The Sternartica journal

The Solid Pause

Zero-waste habits, ingredient science and making secrets, written by Federica from her workshop in Drôme Provençale.

Which guest soap should you choose for a B&B?
Soaps

Which guest soap should you choose for a B&B?

A guest soap costs under 1% of a night's rate. Size, quantities, fragrance-free, lead time: how to choose the right soap for...

31/08/2026
Which soap for oily or combination skin? A guide to choosing well
Soaps

Which soap for oily or combination skin? A guide to choosing well

Oily skin that is stripped produces even more sebum. Here is how to choose a soap that cleanses without triggering that rebound...

20/08/2026
Best shampoo bar: how to choose (and what the reviews don't tell you)
Hair

Best shampoo bar: how to choose (and what the reviews don't tell you)

Why so many bad reviews of solid shampoo? The 4 things to check on the label before buying, and which one suits...

11/08/2026
Solid shampoo melting too fast? The real problem is elsewhere
Hair

Solid shampoo melting too fast? The real problem is elsewhere

Your solid shampoo wore out in three weeks? It is almost never the product: it is standing water. Here is how to...

26/07/2026
How to make a candle last twice as long
Candles

How to make a candle last twice as long

Tunnelling, an over-long wick, draughts: the simple habits that extend your candle's life and give a clean burn.

12/07/2026
Handmade sunflower wax candle vs paraffin: what no one tells you
Candles

Handmade sunflower wax candle vs paraffin: what no one tells you

Ever seen a 'natural' candle leave a black streak on your wall? What really sets a plant wax apart from paraffin.

05/05/2026
Cold-process saponification: why it changes everything for your skin
Soaps

Cold-process saponification: why it changes everything for your skin

Not all soaps are equal, even when the label says 'natural'. What cold-process saponification changes for your skin.

05/05/2026
Zero-waste gift ideas for her: our gift sets handmade in Provence
Gifts

Zero-waste gift ideas for her: our gift sets handmade in Provence

A zero-waste gift can be exactly what she wants: beautiful, useful, nicely scented and long-lasting. Our gift sets, handmade in Provence.

05/05/2026
Natural soap for fragile and baby skin: what to really check
Sensitive skin

Natural soap for fragile and baby skin: what to really check

Not all skin tolerates the same soaps, and labels can be misleading. What to really check for babies and reactive skin.

05/05/2026
Removing make-up without cotton or plastic: how does it really work?
Zero waste

Removing make-up without cotton or plastic: how does it really work?

Every evening, millions of make-up pads end up in the bin. How to remove make-up effectively without cotton or plastic.

05/05/2026
Oily hair: what if your shampoo is part of the problem?
Hair

Oily hair: what if your shampoo is part of the problem?

Your hair gets greasy fast, you wash it often, and nothing changes? What if your shampoo is the very problem.

05/05/2026
Dull, undefined curls: what your shampoo really does to them
Hair

Dull, undefined curls: what your shampoo really does to them

Curls lacking definition or looking dull after washing? Here is what your shampoo really does to curly hair.

05/05/2026
Natural deodorant without baking soda: gentle and effective for sensitive skin?
Sensitive skin

Natural deodorant without baking soda: gentle and effective for sensitive skin?

Tried natural deodorants and your skin reacted? The culprit is almost always baking soda. A gentle, effective alternative.

05/05/2026
Sticky hair with a solid shampoo? Here's the real cause
Soaps

Sticky hair with a solid shampoo? Here's the real cause

Hair still heavy or sticky after a solid shampoo? The cause is almost always the same, and it is easy to fix.

05/05/2026

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