Strawberry fields forever

For those that follow the facebook page , you may have seen that I will soon be offering workshops to make various products from the BIO et bien-être range. I hope for these workshops to be a fun , jovial manner of learning to make different products but also a cost effective way for people to try recipes before investing to make the full quantity.

With the February school holidays coming up, I wanted my first set of workshops to be child friendly - and that means avoiding manipulation of a lot of different essential oils - so I have been on the search for alternative recipes and adpating recipes I have replacing the essential oils with natural aromas . For the workshops that I will be hosting, I have gone for a strawberry aroma but we also have available caramel or cacoa aromas.

There were many recipes to choose from but as I wanted a workshop that was both economical and fun, I have chosen to offer making a small strawberry soap and a strawberry lip balm. I have used the Elixir d'Essences strawberry soap recipe and adapted our lip balm recipe by replacing the lemon essential oil with strawberry aroma but I also have recipes for shower gel and bubble bath. I can make up kits for any of these products for you to try at home should you not be able to join me for a workshop.

THE RECIPES

Stawberry soap, makes a 100g bar

100g melt & pour

5ml sweet almond oil

5ml sterile water (just boil your kettle and let the water cool)

1ml strawberry aroma

Garance colouring (optional)

Quite simply melt the "melt & pour" in a bain-marie , remove from the heat and incoperate all other ingredients. Pour into a mould and leave min 1 hour before unmoulding. Leave 24 hours to dry before using.

Strawberry lip balm , makes either a 5ml pot or stick

4ml shea butter

0.8g beeswax

1ml strawberry aroma

1 drop vitamin E

Melt the shea butter and beeswax in a bain-maire, remove from heat. Mix in the aroma and vitamin E. Using a syringe, transfer either to a small pot or stick.

Strawberry bubble bath , makes 250ml

50ml thick soap base

110ml foaming base

60ml sterile water ((just boil your kettle and let the water cool)

25ml glycerin

1 - 3 ml strawberry aroma (to your preference regarding the strength of smell you want)

45 drops isocide

Garance colouring (optional)

First mix the thick soap base with the sterile water (still warm) until the mix is transparant. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the mix to cool then gently mix with all the other ingredients (careful not to make it foam too much). Transfer into a clean bottle.

Strawberry shower gel, makes 250ml

215ml soap base

10ml foaming base

20ml glycerin

1ml strawberry aroma

Garance colouring (optional)

Quite simply gently mix all the ingredients in a bowl then transfer to a bottle :.

COLOURINGS - These recipes suggest garance as a colorant - do not use food colouring as it will stain your skin. Elixir d'Essences doesn't offer garance but I can source it for you.

WORKSHOPS - are held at my home in Quettreville sur Sienne (50660) at a cost of 7€ per personne. I have places left on 28 February and 2 March from 15h - 17h to make a lip balm and mini soap. Please do contact me for more details or to book your place.

All of the above recipes are available as kits either individually or as a kit for multiple products. For more infomation drop me a line via email

#workshops #childfriendly #homemade