Cinnamon Soap
Makes One 4 ounce bar

unscented glycerin soap
10 drops cinnamon oil
1 drop red food coloring {optional}

In a heavy saucepan, melt the glycerin soap over low heat until liquefied. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the cinnamon oil and coloring until well mixed.

Pour the soap into a mold and let set for 3 hours or until hardened.




BEAUTIFYING BATHS

Herbal Baths

Make a small drawstring bag from unbleached calico or another natural, loose-weave fabric. Fill with the bath ingredients, draw closed and hang the bag over the tap where the bathwater will run through it. Or else just toss the bag into the bath, let the water run over it, and swoosh it around.

Astringent: lemon grass, sage, yarrow, nettle, comfrey root.

Oily skin cleansing bath: lemongrass, geranium leaves, yarrow. Another oily skin bath: lemon grass, mint, yarrow, witch hazel.
Or: rosemary, lemon verbena, geranium leaves, lemon grass, lovage.

Moisturizing bath: equal parts chamomile and rose petals.

Skin softening bath: linden (lime flowers), rose petals, elder flowers, Honeysuckle flowers.

Skin toning bath: lavender, yarrow, mint, thyme.

Jeanne Rose's Aphrodisiac Bath for Girls: equal quantities rose buds, acacia flowers, orange buds, jasmine flowers, bay leaf, rosemary, myrtle, thyme.

Other great ingredients for bath bags are: ground oatmeal, orris root powder, ground almonds, dried milk powder. All will soften and smooth the skin.

You can make your own bath formula from herbs available to you in the following categories:

For oily skin: rosemary, yarrow, lemon verbena, white willow bark, lemon grass, geranium leaves, strawberry leaves, mint, orange leaves, lemon leaves, pennyroyal, patchouli, lavender, eucalyptus leaves, comfrey root, thyme, witch hazel leaves (or decoction).

For dry skin: chamomile, rose petals, rose leaves, orange flowers, elder flowers, clover flowers, fennel, honeysuckle, linden (lime flowers).


Aromatic Bath for Anxiety

Bath salts (or other carrier)
5 drops Lavender essential oil
3 drops Ylang ylang essential oil
2 drops Bergamot essential oil

Add the essential to the carrier. Add the bath preparation to a full warm bath. Soak 20 to 30 minutes.

SOAP BALLS (Washing Balls)

The advantage of these little balls is that you can make them to suit your own skin and purposes, and they can be made out of all the little soap scraps that end up in the bottom of the soap dish. I keep my soap scraps in an empty ice-cream container till I have enough, or if I can't wait I grate up a cake of pure unscented soap to add to the scraps.

Oatmeal and Honey Soap

Put a cupful of grated soap scraps into a saucepan, add enough cold water to cover, and let stand for 24 hours. Add about a tablespoon of honey and simmer gently, stiffing now and then, until the soap has melted. The mixture should be just a little thicker than thickened cream. Take off the heat and stir in a tablespoon of glycerin and about 1/4 cup of finely ground oatmeal, mixing well. Add a few drops of any essential oil; I like orange or vanilla. The mixture should be malleable enough to work into balls. Cover your hands with ground oatmeal and shape. Put aside for about a month 'in a dry place before using. It's best to wrap the balls in unbleached calico or cheesecloth until they're hardened.

Oatmeal and Chamomile Soap

Make the recipe called for above, but use chamomile infusion instead of water. Dry the chamomile flowers used in the infusion and pulverize. When you add the oatmeal, include the pulverized chamomile as part of the 1/4 cup.

Herb Soap

Pulverize finely 2-3 tablespoons of dried herb. Put a cupful of grated soap scraps into a china basin and set the basin in a pan of boiling water. Add a little boiling water to help the melting process and let the pan of water simmer until the soap has become a gel. Add the dried herb gradually and mix well.
Let cool enough to handle and form into balls, or pour into a mold (cut-down milk cartons are good). Let it harden for a few weeks before using; the scent of the herb will improve and increase with age. You can add a few drops of essential oil to the mixture.

Suitable herbs to add to this soap:

Chamomile
Lime flower (linden)
Rose petals (and use rosewater instead of plain water to soften)
Mint (eau-de-cologne mint is lovely)
Thyme
Orris root powder

You can also add dried milk powder, powdered meals such as oatmeal and almond meal, or resins such as powdered benzoin. Just be sure everything is finely powdered with no sharp twigs, leaves, etc.



Orange Body Scrub

This is a very easy scrub to make with ingredients usually on hand.

4 tbl sugar
2 tbl almond oil
15-20 drops Orange eo
You may substiture Lavender or another eo


Vanilla And Honey Bath Foam

by Erica Hildebrand

This has very few ingredients, but smells so great. I really like it and so does everyone else who has tried it.

You will need:
one cup of almond oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup liquid ivory soap
1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract

This is made as simply as putting all of the ingredients together in a jar and shaking once or twice. You can also stir it outside if you wish to distribute it to several bottles.

It helps to shake before using to ensure all ingredients are combined. You will need about 1/4 cups of the mixture for every bath. This looks nice in clear apothecary jars.


Peaches and Cream Scented Bath Bar
by Erica Hildebrand

The nice thing about creating your own soap is that you know exactly what is in it and you can control the amount of scent and the natural, or unnatural ingredients in the finished product.

1 4 ounce bar of unscented baby soap
1/4 cup distilled water
1/4 cup powdered milk
1 tbsp. sweet almond oil
a few drops of peach scented oil
1 single drop of orange food coloring

Shred your soap into small pieces (a grater works well for this task.) Heat your distilled water in a sauce pan over low heat, add in your soap until it becomes a sticky lump.
Remove your pan from the heat at this time and add powdered milk, sweet almond oil, scented oil and food coloring (which is optional really). Stir all of the above until it is well blended.
Spoon the soap into molds and let it sit for about 5 hours until it is hard.

You can package these in a piece of peach colored velvet material. Cut the material big enough so that you have several inches of excess to bring over top the soap bar. Tie the material over the soap with pretty ribbon or a flowered clip


Cappuccino Soap

This soap is a very good gift soap, or if you are a coffee lover you yourself will love this bar. It smells like fresh coffee, and if you add some orange it smells a little sweeter. It's up to you. Anyway you do it this soap is simple, great smelling and easy to make.

You will need:
Eight ounces of unscented uncolored glycerine soap.
2 teaspoons of ground espresso
2 1/2 teaspoons of powdered milk
20 drops of coffee fragrance oil, or 15 drops Coffee Oil
5 drops of Orange Fragrance Oil

You can also add 2 teaspoons of ground oatmeal if you like, it is great for the skin and helps soften it also.

In a small no stick sauce pan melt the glycerine soap until it has become liquid.

Remove from heat and slowly stir in the espresso (or other fine ground coffee), powdered milk, coffee fragrance oil, orange frgrance oil, and oatmeal.

Pour into molds that have been lined with wax or parchment paper.

For this soap I like to use a round tin can, such as one from cat food or salmon. If you prefer square soap my suggestion is to use a square tupperware container.

Let the soap sit for four or five hours so that you know it is dry.

This is a very great gift soap. Coffee lovers jump for this stuff. This is also a hot seller at craft shows.

To make a nice gift add some raffia with a tag that lists the ingredients around the center of the soap. Adorn the raffia by gluing on some coffee beans.

Lemon Verbena Soap

This deliciously fresh-scented soap keeps drawers and rooms smelling sweet and makes an ideal gift. Put 2 tablespoons of very finely chopped fresh young lemon verbena leaves in 2 tablespoons of warmed glycerine. Keep in a warm place for an hour or two to infuse. Next, finely grate 1/2 tablespoons of unscented soap and melt it in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water. Off the heat, add to the herbal infusion 1 tablespoon of clear honey and a few drops of natural food colouring, if wished. Pour into glycerine-greased moulds and leave to set.

Rosemary and Nettle Shampoo

A fragrant shampoo that stimulates the scalp, prevents dandruff and promotes hair growth. In a small pan, put 2 handfuls of soapwort and add 1½ cups of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Cover and leave to cool then strain into a bottle which has a screw-top or a secure stopper. Put a handful of young chopped nettle leaves and 1½ tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary in a bowl, and add a cup of boding water.Leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Cool and strain into the bottle. Shake vigorously before shampooing. Use up within 4 to 5 days.


Lovage Footbath

Soothing, healing and strengthening for tired and sore feet. Pour 2¼ cups of boiling water on 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh lovage. Leave to infuse for 15 minutes, then strain the liquid into a foot bath and top up with hot and cold water to the desired temperature. Add 1 tablespoon of sea salt and stir to dissolve. Soak the feet for up to 10 minutes. Plunge them briefly into cold water to finish off


After Shave

50 ml of unscented cream ( found in pharmacies)
2 drops of chamomile essential oil
2 drops of lavender essential oil
1 drop of cedarwood essential oil.
Mix and apply after shaving.

or

100 ml of unscented cream
8 drops eucalyptus
12 drops of frankincense
2 drops marjoram

Mix together and apply. Store in plastic jar with a lid.


Shaving Oil..

(do not use with electric shaver)

30 ml of jojoba oil
1 drop of Pine essential oil
2 drops of chamomile
2 drops of lavender

These recipes make great gifts. Put them in some dark colored jars, with a turn top is best. Include with it a tag to show all of your ingredients, in case of allergies or bad reactions.


OLD FASHIONED WITCH SOAP
(Wicca Craft)

a.. 4 lbs lard
b.. 13 oz lye (1 can)
c.. 5 cups cold water
d.. 1 tbsp lavender oil
e.. 1 tbsp patchouli oil
f.. 1 cup fresh strawberry juice
g.. 1/4 cup dried soap bark herb (optional)

In a large enamel or iron kettle, melt the lard over very low heat. (Never use metal) In a separate pot, stir together the lye & the water. Heat lard until small bubbles begin to appear - do not boil.

Remove from the heat & slowly pour the lye solution into the lard. With a big wooden spoon, stir in the lavender & patchouli oils, the strawberry juice & soap bark herb. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

Pour into 2-inch deep greased pan & allow to cool overnight. Cut the soap into squares and leave in the pan for at least 3 days before removing. Place the Soap bars on waxed paper & allow them to age in a draft-free area approximately 4-6 weeks before using.



MAGICKAL SOAP RECIPES

Moon Soap
3 parts Sandalwood
2 parts Camphor
1 Part Lemon
1 Part Eucalyptus
Use before rituals on the Full Moon to attune with its energies


Money Soap
3 Parts Patchouly
2 Parts Peppermint
1 Part Basil
1 Part Pine
1 Part Cinnamon
Wash you hands daily with this soap to attract money, or use prior to money-drawing rituals.


Love Soap
4 parts Geranium
3 Parts Palmarosa
2 Parts Neroli
1 Part Ginger
Wash with this soap to attract love, or prior to love rituals. And again, rose water may be used in the same proportions as plain water in preparing the soap.


Protection Soap
4 parts Rosemary
3 Parts Basil
1 Part Frankincense
1 Part Bay
1 Part Mint
Wash daily with this soap when you feel the need for protection or before such spells.


Witch's Soap
3 Parts Rosemary
2 Parts Pine
1 Part Cinnamon
1 Part Orange
Wash with this soap before rituals of all kinds to increase your personal power!