Chamomile Labs - The Kinder Soap Company

Experience Hand Made Soap Tomorrow at Mont Kiara!

2009-02-28T19:17:00.002+08:00

That's right! We'll have a booth at Tongue in Chic's charity event at Somo, Mont Kiara, from 3pm till 7pm on Sunday, March 1st 2009. Full details here:

http://www.tonguechic.com/articles/1014-This-Weekend-in-Chic

Soaps on sale:

Cinnamon Coffee
Pour Homme (Lime, Rosemary, Cinnamon, Crushed Black Sesame Seeds)
Floral Herbal
Cocoa Butter
Olive, Wheatgerm and Honey
Eucalyptus
Goats Milk Patchouli
Charcoal Tea Tree

If you can make it, do drop by to look around. The event is in aid of the Women's Aid Organisation, where all proceeds from sale of clothing (all priced between RM5 and RM15!) will be channeled to the WAO. =)

Take care now, and have a wonderful weekend.

Valentine's Day Gift Sets

2009-02-11T23:23:00.003+08:00

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note that if you're still shopping around for Valentine's Day gifts, Chamomile Labs has something a little different for you and that someone special to enjoy together this year! (And don't forget that it helps us move towards raising RM1,000 for World Vision's Gifts of Hope project by this 20th March)

1. VALENTINE'S BASKET
RM100 (Save RM15)
3 x soaps of your choice
1 x 2oz Goats Milk Honey lotion
1 x 2oz Edible Massage Oil (contains Macavo oil, sweet orange oil and peppermint oil)
1 x Loofah

2. MINI VALENTINE'S BASKET
RM50 (Save RM10)
1 x Soap of your choice
1 x 1oz Goats Milk Honey Lotion
1 x 1oz Edible Massage Oil (contains Macavo oil, sweet orange oil and peppermint oil)

We'll leave it to you to decide how you'll be naughty or nice with these. ;)

HOW TO ORDER
Just call Michelle at 012 213 7898 and we'll get things going!

DELIVERY
We can arrange for a pickup point on Friday, if you're within the Klang Valley. Otherwise delivery via a courier service would be the next best option.

Indicative Delivery Rates using PosLaju:
Within Malaysia: RM8.50
To Singapore: RM50.00

ANY QUESTIONS?
Call Michelle at 012 213 7898, or drop me an e-mail at michelle@chamomilelabs.com.

Here's wishing you a lovely Valentine's Day.

With love,
Michelle

Making Happy People

2009-02-08T01:47:00.000+08:00

8:30pm: I pop upstairs with Andrea (my 7.5 month-old) to ask our neighbours if they had accidentally left a tap on because I heard water running down a drain pipe for 20-30 minutes straight. Turns out that they were having a party and no, they couldn't think of any running taps at their place.

9:30pm: Thinking that they probably moved in only very recently, I wrap 3 bars of soap as housewarming gifts and head upstairs again to drop it off.

What was meant to be a brief conversation stretched out to become an entire evening of good wine and company. The family had just moved to Malaysia from Germany on the 1st of January this year, and were celebrating their housewarming as well as the wife's birthday at midnight.

Somewhere during our chit chat the wife revealed that she had sensitive skin, possibly eczema--the reason behind why the family has a dishwashing machine. So when I told her what I had brought as gifts, she was delighted! I didn't even need to explain to her how handmade soap was different from commercially-produced ones. Guess she must have already experienced the difference between all-natural soap and those containing preservatives and foaming agents.

That made my evening. :)

Do Much More With Your Coffee Grounds!

2009-02-05T23:45:00.009+08:00

Since we shared the Java Jive Coffee Scrub recipe with you, I thought it would be interesting to add on some other things you can reuse your coffee grounds for - you'll be surprised at the many household chores that are simplified with them!

Bye-bye ants

If you find ants marching across your house with impudence, try to locate their anthill (or the hole in the wall they appear from) and spread some coffee grounds around it. They don't seem to like it much, and soon you'll be happy to note that the ants are conspicuously absent.

Bye-bye cats

Uh huh. Cats don't like coffee much either. To get cats to find someplace else to call "bathroom", simply mix some coffee grounds with orange peel and place it on the spots you want the feline offenders to stay clear of.

Cut through the grime and grease on pots and pans

As a full time home maker, I truly appreciate this tip! Coffee grounds are a natural, gentle abrasive that make easier work of cleaning cooking utensils that are oily or encrusted with food.

Eliminate odours

From your hands: rub some wet grounds between your hands.

From your freezer: try putting a bowl or two of used coffee grounds in there overnight.

From your kitchen drain/sink: pour in some coffee grounds, followed by boiling water. Enjoy the uplifting aroma of coffee wafting up!

I've tried these and they worked well for me. Got any more uses you'd like to share with us? Post a comment! :)

Kitchen Beauty: Java Jive Body Scrub

2009-01-29T14:08:00.003+08:00

We're a little late with this week's Kitchen Beauty recipe, with the festive season and all, but we haven't forgotten! Here's a quick and easy scrub recipe for you to try at home.

Java Jive Body Scrub

3 Tbsp coffee grounds
3 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp ground oatmeal
3 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup olive oil
OPTIONAL: a few drops of essential oil (sweet orange or peppermint would be lovely!)

Mix all ingredients well in a little container. In the shower, scoop some mix and rub on your skin, focusing on rough, scaly patches. Leave on for 3-4 minutes before rinsing off thoroughly. Pat dry. Say hello to smooth skin!

The Goodies
Coffee gently exfoliates, rejuvenates skin, and contains antioxidants and caffeine, which is known for plumping up the skin to temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite and wrinkles.
Sugar contains glycolic acid, a gentle alpha hydroxy acid that breaks up dead skin cells for easy removal, leaving you with soft, smooth skin.
Honey is an excellent humectant, drawing moisture from the air to hydrate, smooth, and soften your skin, while nourishing it with vitamins and minerals.
Oatmeal is very soothing for dry, irritated skin, and gently exfoliates and softens skin.
Olive oil is a humectant carrier oil, drawing moisture from the air into the skin to soften and hydrate it.

Note: For the time-conscious or the lazy, alternatively, lather up well in the shower with your favorite Chamomile Labs handmade soap, then scoop some coffee grounds and rub all over soapy skin. Leave on a few minutes and then rinse off and pat dry. Follow up with some of our goat's milk lotion or creme. My personal favorites for this are the Cocoa Butter, and the Olive Wheatgerm Honey!

Excess scrub can be kept in the refrigerator for several days days. As this is a fresh, preservative-free product, keeping it in its mixed state for longer than that is not advisable.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

2009-01-28T13:00:00.002+08:00

It's the season for open houses, mandarin oranges, and ang pows! That's right, Chinese New Year is here again.

For those who don't know, an ang pow is a red palm-sized envelopes stuffed with a token amount of money that's given out during Chinese New Year, from the elders to the young'uns. The usual indication of who's "elder" is quite simply who's married, though at a certain age, if you haven't quite gotten hitched by circumstance or by choice, the flow of red packets your way generally trickles to a slow death.

I love ang pows. The usual rule in Malaysia is the closer your relative, the bigger the amount. Congratulations to those from very large extended families!

A few interesting things about ang pows...

The amounts inside should be even numbers, as odd numbers are associated with funerals... which makes me wonder why I used to get a lot of ang pows with $5 notes in them. With inflation they've graduated to $10, so I guess that really isn't an issue anymore.
The amount must never be a 4. The Chinese word for "4" is very similar to the Chinese word for "death" and being the wonderfully superstitious people we are, we shun that number. If you ever walk into a building and notice that the fourth floor is labeled "3A" instead of "4", you can rest assured that the developer is Chinese.
Ang pows are similarly practised in other Asian countries like Vietnam (lì xì), Thailand (tae ea), Myanmar (an-pao), South Korea (sae bae ton), and the Philippines. Japan also has a similar tradition, but their monetary gifts are called otoshidama, and are ensconced in white envelopes instead, with the name of the receiver written on it. During weddings, a similar practice is observed, but folded and with an elaborate bow on it, in keeping with the wonderfully aesthetic nature of the Japanese.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Love,
Amber & Michelle

Kitchen Beauty: Cucumber Yogurt Cleansing Mask

2009-01-12T09:12:00.003+08:00

So, I've decided to revive Kitchen Beauty, a section in which we highlight natural spa-type treatment recipes using ingredients found in your own kitchen (or in the nearest grocery store). We'll be adding a new recipe every week, so stay tuned!

Today's recipe is...

Cucumber Yogurt Cleansing Mask for all skin types

What you'll need:
1/2 peeled cucumber (1/2 if you're using a Japanese cucumber)
1 tbsp plain yogurt
1/2 tbsp honey

Step 1:
Toss the cucumber in a blender or food processor, then mix the resulting mush with the honey and yogurt until you have a watery paste.
Step 2:
Slather it on your face (and neck if you've got extra). Leave it on for 15 minutes, then rub gently for another 1 minute before rinsing off with cool water. Gently pat dry. The result? Soft, dewy skin!

The Goodies:
Cucumber soothes, tones and hydrates, helping to restore the skin's natural acid mantle.
Honey tones, softens, rejuvenates, and is a natural humectant, helping to draw moisture to the skin to keep it smooth and supple.
Yogurt is something of a miracle food for skin. It has a high zinc content, which helps to clear blemished skin. It also contains lactic acid, a mild exfoliant, and proteins that moisturize and improve overall skin texture.

Extra Tip:
This recipe can be used as is, or as the liquid portion for our Rhassoul Chocolate Milk Masque. Simply add a tablespoon of dry masque to the recipe, mix well, and proceed with step 2. The masque will be slightly thicker, and easier to apply.

Leftover mask can be kept in the fridge, but since this is made fresh without preservatives, it should be used within 2 days.

Enjoy!

Love,
Amber

Our Temporary Home On The Web!

2009-01-03T23:27:00.005+08:00

While waiting for our 'official' website to get designed, we've got our makeshift site up and running! Visit http://sites.google.com/a/chamomilelabs.com/chamomile-labs/ anytime as a convenient spot to check up on prices, what soaps we have available, and the latest stuff Amber and I get up to.

If you find that you're unable to visit our website regularly, why not sign up for our newsletter that arrives in your favourite mailbox? Just e-mail me at michelle(at)chamomilelabs.com and I'll sort you out. :)

New Soap Stock, Updated Price List

2008-12-31T16:02:00.002+08:00

Our new stock of soaps arrived last weekend... WHEE! So here's what we currently have in stock:

Charcoal Tea Tree, 100g (NEW!)
RM18

Just Lavender, 130g
RM20

Cocoa Butter, 130g
RM20

Tea Tree, Lemongrass and Lime, 130g
RM20

Goats Milk, Unscented, 100g
RM18

Goats Milk, Patchouli, 110g
RM18

Eucalyptus, 100g
RM18

Well, best wishes for the new year everyone. Hope you've had plenty of reasons to say you've done a great job as you look back on the year that has been. May you be blessed with so many opportunities to be truly joyous, that nothing will be able to shake your resolve to do whatever it is that you set out to achieve.

Hugs from us at Chamomile Labs. :)

Our Next Big Promise

2008-12-29T16:56:00.003+08:00

Hi everyone,

Remember we told you that Chamomile Labs sets aside 10% of its net profits to give to charity as part of our ongoing business practice?

Well, here's what we want to do: raise RM1,000 by 20th march 2009 to donate to World Vision's G ifts of Hope programme. Take a few minutes to go through its really cool alternative gift catalogue. Amber and I specifically want to buy at least 1 baby goat, and 1 biogas unit to benefit the specific person or family in need.

I've drawn up our accounts and we've done the math - that's a LOT of sales to do before we can make this promise a reality! Right now after all the sales we've done so far, we have a grand total of RM53.39. Whether this is a large or small amount depends entirely on which side of the fence you're viewing the number from. To us, it's just something that needs more attention in order for it to GROW!

So here's where YOU come in. Please, if you are considering giving gifts this coming Chinese New Year or Valentine's, keep us in your thoughts. Our all natural, handmade soaps are made especially for those with sensitive skin in mind, which means that everyone benefits from their mild, nurturing properties, even babies! Watch out for new soap varieties and special seasonal gift packs in the next week or two - we are sure that they'll be a breath of fresh air from the usual hampers you'll find at stores.

Do tell your friends and family as well. We hope that if you love what we do and what we stand for, you'll pass the word round about us and what we want to achieve. Every little action will enable us to reach out and make a tangible difference in the life of people who truly are in need. It's a goal we set for ourselves, and we definitely want to keep our promises.

Thanks in advance from us at Chamomile Labs - The Kinder Soap Company. :)

*Note: World Vision does not endorse Chamomile Labs in any way. We just want to help.

Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T08:44:00.008+08:00

It's Christmas time!

My family received a lovely gift hamper from Mandarin Oriental, filled with chocolate truffles, gingerbread cookies, and a huge chocolate boot, among other things, but what really got me jumping was a bundle of fresh vanilla beans! The aroma was absolutely heavenly, and seeped through the multiple layers of clingfilm they'd been wrapped in. I have now sequestered them, and am already contemplating whether to grind them up to add to scrubs, or to infuse them for a lovely vanilla-scented oil.

Other than that I've received a grand total of two presents, which may seem somewhat measly, but now that I'm reflecting on how I've spent the last few days, I find it amusing that we Malaysians generally don't give or expect many gifts; we hold open houses instead.

I love attending open houses. Open houses in Malaysia, for those who aren't familiar with the concept, are often held during festive seasons; the hosting household provides food - usually buffet-style - and hospitality (and sometimes alcohol, for non-muslim households), and invitations are sent to friends and families.

We have open houses for just about every festive season - Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Hari Raya, Christmas, and sometimes even New Year. Since open houses are generally voluntary, the hosts usually go all out to ensure that there is an abundance of excellent food and that all the guests are having a good time - always a good thing in my books.

That said, on a side note I've given my father one of our Just Lavender soaps, accompanied by a lovely wooden soap dish for Christmas. I even took the trouble to wrap it with a festive ice-blue sparkly ribbon, though it probably won't win any craft awards, given my retarded papercraft skills. Any beautiful papercraft items you see (envelopes, handmade cards, etc) by Chamomile Labs is a testament to Michelle's skill, not mine. I'm just the graphic designer.

To those who purchased our Christmas gift packs, thank you! We're unbelievably pleased that the number of gift packs sold far exceeded our expectations - Michelle's had to make some emergency trips to purchase more gift pack boxes, but it's all good!

We're planning some Chinese New Year gift baskets, so stay tuned for that.

In the meantime, MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Cheers,
Amber

Soaps, Scones & Sundays

2008-12-22T03:01:00.004+08:00

We converged at Michelle's place earlier today for some soap-labeling and gift-pack-prepping, and she made these absolutely heavenly scones. I'm not much of a fan of the creamy-rock consistency that local scone-makers seem to favor, and these were delectable and creamy, that perfect balance between fluffy and dense. Yum!

Anyhow, back to the point of this post... after we'd polished off all the scones and had put all our soap labels to good use, we did a quick stock take, and found that we've run low on a couple of things.

Now, first of all, it doesn't take a nuclear physicist to realize that this means we've sold a LOT of soaps. HURRAH!

Secondly, we have to order more from our patient, hardworking soapmaker, which means those of you who have been sitting on the fence and haven't ordered, will now have to wait if what you want is out of stock (Oops!).

Olive Wheatgerm Honey and Tea Tree, Lemongrass & Lime are out of stock at the moment. Just Lavender is extremely low, and orders are still coming in.

On the bright side, we've just had our Goat's Milk Patchouli soaps come in! For those who enjoy a bold, earthy and woodsy aroma, this is the soap for you.

Patchouli essential oil is also known to be excellent for soothing inflamed, irritated skin, aiding in the healing of wounds and sores, and promoting cell rejuvenation. In aromatherapy, it is grounding, and helps to relieve anxiety and depression.

Hope you had a great weekend!

Cheers,
Amber

Updated Price List for December 2008

2008-12-14T23:37:00.004+08:00

Hi everyone!

Hope you're all in good health and spirits as we approach the end of the year. Amber and I are thrilled at how wonderful our customers have been so far - you guys really believe in what we do and offer, and for that we will be forever grateful!

So here's what we have in stock at the moment:

Cocoa Butter 130g (RM20)
Eucalyptus 100g (RM18)
Olive, Wheatgerm, Honey 100g (RM18)
Lavender 130g (RM20)
Unscented Goats Milk 100g (RM18)

Our Christmas 6 packs are still available at RM110 per box, and the 12 packs at RM190 per box. All packs come with a handmade gift tag.

OK, it's back to work! Have a wonderful week ahead. :)

Love,
Michelle

New soaps! Cocoa Butter, Eucalyptus, Olive Wheatgerm Honey

2008-12-14T17:36:00.013+08:00

Our latest batch has arrived from our soapmaker, and they're absolutely fabulous!

On an added note, the olive wheatgerm honey soap is amazing for those with dehydrated skin. My skin feels fabulously soft after! Michelle and I spent the whole day yesterday labeling our new stock.

We had a bit of help from Michelle's youngest, Andrea.

Cocoa Butter (Unscented)

Containing over 10% cocoa butter, this soap leaves a smooth and silky afterfeel to the skin that is just plain addictive! Gorgeously marbled with cocoa powder, this soap is a treat for the senses. Suitable for dry, mature and very sensitive skin.

Ingredients: Saponified oils of sunflower seed (helianthus annus), coconut (cocos nucifera), palm (elaeis guineensis), and castor bean (ricinus communis), cocoa (theobroma cacao) seed butter, cocoa
(theobroma cacao) powder.

Olive Wheatgerm Honey (Unscented)

Wheatgerm oil is rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant which is known to aid healing. This soap is slightly softer due to the high honey content, making it an extra nourishing bar. Honey and olive oil have humectant properties, and draw moisture from the air to soften and moisturize skin. A lovely amber color, this soap has a slight toasty scent from the honey.

Ingredients: Saponified oils of sunflower seed (helianthus annus), coconut (cocos nucifera), palm (elaeis guineensis), olive (olea europaea), and castor bean (ricinus communis), honey, wheatgerm flakes.

Eucalyptus

The eucalyptus essential oil used in this soap is pharmaceutical grade and triple-distilled with a high cineole content, which gives it natural anti-fungal and disinfectant properties. The invigorating scent of eucalyptus is great for relieving cold and allergy symptoms, and relaxes and refreshes, helping with muscle stiffness. This soap has a lovely light green color from added chlorophyll.

Ingredients: Saponified oils of sunflower seed (helianthus annus), coconut (cocos nucifera), palm (elaeis guineensis), and castor bean (ricinus communis), chlorophyll, pure eucalyptus essential oil.

That was fast...

2008-12-14T15:52:00.003+08:00

We're out of Tea Tree, Lemongrass & Lime soaps!

For the next batch, we'll be replacing this with Charcoal Tea Tree soap.

It's great for oily, blemished skin, and contains activated charcoal from coconut husks, and pure Australian tea tree essential oil. Activated charcoal pulls deep-seated toxins and pore cloggers from the skin, while pure tea tree essential oil is well-known for its anti-fungal, anti-microbial, and anti-viral properties.

This bar has a striking black and white marbled appearance, and so far our guinea pigs (sorry, human testers) are loving it!

We'll get some pictures in soon.

Ingredients: Saponied oils of sunflower seed (helianthus annus), coconut (cocos nucifera), palm (elaeis guineensis), and castor bean (ricinus communis), activated charcoal (from coconut husks), Australian tea tree (melaleuca alternifolia) essential oil.

NOTE: Please be extremely careful when using tea tree oil around cats. Tea tree oil has many, many beneficial properties, but can be toxic to cats, as they can't metabolize the compounds in some essential oils. Humans have far, far better liver function than cats do. The amount of tea tree oil in our soaps will not cause any serious liver damage to cats if accidentally used once or twice, but long-term use of tea tree oil products on cats may build up and cause problems. NEVER use tea tree oil neat or even in dilutions above 1% on cats. For a more in-depth article on tea tree oil toxicity in cats, go here.

Christmas is Coming, and We've Got Pretty Packages

2008-12-11T06:07:00.012+08:00

It's that time again.

No matter where I go, things are invariably draped in red and green, and there are fir trees with sparkly ornaments, and "Jingle Bells" on repeat.

I love Christmas. I love the warm, happy atmosphere Christmas generally generates. People smile more, and focus more on giving than receiving - always a good thing to me.

Michelle has whipped up some snazzy looking packaging for our Christmas soap sets, and I'm absolutely chuffed about them. They're really pretty, and going like hotcakes!

We've got 6-soap (RM110) and 12-soap (RM190) packages at the moment. Great for giving to friends and family, or even to yourself!

Michelle's also done up an order of custom 3-soap sets, complete with handmade gift tags, so if you've got something more customized in mind, we can do that too.

At the moment, we have Lavender, Fresh Goat's Milk (unscented), and Tea Tree, Lemongrass & Lime soaps in stock, and Cocoa Butter, Eucalyptus, and Olive Wheatgerm Honey (unscented) coming in this Friday.

We can also fit some Rhassoul Chocolate Milk Masque samples (RM5) or full tubes (3oz - RM30) into your box.

To check out Michelle's other handmade paper goodies, visit her Etsy page.

Cheers, everyone!

Love,
Amber

Price List for December 2008

2008-12-10T11:10:00.008+08:00

Hi guys,

Gosh we totally overlooked putting up the prices for our soaps! So sorry about that. Here's a quick overview of what we're offering at the moment:

Currently Available:
Just Lavender 130g (RM20)
Fresh Goats Milk 100g (RM18) *
Tea Tree, Lemongrass & Lime 130g (RM20)

Christmas 6pc Gift Pack at RM110 (save up to RM10)
Christmas 12pc Gift Pack at RM190 (save up to RM50)
(These packs come wrapped and with a handmade gift tag)

Available from Friday 12th December 2008:
Cocoa Butter 130g (RM20) *
Eucalyptus 100g (RM18)
Olive Wheatgerm Honey 100g (RM18) *

Hope you're having a wonderful week so far!

* Unscented

Freebie Giveaway

2008-12-08T18:47:00.010+08:00

My husband has nice, loud, jazzy riffs layered onto a thumping baseline blaring from his speakers in our study - I LIKE! It's a nice counterpoint to the absolutely delicious and laid back rainy day outside.

A lot has been happening in the past week. But what I'm most excited about is that Amber has lovingly blended the first batch of our Rhassoul Chocolate Milk Masque - and we're looking for 5 lucky people to be reviewers! To get your FREE single use sample, just post your comment on this article, telling us why you think you deserve to try it out. :) We'll be receiving your posts up till 12pm on Friday December 13th, so don't dally!

If you're one of the 5 to be picked, we'll get in touch with you after the 13th to find out the best way to send you your sample.

I personally have tried it, and was pleasantly surprised at how silky and comforted my skin felt after I rinsed off the masque - I added a tablespoon of honey and 2 drops of tea tree oil (my skin is blemished). Of course, I'm probably biased! Which is why we'd love to hear what you think of the masque. Here's some information on the ingredients we used in the stuff.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Michelle

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RHASSOUL CHOCOLATE MILK MASQUE

Pamper your skin silly with our Rhassoul Chocolate Milk Masque! Formulated with rhassoul clay to detoxify problem skin, improve skin texture and clarity, reduce flakiness and balance surface oil, our masque is suitable for most skin types, and can be customized to further suit individual skin types.

With nourishing cocoa, nutrient-rich goat's milk, and a touch of skin-loving lavender, our masque also soothes, softens and moisturizes with a naturally sweet scent.

Directions
Mix one tablespoon of dry masque mix with an equal amount of water. Allow mixture to sit a few seconds before stirring to form a thick, yet easily spreadable paste. Spread evenly over face (and neck, if you like) in gentle circular motions, and leave for 5-10 minutes before rinsing thoroughly.

Notes
The masque will be a thick chocolate-y color. Be careful not to get it onto your clothes, although it will rinse off easily.

Customizing our masque
Oily skin - Add some fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to your mix.
Dehydrated skin - Mix with yogurt instead of water. You can also mash a little fresh avocado or banana to add to your mix.
Dry skin - Mix with yogurt and add a few drops of your favorite oil, like macadamia nut, olive, or rice bran.
Blemished skin - Mix with honey, a little apple cider vinegar and a drop or two of tea tree oil.
Other options - Freshly brewed green or herbal teas, fruit juices, fresh hydrosols.

Ingredients
Rhassoul clay
Mined from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, rhassoul clay has been used for hundreds of years as a natural beauty aid due to its extraordinary powers of absorption, which make it more effective than other clays for cleansing, detoxification, and general skin treatment. A higher percentage of silica, magnesium, potassium, and calcium combined with greater smectic qualities (its ability to swell with the addition of water) give rhassoul clay better results than many other clays in skin treatments. Clinical studies in the United States produced these findings:

Reduces dryness (79%)
Reduces flakiness (41%)
Improves skin clarity (68%)
Improves skin elasticity / firmness (24%)
Improves skin texture (106%)
Removes surface oil and oil from inside and around comedons
Removes dead skin layers, resulting in a general smoothing of the surface skin in addition to the oil removal characteristics

Goat's milk
Goat's milk is well-known for its intensive moisturizing, soothing, and skin-smoothing properties. It contains vitamins A, B6, B12, and E, as well as 3 times more beta-casein than cow's milk. Caseins absorb easily into the skin, allowing for quick hydration of dry skin. Triglycerides, capric, caprylic and caproic acid help to balance the skin's natural pH and provide natural exfoliation, while creating a protective barrier.

Cocoa powder
Cocoa is a natural anti-septic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant due to a polyphenol (flavonoid) called epicatechin, and contains calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, vitamins A1, B1, B2, C, D, E, phosphorous, and chromium, making it one of the most nourishing foods known to man. Our cocoa powder has a minimum cocoa butter content of 20% for excellent skin-softening.

Rice flour
A gentle exfoliator that's excellent for wrinkles, blemishes, and pigmentation.

Oat flour
Oats are well-known for their soothing, anti-inflammatory properties, as well as their ability to soften skin.

Lavender
One of nature's most versatile herbs, lavender is known for its signature calming and de-stressing scent. It also has a host of other traits that make it very useful in skincare. These include anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, antiseptic, anti-spasmodic and deodorizing qualities. In skincare it soothes and tones skin.

Glycerin
Glycerin has humectant properties, meaning it draws moisture to your skin from the air to soften and smoothe skin.

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How to Care for your Beautiful Handmade Soap

2008-12-03T22:16:00.002+08:00

So you've bought our soap.

Now, how do you get more bang for your buck?

It's simple, really.

Rule #1: A dry soap is a happy soap.

Keeping a soap bar as dry as possible in between baths or showers is a very good thing. It makes the soap last longer, and prevents it from turning into a pile of fragrant but slimy mush. Invest in a good soap dish that drains well, and you'll reap the benefits.

Rule #2: You can cut your soap.

Cutting small portions of your soap to use at a time allows you to keep the remainder of your soap dry, and lets it cure to a harder bar so it can last even longer! Use a good soap cutter (we'll have one up for offer soon enough), or a sharp kitchen knife.

A handy travel tip: You can cut your soaps into small chunks, or shave them into soap slivers for a single use in the bathroom. That way you won't have to give up your beloved soap, you don't have to pack up a mushy bar, or wait for it to dry! Even better, you can take your soap on airplanes.

Enjoy!

Why Handmade Soap?

2008-11-29T18:34:00.002+08:00

In a day and age where the ingredients lists for skincare bear an increasing resemblance to a university level chemistry textbook, knowing exactly what you're lathering and slathering onto your skin is always a plus.

Our soaps are made using the cold process method, which brings soapmaking back to its roots with old-fashioned lye and oils and butters. Each bar is lovingly formulated, whipped up, and cut by hand, then left to cure for a minimum of four weeks.

Many commercial brands of soap are made up of detergents like sulfates that provide lots of bubbles for minimal cost but are harsh on the skin, fillers and various chemicals with the potential to irritate skin.

Handmade soaps on the other hand, are made up of premium oils and butters, mostly plant based and food-grade, and beneficial ingredients such as herbs and pure essential oils, resulting in a bar of soap that is much, much milder on the skin but which still leaves you clean and smelling good!

The luxury of a shower with a properly formulated handmade soap doesn't just end once you've rinsed off. You'll find that your skin doesn't have that tight and dry feeling that commercial soaps may leave you with, and those with sensitive skin will appreciate how mild the soaps are.

Glycerin is a byproduct of the reaction between the fatty acids from oils and butters, and the highly alkaline lye. It has humectant properties, meaning it draws moisture to your skin from the air, and softens and soothes skin in the bargain. Glycerin also makes soap milder on the skin.

Pure glycerin has a multitude of uses, and is usually harvested out of commercial soaps for retail. Handmade soaps retain their glycerin, and is therefore much less harsh.

What we can say about our soaps:
NO petroleum byproducts
NO animal testing
NO detergents
NO artificial fragrances or colors
NO harsh or unnecessary chemicals
ONLY the good stuff!

About the New Chamomile Labs

2008-11-29T18:30:00.002+08:00

Chamomile Labs (Amber Wong) and The Kinder Soap Company (Michelle Ho) have now officially joined forces! We have a new tagline, a new soapmaker, and some really special goodies coming up!

Here's a quick brief about us:

Chamomile Labs is a newly formed partnership between two young women who share a passion for handmade, all-natural skincare products that are kind on skin, the environment, and our society.

Amber has spent the past 6 years diligently researching into the most nourishing and uplifting soaps and skincare for our customers, while Michelle started off hell-bent on sourcing the most natural skincare products for her two babies. We envision that our partnership will finally bring comfort to the many, many people who live with sensitive skin and its far-reaching effects.

We are acutely aware of the sheer number of people we know who have concerns about how preservatives, artificial fragrances, colourings and other chemicals may affect the health of our skin - especially those that are particularly sensitive, and of course, that of children. We are proud to say that all of Chamomile Labs' products are free from harmful and unnecessary chemicals, and we aim to have the best of what nature can offer to attend to the needs of your skin instead.

We'll have a full list up soon, as well as an article about how to care for your scrumptious goodies.

We're Back!

2008-11-25T18:48:00.002+08:00

I'm brushing the dust off Chamomile Labs after almost a year in storage, and giving it a new lease of life!

It's been a busy, busy year, and Chamomile Labs got shoved to the corner, but I'm back, and I'll be teaming up with my new partner, Michelle, to introduce more handmade soaps and goodies. It's a tentative start, but we're unbelievably excited, and we see big things in store!

We've got our goals set, and our dreams in place. All that's left is to make them reality.

Our lavender, goat's milk, and tea tree lime soaps have just arrived, and we've got luscious cocoa butter, olive wheatgerm honey and eucalyptus soaps on their way.

Watch this space, because we'll be posting again soon!

Love,
Amber

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-26T04:29:00.003+08:00

It's been a hectic pre-Christmas, but I've had some good quality me-time today!

I do have some not-so-good news to announce though. Due to personal issues, our soapmaker will no longer be providing us with the awesome soaps she's been churning out so far, at least not until the dust has settled some and the situation has been reassessed.

Have no fear though, I'm currently weighing my alternatives! I've come across several other wonderful soapmakers, and am looking into ordering from them.

Either way, I'd like to wish all of you Merry Christmas!

May this day be full of lovely presents, great company and most importantly, delicious food!

Cheers,
Wen

What's Coming For Christmas?

2007-12-07T07:58:00.000+08:00

Our soapmaker says our soaps are cured enough to ship! YAY!

Hopefully, everything will arrive in approximately 2 weeks' time. Just in case you're curious, here's what goodies we have in store! The gingerbread, chocolate mint and christmas pine soaps are special edition soaps for Christmas. Mmm!

Handmade Soaps:
Gingerbread (Seasonal)
Chocolate Mint (Seasonal)
Christmas Pine (Seasonal)
Chamomile Honey (Signature)
Kahlua Cream
Overdrive
Blackberry Sage
Cucumber Melon

Bath & Body:
Cranberry & Cucumber Gel
Chamomile & Lavender Toner
Kalahari Silk Oil

I'll be posting descriptions of each goody later on!

Chocolate Mint

2007-12-07T07:37:00.001+08:00

So... my latest addiction is my chocolate mint soap. It smells exactly like an After Eight slice! It's the titillating scent of gourmet dark chocolate with delectable hints of sweet peppermint. Ahh... Heaven in my shower stall. My soapmaker only sent me a measly sample sliver (evil woman), so I've been hoarding it, and cutting it into small pieces to make it last longer. I don't know whether it's just me, but the scent actually relaxes, yet rejuvenates me, and I can detect a faint cooling sensation from the peppermint.

On the bright side, we've got a whole lot of chocolate mint minibars coming in! I'm loving this scent so much, I'm actually thinking about creating a whole range of chocolate mint, from lotion or solid perfume to lip balms and dry oil mists. Yummy!

My original plan was to make this a seasonal scent along with Gingerbread Spice and Christmas Pine, but I'm sorely tempted to make this available all year round! I'll update later on my decision.

Overdrive

2007-11-22T12:20:00.001+08:00

Just for you blokes! We figured you might not want to smell like flowers, so this soap is scented with spice, citrus, and the exotic notes of sandalwood and warm musk. Can you say masculine?

Ingredients: Olive Oil, Water, Coconut, Palm Kernel, Palm, Sodium Hydroxide, Shea Butter, Rice Bran, Castor, Fragrance, FD&C colorants

Cucumber Melon Soap

2007-11-22T12:19:00.001+08:00

The crisp, juicy scent of cucumbers mingles with the sweet scent of melons in this bar to bring you a wonderfully refreshing fragrance! Yum!

Ingredients: Olive Oil, Water, Coconut, Palm Kernel, Palm, Sodium Hydroxide, Shea Butter, Rice Bran, Castor, Fragrance, FD&C colorants

Chamomile Honey Signature Soap

2007-11-22T12:17:00.000+08:00

Our signature soap, this mild, gentle soap was developed specially for those with sensitive skin. Chamomile, comfrey, plantain and honey were added to this bar for their skin soothing properties. With no added fragrance or colorants to irritate sensitive skin, this bar has only a faint, natural aroma from the honey.

Ingredients: Olive Oil, Water, Coconut, Palm Kernel, Palm, Sodium Hydroxide, Shea Butter, Rice Bran, Castor, Honey, Chamomile Powder, Plantain Powder, Comfrey Root Powder

Our Soaps are Coming!

2007-11-22T10:39:00.000+08:00

Our soapmaker in the US sent us some pictures of the soaps that will be coming in soon, and they look great! YAY! Our soaps are 100% handmade using the cold-process method, and contain no harsh detergents. They won't dry your skin out - our (helpful, kind, generous) testers so far have all agreed that our soaps leave them feeling clean and refreshed without that tight, dry feeling.

Some of our yummy ingredients:

Olive oil - A classic oil that's great in both food and skincare, olive oil is provides gentle cleansing, and contributes to a mild, skin-pampering bar that's suitable even for sensitive skin.
Coconut oil - Foam, baby, foam! Coconut oil creates that rich and fluffy lather everyone loves and adds cleansing power to a soap bar.
Palm oil - This seemingly commonplace ingredient contributes to a harder and longer-lasting bar in conjunction with coconut oil, as well as adding cleansing power.
Shea butter - Rich in skin-loving unsaponifiables, shea butter adds moisturizing and conditioning properties to soap, as well as helping to make your bar harder and longer lasting.
Rice bran oil - Also high in unsaponifiables, including antioxidants such as gamma oryzanol, tocopherols, tocotrienols and squalene, rice bran oil contributes to a mild, moisturizing bar that's gentle on the skin.
Castor oil - A humectant, castor oil pulls moisture from the air into the skin and gives a bar creamy lather as well as soothing, emollient properties.

We've thought long and hard about whether to include soaps with fragrance oils and colorants in our range, and we've decided that while some may prefer their soaps all-natural, some do want their soaps fragrant (with aromas not usually found in nature, that is) and colorful (again with shades not usually found in nature). We've decided to offer both, and let YOU decide what you want.

Our soaps will be offered in 1oz minibars and full-sized 4oz bars.

Our soapmaker's recipe is awesome, it cures to a wonderfully hard bar which lasts a nice long time! A 1oz minibar will last about 5-6 weeks if used only on the face and about 2-3 weeks in the shower if kept properly in a soap dish with good drainage between uses. 4oz bars will last... 4 times longer, of course!

The timeframes given are just estimations... if you're the sort who really loves a good lather, and showers 3 times a day, your soaps are obviously going to finish a lot faster!

Chamomile Lore

2007-11-13T05:06:00.000+08:00

Whether it's English, Roman or German, this little herb is known for its wonderful calming qualities. I thought it would be interesting to highlight a few tidbits about the herb we've named our company after.

This herb derives its name from the Greek "kamai melon", which means "ground apples". It has a distinct, pleasant herbaceous apple-like scent. It makes a great tea, slightly sweet and lacking the bitter overtones that tend to accompany most herbal teas. I personally love Tazo's Calm tea. It's great for aiding the digestion as well as unwinding and relaxing... important for someone who can't seem to welcome sleep like I do... and for some reason, it also calms my allergies. When I start sneezing and wheezing and my head gets stuffy, it's time for some Tazo.

The tea is relatively inexpensive and easy to obtain, which is a stark contrast to the essential oil. Chamomile essential oil is about double the price of most other essential oils. It's soothing, calming, anti-inflammatory, beneficial for dry, flaky, itchy, irritated skin and one of the few essential oils generally considered mild enough for use in baby products along with lavender and neroli. Because of the price though, chamomile essential oil is usually blended or used sparingly.

The hydrosol is the water from steam utilized during the distillation of essential oils. Miniscule droplets of essential oil remain in the water after the distillation process, giving hydrosols the water-soluble properties of the herb as well as a little of the oil-soluble properties. It's wonderful as a calming spritz for cranky, anxious people, as a mildly astringent and soothing toner for sensitive skin, though as it's mildly astringent, it probably should not be used over a long period of time by those with dry skin. Do note that hydrosols are completely different from some "floral waters" which are really just water with essential oils.

On to the interesting stuff... in folklore, chamomiles are used in prosperity charms to bring money (YAY!) and attract luck during gambling. It is the patron herb for gardens and is one of the nine sacred herbs of the "Lacnunga", which is an ancient Anglo-Saxon manuscript. It is dedicated to St. Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary, and is strongly associated with the Sun. It is a herb of healing, and represents "patience in adversity" due to its hardy nature. Sprinkling chamomile around one's property is believed to remove curses and bad spells. Added to the bath, it attracts love (man-hunting women, take note!).

In the world of culinary interests, chamomile isn't used much, but the foliage of the English chamomile can be chopped and stirred into butter or sour cream for the topping of baked potatoes and there is a Spanish wine that's flavored with chamomile, known as "manzanilla" or "little apple".

That's enough for one read, I should think... more soon!

The Past

2007-11-06T07:01:00.000+08:00

Some of you may have known us back when we were Sinfulicious Soaps. Sadly, we're discontinuing that range due to supplier difficulties.

This was our counter in the Monica Quen boutique in Medan Damansara. It's looking somewhat diminished now, but we're hoping to fill it up soon with some beautiful handmade soaps by Lindsay from Soaper's Workshop.

Stay tuned!

Still no webpage...

2007-11-06T06:40:00.000+08:00

Although we're definitely working on it.

We've decided to go with AISO.net, also known as Affordable Internet Services Online. They're a wonderful 100% solar powered webhost. All we need now is to get everything set up in time for Christmas!

Until we get that up and running, this will be our information center. We're working on getting our range in as well... including handmade soaps, a new facial oil, a facial gel, some rhassoul-based masques and so on and so forth. Some lovely Christmas gift baskets are on the list too!

We'll be working overtime until then.

Keep watching this spot!