Soap & Clay

Take a bath!

Coupon of the Week:  SISTERFORSALE

Sunday Soapcase: Cupcake Bath Bombs!

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Foam + Fizzle = Awesome

SUDSERS! It’s Sunday and rainy in the PNW. No surprise there; our fall doesn’t exactly consist of crunching leaves and chilly weather up here. The rains return and we retreat into our shells to prepare for several months of dreary gray weather. I grew up in Colorado, and winters were super cold but also filled with sunshine and therefore people were less likely to stay indoors. Up here, it feels like our population quadruples on a sunny day because everyone emerges from their hidey holes.

I’m ready to hit my hidey hole today (I have a video game and a crackling fire calling my name), but before I do that I will definitely be taking a bath. The cool thing about fall is that whether it’s rainy or snowy where you live, it’s definitely bath season. For those of you experiencing sunshine and warmth year round, I don’t know how to talk to you.  Sometimes I hate deciding between a bath bomb and a bubble bath, so on those days I turn to the cupcake bath bombs, which do both! Since I will be enjoying a cupcake bath bomb this afternoon, I thought it was a good day to discuss these little fizzy beauties, their many iterations, and why I love them so very hard.

Cupcake Bath Bombs

I’m pretty obsessed with food. Baked goods. Pretty little delights that smell and taste amazing. Two problems with this obsession: I don’t know how to bake, and if I ate every beautiful little pastry that I saw throughout my day I would die. It’s mostly the baking thing that’s the problem, though; you should see the awful creations I’ve made for my kids. I can make soap and soap related products, though, so this is where I really get to scratch my pretty food stuff itch.

sweetheart

Valentine’s Day Kits…two years ago?

When I first started making the cupcake bath bombs, they had a bath bomb bottom and a mostly decorative top. Sure it dissolved in water and softened the skin, but it was really just for looks.

Christmas of 2016??

Next I tried a whipped soap top. The whipped soap cleanses and floats, which is cool. It’s a bit tough to make and pipe, though, which made me drag my feet like you would not believe when it was time to restock. I still use the whipped soap now and then (check the basic bitch bath bomb post on Instagram), but I really wanted to do something other than soap for a bath bomb. Because I make a lot of soap.

So I started playing with bubble bath options as the whipped top. Those have gone through a few iterations as well, because piping something that hardens almost completely is a little tricky and took a lot of time to get the recipe right. After a bunch of tweaks, I am finally happy with the volume of bubbles and ease of piping.

Just kidding. I’m never happy.

 

cupcake bath bombs

We settled on six scent options for the 2018 line –  Raspberry Pie, Bamboo Grapefruit, Green Tea, Coconut Cream, Melon, and Sugared Lemon. I don’t think there’s a bad one in the bunch, although the raspberry and coconut have easily been the best sellers in the line.

If you haven’t tried a cupcake bath bomb recently, you’re in luck because I’m giving you one for free! If you have tried them this year and love them, you’re also in luck because you get a cupcake too. Use coupon code THECAKEISREAL to score a bath bomb on me.*

That’s it for me today, Sudsers! Have a great afternoon!

Happy Sudsing!

*Coupon code expires 9/22/2018

Sunday Soapcase: Beer Soaps!

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Benefits of Beer Soap.

Happy Sunday, Sudsers! How’s your weekend been? Mine has been filled with making soap. Obvs. But this weekend was a bit different as I am replenishing back-stock of all of our standard soaps to (hopefully) get through the rest of the year. Next week the holiday production will begin and be in full swing through the end of the year, so I won’t have time to make a quick batch of Hello Gorgeous if I notice we are running low in November. This weekend I made tub-loads of beer soaps, and I thought it was a good time to showcase the awesomeness that they are in a Sunday Soapcase!

Bad for your liver, great for your skin.

benefits of beer in soapI love beer. It smells nice, it’s refreshing on a hot summer day (or on a Sunday afternoon in September after your team got annihilated on the field). I’m not actually much of a beer drinker, though – I think my liver is still recovering from my university days when life was not complete without a daily hangover. I am fascinated with the production of beer; you can put some really off the wall stuff into it! For those of you that are local to the Tacoma area, I highly recommend stopping by The Station U-Brew in Puyallup and experiencing just how off the wall you can get with beer making. You can put chilies in beer, or lavender, or citrus fruits. Walnuts and wheat, hops grown in specialty soil – there is no end to beer making options. This is a lot like soap! You can put a lot of weird stuff in soap, too. Sometimes it turns out, sometimes it’s a bad idea. Beer in soap, however? A great idea. After testing a batch of beer soaps, I was hooked. I liked using beer as the liquid in my soap recipes so much that it can be found in several other soaps, including a men’s shave puck and a rustic beard wash.

Before we get too deep, no I don’t make Soap & Clay’s beer soaps smell like beer. While I do like the smell of beer, I don’t believe that most people want to go to work smelling like a dive bar. Instead, I draw from the ingredients used to create beer for my scent inspiration. Bright and crisp citrus beers, warm and creamy oatmeal stouts, spicy and earthy chilies – these ingredients smell delightful and make excellent base notes in a beer soap. Each of the soaps in the beer line, while made from beer, have delightful scents that will not leave you smelling like you just left the bar. Which is a good thing for that whole adulting business we have to do every day.black and tan beer soap

So what are the benefits of beer soap? Lots, as it turns out. As I mentioned earlier, beer is made from botanicals that are great for the skin (think citrus, oatmeal, etc.). But beer’s primary ingredients create a bar of soap that moisturizes, detoxifies, helps acne, and softens the skin.

Take, for example, hops. Hops are chock full of amino acids, which soften the skin and soothe inflammation. Amino acids are great for skin and hair alike, so if you’ve an inclination, try any of our beer soaps as a hair bar. You’ll like it, I promise. .

Beer soaps also have an amazing lather in their own right, but when paired with the clays that are used in each and every batch of soap created by Mrs. Soap & Clay, the lather becomes something extra special. Big and bubbly with an almost effervescent feel, the lather on a beer soap is something OG Sudsers and Noobs alike will appreciate.

In addition to the lather and softening, beer soaps work hard to detoxify the skin and help combat acne. The clay in the formulations further amplifies this detoxification. Basically beer+clay=awesome. Making beer soap can be a bit tricky and yields a thicker soap batter, though, which is why Mrs. Soap & Clay chose simple designs reminiscent of a pint of beer for this line.

beer in soapSo there you have it, Sudsers! Lots of cool beer stuff in one awesome soap. Be on the lookout in the next few weeks for a beer (and wine!) soap gift set – I’m waiting on Mr. Soap & Clay to finish up some soap dishes before putting them on the site but they will be there soon! In the meantime, check out the link for more information on these soaps and use the coupon code below for a special deal!

Have a favorite beer soap? Haven’t tried one yet? Either way, use coupon code BEERME for a bar of soap from the beer line on me.*

Happy Sudsing!

*Offer valid until September 14, 2018.

FAQ Friday: Clays, Classes, and Chaos

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FAQ Friday – September 7th 2018

What’s up, Sudsers! As I mentioned on Sunday, I am restarting the old blog thang. No word on how long it will last, but I have high hopes that I will last at least a week longer. Kidding! Kinda.

Anyway, FAQ Friday is where we discuss the most frequently asked questions that get thrown my way. From process and design to sales and shipments, there are lots of questions that I get to answer every day. Which is awesome, because I really dig when Sudsers are interested in the behind the scenes madness of this soapy game. Some questions get asked more often than others, so this is where I will drop those queries for future reference and all that.

Today we are discussing the “clay” in Soap & Clay, the classes offered at the shop, and managing the chaos of running a business with an active family. Ready? Let’s go!

So, where does the “clay” come from?

benefits of clay soap bentonite soap activated charcoal soap kaolin soap red clay in soapExcellent question – glad you asked! Soap  & Clay was formed following the death of my grandmother. The original intent was to bring three members of my family together (my mother, brother and myself) and allow us to productively use the hobbies and interests we had found while my grandmother was ill while spending time with each other. Kind of like healing without having to talk to each other about what the loss of grandma meant to us. So the clay piece was my mother’s piece – she has been playing with clay for a number of years. The original plan was to have some of her pieces for sale alongside the soaps. That evolved into an interactive clay studio with classes and a paint your own pottery component. As the clay side has been slow to start (I promise – soon!) and the business had already been named, I needed to insert clay into the soaps somehow. So I literally inserted it. Into the soaps. And created a mess of super awe

some soaps in the process.

What is the benefit of clay soap?

There are lots of benefits to clay soaps over standard artisan bars. The lather is instant – some artisan bars you really need to work at to get that lather going. The clays also aide in detoxifying the skin and balancing your pH – two pretty cool things. From an economic standpoint, a clay soap produces a harder bar with a longer shower life, so it’s basically a win all around.

Each clay brings a different set of benefits to a soap batch; kaolin clay is very gentle and soothing and moisturizing, while bentonite clay is great for oiler skin. Activated charcoal purges pores and balances the skin’s acid mantle. And these are just three of the clays that I use!

What classes are offered at your shop? Do you have online options?

make your own bath bombs

I have yet to meet a class I don’t like. Soaps, scrubs, bombs, lotions, face oils and serums, glycerin soaps – we’ve done several types of classes in the past year and I have fun every time. I put a monthly schedule in the window of the shop and on the Facebook page, so if you’d like to find a class that you’re interested in that’s where to look! If you don’t find a class or time, I’m happy to host private parties. Workshops for company team building, birthday parties, or just a night out with friends are easily arranged and always a lot of fun.

I don’t have any options for online classes yet, unfortunately. I did create the bath bomb kits that can be purchased through the website and come with detailed instructions for the home maker, but videos and classes online are not a reality yet.

How do you manage everything you have going on?

Honestly? Not well. And for the days that I somehow manage to get everything done, I’ve relied heavily on a great support system to do it. Mr. Soap & Clay builds things and collects babies before classes, my senior apprentices build bath bombs and collect the loose ends of my partially finished thoughts and projects and tie them up. Sudsers that come into the soap shop never know exactly what they’re walking into, but they are almost guaranteed to find me chasing the Soap & Clay kidlets around the shop (we play zombies a lot) or elbow deep in five different batches of products at various stages of completion, or even in the middle of an epic cornstarch fight (that just happened the one time. Let’s go with that). It’s chaotic and messy and full of laughter and fun.

And honestly? So is your life. I don’t work any harder than any of you – you are all moms and dads and professionals and friends and humans with busy lives and busy schedules and busy things. And I’m grateful when you take a bit of time out of your day to stop in and say hi, or to chat on the social media pages, or read blog posts like this. Thanks for including me in your life – my life is certainly enriched because I include you in mine!

Happy Sudsing!

Sunday Soapcase – Mud Masks!

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Rub some dirt on it.

What’s up, Sudsers? Welcome back to the blog after a yearlong brief break! I have been working on getting in the flow of running a brick and mortar and keeping up with the website, and it’s been all too easy to blow off blog updates in favor of 9000 other things on the to-do list. But I’ve realized in doing this that my E-Sudsers (whom I love and adore) are missing out on loads of awesome information that gets passed on rather organically in the shop setting. And that’s not cool – I love breaking down all of the products, answering questions, and basically being a part of this soap thing in a capacity outside of making stuff and posting pictures about the stuff. I have methods to my madness, purpose in my products, and if I’m not telling you any of it, then what’s the point? So I decided to restart the blog! Which is what you’re reading. And today we are talking about a new creation that I am crazy addicted to – mud masks!mud masks

Mud Masks

MONSTERS!!!

So we are all familiar with mud masks. These are clay based masks that are applied to the skin, allowed to dry, and rinsed off to reveal brighter, tighter, smoother skin. They’re great to use during an evening of pampering, or as a skincare routine to keep your complexion balanced and toned. It’s also fun to chase your kiddos around the house playing monster after applying – the Soap & Clay kidlets have decided that the green monster is too scary and prefer the activated charcoal version.

I decided to make the hydrated version of the clay masks after some Sudsers told me that mixing a dry blend of clays and whatnot was a massive pain in the behind. Which I get. My initial hesitation (and the reason behind the dry version of masks) in making a hydrated mask was rooted in my desire to avoid preservatives. See, whenever you make something that contains water, you open the door to bacteria, yeast, or fungus. Nobody wants to open up their mud mask, or toner spritzer, or bottle of lotion and find nasties growing inside. The problem with preservatives is that many contain parabens or are formaldehyde donors, which means they release formaldehyde throughout their shelf life. Neither have been found to be intrinsically dangerous in the quantities found in skincare, but since one of the reasons I started this business was to have skin loving products free of unnecessary ingredients and potential skin irritants, I wanted to avoid this altogether. I’m proud of the fact that my product line is 100% paraben, phthalate and detergent free – adding something with a preservative felt like a huge asterisk on the products that I have carefully developed to remain pure and awesome.

So I avoided all products that require water to make (I mean, soap needs water but does not need a preservative, but that’s for another post), until I found Optiphen. The Optiphen family is a range of preservatives that are paraben and formaldehyde free. They are broad spectrum preservatives, meaning that they protect against bacteria, fungus, and yeast formation. My favorite in the Optiphen family is Optiphen Plus, which is a bit pricier than other preservatives that I could use. But that’s the name of this skincare game – easy is generally cheap and comes with consequences, while the right way tends to cost more but allows you to sleep at night. So I stocked up on OP, tested and tweaked, and finally settled on three mud masks that I love and adore and think you will too!

The Masks

While I’ve used and loved mud masks since I was a teenager, I always disliked the rather drying nature of clay masks. After removing them, my skin would be bright and glowing but also felt tight and itchy. Not cool. So I really wanted to include an element of moisture in my mud mask line. Which can be complicated; how does a mask dry if it contains oils? Luckily I figured that out, so you don’t have to!

Each of these masks have a moisturizing oil of some sort, as well as botanical extracts to increase the awesome. Cucumber extract, for example, is incredibly hydrating and soothing while green tea extract brightens and tightens. Just a little something extra to amplify the benefits of the clays used! The essential oils I selected for these masks provide scent but also brighten, calm, or soothe the skin.

 

A Note on pH and Clay Masks

Our skin typically maintains a pH between 4.5 and 5.5, a bit on the acidic side of the spectrum. Clays have a pH of around 7 – more neutral. So it stands to reason, then, that whenever you are applying a product with a pH different than that of your skin, an adjustment period occurs. This is the tingling that you may experience when using certain products. Your acid mantle is basically working hard to balance the skin’s pH while the product in question is doing its thing. Disrupting the acid mantle is a beneficial thing to do now and then, but should never be a daily occurrence. This is one of the reasons cosmetic companies instruct you to use products like masks or exfoliating materials no more than twice a week. Therefore, I’m going to tell you the same thing – a mask is great for the skin once a week. I wouldn’t apply a mask more frequently than that, though. And if you’re experiencing tingling on a daily basis from a product that does not contain a pharmaceutical grade ingredient (Retinol, hyaluronic acid, etc), then you should probably reconsider using that product.

Now that you know a bit about the method and creation of these mud masks, are you dying to try one? I really want you to check them out, so coupon code RUBSOMEDIRTONIT will get you a Mask Pack 3 Pack on me this week.* Add it to your order and let me know how you like it!

*Offer expires 9/8/18

Happy Sudsing!

FAQ Friday: Soap for Sensitive Skin

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Sensitive Skin Needs Love Too!

FAQ FridayGreetings and salutations, Sudsers! Mrs. Soap & Clay here with this week’s edition of FAQ Friday. First up, a few updates. I am still sans printer which makes labeling my products tough. SO…I am having a naked bar sale  – all soaps are $5 each! Coupon code is GONAKED and is extended through the weekend, so stock up!

Also, the giveaway for three months of soapy love packages is still underway. I’m super anxious to pick a winner and thank everyone who has entered! We are still short of our contest goal, though, so if you could pretty please send everyone you’ve tagged a message and ask them to like our Facebook page, I would appreciate it!

Sensitive Sally Skin

raspberryAs some of you may know, I have a shop in Tacoma, WA smack dab in the middle of the historic Freighthouse Station. I get lots of questions from travelers and building wanderers in search of an adventure when they walk into my shop. I’m often asked to recommend a soap best suited for sensitive skin. Short answer: all of them! Because that seems like a bit of a non-answer, let’s explore why I can recommend every bar of Soap & Clay soap for even the most Sensitive Sallies among us.

The thing is, I am a Sensitive Sally. I have an olive complexion that is easily damaged and when it is (acne, cuts, sunburn, etc.), it loves to pigment and scar. I’ve spent boatloads of dollars and more time than I care to add up on lightening products and treatments. The Soap & Clay kidlets also have sensitive skin; growing up in the cloudy PNW means they don’t get enough sunlight to fight mild eczema and the occasional kerotosis, so when I started formulating products, I knew that I needed to make them super effective but also gentle enough for all of our skin ailments. I know what you’re thinking right now: cool story bro. But what does this have to do with MY sensitive skin? Glad you asked!

I’ve been frustrated with the “sensitive skin” product world because, while they don’t make my skin freak out, they also don’t do much else. And they usually smell boring. And thus my mission was clear: create effective products that work for the most sensitive skinned among us while still inserting a bit of fun into our daily cleansing routines.

Skin AbsorbHandmade = Less Skin Irritation

In reality, moving to a carefully designed handmade soap from commercial cleansing products will alleviate most sensitive skin concerns. There are a number of reasons as to why this is. Commercial bars are formulated in a specific way to achieve big batch production, long shelf life, and a super low price point. One of the additions in commercial bars and body washes is water, which means the benefits of the oils are heavily diluted, so it’s less effective while it’s pulling needed moisture from your skin during use. They then add synthetic bubbling agents (because water doesn’t lather up very well), and these synthetic bubblers dry out the skin and cause irritation. They also add preservatives to ensure a long shelf life, which can irritate all skin types. 

Glycerin

freighthouseSynthetic additives aside, the biggest difference between commercial bars and handmade soap is the glycerin. In commercial production, companies remove the glycerin (a naturally occurring, skin loving humectant that is a result of the saponification process) and either sell it individually or use it in high-end skincare products. Handcrafted soapers don’t do this; the process to remove glycerin is long and yields an inferior product. We haven’t talked about glycerin in a while, but it is perhaps the most important difference between commercial soaps/body washes and handmade soap. See, glycerin is a humectant, which basically means that it binds to moisture in the air and uses it to moisturize the skin. For most sensitive skin ailments, the added moisture is a welcome relief. For more information on the benefits of glycerin for sensitive skin, check out this blog post.

Clay

I touched on the benefits of clay in last week’s FAQ Friday, but for a quick recap: clay is awesome for sensitive skin. The negative charges in clay bind to the positive charges in toxins and free radicals, gently pulling from the skin while leaving skin nourishing minerals behind. Clay is also super soothing; not for nothing are mud baths an extremely popular spa treatment. And as I add clay into each and every batch of soap I make, each Soap & Clay bar is loaded with mud. But you still get clean. I know, it’s weird to me too.Black & Tan

Now you see why I can confidently recommend every bar of soap in my line, but if you’re looking for soap super-specifically designed for super-specific Sensitive Sallies among us, check out C’mon Get Happy, The Lavender Bar, Black & Tan, and Raspberry Stout. These four bars are made with very gentle oils and are infused with skin loving colloidal oatmeal. Also, be on the lookout for the new beer soaps line in the next few weeks, as beer is a great addition for sensitive skin applications.

Enjoy the rest of your day, Sudsers – the kidlets and I are on our way to the shop to do some more work on the expansion!

Happy Sudsing!

FAQ Friday: The “Clay” in Soap & Clay

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Benefits of Clay Soap

Hey Sudsers! Mrs. Soap & Clay here with a new edition of FAQ Friday! Yes, I know it’s been a while. No, I haven’t run out of frequently asked questions. I have, however, found myself running out of time to sit down and type posts, and when I finally DO have time, I find myself with a broken computer. And then a broken camera. And finally a broken printer. Not that a printer is needed for a blog post, but it’s terribly upsetting all the same.

2017 has been weird. Feel bad for me.

Anyway, the Soap & Clay kidlets are spending the day with grandma and grandpa, I have whittled away at my soap to-do list, and I find myself with just enough time to get a blog post in, so here we go! Today’s post is all about the “clay” in Soap & Clay, and the benefits of clay soap.

benefits of clay soap bentonite soap activated charcoal soap kaolin soap red clay in soapSo what’s with the “clay” in Soap & Clay?

Great question! It can be a bit confusing; I don’t seem to sell many clay based products, right? WRONG! I have a bit of a love affair with clays – the idea of, essentially, dirt being both beneficial for the skin AND cleansing is fascinating to me and I have spent boatloads of time playing with it.

Slathering it on my skin. Mixing it with water. Testing absorption rates. Drinking it. Letting it sit on a windowsill during the full moon to charge. Clay is cool. We all have hobbies. Shut up.

Anyway, this fascination with clay actually started my entire product line. Once you’ve mastered the basics of soapmaking – which oils yield a hard bar, or a super lather, or a bar best suited for laundry soap, or for shaving – you find yourself experimenting with additives. And I’m not talking about commercial filler additives; that stuff is for chumps who cheapen their products. Handcrafted soap additives are used to yield an even better bar than what you ever thought possible. In theory. And my favorite additive is, you guessed it, clay. Each and every batch of soap I make includes a clay of some sort. My most frequently used clays are Kaolin, Bentonite, Red Clay, French Green, and Activated Charcoal. Which I’m counting as a clay. Because why not.

using clay in soapCool…but why?

So glad you asked! Clay is super fun and I like talking about it. The benefits of clay are numerous, and it will take many, many more posts to fully explore all of said benefits. So here’s my Top Five, bulleted list of why I use clay in my soaps. High Fidelity style. Because Nick Hornby and John Cusack are life.

  • Clay detoxifies the skin. This is a well known benefit of clay; it acts like a magnet, pulling toxins, impurities, and chemicals from the skin and whisking them away to toxin-death-land. Which is great, right? Right!
  • Clay balances the skin’s pH. Various healing clays, such as bentonite, produce electrical charges when mixed with water. These negative charges created bind to the positive bits of toxins, as mentioned above, but through this process releases minerals that the skin needs. This results in a balanced epidermis that yields fewer breakouts (I’m looking at you, acidic skin!) or less eczema flareups (alkaline skin woes), depending on which side of the pH spectrum you fall. For more information on the importance of balanced skin pH, click here.
  • Clay oxygenates the skin and helps maintain the skin’s natural moisture. This is also part of the negative electrical charges bit. Another benefit of this process is that certain clays help the skin receive more oxygen by binding to excess hydrogen. This results in healthier skin, better blood flow, and more efficient oil production. Science is freaking awesome.
  • Clay produces an exceptional lather. We’ve all been there. We’ve picked up a bar of artisan soap, took it home, and were dismayed to learn that it took some real work to work up a lather with said bar. The clays in a Soap & Clay bar produce a super bubbly, super cleansing, beautiful lather with ease.
  • Clay soaps have a longer shelf and shower life. Handmade soaps are great for the skin, but can be murder on the pocketbook. Because artisan soaps do not contain the chemicals, fillers, and preservatives that result in a bar of soap that can last through the apocalypse, they tend to disappear faster than you’d like. With clay soaps, however, you actually get a longer shelf life and an extended life in the shower. So while other artisan soaps will last you a few weeks in the shower, with proper soap care a Soap & Clay bar will get you a month. Economical times two!
skin benefits of healing clay

Activated Charcoal + Kaolin Clay = a wicked awesome soap.

So there you have it – the clay method to the soapy madness! Have an excellent weekend, Sudsers – go do something fun that gets you dirty. So you can use some soap. My soap, preferably. But soap, for sure.

Happy Sudsing!

Sunday Soap Case: ‘Tis the Season of Giving!

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Soap & Clay’s Soapiversary

grad femaleWhat’s up, Sudsers? It’s been a while since you’ve heard from me. I’ve taken a bit of Soap Case hiatus following the Tacoma Dome Gift Show. Following the show (which was awesome, btw), I had to scramble to restock my inventory as well as prep and move into our new house! It’s been a busy few weeks, and I do apologize for not checking in each week, but I think you’ll forgive me following this post.

So Soap & Clay celebrated its one year anniversary last week. And what a year it has been! We’ve launched the site, shipped some soap, done some shows, opened a brick and mortar, stepped into the wholesale world, been featured in subscription boxes, done some collaboration work, and bought a new house! I don’t know how my little family has survived the craziness, but somehow we’ve managed. But here’s the thing: I would not be on this wild ride if it weren’t for you. Without my Sudsers, I would not have done 90% of the things I listed above. As a small retail business, I obviously rely on my customers to keep my doors open and my website active, and I have the best customers on the planet! Because of this, and keeping with the season of giving, I am launching a pretty kickass promo that will run through Small Business Saturday. Ready to hear about it? Of course you are. Because you’re awesome.

I have some new gift sets for the holiday season, and they are unbelievably cool. I think they’re my best ones yet; brand new products, best selling products, thoughtful packaging; I pulled out all the stops for these ones. I’m so proud of them, in fact, that I’m giving them away to my Sudsers (all of whom I am proud to know). So here’s how it’s going to work: each day from now until Saturday, November 26th, I will release a new coupon code for that day’s gift set. The first ten customers to use the code will get the set for free! Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Get your cart ready. Any items that you’ve been needing to pick up, get ’em in your cart. This coupon code is only valid for the first ten orders each day, so it won’t be active long.
  2. Watch for the link. I will post the day’s coupon code on Instagram and Facebook each day with a link to the product. Add it to your cart, punch in the coupon code, check out.
  3. Wait patiently (or impatiently, if you’re anything like me) for your order to arrive. Inside your soapy order you will find the daily gift set that you paid exactly zero dollars for. Keep it for yourself, give it to one of your favorite people, display it proudly on your mantle as a trophy for your quick-clicking skills. Your call. But if you do the last suggestion, please post a pic to Instagram so I can join in on the fun.

And that’s it! Below are some teaser pics of some of the gift sets. Some are already on the site, others will be loaded later this week. For more information on any of the products included in the gift set, feel free to contact me! There are a few rules you need to know, though.

  1. This offer is only valid for website sales. I know, it sucks. My e-customers got my soapy business off of the ground and they deserve some soapy love. There will be an in-store event on Saturday, November 26th for Small Business Saturday for my local Sudsers.
  2. This offer will not stack with other deals. I know, it sucks. I couldn’t get the coupon code to play nice with the others that are floating around out there, so it is what it is. 100% off a gift set is a pretty great deal, though, so that’s something.
  3. You can not use the coupon code more than once. I want to be able to spread the soapy deals as far as possible, so just one freebie per order, please. Because sharing the love? Doesn’t suck.

thoughtful gift ideas unique gift ideas
pokebombsetspa box gift ideas for women thoughtful gift ideas

That’s all from me this week, Sudsers – get quick-clicking fingers ready and let the festivities begin! See you tomorrow!

Sunday Soap Case: We All Wear Masks…

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Masques & Masks – A Perfect Match!

Greetings, Sudsers! I hope your weekend has been productive. Mine has been decent – this was the final weekend before Tacoma’s Holiday Food and Gift Festival at the Tacoma Dome, so I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Except not really. I signed up for Victorian Country Christmas this weekend, so the light at the end of my tunnel is an oncoming train of more holiday show prep work. I don’t know why I do this to myself. This week on the Soap Case I will be introducing you to my October Maker of the Month, as well as providing a bit more information on a new Soap & Clay product!

RavenCraft – October Maker of the Month

October Maker of the MonthWe run into all types of people in life. Some we love, others we can do without. We have acquaintances, we have friends, BFFs, and even some frenemies. But every once in a while, you stumble upon people so incredible, so bright, so captivating that you pull them into your circle and never let them go. These people become your people; they change you at the cellular level. So it was with the RavenCraft Family.

I met Josh and Yvonne and their three awesome kids at The Fairyblossom Festival in Chehalis over the summer. And I immediately fell in love. The whole family is kind, optimistic, altruistic, intelligent, artistic with my kind of sense of humor. They’re delightful, and I enjoyed spending time with them at the event. We’ve since bumped into each other a few times since, and when I opened up Soap & Clay at Freighthouse Station, I knew that I needed them for my Maker of the Month table. Here’s why:

ravencraft maker of the month soap & clay at freighthouse station

ravencraft high quality masksAmazing, right? They are so unbelievably talented, I can’t even. Their masques are all handcrafted, every piece is unique, and the entire family contributes to the design process. Family businesses are the best businesses, in my opinion. I’ll have more from RavenCraft over the next few weeks, but in the meantime be sure to check out their facebook page, give them a like, and come try on their wares at the shop!

Mask + Scrub Combo: Activated Charcoal Face Mask

I know, I know. I did an activated charcoal post last week. My very sensitive skin gets super wacky as the weather gets cooler, so I find myself turning to the healing products more often than usual. This mask is my favorite go-to these days, and because of my super sensitive skin I was super particular when I developed it. Here’s what makes it great:

activated charcoal face mask

Plate o’ Awesomeness

  • Activated charcoal purges toxins and clears skin
  • Bentonite clay reduces redness and detoxifies
  • Grapeseed oil delivers EFAs and hydrates tired skin
  • Evening Primrose softens skin and minimizes fine lines
  • Orange Valencia EO brightens skin
  • Noni Fruit Powder exfoliates and delivers antioxidants

This mask is a dry delivery system with a twist. I infuse the activated charcoal, clay, and exfoliant with high quality botanicals and essential oils, making sure that everything is uniformly mixed, before packaging. But Mrs. Soap & Clay, why do you do this? So glad you asked! While activated charcoal and bentonite clay are wonderful on their own, I was more interested in creating a skincare system comparable to a treatment at a spa. Purging pores isn’t enough; your skin needs EFAs, antioxidants, and hydration too. So with this system your pores are purged, your skin is hydrated, your debris is removed, and your face is polished and glowing. The exfoliation bit is because I really love dual purpose products; this mask pulls toxins from the skin, tightens, and then sloughs away the remaining unwanted gunk. Pretty sweet, eh?

Why the dry delivery system? Well, adding the hydrosol before packaging is problematic for a number of reasons. First, a main focus of my crazy soapy vision is delivering undiluted and pure skincare products. Water, well, waters down these beautiful botanicals, yielding a less effective product. Also, if I add water, I have to add a preservative. This is something I also avoid in my products as preservatives can cause a host of skin problems. Finally, a dry delivery system allows you, the end user, to customize the mask to fit your skin’s needs. If you’re super dry, for example, you could use a lightweight oil as your hydrosol. Skin lacking in luster? Try rosewater! Perhaps you need to feel the burn of a chemical peel-esque mask – apple cider vinegar would be your go-to. Dry delivery makes this mask extremely versatile.

So there you have it, Sudsers – the process behind creating the activated charcoal masks, the reasoning behind October’s Maker of the Month (reason: because RavenCraft is awesome), and now I must bid you adieu.

activated charcoal face mask for aging and acneJust kidding. Coupon code for you to try your very own AC Mask+Scrub on me below.

Coupon code BLACKISTHENEWBLACK for a free AC Mask+Scrub. Offer expires October 23rd, 2016. Thanks!

Happy Sudsing!

Sunday Soap Case: Activate your Girl Game!

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In and Through the Looking Glass

It’s Sunday!* This week has been BUSY! With the Holiday Food and Gift Show at the Tacoma Dome looming over me (figuratively, yes, but also literally as I can see the Dome from my soap shop in Freighthouse Station), I’ve been scrambling to keep up with inventory, online orders and being the best damn mom on the planet** while putting the finishing touches on my new offerings for the event.

I have managed to take a break or two throughout the week and check out some of the new events and shops in Freighthouse, and wow do we have some amazing merchants here! Dan Parker’s crew delivered an excellent Lego event*** this weekend, a few new businesses are starting their build-out, and one delightful little shop quietly opened its unassuming doors.

*It’s not Sunday. I’m writing this on Wednesday, because I’m trying to stay ahead of the curve. I’m mostly failing at that.

**”Best” is a relative term. I’m pretty alright. Sometimes.

***As I’m writing this ahead of time, I don’t really know how excellent the event was. I’m assuming it was awesomely so, though. Because Dan is awesome, and Legos are awesome. Winning combination right there.

looking glass clothing boutique tacoma, waStep Through the Looking Glass

pinup clothing freighthousetrendy boutique tacoma waThe Looking Glass Boutique is, in a word, lovely. With a thoughtful selection of new and pre-loved clothing, the store is Modcloth meets Pinup Girl with a splash of ThredUp. Owner/operator/buyer Jennee Leavitt has had a love of clothing and fashion since she was old enough to dress herself, and her inventory shows that in spades. And I’m not just saying that because her shop looks like an extension of my personal closet. It really does, though. The shop is so perfect that you would find it hard to believe that the business is in its infancy. This is Month Two for Jennee and Looking Glass; she’s a go big or go home kinda gal. Which of course makes me love her. She has a great eye and – perhaps my favorite thing about her – is quick to tactfully let you know when an article of clothing is unflattering to your body shape. Which of course makes me love her even more. And her prices are super reasonable – I picked up two super cute dresses and a top for $50. Which of course makes me love her for life. She has made a wonderful addition to the Freighthouse shops and I look forward to seeing great things from her!

Looking Flawless in The Looking Glass

Playing dress up is fun. Feeling absolutely beautiful in your new dress is fun. Mirror twirling brought to a screeching halt because of a new pimple on your forehead? Not so fun. Face Paste can help! Made with activated charcoal, tea tree oil, and a recipe formulation that yields a highly moisturizing, glycerin-rich soap, Face Paste is great for all skin types but is especially beneficial for those dealing with acne, dry/combination/oily skin, and the sensitive skinned among us. Here’s why:

activated charcoal face care

World. Rocker.

Activated charcoal basically rocks my world. It acts as a magnet, pulling toxins, debris and other nastiness from pores. This leaves skin smooth, clear, and glowing. Tea tree oil also rocks my world. A natural anti-fungal and anti-viral oil, tea tree stabilizes skin’s pH, attacks acne bacteria, sweeps debris from pores, and promotes cell turnover. It does all of this without drying or irritating the skin. World Rocker.

So basically, Face Paste is a disc of awesome. It’s also fun to work with – this product has a built in timer of sorts that is determined by your skin’s needs. Here’s how it goes: Face Paste has a grey and creamy lather starting out, and as you continue to massage into the skin, the activated charcoal is working hard to purge pores and detoxify. Once it has done its job, the lather becomes white and bubbly. This could take anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes, depending on how many toxins your skin is harboring. activated charcoal face bar

And in customary Soap Case fashion, I’m giving away these world rockers this week! Enter coupon code ALLABOUTTHATFACE for a bar of Face Paste on me. Code is valid on all orders through October 16th, 2016. That’s it for me this week – please oh please do two things for me: 1) send me some good luck to get through the next 10 days of insanity, and 2) check out The Looking Glass Boutique and show her social media some love! Thanks!

Happy Sudsing!

Sunday Soap Case: Lego Madness!

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City Blocks Brick-or-Treat and Soapy Lego Fun!

Hey there, Sudsers! How’s your weekend treating you? Pagan Pride has been in full swing this weekend at Freighthouse Station and it has been such a treat to mingle with the local holistic community as they explore our building. As the gods and goddesses collect their treasures and head off to their next adventure, Freighthouse begins preparations for our next amazing, stupendous, too-cool-to-be-allowed event.

How’s that for buildup? You won’t be disappointed.

City Blocks Brick or Treat

city blocks brick or treat lego

Image Courtesy of City Blocks

If you are local to the Tacoma area and haven’t heard of Dan Parker and his Lego artists at City Blocks, it’s likely that you’ve been living under a rock. This place is an institution and a veritable panoply of all things Lego. They have collector’s pieces from Lego’s inception, they have new builder kits (at crazy awesome prices, btw), they have mini-figs coming out of their ears. Sometimes literally. They’re a fun bunch. But what they also have that sets them apart from your run of the mill Lego store is a group of talented builders that create these incredible structures like it’s not the most complicated thing in the world to do. It is. I tried to connect with my inner child and build something with the Soap & Clay kidlet’s Legos and successfully created…nothing. I went back to Minecraft at that point. 

dan parker city blocks brick or treat lego

Image Courtesy of City Blocks

Dan Parker travels the world, constructing massive displays for museum events, grand openings, and the occasional children’s birthday party. He’s good at what he does. So good, in fact, that he rarely has an opportunity to coordinate an event specific to his shop in Tacoma (that just so happens to be in Freighthouse Station, where all the cool kids hang out). Lucky for us, he’s organized one for next weekend and it is guaranteed to impress both the young and young at heart.

brick-or-treat city blocks lego store

Image Courtesy of City Blocks

Brick-or-Treat will run October 7th-9th in Foss Hall at Freighthouse Station. City Blocks has teamed up with Pierce County Asylum (not an actual asylum, but probably more terrifying) for a weekend of physics-defying Lego builds, games, toys, Lego dealers, and even master instructors (namely, the one and only Dan Parker) on site to provide a few tips and tricks of the trade. So if you’re looking for something amazing to do next weekend, this is it.

Lego My Soap, You

legoNot to be outdone by Dan and his awesomeness (except that I am completely outdone by Dan and his awesomeness), I’ve got a super awesome Lego creation, too. Of the soap variety. Obvs. Lego My Soap, Yo has been a fun addition to the Soap & Clay Kids line and really showcases my Lego skills. Of which I have none, really. But the soap is great – tons of bubbles, super bright scents and colors, and moisturizing super cleansers go into these children’s glycerin soaps. The Soap & Clay Kidlets have a stack of these in the shower and at the sink and have declared them to be their absolute favorites. Today. They would like to see the soaps come with some mini-figs, however – perhaps Dan the Man and I can work out a deal to make that so. And because I love you so very much, you can get a set (a whole set!!!) for free this week with coupon code LEGOMYSOAPYO. Coupon code valid on all orders until October 9th.

That’s it for me today, Sudsers – have a great week!

Happy Sudsing!

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2712 6th Ave
Tacoma, WA 98406

206-549-2885