I have just received some great news that I have won a silver award for the lovely Victoria May website. I received the award from the Mumpreneur group, which is a fantastic support network for mums in business like myself.

Being a small business, the website is incredibly important to a lot of the sales, it keeps on top of stock and opens up Victoria May to customers nationwide instead of just locally. Whilst at the moment I am very keen to find local resellers from the neighbouring counties – Shropshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Cheshire, it is always great to hear from customers in other parts of the country and the website helps me to do that.

With a few adjustments to the site and a little more traffic heading to Victoria May, hopefully one day soon I will be celebrating a gold award and fingers crossed that will be the start of many!

Until next time…

Fiona

Its that time of year again, the sun is coming out and everybody wants their skin to be looking its best. The one secret to making skin look good… Treat it!

Something that has recently made its way from overseas and which has become more and more popular in natural beauty products is Shea butter. The luxurious butter is renowned for its help in healing burns, sores, scars, psoriasis, dandruff and stretch marks as well as keeping the skin looking, feeling and smelling lovely.

Shea butter, also known as karite butter is naturally a cream-coloured fatty substance made from the nuts of karite nut trees that grow in the savannah regions of West and Central Africa. The trees only grow in the wild and can take up to 50 years to mature but the benefits that come with the butter are more than worth that wait!!

Here comes the sciencey bit…

The goodness in the Shea butter can be found in all the vitamins it contains. Vitamins A and E help to keep the skin supple, healthy and wrinkle-free. The Vitamin F that the butter contains works as a rejuvenator that soothes dry skin and replenishes it with much needed moisture. Shea butter also contains cinnamic acid, a substance that helps to protect the skin from harmful UV rays.

Shea butter is a particularly effective moisturiser because it contains so many fatty acids which are needed to retain skin moisture and elasticity. The high fatty acid content of Shea butter also makes it an excellent additive to soap, shampoos, and lotions etc. – its soft butter-like texture melts readily into the skin – which is why we use it in our lovely Victoria May range.

Three of our favourite goodies that contain Shea butter are; whipped Shea butter, bath melts and lip balms. Each product is full of goodness and lasts a long time as only the smallest amount is required each time you use it so please take a look and see which product you can treat your skin to!

Until next time…

Fiona

When I first started Victoria May I didn’t even dare to dream that the Victoria May kitchen would be the hub of excitement it was last Wednesday! 

After sending out a quick email to one of our local papers last week we were very lucky and found out that the paper had a Victoria May sized editorial space ready and waiting! It was all a bit of a rush, especially with the bank holidays but everything came together and the afternoon went really well.

The photographer and journalist seemed to be big fans of the range so hopefully that will be reflected in the editorial! The sophistication of the photos amazed me, every movement mattered, every position counted and every intricate detail was perfected. Luckily I made a batch of some of the ever popular Buttered Roses and Freesia soap just that morning so the photographer could capture the ‘action’ shot that he was after!  And with the Victoria May mascot – my dog Tilly – trying to get her five minutes of fame it was a bit of a mad house to say the least… but so enjoyable!!

The afternoon was full of laughter and chatting about the history of Victoria May, about me, my husband and the family and the reflective nature of the afternoon made me realise just how far Victoria May has come in just a year… and how much further we could be by this time next year!

Fingers crossed this will be the first of many photo-shoots and articles as we all had such a lovely time, I’ll keep you posted with when the article comes out.

Until next time…

Fiona

Well, summer is nearly upon us, the flowers are starting to bloom and as lovely as that is it means one bad thing… bees!

To some people bees are bad news… to me it’s great. It means they’re making lots more honey so I can make lots more soap!!

Honey might be an odd thing to use in soaps considering it can be very sticky and gloopy but when used as a beauty product, it’s one of the best and most nourishing natural ingredients out there.

Honey’s ability to absorb and retain moisture make it an ideal ingredient in a lot of cosmetics as it helps keep skin feeling hydrated and fresh and prevents the skin drying out, which we all suffer from especially in the warmer months of the year.

We all want to have a healthy glow in the summer but the sun can take so much water and nutrients out of our skin that it is important to give your skin a little treat now and again and put the goodness back into it.

The honey used in the soaps not only helps to keep skin feeling hydrated but also helps give you that fresh, young, radiant look! The vitamins, minerals and amino acids that make up the honey help to make the skin supple and plump up any wrinkles that may have been caused by the sun or chasing the children round in the holidays!!

Not forgetting the soap’s main job of cleaning, honey has the properties to absorb all the impurities from pores on the skin giving you a nice clean feeling and also helping to heal any scars and cuts you may have got whilst out on those lovely summer walks.

To see how you can benefit from the endless advantages of honey, two of our favourite honey based soaps are the ‘Honey Blossom’ and the new favourite ‘Honey, lemongrass and oats’ can be found on our products page.

Until next time…

Fiona

Well, isn’t it funny how one throwaway comment can set off a whole train of thought!

This comment came from a lovely visitor to this website, who said if only her PC had a “scratch and sniff” facility. And that is exactly what you need! The photos of my soaps, bath bombs, bath melts, etc., all look stunning, and you can be tempted by the delicious-sounding fragrances, but nothing compares with actually smelling them “in the flesh”. I guess this is why my Victoria May Parties are so popular, because people can have a close examination of all the products, and decide for themselves which fragrances they love – what better way to spend an evening than losing yourself in a world of beautiful fragrances and little luxuries, whilst enjoying the company of great friends?

However, the whole “scratch ‘n’ sniff” concept really took me back to my childhood, to my days as an avid sticker collector, the most valuable of which were the “scratch ‘n’ sniff” samples! And, in a way, it is this feeling of nostalgia, and a desire to return to simpler, maybe old-fashioned ways, which is one of the two leading reasons behind my love of what I now do. For not only are my handmade soaps and other products so utterly mild, moisturising and kind to your skin compared with commercially-made varieties, but they are also made using the centuries-old, traditional process, the “cold-process”. And this is vital to the way I now wish to lead my life. If I can do anything to go back to the old, simple ways, then I will. For example, now all washing is dried outside (thank goodness for the beautiful weather we are having!), we walk wherever possible, we grow our own vegetables, etc., etc., as many people are now doing. But the opportunity to go back to using this ancient, chemical-free method of production for my handmade soaps feels like an honour. Both the ingredients and the resulting products are natural, of the highest quality, and contain no “nasties” whatsoever. Little did I think that, in my sticker-collecting days, when I also used to spend countless hours making beautifully fragranced (well, maybe not!!) “concoctions” from water, rose petals, perfumes, etc., in my  bathroom, that I would now be able to turn such an amazing old process into a business.

Until next time…

Fiona

Well, this is a post I have been intending to write for some time, and have eventually got around to it!

I have previously extolled the virtues of Victoria May handmade soap, but I would like to expand on that, with some further information about how it differs from the commercially-made soaps, bath and skincare products available on the high street.

We now live in an age where we are surrounded by information and are very aware of  the importance of carefully considering our diet – both what and how much we eat. However, we must also bear in mind that the skin is the largest organ in our body – so should we not be carefully considering what we put on it?

Many commercial soaps, bubble baths, shaving foams, toothpastes and shampoos contain a salt named Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS). When you look on our literature, whether it be on the website or our printed leaflets, you will see that we highlight the fact that our products do not contain SLS. This is because this inexpensive detergent is probably the most dangerous ingredient used in skin and haircare products. It is commonly used (obviously in higher quantities) as a garage floor cleaner, an engine degreaser, a car-wash soap, etc., as it is very corrosive and is highly effective in any task requiring the removal of oily stains and residues. Is this really what you want on your skin? We don’t think so! This ingredient cleans by corrosion – it eats away your skin protection, which can cause rashes and infection to occur, and dries skin by stripping the protective lipids from the surface so it can’t effectively regulate moisture. It apparently has a great ability to form a lather, but you will find that our products lather perfectly well with only natural, organic ingredients.

The other ingredients that we are proud to leave well alone are the chemical compounds known as parabens. It has been estimated that 90% of cosmetic products include parabens, and they have largely been considered safe, as they are virtually non-toxic and an allergic reaction or sensitivity to them is extremely rare.  However, several studies in recent years have suggested that parabens might be more harmful than we think. So we are not prepared to risk the goodness and safety of our products by including parabens in our list of ingredients. Moreover, we see no need to. Our products are mild to even the most sensitive of skins, are incredibly moisturising and full of natural goodness. What more could you ask?

Thank you for this opportunity to reiterate exactly what it is you get with Victoria May handmade soaps, bath and skincare products, in comparison with commercially-made alternatives. We’re sticking with pure, natural ingredients all the way!

Until next time!

Fiona

Good morning,

Well, it’s a beautiful day here in sunny Staffordshire. It genuinely feels like spring is in the air today! And once again, it’s Handmade Monday – the wonderful idea of Wendy at 1st Unique Gifts. It’s all about spreading the word about handmade ideas and sharing creativity, so just click here and have a read through what lots of lovely people have been up to recently.

Things have been very busy here at Victoria May. Lots of “making” has been going on. Friday saw the most activity in the Victoria May kitchen, with the new but already popular handmade Lemongrass, Oats and Honey soap being made, which will be ready in 4-6 weeks.

 We also made more lime bath bombs, which are so fruity and refreshing – great for waking you up in the mornings or giving you a boost before an evening out. Then we finished the day making more Rose and Freesia bath grains – so much natural goodness goes into these, with the grated handmade soap, the oatmeal, ground almonds, rose petals, etc. They really are an affordable luxury.

As well as all this creativity going on, I have been spending time developing Victoria May’s Twitter and Facebook contacts and announcements, which is all scarily addictive! However, for quick updates on what we are up to here, please follow us on either or both of these, so you are guaranteed not to miss out on any new products or developments (links are on the home page).

I am also gathering information to create a new page for the website, which will be called “Victoria May loves…”. This will be a page of links to some of my favourite craft/gift websites, particularly ones in the local area, so if you have a site your self which you feel would fit well on this link page (in return for a link back to this site from yours) or have come across any sites which you feel would fit in nicely with the Victoria May ethos, then please contact me.

Enjoy the sunshine and have a lovely day.

Fiona

Good evening everyone,

Well, despite the fact that it was still pretty chilly today, the garden is suggesting that spring is on its way. With the days becoming longer and the clocks changing shortly, I do feel that the time is coming when more of you are going to be working outdoors, as you start thinking about all those jobs that need to be done to have your garden looking at its best for the summer.

With this in mind, why not treat yourself, or someone special, to a little luxury to go with the season? We have our handmade Gardener’s Soap, which, with the ground pumice contained in it, is fantastic for removing the muck and mud from your hands. Or why not try a floral handmade soap? We have a range of these – Buttered Roses and Freesia, Lavender and Lime, Honeysuckle, etc. You could always get a Gardener’s Gift Set, which comes with two different handmade soaps, a pumice stone, wash mitt and freesia bath bomb, so that you can relax and ease your tired muscles in a lovely warm bath after a hard day’s gardening. Of course, all our handmade bath bombs can be bought separately too – and a strenuous day (or even couple of hours!) in the garden sounds like the perfect excuse to treat yourself to a long soak to me!

Let’s just hope the temperature feels more spring-like really soon!

Thank you for visiting.

Fiona

Good morning!

Well, half term is now over and my food cupboards are restocked, so it’s back to work time!

You may remember that I had a Victoria May party a couple of weeks ago, which was a really lovely night. I bumped into someone who was there when I was out earlier today, and she commented on what a great evening it was – and she ordered more handmade soap, after loving what she had purchased on the night! It’s so lovely to receive great feedback!

Anyway, two photos were taken on the night, which I would love to show you, so here they are -

You can see the range of products which I take along to my parties. I try to take a sample of everything, as I find that people like to pick things up, have a good look, a good smell, and then make a choice. It is better being spoilt for choice than only having a small selection to look at!

The bookings for the Victoria May parties are coming in very nicely at the moment, but I can always fit in more, so please don’t hesitate to contact me if you are interested in hosting one.

On a different note, I have spent some of my time off looking around at other beautiful websites. On my travels around the web, I found this lovely site, which has had the fantastic idea of having “Handmade Monday”, so please click here to take a look at what this is all about over at 1st Unique Gifts.

Anyway, it’s now time to be creative and make more supplies!

Have a lovely day.

Fiona

Good morning!

Just a quick one to say that the lovely new Victoria May handmade products are now featured on the website! The photos look fabulous, so please check out the new items – Orange and Cinnamon handmade soap; Lemongrass, Oats and Honey handmade soap; all the gift sets, the sugar scrub and the new varieties of bath grains and whipped shea butter. I’m so pleased that they look so lovely – and they are even better in reality – so treat yourself to something today!

Have a lovely weekend.

Fiona