Lilac Soap

Lilac Soap

"The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. 

The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month."

Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933)

The first day of spring is in a couple of days
and signs of its arrival are everywhere! 

We may see another snow storm, but it won't last long.

Winter's grip is literally melting away.

"Spring is when you feel like whistling

even with a shoe full of slush."

Doug Larson

So, go ahead!

Tromp around in the corral,

work in the yard,

or play in a mud puddle.

Lilac Soap,

with its signature spring fragrance,

will remove the toughest dirt

yet be kind and gentle to your skin. 

Lilac Soap
Go jump in a puddle!


The ingredients of Lilac Soap include tallow, soybean oil, sweet almond oil, olive oil, coconut oil, fragrance oil, chamomile herb, and cosmetic-grade pigments.







Warm Earth Soap





As we see winter yielding to spring and releasing its icy cold grip on the countryside, thoughts of spring activities come to mind.  Even though calving is underway at the current time, before we know it, branding will be the next order of business and this roundup scene on our ranch in southeastern Montana will soon be repeated.  Planting in the garden will follow closely after that. 



Warm Earth Soap


Warm Earth Soap evokes a warm, spicy fragrance with essential oils of clove, nutmeg, and ginger.  Cinnamon and nutmeg spices are swirled throughout to add visual effect and enhance the earthy aroma of the soap. 

The ingredients of Warm Earth Soap include palm oil, soybean oil, olive oil, coconut oil, ginger spice, nutmeg spice, and an essential oil blend of clove, nutmeg, and ginger.  

My husband decided right away that Warm Earth Soap was his favorite.  It was even his idea that we do a photo shoot of him washing his hands with his favorite soap!

Warm Earth Soap does a great job

 of cleaning this rancher’s hardworking hands.

Paisley Soap



Paisley Soap



I’m thinking paisley … on the prairie!  With the wonderful ingredients used in this batch of soap I envisioned kind of a retro soap from the 60s.  (I'm wanting to say “hippie soap.”  OK.  I said it!) 

The heady blend of essential oils imparts a fragrance that fills the senses.  The essential oils themselves also have an impact on the soap’s color when merged with the ultramarine violet pigment swirl resulting in a soap that truly has its own character.   

When I formulate a batch of soap I start with a good base. 

• Palm oil makes a hard bar that cleans well and is mild on the skin.  Palm oil is substituted for tallow when producing a 100% vegetable oil soap. 
• Soybean oil produces mild, stable lather and is often used in combination with other exotic or moisturizing oils. 
• Olive oil prevents loss of the skin's natural moisture by attracting external moisture to the skin.  It helps keep the skin soft, supple, and younger looking.  
• Coconut oil produces a hard, white bar of soap with abundant lather.  In combination with other base oils coconut oil contributes greatly to the quality of the soap. 

When combined with the base oils, the essential oils contribute to the fragrant and aesthetic features of the soap.  





Paisley Soap
Can you dig it?


• Patchouli (known for its warm, earthy aroma with fresh fruit-like tones),
• Chamomile (a strong, sweetish, warm, herbaceous aroma),
• Lavender (a sweet floral note), 
• Clary sage (an earthy, fruity, and floral aroma that is both nutty and herbaceous),
• Ylang-ylang (a sweet, exotic, floral scent), and 
• Rosemary (a strong, clear, penetrating, camphoraceous, and herbaceous aroma

Oatmeal Scrub Soap

Oatmeal Scrub Soap

Oatmeal Scrub is a soap that I will always make … because it’s one of my favorites!  The scrubbiness of the ground oatmeal enhances the generous, creamy lather.  The fragrance is a perfect marriage of oatmeal, milk, and honey – mellow, soothing, with just a hint of sweetness. 

Think of how you feel when you eat “comfort food.”  

Bathing with Oatmeal Scrub Soap is like bathing with “comfort soap!” 

The ingredient list includes tallow, soybean oil, olive oil, coconut oil, evaporated milk, 

ground oatmeal, and fragrance oil. 

Oatmeal Scrub Soap

Grapefruit Soap



Grapefruit Soap

My family knows I always make up my own recipes.  So, it should not be a surprise that this batch of soap contains a grapefruit.  Yes, the blenderized juice and pulp of one whole grapefruit.  The pulp and juice have added a bit of texture to the soap.  The soap lathers up great and feels good on the skin.  The fragrance is a blend composed of Calabrian bergamot, California lemon oil, mandarin, and nectarine. Watery green leaves give way to sheer luscious fruity notes of peach, apricot, and mango. Jasmine and white ginger lead the way to base notes of vetiver, oakmoss, and sweet musk.

Despite all that, here's what we smell:
Grapefruit!! 

I’m thinking

SPRING!

and this soap seems to definitely be headed in that direction. 



Is it spring yet?

[yawn]  [stretch]  After a long winter’s nap, I opened my eyes and peeked out from the covers.  Is it spring yet?  Not from the view outside my window!  I thought about going back to sleep, but dreams of new spring soaps kept me awake.




Spring Thaw Soap



Although the first official day of spring won’t be until March 20,

I gathered my supplies and made up a batch of Spring Thaw Soap. 

When I formulated the recipe for this particular soap I envisioned the tug of war between the seasons.  Springtime can be a flurry of snow contrasted by the brave green shoots of the season’s first new growth.  With the sun on our side these Spring Thaw Soaps are standing in solidarity against Old Man Winter and looking forward to the warmer and longer days of spring.   

The ingredient list includes saponified lard, palm oil, soybean oil, olive oil, coconut oil.  Through a generous donation from a soap customer, I used an essential oil blend of wintergreen, peppermint, wild marjoram, and eucalyptus.  The snow flurry is achieved with a cosmetic-grade mineral pigment. 

There are several more soaps standing in line patiently awaiting their turn to be featured.  Stay tuned!