Sunflower Oil For Your Skin Care

Grow Sunflowers for Fun in the Sun

Sunflowers are fun to plant and grow.  I can remember when my kids were younger we would read the book, "Amy loves the Sun" by Julia Hoban.  As a result of reading this book we created a magical sunflower circle where they could go outside and hide in the middle, just like Amy.  As the flowers grew taller, it was easier to be hidden in the middle of the circle.  When the sunflowers reached maturity we would take the seeds and roast them for a delicious treat and reminisce about the fun that was had in the summer sun.

Secret Hiding Place

Sunflower oil is extracted from sunflower seeds, and is rich in Vitamin A, C, and E.   Sunflower oil is beneficial for both human health and skin care applications.  When consumed, sunflower oil helps to improve heart health, boost energy, and lower cholesterol.  When applied topically, sunflower oil is believed to help acne sufferers, protects skin from sun damage, and prevents signs of premature aging.

I like to use Sunflower Oil in soap and topical treatments because it is a light oil, and is easily absorbed into the skin.  In the winter my skin is in need of a heavy butter for conditioning, while in the summer my skin requires something a bit lighter in consistency to achieve the same results.  Sometimes my skin needs a bit of a boost by softening the dry skin with a lighter topical application prior to the application of a heavy butter.

Sunflower Oil is the common name we all familiar with.  In the skin care world, proper ingredient listing is required and known as INCI Nomenclature.  Products created for skin care usage should list this ingredient as "Helianthus Annus (Sunflower) Oil" when it is used in products other than soap.  During the soap making process, the oil is transformed into a sodium that offers the same qualities as the original ingredient, but is no longer simply Sunflower Oil.  As a result, the INCI Nomenclature for Sunflower Oil in soap is "Sodium Sunflower Seedate" for bars and/or hard soap and in liquid soap you will see it listed as "Potassium Sunflower Seedate".

Individuals with seed allergies should avoid the use of Sunflower Oil, or check with their Physician prior to using.

Shea Butter for Your Skin Care

Shea Butter

Shea Butter is an emollient butter with an off white color that is extracted from the nuts of the African Shea (Karite) tree.  Shea Butter is naturally rich in vitamins A, D, and E all of which are valuable additions in skin care products.

There are many uses and claims for Shea Butter floating around the Internet that I won't be listing here.  What I will tell you, is that from my own personal experience Shea Butter has become one of my favorite butters to make heavy body creams for use through the winter months, and as skin treatments after long periods of time in the summer sun.  Why?  Because for me, the deeply rich emollient butter has offered the much needed relief to my aging skin that is losing its elasticity and becoming drier as the years go by.  I love to put shea butter in my soap because it doesn't all saponify.  That means some of the butter is left roaming free in the soap, waiting to attach itself to my skin when I bathe.

Shea Butter is the common name we all familiar with.  In the skin care world, proper ingredient listing is required and known as INCI Nomenclature.  Products created for skin care usage should list this ingredient as "Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit when it is used in products other than soap.  During the soap making process, the oil is transformed into a sodium that offers the same qualities as the original ingredient, but is no longer simply Shea Butter.  As a result, the INCI Nomenclature for Palm Oil in soap is "Sodium Shea Butteraerte" for bars and/or hard soap and in liquid soap you will see it listed as "Potassium Shea Butterate".

Individuals with nut allergies should avoid the use of Shea Butter, or check with their Physician prior to using.

Avocado Oil for Your Skin

Avocado Oil

Avocados are often considered vegetables but they are really a fruit.  These unique fruits are nutrient dense, contain good fats, and are naturally sodium and cholesterol free.

Aside from the nutritional benefits, avocado oil provides an assortment of vitamins and nutrients that are beneficial to the skin.  The oil is easily absorbed by the skin and helps to soothe dry and itchy skin.

I love to add Avocado Oil to soap and topical treatments.  I have seen a noticeable difference in the appearance of my skin since adding avocado oil to soap and topical treatments.  I've come to the age where my skin is losing it's elasticity and appears to be dry all the time.  My own personal use of Avocado Oil has helped to repair some of the damage that years of sun and UV rays has made on my skin.

Avocado Oil is the common name we are all familiar with. In the skin care world, proper ingredient listing is required and known as INCI Nomenclature.  Products created for skin care usage should list this ingredient as "Persea Graissima (Avocado) Oil" when it is used in products other than soap.  During the soap making  process, the oil is transformed into a sodium that offers the same qualities as the original ingredient, but is no longer simply Olive Oil.  As a result, the INCI Nomenclature for Olive Oil in soap is "Sodium Avocadate" for bars and/or hard soap and in liquid soap you will see it listed as "Potassium Avocadate".

Olive Oil for Your Skin Care

Olive oil is the fat pressed out from olives.  The quality of the olive degrades with each pressing.  Extra Virgin is higher quality whereas Pomace is a lower grade that might be used in manufacturing and perfect to use for soap making.  I prefer a mid grade olive oil for cooking and soap making, commonly found labeled "Pure".  I find the flavor to be the best to suit my tastes and the color of the Pure oil is pretty consistent, whereas Pomace can be green and often has olive sediment that requires straining before use.

Olive oil is known as a smart fat in diet due to being monounsaturated, which helps to lower bad cholesterol when used in place of saturated fats.  In Skin care, Olive oil is rich in antioxidants (Vitamin E, polyphenols, and phytosterols) and doesn't clog pores.  When applied topically, olive oil may prevent premature aging.

Olive Oil is the common name we are all familiar with. In the skin care world, proper ingredient listing is required and known as INCI Nomenclature.  Products created for skin care usage should list this ingredient as "Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil" when it is used in products other than soap.  During the soap making  process, the oil is transformed into a sodium that offers the same qualities as the original ingredient, but is no longer simply Olive Oil.  As a result, the INCI Nomenclature for Olive Oil in soap is "Sodium Olivate" for bars and/or hard soap and in liquid soap you will see it listed as "Potassium Olivate".

Coconut Oil for Your Skin Care

For some time I've been wanting to start a series to provide information about the different ingredients we use in our products.  In this series I will explain what the ingredients are, how they are used, and what qualities they contribute to the soap making process and/or skin benefits.  Today is the first installment in the series, with future installments scheduled every Monday until we have covered all of them.

What is Coconut Oil?  Here is the quoted explanation that I obtained from Wikipedia:  "Coconut oil or Copra oil is an edible oil extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconuts harvested from the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera). It has various applications in food, medicine, and industry. Because of its high saturated fat content it is slow to oxidize and, thus, resistant to rancidification, lasting up to two years without spoiling.

Many health organizations advise against the consumption of high amounts of coconut oil due to its high levels of saturated fat"

Coconut Oil is the common name we are all familiar with.  In the skin care world, proper ingredient listing is required and known as INCI Nomenclature.  Products created for skin care usage should list this ingredient as "Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil" when it is used in products other than soap.  During the soap making process, the oil is transformed into a sodium that offers the same qualities as the original ingredient, but is no longer simply Coconut Oil.  As a result, the INCI Nomenclature for Coconut Oil in soap is "Sodium Cocoate" for bars and/or hard soap and in liquid soap you will see it listed as "Potassium Cocoate".

Coconut Oil is hard at temperatures below 76 degrees Fahrenheit.  Often used as one of the components in the trifecta of soap making oils - coconut, palm, and olive.  In it's hardened state, the oil is white in appearance.  Coconut Oil aids in the hardness and fluffy lather when used in soap, is light and not greasy, and has a long shelf life.  Used in skin care, coconut oil offers emollient, moisturizing, conditioning qualities to the skin.

In addition to skin care, Coconut oil has been gaining recognition and popularity for the health benefits it reportedly has to offer. Recently I discovered a blog that offers 101 Uses for Coconut Oil.  I have yet to try all of the suggested uses but  I'm curious to know if you have used coconut oil and what your experiences have been?  Good, bad, indifferent?