By Sabrina Sanchez
Ig: @Sabbesexy @BlissfulBodyBars
California recently passed a proposition, Proposition 64, that legalizes the use of marijuana. Regardless of this proposition passing, employers still hold the right to reject an applicant from obtaining employment with their company and/or terminate an employee’s employment because of marijuana use.
I do not feel that this proposition passing and the employer’s right to reject and/or terminate employment work with each other at all. I started to think about a way where people could still use cannabis and keep their jobs and/or find a job. You see, I make bath and body products; such as, artisan soaps, shaving cream, bath bombs, and facial scrubs. I make them from home and sell to family, friends, and occasionally online. I use a lot of fragrance and essential oils for my products. I began to wonder if there were any kind of fragrance oil with a Cannabis scent, contain absolutely no THC or CBD properties, that I could use in my products for those people who want to indulge in Cannabis use but cannot because of the employer’s rights.
After doing some online research, I finally found a company that sold inexpensive Cannabis Fragrance Oil (FO) or CFO, as I call it for short. I was super impatient for it to arrive, but once it did, IT REEKED!! The initial smell is STRONG, but still, I could not wait to use it.
The first thing I made was Cannabis Bath Bombs. Bath Bombs use simple ingredients (citric acid, epsom salt, baking soda, cornstarch, coconut oil, witch hazel, colorant, fragrance oil, and additional additives), but are a pain to make. Too little moisture and they fall apart. Too much moisture and the fizz up right away.
The second thing I made was Cannabis Artisan Soap. There are four different ways to make soap from scratch: hot process (HP), cold process (CP), cold process oven process (CPOP), and melt & pour (MP). I make cold process soaps and the occasional melt & pour. For the Cannabis Artisan Soap, however, I use the cold process. I use Sodium Hydroxide a.k.a Lye, which is required to make any kind of soap in the world, cold or room temperature distilled water, as well as a combination of oils. I prefer to use a combination of Coconut Oil, Canola Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Castor Oil, and Hemp Oil. If I am out of Hemp Oil, I use Jojoba Oil or Sweet Almond Oil, but for this soap loaf, I used Hemp Oil.
If water is poured into the Sodium Hydroxide, a volcanic reaction is produced. Because of this, we slowly pour the Sodium Hydroxide into a stainless steel pot containing the distilled water and stirred slowly until the water is clear. When the Sodium Hydroxide hits the water, it instantly starts to heat the water to 150 degrees or higher. When the water is clear, I sit the pot in another pot that is 1/4th filled with ice water to bring down the temperature to the appropriate mixing temperature to prevent the soap from over-heating, gelling (which I do not like), or creating a volcanic reaction.
Once my oils are melted, mixed, and brought to room temperature in a large glass bowl, the Lye Water is ready to be poured into the oil bowl. I then use a 2-speed hand-mixer to mix the lye water and oils together. I the add colorant, fragrance oil(s), and any other additives I want to use and continue to mix until I see a trace (a ring left in the soap when the 2-speed hand-mixer is lifted out of the mixture). Once a trace is achieved, the mixture is then ready to be poured into a soap loaf mold to solidify for twenty- four hours before being ready to cut into slices and begin the curing process (air drying time). The typical cure time is anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks or longer depending on your choice and the ingredients you use. For example, grapeseed oil allows for your soap to be a little bit soft, however, it also causes your soap to turn rancid between 4 to 6 months.
Both the bath bombs and artisan soaps leave my entire home smelling like cannabis. I cannot keep my shelves stocked with these products since they are so popular amongst my family and friends regardless of not holding any THC or CBD properties. Even those that do indulge in marijuana use purchase these products from me and cannot believe the fragrance can hold such a strong scent, which is tricking their brain to believe that the scent is of actual cannabis. It is safe for your skin and you will be able to keep your job or obtain a job. It’s cannabis use without actual cannabis.
**IF YOU ARE GOING TO ATTEMPT TO MAKE ANY TYPE OF SOAP, PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH, PURCHASE THE CORRECT INGREDIENTS, AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS AS THEY ARE WRITTEN FOR YOU IN YOUR RESEARCH. YOUTUBE VIDEOS HELP**
