Welcome Back Earth’s Enrichers! The school year has officially started and it’s time for some fun and beneficial skincare education. Don’t worry, we won’t lecture you, but let’s look at why we do what we do to our skin. So, let’s begin, why is skincare important? Seriously! Let’s think about it.
There are certain regiments that we practice as our signature skincare routine. Although it’s not always in the same order, we cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize, apply sunscreen, use shaving cream when shaving, and wash our hair. Have you ever thought about what happened if we didn’t do some of these things?
If we didn’t perform healthy skincare practices, we would weaken our most prominent protection against the environment (not to mention we’d be quite smelly as well). Proper skin care helps strengthen our body’s largest organ. For instance, if we don’t clean our skin we leave it exposed to germs, infections, and bacteria that could break our skin out. This could also cause long term damage.
During the course of the next few weeks, we will talk more in depth with you about the importance of the following skin rituals: cleansing, exfoliating, moisturizing, applying sunscreen, the pros and cons of using shaving cream while shaving, and washing our hair.
The EE 411
Although skincare is quite important, it can be too much of a good thing. Say you love peanut butter and you eat it every day, sooner or later you will begin to rethink your desire. The same goes for over cleansing, exfoliating, moisturizing, applying sunscreen, shaving and even washing your hair in some cases. By overdoing even one of these things you could irritate or damage your skin. The key is knowing your skin and how to balance your regiment.
Tell Us:What are some of your skincare routines that you can’t live without? For instance, moisturizing your hands before you go to bed.
Yes we are—USDA organic, all-natural, handcrafted, cruelty- free, non-GMO, vegan*, and gluten- free* (*Except for Honey Granola which is in the process of a makeover. It will become gluten- free soon!)
Last week we talked about skincare ingredients that have harmful effects to your skin. This week we will talk about the aspects of our soaps that care for and nurture your skin. Remember, we know what it’s like to have sensitive skin and have some elements in the average soap break you out. We know what it’s like to have skin irritation and can’t find skin care products that won’t irritate your skin further. We also know what it’s like to use an organic soap and have it not meet your expectation. So, we have used our experiences and homework to make our soaps with you and your skin in mind.
The EE 411
We at EE offer USDA certified organic soaps that do not contain parabens, sulfates, phthalates, petroleum, artificial coloring, artificial fragrances, or artificial preservatives. Instead our products are handcrafted, USDA organic certified, all-natural, cruelty- free, vegan* and gluten-free* (*except Honey Granola).
USDA Organic Certified
First, what does it mean to be organic? It means that the product does not contain any genetically modified organisms, synthetic ingredients, chemicals, pesticides, etc. In other words, everything is grown in a natural, un-tampered environment.
Second, how does the USDA National Organic Program recognize products that are USDA organic certified? In order for products to be recognized as USDA organic certified they must contain 95% certified organic ingredients or greater. To obtain the ‘USDA Organic’ title, a Government certified agency must check and make sure that the manufacturer fulfills all of the requirements of the USDA organic standard.
Third, how do you know if a product is USDA Organic certified? Simply look for the USDA organic seal on the product. This is a circular seal that contains the words USDA organic. Check out the picture at the top of this blog.
All- Natural
All-natural means that the product doesn’t contain any chemicals or lab made preservatives such as parabens, sulfates, artificial preservatives, phthalates, artificial coloring, etc. At Earth’s Enrichments we have found natural ingredients to these unhealthy choices. Mother Nature equips us with natural ingredients to be used as preservatives and repellants. The trick is finding out her secrets—for instance, some herbs can be used as a bug repellent. Likewise, salt can be used as a natural preservative. Check it out! You’d be amazed at what some of the things in your fridge and cabinets can do for you.
Handcrafted
Handcrafted or handmade means skillfully made by hand. Like our products, when your favorite products say ‘handcrafted’ it means made by people and not machines. In other words, each product is specially fashioned with you in mind. With us, each bar has its own personality and is uniquely designed.
Vegan
A vegan product means that none of its ingredients or products were taken from any insects or animals. Just in case you have forgotten, this would include bugs, critters, and creepy crawlers. This would even include the bees that make your honey.
Cruelty- Free
Cruelty free means no animals or any living creatures were harmed in the making of a product. When we say our products are cruelty free, we mean it! No lipstick on dogs or sulfate ridden shampoo on kittens. In our case, no bees were harmed during the making of our Honey Granola bar soap. We do not condone any testing of products on animals.
Gluten- Free
Gluten is a type of protein that produces elasticity in dough. It can be found in cereal, grain, and wheat. Although it is naturally found in grain and wheat, it is also a popular allergen. It can affect people with allergies to grain, wheat, or those who suffer from Coeliac Disease (unable to digest gliadin, which is in Gluten).
Therefore, when a product says it is gluten free, it contains no traces of gluten.
Non GMO
GMO stands for genetically modified organisms. It refers to products that are scientifically tampered with in anyway to make them last longer, taste better, or look more appealing. This often includes fruits, vegetables, meats.
Share with Us: What other positive benefits would you like your skincare to have?
At Earth’s Enrichments we felt that it was time to give you detailed insight into why our body bars are made the way that they are. We did lots of homework and studied the best ingredients for your skin. In doing so, we have avoided using some harmful compounds and chemicals in our soaps. Here’s what we have excluded– our body bars have absolutely no parabens, sulfates, phthalates, petroleum, artificial coloring, artificial fragrances, nor any preservatives.
These above ingredients have been known to produce harmful effects to the skin and can result in discomfort. We know what it’s like to have sensitive skin and have some elements in the average soap break you out. We know what it’s like to have skin irritation and can’t find skin care products that won’t irritate your skin further. We also know what it’s like to use an organic soap and have it not meet your expectation. So, we have used our experiences and homework to make our soap with you and your skin in mind.
The EE 411
We at EE offer an all-natural and USDA certified organic soap that does not include parabens, sulfates, phthalates, petroleum, artificial coloring, artificial fragrances, or preservatives. Below are brief descriptions for each chemical and the possible effects that they can have on your body. We encourage you to do your own homework and look more into them. You will find it quite interesting!
Parabens
Parabens are a compound that is made to chemically preserve cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. They were made chemically as a cheaper alternative to natural fungicides and bactericides such as grapefruit seed extract (GSE).
Although they may be a cheaper alternative, with constant usage they can have some, both minor and major, health risks. Parabens have been found in breast cancer tumors and are known to mimic estrogen. Although there is not a correlation between cancer and parabens, the ability to mimic estrogen could be responsible for early puberty in girls.
Sulfates
Sulfates are mineral salts that contain sulfur. It is used in food, beverages, hair and skin care products. It has been known to dry out the skin and scalp causing it to become itchy. Also, if it gets into your eyes, it can irritate them (remember what happens when you shampoo). Substantial exposure to sulfates can cause diarrhea, intestinal pain, and a bit of a decrease normal stomach acidity.
Phthalates
Phthalates are actually plasticizers which gives substances it is added to flexibility, longevity, and durability. This means phthalates add plastic to whatever it is in. This includes deodorants, nail polish, hair spray, perfumes, lotions, creams, and powders), and baby products. Its main function in lotion is to help penetrate the skin and soften it. It also helps maintain the fragrance.
When used in skincare products it can be absorbed through the skin, entered into the bloodstream and traces can be found in urine. It can even be found in the urine of infants whose mothers used skincare products with phthalates during pregnancy. Substantial amounts of phthalates are known to cause hormone imbalances and birth defects.
Petroleum
Petroleum is a highly flammable liquid that contains hydrocarbons, some molecular weights, crude oils, and other liquid organic compounds. When we say organic compounds we mean fossil fuels (the main ingredient in this are dead organisms).
Short term effects of crude petroleum hydrocarbons can be respiratory problems, depression, anxiety disorder, and other mental disorders.
Artificial Coloring
Artificial coloring can be found in lotions, shampoos, soaps, and other such products and can contain certain amounts of metal allotments. Some of those metal allotments could consist of arsenic, lead, and mercury. These metals are known to cause gastrointestinal (orally taken), and could contaminate the skin.
Artificial Preservatives
Artificial preservatives come in many forms like nitrates, sulphur dioxide, sulfites, and parabens. They are highly allergenic, toxic, and are known to cause tumors. Some of these artificial preservatives can also contain small amounts of formaldehyde. This can irritate the skin, cause cancer, and could even damage the nervous system.
Artificial Fragrances
Artificial fragrances are often made using petrochemicals (natural scents mixed with petroleum). They can irritate the skin, aggravate asthma, and cause nausea, mood change, depression, lethargy, restlessness, irritability, memory lapses, and the inability to concentrate.
Tell Us: Can you feel the difference in your skin when you use products that do not contain any chemicals? Give it a try!
