Natural Handcrafted Soap --Essential Oils
For centuries, essential oils and/or using products containing them,
such as soaps, have been used as natural “medicines” to provide many
therapeutic and psychological benefits. Care is taken to avoid using the
oils directly on the skin—because they are very concentrated, they can
cause skin irritations. However, there are many ways to enjoy the
benefits of these wonderful oils.
Caution:
All essential oils are highly concentrated and can irritate the skin.
With few exceptions, never take internally and use extreme caution or
avoid using essential oils during pregnancy. Always dilute essential
oils in carrier oil such as olive oil if using on the skin.
Tea Tree Oil – a natural antibacterial -
tea tree oil
is very special in that it has antifungal, antiviral, and antiseptic
properties. Tea tree oil soap combines shea butter, olive oil and
coconut oil to not only gently cleanse away the dirt and germs, but to
renew the softness of your skin and add to its suppleness. Among its
many benefits, tea tree oil works as an acne treatment, a cleanser for
cuts and scrapes, and a treatment or prevention for athlete's foot.
Several drops on a cotton ball placed in the home, office or hotel room
helps purify the air. This oil has a medicinal scent, but it is not
overwhelming. It can be used in little dabs on cold sores and acne as
well as athlete’s foot.
Suggested Australian Tea Tree Soaps
Australian Tea Tree - Leaves
Tea Tree - Cocoa Butter
Patchouli Oil -
unforgettable - even if you don't remember the day the Beatles landed in
the U.S., flower power or Laugh-In, you'll love (or hate) the warm,
musky, heady aroma of
patchouli.
Earthy, woody and aromatic, this oil is used in soap and lotions to
treat everything from dry, cracked skin to acne, stress and frigidity
(really, I am not making this up—think of Haight Ashbury and Free Love)!
Patchouli is used often in aromatherapy. The dried leaves and stems are
used in traditional Chinese medicine to normalize the flow and balance
of the life force known as qi (or chi). This oil is said to bring
emotions into harmony and create energy. Deeply relaxing, patchouli oil
can be blended with jasmine, rose or ylang ylang to create intoxicating
massage oil. Be sure to use with carrier oil, such as olive oil (one cup
or more to a few drops total of essential oils).
Lemongrass - aka citronella -
Lemongrass
is a great, natural way to deter mosquitoes and lemongrass soap is a
way to treat your skin to its many other benefits. Vermont Botanical
Soaps (on eBay) sells a big, chunky, handcrafted bar infused with the
finest lemongrass essential oil, olive oil, coconut oil, shea butter and
organically-grown fresh lemongrass leaves. This soap imparts
antiseptic, antifungal, and antimicrobial benefits and is beneficial in
treating insect bites, athlete’s foot, acne, and skin rashes. Place a
few drops on a cotton ball and place in the home, office or hotel room
to protect against pathogens in recycled air. Lemongrass is a must for
campers, and a drop or two will also work wonders in smelly sneakers and
sports bags!
Rose Oil –
the romantic - there are few aromas as evocative as the rose. Its
intoxicating floral essence is used to brighten a mood or to cool and
tone the skin. Rose can increase feelings of energy and enhance
well-being (a dozen roses never fail to increase my well-being!) Rose
oil relieves dryness, inflammation and itching. Rose is also an
effective antiseptic, antibacterial and astringent. A very small amount
can often be useful in treating headaches—think a drop or two on a cold
forehead compress. Used in soaps, candles, sachets and lotions, its
fragrance has universal appeal. This oil should not be used in
pregnancy.
Lemongrass
Lavender Oil – the universal - fresh and sweet,
lavender
has been used throughout history to relieve anxiety, headaches, stress,
and allergies. This heavenly oil can also help heal cuts and soothe bug
bites. Used in vaporizers, lavender can help ease colds, coughs and
congestion. Lavender is relatively easy to grow in growing Zones 5 and
up (I’ve tried growing it in Zone 4 without much luck), and it makes a
wonderful addition to baked goods. Just dry, crush and sprinkle into
cookie or cake batter. Be sure to use pesticide-free lavender when using
in food. Add a few drops to a cotton ball and place in closets and
drawers to repel insects and moths. For a nice, natural fragrance in the
home, use an eyedropper to apply lavender oil to hot light bulbs—the
heat will help the oil to infuse a room with it’s magical aroma. As an
alternative to dryer sheets, a few drops on a damp washcloth thrown into
the dryer will leave clothes nicely scented. I’ve also used a little
under car seats—a nice alternative to traditional car deodorizers.
Lavender Scent Soaps Lavender Rose Petals
Lavender - Geranium
Palm Wild Lavender Soap
Lavender - Jasmine Soap
The skin looses water and natural oils, and this can leave the skin
extremely dry and can lead to cracking and flaking. Although you might
think that water would be good for dry skin, as it moistens it, the
reverse is true as the drying process draws moisture from the skin,
leaving it dryer than before. In addition to this hot water can lead to a
loss of natural oils in the skin, leading to further drying out. There
are ways of reducing the impact of this drying effect such as softly
padding the skin dry instead of vigorously rubbing, and moisturizing
soon after drying, and there are plenty of places to find advice on
dealing with eczema. The type of soap that you use can also play an
important role in moisture retention and overall skin health.
You may think that a nice smelling soap from one of the mainstream
brands has to be the best soap available, but this is simply a marketing
myth. Look at the ingredients on the soap, and if it has perfumes or
harsh chemical ingredients in it, leave it on the shelf as it is likely
to cause more irritation than good. These chemicals do not react well
with damaged skin, and on eczema patches the chemicals will be getting
underneath the top layers of skin and causing irritation and damage.
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