Thursday, March 22, 2012

More soaps are getting ready for the market

Sample sizes...

... of Geranium Bay.
This is the soap to have when you are wanting a sensuous smell. It smells very clean, yet captivating. In addition to geranium rose and bay essential oils, there are a few other secret ones in there too, to add depth, not to mention their healing properties: 
- orange, lavender, cedarwood, clary sage, and marjoram -
Other ingredients: Saponified oils of olive, organic palm, & organic coconut; dried calendula petals; organic cocoa powder.


Spearmint + Poppy Seed
Very light, refreshing and creamy spearmint, and a tiny bit exfoliating but still very gentle.
INGREDIENTS: Saponified oils of olive, organic palm, & organic coconut; poppy seeds; spearmint & tea tree essential oils.


Find me at the South Whidbey Tilth Farmer's Market on Sundays from 11a.m.-2p.m.!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Busy as a bee

... here in The Herbal Workshop!

The next batch of soap is cut and curing.

Rosemary + Lavender Shampoo Bar


Do you ever get itchy scalp? I do. And I'm tired of it. I notice it mostly after using heavily detergentized shampoos and conditioners. I'm going to try switching to gentle shampoo bars. And I'm working on creating the perfect formula. 

So far, this one is pretty basic: Olive, Coconut*, Palm*, Sweet Almond & Castor oils; Rosemary & Lavender essential oils. 
*organic ingredient

Rosemary contains caffeic acid and it's derivative rosmarinic acid, which according to a scientific study published here, in the US National Library of Medicine's archive, have antioxidant effects. I'll quote some more of the study:

"Rosmarinic acid is well absorbed from gastrointestinal tract and from the skin. It increases the production of prostaglandin E2 and reduces the production of leukotriene B4 in human polymorphonuclear leucocytes, and inhibits the complement system. It is concluded that rosemary and its constituents especially caffeic acid derivatives such as rosmarinic acid have a therapeutic potential in treatment or prevention of bronchial asthma, spasmogenic disorders, peptic ulcer, inflammatory diseases, hepatotoxicity, atherosclerosis, ischaemic heart disease, cataract, cancer and poor sperm motility."

I think if rosemary can do that, it can probably also help to stimulate hair growth and prevent hair loss, which has been the word on the street for quite a few centuries now. Much more literature can be found on rosemary, including in this great book, 'Essential Herbal Wisdom,' by Nancy Arrowsmith.

Plus, this is what the amazing rosemary flower looks like:


Lavender... we'll save that for another day.