The Making of Jewelweed Soap

 




It's Jewelweed season here in Pennsylvania! 















 





Jewelweed loves wet environments and can be found near running water.  Well, that perfectly describes my yard and driveway this summer!  

Jewelweed is known as a natural poison ivy remedy.  It's often found growing near poison ivy.  Interesting how God puts the antidote near the poison.









I had a request earlier this year and the Jewelweed is plentiful, so I decided to make a batch of Unscented Jewelweed Goat Milk Soap.  I infused the oils with fresh Jewelweed and sprinkled the dried blooms on top for looks and gentle exfoliation.  I used an chromium green oxide for the colouring.  Here's the finished product on the curing rack:

I remember one winter growing up, while living in an old share-cropper's shack in Louisiana, Mama and Barbara came down with the WORST case of poison ivy ever.  Their arms were so infected that it literally looked like the flesh was rotting off!  How can you get poison ivy in the dead of winter?...from hauling firewood!  Winter is an excellent time to have some Jewelweed soap on hand since no fresh Jewelweed is available that time of year.