Ingredients Glossary- You can check to see what each ingredient is, where it comes from, what it does etc.

Aloe Vera - Aloe Vera - The Aloe Vera plant itself is mostly water and has very little oil in it so this combination allows us to incorporate it's valuable polysaccharides (healing herbal constituents) into the saponification process through either infused oil or natural gel extracts.  Aloe Vera also helps restore natural ph levels to the skin. Aloe Vera Gel can be used in small quantities but it can soften the soap if you use too much.

Borage Oil - Borage Oil– Borage Oil is a light yellow thin to medium oil with a very light and sweet aroma and leaves a somewhat oily feel to the skin. Borage is reputed to be excellent in treating many skin conditions. Borage Oil can go rancid rather quickly. Borage Oil is a rich source of gamma linolenic acid, and contains important vitamins and minerals. Often it is used in blends to help with anti aging and dry skin. It is used in cosmetic and spa formulations to nourish hydrate and repair damaged or mature skin stimulating the regeneration of new skin cells. Borage oil has a limited shelf life of 6 to 12 Months.

Beeswax - Beeswax - raw unfiltered from local farmers and a little darker than refined beeswax. Beeswax is used as a natural emulsifier free of the methyl parabens and other dangerous chemicals used in traditional emulsifying waxes used in creams, lotions, and shampoos.

Carrot Seed Essential Oil - Carrot Seed Essential Oil -daucus carota- Essential Oil This light consistency medium strength aroma essential oil produced in France is considered a middle note in aromatherapy and is deep yellow in color.

The oil is Steam Distilled from the seeds and blends well with: Frankincense, Lavender, Rosewood, and Roman and Blue Chamomile. Common Use for Carrot Seed Essential oil includes: Skin Care as it is considered revitalizing and toning and considered one of the best Essential Oils for Mature Skin. Carrot seed oil also assists in removing toxin and water build up in the skin giving it a fresher more firm appearance. Carrot seed oil has a detoxifying effect on the liver and cleans the digestive system and the body as a whole. It is helpful for arthritis, gout, edema, rheumatism and the accumulation of toxins in muscles and joints. Carrot seed strengthens the mucus membranes in the nose, throat and lungs, thus has a beneficial effect on problems such as bronchitis and influenza.

Castor Oil  - Castor Oil adds a nice small flash type bubble to handmade soaps that enhances shampoo and moisturizer type bars. Recommended use is up to 15% of your soap recipe.

Coconut Oil- Organic Virgin - Coconut Oil Virgin – Extra Virgin Coconut Oil is highly saturated oil making it very stable against oxidation. Expeller-pressed, deodorized and organically bleached, it has a mild coconut taste and smell. Coconut oil has been used for centuries by traditional healers to soothe and cool the body and the mind. This oil is desirable in moisturizer and baby oil blends, massage oil and after sun relief. Because of its antioxidant properties, Coconut Oil is usually considered the best carrier oil for massage oils. It is very light and conditioning to the skin. Extra virgin coconut oil has the longest shelf life of any plant oil, maintaining its original fragrance and smelling like fresh coconuts lasting for 2 or more years.

 Coconut Oil-76 Refined for Soap - Coconut Oil is an important part of any handmade soap recipe for the quality of lather and longevity of the bar.

Evening Primrose Oil - Evening Primrose – Evening Primrose is medium yellow oil that has a light and sweet aroma with a thin texture leaving only a trace of oiliness on the skin. Evening Primrose is reported to be excellent for treating many skin conditions. It is expensive and usually blended in 10% or less dilution with other carrier oils. It goes rancid quickly. Evening primrose is high in gamma-linolenic acid (gla), making it an exceptional skin nourishing oil. These essential nutrients may only be gained through diet and topical application. Evening Primrose oil is highly recommended for dry skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis and is commonly used in facial blends, creams, lotions, balms and more. Evening Primrose Oil has a shelf life of 6 Months to 1 Year.

Geranium Essential Oil - The oil is steam distilled from the whole herb and originates mostly from Egypt, China, and South Africa. The Geranium essential oil is described as creating a fresh and sweet herbaceous floral aroma with a fruity note and the suggestion of Rose. The Geranium essential oil is described as thin oil having a pale yellow green color with the aroma considered a strong middle note by perfumers. Geranium blends well with Angelica, Basil, Bergamot, Carrot seed, Cedarwood, Citronella, Clary Sage, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lavender, Lime, Neroli, Orange, Patchouli, Rosemary, and Ylang-Ylang.

Some traditional uses may includes the use of Geranium Essential oil for the treatment of acne, bruises, burns, cuts, dermatitis, eczema, hemorrhoids, menopausal problems, lice, mosquito repellant, ringworm, ulcers, breast engorgement, edema, poor circulation, sore throat, tonsillitis, PMS, and stress. Geranium oil has long had a reputation as a versatile essential oil with many applications being well documented.

Jewelweed - Jewelweed - Jewelweed is also known as touch-me-not and grows wild across most of North America. Native Americans first discovered it as an antidote for poison ivy and poison oak. It is an annual that can grow to 6 feet or better. It is not recommended for the home gardener because technically it is a weed and when the seed pods burst open they can shoot their seeds for several feet in all directions taking over the area they grow in a few seasons. It is commonly found in two varieties, one has orange flowers, and the other has yellow flowers. It is generally believed the orange flower plant is more potent. It is ready for harvest as soon as it blooms in early July and can be harvested through frost. Many people make a strong tea from the plant strain it and freeze it in ice cube trays for later use. It is very cooling and soothing for several skin inflammations.

Jojoba - Jojoba – Jojoba is available both yellow golden or clear and has a very light, silky texture and absorbs very well. The aroma is distinct, pleasant, and light to medium in strength however not as sweet as the nut oils. Jojoba is very stable with an indefinite shelf life making it the most popular carrier oil of all because it never seems to go bad. Jojoba "oil" is actually a wax. Jojoba offers the traits of both to make it a valuable ingredient in soaps, creams, lotions, balms and massage oils. Jojoba is highly penetrating and closely resembles our natural sebum. Jojoba is a great base for essential oil blends and perfume oils. Jojoba also makes an excellent hair conditioner.

Lavender Floral Water - Lavender Floral water is a byproduct of essential oil distillation and has microdroplets of lavender essential oil dispersed throughout the distilled water making it a pure Lavender floral water with most all of the properties of Lavender Essential Oil in a much less concentrated facial freindly format.

Lavender Essential Oil - Traditional applications of Lavender Essential Oil includes use on acne, allergies, anxiety, asthma, athlete's foot, bruises, burns, chicken pox, colic, cuts, cystitis, depression, dermatitis, earache, headache, hypertension, insect bites, insect repellant, itching, labor pains, migrane, oily skin, rheumatism, scabies, scars, sores, sprains, strains, stress, stretch marks, vertigo, and whooping cough. One of the most all around versatile essential oils for skin care and reverered in Aromatherapy for its stress reducing, calming, and relaxing properties.

Olive Oil- Extra Virgin - Certified Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Food Grade Olive – Extra Virgin Olive Oil is light to medium green in color, heavy texture with a rather oil feeling to it and a slight aroma of cured olives. Olive oil is usually used in a small dilution with another carrier as it may overpower a blend with the olive aroma. Olive oil is a good skin cell regenerator high in oleic acid. Olive oil is a staple in soaps, creams, balms, body butters, herbal infusions and hair preparations. Olive oil usually has a shelf life of 2 years.

Olive Oil-Pomace - Olive Oil Pomace is the Olive Oil of Choice for Soap Making and in Cooking for Saute and Shallow Frying because of it's high smoke point.

Patchouli Essential Oil or Floral Water - Patchouli essential oil - Since the east first traded with the west the essential oil from the patchouli plant has been regarded with high esteem both for medicinal herbalists and ancient to modern day perfumeries. Benefits from Patchouli Essential oil include its use for skin inflammations, fungal infections, eczema, dandruff, and as an insecticide. Botanical Name: Pogostemon cablin. Common Method of Extraction: Steam Distilled, Description: Rich, earthy, woody aroma with a nearly hidden fruity note. Possible Aromatherapy and Skincare Use: Acne, athlete's foot, chapped skin, dermatitis, eczema, fatigue, frigidity, hair care, insect repellant, mature skin, oily skin, stress. Patchouli is more of a woodsy or musty smell as opposed to floral, it is also described as earthy, sweet, and spicy. It anchors as a bass note in many commercial perfumes and has been historically used for the relief of symptoms associated with acne and skin fungus. Patchouli is a fairly fragrant plant for your herb garden growing 1 to 3 feet in height. It's foliage releases the scent when gently rubbed through the summer months. Most of the essential oil available in the US is imported from Indonesia, Madagascar, and China. The essential oil is distilled from the leaves of the plant. Patchouli essential oil is known to be antibiotic, antiseptic, and antifungal. Other uses for patchouli include skin inflammations, fungal infections, eczema, dandruff, and as an insecticide. Patchouli leaves-astringent, antiseptic properties with aromatic qualities that are used in pot-pourri’s, bath preparations, soaps, other toiletries

Roman Chamomile Essential Oil -  Roman Chamomile Oil enhances feelings of calm, relaxation. Used for centuries to smooth the skin. Botanical Name: Anthemis nobilis, Steam Distilled, Description: Bright, crisp, sweet, fruity, herbaceous. Possible Aromatherapy and Skincare Use: Abscesses, allergies, arthritis, boils, colic, cuts, cystitis, dermatitis, dysmenorrhea, earache, flatulence, hair, headache, inflamed skin, insect bites, insomnia, nausea, neuralgia, PMS, rheumatism, sores, sprains, strains, stress, wounds.

Rose Floral Water - Rose, Rose water and petals -The actions of rose on the body include antidepressant, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, sedative, astringent, antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and others. It was listed as an official medicine up until the 1930's. Used in creams and lotions, Rosewater and rose essential oil is considered very beneficial for dry skin conditions and skin prone to acne and pimples. Aromatherapists consider it a nervine and find it very useful for depression and anxiety. Rosewater is a by-product of steam distillation and is quite frequently fortified for fragrance with rose geranium essential oil. Rosewater is considered mildly astringent and is frequently used in homemade cosmetics, creams, and lotions. A few drops of rose essential oil in massage oil is used to relieve stress and exhaustion. Rose essential oils and rosewater are primarily prepared from these rose species; rugosa, gallica, damascena, centifolia, laevigata, and canina. Garden hybrids will not necessarily produce the qualities and properties stated for the above traditional species. Rose essential oil is one of the oldest and best known, used extensively in perfumes to lend depth and beauty to aromas. Aromatherapists also consider it to be romantic, and uplifting. As wonderful as it is it should be avoided while pregnant.

Palm Oil - Palm Oil is an important ingredient in hand made soap, It adds nice medium bubbles to the lather, and increases hardness and longevity of the bar.

Vitamin E - Vitamin E - Vitamin E Oil may be used in your fixed oils and aromatherapy blends to help slow the oxidizing process. This is thick, viscous oil that is easy to mix into lotions and liquid oils. Vitamin E is an essential fat-soluble vitamin composed of 8 naturally occurring compounds. When used topically, Vitamin E may decrease some harmful effects of solar radiation on the skin and is commonly used in lotions or creams for burn and sunburn treatment. Vitamin E generally has a shelf life of about 2 Years.

White Oak Bark - White Oak Bark is a valued Astringent. It is very good when used as a decoction to treat vaginal infection, piles, or hemorrhoids. When taken as a tea it is reputed to help with bleeding of the stomach, lungs, and rectum. It is an old remedy used to stop the spitting up of blood. The part of this herb used is the bark. The properties of this herb include: Astringent, antiseptic, & diuretic. The body parts affected are: The skin; gastro-intestinal tract and the kidneys. Preparation is normally in the form of decoctions, tinctures, fluidextracts, or capsules. Some of the indicated used for White Oak Bark include: Bladder weakness; Diarrhea, Hemorrhages; Hemorrhoids; Herpes; Leukorrhea; Nose bleeds; & Varicose Veins internally as either a decoction, tincture, fluid extract, or powder. Externally, Cankers (gargle); Diarrhea (used as an enema); Fever Blisters, Gums (gargle); Hemorrhage (retention enema); Herpes (salve);Ringworm (salve);Sores (salve); & Varicose Veins (Fomentation, Poultice, Salve). White Oak Bark is said to increase the flow of urine and help remove gallstone & kidney stones as well. Externally, the tea is good for bathing scabs, sores, poison oak, & bites. For varicose veins dip a rag torn into a long strip into tea and wrap around the weakened vessels and broken capillaries. You can also make a fomentation and apply overnight to swollen glands, tumors, mumps, goiters & lymph swellings. White Oak Bark is also an antiseptic and is a good skin wash for wounds.

Witch Hazel - Witch Hazel- Witch Hazel is a shrub that grows wild through the mid part of the US. We have an abundance of it here in the Appalachian Mountains. We make simple extracts from the bark and leaves from bushes on the mountainside behind our house. Witch Hazel extract is used as a base for a lot of herbal concoctions. It has long been a household remedy for burns, cuts, scratches, itches, stings, bites. The herb is said to be astringent, hemostatic, styptic, sedative, tonic, and useful for external inflammations. The extract has been used for dandruff by pouring directly on the scalp and rubbing in. It has also been used as a poultice for varicose veins. The shrub itself looks like a little tree but will grow to 30 feet in height. The home gardener can get witch hazel plants by searching out native plant nurseries.