Eucalyptus and Peppermint

It's been a while since I've posted. Life has gotten so busy lately that everything seems to be put on hold. We've done two wonderful markets in the last few months but unfortunately had to cancel our market scheduled for 6th December. However we will continue to take orders for packages while stocks last.

Balancing the restaurant life and soaping life is still quite new. I thought I got the hang of it then my days at the restaurant were increased and it were as if a monkey wrench were thrown into the works. Ugh. Effective time management is what this is all about. Now everything seems to be running smoothly once more.

I'm very lucky to be able to be doing two things that I enjoy. Cooking and making soaps and body care products. One of these things I obviously enjoy more than the other. Hmmm. It's funny how my once treasured cooking utensils are now being eyed for soaping.

Yesterday I prepared a special order for my dearest cousin. Yes we do special orders. 4lbs of a Eucalyptus and Peppermint Essential oil soap. Wonderfully made with fresh Aloe Vera gel and naturally coloured with Chlorophyll.

One of the things I enjoy about making soap is it's unpredictability. No matter how well we plan there is no knowing how an oil or ingredient would react. This is particularly true of floral essential or fragrance oils. 

In this case the addition of the Aloe Vera gel (even though I've used Aloe Vera in many of my other recipes) resulted in my batch reaching heavy trace (a point of no return where the oils and lye have emulsified and begins to thicken) and some quick thinking.

My planned hanger swirl had been scrapped and was replaced with a simple spoon swirl. Definitely was not disappointed. I don't think my cousin would be either.

This recipe I believe is definitely a keeper and a bar is surely going into the Sensational Soaps Christmas Hamper giveaway.