Hibiscus + Shea

Recently I tried out a new soap recipe. It has bits of sweet smelling hibiscus flowers and Shea butter that'll create a creamy and conditioning lather. I made hibiscus tea with the flowers and wanted to use it in the mix in hopes of giving the bars a lovely pink/red hue.. but the lye and tea did NOT get along. It went from a beautiful red color, to a crazy blueish green, then a stinky brown. It was quite the chemical reaction. I do plan on trying it again, but with some minor adjustments. 

SALT!

The other weekend we went on an adventure to a nearby co-op and ended up finding some fun new ingredients. At least five ingredients I had planned on ordering online were there, and now I just have a short scenic trip to get them! I kinda felt like a kid in a candy store. I was especially excited to find these salts in the bulk section…

SEA + BLACK LAVA + HIMALAYAN PINK

Aren't they pretty? I experimented with them as salt scrubs. The black lava and sea salt were mixed with balsam fir infused oil. The Himalayan pink and sea salt were mixed with some meadowsweet infused oil. They smelt lovely and did some serious exfoliation. More experiments are needed and then perhaps they'll be offered for your own exfoliation needs down the road :)

My first order!

HI! I just wanted to quickly share that I sent out my first order the other day! It was a total of 54 items to be given as holiday gifts :) How SWEET is that? It was a lot of fun to work on and I hope everyone enjoys their gifts! Here is a peek at the final packaging..

If you happened to order this and are checking out this post > THANK-YOU! You're awesome :)

soap love.

Quick post on my second batch of soap, lavender and chamomile. My first batch was plain and simple so I could get an idea of the process before getting into additives, scents, etc. We have been using the first batch for a couple of weeks so far and love it. It has a really nice creamy lather and leaves our skin feeling so nice. One lesson so far... soap making = good practice in patience. These guys will cure for the next month or so and then let the soothing and exfoliating begin! 

Waiting is the toughest part. But it'll be worth it. In the meantime, I will make more. Lots more.

almost ready.

Hallo there! It's been awhile, I know. Good news though, I've had some pretty exciting things going on with Imbue the last couple weeks. We've been testing different scents, ingredients, products, packaging, etc. Oh, and it snowed here this week so now I have visions of winter recipes dancing in my head! But before I go there, I want to share with you my first two products that are almost ready for market. The first is a batch of Lavender Mint Body Bars. Here they are!

They start with filtered beeswax for its excellent emollient properties and create the foundation of the bars. The organic unrefined shea butter I use is hand harvested in Ghana from the Karite tree. It creates a breathable water resistant film that helps retain moisture. The coconut oil is also organic and unrefined. It adds another layer of protection and is very soothing for inflamed and irritated skin. Apricot kernel oil is said to be one of the best oils for sensitive and prematurely aged skin. The grapeseed oil I use has non-allergenic properties while the jojoba oil has absorption properties that are similar to our skin's own sebum. Essential oils I chose are relaxing, soothing, sweet, and fresh. Lastly I add vitamin E oil for it's super antioxidant powers that help extend the shelf life of the products and also help protect and nourish our skin. Talk about double duty! It just so happens I have had two different sources contact me this week about putting some out for sale. AHH! We're pretty excited around here! So if you happen to pick up one of these sets, let me know what you think! I went pretty simple with the labels. Found the bags on Etsy from a fellow Minnesotan. And now I'm just waiting on some tape for the final touch on the packaging. And now, the second product ...... Lip Balm! Check it out!

The different lip balms we have tested are citrus, herbal, floral, and mint. I am still working on getting those to my liking, in the meantime though I've decided to try a new flavor. Chai! It's one of my favorite beverages so I thought, why not? After creating a chai spice blend with herbs and spices I infused it in sweet almond oil and let time and temperature do their magic. And when the batch of lip balm was done, it turned out to be our favorite one so far. It's flavor is subtle and the texture is very nice. The lip balm is made with beeswax, shea butter, coconut oil, sweet almond oil, local camelina oil, vitamin E oil, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, clove, and natural vanilla flavor. 

Thanks for checking out the new products. More to come soon! 

P.S. Here is a BIG thank-you to those who have been such lovely test subjects for my creations and those who have offered me the opportunity to market them. It helps so much to have honest feedback and good friends! Also, many thanks to my family for all the support and help. It's been a bumpy road, but well worth it :) 

Homemade Deodorant!

HOORAY! Today I am posting my SECOND post on the Imbue blog! Not only that, it's a DIY project! Recently I've tried my hand at homemade deodorant. So far it has been wonderful. It smells so lovely and I was able to find all of the ingredients at my local grocery store! It takes minutes to make and is free of aluminum, parabens, and other nasty ingredients you'll find in most store bought varieties. 

What you'll need:

1/4 Cup - Arrowroot Powder

1/4 Cup - Baking Soda

4 Tb - Unrefined Coconut Oil

10 drops - Lavender Essential Oil

10 drops - Tea Tree Oil

What to do: 

If your coconut oil is in a solid state, melt it to a liquid. 

Mix in arrowroot powder and baking soda to the coconut oil. 

Add the lavender essential oil and tea tree oil to the mixture. 

Mix together and store in a lidded container.

Lavender and Tea Tree oils are really great in this recipe because both are antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and deodorizing. Tea Tree oil is also an anti-fungal. Some people report skin sensitivities with the high amount of baking soda and arrowroot powder. If this is the case, you could reduce the amount of both. I have also viewed recipes with Shea butter and beeswax as ingredients and will be trying both of those after this batch is used up. Please remember to do your research on the ingredients before using them. Some herbs and oils are not recommended during pregnancy or nursing and with certain health conditions. Also remember to try a skin test to check for skin sensitivities. Enjoy! 

WELCOME TO IMBUE!

Hello and welcome to IMBUE BOTANICALS blog! It's my little tiny corner of the inter webs where I will be able to unload my constant mind wanderings, ideas, dreams, products, and even bits and pieces of my home life. <-- you're excited about this. I know.

The last few years I have been reading, researching, experimenting, second guessing, and envisioning a real passion of mine. Natural homemade skin care. Ever since I can remember my skin has hated me. I've tried so many products labeled for "sensitive skin" with very little success of making my skin happy or healthy. After receiving a pile of soap making books from my grandma, I had a thought. What if I made my own skin care products? Using all natural ingredients I have had much better results in taming the beast that is my skin. I know what's going into a product I make, I know where the ingredients come from. I'm not adding any harsh chemicals or unnecessary additives, just pure  lovely natural ingredients. After testing out recipes and sharing with family and friends I had an idea that has just stuck ever since. I would love to be able to offer these products to more people. That's how Imbue Botanicals came to be a dream of mine. Developing small batches of skin loving products for people who want healthier and more affordable alternatives to the big box stores "natural" or "sensitive skin" products. I plan on using as much local, fair trade, organic ingredients I can find. I am still in the testing stages, but hope someday soon it will be something I get to do everyday. 

So there's that. Now, you know the backstory of my dream. Would you like to look into the future with me too? Great. I will give you some visuals. Imagine a cottage in the woods. Chickens and goats. Vegetable and herb gardens. Prairie lands and wild flowers. Wood burning stoves and vintage aprons. Soaps curing and bees buzzing. Doesn't that paint a lovely picture. Well, if not.. it does for me. And if you don't know me well enough, I am a dreamer. Just ask my family. I get out of control sometimes, like drive us all crazy out of control. BUT we're supposed to dream big right?