How Do SLS Free, Natural and Organic Bath and Beauty Products Differ?

In quest for healthier bath and beauty products more and more of us are tuning toward organic/natural alternatives. Question that consistently comes up in organic/natural bath and beauty market is what is difference between SLS free, natural and organic bath and beauty products?  It is really simple really…

SLS Free Bath and Beauty Products

As the name implies SLS Free products do not contain SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate), SLS Free products use mild saponifying agents, such as Decyl Glucoside and raw Coco Glucoside, derived from natural ingredients. Mild saponifying agents clean equally well, but foam less and are not damaging to skin, hair and body. Mild saponifying agents closely match skin’s pH, and thus do not overstrip skin from natural oils while cleaning. This means they will not cause skin irritation, allergies and skin dryness and leave skin soft, moisturized and balanced skin and hair soft, manageable and touchable.

Natural Bath and Beauty Products

Natural products are made from natural, wild crafted and organic ingredients in different proportions. When a product is labeled as “natural”, this means that the entire product is made from greater than 70% and up to 95% of natural, wild-crafted, organic and/or organic certified ingredients. Natural standards vary from country to country but there are rules that determine what can and what cannot be labeled as natural in Canada and USA. When a product is labeled as “natural”, this means that the entire product is made from greater than 70% and up to 95% natural, wild-crafted, organic and/or organic certified ingredients whichever the case may be.

Organic Bath and Beauty Products

Organic products are made from organic certified ingredients only. Organic certified means that a plant or other natural material is certified produced as pesticide free. Organic standards and certification vary from country to country but there are rules that determine what can and what cannot be labeled as organic in Canada and USA. When a product is labeled as “organic”, this means that the entire product is made from greater than 95% organic certified ingredients.

The proof is as they say in the pudding. And in the natural/organic bath and beauty market it all comes down to what kind of pudding you like… And remember – when in doubt – ask – Nina Bella Collection is always here to answer.

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Nina Bella Collection Softkiss Organic Lip Balm

If you’re looking for a healthy organic way to keep your lips healthy and smooth look no further than the Nina Bella Collection Organic Lip Balm! Nina Bella Collection Organic Lip Balm is 100% organic, made from 100% certified organic ingredients, paraben, phthalate-free and petrolatum free. Packed with antioxidant-rich, vitamin rich, soothing cocoa butter, shea butter, coconut butter and jojoba oil, Nina Bella Collection Organic Lip Balm keeps your lips moist, soft, and kissably smooth.

Ingredients: *Organic Cocoa Butter, *Organic Shea Butter, *Organic Coconut Butter, *Organic Palm Oil,*Organic Jojoba Oil,*Organic Rosemary Oil,*Organic Essential Oils.

*= Certified Organic Ingredients

Organic cocoa butter moisturizers and deodorizes with natural chocolate scent, organic coconut butter adds shine, organic jojoba oil nourishes your lips, organic palm oil prevents chapping,  while organic essential oils refresh and soothe. Preserved naturally by anti-oxidizing and anti-bacterial properties of organic rosemary oil, Nina Bella Organic Lip Balm is durable, long lasting, stable and 100% free of common industrial preservatives.

Nina Bella Collection Organic Lip Balm comes in two delectable flavors: chocolate and chocolate orange. Created for our most sensitive customers, Chocolate Lip Balm does not have organic essential oils and moisturizers your lips by gentle action 100% organic butters and oils. Rich in natural scent of organic cocoa butter it feels like nibbling on a succulent piece of chocolate every time you use it. Chocolate Orange Lip Balm has organic essential sweet orange oils added to stimulate collage production that naturally plumps your lips. Deliciously decadent with natural scents of chocolate and freshly squeeze orange, it will make you feel like you are eating desert while taking care of your lips.

Nina Bella Collection Organic Lip Balms – 100% organic, 100% real and 100% the best care for your lips. Try it today!!

Aroma Mist – Healthy Home and Body Scent

You do not have to use industrial air fresheners to keep your home smelling nice. Organic aroma misters are healthy and affordable alternative. Instead of heavy chemicals, aroma misters contain only organic alcohol, water and organic essential oils balanced in a way that is not harmful to your health. Water is a perfect way to make your aroma mist light and pure. What you want to be using is distilled water that does not have heavy minerals. Organic alcohol is necessary to eliminate odor causing germs. Any clear organic alcohol will do. Organic essential oils will add a nice crisp scent that will not irritate respiratory system. Any organic essential oils such as lavender, peppermint, spearmint, rose, tangerine, sweet orange, chamomile will work. You can use them alone or create your own blend to spice things up.

Ingredients:

½ cup distilled water

½ cup clear organic alcohol

20 drops organic essential oil

Mix water and organic alcohol well. Add organic essential oil and mix well. Pour into amber or cobalt blue misting bottle and cap well. Shake well before using. To use spray on the bathroom, in the linen close, in the car, in the living room and wherever you want a nice natural scent. Avoid direct contact with sensitive and colored fabrics as alcohol may fade the colors. Avoid getting any spray in your eyes and this goes without saying – do not spray directly on skin, children or pets. Keep aroma mist in cool dark place between uses.

For more great ideas, check out new Nina Bella Collection organic aroma mists and body sprays upcoming in May 2012.

Why You Need to Avoid Industrial Air Fresheners

We all want a nice smelling house and we all have different strategies to keep it that way. Most common impulse is to reach for common industrial air fresheners. They are a cheap choice– but they are definitely not a healthy choice. Have you ever wondered – what is the price you really pay for using common industrial air-fresher?

Neither the FDA nor the EPA conducts any safety testing for toxic chemicals in air freshener products. Due to lack of FDA regulation 9 out of 10 air- fresheners, including green air fresheners, contain toxic chemicals harmful for health that can cause caner, respiratory diseases, asthma, organ and skin disease. These chemicals are phthalates, fragrance oils, acetaldehydes, acetone, ethanol, benzaldehyde, isopropyl alcohol, alpha-Pinene, Benzyl acetate, ethyl acetate, isoamyl acetate (1-butanol- 3-methyl-, acetate), O, M, OR P-cymene, limonene and Linalool.

Phthalates, the most common ingredient found in virtually all air freshener are known to cause reproductive problems and hormone disruptions. Perfume oils, the next favorite are know respiratory, skin an organ irritants. Acetaldehyde and acetone are both cardiovascular/blood toxicants, gastrointestinal/liver/kidney toxicants, neurotoxicants, respiratory toxicants, skin and sensory organ toxicants. Ethanol is carcinogen, cardiovascular/ blood toxicant, developmental toxicant, endocrine toxicant, gastrointestinal/liver toxicant, neurotoxicant, reproductive toxicant, respiratory toxicant and skin/sensory organ toxicant. Benzaldehyde, is gastrointestinal/liver/kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant, respiratory toxicant, skin or sensory organ toxicant. Isopropyl alcohol, common rubbing alcohol, turns mean when vaporized in air freshener and has been classified as cardiovascular/blood toxicant, developmental toxicant, gastrointestinal/liver/kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant, respiratory toxicant and skin/sensory organ toxicant. Alpha-Pinene, a cute name for nasty chemical is suspected neurotoxicant, respiratory toxicant, and skin/sensory organ toxicant. Benzyl acetate is a suspected gastrointestinal/liver/kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant and respiratory toxicant. Ethyl Acetate is a suspected neurotoxicant, respiratory toxicant, skin and sensory organ toxicant. The name will not tell you much but the side –effects will – isoamyl acetate (1-butanol- 3-methyl-, acetate) is suspected neurotoxicant. O, M, OR P-cymene, has an exotic name but will not treat you kindly- it its suspected cardiovascular/blood toxicant, neurotoxicant and respiratory toxicant. Limonene and linalool complete the picture as respiratory and skin toxicant.

So you definitely want to think twice before being exposed to that. Or you can avoid risk at all and go for organic aroma misters instead. Instead of harmful chemicals, aroma misters contain organic alcohol, water and organic essential oils balanced in a way that is not harmful to you. They are organic product manufacturer response to responsible product crafting. For more on organic aroma misters, check back with Nina Bella Collection Blog.

Palm Oil in Organic Skin Care

Palm oil, a popular cooking medium has been working the scene for centuries making slow but sure breakthrough in organic skin care. In equal parts affordable and beneficial, palm oil is more often than not one of the most common organic bath and beauty products ingredients.

Hailing from West Africa, palm oil has been transported to Europe and reminder of the world in 19^th century. As the name indicates, palm oil is derived from the fruits of palm trees. It is a great source of beta carotene which gives it its naturally dark orange to reddish color. Chemically, palm oil is composed of saturated and unsaturated fats in the forms of glyceryl laurate (0.1%, saturated), myristate (1%, saturated), palmitate (44%, saturated), stearate (5%, saturated), oleate (39%, monounsaturated), linoleate (10%, polyunsaturated), and alpha-linolenate (0.3%, polyunsaturated), vitamins and antioxidants. Because of high saturated fat content, palm oil is quite stable, slow to oxidize and semi-solid at room temperature.

This means that palm oil is an ideal ingredient to work with in organic skin care. From soap making, to shampoo crafting, to shower gels and bubble baths, to moisturizing lotions to body butters, palm oil seems to have almost limitless number of applications. Its ability to clarify, remove excess sebrum and dirt from hair and skin mean it is great for organic bath products. Palm oil is very easy saponify and is a great organic soap starter. Its ability to moisturize and nourish, mean making a nice moisturizer, cream of a lotion is as easy as adding good quality palm oil to your formula.

As always in organic skin care you want to make sure you use quality palm oil. So stay away from chemically extracted, perfumed and bleached oil- it has a cheaper price tag but it also has significantly lower quality. When it comes to your skin it is worth it to pay a bit more to get cold pressed hand processed palm oil. Make sure your label backups up the promise. Organic. Pure. Green. Nutritious. Honest. This is what makes organic bath and beauty manufacturing different.

For more on products that use only certified organic ingredient visit Nina Bella Organic Collection.