 Sensuous in a hippie sort of way, avocado oil serves as a moisturizer and skin soother in this simple soap. It has a thicker, slower feel, than almond oil does. Somehow, the feel of this soap reminds me of childhood visits to dark, mysterious, oriental import stores. Oily, smoky, resinous smells lingered in every corner, and there were many corners to explore. I would concern myself with the kid-height barrels full of cheap wooden pop guns (some worked, some didn't). I would sniff each color of scented votive candle, and every variety of soap wrapped in gaudy paper. But it was the seagrass mats, dark oiled wooden trunks, buffalo leather sandals, and even the hanging basket chairs--of which I wished I had my own, for curling up in--that are the root of the smell memory. Patchouli and amyris, vetiver and cedar essential oils, make these soaps a magic carpet of smell, for travelling to those warehouses of wonder.
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 In the press for legalization of pot, proponents touted all manner of marijuana derivatives as having all kinds of benefits. Hemp oil was one such product. It's supposed to be very gentle on sensitive skin, and nourishing for any skin type. It contains Vitamin A, a "perfect" balance of Omega 6 and Omega 3 acids, and a high level of essential fatty acids. I included it in my experiments with different oils to add to soap. I've been using one of the bars pictured, for the last month. It behaves like soap. It lathers, cleanses, is mild, leaves no residue, and has no particular smell (this bar is unscented). It has no side-effects either. Does it behave differently from other soap? No. Is it worth the hemp-hype? Only a hemp oil devotee can tell me that. If you would like to try a bar, you can order from me here. Your purchase supports "budding" Canadian industry--both my own soap business, and Canadian-grown botanicals.
 Curiosity drove me to experiment with neem oil as a special additive in my latest batch of soap. I haven't used neem oil before, but it is reputed to be very beneficial to the skin--as are many oils. It is also reputed to be quite stinky. Now the word stinky caught my interest. I had to try some! Although it's obtained from pressed seeds of the neem tree, neem oil could be mistaken for a petrochemical. It's dark brown and thick, like used motor oil, and smells like it, too--with a sulphurous undertone of petroleum jelly on steroids. I added neem oil at 5% of total oils, to a tried and true soap recipe. Even at that dilution, it gives a strong smell and very bitter taste to the blended oils. (It is not to be ingested, nor used full strength.) Combining the mixture with lye water causes a hot chemical reaction. This heating results in the newly made, still-liquid soap smelling like a combination of diesel exhaust, and cheap noodle flavouring. Lovely! Now what does one do with hydrocarbon/sulphur-smelling soap? Aha! Make mini-volcano shapes, like sulphuric fumaroles. Sprinkle sulphur-yellow soap fragments around the "vents". Then add soap fragments like hardened lava, to the body of the soap. Celebrate the authenticity of the neem oil stink, and name it "Brimstone Soap". I've used this creation. It's functional soap. It doesn't leave its smell behind. I don't have any skin conditions that need to be soothed, so I cannot speak to its efficacy at soothing. But I invite you, dear reader, to be courageous, and try this soap, yourself, if only to say that you have. Available on the Products page. #neemoilsoap #brimstonesoap   REINTRODUCING the Willi, the Willendorf Woman, for New Year's Day 2021. She represents someone who is already happy with who she is. That's a good attitude with which to start the year--as good as you can be, and getting better! She's a fitting mascot for 13th Fairy Soapcraft; a representation of my mutable muse. You can find her at On The Fly Country Market, in Bralorne, as well as here on this website. After your polar bear swim, enjoy the refreshing scent of this soap in your warm bath.
The Willendorf Woman (aka Venus of Willendorf) dates back tens of thousands of years, to an Old Stone Age site in Austria. Mystery surrounds her origins, but I've created my own story about her. Unrobed, the Woman steps out of her favourite bathing pond. Her full figure evokes prosperity and fertility. Above and beyond her personhood, she is a talisman of the continuation of her tribe. And the future of her tribe may well depend on her; for life is dangerous, and fate is fickle. She cares for herself like the grand woman that she is. Spreading her deerskin robe over the ground, she seats herself comfortably. Reaching for juniper branches, she scrubs her skin until it glows. She dabs pine pitch on stubborn cuts, to help them heal. Scooping from a dish of tallow mixed with ochre, she works the unguent into her skin. Soon she is shiny and reddish, the colour of life. Last of all, she rubs buds of lavender and clary sage on her face, to keep their fragrance near. Lavender is always good for what ails her. So is clary sage, which also makes her desirous. She rises refreshed, resplendent, and ready to reckon with the fates. We don't know whether the Willendorf Woman's culture used soap-like substances. Yet, the beauty routine described above, doesn't seem improbable. You can enjoy a soapy version of the Woman's toilette, with the 13th Fairy's Woman of Willendorf soap bar. Its herbal scents are also juniper, pine, lavender, and clary sage. Like the Woman's ointment, the base is tallow, while walnut oil adds further conditioning and moisturizing qualities. Ochre and cosmetic clay give colour. All of this bar's ingredients were likely available to the Woman's culture, in some form. #venusofwillendorf #handmadesoap  Do you always forget to invert that almost empty shampoo bottle, to use up the dregs on the bottom? Do you feel a twinge of guilt at putting yet another plastic bottle in the recycling, or in the trash? You can stop doing both of those things! A shampoo bar is always ready to use, with no pesky bottle to dispose of. Lather it in your hands, then work the lather into your wet hair. Rinse and repeat if you want to, or not if you don't. Shampoo bars' formulation leaves no residue on your hair, whereas some regular soaps will. You can use it as bathing soap, too, and avoid cluttering your shower or travel bag. Castor oil is the special ingredient that makes a good lather, without drying out your hair. So leave behind the inconvenience and enviro-guilt of bottled shampoo: try a shampoo bar instead! Available on our products page.
#shampoobar #handmadesoap  In my soap-making odyssey, sweet almond oil was my first "fancy" oil experiment. The silky feeling it contributes to soap lather amazed me, as did its nice, light, moisturizing effect. I'm a convert now! It's a good choice for winter weather, when you risk freeze-drying your skin when you wash, before going out. Sweet almond oil absorbs quickly into your skin, without any lingering greasiness. To get the moisturizing benefit, just lightly rinse off the lather, lest you wash all the goodness down the drain. Pat dry, and don't rub, with a towel. Your invisible armor is on! As the name suggests, sweet almond oil is pressed from sweet almonds; the kind you eat. Should you be allergic to tree nuts, you might prefer to use soap enriched with avocado oil, instead (blog post about that, in the works).
Enjoy the benefits of sweet almond oil soap with the Lovely Lavender and Innocent Allure bars, available from this very website. You can also try the Shabby Chic bar, available at On The Fly Country Market in Bralorne. #almondoilsoap #handmadesoap  The Willendorf Woman (aka Venus of Willendorf) dates back tens of thousands of years, to an Old Stone Age site in Austria. Mystery surrounds her origins, but I've created my own story about her.
Unrobed, the Woman steps out of her favourite bathing pond. Her full figure evokes prosperity and fertility. Above and beyond her personhood, she is a talisman of the continuation of her tribe. And the future of her tribe may well depend on her; for life is dangerous, and fate is fickle. She cares for herself like the grand woman that she is. Spreading her deerskin robe over the ground, she seats herself comfortably. Reaching for juniper branches, she scrubs her skin until it glows. She dabs pine pitch on stubborn cuts, to help them heal. Scooping from a dish of tallow mixed with ochre, she works the unguent into her skin. Soon she is shiny and reddish, the colour of life. Last of all, she rubs buds of lavender and clary sage on her face, to keep their fragrance near. Lavender is always good for what ails her. So is clary sage, which also makes her desirous. She rises refreshed, resplendent, and ready to reckon with the fates. We don't know whether the Willendorf Woman's culture used soap-like substances. Yet, the beauty routine described above, doesn't seem improbable. You can enjoy a soapy version of the Woman's toilette, with the 13th Fairy's Woman of Willendorf soap bar. Its herbal scents are also juniper, pine, lavender, and clary sage. Like the Woman's ointment, the base is tallow, while walnut oil adds further conditioning and moisturizing qualities. Ochre and cosmetic clay give colour. All of this bar's ingredients were likely available to the Woman's culture, in some form. #venusofwillendorf #handmadesoap 
A. Me. Hello, my name's Regan. I got hooked on handmade soap years ago, standing in front of a display at a local store. Essential oils gave the bars such inviting, uplifting fragrances. There were so many colours to choose from. I picked the colour and scent that matched my mood that day. Using the soap, I could actually feel the difference that the special added oils made on my skin. Imagine making washing an actual pleasure! What a difference from the plain, stale fat-smelling soap that I was raised with. I've never gone back to it. Later, I learned how to make soap. In the summer of 2020, during the covid epidemic, I offered my soap to help fill space in a tiny shop, off the beaten path. It sold well! The soap's popularity encouraged me to forge ahead, perfecting my favorite formulations. I love playing with scent, colour, shape, and texture. This experimentation makes each variety of the tried-and-true, fresh and interesting. And now, during these times of extra handwashing, I'm sharing the best varieties, with you. Please take your time to explore the site, place an order, or even request something made just for you. |
AuthorThe 13th Fairy is the voice behind the muse. Regan is the voice behind the 13th Fairy. Archives
March 2021
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