Here's are some of our favorite bath & body ingredients. To know them is to love them.
- It creates a mild, conditioning soap that provides gentle cleansing for sensitive skin- ideal for oldest and the youngest skin, alike
- Anti-inflammatory properties help reduce redness and irritation, and soothes dryness
- Non-comedogenic- it won't clog pores or cause acne
COCONUT OIL (Cocos Nucifera) is a fat derived from the meat and milk of the coconut. It's commonly used in handmade soap due to multiple benefits:
- Produces a rich, big-bubble lather
- Adds hardness to soap, helping it last longer
- Possesses excellent cleansing properties
- Contains Lauric acid, which offers antimicrobial properties that keep skin clean and healthy
- Naturally deodorizing
Coconut oil is nourishing and hydrating to the skin. It adds a nice glide in products like lip balms, natural deodorants and lotion bars.
SHEA BUTTER (Butyrospermum Parkii) is a fat extracted from the nut of the African shea tree. A luxurious ingredient in handmade soap and skin care products, it offers multiple benefits:
- Packed with fatty acids and vitamins that penetrate to nourish skin
- Naturally emollient, it softens and smooths rough, dry or cracked skin
- Shea butter has anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe irritation, and produces a creamy, almost lotion-like lather
- Antioxidant rich, it helps protect the skin from environmental damages and is said to possess powerful anti-aging benefits
KOKUM BUTTER (Garcinia Indica Seed Butter) is derived from the Kokum Tree, formally known as the Garcinia Indica Tree. The Garcinia genus is native to Asian and African tropics, but Garcinia indica, grows mainly in Western India.
- Intensely moisturizing and protective, it helps seal moisture in and keep harsh elements out
- Kokum contains antioxidant compounds and nutrients that encourage skin cell turnover and promote healing
- Has anti-inflammatory properties that soothe and calm irritated skin
- Adds hardness to soap to help it last longer
Making a butter from the oil of the seeds of the Kokum Tree is a long process. The seeds are harvested, then sun-dried, chopped and boiled in water. The cooled, solidified fat is lifted off the top and further filtered to purify. We love, love Kokum Butter added in our lip balm, because it encourages healing and protects delicate lips
CASTOR OIL (Ricinus Communis Seed Oil) is a thick, liquid oil expeller-pressed from the seed of castor beans. It's widely considered one of our finest, natural skin emollients. A must-have oil (imho) for soapmaking and skin-care.
- Intensive, emollient properties moisturize and soften dry or rough skin
- Contains ricinoleic acid, a unique anti-inflammatory fatty acid that may help reduce redness and irritation
- Helps improve skin elasticity and can be used to treat acne-prone skin
- Promotes hair growth and improve scalp health
Castor oil boosts lather when used in soapmaking. It gives lip balm a subtle stick and shine, and reduces the need for frequent re-application.
SUNFLOWER SEED OIL (Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil) is pressed from the seeds of the sunflower. Rich in vitamin E, its antioxidant properties help protect skin from environmental stressors.
- Less greasy than other oils or butters, it's ideal for skin lotions and scrubs
- Anti-inflammatory properties help reduce redness and irritation.
- Contains linoleic acid, which helps protect your skins acid mantle- part of a delicate matrix that creates a healthy skin barrier
- Non-comedogenic, it won't clog pores or cause acne
- Boosts lather in handmade soap, by helping the bubbles feel thicker and last longer
COCOA BUTTER (Theobroma Cacao) is a vitamin-rich fat derived from the cocoa bean and is deeply moisturizing and protective!
- Natural antioxidants help reduce inflammation and promote healing of the skin
- Cocoa butter contains compounds that help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin elasticity
- Forms a protective barrier on the skin, locking moisture in and protects the skin from environmental stressors
- Calms skin, soothing any irritation or itching
In soap, a bit of cocoa butter adds to the hardness and conditioning effects of the bar. It also gives our natural deodorant a great, spreadable consistency, and it provides protection for delicate lips in our lip balm. Cocoa butter's a true skin-care superstar, an effective deep moisturizer and skin protectant.
AVOCADO OIL (Persea Gratissma) is a thick plant oil that comes from the pulp of the avocado fruit. It has extraordinary skin-penetrating capabilities, and is rich in vitamin E. This highly moisturizing, emollient oil absorbs quickly into skin and is an excellent addition for everything from soap to lip balm.
- Adds conditioning properties to soap, and creates a creamy lather
- Abundant in antioxidant vitamins A, D & E
- It gives lip balm a creamy feel, helps to plump lips and speeds healing
CANDILILLA WAX (Euphorbia Cerifera Cera) is derived from the leaves of the small Candelilla shrub (Euphorbia antisyphilitica) which is native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States.
- Humectant; it attracts water from the air onto our skin
- Reduces the appearance of stretch marks and wrinkles
- Forms a protective barrier on the skin's surface, which prevent moisture loss
- Protects skin from environmental stressors
- An alternative to beeswax, it makes it a great option for those who prefer vegan beauty products
- Its high melting point makes it an ideal choice for use in products like lip balms and solid lotion bars
- Unlike other waxes than can clog pores, Candelilla wax is non-comedogenic and will not cause breakouts
SEA SALT (Maris Sal) is a mineral-rich exfoliant that works to naturally sooth and smooth the skin.
- Helps slough off dead skin cells, dirt, and impurities
- Natural antibacterial properties eliminate bacteria that can cause breakouts
- Oceanic minerals in sea salt are absorbed through the skin, producing a relaxing effect that soothes sore muscles
- A gentle sea salt scrub can stimulate blood flow to the skin, and promote a healthy, glowing complexion
While fragrance oils contain some natural components, they aren't considered natural. Fragrance oils are formulated to be skin-safe while standing up to the rigors of cold-process soap making. Strict global standards are set in place for the safe use of fragrance ingredients, and fragrance oils offer a huge array of choices.
Natural essential oils are usually steam distilled from the stems and leaves of plants. They offer less variety of scent, and they're much more volatile or fragile. The scent from essential oils tends to fade faster in soap, so we prefer to combine essential oils with fragrance oils for the best smelling blends and scent retention.
Although we create some essential + fragrance oil blends for our soaps, for the most part we prefer to save essential oils for products like deodorants, solid lotions and lip balms! This is because these items don't go through a rigorous chemical change like cold-process soapmaking does. Relegating their use in this way helps to preserve the therapeutic benefits of essential oils.
COSMETIC MICA COLORANTS If you wear any make-up at all, you're probably already familiar with 'mica' or 'mineral make-up'. Mica is a naturally occurring mineral dust, known for its metallic or pearlescent sheen and often used in shimmery eyeshadows and foundations.
Natural mica is a 'substrate' aka the substance the color needs to be attached to. It's usually grey-white or colorless and then coated with pigments such as iron oxides, ultramarines or dyes. These pigments are synthetic (created in a lab) in order to to avoid the unhealthy levels of lead, arsenic and mercury that naturally mined pigments contain.
Color additives are regulated by the FDA and approved for consumer safety. We only purchase mica from a highly reputable source that does not test on animals. Each batch of their mica is analyzed and certified by the FDA before it is available for purchase. Our mica is also 100% vegan- we do not use mica colored using carmine.
Lastly, it's important to note that soap is a wash-off product. A tiny portion of mica added to soap does not sit on your skin all day (like cosmetics do). Enjoy the pretty colors!
