Splish splash I was takin' a bath ... If you're like me, you become a professional singer the moment you step into the shower. If you're really like me, you would rather lather your body with all-natural, handmade soaps than that icky, chemical-ridden store bought stuff. If you and I are practically twins, you prefer to shop local and support small businesses over giving your money to big name companies that make their products with only a small percentage of natural ingredients. Tealee's latest collaboration with Zoe's Corner, a skin care line made exclusively from 100% natural ingredients right here in Ottawa, has exactly what people like us need! After initially meeting at the Ottawa Farmer's Market, Zoe and Lisa fell in love with each other's products and decided to create something wonderful together – tea soap. Using Zoe's all natural materials and process, and inspired by three Tealee teas – Tink's Fairy Dust, Mother Nature's Medley, and Good Night Lullaby – these soaps are the perfect gift for the conscientious consumer. Each soap contains tea leaves at their base, which act as natural exfoliants, add colour, and texture. To enhance the tea's aroma, Zoe and Lisa infused each bar with the essential oils of lavender and lime, mint and lemon, and chamomile and liquorice. I have a bar of Tink's Fairy Dust and am in love with the refreshing and invigorating smells of lavender and lime that fill my shower!
Zoe started her own skin care line out of frustration with the fragrance oils and paraben preservatives hidden in the 'natural' products she was using. She first experimented with beeswax candles and soaps, and eventually moved into making lip balms and deodorants, too. Along with tea leaves, Zoe likes to add poppy seeds, ground flax seeds and amaranth seeds as exfoliants in her skin care products. Currently, her favourite essential oils are bergamot and lavender, but, she says: “It's hard to choose just one, they are all so unique!” You can find more of Zoe's products online at Zoe's Corner , or if you are in the Ottawa region, stop by her shop at the Brookfield Restaurant. If you want to give soap making a try, check out The Zoe's Corner Facebook page and sign up for the next soap making workshop. The workshops are held at her family's local restaurant and it's a fun and unique way to spend your Saturday afternoon.
Here at Tealee, we are really excited about these soaps and hope you get a chance to test them out yourself!
Contest! For a chance to win your very own bar of Tealee soap, simply comment on this blog post and tell us which Tealee tea you would like to see us turn into a soap. The lucky winner will be announced in next week's blog post.
Winner: Ashley! Congratulation on winning our contest and we hope you enjoy your new bar of Tealee Soap!
Great blog. Love the ideas. So creative and yummy!
Mmmm… The Apple Cinnamon Oolong would be nice in a soap ! :D
Sounds awesome! Orange ginger boost would be amazing!
The organic apple cinnamon rooibos would be amazing in a soap
Good Night Lullaby Organic would be great for a pre-bed bath soak to wind down :).
Princess Presley would be nice
The raspberry mint would be so nice as a soap! Love this idea.
Tink’s Fairy Dust
Jasmine leaf green tea, for my ego of course!
rooibos spice or cool raspberry mint! :)
Monkey’s Buffet!
Oh my goodness, this is brilliant! I think a Princess Presley soap would be divine!
I would love Princess Presley soap! Although I just love Princess Presley in general :)
Well, my favorite is already a soap, so I’m going to vote for Princess Presley:)
Jasmine leaf green tea ?!
Anything with fennel would be amazing!!!
Princess Presley!
Carolyn Hebert
Author