Lush Soap Base

I read this and I had to laugh. It's a press release from 2007, when Lush took palm oil out of their soap base for environmental reasons (which I happen to agree with).

In answer to growing consumer pressure over sustainable and ethically sourced personal care products, Lush has teamed up with a small soap specialist in the UK to develop what is claimed to be the world's first palm oil-free soap base.

The world's first palm-free soap base? What? People have been making soap for years from scratch. I use a combination of olive and coconut oils in my base and I know I am not the first person in the world to make a soap with just these two oils. People mix and match all kinds of oils in their recipes. What gives Lush the audacity to make this claim? Are they relying on the ignorance of the general public? I really respect the Lush brand, but this is poppycock! Am I just reading this wrong?

Vintage Soap

A while ago, my boyfriend and I were perusing our favorite local antique store and I stumbled upon this vintage soap by Octagon. It is actually part of the Palmolive Company. Palmolive is a combination of palm and olive oils, used in the soap back in the day. Check out the ingredients in Palmolive today:

Water , Ammonium C12-15 Pareth Sulfate , Magnesium Isododecylbenzenesulfonate , Lauramidopropylamine Oxide , SD Alcohol 3-A , Sodium Xylenesulfonate , Sodium Chloride , Fragrance , Pentasodium Pentetate , DMDM Hydantoin , Sodium Bisulfite , D&C Orange No. 4 (active ingredients: Triclosan 0.12%)

I might be bit stupid-like, but where is the oil?

This soap dates back to the fifties, after the "Peet" was dropped from the Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Company title. I am very tempted to open up the package, but I don't want to spoil it. Manufacturers were not mandated to include the ingredients on their labels then, however, I suspect that this particular bar contains a lot of synthetic fillers and bullshit detergent, as this was used after the World Wars. I can't believe that the label suggests that you use the soap "for complexion and bath." Complexion? Are you kidding me?

Thank You, Donors!

Here are all the lovely bath treats I collected from you all! My boyfriend and I are heading over to Rosie's Place to drop them off. Thanks again, everyone!

It's A Nice Day to ... Start Again!

I am trying to make in-roads into the bridal market. I will be participating in a wedding fair on March 8th (details to come tomorrow), so I have been executing a few ideas I had.

Spearmint scented two-tier hot process soap cake with M & P blue icing. The icing is supposed to have the effect of water on a pond, thus the duckies swimming on it.

Another view.

Coconut cream scented hot process soap cupcakes with shredded coconut.

Another view.

Lavender hot process soap bundt cake with lavender buds.

Another view.

Hot process soap cupcakes in honeydew and orange.

Another view.

Hot process soap heart with M & P heart in center.

Pink grapefruit soap tea cakes in Celtic hearts - M & P layer on top, hot process layer underneath.

Sex and the Ivy Valentine Gift Guide and Give Away

I would like to thank all of you who have generously donated products to the Valentine's Day Soap Drive. I've had a ton of donations from the folks at my day job, as well as several online. And even fellow body product company owners, like Penny from Zularis Naturals, have sent care packages for the women at Rosie's Place. There is still time to donate - I will be taking the packages to the shelter on Friday, 2/13.

I would also like to thank Lena Chen, from Sex and the Ivy fame, for selecting Stella Marie Soap Company as part of her Valentine's Day Gift Guide. Very exciting! She is also creating a giveaway for the holiday - please visit her blog for details!