Nourishing Skin and Nurturing Moms
Shea butter and Jamaican Black Castor Oil are two of my favourite natural ingredients to use in DIY body care products as they both provide so many benefits to skin and hair. Shea butter, fat that has been extracted from the nuts of the African Shea or Karite tree, is a natural emollient that is […]
Turmeric, part of the ginger family, contains curcumin, a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to be beneficial in skincare. It has been used for centuries in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine to treat various ailments and it is well-known throughout India to treat hyperpigmentation, reduce redness and promote even skin tone. Both turmeric and ginger […]
Hot process soapmaking is different from the cold process method in that the traced soap is heated to speed up saponification and neutralize it before putting it into the mold. A benefit to making soap this way is that the soap is fully saponified and can be used right away. This method creates a more […]
For quite a while I have been wanting to try my hand at making liquid soap. Although there are many resources and YouTube videos that demonstrate how to make liquid soap from scratch I decided to try the version from The Everything Soapmaking Book by Alicia Grosso. The recipe is a hot process soap utilizing […]
Within the last four years or so I started hearing about Moringa and its numerous uses for health. There was a sudden surge in interest in the plant and it was becoming popular due to its nutritional and medicinal properties. Now it seems that in Trinidad and Tobago, everyone, their Uncle and Tanty has a […]
Activated Charcoal has been used for centuries dating back to the ancient Egyptians and in healing traditions such as Ayurveda in India. But what is activated charcoal and what are its benefits? Activated charcoal is produced by super-heating natural carbon sources such as bamboo, coconut or wood using steam. This causes the molecules in the […]
Castile Soap has been around for centuries. It is a natural soap that is made of 100% Olive oil and it gets its name from Castile, Spain, where it is believed it originated. There is however, a version called Bastille soap. This soap is composed mostly of olive oil (at least 70%) but it also […]
Sourcing tools to make soaps at home does not have to be expensive as most of the equipment that you will need, you probably already have in your kitchen. I always find it best to have a checklist of your soapmaking tools handy when preparing to make a batch of soap. This helps to have […]
This sweet mango and coconut milk homemade soap is a wonderful blend of sun-ripened golden mangoes and creamy coconut milk. Thanks to One Motivated Mommy reader and fellow soap maker, Norman in Jamaica, I was given this lovely recipe at the peak of mango season, so I knew I had to give this one a […]
I have always been mesmerized by the beauty, creativity and intricacy of the ancient art of henna body design also known as mehendi or mehndi. Some years ago, I ventured deep into the southland of Trinidad at the home of a mehndi artist to attend a workshop where I learned about this beautiful artform. In […]
