My kids and I love root beer. We love the smell, the taste, and the refreshing sweetness of it. True root beer is made from sarsaparilla root, but in some parts of the country there is a carbonated beverage that is very similar to root beer called birch beer. It’s made from sap extracted from the bark of the Black Birch tree (Betula lenta). Apparently, in the dairy country of Pennsylvania a float made with vanilla ice cream and birch beer is called a “Red Bull” and one made with chocolate ice cream is called a “Black Cow”. Yum.
When sweet birch essential oil is combined with vanilla oil, it blends their sweetness and herbal spice into a smell very much like birch or root beer. I use these two oils, along with pure cocoa powder in my Gender Neutral Soap. Since kids often love root beer, I wanted to stick with a child-like theme for my root beer soap. One day I happened across this hilarious vintage image of two toddlers and knew I had to use it somehow. Don’t you wonder what it was intended for originally? I would love to know!
Hello! Just discovered your blog from a post of Jo at the Soap Bar. Wow. Love the sound of your soaps, your unique packaging, the absolute naturalness in your soaps as I am also making soaps as natually as possible, and your blog! I have been having trouble getting the Essentisl Oil scents to stick and got very excited when I found your post with some tips! Thank you so much. I look foward to following. xo Jen
ReplyDeleteThanks Jen! I'm so glad that you've found some things of interest here. I love the positive feedback and hope (of course) that I will have more worthwhile topics to write about in the future!
ReplyDeleteA question for you... I am wondering if you can help... When my soaps are curing, a lot of the EO scent leaves at that point. I live in Southern Spanin, on the coast in a humid area (I guess Seattle is too!). How would you recommend I best leave them for curing? They are quite exposed to air right now, on shelves. Should they be in the dark and as you suggested for storing in air tight containers? Or is that after the curing period? Thank you for your help! I think what you are doing is great! xo Jen
ReplyDeleteI would leave them out in the open air for several days to harden, then move them into a somewhat breathable container to cure. If they're left out for weeks or months on end, I find that the scent disappears too dramatically with most E.O.s I cure my soaps in cardboard wine boxes with the round bars stacked on their sides. This allows the air to circulate completely around the bars. Until they are cured and sufficiently dried they should not be stacked normally. I punch holes in the sides of my cardboard boxes to improve the air circulation too. That helps. After they are dry and done curing, I would move them into something airtight like a plastic bin or a ziplock bag. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThe tin is absolutely darling! Root beer is such a classic scent that everyone can relate to. Goes great with the retro packaging too :)
ReplyDeleteHey! Thanks Anne-Marie! I'm a big fan of your business and your blog. Thanks for stopping by Skruben and for the kind words about my soap!
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