The Barefoot Hippy is where we share our recipes from Hippy Soap Co's products & more, so you can create your own

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DIY Naturals Articles

DIY Naturals Articles

Drying plants and Herbs

Harvesting Herbs and plants
The best time to harvest herbs and plants for drying is just before the flowers first open (the bursting bud stage). Gather herbs and plants in the early morning after the dew has evaporated to minimise wilting.
Label the herbs to be dried when you pick them, because after they are dried many look alike.
Discard all bruised, soiled or imperfect leaves and stems. You may wash them if wished, and shake off excess moisture.

Drying Herbs
There are several methods that can be used for drying plants and herbs successfully. It’s important to keep the temperature below 38ºC/100ºF for most plants.

Dehydrator
Herbs will dry quickly in a dehydrator and will produce high quality herbs. Place the herbs on the dehydrator trays covered with a fine screen to catch the dried leaves if they fall from the stems. Preheat the dehydrator to 32-38ºC/90-100ºF. Dry until the herbs are dry and crumble easily.

Microwave Drying
Microwave ovens are a fast way to dry herbs if you only have a small quantity. Never dry more than 1-2 cups at a time. Layer the herbs in a single layer between two sheets of plain white paper towels.
Note: Do not use recycled paper towels; they often contain scraps of metal that can arc and catch on fire.
Check your owner’s manual for recommended times for drying herbs. A general guide for drying 1 cup of herbs is to cook on high for 1-2 minutes in 700-1,200 watt ovens; 2-4 minutes in 650-700 watt ovens; and 3-6 minutes in 500-600 watt ovens. Stir the herbs every 30 seconds after the first minute until almost dry, and then let them finish drying at room temperature. Herbs commonly dried in the microwave are the leafy kind.

Arnica flowers
Ideally the flowers should be dried in the dark, in a dehydrator, set at 40-45°C/105-113°F for 6-8 hours. Use a mesh tray, with a small gap between each layer of trays, it may be necessary to mix the trays around to get the flowers to dry during the drying cycle. Slow drying can encourage the growth of yeast and moulds. Once dry the individual florets in the flowers will have puffed up like a dandelion head and the receptacle and stem will be brittle to the touch.

Comfrey leaves
Tear the leaves from the stem and laying them flat in a single layer on the rack of your dehydrator. By removing the stems from the leaves, the drying time becomes more predictable and prevents over drying of the leaves while the succulent stems retain moisture. Dry the leaves at the lowest temperature setting for about 8 hours. You’ll know the leaves are done drying when they are brittle and crumble easily.

Calendula flowers
The caps on the underside of the blossoms take a long time to fully dry, and can easily mold – especially if your environment is humid or rainy. Be sure to dry and utilise these flower bases, not just the petals. The base contains the most nutrients and medicinal properties! Spread the heads out face down on a tray, arrange them single layer on your dehydrator’s shelves. Leave a bit of space in between each blossom.
Set your dehydrator to 52°C/125ºF for 10-12 hours.

Kawakawa leaves
Kawakawa leaves are arranged glossy side down, in a single layer on the dehydrator trays, ensuring proper airflow and even drying.
The dehydrator is then set to 45°C for 8-10 hours. This temperature range is chosen to strike a balance between efficient moisture removal and the preservation of the delicate compounds present in the leaves.

Test for Doneness
Herbs are dry when they crumble easily between the fingers. The stems should be brittle and break when bent and the leaves and seeds should fall from the stems. Dried leaves can be left whole and crumbled as needed or they can be coarsely crumbled before storing.

Storage
Place dried herbs in an airtight container, a preserving jar works very well, and store in a cool, dark, dry location.

DIY Naturals Articles

Let’s talk lemons, the skin and soap 🍋

Lemon in soap is a beauty secret that has been cherished for centuries. Lemons are acidic, yet when added to handcrafted soap it is ph neutral. Lemons are renowned for its ability to brighten the skin and even out skin tone due to its citric acid, and when citric acid is added to handcrafted soap it binds to metal ions in water to help prevent rancidity and the creation of soap scum. Lemon helps to remove dead skin cells and unclog pores, an effective tool in the fight against acne, reducing excess oil production, preventing breakouts and keeping your skin clear. Lemons are rich in Vitamin C which helps to reduce dark spots, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation, leaving your skin with a youthful, radiant glow. The antioxidants in lemon combat free radicals, which can accelerate the aging process, with regular use it can minimise fine lines and wrinkles, keeping your skin youthful and supple. Lemon is a natural astringent, with the benefits of helping to tighten pores and reduce excess oil, yet combined with the right soft oils you have a powerhouse of goodness for your skin.

When making handcrafted soap, the ability to add lemon to your soap is not easy to do. Lemon neutralises the lye, making a soft mucky soap. When I was running Hippy Soap Co I knew that I could formulate a soap that included lemon, but it took many failed batches, and a lot of trial and error, to create the right recipe. Today at The Barefoot Hippy almost all the soap recipes you will see there are made using lemon. This is why I charge the high price of $5 per recipe. You are buying unique. You are buying a one of a kind. You are buying the full recipe, the full processes of start to finish, all the tricks of the trade, with resources of where to buy the ingredients. I have gone above and beyond to help you on your soap making journey to replicate what I make and was selling at Hippy Soap Co.

Now lets get soaping!

DIY Naturals Articles

Using Kawakawa for cancer

Is there space for Natural treatments along with conventional treatments to teat cancer? In my opinion yes on all levels. I would never proclaim one treatment is a cure all, but using the two together can work in harmony.

As I work my way through my various treatments for my uterine cancer I am using Kawakawa for a multitude of uses. I love my Kawakawa, I have seven plants so thankfully am not short. But if you wish to source Kawakawa in bulk I do recommend the listings of Fresh leaves from paora14 on trademe https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/search?member_listing=1009753&bof=Mb0B2FcC and a dehydrator, be it a $60 number from Kmart or whatever.

I have created an infusion of Kawakawa oils, and this I use on my radiated skin. Due to having very sensitive skin I chose to use the Kawakawa infused oils only on my skin instead of the cream offered, this has proved very efficient. Many offer salves and balms for this purpose – after speaking to my radiotherapy team it is ill advised as the waxes and butters can build up on the skin, making it harder for the radiation beams to penetrate the skin, so defeating it’s purpose. Oils are a different story as they wear and wash off with ease. I will share my formulation in the coming weeks. I still have one week of radiotherapy down here in Dunedin, and then I will be having another type over four days in Christchurch.

My radiotherapy concentrates over the pelvis and lower half of the stomach, there are a few common side effects due to this type of treatment, Nausea, Diarrhoea, Constipation, and Urinary burning. But I am experiencing none. I was offered a medication for nausea, but after experiencing every side effect I made the decision to not use it. I had already decided that I would use Kawakawa tea to manage the side effects. Before each treatment I have to consume over one litre of liquid, so 500mls of that liquid is Kawakawa tea. I have had no nausea, no bladder problems, nothing apart from the usual fatigue associated with radiotherapy. I do make my tea on the stronger side.

Please advise your treatment team if you do wish to use Kawakawa or any complimentary treatment, as some may interfere with the conventional treatment you are receiving.

Kawakawa Tea

5 leaves, dried
500mls of water

The leaves are torn up, placed in an enamel teapot or pot and placed on the burner, bring it to boil then. Turn off the heat and leave to cool. I drink it cold the next day.

DIY Naturals Articles

Oils used in Soap Making

How to Pick the best oils for you and your skin?

Choosing oils and butters is a balance of personal preference and what your skin needs.
Do you like a hard bar? Do you want lots of lather?
Is your skin dry? Is it important to you to have a vegan recipe?
Some butters and oils, like coconut, are solid at room temperature.

Properties of commonly used soapmaking oils

Oil / Butter Highlights Max % Usage
Almond Oil, Sweet Lightweight, conditioning, easily absorbed Up to 20%
Apricot Kernel Oil Lightweight, conditioning, easily absorbed Up to 15%
Argan Oil Silky, moisturising, vitamin rich Up to 10%
Avocado Oil Rich in vitamins A, B, D, E, high levels of fatty acids Up to 20%
Beeswax Hardens bar Up to 8%
Babassu Oil Firm, cleansing Up to 33%
Castor Oil Amazing lather Up to 10%
Canola Oil Balanced bar with creamy lather (substitute for olive oil) Up to 33%
Cocoa Butter luxurious and moisturising Up to 15%
Coconut Oil Very cleansing, great lather Up to 33%
Grapeseed Oil Lightweight, skin softening Up to 15%
Hemp Seed Oil Very hydrating, great lather Up to 15%
Jojoba Oil Firms bar Up to 10%
Kokum Butter Llightweight and moisturising Up to 10%
Mango Butter Firming, moisturising Up to 15%
Meadowfoam Oil Moisturizing Up to 15%
Neem Oil Moisturising and full of antioxidants 3-6%
Olive Oil Moisturising Up to 100%
Palm Oil Hardens bar, good lather Up to 33%
Rice Bran Oil Rich in vitamin E and antioxidants Up to 20%
Shea butter Feels luxurious and moisturizing Up tp 15%
Sunflower Oil Rich in essential fatty acids and vitamin E Up tp 100%

How do you turn this into a workable recipe?

It’s easy! (Sort of.).

First, you need to convert percentages to weights. This will require little thinking, to know how much your mold holds simply use Soapees lye calculator to work this out for you. So let’s say you have a mold that holds 1 kilogram. So you have approximately 680 grams of oils to work with (depending on your water discount). If 25% of your recipe needs to be olive oil, enter this, keep going down your recipe converting into weights of the oils you want to use, and it will let you know how much lye and water is needed for your recipe.

Try a bar that’s 30% each coconut, olive, and light oils, following the percentages as guides to make up the remaining.