Base free! (NOT free base...you're looking at it backwards!)

Yes, it's finally happened: after months and months of testing out recipes, we've finally developed our own foaming cream base that we use for our sugar scrubs! Not that the pre-made base wasn't good (it was actually awesome and really easy to use) but we really liked the idea of being able to custom tailor this base and have it perform exactly the way we wanted it to. So, yes, our sugar scrubs are completely 100% HANDMADE now! We hated the idea of using a base for anything, and now we don't have to. It's much better this way. Raw materials are the best.

Plus, look how CREAMY and DREAMY THIS IS?

It's so thick the spoon just stands up!

Now, because we have spent ALOT of time on this, the full ingredients list will not be on the etsy website. If you have specific allergies and have questions about it, feel free to ask us. Once the scrub is added to the shop (after we re-open), we'll let you all know! In the meantime, you'll have to dream about this creamy goodness :)

We haven't gone anywhere...I swear!

So, what's all this then?

So, things have been getting pretty chaotic around here lately. We've been busy busy busy with testing formulations, and there's been lots of ups and downs. Formulating new products can be a very rewarding experience, but I'll tell you, it's been a frustrating and difficult one as well. Choosing the right balance between raw materials is far more difficult than people assume it would be,  and making sure you are keeping temperatures consistent and following the process correctly can be trying! But, when it comes down to bringing our customers a good product, it's freaking worth it. So, aside from new fragrance blending, here's what we've been up to:

 Body cream: I'm debating on whether I want to offer a body cream or a lotion in the future, but it doesn't hurt to test out the waters! Look how creamy this is...it came out so well! It's thick, creamy, and loaded with shea butter, macadamia oil, as well as aloe, green tea extract, and beta glucan. I've been using it a bit, and it absorbs surprisingly quickly for how thick it is. This would be amazing in the winter. And I love that it looks like frosting...

YUM. (even thought it's not edible)

Body washes: So here's the sad bit: I originally posted a sneaky photo of a body wash that we made, and it came out, again, awesome, and after being tested for a while it was ready to sell. However, dude to human error, I must have written something down incorrectly, or missed something, because I can't recreate the recipe to save my life! So, back to the drawing board. Not really a big deal, because now we get to play around a little more with some new materials. Aloe has been a favorite, as well as glycerin. Just saying. I've used the creamy one in the middle and the clear one on the side several times myself, and my testers will be getting some samples of these soon. We'll also be getting the new recipes challenge tested once we decide on one or two we like the best, all for your safety!

Which would you prefer? Creamy or clear?

 New soaps: We're not called The Soap Distillery for nothing! While we've been messing around with some non soap bar products, we've also been improving our soap recipe (can you believe it gets BETTER?) and blending some new scents. This recipe has loads of cocoa butter, shea butter and macadamia nut oil. It's similar to the recipe that we use for The Hair of the Dog and White Whiskey soaps, but improved! This one in particular is Gin, and as you may have seen in the last post, we've been working to re-blend some old favorites, as well, to make them even better than they already are.

This Gin fragrance has strong notes of juniper (of course), fir, sage, honeysuckle, and bergamot. It's an earthy, but sweet, blend inspired by one of my favorite gins.

Creamy cleansing goodness.

Now, our sugar scrub is just about ready to go. So, if you care about your skin at all, you'll try it out! :) Perhaps it's release will be the next post...

See, we told you we haven't been sitting around doing nothin'!