Unlocking the Benefits of MSM in Skincare

In the ever-evolving world of skincare, there's a constant search for ingredients that offer natural solutions for common skin concerns. One such ingredient that has been gaining attention for its potential benefits is MSM, or Methylsulfonylethane. While it may sound complex, MSM is actually a naturally occurring compound found in plants, animals, and humans, and its incorporation into skincare products is yielding promising results.

MSM is a sulfur compound that is abundant in nature. It's found in various foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and even in the bodies of living organisms. In skincare, it is often derived from sources like pine trees, or synthesized in a laboratory setting.

The Benefits of MSM in Skincare:

1. Anti-Inflammatory Properties: One of the key benefits of MSM in skincare is its potent anti-inflammatory properties. This makes it particularly useful for soothing irritated or inflamed skin conditions such as acne, eczema, or rosacea. By calming inflammation, MSM helps to reduce redness and discomfort, promoting a more balanced and comfortable complexion.
2. Collagen Production: Collagen is the building block of healthy, youthful-looking skin. As we age, collagen production naturally declines, leading to the formation of fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. MSM has been shown to support collagen production, helping to improve skin elasticity, firmess, and overall texture. By incorporating MSM into your skincare routine, you may notice a visible reduction in the signs of aging, leaving your skin looking plump and revitalized.
3. Antioxidant Activity: In today's world, our skin is constantly exposed to environmental stressors such as pollution, UV radiation, and toxins, which can lead to the formation of free radicals. These unstable molecules can wreak havoc on our skin, causing premature aging, hyperpigmentation, and other damage. MSM acts as a powerful antioxidant, helping to neutralize free radiclas and protect the skin from oxidative stress. By incorporating MSM-rich products into your skincare regime, you can help defend your skin against environmental aggressors and maintain a youthful, radiant complexion.
4. Hydration: Hydration is essential for healthy, glowing skin. MSM possesses humectant properties, meaning it has the ability to attract moisture to the skin and lock it in. This helps to keep the skin hydrated, soft, and supple, reducing the appearance of dryness, flakiness, and dullness. Whether you have oily, dry, or combination skin, incorporating MSM into your skincare routine can help ensure your skin stays beautifully moisturized and radiant.
5. Scar Reduction: Scars can be a source of frustration and self-consciousness for many people. Whether they're the result of acne, surgery, or injury, scars can leave lasting marks on the skin. MSM has been shown to aid in scar reduction by promoting tissue repair and regeneration. By stimulating collagen production and supporting the body's natural healing processes, MSM can help fade the appearance of scars over time, allowing you to feel more confident and comfortable in your skin.
6. Wound Healing: In addition to its scar-reducing properties, MSM has also been found to promote faster wound healing. By reducing inflammation and supporting the body's natural healing processes, MSM can help wounds heal more quickly and effectively, minimizing the risk of infection and scarring. Whether you're dealing with minor cuts and scrapes or more serious injuries, incorporating MSM into your skincare routine can help support your skin's healing process and promote optimal recovery.

In conclusion, MSM is a versatile and powerful ingredient that offers a wide range of benefits for the skin. From its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to its ability to support collagen production and promote hydration, MSM has quickly become a staple in many skincare routines. Whether you're lookign to soothe irritated skin, reduce the signs of aging, or improve overall skin health, incorporating MSM-rich products into your skincare regimen can help you achieve the beautiful, radiant complexion you deserve. So, why not give MSM a try and unlock the transformative benefits it has to offer for your skin?

Naughty Soap!

The soapmaking process is what is known as an exothermic process; the process of turning oils, water, and lye produces heat. Additives like honey, or milk can increase the temperature in the mold even more. Oatmeal Milk & Honey soap is a notorious heater and this time was no different. I expected that.

I purposely waited for subzero temperatures before making a batch of this soap, one that overheats for me almost every single time. This past weekend, our daytime temperatures were hovering around -12C so I decided it was the perfect time to make a batch. The intention was to leave the mold outside, in the subzero weather. 

Everything was nice and cool; it was looking good. At one point, I lifted the mold to feel the underside; it was pretty warm to the touch so I put a baking rack under the mold. Once the temperature stabilized, after a couple of hours, I brought the soap inside and left it overnight in my unheated soap room.

The next morning, it was time to cut the soap. The first bar was as expected; there was a bit of a gelled circle so I knew it had gotten warm enough in the middle to gel the soap. The second bar surprised me; as I was cutting it, liquid seeped from it as it did from all the other bars until the last bar. And, there was a hole right through the entire loaf. I wasn't sure if the liquid was lye-heavy (caustic) so I was happy I'd put on my gloves.

This is a classic case of overheating. You can see the darker ring just inside the outer edge and then the sponginess in the middle. This soap really wanted to volcano (expand out of the mold) but didn't. Insead, it created a hole throughout the length of the mold.

Seeing this made me think of monster teeth and I couldn't help but play a little...

2024

Another market year has ended and a new one will be beginning soon. 2023 wasn't a great year as far as sales went but I know that times aren't easy for most people right now. Costs, including mine, are rising, causing increases in pretty much everything. It sucks. Hard. 

I have no intention of making this a depressing post. I can't do much about prices of supplies; I can, however, continue to make the best products I know how to make. I've decided that I will probably cut back on a few things so you may see fewer products on my table this year. 

What, you ask, will disappear? Well, my liquid soaps really didn't overwhelm so I think they'll be going on sale until they're gone. I may make some for personal use but that's about it. 

What else? Surprisingly, lip gloss. 

Yes, I said "surprisingly". I truly thought they'd be more popular than they were. By the end of 2023, I had quite a few left over even though they're a great product (I'm not a lip gloss person and I really like these!). I won't be making any more this year. Again, they'll be on clearance once the market season starts up again. 

I'm sure there will be other products we'll be thinking twice about. That said, if you have a favourite product you can't live without, let us know. We're more than happy to make custom orders. 

What can you expect to see on our tables this season? Well, soaps, of course. We're already busy making soap every weekend to get our table fully stocked. We've got some amazing new fragrances that we'll be using in soaps as well as hand/body lotions. Match a soap and a lotion for a perfect quick gift! 

Facial products have been very popular so we'll be bringing back our Instant Facials, as well as a few of our other popular face care products. If you haven't seen, or tried, the Instant Facials, you're in for a real treat! It's not a clay mask; it's more like a cleansing balm that turns into a thick, rich cream with the addition of water. Ingredients are added to turn this cream into a gorgeous, skin-loving mask that rinses off cleanly with water, leaving your skin feeling revitalized and pampered. There will be two or three varieties available; they sold out last year so you don't want to miss out!

Another popular item we'll continue making is our lip balm (as opposed to lip gloss). We have two recipes and both continue to be very popular; we won't stop making them. Our regular lip balm comes in a variety of flavours, including peppermint, orange sherbet, chocolate, and more. We've been using the same base recipe for over 20 years. Why fix what ain't broke?

Our Nourishing Nighttime Lip Masque has become a customer fave over the past couple of years. It's a rich, thick lip balm that sticks to your lips, made with the addition of lanolin and castor oil, helping keep your lips moisturized all night. Most people who use it, though, swear by it as an everyday lip balm that actually works! Me included.

I'm really looking forward to our 2024 season and I look forward to seeing all our new and usual customers. Our first market of the season is the All You Need Is Love market on February 11 at the East Kelowna Market. See you there!

Conundrum

There are times retail confuses me. Products I think will be popular aren't and products I wish weren't popular... are. Two prime examples are lip gloss and bath bombs.

Lip glosses are easy to make, relatively inexpensive, look and feel amazing. Unfortunately, they get very few likes on Instagram when I post about them (2 likes in a month) and they don't sell well. Lip balms, sure! Lip glosses, don't bother. I don't get it. 

Bath bombs, on the other hand.... I posted this picture on Instagram and within minutes, it had almost 10 likes (I know, that isn't a lot but you get my point, right?). I really don't like making them, though. They're finicky and messy, and I decided long ago not to make them for sale. 

 What would you do? 

Meanwhile, over on Instagram...

I've never been afraid of the computer and anything related so, when ChatGPT arrived, I was more than happy to dip my toes into the AI pool. I've watched You Tube videos about the app and I've learned a lot. I'm also a Canva Pro user and, using the two together has completely changed my use of both.

Using the two together, I've created a couple of series of posts, 10 posts each. The first series is a "Did You Know?" series about things you might not know about soapmaking and soapmakers. 

The second series features Ingredient Spotlights of ten ingredients commonly used in the skin care industry. 

I had a lot of fun creating both series and am looking forward to creating more of these educational and, hopefully, fun posts. Let me know what you think!

Oh right! Do you follow us on Instagram? You can find us here.... MMSoapery

New Product Alert - Rosehip Seed Gel Eye Cream

This is one product I'm really excited about! Our newest product is Rosehip Seed Gel Eye Cream and it is truly special.

This silky gel cream is the perfect blend of gel and cream; it goes on like silk and soaks in quickly. It's made with Rosehip Seed Oil, often regarded as the "oil of youth". Rosehip Seed oil is classified as a "dry oil" due to its thin consistency, which allows it to be easily absorbed without leaving an oily residue on the skin's surface.

It also includes Hyaluronic Acid, a naturally occurring substance in the body that is responsible for maintaining skin hydration and plumpness. When used in skin care products, it can help to boost moisture levels in the skin, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and improve overall skin texture and radiance. Hyaluronic acid is also gentle enough to use on all skin types, making it a versatile ingredient in any skincare routine. By incorporating hyaluronic acid into your daily regimen, you can achieve a more youthful, hydrated, and glowing complexion.

It's also made with the addition of Caffeine extract, Panthenol (Vitamin B5), and Allantoin, all carefully blended to create a decadent gel eye cream that soaks in quickly and does what it's meant to do.

This truly is a luxrious product and, as always, at an affordable price.

Lip Gloss... Oh Yeah!

 I've got it down now! And I'm very happy with how this lip gloss has turned out. It's taken a bit of experimentation but now? Wow! 

I've never really been a lip gloss fan but I'm finding that, with the right ingredients, it can be more than just glossy; it can be moisturizing, too. We've added ingredients like Jojoba oil, Castor oil, and even Hyaluronic Acid.

So, what's the deal with Hyaluronic Acid, you might be wondering? For one thing, it is a naturally occuring substance in our bodies, generally in eyes and joints. It can penetrate the skin's surface and increase hyration for longer and at a deeper level, promoting a smoother, plumper, and more radiant appearance.

Hyaluronic acid's ability to attract a trememdous amount of water (up to 1000 times its weight!) makes it the skin's powerful natural inner moisturizer. Cosmetically, this translates into soft, hydrated skin that looks firm, plump, glowy, and youthful.

And, we've put it into our lip gloss! 

Adventures in Lip Gloss

 Lip Gloss. It's one of those things that I have a love/hate relationship with. I can remember a little girl, sitting in front of me in church one Sunday morning and, literally, every five minutes or so, she'd apply another layer of Grape lip gloss to her lips. With every application, she scent of the Galactic Grape flavouring oil penetrated my head and I ended up having to leave with a raging migraine. 

That said, the look and feel of a good lip gloss never fails to intrigue me. I've dipped my toe into making lip gloss a little and wasn't very happy with the results. I mean, it looked amazing the day I made it but by the following day, some of them had separated and the oils seeped out of the tubes. Not pretty!

I've been doing as much reading as I can about a very popular lip gloss base but everything I'm finding isn't really answering my questions. Well, over the Easter break, with four days off, I decided to look into it again. I finally found a little more information and I think I've got it figured out. It's still a sticky and messy procedure but at least it isn't separating anymore. 

And, oh my, it feels so nice on the lips. With the addition of some skin-soothing oils like castor, jojoba, and coconut oils, it won't dry out your lips and the gloss! This is what lip gloss should be!

Now, I'm just waiting for a new shipment of some classy tubes. 

New Product Alert - Bakuchiol Hydrating Serum

In looking back at previous posts, I'm not sure I've ever posted about some of our newer products. One that I'm very proud of is our Hyaluronic Acid Serum, made with Vitamins B3 and B5. Our newest version is made with a new to us ingredient, Bakuchiol extract.

Bakuchiol Extracted is extracted from the seeds of a plant native to India and Sri Lanka. Although it is a relatively new ingredient for the skin care industry, Bakuchiol has been a staple in the Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic medicine for centuries.

It is considered a natural alternative to retinol because it functions similarly in a skin care regimen. However, it is not considered a retinoid or a part of the retinol family because it has a different chemical structure than that of retinol.

Therefore, Bakuchiol offeres many of the same skin care benefits as retinol without causing irritation or dryness. Bakuchiol is also believed to be gentle enough for daytime and nighttie wear and is suitable for use on all skin types.

More Adventures in Liquid Soapmaking

I'm having so much fun making liquid soaps! I've lost count of how many variations I've tried so far. Some haven't worked out as planned and were made to disappear but most have been very successful. I've got the process down now and each batch takes about three quarters of an hour, from start to finish. 

Once made, it needs to cool overnight; we let it sit for about a week just to mellow out a bit. That gives me plenty of time to plan fragrances and additions. 

Here are a few that came with us to our last market, this past Sunday.

From left to right: Cactus & Sea Salt, Golden Sunflower, and Cucumber Melon

Champaka Hemp

All are available in either a pump bottle or a regular bottle that you can use to fill your own pump dispenser or foamer bottle. There's a fragrance for everyone, from fruity (Apple Mango Tango) to hippy (Champaka Hemp) to medicinal (Tea Tree & Lavender Charcoal) to fresh (Cactus & Sea Salt). 

Transparent Soap - Let's Try Again

One thing I've often been told since I was a child is that I'm pretty stubborn. I certainly can be, especially when it comes to getting things to my own expectations. That can certainly be said for the transparent soap. I couldn't just make it once and let it go if it wasn't perfect.

So, I tried it again.

And, this time, it worked perfectly! The thrill of walking into my soap room to see if I could unmold the soap and finding it clear made me a little giddy. 

Here's the first one, so you can see the difference. 

As much as I enjoyed making this soap, I don't think it's one I'll make all the time. Don't get me wrong - it's a lovely soap but it isn't the cheapest to make and even though it can be used as a melt & pour soap, it seems to have a pretty low melting point that isn't conducive to a lot of creativity. I'll likely use it to make some fun little soaps for the next market and for some special occasions but it won't be a regular item in my booth.

Wine & Cider

 A couple of years ago, a local winery/cidery approached me to ask if soap could be made with wine or cider and, if so, would I be interested in working with them to create a line of soaps for them. I was all in!

I've been creating four different soaps for them since that time. This weekend and the next will be spent making another batch of each for them. The first one up is the red wine soap. This one is scented with Merlot fragrance oil. Unfortunately, this time it riced slightly, as you can see in this picture, probably due to a touch of over blending and perhaps the fragrance oil. I did get it into the mold before it became worse and I know it will end up fine; it's happened before and doesn't affect the final soap.

The three other soaps (white wine, rose, and a spiced cider) will be made over the next days.

Adventures in Liquid Soap

I've made liquid soap in the past and, I have to say, I was underwhelmed. It was a time-consuming process. First, you make the base paste. That can take a few hours. Then you need to hydrate (dilute) the paste in water; that can take days. 

I'm not that patient. 

Recently, I joined a couple of Facebook groups that specialize in liquid soap making and someone suggested a liquid soapmaking course book. I thought about it for about two minutes and made the decision to invest in the book and have been working my way through it over the past few days. 

Basically, there are three different methods for making liquid soap; first is the Cold Process Liquid Soap. In this method, you create your paste and let it sit, with no external heat, until the paste is formed. Then, the dilution water is added and it is allowed to hydrate over time. It can take a couple of days to a couple of weeks. It's a lot of hands off time and, if you're patient, it's a great method. I, however, am not that patient. 

The second method is the Low Temperature Liquid Soap; in this method, a crockpot at a low temperature is used. It's a good method but the dilution can still take time. And, again, I'm not that patient.

You know where this is going, right?

The third method is the High Temperature Liquid Soap; with this method, a batch of liquid soap can be finished, from start to final dilution, in about half an hour. Sign me up! 

I decided, in the interest of education, to make my way through all three processes. I made a batch of CPLS Castile Soap. It's in a bucket, resting until my order of pump bottles arrives. It was pretty easy to make but the entire process took a couple of days to complete. The second batch I made is the LTLS, Palm Olive liquid soap. I probably did something wrong in the process because, after about 3 days, it's still diluting. I've been adding extra water and waiting for it to absorb. Once fully diluted, it will be a very nice soap if the initial testing is any indication. It's just taking way too long.

Then, yesterday, I decided to try the 30-minute High Temperature recipe. Wow! I am hooked!

Following a recipe in the book, I made a Tea Tree & Lavender Charcoal liquid soap. This soap is intriguing. It's pitch black! The lather is amazing and the scent of Tea Tree and Lavender smells somewhat medicinal but also kind of comforting. I never thought I'd like a black liquid soap, to be honest, but I'm really liking it. And the best part? Within 24 hours, it's ready for the market. Yes, it will benefit from some sequestering (equivalent to the curing of bar soap); my first market isn't for another couple of weeks. 

Now I just need to figure out a name for it.

Let's Talk Body Butter

 You know, whenever I see a headline that starts with "Let's Talk...", my first thought is let's not. In this case, though, it's not a bad thing. 

Body Butters are one of those items I have a love/hate relationship with. So often, when I  make them, they end up too hard. They're fine when they're applied but I don't like that hard texture, having to dig it out of a tub. When they're like that, I'd rather use a lotion or rich cream that I can easily scoop out of a tub.

I'm lucky enough to work with a woman who prefers body butter to lotions and has used a lot of them over the years. If anyone knows anything about body butter, and what they should be like, it's her. I've been working with her to find the "perfect" body butter texture and I've finally come up with a recipe that meets her high standards! That's exciting!

One of the things I've learned is that the hard oil to soft oil ratio is important. I've tried recipes that are 60/40 hard to soft and they end up being too hard. They might be fine in warmer months but we're heading towards winter and the final butter is just too hard. I've tried recipes that are closer to 50/50 and those end up being much more along the lines of what I've been looking for.

As lovely (and edible) as this looks, it ended up being too hard and didn't apply as smoothly as I was hoping it would. Even though it's useable, I consider this a fail.

The final thing that gave me the texture I was looking for was the addition of some Arrowroot powder. It took that skin feel over the top! I'll be putting it in all my body butters from here on in.

And then there's this one... close to 50/50 solid oils to liquid oils, with the addition of Arrowroot powder. This one is like putting your finger into buttercream frosting and applies like liquid silk, melting on contact and soaking in quickly, leaving skin moisturized but not oily. Heavenly!

I don't think I'll be offering body butter all year round; summers around here just get too hot for them. However, when fall and winter roll around, I think body butters are the perfect offering. And, seriously, a little goes a long way. Seriously!

Here's a short video showint the difference in the texture of the two butters. The second one is just so much more appealing. 

I've made a small batch for my next market (Oct. 30), inspired by autumn. One of the oils I used is Pumpkin Seed oil; the butter has been coloured with a combination of Sea Buckthorn oil and a bit of orange mica and it's scented with a beautiful soft fragrance called Autumn Walk. The manufacturer's description is as follows: This delightful fragance perfectly captures the essence of Fall. The scents of brisk air and crisp leaves join woody notes of rich mountain pine, cedar, and golden aspen while whiffs of forest berries, sage, and clove swirl delicately in the backdrop. 

Update on the Vitamin C Serum

I've been using the Vitamin C serum pretty much daily since I made it in April (is it really that long ago??) and I'm impressed.

The colour of the serum really hasn't changed much, perhaps it has a bit more of a yellow tinge than when I first made it but after six months it really hasn't changed as much as I thought it would. I suppose the fact that it's in a black treatment pump bottle helps. 

I'm almost at the end of the first bottle and will need to make more soon. Christmas markets, however, are on the horizon and that will require my time and attention before I can make anything for myself. 

Vitamin Sea Serum - testing

 Over on my main blog, Strings 'n Things, I wrote about a Vitamin C serum that I'm experimenting with. (I had planned on posting that post here but Blogger wasn't cooperating.) It's made with all sorts of wonderful ingredients, including some that are meant to help keep the Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) from oxidizing. It also includes an ingredient called Sea Kelp Bioferment, which is, basically, lacto-fermented seaweed, which is why the working name for this serum is Vitamin Sea Serum. (Clever huh?)

Vitamin C, or L-ascorbic acid, is quite stable when it's in a solid (powder) form but when it's in a solution, it oxidizes rather quickly. If you make a very simple Vitamin C serum, you'd have to remake it every 7-10 days. Eventually, the solution will discolour to orange and then brown. That's how you'll know that it has oxidized. It can also discolour your hair if you manage to get it in your hair. As I did. I couldn't figure out at first why the hair around my face was turning orange. Yup, oxidizing Vitamin C serum. 

To that end, I eventually came across the recipe I now use. And, because I know that L-ascorbic acid eventually oxidizes, I decided to put this serum to the test. 

It isn't the easiest to see in this picture but in that pipette is a bit of the Vitamin Sea Serum. I've put in on my kitchen window sill, where it gets full sun in the mornings. I'm going to leave it there until it starts to change colour. I want to know how long that takes. So far, it's been 24 hours with no visible change. 

I'll keep you updated.