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IngredientsOlive Oil: Olive oil is the base of all Althaea Soaps. It creates a long-lasting, mild and non-drying bar of soap with a creamy lather. Olive oil forms an invisible, non-greasy, breathable skin barrier that does not block skin's natural functions while also serving as a humectant, drawing moisture to the skin. Medicinally, olive oil is anti-inflammatory, making it a good skin care oil for sensitive or irritated skin. The humectant (moisture-drawing) quality makes it useful in the treatment of chronic dry skin. It has some natural disinfectant properties and also tends to rev up cellular activity, making it useful in assisting the skin's healing processes. The definition of a Castile Soap is one made with a very strong predominance of pure olive oil. Althaea Soaps are pure Olive Oil Castile soaps, with some supplementation from beeswax, honey, fresh fruits, African Red Palm Oil and Avocado Oil in a few specialty formulations. Ginger Juice: In Ayurvedic medicine, fresh ginger juice is externally applied to the skin as a remedy for muscular aches, pains and stiffness. It warms the skin and increases circulation, making it a useful addition in preparations for skin rejuvenation and healing. The amounts of fresh ginger juice used in our Ginger and Amber products provide a lovely, warm fragrance, but are usually not enough to be sensitizing. Aloe Vera: As of December, 2005, we have discontinued the use of Aloe Vera in all of our products, due to increasing numbers of sensitivity reports. Please check our our Site News page for more information. Beeswax: Honeybees produce wax from glands on the sides of their body and use it to create cells for honey storage. Beeswax possesses a rich honey aroma, more intensely honey-like than even the honey itself. It works well in cosmetic products because of compounds called wax esthers that exist in both beeswax and human skin. Beeswax is a hydrating ingredient that increases skin's essential moisture and forms a breathable shield to protect the skin from loss of this moisture. We use beeswax and honey from local, Northeastern Tennessee small farms with organic hives, and we *only* use beeswax and honey in one formulation - our Honeyed Amber fragrance option. All other fragrances are completely free of any animal products. Honey: Honey is a natural humectant, meaning that it has the ability to attract water. It is rich in alpha hydroxy acids which invigorate skin cell renewal. It forms a protective, breathable barrier that is antiseptic and conditioning. It is safe for most sensitive skins, and the use of honey produced local to your environment can often be helpful with existing allergies. We use beeswax and honey from local, Northeastern Tennessee small farms with organic hives, and we *only* use beeswax and honey in one formulation - our Honeyed Amber fragrance option. All other fragrances are completely free of any animal products. African Red Palm Oil: Red palm oil is one of the richest natural plant sources of carotenoids. It has 15 times more retinol-equivalent than carrots and 300 times more than tomatoes. No other vegetable oil contains carotenoids in significant quantities. If you are familiar with skin treatments such as Retinol and Tretinoin, you will understand the benefit of high concentrations of natural Vitamin A and Carotenoids in skin preparations: it is a gentle, natural retinol skin treatment, fighting blemishes, soothing eczema and psoriasis, encouraging new skin cell formation and exfoliation, and helping to normalize skin tone and texture. In addition to the high Vitamin A content, Red Palm Oil is one of the richest natural sources of Vitamin E, a potent skin antioxidant and a well-known skin healer and moisturizer. |
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