Body Lotions, Body Butters and other Great Skin Products

Why Should You Use Natural Skin Care Products?

Our skin is the largest organ of our body. It actually breathes and can absorb things – both good and bad that it comes into contact with every day.

The skin is made up of many layers. It’s main purpose is to cover and protect our body. Just like prescription drugs that can enter our body through the skin when using a patch, all lotions, soaps, shampoos, and other body care products can also be absorbed through our skin. It is estimated that our skin absorbs 60% of the chemicals it touches. If we choose to use soaps made of chemicals including preservatives, our skin absorbs those chemicals. When we use natural products made from all-natural ingredients, we will instead absorb those natural and botanical ingredients. The ingredients in many natural products have been used effectively for hundreds of years.

Given the choice, what would you rather have in your body?

As we reduce the amount of toxins and chemicals we introduce to our body through the use of natural and organic skin care products, we give our bodies a greater opportunities to become stronger and healthier. And, the healthier we keep our bodies, the easier it is for our bodies to rid ourselves of the toxins and chemicals we do come into contact with.

More of us are becoming aware of what we eat in terms of avoiding toxic and unhealthy ingredients, so certainly we should be more conscious of the chemicals in our everyday skin care routines. When we use natural and organic products, we can dramatically reduce the level of chemicals entering our bodies. These days, we are so lucky to have access to such a wide range of all-natural products to suit us and our family members.

Natural Sea Sponges: The Best Way to Treat Your Skin

Investing in a high quality natural sea sponge is an excellent way to take care of the skin on your face and body. While there are many types of sea sponges that are commercially available, there are three types that are the most highly recommended for face and body care.

Natural Sea Wool Sponge
A Sea Wool Sponge is the softest and most absorbent type of sponge for bathing. They are soft to the touch and yet, very durable and long lasting. Count on your Sea Wool Sponge to do the best job of exfoliation on your skin, but in the most gentle and natural way possible.

Don’t know what size to buy? Try one that fits comfortably into the palm of your hand. Usually, a Sea Wool Sponge that is 4-5 inches in diameter would be a good fit for most people.

A slightly less expensive alternative to the Wool Sponge is the Sea Grass Sponge. Sea Grass Sponges are truly more affordable but yet they are still soft and absorbent. They are also very long lasting sponges which makes them an excellent candidate for bath use. A Sea Grass Sponge would provide slightly less exfoliation due to it’s different texture.

If you are looking for a natural sea sponge for just the face, then the Fina (or ‘Silk’) sponges are the best choice. They are truly super smooth and the softest of all the readily available sea sponges. Use the Fina Sea Sponge to gently exfoliate, massage and cleanse your face. They are also a sensational choice for makeup removal. Another frequent use of Fina Sponges is to moisten skin before shaving. Silk Sponges are the ultimate in soft, smooth all-natural sponges.

The History Behind Natural Sea Sponges

Having lived most of my adult life in Tarpon Springs, Florida, I have taken the availability of natural sea sponges for granted. They are everywhere here – in the gift shops on the Sponge Docks, in the shops in our downtown, and even in the local CVS. Even before our family made Tarpon Springs our home, we would purchase the natural sea sponges on every trip here, bringing them back for our ourselves, friends and family.

Why are the best sponges from Tarpon Springs? It’s the sponge capital of the United States. Greek immigrants, many of them sponge divers trained from childhood, adopted this Gulf of Mexico community as their new home. They brought their special harvesting equipment and their skills with them when they came to the US. The traditional sponge divers in Greece used a two or three pronged hook and a mesh-like bag made of string to harvest the sponges. Amazingly, the earliest divers didn’t use any special breathing equipment, but it was a tough profession with many men losing their lives to either the seas or what we now call ‘the bends’. Today, sponge divers in the US use wet suits and oxygen tanks to gather the sponges, and they have the proper breathing equipment.

Sponges are a gift from the sea that replenish themselves as they are harvested. To keep the sponges regenerating, the divers carefully cut the sponges from the sea bed, leaving about an inch of sponge in place for regrowth. Spores are released allowing new sponges to repopulate the area so that the sea sponges continue to grow and flourish.

Many natural sea sponges like the wool sponge are prized for their absorbency and ability to gently cleanse you while they gently remove dead skin cells. If properly cared for, natural sea sponges used for bathing will last for years. Treat yourself to an all-natural sponge from the historic Sponge Docks of Tarpon Springs.

Olive Oil: The Ultimate Natural Skin Care Product

Beginning with the Persians, olive oil has been prized as a moisturizer and a natural skin cleanser; one of the finest products from the earth. The fatty acids in olive oil force the skin’s pores to open and the dead skin cells are lifted out and washed away. Olive oil’s super rich properties make it valuable as a natural facial moisturizer as well.

If you’d like to kick it up a notch, you can use olive oil as a facial exfoliator. Blend the olive oil with some sugar to make a wholesome mixture that can be gently applied to the face, and washed off with warm water.

Did you know that besides being a key ingredient in soaps, olive oil has also been used as a remedy for a wide range of maladies from ingrown toenails to a cure for diaper rash. It truly is a powerful ingredient!

We’ve made it easy for you to indulge in one of the finest natural ingredients available. Pick up a bar of all natural olive oil soap – and give your skin a treat.

Is Honey Best For My Skin?

The simple answer is YES! Honey is a superb product to use on your face and body. It contains naturally occurring minerals, vitamins and enzymes that can gently clean and moisturize your face and skin. Honey is also an anti-irritant which means it is well-suited for sensitive skin. If you have a cut, you can use honey to prevent infection because it is a natural antiseptic.

In addition to honey based products readily available like our Honey House Naturals line of products, you can use 100% pure honey from your grocery store to create some affordable spa-like treatments at home.

As a daily facial cleanser, mix 1/2 teaspoon of honey with 1/8 teaspoon of powdered milk. Apply a thin coat of this wholesome mixture to your face using gentle outward movements. Rinse completely with warm water and pat dry lightly. Your face will be clean of all dirt and makeup and your skin will feel great!

For a healthy scalp and shiny hair, combine 1/2 cup of honey and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Use liberally throughout your hair and scalp. Pile your hair up on the top of your head and let the honey concoction work its magic! After 30 minutes, shampoo and rinse your hair as normal. What until you see how shiny your hair is!

Would you like a facial toner made from all-natural ingredients? Try mixing 1 tablespoon of honey with 1 apple (peeled and cored). Place both ingredients in a blender or food processor and use the ‘pulse’ action to completely combine the two ingredients. Using your fingertips, gently apply the mixture to your face. Wait 15-30 minutes and rinse the blend of apple and honey from your face with warm water. Gently pat dry. You will not believe how good this mixture will make your skin feels and it smells great, too!

Please, be sure you are not allergic to honey or the other ingredients before you try any of these wholesome recipes and mixtures.

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