Room Spray For Kids!

Marketing to Mom has been the norm but when marketing to kids you find yourself faced with a whole new set of rules! Kids are not going to go for the scent, they are going to go for the packaging which is what makes making these room sprays so much fun! Don't get me wrong, the scent is still everything once the package is perfect!

To make these the list is quite simple you will need:
Bottles. I find the 4 oz clear bottles PERFECT for this project.
Caps. Black, Clear, White. Does not matter just look at what looks best with your finished product!
Cyclomethicone
Labels. Again, it doesn't matter what color but make sure it all looks good together. I prefer white
MICA. This item is KEY! It is the color, the sparkle and all the fun!
Fragrance. Again here is where you can get fun! Here are some ideas! Because a lot of parents only buy Phthalate Free, all of the scents are Phthalate Free that I have chosen.
  
Cyclomethicone can be used in a variety of ways. This clear liquid is a silicone with absolutely no odor, unlike alcohol based sprays! It mixes with FO’s or EO’s beautifully with no clouding or separation! It has a silky smooth feel and is dry, not greasy. It is commonly used in personal care products such as lotions, creams, deodorants, conditioners, make-up, hair sprays, etc. Can safely be used in PET or HDPE plastic bottles. PVC is not recommended. Small bottles with fine mist sprayers are recommended (this product goes a long way and a small bottle will last awhile!). This stuff is truly amazing, once you try it you’ll be hooked!

Instructions for use:
Mix in FO or EO at any dilution depending on desired strength and recommended usage levels of FO or EO. Common dilution rates are 1 part FO/6 parts cyclo up to 1 part FO/3 parts cyclo. For these sprays I used about a 20% dilution rate or about 4 parts cyclo to 1 part fragrance.
 
Green Monster Spray: Scented in Gummy Bears colored using Pearl Green mica
Lavender Monster Spray: Scented in Spiced Gum Drops using Pearl Violet Mica
Yellow Monster Spray: Scented in Banana with Pearl Yellow Mica
Pink Monster Spray: Scented in Bubble Gum with Pearl Pink Mica
White Monster Spray: Scented in Vanilla Bean Supreme with Pearl White Mica
Blue Monster Spray: Scented in Monkey Farts and colored with Pearl Blue Mica

White Angel/Princess Spray: Scented in Baby FCC and colored with Pearl White Mica
Gold Angel/Princess Spray: Scented in Tutti Fruity and colored with 24 Karat Gold Mica
Pink Angel/Princess Spray: Scented in Fruity Loops and colored with Pearl Pink Mica
Yellow Angel/Princess Spray: Scented in Banana and colored with Pearl Yellow Mica
Blue Angel/Princess Spray: Scented in Blackberry and colored with Blue Pearl Mica

Use your imagination. On the monster sprays consider a label that has a cute monster graphic, nothing scary of course with a saying like Monsters, Monsters go away, don't come back another day. Or a simple label that says NO MORE MONSTERS! On the Angel Spray look at the label above or use something simple like Angel Spray makes for special angel dreams. You could call it Good Dreams Fairy Spray etc. Use your imagination! Kids love things that are geared toward their imaginations!

Happy Crafting!
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Springtime Votives!

Spring is fast approaching (or at least I hope)! With spring comes the fresh scents of the cool spring breeze, grass, flowers and blossoming trees! I LOVE this season more than I can possibly express! It means that summer will soon be here!

This month I am going to show how to lightly bring those scents into your home (I say light because to me spring scents aren't heavy) and enjoy the scents of the season using votive candles! Why votive candles you ask? Votive candles are great to lightly scent an area. They are smaller so you can light more than one for more scent or you can scatter them around the house for beautiful lighting effects. Don't have a votive mold? Afraid to make a molded candle? No problem, you can also pour them right into the votive cups! A ready made votive candle!

A great way to sell votive candles, especially poured into the containers this time of year is to Brides to use at their wedding receptions! I find for that especially if food will be served, stick to unscented or a very light scent like a bit of the Vanilla Extract. But a lot of Brides also LOVE to give a simple gift as a reminder of their special day. A poured Flower Pot Votive scented in Champagne and Roses or Dogwood, etc. makes a beautiful impression on guests. The scent can be as individual as the bride herself! 






Supplies List:
Wax: For a molded votive *can also be poured in the cup* use the IGI 4794.
Wick: For a votive made from 4794 a 44-24-18z wick will work great. This is also true if pouring the 4794 into a standard votive cup. For a Flower Pot the 44-32-18z works best.
Dye: Either Liquid or Block Dye will work great in this wax.
Fragrance: Think Spring! The votives I made, poured in the cup are Citrus Splash the molded is made from Cucumber Melon! Dogwood, Texas Bluebonnet, Magnolia etc. are all awesome spring choices!
Container: Flower Pot Container or other Votive Glass

Instructions:
Heat wax to 180-190*. Once wax reaches desired temp, add your dye, blend well then add fragrance and again blend well. This wax should be poured between 175-185* into heated molds/containers to minimize skip lines. It is advisable to poke relief holes around the wick of the candle once the wax has become solid but is still pliable.
After the first pour has cooled, reheat your reserved wax from your first pour and refill the void (sink hole) in the candle until you reach the level of the first pour. You will want your second pour to be 10* hotter than your first pour to minimize lines from the second pour. Repeat the re-pour process as necessary.



Candle making can be both a fun and profitable venture! Take your time to test your candles for burn and scent throw and of course, safety! Putting a quality product into the market place is the biggest challenge in this business. If you have a quality product, good product marketing and a drive to sell, you can be quite successful! 

Happy Candlemaking!
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Mystic Incense

Incense is still one of my favorite things all these years later. As a kid, my mom used to burnt he infamous Nag Champa and sometimes Patchouli or Sandalwood. I guess that's what happens when you are the child of parents that grew up in the 60's!

Incense is cheap and easy to make. It's a great project for a beginner looking to make something for themselves or kids or something that is simple and not time consuming to add to your current product line for added impulse sales! 

Supplies List:
DPG (Incense Solvent)
Incense Sticks
Fragrance (consider some of our Closeout Fragrances!)
Bags or a Tube
A Glass or Metal Pan
An Empty Glass Jar

Directions

1. Mix 1 part fragrance oil to 2 or 3 parts solvent liquid (DPG), and stir well. Do not use straight fragrance oil as it will make excessively smoky incense! Any of our fragrance oils can be used for incense, regardless of flash point or soap/lotion safety, etc. Some popular incense scents are Patchouli, Nag Champa, Sandalwood, Lavender, China Rain, Butt Naked, Jasmine or Frankincense & Myrrh. Some other scent suggestions would be Drakkar type, Mountain Lake, Amber Musk, Cedar Wood, Cinnamon Stick, Sex on the Beach, and Smoke & Odor Eliminator. Or how about some Citronella bug repellant sticks for summer time!
2. Soak stick incense in scent mixture for 24 hours in a glass or HDPE plastic container. Soaking takes patience, but is necessary to allow the incense to fully absorb the oil. A shallow glass baking pan works well to lay sticks in and submerge in the oil (as shown). Or you can soak the sticks while still bundled in a tall glass vase or cylinder. After soaking, pour the leftover oil mixture into a glass or HDPE plastic bottle, such as our fragrance bottles, for storage. You can use this again to make more incense, it doesn't go to waste!
3. Lay the cones or sticks out on a screen or drying rack with a pan underneath to catch any drips. Or if your sticks are still bundled, you can hang them to dry on a hook with bowl or bucket underneath or place them incense side up fanned out in a glass jar (as shown). Be sure to put them where they will get air flow to help them dry (you may use a fan to speed the process). Do not bake the incense in an oven or microwave to dry it! Incense must be allowed to dry completely for at least 48 hours before burning. If incense is still wet or damp, it will not burn properly! Be patient and allow it to dry fully before using for best results. Note: It is also important that you make sure the incense is totally dry with no wet or damp spots before packaging in plastic bags or tubes, etc! Fragrance oils are very strong and can melt or eat through many types of plastic!

• 16 oz. of scent mixture should make approximately 500 or more sticks or cones. Properly made, fully dried incense should burn for approximately 45 minutes to over 1 hour.

As you can see, incense is one of the simplest projects you can make. They take little time to make, are a low cost start up option and a low price point item to sell making it a win/win for you and your customer!

Happy Incense Making!
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Layered Embed Soap

It's January and it's been colder than cold here in Minnesota. Every time it gets this cold, I think of spring and summer! This month it led me to one of my favorite scents at BCS which is the Dogwood. Dogwood is a floral unlike anything else I've ever smelled before and I typically am not much for floral scents at all. So once I had a scent I actually molded a project around it. Seems sort of backward in retrospect but sometimes I just work best like that. *smiles* For this month's blog, I am going to do what I always called "Stained Glass Soaps" when I sold them. I like making them and love the fact that no two will ever be exactly the same using this method.

Here is the supplies list:
Clear and White Melt and Pour Soap
FD&C Liquid Bath and Body Dye
Fragrance Oil
Mold Also available at BCN!
Rubbing Alcohol in a Fine Mist Spray Bottle

First, take your white soap and carve off some curls. It will take some practice but the good news is you can always melt it & re-mold it if you make a mistake. Use your imagination! Thinner or thicker, they all work as long as they stick together! (do not scent this part)

After you've made your curls pour a small amount of the melted clear soap base into the bottom of your mold (*Pour this a little cooler than normal so it does not melt the curls when you insert/pour over them) , spritz liberally with rubbing alcohol to prevent bubbles and aid in adhesion. Once you've done this, insert your curls into the soap and allow it to set up. Once set, re-melt the soap base again (This part I do not scent so it can be re-used) and allow to cool so it does not melt the curls and again liberally spritz with the rubbing alcohol and pour the soap into the mold to fill it.

Let the soap set, remove from mold, cut to size and spritz liberally with rubbing alcohol as you position it in the mold so it is adhered to the bottom (to avoid soap from slipping under it when you pour the next layer.

Next spritz liberally once again with rubbing alcohol & pour a layer clear colored melted soap half way up the embedded piece in the mold. Spritz with alcohol again after poured to pop any bubbles.

Finally melt your white layer (or you can skip the clear layer and do all opaque soap around the clear for more contrast) and pour over the soap. You can pour over the "embedded" area OR you can leave it open so light shines through, both look amazing! Be sure to once again spritz with alcohol to prevent bubbles! :)

I hope that you will try making this soap soon! It's a bit more creative than the average melt and pour and yet still simple enough to create, even in volume!

Happy Soaping!
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Reed Diffisers

As we bring in 2014, I keep thinking of all the wonderful scents I love to have around me all winter. For me, it's warm comforting scents, scents that remind me of the crisp outdoors and spicy scents! 

This months blog is on how to turn this into an all day, every day scent by making Reed Diffusers! Unlike wax melts that require electricity and candles that require a flame or even a room spray that only lasts so long, Reed Diffusers are a full time fragrance option! Great for your office, bedroom, bathroom, dorm room or anywhere you want scent!

Here is what you will need to make the Reed Diffusers:

Window Front Bags
4 oz Bullet Bottle PET with Black Flip Cap
Reed Diffuser Base
8 oz Mason Jar
Vented Daisy Lid
Aroma Flex Wands
Fragrance Oil

First, measure out the amount of fragrance you want. Recommended use is 20-40% fragrance. I used 40% or 1.6 weight oz of fragrance for mine and the remainder of 2.4 oz Reed Diffuser Base. Blend these two items together in your PET bottle. Next, place the jar with the lid on, inside the bag and the reeds. I find they fit best if you "pre-twist" the reeds around a pencil and place them in the jar, then place the oil next to it in the bag. Simply place directions for use on a paper inside the bag and label the bag with your business label.

Reed diffusers are best placed in areas with good airflow to carry the fragrance through the room. A bottle of reed diffuser can last up to several months, depending on the size of the bottle, and the number of reeds used. Make sure the bottle or jar you use is short enough to allow the wands to "fan" or spread out for the best fragrance diffusion. We also recommend labeling your product with a caution to place in an area out of reach of children and pets, where it is least likely to be knocked over, as the oil can stain or damage some surfaces and can be harmful to children or pets if spilled on them or ingested.
 
Our Reed Diffuser Base is formulated to blend with most fragrance or essential oils. Reed base is VOC compliant. It is a clear, odorless, low viscosity liquid designed to easily "wick up" or absorb into the reeds without clogging. This allows for complete dispersion into the air for maximum fragrance throw. Simply mix this unscented base with any of our fragrance oils or your favorite essential oils! Recommended usage is 20% fragrance, but up to 40% fragrance can be used. You will need to test small batches to determine the best results. Adjustments may need to be made depending on the strength and viscosity of the fragrance oil being used (thicker oils may need a higher dilution ratio in order to facilitate proper reed absorption and diffusing, clarity and thorough blending). Our base is alcohol-free and has no detectable odor or color. A tiny drop of liquid candle dye can be added to color your diffuser oils for a more exciting look in clear glassware. Be aware that fragrance oils often have a color of their own, which can affect the finished color once dye is added.

Measuring Examples: 20% fragrance load = .8 oz FO to 3.2 oz Base = 4 oz total bottle 30% fragrance load = 1.2 oz FO to 2.8 oz Base = 4 oz total bottle 40% fragrance load = 1.6 oz FO to 2.4 oz Base = 4 oz total bottle.

Reed diffusers make a great flameless alternative to candles for those who prefer not to use flame or electric warmers. They can also be accessorized to make a beautiful decoration! Try adding small sea shells, colored glass marbles, small river rocks, etc to the bottom of your diffuser bottles! Sets of 6 to 12 diffuser reeds, 4 to 16 oz reed fragrance and a diffuser bottle/vase currently retail in the marketplace for anywhere from around $29.95 or less in chain stores, and up to $76.00 in upscale boutiques! Lots of room for great profits!

Happy Crafting!!!
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