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Pineapple Hidden Color Bath Bomb Recipe for Summer Self Care

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April 23, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon Leave a Comment

Celebrate summer with this pineapple hidden color bath bomb recipe. This blue Hawaiian pineapple bath bomb is perfect for some tropical summer fun – whether you’re on vacation or spending a night in at home. Indulge in a gorgeous colors and fragrance in your bath while you pamper yourself with skin conditioning shea butter and babassu oil.

Pineapple Hidden Color Bath Bomb Recipe. Celebrate summer with this pineapple hidden color bath bomb recipe. This blue Hawaiian pineapple bath bomb is perfect for some tropical summer fun - whether you're on vacation or spending a night in at home. Indulge in a gorgeous colors and fragrance in your bath while you pamper yourself with skin conditioning shea butter and babassu oil. Discover how to make a simple hidden color bath bomb recipe in a single craft session.

Pin this recipe now.

Keep reading to discover how to make a simple hidden color bath bomb recipe in a single craft session. Plus learn about my new favorite bath bomb molds.

Let’s Make Hidden Color Bath Bombs

I recently purchased an 8-piece bath bomb set featuring a variety of heavy duty bath bomb molds. It included two differently sized sets of round molds, a leaf and a tulips shaped mold, and a pineapple bath bomb mold. Ever since I shared a guest recipe on how to make rainbow bar bath bomb embeds for hidden color bath bombs, I’ve been wanting to try it myself. Unfortunately, bath bombs are not my strong suit. Not to mention the humidity in Southwestern Virginia right now has been insane. (We seriously have been getting more rainfall than Seattle, Washington the past few years.)

Formulating A No Fail Bath Bomb Recipe

When I received my new bath bomb molds, however, I knew it was time to just give it a go. Rather than attempt a two part process where I first make embeds and then make the bath bombs to hide them in, I thought I’d try it as a one step process with a single hidden color inside. I ended up using a blue lake dye (made specifically for bath bombs) for the hidden color. I then used a small amount of mica in conjunction with polysorbate 80 (so there’s no staining or colored bath tub ring) for the surrounding colors. This pretty much makes this bath bomb project for people – like myself – who struggle with practicing patience.

In addition, I formulated these pineapple hidden color bath bombs order to ensure a no fail bath bomb recipe even in humidity. (No joke, I made these during the day with the humidity at 43% because I was tired of putting them off. I then unmolded them the next day with the humidity at 84%.) To achieve this I included moisturizing shea butter and babassu oil – a rockin’ substitute for coconut oil – along with a bit of cream of tartar.

Finally, I also added magnesium flakes for their natural skin care benefits. Also known as magnesium chloride, magnesium flakes are better suited than Epsom salt for topical application. When used in bathwater, magnesium flakes are a great natural remedy for stress relief and sore muscle recovery. They also aid in improving circulation.

Pineapple Hidden Color Bath Bomb Recipe

Ingredients:

16 oz. baking soda
8 oz. citric acid
1 oz. magnesium flakes
.25 oz. cream of tartar
2.5 oz. babassu oil
1.25 oz. refined (high melt point) shea butter
.6 oz. polysorbate 80
.5 oz. pineapple fragrance oil, or scent of choice
1/2 Tablespoon blue lake dye (or bath bomb colorant)
1 teaspoon (bath bomb safe) green mica or lake dye, of choice
1/2 Tablespoon pink mica powder or lake dye, of choice
eco-friendly glitter, to suit (optional)

Materials & Tools for Making Bath Bombs:

digital scale
heavy duty bath bomb molds
three medium to large bowls (one for each color)
two containers for mixing ingredients
fork or whisk for mixing
microwave or double boiler
respirator face mask
disposable gloves

Hidden Color Bath Bomb Recipe Notes:

My hidden color bath bomb recipe makes a total of four hidden color bath bombs. I was able to use the pineapple bath bomb mold in addition to the two-part small round mold and the leaf and tulip molds. I started with the pineapple bath bomb mold first. Then, once I had made that bath bomb, I filled the other molds with colors at random.

Instructions for My Hidden Color Bath Bomb Recipe:

Begin by melting and mixing the liquid ingredients. To do this, weigh out the shea butter and babassu oil. Then combine in a heat safe container. Heat at 30% power in the microwave, or using the double boiler method, until melted. Remove from heat. Then weigh out the polysorbate 80 and fragrance oil. Stir into the melted oil and butter. Set aside.

Next combine and mix the dry ingredients called for in my pineapple hidden color bath bomb recipe. (A face mask is recommended for this step.) Weigh out the citric acid, baking soda, cream of tartar and magnesium flakes. Combine in a large bowl and mix well, ensuring all the ingredients are evenly combined throughout.

Now set out three separate bowls. Divide the dry bath bomb mixture between the three molds – one for each of the three colors.

I used a large amount of the dry mixture for the pink mica. The dry mix for the blue lake dye had the least amount. While the green mica was about double that of the blue. Add the bath bomb colorants to each of the containers and mix well to combine. (The blue lake dye should account for about 28-34% of the dry bath bomb mix. Simply adjust the amount called for as needed.)

If desired, you may also add a bit of biodegradable eco-friendly glitter to any of the bath bomb colors.

Now add the liquid bath bomb mixture to each of the containers. Start with one color at a time. Use just enough of the liquid mixture to give the dry ingredients the consistency of wet sand. Mix well to combine then follow with the remaining colors.

You’re now ready to begin making your hidden color bath bombs.

I started with the pineapple bath bomb as it was the largest of the molds. Begin by loosely piling the green bath bomb mixture into the top of the mold where the leaves are. Then loosely fill the bottom portion of the mold with the pink mixture. Next, gently press – but don’t pack – the pink mixture into the mold.

Now loosely add some of the blue bath bomb mixture to the mold on top of the pink mixture. Press it slightly into the pink bath bomb mixture without packing it into the mold.

Follow with a loose pile of pink to cover the blue. Now firmly press and pack the bath bomb into the mold.

Once you’ve made your pineapple hidden color bath bomb, follow with the remainder of the molds, filling the colors as desired.

Allow the bath bombs to dry overnight or over the course of several days depending on the humidity in your area. (I left all of my hidden color bath bombs in the molds overnight with the exception of the round bath bomb mold. I was able to unmold that one right away.)

Then remove from the molds and package as desired.

Tips for removing the hidden color bath bombs from the molds.

If you have trouble removing your hidden color bath bombs from the pineapple, leaf and tulip shaped molds, simply bang the edges of the molds onto a table or hard surface on each side. At that point the bath bombs should come out of the molds in one piece. (You can also freeze them first to make removal even easier. Simply place the filled bath bomb molds in a gallon sized ziplock bag, then freeze for an hour before removing.)

Want to see this bath bomb in action?

You can see the leaf hidden color bath bomb I made with using this bath bomb recipe in action on my Facebook book page here as well as on instagram here. It goes for about three minutes and fizzes nicely even with the addition of shea butter and babassu oil.

More Bath Bomb Recipes to Try

If you like my pineapple hidden color bath bomb recipe, then you may also enjoy making my other bath bomb recipes.

Or learn how to make one of the tried and true bath bomb recipes from Two Wild Hares. Including her fan favorite DIY bubble bath bomb cupcakes.

Discover more of my favorite bath and beauty recipes by following me across your favorite social media platforms. You can find and follow me on Pinterest, Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter to stay updated on new recipes.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Homemade Gift Ideas Tagged With: bath and body, bath bomb recipe, bath bombs, bath tutorial, crafts, diy, gift idea, self care, skin care, skin care products, summer, summer skin care

Lip Gloss Recipe with a Pop of Color for Fresh Summer Looks

April 18, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon Leave a Comment

Learn how to make this natural lip gloss recipe for a fresh fun way to add a pop of color to your summer look. Tinted with shimmering mica pigment powder, this homemade lip gloss recipe looks stunning solo or over your favorite lipstick. Scent yours with natural essential oils or add some fun with a jelly donut or watermelon flavor oil.

A few months back I fell in love with some scrapbooking embellishment stickers. They were shaped like donuts and covered with glitter. I bought them at the time thinking they’d be super cute for handmade soap gifts. I was planning to wrap ribbon around the soap and then accent the ribbons with donuts. While I still think that’s a great idea, I love the way the stickers looked on little lip balm jars and tins. So I decided to make a donut inspired lip gloss recipe to add to my list of donut skin care recipes.

Ingredients Used In Natural Lip Gloss

Unlike my homemade lip balm recipes, my natural lip gloss recipe combines two waxes to give lips shine. While castor oil is commonly used for this purpose, I found that the combination of candelilla wax and cera bellina wax worked even better. I love that this lip gloss isn’t sticky like some store brand lip glosses. And the punch of color makes this tinted lip gloss look great whether it’s layered over lipstick or worn solo.

Properties of Candelilla Wax

Candelilla wax is a unique odorless plant wax with a high melt point. It’s harvested from the leaves of candelilla shrubs that are native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. As this wax is extremely hard and brittle, it’s commonly sold as flakes or micro-beads. When mixed with other waxes, it hardens the formulation it’s incorporated into without raising the melting point. Often used in the cosmetics industry for skin care products and lip balms, candelilla wax is also used as a binder in chewing gum. When refined, candelilla wax can reach high levels of brilliance which add to shine when used in lip gloss formulations.

Properties of Cera Bellina Wax

Cera Bellina wax is a hydrophilic derivative of beeswax. It differs from regular beeswax in that it has excellent oil gelling properties. Adding cera bellina wax to lip balms, lotion bars or and emulsion will give the product a smooth, luxurious texture. It’s also a great wax to gel oils or butters with a low wax concentration as a small percentage of the recipe. Because cera bellina’s ability to prevent the crystallization of oils, it also works great as a second emulsifier or thickener in lotion formulations as well as natural beauty serums.

Benefits of Cupuacu Butter

Cupuacu butter is wonderful at hydrating skin and hair, making it a wonderful choice for a moisturizing lip gloss recipe. This natural Brazilian butter can be used solo, or incorporated with other ingredients, for a richly moisturizing lip balm. But don’t stop there. Because cupuacu butter is a humectant, similarly to honey, it is able to attract up to 240% more water. This makes this natural beauty butter especially beneficial to dry skin or chapped lips.

Benefits of Acai Berry Oil

Another natural skin care product from the Brazilian Amazon forest, acai berry oil is a luxe carrier oil that is rich in essential fatty acids. A powerful antioxidant with natural emollient properties, acai berry oil offers a number of benefits when used in skin care formulations. Not only is this carrier oil highly moisturizing, it can also help restore skin elasticity and promote healing of dry, chapped and cracked skin. It’s suitable for all skin types and has been found to help alleviate symptoms of skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. In addition, this oil possesses anti-aging skin care properties. Plus it won’t clog pores!

Ready to get started on my tinted lip gloss recipe? You’ll find the recipe and directions to make it below.

Natural Lip Gloss Recipe

Ingredients:

.5 oz. roasted cocoa butter (Learn more.)
.5 oz. cupuacu butter
.3 oz. candelilla wax
.3 oz. acai berry oil
1.2 oz. sweet almond oil, or other carrier oil of choice
.5 oz. lip safe coral mica powder
.1 oz. cera bellina wax
flavor oil or essential oil blend, of choice

Essential oil blend:

20 drops blood orange essential oil
12 drops amyris essential oil (Learn more.)
8 drops tea tree oil

Lip gloss flavor oil:

.03 – .1 oz. jelly donut flavor oil

Lip Gloss Recipe Instructions:

I recommend using the double boiler method when making my tinted lip gloss recipe. However, you can also use a microwave if desired at 20%-30% power.

Start by weighing out the roasted cocoa butter, cupuacu butter, cera bellina wax and candelilla wax. Combine in a heat safe container and gently heat until all the ingredients have melted.

Once the butters and waxes have melted, remove from heat. Then weigh out the the acai berry oil and stir into the lip gloss mixture.

Now add the essential oils or your choice of flavor oil to suit. Mix well to combine. (It’s important to note that some flavor oils recommend different usage rates so be sure to check with the manufacturer. They can tell you the recommended percentage of flavor oil to use. I’ve provided a range of 1-3% in the above lip gloss recipe.)

Next, weigh out the lip safe mica pigment powder. Stir the mica into the mixture until it is evenly distributed throughout the lip gloss. It should be uniform in color and completely smooth with no clumps.

Now pour your tinted lip gloss into containers of your choice. I used a combination of 1/2 oz. white polypropylene double wall radius jars and 1 oz. metal tins with rolled edge covers. (My natural lip gloss recipe makes approximately five 1 oz. lip glosses.)

If desired, you can then decorate your homemade lip gloss containers for personal use or to give as handmade gifts.

Prefer to use tube lip gloss containers? You can use squeeze tube lip gloss containers as well as clear lip gloss tubes with applicators. Simply use half the amount of candelilla wax called for in my homemade lip gloss recipe.

Experiment with lip gloss recipe flavors & colors.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with my tinted lip gloss recipe! Not only can you mix up the flavor or scent by changing out flavor or essential oils, you can also adjust the shade of your lip gloss as well as the color. For a sheer tint try cutting the amount of mica powder in half. For a richer, more intense lip color, double the amount of mica. And, of course, don’t be afraid to try other lip safe mica powders with this lip gloss recipe.

Learn more about essential oils.

Want to explore essential oils in correlation with beauty and skin care recipes in an easy all-in-kit? Check out the essential oil recipe box from Simply Earth. Each box makes it easy to get started with essential oils and includes simple essential oil recipes and ingredients for home, health and beauty. Order your first essential oil recipe box and get a free bonus supply box with code: SOAPDELIFREE You’ll also receive a $40 discount on your second box.

More Donut Skin Care Recipes

If you like my tinted lip gloss recipe, then be sure to try these other fun donut beauty and skin care recipes. Learn how to make homemade donut soap for DIY gifts as well as exfoliating solid salt scrub bars.

Natural Lip Gloss Recipe with a Pop of Color for Fresh Summer Looks. Learn how to make this natural lip gloss recipe for a fresh fun way to add a pop of color to your summer look. Tinted with shimmering mica pigment powder, this homemade lip gloss recipe looks stunning solo or over your favorite lipstick. Scent yours with natural essential oils or add some fun with a jelly donut or watermelon flavor oil.

Repin it here.

If you like my tinted lip gloss recipe, be sure to save it to your Pinterest boards. In the meantime, you can also keep up with all my newest bath and beauty recipes by following me on Pinterest, Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter to stay updated on new recipes.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes, Homemade Gift Ideas Tagged With: bath and beauty, beauty diy, beauty recipe, cosmetics, gift idea, green beauty, lip balm recipe, lip gloss, lip gloss recipe, lipstick, lipstick recipe, makeup, mineral makeup, natural beauty, stocking stuffers, summer, summer skin care, tinted lip balm

Mineral Bronzing Body Butter Recipe for a Sun Kissed Summer Look

April 15, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 2 Comments

Learn how to make a body highlighting bronzer for your summer beauty regimen with this homemade mineral bronzing body butter recipe. With as few as 4-ingredients you can add a sun kissed look to your summer skin. Experiment with mica pigment powders, coffee oil and bacuri butter for a beautiful summer beauty product that’s easy to customize. (I swear, you are going to LOVE this beauty DIY!)

Get That Sun Kissed Glow Without the Sun

I grew up in the 80’s. So during summers, from around age fourteen through much of high school, I tried hopelessly to tan. Whether I was drowning myself in Hawaiian Tropic tanning oil while laying out, or hitting the tanning bed, I did everything I could to try to achieve the perfect tan.

This was of course, in addition to a futile attempt to go blonde. I was all about using Sun In to try to get that bleached blonde look without actually having to buy hair color. (Being fourteen at the time, I obviously didn’t have money of my own.) Of course, the use of Sun In turned my hair orange, seeing as how I have red undertones from my mother’s side. Somehow that didn’t seem to stop me though.

Unfortunately, my mostly Irish and English ancestors ensured I never reached my tanning goals. So I piled chemical based sunless tanners on top of my often sunburned skin. This ultimately left my skin matching my hair. It gave my skin an unnatural orange tint that was common among my other pale skinned comrades trying to look like magazine cover models.

Since then I’ve learned to love my ~~translucent see through~~ pale skin. However, adding a touch of natural looking, non-permanent color is a easy way to give your skin a sun kissed look when the seasons change. It’s also great for covering up a farmer’s tan.

Greg, as he often works outside, never actually got rid of his farmer’s tan this winter. So I actually tested my mineral bronzing body butter recipe his skin in addition to my own. It worked like a charm at disguising the change in skin tone so his “guns” – which is wear he told me to put it (I swear.) – matched the color of the rest of his arms. He was EXTRA happy, however, that my bronzing body butter washed off, rather than fading into a blotchy mess like the sunless tanner I used on him last year.

About My Mineral Bronzing Body Butter

There a few things that I really love about my natural bronzing body butter recipe. The first is that it’s so easy to make. Therefore it won’t matter if you’re just a beginner dabbling in making your own homemade beauty products. This recipe would be really hard to mess up. (Just keep in mind that substitutions can impact the final outcome of this product, much like any other natural skin care recipe. For example using unrefined shea butter when the recipe calls for refined shea butter does matter as unrefined shea butter has a lower melting point than the refined version.)

Secondly, it blends well with all skin tones. It’s also easily customized by adding more (or less) mica or by mixing up the mica colors in the recipe. However, if you want a completely natural product (or zero shimmer) you don’t even have to use mica powder in my bronzing body butter recipe at all.

Third, as I used bacuri butter in my body highlighting bronzer for color in addition to the coffee oil, it’s easier to achieve a deeper color brown as the base. This also means it absorbs more quickly than many other body butter recipes. Additionally, there’s no greasy after feel and it’s suitable for all skin types – even if you’re prone to body acne.

Natural Bronzing Body Butter Recipe

Get that summer kissed look this spring with this homemade coffee bronzing body butter recipe.

Ingredients:

2 oz. unrefined bacuri butter
1 oz. coffee seed oil
.8 oz. polawax emulsifying wax
1/4 teaspoon copper sparkle mica
1 teaspoon (.05 oz.) copper lip safe mica

Bronzing Body Butter Recipe Notes:

In order to ensure you can exactly duplicate my mineral bronzing body butter recipe, I’ve linked the ingredient list to the very same products I used. Unfortunately the copper lip safe mica is no longer available. (Which I wasn’t aware of until I after I created my bronzing body butter recipe.) However you can substitute this mica was another regular copper mica of your choice. Alternately, using 1 1/2 teaspoons of copper sparkle mica (and omitting the regular copper mica) will give this product extra highlighting power. Or experiment a bit of brown oxide pigment powder for a deeper matte color.

You may also note that I used a polawax emulsifying wax in place of where beeswax would typically be called for in a recipe. While my bronzing body butter recipe does not contain water, the emulsifying wax helps with absorption rates and keeps the final product from feeling heavy. Things you really don’t want when the summer heat is on. If you prefer, however, you can substitute this wax with a basic emulsifying wax. (This is the one I typically use.)

I recommend using the double boiler method for making my mineral highlighting bronzing body butter recipe. However, you can get away with using the microwave at 20% power. In addition, you’ll also need a digital scale to weigh out the ingredients.

This product has natural earthy coffee scent from a combination of the bacuri butter and coffee oil. If you find the fragrance of my bronzing body butter recipe is too earthy for your taste, you can add a bit of chocolate absolute to the recipe. I mean, who doesn’t love the scent of coffee and chocolate, right?

Instructions:

Begin by weighing out the bacuri butter, wax and coffee seed oil. Combine in a heat safe container and gently heat until all of the wax has melted. Remove from heat and stir to combine.

Next, weigh (and/or measure) out the mica powder called for in my bronzing body butter recipe. Set aside. Allow the body butter mixture to cool slightly.

When it just starts to cool and thicken, but is still fluid, mix in the mica powders. Mix thoroughly to combine, then pour into containers of your choice. I used two 1 oz. white polypropylene thick wall plastic jars.

Allow to cool completely. Once solidified, screw on the jar lids.To use your homemade bronzing body butter, simply massage onto skin as desired.

As this product may stain light colored clothing, allow your body butter to absorb completely before getting dressed. You can also lightly apply a setting powder over the application using a soft brush if desired.

This product is suitable for both your body and face. However, avoid applying your bronzing body butter to lips and/or eyes if not using a lip safe mica powder or pigment.

More Ways to Use Bacuri Butter for Skin Care

If you love my mineral highlighting bronzing body butter recipe as much as I do, then I encourage you to also try my other bacuri butter recipes. This natural Brazilian beauty butter is a delightful treat for skin and possesses both anti-acne and anti-aging properties when used in skin care applications. A rich moisturizer with a deep earthy scent, bacuri butter is one of my favorite body butters, right up there with shea and cocoa butter.

Don’t forget to pin this mineral highlighter bronzing body butter recipe to your Pinterest boards to save for later. (You can also discover my favorite bath & beauty finds on Pinterest here.)

Mineral Highlighter Bronzing Body Butter Recipe for a Sun Kissed Summer Look. Learn how to make a body highlighting bronzer for your summer beauty regimen with this homemade mineral bronzing body butter recipe. With as few as 4-ingredients you can add a sun kissed look to your summer skin. Experiment with mica pigment powders, coffee oil and bacuri butter for a beautiful summer beauty product that's easy to customize. (I swear, you are going to LOVE this beauty DIY!)

Repin it here.

Discover more summer beauty recipes by following me across your favorite social media platforms. Follow me on Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram. Or sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter to stay updated on new recipes.

Filed Under: Bath & Beauty Recipes Tagged With: bacuri butter, beauty balm, beauty diy, beauty highlighter, beauty recipe, body butter recipe, bronzing body butter, cosmetics, highlighting bronzer, makeup, makeup bronzer, mineral makeup, natural skin care, spring, summer, summer skin care, sunless tanner

Boozy Popsicles with Edible Lilac Flowers

April 9, 2019 By Rebecca D. Dillon 1 Comment

Learn how to make “I’m all grown up” boozy popsicles with edible lilac flowers with a simple gin and tonic popsicle recipe. It’s perfect for spring brunch with your lady friends and a fun way to enjoy a summer treat a season early!

A Traditional Summer Treat

I still have fond memories of my parents giving me change to buy ice cream throughout summers as a child. Every year the ice cream truck would circle through our cul-de-sac to deliver treats to a neighborhood full of kids. I think my favorites were the chocolate Good Humor ice cream bars and, of course, bomb pops. These days, however, ice cream truck sightings are rare. They’re also the talk of the town. Just not for the reason you may think.

The only ice cream truck we ever see circling the block plays Christmas music. As if that wasn’t bizarre enough, the combination of Christmas tunes in the summer paired with the distortion from a pair of way back speakers sounds pretty f-ing creepy. I swear it reminds me of that movie, Killer Clown from Outer Space. It has that same eerie level of creep factor that’s both amusing and terrifying at the same time.

There are also no bright pictures or prices for ice cream painted onto the sides of this particular truck. Therefore, my friends and I always wonder what that ice cream truck is really a front for. We’ve never actually seen anyone buy ice cream from this truck. So for all we know the person inside could be selling drugs. Or perhaps it’s a secret gateway to hell. (I mean hey, I did grow up in the 80’s. Anything is possible!) I’ve also wondered if other towns and cities like mine have experienced the same sort of killer clown ice cream truck phenomenon.

Luckily, all of the other food trucks in our area seem to legit. It’s just that one ice cream trucks that creeps me out more than the massage parlors dotted throughout our strip malls. Those, at least, aren’t emitting eery music or maneuvering through our neighborhoods.

These days I’m obviously no longer dependant on quarters and dimes from my parents to get my ice cream fix. However, seeing as how I’m all grown up – in number not in heart – I enjoy making my own homemade popsicles from time to time. And what better way to celebrate the arrival of spring than with your own boozy popsicles speckled with edible flowers?

Benefits of Edible Lilac Flowers

One of my favorite spring flowers are lilacs. Lilac shrubs, which typically bloom in late spring, offer more than just their beautiful blooms. This flowering shrub yields a plethora of fragrant blooms that are not only pretty to look at, they are also edible and medicinal. A beautiful touch to garnish drinks for a spring brunch, lilac blooms offer a slightly bitter, floral flavor. (Much like some of my favorite cocktails. I am after all, a gin and tonic girl with an undying love for elderflowers and juniper berries.)

Medicinally, lilacs make a lovely ingredient in facial toners due to their astringent properties. (Next time you’re thinking of making rose water, why not try lilacs instead?) A warm or cold lilac infusion also makes a nice compress for rashes, cuts and other skin ailments due to its natural astringency. As a home remedy, lilacs have often been used to bring down fevers as well as to help with gastric issues such as gas, bloating and constipation.

Boozy Popsicles: A Twist on a Summer Treat (A Season Early)

Following is a simple and easy recipe for making boozy popsicles with gin and tonic. And of course a few (or a lot!) of fresh lilac flowers thrown into the mix. Not a fan of gin? Try swapping it with your favorite organic vodka instead!

Gin and Tonic Boozy Popsicles Recipe

Ingredients:

3 cups Fever Tree tonic water
1 1/2 oz. Botanica gin (or similar)
Squeeze of fresh lime juice
Fresh lilac blossoms, to suit

Directions:

Combine all the ingredient in a small pitcher and mix to combine. Then pour the mixture into popsicles molds of your choice. Pop into the freezer, then enjoy once frozen!

For slightly sweeter boozy popsicles, try using sugared lilac blossoms instead! Or try the Fever Tree elderflower tonic water in place of regular tonic water.

You can also use pretty spoons in place of a traditional wooden popsicle stick to make your boozy popsicles the perfect addition to your spring wedding or event.

Not a fan of flowers? You can also make this recipe using fresh lime slices for a fun visual twist.

More Ways to Enjoy Edible Flowers

Want more ideas on edible flowers to add to your boozy popsicles, drinks and desserts? Then be sure to check out the book, The Art of Edible Flowers, by Rebecca Sullivan. This floral inspired cookbook is a wonderful guide to just some of many ways in which flowers can be used in a range of delicious recipes. Readers will discover recipes for delightfully sweet concoctions such as a rose & lavender cocktail syrup and jasmine & green tea ice cream. Or learn how to make homemade drinks such as a fermented elderflower fizz or a soothing poppy milk. You can purchase The Art of Edible Flowers here.

Explore Other Cocktail Recipes

Following are some of my favorite cocktail recipes that are perfect for entertaining or simply enjoying a drink on a warm evening.

Or check out this post to learn how to make your own handcrafted cocktail bitters.

For more great recipes and DIY ideas for your eco-friendly lifestyle, you can find and follow me across your favorite social media platforms including Pinterest, Blog Lovin‘, facebook, twitter and instagram so you never miss a post. Or sign up for my semi-weekly newsletter.

Filed Under: Food Recipes, Lifestyle Tagged With: adult drink recipe, alcohol, brunch, drink, drink recipe, edible flowers, entertaining, food recipe, lilacs, medicinal, popsicles, spring, spring brunch, spring entertaining, summer

Homemade Honeysuckle Soap Recipe for Savoring The Last of Summer

August 16, 2018 By Rebecca D. Dillon

This seasonally inspired homemade honeysuckle soap recipe is the perfect way to savor the scent of honeysuckle year round! Plus discover 34 more homemade melt and pour soap recipes that you DIY as your next weekend craft project!

Honeysuckle, A Childhood Favorite.

One of my favorite childhood memories is the smell – and taste! – of fresh honeysuckle. When I was growing up we had huge bushes of honeysuckle and boysenberries that grew alongside our property line. I would always pluck the flowers from those honeysuckle bushes when the blooms turned from white to yellow and suck out the nectar hidden inside. How wonderful it would be if we could simply bottle this amazing, sweet liquid to enjoy year round!

Here in Southwestern Virginia I’m accustomed to seeing Japanese honeysuckles throughout our region. It’s easy to find honeysuckle both in backyards as well as along the Blue Ridge Mountains that surround the valley I reside in. While honeysuckles aren’t currently blooming in my neck of the woods, most honeysuckles will bloom not only in the spring, but also continue to bloom through summer into early fall.

However, you don’t have to wait for spring to come back around to get a taste of honeysuckle as we slip into fall. You can enjoy the sweet scent of honeysuckle year round by making your own homemade honeysuckle soap! My homemade honeysuckle soap recipe is crafted using a detergent free baby buttermilk soap base. Not only is this base gentle on skin, it’s one of the few melt and pour soap bases that I actually like. (Cold process soap is still my all time fave!)

To make this soap a little more interesting than just melting a base then adding color and fragrance, I created scrubby exfoliating embeds to bring in the colors of the honeysuckle leaves and vines. So, this melt and pour soap tutorial takes a little bit longer to make. However, it’s the perfect weekend project to craft with the kids. It also makes a great back to school gift for your child’s teacher.

Homemade Honeysuckle Soap Recipe

Ingredients:

30 oz. detergent free baby buttermilk melt & pour soap base
.75 oz. wild honeysuckle fragrance oil
.2 oz. sea kelp powder (natural colorant)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (natural colorant)
1 teaspoon pumice powder
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon walnut shell powder
.1 oz. vitamin E oil, optional

Soap Notes:

I chose to create my homemade honeysuckle soap recipe using natural colorants. However, for brighter colors you can use liquid soap dye instead. Simply start with 1-2 drops of liquid colorant and mix, slowly adding more until you reach the desired color. (It is important to note that using too much of a soap colorant can stain your skin or tub.)

Alternately, you can also tint your honeysuckle soaps using cosmetic mica powders. Or try a combination of natural colorants with a pinch of similarly colored cosmetic micas to boost the natural color without going overboard.

In addition to the soapmaking ingredients called for in my homemade honeysuckle soap recipe, you’ll also need a rectangular silicone soap mold and a digital scale to weigh out the soap base, fragrance and sea kelp powder. You’ll also need heat safe containers for melting and mixing your soap base, along with utensils for stirring. Further, a cutting board to transport your soap is recommended but not required.

If you are a self confessed soapmaking addict, it’s possible you already have many of the materials required for my homemade honeysuckle soap recipe on hand. However, if you haven’t caught the soapmaking bug quite yet, you can easily make substitutions for this project to save money on supplies.

While I love my baker’s math scale for cold process soapmaking and beauty DIY’s, you can simply use a less expensive digital kitchen scale to save money. You can also substitute out the exfoliants in this recipe – the pumice, poppy seeds and walnut shell powder – for scrubby ingredients you already have on hand. Alternately, you can choose just one exfoliating option and triple the quantity called for.

Soapmaking Instructions:

You’ll begin by making what will be the soap embeds for my homemade honeysuckle soap recipe. To do this, start by weighing out 12 oz. of the baby buttermilk melt and pour soap base. Cut the soap base into chunks, then place in a heat safe container. I recommend using a glass Pyrex measuring cup for this.

Heat the soap base in the microwave in 20-30 second increments until melted. You’ll want to stir your soap base between heatings.

Now weigh out the sea kelp powder and stir into the melted base. Mix well, until all of the powder is evenly distributed throughout the soap.

Now use a measuring spoon to measure out the pumice powder, poppy seeds and walnut shell powder. Stir these ingredients into the melted soap base. Follow with .05 oz. of vitamin E oil and .25 oz. of the wild honeysuckle fragrance oil.

Now allow the soap base to cool somewhat. As the melt and pour soap base used for this project isn’t a suspending soap base, your additives are going to want to sink to the bottom of the soap. Therefore, by cooling the soap until a thin film starts to form on top, then mixing again, you keep them better mixed throughout the soap. (Alternately, you can use a suspension soap base for this step.)

Place your soap mold onto a small cutting board. Once the soap has cooled down, but not solidified, remix then pour evenly into each of the six cavities of your silicone soap mold. Spritz the tops of the soap with rubbing alcohol, if desired, to remove any air bubbles.

Now, using the cutting board to transport your soap, place the mold in the refrigerator until the soap has fully solidified.

Once your soap has hardened, remove the soap from the mold. Then cut the soap into square chunks and set aside.

Now weigh out 18 oz. more of the baby buttermilk soap base. Cut into chunks then combine in a heat safe container. Heat in the microwave in 20-30 second increments until melted.

Weigh out .05 oz. of the vitamin E oil and .5 oz. of the wild honeysuckle fragrance oil. Stir into the melted soap.

Now, using a measuring spoon, measure out the turmeric powder. Mix into the melted soap base until it is thoroughly incorporated and their are no clumps. Set aside.

Add an even amount of the green, exfoliating soap embeds to each of the mold’s cavities. Then, pour the yellow turmeric tinted soap base evenly into each of the mold’s cavities, over the green soap embeds.

Spritz the top of the soap with rubbing alcohol, if needed, to remove any air bubbles. Then transfer your homemade honeysuckle soaps to the refrigerator to cool.

Once the soap has cooled completely and hardened, remove your soaps from the mold. Then wrap your soaps tightly in foodservice film. Your homemade honeysuckle soaps are now ready for personal use or gifting!

More Melt and Pour Soap Recipes

If you like my homemade honeysuckle soap recipe, then you may also want to try some of these other fun melt and pour recipes from Soap Deli News!

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Filed Under: Soapmaking Tagged With: crafts, diy, easy, gift idea, honeysuckle soap, kids project, melt and pour soap recipe, melt and pour soapmaking, soap recipe, soap tutorial, soapmaking, summer, summer honeysuckle