Happy New Year!

I just want to say Happy New Year to all my blog followers and readers - I really hope that 2010 brings us all joy, happiness, health and, who knows, maybe a bit of wealth too?

I hope Soaperstar goes from strength to strength - I am planning on introducing several new products in the coming months, things I'm working on at present - I like to fully test all my recipes and send out samples for people to use; there's nothing like honest feedback on performance from your human guinea pigs!

And don't forget that all Soaperstar products are suitable for use by vegetarians, nothing at all is tested on animals (other than the human kind!), all products are fully safety assessed and I ensure that all my raw ingredients are purchased from the highest quality suppliers ... this is how I can ensure that all Soaperstar products are the very best I can supply!

Have a great New Year everyone - I honestly hope that this year will bring us all our dreams come true!

Don't forget to check out our website at http://www.soaperstar.com/ for info on all our products!

Random Acts of Kindness - Join the Kindness Revolution!!!

I have been thinking about this quite a lot in the past few days... on Sunday, my hubby and I did something nice for someone, I won't go into it and it doesn't really matter what but it was just nice.  It made us feel good but not because we thought "aren't we great" but the thought of the smile on someone's face when a stranger says that something nice has happened made us feel happy. 

Since then, I've been thinking more about the whole concept of a random act of kindness.  Wikipedia defines a Random Act of Kindess as "... a selfless act performed by a person or persons wishing to either assist or cheer up an individual or in some cases an animal. There will generally be no reason other than to make people smile, or be happier. Either spontaneous or planned in advance, random acts of kindness are encouraged by various communities. An oft-cited example of a random act of kindness is, when paying the toll at a toll booth on a highway, to pay the toll for the vehicle behind you as well."

In these days of rampant consumerism, and especially around Christmas time, we get so caught up in the whole "me, me, me" thing.  It can be depressing and can really drain you.  I felt really good on Sunday - just because we made someone smile.  That is a gift surely? A gift we can all give, every day.  It doesn't have to be monetary.. it could be picking up something someone else has dropped, or saying to someone that they look really well today, or holding the door open for someone.  It really just has to be a nice thing, a thing people would like - generally speaking, treating others as you'd like to be treated.

I don't normally make New Year's resolutions but I'm making one today - I would like to try and committ a Random Act of Kindness every day for a whole year.  That's 365 RAK's ... well probably about 375 or so if I start tomorrow! But still, imagine if we all did that ... imagine if every single one of us just did one nice thing for oner person every day for the next year. 

So, why not? Why not try it out? Would you like to join me? Leave a comment below and lets do it together! It'll be fun and it'll be easy and imagine how good people are going to feel afterwards? Even if it's something simple like when you're putting your groceries through the checkout, add in a bar of chocolate and then give it to the operator and say "that's for your break, I thought you might like it".  When you're paying for your coffee, pay for the guy's beside you too.  When you're taking a cab and it's raining, let the other person have the first one.  Hold the door open, say good morning and smile, say thank you to everyone who helps you out.... it doesn't have to be a lot... but it could mean so much.

So... do you take my challenge? Are you going to committ an RAK A DAY?!!! Leave a comment below - join the Kindness Revolution!!!!!

Fabulous new soap from Soaperstar (plus a newly listed favourite)

We've just added an incredibly delicious new soap to our website - Snowberry Truffle is Cocoa Butter & Glycerine soap, with embedded mica "berries", added Apricot Kernel Oil, skin hydrating factor all wonderfully fragranced with a decadent blend of sweet, rich white chocolate and fresh, juicy raspberries! Incredibly fragrant, wonderfully good for your skin and zero calories! What more could a person want?!

We've also relisted our very popular Christmas themed Cocoa Butter & Glycerine soap, Christmas Glisten.  This wonderfully skin nourishing soap has added Apricot Kernel Oil, an additional skin hydrating factor and is festivally fragranced with a blend of fruits, wine & warm sweet spices. 

Great news is that both of these soaps are completely SLS free and are completely suitable for use by vegetarians. 

Both soaps can be purchased on our new online store - check out http://www.soaperstar.com!

Soaperstar Press Release now on Soapmakers.eu

Soaperstar are delighted to note that the press release for the opening of our new online store has been featured on the European Directory of Soap & Cosmetics Makers - check it out here http://www.soapmakers.eu/press_release.php?press_release=13.  All our soaps are now available online to buy - we stock small amounts as each batch is lovingly handcrafted so make sure to place your order soon!!

So, if you love someone enough to give them a handcrafted luxury soap or you feel the need to treat yourself (after all, it is Saturday after a long week), check us out at http://www.soaperstar.com/ -   we'll be very happy to see you there!

Three New Soaperstar Soaps!!!!

Sorry I've not been here posting too much lately, getting the website up and working has been a huge job!!! And I've so missed soaping but I went mad at the weekend and made three new Soaperstar soaps....

Chocolate Mocha - goatsmilk & glycerine soap with added creamy Cocoa Butter, an additional skin hydrating factor and all wondering fragranced with a sumptious chocolately scent on a base of vanilla latte - this is soooooooooooooooooo good!!!

Zesty Citrus Cream - goatsmilk & glycerine soap with added Apricot Kernel Oil, an additional skin hydrating factor and wonderfully fragranced with a tangy, zesty velvety smooth citrus fragrance - also with added glittering natural mica! So fresh and fragrant, perfect for waking up to in your early morning shower.

And, finally, Raspberry Blonde, a goatsmilk & glycerine soap with added Apricot Kernel Oil, an additional skin hydrating factor and wonderfully fragranced with a delicious sweet tart creamy blend of juicy raspberries on a base of creamy vanilla... mouthwatering!!  This also has a wonderful glittering mica added (you can see it on the top of these soaps, it gives a lovely glisten to the soaps).

I hope you like these! All are now available on our new website http://www.soaperstar.com/ - please come and check us out!!

Two new Soaperstar soaps - introducing Twilight Haze & Good as Gold!!

Yesterday I decided to make two new Soaperstar soaps and here they are!  The one pictured on the left is a modern, understated style soap and is called Twilight Haze.  It is made with a two clear SLS free soaps (which are not crystal clear); one coloured with two different types of dark purple/red mica (a naturally occuring mineral used for cosmetic purposes) which produced the darker purple colour - the other soap was a light purple colour and the final soap in the blend is goatsmilk which adds a high degree of moisturisation for your skin.  It is fragranced with a unisex fragrance blend of pomegranates, raspberries, plums & pink peppercorns on a base of frankincense, patchouli & dark spicy woods - dark, spicy and wonderfully fragrant which was designed as a unisex soap.

The soap pictured on the right is our Good as Gold soap and is a fabulous blend again of two clear soaps - one coloured orange and one coloured yellow but with two different gold micas added giving a fabulous golden hue, the final soap is a goatsmilk base which is so moisturisig to your skin (gentle enough for use on your face).  This is fragranced with a blend of sweet floral nectarines & juicy mandarins complimented by peach & plum on a creamy vanilla base - and I am not kidding you, it is AMAZING! I just love it, so fragrant and, if a smell can be juicy, it's juicyyyyyyy!! 

Both soaps lather fantastically well and, with the added Apricot Kernel Oil and added moisturising factors, they really are a luxury treat for your skin.  So, if you like the modern, understated elegance of our Twilight Haze Soap or the bright, glittering juicyness of our Good as Gold soap, you will not lose out! Both of these soaps will be sold via our new online soap which I hope to open in the next few weeks!

As ever, if you like these soaps, please feel free to leave me a comment - I really hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them. 

Another Soaperstar Soap!

Today I made another soap - which will form part of the new Soaperstar range - and I thought I'd give you a sneak preview.

The unique blend of our luxury, handcrafted glycerine soap, skin softening Golden Jojoba Oil, special moisturising factors & our special fragrance oil, a fresh, floral bouquet with fruity accents reminiscent of red raspberries based on a warm wood-musk foundation, will leave your skin feeling refreshed, revitalised & luxuriantly soft. 

I really love the soft colour with this soap and the fragrance is sweet and lovely - a must have soap for sure!!!