The Benefits of Lavender/Sandalwood Exfoliating Bar
I’ve talked about the benefits of goat milk soap. You can read about that HERE. But I wanted to highlight some of the benefits of the different essential oils that I use so that when you are making a decision about which soaps to buy you can be better informed.
One of the more popular soaps is the lavender/sandalwood exfoliating bar. The benefits of exfoliating are numerous, especially for those with skin problems including acne. Exfoliating removes dead skin and leaves it glowing. It also minimizes pores and helps to reduce break outs. The smaller the pores, the less will be trapped in them. It also hides wrinkles and helps that wrinkle cream that you use be better absorbed. “Winner, winner chicken dinner!”
So exfoliating is good, but what about the essential oils? Why were these chosen? Besides the awesome scent (I need some smell-o-vision for this post), lavender and sandalwood essential oils have several properties which makes them exemplary for facial cleansing.
Lavender is has excellent antibacterial properties. It is also very calming which is good for inflamed skin. It also helps with wound healing, burns, and other skin disorders. It actually supports protein synthesis and tissue restoration.
Got itchy, dry skin? The goat milk will help with that, but add lavender to it and you have a winning combination.
The calming benefits of lavender are probably most well-known. I had one customer tell me she likes to use the lavender bars at night because it helps her sleep.
You can learn more about lavender benefits HERE.
Sandalwood is less known to most people but it is one of my favorite essential oils.
First off, what is sandalwood? Believe it or not, it is a common oil used as a base in incense, perfumes, cosmetics, and aftershave. Its woodsy, earthy smell lends it to blend well with other oils. It comes from from the sandalwood tree. The highest quality sandalwood comes from India where it is considered holy and used in various religious ceremonies. Hawaii and Australia also export sandalwood, although it is not as desirable.
Sandalwood is best known for its ability to help with mental clarity and is most often used as incense or in a diffusor. Got a deadline coming or you need to focus on a project? Try diffusing it as you work or burning stick of incense. In a 2006 study it was found that although sandalwood was relaxing when smelled or rubbed on the skin, it did not promote drowsiness like lavender. Instead, it promoted what researchers referred to as a harmonious feeling, more of a present, clear, but calm awareness [1].
Like lavender, sandalwood has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. It is also good for inflammation. It can be applied directly to the skin with a carrier oil like fractionated coconut oil (never put essential oils directly to your skin) to reduce inflammation from mild skin irritation such as superficial wounds, pimples, warts, or boils.
Another win as a facial bar ingredient, is its anti-aging properties. Sandalwood is high in antioxidants that can help reduce damage caused by free radicals, which promote aging [1].
You can learn more about sandalwood HERE.
So what do we use for exfoliating purposes? Well, black walnut shells make an excellent natural exfoliate. Add activated charcoal to this, and you have a soap that pulls out toxins as you exfoliate.
There you have it, folks. Lavender and sandalwood with activated charcoal, a winning combination for your skin that smells great!
Have you given our soaps a whirl? We also have lavender bars and sandalwood bars if you don’t want an exfoliating bar.
Black and White Exfoliating Bar Ingredients: coconut oil, olive oil, lard, castor oil, saponified lye,sodium lactate, kaolin clay, activated charcoal, black walnut husks, essential oils: lavender and sandalwood