The soothing effects of Essential oils!

After mucking around in the dirt (in the garden or cleaning out the chicken coop) I can find nothing more soothing and calming then taking a bath or shower with one of the following liquid bath soaps. When I'm aching all over and my muscles refuse to do one more stretch either one of these following soaps  will soothe away the ache and leave me refreshed.

These following recipes call for store-bought Glycerin soap, but if you have the time you can start from scratch too.

You do not need to set up a science lab to make the following liquid soap recipes. Everything you need should be available in your kitchen. Although you might want to use a quaint little cauldron, pottery and crocks the best to use for soap making are glass and stainless steel.

• double boiler or a heavy pot or saucepan
• long handles spoon
• container or recycled shampoo bottle
  

• Essential oils are the pure undiluted and, mostly. steam-distilled oils from flowers, herbs and trees.
  
• They are volatile which means that they will evaporate quickly.
• Most essential oils have germicidal, antiseptic and preservative characteristics.
• Caution: Do not use undiluted pure essential oils on the skin (with one sole exception to this rule and that is Lavender oil) because these oils can cause severe skin irritations and may even be toxic.
• Also When buying Essential Oils this is what you have to look for:No Additives - No Pesticides - No Carrier oils - 1st Distilled - Undiluted Essential Oils. With other words you want the best, only 100% Pure Essential Oils for Aromatherapy will do.
• Aromatherapy essential oils can be bought in a variety of sizes (1/6 oz, ½ oz, 1 oz, 4 oz,8 oz & wholesale 16 oz and 176 oz bulk containers).

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh lemon balm leaves & stems 1/3 cup dried 
• 1/4 cup dried linden or lime tree flower (available at health-food stores also comes in individual tea bags use 4 of those)
• 1 tablespoon of lemon zest
• 1 cup glycerin soap (finely grated)
  
• 1 tablespoon wheat germ or sweet almond oil (available at health-food stores make sure you check the best before dates on these oils as they go rancid fairly fast)
  
• 1 tablespoon borax
• 1 cups strong infusion
• 3 cup distilled water

Methodology:

Infusion: To make an infusion is easy, its just like making tea.

• Pour 1 cup boiling water over the  lemon balm, lemon zest and linden flowers (or tea bags) and let brew or steep for 1/2 - 3/4 hour.
  
• Strain out the herbs from the infusion.
• Combine in double boiler the grated soap, wheat germ oil add the distilled water gradually while stirring. Add borax and keep stirring until the soap is totally melted and smooth, stir in  infusion and remove from heat. 
• Let cool then bottle.
  

Remember that essential oils are volatile and will dissipate if bottle is kept open. Try to use small containers or shampoo bottle so that it wont sit around for too long before it's used up so you get all the benefits of the essential oils

Once the base soap is totally cooled

add to 1 cup of Base Liquid Bath Soap then shake well... and again shake well before using

• 20 drops Geranium essential oil
• 5 drops Lavender essential oil
• 5 drops Tangerine essential oil
  

add to 1 cup of Base Liquid Bath Soap then shake well... and again shake well before using

• 10 drops of Lavender essential oil
• 10 drops of Roman Camomile essential oil (rem: Roman not German camomile)
• 5 drops of Bergamot essential oil
• 5 drops of Geranium essential oil
  

add to 1 cup of Base Liquid Bath Soap then shake well... and again shake well before using

• 10 drops Spruce essential oil
• 8 drops Sandal wood essential oil
  
• 5 drops German Camomile essential oil
  
• 4 drops Rosemary essential oil
  
• 3 drops  Peppermint essential oil
  

add to 1 cup of Base Liquid Bath Soap then shake well... and again shake well before using

• 10 drops Lavender essential oil
• 8 drops Geranium essential oil
• 5 drops lemon essential oil
  
• 4 drops Neroli essential oil
  
• 3 drops Ylang Ylang essential oil