Top 5 Spring Hair Care Tips to Try!

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Got a Spring Hair Care Routine?

Do you ever think about how our needs and wants change depending on the season? We wear sweaters in winter and tank tops in summer to help regulate our temperature. We crave a warm bowl of soup in the fall and a cold glass of lemonade in the spring. So maybe it isn’t so surprising that our hair has specific seasonal needs too. If you read our fall hair care guide you know that dryness and dullness are the main culprits of the fall, but spring brings with it an entirely different set of challenges. I’ll be taking you through the top five tips to get your hair whipped into shape for the spring season!

Take on a Trim!

Shed all that winter breakage with a quick trim! Getting rid of dead, split ends will ensure that the breakage does not continue to travel up the hair strand. Your hair will look fuller and thicker and you’ll be able to protect these already healthy strands throughout the summer season.

Harness the Humidity!

This might sound crazy, but I actually love what humidity does to my hair. I’m right between waves and curls, so a little moisture on a hot day does wonders to bounce up my ringlets…but I know not everyone feels the same. If you’re stepping outside right after straightening or curling your hair you’re probably going to be anticipating your fresh hairstyle falling flat and frizzing up within a matter of hours.

My first suggestion is to recognize that your hair’s resistance to heat styling and failure to hold-up in response to natural elements might mean that it is time to give in to what your hair wants. You may find that what you always thought was just unruly, or unmanageable hair was actually hair with natural curl or waves. Switching to products for curly or wavy hair and giving the heat tools a break is your first step to harnessing the humidity and embracing the natural hair you never knew you had!

Didn’t Know You Had Curly Hair?

Meet Maia

Maia is my lovely roommate of three years and she has kindly agreed to let me share some photos of her to demonstrate how big of a difference styling can make for someone with wavy hair. Maia typically just brushes her hair after showering and lets her hair air-dry. The result is mainly straight with a little bit of wave. Maia let me style her hair the same way I style my curls. I used a curl cream, a gel, finger coiled, and finished with diffusing and the results were crazy!

My second suggestion is for those of you who know all about your natural hair and just feel like a different look or style suits you better, or maybe you change it up depending on the day. The best way to fight frizz is with products that are going to seal the hair shaft and add a little weight to weigh the strand down so it isn’t bouncing up. Shampoo bars are a fantastic no-hassle option for fighting frizz because they are cleansers made with natural oils…it’s a two-for-one deal!

Keep Deep Conditioning!

Winter months are cold and dry, but summer can be hot and dry. Continuing to deep condition 1 to 2 times a week will prepare your hair for summer by keeping it hydrated, elastic, and manageable. This is especially important if you are working on length. Our Hemp and Honey 2.0 shampoo bar is fantastic for dry summer months, as honey is a humectant working to pull outside moisture into your hair. Hemp seed oil stimulates the scalp for renewed hair growth, it strengthens hair, improves blood circulation and reduces inflammation, hemp seed oil also protects hair from damage and treats a variety of scalp issues.

Protect Against Heat!

That hot sun beating down on you all day might give you cute summer highlights and tan skin, but the consequences of unprotected skin and hair aren’t worth it. Using a daily heat protectant on your hair is the equivalent of using sunscreen on your skin. A natural heat protectant like our Moroccan Argan oil will repair and reinforce your hair while protecting it from environmental damage caused by weather, sun, and heat from blow dryers and hair irons. Celebrities call argan oil “liquid gold” and pay exorbitant prices to purchase it from high end spas and salons. Organic argan oil is truly a luxurious, superior, multi-purpose treatment for your hair and skin.

Stay on Top of Build-up!

Any products you use to either curl or straighten your hair will cause build-up overtime. That includes shampoos, conditioners, creams, gels, oils, mousses, hairsprays, and dry shampoos. Build-up will weigh your hair down, make it dull, and will cause your hair to look dirtier faster. The simple solution to build-up is a hair rinse. My biggest recommendation is to use a hair rinse! A hair rinse like our herbal vinegar hair rinse will get rid of build-up, nourish your hair, and help the hair shaft lie flat…promoting shine. I find that rinsing once a week works wonders, but every head of hair is different.

What Might A Natural Spring Hair Care Routine Look Like?

This easy spring haircare routine only requires three products!

  • Shampoo with a shampoo bar for a cleanse and condition. I recommend using the Pink Lemonade,Bella Rose, or Hemp and Honey for wavy to curly hair. If you have straight hair check out this bar. Curly coil-y heads of hair check these bars out!
    • Pro Tip: Comb hair out gently before rinsing out lather. The oils in the shampoo will protect your strands from breakage while you brush.
  • Rinse lather out and spray hair down thoroughly with the Herbal Vinegar Rinse.
    • Pro Tip: Use hands to comb out any more tangles in hair, the vinegar rinse should help as a mild detangler.
  • Rinse the “rinse” out gently so that you are keeping hair smooth and not creating new tangles.
  • Use a pump or two of argan oil and distribute throughout hair, You can either finger comb it through or use the praying hands method.
    • What is the praying hands method? Used to elongate and keep hair from clumping into too small of sections. The praying hands method requires you to lay your hands flat on either side of the section of hair you are applying product to, then slide your hands down the length of your hair!
  • Finish by drying hair with a cotton towel or dry as usual.
    • Why Cotton? Squeezing the water out of your hair with a cotton towel or t-shirt won’t disrupt the hair shaft as much as rubbing it vigorously with a rough-grooved towel. Saving you from frizz-city

Spring into Spring!

I hope today’s blog has equipped you with all you need to know to prepare yourself for the best spring hair days ever!

Much Love,

Nora

Natural Products For Sensitive Skin

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Do You Have Sensitive Skin?

I embrace my sensitive skin!

If you’re someone with sensitive skin looking for a skincare routine let me ask you this: have you considered your natural skincare options? As a company focused on making skincare and haircare products with natural ingredients like aloe, oatmeal, and chamomile (just to name a few), Apple Valley Natural Soap is already familiar and knowledgeable when it comes to catering to the needs of sensitive skin. Why? Because natural ingredients such as aloe, oatmeal, and chamomile are some of the best ingredients for sensitive skin! If you’ve been searching for sensitive skin face wash, sensitive skin body wash, sensitive skin moisturizer, or even sensitive skin deodorant we’ve got some incredible natural options for you that won’t break the bank.

What is Sensitive Skin?

Sensitive skin is any skin type that is more prone to adverse reactions when it comes in contact with…well…a lot of different things. I personally have skin that is prone to flushing, acne, and outdoor allergens. Chemicals, allergens, pet dander, dyes, fragrances, and even natural elements can all be irritants for sensitive skin, and different skin reacts differently. Sensitive skin isn’t limited to rashes. Sensitive skin includes acne-prone skin, over-oily skin, dry skin, and even more. Sensitive skin problems aren’t just limited to face and hands either – although these are common locations, but can be found on the back, décolletage, feet, and armpits…really, there is no area of the body that is safe from sensitive skin. So how do you find products that target all of these sensitive skin areas and give your skin some tender loving care? You can start with checking out these sensitive skin products below!

Sensitive Skin Face Wash

Best Face Wash For Dry, Easily Irritated Skin

Unscented Coconut Bar

A hard, long-lasting, super sudsy, uber moisturizing organic coconut oil body bar made with 100% organic coconut oil and nothing else.

Ingredients: saponified organic coconut oil. No added scent.

Does it work?

“For some reason, my skin decided to get really sensitive to everything. I tried different coconut bars with no success. All of them had added ingredients that continued to irritate my skin. I found this website and was excited to try another soap, but with only one ingredient…coconut. It worked!! No sensitivity. My rash and eczema went away and now I am left with happy skin. Thank you so much. I am definitely a believer in this soap. Please do not ever stop selling this soap. I love it so much. It’s unscented, leaves your skin feeling clean, soft and doesn’t leave it feeling dried out.”

– Happy Customer

Best for Sensitive Baby Skin and Sensitive Mature Skin

Calendula Castile Bar

A Calendula Castile bar, using 100% organic virgin olive oil, deeply penetrates the skin with its moisturizing and nourishing chemical structure. A true Castile soap is the most gentle and mild of soaps, safe even for babies and those with ultra-delicate skin. You will not get a bubbly lather from a Castile bar, but rather a rich, thick, creamy, highly emollient lather that is perfect for shaving. This is our favorite bar to use on babies and small children and one of our bars is less expensive than other Castile soap brands such as Dr. Bronner’s. This is the bar of choice if anyone in your family has eczema. True Castile soaps made with only olive oil are a gentle and effective option for even the most sensitive of skin.

Ingredients: saponified organic extra virgin olive oil and organic calendula petals.  No added scent.

Does it work?

“This product has transformed my skin. It has never been so smooth or so soft. I use it with an eco-friendly soap bag, for both my shower and for washing my face. I am receiving compliments on the way my skin looks! I am over 60 and I feel I look several years younger than that.”

-Happy Customer

“Both I and my daughter have used this for 3 years…since she was 2! She has very sensitive skin that dries out badly with regular soap. Nether of us even has to use a moisturizer (except occasionally in winter) with this bar since it doesn’t strip the moisture out of the skin. Can’t say enough good things about it!”

-Happy Customer

Best Face Wash For Acne-prone Skin

Acne Battle Face and Body Bar

In a fight with acne? Looking for an anti-bacterial acne soap for pimples and oily skin? This antibacterial soap for acne is formulated with special weapons like organic neem oil, a powerful anti-bacterial oil known to be highly beneficial for battling epidermal conditions. We then included olive, grapeseed and jojoba—oils that do not clog pores, but may help heal acne scars. Bentonite clay works to draw impurities from the skin; colloidal oatmeal gently exfoliates dead skin cells (check out Adventures in Knottyland’s DIY Oatmeal bath recipe); and essential oils like tea tree and lavender, known for their anti-bacterial, antiseptic properties, make this acne soap a beneficial and natural choice for oily or combination skin.

Even though this soap was created for fighting acne, an additional benefit is the combination of ingredients which are known to be helpful with skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Neem oil as mentioned, has strong anti-bacterial properties and helps clean up any skin infections that may have developed because of cracked broken skin, it also helps soothe skin redness and irritation. When combined with other effective ingredients such as olive oil, shea butter, oats and helpful essential oils of lavender and tea tree, the natural immunity and health of skin can be enhanced.

Ingredients: saponified oils of organic olive, grape seed, organic coconut, organic neem, organic shea nut butter, organic jojoba, and castor bean, colloidal oats, bentonite clay, rosemary oil extract, and essential oils of organic tea tree, lavender, lemon, organic eucalyptus, and organic rosemary.

Does it Work?

“I ordered this for my daughter in Ohio. I live in Maryland. She called me on day crying about her face and her esteem was hurting her. She has been using the soap for a couple of weeks now and it is working awesomely…thank you so much for being there. I found this website just typing in treatment for painful acne. Thank you again.”

-Happy Customer

Sensitive Skin Body Wash

Cocoa Butter and Vanilla Bean Face and Body Bar

Moisturizing for dry skin.

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

Does it Work?

“This bar is so moisturizing for my face, and makes my skin feel so soft, I can use less moisturizer. I live in southern California and the air is quite dry and hot, this bar is wonderful! I love it!”

-Happy Customer

Sensitive Skin Moisturizers

Moroccan Argan Oil

A 0 on the comedogenic scale, this is one of the world’s most rare and potent beauty serums, this unrefined (virgin), certified organic, Moroccan argan oil is rich in nutrients, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids. As a non-greasy, fast absorbing oil, it offers better protection for skin and hair than any other oil on the planet. Argan oil is high in something called oleic acid and even though it’s still considered a “dry” oil, meaning it won’t leave an oily residue and will absorb quickly, it’s an oil which will keep the skin moisturized, help battle the loss of elasticity and reduce inflammation. Oleic acid adds a richness to oils, making argan oil an excellent deep moisturizer. It penetrates easily and deeply into the skin’s surface, replenishing lost moisture that naturally comes with age, it also helps the moisture from evaporating.

Argan oil’s benefits for skin are many, here are the highlights:

  • Enriched with antioxidants it protects skin from sun damage and helps with skin repair from sun exposure.
  • Moistures skin, packed with vitamin E and fatty acids it hydrates, nourishes and moisturizes effectively and replenishes skin cells.
  • Prevents and reduces stretch marks as it helps improve skin elasticity.
  • Heals infections with it’s anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Speeding up the healing process of wounds, infections and burns is a wonderful benefit of this amazing oil.
  • Treats acne, heals blemishes and even’s out skin tone.

Lavender Lotion Bar with Jojoba Oil

Our luxurious Lavender Lotion Bars combine nutritious organic oils and butters with the healing power of organic lavender essential oil for a powerhouse of moisturizing properties for your skin. With a lighter textured than our Creamy Butter Bar, this lotion is great for everyday use or problematic skin. With the inclusion of organic virgin jojoba, organic virgin coconut oil, unrefined organic cocoa butter, unrefined organic shea nut butter and powerful organic lavender essential oil, this lotion bar is a wonderful option for a wide range of skin types from the delicate, to the problematic.

Why lavender essential oil? Because of its many health benefits for the skin, most of which can be attributed to its antiseptic and anti-fungal properties. Lavender essential oil is widely used to treat various skin issues such as acne, wrinkles, psoriasis, and other inflammatory conditions, it is also commonly used to speed up the healing process of wounds, cuts, burns, and sunburns because it improves the formation of scar tissues.

Ingredients: unrefined beeswax, organic coconut oil, unrefined organic cocoa butter, unrefined organic shea nut butter, organic virgin jojoba, organic virgin olive oil, organic lavender essential oil and vitamin E oil (from non-GMO sunflower oil). All of our organic ingredients are USDA Certified Organic.

Natural Deodorant Creme For Sensitive Skin

Moisturize and deodorize those pits with our all natural, aluminum-free deodorant cremes. Made with anti-bacterial, odor absorbing ingredients like organic virgin coconut oil, diatomaceous earth, aluminum free baking soda, arrowroot powder, and white kaolin clay, our natural deodorant creme is safe and effective.

Our unscented version fights hard with the anti-bacterial, odor absorbing base ingredients, while our regular deodorant adds an extra level of protection with the antibacterial essential oils of tea tree, lavender, and lemon.

Made with safe, natural ingredients you can trust:

Organic virgin coconut oil, organic virgin jojoba, organic arrowroot powder, aluminum free baking soda, diatomaceous earth, white kaolin clay and unrefined beeswax.

Our ‘regular’ version also contains essential oils of lavender, organic tea tree, and lemon.

Does it Work?

“I really like this natural deodorant. It works really well. I feel better knowing I’m putting something natural on my skin. I have very sensitive skin so I wasn’t sure how this would be on my underarms. Thank you for a wonderful product!”

-Happy Customer

Sensitive Skin Solved

I hope this week’s blog was helpful in providing natural options for sensitive skin care. If this is your first read on the AVNS blog, WELCOME! Check out our Facebook for giveaways and featured soaps, and follow our blog for weekly articles on natural beauty tips, skincare, and haircare. To browse through all our delicious products: click here!

Much Love,

Nora

The Best Natural Exfoliating Soap For Spring

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Limited Edition Gardener’s Citrus Basil Soap Bar

If you’re looking for one of the best exfoliating soaps on the block you’ve come to the right place. This week we will be diving in depth with our limited edition soap of the spring season Gardener’s Citrus Basil Soap Bar, an amazing smelling soap with fantastic natural ingredients.

Why Use A Natural Exfoliating Soap?

Photo by Tara Winstead on Pexels.com

Exfoliating soap is an absolute must for your shower experience. Soap with exfoliants will scrub your skin free of dead skin build-up, dirt, and grime. Soap with exfoliants will also keep your pores open, preventing ingrown hairs after you shave and allowing any skincare products you apply to more effectively interact with your skin. We are proud to offer a variety of soaps with natural exfoliants. Some natural exfoliants we use in our exfoliating soaps include, salt, pumice, luffa vine, and finely ground nut shells. Why natural? Natural ingredients oftentimes have additional benefits and run a lower risk of irritating sensitive skin. The Gardener’s Bar is a perfect example of a soap that contains natural exfoliants with some super cool extra benefits (as you’re about to learn if you keep reading!)

Ingredients in Exfoliating Gardener’s Bar and Their Benefits

Saponified Oils of Sustainable Palm

This base ingredient is crucial to the soap making process, it gives you a nice hard bar and will enhance lather when mixed with coconut oil. Rated a 1 on EWG’s Skin Deep, this ingredient has little to no risks of causing cancer or containing any kind of toxicity, 

Organic Coconut 

Coconut oil is a gentle and effective cleanser due to its fatty acid content. The best part is its ability to moisturize hair and skin and the thick lather it creates! Check out our Coconut Bars for pure coco-nutty BLISS!

Organic Sunflower

Photo by Max Andrey on Pexels.com

Sunflower oil is FANTASTIC because it is a 0 on the comedogenic scale, which means it won’t clog pores. This oil can be used to moisturize any skin type…and that isn’t all it will do!

According to an article on Healthline, sunflower oil contains antioxidant vitamin E, so applying it topically to skin will allow your skin to benefit from vitamin E (think anti-aging properties, protection from sun-damage…all that awesome stuff). Sunflower oil also contains linoleic acid, an important component of helping the skin retain moisture as well as acting as an anti-inflammatory aid.

Organic Shea Nut Butter

Shea Butter is fantastic for skin, in fact, we think it’s SO AWESOME that we sell USDA CERTIFIED Organic Raw Unrefined African Shea Butter just on its own. Why? WHY? It has a high content of fatty acids which gives it the ability to deeply moisturize and retain the elasticity of the skin, it is also a great ingredient for those with inflammatory skin conditions, like eczema and dermatitis. Unrefined Shea Butter is loaded with natural vitamins A, E, natural antioxidants and fatty acids for maximum natural moisturizing power, it is an amazing body healer. Try it to help treating skin conditions such as dry skin, eczema, rashes, stretch marks, and burns. It may also help lessen the irritation of psoriasis and eczema, help diminish wrinkles, clear blemishes, and heal wounds, scars & skin discolorations. 

Castor Bean

Castor bean is a skin soother, it is both anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial and can be used on sensitive skin.

Ground Apricot Shells

Made from finely ground seeds of apricots, apricot shells make a natural scrub that deep-cleans and renews skin.

Photo by Valeria Boltneva on Pexels.com

Ground Black Walnut Hulls

This is the real kicker in this bar, if you love the feel of our seasonal Black Licorice Bar as much as I do then you’ll love this bar because the common component is ground black walnut hull powder which boasts the following benefits: antibacterial, antiviral, anti-parasitic,anti-fungicide properties (people use it to treat bacterial and parasitic infections), rich levels of antioxidants, and beneficial fatty acids that can impact the health and appearance of skin. It has also been known to help clear up skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. P.s. If you wish the Black Licorice Bar was in stock even though it isn’t fall your dreams just came true BECAUSE IT IS BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND FOR A LIMITED TIME! (can you tell this is my favorite bar???)

Rosemary Oil Extract

This aromatic scent may repel certain bugs, perfect for working in the garden!

Basil Essential Oil

With a warm and crisp herbaceous scent, basil essential oil is soothing against skin irritation. It is also full of vitamin C, which helps keeps skin bright and firm.

Bergamot Essential Oil

Adding a floral and spicy note, this essential oil has wonderful antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Lemon Essential Oil

Clean and fresh, this essential oil will clarify your skin and provide a gentle, natural chemical exfoliation. 

Grapefruit Essential Oil

Tart and sweet, this beautiful scent is accompanied by the same benefits as lemon essential oil.

Get It Before It’s GONE!

I hope I’ve convinced you to try this bar, I’ve definitely convinced myself. Remember this bar isn’t around for long so get it while you can!

Much Love,

Nora

A New Way to Use Soap: a reflection and guide to peaceful, reflective thought

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Let’s Catch Up

Photo by KoolShooters on Pexels.com

Every once in a while I like to take a mindful pause, contemplate the joys and difficulties of our current season of life, and write a more reflective piece for the AVNS blog. Why? It’s my way of connecting with all you wonderful people as a fellow human being. It’s also a chance to remind myself and the AVNS community that behind every beautiful bar of soap is a fantastic team of people who all have stories to share and lives to live. With this being said, I’m excited to share that over time and starting within the coming months we’re hoping to craft feature blogs for all of the amazing people behind AVNS…but for now I’ll have to do. 

The Importance of Easter

Photo by Trina Snow on Pexels.com

I sincerely hope the contents of today’s blog are useful to you, wherever you may be on your life-journey and regardless of religious affiliation, however I do want to take a moment to share what stirred me to write this blog in the first place. Today’s blog was inspired by the recent Easter holiday, an important holiday for many AVNS team members, including myself. For Christians, Holy Week is a time of respectful reflection, gratefulness and celebration. Holy Week and Easter are commemorations of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, a purposeful and powerful sacrifice resulting in eternal life in Heaven for all who acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God and their Savior. 

What Does Soap Have To Do With It?

Now you may be wondering, what does Easter, or even Christianity…or even religion in general…or EVEN just the acts of contemplation and reflection…have to do with soap? To be honest, I had the same question…which is why I turned to my Bible. I figured the Bible is just as much a historical account as a religious text, maybe I’d find some ancient soap recipe (probably involving salt…or clay) to write about, but a quick internet search brought me to an even cooler connection…How To Soap.

Our popular Honey Carrot and Tangerine Soap!

The S.O.A.P Method

Well, that’s obvious…right? Just lather, rinse, and repeat with your favorite bar of AVNS soap and you’re good to go. I was surprised to learn that soap or S.O.A.P is actually an acronym for a method to read and reflect on scripture. How cool is that?! I found this method on Love God Greatly, a website for women’s ministry. I share the original method below, but I’ve also adapted each step so that everyone is able to utilize this method.

S.O.A.P

S – stands for scripture, or sentence-by-sentence.

Photo by Budgeron Bach on Pexels.com

You’ll start by taking your verse or line and actually taking the time to write it out. It’s amazing how just the act of intentionally slowing down will allow you to really focus on what you are reading. If you aren’t so sure about religious texts you could always start with a piece of poetry you love or even song lyrics. If you’re curious or interested in what the Bible has to offer, here are a few verses that I find calming and encouraging.

Encouraging Bible Verses

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Proverbs 24:14 Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

O – stands for observation.

Ask yourself. What stands out to you as you read your text? Which words are repeated? Does it sound different if you read it out loud? Who is the speaker addressing? What is the tone? You’d be surprised how a deeper understanding of a text can teach you so much about life and yourself.

A – stands for application.

When in a religious context, you can ask yourself “How is God speaking to me today?” Also ask yourself in what ways you can apply what you’ve read to your personal life. Are there habits you need to change? Actions to take towards a goal you’ve set for yourself? A comfort you can fall back on in times of stress?

P – stands for prayer, or personal-dialogue.

Photo by Marta Wave on Pexels.com

Talk to God. Tell Him about what you learned, ask Him about any questions that came up during your reading. If you aren’t familiar with prayer, think of the p as personal dialogue. Take a walk out in nature where you have some privacy and speak out loud to yourself, it may seem strange at first…but try it. Did you know that the act of talking out loud to yourself, or self-talk can actually improve concentration and self-esteem? If self-talk isn’t your cup of tea, try journaling. Write a letter to yourself, or a friend…even if you don’t plan on ever sharing what you write with them. If you’d like to try praying but aren’t sure how, try talking to God like He’s just another one of your friends or family members who cares about you. God is never judging you, he loves you and wants to know you.

Thank You For Your Time Today

I hope this blog served as a fun and interesting change of pace. If you’re interested in checking out our more typical posts (natural ingredients we use, benefits of the products we offer, etc.) click here!

Much Love,

Nora