With St. Patrick’s day just around the bend (of the rainbow???) there’s no better time than to get green! Last year we talked about the countless benefits of one extremely popular ingredient associated with green: mint, but this year we will be diving in to a few lesser known ingredients that we love utilizing in our natural soap products: green tea, chlorella, and cucumber!

1) Green Tea

I’ll bet you’re brewing yourself a nice cup of green tea right now, and if you aren’t I gauren-tea you will be after reading how amazing green tea is for your body. 

According to an article in Medical News Today

“Green tea is made from unoxidized leaves and is one of the less processed types of tea. It therefore contains the most antioxidants and beneficial polyphenols.”

Ingesting green tea isn’t the only way to enjoy the benefits, topical application also works wonders, just like this soothing and detoxifying green tea bath soak!

Benefits of Green Tea

Catechins

These are powerful antioxidants that prevent cell damage. Your skin cells are enforced and strengthened when they absorb these catechins. According to WebMD, catechins also lower cholesterol and blood pressure, leading to healthier bodily systems and even brain function. 

If you’re looking for a product that contains catechins, definitely give our Green Tea and Nettles Shampoo Bar a try! The combo of green tea and organic nettles was designed to help your skin and hair health and appearance.

2) Chlorella

At first I was a little freaked out when I realized we put algae in some of our products, but when you think about it…algae isn’t so different than any other plant. In fact, once I learned how fantastic chlorella is for your health I was like, “where can I get some?!”

Yes, chlorella is a type of freshwater algae, but that doesn’t make it the run-of-the-mill scum you find in a lake. Beauty and food grade chlorella is actually farmed and harvested just like any other crop. 

Benefits of Chlorella

Healthline’s list of Chlorella’s components is extremely helpful as a breakdown of benefits for skin and body.

Protein: Chlorella is 50–60% protein. What’s more, it’s a complete protein source, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids (3, 5 Trusted Source).

Vitamin B12: Some chlorella varieties may also contain vitamin B12, but more studies are needed (6 Trusted Source).

Iron and vitamin C: Chlorella can be a good source of iron. Depending on the supplement, it may provide anywhere from 6–40% of your daily need. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin C, which helps you absorb iron (1 Trusted Source, 3, 7).

Other antioxidants: These tiny green cells provide a wide range of antioxidants (1 Trusted Source, 3).

Other vitamins and minerals: Chlorella provides small amounts of magnesium, zinc, copper, potassium, calcium, folic acid and other B vitamins (1 Trusted Source, 3, 8).

Omega-3s: As with other algae, chlorella contains some omega-3s. Just 3 grams of chlorella delivers 100 mg of omega-3s (8).

Fiber: In large quantities, chlorella can be a good source of fiber. However, most supplements don’t provide even 1 gram of fiber per dose (1 Trusted Source, 8).

-Kerri-Ann Jennings, Healthline

Both our Buck Shampoo and Body Bar and our Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar are infused with chlorella, creating a striking visual effect and ensuring that your skin and hair will thank you.

3) Cucumber

Cucumbers always remind me of spring with their fresh look and taste, but cucumbers can do a lot more than look pretty on a plate. They also have some wildly awesome benefits for your skin!

Benefits of Cucumber

Show me it’s a spa day without telling me it’s a spa day? Easy…everyone has cucumbers on their eyes! But does putting cucumbers on your eyes really work? It’s more likely than you’d think!

Full of Nutrients

Just like green tea and chlorella, cucumbers are packed with antioxidants and vitamins that brighten and strengthen your skin.

Hydrating Agents

Thanks to BioClarity Blog we know that “Similar to aloe vera, cucumbers contain polysaccharides, which help the skin attract and retain moisture. Cucumbers also consist mostly of water; they’re 96% water.” And as we all know, water for skincare and health care is extremely valuable.

Great for Sensitive Skin

Our Cucumber Lime Face and Body Soap speaks for itself. Any of our facial bars are carefully created to cleanse and pamper delicate facial skin. Cucumber is a mild astringent, so it works to tighten pores and refine skin without drying the tissue out, making it a great bar for acne-prone skin.

The Benefits of Green!

While most if not all of our products feature some green ingredient…all of our bars are “green” in that they are biodegradable and don’t spend their life in a plastic bottle! Hope you have a great rest of your week and I’ll see you next Wednesday!

Much Love,

Nora