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February 2012
In this issue:
We've been shocked into action - suddenly it's February, and that means Valentine's Day!
Maybe you’re ignoring all the hype, but all the same, there may be someone who would love to be thought of… and gifts with a personal touch are special - your thought and creativity will show how much you care.
We've been having a great time trying out the ideas below. When you make things, your ingenuity is challenged as you try something new and different - it's a wonderful way to have fun!
When we think of gifts, the first thing that comes to mind is soap – we love it, and we love being able to use such fantastic stuff every day. Below are some melt and pour soap ideas, from elegant to wacky.
The next thing we think of is oils… and massage oil has all the right connotations for Valentines Day – sensual bliss and more… so here are some suggestions.
Make your own massage oil
Below is a simple recipe to get you going. It’s more of a description, really.
Use what you’ve got, or order a gorgeous new oil or two – and maybe an exotic fragrance…
Massage oils are usually a blend of a couple of carrier oils, perfumed with one or more essential oils which bring healing qualities as well as fragrance.
Almond oil and grapeseed oil are excellent bases. Start with one or both, and add smaller amounts of oils with great moisturising or nourishing qualities.
Budget-conscious? Choose the low-cost refined versions.
Splashing out? Cold-pressed and/or organic oils are luxurious and full of goodness.
So… three steps and you’ll have a gorgeous gift.
1. Choose a container
What are you going to put your massage oil in?
A new bottle with an elegant black lotion pump? (That's a 250ml bottle in the photo - but the lotion pump looks fine on a 100ml one!) Or a recycled Go Native bottle with a handmade label?
Or maybe you have a beautiful empty bottle in the back of the cupboard - I seem to collect blue glass ones.
2. Blend the base
To make the base for 100ml of massage oil:
3. Fragrance
You’re wanting to create something special for your beloved – and fragrance will make it unique.
And more… fragrance can help an experience last forever.
Ever had a sudden vivid flashback to something in your past, then realised it was a scent that reminded you? The part of our brain that registers smell is extremely ancient – no conscious thinking required! With our fragrant oils, you can create an elegant olefactory trigger for you and your love to remember good times every time that perfume wafts past you!
Fragrances for men
Men traditionally like woody, earthy fragrances (and so do many women!)
Indian Sandalwood essential oil has become rare and expensive, but there are other oils with similar qualities.
Go Native’s Australian sandalwood essential oil has been very popular since it arrived late last year.
Our sandalwood fragrance oil, designed for skincare, is a very good synthetic version of the molecules that make Indian sandalwood so special.
Amyris has been called ‘the poor man’s sandalwood’. It has a lighter fragrance than sandalwood, but I really like it.
Vetiver is a wonderful essential oil with the same qualities. It is deeply soothing and relaxing.
Fragrances for everyone
One way of thinking about fragrance: what effect do you want?
Sensuous: Sandalwood, vetiver, amyris, patchouli, rose
Energising: Citrus (lemon, tangerine…), mint (peppermint, spearmint), rosemary
Relaxing: Lavender, ylang ylang (sensuous too!), clary sage, bergamot
Below is another list of fragrances, based on the old idea of the Language of Flowers. These are available from us as either essential oils (EO) or fragrance oils (FO).
Melt and Pour gift ideas
The simplest gift:
A mini-kit of melt and pour soap, complete with mould and fragrance. Let them have the thrill of doing it themselves!
Make a soap:
It's more fun to make it for them, using one of these moulds:
- LOVE (see photo above)
- heart of roses
- a heart from the Heart/round/oval mould
- a heart from the Hearts and rectangles set
Dust the unmoulded soap with gold or silver mica for a magical effect - like Chelsea's beautiful collection at the top of the newsletter. Looks fabulous on black soap.
Wacky ideas:
Photo in a soap:
If he just can’t get enough of you, give him a soap with an embedded photo!
I’m giving it a go – with a photo of a horse that our facebook followers will recognise.
I’m using goats milk below the photo, so it shows up, and clear soap on top.
Today I bought a cap for a drainage pipe – so that’s my mould (the pipe can wait).
Your mould will determine how big the photo needs to be. The framed rectangle silicon mould would be ideal. Lots of possibilities, though - eg a flat-bottomed coffee cup that you can line with plastic wrap (and tidy the soap later with a vegetable peeler).
Here are the steps:
The soap in this photo has a thick layer of clear soap on top of the photo. First I put a thinnish layer on, and it was perfectly translucent. Then I added more, to see how it worked, and it's actually fine.
I thought the ragged edge (where the clingfilm had been) was interesting!
Loofah soaps:
The end can remind you of a cut citrus fruit!
Materials:
2. Cut it into thick slices.
3. Wrap each slice securely with clingfilm and rubber bands, leaving the top open.
4. Gently melt enough soap for one chunk.
5. Stir in fragrance and colour: a good teaspoon of essential oil, and less of mica – adjust till it seems right. (I put too much gold sparkle in mine, and lost the translucence.)
6. Pour into your wrapped loofah chunk.
7. When cool and hard, unwrap and tidy if necessary with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife.
(I thought I'd try it with our loofah on a stick. The whole thing full of soap would have been too heavy... and it was pre-squashed, so not circular like a citrus... but it smells great and looks intriguing!)
Both these are based on ideas in Kids Crafts Soapmaking, by Joe Rhatigan, available from the Auckland Library.
The language of flowers
In Victorian England, more than 100 years ago, expressing your feelings was considered very bad form… hence the huge popularity of the Language of Flowers. No messy emotion, just a fragrant gift that says how you feel.
The idea has been around for hundreds of years – Shakespeare’s Ophelia knew her herbs – “Here’s rosemary – that’s for remembrance”. We’re still aware of this language – think of the choice of flowers in a bride’s bouquet.
Here are some fragrances available as Essential Oils (EO) or Fragrance Oils (FO) from Go Native – use them in your melt and pour soap or other gifts. The meanings vary, so I guess you take your pick! Then you need to get creative: How are you going to make sure your love gets the message??
Apple (FO) preference
Basil (EO) best wishes; love
Bay leaf (EO) I change but in death!
Chamomile (EO) energy in adversity
Clove (EO) undying love
Coriander, dill (EO) lust
Frankincense (EO) faithful heart
Gardenia (FO) secret love; You're lovely!
Honeysuckle (FO) generous and devoted affection
Lavender (EO) serenity; devotion; grace
Lemon (EO) discretion; zest
Lemon verbena (FO) attraction; enchantment
Myrrh (EO) gladness
Myrtle (EO) love
Neroli (EO) (FO) wisdom; generosity
Peach blossom (FO) long life; generosity; bridal hope; I am your captive!
Peppermint, spearmint (EO) warm feelings
Pine (EO) hope
Rose (FO) desire; passion; love
Rose geranium (EO) preference
Rosemary (EO) remembrance
Strawberry (FO) perfect goodness
Sources:Wikipedia, www.languageofflowers.com, www.pioneerthinking.com, www.victorianbazaar.com
Recipe: Summer mousse
makes approx 600g
Water Phase:
360g water
20g glycerin
Oil Phase:
70g fractionated coconut oil/EPO/grapeseed oil
36g emulsifier NF
10g cetearyl alcohol
Last Phase:
2g Microcare DB
2g essential oil/fragrance oil
Method:
1. Heat the water and oil phases separately to 65degC.
2. Combine the two and blend with a stick blender on and off until it is obvious the phases are not going to separate.
3. Continue to blend occasionally until the mixture thickens.
4. Add the last phase ingredients and blend thoroughly.
5. Blend with a whisk as you would to whip cream. This puts air into the mixture so it will increase in volume and become more like a mousse.
6. Leave it for 24 hours. Whisk again briefly.
7. Spoon into containers.
- Valentines Day 14 Feb - create something special for your beloved
- Summer mousse recipe
- Two jars of summer mousse to give away
We've been shocked into action - suddenly it's February, and that means Valentine's Day!
Maybe you’re ignoring all the hype, but all the same, there may be someone who would love to be thought of… and gifts with a personal touch are special - your thought and creativity will show how much you care.
We've been having a great time trying out the ideas below. When you make things, your ingenuity is challenged as you try something new and different - it's a wonderful way to have fun!
When we think of gifts, the first thing that comes to mind is soap – we love it, and we love being able to use such fantastic stuff every day. Below are some melt and pour soap ideas, from elegant to wacky.
The next thing we think of is oils… and massage oil has all the right connotations for Valentines Day – sensual bliss and more… so here are some suggestions.
Make your own massage oilBelow is a simple recipe to get you going. It’s more of a description, really.
Use what you’ve got, or order a gorgeous new oil or two – and maybe an exotic fragrance…
Massage oils are usually a blend of a couple of carrier oils, perfumed with one or more essential oils which bring healing qualities as well as fragrance.
Almond oil and grapeseed oil are excellent bases. Start with one or both, and add smaller amounts of oils with great moisturising or nourishing qualities.
Budget-conscious? Choose the low-cost refined versions.
Splashing out? Cold-pressed and/or organic oils are luxurious and full of goodness.
So… three steps and you’ll have a gorgeous gift.
1. Choose a container
What are you going to put your massage oil in?
A new bottle with an elegant black lotion pump? (That's a 250ml bottle in the photo - but the lotion pump looks fine on a 100ml one!) Or a recycled Go Native bottle with a handmade label?
Or maybe you have a beautiful empty bottle in the back of the cupboard - I seem to collect blue glass ones.
2. Blend the base
To make the base for 100ml of massage oil:
- Start with say 60ml of a light, smooth, spreadable oil such as almond, grapeseed, apricot kernel or peach kernel – or a mix of any of these.
- Jojoba is wonderful in massage blends, so try to include some – it’s silky and nutritious and great for ‘glide’. Add 30ml, perhaps…
- Add 10ml of a rich or special oil: avocado, or macadamia, or your current favourite (mine is our new kiwiseed oil).
- You want to leave a bit of room for some fragrance, so for the last 7-8ml (to make 97-98ml of blend), there are many other oils that bring their own special qualities:
- It’s hard to resist adding some gently melted organic virgin coconut oil, with its evocative aroma.
- Our organic rosehip oils are full of nutrients to leave the skin feeling alive and cared for.
- Argan oil is wonderful for the skin.
- Sesame oil is widely used in the Ayurvdic tradition.
- Sensitive skin? Add some soothing apricot kernel and peach kernel oil.
3. Fragrance
You’re wanting to create something special for your beloved – and fragrance will make it unique.
And more… fragrance can help an experience last forever.
Ever had a sudden vivid flashback to something in your past, then realised it was a scent that reminded you? The part of our brain that registers smell is extremely ancient – no conscious thinking required! With our fragrant oils, you can create an elegant olefactory trigger for you and your love to remember good times every time that perfume wafts past you!
Fragrances for men
Men traditionally like woody, earthy fragrances (and so do many women!)
Indian Sandalwood essential oil has become rare and expensive, but there are other oils with similar qualities.
Go Native’s Australian sandalwood essential oil has been very popular since it arrived late last year.
Our sandalwood fragrance oil, designed for skincare, is a very good synthetic version of the molecules that make Indian sandalwood so special.
Amyris has been called ‘the poor man’s sandalwood’. It has a lighter fragrance than sandalwood, but I really like it.
Vetiver is a wonderful essential oil with the same qualities. It is deeply soothing and relaxing.
Fragrances for everyone
One way of thinking about fragrance: what effect do you want?
Sensuous: Sandalwood, vetiver, amyris, patchouli, rose
Energising: Citrus (lemon, tangerine…), mint (peppermint, spearmint), rosemary
Relaxing: Lavender, ylang ylang (sensuous too!), clary sage, bergamot
Below is another list of fragrances, based on the old idea of the Language of Flowers. These are available from us as either essential oils (EO) or fragrance oils (FO).
Melt and Pour gift ideas
The simplest gift:
A mini-kit of melt and pour soap, complete with mould and fragrance. Let them have the thrill of doing it themselves!
| Heart of Roses mini kit | LOVE mini kit |
 |
 |
Make a soap:
It's more fun to make it for them, using one of these moulds:
- LOVE (see photo above)
- heart of roses
- a heart from the Heart/round/oval mould
- a heart from the Hearts and rectangles set
Dust the unmoulded soap with gold or silver mica for a magical effect - like Chelsea's beautiful collection at the top of the newsletter. Looks fabulous on black soap.
Wacky ideas:
Photo in a soap:
If he just can’t get enough of you, give him a soap with an embedded photo!
I’m giving it a go – with a photo of a horse that our facebook followers will recognise.
I’m using goats milk below the photo, so it shows up, and clear soap on top.
Today I bought a cap for a drainage pipe – so that’s my mould (the pipe can wait).
Your mould will determine how big the photo needs to be. The framed rectangle silicon mould would be ideal. Lots of possibilities, though - eg a flat-bottomed coffee cup that you can line with plastic wrap (and tidy the soap later with a vegetable peeler).
Here are the steps:
- Select your mould and choose your photo.
- Get your local copy shop to copy the photo onto acetate – ie make an overhead transparency. (We can email stuff to our local copy shop.)
- Cut the photo to fit inside the mould – leave space around the outside.
- Line the mould if necessary, and pour some white Melt & Pour soap in the bottom (or use goats milk, or add some titanium dioxide to some clear soap).
- When it has set a bit, place your photo on top, pressing very gently to (hopefully) remove air bubbles.
- Melt some clear soap, allow it to cool a bit, then pour over the top!
The soap in this photo has a thick layer of clear soap on top of the photo. First I put a thinnish layer on, and it was perfectly translucent. Then I added more, to see how it worked, and it's actually fine.
I thought the ragged edge (where the clingfilm had been) was interesting!
Loofah soaps:
The end can remind you of a cut citrus fruit!
Materials:
- Loofah
- Clear organic Melt & Pour soap
- Citrus essential oils: eg lemon, orange, lime
- Colouring: eg yellow, gold, green mica (or leave plain)
2. Cut it into thick slices.
3. Wrap each slice securely with clingfilm and rubber bands, leaving the top open.
4. Gently melt enough soap for one chunk.
5. Stir in fragrance and colour: a good teaspoon of essential oil, and less of mica – adjust till it seems right. (I put too much gold sparkle in mine, and lost the translucence.)
6. Pour into your wrapped loofah chunk.
7. When cool and hard, unwrap and tidy if necessary with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife.
(I thought I'd try it with our loofah on a stick. The whole thing full of soap would have been too heavy... and it was pre-squashed, so not circular like a citrus... but it smells great and looks intriguing!)
Both these are based on ideas in Kids Crafts Soapmaking, by Joe Rhatigan, available from the Auckland Library.
The language of flowers
In Victorian England, more than 100 years ago, expressing your feelings was considered very bad form… hence the huge popularity of the Language of Flowers. No messy emotion, just a fragrant gift that says how you feel.The idea has been around for hundreds of years – Shakespeare’s Ophelia knew her herbs – “Here’s rosemary – that’s for remembrance”. We’re still aware of this language – think of the choice of flowers in a bride’s bouquet.
Here are some fragrances available as Essential Oils (EO) or Fragrance Oils (FO) from Go Native – use them in your melt and pour soap or other gifts. The meanings vary, so I guess you take your pick! Then you need to get creative: How are you going to make sure your love gets the message??
Apple (FO) preference
Basil (EO) best wishes; love
Bay leaf (EO) I change but in death!
Chamomile (EO) energy in adversity
Clove (EO) undying love
Coriander, dill (EO) lust
Frankincense (EO) faithful heart
Gardenia (FO) secret love; You're lovely!
Honeysuckle (FO) generous and devoted affection
Lavender (EO) serenity; devotion; grace
Lemon (EO) discretion; zest
Lemon verbena (FO) attraction; enchantment
Myrrh (EO) gladness
Myrtle (EO) love
Neroli (EO) (FO) wisdom; generosity
Peach blossom (FO) long life; generosity; bridal hope; I am your captive!
Peppermint, spearmint (EO) warm feelings
Pine (EO) hope
Rose (FO) desire; passion; love
Rose geranium (EO) preference
Rosemary (EO) remembrance
Strawberry (FO) perfect goodness
Sources:Wikipedia, www.languageofflowers.com, www.pioneerthinking.com, www.victorianbazaar.com
Recipe: Summer mousse
makes approx 600gWater Phase:
360g water
20g glycerin
Oil Phase:
70g fractionated coconut oil/EPO/grapeseed oil
36g emulsifier NF
10g cetearyl alcohol
Last Phase:
2g Microcare DB
2g essential oil/fragrance oil
Method:
1. Heat the water and oil phases separately to 65degC.
2. Combine the two and blend with a stick blender on and off until it is obvious the phases are not going to separate.
3. Continue to blend occasionally until the mixture thickens.
4. Add the last phase ingredients and blend thoroughly.
5. Blend with a whisk as you would to whip cream. This puts air into the mixture so it will increase in volume and become more like a mousse.
6. Leave it for 24 hours. Whisk again briefly.
7. Spoon into containers.
Go in the draw for a jar of Go Native Summer Mousse We are giving away two jars of summer mousse. Email jacqui@gonative.co.nz with Summer mousse in the subject line, and you will go in the draw. Entries close at midnight on Sunday 10 February, and we will notify the winners on Monday 11 February. Good luck! More recipes in our next newsletter! Hope 2013 is turning out to be a great year for you. Kind regards Elinor, Chelsea, & Jacqui |
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