Teach Soap

Hi there. I've recently begun experimenting with melt and pour on a small scale and have a question....actually I have quite a few, but I will only ask one for the time being. For my first batch of soap I used ground pine needles from last year's Christmas tree. I only made a couple of bars, wanting to see how they would turn out. My husband and son both love it. I added a few drops of sandalwood to cut the pine scent a bit, as it can be a bit cloying all by itself. My question; knowing that not all that comes from nature is safe, does anyone know of anything potentially harmful about using pine needles? My husband and son have used it for weeks with no ill effects, but then neither of them have any sensitivities. Thanks in advance for the time.

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"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Hunter S. Thompson

I've never heard of using straight pine needles in MP soap. I could see someone washing their face with it and getting scratched. Personally, I wouldn't do it. There are many other safe exfoliants out there that would work just as well.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I ground up the pine needles before using them so as to avoid such a mishap. The soap doesn't truly have much by way of an exfoliant. The pine needles are more for color and fragrance. The whole bathroom smells like Christmas when you use it. I've never found a fragrance that smells like real pine; they all seem to have a hint of pine sol about them. I was more interested in any possible reactions that might cause concern from the pine needles themselves.

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"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Hunter S. Thompson

If the tree had any preservatives or something so the needles don't fall off added, so it lasts longer, you could be washing with it. There are some great Pine essential oils out there, or you could make a nice blend. If you need some ideas, go to Rainbow Meadow essential oils blender. http://www.rainbowmeadow.com/infocenter ... select.php

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.