Industrial vs. Organic Bath Products

Anyone who has used industrial bath products knows they often leave skin dry, flaky and itchy.  This is caused by combined action of heavy industrial foaming agents, fragrance oils, industrial preservatives and industrial surfactants. Harsh industrial foaming agents such as SLS, SLES, ASL and ASEL, make nice bubbles but they also overstrip the skin of natural oils necessary to maintain healthy skin’ balance. Heavy fragrance oils enhance product scent but cause skin irritation, chapping and leave heavy artificial fragrance on skin. Industrial preservatives such as parabens, prolong product shelf life but can interfere with organ and reproductive functions. Industrial surfactants that wetting agents that help products spread over skin, are known eye, skin, nose, and throat irritants.

In contrast, organic bath products use natural and organic foaming, scent, preservative and surfactant alternatives that are mild and skin and body friendly. Organic bath products use natural foaming agents sourced from plants. They are mild, low foaming, effectively clean skin and maintain skin’s balance and pH without risking your health. For scent organic bath products often use organic essential oils which are proven beneficial to skin care and which leave behind a natural, clean plant scent. In terms of preservatives, organic bath products rely on combination of essential and carrier oils that have natural anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties, such are rosemary and grapefruit. In terms of surfactants, organic bath products use natural and wild-crafted alternatives derived from organic certified carrier oils and butters that are mild and non-irritating.  The end result is safe, consumer ready product that will deliver peak care, minus the harmful side –effects.

For consumer the best advice is – research the product, check ingredients and ask your manufacturer for assurance that what they are using is indeed organic and natural. For manufacturer, when creating a high end product you will need to invest in quality ingredients and research – the pay off is – a great, consumer safe product that you can display on your shelf with pride and confidence and that your consumer will enjoy using.

Happy shopping from Nina Bella Collection, your local organic bath and beauty manufacturer.

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Nail and Hand Care Treatment

Life puts a lot of stress on our hands and nails. Dish washing, tub scrubbing, cleaning, hot and cold weather and genetics all cause chapped hands and weak, peeling nails. Natural home-made nail and hand care treatment is an easy and cost effective solution.

By default anything with jojoba oil is a good bet. Jojoba oil resembles skin sebrum and absorbs into nails and skin easily and rapidly. It also has antioxidants nails and skin need to maintain healthy balance and defend against elements. Plant based oils, such as olive oil, create moisture barrier over skin and nails which prevents dehydration so you may want to add some of those. Any juice packed with Vitamin C blends well with oils, makes nails stronger and skin supple. Don’t be afraid to get creative and add some essential oils to your treatment. Essential oils smell great, have many benefits and are a great way to customize any natural beauty treatment.

 Feel free to use our favorite nail and hand treatments recipe or create your own using following guidelines:

 Ingredients:

 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon rose water

2 teaspoons jojoba oil

1 teaspoon essential lavender oil

Mix lemon juice, rose water and jojoba oil until blended. Add olive oil and essential lavender oil and mix well. Rub in a small amount of ready treatment to your hands and nails daily. Mix well before each use. Store in dark, cold space.

To learn more about natural cosmetic crafting, check out many Nina Bella Collection favorites updated weekly.

Jojoba Oil in Organic and Natural Beauty Care

Jojoba is evergreen tree, native to the Sonoran Desert in the American Southwest. It requires minimum amount of water and manure to cultivate, is extremely resistant to plant diseases and insects, and perfect choice for dry, arid regions. Jojoba oil is extracted from nuts of jojoba trees and used in variety of applications from food to beauty.

Contrary to the popular belief, jojoba oil is not oil at all. Chemically it is a mixture of liquid wax esters. The only reason it is called so is because is it an oil-resembling liquid.  It is a highly stable, oxidation resistant liquid wax with high molecular weight, meaning it can stand for a long time without becoming rancid.

It is most commonly used in its refined and unrefined form. Unrefined jojoba oil is a clear golden liquid while refined jojoba oil is a colorless and odorless liquid. Based on purification and processing, jojoba oil is additionally divided into four grades:

• Grade one
  • Pure and natural type jojoba oil, with a golden or yellow color, preferably used in organic and natural cosmetics.
• Grade two
  • Refined and bleached jojoba oil that is colorless.
• Grade three
  • De-colored and deodorized grade, commonly used in mainstream cosmetics.
• Grade four
  • Molecular distilled oil that is very expensive.

Grade one jojoba oil is most similar to skin sebum which is why it is preferred as an additive to many skin care and hair care products. It is non-toxic, non-comedogenic, non-allergenic, anti-bacterial and non-irritating, so it does not clog pores and does not cause allergic reactions. This makes jojoba oil a logical choice for natural and organic bath and beauty products.

Being similar to skin sebrum, jojoba oil is readily absorbed into skin and does not leave oily residue like other oils do. It has a high content of beneficial minerals and vitamins such as Vitamin E, so jojoba oil is very nutritious and unparallel in dry skin and hair care. If that is not enough, jojoba oil is a strong antioxidant which protects skin from the damaging effects of free radicals which ages skin prematurely.  This is why 90%of all jojoba oil produced is used in the cosmetic and hair industry. Many bath and beauty organic and natural products are also built and manufactured around it.

Who knew such an unassuming little oil wannabe could be so good at keeping us beautiful?

For ideas on how to use jojoba oil in everyday beauty care, follow Nina Bella Collection blog and visit our website!