Healthy Choices

This weekend I participated in a small craft show in a coffee shop in my wee little town.  I didn't sell allot of soaps, the weather was rainy with spotty freezing rain, and there wasn't many people venturing out of their cozy homes.  But, I did make allot of very nice connections, saw some good friends, got to see my mom. :)  I also publicly launched my newest addition in my line of products.  The Shampoo Bar.

For years I have tried many handmade shampoo bars that others have made.  I always became disappointed on how greasy my hair felt afterwards.  It felt funky and I couldn't leave my house unless I jumped right back into the shower and used the chemical-laden SLS commercial shampoo to strip all of the natural oils and gunk left behind from a basically great for me shampoo bar.  I do believe now that they had too much superfatting in them.  You see, handmade soapers leave in a bit of extra fat in their soaps to make them moisturizing.  This level can be any where from about 4-10%.  I usually leave mine at about 5-8% in my bars, my goats milk have way more, that's why they are SO moisturizing.  Shampoo bars, on the other hand have to be at a much lower %, like around 1-3%.  This way, the excess fat doesn't make the hair oily.  Who wants oily hair?  Not me. 

So, doing a LOT of research, I am a freak about researching, I developed a recipe for a new shampoo bar that had all of the unique qualities that I needed for my type of bar.  It had to be lightly moisturizing, lots of lather and make my hair SHINE. The oils that were needed were sunflower, coconut, olive and castor.  These wonderful oils turned out to be just the thing for a bar that is top notch not just for my hair type, but for many types including dry, normal and frizzy.  I have tested it out on friends, relatives and some complete strangers that have raved about how soft their hair is, and how shiny and non-frizzy it is. 

I am over the moon happy about this bar.  I am so glad I can produce a product so natural and healthy for my hair, and yours too!  I will be trying out other additives to expand my line of healthy shampoo bars like using beer and eggs for conditioning, and different essential oils for their unique qualities. 

**PLEASE do your own research on how bad SLS, parabens and the like are for our bodies.  Parabens (chemical preservatives) are used in lotions, shampoos, conditioners and many other cosmetics are linked to cancer.  SLS is a chemical that is used to make things like shampoo, soaps, toothpaste, motor degreasers and car wash detergents lather.  It also drys your skin (making lotion with those nasty parabens necessary) and is shown to be cancer causing.

Our skin is our largest organ, and absorbs almost everything we put on it.  Makes me want to nourish my skin, not poison it.  Maybe if we are more informed about what chemicals we use on our bodies, we can live healthier, longer lives.  Just a thought.... :)

XOXO,

Becca