Salt of the Earth

Last time I talked about salt and its practical uses. Now let's talk about its spiritual and magical associations and uses. Salt is literally from the earth. All kinds. The one we are most used to is sifted directly from water; the world's oceans and seas are full of salt. There are also tons of salt deposits from dried up seas. Basically the water evaporated long ago and left the salt behind.

Saltiness is one of the fundamental taste sensations every human being has. Rock salt is mined from underground. Salt is also naturally occurring in most meats and even in the human body. So as you can sea salt is a natural element to life on the planet earth. Naturally occurring salt crystals (sea salt, table salt, rock salt) come from the earth. Hence its association with the element of earth.

Many witches and other types of pagans use salt to represent the element of earth in their rites and rituals. Earth is seen as grounding, strength and stability. So you can use salt for rituals or magical intent you need one of the above. Such as for meditations, spirit walking, visions or divination. It is also good to help you focus on increasing your own strength and stability.

Baking soda is a chemically altered salt. It is often used to put out fires or kill bugs,  as well as a leavening agent. You can use it in rituals or magic where you want protection or to grow something. Some examples are a protection circle or protection against the negativity of others. Or if you would like to magically assist your business in growing.

Lastly, Epsom salt, aka magnesium sulfate, is another salt often used. Particularly in baths. This salt is said to release aches and pains. Epsom salt is used for skin inflammations and small infections. It also is often used on the soil of plants that really like magnesium such as roses, tomatoes and peppers. Therefore this salt would be good to use in rites where your intent is to feed or grow something in your life like a good habit. And of course it makes a good addition to any ritual bath letting you detox and relax before focusing on your ritual or baths intent.

That's why I add it to all Scarlet Moon Creations bath soaks. So try some out and see what you think. All of these salts are fairly inexpensive and easy to get so why not use them in a ritual one day soon and tell me how it went.

~Lashette
  Scarlet Moon Creations

Skin Benefits of Bath Salts

You'll have noticed that a large portion of the bath magic creations I offer are bath salts or bath soaks, which are the same thing by the way. This is partially because they are simple to make but also because putting salts in your baths have several good effects for you and your body.

• Sea salts soften water and add minerals. Dead sea salt included, which is well known for being rich in minerals.
• Epsom salts relieve aches and pains, is detoxifying and may restore magnesium.
• Table salt softens water.
• Baking soda relieves itching and irritation a

Even outside of soaking in a salt water bath, using salt as an exfoliant is a no-brainer. Salt grains can help slough off dead skin cells. Coarse salt crystals work especially well on the thick dry skin of our elbows, feet and any other place you may have thick calluses.

However, salt of any kind can be drying to the skin. So mixing it with moisturizing oils, butters and plants can help prevent dry skin after your bath soak or scrub.

Check out some of the Bath Salts and Scrubs available in my shop below.

So, how do you like using salts in your bath?

~Lashette
  Scarlet Moon Creations

Evening Routine

Right, so I'm back to talk about setting up an evening routine to complement your Miracle Morning routine. Why?

"Your first thought in the morning is usually the last thought you had before you went to bed." -Hal Elrod

I happen to agree with this.

Bath Magic

You've heard me talk about facets of bath magic in videos and know the Etsy shop Scarlet Moon Creations is mostly focused on that. But what is Bath Magic?

Herbs and Oils for Samhain

Hola and welcome back to the latest installment of my Sabbat herbal series. This is part 6 of this series of Sabbat Herbs & Oils. You can check out part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 and part 5 at these links. Samhain, marks the last harvest and the end of the year for me. Because my birthday is on November 1st. It has many names such as Halloween, Calan Gaev, All Hallows Eve, Day of the Dead, etc. Its a time of reflection, preparation, divination, protection and spirit work. The veil between worlds is thin again. The last time was during Beltane. During the darker half of the year you can get more easily in touch with the Fae again. But also with the spirits of the dead. Divination is more powerful during this time of year as is journeying. Many do rituals out of respect for their ancestors who have passed. Others take stock of the past year and begin to plan for the winter and the rest of the new year beyond.

My Self Care Practices

I want to share what I use for self care on a regular basis. Some of this is every day while other parts are for certain moments or situations as they come. I wanted to share overall how the pieces come together before delving into each in other posts. Which I will do.

Herbs and Oils for the Spring Equinox

Spring has sprung. It is now a time of new beginnings, of finding your balance, planting seeds, youthful energy, rebirth and the fertility of nature. With that all in mind I thought I'd share some of the many plants and oils associated with this season.

Powders and Their Uses

Hi guys,

I am excited. Newly available in the shop are Powders. I haven't talked about these here on my blog but I've shared on Instagram and Facebook for a over a year now. And they first have finally arrived. They stay fresh for a very long time and have multiple uses. Its another item I did not use before. Or so I thought. It took some time deciding on scent combinations though. I decided on the four seasons first since the shop focus is self care and spirituality. We each have a relationship with the seasons. How we think about them and what we associate with them.

Reflection, Thanks and a Gift

Wow, it has been awhile hasn't it. It hasn't been for lack of topics or want that has kept me away but busyness and discoveries and derailments. That's a somewhat poetic way of saying I kept forgetting to post when it was convenient and conveniently remembering when it wasn't.

Product Focus - Self Care

Image by Beth Hurlin via 
Juhan Sonin on Flickr

When I started Scarlet Moon Creations my goal was to make more money doing something I thought would be simple. How wrong I was and how far I have come with some knowledge. Honestly, even if it had been super simple I would have complicated it by always trying to improve. 

However I did not research beyond product packaging, ingredients, basic shipping, bookkeeping and how to use Etsy. I had this image in my head of selling spa quality all natural products to the every woman. Which is not bad but not specific enough. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people doing the same and that's just on Etsy. Then there's the other products I decided to add. My handmade books (journals and photo albums) as well my pagan products. Tons of people doing those as well.

Last year after joining the Pagan Business Network and finding out how to do much more research I realized the "if you build it they will come" idiom is deceiving. I had a lot more work to do. One of the things I've realized that I needed to do was decide on a product focus and target market.

After a lot of thought and research I decided that self care would be my product focus. What is self care? I have seen several definitions but the one I am focusing on is "intentional actions to take care of yourself." Having dealt with anxiety and depression I know that bathing and grooming are big parts of self care. As is talking and writing things down. Being aware of what you are putting on as well as in your body is mindful self care. So this ties into the natural movement and the herbal and aromatherapy communities. I also see self care being a major facet of practicing witchcraft and other types of paganism. Improving oneself, sacred bathing, ritual baths, journaling, Book of Shadows and Grimoires, astral traveling, anointing, cleansing and so much more.

Self care as my product focus leaves the door open for future products that I have been considering as well. With all of this in mind earlier this year I changed my Facebook pages focus to posts promoting self care and inspirational messages as well as my products. I have started organizing my Pinterest page to do the same there. Next will be Instagram and Google+. When I finally have an email list my newsletter will highlight self care as well.

Don't get me wrong self care is different for everyone and it includes emotional, spiritual, and mental activities as well as physical ones like using your favorite scented body scrub to scrub the day away. But I want my products to help you help yourself. For those people that do see an at home spa experience as helpful to their well being I am your gal. However, I also think the acts of scrubbing or washing away and putting or smoothing on to be symbolic. And I plan to make more products that tap into that symbolism to help those in need take away the unwanted and put on those good feelings. 

If nothing else, helping people feel good and take care of themselves helps me feel good, so why not?
~Lashette
  Scarlet Moon Creations

A look back and a glance ahead

As 2015 is coming to a close we all naturally look back at the year we've had as well as look forward to the new year ahead. This year for me was very hyper-focused on moving ahead and moving on. I did something very scary and huge which was quit my job. I didn't have another job lined up and neither did I immediately go out looking for one.

My goal was to work on my businesses and myself. And I did. My family was very supportive in that and I found various new friends to support me online as well. This I am grateful for because after taking this plunge I was able to research and finally write a business plan for Excelsior Events. I was also able to drastically increase my sales for Scarlet Moon Creations. Not only those tangible changes occurred but I was able to improve my mindset and emotional state. So I am good and I have a positive outlook for my future.

With 2016 about to start I am nervous and excited to see what the future holds but I have a plan so that it is not completely unknown. More importantly I believe this plan is doable by none other than myself. For Scarlet Moon Creations, that plan is to continue promoting my products with a consistent social media schedule. Product-wise, I will first be bringing back some older products with better photos. I will try to work in some outdoor photos as well as more dynamic photos of my products in use. This will happen over time since I now have 70 products. Then, I plan to start pushing more gift sets for various purposes and to hopefully get two new product lines out there. The first being the long awaited handmade books. The second being Bath Magic, a line of intentional and mood altering bath and body products.

Meanwhile, my main focus next year is to launch my successful event services business, Excelsior Events. I've already been working on draft #2 of my business plan and cementing the image I want this business to have. I'll be buying the business license very soon maybe even before the year is out. From there its designing the logo, finishing the website and creating all the forms I will need. Then marketing myself and my business. I hope to have at least 8 clients next year.

That's a lot but I know now that I can do it. This will be my last post of the year. I figured I would give us all a break next week and come back with new stuff on the 4th. For me the holidays started already but no matter what your beliefs I wish you and yours a Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year.

~Lashette
Scarlet Moon Creations

Winter is Coming

Woohoo! Welcome to December!! I don't know why I'm so excited. I hate the cold. But it is the holiday season and I love to spend it with my family and have a good time. So, I guess that is what I am excited for.

Anyway, December 21st is coming soon and since that is not only the Winter Solstice or Yule, but also the first day of winter, my Etsy shop is all prepped and ready for the winter season and the slow return of longer days. I figured I'd give you guys a glimpse of what is coming up since the Fall Favorites post was so popular. So without further ado, here is what's coming up during the coldest season of the year.

The Yule Incense and Oil are already available as individual items and in a Ritual Kit so order them quickly for the holiday. Then later this season, get a jump on the Imbolc Incense and Oil as well for your Pagan holiday and/or ritual needs.

I've already got some body butters out to help everyone combat that dry winter skin but I'll be introducing even more new ones: Cinnamon, Clove and Peppermint. All scents we love. Cinnamon and Clove to warm you up and Peppermint to cool you down. You might not think that's necessary but who else gets overheated in all their layers? I know I do.

I cannot forget about the Zodiac Bath Soaks that will be renewed this season. Capricorn, Pisces and Aquarius bath soaks are coming back. To be honest, all twelve bath soaks are available all year round because they make great gifts.

Last year around this time I introduced the Vanilla n' Honey Facial Scrub which became very popular so I'm bringing that back. Some more items to help you cool down will be the Eucalyptus n' Spearmint Body Scrub and the Bath of Wintergreen. Both of these items are part of my original product lines but I haven't been able to update them in awhile so I am happy to be bringing them back. Both have great, refreshing scents that will keep you from feeling those winter blues. One other original item to help lift your spirits that is coming back is the Uplifting Scrub. It will be like a happy reunion in the shop with these items.

Next, I'll be introducing some more gift sets. The Chamomile, Lavender and Lemon gifts sets are waiting patiently to debut. But don't wait for me if you've got something in mind. I always take custom orders and you know I've got that gift wrap available in the shop. Don't you love how my business colors work so well with holiday colors? Or any season for that matter.

If you want to know exactly what is coming out when, hit the Subscribe to Newsletter button on your top right for up to the minute details.

~Lashette
Scarlet Moon Creations

Gift Wrap and Gift Sets

So it turns out that picking out gift wrapping for bath and body products is hard. Who knew?! Seriously though, if you don't have those handy plastic molds that will help your product(s) fit into a nice box, gift wrapping becomes a process. And googling spa gift wrapping or bath and body gift wrapping or any similar searches will just bring you basic homemade gift tags and tissue paper in a gift bag. Not the kind of thing I want when I need to mail most of my products out to people.

This meant I had to experiment. For shipping purposes I mostly use white boxes and red tissue paper since they go with my Scarlet Moon Creations image though sometimes I will use black or white tissue paper as well. I also include a handwritten note on specialty paper and my business card. Of course I include either bubble wrap or packing peanuts to keep each order safe in the box. I thought about gift wrapping the boxes but was told that ribbons or wrapping paper can get caught in the sorting machines so that's a no go. Gift bags were still on the table but stuffing them into a shipping box seems unprofessional.

What's funny is that back in September when I was first starting to think about this a friend, and former co-worker, asked me for a custom order which including mailing a gift wrapped 4oz bath soak to a separate address. So I got to try one experiment which was a gift box in the shipping box. It worked really well but so far I've only found inexpensive gift boxes up to a certain size. Which is to say that none are big enough for more than one product, like a gift set.

Gift sets are the other product line I've been working towards offering more of this year. They may one day become the focal point of my business, but more on that another day. I have more than enough products now and quite a few with similar scents that can be easily offered as a set. So, I looked around to see what other Etsy businesses were doing as far as packaging gift sets, but it looks like they all just send the set in the shipping box arranged nicely. No gift wrapping at all. Now, this is fine for those who order for themselves or for someone else and plan to then gift wrap the item themselves and bring it to the person. But what if they want the gift/gift set sent directly to the recipient like my friend did?

 For him, I added the gift wrap price to the order then put the jar of bath soak into a white gift box and tied it with a red and white ribbon and a white tag with a personalized message. The recipient loved it. So that is what I will do for individual orders of 4oz or bigger. For the oils and sample sized gifts, I decided that wrapping them in red or white tissue paper enclosed with matching washi tape and a red or white organza bag works beautifully. These can be used as stocking stuffers too. The tissue paper keeps the item a surprise and the organza bag keeps the tissue paper from easily tearing.

To be honest, I still don't know how to work in gift wrapping for a larger gift set. For a sample set I can wrap them the same as I would individually and just display them nicely in the shipping box. But the bigger jars are just too much for the tissue paper so I think this year I will forgo gift wrapping for larger gift sets and just add a special message card option.

If anyone out there has any suggestions let me know. Tata for now

~Lashette
Scarlet Moon Creations

New Product Line #1 - Body Butters

So, you guys already know I've been experimenting with body butters for two years now. I've finally got the basic formula that I want to use down and have created a few that have just been released. Honestly, I am quite excited. I am loving body butters. I have never used them before, not even store bought. The closest I've come is using lotions that say they contain shea butter and/or cocoa butter to moisturize. They never work like they say they do so I never bothered looking into body butters. I don't know about you but many of us black people have a dry skin problem when fall and winter comes around. One bad enough, in some cases, that regular lotion will not even put a dent in. Many of us have been using petroleum oil since that was the thing to do. But if you know better, petroleum by products are not really good for your health long term. And the skin doesn't really soak them up well.

Well TADA!! Body Butters. My parents have been my main guinea pigs throughout this entire process. They love whatever I come out with because it works better than anything they've tried before. I tried these out on a few other people as well over the years and I am happy with the feedback. I actually got the formula down pat last December but it seemed too late to roll out even one body butter then. Low and behold, in January I got a request for something for muscle aches after working out. I did some research and made a post about it here already. So, one of my body butters will be the Muscle Body Butter, as I call it. Shout out to Work Hard Train Harder for the influence.

Anyway, this is the first new product line I hinted at in my Fall Favorites post. This is also the first new product line since the Massage n' Bath Oils back in 2013. For those I did not make a big to do, but I am doing so now because I missed out. Right now I've got four body butters; Chocolate Mint, Muscle, Lavender and Lemon. I also do custom orders so if you've got a natural scent in mind feel free to contact me and we'll set it up. Plenty of my products have come about because someone asked me for it.

Also, I am planning on more as time goes by so look out for those. Want to know when they are coming out so you can be the first to get them? Sign up for Newsletter to get New Product Updates and more.

~Lashette
Scarlet Moon Creations

Astrology and the Zodiac Bath Soaks

Scorpio Bath Soak

I am personally very interested in astrology and astronomy. I'm a Scorpio Sun, Aquarius Moon and Gemini Rising (if anyone cares) which means I am constantly looking at and aware of the behind the scenes or underlying reasons of things and people. I like learning and understanding the bigger picture as well as the details to see how things work and influence each other. So my interest in the celestial bodies around us and their influences is no surprise. The average Jane only knows about their sun sign and their horoscope. To me Scorpio's have a bad reputation among the general populace. Most people think (if they care at all) if you're a Scorpio you're dark and scary and/or all about sex. This coupled with the fact that I could never find any connection with any horoscopes means I used to strongly dislike being a Scorpio. Then I learned that the Sun sign is only the beginning, just the tip of the iceberg that is astrology, and I was hooked. It is endlessly fascinating and a field I personally hope to master some day.

Your sign, also known as your sun sign, is where the sun was positioned in the sky the exact moment you were born. Obviously, it was not the only celestial body up there. We all know this thanks to astronomy (remember when Pluto got demoted? Yeah I was upset too!). The names of the planets, stars, moons, comets, etc and their positions in the sky all have various forms of folklore attached to them. Here in the USA we follow the Western Astrology which was officially created in Ancient Egypt. Thanks to our ancestors, each Zodiac sign has a constellation, animal, herb and more associated with it. The celestial bodies have the same as well. How they came up with these associations varies but its usually because they have something in common. Maybe this flower only blooms at night or this animal is only seen during a certain season when this planet is closest. That kind of thing. Also, as we know that our ancestors expressed their spirituality with many rituals for the deities for which they named the celestial bodies. Whether they deified the planets and stars or used them as archetypes we can never be sure but the connection remains. Thus, we have tons of stories and rituals to draw from as well.

And that is what I did starting with Libra. I'll be honest, I decided last year around this time to start making the Zodiac Bath Soaks on a whim.  As an herbalist you learn the history of herbs, spices, flowers, roots, barks, and other growing things. From a medical standpoint, that history includes ancient medical preparations and why they were used. I am not a doctor (nor do I play one on tv, as my friend is fond of saying) and I am not looking to cure people with my products. My aim was just to make you feel good and to make a unique product that could be used as a birthday gift.. That being said, the goal of the Zodiac Bath Soaks is to enhance the properties of each zodiac sign while taking a bath. I did extensive research for each bath soak on each of the 12 signs. Rereading herbals, history, folklore, mythology as well as the current usage and associations for tons of herbs, roots and resins. For each sign there are basic qualities associated such as an element, a planet, a duality, a house and a modality. Each of these have their own associations that I researched as well. 

Leo Bath Soak

In the end I decided on using only five ingredients in addition to the sea salt and epsom salt base that I use for every bath salt/soak that I make. The salts guarantee that the bath is still cleansing, detoxing and relaxing. Then I added the base oil which would, no matter which I chose, help keep the skin moisturized after bathing. I chose the oils based on their planetary association. Olive oil for example is associated with the Sun because it comes from the olive tree plant. The connection comes from many sources. Olive trees are native to the Mediterranean and need hot, dry climates to prosper. The Hebrew word for olive tree is related to the Hebrew word for Sun, there is also the Greek myth of Theseus who prayed to the Apollo, god of the sun for help and received a sacred olive branch, Homer coined the nickname liquid gold for olive oil, gold being associated with the sun as well. So I used olive oil as a base oil for the Leo Bath Soak since the sign Leo is ruled by the Sun in astrology. Make sense? 

From there I chose four more ingredients that had similar associations, but not the same since I wanted to create a balance. Some of the associated ingredients I picked were due to the traits they had in common with that sign. Then I mixed them all together. As I say in my description for each bath soak, each bath was created to enhance or bring out the traits of that sign in whoever uses it. We all have a little bit of Scorpio, Leo and the other ten signs in us, its just that some are more prominent than others. My original thought when making these was that they would make great birthday gifts. And they do, but I have since grown to acknowledge the fact that for those of us looking to be more in tune with the movements of the stars and planets and their affects on us could use these for magical and/or spiritual purposes. So please do so. Use it in your ritual bath to enhance your own energy, focus more on the current energy around your or to enhance your spells with a little extra oomph. 

Let me know in the comments if you have used it and how it worked out. Or if you haven't, how would you use it.

~Lashette

Scarlet Moon Creations

How I Got Started: Paganism and Witchcraft

This is part IV, the last of the How I Got Started series. Each part can be read on their own but if you want to read part I, part II, or part III click the links.

An old altar set up of mine.

That Paganism would draw me into a field of work I never even thought of is kind of an amazing thing to look back on. And it hasn't even been that long.When I graduated from undergrad I had a stable job and decided that my next step would be to start exploring various Pagan religions to see if that way lay a place where my spirituality was comfortable. It was. In the process of learning I was drawn to nature-based religions. They teach that all around us in energy is various forms and that we can connect with those energies to enhance our own. Those that follow nature-based religions often venerate or worship nature in its various forms; the how and why differing from religion to religion. Because of that I some of the classes or lessons I took were about topics like herbalism and natural healing. I learned about common herbs, spices, oils, roots and resins and the various ways to use them.

I was taught that these and other elements of the earth each have their own natural energies as well as a history of associations that humans have created over the years. These things could be used individually, like essential oils in a diffuser, or combined, in an oil blend, to enhance my own or others personal energies and workings so that we can affect change. I also learned how lots of plants are the basis for our modern medicine and have healing and therapeutic properties. I became particularly interested in those that helped with allergies and those that could be used topically, or on the skin, our body's biggest organ. I will add this, as much as I learned then, I am still learning now and as a friend likes to say, I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV.

Not too long after these lessons started the natural hair movement for black women in the United States started gaining traction. I was interested in this and had been considering going natural for awhile since I didn't like the process of straightening my hair at all (in fact I hate having to go to a hair salon at all). After doing a bit of research I realized that I can use many of the natural ingredients that I had been learning about in my pagan lessons and using in my personal practice and take it one step further by using them to improve my health. Keeping my hair and skin healthy by no longer using products that had chemicals I was allergic too and starting to make my own hair and body care mixtures was so freeing. As I mentioned in my Allergies post, I am allergic to a lot of things and while this is more annoying than hazardous, it can be distracting and stressful after awhile. These natural ingredients helped take some of the load off. I wound up learning more about myself and my spiritual path.

As I mentioned previously, a friend (a witchy friend to be more specific) told me about Etsy where people can sell their handmade items. After I decided that this was a path I wanted to take another witchy friend agreed to be my business consultant. I talked in a previous post about the 'homework' she would give me. One such assignment was to think about myself and all the different facets and how I can use some or all of them to personalize my products. How can I make them stick out. She suggested I try to include my spirituality in some way. After looking around Etsy, I decided not to do that. There were tons of witches and other pagans selling their wares, spells, potions, etc. They all seemed more experienced and knowledgeable than me at the time. Nowadays things are different on Etsy due to some of their policy changes.

However, now after being a part of the Etsy and pagan communities online and in the real world I better understand finding your niche and selling something you love. As I continue to learn about herbs, skin care, aromatherapy and expanding my knowledge into related areas such as body care, self care, Reiki, chemistry, perfumery, aromachology and more, I see more connections with my spirituality. And vise-versa. I am inspired by my own spiritual journey as well as that of those around me. Right now as I am on the cusp of revealing two new product lines that have been years in the making, I keep jotting down new product ideas I want to explore. 

I had my first ever tarot card business reading recently and everything pointed to my including my spirituality in my business and using my business to clarify and expand my personal practice as nothing but a good thing. Now, I'm not one to believe in fate and having your whole life being predestined to the point where there is no choice. But I do believe in reading the signs, of weighing your options and choosing from the many possibilities. I feel we are both independent beings and connected to those around us. That every choice we make can lead us somewhere different. At this time I've made the choice to longer make such an effort to keep my businesses and my spirituality apart. I think they can only enhance each other as they have already. 

So that's how I got started. And its also how I plan to go on. 
~Lashette
Scarlet Moon Creations

How I Got Started: Gifts

This is part II of the How I Got Started series. Each part can be read on their own but if you want to read part I, here it is.

I started out focusing on myself. I have a lot of allergies and decided to look for some solutions that didn't include constantly popping pills because been there done that. But one holiday season I came up short on ideas of what to get anybody. I was truly wracking my brains and coming up empty on gift ideas. This year too I wanted to include my coworkers who had become close friends (ones I have to this day even though I no longer have that job). Unfortunately, I had spent lots of money on a truly wonderful vacation in Las Vegas that August, so extra money was not in my bank account.

New Gift Packaging

So I googled (my google-fu is strong) gift ideas, gift ideas for coworkers and inexpensive gifts. Thanks to the mommy bloggers (who are awesome ladies) I became aware that due to the economy that homemade and crafty gifts were the in thing. This was back in 2009 so DIY was getting big and lots of bloggers were happy to craft ideas for inexpensive gifts. One of the popular ideas was homemade bath and body products, even gift baskets for females.

And what do you know, I already make stuff like that for myself and have tons of ingredients around. However, I have intimate knowledge of my own skin but not of others. So this took some more research into the worlds of all natural skincare, aromatherapy and herbology to get a better idea of what would and wouldn't work as gifts.

I'll be honest and say that I am a naturally curious person who enjoys learning new things. However, these were just gifts to friends and family. I wanted to know enough to give them good smelling, from-the-heart gifts without giving them a nasty rash or infection. I had to be sure that what was good for me was good for my grandmother and also good for my pregnant co-worker (its not by the way).

So, in this way, I learned more. I got some great books on the various subjects covered under skincare products and some not so great ones. I also learned about packaging, which sticks with me to this day. And ultimately, what people like  in their skincare products. But this was just the beginning for me. I would have a lot to learn still, just from practice.

Original Lemon Bath Set

My first body scrubs were so oily. So much that the salt or sugar separated from the oils not too long after mixing. I used to include table salt in my bath salts just because. But those first 6 or 7 mixes are what led me here today. The Lemon Body Scrub is still my mom's and some others  favorite.

All this learning, making, mixing, designing and packaging just for a few holiday gifts was enjoyable. At that point in time my life was very practical and analytical. This was an unexpected  creative outlet. I didn't realize how much stress it helped relieve until well into January.
It made me wonder what more I could do creatively?

Find out more in my next How I Got Started post, Creativity.

Fall Favorites

September is here!!! Though its not quite Autumn yet (I'm currently sweltering in a cool 91 degrees), I thought it was time to get my Etsy shop ready for Fall. Check out some of what will soon be available in the shop this Autumn season.

Last year, pumpkin spice season didn't start until the day after Labor Day. This year I saw Halloween decorations and pumpkin spice peanut butter (I need to investigate that personally) in the last week of August. I don't want to be behind the times, so be prepared this week for the return of the Pumpkin n' Clove Body Scrub.

Later this season I will also be bringing back the Pomegranate Body Scrub. So far its the only scrub I have made with Himalayan Sea Salt and it has to be the healthiest scrub I have. I can't forget to add the return of the Sweet Facial Scrub and the Sweet n' Spicy Body Scrub. Both made with brown sugar the softest exfoliant for those with sensitive or delicate skin. Or if you just want to smell really, really good.

Other than scrubs, the Autumn bath soaks are returning as well. Virgo (already available), Libra and Scorpio Bath Soaks make perfect birthday presents for those born in September, October and November. Psst! I'm a Scorpio if anybody is thinking of me. For those who follow pagan and Wiccan holidays, you can already purchase the Mabon Ritual Oil, the matching Mabon Incense or just pick up the Mabon Ritual kit which has both. Coming later this Fall will be the Samhain Ritual Oil, Samhain Incense and the Samhain Ritual kit. 

And finally, what's new!! I am so ready for apple picking again this year. Hopefully it doesn't rain this time. But in homage of the time-honored Autumn tradition, I will be bringing you the Apple Cinnamon Body Scrub this October!!!

I also have two new product lines that I cannot wait to debut this year. They have been waiting at the starting line for awhile but I wanted to get them just right. Finally, they are a go. If you follow my blog, I've mentioned them before so its not a complete surprise. If you want to know exactly what is coming out when, hit the Subscribe to Newsletter button on your top right for up to the minute details.

Have a Great Day!!
~Lashette
  Scarlet Moon Creations

How I Got Started: Allergies

Today we start a new series. This one is all about what led me to starting Scarlet Moon Creations. It will be 4 parts so look out for the other posts in the upcoming weeks. Today we'll talk about my allergies.

Image By Evan-Amos via Wikipedia Facial Tissue

 I am a walking allergic reaction waiting to happen, or at least I feel that way. I grew up always having allergies to what seems like everything. Luckily, I've only found one thing to be deadly and its been easily avoidable since that very close call. However, if you watch allergy medication commercials they'll have you thinking that people only get allergies during certain seasons or that you can only have one category of allergies. For me that has never been the case. I have indoor allergies, outdoor allergies, allergies during pollen season, allergies during weed season, even allergies during the summer and winter. I have a couple of food allergies and I'm allergic to dogs, cats, dust, mold, some insects, many cleaning supplies, and synthetic fragrances which are in our soaps, shampoos, lotions, deodorants and cosmetics. Add to that my nose is very sensitive so things like cigarette smoke and too much perfume in an enclosed space set me off as well. Even just walking past Sephora is overwhelming.

The outcomes of all this is usually sneezing, running eyes and nose but can lead to a sore throat, headache, dizziness and the absolute worst is a sinus infection which has flue-like symptoms. I get allergies 10 times more often than I've ever gotten a cold. The trade off for these mostly mild, yet annoying (and often gross), symptoms is I hardly ever get really sick. I think I get the flu once every couple of years or so and that's about it.

Which is good, but try heading to a job interview sniffling and dripping all over the place because you stood upwind from someone too liberal with their cologne on the way there? Or failing a finals test because everyone wanted the windows open to let in some "fresh air"? Or having people wonder why you have a bag full of restaurant napkins and tissues because YOU NEVER KNOW? Or being unable to breathe because you tried that glass of wine? Or taking a shower to clean up and coming out covered in hives (sneezing in the shower is not fun by the way)? Or almost dying because your event host forgot to tell you that "oops, we put walnuts in the brownies"? Or questions people's food before you eat it because you don't want to die? Or how about not remember a good time with family and friends because you were too busy blowing your brains out? Yeah, its not fun. 

A couple of years ago I had an opportunity to learn about herbs and oils (I'll go into more details about that in another post). I had up until this point just tried my best to avoid the things I could and just carried allergy medication and a ton of tissues for those I couldn't (hard to avoid the air outside when you still need to breathe). But after this one class on herbalism I talked to a few people and started doing some research on certain herbs online and that led me to finding out about all natural movement online and the fact that I can make a lot of the stuff I use at home with natural products myself. 

The internet is a rabbit hole but in this instance it was very beneficial. I had up to this point never gone to a spa for fear of having a reaction that would embarrass me and them. I had only bought one set of skin care products for my face which I only used twice, shame on me since I broke out both times using it. But now I could try making a "fancy" bath soak or a moisturizing body scrub using decadent scents that might not annoy me. I did tons of research down in that rabbit hole. I bought a few basic ingredients that I could use for other things as well if they didn't get along with my skin or nose. 

Image By NIAID via Flickr

Essential oils turned out to be a godsend. I love scent and this is something that my allergies have taken from me up until this point. But now I can use them to clean and/or scent a room as well as care for my skin and even help relieve my allergic reactions. I cannot tell you how many times I have run home to sniff some tea tree oil since I discovered its existence.

And herbs, spices, roots and resins; these items that come from trees and other plants, I have in my kitchen as well as my work room. They add great color, scent and flavor to my meals as well as my homemade bath and body products. They help heal as well as reduce inflammation. A good chamomile compress relaxes my sinus headaches while other herbs reduce the look of the dark circles I get from rubbing my eyes. What I also love is that the scents never get overwhelming like a lot of chemical fragrances. No headaches or dizziness. 

How could I not share this with others? I couldn't, so I didn't. Read more about this in next weeks post; How I Got Started: Gifts.

Lime n' Lavender Facial Scrub

Hola everybody, 

It has been awhile since I shared product making pictures and I love this new scrub that is going on sale this week so now is definitely the time to share. The Lime n' Lavender Facial Scrub is one I've been working on for about a year and half. The idea just randomly came to me when I was trying to think what new combo to make similar to the much loved Orange n' Rose Body Scrub. I like the combination of the citrus and floral scents which somehow comes together to give a decadent feeling to what is ultimately just scrubbing off dead skin cells. 

So, I was thinking what other citrus and floral combo would work. I picked Lime n' Lavender because I'm  silly and I liked the alliteration but I made it anyway just to see if it would work. Its been so long since I first made the Orange n' Rose body scrub that I had forgotten how the citrus scent tends to overpower the floral scent unless the measurements are done right. To get a little technical, both Sweet Orange and Lime essential Oils are top note scents each with high intensity; so you will smell them first. Rose and Lavender are middle note scents with Rose being lower on the scale than Lavender. When you use the Lime n' Lavender Facial Scrub you'll smell the lime first and then as it evaporates a bit the lavender scent will come through. Basically, I just kept making new batches of the scrub until it smelled right.

As you can see from the second picture, I also included lime zest and lavender buds to enhance the scrub. With sugar as the exfoliator, sweet almond as the base oil and honey to give it a bit of a facial mask feel as well as some more help moisturizing you get a great smelling and feeling facial scrub. 

I am so glad this Lime n' Lavender Facial Scrub turned out so well. I hope everyone will enjoy this new luxurious facial scrub that will leave you feeling calm and refreshed.