natural additives 

Nothing is quite as exciting as individualizing handmade soaps and shampoos by including natural additives. Natural additives lend their own special qualities by adding natures own nutrients and providing a unique look, color, texture and aroma.


Apples Apples are good for your skin. They contain a wide range of flavonoids which are known for their antioxidant activity. Antioxidants are chemicals that reduce or prevent oxidation, thus preventing cell and tissue damage from free radicals. Apples are loaded with pectin, a soluble fiber that helps tighten pores, and fruit acids that help purify and promote cell renewal. The old saying, “an Apple a day, keeps the doctor away,” comes from am old English adage, “To eat an apple before going to bed, will make the doctor beg his bread.”
Apricots Apricots are chocked full of many wonderful vitamins, minerals and natural oils. Rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and especially beta carotene, the juice of apricots is good for sunburn, itching and eczema. Apricots are known for their hydrating, firming and revitalizing properties, making them an excellent addition to natural skin care products. Apricots are great for dry skin. High in Vitamin A, the fruit helps smooth wrinkles and rejuvenate and tighten skin.
Avocado Avocados, a treasury of vitamins, minerals and natural oils, were once used as an aphrodisiac. Although we make no guarantees on that account, the oils do have an ancient history of use in cosmetics. Ancient Aztec, Mayan and Inca women believed that the avocado fed the skin from without as well as within. Today avocado pulp is used to make moisturizing complexion masks. Avocados are high in beta-carotene, lecithin, fatty acids, potassium and protein, not usually found in fruit. They are high in vitamins A and D and contain more vitamin E than any other fruit. Avocado pulp is rich, nourishing, and moisturizing leaving skin feeling soft and smooth.

Bananas Bananas, rich in magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants vitamins A, B, C and E, are also high in sucrose, fructose, and glucose (natural sugars). The fruit acids from these sugars are natural exfoliants that help slough off dead skin and revitalize dull skin. Bananas are an excellent choice for smoothing and moisturizing dry skin. They also contain anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties that may help fight acne. Bananas are often used in facial masks to help reduce wrinkles.

Hops Beer is a humectant, which means it attracts and locks moisture to the skin. Adding beer to a bath is a practice that began in the Middle Ages. Well known for its conditioning properties, beer creates a gentle moisturizing lather. The malt and yeast in beer are rich in B complex vitamins, biotin, pantothenic acid, and trace minerals, which help make skin smooth and supple. Beer has been used to help acne, eczema, and skin infections. The hops in the beer gives the soap a nice clean smell with a hint of sweetness similar to honey. In hair care, beer tightens the cuticle of the hair shaft adds luster, body and manageability. The proteins from the malt and hops coat the hair, build it up and help repair damage.

Carrots Carrots and Carrot Juice were regarded by the ancient healers as the 'herbal healer' of skin. Carrots are rich in antioxidants which fight tissue damage caused by free radicals, help rejuvenate sun-exposed and mature skin and may help with wrinkles. The soothing properties of carrots have been used to treat dermatitis, eczema, and rashes. The fresh root, finely chopped, has been used as a beauty mask for the face . The carrot juice adds a lovely orange color to soap. Carrots were first cultivated in 500 BC in the Mediterranean regions. They were introduced in Europe 1600's and ladies used the feathery tops as decoration for hats and wore them in their hair.
   
Cocoa Bean Chocolate and Cocoa Powder add color, aroma, and skin soothing and softening properties. People pay good money to have their bodies coated with real chocolate. Chocolate contains antioxidants, which inhibit the free radicals that otherwise break down normal cell reproduction. Many people use green tea-based cosmetic products, for their antioxidant qualities, but dark chocolate has four times as many antioxidants as green tea. It also contains well known cellulite fighter - natural Caffeine! Caffeine helps temporarily plump and smooth the skin. Bathing in chocolate is almost as much fun as eating it. Chocolate has been associated with romance since the age of the Aztecs. Our chocolate and cocoa are Fair Trade and supports small farmer co-ops that use sustainable farming methods.
   
Clays, called Ee-Wah-Kee, which means "mud-that-heals," were used by Native Americans as a natural way to purify, sooth, and heal wounds. Clay masks are used today by many cultures as a natural way to remove toxins and tone facial skin.

Rhassoul Clay		 Bentonite Clay is derived from naturally occurring volcanic ash sediments here in the US. When mixed with water, it becomes very slippery, almost gel-like. Good for all skin types, it is commonly used in shaving soaps to make the razor slippery to avoid cuts to the skin. It also makes an invigorating body or face mask. Great for treating problem skin and poison ivy, clays are also reputed to naturally cleanse pores. Clay gives soap a smooth silky lather.

China Clay, also called kaolin clay or white clay, is one of the mildest and purest of all clays. It can be used on even the most sensitive skin. Since it does not draw oils from the skin, it can be used on dry skin and is often used in fine face powders. The very fine, naturally absorbent texture gently cleans, exfoliates, and eliminates clogged pores, while improving circulation. White China clay is soothing, cleansing, hydrating, detoxifying, and gives soap a smooth creamy lather.

French Green Clay is mined from bedrock quarries in France. It has great absorbent powers and literally "drinks" oils, toxins and impurities from your skin. Its toning action stimulates the skin bringing fresh blood to damaged skin cells, revitalizing the complexion while tightening pores. This clay is great for oily skin and helps to clear problem skin.

Pink Clay, also called French Pink Clay, is a mild clay that can be used everyday without drying the skin. Extremely beneficial for dry and sensitive skin, it gently cleans, exfoliates, and eliminates clogged pores, while improving circulation. Pink clay is soothing, cleansing, hydrating and detoxifying and gives soap a smooth creamy lather and a lovely rose color.

Rhassoul Clay, also known as Moroccan Lava Clay, is an ancient clay formed deep beneath the Atlas mountains in eastern Morocco. Due to its ability to detoxify and absorb oil and impurities from both skin and hair, rhassoul clay leaves the hair and skin unbelievably clean, smooth, moisturized, clear, and feeling fresh. Rhassoul clay, very rich in trace minerals, has extraordinary absorption properties which makes it very effective for cleansing the skin. It helps reduce dryness, reduce flakiness, improve skin clarity, improve skin elasticity and improve skin texture. It removes dead skin, surface oil, and oil from inside and around clogged pores resulting in a general smoothing of the skin. Often used in masks, mud baths, and clay baths, rhassoul is described as a balancing clay, perfect for all skin types since it attracts and lifts dirt, yet does not strip the skin of precious natural oils. In hair care rhassoul was used to naturally shampoo hair in Ancient Rome and Egypt. It stimulates the scalp, helps restore softness and luster to dull hair and nourishes because of the higher ratio of silica, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and other trace minerals.
   
Coconut Coconut milk, softening, soothing and moisturizing to the skin, adds creaminess to handcrafted soap. Rich in natural antiseptic fatty acids, coconut milk, gently removes impurities without drying sensitive skin. Coconut milk has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years.  It is widely used in spas in India to soothe dry skin and scalps. Woman in India often use coconut milk to help prevent hair loss.
Coffee Beans Coffee is used in soaps to absorb odors from the skin. It also contains well known cellulite fighter - Caffeine! Caffeine helps temporarily plump and smooth the skin. Coffee grounds provide pumice-like exfoliation, removing dead skin cells, and firming and toning skin. In hair care, brunettes have been pouring fresh brewed coffee on their hair for centuries to help transform flat brown tones to into shiny, rich color and maybe even do away with some of those pesky gray strands. The natural oil from the coffee beans adds luster to dry hair and studies done at a university in Germany suggest that caffeine promotes hair growth. Our coffee is Fair Trade and supports small farmer co-ops that use sustainable farming methods.
Corn Cornmeal absorbs oils and has long been used for its mildly abrasive qualities, which help to unclog skin pores and increase blood circulation to the skin. This exfoliating skin cleanser promotes finer skin texture. Your skin will regain a glowing, refreshed look.

Cornstarch, a silky powder made from corn, soothes and helps heal irritated skin. It helps give skin a fresh, dry, silky smooth feeling. It adds the silkiness of silk fibers to soap without using animal products. Cornstarch helps to cut a nit of the oiliness and adds silkiness to natural body butters. Our cornstarch is 100% pure cornstarch made from certified organic non-genetically modified corn.
Cucumber Cucumber, when liquefied and added to soaps, acts as a mild cleanser, toner, and astringent. Cucumbers, which have been cultivated for 3,000 years, are one of the most highly prized ingredients for beautifying your skin. Cleopatra was said to use cucumber juice to preserve her skin and the Egyptians and Romans used cucumbers to sooth complexions and restore tone to tired skin. Cucumbers are a natural source for antioxidants, calcium, potassium, vitamin B1 and Vitamin C, all of which are believed to be helpful in treating eczema. Cucumber, also known to soften, soothe and tone the skin, is great for facial care and is often used in moisturizing and anti-age creams.
Dead Sea Dead Sea Mud and Salt: Legendary for its rich concentration of salt and rare minerals, the Dead Sea has long been praised for its healing qualities and therapeutic properties. At 1,290 feet below sea level it is one of the most saline lakes in the world with a mineral concentration of 33%, compared to the average 3% in the world's oceans. Fed mainly by the Jordan River, the Dead Sea has no outlet and loses large amounts of water by evaporation into the hot dry air. This results in a giant reservoir of salts and minerals. The water of the Dead Sea contains 21 minerals, many of which are found in no other sea or ocean. Cleopatra went to great expense to obtain exclusive rights over the Dead Sea area.

The Dead Sea’s most precious resource, Dead Sea Mud, comes from the sedimentation of plant and sea-life deposits over thousands of years. The mud is packed with organic nutrients, proteins, minerals and natural enzymes. Dead Sea Mud stimulates blood circulation, rejuvenates the skin, and leaves the skin glowing and youthful looking. It deep cleans to remove impurities. The fine, natural grain of the mud softly yet effectively sloughs off dead skin cells and leaves the skin looking fresh and radiant. The Dead Sea Mud used in our soap and shampoo is not a powder product, it is a mixture of Dead Sea Mud and nourishing mineral water from the Dead Sea.  In hair care, Dead Sea mud creates fuller, shinier, softer, and healthier hair. It re-mineralizes the hair and scalp and helps rid the scalp of impurities. The proteins and minerals in Dead Sea mud rejuvenate the hair and replenish lost nutrients. Mud masks made with Dead Sea Mud are said to be very helpful for strengthening hair roots when applied to the scalp. Dead Sea Salt is so rich in minerals that it has been renowned for its therapeutic effects since ancient times. Skin absorbs the minerals lost due to sun, age and pollution, looking healthier and younger!
   
Eggs Eggs are one of nature's most perfectly balanced foods, containing all the protein, vitamins (except vitamin C) and minerals essential for good health. Eggs are considered a complete protein because they contain all of the essential amino acids, which are the "building blocks" of protein. In addition, eggs contain thirteen essential vitamins and minerals. They are rich in the B vitamin family, and also contribute vitamins A and D. In particular, egg yolks are one of the greatest sources of riboflavin and vitamin B12. In hair care, eggs are an egg-cellent natural conditioner. They strengthen hair and leave it shiny and manageable. Eggs help moisturize hair because they contain lecithin, an important component of cell membranes. Some hair egg-sperts suggest applying an egg bath to your hair once a week. Cleopatra’s regular shampoo was made by combining egg yolks and vinegar. We use certified organic, free range eggs.

Figs Figs, are one of the first plants cultivated by humans. The fruit is actually a hollowed out stem containing seeds and flowers. Figs, one of the highest plant sources of calcium and fiber, are also rich in copper, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin K. Extract from figs has moisturizing properties, is an excellent skin hydrator, a natural humectant and helps tighten skin. Rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene, figs also have natural enzymatic exfoliation action.
Goat Milk Goat Milk is one of natures finest moisturizers and skin softeners due to its high butterfat content. People who can not use regular soap find that our goat milk soaps are very mild and non-irritating to their skin. Rich in vitamins, goat milk also contains lactic acid, one of the most commonly used alpha hydroxy acids in skin care. Alpha-hydroxy acids penetrate the skin and have rejuvenating effects on skin's cells, neutralizing free radicals, slowing the aging process and improving the overall look and feel of the skin. In hair care, goat milk replenishes the moisture in every strand by penetrating the hair shaft. It nourishes the scalp, adding life, luster, and body to hair.

Honey Honey is nature's ultimate beauty product. Throughout the centuries, beautiful woman have used honey as part of their skin and hair care treatments. Cleopatra was famous for her milk and honey baths, and Poppea, wife of Roman Emperor Nero, used a honey and milk lotion on her face to keep her looking youthful. The acids in honey have been known to help one’s skin look youthful. Numerous studies have proven its effectiveness in fighting infection, promoting new skin growth and even lessening scarring. It is used in many hospitals to treat burns. Honey derives its antibacterial effects from natural hydrogen peroxide, produced by an enzyme naturally present in honey. Honey never spoils due to a very high potassium content, which makes it difficult for bacteria to survive. Honey hydrates, moisturizes, soothes, softens and gives soap a lovely tan color and a sweet scent, Honey, one of the best-known humectants, traps and seals in moisture leaving skin soft and supple. In hair care, honey revitalizes hair and acts as a natural sealant, holding moisture and shine in the hair. We use natural raw honey so it still contains bits of pollen, honeycomb, and healing propolis- all the natural goodness the bees put in.
Loofah Loofah, a plant in the pumpkin or gourd family, is a fast growing annual vine that grows much like the cucumber and produces strange looking fruit that is edible when immature and used as sponges when fully mature. Loofah, one of the best exfoliants, is a sponge made from the fibrous skeleton of the fruit. These all natural vegetable sponges gently exfoliate your skin, removing dead cells to reveal healthy new ones and improve circulation. Exfoliation, the best renewal process for your skin, helps shed the top layer of dead, dry flakes and unclog pores, while improving the look and feel of your skin. Since dead skin cells prevent moisture from being absorbed into the skin, exfoliation makes skin more receptive to moisturizers. Loofah deep cleans and conditions your skin naturally. Environmentally conscious consumers appreciate that loofah products are biodegradable, 100% natural and a renewable resource.

Peppermint Menthol Menthol Crystals, Mentha arvensis, are the solid portion of the natural oil of mint. As the mint essential oil is subjected to very low temperatures, the menthol crystallizes out. Menthol crystals stimulate cold receptors in the skin and are excellent for use in products made to provide cooling and soothing relief for muscular aches and pains. Their strong minty aroma also helps with upper respiratory and nasal congestion. Our menthol crystals are a 100% natural organic product that originate from mint essential oil extraction--nothing synthetic!
   
Oats Oatmeal has long been used to soften and soothe sensitive or irritated skin. Ground oats have been used in beauty bars for centuries as a gentle exfoliant that removes dead cells and stimulates circulation to maintain healthy, beautiful skin Oatmeal is a soothing, anti-inflammatory grain that  helps calm dry, inflamed and sensitive skin and helps with the painful itching associated with eczema and minor skin irritations. Finely ground oatmeal binds moisturizing emollients to your skin which helps dry skin. Many of you may remember using an oatmeal and baking soda bath to help relieve the itching of chicken pox! Oatmeal provides a wonderful texture, color, and scent to the soap naturally.

Oranges Oranges are loaded with vitamin C. Everybody knows that Vitamin C is necessary for a variety of biological functions, but it can also be great for your skin. It is an anti-oxidant and may help to reduce free-radicals in your skin. The natural oil found in orange peel is believed to tone the skin and help diminish the effects of scars and blemishes.

Paprika Hungarian Paprika, Capsicum annuum, is a red spice made from dried bell peppers ground into a powder. Great for mature, tired, sun-damaged or blemished skin, paprika masks are often used as facial treatment in spas to stimulate circulation, detoxify and clarify skin, and improve acne skin.

Pumpkin Pumpkin,  high in vitamin A and beta carotene, protects and soothes sore rough skin and helps prevent flaking…perfect for eczema. Salons are now mixing this vitamin rich vegetable into facials. Natural enzymes found in pumpkin help exfoliate dead skin and leave skin softer and brighter. Pumpkin also adds a lovely natural orange color, sweet aroma, and creamy texture to soap.
Tomato Tomatoes, known to be rich in vitamins and minerals, which have antioxidant and revitalizing properties, are earning their place in the cosmetic industry. Tomatoes help refine enlarged pores and provide soothing relief for troubled complexions. Tomatoes are naturally high in the antioxidant lycopene, which belong to a class of compounds called carotenes. The carotenes are plant pigments that provide the natural orange-red range in nature--carrots, pumpkin, tomatoes, etc. Carotenes can scavenge free radicals and block visible and UV-light. Lycopenes are the best free radical scavengers among carotenes.

Vanilla Beans Vanilla Beans, Vanilla planifolia, are the dried unripe fruit pods of a climbing orchid vine. Although its sensual aroma helps soothe your soul, relax nerves, ease tension, lift your mood and acts as an aphrodisiac, vanilla is more than just a pretty scent. It is a great additive to skin care products. The major constituent of vanilla beans, vanillin, is a powerful antioxidant that helps the skin repair cell damage. Its anti-inflammatory properties help ease muscle strain and tension. Vanilla bean infused oils can be used for relaxing massages, calming baths or as a deliciously moisturizing body oil. Vanilla is the second most expensive spice after saffron. Growing vanilla seed pods is labor-intensive. It takes up to three years after the vines are planted before the first flowers appear. Each flower opens only one day a year for a few hours before wilting and must be hand pollinated by workers in order to produce the vanilla bean fruit. Each flower produces a single bean. The yellow unripe beans are picked, boiled and then dried slowly in the Sun over a period of months. As the beans dry and shrivel the flavors concentrate.
   
Yogurt Yogurt, has been used in facial masks and creams for years. Yogurt moistures as it soothes, softens and rejuvenates the skin. Milk and yogurt contain lactic acid, a natural alpha hydroxy acid that helps the remove dead skin cells and hydrate and sooth the complexion--leaving skin refreshed and clear. Yogurt is very rich and nourishing and is helpful for all skin types, even sensitive and delicate. It makes a wonderful soap that is very moisturizing and has a great texture!! 

 

 

Banana Soap