How to Make Homemade Soy Candles

I'm not even sure how I stumbled into this, but making my own soy candles has been a very therapeutic endeavor and I'm thinking about making a business out of it. Soybean based wax is really soft, therefore, it is easy to work with and easy to clean up if there are any spills.

I use the double boiler method to melt my wax, but soy wax can also be melted in the microwave, so there is really no need for a double boiler. To begin we will need to have these items on hand.

1. Glass measuring cup. (16 oz. to 32 oz.)
2. 1 lb. (16oz. ) of soy wax
3. a wax thermometer
4. 1 oz. of fragrance oil
5. a glass container
6. Wick and wick tab (or you can glue it with a glue gun).

You can purchase soy wax at any of the online candle supplies places. I get mine from Amazon here. There are also soy wax candle kits that you can purchase which will have instructions in them.

First, you need to measure out the wax flakes into the glass measuring jar. Usually you will need to have approximately 30 to 31oz. to make 16oz. melted. You put it in the Microwave for 5 minutes.

While the wax is melting, you can attach your wick to the center of the jar. You can either use a wick sticker or a drop of glue from a hot glue gun. Typically you will want a wick that is compliant with soy wax, and jar size. I would recommend a cotton coreless wick.

Take the melted wax out of the microwave with pot holders, as the glass will be very hot! Put the thermometer in the wax to make sure it has reached a temperature of at least 140 F.

You can then add your dye, which would be approximately 7-8 drops per pound of wax. (You made add more if you are looking for a darker affect). I don't add any dyes to my candles as I like the natural creamy look. 

Now you need to let the wax sit and cool down to about 100 F and add your fragrance oil. If the fragrance oil is exposed to high heat for too long, you will lose the potency of the fragrance.

Lastly, you want to make sure the wick is going to stay centered and not fall into your melted wax. You can either wrap the wick around a pencil tightly, or use a clothespin. Let your candle cure for 24 hours and you have a wonderful soy candle!

Dont forget to trim your wick to approx. 1/4 inch before lighting. Soy wax burns cooler, so it needs to create the melt pool with a longer wick. You'll need to burn your candle long enough for the melt pool to cover the entire top. Otherwise, your candle won't burn evenly and you'll be left with a bunch of unmelted candle wax when your wick is done. 

Pink Tinted Mason Jars

I used Martha Stewart Transparent Liquid Fill enamel paint. It smells like hair dye. Here are the first few steps on a clear mason jar and a mason jar that I sprayed with Krylon Looking Glass Paint on the inside.

Stay tuned for the finished product!

Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Liquid Soap - So. Many. Uses.

I'm kicking myself for not buying this sooner! Following a recent trip to the dermatologist, I decided to take a closer look at my routines and try and reduce or eliminate the use of harsh preservatives and unnecessary ingredients. I have really sensitive skin and I've found it to be less harsh than soaps labeled as for sensitive skin. My derm helped me see that a lot of my sensitivity comes from two particular preservative ingredients- Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate and propylene glycol, so I think I picked this up to try since it didn't have either.

Needless to say, I'm really surprised at how well its worked for me and my sensitive skin. They also have a milder version for babies which has a higher amount of olive oil and no essential oil fragrance.

With any new product though, results vary for everyone and this shouldn't automatically be excluded for us sensitive skinned folk =)

I've been incorporating tea tree oil into my routines and using it to take care of a spot of ringworm on my leg, so I decided to snag a bottle of the Dr. Bronner's Tea Hemp Tree Oil liquid soap from the market. I figure that it could be added to my bath for its cleansing and healing properties. Since I found it to work really well for me, I also bought it in lavender. After a hot bath and before lotion, my skin doesn't feel as dried out or itchy.

Face wash-- a couple of drops in my hand, then washing my face. I can definitely feel a tingle, but not a burn. Since starting my most recent skincare routine, I haven't had many instances of acne, but am confident that the tea tree oil will help keep it at bay.

Shampoo-- a small handful (maybe a tablespoon or so?) into my hair creates a ton of lather and leaves my hair squeaky clean. I think maybe too squeaky clean, so I don't leave it in for long and am sure to use conditioner afterwards. I think it would be great for use as a clarifying shampoo, but I've used it for the last week or so and haven't seen any ill effects.

Body wash-- I probably use the same amount for my body as I do my hair. It is thinner than regular body washes/shampoos, so you have to move fast =) I'm sure using it in a pouf or sponge would work also.

Some other uses I'll be trying here in the near future are going to be:

Homemade baby wipes

Dog wash

Hand soap

Dishwashing liquid

It can also be used as laundry detergent, but I'm not about to use up that much in one shot. It says to use about 1/3 to 1/2 cup per load.

Ingredients-- Water, Organic Coconut Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Organic Olive Oil, Tea Tree Extract, Organic fairDeal Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Citric Acid, Tocopherol * CERTIFIED FAIR TRADE INGREDIENT ** None remains after saponifying oils into soap and glycerin

Pure Castile Soap Ingredients

You can get it here.

Nail Art: Gold Glitter + Watercolor Stripes

Two coats of gold glitter nail polish on my ring finger and thumbs. 

Opaque white polish on all other fingers.

On index fingers, I lightly brushed on three colors of polish.

Blue Denim from Forever 21

Raspberry Ice by Revlon

Minty Green by Savina 

Swarovski accents on pinky and middle fingers

Topcoats used:

Gelous

Seche Vite

Dog Stuff I've Learned Along the Way... Just thinking out loud.

Here's an email I sent to my brother and sister in law. They got a puppy from the same parents as my dog, so I thought I'd send them some handy info we have learned along the way.
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Since Franklin and Rooney are pretty darn near the same dog (Rooney's much cuter though), some of the things we learned with Rooney may apply with Franklin also!

Crate:
I'm writing this as Franklin is sleeping in his crate... you should have no problems getting him used to it based on how easy it was to get him to nap inside it.

The crate should ultimately be his comfort and security blanket rather than a punishment. If he ever needs to be quarantined or segregated, he'll feel relaxed rather than trapped and anxious in his crate.

Put it in a place where he can still feel like he's part of the pack, but safe and secure at the same time. At bedtime, I put a blanket over half of the crate so part of it is dark and encourages him to nap. There's also a divider hanging on the side so you can make the crate smaller for him.

Food:

Marilyn had them on NutroMax Puppy, but Rooney got diarrhea from it quite a bit, so we switched him to Nature's Domain from Costco because it is grain free and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

When you decide to switch him from his NutroMax Puppy food to whatever normal food, slowly introduce the new food so he doesn't get explosive diarrhea. Start with 75% puppy food to 25% regular food for a few days then taper off the puppy food.

If he ever does get diarrhea, pumpkin puree + plain white rice is the best remedy or plain white rice + boiled chicken breast. It has to be plain pumpkin and not pumpkin pie mix. The cans look the same, but are definitely not. Limit table scraps as much as possible. Limit treats to prevent diarrhea.

Marilyn free feeds their dogs and just leaves a big bowl of food out all day. We feed Rooney and Mia once in the evening. We stopped free feeding in the morning because the birds would get to the food before the dogs were hungry for it.

**Supervise him while he eats and periodically take his bowl away when he's in the middle of eating. He should be totally fine with this and if he shows any sort of aggression or possessiveness towards his food, lay him down on his back until he calms down. Same thing with his toys, bones, treats, etc. Otherwise, he'll become possessive and snap at people.

Also, raise his bowl as he gets bigger, it is bad for him to bend over so far. It is easier for them to digest without any issues. 

Potty Time:
He went potty about every hour or so during the day. When you see him sniffing the ground while walking around.... he's probably going to pee. When he's in the grass and you catch him going potty, just make sure to reinforce it with praise--- "Go potty. Good boy. Go potty. Good boy...." Then lots of rubs and praise to make sure he knows where he should be doing it. If you think he needs to go pee, but isn't... just ask Eddie how to make that happen. He's got magic hands or something like that.

He has this cute little poop walk that he does while sniffing & walking around, too. Same thing... catch him doing it outside and praise him simultaneously.

If you happen to catch him going inside, just clean it up and don't make a big deal about it. He'll respond better to the praise he gets when he does it outside. Dogs don't poop where they sleep, so he might try to do it in rooms where he doesn't hang out very often.

Handling:

(not a dog)
Picture is for scruff placement.

Get him used to being handled by playing with his paws and nose constantly. He should be pretty submissive and let you do it, but the moment he shows aggression towards you, roll him on his back and hold him there until he calms down. This is super important for when he goes to the vet or is around kids. My childhood dog, Pepper, had to be sedated every year just to get his shots because he was crazy aggressive whenever anyone invaded his personal space.

Lightly grab the back/scruff of his neck like his mother would have done to carry him around and he'll feel more and more comfortable, calm and generally less anxious. Also, petting his cheek/mouth area would be similar to the feeling he had when he was nursing and would be calming/soothing for him as well.


Grooming:
His fur will get curlier like Rooney's as he gets older. Brush out his fur a couple of times a week while he has his puppy coat to make sure he doesn't get matted once his curly hair starts to grow in.

Get a pair of thinning shears to thin out his coat once the curls come in. Thinning shears would also be really good for Lincoln's hair. I've been clipping out mats and thinning out both dogs' hair the past week and it will definitely cut down the need for groomer trips.

He has hair in his ears all the way down to his eardrums and it traps dirt and bacteria. For his first ear cleaning I was pulling out puppy shit which he probably rolled in at some point. Rooney and Mia's  ears get infected really easily, so it is super important (probably the most important) to keep Franklin's ears clean. If you notice that his eye boogers are goofy and yellow, then he proabably had an ear infection. It's all connected. 

Get a few bottles of ear cleaning solution like this. 

Fill the ear with solution and massage the base of the ear to loosen any dirt or gunk. 

Use a moistened cotton ball to wipe out the insides of his ears. Roll the cotton ball between your hands to make it skinny enough to fit all the way down in there. I have also used baby safety cotton swabs, but never regular cotton swabs as they're too hard for the sensitive inner ears. 

Keep on wiping out his ears until the cotton balls come up clean. Please trust me when I say this is the most important routine thing you'll need to do for his health. 

Next level ear care would be to pluck out some of the hair in his ears periodically so that dirt is less likely to get trapped. We use a hemostat like this one.  It will irritate him a lot less in the future if you start this little by little while he's a puppy. 

Chewing: 

Rooney is an aggressive chewer and Franklin seemed to be exerting similar tendencies, so I recommend harder materials for him to chew. Stay away from rawhide... It will give him diarrhea and won't keep him busy for long. 

Things that work for Rooney and Mia that actually last are: 

Deer antlers 

Galileo Nylabone 

Big DuraChew Nylabone 

Everything else we tried lasted 30 minutes or less. What a waste of money! Never play tug of war as it creates a dominate trait and he will always test to see who is alpha male.

Training: 
Put a leash or rope on him and let him walk around the house with it. Start using commands with hand gestures.  “Sit” (Open fist)  “Stay” (Closed fist) “Laydown” (Tapping ground).  

Heat-free Headband Curls: All the Rage

I used one of those wider spandex headbands after I washed my hair so it was still damp. 

Put it on all hipster-like. Make sure the top is on your forehead so you don't get a crease in your hair around your face. 

Take sections of your hair and wrap it around the headband. The larger the section, the looser the curls. 

Go to sleep. I slept for a whopping 13 hours... NyQuil. 

Carefully unwrap your hair and you'll have your curls! You'll need to play around with them to configure them to your liking. I brushed them out with a paddle brush then twirled the sections around my fingers to get the bed head frizzies out. 

The jury's still out on these puppies. I'm not sure if I live it, but I do know that the curl is holding a lot better than the stupid blow dry salon service I got a few weeks ago. 

Maxi-Peel Skin Exfoliant

I stopped in my local Asian grocery (88 Ranch Marketplace) to stock up on yummy Asian fruits, veggies and general stuff you can't find at regular grocery stores. They didn't have a dedicated cosmetic/skincare aisle, but at the checkout, I spotted some papaya whitening soap and bottles of Maxi Peel Exfoliant 1 & 2.

Upon further investigation, I saw that the ingredients included tretinoin and hydroquinone. It was only $5.99 so I picked up a bottle of #2 strength to try out.

I got home and Googled the product and saw that it is highly touted in the Philippines and saw some great b&a shots from people who used it. It is thin like an astringent and to apply it, you swipe it with a cotton pad or spot treat with a qtip. I was concerned because mine was a dark brown color which probably means it had been exposed to the air and is oxidized. Would that affect its effectiveness? We shall see. It also comes in 4 strengths. The grocery only had 1 & 2.

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Day 1: Swiped it all over my face in lieu of Stridex at night. Avoided my lips, eyes and nose creases.

It didn't sting or burn or anything like that and when I woke up the next morning, there was no peeling. Being that it has tretinoin, I fully expected it to peel overnight.

Day 2: Swiped in the AM and PM. Felt a slight sensation at night... It must be working. It wasn't a burning sensation... Kinda hard to say. Tingly maybe?

Woke up the next morning with light peeling on my chin. It's working!

I'm indoors at home all day, so I slathered on a layer of thick moisturizer over my sunscreen. By the end of the day, the peelies were coming back. Time for more thick moisturizer and also some almond oil.

Day 3: This is where the trial ends for now because I didn't want to have an awkward peeling mess for my trip this weekend. The peeling subsided and I moisturized and oil cleansed all day to get rid of the last bit of flakies.

I know hydroquinone is known as a no-no product, but my mom has used it for ages with no ill effects and for me, it also doesn't provide any negative effects. Your mileage may vary.

This is DEFINITELY a product you should spot test before normal use. 

Krylon 'Looking Glass' Spray Paint

I found my most favoritest spray paint evarrrrr. Made by Krylon, the Looking Glass spray paint gives your glass that truly mirrored effect! Here are some DIY ideas to get that mercury glass look on a budget! 

How to use Krylon 'Looking Glass' spray paint:

The surface had to be smooth and non-porous. Basically.... Glass. For the most mirrored effect, spray the opposite side of the glass or inside your jar, vase, cup, vessel, whatever. Some shapes don't play well with spraying the inside, so you'll have to spray the outside. It isn't as mirror-y but it is still much shinier than regular metallic spray paint. 

Shake the can for 2 mins prior to using and shake it about every minute after that. The paint has an extremely thin and runny consistency so you'll also want to use short bursts and spray from about 12-18 inches away from your piece. 

In my pictures, the mason jar was the only one I was able to spray the inside of. See the difference? 

Oxy Wipes - Benzoyl Peroxide Skin Exfoliant

Benzoyl Peroxide as an exfoliant is a very welcome addition to my skincare regimen, and I finally found a BP product that isn't a cream or a gel in a tube. For some reason, it is much easier for me to stick to a skincare routine when wipes are involved. What can I say? I'm pretty lazy.

I saw these puppies on sale at Walgreens and had to grab a couple of packs to try.

Over all, I really like them. They're slightly drying to my skin, so I don't use them every day. With regular use (about every 3-4 days), my skin is extra smooth and it has kept my pimples away. The wipes have a smooth side and a rougher side. I don't feel like these are meant for scrubbing, but rather just swiping over problem areas. One of the first times I used them, the edges of my nostrils got really raw overnight and started peeling. I'd say to avoid that area if you can.

Definitely give these a try once you are ready to introduce another product to your skincare routine! I'm glad I did.

You can get them from Amazon here.

Stridex in the Red Box

Stridex in the red box has single handedly improved the quality of my skin and it kind of irritates me that I've spent so much time and money searching for products that will take care of my pimples.

Other than the occasional hormonal breakout, I didn't have many skin problems in my teens. After I turned 20, my skin decided it wanted to always have a few pimples all the time. It was also around that time that I worked at Nordstrom and spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars on fancy skin products. The more expensive, the better.... right? Wrong.

Enter Stridex pads.

After I wash my face, the first thing I do is swipe all over with a Stridex pad and let it dry for a few minutes before moisturizing. The Stridex pads are pretty big considering the size of the area you need to use it on, so some people cut them in half. I swipe my ingrown hair prone areas AKA underarms and bikini line to help exfoliate those areas and prevent ingrown hairs. Double duty for Stridex! Yay!

Well, after about a week or so of using the Stridex once a week my skin was noticeable smoother and the pimples were gone. Also gone were blocked pores and blackheads that I used to pick at which inevitably turned into pimples after picking.

Seriously, that's it? Yep.

After swiping, make sure to moisturize your skin really well as the Stridex may be drying to your skin.

Some additional words about Stridex/BHA exfoliation:

They contain 2% salicylic acid.

You should exfoliate in the evening since it can make your skin more sensitive to UV rays and more prone to sunburn.

On that note, always wear sunscreen!

Use Stridex between cleansing and moisturizing.

Give it a few minutes to work before applying your moisturizer.

You don't need to rinse your face after using Stridex.

Some people cut the pads in half because that is plenty big to cover your whole face.

From ze box:

Indications

For the treatment and management of acne

Reduces the number of acne pimples and blackheads and allows the skin to heal

Helps prevent new acne pimples from forming

Ingredients

Active Ingredient: Salicylic acid 2.0% (w/w) (acne medication). Inactive Ingredients: Ammonium lauryl sulfate, ammonium xylenesulfonate, citric acid, DMDM hydantoin, fragrance, menthol, PPG-5-ceteth-20, purified water, simethicone, sodium borate, tetrasodium EDTA.

Directions

Cleanse skin thoroughly before applying medication.Use the pad to wipe the entire affected area one to three times daily.Because excessive drying of the skin may occur, start with one application daily, then gradually increase to two or three times daily if needed or as directed by a doctor.If bothersome dryness or peeling occurs, reduce application to once a day or every other day.Do not leave pad on skin for an extended period of time.Keep away from eyes, lips and other mucous membranes.

As always, YMMV and this may not work for you as it does for me, but with the low cost you might as well give it a shot!!

Seche Vite Top Coat

I can't think of a better nail polish topcoat than Seche Vite. Seriously. This stuff is worth every penny and if you can find it on sale... even better!! You can get 2 bottles on Amazon for about $5 here. 

There's a bit of a learning curve when using this holy grail product because it doesn't act like normal nail polish. If you've never used it before, I'd recommend keeping these things in mind as you're mastering this. Once you do, be prepared to start fielding questions about where you get your nails done. This top coat doesn't turn yellow or peel either.

Some helpful tips on using Seche Vite:

Use quite a bit more than you think you need and try and cover your nail with one swipe. You're going to essentially "float" the Seche Vite on top of your nail color. You don't want the Seche Vite brush to drag across your nail color or really touch it at all.
Shrinkage. It is bound to happen and this is probably my biggest challenge to date. Seche Vite dries quickly and grabs on to the layers of lacquer below, so you'll need to wrap the top coat over the tips of your nails.
Oh and you also want to apply your Seche Vite when your nail polish is still wet. Not dripping wet, but definitely not dry. It needs to be able to "melt" all of the layers together.

Coconut Oil and Pink Salt Hand Scrub

Using a combination of coconut oil and pink Himalayan salt as a DIY scrub makes my hands soft and smooth better than any store bought product I've tried. I'm a huge fan of coconut everything and really love the smell of it. I suppose you could substitute olive oil for the coconut oil and regular old table salt instead of the pink stuff, but that isn't very fun. Use whatever works for you though! My current hand/nail routine incorporates this DIY skin softening method about once every week or so.

Directions:

Do this over the kitchen sink... it can get messy.

Scoop about a tablespoon each of coconut oil and pink salt into your hands. Your body heat will melt the coconut oil as its melting point is about 76 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Pretend like your hands are extra super dirty and scrub scrub scrub them together. 

Pay close attention to your cuticles. This is my favorite way to make sure they're properly hydrated and pushed back. I've been told it isn't a good idea to clip your cuticles, but rather push them back instead. 

Rinse with warm water then hold the back of your hand up to your cheek and feel how soft it is!! Use soap if you are planning on polishing your nails afterwards. Otherwise the residual oil will help to keep your paws moisturized. 

What I use:

Trader Joe's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

Cost Plus World Market Pink Himalayan Salt