Fall into September
It's hard to believe, but for many of us living in western Canada and the northwestern United States, summer is quickly giving way to lovely Fall. For the last week, evenings at the farm have definitely been cooler and we are starting to see flocks of Canada geese starting to form up.
The past month in the soap studio has been characterized by food -- I'm not kidding! We are so proud to roll out our new Fall soaps and bath bombs. We didn't quite plan it that way, but there is a definite food theme consistent with farming activities and heartier meals replacing the summer salads and lighter fare over the past few months.
We have reintroduced milk soaps to our line-up for Fall, including two with coconut oil only for our vegan loving customers, and one formulated for sensitive skin. Milk soaps are especially creamy and the lactic acid in milks is reputed to provide benefits to skin. They are definitely worth checking out!
Fragrances, where they are used, are rich and full-bodied. Our Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) Soap, which does not include milk, features real pumpkin puree and a custom blend of fragrance oils to give it a perfect pumpkin pie-coffee scent. Pumpkin is packed with fruit enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), which are reputed to increase cell turnover to brighten and smooth the skin. Pumpkin also contains antioxidants Vitamin A and Vitamin C that may help skin feel soft. For those who love pumpkin spice lattes or really, anything pumpkin, this should definitely be on your shopping list!
In addition to our pumpkin soap, our Fall line-up includes Grandma's Apple Pie Soap, a spicy baked apple custom blended fragrance with red and yellow swirls against a caramel colored background. We have a sensitive skin friendly Orange Buttermilk soap with orange essential oil and full fat buttermilk -- see note above on how skin-nourishing milk is for skin! Our Maple Leaves Soap features a bold red and yellow design against a dark brown background and smells deliciously like warm maple syrup. And our uncolored Tres Leches (Three Milk) Oatmeal Soap features coconut, goat's milk, and buttermilk along with colloidal oats for a gentle exfoliating experience.
We couldn't help notice the plethora of donut shops that have sprung up around Edmonton recently. (I highly recommend the Donuterie just off Whyte Ave...) and decided to put our new bath bomb press to work to make donut bath bombs. Our bath bombs feature rice bran oil as the binding agent. Rice bran oil is very moisturizing and skin-loving! We developed a fizzy bath bomb "frosting" that is sugar and meringue free and adds to the fizziness of the bath bomb itself. They look fantastic with their sprinkles and are a hefty 6 ounces of fizzy fun in Strawberry Vanilla, Double Chocolate, Lime Coconut, and Vanilla Cake. They are available individually, or in a value-priced four pack, attractively packaged in a pink cupcake box for gift giving!
I AM GIRL
Many of you have been asking about the I AM GIRL promotion we supported last month for Fields of Life, an organization in Northern Ireland. I AM GIRL assists girls and young ladies in Uganda providing them with hygiene packs, in order to help them to be able to attend school without interruption each month. This is such a great cause, and we are thrilled that Aubergine Dream Swirl, the custom soap we created for I AM GIRL has already sold out. Huge kudos to our cousin, Debra Gribbon in Ballymoney, N.I. for her hard work in marketing this soap and all her family, friends, and co-workers there who purchased this soap and supported our girls in Uganda. Thank you so much from Strawberry Creek Farmhouse Soaps!
Oil of the Month: Rice Bran Oil
Rice Bran Oil is extracted from the hulls of brown rice, and is rich in Vitamin E and anti-oxidants. It is reputed to have moisturizing properties. It makes a mild, creamy and moisturizing bar of soap, and a luxuriously moisturizing lotion.
Rice Bran Oil is considered to be hypoallergenic. It contains proanthrocyanidins which protect collagen and elastin which in turn play in a large part in maintaining the suppleness of your skin. As Rice Bran Oil is particularly high in fatty acids it is thought to be beneficial for mature, delicate and sensitive skin.
We include Rice Bran Oil in our soap recipes and have recently begun using it as the binding agent in all our bath bombs. We're confident in this oil and its benefits to skin.
September Promotion: Flat Rate Shipping!
We are especially happy to offer a flat rate shipping cost this month for our customers anywhere in Canada and the United States. We know that you would rather spend your hard earned money on products and not on the mail, so we've done our best to minimize that cost. No matter how much your order weighs, your shipping cost is $10 CAD. Our online store has been updated and is waiting for you!
Farmer's Market!
Our next market date is this Saturday, September 8th at the South Common Farmer's Market in Edmonton. If you are local to the area, please come down and say hello! There are plenty of other awesome vendors for fresh fruit, veggies, and other items. We will have a market special this Saturday. Hope to see you there!
Until next month...
Shelley