Happy New year!

The end of the year found me in a somewhat reflective mood as I pondered on the last couple of years and the products I've made. 2013 was an even more productive year than 2012 with a total of 105 batches of soap being made and countless creams and lotions. I got thinking about my very favourite products - the ones I'd take to a desert island and thought I'd share these with you.

Top of my list in the soaps is the lovely Rhassoul Clay bar, made with natural Rhassoul Clay from Morocco - a detoxifying soap, marvellous for the face and non-drying. It also has my favourite essential oils - patchouli, lavender and rosewood; these make a delightful combination and I use it daily.

Next has to be a facial cream and I think that my Argan Oil cream is a truly lovely moisturiser. It's beautifully light and easily absorbed and great to use after cleansing.

At this time of the year particularly I couldn't be without a really good lip balm and I have experimented with many ingredients in the search for perfection. The one I'm using at the moment is my Kokum Butter lip Balm which, in addition to the wonderfully moisturisng Kokum butter, contains Jojoba wax, beeswax, cocoa butter, apricot kernel and castor oils. It also contains peppermint essential oil. This is a great, long lasting balm for the Winter months.

No 4 on my list and another must for this time of year is my Winter Balm. I use this as an inhalant to clear my head when I've got a cold. This balm is made from a powerful combination of essential oils - white camphor, cajeput, clove, eucalyptus and peppermint plus a handful of menthol crystals which add real decongestant properties. Just a pea sized amount in a cup of boiling water makes a great inhalant but it is strong so make sure you close your eyes and then breathe in!

I've had many good reports of this from people suffering with stuffy noses!

Last but absolutely not least is my Rosehip Healing Balm. I first made this about two years ago and since then I would never be without a pot of it. It does what it says - it heals and soothes. I've used it for healing scars (Rosehip Seed oil is fantastic for this), skin eruptions and rashes, and, quite by chance, I found it tremendously effective for dealing with a scalded arm when I accidentally spilled hot tea! It's a little miracle in a jar.

So there you have it...my top five products, the ones I would never want to be without.

At the time of writing only the first two are available in my online shop but I hope to remedy this next week and make new supplies of the last three. Watch this space...and oh yes, and a very Happy New year!