Info and Ideas for a Safe and Eco-Friendly Halloween!

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Should I hand out candy this year on Halloween? Should I take my kids Trick Or Treating during the pandemic? What are my options for safely handing out candy? And what am I going to do for a Halloween costume???

If you’ve had any of these questions in the past few weeks you probably aren’t alone. This week I’ve pulled together some sources and ideas that will hopefully help answer your questions about how to celebrate Halloween during the pandemic, solve your dilemmas, and give you a little costume inspiration!

Should I Let My Kids Trick Or Treat This Year?

Rudri Patel’s article in The Washington Post is a fantastic place to start if you’re still trying to decide whether or not to take your kids Trick or Treating during the pandemic. The article discusses factors to consider such as the current activity of the virus in your community and household health risks. It also shares ideas for safety precautions and alternative Halloween activities that are pandemic friendly. 

Safe Trick Or Treating During the Pandemic

The CDC has also released a detailed page on Trick Or Treating Guidelines for this Halloween. Much of their advice focuses on things that are second nature to us now (social distancing, hand-washing, mask-wearing) but it was still helpful to have those steps spelled out in a Trick or Treating context because they clarified a couple details that could easily be confusing. For example, they encouraged Trick Or Treaters to incorporate masks into their costumes, but cautioned that a costume mask was not the equivalent of a protective mask. 

Idea  #1 A Safe, Eco-Friendly Way to Hand Out Candy

I thought the 6ft candy slide mentioned in Patel’s post was pure genius, but if you aren’t blessed with a slide-like slope outside your house I came up with another alternative. I was inspired by my pets and in a moment you’ll know why. You can put out a box of plastic gloves, but if you use pet bags then people can reuse them for their pets at home!

How to Bag Your Candy

If you’re a dog parent, there’s a good chance you’re already a pro at this method. It’s the same strategy that many pet parents use to clean up after their pet’s…um…”daily doings.”

You basically slip your hand inside a bag and use it like a plastic mitten to grab a handful of candy. Once you’ve got the candy, just use your other hand to flip the bag inside out so your candy is inside of the bag. Your skin will never come in contact with the candy or the bowl! You could leave these out for guests to take, purchasing a dispenser is super cheap. Or you could bring your own roll along with you as you scour the streets, that way you are the only person touching the bags as well!

Alternative Halloween Activities in 2020

A night at home on Halloween with family is never wasted. Whether or not you choose to celebrate Halloween, there are plenty of ways to spend a fun Friday night indoors.

Stay Up Late

If your children typically have a bedtime, let them stay up until midnight playing board, card games or a monster mash dance party! (If they can’t make it until midnight you can do what my parents used to do on New Years and set a fake timer for midnight). 

Watch a Movie

Whether you celebrate Halloween or not, it’s a great night to watch a movie. Pick a movie that your whole family will love or a “scary” one that will get you in the Halloween spirit! 

Eat Delicious Treats!

What is a night in without all your favorite snacks! A chip and dip buffet to go with your game night? A popcorn bar to complete your movie marathon? And don’t forget the candy! My favorite thing about Halloween is getting to eat the leftover Halloween candy. Now I don’t even have to worry about some kids dumping the whole bowl in their bags and running away because all the Halloween candy will be left over Halloween candy.

Design a Haunted House With Your Kids

Drape blankets of chairs and tables to create tunnels, put wet towels in the bathtub or shower and have your kids walk barefoot through “the spooky swamp.” Have them stick their hands in a bowl of zombie brains when they walk through the evil scientist’s lab (don’t worry, it’s just a bowl of cooked spaghetti noodles.)

Tips For an Eco-Friendly Halloween

Biodegradable Half Body Soap Bars

We love anything and everything eco-friendly. That’s why our bars are biodegradable, our soap mats are recycled, and our packaging system is always being reevaluated to make it as environmentally friendly as possible. We want you to be super safe this halloween, and we also want to help keep the earth safe. Here’s a couple things you can do to make the most of your halloween and cut down on waste

Save and Cook Your Pumpkin Seeds

My mom’s pumpkin seeds are legendary to me. I could honestly eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner if my stomach would let me. Our recipe is savory, but some people make them sweet, too.

DIY Your Candy Container

No need to go out and buy a candy bucket when you have a good old fashioned pillowcase! You can always get crafty and decorate a commemorative pillowcase as well!

DIY Your Costume

Use what you already have to make the coolest costume ever. You’ll definitely get extra points for creativity. And if you incorporate an AVNS bar of soap into your costume or that of a family member, or even better, if you or a member of your family dress up as a bar of AVNS Soap you’ll get extra points from us! That’s right! You can get rewards points! If you email us or tag us in your story on SM we’ll give 25 points if the bar is incorporated into a costume, and 100 points if the soap is the costume! You must have a rewards account to participate.

Better get designing!

Much Love,

Nora

What Are Hydrosols?

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Today I watched from my window as the first flakes of snow drifted into the yard. As much as I adore the holiday warmth of the winter season, it never stops me from wishing for just a few more summer days. Oh, what I would give for just one more sniff of a lilac bush. Perhaps that’s why I’m filling this week’s blog with flowers, so we can enjoy a virtual garden as we get into the nitty gritty question: what are hydrosols?

The Beauty Product You’ve Been Searching For?

Hydrosols or “flower waters” are the by-products of essential oils. When plant material is distilled in the production of essential oils there is a leftover concoction of plant-infused water and small traces of essential oils. This is what constitutes a hydrosol. Hydrosols are fantastic natural beauty products and by the end of this blog you’ll know why.

What’s the Difference Between Hydrosols and Essential Oils?

Because of their close relationship to essential oils, hydrosols have similar beneficial properties. Hydrosols are less concentrated than essential oils due to the water component and have a softer scent, making them a gentle, effective product that can be applied to the skin without needing to be diluted. 

How are Hydrosols Made?

A common method of producing hydrosols is through steam distillation. The scientific process is a little confusing so I came up with an analogy to help. Imagine you’re sitting in a steaming bath or hot tub and after a while your face starts to sweat. The steam has opened up your pores, unblocking the natural oils your skin produces. When the steam created from boiling water comes in contact with aromatic plant material it opens the pores of that plant, and absorbs the plant’s natural oils. At the end of the process, the steam condenses and the water and oil separates leaving the water naturally infused with plant essence.

What are Hydrosols Used for?

Hydrosols make for the perfect facial toner, which is why we had to have some in our collection! Our renewing organic facial toners are made from organic hydrosols and are made from fresh plants, not dried or wilted. Why is this important? Because using fresh plant material allows our supplier to utilize the plant’s cellular water in the end product. It is this cellular water, filled with nutritious minerals, antioxidants, and countless other natural botanical benefits, that gives the hydrosol the aromatic and therapeutic properties of the plant.

When you wash your face with cold process soap (which is slightly alkaline) and follow up with a hydrosol toner (which is slightly acidic) it gently helps rebalance the pH of the skin. Your skin’s acid mantle is what keeps in moisture and blocks out toxins from the environment, so this is an important step in your skin care regimen. Hydrosols can be used throughout the day as a facial reset  to refresh your skin and set your makeup! We offer two different hydrosols with amazing benefits.

Apple Valley Natural Soap Facial Toners

Neroli hydrosol is made from orange blossoms – faintly sweet, floral, and citrusy. If you have oily skin, this is the perfect toner for you because it is deeply cleansing. Neroli hydrosol also contains alpha hydroxy acids which help exfoliate the skin, and is anti-inflammatory so helps soothe and calm skin inflammation like acne, eczema etc. It is also antibacterial, which is another reason it’s great for treating acne, plus is highly astringent, as well as rich in vitamin C. 

Bugarian Rose Otto Hydrosol is very hydrating. It nourishes skin health, restores skin’s radiance, beauty and youthfulness. Rose hydrosol also helps to balance the skin as it regulates sebum production, has antibacterial properties, helps heal sunburn and improves circulation. It is also a mild astringent, and attracts moisture making it very helpful for all skin types. With it’s light floral scent and vast number of therapeutic applications, this product from organic roses rejuvenates, hydrates, softens, and if used over time, can help reduce facial lines and wrinkles. This Damascena Rose Hydrosol may also be known as Rose Distillate and possesses a beautiful sweet, rosy aroma that captures the rich and heady aroma of fresh rose blooms. It is well-known for its skin care benefits as well as for helping to balance the endocrine system. Suzanne Catty, author of Hydrosols: The Next Aromatherapy, states that rose has an affinity with the heart and the emotional spheres of the mind, body, and spirit. It is known to promote emotional balance and a sense of well-being.

Why Use Our Hydrosols Instead of “That Other Company’s”?

We use an amazing supplier that takes awesome measures in helping us deliver only the best to you.

A note from our suppliers: “We are careful with each species and when it’s harvested to ensure we get the proper components and capture the cellular water of the plant too. As a strictly hydrosol distillery, we use only fresh plant material, which makes for a better end product, since we’re after the “waters” of the plant. Secondly, we use only copper alembic stills from Portugal. Oftentimes, hydrosols are distilled in stainless steel equipment, which can leave a “still note” in the hydrosol. But copper facilitates a certain chemical reaction that not only affects the fragrance, but also adds a preservative effect.”

Super cool, right?

Trying our Rose Hydrosol Facial Toner is totally on my bucket list of AVNS products, what’s on yours?

Much Love,

Nora

Apple Valley Natural Soap’s 5 Best Smelling Body Soap Bars

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According to You, Me, and Marianne!

A couple weeks ago and extremely important question arrived in our Facebook Messenger inbox:

“Do you happen to have a blog post about your most irresistible-smelling bars?”

At the time we didn’t, but thanks to your input we are about to. With over 70 responses to a survey I sent out through our newsletter, five body soap bars emerged as clear winners. According to you lovely people, these five body soap bars are the most irresistible smelling bars.

In “odor” to get the best results, this survey focused exclusively on face and body bars. These bars are perfect if you’re just starting out with natural soap because they work regardless of the hardness of your water (which plays an important role when using our shampoo bars). Shampoo Bars were not included this time around, but will hopefully get a chance to compete with one another in the future!

Our 5 Most Irresistible-Smelling Natural Soap Body Bars

  1. Cocoa Butter and Vanilla Bean Face and Body Bar

Soap Profile

Description: You know you want to wash your face and body in organic, virgin cocoa butter and Madagascar vanilla beans. Here’s your chance. Sumptuous—and zero calories. This pure cocoa butter soap bar is unscented, but you can smell the faint scent of organic cocoa butter and vanilla. Naturally. Perfect for sensitive souls.

Warning: This pure cocoa butter soap bar is extremely moisturizing and may reduce your need for extra moisturizers, thereby saving you time and money as well as simplifying your life. And who would want that?

Ingredients: saponified oils of a madagascar vanilla bean infused organic extra virgin olive, organic cocoa butter, and organic coconut oil. No added scent.

Ironically, this unscented bar tied for first with the second bar on this list. That’s right, the natural scent of this bar is JUST THAT GOOD. I have been blessed to have smelled this soap myself and it’s no surprise this bar is in the winner’s circle. 

  1. Honey Carrot and Tangerine Face and Body Bar

Soap Profile

If you want to spin around and keel over from happiness, this bar is your ticket to glory. Made with freshly juiced, organic carrots instead of filtered water, this gorgeous, vitamin A packed bar will nourish your skin. Perfect for your face and all over too! Raw honey acts as a humectant, trapping moisture in your skin cells, and rich, emollient oils and butters will leave your skin soft and silky. But one of the best things about this bar is the juicy carrot tangerine scent that makes you think you died and went to tangerine carrot honey heaven. 

Ingredients: saponified oils of organic coconut, organic sustainable palm, organic sunflower, unrefined organic cocoa butter, mango seed butter, apricot kernel, and castor bean. organic carrot juice, organic raw honey, rosemary oil extract, grapefruit seed extract, and essential oils of lime, tangerine, litsea cubeba, orange, and basil.

Oh, of course. This one is a no-brainer. This natural soap bar is the darling of the soap world. It’s so popular it’s out of stock. This is one of my favorite soaps even if it didn’t make my top 3 for 2020. It smells amazing and leaves your skin glowing. And hey, if you’re allergic to honey now is your chance to experience the joy of this bar with our seconds (we do have a version of this bar in our SECONDS section simply because it’s missing the honey.)

  1. Vanilla Butter Face and Body Bar

Soap Profile

Description: Shea butter, cocoa butter, mango butter. Huge amounts of all three rich butters make this bar absolutely thick and creamy good. Your skin will feel super soft and smooth after a rendezvous with Vanilla Butter.

Ingredients: saponified oils of organic shea nut butter, unrefined organic cocoa butter, mango butter, organic coconut, organic olive, and castor bean, rosemary oil extract, fragrance, and essential oils of vanilla and ylang ylang.

I find it fascinating that the top three bars so far have all been Face and Body Bars. Is this because these natural soap bars naturally get closer to people’s noses? Maybe. I have not tried this natural soap bar, but when I do I plan to pair it with the Sweet Vanilla Body Polish for the perfectly sweet combo.

  1. Lime Spa Salt Bar

Soap Profile

Description: This mega salt bar, weighing 8-9 ounces, is made with European spa salt which is solar evaporated and harvested from the pristine waters of the Mediterranean Sea. This salt is produced using the ancient method of solar evaporation in a region that is free of pollution and has high evaporation rates. Rich in trace minerals that help soothe pain, reduce inflammation, improve circulation and cell regeneration and hydrate tissue, European spa salt is one of the purest salts in the world.

European spa salt gently exfoliates and pulls out toxins and impurities from the skin. It actually feels like smooth marble and is extremely hard and long lasting. Clay removes bacteria, impurities, oil, and dead skin with its exceptional ability to absorb. This tightens pores and rejuvenates skin cells. Spirulina is a natural antimicrobial, it actually kills off candida, which can be an underlying cause of acne. It also contains 8 essential amino acids, and is high in protein, which is necessary for cell repair and growth. On top of that, spirulina contains a rare fatty acid known as gamma linolenic acid. That combined with being a rich source of antioxidants makes this a highly effective tool against free radicals. When free radicals are eliminated, this increases the skin’s metabolism, and helps your body produce new, healthy cells faster.

We also added organic shea nut butter to make a rich, creamy bar with a delightfully refreshing lime essential oil blend. There are many uses for our salt bars, and this one is great in bathrooms with lots of activity. As with our other salt bars, it lasts a VERY long time!

Ingredients: saponified oils of organic coconut, organic shea nut butter, and castor bean, European Spa salt, French green clay, organic spirulina, and essential oils of lime and organic may chang.

I haven’t tried this bar either, but our salt bars are absolutely lovely and make for a amazing spa day product!

  1. Lemon Verbena Coconut Soap

Soap Profile

Description: Enjoy this improved version of our hard, long-lasting, super sudsy, uber moisturizing organic coconut oil lemon verbena body bar made with 100% organic coconut oil, lemon verbena essential oil and nothing else. If you’ve never tried one of these—well, you haven’t really lived. We improved this bar by removing the fragrance and are now using only Lemon Verbena essential oil. We believe it smells like the original, but is now even better for your skin.

Ingredients: saponified organic coconut oil and lemon verbena essential oil.

I’m seriously slapping myself over this body soap bar for three reasons. 1) I haven’t tried it yet, but am adding it to my cart as I type (if that were possible). 2) I LOVE LEMON VERBENA SCENTED THINGS (how have I not tried this bar already? I have this hotel-sized lemon verbena coconut lotion that I got from a hotel years ago and I save it and only use it on my hands once a year. That’s how much I love it.) 3) I love AVNS coconut soaps for shaving, how did I not try this bar already? Seriously? 

Our Favorite Natural Soap Bars

I recognize that the survey did not account for which bars people have actually tried, so it’s totally possible that you voted for your five favorites but there was a soap on that list that is your future favorite and you just haven’t tried it yet (Lemon Verbena I’m coming for you). To balance this out, I’m including some notable top 5 lists from people who know AVNS soap like the back of their super clean, super moisturized hands (including the list of the owner herself, Marianne!).

Nora’s Top 5 Body Soap Bars

Nora? That’s me! If you read last week’s blog you already know my first favorite, but what about the other four?

  1. Black Licorice Hand, Foot, and Body Soap
  2. Honey Carrot and Tangerine Face and Body Bar
  3. Lavender Rosemary Salt Bar
  4. Charcoal Detox Face and Body Bar
  5. Spearmint Coconut Bar

Marianne’s Top 5 Body Soap Bars

If there’s anyone’s list you should be taking notes on, it’s the woman coming up with all the recipes behind the amazing smells!

  1. Cocoa Butter and Vanilla Bean Face and Body Bar
  2. Kitchen Salt and Spice Bar
  3. Lemon Verbena Coconut Soap
  4. Spice Cake Hand and Body Soap
  5. Lavender Castile Soap Bar

How to Choose Your Next Bar

You know all the favorites, now you just have to decide! If you’re drawn to certain types of scents, check out the key I made below to help you find your perfect bar!

Citrus

Honey Carrot and Tangerine Face and Body Bar

Lemon Verbena Coconut Soap

Lime Spa Salt Bar

Floral

Lavender Castile Soap

Lavender Rosemary Salt Bar

Herbal

Black Licorice Hand, Foot, and Body Bar

Lavender Rosemary Salt Bar

Mint

Spearmint Coconut Bar

Spice 

Vanilla Butter Face and Body Bar

Spice Cake Hand and Body Soap

Kitchen Salt and Spice Bar

Charcoal Detox Face and Body Bar

Unscented (but still delicious)

Cocoa Butter and Vanilla Bean Face and Body Bar

Curious about our other body soap bars, but not sure where to start? We’ve got all our body bars organized under the same categories (plus more) on our website! Just click here and then select the scent profile you’re interested and you’re on your way to finding your perfect match!

Happy Smelling!

Much Love,

Nora

My Top 3 Favorite Apple Valley Natural Soap Products for 2020

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Do you have a favorite band? A favorite food? A favorite flavor of ice cream? I can confidently tell you mine. The Beatles. Cheese. Pistachio. Favorites are favorites for a reason. They’re winners. They’re totally awesome. And they deserve recognition. Which is why I decided to dedicate this week’s blog to my top three favorite AVNS products. I picked a natural soap, a natural body polish, and a naturally flavored lip balm that I will order over and over again…probably for the rest of my life. And yeah, I’m about to seriously fan girl over all three.

How Did You Pick Just Three?

I know right? How did I pick just three when AVNS has soooooo many amazing products? It wasn’t easy. I thought long and hard about this list and there are many worthy products that could’ve easily placed on this list, but these are my 2020 picks.

Black Licorice Hand, Foot, and Body Bar

Black Licorice Hand, Foot, and Body Bar

This bar is one incredible experience and it starts with the knock-you-off-your-feet smell of black licorice. After getting a sample with an order, I immediately ordered three full-sized bars. Now, let me tell you why this is significant. I’m on a quest to try every single AVNS product (okay, maybe not the beard oil) and to speed up this process, I have a strict rule that I only ever  order sample bars. In fact, before the Black Licorice Bar came into my life I’d only ever ordered one full-sized bar since I started blogging for AVNS last January (say it with me: Honey, Carrot and Tangerine*). As soon as I smelled that sweet sliver of black licorice natural soap I was like, “WHOA. My search for the perfect soap is over. This is the soap I want to grow old with!” So I ordered not one, not two, but three full-sized natural soap bars…on scent alone. You guys, I hadn’t even used the soap yet. I gave the sample to my mom because she loves black licorice too and she immediately fell in love with it. She told me she couldn’t even wash her hands with it because she wants it to last forever. My dad also loved it, maybe too much. When he got home from work the next day I asked him if he’d smelled it yet and he said, “It smelled so good I thought it was black licorice and I ate a little piece…it was terrible!” Lesson learned: if it smells good enough to eat…make sure it isn’t soap before eating it!

My second favorite thing about this bar is the black walnut shell. Marianne is a genius. Use it in the shower and it will scratch all the itches you didn’t even know you had!

Also, I totally just texted Marianne to see if our Jojoba Oil can be custom made to smell like this bar.**

Sweet Rosehips Body Polish

Sweet Rosehips Body Polish

I love the Bella Rose Shampoo Bar and I’d read the descriptions of the Sweet Rosehips Body Polish, but I was still skeptical about its greatness. I actually ordered some as a gift, but I ordered too late and it didn’t arrive in time so I had to keep it (oops…although I secretly think I might have placed the order late on purpose). Yes, my arms and legs were super dee-duper smooth after using this scrub. And yes, it was so luxuriously moisturizing that I didn’t even need lotion afterwards. But THE SMELL. OH MY GOODNESS. HEAVEN. It smells like a Georgian Garden and the beautiful scent lingers on your skin even after you’re out of the shower. This scrub is made with organic sugar which I prefer over a salt scrub. Yes, salt is an effective antibacterial and I love our salt bars, but when it comes to intense exfoliation sugar is a gentler option for my sensitive skin.

Vanilla Latte Lip Balm

Vanilla Latte Lip Balm

Call me sentimental, but this was the first AVNS product I fell in love with. I think lip balms/chapsticks are so under-appreciated until you realize you need, like, a gazillion of them. If you’re like me you need a gazillion of them because you’re constantly misplacing them. I need a car lip balm. A back-up car lip balm. A purse lip balm. And emergency purse lip balm. An emergency purse tinted lip balm. A bathroom lip balm. A pocket lip balm. A desk lip balm…the list goes on. I love the Vanilla Latte Lip Balm so much that I’ve had it since January and I still haven’t lost it. I use it all the time and I still haven’t run out AND it makes my lips smell sweet and delicious. I wish there was a cookie recipe to go with it. Sometimes I think about the fact that AVNS makes other lip balm flavors that I haven’t even tried yet but could potentially smell just as good, if not better than the Vanilla Latte flavor and I get so overwhelmed I need to slather on a fresh coat of balm and inhale deeply. 

*Honorable mentions: The Honey Carrot and Tangerine Face and Body Bar has a fresh, glowing smell and would totally be my number one for a list of summer favorites. Charcoal Detox Face and Body Bar smells fantastic and was only bumped down because the Black Licorice Bar is back in town. Our Moroccan Argan Oil has a very soft scent, but it works WONDERS and in my opinion is one of our most effective products.

**She said it totally can. YES!

Stay tuned for next week’s blog on our best smelling body soap bars!

Much Love,

Nora