ButtahBalm

Some days I love soaping… and some days I hate it 😭 There are days I don’t enjoy the whole soaping process at all. I don’t want to measure oils. I don’t want to mix lye. And lining the mold? Please.  That one annoys me the MOST. But I still want soap.  And this particular day,   I was exhausted… but my previous facial bar was almost finished and you know, cold process soap needs  4–6 weeks  to cure. Meaning if I didn't make some on that particular day, I’ll be out here suffering. 😭  Funny thing is: the first time I made this soap, it went smoothly. The second time?  Disaster!   Tbvh, it just turned mushy and unmolding day was not fun.  (Should I share the story or not? Reply yes in the comments to let me know) This is how it looked going in.  Which just proves that tiredness can turn you into a different soap maker entirely. An...

If you've ever browsed the personal care aisle or dabbled in DIY formulations, you've probably noticed that skincare products specifically creams, lotions or butters usually  lean  either more  water-based  (lighter) or more  oil-based  (more occlusive). And no, one isn’t “better” than the other. They just do  different jobs  and once you understand that, you’ll stop wasting money buying body butter for “hydration” and then wondering why your skin still feels dry. 😭 What is Water-Based Skincare? Water-based products (lotions, creams, gels, serums) have  water + water-soluble ingredients  as the main base. Their job is simple: Hydrate  (boost the skin’s water content) Deliver actives easily Feel light and comfortable What does that feel like on your skin? Water-based moisturizers are the ones that make your skin feel  fresh and moisturized without heaviness . They absorb faster, sit lighter, and they’re usually the e...

Okay, so you want to start incorporating natural herbs into your skincare products? Hell yeah. When I first started thinking about incorporating some herbs into my products, I didn’t realize the rabbit hole I was about to go down, I was honestly overwhelmed. There are SO many different extraction methods, each with their own fancy names and specific uses. Infusions, tinctures, decoctions, macerations, they were just SOO many. 😂😂 But here's the thing: most of these methods are actually pretty simple once you break them down. It's basically just "put herb in some form of liquid, wait, strain, use." It’s that easy. The trick is knowing WHICH method works best for WHAT you're trying to make. In this guide, I'll walk you through the herbal extraction techniques I actually use in my own formulations, nothing overly-complicated, just practical methods that work and would save you a lot of stress. 1. Oil Infusions This is where most people start (including me)...