Did you know that skin is the largest organ of your body? We are used to thinking of skin as something that eliminates salt and water from the body through sweat, but did you know your skin also absorbs chemicals? That is why some medicines can be administered as lotions or patches. Depending on the type of chemical and its size, these chemicals may penetrate the skin into nearby tissues or they may even enter your blood and travel to other parts of your body. Cosmetics and soap also contain chemicals that may be absorbed by the skin, which is one reason natural soap can boost energy and health.

Soap that is formulated for energy does more than just prevent your skin from absorbing many harmful chemicals found in processed soap, but it actually acts to provide the body with beneficial chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin from natural fruit extracts. In addition, energy soap gets its name from the fact that it is nurturing your skin with natural sugars, vitamins, and other large natural molecules that help the skin to maintain its healthy radiance.

Some of the most energy enhancing soap ingredients come from the tropics. That's right, tropical favorites such as coconut, palm, and aloe can actually boost the health of your skin, and improve your energy. These tropical soap bars are made from natural fruit extracts and essential oils. This produces a revitalizing energy soap that gives your skin the jump start it needs to stay healthy.

Some of energy boosting ingredients that can be used in natural soap bars are:

Coconut: Coconut oil contains lauric acid which, when converted to monolaurin by the body, plays a role in keeping viruses and bacteria at bay. In fact, it is so powerful that it was used in traditional Indian Medicine for many years before modern antibiotics as a closely held herbalist secret. Keeping bacteria and viruses at bay help the energy soap keep your body strong, giving you more energy everyday.
Sunflower: The oil from sunflowers helps to reduce the loss of moisture from the skin. In fact, in hospitals it can be used to prevent infant's skin from drying out. Sunflowers help you to maintain energy by maintaining hydration.
Aloe Vera: The ancient Egyptians called Aloe the "Plant of Immortality" for its beneficial properties. According to the http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/aloe-vera/NS_patient-aloe research has shown that aloe can help reduce inflammation and heal wounds, giving it the possibility to reduce strain on the immune system thereby boosting energy by using natural soap with aloe.
Annatto: Is a fruit from the achiote tree that grows in the Southern Americas. It is a powerful antioxidant, which helps your body have energy and maintain health. Also, it is a red dye that replaces harmful artificial colorings, such as Red 40.

Maintaining a hygienic lifestyle is a part of healthy living. Home healthcare products such as body-lotions and soaps are essential for maintaining external body hygiene. These have to be chosen with care to ensure that you get quality products.

Body Lotions with Versatile Skin Care Features

Using body-lotions is one of the best ways to maintain cleanliness. They are healthy means to keep your body soft, moisturized and free from dirt. Today these lotions are available with different features to match every skin type, and for all general purpose uses. For those who are allergic to strong lotions, there are hypoallergenic, moisturizing body lotions. These products do not cause skin irritation or drying of the skin when they are used on your body. All the best body lotions are formulated with skin soothers, moisturizers, vitamin E and more.

Different Models of Skin Care Soaps for All Types of Skin

Soaps are excellent emulsifying agents for providing external body hygiene. You can buy them in different forms, models, sizes, colors and fragrances. Anti-bacterial soaps are the most sought after because of their medicinal properties. They are developed with special anti-microbial agents, so as to kill almost all common disease causing germs. Just as body lotions, soaps are also available to suit any kind of skin. For dry-skinned people, there are oil based soaps, which help to maintain the moisture of the skin. Glycerin soaps and natural vegetable based soaps are ideal for those who are allergic to certain kinds of soaps.

Find Products of Popular Manufacturers from Reliable Dealers

Johnson Diversey, Gojo, Kimberly Clark Kimcare and Dial are some of the popular manufacturers selling skincare products, body lotions and soaps. These can be bought from different dealers or retailers. Reliable dealers stock an extensive range of products from a variety of manufacturers. From their online stores you can get quotes immediately, and save your valuable time and effort.

In many cases acne can be caused by dirt and bacteria infecting the skin. In other cases, there may be a buildup of too much oil on your face. Both of these problems can simply be cured by washing your face regularly. However, if you suffer from an acne problem you should not use normal soap. Acne infected areas, especially the face is very sensitive and strong soap is not what it needs. What is more, using hand or body soap can actual do more harm than good to your acne because it causes the skin to become dry and flaky and all the oil is removed from your skin. This may seem like a good thing, but what happens is that the oil glands will work even harder to replace the oil that has been lost on your face, making your pimple problem worse.

Acne soaps are the best solution for a facial wash because these soaps have been created specifically with acne in mind. These soaps are usually softer on the skin and clear away the oil in your face while adding vitamins and minerals to your skin to help prevent acne. There are many different types of acne face washes, the most famous brands are Clean & Clear and Neutrogena. There may be cheaper soaps available but not all of them work and some very cheap products can tend to do more harm than good by drying up the face too much.

Acid acne soap can sometimes take the healing process of acne further than other soaps. Many of these soaps have a substance such as glycolic acid in the soap, the purpose of the soap is to act as a anti-septic and anti-bacterial agent. This can help prevent future acne breakout while at the same time removing accumulated dirt and oil from you face. These soaps are good for treating whiteheads, blackhead, large acne cysts, and most other types of acne.

When washing your face, be sure that you do not rub too hard. Scrubbing at your pimples may be a temptation for some but this will only irritate your skin potentially causing more pimples. When washing your face, go in gentle and rhythmic motions. Make sure that the soap you have purchased is not making your skin too dry, if that is the case you may need to try another product. If your skin is still to oily, that also may be a sign that the product is not working.

Soap making was performed to be a yearly or semiannual occasion on the homesteads of the early settlers. Because the butchering of animals occurred in the Fall. Soap was initially made in those days on numerous homesteads as well as farms to make use of the large supply of tallow in addition to lard. Soap making is usually an outside process. The odor from rendering the fats is too powerful to wish in a person's household. Soap making can be a fun activity for the whole family, but it's not just limited to soap making. Some of the soap producing items and toiletry supplies are easily available online.

Creating soap allows you to not merely be imaginative but to create soaps with all of natural healthful ingredients which are great for your body. Soap making is an art in itself. It is fun to do and it is even more fun to experiment on your own natural ingredients to come up with one that best agrees with your skin's needs. Soap making is really a pleasurable as well as satisfying pastime.

Home soap makers sometimes use the melt and pour process, where a premade soap base is melted and added inside specific molds. Handmade soap that contains excess fat, is much more skin-friendly compared to industrial soap. Soapmaking is becoming increasingly popular. Making your own soap allows you to depend on as natural as possible ingredients to obtain a skin-friendly, eco-friendly product which respects your skin and the natural environment.

Making all natural soap by hand is the essential that will aid your skin unlock it's natural beauty potential with minimum work. Hand crafted soap is now a luxury product in today's market where it initially was simply useful for utilitarian reasons and was discovered, quite by accident. The rest is soap history. Hand crafted soap is also great for shaving! Hand crafted soap also comes in a variety of scents.

Handmade all natural soap has a wonderful lather which is moisturizing for your skin. Made by hand soap artisans have built on the history regarding soap and the ingredients using the greatest cleansing powers in order to identify alternatives that are somewhat more inviting compared to the things found inside a cow's stomach! Present day consumers are lucky to have the possibility to choose organic ingredients such as coconut oil and shea butter over animal bi-products. Handmade soap lasts longer than the commercial soaps found in stores. The aroma therapy and healing values of the natural, pure critical oils used to scent soaps are wonderful for your complete psychological wellness.

here are creams, lotions, and liquid body soaps that you can use when you shower and take a bath. Though these are common these days and easy to use, some people still prefer to use bar soap. This is what they are use to, it does not cost as much as the others, and it is something the whole family can use without buying a stash of different products. There is one problem with bar soaps though, and that problem is often dry skin. You want to be sure you are using a moisturizing soap so everyone feels good after a good bath or shower.

Don't underestimate the power of using a good moisturizing soap. If you use something else, you are going to spend more money to buy lotions because you have dry and itchy skin. The soap that your grandparents grew up with was often rough on the skin and the skin was then dry throughout the winter and even in the summer when most people get some relief from dry, itchy skin. Today, you don't have to use this soap, and in fact, most soaps are moisturizing soaps in comparison to the soap that we use to use for all cleaning duties including face, neck, and body.

Most soap today moisturizes in some way. This is because it is made of more gentle ingredients than ever before. This does not mean that you have moisturizing soap, however. Some of these soaps still leave your skin dry and can even leave a layer of product on your skin that leaves it feeling flat, sticky, and strange. You want to make sure you have a moisturizing soap that will also wash of cleanly, leaving you feeling clean as well as smooth once you step out of the shower. Buildup on the skin is never good.

You should try a few moisturizing soaps before you decide which one is best for your family. You can try each for a week to see which leaves your skin feeling the best. Some are going to be good and some are not going to be so good. Some have additives like scent and lotions, which often end up being the favorites, but they are not always the ones that leave the skin feeling the best. Dove makes a good moisturizing soap, so perhaps that is one you should try first to see how you like the end result.

You can also use moisturizing soaps for your hands and face. When using soap on your face, make sure you buy some that is made just for the face, as this skin is more sensitive, and the wrong soap can cause flaky skin, irritated skin, and can even cause some breakouts. You may think that a moisturizing soap is just another soap, but choosing the right type is going to make a huge difference in not only how clean you feel, but also how well you like the feel of your skin. Having smooth skin is a great confidence booster for anyone

Not only is dry skin a nuisance to deal with, it is uncomfortable. It is tight, itchy and painful. Sometimes, it can even crack and bleed leaving the way for infection to set in. You see, skin care is not always just about looking good, it is about staying healthy. If you fail to take care of your skin, you may set yourself up for a host of diseases and complications. After all, your skin is the largest organ of your body. It is responsible for numerous bodily functions that all work together to keep you healthy. This is why you should always strive to take care of your skin the best that you can.

Skin care should be a part of your daily routine no matter if you have dry skin or not. Having a good skin care regimen will prevent your skin from drying out in the first place. And since prevention is worth a pound of cure, it is in your best interest to start a routine if you don't currently have one. If you do have a routine, you may need to adjust it just a bit to achieve the best results.

To understand how to take care of your dry skin, you first need to understand how your skin remains moist and healthy. Skin tissue is moisturized from the inside out, meaning that your body produces the moisture that is encased in the layers of your skin. It is not absorbed by the skin. While moisture is not absorbed into the layers of your skin, it can be evaporated from your skin by the sun, hot water, extreme temperatures, and other external factors.

To help hold moisture in, your hair follicles produce oil which is called sebum. This oil wells up in the hair follicles until it spills over creating a layer of sebum on the skin. It is this layer of sebum which is responsible for protecting your skin from the elements and holding in moisture. Most cases of dry skin are caused by some sort of failure in this system. In some cases, the body just does not produce enough oil to keep skin moist due to genetics or a medical condition. In other cases, the oil may be removed through excessive bathing.

Bathing and Dry Skin

The one thing that you do that can really zap moisture from your skin is bathing. Not only do you remove sebum from your skin with soap while bathing, you also dehydrate your skin with hot water. Here are just a few ways that bathing causes dry skin and how to correct them:

* Length of shower - You would think that water would cause your skin to become moist, right? Wrong! Water that is absorbed into your skin during a shower only goes into the first layers of the skin resulting in a wrinkly, water logged appearance. This water is immediately evaporated once you leave the bath. In fact, a long shower or bath may even dry skin out.

* Water temperature - Hot water does a great deal when it comes to removing moisture from your skin. Be sure to use lukewarm or tepid water for your shower or bath.

* Soap - Harsh soaps can remove all of the oils from the surface of your skin resulting in dry, unprotected skin. Be sure to use a gentle soap that does not remove all surface oils. You may even want to use a moisturizing soap that will replace some of the oils removed from your skin through bathing.

* After shower - If you roughly dry your skin after you bathe, you may further dry it out. Gently pat skin dry and apply a moisturizer.

Soap for Your Dry Skin

You need to be careful when choosing the right soap for your dry skin. Not only does the soap need to be gentle and full of moisturizers, it should also be lightly fragrant. This is because heavy fragrances can irritate skin that is already raw from itching and scratching. Certain fragrances may even cause an allergic reaction which will only cause your dry skin to become worse.

When looking to purchase body soap for your dry skin, look for pure, gentle cleansing products that contain a lot of moisturizers. Be sure to read the ingredient label. Avoid products that have high alcohol content. Remember; product ingredients are listed according to how much ingredient is in each product. The ingredients listed first are the most abundant. Make sure that these are moisturizers.

When it comes to buying bath soap, it can be difficult to sort through the countless options. Some soaps focus on cleaning, using deep purifying action to lift dirt and grime. Other soaps lean toward moisturizing, utilizing extra lotions to leave skin feeling smooth and replenished. However, for those looking for the best of both worlds, it might be prudent to consider the power and versatility of Safeguard soap.

Unlike many soaps on the market today, Safeguard bar soap is designed to clean and moisturize, providing users with a complete cleaning experience. In fact, Safeguard soap is so good at what it does that it has been a shower staple since it was first introduced in the 1960s. Developed by Procter and Gamble, Safeguard bar soap has traditionally been marketed to families since its diverse attributes easily fit the needs of everyone. Since its inception, Safeguard soap has been sold throughout the United States and Canada and is now experiencing growing market shares in Egypt, China, Pakistan and the Philippines as well. Most commonly, Safeguard soap is available in individually wrapped 4 ounce bars.

One of the key attributes of Safeguard bar soap is its deep cleaning capabilities. Safeguard soap was developed on the belief that soap should provide a thorough clean, no matter what dirt or grime may be there. For this reason, Safeguard bar soap has antibacterial powers, which is especially important for families where children are exposed to a multitude of germs at school. To this end, Safeguard antibacterial soap cleans on a level that is much more than skin deep, helping to reduce body odor and the risk of illness. With this effectiveness, Safeguard bar soap is popular as a body soap as well as a hand soap.

Many soaps that focus on cleaning are also abrasive and may be prone to leaving skin dry. This is not the case with Safeguard antibacterial soap, which has powerful moisturizing elements as well. This reduces the need to use extra lotions after washing and can prevent dry and itchy skin throughout the day. Because of this, Safeguard soap is popular among men and women. On top of all this, Safeguard soap has a light, fresh scent, which is a perfect match for anyone in the family and is gentle enough for individuals with allergies.

Regardless of the strengths of a soap, if it does not fit into the budget, then it is not a viable option. Fortunately, Safeguard antibacterial soap is competitively priced, making it accessible to families, individuals, and businesses of all sizes and types. For those looking to save even more money when purchasing Safeguard bar soap, it is also possible to shop online to find the best possible prices and convenient shipping options. In fact, for those who shop online, it may even be possible to buy in bulk. This not only allows for a full stock on hand at any given time, but it also can save money since most companies offer reduced costs for such bulk purchases.

Overall, it is clear why Safeguard soap has continued to be a popular option for families and businesses since its development. With powerful cleaning capabilities and luxurious moisturizing qualities, Safeguard antibacterial soap is the best of both worlds, making it a versatile and cost effect cleaning option.

As you will learn, soap making can be simple or complex. Some people enjoy the challenge of going all out professionally, which is fine. However, other people simply want to make soap for personal use or to give as an occasional gift.

Keep in mind that safety precautions should still be followed because soap becomes dangerously hot when melted, regardless of the skill level involved. Here, we will discuss easy melt and pour techniques, perfect for the novice or skilled soap maker!

First, keep in mind that most handmade soap is made from glycerin. When you purchase store-bought soap, the majority of the glycerin has been processed out. Therefore, when you make your own soap, you have a great opportunity to create something that is glycerin rich and soft.

Although "glycerin" is usually clear, with today's colors and fragrances, you can create beautiful soaps that not only make your skin soft but also look great. With glycerin, because it is a humectant, moisture is drawn out of itself. That means when you use glycerin soap while bathing, a very fine layer will stay on the skin, adding moisture.

BUYING SOAP

To go through the easy melt and pour method, you want to stop by your soap-making supply or hobby store, or online soap supply store. There, you will find large blocks of clear soap. These vary in size and type. Remember, the prices will vary depending on where you live and the store or business where you buy.

Regardless, the following are the types of melt and pour soaps you would need to make your homemade soap.

Hemp Glycerin Soap

This type of glycerin is great for the "melt and pour" system, creating semi transparent soap with the benefit of hemp. Hemp oil is rich with essential fatty acids, enzymes, Omega 3 and 6, and vitamins A, D, & E. When buying hemp glycerin, you should look for blocks that are around 20% glycerin, is alcohol free, and free of any harsh detergents.

Typically, you will find 11-pound slabs, which will make approximately 44 bars of soap, each four ounces. If that is too much, you might try to find smaller slabs or go in with another soap maker to split the soap. This size slab will average $40.

Olive Oil Soap

Olive oil soap is semi-transparent with just a slight tan color. However, the benefits and features are very close to that of hemp glycerin. The only difference is that instead of hemp, olive oil is used. When buying, look for cold pressed olive oil that contains essential fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, and as close to 20% glycerin as possible. Again, an 11-pound slab for olive oil soap runs around $40.

Clear Glycerin Soap

This type of soap is transparent and has low shrinkage qualities. In addition, clear glycerin soap has very little problem with discoloration. This soap is vegetable derived and an excellent choice for "melt and pour" soap bars. You can add color or fragrance easily and the soap will leave your skin feeling soft and smooth.

Clear glycerin soap is also a great choice for making soap with multiple layers, novelty soaps (those with toys, flowers, or other objects inside), and yet the clarity is exactly what you would buy from your favorite boutique. If you want a good daily soap, one that is fun for the kids, and makes an excellent gift, clear glycerin is it.

Goat's Milk Glycerin Soap

This type of soap originates from the beautiful Rocky Mountains. The feel is creamy and rich, and very luxurious. The appearance of this soap is off white. Many people shy away from goat's milk glycerin because of the name but you will find that it has no fragrance and actually takes both color and fragrance perfectly.

If you want soap that is natural, this is a great choice. Typically, goat's milk glycerin soap is slightly higher than the other types of soaps but still very affordable and well worth the investment.

MELT AND POUR SOAP MAKING EQUIPMENT AND INGREDIENTS

The great thing about using melt and pour is that you can use equipment you typically have on hand. With this method, you can use the base of a double boiler or your microwave oven.

Keep in mind that if you choose the microwave, the bowl with the soap substance will need to be covered with plastic wrap to keep it from splattering but more importantly, to help keep the excess moisture from evaporating. For the microwave method, you would melt the base soap on high for about one minute, stirring in the remaining pieces not yet melted.

For the double boiler option, bring the water to a boil. Then, add your melt and pour soap of choice, cover, and leave on low. This will take quite some time to melt so about every 10 minutes, check the base to see if it is melted. If you like, you can stir occasionally to ensure an even melt.

Fragrance

For both methods of melt and pour, if you want to add in fragrance, once the base soap has melted, then you would add the fragrance oil. Be sure the fragrance is mixed in completely and that the base of the soap does not have a cloudy appearance.

Although you can use more or less fragrance according to personal preference, typically a good rule to follow is to use .25 ounces to every one pound of soap base. In addition to fragrances, you can also use essential oils.

Color

Now for the color, if you want to create colored soap, add approximately one-eighth teaspoon to one-quarter teaspoon mica in with the melting soap base, making sure to mix in it well.

If any bubbles form on top of the soap, you can leave them for design effect or spray them with rubbing alcohol. If you want to use food coloring, start with just one drop to the melted base, stirring well. Then, you can add one additional drop until you find the color of preference.

After the fragrance and color have been added to the soap base, pour the melted base into the mold of your choice. Again, if you want to remove any bubbles that will settle on top, spray them with rubbing alcohol. After the soap has hardened, generally a few hours, you can use it and enjoy!

COST

As you can see, to make your own soap at home, you would pay around $40 for the slab of base, a few dollars for fragrance, a few dollars for coloring, and that is about it. The process is very cost effective, fun, and you end up with exactly the type of soap you love most.

Most people figure that one bar of homemade soap will average .50, far less than you would pay elsewhere. In addition, you can add in special items or effects to jazz things up.

Making soap using the melt and pour process is easy and fun... and makes for very inexpensive soap. Not only is it great for making your own soap, but it makes for truly unique and creative gifts.