tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75844124088904014862024-03-12T20:46:43.648-07:00Arsenia Blu BeautySimple Beauty Care for Bath. Body. HairArsenia Blu Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311428493440627324noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7584412408890401486.post-1703809026034188112019-03-26T20:51:00.000-07:002019-03-26T20:53:29.019-07:00 Announcing Cold Process Melt & Pour Soap - Angry Soaping Community on FacebookIf your familiar with the Soaping Community on Facebook then what I'm about to say will not surprise you. My very simple post of having finally succeeded at making Cold Processed Melt and Pour was met with Accusations and Slanderous Comments.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WROn7bfimVI/XJEI-dBedAI/AAAAAAAAA_w/Fl6Yc8alZWolpNAuVBfRW7UFLE4jfIiLwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/20190317_184317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WROn7bfimVI/XJEI-dBedAI/AAAAAAAAA_w/Fl6Yc8alZWolpNAuVBfRW7UFLE4jfIiLwCPcBGAYYCw/s200/20190317_184317.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original Soap Photo I share on Facebook</td></tr>
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The photo I posted in a few of the Soaping groups on Facebook was taken on Sunday March 17, 2019 by myself, while standing outside my front door. I'd spend Sunday morning working on my Cold Processed Recipe for Melt and Pour. It was the 4th batch I had successfully created in 24 hours and I was elated to share it. </div>
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It didn't cross my mind that anyone would become upset with me about my declaration of having made COLD PROCESS MELT AND POUR. Not only was this NOT the first time that I shared about my Soap. I had in fact shared my creation of a Cold Processed Melt and Pour Soap base almost a full year ago. I had began selling the recipe in my Etsy store in August of 2018. Not only that I offered it as one the recipes offered in my ECourse that started in May and continued for 4 weeks. <br />
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My Cold Process Melt and Pour Soap Method was coined CPMP in May 2018 when I first started working on the process. I actually asked around different groups at one point to find out if it was Possible to even make CPMP. I was told it was not possible, that it had to be a HP soap method. I myself even believed it had to be HP ( hot process) soap method. That wasn't good enough, I wanted to find out for myself, so I started working and working and testing and batching over and over again. Took me quite a while before I finally succeeded at making the CPMP soap base that had eluded me for so long. <br />
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Now it seems as if all hell has broken lose over my photo of a bar of clear soap made using what I called the cold process soap method.<br />
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Since my post on Tuesday afternoon, I've been called a liar, a cheat, and a thief. I've been accused of taking recipe from Kathy Millers website. I've been accused of copying and taking credit for<br />
Cathy Failors book(s), of which I have never purchased or read. To be honest, I've never even seen her book in person. I've been told that my method was taken from a book on soap making written in 1997. I've been accused of copying CGS method and I've been accused of copying recent posts of someone making soap like this from just a few weeks ago.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C9b3qUjvOz0/XJrvFgsRDfI/AAAAAAAABAY/GHGGDanBxesqRMu8XAoteKOC2PwD3z6JQCLcBGAs/s1600/20190326_203732%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C9b3qUjvOz0/XJrvFgsRDfI/AAAAAAAABAY/GHGGDanBxesqRMu8XAoteKOC2PwD3z6JQCLcBGAs/s200/20190326_203732%255B1%255D.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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I've been blocked from groups and bad mouthed by several people throughout the soap making community due to my post and given absolutely no credit for this process. What bothers me is the fact that the people who blocked me and are currently bad mouthing me are also the people who have deliberately tried to hinder my ability to make financial gain from my process.<br />
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I am aware of at least 3 different Soap makers who have posted free recipes in their Facebook Groups. Two of which decided to post their free recipes just a few days before I would be offering an Eclass to teach CPMP. Specifically the Admin in the Facebook group that blocked me stated that she was irritated because I had posted trying to be stealth about selling my book. She also stated that she didn't like that I had not shared my technique or recipe so that everyone else could try it.<br />
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At the end of the day, these Soap makers have tried to hinder my work and my ability to earn income from a process that I either created, or brought back in to the Soap making Communities Dialog.<br />
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<strong>Accountability for their actions...….</strong><br />
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My concern for the Soap making Community is that these women and a few men blatantly slander and falsely attack any Soap maker of Color when they claim to have a new technique. They post their slanderous words and continue to use defamation of character toward anyone who they deem as a threat to them. I am not the first person of Color to be defamed within these Facebook Soaping groups and I'm sure I won't be the last. <br />
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Character Assassination...……….<br />
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I wanted to sound this alarm because the Assassination of my Character warrants a response.<br />
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I am the Soap maker who coined the acronym CPMP which stands for COLD PROCESS MELT AND POUR. I'm also the Soap maker who created Transparent Soap Base made the Cold Process way.<br />
However, as the conversation takes on a new direction, it has also been renamed "Quick Transparent Soap" by one of the more well known Soap makers in the Community. Drawing attention to herself and away from the original proclamation that got them in an uproar in the first place.<br />
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My point of this blog post is to make it known just how underhanded the Soap making Community on Facebook is. They truly seem to believe they have the very right to disrespect other soap makers and that it will not financially affect them or hinder their reputation. That alone should cause concern. This time I'm the one being attacked and defamed, they next time, and there will be a next time. It might be YOU.<br />
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Cleo Anderson ~ Owner and Formulator<br />
Arsenia Blu Beauty<br />
Creator of Cold Process Melt and Pour<br />
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#Coldprocessmeltandpour<br />
#ABCPMP<br />
@ArseniaBlu<br />
@ColdprocessMelt&Pour<br />
#QuickTransparentSoap<br />
#transparentsoap<br />
#HonestSoapmaking<br />
#Accountabilityforyourbehavior<br />
#badbehaviourinthesoapgroupsonfacebook<br />
#Theydon'tplayfair<br />
#whitepriviledge<br />
#SlanderinFacebookSoapgroups<br />
#PrejudiceinFacebookSoapgroups<br />
#Thisneedstostop<br />
#Iwillnotstanddown<br />
#ShameonYou<br />
#GlycerinSoap<br />
#teachingCPMP<br />
#theytriedme<br />
#Learntofightfair<br />
#CPMPunder10minutes<br />
#CPMP10minutes<br />
#CPMP10minutetechnique<br />
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<br />Arsenia Blu Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311428493440627324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7584412408890401486.post-72182913814082311112019-03-18T20:41:00.002-07:002019-03-22T15:55:51.618-07:00ABMP - The Original Arsenia Blu Melt and Pour eClass (CPMP)Glad you've stopped by. <b>Are you ready to be amazed by this SIMPLE PROCESS?</b><br />
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There has been a lot of BUZZ about my Original Cold Process Melt and Pour Soap Method.<br />
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I've always said and still say that there is NOTHING NEW under the sun. However, I can truly say that in my 15 years of Handmade Soap making. I've never met anyone who has created Cold Process Melt and Pour Soap Base from Scratch before. <br />
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So, here we are.... Almost a full year after my first two ECourses and I'm ready to share my Cold Process Melt and Pour Basemaking with the world. Yes, I know it will change the way we all make this type of soap. Yes I know there will be someone out there who will work to make it better and better. However, I'm happy to be the first to push the envelope in this direction. And YES! I do know it is going to change your life just as it has changed mine.<br />
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So without further ado, here are the rules for taking my ecourse.<br />
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<strong>Step #1</strong><br />
<strong> </strong><strong><em>This process is officially known as Arsenia Blu Melt and Pour with by Cleo Anderson.</em></strong><br />
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<strong>Disclaimer:</strong><br />
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You agree to hold at no fault of injury or loss Arsenia Blu Beauty, Cleo Anderson or Tieolia Enterprises LLC. You agree to be bound by all the agreements placed before you in this Disclaimer. Your mistakes, failures and successes are your own and are not the responsibility of the creator of this eClass or Soapmaking Technique. <br />
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You are responsible for your own tools, ingredients and every single piece of material and information you use to recreate my recipes and technique. I do not provide any of these for you except the knowledge of how to create Cold Process Melt and Pour Soap base from scratch.<br />
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You agree to hold private my recipes and techniques of making Cold Process Melt and Pour Soap base for a total of Two (2) years from the date of your payment of aforementioned Eclass. <em><strong>No rights or permission are being given to you to teach or share this Soap making technique before June 23, 2021. </strong></em><br />
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If you agree to the above information please proceed to the next step.<br />
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<strong>Step#2</strong><br />
<strong>Your EClass - Student Registration</strong><br />
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Please email the following information to <a href="mailto:Arseniablubeauty@gmail.com">Arseniablubeauty@gmail.com</a><br />
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<b>Your Full Name</b><br />
<b>Email Address</b><br />
<b>Webstore or Blog Link</b><br />
<b>Facebook- </b>please send me a friend request so I will be able to add you to the secret group.<br />
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This following Statement Followed by your Full name must accompany your disclaimer agreement. Adding our Full name and date of submission will act as your electronic signature. Which in turn means you have therefore agreed to be governed by this disclaimer of use.<br />
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<b>I have read, understand and agree to abide by the rules set forth in the disclaimer given to me as a condition of being a student in the EClass for Cold Process Melt and Pour Basemaking offered by Cleo Anderson ~ Owner of Arsenia Blu Beauty and Tieolia Enterprises LLC. From this point forward being know as ABMP/ Arsenia Blu Melt and Pour. I do understand that No rights or permission are being given to me to teach or share this Soap making technique before June 23, 2021. I understand that by doing so I have legally both broken this contract and broken the law. I understand that it is an infringement on Arsenia Blu Beauty and Cleo Anderson's legal rights of privacy and considered theft of the original owner and creators intellectual property</b><b>. Therefore, a violation punishable by the law.</b><br />
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<strong>Step #3 </strong><br />
Once the Student Registration Information has been received, you will receive an invoice for $165 <br />
from Paypal or if you prefer, you can send me your payment at paypal.me/ArseniaBlu once I have approved your registration. Payment is due immediately upon receipt. You will have 24 hours to make full payment for the ecourse once it has been recieved. If you have not completed payment within those 24 hours the invoice will be withdrawn and your registration for the EClass discarded.<br />
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Once payment has been processed, you will be added to the Eclass Secret Group where you will be able to see the Live Video of the Cold Process Melt and Pour Base making , Now being known as Arsenia Blu Melt and Pour Basemaking. If you are unable to attend a live taping, you will still have access to prerecorded trading videos.<br />
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In this group you will be able to ask questions and share your struggles as well as your awesome success with this new process.<br />
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<strong>The first eClass will broadcast Live on Saturday March 23, 2019 at 11:00a.m EST. If you are not able to attend the love broadcast. Dont worry. You will have access to pre-recorded training Videos.</strong><br />
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<strong>Hope to see you in the eClass</strong><br />
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The original creator of this Melt and Pour Soap method is Cleo Anderson owner of Arsenia Blu Beauty and Tieolia Enterprises LLC.<br />
<br />Arsenia Blu Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311428493440627324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7584412408890401486.post-25642846932732767812019-03-18T19:47:00.001-07:002019-03-18T19:47:56.631-07:00Been a long time.....Hello again. <br />
I'ts been so long since I posted on the blog and I've actually got a lot to share with you in the next coming weeks.<br />
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I've been working on a new skincare line and I'm excited to be gearing up for the launch at the last quarter of 2019. I'm both nervous and excited at the same time.<br />
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But that's not the only great news. As you know I've been working on my Melt and Pour Base for over 2 years now. Well, I've come along way and its time to introduce you to my Cold Process Melt and Pour Technique. YES, you can make Melt and Pour from scratch. I should know, I've done it.<br />
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Not only that, it takes me less than 15 minutes to create a batch of CPMP Soap base from scratch.<br />
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I'm excited to share it will everyone, however after all the time I've spent working on teaching myself how to make Melt and Pour Glycerin soap over the last 15 years. I simply can't just give you my hard work for free. If you want to find out how to learn my technique. Check out the Post on CPMP Soap Base Making.<br />
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In the meantime, stay tuned for more announcements as I gear up for my Christian Inspired Skincare Line.<br />
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<br />Arsenia Blu Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311428493440627324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7584412408890401486.post-4039316283514312072019-01-02T08:31:00.001-08:002019-01-02T08:33:28.525-08:00My New Ebook Greetings,<br />
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I haven't posted anything on this blog in a very long time. I've been very busy creating an EBook of recipes on MP and my own personal research and process.<br />
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You can purchase my very 1st Ebook on Melt and Pour Soap making in my Etsy store.<br />
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This book was created after many requests to write an ebook with my experiences, thoughts and personal research added. If your looking for quality recipes for your own personal Melt and Pour or Transparent Base making. Even for the beginner in Basemaking, THIS IS A GOOD PLACE TO START. From here, you just improve on it. What I've shared, is working for me.<br />
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Limited edition ebook format.<br />
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What's inside<br />
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10 Recipes to assist you in creating several different Soap Bases including:<br />
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Palm Free Vegan Bases<br />
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Transparent Base<br />
Goatsmilk Base<br />
Double Butter Base<br />
White Base<br />
Natural Base<br />
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Lard Bases<br />
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Transparent Base<br />
Goatsmilk Base<br />
Triple Butter Base<br />
White Base<br />
Cold Process Base<br />
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When considering if you should place your order today, think of the value inside my ebook. I sell one basic recipe for $45 with instructions only. This book will have over $585.00 value in my proven recipes. I've been making soap for 14 1/2 years and I've loved almost every step. This is by far the most comprehensive information I've gathered for myself.<br />
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We aren't going to get down and dirty with Chemistry and Massive Detail, I'm going to keep it light and informative.<br />
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All this in one place. A Recipe Book for Melt and Pour and Transparent Basemaking.<br />
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Please remember that this process is an advanced soapmakers process using the Hot Process Soap Metho<br />
#soapmaking<br />
#meltandpour<br />
#MP<br />
#Soaping<br />
#Transparentsoap<br />
#Clearsoap<br />
#Soapbase<br />
#Transparentsoapbase<br />
#Transparentbase<br />
#Meltpour<br />
#meltandpourebook<br />
#MPeBook<br />
#MeltWhipPour<br />
#Meltandpourwhippedsoap<br />
#soap<br />
#Makingsoap<br />
#Basemaking<br />
#realsoap<br />
#handmade<br />
#HowTo<br />
#MakeSoap<br />
#ArseniaBlu</div>
Arsenia Blu Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311428493440627324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7584412408890401486.post-83307330710150834062017-10-22T12:35:00.003-07:002017-12-06T16:01:13.992-08:00Handmade Glycerin SoapI've been making handmade soaps from scratch 14 years as of 2/19/18. Its been a long journey in many ways. Time consuming and frustrating at times, to say the least. but, Finally I have achieved an almost 14 year standing vision.<br />
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I first tried to create Glycerin Soap about Five (5) months after teaching myself to make soap. I no longer have that bar or batch of soap, however I remember exactly how it looked, felt and smelt.<br />
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It was gritty and HARD, it was a cloudy and translucent green and it was scented with spearmint. It had a wonderful scent and it soaped nicely. It could be used as an exfoliation bar. But, it was NOT a true bar of Translucent or Glycerin Soap. It was a complete fail and I hated the process.<br />
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I had two pots that I used as a double boiler and I followed the recipe from Kathy Millers website.<br />
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I didn't try to make Glycerin / Translucent soap again for 12 years.<br />
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Last year I tried again. ANOTHER FAIL. Made me so angry I put it away again and left it for yet another year.<br />
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I can finally tell you that I've successfully made more than 10 batches of truly translucent and Melt & Pour Soaps. I've learned how to formulate my own recipes and I've been successful at achieving that Translucent Clear Soap. Here are a few of my soaps.<br />
<br />Arsenia Blu Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311428493440627324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7584412408890401486.post-65657167529726298872017-07-22T13:40:00.001-07:002017-09-13T06:52:20.925-07:00Morning BlissAfter making soaps for so many years its hard to imagine that I would still love it so much. Not only loving the creative side of soap making, but also loving the way my skin feels when I use my creations. Last evening I made a batch of soap that I hoped would remind me once again of why I love being a Soap maker. <br />
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It accelerated very fast and rushed into the gel stage. Causing the design I had put on the top to smash against the top of the lid for the mold. I literally had to hold it down so the pressure didn't push the lid off and I didn't have a volcano of soap all over the counter.<br />
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I placed the wooded mold filled with soap in the stove and left it over night. Got up at 6:45 am to unmold and cut the soap into loaves and then into bars. It was as hard as a bar of cured soap that has been sitting 6 weeks. Since it was unscented I couldn't only smell Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter. Which was Perfect.<br />
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I cut the block into 24 bars of soap and proceeded to stamp them with my soap stamp and place them on a rack to cure for another 3 weeks. No, I'm not going to cure for 6-8 weeks because the soap has completed the saponification I'mprocess. Its ALREADY soap. Its already cured, its already hard and its already been used. :)<br />
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YES, I took a bar and went to the shower. It was pure BLISS. I got the feeling all over again. I know why I love being a soap maker and I stand by my product. I make luxurious bars of soap and natural skincare as well as hair care that nourishes and moisturizes even the roughest, driest, most irritated skin.<br />
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No don't get me wrong. I don't need to be reminded why I do what I do because I'm sold out and dedicated to the art of soap making. But more so to providing health skin care solutions that promote healthy skin.<br />
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The batch of soap I created yesterday was made with Raw Unrefined Shea Butter, Raw Unrefined Cocoa Butter, Organic Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Organic Coconut Milk Powder. No fragrance, No essential oils. Purified Water and Sodium Hydroxide. That's it, that's all, nothing else. It needs no preservative and gets no preservative. It's pure goodness and for me because I know exactly what's in my soaps Its Pure Bliss, plain and simple.<br />
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Below I want to show you how much soap would be wasted if I chose to bevel this bar of soap to cosmetic perfection. The bar shrinks in size and the logo would no longer have fit. The extra layers having been peeled off now have to be stored or discarded. I choose not to do this for this batch of soap because it makes absolutely no good sense to change the natural and most realistic presentation of a handmade bar of soap in all of its rustic beauty. So I hope you enjoy this luxurious creation with all its skin loving moisturizing goodness.Arsenia Blu Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311428493440627324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7584412408890401486.post-19953743289011464582017-01-06T17:35:00.002-08:002017-01-07T19:00:59.786-08:00Simply Ingredients<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WpTkB4FPr5k/WHBFM4GEN6I/AAAAAAAAA5A/7mKmxmTbFw4y4JueGDzo-CwDvXJsg7KzQCLcB/s1600/tieoliapictures%2B238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WpTkB4FPr5k/WHBFM4GEN6I/AAAAAAAAA5A/7mKmxmTbFw4y4JueGDzo-CwDvXJsg7KzQCLcB/s200/tieoliapictures%2B238.jpg" width="150" /></a>After years of making handmade soaps with multiple oils in them, Arsenia Blu is streamlining the process and the ingredients used in our soaps. Not that we don't love all the soaps we make and all the ingredients we use. However, the term less is better is really true in this case. We've researched oils and techniques, formulations and old world products made with different oils over and over. We've made different soaps using all these different types of oils, only to end up at this space and decision.<br />
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<span data-dobid="hdw">Cas·tile soap</span></div>
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fine, hard white or mottled soap made with olive oil and sodium hydroxide.</div>
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With so many websites and blogs that explain why Castile soap is good to use and even how many ways it can be used, I decided to include several of them in my post. The first page I would recommend reading is </div>
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<a href="http://www.naturallivingideas.com/castile-soap-benefits-uses/" style="color: #660099; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">7 Reasons You Need To Try Castile Soap & 18 Genius Ways to Use</a></div>
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Arsenia Blu Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311428493440627324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7584412408890401486.post-4743257993348623452017-01-02T11:11:00.004-08:002017-01-02T12:49:09.627-08:00Purposeful Giving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xoz87dmq8Ak/WGqTe7xiQNI/AAAAAAAAA4M/zRQD3VYLhAkePuFSEAjNzeile4IQR5QbACLcB/s1600/Arsenia%2BBlu%2BCharity%2BRibbonTemplate%2BA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xoz87dmq8Ak/WGqTe7xiQNI/AAAAAAAAA4M/zRQD3VYLhAkePuFSEAjNzeile4IQR5QbACLcB/s320/Arsenia%2BBlu%2BCharity%2BRibbonTemplate%2BA.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Eoay8LZzx0w/WGqkTeqWYbI/AAAAAAAAA4g/RylKfnHRmAIWZ_cnQf6K8-xQMsvbGl4_wCLcB/s1600/Camo%2Blogo%2Balone%2Bcopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Eoay8LZzx0w/WGqkTeqWYbI/AAAAAAAAA4g/RylKfnHRmAIWZ_cnQf6K8-xQMsvbGl4_wCLcB/s320/Camo%2Blogo%2Balone%2Bcopy.jpg" width="184" /></a>We think that 2017 is going to be a wonderful year for Arsenia Blu. We've decided to drop the Blu from the name of our skincare. As we slowly sell out of the remaining products currently available in our stock, you'll begin so see subtle changes in the look of our labels and our web store.<br />
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The first few months you will see the basic Cause ribbon shape on all of our soap bars. However, at Arsenia Blu, we don't want to blend in. WE STAND OUT! <b><i> Look for our Exclusive Ribbon Desgin to appear on our bars and exclusively in our web store in the Summer of 2017. </i></b><br />
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The Look of Arsenia's Purposeful Giving Soap Bars will have our original Ribbon logo design that was created for the owner of Arsenia Blu Beauty over 7 years ago. Never having been used before in her business endeavors, she has decided that the Purposeful Giving Charity Cause is the most perfect place to use this beautiful logo. We go on record as having commissioned, ordered and purchased this exclusive design, and we can prove this statement as true.<br />
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<b>Notice to the public..........</b><br />
No permission will be given to any individual, company or website in the use of this Ribbon logo design. It is the exclusive property of Cleo Anderson LLC. and Arsenia Blu Beauty. Any product, packaging or website displaying this logo design is in direct violation of our rights and is unlawful. We will seek restitution for this violation.<br />
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At the bottom of each page you'll see a donate button. Where you can make a personal donation to Arsenia Blu to help us reach our goals. Please consider becoming a sponsor for Arsenia Blu.<br />
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<br />Arsenia Blu Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311428493440627324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7584412408890401486.post-25521111234386366222016-12-18T18:25:00.001-08:002017-01-02T12:36:39.484-08:00Stocking up on Soap Molds<br />
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I'm so excited to share the new soap molds I've purchased during the last two months. I've been very lucky to find several silicon molds that I really wanted.<br />
In November I was searching Ebay and Amazon where I seen these really cute molds from Wilton that was anywhere from $9.98 to $12.00. That very day I was looking online for this specific silicone mold I had to pick my kid up after work and we went to Walmart. I decided to go to the seasonal<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DXsH8lSJfPI/WFlSOrAnXrI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/EW-r1phUzzM96nAUSyinLxJKhle7p2eVgCLcB/s1600/20161127_120742%25280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DXsH8lSJfPI/WFlSOrAnXrI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/EW-r1phUzzM96nAUSyinLxJKhle7p2eVgCLcB/s320/20161127_120742%25280%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
cooking ware and there it was. The EXACT mold I had seen on Ebay and Amazon. The difference was that they had two stacks of them and they were only $4.97 each.<br />
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I got 4 of them and I LOVE THEM. They'll be used as guest molds and soy melt molds.<br />
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The next silicone mold I was hoping to find was the Snowflake mold. I found them on ebay, but they were going to ship from China. I don't like to buy from China. I want to buy from someone in the U.S. Well, turns out my order was cancelled because they didn't have any available to ship. <br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z6QJMhTx-Ao/WFlTB2eNTRI/AAAAAAAAAuU/y5PjDjHJLi8oXQ9RRTLdAlk6e1VtMw5pgCLcB/s1600/20161127_121220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HUTO4G2SsNc/WFlaDjQY0rI/AAAAAAAAAv0/ywtGX97cbIk0V_R0MN-HOM1E7Rgg3WDFACLcB/s1600/20161127_111700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HUTO4G2SsNc/WFlaDjQY0rI/AAAAAAAAAv0/ywtGX97cbIk0V_R0MN-HOM1E7Rgg3WDFACLcB/s200/20161127_111700.jpg" width="150" /></a><img border="0" cgi-bin="" height="320" https:="" method="post" src="hAt the bottom of each page you'll see a donate button. Where you can make a personal donation to Arsenia Blu to help us reach our goals. Please consider becoming a sponsor for Arsenia Blu.<br />
<form action=" target="_top" webscr="" www.paypal.com="" /> I received this mold from a seller a few states away. Not enough molds of course so I continued to look for more. I now have a total of four and I couldn't be happier. That gives me a potential batch of 24 and that's perfect. Oh, and the little one is exactly like the big one and I love it. Its actually a candy mold. but, since its silicone, It will work.</div>
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My Favorite Mold of the season is the Gingerbread boy mold, and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this mold. I found this mold on one of my outings during my lunch hour in corporate America.<br />
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The next two molds that I purchased this holiday season are for my new cupcake molds. I wanted to change the look of the cupcake bases that I use. Some of them are single molds will the one I love the most is in a tray of 6, I bought two of them, Actually need one more. I just had to have these. Though I would prefer single cups in this shape. I do like the basic cupcake mold shape, but I really LOVE this cupcake shape for the base of my Soapy Cupcakes.<br />
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I found some other Cupcake Molds that I really thought would come in handy from time to time. Different sizes and different shapes for the soap base. Just makes creating alot of fun.I thought that would be a lot of fun. As for the Big mold, Well, sometimes a girl just needs bigger shapes to make bigger Body Treats. <br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-77YZIYnCw7c/WFlWkMHPTuI/AAAAAAAAAvA/sXN30Acliz8w_CQ8mvWmKVLJy-Cc2DBIQCLcB/s1600/20161127_121301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-77YZIYnCw7c/WFlWkMHPTuI/AAAAAAAAAvA/sXN30Acliz8w_CQ8mvWmKVLJy-Cc2DBIQCLcB/s200/20161127_121301.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N9RiQP5kFhY/WFlXBte0O_I/AAAAAAAAAvY/yKaRMKRTSSc1GtU6JKKwmq4aGFHA-2NUQCLcB/s1600/20161127_113833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N9RiQP5kFhY/WFlXBte0O_I/AAAAAAAAAvY/yKaRMKRTSSc1GtU6JKKwmq4aGFHA-2NUQCLcB/s200/20161127_113833.jpg" width="200" /></a> <br />
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My next two molds to tell you about are my Heart shaped Molds. Just in time for Sweetheart day in February. Very strong and in very<br />
good shaped. The Red mold with 6 shapes is really pretty, I can't want to use it. The single heart shapes were also purchased on Ebay for about $5.00 and they sent 24 cups. They are Wilton and in Excellent condition. I'm very excited to Soap during the changing seasons of 2017. This will be my first Sweetheart season to present themed products for my Clientele and I'm excited. I'm even more excited because we'll celebrate 13 years in the Soap making business on February 19,2017.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N9RiQP5kFhY/WFlXBte0O_I/AAAAAAAAAvY/yKaRMKRTSSc1GtU6JKKwmq4aGFHA-2NUQCLcB/s1600/20161127_113833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-77YZIYnCw7c/WFlWkMHPTuI/AAAAAAAAAvA/sXN30Acliz8w_CQ8mvWmKVLJy-Cc2DBIQCLcB/s1600/20161127_121301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><br />
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So, even though I no longer celebrate All Hallows Eve, I found these molds for the Halloween Season, I was able to find some Pumkins, Ghosts and Skull N Crossbones for those who do celebrate the holiday. Its still fun to make soaps in different shapes.<br />
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BuO0ESyBJpk/WFlWRBR9qnI/AAAAAAAAAu0/QKCGvUSLo94jnMimJ-qYkZ4K1OZvwhRaQCLcB/s1600/20161127_115027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BuO0ESyBJpk/WFlWRBR9qnI/AAAAAAAAAu0/QKCGvUSLo94jnMimJ-qYkZ4K1OZvwhRaQCLcB/s200/20161127_115027.jpg" width="150" /></a> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fDCYAQoOci0/WFlWXAb1X3I/AAAAAAAAAu4/r7zAhzrqbqMAMaHEPFI8AIg3O3xu77ycwCLcB/s1600/20161127_115042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fDCYAQoOci0/WFlWXAb1X3I/AAAAAAAAAu4/r7zAhzrqbqMAMaHEPFI8AIg3O3xu77ycwCLcB/s200/20161127_115042.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M79rstsydcs/WFlWeTFIBYI/AAAAAAAAAu8/meh1CvzaoY0SuaDff--08aXw3L9qdddQQCLcB/s1600/20161127_115115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M79rstsydcs/WFlWeTFIBYI/AAAAAAAAAu8/meh1CvzaoY0SuaDff--08aXw3L9qdddQQCLcB/s200/20161127_115115.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
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Now as you can see, I have added alot of unique molds to my arsenal for future purposes. I'm loving it. Next up are the flower molds I found in October. All there of these will be used often, because they will work for soaps and Wax Tart melts.</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2H6WSn2LYq4/WFlWxQbFmBI/AAAAAAAAAvM/savxJa6onK0ETRR9GEVB1VlJcIy3s81DwCLcB/s1600/20161127_114749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2H6WSn2LYq4/WFlWxQbFmBI/AAAAAAAAAvM/savxJa6onK0ETRR9GEVB1VlJcIy3s81DwCLcB/s320/20161127_114749.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bCr8m8fpMKA/WFlZ0aRys_I/AAAAAAAAAvw/mIIcVefqb3YJkfWBvEnoH6BE4JGKOi_JACLcB/s1600/20161127_123522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bCr8m8fpMKA/WFlZ0aRys_I/AAAAAAAAAvw/mIIcVefqb3YJkfWBvEnoH6BE4JGKOi_JACLcB/s320/20161127_123522.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My bunny Mold was purchase off Ebay and it is Wilton. It is a Wilton Mold of the Peeps candy I'm excited to have it. There is one more mold that I've ordered for the Easter Holiday season that will arrive after the new year. I purchased it on Wilton's website. Its another bunny mold, but very different looking. I post a picture of that mold once it arrives.</div>
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I did almost forget about this log mold I bought on ebay. I thought it would be bigger, as they gave the dimensions, however, I didn't check the dimensions I just bid on it. Its going to be good to soap with it and get square corners of my hand cut bars. I actually bid and one the second one, while I ordered the first mold. So, I have two of these.</div>
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At the bottom of each page you'll see a donate button. Where you can make a personal donation to Arsenia Blu to help us reach our goals. <br />
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Arsenia Blu Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311428493440627324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7584412408890401486.post-73390347619554815012016-12-18T17:20:00.000-08:002017-01-02T12:39:15.556-08:00Making Christmas Soaps....... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was so excited to make Christmas Soaps and Soapy Cupcakes this Christmas season. Out of all the years I've been creating artisan soap, I've never really created Christmas Holiday themed soaps. So, I decided I would do it this year. I've created several cupcakes and even a few bars of soap as well. Unfortunately, I haven't done very good in the way of selling them this holiday season. Next year I'll think twice about Special Holiday Soaps.<br />
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Anyway, Here are the Christmas Soaps and Cupcakes I created for Christmas 2016.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CZMUdVKR8bY/WFwUfvaXO7I/AAAAAAAAAww/W8oEiNWo_bsxYptZ79xbAiHH8tmqwUVSgCEw/s1600/20161108_173219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CZMUdVKR8bY/WFwUfvaXO7I/AAAAAAAAAww/W8oEiNWo_bsxYptZ79xbAiHH8tmqwUVSgCEw/s320/20161108_173219.jpg" width="320" /></a>My first Christmas Soap was my Gingerbread Cupcake - To be honest, I've had this Gingerbread fragrance oil for over 7 years. I thought it would have lost its scent and potency. However, because it sat in the dark for literally 5 years without seeing the light of day, it was POTENT. I hated the scent before I used it in these cupcakes. By the time I got finished making these cupcakes, I was in LOVE with Gingerbread fragrance.</div>
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The second Christmas Soap was my Apple Blossom Mint Soap Cupcake. I made this cupcake because I loved the blend of Apple and Peppermint blend. It smells sweet and minty at the same time.<br />
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The amazing part about these Soapy Cupcakes was that they were almost lost to my brand new piping tool not being opened enough to pipe out my soap the way I had imagined. Some how I got it out and the cupcakes came out pretty nice.</div>
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A Romantic Christmas Soapy Cupcake is my third Christmas Soap.for 2016. Its a blend of Apple, Love Spell (type) and Peppermint. This is my favorite for the season. Its warm and romantic, its sweet and deliciously soft. <br />
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The peppermint is subtle and the blend as a whole is delightful to the nose.</div>
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Next up is my Mini Peppermint <br />
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cupcakes. They are solid white with green and red sprinkles.The topper has tiny erasers shaped like peppermint candy and snow men. They are completely adorable.</div>
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My next Christmas soap is the Applemint Soapbar. This soap bar is really pretty with three colors, white, green and a dark mauve rose color which was created out of beet root powder. <br />
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It turned out to be a really pretty marble swirled soap.</div>
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Arsenia Blu Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311428493440627324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7584412408890401486.post-65728079610860487442016-12-01T09:00:00.002-08:002017-01-02T12:57:16.155-08:00Not All Soaps are Equal --- Know what your buying<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">I found this article on Ebay articles..... Its a good read for anyone who is leary of using real handmade soap. </span><span style="font-size: small;">Credit goes to Prairie-Creation for writing the article dated April 4, 2008.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><img alt="prairie-creations" class="author-image" data-pin-no-hover="true" src="https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTUwWDE1MA==/$T2eC16N,!)sE9swmYlFPBQv6TbKE8!~~60_7.JPG" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-height: 40px; max-width: 40px; padding: 0px; transition: width 1s ease-in-out, left 1s ease-in-out; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.ebay.com/usr/prairie-creations?rt=nc" style="color: rgb(119, 119, 119) !important; text-decoration: none;">prairie-creations</a></div>
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While buying soap isn't a new concept it is one that does require a little education. Before I had reason to research this topic, chances are you had the same thoughts as I did and thought that soap was soap and what I bought in the stores was soap and that there was nothing wrong with the product that I was buying.</span><span style="font-size: small;">But little did I know there was so much to learn about the simple topic of soap. But it wasn't until I had used my first bar of real handmade soap that I was convinced. I couldn't believe how much cleaner my skin felt, how much softer my skin was. Plus ground in dirt simply dissolved without the need to use a lot of elbow grease.</span><span style="font-size: small;">What I plan on covering on this page is some general information about what most people call “soap” and is purchased in stores. Soaps such as dial, caress, oil of olay, lever 2000, zest and your other popular brands, etc....... I am also going to cover the melt and pour soaps and glycerin soaps that many crafters use. As well as hand milled soap and rebatching. And last but not least I'm going to cover soap that is truly handmade.</span><span style="font-size: small;">
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I know this page will contain a lot of information and I hope that you will find it helpful so you can make an informed purchase. . Or maybe you will learn a thing or two about the different products available and what makes them so different.</span><span style="font-size: small;">
First i will cover the soaps that we purchase in stores, there are many brands to choose from. While we all call them soap, it really isn't soap at all. And I will tell you why.</span><span style="font-size: small;">It was about 1916 when the first synthetic detergent was developed in Germany because of a shortage of the necessary fats that were needed to make soap. In this day and age we still call them detergents but they are really synthetic non-soap product that are made from petroleum distillates that is used for cleaning and washing along with other various chemicals and other raw materials. It was during the 1930's when the household detergent production started becoming more popular in the United States but didn't really take off until after World War II. Because during this time the fats and oils were not available to make soaps but also the military needed to find a product that would work in both cold water and sea water. By 1953 detergents had pretty much replaced all soap-based products. Only now in our modern times they have invented new and different detergents and chemicals to do specific cleaning jobs.</span><span style="font-size: small;">
Soap as we know it today is made up of chemicals, detergents and additives. But did you also know that these big companies remove the glycerin that is produced naturally and sell it as a by-product which further reduces the quality of their soap product. Sadly the glycerin has a higher value to them than the soap product they are producing. So it's removed and sold off to other cosmetic companies or to be used in other products that that company makes.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Once in awhile you see a soap like product that does have an add natural ingredients, but they are added in such small quanties to make the consumer think they are buying a wonderful product. But in reality they do not add enough to make a difference, they only add just enough of the product to legally put it on the label, and the product still contains an extreme high percent of synthetic products. A good example of this is shea butter.</span><span style="font-size: small;">If you need further proof of this here is the list of ingredients that are found in a bar of the brand name “Dove”® beauty bar. A product that most people believe to be mild and gentle to the skin. Gentle enough to be used by people of all ages from babies to the elderly. In fact when my middle child was born, this is the soap that that particular hospital used on the babies in the newborn nursery.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Next to each ingredient is a description of what that ingredient is or what it does.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Dove®</span><span style="font-size: small;">
sodium cocoyl isethionate ~ (synthetic detergent)</span><span style="font-size: small;">
Stearic acid ~ (hardener)</span><span style="font-size: small;">
Sodium tallowate ~ (sodium salt of animal fat)</span><span style="font-size: small;">
Water</span><span style="font-size: small;">
Sodium isethionate ~ (detergent/emulsifying agent)</span><span style="font-size: small;">
Coconut acid ~ (the sodium salt of coconut oil)</span><span style="font-size: small;">
Sodium stearate ~ (emulsifier, also used as a cheap stabilizer in plastics)</span><span style="font-size: small;">
Sodium dodecylbenzonesulfonate ~ (synthetic detergent, skin irritant)</span><span style="font-size: small;">
Sodium cocoate or sodium palm kernalate ~ (sodium salts of coconut or palm kernel oils)</span><span style="font-size: small;">
Fragrance ~ (synthetic scent, potential allergen, common skin irritant)</span><span style="font-size: small;">
Sodium chloride ~ (table salt used as a thickener)</span><span style="font-size: small;">
Titanium dioxide ~ (whitener, also used in house paint)</span><span style="font-size: small;">
Trisodium EDTA ~ (stabilizer, water softener, skin irritant)</span><span style="font-size: small;">
Trisodium etidronate ~ (preservative, a chemical that is used in soaps to prevent soap scum)</span><span style="font-size: small;">
BHT ~ (preservative, common skin irritant)</span><span style="font-size: small;">Here is one thing to remember about the ingredient 'sodium tallowate'. It is a hard fat that is obtained from parts of the bodies of cattle, sheep, or horses, and contributes no beneficial qualities to the skin. But it is cheap which is why it's used.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Another point to remember is that many commercial soaps include the ingredient 'sodium lauryl sulfate' which is used because it's a cheap product to produce foam/lather in the product even through it's harsh on the skin. Which is not to be confused with 'sodium lauryl sulfoacetate' which produces foam/lather and is used by many crafters but it's also milder on the skin and is phosphate free and non-toxic. Many crafters use it to enhance bubble baths, make dry bubble baths and other bath products. So now ask yourself why would these big companies need to add a product that would add foam/lather to their soap unless it didn't produce this naturally because of the chemicals and detergents that they are using. One key point about these foaming products to remember is that anything that foams/lathers is either real soap or it's a synthetic detergent.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Because these soaps are made with synthetic ingredients they also require a preservative to keep them from spoiling. So you may want to take that into consideration as well.</span><span style="font-size: small;">While on a shopping trip to wal-mart I spent a few minutes looking at the labels on the different soaps and here is what I found from the few minutes that I spent looking.</span><span style="font-size: small;">On a bar of dial soap i found the ingredient 'methyl ether' found. Did you know that this product is on the EPA, federal regulatory program lists for regulated toxic, explosive or flammable substance (clean air act). And on it's material safety data sheet it's noted as being highly flammable.</span><span style="font-size: small;">On a bar of caress soap (which use to be my personal favorite soap) i found propylene glycol. This is taken from the material safety data sheet on this chemical “May be harmful by ingestion, inhalation or through skin contact. May cause skin or eye irritation.”</span><span style="font-size: small;">While looking on a bar of Lever 2000 I noticed that I contained mineral oil which is a petroleum product. It's also known that it is not good for the skin and it actually clog skin pores and doesn't allow the skin to breath. But many companies use it because it's cheap. (Not just in soap but many other bath products so read labels!) Baby oil as we know it, is actually just scented mineral oil, and yet we use it on babies..........</span><span style="font-size: small;">Now after going through that list are you sure you still want to use these products on your skin? Especially when you compare that list of ingredients those that are in handmade soap. To which I'll get into more later when I talk about handmade soap. Even though the range of oils and liquids used in handmade soap can vary greatly it all boils down to three things that make up soap. You need a combination of oils, lye and a liquid to make soap. That's it.</span><span style="font-size: small;">But you will also notice that the products that you call soap are not made with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), also known as lye, caustic soda and sodium hydrate. Instead they depend on other chemicals to produce their product. But I'll touch more on that topic when i talk about hand made soap.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Many of these detergents, chemicals and additives are also known to be skin irritants. There are a lot of people can't use them because of the skin irritation and rashes that they get when they use these products. However people who use commercial soaps not including those that are to sensitive to use them, also find that it leaves their skin feeling dry, tight, itchy, sensitive and unclean.</span><span style="font-size: small;">If you buy these products please do take the time to read the label that has the list of ingredients on it. What you will find is a list of ingredients that the average person can't pronounce or even know what they are.</span><span style="font-size: small;">There is another branch of store soaps that you also need to think about. These are the ones that are labeled as antibacterial. These products actually kill off the good bacteria that live naturally on your body, and over-strip and over-dry your skin, leaving it cracked and vulnerable to the bad bacteria and germs. Doesn't sound so good after all does it.</span><span style="font-size: small;">
Glycerin soaps are made by commercial companies as well as crafters who use melt and pour methods.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Glycerin soap can be opaque, colored or clear. Many crafters use glycerin soap to insert different shapes of soap or embed small toys in the soap. The reason why glycerin soap is so popular is because the colors that you can add to them make them bright and fun. The crafting industry has made this soap so popular because it's quick, easy, fun and safe to use.</span><span style="font-size: small;">But make no mistake this product isn't any better than the store bought soaps themselves. All you need to do is read the list of ingredients to prove this to yourself.</span><span style="font-size: small;">The companies who make these products must also add a solvent that allows the product to be easily remelted and poured into a mold to shape it. Allowing the crafter to add different colors and fragrances. Then many try to fool people into thinking they are buying a product that is natural, handmade and good for their skin. And nothing could be further from the truth. Or they are just not educated in the product they are using or simply don't care.</span><span style="font-size: small;">But did you know that the reason why glycerin soap is clear is because they need to add alcohol, glycerin, and even sugar to do this. And please do remember that alcohol does dry your skin out even further. So it defeats the purpose of adding that extra glycerin while making this product.</span><span style="font-size: small;">
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So glycerin soap falls into the same category as the other melt and pour soaps products. They are made with the same ingredients as the products that we call soap and are bought in stores as I described above. None of which are good for the skin, body or the environment.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Another common ingredient in melt and pour bases is propylene glycol. Here is a quote on that topic. "A cosmetic form of mineral oil found in automatic brake and hydraulic fluid and industrial antifreeze. In the skin and hair, propylene glycol works as a humescent, which causes retention of moisture content of skin or cosmetic products by preventing the escape of moisture or water. The Material Safety Data Sheet warns users to avoid skin contact with propylene glycol as this strong skin irritant can cause liver abnormalities and kidney damage." As a side note sometimes this is used in preservatives that are needed for other bath and body items. However it's only one ingredient in that preservative and most preservatives are used at the rate of 1% or LESS. So very it's such a small amount that the benefits outwigh the risks in the dose that is used in because a preservative is required to prevent mold and bacteria from growing to keep the consumer safe.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Another common ingredient is triethanolamine also known as TEA which is used to help adjust the pH of the product. But on it's hazardous materials sheet it's also known as a irritant. I'll quote this quote as found on wikipedia about TEA “As with any amines, it may have the potential to create nitrosamines, but with the low concentrations used in cosmetic products the chances of that happening is very slim and it is further theorized that nitrosamines (cancer causing agents) cannot penetrate the skin.”</span><span style="font-size: small;">So are you still convinced that these are products are ok to use and that you want to use them knowing this new information. Be aware of the ingredients list and educate yourself about the products that you are using.</span><span style="font-size: small;">
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If your going to buy soap that claims it's handmade but does not include a description of how it's made or a list of it's ingredients be sure to ask the seller for this information. This is important to you so you can make an informed purchase and that your actually buying what you want to buy, not what they are making you think your buying. I know there are many sellers who use the term handmade with melt and pour soaps, leaving the buyer to think it's really handmade when the term they should be using is handcrafted.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Hand milled soap is often described two ways. It can be made with melt and pour soap as well as handmade soap. So it's important to read what the seller writes about the soap or to ask them which soap they started with. Some crafters use this term because it sounds better than saying they use melt and pour soap bases.</span><span style="font-size: small;">But essentially hand milled soap is made with some sort of soap base either be cold process soap (cured or un-cured) or melt and pour soap and it's melted down, with additional ingredients added. A liquid is added (milk or goats milk is the most common) along with other ingredients such as herbs, oatmeal, fragrance and anything else the creator feels like adding. And then it's poured into some type of mold to set and harden.</span><span style="font-size: small;">So just because it's given a natural sounding name or has a few natural ingredients added doesn't make a synthetic soap real. So read those labels carefully or ask the seller questions. Be informed about the product you want to buy so you aren't fooled into buying a product you don't want.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Rebatching soap is made with a handmade soap base. Either handmade soap that is cured or uncured. Liquid is added (milk or goats milk is the most common) and it's melted down and it may or may not have other ingredients such as herbs, oatmeal, fragrance added. And then the creator makes either cold processed soap or hot processed soap and eventually it's poured into some type of mold to set and harden.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Now onto my favorite subject, handmade soaps!!!</span><span style="font-size: small;">Now that you know what is in synthetic soap that we buy in stores as well as what is in glycerin soaps and melt and pour soaps I'm going to tell you what real soap is made of and why it's so different.</span><span style="font-size: small;">While the ingredients of soap can vary greatly depending on the maker and their specific recipe, they all must have three things the same. Soap must be made of a a specific combinations of oil, lye and a liquid.</span><span style="font-size: small;">There are many oils that can be used for making soap, both vegetable based oils and animal based oils. As well as many of the butters that are so popular now. Shea butter, mango butter, cocoa butter and a few other butters that are a little less known but that doesn't mean they aren't good for the skin. Then you can add any number of liquid and solid oils. From Canola oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, olive oil, soybean oil, lard, or vegetable shortening to the coconut oils, palm oils and that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the oils that can be used in soap making.</span><span style="font-size: small;">One thing that it's important to remember with the oils used in soaps, is that they are not all equal. And you can't have to much of one and not enough of another. The results will be less than desirable, such as a soap that is soft in texture and the user won't feel as clean or a all lard soap will be harsh to the skin. (But an all lard soap makes a great laundry soap or a stain pre-treater.) Many of the oils have different properties that benefit the skin in different ways, which is why they are chosen for a recipe.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Then you have the liquid part of the recipe and these can vary as much as the oils to be used. Water is one of the most common liquids to be used. But goats milk is also popular, along with milks, creams, fruit and vegetable juices. For example one of the soaps I make uses tomato juice, because it makes a wonderful soap for the face and is awesome for oily skin or acne prone skin. It's all up to the creator which liquid they want to use.</span><span style="font-size: small;">But all these ingredients must be in balance with the lye that is added. Which is why each and every recipe must be run through what is called a lye calculator. This is a special calculator that is designed so the soaper can insert all the oils that are used. Each oil is listed separately and the soaper enters the amount of each oil that they will use in the recipe. And when they click to calculate it will determine the amount of water and lye that needs to be used for the specific and amount of oils that are going to be used. This is very important so don't have a end product that is heavy with lye and could cause skin burns. So by using a lye calculator you will end up with a well made product in the end.</span><span style="font-size: small;">While on the topic of lye, many are concerned that because lye is an ingredient in the beginning that it's still present in the end. But to clear that myth up, I'd like to go into this. What most people don't realize is that soap making is all chemistry. A chemical reaction takes place between all the ingredients in soap making and this is called saponification. Saponification occurs when an oil (vegetable or animal based) is mixed with a strong alkali which is the lye. And the final result of that chemical reaction is soap and glycerin. (Did you know that handmade soap actually contains more natural glycerin than glycerin soap. So take that into consideration the next time you buy soap made from melt and pour bases or a glycerin based soap product.)</span><span style="font-size: small;">So now you might ask yourself why is the water or other liquids present in the recipe. It really doesn't have anything to do with the chemical reaction that takes place. But it is necessary because lye is a powder it needs to be mixed with a liquid (in proper proportion) so the oil and lye that is now a liquid form can mix together to produce the chemical reaction needed to make soap. So the soaper can then take advantage of this and use many different liquids that can add benefit the skin in more ways than just what the oils can do. Which is why many soapers use goats milk or milk in their soap.</span><span style="font-size: small;">So just to confirm with you, there is no longer lye present in soap after the saponification process has had time to be completed. Either by hot process or cold process. Please keep reading to find out more on these two processes.</span><span style="font-size: small;">But your not done yet, because this is where the fun beings. There are so many things that can be added to soap. From herbs and flowers and other natural products. Honey, aloe, oatmeal, cornmeal, pumice, just to name a few.</span><span style="font-size: small;">And then you have to decide to scent or not to scent. If you do want to scent your soap, do you want to use essential oils or fragrance oils.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Essential oils are expensive, because of how they are made. They are simply the oil of the plant from which they were extracted. But the cost goes up because it takes a lot of the plant material to make a small quantity of the oil. I've also heard others say that some don't smell like you think it should. For example, strawberry essential oil doesn't smell like strawberries. But they are more natural, and many do have properties that can benefit the skin such as tea tree oil, peppermint, lavender, or calendula.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Fragrance oils are a synthetic blend of oils in an oil base that are made to smell like different products. {These are also used to scent perfumes, many bath and body products, candles and many other products.} It's in fragrance oils that you get your fun scents, like bubble gum, spring rain, cotton candy or french vanilla. And depending on the maker and how much they are diluted with a base oil they really do smell like they should. Peaches smell like peaches and makes you want to take a bite. But do be careful because some are not skin safe and not all users take this into consideration when using these products on the products that will be used on the skin. While they are synthetic they do add a nice touch to bath and body products. So it's a personal choice if the user wants to use a natural made soap that has synthetic fragrance added.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Now that the recipe has been determined, the soaper needs to decide between using the hot process and the cold process method of putting it all together and completing the soap making process.</span><span style="font-size: small;">The biggest difference between the two is how soon you can use the soap after it's been placed into the mold and had the time to harden.</span><span style="font-size: small;">It doesn't matter what process you use, they are all made the same in the beginning. Mixing the oils together, and the liquid and the lye separately. Then mixing them together and blending them together while keeping the heat temperature up until they reach trace. Trace is a specific point in the mixing of the ingredients when the two mixtures (oil and water) will not separate back into separate oil and water mixtures. Basically what trace looks like is pudding in one shape way or form. It can be a light trace which is thinner and still runny to a heavy trace which is like a thicker pudding.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Once trace is achieved the soaper decides if they want to do the cold process or the hot process. Both products turn out the same in the end, and are sinfully wonderful to use.</span><span style="font-size: small;">If the soaper decides to make cold process soap they take the soap at trace and pour it into their molds. Either a loaf mold which is a big block of soap or into cute individual shaped molds. It's then left to harden and later the molds are removed and the soap can then be left to cure and age before it can be used. It's during this cure time that the saponification process can take place, turning the oil and lye into soap. Also during this curing process the water that was added in the recipe evaporates to produce a harder bar of soap.</span><span style="font-size: small;">With hot process soap heat is added to speed up the saponification process. That is why this type of soap can be used sooner. The lye chemically changes during this time and your left with soap. This can be done in a crock pot, on the stove top or in the oven. However in the oven is the best method because you can regulate an even and constant temperature during this process. While there is a lot more to hot process soap, this is the basics. But because the heat is added during this process the added liquid can evaporate. So when this process is complete your left with a hot product that has the consistency of mashed potatoes. So while it's hot you must work quickly and 'plop' it into your molds. Either into a loaf mold, which is a big block of soap or put it into individual shaped molds.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Visually handmade soap will look different than store bought soaps or melt and pour soaps. Many have a dark coloring because they contain dairy products. This happens because during the heating process the lactose in the milk caramelize. This is normal and does not affect the quality of the soap. The coloring can also be affected by certain fragrance oils. Fragrance oils that contain vanilla will produce a soap that is dark brown in color. But additives can be added to lighten the natural coloring. Since the coloring does bother some people. Some cold process soaps will have a whiter color, but not all of them. It really depends on the recipe. (oils used, liquids used, any other added ingredients and fragrance added.)</span><span style="font-size: small;">The scent is a rather obvious difference. I know that is one reason why my daughters friends love my soap. They like the fun scents that I have and use in my soaps. I do have to laugh because now it's expected when my daughter is invited to her friends birthdays that they want to receive the products I make. I'm not sure they care about the quality, but they sure like the scents!!!</span><span style="font-size: small;">Handmade soap does have natural lather, but then that is also based on the recipe. When i first started making my own soap and started to make my own recipes, I only used a small amount of coconut oil that I use now. So by trial and error as well as reading up and learning more I learned that coconut oil is also partly responsible for the lather found in soap. So if you have some handmade soap that doesn't have much lather, it's not because it's not working or that it's good soap, it just doesn't have much of the oils that help produce lather in soap. But the lather that you do have will be a silky texture compared to what you buy in stores and melt and pour soaps. And later after you have dried off and dressed you will also notice your skin is softer as well and will need less moisturizing.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Just be sure you don't let your handmade soap sit in water when it's not in use. You can buy a soap dish to prevent this from happening or you can recycle another product that you might otherwise throw away.</span><span style="font-size: small;">In my bathtub I have a shelf that the soap sits on. But on that shelf i have placed the empty plastic cartridge holder that held the blades to my razor when I bought them. There are holes in it to allow drainage, and they are clear. They clean easy or can be tossed out and replaced. So instead of buying a soap dish that will drain my soap I chose to reuse something that I would have tossed out. So think outside the box on this one.</span><span style="font-size: small;">All soap leaves soap scum in one shape form or another. But store bought soaps have a chemical added to it to help with this problem. So you shouldn't base your decision on the soap you buy on the type of soap scum it leaves behind on your bath tub. This is more obvious with those that take baths rather than showers. But I also found that it cleans off quite easy. Personally to clean my bathtub i use shampoo and a washcloth or a washcloth that has been well lathered with my soap and it cleans without the need for a lot of elbow grease. Unlike the soap scum that is left behind by store bought soaps and melt and pour soaps you need more harsh chemicals and lots of elbow grease to clean away soap scum from those soaps.</span><span style="font-size: small;">
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If you do buy soap that is called handmade but your unsure if it is the real thing or a melt and pour product there is a simple test that you can do. Simply pop it into your microwave and a melt and pour soap will begin to liquefy in a short amount of time. Thirty seconds or less and you will have your results. A true cold process or hot process soap won't melt that easily. Melt and pour soaps contain solvents in it to help it melt so it can be easily molded.</span><span style="font-size: small;">But of course the real test of soap is how it makes your skin feel.</span><span style="font-size: small;">It may cost a little more to buy soap that is handmade but in the end your skin will thank you for it.</span><span style="font-size: small;">You may also ask yourself why does it matter which soap that you use. Just think about this for a moment. The largest organ of your body is your skin. And it's your body's defense mechanism against outside impurities, and it maintains proper body temperature. You skin is also permeable and absorbs everything you put on it. Since soap bought in stores as well as glycerin and melt and pour soaps contain many ingredients that are less than desirable and these ingredients are absorbed into your skin every time you use them. So you need to ask yourself what you value.</span><span style="font-size: small;">Some even question the possibility that these products (and others) may compromise the immune system. But that's a whole new topic that you can research for yourself. But that's for you to research and decide for yourself is there is truth to what you put on your skin and what it absorbs and how it affects your heath.</span></h3>
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Arsenia Blu Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311428493440627324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7584412408890401486.post-47981001974658812862016-11-30T10:03:00.001-08:002017-01-02T12:57:51.373-08:00Lost My Domain..... Got it back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oh my gosh, I got my domain back. Lost because I didn't complete the transition process when I didn't reply to the second email I got from my selected host. I lost my domain in August and I didn't even know it until October. Yup, can we say, not working on our business like we should be? That would be me. Well, any whooooo, I got it back and we are back on track. Even though I have it back, I'll keep this domain for my blog and they will be intertwined to work together. Now that I like. I like it so much in fact that I would like to invite you to check out my Webstore.<br />
Visit us online at http://www.arseniablu.com where you can shop for some beautiful Holiday skincare treats.
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Arsenia Blu Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311428493440627324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7584412408890401486.post-15687092468482586832016-09-14T18:39:00.000-07:002017-01-02T12:59:04.997-08:00Loving these Soap CupcakesIts been a very long time since I posted anything on this blog. I'm actually quite excited to have found this really nice clean template. Less clutter and more elegance. As I figure out all the special features I'll be posting more often. For me it really takes some visuals to motivate me and get my juices flowing again.<br />
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A few days ago I made some really colorful cupcakes. Exactly 21, to be exact and they look so beautiful.<br />
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I didn't start out with the idea of making cupcakes. But that's what it turned in to. <br />
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They're made with Olive Oil, Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Sunflower Oil, Soybean Oil., Raw Aloe Vera and Goatsmilk..<br />
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Arsenia Blu Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311428493440627324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7584412408890401486.post-14089915238224934152014-08-31T17:39:00.001-07:002017-01-02T13:00:53.118-08:00Arsenia Blu - Luxury Beauty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm on a journey to create a company that I can call my own. After making natural soaps and beauty care for over 10 years, its time to get serious and make my dreams come true.</div>
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This is the first entry on my blog and I'm excited to be here. Over the last 10 years I've learned alot about soap making. All but a very small part of it was self taught without Youtube videos and Soap groups.</div>
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Below is a picture of my logo. I designed the butterfly myself and I'm very excited about that.</div>
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I had the logo created at 48hourslogo.com and it turned out wonderful. I believe it fosters the element of luxury, class, and style. while being serious and classic. What do you think?</div>
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Arsenia Blu Beautyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03311428493440627324noreply@blogger.com0