Prairie Creations Updates 1-27-14

Some updates from the soap front at Prairie Creations……

I have re-arranged the order of my products on the menu on the left side of the page. For those that are new I offer various “informational pages” at the very top. There you will find some various information about my products but also that I have the scent categories broken down with the descriptions of each scent written out. This may help know what a scent may smell like given a generic name.

For those that are unsure what scent they may or may not like I offer fragrance sniffies. I have two listings one is for sale to buy before ordering an actual product. But I also offer free ones that are included with purchase with orders over $15. Both are sold in sets of three. I use special packaging so the scents won’t mingle after they are packaged. http://prairie-creations.com/shop/index.php?cPath=181


What you may also notice that is different is that I grouped my tallow shaving soaps and creams together with a spacer page between my non-tallow soaps and creams. Each product has its own page, but I wanted to group them together as I know many gentlemen have preferences for tallow and non-tallow.

I also grouped my RTS (ready to ship) shaving soaps that are pre-made and ready to be mailed out with my custom shaving soaps on the same page with each product having their own listing. Custom ones are offered in various sizes and packaging, but you also select the scent of choice from the drop down menu but also the scent strength. I offer light, normal and heavy. Keep in mind these are based on a percent added depending on the total weight of product used and some scents are naturally lighter or heavier smelling out of the bottle. For some shaving soaps that are RTS I use scents that I have but are not a part of my regular inventory just to offer a better variety of scents. Scent is a very personal thing and what one person loves another will hate just as much.

I also separated my tallow & lanolin shaving soap that is made with aloe vera juice as the liquid (the only liquid used) from my beer version. The recipes are exactly the same but I use different liquids in each of them. I did this because I currently use Blue Moon Beer for my shaving soaps, but I plan on offering several other beers. If you have a suggestion for your favorite beer, please let me know and I can see if it’s available where I live and I may consider using it. When beer is used the finished product does not smell like beer, but it has its own earthy scent which can morph some scents especially lighter or more delicate ones. For that reason I will be dividing the liquid in my beer batches between beer and aloe vera juice in the future. The current batch of Blue Moon Beer Tallow & Lanolin Shaving Soap just contains beer as the liquid used.

Just to ask, would anyone be interested in a non-tallow hard bar of shaving soap? Or is tallow the preference among my buyers. If there is enough interest I will add a non-tallow version. I do currently offer 2 non-tallow soaps/creams. The DdC which is my faux MdC is more of a croap, a harder croap but not one that is hard enough to be considered a hard soap by any means, and my KISS (keeping it simple and straightforward) is a cream. This is a nice soft cream like you would find in a commercial made tube not a jar cream. For those that like soft creams rather than a harder cream or a croap.

For those that prefer hard soaps, my soaps are hockey puck hard once they have had a chance for the excess liquid to evaporate out. If they are freshly made they will be a bit softer, but once hard they are hockey puck hard!!!


I’ve made a fresh batch of my tallow shaving cream that was out of stock for a short while. It’s now ready so that has been listed. http://prairie-creations.com/shop/produc...ts_id=2410



I’ve made another batch of pre-shave soap as well and that will be ready about Feb 6th. Mine is a bit different than others in that I use carrot juice and carrot puree in them. The recipe is also very different than a bath soap as well as it’s designed to be a facial soap. It also contains goats milk, honey and silk fibers. But it doesn’t have any animal fats in it for those that prefer vegetable oils. http://prairie-creations.com/shop/index.php?cPath=78


I have changed my lip balm listings so each flavor or unflavored has their own listings. I make these up in batches of 12 tubes. I currently have the following flavors made up: Bazooka Bubble Gum, Cherry Blast, EO Hungarian Lavender, EO Pink Grapefruit, EO Spearmint, Honey, Mango, No Flavor and Vanilla. They are made with flavor oils that are designed to be used in lip balm, the essential oils that I use are also labeled as being lip safe. I am specific in the title (name) if you are looking for EO specific lip balms. I do have the following flavor oils but they are not made up into lip balm at the moment. But can be if they are requested before I get a chance to make them up: Pina Colada, Pink Lemonade, Toasted Coconut, and Watermelon. http://prairie-creations.com/shop/index.php?cPath=43


I also have available a wonderful goats milk hand/body lotion. Unlike commercial brands that just use water I use also vera juice to maximize the benefits. Also commercial brands use a lot of glycerin in their lotions I personally don’t like the feel of that. Most don’t know that glycerin can actually be more drying to the skin in low humidity climates so more lotion is used which is a vicious cycle. Instead I prefer to use a little sodium lactate which doesn’t present the same issue. Also commercial lotions also contain a lot of mineral oil and other inexpensive oils such as soybean oil or canola oil. I prefer to use avocado oil, coconut oil and organic unrefined shea butter in mine along with several other wonderful ingredients to take this lotion from basic to exotic. This is perfect for year round use and doesn’t feel greasy. This can be left unscented or scented with a fragrance oil or essential oil depending on your preference. http://prairie-creations.com/shop/index.php?cPath=174


I have several bath soaps made up prior but I have just listed four new bath soaps. These are all cold process soaps and are made with oils and lye. I do not use a glycerin melt and soap base at all. I like to be able to control the ingredients and the amount used for each ingredient. Personally I don’t think soapmakers use enough castor oil as it adds to the lather but it’s also very moisturizing to the skin. Whereas oils like coconut oil, palm kernel oil or babassu oil is wonderful and moisturizing to the skin in their raw state, but they can all be very drying to the skin when they are saponified and changed into soap with lye if too much is used. So that’s why I feel the importance for bath soap recipes to be very balanced. I also like to use a variety of liquids to bring more to the finished product than what plain water can offer the skin. I like to use goats milk, higher fat cows dairy products (whole milk, full fat greek yogurt or heavy cream to name a few) or coconut milk. But I have been known to use other various liquids as well for their benefits to the skin or for fun.
http://prairie-creations.com/shop/index.php?cPath=53

* Juniper Breeze – made with goats milk http://prairie-creations.com/shop/produc...ts_id=2408

* Carrot Cake – made with carrot juice and whole cows milk http://prairie-creations.com/shop/produc...ts_id=2409

* Watercress & Aloe – made with whole cows milk http://prairie-creations.com/shop/produc...ts_id=2411

* Frangipani – made with goats milk, however because the fragrance oil misbehaved on me as I had not used it in cold process bath soap before, it riced on me. Yes that is a technical soaping term, but for that reason I put it on my clearance page because of that issue. There is nothing wrong with the soap other than it’s a cosmetic issue. http://prairie-creations.com/shop/produc...ts_id=2404



Currently on the curing rack for cold process bath soaps. Even though they are just fine to use as they are now, I prefer to put them on my curing rack for at least four weeks. This gives the soap extra time for the excess moisture in the soap to evaporate out and that gives you a harder bar of soap that will last longer. http://prairie-creations.com/shop/index.php?cPath=96

* Toasted Hazelnut – made with whole cows milk
not pictured yet, but they look like bars of dark chocolate.

* Rosemary Mint – made with whole cows milk


* Black For Men – made with goats milk


* 100% Coconut Oil Soap to be used for cleaning or as a stain stick. Made with water and lye and that’s it. It’s made with 0% superfat so it’s not meant to be used on the body or face.


I will be making more bath soaps soon to add to the bath soaps that I offer. I will also be making more shaving soap pucks that are made up and RTS (ready to ship)


Last but not least I also have a new section added **SALE**SALE**SALE** here you will find 3 random products that are listed 10% off. These products will change in and out so it's my way of giving back to my buyers by offering these random sales. http://prairie-creations.com/shop/index.php?cPath=197
Currently I have the following on sale...
* Shea Aftershave Balm
* Blue Moon Beer Tallow & Lanolin Shave Soap Large Puck
* Aloe Tallow & Lanolin Shave Soap Jar

Thanks for popping by to see what's new and going on at Prairie Creations.....