Christmas is coming....

We released our Stourbridge Christmas Catalogue last week, so thanks to everyone who's popped in to the workshop to pick up a copy.   We have loads more for collection, and judging by the reaction to our new hampers it feels like we're going to be a little bit busy this year!!   Stourbridge customers can enjoy an extra 5% off workshop orders placed before 30th September .... so remember to get your order in quick!

Here's a sneaky peek at some of the 2013 hampers and gift ideas:

The Selection Box is back again for 2013, and this year it contains one of our new cute organic cracker goats milk soaps (in Christmas Spice), a hand decorated organic Frankincense and  Myrrh goats milk soap (these are taking ages to decorate, since the holly decoration is actually made from soap  - all moulded hand and then hand painted with shimmery cosmetic micas so it looks really pretty), a 10ml Christmas Spice essential oil blend (affectionately known as 'Christmas in a Bottle', since it is so perfect for creating that Christmassy smell in the home) and a Rosebud Fizzing Butter melt - for the long relaxing bath after all the cooking and preparations are done! 

We also have a new hessian gift bag, containing a bottle of our ever popular luxury bathing salts with a 100g goats milk soap and a bath scrunchie - this makes a lovely smaller gift for anyone who loves bathing and the little bag is quite handy to use afterwards too!

We've also introduced some lovely new recycled cardboard tube packaging to our range.  We love these since they're made from recycled materials so are very environmentally friendly, but look really elegant once we've added our trademark ribbons and pretty decorations!    They're going to be available in a few sizes, with hamper contents including our soaps and Natroma facial starter kits.

This year's organic Natroma Christmas goats milk soaps are:  Christmas Spice and Frankincense & Myrrh (we'd have a riot if these weren't available!) and the special edition is Christmas Rose.  This contains a lovely blend of rosy scented essential oils with the addition of musky frankincense - lovely!

These hampers, and many more will be appearing on the Natroma and Natural Soapworks websites very soon.

Soap making classes will return in 2014!

We haven't run any soap making or natural cosmetics making classes since 2010, but we've continued to receive lots of enquiries.  So the wait is finally over - we've decided to run a small number of courses during the early part of 2014! 

The 2014 classes are currently being uploaded to The Natural Soapworks website. Places will be very limited, since we only allow a maximum of 8 people on our courses - so it's first come, first served on bookings! We think that smaller class sizes are better for participants since it allows more one-to-one tuition and gives participants the chance to ask more questions.  The courses are always lots of fun and are offer a mixture of tuition and practical sessions during the day.  Course participants will need to walk up about 20 steps to reach the classroom area, which is upstairs in our workshop. All equipment, protective clothing, tuition and materials are included as part of the course fee, and participants will keep the items that are made during the practical sessions. 

Soap Making Courses
This is a  comprehensive one day course for anyone who wants to safely make cold-process soap as a hobby. It includes: selecting the right soap making equipment and ingredients, the chemistry of soap making, understanding SAP values and lye calculations, safety issues and equipment, using natural colourants and fragrances with an introduction to essential oil blending. The course is led by our Clinical Aromatherapist who has over 10 years expertise in natural soap making, and it's always a fun day which balances theory with practical work. By the end of the day, you will have created your first batch of cold process soap (8 bars) which we'll cure, cut and post out to you once it's ready. You'll receive a soap making booklet on the day of your course and a personalised letter when your soap is posted to you offering feedback on your soap with suggestions for the future.  Due to the nature of cold process soap making, this course is not suitable for anyone who is under 16 years old.

Bath Bomb Making Courses
Spend a half day with us, learning how to make great bath bombs.  The course includes sessions on: selecting the correct ingredients and equipment, safety issues, successful mixing and moulding, using botanicals, colourants and fragrances with an introduction to essential oil blending.   The course is led by our company’s bath bomb expert, and is a fun and informative class which balances theory with lots of practical work.  By the end of the morning you will have created your first bath bombs which you’ll be able to take home with you.  (We find that class attendees make lots of bath bombs during the practical session!)  You'll receive a bath bomb making information booklet on the day of your course. Participants under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a fee paying adult. 

Introduction to Aromatherapy Courses
Spend a half day with our Clinical Aromatherapist, learning about the safe use of essential oils around the home or for well-being.  Includes sessions on: essential oil safety and storage, usage and profiles of 10 of the most common essential oils, practical tips and ideas for using essential oils with an introduction to essential oil blending. The course is a fun starter course in aromatherapy, and balances some theory with practical sessions.  By the end of the morning, you will have created your first 10ml essential oil blend which you’ll be able to use around the home or for well-being.  You’ll also receive a starter kit of 6 aromatherapy grade essential oils worth over £25* (these are supplied in 10ml bottles, and we’ll help you select the right ones for you on the day), a blending bottle and some fragrance blending strips. Participants under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a fee paying adult.  *Please note that we carry a large variety of aromatherapy grade essential oils, but some are very expensive so there will be an additional charge if these oils are used.  

Course participants will have the chance to purchase soap and bath bomb making materials and ingredients, and essential oils on the day of their course.  We’re also pleased to be able to offer a 10% discount off natural soaps and skincare products purchased from our shop on the day of the course. 

We'd stress that these courses are intended for anyone who wants to have a fun day learning more about soap making, cosmetics or aromatherapy as a hobby. They aren't suitable for anyone who intends to sell cosmetic products. If this is the sort of training that you need, you'll find that there are a number of other courses advertised on the internet that provide the legislative training that is required.