We all want skin with a clear complexion and healthy glow. We oftentimes buy expensive products to eliminate blemishes and keep skin full of moisture. Unfortunately, the majority of soaps found at your local grocery store contain chemicals and additives that adversely affect the texture and appearance of your skin. Nowadays, an increasing number of people are discovering the benefits of glycerin soaps that not only pamper sensitive skin, but also treat common skin conditions.

Many commercial soaps dry out the skin and can even cause unnecessary irritation. With glycerin soap, you can take advantage of its humectant properties, which work to attract moisture. Due to the power of vegetable-based oils, glycerin soaps offers natural benefits that hydrate the skin and keep it supple. Handcrafted glycerin soap also helps treat medical issues, such as eczema, acne, and psoriasis.

Eczema

Traditional soaps generally contain alcohol, lye, petroleum, and other unforgiving chemicals that worsen skin conditions, like eczema. To treat eczema, choose glycerin soap and goat milk soap, which actually encourages skin to heal. Keeping skin moisturized is an effective approach towards easing the symptoms of eczema, which include itchy, dry, thickened skin that usually attacks the face, hands, neck, and legs. Containing gentle pieces of oatmeal, our Milk and Honey handcrafted soap not only looks soothingly attractive, but also smells divine.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis causes skin to exfoliate at a faster rate, where new skin appears before older cells are shed. The condition creates thick patches of itchy and scaly skin on the hands, elbows, back, feet and scalp. While there is no cure for this skin condition, treatments can help control symptoms. For example, replace regular bath soaps with non-irritating glycerin soaps made with natural ingredients. Choose glycerin soaps that contain oatmeal to soothe inflammation. Magic Senses offers a spectacular Oatmeal Collection that provides the relaxing scents of lavender, almond and sandalwood – perfect for treating not only the physical symptoms of a skin condition, but also the anxiety.

Acne

Glycerin soap also serves as an effective natural acne treatment, as it gently cleanses without drying out the skin or aggravating existing blemishes. With nothing but natural ingredients, Magic Senses helps you tame unbalanced skin and reclaim a healthy clear complexion in a variety of well-known and exotic fragrances, including Freesia, Honeysuckle Dew, and Spiced Apple.

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Important health disclaimer: The information presented on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace advice from your physician or any information found on any product label or packaging. If you have a skin disease, you should always consult with your doctor before using our or any products on your skin.

Our handcrafted Cranberry glycerin soap offers a refreshing display with an attractive clear red base and bright red curls. A normal shower or bath becomes a rush of crushed cranberries accompanied by a sweet scent that fully awakens the senses. Handcrafted with love and natural ingredients, Magic Senses Cranberry soap is much more than a holiday bestseller. Below you will find five enchanting ways to use one of our most popular glycerin soaps:

1. Housewarming Gift

There’s nothing like a housewarming gift that warms the mind and body. While loved one(s) unpack their belongings and settle into a new home, lessen their stress with a moisturizing soap drenched in the soothing scent of vibrant cranberries.

2. Festive Bathroom Décor

The scent of cranberry soap is uplifting and lively, making it the perfect addition to energize drab bathroom décor. Use the soaps to outfit guest bathrooms with a treat for visitors – a moisturizing bar of handcrafted soap made with fragrance oils and hypoallergenic vegetable glycerin.

3. Bath and Beauty Gift Basket

When you’re at a loss for gift ideas, handcrafted soaps offer a thoughtful (and functional) gesture for family and friends. With a decorative basket lined with a few pieces of red tissue paper, create a fragrant gift topped with curled ribbons for romantic occasions or joyful holidays. For the fruit lover, pair our cranberry soap with another Magic Senses’ fruity selection, such as Grapefruit, Lime Cooler, or Mango Papaya.

4. A Workplace Treat

Add a touch of class to the office restroom by creating a small basket of cranberry glycerin soaps, which not only provides a visual treat, but also adds an inviting scent to the setting. During special occasions, give handcrafted soap to co-workers as gifts – for birthdays, Secret Santa exchanges, or retirement parties.

5. Holiday Gift Giving

As one of our leading holiday sellers, use the jolly shade of Cranberry glycerin soap as the perfect addition to a Christmas basket or Valentine’s Day arrangement. Oozing with love and cheer, mix and match other red-colored Magic Senses soaps, such as Butterfly Kisses, Cherry Vanilla, Cinnamon, Peppermint, Watermelon, and Strawberry Fields.

In the world of color, shades of blue represent many different moods and emotions. As a consumer, you can purchase products, like scented soaps, to harness the tranquil nature of sky blue, baby blue, and turquoise. Blue symbolizes peace, calm, harmony, stability, loyalty and cleanliness. The color is additionally linked to slowing down your pulse, lowering body temperature and even reducing your appetite. Explore the power of blue soaps by using one of our handcrafted soaps to create a relaxing environment.

On a worldwide level, the color blue has many different meanings. In China, blue is associated with immortality. Symbolizing holiness, blue is an important color for the Jewish faith. The Hindus see the color blue as a representation of Krishna – often referred to as the Supreme Being. In the Middle East, blue signifies protection, which is probably why the color is used in law enforcement.

Our Fresh and Clean Collection offers a range of attractive blue handcrafted soaps, including:

* Oceans: Inside the greenish blue clear base with waves of solid blue, the sensual scent of perfumed musk oil is a popular choice amongst men and women. The fun blue and green fish shapes not only channel the beauty of the ocean, but also create a fun bathroom atmosphere.

* Blue Musk: Solid and clear baby blue swirls swim in a clear base that provide the ultimate journey in cleanliness with an agreeable fragrance reminiscent of our Oceans and Rain soaps.

* Seaside: Transport yourself to a seaside escape with a blend of floral and salty sea air secured within a clear base decorated with waves of solid green and blue.

* China Rain: With a soft scent of freshness joined with undertones of sweet bamboo, allow the fresh fragrance of China Rain to create tranquil daydreams.

Since blue is a color that reflects reliability in business circles, what better way to send a thoughtful (and functional) gesture to clients and partners than with a gift basket filled with “reliable” handcrafted soaps. For example, our Mini Aqua Gift Set contains our popular Oceans and Rain blue soaps.

This month we decided to give away some seasonal novelty soap so if you like snowmen and snowflakes, keep on reading!!

About the Giveaway:

Open to US residents only.

Winners: 
- First prize: a soap set of 1 snowman and 2 snowflakes in our beautiful branded gift box. (1 winner)
- Second prize: a snowman soap!! (10 winners)

How to enter (required): Visit MagicSenses.com and then come back and leave a comment telling us the name of a product you would buy as a gift this Holiday Season!

For additional entries (leave a new comment for each additional entry):
- one additional entry if you grab our button from the sidebar and post it on your blog, please post the link;
- one additional entry if you sign up for our Newsletter (the form is on the sidebar);
- one additional entry if you join our Fan Club on Facebook (log in to see the page);
- one additional entry if you follow us on Twitter (we have a new Twitter name!!);
- one additional entry if you send a tweet about this giveaway, please post the link (once a day only);
- one additional entry if you fave us on Technorati;
- one additional entry if you blog about this Giveaway with a link back to MagicSenses.com
- one additional entry if you follow our Blog via email.

The giveaway ends on Tuesday, Dec. 29th, 2009 (end of day). Don’t hesitate to tell your friends!

*Please make sure you leave a comment for each additional entry so you get credited.
*Also, please make sure you typed in the correct email address.
*The winner will be chosen via random.org and announced online and via e-mail.

Good luck!! Merry Christmas!!

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Find out if you won!!

Today I’d like to thank all of our customers who sent us feedback on our products via e-mail or left messages on our voice machine while we were on vacation. Your feedback means a lot to us and we appreciate you taking the time to get back to us!

Here is what Janet J. e-mailed us:

“Dear Betty, 

I love your soaps! I am so glad that I found your company. They look and smell wonderful! They arrived in just a couple of days. Thank you also for the free soaps.

You have a new customer. Everything is done first class down to the free soaps and the note. I will be back for more.

Merry Christmas,

Janet J.”

Thank you! Happy Holidays!

Orange Clove Glycerin Soap

It’s really no surprise that the Orange Clove Glycerin Soap is one of our most popular holiday soaps, if not the most popular. In 2007 and 2008, it was the top selling soap for the holidays and when you breathe in the fragrance of this soap, you’ll know why. The combination of cloves with oranges, and a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon, are traditional scents used during the holiday season. If you hold this soap under your nose, close your eyes and inhale, you’ll think it’s that time of year already.

Although some soaps and candles have an orange fragrance that can be a bit sweet and overwhelming, this isn’t the case with the Orange Clove Soap. By using orange scented fragrance oil, the soap has a fresh, sharp orange smell. It’s almost as if you had peeled an orange yourself or poured a glass of cool Florida orange juice.

Saying that, the sharp zing of the orange scent, makes this an ideal soap for starting your day. While the cloves have a smooth, sultry fragrance, especially when combined with nutmeg and cinnamon, it’s the orange that will get you moving. The combination of scents used in this soap is something to experience, as the initial smell is of the cloves and it ends with the orange.

As with all our soaps, this not only smells great, but it’s handmade using vegetable glycerin, so it’s pretty to look at and great for your skin. But remember, this is a seasonal soap, so it isn’t made all year round. We currently only make it from September to March, so don’t miss out on your chance to enjoy this popular glycerin soap!

Note: It is our Featured soap of the month in November. It is also featured in our Mini Holiday Gift Set, next to Myrrh. On the website, it can be found under our Holiday Soap Collection or Fruity Glycerin Soap Category. Buy yours today!

Mountain Rain is one of the latest additions to the Magic Senses family of handmade glycerin soaps. As with all of our other soaps, the time taken to perfect the look, feel and smell of Mountain Rain is more than evident.

By using gardenia, Mountain Rain has a floral scent that is refreshing instead of overwhelming. Just leaving the soap out in your bathroom will make it one of the best smelling rooms in the house. Plus, the blue and green “raindrops” mean that not only is the soap functional, but it’s pretty to look at also.

The undertones of lavender, patchouli and vanilla make using this soap a relaxing and calming experience. When you lather up with Mountain Rain, you will feel like you have been whisked away to a fragrant English country garden in the spring. By closing your eyes and breathing in this lovely fragrance, your cares will just melt away.

Of course, because our Mountain Rain soap is predominantly made with vegetable glycerin, it is extremely moisturizing. Whether using it as a hand soap or when you are in the shower or bath, the soap will quickly form luxurious foaming bubbles. Not only will the scent relax you, but your skin will thank you. The more you use any glycerin soaps, the softer your skin will become. As an added benefit, not only will your skin be moisturized, it will be healthier and look younger!

One thing to remember is that glycerin-based soaps are soft soaps. This means that they can melt easier than other soaps, so it may not last as long as harder, commercially produced soaps. On the other hand, the fact that Mountain Rain soap smells and feels so great will probably mean that you will want to use it more anyway!

As you all know, Magic Senses offers Holiday Glycerin Soap in a few delicious fragrances and awesome designs: Myrrh, Cranberry, Orange Clove, Cinnamon, Spiced Apple, Peppermint, Spearmint and more.

About the Giveaway:

Open to US residents only.

Winners: 4 (1 bar each; soaps to choose from: Myrrh, Cranberry, Orange Clove, Cinnamon, Spiced Apple, Peppermint, Spearmint)

How to enter (required): Visit MagicSenses.com and then come back and leave a comment telling us the name of your favorite product.

For additional entries (leave a new comment for each additional entry):
- one additional entry if you grab our button from the sidebar and post it on your blog, please post the link;
- one additional entry if you sign up for our Newsletter (the form is on the sidebar);
- one additional entry if you join our Fan Club on Facebook (log in to see the page);
- one additional entry if you follow us on Twitter (we have a new Twitter name!!);
- one additional entry if you send a tweet about this giveaway, please post the link (once a day only);
- one additional entry if you fave us in Technorati;
- one additional entry if you blog about this Giveaway with a link back to MagicSenses.com
- one additional entry if you follow our Blog via email.

The giveaway ends on Sunday, Nov. 22nd, 2009 (end of day). Don’t hesitate to tell your friends!

*Please make sure you leave a comment for each additional entry so you get credited.
*Also, please make sure you typed in the correct email address.
*The winner will be chosen via random.org and announced via e-mail.

Good luck!!

Glycerin is a key ingredient in many soaps, but what is glycerin and what are the benefits of using glycerin soap?

photo courtesy of foxiq

What is Glycerin?

Glycerin is actually a by-product of the industrial soap making process. It is a colorless, odorless liquid that is very thick at room temperature with a sweet taste. It has a high boiling point and it can be frozen to a paste-like substance. The industrial process of making soap involves reacting a fat or oil, such as olive oil, with lye. During this process, glycerin is produced, which is often removed to add to lotions and creams. Most handmade soaps differ from industrial as the glycerin is not removed, and in some instances further glycerin is actually added.

Why Add Glycerin to Soap?

Glycerin is known as a humectant, which means that it attracts water. It is said to be hygroscopic as it can absorb water directly from the air. Pure glycerin will remove water not only from the air, but from anything it is placed on. Should you place pure glycerin on your skin, it would actually dry out the area since was removing the water.

When glycerin is diluted with water and other products, it has the opposite effect on skin. Instead of drying out the skin, it acts as a moisturizer. It is unclear whether the additional moisturizing results from the fact that glycerin attracts water to your skin or it is due to some other unknown property of glycerin. Either way, the result is that glycerin is highly moisturizing, which is why many companies remove it from their soaps and add it to their higher priced lotions and creams.

So, the key benefit to using soaps that contain glycerin is that they will cause your skin to be softer and smoother, and even improve its appearance. Also, glycerin soaps are an excellent choice for those with sensitive or delicate skin as they dissolve a lot easier and are not as hard on skin as other soaps can be.

While many of us pay close attention to what we put in our bodies, we are not as vigilent about what we are using on it. Our skin is the biggest organ of our body, and although it provides a protective barrier to the outside environment, what we use on our skin can both damage it and also be absorbed into our systems.

Say NO to petroleum based soap

Many soaps are petroleum based, which can clog the pores in your skin. Coupled with the many chemicals added to the soap for color and fragrance, the natural moisture of your skin can be depleted. As the moisture is removed, the ability of your skin to renew itself decreases, which in turn can lead to further skin damage and premature aging. This doesn’t just apply to the skin of your face, but to that of your whole body.

Choose Glycerin soap

With all natural soaps, you know exactly what is being used to create the soap. Instead of a petroleum base, nourishing oils or glycerin make soaps moisturising and help your skin renew and replenish itself. Glycerin is actually a by-product of the soap making process, yet many producers actually remove it to use in their creams and lotions. By using glycerin to make soap, moisture will be attracted to and trapped in your skin, making it look smoother and healthier and feeling softer to the touch.

Oils

The addition of natural oils can have many benefits, besides just providing an attractive fragrance. Oils from nuts such as almonds and shea are excellent for dry and sensitive skin, as they soften and protect the skin. Eucalyptus and tea tree oil have many medicinal benefits including being anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiseptic. These types of oil are great for problem skin types. Lavender can actually calm the nervous system and help with insomnia. All of these examples are naturally occurring and can easily be used to create soap, instead of using a chemical alternative.

So, before you go out and buy your next bar of soap … isn’t it worth considering purchasing an all natural one instead? Your whole body will thank you for it.