A few of my favorite things!

Skin. Our body's largest organ. And although remarkably thin, it has a mighty big job to do.  Our skin helps us regulate our body heat, protects us from the environment, keeps water and other good stuff in, and allows us to feel (hot, cold, pleasure, pain, pressure, vibration). With all the responsibilities we heap upon our skin, do you really think we should be putting things on it with names like sodium lauroyl isethionate, tetrasodium etidronate, and ammonium lauryl sulfate? I think not!

With all of the wonderful, skin loving, and easy to pronounce ingredients available to me, there are a few that I just can't live without using in my products. I present to you, dear readers, my top 10 11.

1.  Olive Oil: An excellent moisturizer and a good choice for use on babies and people with sensitive skin.

2.  Avocado Oil: In addition to being moisturizing, this oil is thought to be healing as well. High in proteins, amino acids, and vitamins A, D and E, avocado oil is a good choice for those with dry skin, sun damaged skin and eczema.

3.  Shea Butter: Highly valued for its protective and emollient properties, shea butter has been shown to be effective in helping with stretch marks, eczema, extremely dry skin and wrinkles.

4.  Lavender Essential Oil: This is one of the few essential oils that can be used directly on the skin without dilution and is one of the most popular essential oils. Everyone should keep a bottle of lavender essential oil on hand! This oil is amazing on burns, insect bites and other skin irritations.

5.  Jojoba Oil: This oil is actually a liquid wax and is easily absorbed by the skin, leaving no oily residue. Jojoba oil is another ingredient that is thought to reduce and prevent wrinkles and stretch marks.

6.  Goat Milk: Goat milk has a pH similar to our own skin, as well as vitamins and alpha hydroxy acids to nourish and smooth the skin. Additionally, goat milk soap has the most wonderful, creamy lather.


7.  Honey: As we age, our skin begins to lose its ability to retain moisture. Honey is a humectant which will draw moisture to itself and then help retain the moisture. The result is naturally soft, supple and beautiful skin.


8.  Coffee: Yes, coffee! Caffeine is know to have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to reduce redness, puffiness and under-eye circles. Coffee seed oil is rich in phytosterols which promote excellent moisture retention, quick penetration and has that wonderful coffee aroma.


9.  Oatmeal: Oatmeal is great for soothing dry, itchy skin.


10. Sugar: The glycolic acid combined with its scrubby texture will exfoliate the skin, leaving a healthy glow.


Edited to add:


11. Aloe Vera: Anyone who has ever had a sunburn knows why I just had to come back and add this to the list. It is lauded for its ability to heal and soothe dry, inflamed, and otherwise irritated skin.

There you have it, my top 10 11 list of essential skin loving ingredients for the products I make. Oh, and I just noticed something else. Each and every one of these ingredients can be found at a grocery or health food store! Try finding ammonium lauryl sulfate on the shelf at your local Safeway. Well, I haven't actually looked, but I am pretty sure you won't find it!