What to do on a rainy day...

It's been a very cold, rainy day. Two words that you don't normally use to describe days in the Arizona desert, cold and rainy, but it's been both all day...and windy.

Today was definitely an indoor activity day and I had a new batch of soap I wanted to try so that's just what I did. It's Calendula Aloe Vera Soap scented with orange and vanilla essential oils. I haven't used aloe vera in a soap recipe and I'm anxious to see how it works out.

Aloe vera has been used for healing and soothing skin conditions such as sunburns, acne, cuts and psoriasis. How much of the benefits translates through the saponification process in soap making is a bit beyond the scope of my knowledge but I really feel it's worth a try.

Calendula is also good for skin conditions such as cuts, eczema and dry skin. I thought pairing the two in a single soap might be really helpful for people with sensitive or problematic skin.

Freshly poured Calendula Aloe Vera Soap.

I added annatto seed oil to part of the batter in hopes to get it close to the color of the Calendula flower. I also added a bit of rosehip powder to add a gentle exfoliant to help with dry skin.

Gel stage.

The soap didn't start gelling until 5.5 hours after I poured it, I don't remember it taking so long in the past but maybe it was because it was pretty chilly today. The gel stage is basically saponification taking place. It isn't necessary for a soap to gel but it can make the color more vibrant.

I'm hoping to get it cut tomorrow evening and up in my shop by the end of March!