Thanks for stopping by! Let me update you on what's new at Susan's Sumptuous Soaps!
VALENTINE'S DAY: How about some chocolate for Valentine’s Day? Big, delectable bars of chocolate. With chocolate drizzled all over the top and running down the sides. And NO calories. Chocolate Mint Sumptuous Soap. Just don’t eat it. Prefer it without mint? I’d love to personalize it for you, however you want. Pick the standard Sumptuous Soap label, or the Sumptuous Suds for Studs label. Valentine’s Day will never be the same again.
I’ve also put together a lovely little gift bag that’s versatile enough for a friend, sister, secret pal, mother, grandmother, daughter, granddaughter…and the list goes on! Three beautiful Victorian heart soaps in a cellophane bag tied with curly ribbon, topped off with an old-fashioned Valentine card! Just $10 each!
SUSAN'S SUMPTUOUS SUDS FOR STUDS: Is there a man on your list who is hard to shop for? Men also love good handmade soap. That said, the reality is that there are some who would probably not be particularly receptive to receiving soap with roses on the label. Here is the answer to your dilemma: Susan's Sumptuous Suds For Studs! It's the same great soap you know and love. He's guaranteed to love this gift!
NEW FRAGRANCES:
ALOE VERA: This soothing scent is clean and green with a hint of chill.
CHAMOMILE: A wonderful fragrance for relaxation! The calming, hypnotic scent of the chamomile flower will instantly melt your tensions away.
FERN: A fresh green scent with mossy overtones and a touch of wood. Think of the cool lushness of the forest floor, with dew on the ferns.
SUNFLOWER: The scent of golden sunflowers – bright, sunny and soft.
PIKAKE: Soft spices blended with white florals. Tropical and fresh. Heavenly!
DESIGNER SOAPS (pictured above): Some of you already know about my Designer Roses Soap. They were featured in Romantic Country Magazine in the Summer 2011 issue! They have heightened visual interest. The roses and leaves are lovingly created out of soap. Rather than be limited to a fragrance of roses, these soaps are available in any of my fragrances. You can leave them out initially as decorative air fresheners (so shabby chic!), and later make use of the soap after the fragrance dissipates. I now have a new Designer Lavender Soap - and they were featured in the Spring 2012 issue of Romantic Country Magazine! On top of each creamy bar is a ribboned bouquet of dried lavender. The bars have a delightful lavender fragrance ~ a wonderfully mild bouquet of lavender with hints of lilac, carnation and baby’s breath. As with the Roses Soaps, you can leave these lovelies out as decorative air fresheners, and later make use of the soap after the fragrance dissipates. At that time, simply remove the lavender bouquet and display it on its own. The oil in the dried lavender should last up to two years.
I fell in love with handmade soap many years ago. However, it was difficult to find locally and, more often than not, I was disappointed in the quality of the soap as well as the fragrances. Frustrated, I decided to make my own soap. I developed a creamy, luxurious goat's milk soap. From there I located intoxicating fragrances (the "keepers" are few and far between!). I should have been satisfied with luxurious bars of handmade soap with rich, creamy lather and incredible fragrances, but that still wasn't enough. Having always had a bit of an artisanal flair, I wanted to elevate the visual interest of each bar.
I know from experience that it's hard to buy soap online. I feel confident that you will come back for more, if you only give my soaps a try. In fact, I challenge you to find soap that you like better than mine!
Few things in this life are more luxurious – and affordable – than handmade soap. One of the reasons is that handmade soap retains its natural glycerin. Glycerin promotes retention of moisture and softens your skin, and is a natural by-product of the soap making process. Commercial manufacturers extract the glycerin because it is a valuable commodity that can be sold to the cosmetic and other industries. Soap without glycerin dries your skin. Commercial soaps (commonly called beauty, deodorant or moisturizing bars), contain chemicals, petroleum products (irritating to people with sensitive skin), esters (known carcinogenics), alcohols (which dry your skin), low grade oils, waxes, fillers, detergents and preservatives. Your skin absorbs those chemicals. There is a reason it is so cheap!
Did you know that, if you use a commercial skin-cleansing product, chances are it was made with animal fat? Animal fat is used because it is cheap and plentiful. Dermatologists frequently recommend Ivory and Dove as gentle cleansers, yet they are both made with animal fat – which clogs pores, causes blackheads, contributes to acne, provide a breeding ground for bacteria, and aggravates certain skin conditions! I prefer vegetable oils (coconut oil, palm oil, and safflower oil are in my soaps). Vegetable oils cleanse and condition your skin, and don't clog pores.
Handmade soaps provide a healthier, more natural alternative for skin health. That said, all handmade soaps are not the same. My soap isn’t ready for you until it has passed my rigorous testing and high standards. It must have lots of rich, luxurious lather. I won’t use cheap ingredients, and top of the line fragrance and essential oils are crucial.
My soap contains fresh goat's milk (not powdered), which is a natural moisturizer for dry and sensitive skin. Milk has long been known for its moisturizing properties and is an ancient beauty treatment. Cleopatra was known for her beautiful skin resulting from her famous milk baths. Milk also has an alpha-hydroxy acid which is well known for softening skin and leaving it rejuvenated for a younger appearance. Goat's milk soap has a PH level similar to our skin, which helps protect the skin from invading bacteria and chemicals we come in contact with every day. People who suffer from skin allergies, eczema, psoriasis and dry skin are frequent users of goat's milk soap.
My soap fragrances are subtle and not overpowering. However, it can be purchased with or without fragrance. The same goes for coloring. I generally use light coloring, with either natural or cosmetic-grade colorants, but it can be purchased with or without coloring. Customization is also available for exfoliating agents and other soap additives.
One of the soap additives that I offer is Rhassoul Clay, an exquisite mineral-rich clay from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. It has been used for over 1400 years as a soap, shampoo, and skin conditioner, and was highly prized by the nobility of ancient Egypt and Rome. Rhassoul Clay is used by upscale spas around the world as a skin conditioner. It removes dead skin, surface oil, and oil from inside and around clogged pores, improves skin clarity, elasticity, firmness and texture, and reduces dryness and flakiness. Rhassoul Clay leaves your skin unbelievably clean, smooth, moisturized, clear, and feeling fresh.
I also offer French Pink Clay as a soap additive. It has been used for centuries to clean and heal the skin and is used in spas around the world. It is considered to be the mildest of all the clays and works well for normal, sensitive, and mature skin types. It gently cleans and detoxifies the skin, removes dead skin cells, helps remove blackheads and deep cleans pores, and creates an overall refreshed appearance. It can also be used to treat acne and other skin ailments, poor blood and/or lymph circulation, and sun damaged skin. This is a mild clay that can be used every day without drying the skin.
In addition to full-sized soaps (approx. 5 oz.) and designer bars, I also offer guest-sized soaps (approx. 1.5 oz.), and travel-sized bars (approx. 1 oz.). Additional items are also available to further enhance your spa experiences (see Spa Products page).
My handmade soap and other spa products are affordable luxuries, and make great gifts. A bar of handmade soap is a wonderful gift by itself. A spa basket filled with Susan’s Sumptuous Soaps makes a delightful gift! You can purchase a pre-designed basket, design your own, or have one designed for you based on your budget.
Check back often, or you can keep updated through Facebook. Fragrances are always changing, but one thing is certain: All of the fragrances in my soaps and other products are rich and intoxicating.
You have a lot of soap choices. Read the labels. If you think handmade soap may be right for you, give my soap a try. You could spend a lot more money on handmade soap, but why should you? Spending more will not buy you a better bar of soap than Susan’s Sumptuous Soaps.
Thank you for visiting Susan's Sumptuous Soaps!
Susan Stillwell
Susan's Sumptuous Soaps
14795 - 428th Street, Laporte, MN 56461-4280
Phone: 218-854-7285
Fax: 218-854-7285
FREE DELIVERY to my clients at the Bemidji Hospital and Bemidji Clinic. Contact me to see if you qualify for free delivery!
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I encourage you to visit the boutiques of my linking friends. I am very discriminating as I develop my links page. You will love them and all of the treasures they have to offer!
