SPA Magazine, The Truth About Soap
February, 2010 Issue
By: Natalie Rios
Is washing your face with a bar of soap bad for your skin? We've got
the answers.
For years, women relied on simple bars of soap to wash
their faces, but with the arrival of liquid, foam, and cream cleansers
came the idea that bars dry the skin and clog pores.
It turns out that some soaps got a bum rap. "In
general, they're not bad," says Jennifer Reichel, M.D., director
of Pacific Dermatology & Cosmetic Center in Seattle. "Some
bar soaps can be very gentle and moisturizing and do not necessarily
trap oils and chemicals."
The soaps that deserve the negative attention are those
that contain synthetic detergents or surfactants (like alkyl benzene
sulfonate). "Synthetic detergents can be drying, which makes them
a poor choice for many skin types,"says Angela L. Bowman Wales,
president and CEO of Lillian Skincare, a manufacturer of organic skincare
products.
But liquid cleansers can cause problems as well, according
to Julia Hunter, M.D., founder of Skin Fitness Plus, a cosmetic spa
in Los Angeles. Detergents (often sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate),
preservatives (such as parabens), and antimicrobials (triclosan, for
example) can cause inflammation and disrupt hormones. Instead, opt for
soap with coconut oil, shea butter, glycerin, or olive oil. Although
these emollients are often thought to cause breakouts, there is generally
not enough in soaps to have such an effect. "Personally, I would
choose emollients over inflammatory chemicals," says Hunter.
Spa's Favorite Soaps:
Arcona Berry Fruit Bar Cranberry and raspberry extracts
neutralize free radicals. ($38)
Sisley Paris Soapless Facial Cleansing Bar Calendula and
tropical resins remove excess sebum and tighten pores. ($65)
Suki Sensitive Cleansing Bar Organic shea butter and lemon
grass extract moisturize and soften skin. ($11)
The Organic Beauty Expert, Product Reviews Blog, January
2007
January 08, 2007
Decompress from The Stress - Muscle Mender Gift Set
"I'm sure that I'm not the only coming down from
the holiday hustle and bustle. Truth be told I'm a bit of a Grinch,
so I get very stressed out at that time of the year. Thankfully I'd
received a box from WoodSprite Organic Body and after my husband got
done raiding the box, there were a few things left for me!
History:
Jacquelyn Ramsey is the founder and President of this natural body shop
and has a complete selection of wonderful products made with exquisite
ingredients. She believes strongly about product quality and maintains
a pretty strict policy on what she chooses to sell. We love a lady with
principles! Especially in this day and age. The line includes organic
olive oils soaps, spa and body, soy candles and gift sets. They are
available online and select retailers.
Products:
Sand and Fog Organic Shea Butter Shaving Soap, 3.5 oz
hand cut, $11:
My husband is a man who loves his wet shave. The lathering up with the
bristle and the cool steel running over his skin... and inevitably nicking
him. He was trying another brand of shaving cream and although he "liked"
it, there was obviously no great excitement about it. So he was very
excited when this little package showed up and even happier when he
used it.
This shave soap is made with shea butter, avocado oil and french green
clay (among other things, ingredients listed below) and is scented with
a wonderful synergy blend of essential oils. He loves the way it feels
on his skin, and I love the way he smells afterwards. It lathers well
and with its thick design will last a long time. Ladies, if your man
is a wet shaver, introduce him to his wonderful soap TODAY!
Ingredients: Saponified Oils of Organic Extra Virgin
Olive, Organic Coconut, Organic Shea Butter, Castor & Avocado oils;
French Green Clay, Bentonite Clay and Pure Essential Oils of Sandalwood,
Vetiver, Oakmoss and Copaiba Balsam.
Muscle Mender Spa Sampler Gift Box, Four Items, $30:
This set offers you a wonderful, relaxing spa night:
* 4 oz Spa Salts Packet
* 2 oz Sea Salt Scrub
* 1 oz Organic Massage & Body Oil
* .75 oz Organic Massage Balm
Now, if you read the blog, you know my husband is the
bath junkie. He will go in there and sit in the tub for two hours or
more. It's like a night out for him. He gets his iTunes Music Library
pumping, grabs a few cans of Coke Zero, lights the Kathleen Lewis candles
and settles in. So he immediately confiscated this box!
From what he reported, the spa salts packet is a bath
soak. Like a huge tea bag. He really enjoyed the scent and the way his
body felt afterwards, especially since he had had a big workout that
day. Being the (sometimes) obliging wife, I came down and scrubbed him
with the salts. I got him hooked on that! So the report from Big Joe
is a big bath tub ahhhh. Can't get a better result!
Now, I was able to assess the Massage Balm at my monthly
massage. Sitting at this computer, bending over perfume bottles and
doing nine million other things really keeps my back tight. So when
I went to see Debbie I offered up the balm.
As soon as she opened the jar, the scent just wafted
out and I could feel my muscles loosen. I get a deep tissue massage
and man did I feel it the next day. The comfrey and menthol just soaked
away al the knots and aches and the overall scent just relaxed my mind.
Debbie, the LMT, also thought it was wonderful to use because it wasn't
greasy and was very easy to work with.
Next month, I'll bring along the oil.
Pros:
* Praise from the whole family and the LMT!
* Very good selection and just enough quantity to get you wanting more
* Excellent ingredients, wonderful packaging and quality products
Cons:
*The only con is a subjective one. I don't care for
oil-based scrubs, so for me the Scrub wasn't my thing, but hubby enjoyed
it and still uses it
Overall:
Very glad I found this company and highly recommend
if you are looking for some handcrafted products that aren't overly
scented, priced well and work wonderfully.
Check out WoodSprites line of products at their website.
During this month, they're also offering a FREE soy candles with orders
over $35, so there's an even better reason to try them out."
WoodSprite Organic Body prides itself on small handmade batches of beauty
products made from pure botanical ingredients. They offer a range of great
gift items including an Organic Soap Gift Set, a Dead Sea Mud Spa Gift Set
and this Sacred Collection Soap Gift Crate pictured here which retails for
$40.
"It seems that along with my bright wit and sparkling
personality, my daughter has inherited my sensitive skin. And while
I have found a few products that suffice, sufficing isn't good enough
when it comes to my girl.
That's why I'm delighted to have discovered WoodSprite
Soap. Owner Jacquelyn Ramsey prides herself on creating organic skincare
products that are handmade from scratch with totally natural ingredients
(i.e. ones you've actually heard of) like exotic organic fruit, herbs,
nut oils and soy, then scented only with pure essential oils.
The line of olive oil soaps is fantastic, particularly
the Creamy Castile Baby Soap for sensitive baby (or baby's mama) skin.
And I loved her Seaweed Contouring soap so much that I made an excuse
to take an extra shower every day just to scrub with it. That's high
praise from a mother with a nap-averse toddler.
With dozens of delicious lotions and potions to
choose from at WoodSprite, you're sure to find something you love. Meaning
you'll never have to tolerate that "natural" baby powder-cucumber-melon
scented baby stuff again." -Kristen