Grandkids, Getaways, and Growing the Shop

This year is already flying by, and it's been filled with more than just work! March brought a magical first for me: a yoga retreat in Nicaragua, which was also my first time visiting the country. Then in April, I spent time in Connecticut helping out with my granddaughter while my son and daughter-in-law got their house ready to sell. I'm so looking forward to having them back on the west coast this summer!

Alongside these personal adventures, I've also been busy with my shop. You might recall that I introduced new scent varieties for my Coconut Oil Free Shampoo bar in February, and it's been such a hit that I've added another scent, Lemongrass Ginger! It joins my other lovely options: Unscented, Basil Cedar, and Lavender Orange.

There are also some beautiful new square handmade ceramic dishes in the shop, courtesy of my talented ceramist friend. These are perfect for the square solid dish soaps or any of my square soap bars.

On the subject of square soaps, I heard the call for a lemongrass body soap and got right to work! You'll now find a Lemon Sugar soap in my Etsy shop. Sugar is a wonderful addition to soap, boosting lather, acting as a humectant, and helping to create a longer-lasting bar.

Not all changes involve new products, though. I regularly review my offerings to see what isn't performing well or is challenging to ship. Earlier this year, I made the decision to discontinue the bath salts and shower steamers. I'm also planning to discontinue the large rectangle shaped solid dish bars once they sell out.

Your continued support of my small business is deeply appreciated – it truly means everything. Like many others, I'm keeping a close eye on potential tariff impacts on my ingredient availability and costs. It's hard to say what the coming weeks will bring in terms of pricing. If anything in the shop has caught your eye, now might be a good time to treat yourself! I'll be sure to keep you updated as things evolve.

New Year Updates and Two New Products

Life took an unexpected turn at the end of last year. Just before Christmas, I lost my mom. While her passing wasn't a surprise, the grief is profound. For the past five years, she's been a constant presence in my life. Those of you caring for elderly parents understand the constant worry, the endless to-do lists, and the ever-present awareness of their needs. Even when I wasn't directly caring for her, she was always on my mind. I still instinctively reach for my phone, half-expecting a call about a pharmacy run or a fall. I know these feelings will fade in time, replaced by cherished memories of the vibrant woman she was.

Sharing this feels important, but I also wanted to share some exciting shop updates. Since the Coconut Oil Free Shampoo bar has been so popular, I've added two new scents: the earthy Basil Cedarwood and the refreshing Lavender Orange, both available now on my website and Etsy shop.

My ceramist has also been busy creating beautiful new bowls designed specifically for my 3" round solid dish bars. These bowls feature a raised, patterned center, similar to my handmade plates, to keep the bars dry. They offer a lovely alternative to the plates and are available in several colors on Etsy.

Like many small businesses, I'm facing rising ingredient and shipping costs. I've absorbed these increases for the past year and will continue to do so as long as possible. I recently restocked my supplies, so I anticipate holding prices steady for the next month or two, at which point I'll reassess. Please note, I always offer slightly lower prices on my website.

Finally, a couple of travel notes: I'll be taking a short break from February 28th to March 8th for a yoga retreat in Nicaragua, and then visiting my granddaughter on the East Coast from April 5th to 14th. My shops will remain open during these times, and I've arranged for help with shipping. I'm also busy stocking up on products to minimize any potential sell-outs.

Happy New Year! A little belated, but I wanted to personally thank you for being a part of the Lora's Beauty community. Your support means the world to me.

Gift a Bar, Keep a Bar; A Sale and My Holiday Market Schedule

The holiday season is upon us, and I'm thrilled to share that I'll be participating in the enchanting Portland German American Society's Weihnachtsmarkt! 

This year's market promises to be a magical experience, filled with festive cheer, delicious treats, and unique handcrafted gifts.

I have such a good time at the Portland German American Society's Weihnachtsmarkt every year and this year will be no exception, I'm sure. This market takes place December 7 in Portland at the German American Society (5626 NE Alameda Street Portland, Oregon)

I've got some great gift ideas I'll bring, including my German Flag Soaps.

Springerlee Soap Gift Sets.

And my new Pink Ribbon Gift Bars which include a donation to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. These bars are unscented so they will make a nice gift to anyone going thru treatment. Pink Ribbon Bars are also available on my Etsy shop and my website if you're not able to attend the market.

I'll also offer free gift boxes and reusable fabric gift wrapping for purchase!

Can't make it to the market? No worries! You can shop my Etsy store or website for these items and more. Plus, I'm currently offering a 10% discount on all products in my Etsy shop as part of the Etsy Cyber Event, valid until December 3rd. 

I'm committed to providing fast shipping, so you can expect your orders to be shipped within one day.

I can't wait to see you at the market or online!

More Eco-Friendly Additions to the Lora's Beauty Product Line!

I'm thrilled to announce the launch of my new coconut oil free shampoo bar! This product came to life thanks to a thoughtful suggestion from one of my valued customers. As someone who loves to create products that cater to specific needs, I was excited to take on this challenge.

This bar is crafted with the same nourishing ingredients as my other popular shampoo bars, minus the coconut oil. Instead, it features a blend of olive oil, rice bran oil, avocado butter, aloe vera water, silk fibers, and sugar for a gentle yet effective lather. This unique combination makes it perfect for those with coconut oil allergies.

To minimize allergens even further, I'm initially offering this bar in an unscented variety. However, I'm already envisioning a future lineup of scented options to suit various preferences.

Inspired by my personal commitment to reducing plastic waste, I've developed a new automatic dishwashing detergent. After searching in vain for powdered options at the local grocery stores (suddenly all the detergent comes in plastic pods!), I decided to take matters into my own hands.

My homemade detergent is made with just five simple ingredients: washing soda, baking soda, sea salt, citric acid, and lemongrass essential oil. It comes packaged in a paper zip-top bag and is accompanied by a wooden scoop. Each bag contains 25 ounces, and two scoops are typically sufficient for a full load of dishes, providing you with enough detergent for approximately 45 loads.

Please note that some dishwashers may require the use of specific brand detergents to maintain warranty coverage. While my detergent has been thoroughly tested in my own dishwasher and found to be safe, it's essential to consider this factor if your dishwasher is still under warranty.

I hope you're as excited as I am about these new additions to my product line! To learn more or place your order, please visit my website or Etsy Shop. Thank you for your continued support!

From Summer Bliss to Holiday Hustle

There's a hint of crispness in the air where I live, tempting me to banish my portable AC back to the closet. As much as I’d love to reclaim the corner of my living room, a pang of summer nostalgia holds me back. 

Before I bid farewell to this lovely season, I'd like to share some exciting news. I'll be taking a short trip to visit my granddaughter the first week of September. To ensure uninterrupted service, I've arranged for assistance to handle orders during my absence.

Many of you are already immersed in back-to-school grind, juggling work schedules and reluctant students. Before you can catch your breath, the holiday season will be upon us, starting with Halloween.

So, while I savor these final summer days, I'm also secretly plotting my holiday strategy. It’s a strange juxtaposition: air conditioner sitting in the living room, and Christmas prepping in my soap studio.

I've overhauled my holiday prep this year, and so far, it’s a game-changer. Last year's investment in larger soap molds has been a total win. Less frequent, bigger batches mean I've stayed stocked all year. Each batch is still very much part of a small operation as evidenced by this video of me making the popular shampoo bar.

While I'm on the topic of my Shampoo Bars, I'd like to spotlight one of the ingredients I use for it. At the beginning of the video I'm pouring oils into a pitcher. One of these oils is rice bran oil. 

Rice bran oil is extracted from the germ and husk of the rice grain. It is an excellent ingredient for cosmetics, and hair and skin care products due to it's high concentration of fatty acids including vitamin E. Fatty acids can nourish hair and scalp, and may help with hair growth, thickness, and shine. They also help prevent dandruff, breakage, and dryness, and reduce hair loss by counteracting inflammation.

I purchase this oil and most of my ingredients from a local supplier here in Portland, Oregon. It is kosher, non-GMO, and never tested on animals.

As always, I'm grateful for the opportunity to share my passion with others and for the continued support of my wonderful customers. Enjoy the last few weeks of summer!

Shop Updates: Exciting New Products to Spruce Up Your Home (and Reduce Your Footprint)!

I'm so excited to announce several brand new goodies that landed in my store this year!

My new 3" round Eucalyptus Orange Dish Soap was a requested scent from a customer. This new scent (also available in the 2.25" size), along with all my dish soaps has a plant-based formula that cuts through grease like nobody's business, plus it's gentle on your hands and smells amazing thanks to the invigorating essential oils. In addition, all my dish soaps are free of harsh chemicals and dyes, so you can feel good about using them around your family and the environment.

I heard you loud and clear – you love the conditioner bars, but you wanted a bigger size. I listened! My new, larger conditioner bars offer all the same nourishing goodness but in a longer-lasting package. The new size will be an ounce bigger than my current bar, weighing 3.75 oz. Perfect for those who love the convenience and sustainability of bar conditioners.

Add a timeless touch to your kitchen with my new line of vintage-colored ceramic dishes. These beautiful, muted colors are designed to fit my 3” round and 2.25” inch round dish soaps. These high-quality handmade ceramic dishes are sure to complement any kitchen décor and add a touch of nostalgic elegance. 

I've also stocked new vintage colors for my square dishes.

I'm passionate about creating sustainable products that are also high-quality and effective.  These new additions are perfect for anyone who wants to make their home a little greener, without sacrificing convenience or style.

Head over to my website or Etsy Shop to check out the new Eucalyptus Orange Dish Soap, larger conditioner bars, and vintage colored ceramic dishes (dishes available on Etsy Shop only.) I can't wait to see how you incorporate them into your sustainable home routine.

How To Use Solid Dish Soap and Some Shop News

If you follow me on Instagram you might have seen that I was a new grandmother just before Christmas! Finally, this month I'll meet my granddaughter as I'm making a trip back east to see her. While I'm gone I am going to keep my shop open and have hired help to package orders. During this time (Feb 14 -29) orders will ship every couple days instead of the typical everyday.

While I'm gushing over my precious granddaughter, I thought I'd share some wisdom I've gathered over the years on another subject dear to my heart: dishwashing with solid soap.

Ever wonder how to get the most out of your solid dish soap? Or why it seems to disappear faster than your favorite cookies? You're not alone! I thought it was time to share some best practices for using a solid dish bar.

First off, let's talk about why you should use a solid dish bar as opposed to liquid dish soap you can buy at the grocery store. Mainly, because solid dish soaps are environmentally friendly.

There are several reasons why solid dish soap are considered more eco-friendly than their liquid counterparts:

Reduced Plastic Waste: Solid dish soap eliminates the need for plastic bottles, which can accumulate in landfills and take centuries to decompose. Lora's Beauty solid dish soaps come in minimal packaging further reducing their environmental impact.

Concentrated Formula: Solid dish soaps are typically much more concentrated than liquid soaps, meaning they contain less water and require less packaging per cleaning unit. This reduces transportation emissions and resource consumption throughout the product's life cycle.

Longer Lasting: Due to their concentrated formula, solid dish soaps generally last longer than liquid soaps, requiring fewer replacements and reducing overall resource consumption. This is true especially if you use the tips I'll share below.

Natural Ingredients: Lora's Beauty solid dish soaps are made with plant-based ingredients like coconut oil and olive oil, which are renewable and biodegradable, unlike the synthetic chemicals and surfactants often found in liquid soaps. This can minimize harmful ecological impacts from wastewater contamination.

Reduced Energy Production: Manufacturing solid dish soap typically requires less energy than producing liquid soap, as the water-intensive drying process is eliminated. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions and overall environmental impact. Manufacturing Lora's Beauty solid dish soaps involves me in my basement soap studio mixing each batch by hand.

Additional Benefits: Lora's solid dish soaps offer further eco-friendly advantages, such as vegan and cruelty-free formulations.

Using solid dish soap is a breeze! Here's how to do it:

Wet your tool: Wet the sponge, dishcloth, or brush you'll be using. A good soak is helpful, especially for the first use.

Lather up: Rub your wet tool directly onto the solid soap. If you prefer to prepare a sink full of soapy water you can do so by running the bar under the water while filling up the sink.

Scrub away: Clean your dishes as usual, using the suds to tackle grease and grime. Remember to apply gentle pressure for delicate items.

Rinse and repeat: Rinse your dishes thoroughly with clean water. If needed, reapply soap and wash again for heavily soiled dishes.

Alternatively, if you like to have a sink full of soapy water to do your dishes, you can run the bar under a stream of water as your sink fills up.

Let it dry: After rinsing, place your sponge, dishcloth, or brush somewhere well-ventilated to air dry. This prevents mildew growth. I generally don't store the brush or sponge on top of the soap with the bristles down. When I'm finished washing, I'll place the brush on the sink or on a small plate This prevents the brush or sponge from sticking to the soap as it dries.

Store it smart: Keep your solid dish soap in a dry place, like a soap dish or container, to prevent it from getting soft or dissolving. Avoid leaving it submerged in water. When water does collect in the dish, simply dump the soapy water into whatever dish you're washing at the moment. Occasionally removing the soap from the dish and cleaning the dish keeps food bits from collecting.

Bonus tip: For extra cleaning power, try grating a small amount of the soap directly onto your sponge or brush for stubborn stains. This also works well to remove stains from clothing before washing.

So, there you have it! With a little extra care, your solid dish soap can become a hardworking helper in your kitchen, all while reducing your environmental footprint. Now go forth and conquer those dirty dishes, knowing you're doing good for your home and the planet, one bubbly suds at a time.