Announcing NUTS ABOUT SHEA BUTTER – 2nd Edition!

Last spring I released NUTS ABOUT SHEA BUTTER on Amazon and B&N. Back then, I didn't know how to add pictures. Now, I've learned! So in this second edition, there is a picture for every type of shea butter and shea oil! Also, I've provided more information about other types of shea butters/oils, and have included more resources.

Writing about shea butter entailed testing various types of shea. Since closing my business [EverythingShea] in 2009, I was running low on my main ingredient! But now my stash of shea butters and oils has been replenished and I'm able to properly test them. I've also taken pictures of all the types of sheas that appear in this ebook so that you can see what they look like.

Raw Shea Butter

In closing, I'd like to emphasize that I wasn't given any products to sample; I purchased every single item myself. When researching and writing my bath & body products books, namely: Monoi de Tahiti: Spa in a Bottle and The Joy of Melt and Pour SoapCrafting, it's vital that I see and test everything before writing about it.

Here is a photo of raw [unrefined] shea butter that I took. It's a wonderful natural product with an array of uses for your skin and/or hair! I hope that many of you take the time to find out more about Africa's golden gift! 


Available at: 
Amazon
B&N
Smashwords

'The Joy of Melt and Pour Soap Crafting' Review & Giveaway at Random Dealz

"The Joy of Melt & Pour Soap Crafting" is written by someone who learned how to work with crafting glycerin melt & pour soap the hard day -- with only a single page of instructions to follow!  From 2004-2009 the author ran an online business, Everything Shea Aromatic Creations, selling 85+ varieties of soap.  If you've always wanted to make your own soap, here's an opportunity to learn just how easy it really is!"

"The Joy of Melt & Pour Soap Crafting" contains more than 50 color photos, 40 creative recipes and everything you need to know to start making you very own soap.

I haven't had a chance to make any yet, but I'm very excited that I will be able to make my very own soap.  Homemade soaps would make great gifts.  You could make soap with a small toy in the middle for the kiddos or put together a gift basket of pretty soaps for Mother's Day.  The possibilities are endless!

 

Here's what you will learn:

* Why you should make your own soap

* How to make handcrafted soap in less than 1 hour!!

* Secrets of melt & pour soap crafting

* Step-by-step instructions

* Fragrance and Essential oils information

* Creative labeling & packaging ideas and photos

* Easy to make craft projects for kids of all ages

* Bestselling soap recipes

* Color photos of almost every recipe!

* No experience necessary!!

There is even an entire chapter that gives you a list of reputable suppliers that sell a variety of soap bases and other soap crafting supplies!  This book really does have everything you need to handcraft your own soap!

Win a FREE eBook of "The Joy of Melt and Pour Soap Crafting"!  Giveaway ends February 21, 2012 at 12:01am EST. Here's the link: 

http://www.random-dealz.com/2012/02/joy-of-melt-and-pour-soap-crafting_05.html

Grandma's Guide to Life Review & Giveaway 'The Joy of Melt and Pour Soap Crafting'

"I love all the handmade soap products I get for review and every time I try one I wonder how it's done. Lisa Maliga really breaks it down for you! And Lisa is upfront and honest, she let's you know right up front the difference between soap making and melt and pour soap. "Soap making is done from scratch using oils, liquids and lye. Melt and pour soap is already made and therefore it's crafted into another shape, color, scent, etc." It makes me want to go back and ask everyone which one their soap really is! (Not that it would change my opinion of the soap, I'm just curious.)

A lot of the things that you need to make melt and pour soap can be found in your house. This makes it an easy crafting project to get started on (at least for me -- I can't afford a lot of up front investment!). Plus you can do this in an hour or less!!!"


Read more at Carli's blog Grandma's Guide to Life and enter to win a free copy of The Joy of Melt and Pour Soap Crafting!

Bass Giraffe Review & Giveaway of The Joy of Melt and Pour Soap Crafting

This is a very special review and giveaway as I'd like to make sure that you visit Erika's blog, Bass Giraffe, so you can see her soaps! She has several pictures of the soap she crafted in her kitchen and let me tell you that it's awesome! 
Here's the link to the Bass Giraffe!

Seaweed Soap Tutorial

Seaweed Soap

Seaweed Soap is fun and easy to make. This recipe was created due to loving anything oceanic! Dried seaweed contains lots of minerals so it’s good for you. It can be found at any Asian market. Nourishing extra virgin olive oil is suitable for all skin types. Lavender and lemon essential oils add a touch of zest and make this soap smell clean and fresh!

Ingredients:

• 32 ounces clear soap base
• Dash of green mica
• 6-8 pieces dried seaweed
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5 teaspoons lemon essential oil
• 1 teaspoon lavender essential oil

Equipment:

• Double boiler OR two cooking vats. The larger one will be on the bottom and contain the water and of course the smaller one will be used to melt the soap.
• You can also use a saucepan and a glass measuring cup.
• Kitchen scale
• Teaspoons
• Cutting board
• Large knife
• Paring knife
• Wax paper
• Cling wrap
• Wooden spoon OR chopstick
• Alcohol in a spray mister
• Wavy edge soap cutter
• Mold: 3 part Ziploc divided rectangle mold

Instructions:

1. Place broken up pieces of seaweed into mold.
2. Slice the soap base into small cubes.
3. Just before the soap is almost fully melted, add the green mica.
4. Add extra virgin olive oil.
5. Add essential oils. Make sure all the ingredients are well mixed.
6. Pour slowly into molds.
7. Spritz away bubbles with rubbing alcohol.
8. Allow soap to harden in fridge, freezer, or remain at room temperature.
9. Remove from molds and place on sheet of waxed paper.
10. Make sure soap is at room temperature before cutting and wrapping.
11. You may want to cut the largest chunk of finished soap into 2 to 4 slices. A wavy edge soap cutter is recommended.
12. Wrap in cling wrap and label. 

You can see more pictures at this wonderful website: Whipup.net

Terri's Little Haven Book Review & Giveaway for 'The Joy of Melt and Pour Soap Crafting'

How would you like to make your own soap in about an hour? Making soap is something I’ve ALWAYS wanted to learn how to do. We have some Mennonite’s in our area who make the most wonderful scented soap and I just can’t get enough of their homemade soap. Talk about soft skin after a nice long bath. I’m partial to floral and herbal scented soaps myself so when I do have the chance to start making my own soap I’m going to give one or the other a try first. I’m hoping I do fairly well at soap making because I would love to give out homemade soap at Christmas.

I’ve had the chance to review the eBook The “Joy of Melt and Pour Soap Crafting” by Lisa Maliga to see how helpful it would be when I start making soap. I love this eBook. It is very informative providing many tips about things I didn’t know about. It tells me which type of molds work best, how to store essential oils, where to buy items and on and on. If you ever feel like you want to learn to make soap, don’t do it without this eBook! I’ve even learned what herbs and spices to use to make the different colors. This a comprehensive yet easy to understand eBook giving you all of the information you need to get started making your own soap.

The more recipes in this eBook I looked at the more excited I became. I absolutely love pictures and having them on each recipe is a wonderful addition. When I see the pictures it gives me an idea of how the soap will look and if I want to try it or something else. They also give me an idea of how the soap will look with the different molds. This is just an all around must have eBook for the crafter who wants to learn something new. What’s so great about this eBook is it has easy projects for kids of all ages so not only will I be making soap but I’ll definitely let the kido’s give it a try this summer when they are driving me nuts out of school for summer break.

You can buy The Joy of Melt and Pour Soap Crafting online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble for $4.99. You can also enter to win one (PDF, Kindle or Nook) by using the rafflecopter form below. 4 of my readers will win a copy of this awesome book Hurrah! You must be 18 or older to enter. Good luck :). Visit Terri's Little Haven

'Verging On' Book Review & Giveaway

Have you ever wanted to learn a super cool craft like soap making? I think this is totally fun and inexpensive and WOW can you ever impress your friends!! I was recently contacted by Lisa Maliga, a wonderful writer and author of ELEVEN Kindle Books and owner/creator of the website "Everything Shea Creates". "The Joy of Melt & Pour Soap Crafting" is written by someone who learned how to work with crafting glycerin melt & pour soap the hard way -- with only a single page of instructions to follow! From 2004-2009 the author ran an online business, Everything Shea Aromatic Creations, selling 85+ varieties of soap. If you've always wanted to make your own soap, here's an opportunity to learn just how easy it really is!

The book is really well written and very detailed. I love the heartwarming dedication to the author's mother and the forward that gives a history of soap making and why you should make your own. The book has many sections and a particularly interesting one for me was the one on herbs and other additives. Did you know that the addition of certain oils, such as coconut, can increase lather and harden your soap for a few extra washings? Or that cocoa, mango and shea butters will make your soap more beneficial for dry skin? Adding tapioca pearls will not only give your soap a distinctive look and pearly touch, but it will also help massage the skin or scalp. Fragrant herbs such as rosemary and patchouli can even be used in place of fragrance or essential oils. Isn't that the coolest? I love this book and I can't wait to get started making soap for my family!

If you would like to enter to win this ebook, please leave me a comment below. Tell me what kind of soap you would like to make! The giveaway will run until 1/31 and I will choose a winner with Random.org. You'll have 24 hours to respond to my email and the book will be send directly to you via email. Visit VERGING ON!