2. New At MakeYourCosmetics.com!!

~ Golden Skin Rejuvenator, with rose hips and helichrysum oil
~ Mango Mud Mask, perfect for the last bit summer's fresh mango
~ Light Foam Facial Cleanser, easy, fragrant and good for you

I am pleased to announce a new department here at the Handmade Beauty Connection ... MakeYourCosmetics.com Book Reviews. Our new department is designed to help you evaluate the many books available on the market today that contain recipes and information for making your cosmetics.

Share your own creations with the world using our unique "Submit A Recipe" feature!!

This week's MakeYourCosmetics Book Review is on "Making Natural Liquid Soaps," by Catherine Failor (Storey Books, 2000).

Review Excerpt (by our guest reviewer, Joan LaFever):

"Since I have very sensitive skin, I chose to test Castor Oil-Jojoba Moisturizing Soap (found on page 54). The main reason is because of all the recipes in the book, this one contained the least amount of coconut oil, and coconut oil tends to irritate my skin in high amounts. ..."

To read the entire book review, information about the author and recipe tests, click here.

3. Handmade Beauty Trivia Question: Last week's winner was Jane Eliza of Blaxland, Australia. Jane won an autographed copy of "Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy" by HBN member Suzanne Catty.

Last Week's Question: According to HBN member and author, Suzanne Catty, traditional herbal tinctures and flower remedies, though valuable, can be replaced by another product made using alcohol, hydrosol and the herb of choice.

Last Week's Answer: Aromatic Tinctures

This Week's Question: When making liquid soaps, you have a choice between making the soap opaque and taking the extra time and steps needed to make it as transparent as possible. To make the soap transparent, you need to add an ingredient designed to lower the soap's cloud point. That is, to lower the point at which the insolubles in the mixture coalesce and cause the soap to be cloudy.

To win this week, be the first to respond with the name given to the type of  ingredients that are used to lower the cloud point of liquid soap, thus bolstering the transparency of the final soap product. This week's prize is a copy of "Creating An Herbal Bodycare Business" by HBN member Sandy Maine!

Please read the contest rules here before submitting your entry.

While time does not permit me to respond personally to all entrants, the winner will be notified by email and their name posted at HBN's home page.

. . . shhhh

5. Handmade Beauty Product Review by Donna Maria

~ Hot Flash Goat's Milk Soap by Cedar Lane Farms
3.5 to 4 ounces | $4.00

As you can probably guess, I have quite a few delicious bars of handmade soap in my bath at any given time. It is sometimes really hard to choose which one to use next when I run out! A few weeks ago, I gave my husband the option of choosing from about 15 different bars. I did not influence him at all ... I had small sample sized bars, handmade cold process bars,  handmade hot process bars and melt & pour bars. Since my husband doesn't appreciate all of those differences, he made his selection based on scent alone. Cedar Lane Farms Hot Flash Goat's Milk Soap is the one he chose.

Made with herbs of black cohosh, licorice root and red raspberry leaf, along with soy and a fantastic combination of essential oils of clary sage, lavender and rose geranium, this bar smells fantastic! It's not at all the aroma I thought would appeal to my husband since he is quite partial to anything with a lemon scent to it, especially lemongrass. But this bar was an obvious exception to that rule!

The color is a beautiful tan, as are most goats milk soaps. (This one is made with 33% goats milk that are raised at Cedar Lane Farms!) The texture is smooth, and the lather is rich and soothing. While the name of this soap obviously implies its use by women who encounter hot flashes, the appeal far exceeds that for persons of all ages, and men as well apparently.

Cedar Lane Farms does not have a Web site, but you can learn more about their products and purchase Hot Flash Goat's Milk Soap by sending owner Martha Lupton an email.

Light Foam Facial Cleanser is a nice and soothing facial cleanser and scrub that you can make ahead of time. I like to store 2 tablespoons of this mix in a plastic zip style bag. When I'm ready to use it, I just add 2 tablespoons of water, hydrosol, milk or whatever I want. Squish it around in the bag until well mixed and use
to wash! So easy, so fragrant, so good for your skin!! This recipe makes enough for about 4-5 cleansings.

Ingredients

8 grams ground rose petals
2 grams brewer's yeast
6 grams dried milk
6 grams powdered honey
20 grams finely powdered oats
4 grams Castile soap
10 drops orange essential oil
1 drop rose geranium essential oil
5 drops lavender essential oil

Blending Procedure

Step 1. Combine all ingredients except essential oils in a small food processor and mix well to combine.

Step 2. Transfer dry mixture to a bowl and add essential oils.
Stir well to mix.

Step 3. Place the mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time, into small plastic zip style baggies. To use, add 2 tablespoons of whatever liquid your prefer. Squish the mixture to incorporate the wet and dry ingredients, creating a soft paste-like mixture. Place the mixture in your damp palms and warm them to spread the mix on your palms. Apply gently to face and neck to cleanse. Enjoy!