soap stories: eucalyptus mint & citrus calendula.

calendula!  wonder herb!

i'm trying to get into the swing of crafting soap each weekend to build up my stockpile (and to spread lovely herbal scents throughout the house as it cures!)  this past weekend's creations included:  eucalyptus mint & citrus calendula.

the story of eucalyptus mint:

a minty fresh soap with a zest. hand-made. and peppered with dried eucalyptus.

eucalyptus has antiseptic, anti-bacterial, and warming properties - which help in the healing process of cuts and scrapes and relieving aching pains and congestion (think vick's vapo-rub).  also works as a mild insect repellant.

although eucalyptus grows prolifically around central texas, the eucalyptus for this batch was recovered from a local florist's dumpster and crafted into table settings for my friends' wedding this fall.  from there i rescued and reused to scent this soap.  i grow the peppermint in pots around my yard - for soap-making and tea-brewing and whatever else my mind can dream up.

made with: olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, lye, eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils, dumpstered-and-dried eucalyptus leaves, and home-harvested crushed peppermint leaves. and that's it. plain and simple.

the story of citrus calendula:

first of all calendula is a simply splendid and silly sounding herb.  i love it.  providing citrus-y bursts of beauty in a winter landscape.  the calendula petals for this soap were harvested and dried from flowers growing at one of the local school gardens where i grow with neighborhood youthooligans.

calendula petals are perfect for the bath - refreshing and stimulating the skin - and for rubbing topically to relieve the pain of stings, scrapes, scars, burns, and rashes - a natural antiseptic. (the petals are also pleasantly tangy/peppery to taste and eat!) basically, you should plant your own!

add that with a touch of lemon and orange - and perhaps one of the most lovely/spritely/spring-ish soaps you could hope for.  cures all your winter blahs and blues with one whiff.  but can also lift your spirits after a day of sweating in the sun.

made with: olive oil, coconut oil, palm oil, water, lye, beeswax, lemon and orange essential oils, and dried calendula petals. and that's it. plain and simple.

o-so-soon to be added to our lovely little etsy shop and to be appearing at the waco downtown farmers market at the urban gardening coalition's booth.