I was recently given the opportunity to try some homemade soap and body care products from Sandra at Homestead Soaps. As many of you who read my blog frequently know, my family and I are sulfate free and use natural products for our body and home. We love essential oils, coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, honey, and other wonderful ingredients that nourish our skin and hair. I was super excited to have the opportunity to select from Sandra's Pampered Skin Collection.
I received the Sensitive skin set (Honey Neem) and I could not be more thrilled. The Pampered Skin Collection allows you to choose your set from a drop down menu of scent varieties and includes a lotion (in a pump container), a bar of soap (in a ribbed cardboard box), whipped body butter and exfoliating scrub. Everything arrived in a pleasantly rustic burlap bag.
The soap bar that was in my Sensitive Skin set is a special treat, and my FAVORITE item from the entire set. I asked Sandra what type of soap it was and she told me it was Chamomile and not on the website yet. She had specifically made a sensitive soap for a friend of hers and I was one of the lucky ones to try it out as well! I seriously adore this soap. I use it all over! I tried it as a shampoo bar for my hair and used an apple cider vinegar and water rinse afterward as our shower water is ultra hard. (I put 2-3 tablespoons of water in a large container of water). I had no hair issues such as build up or sticky / greasy appearance or texture. The soap made my hair clean and soft. I am sulfate free as mentioned, and so I love finding new product options for washing my hair. Since going sulfate free and "low poo" 3 years ago, I only need to wash my hair 1-2 times per week. (I still shower daily.) I use a natural boar bristle brush (I love my Mason Pearson Pink Brush). My hair has regulated its own natural sebum (a few years ago) and is well over the transition phase that hair needs to go through when you make it accustomed to less washings. Over washing the hair and using sulfates and chemicals causes the hair to be shocked and stripped and the scalp tries to over compensate for the stripped oils, thus actually over producing oils and that is why you can have greasy hair despite daily washing. When I was in high school and college, I washed my hair daily with traditional, store bought, chemical filled, sulfate based shampoos. My hair would have a slight oiliness by the evening and the thought of going 3-4 days without washing would make me shudder back then. Now that I wash every 3-4 days, and with very few (and very natural) ingredients, my hair has a softness and is healthier and does not get oily until the 4th day. I currently wash my hair with soap nuts or an occasional natural ingredient shampoo. I also do Henna and Amla hair masks. I was excited to use this bar on my hair.
I also use this Chamomile Sensitive bar on my face and body. It smells amazing and is so silky on my skin. I also use this with my vintage badger hair bakelite shaving brush. I shave my legs and underarms with a vintage 1960's Lady Gillette safety razor. This soap has a luscious lather and softens my skin. I love it for cleansing my head to toe!
Her shampoo bar contains: Deionized Water, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Hemp Seed Oil, Jojoba Oil, Sodium Hydroxide (required to make soap), chamomile water, egg, coconut milk, BTMS (derived from Colza Oil), Panthenol (Vitamin B5)
Water, Sweet Almond oil, Avocado oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, kokum butter, neem oil, chamomile, egg yolk, lavender extract, calendula extract, rosehip extract, E-Wax, goat milk, honey, lavender essential oils, Chamomile essential oils, benzylalcohol-dha.
The body butter came in handy several times when I had severe dry patches on my legs. As I am in my third trimester (and last month) of pregnancy, my skin has been itchy and dry lately. The Honey Neem seemed to help with circulation when massaged into my legs and feet, and also softened my dry skin. I applied the butter at night before bedtime and also used it on my heels and bottom of my feet as well.
I like using the exfoliating scrub on my heels and ankles, as it is gentle yet effective. I just love the locking jars that the butter and scrub come in, they are so cute and look nice on my shelf. I am excited to reuse them as well!
Ingredients in the scrub: Deionized Water, Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Olive Oil, Soybean Oil, Sea Salt, Walnut Shells, Palm Kernal Oil, Shea Butter, Wheat Germ Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Aloe Vera Gel, Glycerin, Jojoba beads, White Sugar, Brown Sugar, Goats Milk, Silk Amino Acid, Sodium Lactate (derived from beets), Fragrance, Benzylalcohol-dha (eco-cert preservative).
I really liked this Honey and Neem Sensitive skin set. The fragrance is noticeable, but not overpowering. It is an invigorating aroma. This set did not irritate my skin or breathing. It is definitely a skin nourishing and healing set.
I also was sent some smaller samples of the same items but in Jasmine fragrance. The Jasmine is a floral scent with a musky aroma. Jasmine is said by some to provide a calming, stress relieving, and almost sedative effect when worn or used in aromatherapy. I liked this set, but am absolutely loving the Honey Neem set more (it really is helping my dry skin), and especially am fond the Chamomile soap!! (I am quite thrilled about it, can you tell?).
I was quite pleased with my experience with Homestead Soap and Spa. I am excited to see what Sandra comes up with next. I hope she puts the Chamomile Sensitive soap on her site permanently. I particularly like the looks of her Calendula Chamomile soap, as Calendula is one of my favorite skin loving ingredients. I love how Calendula heals irritated skin and repairs it quickly.
Her Calendula Chamomile soap contains Deionized Water, Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Olive Oil, Soybean Oil, Rosehip Oil, Palm Kernal Oil, Shea Butter, Calendula, Chamomile, Wheat Germ Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Egg, Goats Milk, Silk Amino Acid, Sodium Lactate (derived from beets), Fragrance.
I am also betting that the Charcoal and Kaolin Clay bar is another wonderful option as well. It contains Deionized Water, Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Olive Oil, Soybean Oil, Palm Kernal Oil, Shea Butter, Wheat Germ Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Egg, Goats Milk, Charcoal, White Kaolin Clay, Silk Amino Acid, Sodium Lactate (derived from beets), Fragrance.
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I received these items complimentary for my honest review and no other compensation was provided.
DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation for a product review and/or link to any products or services from this blog. I am always honest in my opinions and never promise a positive review. I only recommend products or services that I feel are beneficial to my family and my lovely readers. I enjoy testing out items and giving my readers an honest and descriptive account of how a product functions. My personal experience or view of an item may differ than yours.
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