You are what you use, right?

(or something like that)

 

 

So why does it matter what type of soap you use on your body?  Your skin is your largest organ and whatever you rub onto it is absorbed into the cells.  Two things happened in my life to highlight why my skin was so important.  Number one I had to make a significant diet change.  And I realized if what I ate affected my body so significantly, then all of the chemicals I absorbed on a daily basis (think soap, shampoo, lotion, make-up, hand sanitizer, make-up remover, etc) had to affect my body too!  I mean holy cow, that's a LOT of chemicals that I don't even think twice about.  I started looking at those labels just like I did my food labels...I was reading things like sodium cocoyl isethionate, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, trisodium etidronate, etc....things that I had no clue what they were (or how to pronouce!) and to be quite honest I STILL don't know what they are because they are NOT to be found in my soaps :-)

 

Something else I noticed with those store "soaps" was that they weren't actually called soap on the label.  They were referred to as "moisturizing bars" or something similar.  What?  So I was off to do more research.  What I learned is that the larger companies that mass produce these "bars" aren't allowed to call them soap because they are missing one very important ingredient...glycerin.  Glycerin is a byproduct that forms from the reaction between lye and oils which are the two primary ingredients needed to make soap.  Glycerin is considered a humectant because it is very moisturizing to the skin and what makes homemade soap feel so wonderful and luxurious compared to storebought soap.  So why is storebought soap missing glycerin?  It also happens to be a very profitable byproduct that they can remove and sell seperately and make twice the profit from.  I decided for myself and for my family I wanted to not only know (and be able to pronounce) all of the products that went into my soap and bath care items, but I wanted them to maintain that feeling of luxury.  If I use a more moisturizing soap, I also eliminate the need to use lots of lotion or other products.  I know that I can't eliminate everything from our lives, but every little bit makes a difference and will help to improve our overall well being.

 

Olive Oil-It is a very soothing oil, great for dry skin.  A humectant.  It is considered and anti-inflammatory, and has been found to be good for post sun exposure.  According to aromatherapy sources it is effective for rheumatic conditions.

 

Coconut Oil- Has anti‐inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-itching properties.  It is VERY moisturizing.  Coconut oil has been studied extensivly on hair and is shown to penetrate hair strands.

 

Shea Butter-Loaded in Vitamin E.  Considered a wonder butter (isn't all butter though? lol).  Has properties that help to reduce skin redness, regenerate cells, heal wounds, moisturize the skin, up to 3spf sunscreen, skin softening, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and increase flexibility of the skin.

 

 

For now, these are the primary oils I use in my soaps...other oils are used in smaller amounts.  I will be experimenting with recipes that use other oils in the future and I will update this list as I do to keep you informed of what you are using as well since I know that is important to all of us!