Tuesday Spotlight: The Facial Soaps AND The New Miracle Milk Face Balm

Today, my dear reader, our new Miracle Milk Face Balm with hyaluronic acid is available exclusively on the website. I am so excited for you to try our latest creation. It is rich, creamy, and oh-so-moisturizing. I won't bore you with a long description. If you would like to learn more about the benefits of hyaluronic acid, check out yesterday's blog. I will reinforce my belief that hyaluronic acid is a true game changer in skincare and moisturizer. For the first time ever, we are releasing a new product at a 20% discount. This week only, save 20% on our new Miracle Milk Face Balm with hyaluronic acid. I hope you are as in love with its benefits as I am.

This week's special coordinates with our new face balm. Our spotlight shines upon our three facial soaps, created for all skin types. The new year often brings promises to practice more self-care. Taking better care of yourself and your skin is as simple as adding simplistic luxury items and removing harsh ingredients, chemicals, and damaging fillers. In the U.S., we have been led to believe that artificial ingredients, petroleum-based ingredients, and chemical-based fillers have added benefits. Fun colors, lots of high, fluffy foam, and strong, overpowering chemical-laden scents are acceptable by industry standards. What is not common knowledge is that many of these ingredients have the opposite effect of what is desired. The ingredients considered safe are actually damaging, drying, and, in some cases, dangerous. One does not need a list of ingredients a mile long to create something healthy, nourishing, and beautiful with skin-loving benefits.

Our products always begin with our first ingredient, fresh raw goat's milk. Our girls are not "pushed" to produce more milk. We follow nature and the girl's natural cycle. Our girls are not given anything to push them to produce more. More milk production can be achieved with a healthy, natural diet, comfortable living conditions, and the opportunity to live the fulfilling life a goat was meant to live. Our girls are loved, cared for, appreciated, and coddled. A healthy, happy goat does not need to be pumped full of medications and synthetic feeds to make milk. When the girls begin the natural healthy cycle of "drying off," we adjust our inventory. You may notice that our inventory of moisturizers is lower at this time of year. That is because our girls are readying for the upcoming baby season. It is not normal or healthy for a female to make milk year-round. The girls need to rest, restore, and rejuvenate to be healthy.

Along with our fresh, raw goat's milk, we use old-fashioned, tried-and-true cold-process soap-making techniques, incorporating a blend of solid fats and skin-loving oils. Olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil, avocado oil, lard, and canola oil all add cleansing, conditioning, moisturizing, and lathering benefits to our soaps. The ingredients in our soaps can be found in the average kitchen pantry. With each of our soaps, there are often additions with added benefits. These additions are what set apart our collection of facial bars.

The Rose Clay Facial Bar was created for more mature skin. French rose clay gently exfoliates, draws toxins, helps brighten, and fights the elements contributing to aging. I chose to add rose geranium oil to this soap because it is wonderful for clearing, brightening, and fighting free radicals.

The Activated Charcoal Facial Bar was created for troubled skin. Activated charcoal products relieve acne, rosacea, and other skin issues. The charcoal balances oily skin, helps fight future breakouts, aids in clearing current breakouts, draws toxins, and gently exfoliates. We have added tea tree essential oil to this bar for its antimicrobial properties.

Lastly is our Shea Butter Facial Bar. The Shea Butter Facial Bar was created for those who suffer from dry skin. Shea butter is deliciously thick and moisturizing, creating a gentle, unscented moisturizing bar that is perfect for those with sensitive skin.

This week, save 25% on all three facial bars. No promo code is needed to save; the savings will be applied at checkout. Now is a great time to stock up on a favorite, try something new, or purchase an affordable gift for someone special. I gently encourage you to add what I call a little jar of moisturizing magic to your order. You will love how our Miracle Milk Balm makes your skin feel.

On this dangerously cold January day, stay safe, be smart, try our new Miracle Milk Face Balm, and take good care of yourself. You are worth the effort. This week, I will close by saying, "Keep washing your hands and face."

It's A Big Day

A lot is going on today, dear reader. We celebrate an American hero, MLK. We welcome a new president into office. The Bean is home from school. We are experiencing cold weather that we haven't seen in decades. However, the biggest, most exciting thing is that we are releasing not one but three new products. Yeah, new soap and beauty products far outweigh the excitement of national happenings...sad with a wink and a smile.

I am so excited to share that our new Miracle Milk Face Balm with hyaluronic acid is ready for release. I have been slathering myself in this gorgeous concoction for almost two weeks, and my skin has never felt better. The dry, itchy patches from my tallow mishap are all but erased. Seriously, I am an idiot. I had a horrible reaction that lasted more than a week. However, my trusty goat's milk moisturizer and our new Miracle Milk Face Balm have remedied my idiocy. I cannot reinforce this enough: Patch Test, Patch Test, Patch Test!

We have taken our widely popular facial moisturizer and added hyaluronic acid. For those who aren't super excited about all things skincare-related, I'll give you the abridged version of hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance produced by the human body. It cushions cells in the connective tissue and keeps one's joints comfortable. It can hold 1000 times its weight in water. It is a slimy, sticky substance that is clear in appearance. When used topically, it aids in adding elasticity and moisture to one's skin. The most popular form of hyaluronic acid used for topical purposes is botanical hyaluronic acid derived from the senna plant. It comes in powder form with no odor, and when distilled water is added, it expands and becomes a virtual moisture bomb. When added to one's skincare routine, it moisturizes, brightens, adds elasticity, balances, and helps fight the appearance of fine lines.

My experience with using hyaluronic acid has been very positive. My skin feels silky smooth. I believe I have noticed an improvement in the appearance of fine lines around my eyes and lips, and my complexion appears brighter. I am using the "Oops batch" with a too-high percentage of hyaluronic acid as a body cream. The dry, scaly skin on my legs is no more. My heels are smoother and softer than I feel they have ever been. I also feel that the crepey appearance of the skin on my decolletage is reduced. I notice a big difference in the feel of my skin when I don't use it. Overall, I love what this does for my skin.

Our Miracle Milk Face Balm has all the essential ingredients of our facial moisturizer, with the addition of hyaluronic acid, lavender essential oil, and frankincense essential oil. I decided to use lavender essential oil instead of geranium for several reasons. First, I feel most will use this moisturizer at night. Lavender is believed to create a feeling of calm and serenity and help induce sleep. Lavender essential oil is also thought to help fight redness and inflammation and balance skin. I could not leave out the frankincense essential oil because frankincense is simply a powerhouse for fighting free radicals and aging and improving the appearance of one's skin. Hyaluronic acid is serious moisture. It plumps the skin and makes it feel silky, smooth, and moisturized.

Tomorrow, we release our new Miracle Milk Face Balm as well as our February soaps: First Kiss and the new Man Candy. Guess who named Man Candy? First Kiss is our soap family favorite. Man Candy is the classic Bay Rum fragrance that is popular with everyone. I believe, dear reader, I like this one so much it is coming on full-time. Of course, I have to get one bib-overall-wearin-naysayer to agree, but I see it in our future. My bib overall-wearing buddy has created a new contest on social media. You can win our new Miracle Milk Face Balm and our latest soap releases. It's a fun contest with a pretty impressive prize if I do say so myself. I hope you have fun with it. Check out our Facebook page and Instagram for the details.

On this arctic winter day, stay safe, be smart, join the fun on social media, and keep washing your hands.

Foodie Friday: Hamburger Soup

In Western Pennsylvania, we are experiencing a "real" winter. When I say "real," I mean cold, sub-zero temperatures, snow accumulations totaling more than an inch or so, and, unfortunately, no end to this Arctic blast. I'm telling you, dear reader, I think I could be making soap in Aruba every winter, and it seems like a real possibility. However, I am stuck in cold Pennsylvania for now, so let's make the best of it.

If you are a frequent reader, you know I have a great affinity for soup. The cold snap that has made itself at home in Pennsylvania has increased my desire for warm, cozy comfort food. Earlier in the week, I made a big pot of hamburger soup. Hamburger soup is an easy, pantry or refrigerator-clearing creation of warm comfort. This recipe is something I came up with on a whim because I did not want to drive to the grocery store to pick up specific items. Again, simplicity is wonderful, and we make the best of what we have. It's age-old wisdom that continues to ring true.

This "recipe" is flexible. You can use what you have in your refrigerator or canned vegetables from your pantry. I have made it using both or a combination of the two, and it always creates a delicious, simple, comforting meal that isn't heavy in calories. Feel free to add what your family likes or use whatever is available. The following are my suggestions.

Hamburger Soup

-1 lb. of lean ground beef

-1 medium onion

-4 carrots, diced

-4 potatoes diced

-1 cup frozen peas

-1 cup frozen sweet corn

-1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes

-1 8 oz. can tomato paste

-3 quarts or boxes of beef broth

-3 beef bouillon cubes (I like a rich broth)

-2 cups of pasta (I used spirals)

-1 bay leaf

-1 TBLS. Italian seasoning

-2 cloves of garlic, minced

-Salt and Pepper to taste ( I don't add extra salt because I find the bouillon adds enough for my taste)

-Begin by browning the ground beef. Drain any fat once the meat is no longer pink

-Add the onion and spices, sautee for five minutes

-Add the tomatoes, broth, and paste; allow this to come to a simmer

-Add the vegetables and bring to a slow simmer

-When the vegetables are tender, add the pasta and simmer until pasta is al dente

-Serve piping hot in your favorite soup bowl or mug (The Bean likes to eat her soup from large oversized mugs)

-Complete the meal with warm garlic bread or fresh, soft Italian bread. I chose not to serve a salad because this soup is laden with vegetables.

This soup is easy to create and very flexible. It warms you from the inside out and is welcomed by my soup-snob family. Even The Bibbed Wonder, who declares that "soup, not a meal," happily eats it with relish and announces, "Good meal, lady!" I find it a comforting, easy-to-prepare meal on a cold, snowy day.

On this calm, snowy January Friday, stay safe, be smart, make the best of your situation, dream your dreams; winter won't last forever, and keep washing your hands.