Halo Soap and Products

New Products at Halo Soap!

2012-02-08T13:43:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since my last Halo Soap post. I've been working on some new products so I wanted to write about them since I didn't get a chance to get the items on my website yet!

Before that though, let me direct your attention to the new tab at the top: Buy Now. I've recently opened a WePay shop. WePay is similar to PayPal for accepting payments, but with out all the b.s. PayPal has some pretty sketchy business practices according to this post and this post on Regretsy. So now we have multiple options for making Halo Soap purchases!
1. At our brick & mortar shop in Cudahy, WI
2. Through our website (where we currently use PayPal but will be starting to add the option of using PayPal or WePay)
3. Through our Etsy site (which uses PayPal, but you can also choose to pay with money order or check)
4. Through this blog! Which has an embed of the WePay shop. Pretty cool!

Ok, on to the really good stuff.

Coconut Milk Body Lotion

Pamper your skin with coconut milk, virgin coconut oil and botanical oils chosen for their ability to moisturize without feeling heavy. Coconut milk makes your skin soft and smooth. Kukui nut oil is excellent for skin conditioning after sun exposure. Macadamia nut oil can slow down the effects of aging. Jojoba oil matches the natural sebum in human skin. Use this body lotion after Halo’s Coconut Dead Sea Salt Scrub or any time you want to soften your skin with a touch of coconut!

This lotion has a lovely coconut scent. Some coconut fragrances can be plastic smelling or have too much of a vanilla scent, but this is a nice, tropical, exotic coconut scent.

Coconut Dead Sea Salt Scrub

ead Sea salt is filled with vitamins and minerals that are great for your skin. Virgin coconut oil softens and moisturizes your skin along with other botanical oils. Virgin coconut oil can even help premature aging of the skin due to its high content of antioxidants which block free radicals that are responsible for premature aging.

This body scrub has a wonderful coconut scent and would be perfect with our Coconut Milk Body Lotion

We made this body scrub using 100% Dead Sea salt. There are not filler salts (regular sea salt, epsom salt, etc) just pure Dead Sea salt!

You can use this product as a body scrub in the shower or as a hand scrub by keeping it next to the sink with a spoon. You could even use this as a bath soak by placing a few spoon fulls in the tub.

Calming Lotion for Psoriasis and Eczema

We've set out to make a product to help with psoriasis and eczema with out the use of neem oil. Although neem oil is excellent for helping with these skin issues, the smell of neem oil is not pleasant. We've been getting excellent feedback on our Neem Cream so we know that psoriasis and eczema are common ailments people deal with.

Where as the Neem Cream is better for spot treatments because of the smell, this lotion is great for a full body application. There is no added scent, just straight lotion with ingredients chosen for their ability to help with psoriasis and eczema.

Apricot Kernel Oil - has anti-inflammatory effects on the skin
Avocado Oil - helps relieve dryness and itching of psoriasis and eczema
Evening Primrose Oil - has high contents of GLA to promote skin healing
Argan Oil - has lots of vitamin e, antioxidants and unsaturated fatty acids
Black Currant Seed Oil - anti-inflammatory to help with skin flare ups
Borage Oil - high content of GLA and can reduce dryness and itching
Cranberry Seed Oil - has omega fatty acids to help with psoriasis and eczema
Hemp Oil - contains both omega fatty acids and GLA
Jojoba Oil - matches the sebum of the skin making it a great moisturizer for dry, scaly skin associated with eczema
Kukui Nut Oil - has vitamins A, C and E to protect the skin
Rosehip Oil - fatty acids for skin regeneration
Tamanu Oil - has anti-inflammatory effects and can aid in producing new skin tissue

Additionally, extracts like chamomile and calendula further soothe the skin while vitamin B5 helps reduce inflammation and itching.

This lotion has no added fragrance and is made with paraben-free preservative.

This lotion may be too heavy for some to use as a face lotion. If you choose to test this lotion as a face cream, please note that argan oil can increase large pores and acne, and rosehip oil can aggravate acne and blemishes. On the other hand, jojoba oil helps control acne so use your best judgment on the application of this lotion.

There you have it! New products at Halo Soap. More to come!

March of Dimes March for Babies - Devoted to Dylan

2012-01-16T13:39:00.001-06:00

The mission of March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. My friend recently lost her baby boy and has organized a March for Babies Walk set to take place April 28th, 2012. You can visit the Facebook page for this event to see how you can participate. You can also help by donating through the March for Babies organization website.

Facebook Page
Donation Page

This is her message:
"Every day, thousands of babies are born too soon, too small and often very sick. Our team is walking in March for Babies because we want to do something about this. I know you care, too. That's why I'm asking you to join us. It's easy: just click the join this team button.
My husband and I will be walking for March for babies, in memory and honor of our beautiful son, Dylan Leonard McGraw. We found out early in the pregnancy, that Dylan would be facing many obstacles. Dylan was born on August 14, 2011 via an emergency C-section. The moment I was able to see him, I fell head over heels in love.
Dylan showed us life and love in the absolute purest form. He knew no race, religion or of any matters/beliefs the rest of us allow to get in the way. He is the definition of forgiving and patient. Throughout countless blood draws, assessments, diagnoses, and eight surgical procedures, his little body and enormous spirit forgave, and loved unconditionally. If he was startled or scared he'd begin to cry for a moment just to let you know, and an instant later, would stop and forgive. Dylan is the strongest person I know, he fought and fought, but in the end, his little body just couldn′t.
Dylan has taught not only his family these lessons, but also friends, and even the staff that worked on him at Children′s Hospital Of WI. We receive notes and letters from people telling us how much Dylan has inspired them or changed their lives. We hope these letters never stop. It is the greatest gift that they can possibly give us, knowing our son′s memory lives on and that he has touched so many people.
Please join our team, Devoted to Dylan, and help us honor him by raising awareness to infant prematurity, birth defects, and infant mortality. If you cannot walk with us, please donate to the cause. March of Dimes funds research to help prevent or treat birth defects, they also provide services at the hospitals for the families going through the scariest time of their lives."

Late Night Soap Shop

2011-10-04T17:07:00.000-05:00

Tonight, I'm at the shop making soap pretty late.

Here I am drilling my mold back together. There were some problems with the last batch getting the slab of soap to come lose. I had to break down part of the mold to get it out.

Now I'm lining the mold. Getting the paper nice and straight!

I melt my oils individually and pour them all into the big soap bucket. Here I'm doing olive oil. You can see the big can of olive oil on the table.

After blending the oils and lye water (in this case lye beer because this is a batch of beer soap) the soap starts to reach trace. A little more blending and we should be good!

Finally, the soap is ready to be poured into the mold! After this, I wait a little bit until the soap solidifies to the point that it isn't liquid anymore. Then I'm able to plastic wrap the mold and cover it with layers of towels to slowly cool.

If you are in the area driving by after hours and notice the open sign is still on, odds are there is soap making going on. Stop in and see the soap making in action!

House of Plush

2011-08-22T23:00:00.000-05:00

Fall is coming. That means brisk weather and chilly nights curled up on the couch. Drinking hot cocoa. With this little guy:

Doesn't he look snuggly?

Or maybe you want to snuggle this little guy:

Don't worry, there are other Halloween plushies for you to snuggle as well.

Check out more at House of Plush.

Let me know you bought something and I'll send you a coupon code for the Halo Soap Etsy shop!

Soap Savers: Free Soap Giveaway

2011-08-14T11:05:00.001-05:00

I hate throwing away soap. Even when it comes down to the last sliver, I try to mash it with a new bar to use every ounce of soapy goodness.

But sometimes it doesn't work. Then you need a soap saver.

Now, you may be asking your self "where is this free soap deal is coming in"? Well, I'll tell you. Through the end of September, if you purchase a soap saver from this Etsy shop, you will get a free bar of Halo Soap bar soap. All you have to do is email me a copy of your transaction, I will confirm with the seller, and you'll get a bar of handmade soap shipped to your door step! Pretty cool, huh?

Now start buying up those soap savers!

It's Always Time for Wrist Warmers!

2011-08-14T10:55:00.000-05:00

I love wrist warmers. I love wearing them, making them, gifting them... and it's always wrist warmer season! Do you have a job where you are always in a cold office building no matter the outside temperature? Wear wrist warmers. Do you want to spunk up an outfit with a funky accessory? Wear wrist warmers.

Speaking of wrist warmers, here is a great place to buy them! They are wonderfully priced and best of all they are handmade. Buy purchasing any of these wrist warmers, you are helping an American artist. Stop sending your money to China and Indonesia by purchasing crap from Wal-Mart! Instead, buy some of these:

Purple Soap on Etsy

2011-08-10T14:43:00.001-05:00

I've recently come across some gorgeous looking soap on Etsy. I wanted to make a treasury featuring all of these lovely soaps. Here they are! (Click on the pictures to view each listing and purchase these soaps.)

New Totes at Halo Soap

2011-08-04T08:06:00.001-05:00

Mom came in with some new tote designs the other day! You can order these through Etsy. Or you can order these through the Halo Soap website but it will just re-direct you to Etsy. Or order them through this blog! Which again, will re-direct you to Etsy, but it's much easier to shop from this one page and choose a tote you like, don't you think?

I'll be sending out some coupons and discount offers through my email newsletter soon. If you haven't joined it, then do so now!

CLOSED JULY 22 - JULY 29

2011-07-19T17:37:00.000-05:00

Hi folks. I'll be in Orlando and Jacksonville for a week. Expanding Halo Soap to Florida? I wish! Maybe some day. In the mean time, you can check out my products on my website, on Etsy, on Artfire or on Zibbet.

Ciao!

Healing Butt Balm

2011-07-19T17:31:00.002-05:00

I finally got this product on the shelves! I've been wanting to make a line of baby products for quite a while now and I think it's finally finished :) For those of you who don't follow Halo Soap on all of our social networks, here are the other Little Cherub Skin Care products that you are missing out on:

You can also purchase these products direct from our website: www.halosoap.com

Beer Soap for Father's Day

2011-06-07T16:07:00.001-05:00

When I first made beer soap last year, it was a big hit. Maybe not right away, but once the holidays started rolling around, everyone wanted beer soap. By that time, all the soap I had made just for Father's Day was sold out.

This year, I wanted to have beer soap ready in time for Father's Day, but I've decided to start keeping beer soap in stock all the time! What we're going to do here is keep cycling through various combinations of beer/fragrance until we start finding ones that people go crazy over or come back looking for.

Currently, we have the following beer soaps available:

Black Cherry Beer Soap - made with Farmhouse Ale Lazy Mutt
Clean Cotton Beer Soap - made with Milwaukee's Brewing Co. Louie's Demise Ale
Hazelnut Beer Soap - made with New Glarus Coffee Stout
Mauna Loa Beer Soap - made with Monkey Wheat Ale

Stop in and let me know which is your favorite one!

Chocolate Decadence Body Butter

2011-06-07T15:39:00.001-05:00

What was a little mix up in the kitchen turned into these delicious body butter fragrances!

When I make body butter, I usually use deodorized cocoa butter but I made a batch using regular cocoa butter thinking the scent wouldn't come through too strongly. WRONG!

But we now have some yummy body butter scents at the shop:

Chai Tea
Chocolate
Chocolate Mint
Hazelnut
Tahitian Vanilla

We currently have them in the small 4 ounce body butter size while we gauge how well they sell. And they are the same price as our regular body butter recipe. Bonus!

Pineapple and Coconut Lip Balm with SPF 15

2011-06-03T16:01:00.001-05:00

We've got some new lip balm at Halo Soap and it's just in time for summer! Our website still isn't publishing new products (technical error we'll hopefully have fixed soon!) so you can purchase these on the Etsy shop for the time being!

Choose from:
Pineapple - this lip balm is made with skin safe chemical sunscreens
Coconut - this lip balm is made with natural mineral sunblock

If you click on the links, you'll be taken to the Etsy page for each lip balm where you can read even more about the individual product.

Mineral Sunblock

2011-06-03T14:25:00.001-05:00

We have a new product at Halo Soap: Mineral Sunblock! We're currently having troubles updating the website, but in the mean time, you can purchase this item through Etsy!

Our Mineral Sunblock comes in an easy to apply tube. There are no parabens, no chemicals, no dyes, and no fragrances. We use micronized titanium dioxide which means the particle size is so small that it doesn't create a visible layer of white on your skin. We've formulated this product so that is isn't greasy feeling. This product can be used by everyone and is especially great for kids and adults with sensitive skin.

Our ingredients are simple: micronized titanium dioxide (10%), fractionated coconut oil, candelilla wax, almond oil, cocoa butter and vitamin e.

None of these statements are verified by the FDA, but if you compare this product to the active ingredient (titanium dioxide) in other mineral sunblock sticks, you'll find that our product is just as effective and all natural. It's even half to a third the price of similar products that are out there!

After doing lots of research, there are a few things you should know about products made for sun exposure -

Sunblock vs. Sunsceen
Sunscreens - are chemical ingredients that protect your skin and prevent sunburn by absorbing harmful UVA and UVB rays so that these rays are not absorbed by your skin. A mixture of various chemical sunscreens allow for the widest range of protection. Sunscreens can irritate sensitive skin. Sunscreen degrades faster than sunblock. Sunscreens are more cosmetically friendly because they are transparent upon application.
Sunblocks - are physical sun blocks, deflecting and dispersing the sun's rays it they hit your skin. They also block UVA and UVB rays. Sunblocks are better for sensitive skin since they are minerals, thus natural ingredients. The sun doesn't break down sunblock the way it breaks down sunscreen. Sunblocks aren't always the best ingredients cosmetically because they can appear slightly opaque on the skin if the particle size is not small enough.

Sun Protection Factor (SPF)
You may think that if you double the SPF, you double the sun protection. This is not true, however. SPF 15 blocks 92% of UV rays while SPF 30 blocks 97% of UV rays. A higher SPF just means you don't have to reapply it as often.

Apply your sunblock/sunscreen at least 15 minutes before initial sun exposure and reapply sunblock/sunscreen every 2 hours.

And here's a little tidbit about the difference between UVA and UVB rays:
~ UVB rays affect the top layers of the skin and are responsible for Burning
~ UVA rays affect the lower layers of the skin and are responsible for Aging

Ok, so that's my spiel on our newest sunblock product. Keep an eye out for our dark tanning spray, a sunblock lotion and a daily face moisturizer with SPF!

Hemp Oil Lip Balm

2011-05-20T13:36:00.001-05:00

Just as I had promised, we have Hemp Oil Lip Balm in stock at Halo Soap! No info on our website yet, but you can purchase them and read more on Etsy!

Choosing Handmade Soap: Why You Should Grab From The Front

2011-05-17T14:01:00.000-05:00

Everyone does it. They grab from the back, dig through to reach the bottom of the pile, all because they want the freshest, newest product on the shelves.

Not cool when it comes to handmade soap.

Soap that isn't commercially created retains a lot of its natural moisture from the soap making process. Soap crafters often let their sudsy creations site for weeks to months before wrapping the goods for their shelves. This is mostly because letting the bar "cure" gives you a milder product. Another reason is to make sure the bar is nice a hard before the consumer starts using it.

Many people tend to want the newly created bars. At Halo Soap and Products, all customers who want to purchase these specific bars are told that they should wait to use the bar after they get home. The longer a handmade bar of soap sits, the harder and drier it gets, meaning it will last longer for you as you begin to use it. When you try to grab the newer bars, they may not last as long when you take them home to start using them. Longer lasting bars make happier customers!

All bar soap should be left to dry well between uses. Sitting in standing water will make the bar mushy at your next attempt at use and you will not get to use the bar to its full extent. People also tent to throw away bar slivers as they become too thin to wash with. Instead, just wet the next bar you will be using and mash the already used, wet sliver of soap on to the new bar. After a few times of using these bars together, the suds will make them stick and you'll be able to use every last bit of that handmade soapy goodness.

Hemp Seed Oil Products

2011-05-16T17:02:00.001-05:00

We have a new line of hemp oil based products at the shop!

Currently, we carry 4 scents of hemp butter and a hemp mud mask. Coming soon, we will have three flavors of hemp oil lip balm including: Sweet Patchouli, Blood Orange and Chai Tea. Yum!

Hemp Butter

Hemp oil contains high amounts of essential fatty acids. It is healing, balances dry skin and fights skin inflammation. Hemp oil is non-greasy, emollient and moisturizing with excellent anti-aging and moisture balancing properties. But hemp isn't the only awesome ingredient in this butter! There is also a massive helping of shea butter and cocoa butter, along with avocado oil which helps to naturally increase collagen production.

Hinoki Wood - warm essences of blondewood, cedar and patchouly are enhanced with vanilla musk, cinnamon, clove and uplifted with notes of fresh eucalyptus, lavender, orange blossom, jasmine and rose.
Hippie - a beautifully complex Asian-inspired fragrance with notes of orange flower, Japanese lily, ylang-ylang and amber
Nag Champa - a sweetened version of Nag Champa incense, this is a great scent that both men and women love. It has a sweet, slightly woodsy smell that many people describe as calming, warming, and moist. For some, the smell is reminiscent of jasmine or magnolia flowers, the forest, or even tea.
Patchouli - the ever popular, typical 'dirty hippie' scent. This one is scented with essential oil which is made directly from the plant so you know there won't be any sweet notes like you usually find in patchouli fragrance oils.

You can purchase any of these four hemp butters or one of our hemp clay masks at the shop, through the website or on Etsy!

New Artwork by Charlotte Kovak

2011-05-16T15:21:00.000-05:00

We just got some new artwork in by local artist Charlotte Kovak. Stop in the shop to see her newest designs or to browse a few older selections that we also have in stock.

Sea Salt Soap

2011-05-16T15:07:00.002-05:00

Due to some problems with FrontPage, I was not able to get these new bar soaps up for sale on the website, but you can read about them here or come into my shop to buy some!

When correctly made, salt soaps soften your skin with out being over-drying. These bar soaps are smooth like a river rock, super hard and have a creamy yet bubbly lather. These bars gently slough off dry skin that is inevitable during summer months. The bar feels smooth on the skin, except our Pineapple bar (see below). They make great deodorant and antiperspirant bars because they keep your under arms feeling dryer when compared to washing with a regular bar soap.

Since these bars contain such a large amount of salt, it may slightly sting freshly shaving skin or areas of broken skin and cuts.

We currently carry these summer delights in three different fragrances:

Pearberry - a strong pear scent with extra notes of sweetness

Melon - a fresh watermelon scent

Pineapple - a delicious pineapple scent with light notes of coconut. This bar soap is also made with coarse ground Dead Sea salt to give the bar some grittiness!

For now, we will only be making these bars available to you for the summer months. Get 'em while they're hot!

Spray Perfume

2011-04-29T17:39:00.000-05:00

We finally have spray perfume on our shelves! I've been asked for this product a number of times. I wanted to make it in a way so that it can be natural and alcohol free. Success! I use this as a quick spritz while I'm on my way out the door or through out the day to freshen up a bit. You can spray this on your clothes, hair, furniture linens and more! And you know why? Because it's just three simple ingredients: water, fragrance oil and polysorbate 80.

Polysorbate 80? Let me tell you more. This ingredient is an emulsifier that enables the fragrance oil to blend into the water instead of separating and floating on top. Polysorbate 80 is a derivative of sorbitol (a sugar alcohol derived from fruits, corn and seaweed) and oleic acid (the main component of olive oil). I try to keep my products as natural as possible!

Due to the nature of this product being natural, sometimes it sediments on the bottom when not in use. No worries, just give the bottle a quick shake before use and problem solved! We currently have this product available in 6 different scents: Mauna Loa Volcano, Oatmeal Milk and Honey, Juniper Breeze, Sweet Seduction, Red Clover Tea and Violet Nectar. Check them out on our website!

April Showers Bring May Flowers

2011-04-18T15:40:00.000-05:00

Every year, we like to incorporate flowers into our packaging for the month of May. Some of you may not know this, but May Day is May 1st. This is why we put together adorable little gift pots with a variety of Halo Soap products along side a packet of seeds. And of course, the pot that holds the gift set doubles as the pot for you to start a garden! Each of these gift sets comes with the following:
~ a bar of soap
~ a bath bomb
~ one 4 ounce lotion
~ one lip balm
~ a packet of seeds
And like I had mentioned earlier, it's all wrapped up in a colorful flower pot.

Soap In Stock!

2011-04-11T15:57:00.000-05:00

It's about time!

I've been slacking lately. With bridal shower orders and preparing for in house parties at our shop, there just wasn't any time to work on soap! But this past weekend, while the weather was beautiful and with the kitchen windows open, I got to work. We now have full batches (an double batches of some!) of the following bar soaps:

Almond Essential Oil Bar Soap - this batch turned out nice and smooth. The ground almonds are a little finer than I would like but the bar turned out wonderfully and smells great!
Carrot Neem Face Soap - this one had to be made in a double batch. With all the orders I've been getting on Etsy and Artfire along with customers through my website and at my shop, I had to make 40 bars. This batch turned out wonderfully. It's nice and creamy from the carrot juice and has just enough litsea cubeba essential oil to blend nicely with the neem oil used for superfatting.
Lemon Verbena - this scent used to be made in beer soap. Last summer, I made beer soap using Summer Shandy. However, since I started creating beer soap for Miller Brewing Company, I'm going to stop using their beer products for beer soap at my shop (which will be back in stock soon by the way!) The yellow swirls in this bar didn't turn out quite as I had hoped, but the bar still smells delicious!
Mauna Loa Volcano Soap - I recently ran out of this soap and had to make more because it's so popular. The soap was still at thin trace when I tried swirling the black soap into the white bulk of the recipe so unfortunately the bar turned out a bit gray looking. Other than that, the bar smells great an there was a nice dispersion of pumice through out the bar. NOTE: for those of you who love Mauna Loa but don't like the Volcano (pumice) part of the soap, you are in luck! I will soon be creating a batch of beer soap using this scent so you'll be able to get this awesome scent in a soap sans pumice. Awesome!
Nag Champa - This is another scent that was used in beer soap and ever since, it has been a big hit! Since then it has been made in candles, lotions, body butter, moon melts, tea lights and more. This batch turned out great with lovely swirls of green. As it cures, the bar will probably turn a muddy brown color from the fragrance oil used. But that's okay because it adds to the "hippiness" of the bar and you'll still be able to see the nice swirls!
Red Apple - this on has been out of stock for a while because I just didn't know what to do with the bar. The first time times I made it, I put curls of red into the batch. The last time I made it I put round red soap balls in the batch. These both looked great but was very tedious for one of my basic recipe bar soaps. So many of my bars are swirled with color or a solid color so this time, I did a layer of deep red across the top and I think it looks great!
Soapy Clean - my good friends aunt came in last week and snatched up my last few bars of Soapy Clean. This bar is really popular so I shouldn't have let it go as long as I did, but Soapy Clean is now back in stock!

Until next time, remember: Even clean people need soap!

Working on Products for Men

2011-04-11T15:04:00.000-05:00

For the longest time, I've been talking about making products for men. That dream is soon becoming a reality as I recently made two versions of an after shave gel for my step dad to try. I have so many idea swimming around in my head and I couldn't fit them all into one recipe. I put one in a pump bottle I had laying around and one in an amber squeeze bottle, which is the one I envision using for packaging the final product.

One is a simple gel with glycerin and jojoba for moisturizing and a nice masculine scent. The other is a little more complex, using menthol crystals for a cooling, soothing effect. We'll see which one is the favorite!

Until next time, remember: Even clean people need soap!

Lavender and Patchouli Essential Oil Soaps

2011-04-11T14:56:00.001-05:00

Hello all.

I have some bad news for Lavender and Patchouli lovers.

Lavender and Patchouli essential oil prices are sky rocketing due to bad crops. The prices on these essential oils are not projected to lower until the fall. Once our current stock of these bars is out, we will not be making them again until after summer. We can, however, take special orders for soap batches made with Lavender or Patchouli fragrance oil. If you would still like soap made with these essential oils, those can be special ordered as well, but for an additional cost.

To place special orders for bar soap (only a 5 bar minimum!)
please contact us via email: stacie@halosoap.com
or through our website: www.halosoap.com

I will post an update when these prices lower.

Lavender Vanilla Lip Balm

2011-04-08T16:56:00.000-05:00

I have a friend who loves the scent of lavender and vanilla together. She has me special mix different lotions, butters and body sprays for her so I've decided to take it one step further and create a lip balm for her! The is the result of my endeavors. This new lip balm is a very unique flavor. Natural vanilla oil and lavender essential oil blend together to create a uniquely delicious lip balm.

You can buy this lip balm at my Etsy shop
Or at my website.
Or if you are in the Milwaukee area, our shop is located at:
5601 S Pennsylvania Ave
Cudahy, WI 53110

New Bath Bomb Scents

2011-03-15T16:32:00.002-05:00

We have two new bath bomb scents for sale at our shop. Mauna Loa Bath Bomb and Coconut Milk Bath Bomb! These two are really yummy smelling and are going to be a big hit this summer.

Mauna Loa Bath Bomb pairs well with our Mauna Loa Volcano Soap. The scent is a sweet and fruity tropical delight.

Coconut Milk Bath Bomb pairs well with our Coconut Milk Shaving Soap. The scent is reminiscent of a freshly cut coconut with hints of vanilla milk. Its so creamy smelling. I can't get enough of it!

Check out our website to purchase these sweet new scents.

Etsy Treasury

2011-03-08T13:34:00.000-06:00

Thank you Etsy artist beader1, owner of the Etsy store Silver Frostings, for creating this Rainy Days and Stormy Nights Etsy Treasury! Here are all the great Etsy items included in this treasury:

Vintage photograph pocket mirror

by Queer Etsy Street Team

Hand spun merino, alpaca and llama yarn

by The Critter Ranch

Cotton vintage look slouchy hat

by Sweet Savannah Baby

Labradorite and sterling silver chain drop earrings

by The Jewelry Chateau

Hand painted paper parasol

by ARTintersect

Sateen trench coat

by YYStudio

Hand made coasters

by Mable Mae

SLUGS boot liners

by Those Alaskan Girls

Rain drop necklace

by FUSED Jewelry Design

American apparel onesie

by Twice Tees

Fine art photograph

by Sarah Moldovan

Rain slippers

by Briga

Golden poppy greeting cards

by Natasha's Art Haven

Hair pins

by Bunny Boutique

Cloud earrings

by The Piehat

Click on the above links to purchase any of these wonderful handmade items! And per usual, check out my website, Halo Soap and Products for great handmade natural bath and body products.

St. Patrick's Day Sale

2011-03-04T16:43:00.001-06:00

Now through March 17th, 2011, receive 10% off of all green products at Halo Soap!

Last year, we made a special St. Patrick's Day gift set but this year, we've decided to try something a little different. All regular priced items will be 10% off through St. Patrick's Day. This doesn't include the 4 for $18 soap deal because it's already discounted! But think of it like this: one bar of soap at 10% off costs the same as one bar of soap with the 4 for $18 deal so it's like you are getting the same deal with out having to purchase 4 bars of soap.

We have lots of totes, candles, bath bombs, glycerin soap cubes and lip balm to choose from. Remember, this sale is only good through St. Patrick's Day this year so come in soon for the best selection!

Crocheted Flowers

2011-02-28T13:07:00.001-06:00

We've got a new project going here at Halo Soap - crocheted flowers! These cute, floppy flowers measure 5-6 inches across and are attached to a small clip. You can put them on your hair, on your purse, on a hat - be creative! They are made with 100% cotton yarn and we'll soon have them in tons of colors. Check out our yarn stash we'll be using to make the first round of these little gems:

Keep a look out for these flowers to go on sale at our shop. You can also join our mailing lis t for updates on new products.

Vegan Lip Tints

2011-02-15T16:30:00.000-06:00

These vegan lip tints were a blast to make! I hate wearing lip stick but I love lip balm that is tinted. It's great because it gives you lips just a hint of color an it's nice a glossy. At Halo Soap, we've decided to start with three different tints to see how our customers like them.

To better see the colors, here is a skin swatch:

This fun new product can be purchased from our website.

Glycerin Soap Cubes

2011-02-07T17:53:00.002-06:00

We now have new glycerin soap cubes at Halo Soap! These funky little guys are made with an all natural glycerin soap base. Most glycerin soap bases, especially those that are 'crystal clear' are made with over 25% synthetic detergents and cleansers. At Halo Soap, we strive to bring our customers the most natural products possible so we were really excited to find this 100% natural glycerin soap base!

Glycerin soap is great because glycerin is a natural humectant making it extra moisturizing for your skin. This recipe also has safflower seed oil and castor oil, which penetrates the stratum corneum (outer most layer) of your skin to moisturize deep down.

We have over 2 dozen different scents and colors available. Check out some of our favorites!

If you would like to purchase our glycerin soap cubes you can do so here.

Properly Burning Soy Candles

2011-01-07T15:26:00.001-06:00

Properly burning a candle can sometimes be difficult. The way a candle burns is affected by the type of wax used, wick size, fragrance content, dye use and even the room temperature of the candle. A common problem with burning candles is tunneling. There are steps you can take to avoid this:

~ Each time you burn your candle, make sure the melt pool reaches the sides of the jar. This can take anywhere from one to three hours. Estimate about one hour per inch diameter of the container for single wicked candles
~ Any wax that doesn't melt can be gently pushed from the sides of the container into the melt pool
~ Make sure the candle wick stays centered as the wax hardens after extinguishing the flame
~ Once the melt pool has reached the edges, blow out the candle, let the wax harden, trim the wick and re-light the candle. This can add burn time to your entire candle and make it last longer.

Additionally, you should:
~ Keep your candle wick trimmed to about 1/4 inch before burning to avoid smoking
~ Keep wick and match debris free from the burn pool
~ Stop burning your candle when there is about 1/2 an inch of wax left at the bottom to avoid burning the surface on which the candle is placed

Here are some other guidelines to follow when burning candles. Most of it may be common sense, but it's still good to keep in mind:
~ Keep your burning candle away from anything that can catch flame
~ If the flame is flickering, it may be catching a draft. Move the candle to a different spot in the home.
~ Always burn candles on head-resistant surfaces
~ Never leave burning candles unattended

I hope this information helps anyone who is having problems with candle burning! If you have purchased a candle from Halo Soap and Products and have had a problem with tunneling, bring your candle back to us. If there is a significant amount of wax left in the jar, we can melt this wax down and turn it into tea lights for you!

Liquid Soap is Finally at Halo Soap

2010-09-17T15:16:00.000-05:00

Finally, we have liquid soap in stock at the shop! It's been a long time in the formulation process, but we I've finally created a nice basic liquid soap recipe with a nice bubbly lather. This is a basic recipe of coconut and olive oils and as always, scented with yummy fragrance oils. Most of the scents used on these new liquid soaps can be found in other products at our shop.

Currently, we have the following scents in stock: Mauna Loa Volcano, Oatmeal Milk and Honey, Red Clover Tea, Plumeria, Soapy Clean, Lemon Verbena and Nag Champa.

They come in an 8 ounce plastic bottle with a pump. And the bottle is recyclable! (#1)

Read more about our new liquid soap on www.halosoap.com

It's Back! Sweet Seduction Bar Soap

2010-08-20T18:04:00.000-05:00

This bar soap is so popular and it's back on the shelves!

I only make this beauty two or three times a year so when it's in stock, you should probably get it before it's too late!

Not only is this bar soap wonderful to look at, not only does it smell absolutely heavenly but this limited edition bar soap is loaded with extra special moisturizing oils to make it a real luxury bar of soap. Avocado oil helps nourish sun damaged skin and to rejuvenate maturing skin. Jojoba oil has an antioxidant effect on your skin as well as aiding in treating psoriasis and eczema. Lanolin restores softness and elasticity to dry and damaged skin. Activated charcoal removes impurities from the skin and finally, raw sugar is added to gently scrub away dead skin and leave you feeling soft, moisturized and delicious smelling!

This bar can be purchased through the Halo Soap Bath and Body Products home page.

New Batches of Bath Bombs

2010-08-07T11:52:00.000-05:00

We just got a nice new batch of bath bombs in the shop!

Have you ever heard of Lush Handmade Cosmetics? They make some pretty spectacular bath bombs and other bath and body goodies. But have you seen the outrageous prices on their products? Our bath bombs are just as wonderful and at a fraction of the price! Our products are handmade in small batches to ensure quality and freshness.

Our bath bombs are made with almond oil for moisture and epsom salts to make a great bath soak! What was that? You don't usually take baths? Then smash up one of our amazing bath bombs and use them for a foot soak! After smashing it up, one bath bomb can be good for 2-3 foot soaks depending on how potent you like the water.

We just brought three new batches into the shop: Citrus Splash, Juniper Breeze and Red Clover Tea. All scents are super strong and delicious. You can also get matching scents in other products! Citrus Splash Bar Soap is one of our most popular soaps. Red Clover Tea Soy Jar Candles or Moon Melts make a room smell wonderful. Juniper Breeze can also be purchased in body butter and body lotion.

You can find more information about our products on the website.

Or if you live in the Milwaukee area of Wisconsin, come to our brick and motar shop!

Charlotte Kovac Art Now At Halo Soap

2010-08-05T15:16:00.000-05:00

At Halo Soap, we now carry whimsical art by Charlotte Kovac. We have prints and originals so stop by and check out some of her art work! Prices range from $6 - $24

For questions about her art, please contact Charlotte at cestmoi2242@aol.com

Etsy Treasury

2010-07-05T22:03:00.001-05:00

One of my product listings made it into an Etsy treasury. Go check it out! Etsy is a great place to buy unique handmade gifts.
Mind your own beeswax! Treasury on Etsy

If you like any of these great handmade items, you can follow the link to Etsy and make your purchase!

Jasmine Bar Soap

2010-06-28T16:05:00.001-05:00

For a while now, people have been asking me for jasmine scented products. I started with a few jasmine candles and I now have jasmine soap! It has a light, beautiful smell and gorgeous deep purple swirls through out.

You can purchase this delicious soap now through my website or stop in my shop and smell it in person!

Beer Soap

2010-06-10T15:31:00.000-05:00

I finally got some awesome beer soap in stock at my shop! I've been wanting to get beer soap in here for a while now, and I thought that having it in time for Father's Day would be perfect!

Benefits of Beer Soap
Soap made with beer is great for your skin. Hops adds a relaxing benefit to soap and soothes irritated skin. Beer contains anti-bacterial polyphenols and skin softening amino acids. Also, the benefits of any ingredient used in the beer making process comes out in the soap as well! This means all the antioxidant properties of any fruits put into the beer transfers its antioxidant properties to the bar soap. Beer has been used for years in hair care as well.

Blueberry - Blue Dawg Brewing Wild Blue Lager
Lemon Verbena - Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy
Nag Champa - Guinness Draught
Pineapple - Lakefront Brewery Wheat Monkey
Raspberry - Milwaukee Brewing Co. Flaming Damsel
Unscented - New Glarus Brewing Co. Totally Naked

They are the same price as the regular bar soap ($5 each/4 for $18) or I'm offering a 6 pack special where you can get one of each bar for $25.

Getting the back room ready

2010-05-07T15:20:00.000-05:00

The back room at my shop was a little grungy looking so I decided to give it a make over with some paint. I didn't want to teal green from the front of the shop to extend to the back and make it look to dark, so I painted the back room white. However, there's the line between the teal and white I needed to deal with. How do I deal with it? I paint a fun little swirl and call it a day!

Gift Baskets for Mother's Day

2010-04-29T16:38:00.000-05:00

Are you looking for a great gift for your mom for Mother's Day? Come to Halo Soap and we'll help you put a great gift basket together! Just give us a price range, we'll ask you a few questions about the type of things mom likes and we'll put together a special gift basket that your mother will love. We are offering the basket for free when you purchase all the goodies that go in it!

We have a few of these gift baskets already put together at the shop for your convience.

There is more information about these individual gift baskets on the Halo Soap Flickr site.

Stop by today and get your mom and gift for Mother's Day!
5601 S Pennsylvania Ave Ste. 8
Cudahy, WI 53110

Soy Wax Moon Melts

2010-04-24T20:24:00.000-05:00

It's time I do a post on these fancy little guys. They are just like those wax tarts you put in a tart warmer. You know what I'm talking about, some are electric, some have an unscented tealight lit underneath the tart bowl. But who says we have to use boring old tarts? At Halo Soap, I've created these adorable little Moon Melts! They are even bigger than some of your typical wax tarts and at an even better price! I currently carry them in 10 different scents. Stop by the shop and pick some up or check them out online!

Tons of Totes

2010-04-17T12:05:00.000-05:00

Today I've decided to do two posts. This one is about the awesome totes I have in the shop.

These totes are handmade using thick, quality fabric in pretty colours and textures. They are lined on the inside in a fun, complimenting color. The handles are reinforced with boning so they are super strong! Those that are made from a solid coloured leather material have a cute tie on the outside to really make the tote pop.

Here is a close up of some of the totes we currently have in the shop.

If you are interested in purchasing one and don't live near the store, please contact me through the website.

Body Butter

2010-04-17T11:53:00.000-05:00

Today I finished scenting and packing a small batch of body butter. I say "small" because I left a large amount unscented so people can now come in and mix their own body butter scent! Awesome, right? (The above picture is a snap shot of the body lotion I also make:)

As you can see from the picture below, my body butter is nice and thick and it goes on smooth and creamy!

And now each shelf is jam packed with wonderful lotion and butter!

If you are looking for a particular scent of if you want to mix your own scent, you can come into the shop to mix your own scent, or order online.

More Aprons!

2010-04-15T16:45:00.000-05:00

This time I decided to make a waist only apron, with out the bib portion. I used a cute apple and pear material with a medium powder blue background. The contrasting colour is a pale yellow which brings out the colour in some of the apples on the patterned side of the apron.

Here is a close up of the apple/pear pattern:

This apron is also two reversible so you can choose a side to fit your mood!

Tomorrow I will hopefully be working on another apron using a pretty paisley material I found. I just need to find a good contrasting fabric! If all else fails, there's always some good knitting to be done.

Aprons!

2010-04-13T17:10:00.000-05:00

I'm currently working on making a lovely selection of fun, practical aprons. They are 100% cotton so they are easy to wash and they are reversible! I'll be making a few different types and styles including those with and with out bibs. The one I just finished today is a large sized bib apron. (Don't let sizes fool you, they tie around your waist and have a few different options for neck tie sizes so really, anyone can wear them!)

This particular apron is made with a swirly floral print in shades of green and brown on a white background with a contrasting fabric that is a simple tiny polka dot pattern of white on brown.

Once I get a good collection of aprons made, I will put them on my website where they will be linked to my Etsy Shop. In the mean time, you can come see them in person at Halo Soap and Products.

Making Transparent Soap

2009-08-22T12:34:00.006-05:00

Today I decided to try making transparent soap.

Usually I use the cold process method, but for making transparent soap, I use the hot process method. I start by measuring my oils and lye and dumping it all into the crock pot.

After a while of cooking, it starts to get chunky looking.

I keep letting the soap cook. It starts to get vaseline looking.

After testing the pH, I remove half of the soap, colour it green, add some fragrance and plop it into my mold

Now that I have half of the soap left in the crock pot, I start by adding the ingredients to make the soap transparent.

In the picture below, I've started to add the Everclear. You can see it starting to bubble as the alcohol starts to burn off. I put the cover on to keep as much in as as possible.

As the soap dissolves in the Everclear, I add the rest of the Everclear and some liquid glycerin. After the soap turns clear and watery and the bubble from mixing disipate, I add a mixture of sugar water. The soap is clear and ready for the mold!

I color it and add fragrance and pour it into the mold on top of the opaque soap from earlier.

Usually my logs of soap easily slide out of the mold, but this one was a little difficult. I had to take the whole mold apart to get the log out and it left some of the transparent soap behind! I'm going to have to scrape all that off before I put the mold back together. Next time, I'll use a different mold!

You can see the soap has a transparent layer on top and an opaque layer on the bottom. It turned out pretty good for my first try!

Nice and transparent!

Hopefully I'll get this method down and I can start making this soap in larger batches!

Aromatherapy Soy Candle Tins

2009-08-17T15:49:00.000-05:00

I've decided to used up some tins I had laying around and do a small line of aromatherapy candles. I'm only making enough to use up the tins so get them before they are gone! You can buy these candles here.

This is my Cedarwood Patchouli scented candle. I is a nice woodsy unisex scent. These essentials oils are said to be appeasing, calming and purifying.

This is my Cinnamon, Cassia and Clove candle. It smells just like chai tea! These essential oils are said to be stimulating, reviving and an aphrodisiac. Hot!

This is my Chamomile candle. It's VERY lightly scented. Just a hint of chamomile which is said to be balancing, relaxing and comforting.

This is my Grapefruit Peppermint candle. Sounds like an odd combo at first, but is smells pleasantly refreshing! And stimulating... and uplifting...

This is my Cedar, Lavender, Patchouli and Rose candle. Smells like a sweet, yummy flower garden. The patchouli adds just a hint of dirt making you feel like you are laying in a patch of flowers! These oils are said to be soothing, calming and an anti-depressant.

Lastly, here is my Lime Lemongrass candle. It's sweet and tart and fresh. These essential oils are said to refresh the mind, to be stimulating and restorative. Spectacular!

So there you have it. My new small line of Aromatherapy Soy Candles. Look for more candles and other great products at www.halosoap.com.

Peace out,
~Lee

Welcome to my Halo Soap Blog!

2009-08-07T08:30:00.000-05:00

For my first post, I've decided to put up pictures of some soap making. This batch I'm creating is my Citrus Splash handmade soap. It smells so delicious! This is one of my more difficult batches to make because of the layers.

First I start with lining my mold. Grandpa made all my molds for me. Thanks, Abuelito!

Now I measure out my water and lye. I do this first because it takes a while for the lye water to cool to the right temperature.

Next I start measuring out my oils. Here I'm measuring out some palm oil. I love how smooth and creamy this oil looks. I want to smoosh my hands in it!

Here I am checking temperatures, getting ready to mix my oils and lye!

Getting ready to add the fragrance! It's so delicious and sweet!

Now I'm pouring the last layer into the mold. Then I will cover it and let it sit over night. In the morning, I can unmold the soap and cut it into yummy little bars. Unfortunately, the bars need to cure for at least a month before they can be used :(

In the middle of the picture, you can see a sample of my Coffee scented soap. I'll put a post up when I make that one!

This delicious soap can be purchased at my website! www.halosoap.com