It's shea butter season!

So the temperature has plummeted and we all know the effect it has on our skin. It’s dry and uncomfortable, but applying shea butter will soothe your skin like no lotion can. I particularly enjoy Savon Salon’s Lavender Shea Butter because it’s made with pure shea  butter with just a touch of lavender essential oil to give it a very light, soothing lavender fragrance.

Why is shea butter better than lotions? Simply because lotions are in large part, water. When you fhink about water standing with oil for several months, it makes sense that we’re advised to throw out any lotion that’s more than 6 months old, because bacteria grows in sitting water. In fact, if you make your own home-made lotions, you need to keep them refrigerated and use them within two weeks. So then how is it that store-bought lotions are safe to use for months? Anti-bacterial ingredients are added to the formula simply because it’s necessary to prevent bacteria from growing in your lotions, basically giving them a shelf life so they can be sold commercially.

When you apply lotion to your skin, it’s very important that it doesn’t contain bacteria that can get into a small scratch or cut and cause an infection. But what about those additives, are they really safe for your skin? They are actually toxic chemicals that kill living organisms, ironically called “preservatives”. When making lotions, you are supposed to wear gloves, goggles and a mask when measuring the tablespoonful of preservative into the batch of lotion that you will eventually apply to your skin!

That’s the beauty of Savon Salon’s Shea Butter. All it contains is natural shea butter from the nut of the African shea tree, with a small amount of citric acid (a common, safe food additive. Shea butter itself is edible, commonly used in Africa for cooking, so you can trust that it’s safe for your skin. You can use it unscented, or lightly scented with natural lavender essential oil. It’s heavier than a lotion, so a very small amount goes a long way.

Shea butter is thick and waxy, and it melts on contact with your skin. Rather than seeping toxins from lotion into the small cracks in your dry skin, shea butter will melt and instantly sooth your dry skin and create a protective coating that’s silky, not greasy, and because it contains no water, the protective coating won’t wear off easily and will continue to protect your skin even after washing your hands. That’s one reason our product is very popular among nurses and hairdressers!

 Do be careful about where you shea butter comes from, though. The most cost-effective way to extract shea butter is using chemicals like hexane, but the shea butter we use is extracted using the traditional method. It provides a means for women in Ghana to make a living and provide for their families.

People who have dry skin on their face from using a CPAP machine are pleased with the results of applying unscented shea butter to the face at night to protect their skin from drying out from the blowing air. Applying it to your hands will help heal cracks and keep your cuticles from drying out.

I like to apply the lavender shea butter to my coat my hands and afterwards, run my hands though my hair, just the trace amount gives my hair a nice sheen and some protection from the elements. If I want to deeply moisturize my hair and scalp, I’ll coat my hair with shea butter and let it soak in for about 15 minutes, then wash it out for lasting shine and no more frizz! It’s also great for your heels and feet, as well as your legs after shaving, and your bikini area, too. Speaking of, folder women who experience dryness will appreciate shea butter as a personal moisturizer, and for men, it’s soothing applied après-manscape, and for anyone, it’s perfect for massage. What a versatile product!

 

 

The interesting story of Argan Oil

The recent popularity of Argan Oil would have you wondering whether Argan Oil is the new Shea Butter. The valued oil’s antioxidizing effects benefits the hair and skin, it’s rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids providing unbeatable softness and shine for your hair. The oil nourishes and moisturizes the skin and it’s said the anti-inflamitory effects can reduce and heal redness and scarring. It’s nutty flavor also makes an excellent dipping oil for bread. If you’re concerned about the safety of your cosmetic products, it’s nice to know when the product you’re using on your skin and hair is safe enough to eat!

The interesting thing about Argan Oil is how it was originally harvested and the economic and social impact it’s popularity has had on the region where it’s produced. It comes from the Argan tree which is native to Morocco in Northern Africa. Because the tree is specially adapted to grow in drought and harsh conditions, at one time it was found all over North Africa, but today, Argan oil is one of the rarest oils in the world because of its limited growing areas.

In ancient times, the oil was produced by collecting the pits of the Argan fruit from the waste of the goats that climbed the trees to eat the fruit. Contemporary production uses the pits of the fruit directly from the trees, but the cracking of the nuts to obtain the kernels is still a manual process, making the oil very expensive to produce.

The popularity of the oil has helped prevent the trees from being cut down and initiatives to plant new trees have been undertaken.  It’s had a beneficial environmental impact; the tree canopy provides shade for other agricultural products as well as the leaves and fruits providing food for animals. Socially, the production of Argan Oil supports millions of people living in the region, and much of it is produced by women’s cooperatives. This gives the women a source of income to support their families and to educate themselves and their children.

How many products are there that are so good for your body and support the environment and provide a social benefit, too?