Wax and Bubbles

Soaking in this refreshing bath is the perfect way to unwind after a day of strenuous physical activity. You will feel your muscles relax as your bathe. Keep a jar of the mix in your bathroom; after a gruelling day, add a scoop or two to your bathwater. For fragrance, simple add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the water along with the salts. This treatment can be drying to your skin, so remember to moisturize thoroughly afterward.

You will need:

• 1 cup sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 cup baking soda
• 1 cup Epsom salt

Mix all ingridents together and store in a clean 24 ounce jar with a tight-fitting lid. To use, add 1/2 to 1 cup of the bath salts directly beneath the warm, running water as you fill the bathtub. Soak in the bath for 15 to 20 minutes. Afterward, moisturize your skin throughly with a rich, natural oil.

If you want to scent of the oils in your salts, place all the above ingredients into a zippered bag and add a few drops of your favorite oil. I like to add eucalyptus oil to the salts during the winter and citrus essential oils in the summer. Seal and shake the bag once the desired amount of drops are added. Once the essential oils have incorporated into the salts. Pour the salt mixture into your clean 24 ounce jar. Make sure the jar you use has a tight-fitting lid to help keep out unwanted moisture.

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WAX AND BUBBLES PRODUCT SHOWCASE:

Candle-Lite’s everyday line delivers the highest quality, best value candles for fragrance and home décor no matter what your budget. The founder, Thomas Emery, began making candles in 1840 under the name of The Emery Candle Division of Emery Industries. In 1953 the plant moved to Leesburg, Ohio and was then renamed Candle-lite. And continues to bring quality candles into your homes today.

This aromatic creation is a combination of everyday Thai herbs that have been passed down through the centuries. The recipe includes enough ingredients for about two sachet pouches and also will require two pieces of terry cloth, cotton string and a steamer.

Thai Herbal Compress:

10 teaspoons lime zest
6 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
3-4 stalks of lemongrass, cut and pounded
20 eucalyptus leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon camphor granules

Directions for use:

Always use two sachets for each treatment so one sachet can be heating on a steamer while the other is being applied to the body.

1. Mix all ingredients and wrap in a piece of terry cloth fabric. Tightly tie the edge of the compress pouch with a string. You can even use something called a compress ball, which is pictures above. You can purchase them at any health food store worldwide.

2. Bring the water to a boil in the steamer.

3. Lightly sprinkle the pouches with water, and steam for 10 minutes.

4. Compress gently on the skin, making sure not to hold on any one spot for very long-simply touch, press, lift and move in the compress in a constant and rapid fashion.

5. Repeat for all desired areas of the body that need treatment.
(Source: Skin 2007)

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WAX AND BUBBLES PRODUCT SHOWCASE:

Bright Glow Candle Co. Inc.

With its manufacturing facilities strategically located in the Southern California region, and in partnership with Fleur de Lys Candles and Scents is now among the most successful candle and home fragrance companies in the United States.

They carry birthday candles, household emergency candles and religious candles from San Judas Tadeo to Jewish Memorial. They also carry plain Zoltar candles in any color you are seeking. They can also meet private label requirements, with low minimum requirements. They can develop a single candle, or a whole retail section to meet your needs.

Coffee and its main ingredient of caffeine have a variety of positive effects on the skin, including antioxidant properties, and tightening and firming qualities. It also is commonly used as an ingredient ion products that help to reduce cellulit, and diminish puffiness and dark circles around the eyes.

Coffee and its skin friendly benefits also are included in a variety of home care products like Naturopathica’s Espresso Mud Body Scrub, which exfoliates dead ksin and removes impurities and seals in moisture.

Althought its health benefits may be widely disputed, there is no denying that coffee is here to stay. In fact, the berry that houses the coffee seed, or bean, is poised to become the next hot ingredient due to its high concentration of the beneficial antioxidant phenolic acid. It also recently has come to light from work done at the School of Pharmacy at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in New Brunswick, that coffee coupled with regular exercise may help prevent skin cancers better than either factor individually.

Some coffee Facts:
• Coffee beans are actually the seeds of the coffee plant and are housed in coffee berries.
• The first European coffee house opened in Italy in 1645.
• Darker coffee roasts are generally smoother because they have less fiber content and a more sugary flavor. Lighter roasts have more caffeine.

Make this coffee scrub and see how well it makes your skin feels:

1/2 - 1 cup extra-light olive oil
1/3 cup ground coffee
6 Tbsp cinnamon (or more if you really like cinnamon, mmm)
reusable coffee filter, in a coffeemaker basket
3 lb. container of Epsom salts
1 cup baking soda (optional)
2 - 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup
large flat saucepan
mixing bowl

1. Warm the olive oil in the Pyrex container in a saucepan of boiling water. Mix in the coffee first, then the cinnamon, stirring to blend as the mixture heats. Continue to infuse for 20 minutes on the stove, stirring from time to time.
2. Pour the coffee-cinnamon-oil mixture through the coffee filter into the large mixing bowl, one-third at a time. Careful not to burn yourself here! Discard the grounds and keep the oil. Let it cool to room temperature.
3. Mix the infused oil with the salts (and soda if you’re using it). You’re done!

Variation: green tea-ginger. Substitute 1/3 cup green tea and 1/4 cup powdered ginger (cheaper if you buy it in bulk) for the coffee and cinnamon. (Sources: Skin 2007 and Crafters Alley)

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WAX AND BUBBLES PRODUCT SHOWCASE:

Bramble Berry is a company that carries fragrance oil, essential oils, soap colorants, soap bases and soap making supplies. They carry lotion making kits as well as all types of molds. They are a basic company that has a lot to offer the soap making crafter.

Common Name: Witch hazel, hamamelis, snapping hazel, spotted alder.

Latin Name: Hamamelis virginiana

Family: Hamamelidaceae

Medicinal Uses: Witch hazel is beash known is water form for its use as a skin astringent and for relief of hemorrhoids. It also helps relieve itchy skin, stop the bleeding of minor cuts, helps relieve sunburns, varicose veins, and helps tighten distended veins and helps restore their normal structure and shape. Internally, it can be used to treat mild diarrhea, a gargle for mouth inflammation and a sore throat.

Witch hazel is commonly found in bottled form of witch hazel water, tea form, ointment, lotions, poultice, tincture, extract and suppository form.

There are no external side effects , although skin irritations are possible. When used internally, some people might experience stomach upset or gastrointestinal irritation. It contains tannins (also found in tea and many other plants), which if used in excess, can cause liver damage. Witch hazel water, which contains added alcohol, is not safe to use internally.(Source: NH 2007 and Wikipedia)

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WAX AND BUBBLES PRODUCT SHOWCASE:

Alene Candles manufactures superior quality, custom-designed, fragrance candles for the gift, cosmetic and retail trade. Our attention to detail, extensive laboratory development work, excellent customer service and use of the finest quality ingredients set us apart in the industry.