Dimensions (inches): 0.80 x 9.86 x 8.35
ISBN: 0688155626
112 pages 
$19.95

I was attracted to this book at first because it was so beautiful, then I actually read the recipes and I thought they sounded incredible! The recipes are very original and I like the fact that they use skin nourishing goodies like jojoba oil, castor oil and aloe vera oil.

The book begins with an introduction and a brief history on soap-making. The rundown from there is:

1. Ingredient List: Defines lye, oils and other miscellaneous ingredients. 
2. Equipment: A list of the equipment one needs to make soap.
3. The Cold Process Method: Directions on how to actually make soap.
4. Troubleshooting: Covers the various things that can go wrong in soapmaking and what they mean.

Chapter 1 covers seven basic recipes: castille-type soap, soap with coconut, palm and olive oil, a sensitive-skin bar with castor and olive oils, another castille-type with the addition of beeswax, all tallow soap, goat's milk soap and a pure castille bar. I have made basic recipe number three and I LOVE it! For those who got my apricot freesia in the swap this is the recipe I used. It makes huge bubbles and it turns bright white... great for swirling! I even washed my hair with this bar and didn't get any of the after-shampoo-bar-greasy-feel that I usually get. One of the things that I love about these basic recipes is that they tell me what color the final bar will be. The authors also let the reader know which of these basic recipes is good for hand milling, adding abrasives, etc. The directions are very simple and easy to follow. 

Before Chapter 2 there are a few pages on "Hand milling" aka Rebatching...that thing we love to hate...and melt and pour soap-making. Not very exciting, but then I already knew what those were...

Chapter 2 is titled "Face and Body Soaps." I would love to have about a year of paid leave to try all these recipes! They are all so unique and tempting! It's the unusual additions like liquified aloe vera leaf and Jamaican rum that really make these recipes exciting. Some of the recipes in this section are for rebatching but you can always take your favorite basic recipe and add the specified goodies of the rebatch recipe. Below is a listing of the recipes.

• Lavender and Rosemary Body Bar
• Patchouli Complexion Soap
• Calendula and Cornmeal Exfoliating Bar
• Sandalwood Body Bar (calls for sandalwood powder... I thought this was cool!) 
• Comfrey and Lavender Shaving Soap (uses comfrey infused oil)
• Glycerin and Rosewater Complexion Soap
• Goat's Milk with Avocado and Dill
• Chamomile and Cornmeal Soap
• Lavender and Oatmeal Exfoliating Body Bar
• Aloe and Eucalyptus Shampoo and Body Bar
• Vitamin E Shaving Soap scented with Bay and Rum
• Tangerine Moisturizer Bar
• Sandalwood and Rosin Soap
• Green Herbs Baby soap (chickweed and plaintain infused oil)
• Moisturizing Goat's Milk and Ylang Ylang bar
• Rosemary and Geranium Complexion Soap
• Calendula and Sage Baby soap (this is the only recipe I almost CAN'T believe everytime I read it... Sage EO on a baby?????? EEK!)

• Laundry soaps
• Dishwashing Soap
• Southern Citrus Kitchen Soap (WOW, this one has orange, lemon, grapefruit and lime essential oils! YUM!)
• Tarragon and Geranium
• Spiced Oat bar
• Basil and Sundried Tomato soap
• Licorice Soap (aka Fisherman's soap)
• Deepwoods Bar (contains bug-repelling EO's)
• Pet Shampoo
• Camouflage Bar
• Gardener's Grits bar
• Sage and Aloe garden bar
• Jewelweed soap

• Layered soap (MP)
• Fragmented soap (MP)
• Chocolate-mint Mousse soap (woah! A three layered bar with white chocolate, cocoa butter and dark chocolate, scented with peppermint EO!)
• Espresso soap
• Lavender Ice
• Peppermint and Tea Tree Wake-up bar. (I have gotten a bar of this soap from a friend who made it and it is incredible! I loved every last bubble of that bar!)
• Emu Oil and Wintergreen Achy-days soap (yet one more use for that fantastic emu oil!) 
• Herb-infused oils (A how-to on creating herbal oils.)
• Double Mint Castille bar
• Soapwort Shampoo
• Herbal Hair Rinses (one for each hair type)
• Herbal Bath Bags 
• Lavender Shower gel
• Silky-smooth Herbal bath oil

So far, this is my favorite soap book. The only one beautiful and interesting enough to make me break down and buy it. With all the soap recipes on the internet who needs a soap book, right? This is one I *can* whole-heartedly recommend. At least check out the pictures next time you're in a bookstore! 

Green Tea FO from Sweet Cakes: 
$32.00 per pound

This fragrance is hard to describe because there is really nothing to compare it to! The best way for you to get an idea of how it smells is to brew up some of the real thing. Leave the room while it's steeping and come back after a few minutes and sniff. It's a faintly sweet green scent... very refreshing and uplifting. It has held the number one spot for a year on my fave FO list! It's also one of those FO's that smells better IN soap or in candles than it does in the bottle. I always tell people to try some and if they don't like it I'll buy it from them! ;)

Peach FO from Sweet Cakes:
$28.00 per pound

Well what can I say, we've all sniffed some RANK peach FO's! Rank, this one is not! It is very crisp and full, not heavy and sickly sweet. I have bought other peach FO's that were really heavy...almost muddy smelling. This peach is light and happy. NO yucky after-sniff (scent version of after-taste ;) It is strong (no fading), smells even better than the real thing and holds up great in soap.

Apricot Freesia from Sweet Cakes:
$28.00 per pound

This is my all-time favorite! Fresh freesia combined with tart apricot...WOW! I will always have it in stock. I almost freaked out when I heard Linda discontinued it! It is such a delightful scent. It never fails to make me smile. It is light and fresh...a fruity floral, reminding me of springtime. I also think it works as a good unisex scent because it's not too sweet or to flowery. My dad loves it. :)