Customer Comments…

We love receiving comments and stories from our clients.  If you have one you would like to share drop us a line at info@puregracesoap.com or comment below.

DSCN0254A Farmers Market client sent us this sweet story via email after using the Double Mint Tea Tree Lavender Shampoo Bar Soap.

“My 16 year granddaughter was sitting in the back seat of the car. She reached up and ran her fingers through my hair. When I asked what she needed she said “Your hair was so shiny I just had to run my fingers through it and feel how soft it was”.  This is the first time she has ever made a comment about my hair.

This story makes us smile so big, thanks for making our day PW!

Giveaway Time…

This giveaway is now closed but follow our Facebook and Twitter pages to never miss another one!

DSCN1265We love giveaways and so do our clients!  It had been awhile since our last one and with Spring just around the corner it was time for a new one.  This giveaway was an easy, fun one.  We tweeted and posted for our customers to respond back telling us what their favorite warm weather activity was.

We had lots of good entries and many made us want to run outside and do them right then.  Teri  Laney Swofford was chosen by random draw as the winner of this giveaway.  She told us she was looking forward to “laying on a float with a margarita” – we couldn’t agree more.

Teri won a set of 3 strawberry bath bombs and a set of 3 assorted lip chaps.  Watch for our next giveaway soon.

New Branding with Labels…

New labels frontIt seems like we have been working on our new branding and product labels forever, but its really been only a couple of months.  When we first launched Pure GRACE Soap we quickly developed a brand and look we liked, it worked well for us for a year until we were ready to add a more professional appearance.  We are lucky to live and work in a college town where there is  no shortage of talented artists.  We quickly found a wonderful local graphic artist who is about to graduate college with her degree and was more than happy to help us with our project.  We like to support local and small business just as you support us!!Orange Almond 1

Initially we knew what type of function we needed for the product labels and had some ideas of what we liked and what we wanted to keep from the old label but did not have a true design in mind.  Our graphic artist was able to present a few different ideas which we have massaged and worked over until we arrived at where we are now.

New labels backIt has been great seeing the design evolve.  M. GRACE and I both really like the new, clean, simple look and we hope our clients will too.  We have been releasing “sneak peek” looks at the labels as they are being finished on our Facebook page.

The new labels include stickers for the lip chaps, lotions, bath bombs, sugar scrubs, laundry detergents and deodorants.  All of the soaps will have a new round double sided paper label attached with pretty colored butchers twine.  The bags which are now available in two sizes have had a makeover and we have new little “enjoy” stickers which will be included on our shipped orders.  Even our wool dryer balls have a new look with special business cards which explain how to use them.  Perhaps our most exciting design element, however, is going to be part of the men’s line.  Watch for a new more masculine bird to roost on all of the men’s line products.  Look for the entire line of products to get their new labels in May.  Until then let us know what you think by leaving us a comment below.

The beginning of the Strawberry and Green Tea Facial Sugar Scrubs….

DSCN1790Our soaps and other products are all made with custom recipes.  We do a lot of testing to finally get the recipe just right.  Many of our ideas come from our clients.  They will ask for something in particular to help with their skin or a scent they like and we take it from there which is exactly how our new facial sugar scrubs were born.

Earlier in the year we had developed and released a Strawberry Body Sugar Scrub.  It was released in both our online store and our local Farmers Market.  At the time of release we were announcing it on our Facebook page detailing the benefits of strawberries to the skin.  Strawberries are extremely beneficial for the skin for many reasons including being an excellent skin cleaner, improving complexion, helping to tone skin and providing protection from UV light. They also exhibit fantastic anti aging properties, they help with the treatment of acne, diminish under-eye puffiness and help to repair damaged skin.DSCN1778

A customer contact us via our online store and he wanted to know would it be possible to use this body scrub on his face.  We recommended we would not since the texture of the organic sugar was too rough for the somewhat sensitive and fragile facial tissue and skin.  He told us he really wanted to take advantage of the benefits the strawberries had to offer but on his face.  We offered to create a custom scrub for him that was made with a finer texture of sugar and after some testing with friends and clients shipped it out to him.  He loved it!  While this was going on a couple of clients heard about the facial version of this scrub and started making purchases immediately, they wanted the benefits too!  We are happy to announce the Strawberry Facial Sugar Scrub is now a permanent scrub in our product line.

DSCN1786We already had an idea in our head to create a Green Tea Facial Sugar Scrub and it seemed to pair well with our new Strawberry Facial Sugar Scrub.  Green Tea has some wonderful skin benefits also including excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is thought to very likely slow down the signs of aging. Research studies think it is possible that green tea provides protection from skin cancer and can help reduce sun damage. We include both organic green tea from tea bags and organic matcha green tea powder which is a premium green tea powder from Japan used for drinking in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies for hundreds of years in our scrubs.

Sugar scrub is the most natural way to soften, exfoliate and to freshen up the skin. Sugars fine texture gently exfoliates the skin without leaving harmful residue that can clog the pores. Skin loving oils provide the moisturizing properties that prevents the skin from drying. Our custom recipes use only organic cane sugar and are our recommendation for the driest of skin.  If you haven’t had a chance to try out our new line of facial sugar scrubs look for us at an upcoming Farmers Market or Area Craftshow, where we will be demo’ing them.  If you have an idea for a product you would like to try drop us a line at info@puregracesoap.com.

Tablescapes fundraising event…

DSCN1809We worked for several months designing this table in conjunction with a fundraising event for Arts Illiana which is a local organization which helps to fund art programs in the Wabash Valley.  The title of our table was “Pure NATURE by Pure GRACE Soap”.  We incorporated moss, greens, dried flowers, vines, pine cones and flowers in our table design.  We also built from scratch the centerpiece which symbolizes our Pure GRACE Soap birds in a metal birdcage up high and on display.  If you look closely you can see their purple tail feather peeking out of the cage.  DSCN1844

We accessorized the table with three tablecloths.  The bottom was a full length white cloth, which we added a sheer tan cloth with beautiful embellishment to and topped the table off with a cream color tablecloth that had a silver sheen to it.  We layered them in a manner so you could see them all and they looked rustic and natural.

programThe dinner plates were cream with a raised design and emphasized with burlap chargers.  We found wonderful steak knives with bone handles.  The napkins were handmade and featured through wire napkin rings.  The wine glasses were some from our personal collection and we included a bar of spa soap on each place setting.  We finished the look with dark brown wood chiavari chairs which we draped and tied in tan colored scarves.DSCN1824

We had so much fun working on this design and concept.  We did a dry run the week before and finalized the design the day before the event opened to the public.  We also added two set of tiny battery powered lights to the ensemble, one in the birdcage and one for the rest of the table.

The event was a fundraising opportunity for the organization.  They offered tickets to a Tea on Thursday, Cocktail Party on Friday and Full Dinner on Saturday.  We had such a nice time creating our table and presence at this event and look forward to doing it again next year.

The Benefits of Goats Milk to your Skin…

Goats MilkDid you know we use only LOCAL, fresh Goat’s Milk from a private family farm in our Goat’s Milk Soaps?  The farm is less than 20 minutes from where we make the soap.  We work with a sweet young girl who cares for her own goat’s and sells us extra milk as needed to use in our Orange Oatmeal, Lavender, Gingered White Tea and Good Clean Goat’s Milk Soaps.  Also once in awhile she sells us blue eggs from her chickens – that is always a treat for our entire family!

When we started soaping we knew pretty early on we wanted to include goat’s milk in some of our soaps.  We knew that the milk provided some great benefits to the skin, but we didn’t know much else.  Through research and trial and error we have found out some amazing things about goat’s milk. First and foremost we learned what those “great” benefits to the skin are but we also learned how soaping with goat’s milk or any milk is very different from soaping with water.

Goat’s milk is really wonderful both used in all natural skin care products and used alone as a beverage.  The family we purchase our goat’s milk from drinks it exclusively in place of cows milk; they think it tastes better and I am sure they feel comfortable knowing exactly what their herd are eating every day.  For us we like to use goat’s milk in our soaps.  The benefits are measurable.goat

Milk from goats helps to delay the signs of skin aging.  Let me mention that again – helps to delay the signs of aging…yes, please!  This is possible due to the high content of alpha-hydroxy acids in the milk.  These acids are the ones which break down dead skin cell bonds therefore removing the dead skin cells from the skin’s surface which in turn leaves new cells on the surface.  Those are the ones that make your skin appear smoother and more youthful.  Furthermore many commercial soap products use harsh chemicals to act like these natural acids and break down the skin cells that way.  Over time these chemicals can actually act like a chemical burn on the skin.  Goat’s milk is a fantastic all natural alternative to delaying the signs of skin aging.

Card CatalogGoat’s milk contains important anti-inflammatory properties.  The fat content in goat’s milk reduces skin inflammation while the cream present in the milk acts as a natural moisturizer.  This is why many soaps made with goat’s milk are more soothing to dry and damaged skin than soaps made without goat’s milk.  Some of our customers even report not needing to use lotion when they use their goat’s milk soap on a regular basis.

Goat’s milk feeds the skin from the inside out.  The milk is loaded with much needed essential nutrients and vitamins.  Vitamins such as D, C, B1, B6, B12, and E are absorbed into the body and feed and nourish the skin.    When your skin in nourished on the inside it is going to look and feel so much better on the outside.

Milk from goats may be effective for treating acne and skin conditions.  The reason this is possible is due to the fact the goat’s milk has anti-bacterial properties that delay the growth of microbial organisms that spur the spread of acne.  We recommend our goat’s milk soap for anyone suffering from allergies, eczema, psoriasis, and /or dermatitis.  We developed our Good Clean Goat’s Milk Soap for those customers with the strongest of sensitives as it contains no fragrance or exfoliants, just good clean soap.Pouring Goats Milk

Soaping with goat’s milk is a little different than soaping with just water.  First off as a soaper you have a choice to use powdered goat’s milk or fresh goat’s milk in your recipe.  We always use fresh milk in our soap recipes.  Normally when you begin a batch of soap you mix lye with a liquid, usually water.  Lye is an integral component to making soap but is also a caustic agent and must be handled carefully especially once it becomes in contact with the liquid.  Typically, in a well ventilated space or outside, a soaper, wearing a mask and safety gear, would pour the lye slowly into the water and stir until it was thoroughly combined.  The process of mixing the lye and water together produces steam and heat so the soaper would allow the mixture to sit and cool until it was the proper temperature to continue the soap making process.

DSCN0313When working with goat’s milk you must first freeze it.  Ice cube trays work well for this.  Then very slowly you add your lye mixture to the goats milk ice cubes.  It helps to have the ice cubes sitting in a ice bath to continue to force down the temperature of the milk.  Where it might take 1 minute to add all of the lye to your liquid when using water, it takes closer to 15 to 30 minutes to add the same amount to the goats milk.  You want to be very careful to keep the temperate of the mixture as cool as possible.  Something interesting to note about goats milk is that it will change color as you add the lye.  It starts out a very creamy natural color and as the temperature begins to rise it takes on a yellow or yellowish orange hue and becomes thicker.  Not to worry, the yellow color does not stay in the end result.  Once the goats milk and lye are incorporated you can continue soaping as you would any other batch.

It takes a little bit of extra effort to make goat’s milk soap but we think it is worth it for all the wonderful skin benefits.  If you haven’t tried goat’s milk soap in the past I would encourage you to do so soon.

We are currently working on a lotion stick version of our Good Clean Goat’s Milk Soap for our customers who have asked to have the skin benefits in lotion form.  Follow our progress at https://www.facebook.com/puregracesoap.

Valentine’s Love, Hugs, Kisses and Product 2015….

DSCN1255Yay, February is here and that means we are that much more closer to Valentine’s Day.  At Pure GRACE Soap we love to celebrate love – whether it’s Valentine’s Day or just a random Tuesday….  With that in mind we have been working hard to create some special products we think our customers will love.

Strawberry Sugar Scrub… $9.50
Our Strawberry Scrub smells as good as it looks and contains real strawberries! Strawberries are extremely beneficial for the skin for many reasons including being an excellent skin cleaner, improving complexion, helping to tone skin and protection from UV light. They also exhibit fantastic anti aging properties, they help with the treatment of acne, diminish under-eye puffiness and help to repair damaged skin.

Sugar scrub is the most natural way to soften, exfoliate and to freshen up the skin. Sugars fine texture gently exfoliates the skin without leaving harmful residue that can clog the pores. Skin loving oils provide the moisturizing properties that prevents the skin from drying. Our custom recipes use only organic cane sugar and are our recommendation for the driest of skin.

Our sugar scrub is packaged in a heavy glass jar with lid. The scrub is labeled on the top with its name and on the bottom with its ingredients, weight and directions. Each scrub is tied with a pretty fabric tie.

DSCN1281Set of Three Coconut Bath Bombs… $5.00
This set of 3 bright white Coconut Bath Bombs smells like tropical heaven. The smell is bright and crisp like you just cracked open a fresh island coconut.

Take a moment for yourself and enjoy a long relaxing bath. Our bath bombs give your skin a tingly treat while the scent relaxes your cares and stresses away. Once the bomb dissolves you will be enveloped in delicious smelling oils and butters that will make your skin silky smooth and moisturized.

Set of Three Raspberry Bath Bombs… $5.00
This set of 3 Raspberry Bath Bombs not only smells like fresh picked raspberries but their eye catching pink color looks pretty too!

Each clear gift bag contains 3 extremely moisturizing bath bombs which are perfect for year round use but especially wonderful for dry and parched skin or for people with skin aliments. Each set is tied with a pretty fabric tie and labeled on the back of the bag.

DSCN1279Grab and Go Cake Batter Lotion Stick Mini and Two Strawberry Bath Bombs… $10.00
We created this gift set with the young lady in your life in mind.  The mini lotion stick is perfect for her purse or backpack and is scented with one of her favorite smells.  It will stay with her throughout her day and leave her skin smooth and moisturized – perfect for this harsh winter weather.

The two strawberry bath bombs will certainly make bath time that much more special.  Not only do they smell good enough to eat but will help to relax her cares away.

DSCN0988Valentine Gift Baskets… $varies
For our customers looking for a special gift basket we have developed a limited edition Chocolate Almond Soap made with real cocoa.  This bar of soap is handcrafted using a hot process method of soap making and smells divine!  It is only available in our Valentine Gift Baskets and comes paired with many of the other Valentine specials.

All of our Valentine Specials are limited in quantity.  Most are available online here and are are available locally at the Downtown Terre Haute Farmer’s Market on Saturday February 7, 2015 from 9a-1p.  Pre-ordering is available and recommended.  In addition to the specials if you attend the Farmer’s Market on Feb 7, 2015 and spend $30 or more on Pure GRACE Soap products you will earn a FREE GIFT!  Enjoy a custom set of three bath bombs scented in Raspberry, Coconut and Coco-berry.  Give them to your loved one or save them for yourself!! Quantities are limited and only available at the February Farmer’s Market.

Business Update – Online Shopping Via the Website…

Online OrderingSo if you have been following us very long you know we have been working hard to get our products online.  We are happy to announce most of them are finally available for purchase online via our website, PureGRACESoap.com.  In addition to getting the products online we have also done a major update of the website.  We hope you will take a few minutes to look around.  Maybe even leave us a comment if you feel so inclined.  We have tried to add features you will enjoy like the blog.  We now have an updated list of art and craft shows you can find us at for the year as well as our current retail locations.  We are taking on more custom work and will be expanding into wedding favors and the like later this year.

We love to talk to our clients and customers and ALWAYS appreciate all the love and support you have shown us.  We want to continue to grow and make you proud.  Let us know how we are doing and we hope you like the look of the new website and shopping experience!

Holy Fifth Retail Location Batman….

Millie and Maude 2So we didn’t really go out searching for retail locations one through four….nor did we look for number five BUT boy are we excited to be partnering with them!  You can now find our laundry products at Millie & Maude, a local cool, fun, trendy boutique in downtown Terre Haute, Indiana.

Millie & Maude is located at 11 South 7th Street which is in the heart of the arts corridor.  There you can find our handmade, all natural and small batch laundry detergents – including a signature scent developed just for them – Good Energy.Millie and Maude

Millie & Maude also carries everyone’s favorite Pure GRACE Soap product, Wool Dryer Balls and they can’t keep them in stock.  In case you haven’t tried them yet you are missing out.  The balls are placed in your dryer with your wet clothes and they reduce the time it takes for the clothes to dry while eliminating the static.  Say goodbye to dryer sheets and  fabric softeners, this is an eco-friendly and green way to dry your clothes.

Be sure to stop in Millie & Maude and tell owner, Lori, hello for us.  She has the most gorgeous clothes and provides fantastic customer service.  Did we mention she is sweet as pie also?

Click here to see a complete listing our Pure GRACE Soap retail locations.  As always our products are available online and at the local Terre Haute Farmers Market as well as other area and local craft and art shows.