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Our goal is to provide you with the most skin softening, luxurious
lathering, naturally wholesome handmade soaps for all skin types.
Chagrin Valley Handcrafted Soaps
and Shampoos are made with natural plant oils and botanicals, which are absorbed into
the skin naturally, creating healthy skin the way nature intended.
Since
no artificial ingredients are used in any of our soaps, you will actually
feel the difference immediately. They have an amazing effect, not only on
your skin, but also on your spirit.
Each oil is
chosen for the special characteristic it gives to the soap.
For example
olive is gentle and moisturizing; coconut and palm kernel provide creamy lather; canola
conditions skin; castor bean creates fluffy lather; and palm oil creates a
hard bar with good cleansing properties. These oils are carefully blended
together to produce a superior handcrafted soap.
At Chagrin Valley Soap
and Craft, we choose every soapmaking ingredient with one
end-result in mind....the BEST possible natural skincare for YOU!
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Individual soaps are uniquely crafted
with the addition of
special oils and butters like sweet almond oil, avocado oil,
cocoa butter, jojoba oil, shea butter, and many others.
Some soaps contain other natural ingredients like cucumbers,
avocados, carrots, oranges, herbs, flower petals, spices, or grains.
Since
everything that comes in contact
with our body affects our general health
as well as the condition of our skin,
choosing natural skin care products
and natural ingredients is important.
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Avocado
Oats & Shea Soap
(Made with real avocadoes) |
There are
four basic natural
ingredients used in Chgarin Valley Handcrafted Soaps; base oils, natural
additives, herbal infused oils, and pure botanical essential oils.
Click
on each box to learn more! If you are taken to another
page, please use your browser's back button if you would like to
return!
Base Oils & Butters
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The
science of soap making lies in the selection of the base oils
and butters used to create each recipe.
Individual oils and special oil blends lend unique properties to the finished soap.
Much
experimentation has gone into finding just the right mixtures
of oils and butter to create our fabulous soaps and shampoos.
customers.
Our recipes are meticulously developed to produce a mild, rich, soothing
soap that feels creamy in your hands, offers a magnificent
long-lasting lather, and leaves your skin and hair feeling
clean, soft, silky, and radiantly healthy.
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(Sweet)
Almond Oil,
Prunus dulcis, cold pressed from
the dried kernels of the almond tree, is an excellent emollient
(softening and soothing to the skin) and is known for it's skin nourishing
properties.
It is a great moisturizer, makes a stable luxurious mild
lather and helps condition the skin. This
oil has a fine texture and is easily absorbed, leaving the
skin soft and smooth without a greasy feel. Not only does
this oil help protect the skin's surface, but it also acts as a
conditioner to help promote a clear, clean, young looking
complexion. It is
rich
in essential fatty acids, vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, and E
and is said to relieve dry,
itchy skin.
In hair care, sweet almond oil helps
condition, nourish, and soften hair.
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Aloe Vera Butter,
Aloe barbadensis, is an extraction of the healing aloe gel into a solid fraction
of coconut oil so that it can be used like a butter. Aloe
Butter melts on contact with the skin and is wonderful for
treating dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, sunburn and
chapping. This great product moisturizes and also
includes all of the wonderful healing properties of aloe.
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Apricot
Kernel Oil,
Prunus Armeniaca,
is
expeller pressed from the fruit of the apricot fruit. It is a light oil rich in
vitamins A, D & E and
in
both oleic acid and linoleic acid.
Non-greasy and easily absorbed into the skin, apricot kernel oil is
frequently used in massage. A great moisturizing and conditioning oil
for mature and sensitive skin and skin that is inflamed and dry.
It has been said
to aid in the repair of the skins elasticity in prematurely aged
skin.
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Avocado oil, Persea gratissima,
expeller pressed from the pulp of the avocado fruit, is a highly therapeutic
exotic oil. Wonderfully
rich in vitamins A, D, and E, avocado
oil is an ingredient in expensive skin care products and shampoos.
Avocado oil is very penetrating and imparts valuable nutrients to
the skin while it softens, increases elasticity, moisturizes and
leaves no greasy residue. Avocado oil is
classified as a mono-unsaturated oil and is used for dry or mature
skins. It is not only a good moisturizer, but it is believed
to be very therapeutic for dry skin and eczema because it is a
penetrating substance rich in vitamins A, B1, B2 panthothenic acid,
E and lecithin and fatty acids. It is also used to treat sun
damaged skin that is dehydrated and under nourished. Avocado
oil, said to help with the regenerating of skin cells, is often
found in products for damaged hair and is believed to be a
good hair stimulant and
an excellent protein conditioner for
the hair & scalp.
Avocado oil
helps restore luster and hydrate dry and damaged ends. Our pure
avocado butter is expeller crushed from
the fresh flesh of the avocado fruit and then hydrogenated to yield
a creamy, soft butter that has excellent penetrating properties.
Avocado butter is a very rich, moisturizing treatment for the hair
and skin.
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Babassu
oil, Orbignya Oleifera,
expeller pressed from the seeds of the native
Brazilian babassu palm,
is estimated to be worth five times as much as the coffee crop
to the Brazilian economy. The major factor affecting the cost
is the difficulty of cracking open the fruits to obtain the
seeds. Each fruit, weighing up to 8 ounces, has a tough woody
shell that may be 1 inch thick.
It
is cold pressed from the kernel and is produced without
chemicals. Babassu
has been used for
generations by indigenous cultures of South America as a
natural moisturizer. A fast
penetrating oil, Babassu is one of nature’s richest
emollients and
is beneficial for either dry or oily complexions. It
gently moisturizes,
conditions and adds luster to the skin with no greasy
after-feel.
This skin-nourishing oil
contains glycosides, vitamins and minerals that help soften
skin and make it supple.
It
It is especially good for
eczema, itchy , dry and inflamed skin. In hair care
babassu oil is believed to nourish, moisturize, and restore
hair strength, giving you shiny, healthy-looking hair. |
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Beeswax,
Cera Alba,
produced by the (female) worker honeybees, is secreted from wax
glands on the underside of the bee's abdomen. The bees mold the
wax into six-sided cells which are filled with honey and then
capped with more wax. When honey is harvested, the top layer of
wax that covers the cells, called the cappings, must be removed
from each hexagon-shaped cell. The beeswax, which contains
some honey and propolis, is strained to remove impurities. Unrefined
beeswax will
vary in color from yellow through brown to black and retain a
unique sweet odor. We
use unrefined
beeswax
with the sweet smell of honey, which
nourishes
and soothes the skin. Skin-nourishing propolis and trace
amounts of vitamins and minerals are found in unrefined beeswax.
Beeswax
also forms a lovely, light barrier on
your skin that prevents the loss of
moisture from dehydrated skin
and helps to seal in the moisturizing oils and butters, without
clogging pores.
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Camellia Oil,
Camelia
sasanqua,
also known as Tea Oil Camellia in other parts of the world,
is expeller pressed from the seeds of an evergreen, flowering, tea tree originally found
in the mountains of southeast Asia. Camellia is
cultivated in western Japan where the winters are dry and
cold. This oil has been used by the Japanese women for skin,
hair and scalp care for many years. The camellia plant
has been known as a symbol of wealth and happiness in many
Asian cultures. Camellia oil is a nongreasy oil
excellent for use in skin and hair products as it contains
skin restructuring and moisturizing properties. Cold
pressed from the seeds of the fruit, camellia oil is high in
oleic acid, and vitamins A, B and E. It's antioxidant
properties make it a great oil for anti-aging products, as it
rejuvenates and restores, giving the skin a radiant glow.
Often used in fine facial creams due to its rapidly absorbing
property,
it is believed to promote the healing of scars, and lighten
freckles and age spots.
In hair care camellia oil, which has has excellent hair
conditioning properties.
The components of camellia oil moisturize,
soften, and protect hair, and provide it with luster and
shine.
The Japanese have always used Camellia Oil for hair and scalp
care. Women from the island of Oshima, where Camellia
tress are very abundant are said to have the most beautiful
hair.
Camellia makes nourishing shampoos for dry and damaged hair.
A shampoo formulated with camellia oil may help with
dandruff and hair loss.
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Canola Oil,
Brassica napus canola,
is a
moisturizing oil that promotes healthy skin. It is nutritious,
conditioning, and penetrating for all skin types.
Rich in essential fatty acids, especially omega-3 (linolenic
acid) and omega-6 (linoleic acid) and high percentage (66%) of oleic
acid,
canola oil
is noted for its conditioning qualities. This medium light oil contains
the essential fatty acids, plus vitamins, specifically vitamin E, and
minerals. Effective in preventing evaporation of moisture from
the skin, canola oil helps to soften and smooth the skin in
the same way as other emollients. It is a fabulous
oil in soaps and also makes adds
a silkiness to the lather. We use
expeller pressed,
non GMO, canola oil. In hair care,
canola oil revitalizes and softens hair as it imparts shine.
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Carrot Root Oil,
a rich golden oil obtained from infusing
carrots, is not the same as Carrot Seed Essential Oil.
We
make our own carrot root oil by drying grated carrots,
steeping them in sunflower oil for about a week, and then
filtering out the liquid carrot oil.
Carrot Root Oil, high in Vitamin A and
Beta-Carotene,
is
wonderfully rich and healing, especially for mature,
sensitive, or sun-damaged skin, and for skin irritations and
rashes.
It has been used for hundreds
of years for healing the skin.
Carrot oil is used in products for premature aging, dryness
and scarring. It is claimed
to be a beneficial skin tonic used to facilitate healing,
sooth itching skin, replenish elasticity, and help psoriasis and eczema.
Carrot root oil is sometimes used in sun-screen because it is
a source of beta-carotene, a natural antioxidant which is
believed to reduce the damaging effects of UV rays. In hair care carrot root oil helps to balance the moisture and
conditions the hair. |
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Castor Bean Oil,
Ricinus communis, also
known as Palma Christi oil is expeller pressed from the castor bean plant. It has
been in use by many cultures for thousands of years as a folk
medicine, being first recorded by the Egyptians as medicinal oil.
Rich in fatty acids, it is a soothing,
lubricating oil that is readily absorbed by the skin. It
moisturizes by acting as a humectant which means it attracts and
locks moisture to the skin, creating very
emollient bar of soap. Castor
bean oil adds mildness and richness to soap and provides a conditioning, fluffy lather with
thick, large bubbles.
In HAIR CARE: castor oil is great in shampoo bars and
is commonly used in hair
conditioners and in hot oil treatments for brittle, damaged hair
or hair loss. Castor oil coats the hair shaft and smoothes the
cuticle layer, sealing in moisture and leaving the hair feeling
soft and silky. Since it is easily absorbed by the hair, it
allows deeper penetration into the hair shaft for greater hair
conditioning and hair stimulant properties.
We have
received e-mails from concerned customers who have read that
castor bean oil is poisonous.
Click here to read our response! |
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Cocoa Butter,
Theobroma cacao,
a
prime pressed creamy
yellow butter from
the seed of the Cacao Tree, has the distinct aroma of chocolate.
Cocoa
butter is an excellent all over the body moisturizer as it acts as
an emollient (softening and
soothing to the skin)
that
aids in preserving the skin by providing a protective layer that
locks in natural moisture. It soothes and softens dry, itchy skin.
It
is good for all skin types and is particularly excellent for dry
skin. The natural emolliency, moisturizing and antioxidant
characteristics of cocoa butter make it an excellent choice to
rejuvenate the skin.
Cocoa butter is often found in products that claim to reduce the
appearance of stretch marks and scars. In soap, cocoa butter
helps make a hard, very moisturizing bar - great for very dry
skin.
In hair care, cocoa butter
easily absorbs into the
hair and imparts sheen.
It locks in moisture and
helps protect the hair shaft. Plus,
it smells good enough to eat! |
Beauty Secret Cocoa Butter Dry Ends Cream
Although nothing mends split ends once they form, use our
Three Butter Lotion Bar to
temporarily seal split ends and discourage the hair from
splitting further. To use, rub a small amount of
the lotion bar between the fingertips and apply sparingly to
dry ends between shampoos.
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Coconut Oil,
Cocos nucifera,
one
of the main soapmaking oils, comes from
the fruit of the Coconut Palm.
This oil gives soap cleansing properties and makes a rich creamy
lather with big, fluffy bubbles. It is a great moisturizer
which is quickly absorbed by the skin and never leaves a greasy
feeling.
This is one of the best oils known for its lathering and
moisturizing properties. It even produces an
incredibly rich, creamy, fluffy lather in cold
seawater!!
Coconut oil
is also great in lotion bars, creams, and hair care
products. It is used in India as a hair tonic to stimulate
hair growth, stimulate the scalp, and prevent graying of
hair.
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Coconut Oil, Virgin,
Cocos nucifera,
is a light, penetrating
oil extracted directly from freshly cut coconuts. The fresh
coconut meat is grated and then expeller pressed to produce
the coconut milk. This milk is centrifuged to separate the
milk into coconut solids, water and oil. This result is a
very creamy coconut oil that retains the smell of fresh
coconut milk.. This cold process extraction takes place within
hours of opening the coconuts. As a result it conserves the
nutritive components of coconuts such as squalane and vitamin
E. We use certified organic virgin coconut oil.
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Coffee Bean Butter,
Coffea arabica,
is produced by hydrogenating
the cold pressed oil from roasted coffee beans resulting in a
butter with a smooth, silky feel. It is believed
that coffee oil may offer natural protection from ultraviolet
light and is becoming a popular ingredient in sunscreen
products. Coffee butter, rich in phytosterols,
provides excellent moisture retention and is easily absorbed
by the skin. There is no caffiene in coffee oil, since
caffeine is a water soluble component of the coffee bean, but
the aroma of coffee butter is fabulous! |
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Evening Primrose Oil,
Oenothera biennis,
expeller pressed from the seeds of the Evening Primrose Flower,
is
rich in vitamins and minerals and
is a rich source of essential polyunsaturated
fatty acids,
including gamma-linolenic acid (GLA),
which promote healthy skin by conditioning and
restoring moisture to dry or rough areas.
Gamma-Linolenic acid is a choice ingredient in cosmetic
products due to the fact it maintains the skin elasticity. It
is particularly recommended for dry and devitalized skin.
Evening Primrose has been
used in folk medicine for its
skin soothing properties to help with skin conditions like
eczema. An
excellent
oil for dry, aging or chapped skin, evening primrose is often
used as a body message oil.
Evening
primrose oil soap gives a thick creamy lather which cleans and
moisturizes dry skin.
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Grapeseed Oil,
Vitis vinifera, is
extracted from the seeds of wine producing grapes. It is a
gentle lightweight oil that absorbs into the skin quickly without
leaving a greasy feeling. It is very rich
in linoleic acid,
(also known as Omega 6),
an
essential fatty acid quite important for the skin and the cell
membranes. Oils rich in linoleic acid provide the best
moisturizing properties. Grapeseed Oil is believed to have
skin cell regenerative properties. It is good in
massage oils for those whose skin does not seem to absorb easily and
does not aggravate acne. In hair care, grapeseed oil promotes healthy hair and has
been used in conjunction with jojoba oil and essential oils as an
anti-hair loss massage. It also has
good slippage for detangling hair.
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Hazelnut Oil,
Corylus avellana,
expeller pressed from the hazelnut kernel, resembles olive oil
in its characteristics and composition and has long been used
for treatment of dry and damaged skin. It absorbs quickly
into the skin, not leaving a greasy feel. It is high in oleic acid
and
has great moisturizing qualities. It
is a wonderfully light, penetrating oil with slight astringent qualities believed to help to tone and
tighten the skin. Hazelnut oil is
high in essential fatty acids and is soothing and healing to
dry, irritated skin. Studies have shown that it can filter sun
rays and is commonly used in sun care products. Hazelnut
oil is a great oil for massage and hair care.
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Hemp
Seed Oil, Cannabis
sativa, is
not, as so many people assume, the same plant as marijuana. It
is a non- narcotic variety. Medicinal uses for hemp plant seed
oil extend as far back as the Ming Dynasty. Hempseed oil is
expeller pressed from a
tiny nut, rather than a seed, that contains about 20 to 35 percent
protein.
Hemp seed oil is one of the world's richest
sources of polyunsaturated fats and contains more naturally
occurring essential fatty acids (EFA) than any other plant-derived
oil. Hemp oil is high in both of the
essential fatty acids (Omega 3 and Omega 6) and GLA (gamma Linolenic
acid), which make it an excellent natural
emollient and moisturizer. |
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Hemp seed oil,
contains
50%-60% linoleic acid.
Oils
rich in linoleic acid
provide the best moisturizing properties.
It
is rich in vitamins, such as
the natural anti-oxidant vitamin E.
Hemp seed oil, which easily
penetrates the skin,
is believed to
reduce skin discomfort by soothing and
restoring dry or damaged skin and
increasing the natural moisture retention capacity. It
leaves skin smooth and
moisturized.
Hemp oil creates a silky nourishing bar of soap and a
nourishing lotion bar.
In hair care products, hemp seed oil
imparts gloss and manageability to hair,
bringing relief from dry scalp or hair
damage by blow-dryer heat, chemical perms, coloring or
sunlight.
The
essential amino acids in hemp seed oil aid in keratin formation.
Keratin is the principal protein of hair (and nails). It helps
increase volume, comb ability and shine. Hemp seed oil
smoothes down the cuticle of the hair, which reduces the
scattering of light and improves the luster and feel of the hair. Do
not confuse hemp seed
with its distant
cousin, marijuana. Hemp seed oil is drug-free.
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Illipe butter,
Shorea stenoptera,
is
obtained from the nuts of the Shorea stenoptera, a magnificent
tree that grows in the forests of Borneo. For centuries, the
inhabitants of the island have been using butter extracted from
the fruits of the tree as a treatment for skin problems.
Illipe butter is very similar in nature to cocoa butter, but it
has a higher melting point. It has a mild characteristic
odor and is creamy white in color. Illipe butter
moisturizes the skin,
reduces degeneration of skin cells, and restores skin
flexibility and
elasticity. Many
believe it to be the
most nourishing of the healing butters. It is used in skin
and sun care products, massage creams, and soap. Illipe
has great moisturizing properties.
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Jojoba Oil,
Buxus Sinensis,
expeller
pressed from the jojoba
bean, has
been used for skin and hair care for hundreds of years. It's humectant properties help
the desert jojoba plant retain water during drought. In
reality jojoba oil is not an oil but a liquid wax, and is pronounced
"ho-ho-ba." Because the structure of jojoba oil closely resembles
that of your own skin sebum (the oil your skin
produces),
its is
considered nature's most effective natural moisturizer. It
penetrates the skin
easily, is an excellent moisturizer and is ideal for all skin types. It contains myristic acid which also has anti-inflammatory actions.
Jojoba oil is believed to rebalance, repair, lubricate, moisture,
soften and trap bacteria which is then washed away.
It can be used on acne without any problems. It
is believed to be great for
mature, aging skin and
has excellent mildness for sensitive
skin.
In hair care products, the
cleaning
properties of jojoba have been well documented.
Jojoba is believed to promote hair growth and improve the
overall health of the scalp and hair. Jojoba
actually creates a protective film over the skin and hair that
keeps moisture in. It does not clog pores.
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Beauty Hair Secret For Body &
Shine
1 cup warm flat beer
1 teaspoon jojoba oil
Mix ingredients together. Apply to hair and
massage through and allow to sit for a few minutes.
Shampoo and rinse as usual. Jojoba oil is non-greasy and adds
shine to your hair while beer adds body.
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Kokum Butter,
Garcinia indica,
a highly prized butter obtained from the Indian tree Garcinia
indica, is a naturally white and incredibly smooth butter.
It has enormously high compositions of beneficial materials to
help regenerate tired and worn skin cells and further supports
elasticity and general flexibility of the skin wall. Kokum
Butter is a non-comodegenic (non pore-clogging), high in vitamin
E, and rich in essential fatty acids, which aid in cell
oxygenation and make nutrients more readily available for use by
skin tissues. It has been used traditionally in India to
soften skin and restore elasticity and as a balm for dry,
cracked, rough and calloused skin. It is a great
ingredient to add to healing creams and body butters because of
its ability to soften and heal chapped dry skin.
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Macadamia Nut Oil, Macadamia
ternifolia,
expeller pressed from
the macadamia nut, is a luxurious oil that easily absorbs into the skin and acts as an
emollient moisturizing your skin cells. Since it is
believed to be an antioxidant, protecting cell membranes from
deterioration,
it
is great for dry and aging skin. It's properties are very similar to mink
oil and to the natural oil (sebum) of human skin. Its high
palmitoleic acid content protects the skin just like human
sebum--no
other known plant oil has a similar composition. It
penetrates quickly and hydrates the skin . |
Mango Butter,
Mangifera indica, is an
extremely gentle
exotic butter that is obtained from the fruit kernels of the Mango
tree. The mango tree, is a sacred tree for Hindus, cultivated
in India for over 4000 years. Mango butter is rich in high quality
essential fatty acids necessary to restore skin tone, elasticity and
flexibility, and
reduce degeneration of skin
cells.
It is a great moisturizer and is soothing, softening, and nourishing to your skin.
It is
non-greasy, absorbs easily into the skin and provides a natural
protective effect against UV radiation. Mango butter has been
traditionally used in the tropics for its skin softening, soothing,
moisturizing and protective properties. An ideal
moisturizer for all skin types, Mango butter
is believed to
prevent drying and formation of wrinkles.
Mango butter has
been used to provide relief from the dryness of eczema and
psoriasis. In hair care, mango butter replaces
moisture, adds softness, elasticity and shine to your hair. It
is also believed to heal and regenerate hair cuticles.
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Morwah Butter,
Madhuca latifolia,
also
known as
mahua butter,
is
an exotic, very emollient butter obtained from
the seeds of the Madhuca (or Butter) tree native to central
India. In India, the butter has both cosmetic and edible
uses.
Morwah
butter is soft solid at room temperature and melts immediately
upon contact with your skin.
It is known to reduce the
degeneration of skin cells, prevent wrinkles and restore skin
elasticity.
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Neem
Oil,
Azadirachta indica,
cold
pressed from the fruit of the Neem or Margosa tree,
is an excellent moisturizing oil whose medicinal use can be
traced back to the Indian Harappa culture, 4,500 years ago.
In India it is known as “the village
pharmacy."
Neem was used to treat a wide range of ailments and to this
day, the plant plays an essential role in Ayurvedic medicine,
the Indian system of natural healing. For centuries the Neem
tree, known as the wonder tree of India was commonly called
the "Friend and Protector of the Indian Villager.”
Traditionally used in Ayurvedic remedies as an antiseptic to
fight viruses and bacteria, Neem's skin rejuvenating and
skin soothing qualities have been celebrated for centuries.
This oil is
cold
pressed from the Neem or Margosa tree, which bears a fruit
that contains a substance with a garlicky odor that has been
used as a medicinal treatment of skin diseases and in the
manufacture of medicated soap.
Due to neem's antibacterial and antifungal properties, it is effective in
fighting many skin aliments such as acne, psoriasis and
eczema. It is especially gentle and nourishing when used for
itchy, sensitive or dry skin conditions.
In hair care, this oil, derived by crushing the seeds of the
Indian Neem,
or
Margosa
Tree, is used to treat
itchy,
irritated scalps, other scalp problems.
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PLEASE NOTE:
Full strength neem oil has been used topically as a
vaginal contraceptive and has been given internally to
woman in labor to augment uterine contractions. Neem
products are not recommended for use by pregnant or
nursing women or anyone (male or female) trying to get
pregnant. |
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Olive Oil,
Olea europea,
the queen of oil for soapmaking,
has
been treasured for centuries for its ability to nourish the
skin.
It is an extremely mild oil packed with vitamins, minerals and
proteins. Olive oil, obtained from cold pressed olives, prevents the loss of skin's natural moisture.
It attracts external moisture, holds the moisture close to the skin,
and forms a breathable film to prevent loss of internal moisture.
Since
the fat composition of olive oil is very similar to that of
human skin, it rarely causes allergic reactions and
does not
block the natural
functions of the skin.
In addition, it’s absorbed quickly and helps lock in moisture
and soothe sensitive skin.
Olive oil is believed to have healing properties, as well as being
an excellent moisturizer. It helps keeps skin soft, supple and
younger looking.
True old world style Castile soap is made exclusively with olive
oil and produces an extremely mild low lathering soap with fine
silky bubbles. In hair care, Olive oil has been
used for centuries in hot oil treatments. Olive oil
helps
repair split ends, heals dandruff, and makes your hair shiny,
silky, and lustrous.
Our pure
olive butter is cold pressed from olives and then
hydrogenated to yield a rich, creamy emollient. It is a
nutrient-rich butter that can help to improve skin elasticity,
and reduce the appearance of fine lines. For those with a
sensitivity to shea butter, olive butter is a great substitute.
Containing natural essential fatty acids and unsaponifiables
this butter is an ingredient often used for anti-aging products.
The organic
extra virgin olive oil we use in some of our products
is cold
pressed, certified Organic,
certified
Kosher
and made in Italy.
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Olive Squalane:
Olives have the largest percentage of
vegetable squalane. Olive squalane is a natural botanical
lipid that is similar to the squalane produced by our skin’s
sebaceous glands. Human
skin naturally produces squalane,
which
helps protect and lubricate skin. Squalane
production increases during adolescence and peaks around age
25. As we age, our skin produces less and less squalane. Olive
squalane is a unique emollient that penetrates quickly and
absorbs deeply. Squalane is believed to help to promote cell
growth and help with dry, rough skin, and skin irritations like
eczema and psoriasis. Squalane
is often found in anti-aging and wrinkle reducing products. Years
ago squalane used in cosmetics was derived from shark liver. Squalane
is also found in small quantities in wheat germ oil, and rice
bran oil.
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Beauty Secret For Dry Brittle
Hair
one egg
1/2 cup olive oil
Blend beaten egg with olive oil. Apply to
hair and cover with a plastic cap. Allow mixture to
remain for 30-45 minutes. Wash with a mild shampoo and
warm (not hot) water.
Repeat weekly or monthly depending on the condition of your
hair. |
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Palm Kernel Oil,
Elaeis guineensis,
is
pressed from the kernels or seed of the palm tree fruit. It is very similar
to coconut oil in that it has a high percentage of lauric acid which
allows it to produce a hard soap with good lather. It is a great
moisturizer which is quickly absorbed by the skin and never leaves a
greasy feeling.
This is one of the best oils known for its lathering and
moisturizing properties.
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Palm Oil,
Elaeis guineensis,
is produced from the pulp or fleshly portion of the fruit of
the palm. It makes a nice hard bar of soap
that cleans well
when used in combination with other oils such as coconut and olive
oil. It lends hardness and smooth creamy bubbles to soap.
Palm oil is universal and used in many expensive luxury soaps.
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Pecan oil,
Algooquian Paccan,
is light oil, but rich in nutrients. This
natural moisturizing oil nourishes
and softens dry, chapped skin. It
is
a soothing emollient, perfect for dry, damaged, or mature skin
and is a favorite among massage therapists.
The pecan, native to North America and belongs to the walnut
family and is the official tree of Texas. The nuts were a
food staple of American Indians. The name "Pecan" comes from
the Native American word pacane, meaning "nut so hard
as to require a stone to crack."
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Pumpkin Seed Oil,
Cucurbita pepo,
derived from the Styrian pumpkin,
is rich in Vitamin A and beta-carotene.
Styrian pumpkins, which originated in Austria, have a
yellowish green skin and light orange flesh. The dark
green pumpkin seeds do not have an outer shell so they can be
easily processed into pumpkin seed oil. We
use virgin pumpkin seed oil, cold pressed from the seeds, with
a naturally a dark green color and a nutty aroma. This
highly nourishing and emollient oil is rich in vegetable
protein and contains many valuable nutrients such as Vitamins
A, B, C, D, E and K, zinc, calcium, magnesium, Omega 3 and
Omega 6, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and phytosterols. Pumpkin
seed oil, particularly good for dry, damaged skin, may be
helpful for eczema and psoriasis. Because of its high
protein, zinc, and fatty acid content, it is especially good
to combat fine facial lines and dryness
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Rice Bran Oil,
Oryza sativa,
expeller
pressed from the rice barn, is rich in anti-oxidants, has long been used in Japan to protect
and moisturize the skin, but is a relatively new discovery
here in the USA. In
Japanese, Komen Nuka Bi Jin means 'rice bran beautiful
person.' In 1987, it was accidentally discovered that
the factory workers handling rice hulls in a sake factory had
beautifully soft and supple hands.
Rice
bran oil is rich in gamma-oryzanol, making it a wonderful oil
for itchy "alligator" skin. It also contains
squalene which is believed to improve skin tone and delay
wrinkle formation. Rice bran oil also contains natural
antioxidants like tocophyerol (Vitamin E). Rice bran
oil, good for mature, delicate or sensitive skin, softens, moisturizes, and promotes regeneration of
healthy skin. It is
especially good for face and hair care products.
It adds sheen and manageability while moisturizing and conditioning the
hair without weighing it down.
Rice bran oil imparts shine and texture and leaves hair easy
to style. Rice bran also contains proteins that help
strengthen the hair shaft and prevent split ends
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Safflower Oil,
Carthamus tinctorius, is
expeller pressed from the seeds of the safflower. Since it is a very
light and quick to absorb oil, it is becoming a favored oil in the
skin care field. Safflower was mentioned in ancient Egyptian
texts and was used to heal old wounds. Safflower oil is great
addition to skin care products because it
has one of
the highest linoleic acid (over 70%) contents of all oils
and
therefore helps to moisturize, nourish and restructure the skin.
It's high in vitamin E, a natural antioxidant,
which is believed
to help keep the skin tissue younger making it especially helpful
for delicate, dry or mature skin.
It
is one of the most moisturizing vegetable oils.
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We use virgin unrefined
Shea Butter that is naturally
cultivated and naturally processed and certified organic! |
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Shea
Nut Butter,
Butyrospermum Parkii,
also
known as African Karite Butter, is obtained from the nut of the
Mangifolia Tree.
Shea butter
has a wide range of amazing properties stemming from its
physical make up of vitamins A, E, and cinnamic acid, just to
name a few. Shea Butter, containing a natural UV
protection, was used for centuries by the natives of the Ivory
Coast and Senegal to heal and protect skin due to its
anti-inflammatory capabilities. It has been shown to
increase the healing of wounds and improve scars. It is
used to heal eczema, burns, rashes, severely dry skin, and to
lessen the irritation of psoriasis.
Shea Butter penetrates deep into your skin, gives back its
elasticity and helps dry aging skin. It moisturizes and nourishes your
skin and is excellent for dry, damaged and maturing skin. Shea
butter contains unsaponifiable fats, which do not turn to soap
and thus supply wonderful moisturizing properties in a bar of
soap.
In hair care Shea Butter provides
deep nourishment for the hair shaft, and moisturizes dry, dull
hair resulting in improved luster and manageability. An
excellent treatment for dry scalp, it absorbs quickly and
penetrates into the scalp to rehydrate. It is particularly
beneficial for processed and heat-treated hair and is also
believed to help promote new hair growth. |
Liquid Shea
Butter Oil (Shea Olein),
Butyrospermum Parkii,
is true liquid shea butter,
not a solvent extracted shea oil.
The two
most prevalent natural fatty acids in shea butter are stearic
acid and oleic acid. Stearic acid is solid at room
temperature and oleic (the major fatty acid in olive oil) is
liquid at room temperature. If cold pressure or gentle
heat is applied, the oleic portion will melt first and can be
separated out.
Much more solid shea butter is
produced than liquid shea oil, thus the liquid shea is a
precious commodity.
Shea
Olein is a valuable ingredient in cosmetics due to its high
content of unsaponifiables, the most healing fraction.
Liquid Shea Butter penetrates quickly and is great for
for
dry skin and damaged hair. It is believed to
have
exceptional
nourishing, protective and reparative properties,
which may help with aging and/or irritated skin. It also
makes an excellent massage oil and leaves hair feeling
healthier and more manageable.
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Shea butter contains natural
latex--people suffering from latex allergies should
patch test any
shea butter product before using it.
Although many people
with latex allergies are not effected by shea butter, some
are, so it is better to be safe than sorry! |
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Our shea butter is Fare Trade
produced by a woman owned company in Ghana!
Our Shea Butter is
NOT solvent extracted.
The butter is
naturally cultivated,
hand crushed, and
naturally processed
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Sunflower Oil,
Helianthus annuus,
expeller pressed from the seeds which contain 30% of the oil, contains vitamins A, C, and E. It is
also
very
high in essential fatty acids and helps to moisturize, regenerate
and condition the skin.
This oil is easily absorbed and can be used on all skin types.
Its high in tocopherols (vitamin E), a natural antioxidant,
which is believed
to help keep the skin tissue younger making it especially helpful
for delicate, dry or mature skin.
It
is known to be one of the most moisturizing vegetable oils. In hair care,
nutrient-rich sunflower oil moisturizes, nourishes and protects for
silky, strong, healthy hair.
Sunflower oil is said to be a hair strengthener
and prevent aging of the hair follicle, which may delay graying.
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Walnut Oil,
Juglans nigra,
expeller
pressed from the walnut, is an excellent moisturizer and a great emollient. It
absorbs quickly into the skin. Walnut oil is rich in
vitamins A, C, and linoleic acid. It is a deep
penetrating, very nourishing oil. Walnut oil has a mild
astringent action which stimulates circulation. It is believed to have
anti-aging, regenerative and skin toning properties,
which makes it wonderful for damaged or maturing skin. Walnut
oil is an excellent hair care oil. It helps condition your hair and to provide flowing,
smooth, and manageable hair. |
Wheat Germ Oil,
Triticum vulgare,
expeller pressed from the germ (fertile part) of the wheat
kernel. High
in Vitamins
A,
B1, B2, B3, B6, and E, as well as phosphorus, zinc, iron, sulphur,
potassium, carotene and vegetable lecithin, wheat germ oil is a
highly nutritive ingredient in skin care products. It soothes and
nourishes irritated skin and may be helpful with eczema.
It is particularly high in vitamin E, a natural antioxidant, which
is believed to
promote
skin elasticity, nourish skin cells, and prevent moisture loss
resulting in smoother, younger looking skin.
Mature
skin, in particular, will benefit from wheat germ oil. In hair care,
the powerful
anti-oxidants in wheat germ oil improve the scalp’s ability to
utilize oxygen, leaving the scalp healthy. Hair needs oxygen
to grow and excessive hair thinning may be due to poor circulation
(lack of oxygen) to the affected area. Poor circulation, lack of
stimulation, adverse scalp conditions and clogged follicles can all
result in less oxygen to the hair follicle. Scientists have
found that people with stunted hair growth have up to 38% less
oxygen at the hair's root.
Wheat germ oil also softens hair.
Herbal Infused Oils
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We maintain
a small herb garden in our greenhouse in order to have fresh
herbs all year round.
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We have been making herbal infused oils for years to
impart special flavors in our kitchen never realizing that we
were also receiving other benefits from the herbs. Now we
use herbal infused oils in our soap to add natural colors, and
scents, as well as the beneficial properties of the herbs.
We use herbal infused oils in some of our lotion bars, whipped
butters, and our salves. To make an infused oil we start with plain oil in a glass jar or
casserole. Then we place a bunch of dried herbs in the oil. We slowly
and gently
warm the oil in the Sun (or a Crockpot in winter) until the wonderful healing
properties of the herbs have been infused into the oil. It
is like making sun tea, only we use oil instead of water. Then we
strain out the herbs, add a fresh batch of dried herbs and
continue the process until we have a rich, nourishing, and
healing oil. We use a variety of herbs, depending on the
properties we are looking for. Some
of the herbs we use are harvested from our own organic herb garden
or that grow wild in our yard. We also maintain a small herb
garden in our greenhouse in order to have fresh herbs all year
round.
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Herbs originated
from the ancient Chinese, Greek and Roman civilizations and were
passed down through Elizabethan English to the earliest settlers in
the New World. Most plants historically categorized as herbs contain
some substance in the root, leaf, bark or flower that at one time
had been used in medicines. Herbal
oils, with their wide range of nutrients, antioxidants and vitamins,
have been traditionally utilized to nourish and revitalize the skin,
reverse skin aging processes, promote healthy scalp and hair, and
combat hair loss. Herbal oils have been used for centuries as a
medicines to treat skin problems, help heal skin injuries, and
nourish the scalp and hair.
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The properties of each infused oil depend on the properties of
the herb or flower use for the infusion. For example, the
therapeutic use of the
calendula flower
originated in ancient Egypt, where it was prized for its ability to
treat wounds, skin abrasions, and skin infections. Calendula
is remarkably non-irritating and soothing and is often used in
products for newborn babies.
Calendula flower
petals in oil yield Calendula Infused Oil. Calendula Infused
Oil is known for its skin-care properties and is believed to have
regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties that help soften and
soothe dry, chapped skin. |
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Since
the properties of each
infused oil depend on the properties of the herb or flower used for
the infusion, take some time to learn about individual herbs.
There are many books and websites that offer good information on
herbs. We have some basic information on our
"Natural
Additives"
webpage.
A Relaxing Herbal Hint
Create a natural relaxing bath by placing a thin cloth bag of your
favorite herbs
under the water faucet while it is running.
Squeeze the bag before removing from
the water to get every last bit
of your bath "tea."
Please Note:
The information on this website is in
no way intended as treatment regimen for health conditions. If you
have medical concerns regarding yourself or your family you should
seek the advice of qualified, licensed health professionals.
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