The shea tree produces nuts that provide an incredible product for your skin. It’s called shea butter. The fat from the shea tree nuts is extracted and becomes a great source of smoothing and conditioning for skin cosmetic products. This easy-to-use, natural source offers multiple applications. The following are just a few of the top shea butter benefits.
It moisturizes
No one likes the feel of dry, cracking skin. Shea butter has a high fatty acid content, which makes it a great moisturizer. It absorbs rapidly into the skin to restore lipids, develop moisture for your skin and provide a protective barrier to harsh exterior conditions.
It soothes
If you struggle with arthritis or other inflammation issues, shea butter may be able to help your condition. This substance activates cytokines when it is applied to the skin, which may help slow inflammation. Due to its moisturizing properties, shea butter may also help prevent inflammation caused by dry conditions.
It protects
Some research on shea butter suggests that it also has antibacterial properties. Because of this, its application may protect the skin from bacteria that can cause acne. Shea butter further helps with acne prevention by restoring moisture and creating a healthy balance of oils in your skin.
It prevents
Who doesn’t want to look younger? A popular shea butter benefit is its potential to reduce the effects of aging. The application of shea butter may reduce fine lines and wrinkles that aging produces on the skin. It promotes cell regeneration and collagen production to help keep you looking young and vibrant.
It shields
While shea butter isn’t an effective sunscreen on its own, it can provide an additional layer of protection against the sun’s rays. It contains a natural SPF level of 3 to 4, so it’s great to spread over your sunscreen for more protection and moisturizing benefits.
It treats
If you suffer from skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema, shea butter can help. It offers relief to itching as it soothes the skin, moisturizing and reducing inflammation. Since the shea butter is absorbed quickly by the skin, it can help provide relief if you experience a flareup.
It heals
If you experience a sunburn, a bug bite or another type of skin wound, shea butter benefits could help you. The oils in this substance can reduce swelling, redness and itching. The fatty acids in shea butter provide soothing and healing for the skin. These acids can also help shield the wound from exterior irritants while the skin recovers.
Reap the benefits
To start enjoying shea butter benefits today, visit Soaps & Scents. We’ve been making beautiful handmade soaps for over 25 years. We have bar and liquid soaps in a variety of fragrances, and even some fun soaps, such as our Ducky or Cupcake soaps. We make everything by hand in small quantities, and all of our merchandise is free of animal products. We use the highest possible percentage of essential oil and fragrance oil, so the products will maintain their wonderful scent even years later. Contact us today with any questions or stop in to our store in El Cajon, CA to shop our shea butter products.
What Makes a Bath Bomb Fizzy?
There are few things more satisfying than dropping a bath bomb into your tub and watching it immediately fizz up, distributing cheerful color and relaxing scents throughout the water. But how does it do this? If you’ve ever wondered about the science behind bath bombs, we can tell you the secret: what you’re seeing is a chemical reaction between two ingredients that only occurs when they’re exposed to water.
The science behind bath bombs
Typically, there are two active ingredients in bath bombs: baking soda and citric acid. Citric acid is found in citrus fruits, but also comes in a powdered form that’s used in cooking and beyond. In their powdered forms, citric acid and baking soda are inert. When they come into contact with water, however, a chemical reaction is triggered.
As the two ingredients hit the water, they form sodium citrate and carbon dioxide, which is responsible for the bubbles. In turn, the bubbles help distribute the dyes and perfumes evenly throughout the water. As the bubbles pop, fragrance is released into the air, which is why you can readily smell their scent as soon as you drop the bomb in the water.
What else is in bath bombs?
Bath bombs have more ingredients than just the active ones, however—they often include a softening agent, such as an oil or butter, dyes (for color) and essential oils or perfumes. Depending on the maker and their objective, you might find that a bath bomb includes corn starch, which slows the chemical reaction. Epsom salts—said to promote muscle relaxation, among other effects—are another popular addition. Some are made with dissolvable glitter and confetti, while others choose to embed trinkets in theirs for an extra surprise.
You can easily make your own bath bombs by purchasing baking soda, citric acid, your additional ingredients of choice and a bath bomb mold. You’ll mix the powders together, moisten them enough to stick and then scoop them into a mold to let dry. Tutorials are available online—the key is to pick natural ingredients and non-staining dyes that will make the bath experience feel luxurious without leaving a big mess behind.
Love bath bombs, but don’t want to make your own? At Soaps & Scents, our bath bombs are made with a combination of baking soda, citric acid and almond, shea and cocoa butter. All our products are scented with natural fragrance or essential oils. They are colored with cosmetic-grade colorants that will not stain skin (or your tub) and weigh in at a hefty 5 ounces apiece.
Soaps & Scents has mastered bath bomb science and is proud to make all of our bath and home products in small batches, by hand. If artificial scents and ingredients make your skin itch, try our products. We offer everything from bar soap and bath bombs to body scrubs, linen sprays and candles. Call or come see us today to find out why our customers keep coming back—we look forward to seeing you soon!
Seven Skin Benefits of Shea Butter
The shea tree produces nuts that provide an incredible product for your skin. It’s called shea butter. The fat from the shea tree nuts is extracted and becomes a great source of smoothing and conditioning for skin cosmetic products. This easy-to-use, natural source offers multiple applications. The following are just a few of the top shea butter benefits.
It moisturizes
No one likes the feel of dry, cracking skin. Shea butter has a high fatty acid content, which makes it a great moisturizer. It absorbs rapidly into the skin to restore lipids, develop moisture for your skin and provide a protective barrier to harsh exterior conditions.
It soothes
If you struggle with arthritis or other inflammation issues, shea butter may be able to help your condition. This substance activates cytokines when it is applied to the skin, which may help slow inflammation. Due to its moisturizing properties, shea butter may also help prevent inflammation caused by dry conditions.
It protects
Some research on shea butter suggests that it also has antibacterial properties. Because of this, its application may protect the skin from bacteria that can cause acne. Shea butter further helps with acne prevention by restoring moisture and creating a healthy balance of oils in your skin.
It prevents
Who doesn’t want to look younger? A popular shea butter benefit is its potential to reduce the effects of aging. The application of shea butter may reduce fine lines and wrinkles that aging produces on the skin. It promotes cell regeneration and collagen production to help keep you looking young and vibrant.
It shields
While shea butter isn’t an effective sunscreen on its own, it can provide an additional layer of protection against the sun’s rays. It contains a natural SPF level of 3 to 4, so it’s great to spread over your sunscreen for more protection and moisturizing benefits.
It treats
If you suffer from skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema, shea butter can help. It offers relief to itching as it soothes the skin, moisturizing and reducing inflammation. Since the shea butter is absorbed quickly by the skin, it can help provide relief if you experience a flareup.
It heals
If you experience a sunburn, a bug bite or another type of skin wound, shea butter benefits could help you. The oils in this substance can reduce swelling, redness and itching. The fatty acids in shea butter provide soothing and healing for the skin. These acids can also help shield the wound from exterior irritants while the skin recovers.
Reap the benefits
To start enjoying shea butter benefits today, visit Soaps & Scents. We’ve been making beautiful handmade soaps for over 25 years. We have bar and liquid soaps in a variety of fragrances, and even some fun soaps, such as our Ducky or Cupcake soaps. We make everything by hand in small quantities, and all of our merchandise is free of animal products. We use the highest possible percentage of essential oil and fragrance oil, so the products will maintain their wonderful scent even years later. Contact us today with any questions or stop in to our store in El Cajon, CA to shop our shea butter products.
Valentine’s Day and Spring are Right Around the Corner: Get the Scents to Match
Now that we’ve welcomed 2020 in El Cajon, CA, it’s time to start thinking about Valentine’s Day. If your holiday season could have used a dose of romance, there’s no better way to start remedying that than by setting the mood for February. To celebrate, our soap shop is rolling out a brand-new line of soaps, sugar scrubs and linen and room sprays, all in soft, romantic scents and colors. Here’s a closer look at some of our latest creations:
Festive Valentine’s Day and spring colors
Of course, we make sure that our products look just as beautiful as they smell, so we’re making great use of seasonal colors. This Valentine’s Day, and heading into spring, our focus is on reds, pinks, lavenders and off-white tones. They’re perfect for display—if they last that long!
While red is commonly thought of as a color of passion, pink is often used to signify romantic love. White and off-white signal purity and peace, whereas lavender is associated with wisdom and sanctity. Even the colors used are chosen with care—we want to help create your ideal space and mood, no matter what the occasion may be.
New product alert
We’re also excited to roll out a brand-new product: loofa scrubbies. These scrubs are designed to wash away dead, flaking skin and moisturize your body. Our loofas will be made with the same fragrances we’ve described above, but in a different form: a loofa scrubby is glycerin soap poured into a loofa. After the soap base sets up, they are cut into slices, which shows the soap all through the loofa slice.