What happened...?

...it's suddenly gone manic here. I've snatched 5 minutes to blog and then it's nose back to the cauldron. Not selling much soap but bath bombs? O.M.Gosh. My supplier must equally be scratching their heads about the amount of Bicarb and Citric Acid I've purchased over the last fortnight too! If anyone came over that didn't know what I did, all they would see is white powder everywhere he he heee...

So what are the big sellers? Laa-di-Lavendaaar is a good'un as always, consistently brilliant! Not surprised really, there's something about unadulterated Lavender that is addictive. Love is in the air- Patchouli and Rose- is also going well mostly because it's so pretty I'd guess, either that or we are in the midst of a silent patchouli revival. Either way I'm happy. Oh, and Big Softie (formerly Honey and Oatmeal) is enjoying a spell of poularity too. Happy days.

Well I guess I should get back to it, only another 250 bath bombs to make and I can go to bed. Who said working for yourself gives you greater freedom?

Bath Salts? You're Not Convinced?

We make Dead Sea Bath Salts here and The Soapy Cauldron and we sell them by the bucketload, quite literally sometimes. But people are often seen peering suspiciously at the jars as if to say 'But it's just Salt'. Well, yes, but it's not just any old salt- it's salt from the Dead Sea in Israel and that makes it very special indeed.

Dead Sea Salt is packed with minerals such as Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium, Bromine and Zinc to name a few- and these have benefits for your skin. People with psoriasis and excema swear by them, in fact my better half uses them and says much the same- he has psoriasis on his elbows. In fact, University of Kiel's Department of Dermatology in Germany found that Dead Sea Salt even improved the skins barrier functions. That's how good it is.

So we take the raw Salt and we colour it, fragrance it and, if the recipe requires, add botanicals to it. We also add a magickal ingredient- Epsom Salt. This stuff is great! It softens your skin, lends a velvety feel to the water (honestly, you have to try it to believe it) and soothes beautifully. Salt has been used for millenia as an additive to water to make it more gorgeous, and for purely cosmetic reasons- add enough and it takes longer for your skin to go wrinky!

So the moral of this blog? Try some and you won't be disappointed...

http://www.thesoapycauldron.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=21

Body Scrubs in winter...?

Yep, especially in winter! We sell them by the bucketload here. Our scrubs are the brilliant Salt and Oil kind, designed to not only scrub and polish your skin so it feels invigorated and tingly, but also to leave you perfectly moisturised all over. We're not kidding, we've been told that our body scrubs are better than many of the well-known luxury brands out there...

I first made a body scrub almost 4 years ago. The recipe hasn't changed much since then except to offer an alternative oil to those that needed it- so we do scrubs with Grapeseed oil and (pomace) Olive Oil in place of our favourite Sweet Almond Oil. Just ask :)

The range of fragrances is staggering. Literally anything you want, I can make! I got asked to make Cherry and Ylang Ylang a few Christmasses ago and I was sceptical that it would work but by Jove, we're still selling the fragrance blend today. So yes, it did work!

I'm working on a new, top-secret addition to the Body Scrub range, and as soom as I've perfected it I'll let you all in on it. But suffice to say, it's flippin' good...

Getting busy now!

Wow, what a start to the week we've had! More parties booked and a request for bath melts. Hmm, I still haven't got the hang of those yet, I shall have to find time to hone my technique. Or even find one...

I made LOADS of Shower Soap yesterday, I've stacked it all up and it looks so pretty I shall have to take a picture. The blue of the Wicked Wakeup next to the pink of Hippy Rose and white Paradise by the Shower Screen... luscious! I sense a new category picture coming up.

The other thing I'm toying with are Bath Teas. I have all the ingredients here, I just have to gt round to making them. Plus I have a postal run to do at some point.

I'm sure I left a baby round here somewhere...

Question of the Day...

'What is a Shower Pill?'

I've been asked this no less than 6 times today! A shower pill is a pill for the shower *giggles* actually, it is a type of Bath Bomb. Made in a pill shape (ie round and flat) without the oils I usually put into a bath bomb, it fizzes up beautifully and wafts fabulous scents up in the steam to make your shower a more fragrant experience. Why have I left the oils out? So you don't slip. I'd hate that. No seriously, I would.

'But it all goes down the plughole!'. Yes, this is true, but doesn't everything eventually anyway? Live for the moment, enjoy it while you can and never regret what could have been. Now, back to Shower Pills!

So far I've listed 4 scents but the choice is endless- if you want it, I can make it. This is the beauty of truly handmade cosmetics and bath stuff. So just ask!

Anyway, enough waffling. I have soap loaves to make and moulds that are threatening to spill their contents, much like they did last night. NOT a happy dragon then I can tell you. I'm still finding drips of Verry Cherry soap in unexpected places. Ho-hum. At least it smells gawjuss...

Soapy xxx

Opinions Matter...

Wow, what a day so far! I got a call today regarding some market research Barclays and the Times newspaper were doing regarding small businesses and the recession. So there I am waffling away (like I do) when she announces that I'll be in the Saturday edition of the Times. Me! My lil Cauldron! So keep an eye out, it will most likely be in the Business section.

How very exciting...

I love my job... but...

Okay, here's the deal. I love what I do. I love the fact that not only do I make wicked (IMO) soaps and stuff but that I get paid to do it and that people come back for more. I love the fact that the stuff I make has enabled other people to profit, be it wholesale or consultancy/party plan. And I LOVE the fact that soap paid my council tax this year. Nothin' but love.

But.

Why do people assume that because you work from home you are available for them at their every whim? For example- I have in excess of 160 bath bombs to make today. In fact I've made over 100 already (go me), but already the requests are rolling in! ARGHH! People, I love that you want me to help you but I'm one person. I haven't yet figured out the whole cloning thing (must watch Duplicity again) so if I say I'm working then I really really am.

Anyway! I'm making up a huge box of samples for a customer that wants to stock our stuff to the exclusion of all others- how very exciting! Now all I need is a decent camera to take pictures with. The last one died an untimely death, something about bath bomb mix in the zoom lens... I dunno... Not me guv 0:)

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