DIY: Lavender Rose Salt Scrub

One of the best ways to maintain gorgeous skin is manual exfoliation. Therefore, there are various scrubbing products available on the market, ranging from coffee scrubs to herbal scrubs and moisturizing scrubs. Nevertheless, salt scrubs and sugar scrubs remain the most popular choices. It should be noted that there are differences between a salt scrub and a sugar scrub, though.

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*If you’d like to know about the differences and benefits of a salt scrub VS a sugar scrub, check out:

1. The Pros and Cons Of Salt vs Sugar Scrubs by Organic Elements Spa

2. Benefits of Sugar Scrubs VS Salt Scrubs by Suburban Simplicity

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For this post, we will be sharing a simple DIY on how to make your own lavender rose salt scrub that can immediately be used for one time, and is free from additional ingredients like parabens and parfum. This scrub is meant to be used on the body since salt particles are more abrasive on the face. If you have sensitive skin or would like to make a face scrub instead, you can switch out the salt for sugar (such as our Natural Raw Sugar).

If you’d like, you can purchase these ingredients from our store:

1. Pink Scrubbing Salt (you can mix some Epsom salt in as well, but using only Epsom salt might not give you all the benefits a salt scrub normally has. *If you’d like to know why, do check out this post by Tavoos!)
2. Refined Coconut Oil (you can switch this with other carrier oils)
3. Lavender Essential Oil
4. Dried Rose Buds

Other Tools Needed:

1. Measuring cup
2. Spoon
3. Container to put the finished product in (you can check out the types of packaging we sell here)

Instructions

1. Measure out 100 grams of pink scrubbing salt and add it to your container of choice. If your container is already meant to contain 100 grams, you can pour it directly into the container.

2. Depending on the kind of texture you prefer, add in 40-50 grams of coconut oil into the salt. Should it be too dry for your preference, you can add more coconut oil.

3. Add up to 4 drops (maximum per 100g, if you’re using Craftiviti’s essential oil) of lavender essential oil to the product.

4. Take the dried rose buds and pinch off the top (don’t break it off too close to the stem) before crushing and adding them to the product.

5. Mix the ingredients together and voila! Your lavender rose salt scrub is not ready to be used!

Notes:

*The lifespan of your scrub depends on the carrier oil you use.

*The dried rose buds (or any other dried flowers used) will change colour over time.

*The essential oil(s) used may eventually lose the potency of their scent and benefits due to oxidization.

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Email us if you have any enquiries at enquiry@craftiviti.com or pop by Craftiviti Craft Store at 10 Boulevard, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

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Commercial Soaps VS Melt & Pour Soaps

There are various types of soaps available in the market, thus there are various ways to make them as well. As a result, not all soaps are made the same. So, it’s important to know which type of soap you’re buying and the ingredients contained in them.

For this post, we will be listing the differences between commercial soaps and melt & pour soaps.

Contents of Soap

Melt & Pour soaps have a higher glycerine content compared to commercial soaps. Therefore, melt & pour soaps are more beneficial for your skin since it is nourishing and moisturizing. It leaves your skin soft and supple while also protecting it. The glycerine is also what makes melt & pour soap easy to work with. Though, it can also cause the soap to sweat in humid climates (to prevent this, wrap your soap and keep them in a cool and dry place!). (1)

On the other hand, commercial soaps contain chemical detergents, synthetic and petroleum-based cleansers. They also have parabens—which are known as chemical preservatives; phthalates—which is a ‘plasticizer’ that increases the flexibility, transparency, durability and longevity of plastics; and synthetic perfumes. Many of these ingredients (and others) can be drying or irritating on the skin. Some of them can even cause health problems and skin conditions. (2)

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Foaming Agents

Sulphates like SLS (Sodium Laureth Sulphate), which is the accepted contraction of SLES (Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate) are used as foaming agents in soaps. A great many of commercial soaps have SLS in them as it is an inexpensive and very effective foaming agent. (3)

Nevertheless, it should also be noted that some melt & pour soaps also contain SLS. For instance, both Crativiti’s melt & pour Goat’s Milk Soap Base and Shea Butter Soap Base contains SLS. Craftiviti’s Pure Soap Base, however, doesn’t contain SLS.

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Customizability

Melt & pour soaps allows one to customize it according to their needs. You can choose the kinds of butters, carrier oils, fragrance oils, essential oils, clays, colourants, so on and so forth. Commercial soaps, on the other hand, are already ‘complete’ and may not meet all your needs.

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Although commercial soaps are more affordable and require no (optional) extra effort before they can be used, they might not be the better choice for your skin and overall health. Switching to melt & pour soap can be more beneficial in the long run for you. Even so, you should ensure that you purchase melt & pour soap bases from reputable sources!

Email us if you have any enquiries at enquiry@craftiviti.com or pop by Craftiviti Craft Store at 10 Boulevard, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

If you found this post useful, please join us on Craftiviti Facebook or Instagram for more updates and demos!

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References:

1. “Free Beginner’s Guide To Soapmaking: Melt And Pour – Soap Queen”, Soap Queen, 2018 <https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/melt-and-pour-soap/free-beginners-guide-to-soapmaking-melt-and-pour/> [Accessed 31 December 2018].
2. “Natural Soap Vs. Commercial Soap | Pulp & Press”, Pulp & Press Juice Co., 2015 <https://www.pulpandpress.com/natural-soap-vs-commercial-soap/> [Accessed 31 December 2018].
3. Kosswig, Kurt, “Surfactants”, Ullmann’s Encyclopedia Of Industrial Chemistry, 2000 <https://doi.org/10.1002/14356007.a25_747>.

Pssst, we're also available at Craftiviti.com!

How to Make Shrink Charms

Shrink charms are super easy to make and a fun activity for family and friends. It doesn’t matter if you’re artistic or not, making shrink charms gives everyone a chance to be creative!

All you need are…

1. Shrink plastic (we used semi-transparent shrink plastic here, you can get the white shrink plastic and transparent ones from our online store!)
2. Scissors
3. Printed line art (you can get any picture off the internet)
4. Colour pens, colour markers or sharpies
5. Hole puncher
6. Baking sheet
7. An oven
8. Charm straps
9. Tweezers
10. Varnish or gloss (you can find these at our online store too!)

Instructions:

1. (Optional) Cut the shrink plastic into smaller pieces.

2. Trace over your choice of printed line art (make sure it’s large enough or else it’ll shrink too much). We used a black sharpie for this as the colour comes out darker.

3. (Optional) Colour the tracing.

4. Punch a hole so you can connect the charm on a charm strap.

5. Cut around the art or you can cut according to the lines as well. Make sure to cut as close to the hole you punched so you can properly connect your charm strap!

6. Pre-heat your oven for about 10 minutes (make sure to line it with a baking sheet!). We set the temperature of ours to 140°C.

7. After pre-heating the oven, place your shrink charm onto the baking sheet. Make sure that the coloured side is facing up or else the colours might transfer to the baking sheet.

8. Set the timer to less than ten minutes. Get ready to watch the shrinking magic begin!

9. Once the timer runs out, wait for a few seconds before removing baking sheet. Allow it to cool for another few seconds before turning it over to the other side. Ensure that the side with the shrink charm is lying flat on a smooth surface.

10. Gently but quickly peel the baking sheet off the charm. Waiting too long might cause the baking sheet to adhere to it. Do not apply too much pressure on the charm as it might bend it too.

11. Once the charm cools, you can attach a charm strap to it. You can also apply a layer of varnish or gloss on the side where you drew/colored on to protect it from potential transfers, smudging and fading.

12. It’s now ready to use!

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Email us if you have any enquiries at enquiry@craftiviti.com or pop by Craftiviti Craft Store at 10 Boulevard, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

If you found this post useful, please join us on Craftiviti Facebook or Instagram for more updates and demos!

Pssst, we're also available at Craftiviti.com!

How to Make ‘Cold’ Flower Infused Oil

Infused oils are simply carrier oils that have been permeated with herbs (that is, any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavouring, food, medicine, or perfume). (1) They are suitable alternatives for certain herbs that don’t have or don’t produce enough essential oils for extraction.

However, it should be noted that the ‘feel’ of infused oils depends on the carrier oil used. Infused oils also are not as concentrated as essential oils, and they—like carrier oils—can go rancid. (2) To know how long your infused oils will last, simply follow the expiration date of the carrier oil used to make it.

To make your own ‘cold’ flower infused oil, you will need the following ingredients:

1. Dried flowers (we used Calendula here, which you can purchase at our store)
2. Your choice of carrier oil (we used coconut oil, which you can also purchase at our store)
3. An air-tight, glass container

Instructions:

1. Ensure that the glass container is thoroughly clean.

2. Fill the glass container with dried flowers. You can fill up 3/4 way or until the container is full.

3. Fill the container with your choice of carrier oil. Try to pour in as much as you can before it overflows. This is to ensure that the flowers will be as entirely covered as possible with the carrier oil so that bacteria can be prevented from entering it.

4. Screw the lid onto the container afterwards. Make sure it’s tightly shut!

5. You can store the infused oil wherever you’d like (either exposed to sunlight or hidden away in a cool and dark cupboard) and leave it alone for 4 to 6 weeks. It is not necessary to swirl the infused oil every few days.

6. Once it’s ready, strain the flowers from the oil. Make sure that there are no petals whatsoever in the oil. Store the oil in a new and clean glass container. Store in a cool, dark cabinet until needed.

Some crafts in which you can use infused oils:

1. Soap making
2. Skincare products making (such as balms and lotions)
3. Other bath products (such as bath bombs and scrubs)

 Also, here’s a little extra information for you about some benefits of…

Calendula Flowers

• beneficial for dry skin, cracks, eczema, scrapes, minor burns and sunburns, rashes, chapped lips, and even bug bites (3)
•  helps to reduce inflammation and promotes wound healing (3)

Coconut Oil

• is high in antioxidants so it assists in repairing free radical damaged skin (4)
• also prevents further degeneration of the skin, a.k.a. skin aging (4)

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Email us if you have any enquiries at enquiry@craftiviti.com or pop by Craftiviti Craft Store at 10 Boulevard, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

If you found this post useful, please join us on Craftiviti Facebook or Instagram for more updates and demos!

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References:

1. Hornby, Albert Sydney, and Margaret Deuter, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary Of Current English (Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 2015).
2. “What Are Infused Oils? | Aromaweb”, Aromaweb.Com<https://www.aromaweb.com/articles/whatinfu.asp> [Accessed 19 December 2018].
3. Ferment, Grow, “10 Ways To Use Calendula Infused Oil”, Grow Forage Cook Ferment <https://www.growforagecookferment.com/10-ways-to-use-calendula-infused-oil/> [Accessed 19 December 2018].
4. “5 Surprising Coconut Oil Uses For Your Health”, Medical Daily<https://www.medicaldaily.com/coconut-oil-uses-5-surprising-benefits-coconut-oil-your-health-310158> [Accessed 19 December 2018]

Pssst, we're also available at Craftiviti.com!