Buildin' Walls, Makin' Stuff, and Plannin'

Duuuuuuuuuudes....we're back! Well, I should say we *never* left, but the shop was technically on "vacation mode" for a few weeks there. SO, we're back! The etsy shop is live, but that's not all we're here to talk about.

First of all, a huge, HUGE thanks goes out to all of you for making last year the absolute best year we've ever had! If this year is anything like last year, we're gearing up for another amazing year. We were so busy last year. It was stressful and amazing, as a lot of time management practice was definitely executed. The holiday season was even more bananas, and we definitely needed this time to gather and restructure because we are officially...

Yes, that's right! The demand for our products has grown so much, that we have to expand our studio space yet again! Luckily, we do have the space for a build out, which is happening as we speak. Since the end of the holiday season, we've been building out more rooms right next to the tiny soaping room we are using right now. This room is slated to be completed within the next two to three weeks, and once that happens, we will have ample space for soap and other product storage without having to share that with development space. The way our little studio is now, only a small amount of products can be stored and if we go over that, there's no space to make stuff in! But you've shown us that we need to change that, and change it now. And guess what? That's what we're doing!

Aside from more storage space, what does this really mean? Well, the more space we have for development, the more space we've got to create, test, and sample! This means, of course, new products for this year! This means, BETTER products for this year and here on out! However, in terms of our New Years and Holiday limited editions (Kir Royale soap, Pink Lady soap, etc) we will not be offering those this year. There's just no time to make those products and build walls at the same time. But, being able to use this time now means that we will have a blow-out of a spring release! So let's make this official, shall we?

Save the Date: Soap Distillery, spring release: March 21st.

 On March 21st, we will release our spring limited editions, as well as offer some special new goodies for you! Now, I know you're thinking, "I don't wanna wait that long for awesome stuffs...", and don't worry because you won't have to. For the time being, we do have some stock that we can sell. And in just a few weeks, we will be stocking up on our regular items to fill the shop back up. We We just won't be doing any special releases until March 21st, which means we are skipping a big Valentine's Day release and a mid winter release. So by the time you've dug yourself out from your snow caves, we'll have a full shop with limited editions and all kinds of amazing smelling goodies. 

Plus...

WE'VE GOT OVER 500 FACEBOOK LIKES!

We promised something good would happen when we hit that number, and it happened to align with the craziness of the holidays. But don't fret, because we haven't forgotten. We're going to do a little contest via facebook. Open from January 26th until February 12th, you will say on our facebook page which custom cocktail, booze, or beer related soap you'd like to see made, and the one who gets the most votes wins 6 custom bars of soap in that scent. 

How it works: First we start with everyone just spouting off what they would like to see! Then we pick the top 5, and whichever one gets the most likes is the winner. It's just that simple, and it could be YOU! More details to follow. Make sure to follow us via facebook to win!

Oh, and just in case you forgot: You ROCK.

Holiday Events - Like, ALL of them!

Merry Holidays!

Hey there, fans! We have a *TON* of shows lined up for this holiday season, and we're ready to see you all! Make sure to check out the link below for the list of shows, and mark your calendars! Plus, if you look to the right, you'll see a sign up link for newsletters and such. Go and ahead and do it...you know you want to :) Whenever we have offers, shows, or generally want to share things, you'll be the first to know. Isn't that the best?

Soap Distillery Holiday Events!

An old recipe, a new recipe, and a yummy recipe!

Hello everyone, and happy Friday! 

Boy oh boy, has this summer just flown by! I know it seems like it's a little early to say, but with November just around the corner I'm feeling ok about this: I LOVE mulled wine season. More specifically, I love Glögg season! I am not a huge fan of the cold, however, if it has to be below 45 degrees for it to be ok for me to drink it, then, I guess I'm just going to have to be ok with it. There's something about the chill in the air, wearing comfy sweaters, and the smell of crispy leaves and burning firewood in the air. Combine that with the smell of cloves, ginger, cinnamon, bitter orange, and cardamom and mid to late fall wins me over every time. Now, we are preparing for some late fall and early winter shows, so we HAVE to bring back some fall and winter favorites for you guys. But, since we're talking about Glögg, let's talk a little throwback [Thursday] for a second.

Back in 2012 when the Etsy shop was first opened, I tried my hand at a  Mulled Wine soap. The picture below was the very first recipe we offered. I added wine instead of water, and I wasn't sure exactly how the soap was going to come out. I planned lots of swirls, but man did that sucker move fast! I was just barely able to get some colorant in there before it became a solid block. But, it worked, and this is how it looked: 

Mulled Wine, circa 2012, version 1

Not too bad, right? The soap smelled delicious, and although I wasn't able to get the swirls I wanted at the time, I was still pretty happy with my test batches and ultimately my final product. I was still learning things about soap and learning about what to expect, even though I had been making soap at home for a while. I liked the fragrance, but I kept working on it every year to make it better. Next year, I had done a bit better planning and blending, and came out with this guy:

Those soap curls look like cinnamon, right? 

I used soap for the cinnamon curls on top, and sprinkled the bar with elderberries and cinnamon. I was much happier with my creation, and I loved the way it smelled! We didn't do a Mulled Wine last year, but this year, I had been thinking of bringing the Mulled Wine back. However, I had been doing my research, and one of the things I pulled up was this article by Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-goldwyn/glogg-hot-spiced-winerecipe_b_808157.html. Although I had tasted Glögg plenty of times before, I had never really understood the subtle differences between a Glögg and a Mulled Wine before.

Some of the flavors in Glögg are a bit different than what I had been playing with before in the Mulled Wine. Bitter orange? Cardamom? Oh goodness. All I want to do is drink it. But, I also want to smell like it...So, I started playing around and tweaking my essential oils in the blend, and made a tester lip balm:

I want...to..BATHE, in this.

Goodness. This is it. I can't stop putting it on my lips. And, I can't even tell you how awesome the tester soaps smell. This blend has come a long way from where it began back in 2012. The addition of the cardamom is really the key here, and a little balancing of the other oils makes me seriously want to drink this stuff when I'm making it. I know it seems early in the year to start talking about this, but c'mon, it IS almost November!

So, yes, it's starting to get a little chilly outside, but don't worry, we've got something that'll warm you up! And make sure to check out that article as it has a very nice recipe for Glögg in it! 'Tis the season, you guys. November is going to be awesome :)

I am the WORST at blogging...

Hey everyone! I swear, we haven't gone anywhere! I am the absolute WORST at blogging. Instagram, Twitter, and the like have shorted my conversation span to less than 140 characters...haha But like I said, we are still here!

We've actually been quite a bit busy preparing for a few upcoming shows! This past weekend, we sold our soapy wares at the Amuse Market, which was sponsored at Bowtruss Coffee Roasters in Lakeview. It was a great show! This was our first time at the location, and I think it worked well. It was a nice warm and sunny day, and there was a lot of foot traffic in the neighborhood. Here are a few photos of the event:

Take a look at the facebook album for more photos, and be sure to follow Amuse Market for future events!

The next two shows we are doing will be very exciting as well, and very big! Let's talk about the first show:

This is the first year that we are doing this show, and we couldn't be more excited! The Andersonville City Made fest is a two day event, lasting from 12-9pm on Saturday September 12th to 12-7pm on September 13th. We'll be there, selling soaps, scrubs, lip balms, and more!

The following weekend, we'll be back at Renegade Craft Fair on Division street!

On September 19th and 20th, from 11am to 6pm, we'll be slingin' more soap! This is the last show of the season, before holiday production and shows begin! We are excited to be selling at Renegade Craft Fair again, as the first year was quite a lot of fun.

For both shows, we will be bringing back some favorites, and introducing some revamped soaps! Here are just a few you can look forward to seeing again:

Corpse Reviver 2, our spooooookiest soap!

Corpse Reviver 2, the best version! It's the second revision of a gin cocktail that features absinthe, and packs a punch! It's made with gin, Lillet, absinthe, lemon juice, Cointreau, and garnished with an orange or lemon peel. Our soap is a refreshing and balanced blend of juniper, lemon peel, orange peel, anise, and a touch of green grape. It is a citrus explosion!

Fig Bitters: Spicy, fruity, green, and sultry. A very unique fragrance!

Fig bitters: You know, I tried a delicious cocktail out that featured fig bitters, and I tell you what, that cocktail was yummy! I decided to make my own fig bitters, and the rest was history. I figured, why not try a soap with this one? The main fragrance is of course, ripe fig, which is a little sweet, a little green, and a little sultry with some very minor fruity/floral notes. That is then balanced with bright and fresh smelling orange peel, and grounded with a touch of cinnamon. It is heavenly.

A surprise! What WAS this soap? Well, it's coming back with a new coat.

Surprise soap! Here's a hint: it's made with carrot essential oil, tomato powder, and topped with celery seeds. High in antioxidants, and blended with cucumber, black pepper, and herbs. What could it be?

PLUS, we are excited to have Tina from Tytin Jewelry as our booth mate for BOTH shows! Tina makes very awesome and unique jewelry, and has an amazing attention to detail. This is a lot more than just beads on a string. She casts everything she does, and you will NOT find anything like it anywhere else! Every piece is like a tiny little sculpture. We can't wait to buddy up with her again.

SO, come check us out everyone! More details about soaps to follow. Plus, make sure to follow us on Instagram!

Whew! It's been a while!

Hey there, followers! It's been a while. I do admit, although I have been busy with the shop, I've been neglecting this here blog. Well, I haven't forgotten about you, blog. And, it's time for a new post!

Let's face it, running a business can be tough. Everyone has ups and downs, and sometimes it's hard to remember why we do what we do in the first place. I have been making soap for years, and the other day I was going through some old photos of some of the first soaps I ever made. I looked back at my old recipes as well, and lemme tell you, I've come a loooooooooong way! Sometimes it's nice to go back and look at how far I've come. I believe that my personal growth is very important to note, as it helps push me to see how far I can continue to go.

First soap!

This is a photo of the first soap I ever made. It was called German Chocolate Martini, and it was scented with a blend of chocolate, coconut, and caramel fragrance oils. It was a VERY ambitious first soap, as it was made with a small amount of coconut milk. I ended up adding too many oils, and it didn't lather very well (but was pretty moisturizing) and it over heated a little in the mold but it wasn't too much of an issue. Soap makers have had issues with coconut fragrance oils actually smelling like coconut, and sadly, this soap was no different. It ended up smelling mostly like chocolate which wasn't a bad thing, and the shredded coconut at the top ended up getting pretty gross! Needless to say, this first soap was a bit of a flop. A slightly usable flop, but a flop nonetheless.

Second soap!

This is the second soap I ever made! It was a blend of anise and peppermint essential oils. It was naturally colored with sea kelp powder. The mint that I used was very harsh, and didn't have a lot of sweetness to it. It almost smelled just like menthol. I tried to do a swirl of sorts, and, we can see how well that ended up working out! Plus, the soap was a little lye heavy (I must have miscalculated something) and it ended up being pretty drying. I was so sad because I really wanted this to work! Oh well, on the the next one, as they say...

Absinthe!

Does this look familiar? This is the very first Absinthe soap I had ever made! It's fragrance has changed slightly, and is a little softer on the anise, but not very much else has changed. Can you see the difference in quality from the first two to this guy? And that was only a few months later! This soap was awesome to use, and our recipe has only gotten better. Now all natural, this soap is colored with spirulina and black clay, but still has the same design. This is one of the first soaps that became apart of the regular line.

Margarita anyone?

After a couple of tries, I finally made a salt soap! It's a little tricky to get the balance right, and when I got it, I got it! The fragrance has gotten a bit better over time, but the recipe remains the same. Don't worry salt soap lovers, this soap will be making a come back this spring/summer!

Making soap has been a fun adventure that I hope to continue for a very long time. Not to mention, formulating and designing our other products has been awesome as well! Our customers continue to impress us, and we hope to continue to keep you guys happy with our products! As usual, we're working on some new spring additions, and Bourbon restocks are coming soon. It's also possible that we may be having a little sale soon...:) So, the moral of the story is that, even when you are faced with difficulty, remember the things that keep you going on and keep "springing" forward! ;)

CyberWEEK sale!

Hey everyone, we're having a sale! We're working with our friends at Yellow Brick Home to offer up some holiday shopping ideas and give you all the deals first. All week, you can go to the shop and use the code YBHOLIDAY to get 15% off of your order!

It doesn't matter what you buy, it's 15% percent off the whole lot. The code can even be used with bundles! This is also perfect to use with pre-orders, because not only can you get a discount on your order, you can also insure that the bars you want for yourself or others will actually be in stock to buy! Things tend to fly off the shelves (thanks everyone!) and it's the worst when you have a holiday gift in mind for someone, only to have it go out of stock before you get a chance to order it. So, take advantage of our pre-orders, as well as in stock items!

CyberWEEK sale!

We're back!

Hello all! It's been a while since I've posted here. Due to some issues with our old name "STILL - Spirited Bath and Body Care", we've decided to go back to our old name Soap Distillery (removed the 'The'). To us, it just seems easier this way, and many of our customers declared that they liked the old name.

To camp on to the name change or name switch, we are also changing our product line to offer mostly all natural products. This means that most of our products will not longer contain artificial fragrance oils. Some products (like Elderflower Liqueur and Wheat Beer) that cannot be replicated in an all natural way will stay the same, as the fragrance oils we use are perfectly safe. However, for those who are seeking an all natural option will finally get it! This means that we will have many all natural soaps, body oils, and lip balms! They will not contain any artificial fragrance, preservatives, or surfactants. Our soaps will also be more naturally colored, even though we will continue to use nature identical oxides from time to time. Our super bubbly soap formula will remain the same.

Our new Elderflower Liqueur soap, colored with sweet scented bee pollen and topped with elderflowers.

For those who preferred our body wash options, we have already released a whipped soap, which contains super mild surfactants (sls free) that we've been testing for quite some time. This formula also contains shea butter and olive oil, to insure that the body wash will be moisturizing. This is quite uncommon for a regular "off the shelf" body wash. It also contains a paraben and formaldehyde donor free preservative. It's absolutely heavenly!

Pumpkin IPA whipped soap, topped with nutmeg. OH MAN.

PLUS, we will be in several shows this holiday season, so come check us out! The links are all on etsy, at the bottom left side of the page:

Our markets bring all the boys to the yard.

As always, our products will remain phthalate, sls, silicone, nitro musk, and dye free. Because why? Because you deserve the best. We spend countless hours perfecting our formulations to insure that you get a good product. Besides, why would we make something that we wouldn't even use? Now that's just silly.

Be on the lookout for new products and new branding to hit our etsy shop soon. Make sure to follow our facebook page for updates as well!

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Thanks for holding on with us folks!