Forgot the fragrance, was it a mistake or miracle???

Well at first i was very unhappy about this little discovery because i was working with a deadline for a customer and knew i would have to remake the batch immediately in order to make our delivery schedule.  Our almond biscotti soap is a big seller, it's great on the skin and the scent is just the best so i make it often.  On this particular day i measured everything out in advance as always and had everything ready to go.  I mixed my oils together and then added my lye/liquid solution and started stirring with ye olde hand blender.  It was starting to look perfect and i prepared to pour it into my molds.  Everything poured in smoothly and went according to plan......that is until i noticed a little container which had my vitamin E and almond oils.  YIKES!  I forgot them!!!  Now a couple of things ran through my head.
1. pour everything back into the pot and add the fragrance and hope it does not solidify on me or
2. leave it be, clean up and come back later.  I choose 2 and started to think what this unscented batch could do for me, after all it would still be great, just not almond scented.

The next day I unmolded the soap and was so happy i did not try to "fix" it.  It is the most beautiful, creamy looking bar of soap i have seen!  It has delicious oils in it and will be a great and welcome addition to our new collection which is in production, the "Nekked" collection.

This soap with it's delicious oils of almond, olive, coconut, coco butter and castor are the perfect combination of soothing, moisturizing and bubbly!  I love unscented hand crafted soap, it has this delicious and slightly nutty scent that is just heaven to me.

I cannot wait until it is done curing so that we can share it with the world!

here are my lovelies just un-molded and beginning their cure process

About the oils:
When I formulate a soap I have certain oils that I love to use regularly and others that I love to add to make each batch special.  The oils in this soap were chosen for the special properties each one can bring to the party.

Almond oil is a wonderful, light feeling oil to the skin, it absorbs quickly and helps battle dry winter skin.  I love to use almond oil just but itself if I am having especially dry skin issues (it's terribly windy here in the winter and chaps my cheeks sometimes).  Yes, I will put a light layer on my face before bed and always feel better in the morning, and it has not clogged my pores or caused breakouts.

Olive oil.  This is a favorite of mine in general, it is great in salad, pasta dishes, for cooking and of course, good for skin.  Having a pH that is almost the same as our own skin (5.5) it is a complimentary oil to our skin chemistry.  In soap, it is wonderful, some sources i have found state that it has anti-bacterial qualities.  It was one of the first oils i ever used and have found it a consistent companion to my other oil selections.

Coconut oil helps to create a nice hard bar of soap, it can also contribute to the bubble population.  This oil, like most is non-comdogenic meaning it will not clog pores.  It is a staple oil of mine because again, it behaves well in formulations and helps the bars to last longer.

Cocoa butter has been used for generations among African women as an all around healing ingredient.  It is rich in antioxidants and has been used to help moisturize and heal skin that has been exposed to the elements.  It also had a completely decadent choclate-y scent which sometimes comes through on finished soaps.

Last but certainly not least is Castor oil.  This oil has a wild and assorted past, from being used as a torture device by Benito Mussolini in Fascist Italy centuries ago, to being used as a lubricant in the first world war for rotary engines (it was preferred because it was natural and biodegradable) and now in my soaps for it's sexy bubbling powers!  Yes, while the other oils may bubble a bit, i believe the addition of this oil is really what kicks the bubbles into overdrive.

So there you have it, a new bar in our Nekked Collection.  With the holidays coming this collection may not make it's premier until January, but i assure you it will be worth the wait. ;)


Bubble on

~soapy smith