All New: Sham-pooch!

Summer came a bit late here in Philomath, but the fleas are out, the dogs are itching and it’s time to unveil our newest product: Sham-pooch!

This gentle blend of vegetable oils is great for most dogs’ skin and fur and has been infused and scented with essential oils and herbs chosen for their flea, tick and mosquito repelling attributes. I didn’t use ground oats i this recipe, but may be adding some to my next batch for doggies with especially sensitive skin. This shampoo has lots of lather, which makes sudsing up your dog easy (relatively) and by skipping the bottle you’ll no longer be terrifying your dog by wielding a foreign object near its face while you struggle to balance and get him wet and sudsy without drenching yourself. I can’t wait to have outside space again or perhaps a utility sink – for now my shower will have to do and a water proof apron is not to be underestimated. This soap ISN’T overly moisturizing, so your hands may dry out a bit after washing Fido. Be sure and follow with a moisturizer and observe your dog to be sure this blend isn’t too drying for their skin.

Before (dirty and itchy)…  During (not stoked)…  After (Clean! Happy!)

Rubbing your dog with this citrusy smelling bar of soap is pleasant for dog and person alike. You’ll love the smell and how easy the soap lathers up. Your dog will probably wish they still smell like ‘funk’ but will be happy to have clean and shiny fur. I’ve chosen several essential oils that repel ticks and fleas, but please continue to check your dog for marauders and consider treating them with a natural flea preventative before you take a hike in the dry grass.  Peppermint, lemongrass, cedarwood and citronella are all powerful oils that leave this soap fairly heavily scented. I’ve also infused the olive oil used in this soap with pennyroyal, an important herb for repelling fleas. If you’re not already growing pennyroyal, consider adding it to your living space. Having pennyroyal growing in areas where your pets roam is an excellent strategy for keeping fleas at bay, especially if your dogs or cats enjoy rolling in the soft foliage. Catmint is another excellent repelling herb, especially effective on mosquitos. Note: both are fairly invasive plants, so don’t plant in your veggie garden! I have plans for a walk way with stepping stones and climbing thyme, chamomile and pennyroyal: lovely and useful!

Pocket says: hurry and get your own bar of Sham-pooch before they’re all gone! As usual, this soap was made in a small batch (only 17 bars!) so get yours before they’re gone. I will make another batch of Sham-pooch to be ready in a month and a half or so, at which point i’ll be deciding if this blend will be Summer seasonal only, or part of my regular cast. Be sure you sign up for our monthly newsletter so that you stay in the loop on ALL our seasonal products.

What say you, should Sham-pooch be available all year or as a Summer special?? Leave me a comment with your answer!

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Natural Tooth Powder with Essential Oils

I like to save money and packaging by making all natural alternatives to common and oft-used around the house products. I make all our soap, of course and i also i try to can or freeze most of our preserved foods. I buy in bulk and use reusable handmade bags, and i especially like to keep my family healthy by keeping almost all commercially made body products out of our house. Products like toothpaste.

Did you know that sodium laureth sulfate, the same stuff used to make commercial shampoos rather, is in most toothpaste? Have you read the ingredients on most toothpastes in the store… if you have you’ll see lots of chemicals, flavors, colors and other artificial nastiness. And flouride. I have mixed feelings on flouride, but despite my dentist’s opinion on the stuff, he checked out my teeth as ‘problem free’ in my last visit…. after i’d switched to making my own tooth powder. I’ve been using my tooth powder for about 1.5 years. My last dentist appointment was also about 1.5 years ago, before the tooth powder. I had 2 supposed cavities and gingivitis. Commercial toothpaste: cavities and gingivitis. Homemade tooth powder: no cavities or gingivitis and a clean bill of mouth health. Want to make some for yourself? I thought so:

Homemade Tooth Powder

• Baking Soda
• Course grind salt, preferably sea salt, preferably sea salt with lots of minerals like Real Salt
• Optional (but really great for polishing teeth and clearing up stains) montmorillonite (french) clay
• Essential oils: i highly recommend Clove for its gum healing properties, and tea tree for a great all around antiseptic. Add peppermint if you love the taste.

I store my tooth powder in a small jar and serve it up with a spoon into a spoon rest for daily use. To mix tooth powder, fill your jar about 3/4 of the way full with baking soda. Add salt to almost fill and add a half teaspoon of clay. Pour these ingredients into a larger jar (to facilitate easier shaking) and add about 8 drops cloves and 3-5 drops tea tree. You may end up adding more or less depending on your taste later on. Shake!

Pour back into your storage jar and enjoy clean, healthy teeth and gums for pennies! You may find your teeth feeling cleaner then you’ve noticed in a long time, i sure did the first time i used this. The clay will help get those tea stained teeth back to pearly whites in no time!

Do you make your own bath and body products? How about tooth powder?

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What’s Curing

I am so excited to unveil the newest additions to our line of soaps! They’re nearly cured (dried thoroughly) and will be packaged and ready for their new homes in about a week: Yay! We have some seasonal specials and some new blends of our most popular recipes. Let’s take a look at them, ‘all naturale’ and naked without their packaging:

NEW BLEND: Hemp Soap with Cedarwood and Patchouli. Musky goodness!

NEW BLEND: Hemp Soap with Lavender & Tea Tree

SEASONAL SPECIAL: Winter Wellness, Moisturizing Soap with Eucalyptus, Peppermint and Tea Tree

ALL NEW! Shampoo bars!

*Did you know that Nude Soap is naturally air dried for a minimum of ONE MONTH!? This long curing time assures that you will have a hard, long lasting bar to stay clean and moisturized with for a long time. Our soaps last the average user about a month, sometimes two depending on the frequency of your showers. If you’re using it as hand soap, sink side: expect even longer shelf life!  Because we only use pure essential oils, the scent of your soap may decrease over time: a great excuse to make the switch to your new Nude Soap bars right away! If you’re buying several bars, simply store the ‘bars in waiting’ in some paper towels or your sock drawer, out of the light and away from any humidity. The essential oils will make any room or drawer smell great, and keeping the soap lightly wrapped (never in plastic!) will extend that yummy aroma.

We’ll be packaging this week, so check back soon for an updated shop and full profiles of these new blends and special soaps.

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