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DvisualArts Review and Soap Pictures

This post is not so much about making soap as to show some great pictures and review a local independent photographer in the Houston, TX area. Those who have followed the blog for awhile can tell you that my photography skills are, shall we honestly say, barely passable? Frankly, they’re pitiful so I spent some time looking for a good local photographer to take our soap pictures. Hubby told me about his coworker who runs a side business in photography and I added him to the pool of choices. The more I saw of his work, the more I loved it. He has a passion for sports photography but such a wonderful eye for color and perspectives! His wedding pictures are just beautiful. I was interested to see what he could do with our soaps. We challenged him with naked bars of soap and nothing more to go on but my request to keep it natural. I really wanted to see what he could do with the colors and textures if given free rein. We were thrilled when he gave us back the results. No kidding, I did a little dance and giggle. Just ask hubby; he was laughing at me. Vu, you must post more of your work to your Facebook page- soon! So without further ado, I’m going to post some of his work here. You’ll be able to spot his other pictures all over the website also- they’re much prettier ones lol If you are in the Houston, TX or surrounding areas and in need of a great photographer, DvisualArts does awesome work with a great turnaround time. Check him out at www.dvisualarts.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DvisualArts to see more great pictures!

"Frosted" Chocolate Soap
“Frosted” Chocolate Soap
Oatmeal Milk and Honey Scrub Bar
Oatmeal Milk and Honey Scrub Bar
Green Tea Sand Soap on the Rocks
Green Tea Sand Soap on the Rocks
Ginger Peach Tea Soap
Ginger Peach Tea Soap

Chocolate Soap
Chocolate Soap

Most of these soaps have a few bars still left in stock in the catalog. Feel free to provide some feedback here on the post or on our Facebook page about the new layout and Vu’s photos. If you enjoy looking at cool soap pictures, please feel free to check out some of the links now appearing on the right side of our pages! Thanks for stopping by and visiting our page today.

Happy Washing!
Dorothy

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Green Tea Sand Soap

Green Tea Sand Soap

For this week, we’re highlighting the Green Tea Sand Soap I made last week.  Sand soap is very popular around here for cleaning off the dirt and grime we cover ourselves in while playing in the gardens, repairing the homestead, and working in the garage.  The picture above was while the bars were being cut and you can still see the swirling from when it was poured into the mold.

What on earth would possess me to add sand or green tea to my soaps?  Well, I don’t do it for all the soaps and I can’t honestly claim the idea of either to be my own invention.  I know a few mechanics and construction workers and they know I make soap.  One day during a conversation, someone brought up the old Lava soap hand scrub they used to use and how they’d had problems with finding it or a good replacement.  The substitute ones used at work weren’t doing the job anymore.  My gardening friend also lamented about the ground-in dirt from her spending all day working hard.  Long story short, I was fascinated with the idea of making a mechanic’s scrub for them that was gentle enough for the gardener’s mature skin.    I have mentioned before I’m a researching geek, right?

I spent a bit of time pouring over old recipes I could get my hands on, info on degreasing skin without stripping or destroying it, and testing different recipes built from my notes.  I created a soft scrub like they asked and I was on top of the world.  My hubby here discovered it also removed the mess off of him he had made while doing home repairs.  I was a happy girl!  Then came the best sand I had ever felt from a fellow local soaper named Denise.  She had the finest, softest sand I had ever played with and she had made her sand soaps into hard bars.   (Yeah, I played in the dirt as a kid.  Occasionally still do as an adult!)  It meant tweaking the recipe for me to do it but it was so worth it.  Now, we offer both a soft scrub and the firmer bars for you to choose from.  Denise, thank you again and again!

I do use real green tea in this soap, as usual for any of our tea soaps. The water for the lye solution was replaced with extra-strong tea that had been brewed the day prior and allowed to cool overnight.  The tea provides a little color to the soaping pot so I didn’t add any more color to this batch.  It has also added a light scent that the boys here deemed “manly enough” to pass muster.  These bars are a minimum of 6oz each and there are a few still available that are over 7oz.  Email me soon if you want them though because these are going fast.  I do get asked about the health benefits of using green tea soap and I have to be honest in my answer.  It is widely known that green tea is awesome for your body- as a drink.  How much of the antioxidant power survives the soaping process is still being debated.  I would love to think that washing in this soap will provide all the same benefits but the jury is out still.  To be safe, I have to say that it won’t cure those health problems you might want addressed any more than sleeping with your calculus book under your pillow allowed you to absorb everything for midterms in school, you know?  I will say that I do love how it feels on my skin though!

I will now sign off for the week so that I can go clean the soap pot.  Up next week will be some of the other soaps that are on the rack with many more pictures.  I hope that you and yours have had a safe week and enjoy your Labor Day weekend.  For our readers who are military, both active and retired, I wish to say thank you.  For our parent readers, especially the moms who understand that some labor never ends, may you enjoy at least a few minutes of peace and rest!

Happy Washing!

Dorothy