Ready, Pedi, Go

Feet walk thousands of steps a day. They are squashed into shoes, bumped into table legs, and stubbed against curbs and sidewalks. They swell, they sweat, they throb. Yet despite what they shout out to us, we tend to ignore it all until there's nothing left to do but hide them away.

The soles of your feet don't have any of their own oil glands to soften them, which is why feet and heels so often become dry and cracked. Caring for your feet isn't difficult, and needn't take much time out of any busy schedule. A foot makeover is one of the simplest and effective beauty transformations you can do for yourself, with little other than a bowl of warm water, a pumice stone, and fifteen minutes.

* Soaking the feet for ten minutes will soften, soothe, and relax. Adding an aromatic foot wash or salts to the water will deodorize and freshen, and a drizzle of olive oil kicks it up a treat. Soaking also softens the nails, making cutting so much easier. Always make sure to clip the nails straight and across, as rounding the corners can cause ingrown nails.

* Use a pumice stone to reduce the hard skin, making sure not to employ the "once and for all" attack method. Hard skin is better conquered with a gentle and regular approach. Smooth skin off with an exfoliating paste product. This helps reveal the new layer of skin, delivering hydration while sealing the moisture in. A salt polishing paste also infuses the skin with natural nutrients and minerals, and can also be used with a light brushing over the toes for nails and cuticles.

* Finish off with a slathering massage of moisturizing creme, natural shea butter, or favorite balm. Massage increases the circulation, relaxes muscles, and also relieves the aches and pains of the day.

Pretty soft and silky smooth. Perfectly pampered feet, all refreshed and ready to skip through the distance of your next working day.

Ehhh... Whassup Doc?

Logging up a batch of Carrot and Fennel Seed Complexion Bar. I love this part of my work. Unfortunately, it's short lived. Next is to slice the logs into bars, shelve them for the cure, and it's back to weighing out the oils as the next round of soap making starts all over again.

Naughty Goat Milk Soap

Four batches from yesterday's bounty of twelve. These will be cut up Classic style. Bottom to top: Goat milk, Luxury Shea, Orange Tree Blast, Orange Patchouli.

These are new molds, and I was excited to use them. So excited that I forgot the wood was much thicker than I'm used to, retaining more heat and causing the goat soap to misbehave and go into super-gel.

I caught it in time, and the threat of eruption settled. I think it's gonna be fine.

Our Natural Ingredients - Unrefined Shea Butter

Unrefined shea butter is a very versatile and natural moisturizer, having excellent soothing and anti-aging properties. Shea butter has been used for dry skin by African healers for too many centuries to count. It is high in non-saponifiables and has a unique fatty acid profile. Together, this makes for an incredible ability to moisturize and retain the skin's elasticity.

But the wonder of Shea doesn't stop there. It also helps to protect the skin against damage done by all kinds of weather. It repairs degenerated cells, and its vitamin A content makes it a true friend to excema, dermatitis, and skin blemishes. Many report the natural butter to promote and accelerate wound healing, scars, and stretch marks..

The unrefined butter has a characteristic "nutty" scent to it, that disappears after about twenty minutes on the skin. It is thick, easily melts when rubbed between the palms, and a little goes a long way. Intitially, for the first few minutes it feels a little greasy. Then, almost as fast as it melted between the hands it's gone, leaving behind a soft silkiness of protection that soothes cracks and eases dryness.