 

[Megan]

Alright…sorry for it taking so long…I have ADHD and every time I was at work I’d remember but when I got home I would forget to look at my notes
All below are in grams

5g niacinamide
4 NAG
5 licorice
3 panthenol
2g of 2% HA (made prior) a mix of several weights
30 Sea kelp bioferment
2 sodium lactate
48 Distilled water
1g optiphen

I decided to add 5g cucumber extract at the end. If you wanted a neat percentage wise formula, I’d balance with water.

 

[Dooleykins]

I'm working on reformulating my beard oil and super frustrated. had a great recipe that tested well, but it was hempseed oil based. My insurance won't cover it.

Anyone have a good recommendation for an insurance company that does cover hempseed oil?

 

[Saponificarian]

I'm working on reformulating my beard oil and super frustrated. had a great recipe that tested well, but it was hempseed oil based. My insurance won't cover it.

Anyone have a good recommendation for an insurance company that does cover hempseed oil?

Have you tried subbing the Hempseed with refined Grapeseed oil?

 

[Dooleykins]

Have you tried subbing the Hempseed with refined Grapeseed oil?

My formula already had a decent amount of grapeseed oil in it, and as grapeseed has a short shelf-life, I didn't want it to be too much of the formula.

Came up with something I like and so far my testers like it, as well!