WHAT ARE CARRIER OILS?

Many people get confused between carrier oils and essential oils.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in their Vocabulary of Natural Materials (ISO/D1S9235.2) defines an essential oil as a product made by distillation with either water or steam or by mechanical processing of citrus rinds or by dry distillation of natural materials. Following the distillation, the essential oil is physically separated from the water phase.[1]

On the other hand, carrier oils also known as base oils are vegetable oils usually made from the fatty portion of a plant. They are also categorized as natural plant oils.

Types of Carrier Oils
Some of the more popular Carrier Oils that you can start to explore are:

• Sweet Almond Oil

• Avocado Oil

• Jojoba Oil

• Evening Primrose Oil

• Rosehip Oil

• Macadamia Oil

• Coconut Oil

• Argan Oil

• and many more.

Carrier oils of the cold pressed kind have a slight aroma depending on the plant. Refined carrier oils on the other hand have a neutral smell. One of the most notable difference between these cold pressed and refined, is that refined oils have a longer shelf life and is more stable of the two.
Carrier oils are suitable for moisturizing and great for maintaining a healthy skin and hair.

What Can You Do With Carrier Oils?
· Carrier Oils are used to dilute essential oils so that they can be safely applied to the skin

· Certain Carrier Oils like Jojoba Oil penetrates directly into the skin, scalp and hair shaft

. Most carrier oils can be used directly on skin as a deep moisturizer or massage oil

· Carrier Oils like Coconut Oil is great for making salves and hair masks

. Rosehip seed Oil make a great non-greasy facial oil and a favorite amongst the ladies

· Avocado Oil is great for making homemade hair serum due to its vitamins, fatty acids and proteins

· Castor Oil and Olive Oil are good choices of Carrier Oil for making lip balm as they leave a soft and glossy shine on your lips

. Carrier oils are used as a base for making soap. It is best to have good quality carrier oils to ensure the soaps you create can do wonders to your skin

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!

DIY HANDMADE CRAYONS

How to Make Non-toxic Crayons with Beeswax

Ever wanted to make your own handmade and healthy crayons? If you are a health conscious mum that worries about your kids chewing on waxy petroleum based crayons that are lying around the house, that worry is gone now with this DIY healthy crayon recipe below:

 Image from Instructables

The Recipe

•          Start by using equal weights of beeswax and soap (you can also use carnauba wax)
•          Use an inexpensive white bar soap to grate
•          Chop part of the beeswax in medium pieces
•          Pour the medium pieces of beeswax into a microwave safe container
•          Melt the soap and beeswax in the microwave or using a double boiler
•          Proceed carefully as the liquid will be very hot
•          It is important to watch the mixture closely so that it doesn’t boil and doesn’t add air bubbles to your healthy crayons
•         If you see air bubbles, let the mixture set for a few minutes and gently stir it to remove them
•          After the soap and beeswax are melted, mix the colours in carefully. Do not use liquid coloring as it won't mix with the wax. You can use powdered food coloring or natural ingredients like tumeric and cocoa powder
•          Add more colours if you want it to be more vibrant
•          Lightly grease the mold that you will be using

Image from Instructables

•          For molds, you can use ice cube trays, mini muffin pans, disposable mini paper cups or even make your own mold using foil paper
•          Pour the melted mixture into the mold and let it dry completely
•          Finally, remove the crayons from the mold and they are ready to be used

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!

POPULAR CANDLE SCENTS YOU COULD TRY

Most people buy candles to scent their homes. Scents help set you in the right mood. They can project a sense of coziness, warmth or even mystery depending on the mood and setting.

Some candle scents are more popular than others. In the scent library there are thousands of scents depending on what you like. Now, if you are making candles as gifts or for generic use, here are the top 5 most liked candle scents.  

 Vanilla Candle Scent

Things like cookies fall under this category and that leads you to think about mum’s baking. It is a comfortable place if you are to be surrounded by things like apple pie, ice cream, and on a popcorn movie night in home. 

Lemon Candle Scent

This scent is a throwback to your childhood memories - a reminder of pool parties, BBQ’s and lots of sugar. Lemon fragrance oils makes a great pick me up scent. Ideal for drowsy mornings or to keep the mood upbeat at dinner parties.

Coffee Candle Scent

Coffee is a well-loved scent. Coffee helps to keep you awake and it is something that is very useful in today’s hectic world. In fact every kitchen should have a coffee candle waiting to be burnt. Certainly adds atmosphere to any home. 

Lavender Candle Scent

This scent is relaxing and soothing to the mind and body. Lavender is known mostly for its calming effects. This is could something sought for after being on the go all day.

Rose Candle Scent

Imagine having rose petals sprinkled around the house. Rose sets the mood for a light and relaxing day. In fact most flower scents have this effect. It's the perfect scent to accompany a long luxurious bath. 

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!

HOW TO COLOUR SOAP NATURALLY

 There are many ways to colour your soap while keeping it natural. Here are few of the natural soap colouring ingredients.

Oxides or Micas

Oxides or micas comes in many different shades. A small bag of oxide or soap mica will colour a lot of soap. Adding too much of this ingredient may change the texture of your soap so it is best to do a small test batch. Important note about using this ingredient is that you will need to get it from a reputable supplier. Many micas and oxides in the market today contain minerals and chemicals that can be harmful to the skin. Always use micas or oxides that are labeled skinsafe. 

Clay

Clays are wonderful addition to soaps. Not only do they help detox the skin, they also provide deep cleansing. There is French green clay which turns the soap green, Rhassoul makes soap brown and Bentonite which is a light green. Rose clay turns your soap into purple or red colour and Red Kaolin makes the soap red. 

Seaweed Powder

Grind some dried seaweed into powder to give your soap a brown or green colour. However because this is a natural source it is very prone to fading.

Food

Food such as molasses can tint soaps. Berries and vegetables mashed can also be added to your soap. Oats provide wonderful cleansing scrub effect and will turn your soap into a milky white tint. Cocoa Powder, beetroot powder, spirulina and a host of other natural food powders can colour your soaps naturally. 

However, be careful when adding fresh fruits or vegetables to M&P soap bases as it will soften the soap and because there is a lack of preservative, these organic ingredients may spoil or shorten the shelf life of the soap. 

Coffee

You can use instant coffee powder or cold brewed ground coffee.  This soap will be dark brown and will also have a light scrubbing effect. You will notice a very faint scent of coffee. Add coffee fragrance oil for extra boost of scent. 

Activate carbon

Activated carbon is the ground up particles of natural charcoal. This product will turn any soap into a distinctive jet black block. The carbon also acts are wonderful deep skin cleanser and detox. Activated carbon soap has the ability to absorb pollutant and dirt from skin. 

When it comes to naturally coloring your soap, always note that the ingredients their colors will come out differently between CP process and M&P soap process. 

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!

WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH ONE BAR OF BEESWAX

Beeswax is produced by female worker honey bees. Beeswax is a clear liquid. When the air hits it, the wax hardens and becomes solid white. 

Most beeswax is yellow because the pollen has gotten into it. The first human use of beeswax goes back to ancient Egypt. They used the wax to cast statues. 

As time progressed, more uses of Beeswax were made available. In Roman times, it was used for skin care and food. 

The Roman Catholic Church popularized it for candles. However, it was in short supply and only the upper class could use it. Now, anyone can access this extremely versatile natural wax.

Since beeswax has been used for many generations, we have had a long time to figure out many uses for it. The most common ones are their usage in candles and balms.

Usage of Beeswax

Here are some of the things you can do with beeswax:

• ·         Lip balm
• ·         Wood polish
• ·         Body butter
• ·         Candles
• ·         Bookbinding thread
• ·         Moustache wax
• ·         Massage bars
• ·         A plastic wrap replacement
• ·         Sealing envelopes
• ·         Non-toxic crayons

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!

CRAFTI-PLASTIC - WHY EVERY HOUSEHOLD SHOULD KEEP A PACK OF THESE

Crafti-Plastic Thermoplastic beads are plastic molding pellets that are made out of lightweight polyester. Just heat the pellets in hot water and they can be molded with your hands to repair whatever that needs to be fixed.

You can use Crafti-Plastic for:

- Sculpting figurines and toys

- Repairs around the house

- Making jewelry parts

- Making simple one piece molds

- Making hard stamps

Making Household Repairs

These small Thermoplastic Beads are not only easy to use but they are also multipurpose. They are great for fixing furniture, cracked piping, repairing leaks and closure of holes, cracks or broken bits. One person even fixed a broken sandal with this versatile plastic. 

Best thing about Crafti-Plastic is this...

You can also reuse these thermoplastic beads. Once these thermoplastic beads are hardened, you can just heat up the plastic again in the same manner as before to reuse it. 

Finishing

They can also be painted over once they are dried.  You can make it appear as though the object you repaired was never broken. It can look consistent with the rest of the object. With Crafti-Plastic, you do not have to hire someone to fix your problem. By just purchasing a small bag of thermoplastic beads, you can fix it by yourself.

Thermoplastic beads are great for making permanent fixes around the house. All households should have some of these Thermoplastic Beads for repair purposes.

Watch this video for more info:

You can find thermoplastic beads in our shop here

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!

HOW TO GET RID OF BUBBLES IN EPOXY RESIN

When you are working with Epoxy resin, one major issue that you will face is the bubbles. Bubble can get in the way of your crystal clear casting. 

There are several ways for you to keep bubbles out of the resin and many ways to get out the bubbles after epoxy resin has been applied.

Keeping Bubbles Out Before Pouring

Don’t shake the bottle containing the resin or the hardener because it will only make things worse. One way for you to get rid of the bubbles is to turn each bottle slowly upside down and from side to side to mix the resins separately before pouring into your mixing cup. 

Mixing technique

Always stir your resin before mixing AB parts. After a thorough mixing, combine AB resin and catalyst into a bigger cup. Stir carefully without lifting your stirring stick out of the cup too much. Stir in a figure 8 motion to ensure you cover all areas. Make sure you scrap your stirring stick on all sides along the way. 

How to get Bubbles out Once Applied

Once you have poured the resin into a mold, you can always use a pin to drag the bubbles out of the resin. The bubbles will pop that way. Just wiggle the pin back and forth in the bubble until it comes to the surface and pops. Heat is also a way to get rid of bubbles. So always keep a heat gun handy. The heat will cause the bubbles to rise to the surface. 

So, if you run into the problem of having bubbles in your resin, these are several ways to get them out.

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!

WORKING WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF CANDLE WAXES

When it comes to making DIY candles, there are different types of wax. The more popular ones are Palm wax, Soy wax, Beeswax, Paraffin wax and Gel wax. 

All of these waxes have their own pros and cons. Here are some of those aspects.

Palm Wax

Palm wax is 100% natural, GMO-free, and derived from palm trees. This wax is very hard and has a very high melting point. Thus, the wax gives off more scent and retains colours and fragrances longer. The burning time is also longer and contains less soot.   

Soy Wax

Soy wax is made from Soybean Oil and does not burn as long as Palm oil. This wax type is 100% biodegradable and a renewable resource. It is carcinogen free, non-toxic and environmentally safe. Soy wax is easy to clean up if it spills and is great for making massage candles. However, this wax can be very picky with the scent and is too soft to make pillar candles. 

Paraffin Wax

Most mass produced candles are made from this cheap wax. Paraffin wax is a petroleum byproduct. The wax holds a consistent appearance. This is because the wax is harder. It makes this wax the ideal choice when making a candle of a certain shape. Paraffin wax candles are easy to make, they retain scent and colour well and is the most affordable but not the most healthiest option. 

Beeswax

This wax has the highest melting point of any known wax. The high melting point makes this wax have a slow smokeless flame that gives off a lot of heat. This wax also has its own unique scent so you can choose not to add any scent to it. This wax is the purest wax and the most expensive in the list. 

Gel Wax

This wax is made from specially processed mineral oils and gelled with polymer. It burns twice as long as Paraffin wax. Candles made from this wax are easy to make by just melting the gel then adding colour and scent. The mixture is then poured all together to harden into a gel candle. The great thing about gel wax is that it is crystal clear so you can embed all kinds of pretty things in it such as seashells, pebbles or petals. 

Our store has palm wax, soy wax, beeswax, paraffin wax and gelwax. So feel free to drop by to take a look!

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!

BENEFITS OF SAFFLOWER OIL

Safflower is a branching plant with each branch having a flower. The flowers are used to make the carrier oil. The flowers can be yellow, red, or orange and look similar to a dandelion. 

It is grown in arid places such as Mexico, China, India, Ethiopia and the Arab world. Safflower is one of the world’s oldest crops dating back to ancient Egypt 4,000 years ago.

Safflower oil helps to clean your skin by extracting dirt and oil from the pores. Safflower oil benefits include:

•              Anti-inflammatory

•              Eases joint pain

•              Works to mend scars

•              Softening rough skin

•              Younger and healthier looking skin.

Safflower carrier oil prevents moisture from leaving the skin by forming a protective barrier on your skin. 

It also repairs scared, damaged skin with its special properties. Safflower oil is perfect for sensitive skin and even for babies. 

It also makes for great massage oil. This base oil is light and not greasy. It also has a mixed scent and a long shelf life.

Safflower Carrier oil has a long history in skincare and helps with many skin related issues. From dry skin to repairing scars, Safflower carrier oil is very versatile.

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!

DIY STAMP CARVING IDEAS

There is just so much one can do with a block of easy carving rubber and a set of sharp cutting tools. Here are some wonderful ideas you can try out. 

Hello, a Rubber Stamp

A stamp with the word hello in cursive situated in the middle of a fun thought bubble. It is a playful addition to letters and invitations.

This project is by Doodlecraft

Bunny Ears

These are great to use for a scrapbook or any pictures. They add a little fun to every picture.

This project is by Grace Bonney at Design Sponge 

Thank You Stamp

This stamp adds a personalized touch to letters and cards. It also conveys your thanks in a more genuine manner. A simple design like this can make all the difference.

This project is by Lisa Rios at Dear Handmade Life

DIY Hand-Carved Stamps

This project is a combination of different carving possibilities. A cute moth can be added to Birthday cards, memos and anything that you would like to add to. There are also other projects such as a trailer stamp project, a Mini Cooper project, a snail project and a leaf project on this website. This website gives you several project ideas in one place.

This project is by Casey at Vitamini Handmade 

More ideas to come! Stamp carving materials can be found here>

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!

TOP 3 ESSENTIAL OILS FOR SOAP MAKING

Making your own melt & pour soap is a rewarding and fulfilling process. Making your own soap also allows you to know what exactly goes in your soap and onto your skin.When you make your own soaps, you get to select the essential oils that suits your skin.  

You can never go wrong when you include these top 3 essential oils into your soap making recipe:

 Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender Essential Oil is a popular essential oil. It is used in beauty products and even cleaning products. It is an anti-inflammatory and an antiseptic. It helps with cuts and skin irritations. It also promotes relaxation, which in this busy world we live in today is very important since stress can cause early aging signs on the skin.

Tea Tree Essential Oil

Tea Tree Essential Oil is also an antiseptic. Tea Tree oil can only be found in Australia. It is an essential oil that may be applied directly to the afflicted person. There are very few oils which can. The oil works to cure fungal infections and can help with insect bites. It also helps repel insects from making a meal out of you. 

Clove Oil Essential Oil

Clove Essential Oil comes from a flower on an evergreen tree. Clove oil helps with cuts, bruises, and infections. It is also used for bug bites and for boosting the immune system. Like Lavender Essential Oil, Clove Essential Oil is great for stress relief.

Essential oils make your soap smells great. But scent aside, what makes them stand apart is the health benefits for the skin. Essential oils not only provide physical benefits, but also psychological and spiritual ones too. 

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!

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOY WAX AND PALM WAX FOR CANDLE MAKING

Candles can be made out of many different kinds of waxes. Paraffin wax, soy wax, palm wax, beeswax, gel wax and more. 

Today we will talk about two types of very similar waxes that have people a little confused.

Palm Wax

Palm wax is harvested from palm trees in West Africa and in Asian countries. This wax is 100% natural, GMO-free, and derived from palm trees. This wax is very hard and had a very high melting point. The melt point is approximately 140 degrees Fahrenheit, higher than soy wax and paraffin wax.  With this high melt point, palm wax tends to give off more scent and also to retain scent longer. 

Because it is a much harder wax, you can make pillar, votive or container candles with this wax. When cooled, the wax has a very distinctive crystallized look. 

Soy Wax

Soy wax is made from soybean oil and so it is 100% biodegradable and also known as a a renewable resource. Soywax candles burn clean. They do not produce soot and leave no black circle around the glass that holds the candle. 

They are carcinogen free, non-toxic and environmentally safe. Soy wax is easy to clean up if it spills because it only needs soap and water. While palmwax hardens into a crystal look, soywax maintains is milky whiteness. When mixed with wax dyes, soywax takes on a milky pastel finish. 

Soywax does not burn as long as Palm wax, is very picky with scent and is too soft to hold on its own. Therefore it is a great wax for container candles or for making massage candles. 

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 CraftivitiFacebook or Instagram for more updates and demos!