Nature's Garden Product Testing

So I, the errant blogger, was chosen by my favorite, most wonderful soap and candle supply company to test products! Natures Garden Wholesale Candle & Soap Supplies  Wooohooooo! ( **Hint** Just in case you didn't get that, I'm totally signing up again... Deborah, Melissa, Nicole -cough- **Hint**)

I wasn't sure what to expect being that I am still fairly new to hand making my personal care products.  My only request was to not be sent candle supplies. Story for another day... Let's just say high school, creative writing, and new craft skill testing are not a good mix. Ever! So I really wasn't sure what to expect, but let me tell you! Simple to follow directions, measured and labeled product, and literally 1 free hour. I am very happy to have done much better than I expected. So let's get to it...

Cucumber Wasabi Cilantro Hair Conditioner Kit!!!!

Leaves your hair silky smooth & detangled
Recipe makes 2- 8 oz. Bottles

Ingredient List:
425 grams Distilled Water
25 grams Vegetable Glycerin
25 grams BTMS 25 Emulsifier
20 grams Sweet Almond Oil
26 grams Cucumber Wasabi Cilantro Fragrance Oil
5 grams Vitamin E Oil
5 grams Optiphen Preservative
2- Clear 8 oz. Boston Round Bottles with lids
Plastic Transfer Pipettes


Directions:

Phase I:  Clean & Sanitize your work area and all of your packaging materials.  It is suggested that you wear gloves, protective clothing, and a hair net while preparing this recipe.

Sanitize... I use boiling water and bleach. 1 gallon of water with 1 T. (that's tablespoon) of bleach.
-Wash the dishes in hot soapy water
-Rinse
-Dip into bleach water solution, letting the water drain.
-Put onto sanitized dish rack/clean towel/ clean paper towels. And let them drip dry.


At this point... Weigh your supplies. You want your supplies waiting on you, not you waiting on them. Trust me... I do last minute ALL THE TIME! You don't want to do that with body products. Frazzled, unorganized, hot mess is not fun.

Phase II:  Water Phase
Heat your distilled water up  to at least 180F and hold for 20 minutes to destroy any bacteria.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Weighing water...

A watched pot still boils... Just sayin'

Phase III:  Oil Phase
In another container heat vegetable glycerin (double boiler method is recommended), BTMS, Vitamin E Oil, and Sweet Almond Oil  to around 140 F.

I didn't get a picture prior to melting because I'm impatient. Suffice to say, I did weigh everything even though whoever packed the kit did it nearly to perfection. I also don't have a double boiler, however, I do have my old reliable candle pot from high school!

5 minutes... -eyeball and temp check oils and water-
7 minutes... repeat.....
9.5 minutes... repeat....
11 minutes... kick the kids out of the kitchen and throw juice boxes and snacks to them...
12 minutes... kick the kids out again...
15 minutes... -re-eyeball and temp check oils and water- and -hairy eyeball the kids toeing the kitchen floor-
17 minutes... Check alarm and the children...
21 minutes... Pull the pots and give up kicking the kids out.
25 minutes... Allow oils and water to cool down to 140

Phase IV:  Mixing Phase
You want to move quickly, ensuring that your water phase and oil phase mixtures are around 140F.   In large bowl combine those ingredients and blend well  (stick blender highly recommended).   Mixture will turn white in color and begin to emulsify.

Starting to emulsify... She was not kidding. You need to move fast.  

Got a little cocky... But I got it... 

Oh crap... should it look like this? (Will they send me another kit just in case?!)

Oh wait... There it is... I got it...

I think I can stop now... (Errrr... Should it be this thick?!)

In the beginning the oil WILL sit on top of the water. DON'T PANIC! It's supposed to look that way. Just start mixing.

Phase V:  Cool Down Phase
Allow your mixture to cool to around 120F, and add Optiphen preservative and fragrance oil.  Mix thoroughly.  Allow to cool to room temperature and bottle.

Added Optiphen, mixture thinned (Fantastic!), added fragrance oil, mixture really loosened up!(-whew- cancels email to NG)

The conditioner is magical and also turn off your flash...

There it is!

Now... I didn't allow it to cool completely to room temperature... I was afraid it would be too thick to get into the bottle. What I did do (but did not picture) was pour the mixture into a ziplock bag and cut the corner. Easy pour, easy clean up, kids can head butt your knees all day long and you wont lose a drop of product. Ask how I know.

This recipe provided by Kimberly at Natures Art Company.

Also, I forgot to add... Natures Garden and Kimberly have worked so hard to provide us with fantastic product, easy to follow instructions, and an amazing, entertaining and supportive community. I so greatly appreciate the opportunity and gift of being able to work with these ladies. You have given so many the confidence and support to take a chance on your customers and friends. Thank you for the love and support. Please, please... Support your fellow crafters, small, and local businesses!




Natures Garden Wholesale Candle & Soap Supplies  can be reached for ordering through that link and they can be reached through their Facebook page here.

Kimberly can be reached here on Facebook and please feel free to buy her products here.

Now for my review of the product. Let me be honest... I wasn't sure what to expect, I buy and go through A LOT of hair conditioner. Ups, downs, sideways, backwards. I think I have thrown out more purchased hair product then I've actually used. Multi-ethnic, multi-textured, curly, frizzy, crazy hair.

I. Love. This. Conditioner!

L.O.V.E.

I wasn't wild about the fragrance BUT it was still really nice. Floral and herbal without being too... green. And it wasn't the typical cloyingly sweet cucumber scent. I used about half the product that I typically use of the other stuff, and very easy to detangle after the wash. I will make this conditioner again and again. I will make it for family and friends and strangers. I think I adore it.

Mommy is done now! What did you need?! Oh... You guys are hanging in a box. Quietly watching your show... Fantastic...