Pure-n-Simple Soap
Take Control
Archive for January, 2010
Many people can’t wait until the winter season and all the fun it brings. There are many activities that can only be done when there’s snow. Skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, sledding, and inner-tubing are great activities for family fun during the winter. Unfortunately, spending a lot of time outdoors in the winter can often result in chapped lips. Cold weather chapping is caused by environmental conditions that lead to hydration. When dehydration sets in, lips become dry and can crack and peel.
The first cold day should serve as a reminder to start using protective lip balm. Lip balm can protect your lips from drying out. Make sure to apply the balm before the chapping begins however, because the protective waxes in lip balm can only protect lips that are not yet damaged. Apply your moisture rich lip balm several times a day for optimal result.
Many of us are trying to find ways to cut back on spending, and save some extra money, perhaps to pay off some debt, or to save for that vacation you’ve been planning. For some, like myself have decided to brew their own coffee instead of buying it on the go, for others it could be going out to eat less, saving coupons and so forth. One great thing you and your family can do, to not only save money, but also introduce a much healthier and much safer product that the entire family uses, is to make your own laundry soap.
Making your own laundry soap is simple and very affordable. You have several recipes to choose from by doing a simple search on the internet, or finding a recipe book on making your own natural products. You not only know what is in your soap, but you have control. Many store bought detergents have harsh ingredients that can cause skin irritations. This is a major reason why new Mothers are recommended to wash their infants cloths, and blankets in a mild soap instead of a detergents.
We use this recipe and get between 60- 70 loads per batch for less than $1.00
All you need is a 2 gallon bucket with a lid, 1/3 bar of Fels Naptha, ½ cup of washing soda, and a ½ cup of borax powder. Your Fels Naptha will need to be graded and have 6 cups of water added to it in a sauce pan and heat until soap begins to melt. Then you will need to add 1/2 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup of borax and stir until it has dissolved. Now remove from heat and pour 4 cups of hot water into your bucket, add your soap mixture and stir. Add 1 gallon plus 6 cup of water and stir. Now all you need to do is let it sit for 24 hours and it will gel up. When it is ready to use it will have a gel like clumpy appearance; you can use a large wooden spoon to stir the gel substance into liquid form and use only 1/2 cup per load.
Just like everyone’s skin is different, and reacts to both natural and synthetic ingredients differently, so is our hair and scalp. There are hundreds of different shampoos and conditioners promising thicker, fuller, and healthier hair. Some of these shampoos might work wonders for one person and actually cause even worse symptoms for another. Many of these shampoos are full of harmful ingredients that could also lead to many other health concerns.
If you have not found that perfect shampoo for you, might I suggest first keeping it pure and simple? Rather than falling for the next big advertising ad that is promising the greatest hair on earth, why not try using a solid shampoo bar first. I think you would be amazed what real natural ingredients such as rosemary and lavender, and oils like jojoba and Castor, will have on your scalp and your hair. Many hair and scalp problems such as dandruff have been associated with harsh ingredients found in many shampoos and conditioners. Your hair may just be crying out for something a little more natural.
Why Using Natural Sea Sponges is a Smart Decision.
Ever notice how quickly you go through dish sponges? They fall apart and get real nasty looking within just a couple of week’s time. Many of these synthetic sponges are also filled with unnecessary chemicals such as Triclosan. Which if you are not at all concerned about carcinogens being absorbed into your skin, I guess there is no issue; however if you are trying to make every effort to put only what is safe and natural on your body, often overlook is this one product, “the sponge”. Maybe the amount of exposure of the chemicals from these sponges are not enough to cause any serious health issues, but what if they are, and why not use a sponge that is chemical free, that last much longer.
I have been using natural sea sponges for over a year now and, just amazed how long a natural sponge will last. I have not had to replace my natural sea sponge from my kitchen sink for over 3 months, and it still looks and feels as good as it did when I first started using it. Natural sea sponges have enzymes in them that prohibit the growth of mold, mildew and bacteria. Depending on which sea sponge you choose, they can last as long as 10 years if properly treated. Harvesting natural sea sponges by no means interrupts the coral reef at all, the ocean naturally contributes to the harvest of sponges as well through tides and currents. These sponges are harvested by professional sponge divers that incorporate crop rotations. Where sponges have been cut, grow back even thicker and healthier than before. Kind of like dead heading and pruning plants, this stimulates new growth.
Over 90% of the world’s natural sea sponges come from Tarpon Springs Florida, right in our own backyard, keeping many local citizens employed during the economic challenges we are currently faced with. So not only are you receiving great health benefits, durability, and saving money when using natural sea sponges, but you are also buying local products supporting local business.
A felted soap bar simply is a soap bar that is felted in wool, most likely sheep or alpaca. We use sheep’s wool that has no color dyes, from a neighboring friend’s sheep farm. If you have never tried a felted soap bar before here are five great reasons to give one a try.
1. A handcrafted therapeutic soap bar will last much longer if it is felted. Because of the natural Glycerin in handmade soaps, they must not be left in standing water, for they will turn to mush very quickly. It is very important to place soap bars on soap trays to dry out after use. Felted soap bars should be placed on a soap tray as well, but will not turn to mush as quickly as an un-felted soap bar.
2. You are getting a wash cloth and soap bar all in one great package! Once the felted bar has been soaked and begins to lather up, you have a wonderful natural wash cloth to bathe with.
3. Skin exfoliation! A felted soap bar is a great for mild skin exfoliation, which is very important to incorporate on a weekly basis to help shed unwanted dead skin cells.
4. Felted soap bars are not slippery like a regular soap bar that can be easily slipped and dropped in the shower.
5. They make excellent gifts, especially for those hard to shop for ones in our lives. Not too many people have a felted soap bar, nor have they ever heard of them. Most likely they will appreciate the creativity and be intrigued to put it to use.
A great alternative for pampering your aches and pains and having your skin feel great by not having to spend an entire day at an expensive Spa would be to soak in your own bath tub with bath salts. Don’t get me wrong, if I had a free pass, and the time I would love to be massaged and pampered at a luxurious Spa, but for just a few dollars you could buy or make you own homemade bath salts and relax enjoying many therapeutic benefits leaving you feeling as if you had just left that expensive Spa.
Epsom salt baths have many benefits, not only do they leave your skin feeling silky and smooth, but release toxins from your body, increase blood circulation and relieve aches and pains. Epsom salt is actually not a salt but a mineral compound of magnesium sulfate, which is known to contribute to many health benefits. In the past century due to the change in our diets, our magnesium levels have dropped over 50 %, we just do not have as healthy of a diet as our ancestors did. Which is why taking nutritional supplements is important to our well being. Because of the permeability of the skin, soaking in Epsom salt is an excellent way to get those magnesium levels up, and making your body feel great while doing so.
Believe or not when you use natural skin care products you’re not only reaping many health benefits, but are being a good steward to the land in which you live. Also if you use, or make your own natural household cleaners you are contributing to a cleaner and safer environment as well. Essentially synthetic products do get disposed down toilets, and shower & sink drains, which get into our water supply, and if not recycling, empty bottles and packaging are disposed into the trash, that will eventually be either buried or burned, releasing the remaining harmful chemicals into the earth and air we breathe.
By using natural products like a shampoo bar or making laundry soap, you are reducing the amount of plastic containers that have to be constantly disposed, and also what your putting on your skin and down the drain is safer for both you and the environment. So if you are a loyal natural product user, stand tall and be proud you are not only keeping you and your household safe, but contributing to a safer place for all of us to live.
Petrolatum is one of the many chemicals to avoid when selecting all natural skin care products. This chemical is often used in lip products that are marketed for protecting your lips from sunburn. The sad truth is that Petrolatum is a mineral oil jelly, which actually causes the very symptoms the product is advertised to alleviate. Petrolatum promotes sun damage and interferes with the body’s natural moisturizing mechanism, contributing to dry skin and chapping. If you are in search of a natural lip balm with real medicinal properties, make sure it is not petroleum based, but instead made from natural ingredients such as Shea butter, beeswax, coconut, and jojoba to just name a few.
Goat’s milk products have been highly sought out for its healing and moisturizing properties for centuries. Here are the top 10 reasons why many have made the switch and have remained loyal to using goat’s milk skin care products.
1. Goat’s milk consists of natural emollients and triglycerides, which acts as a natural moisturizer.
2. Is full of nutrients and vitamins such as C, B1, B6, B12, and E.
3. Has a PH level that is similar to the PH level of our skin, which helps protect the skin from invading bacteria and chemicals.
4. Cleopatra was known for her healthy skin, had bathed regularly is goat’s milk.
5. Has alpha-hydroxy acids which are known to soften the skin by breaking down the glue that holds dead skin cells together.
6. Naturally made goat’s milk soap bars are free from harmful chemicals, and are very mild and safe to use on many types of skin.
7. Goat’s milk skin care products can reduce wrinkles and delay skin aging signs.
8. Known to reduce skin inflammation, soothing dry and damaged skin.
9. Goat’s milk is less allergenic.
10. Goat’s milk has just recently been proven to effectively treat acne.
These days we have to be careful about the products we buy and their packaging. For example, it doesn’t make sense for a person to buy a plastic water bottle everyday when they can easily purchase a reusable metal bottle. More and more people are abandoning plastic water bottles in favor of reusable ones. People are also choosing to use reusable cloth bags at the grocery store instead of the once-popular plastic.
Reducing the amount of plastic products we use can decrease the amount of pollution on the Earth as well as the amount of fossil fuels needed to produce plastics. In addition to avoiding plastic water bottles and plastic bags, you may also consider using a shampoo bar instead of a bottle of shampoo. Shampoo bars get your hair just as clean as the alternative, but don’t need bulky plastic packaging.