Not Just About Business

I certainly hope that you who are reading this blog are learning something about natural products and natural ingredients that work just as well as man-made products.  In addition, I hope that you're learning a bit about what goes into creating natural products.  Certainly, it's not easy, but it's quite fun and can be addictive, as I search for different scents and ways to improve upon what I all ready make.

Experimentation is essential for me to keep my line fresh.  For example, I started out in 2006 with lotion bars.  I found a boilerplate recipe on a message board, took that, and experimented with ingredients until I got the right feel that I wanted with a minimum of ingredients.  I am not a person who likes a bit of this, a dab of that, unless it's absolutely necessary for perfection of the recipe.  I truly like to keep things simple!

What am I working on right now?  Well, it's a bit of a secret (smile) but suffice to say it's a variation on a sugar scrub.  Now, I'm not trying to say that I'm going to come up with something totally orginal - I'm sure someone has done this already - but it's new to me!

I hope that you're enjoying reading the blog.  Keep checking back - I am planning on a revamping of the website. 

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Soap and More Soap

I love soap.  I love soap so much that I've got tons of it in my home. Everyone I know has some soap that I've created.  Unfortunately, as a mom of small children, I don't make cold process or hot process soap, because I don't deal in lye.  I know there are folks out there who do deal with lye, even with small children, but I've got way too much going on in my home to worry about a caustic chemical.  If my little ones get into the shea butter, no harm, no foul.  If they got into the lye.....

As you can probably see from my store website, I work with vegetable glycerin soap, or as some call it, melt and pour soap.  This type of soap is purchased as a base. I melt it, add extra moisturising oils and/or butters (of course, I couldn't leave it plain!!), add color and fragrance, and voila!  A soap work of art from neosoul.essentials!  Are you a Diva?   DIVA soap is made with shea butter and other oils, with a lovely fragrance that will turn your shower into 'spa indulgence'. 

In my quest for the soapiest of soaps, I've turned to soap rebatching or hand millling.  From what I have read, it's something that a lot of people don't seem to  like to do, and I've had difficulty even finding base soap to rebatch.  But, over the weekend, I rebatched some goat's milk soap and make a, let's say, interesting looking soap: 

Interesting, isn't it?  I call it coffee sunrise.  The coffee scent is very strong and I added coffee ground to the bottom of the soap for color.  I plopped the coffee ground filled soap in my specially lined box (that my contact lenses came in) and swirled some non coffee ground soap into the top.  As you can see, I didn't get it quite down to the bottom, but it's an interesting effect, and it smells great!!

I really enjoy playing around with making bath products and the like.  I hope you enjoy my creations as much as I do!

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Body Mist Spray

I use all my products on myself and my family. One of my most favorite products is my Body Mist Spray. It's made from coconut oil and let me be the first to tell you, it's the best straight out of the shower. If you don't have time to slather on the lotion and want a quick moisturising spritz full of fragrance, the body oil mist is for you! There are a variety of fragrances to choose from, but my personal favorite is Radiance, followed by Aloha. Of course, I'm browsing my favorite fragrance sites to find more scents - as if I need any more fragrances in my collection.

neosoul.essentials.....naturally you!

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Looking for Natural Skin Products

Do you frequently browse the lotion aisle looking for the term “natural skin products” or shea butter on the labels of your lotions or body creams?  When you see shea butter or cocoa butter or ‘all natural’ do you ever flip the bottle over and read the actual ingredients?  Because of my daughter’s skin irritation, I became quite the label reader.  Although many lotions and creams may say “shea butter” or “cocoa butter”, nine times out of ten, the first ingredient is water, then a couple of other ingredients before you actually saw the listing of the shea butter or the cocoa butter.    Water may even account for up to 30% of the actual lotion, which is perfectly fine if you’re in need of a light moisturizer.

If you need something a bit heavier, that sinks in just as well and doesn’t leave your skin greasy or tacky, then try our whipped shea butter or our megamix whip.  We use natural skin ingredients which will leave your skin feeling smooth and moisturized.  Use our product alongside your regular lotion for extra moisture!

Check out our natural skin care products at www.neosoulessentials.com.   

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Kpangnan Butter "Golden Shea Butter"

Kpangnan butter, pronounced “pain-ya”, is also called golden shea butter or African nut butter. It is obtained from the African nut tree, which is found in the forests of West Africa. It is a golden yellow color, which is the reason why some call it “golden shea butter”. It is not, however, related to shea butter. Kpangnan butter is a soft, powdery type nut butter that melts into the skin and gives it a dry, silky feeling.

According to cyberlipid.org, this butter contains a high proportion of stigmasterol, a plant sterol. In skin application, this sterol may have anti-inflammatory effects and may assist in healing skin irritations such as eczema and severely dry skin.

Kpangnan is a lovely, powdery butter that plays well with other oils and makes a wonderfully soothing balm for the skin. We use it in our megamix shea butter whip and some of our clients have found it to naturally soothe their dry skin without leaving behind a greasy after-feel.

Disclaimer: The information contained on this website is not meant as a substitute for advice from a medical professional. We are only commenting on our own experiences and urge you to seek medical advice where applicable.

Sources:
Cyberlipid.org
http://www.znaturforsch.com/ac/v54c/54c0937.pdf
http://www.agbangakarite.com/newsletters/february2005.htm

Tags: shea butter, golden shea butter, kpangnan butter, eczema, dry skin, natural skin products

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Take Care of Your Skin

Most of us have read somewhere that the skin is the largest organ in the body.  We excrete wastes through our skin in the form of sweat and when our body is not “right” on the inside, most of the time it’s because what we are or are not putting in our bodies.

Water is the most important element for moisturized skin.  The more water you drink, the more hydrated your skin will become.  I notice that when my water intake decreases, my skin looks tired and dry.  Within a week of increased water intake, my skin looks  younger and has less dryness.

Topical emoillents can also help skin look younger and firmer.  No matter how you slice it, we must nourish the skin from the outside and the inside.. 

Do you have dry winter skin?  Are your store bought lotions not providing the long lasting moisture you need?  Most lotions are made primarily of water, which, in the low humidity of overheated homes and the cold of the outdoors, evaporated easily.  You might want to try an anhydrous (without water) product such as shea butter or cocoa butter.  Applied on top of all ready moisturized skin, the rich butter may serve to seal and protect the skin.

Neosoul.essentials offers many products such as our shea butter bar, megamix whip, and Eva’s Shea buttah whip for your moisturizing needs.

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Dry Skin Kitchen Remedies

In my brief experience with my dd, age 3, it seems that the best that we can do with eczema, short of prescription medication, is to keep it under control.  So, you may ask, what can I do to alleviate the dry and itchy skin of eczema?   During her worst outbreaks, I know that I have to apply some sort of emollient to my daughter’s skin at least twice daily and once before she goes to sleep at night.  Even then, I place a jar of Eva’s Shea Buttah Whip  or a Shea Lotion Bar on her nightstand so if her skin bothers her during the night, she can apply it herself.   Before I developed my formulas, (which do help and smell good too), I used quite a few things from my kitchen.  It’s all oil, isn’t it?

Please understand that I am no way giving medical advice and you should always consult with a medical professional.

Believe it or not, there are some kitchen cabinet remedies that you can use with your children or for yourself.    Crisco (or any solid vegetable oil) is comprised mainly of hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils.    Try applying a bit to a patch of dry skin – although it may not be the most attractive looking moisturizer, but it does work in a pinch.  You might also try canola or olive oil.  Try applying it after a bath or shower – a quick alternative to after bath oil.

Of course, you can always visit us at www.neosoulessentials.com for dry skin needs.

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