Herbal Oasis - Body Care with Nature in Mind

Q: What's the difference between handmade soap and regular soap?
A: Commercially produced soaps are made from harsh detergents, animal tallow and contain synthetic fragrances, dyes and petroleum by-products. Handmade soaps tend to be vegetable based and contain glycerin, a natural by-product of soap making and a superb moisture retaining ingredient. Commercial soaps are milled to remove the glycerin – which creates a harder bar of soap, but not one that’s better for your skin.

Q: Why is it so hard to find a lotion without mineral oil and why is mineral oil bad for my skin?
A: Mineral oil is used in most commercial products for no other reason than it’s cheap! A by-product of the oil refinery process, mineral oil is not only harmful to the environment, it coats and suffocates the skin because the molecule is too large to penetrate skin. This can lead to rashes or acne in addition to preventing the natural elemination of toxins from the body. These products actually inhibit your body's ability to moisturize itself making you dependent on a product that claims to alleviate the very problem it creates. The TV ads try to sell you with “it traps moisture.” No, it traps toxins. If your skin is dry, what moisture is being trapped? It’s not science, and it’s false advertising as far as I’m concerned.

Q: What then should I be looking for as a base in the lotions I purchase?
A: Vegetable based lotions and butters are far superior to petroleum based ones. Vegetable oil readily penetrates the skin and is therefore the most effective way to get its moisture benefits in addition to providing an excellent means for drawing herbal extracts and essential oils down into the tissues where they can be the most effective.

Q: I have heard bad things about parabens. Why do you have them in some of the products you sell?
A: This was a very difficult choice for me to make. While it is true that some studies show parabens as hormone mimicking substances, I have yet to find an effective way to keep products safe from bacteria growth. I guess it’s hard to say which is worse. It is for this reason that I have a standard of less than 1% when it comes to preservatives such as these. Without a viable shelf life (at least 1 year), I would not be able to stay in business and offer the products and services that I currently offer. As new developments occur and I continue to learn, I will be able to offer even more natural products.

Q: Are any of the products tested on animals?
A: Only human ones!

Q: It seems everyone is jumping on the “natural” bandwagon. How can I know what is natural and what isn’t?
A: This is the unfortunate result of misuse of the word “natural.” The dictionary defines “natural” as: “Present in or produced by nature; not altered, treated or disguised.” Based on this definition, I would not consider all of my products to be natural. I don’t consider ingredients derived from plants to be natural. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are harmful. Sometimes it just means the ingredient went through a heat process. Take everything you read with a grain of salt and do some basic research for yourself to determine what ingredients you do not feel comfortable using. I have done extensive ingredient research: evaluating sources, processing and reading safety studies. I can tell you that all of the products I offer are ones I absolutely feel comfortable using myself (and my standards are higher than most). I will never compromise integrity to make a sale, though I have lost a few because I won’t provide a cucumber-melon scent… It comes down to balancing affordability, product performance and level of product safety.
If your question isn’t answered here, please feel free to email me!

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