Is A Hair Rinse Important?

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Why is it important to use an acidic hair rinse?

An acidic hair rinse is a critical part of your natural shampoo bar regimen. The acid in the rinse removes scaly build up and residue on the scalp and hair shaft, and smooths the cuticles/scales causing them to lie flat and SHINE. The acid also restores the natural pH of your scalp, preventing it from becoming dried out and itchy. 

Each strand of hair has a cuticle which is made up of layers of protein, called keratin, scales cover the cuticle by overlapping each other. Healthy hair has scales that lie flat. Some commercial shampoos not only strip hair of its natural oils, but also injure the cuticle by tearing up the overlapping scales. Natural shampoo bars will not strip the hair of its natural oils, nor damage the cuticle and scales. You can read more about the benefits of our natural shampoo bars HERE.

Whenever hair becomes wet, the scales raise or soften slightly. Damaged hair also has raised scales, or “roughed up” cuticles. When washing hair with hard water, a high mineral content made up of mostly calcium and magnesium combine with the soap and form deposits on your hair (under and around the scales) weighing it down. Your hair may feel sticky and dirty no matter how often you wash it. Shampooing with soft water (which has a low concentration of minerals mostly of sodium and/or potassium ions), and following with an acidic rinse, will gently cleanse hair, remove deposits, and cause these scales to once again lie flat. This allows all residue to wash gently away leaving healthy shiny hair.

The Transition Phase. Most everyone when trying natural shampoo bars for the first time will experience this in one way or another. This transition phase can last anywhere from 1 day to 1 month. You can read more about it HERE.


Acidic Rinses.

Our Herbal Vinegar Hair Rinse is made with RAW certified organic apple cider vinegar. The vinegar is infused with nine certified organic herbs that your hair and scalp will love. Packed with trace minerals and vitamins, these herbs will nourish your scalp and strengthen your hair shaft. As we already mentioned, the acid in the vinegar removes scaly build up and residue on the scalp and hair shaft, and closes the cuticles causing them to lie flat and SHINE. 

Organic ingredients and their benefits:

Because of its antiseptic properties, apple cider vinegar may help soothe the itching or irritation from psoriasis and other skin conditions. The acidity of vinegar works to remove build up from hair, it also balances the pH of scalp and hair, smoothes the cuticles and leaves hair feeling soft and silky.

Marshmallow Root softens hair naturally and promotes hair growth. It provides natural shine and soothes dry, itchy scalp.

Horsetail can improve circulation, leading to the improvement of hair follicles and scalp, which helps stimulate hair growth. It is also great for treating oily scalps and soothing skin ailments such as dandruff, eczema and psoriasis. The herb also rejuvenates hair, adding sheen and strength.

Nettles have been known to inhibit the hormone DHT helping to combat hair loss, and the astringent properties may help soothe conditions such as scalp eczema, dandruff and dry, itchy scalp. Nettles also have anti-inflammatory properties.

Chamomile is wonderful for conditioning the hair as well as soothing an itchy, irritated or sensitive scalp and preventing dandruff because of its antiseptic elements.

Lavender is wonderfully healing and soothing, it also reduces inflammation, promotes hair growth and is antimicrobial, meaning it’ll help prevent scalp issues such as itchy scalp, dandruff and infractions.

Comfrey Root restores sheen and volume to hair. It is also great for the scalp because of its healing properties which come from the many antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. The roots and leaves of comfrey also contain allantoin and tannin that promotes new cell generation.

Rosemary helps to stimulate follicles making the hair grow longer and stronger. It is also traditionally known to slow the appearance of grey hairs, to help curly hair, and to slow down premature hair loss. It has anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties, so is used to treat dandruff.

Calendula has antiviral, anti tumor, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. It’s impressive because of its ability to speed healing and lower inflammation. It also promotes growth of stronger hair by increasing collagen production and circulation in hair follicles.

Yarrow is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and astringent making it ideal for treating scalp conditions and promoting hair growth.

Our Citric Acid Rinses are a great alternative for those who do not like the smell of vinegar. Each of our sprays have the same the same pH value as apple cider vinegar but are rinsed out of hair after application.  Unlike the Herbal Vinegar Rinse which has the option of being left in.  As with the Herbal Hair Rinse, these rinses will help the cuticle scales to lie flat which helps remove build up and restore the natural pH, leaving hair soft and healthy.


Ingredients and their benefits:

Aloe vera contains something called proteolytic enzymes which repairs dead skin cells on the scalp. It also acts as a great conditioner and leaves your hair all smooth and shiny. It promotes hair growth, prevents itching on the scalp, reduces dandruff and conditions your hair., 

Essential oils: We’ve chosen a variety of essential oils for our rinses which not only smell divine, but also have wonderful healing properties. Bay essential oil is known for promoting wound healing and inhibiting growth of bacteria. Lavender, which has amazing healing and soothing properties. Rosemary which is used to prevent premature graying and dandruff. Tea Tree whose anti-fungal and antimicrobial properties make it effective for treating dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. Frankincense is also excellent at promoting a healthy scalp and moisturizing existing hair follicles to prevent and treat hair loss and so on.

Citric Acid is a great help in treating and soothing itchy scalp, which often leads to hair loss and stops hair growth.

Ascorbic Acid, also known as vitamin C is full of antioxidants which help reduce free radicals. Free radicals can damage your hair making it brittle and more prone to split ends. Antioxidants also protect your hair helping it be stronger and grow quicker.

PlantaSol CCG (INCI Name: Caprylyl Capryl Glucoside) is Ecocert approved and is a vegetable-derived solubilizer. A solubilizer is used to help the essential oils blend well through out the rinse, but we chose this one because it is only rated as a 1 on the Skin Deep database. 

As you can see, using an acidic hair rinse is a critical part of your natural shampoo bar regimen and will benefit both hair and scalp. Restore health and beauty to your hair by using natural shampoo bars and acidic hair rinses, your hair will shine with thanks!

Product Ingredients. How do we choose what we use? What are the benefits?

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Have you ever wondered how we choose the ingredients for our products? It’s kept you up at night hasn’t it!?! Well, in this blog we’re going to start by listing our ingredients, specifically the carrier/base oils, as well as our butters, and their benefits.

When formulating the recipe for a new soap or other product, we look at all the benefits of the individual ingredients as well as our end goal. What are we trying to do with this particular recipe? Heal, nourish, rejuvenate, revitalize, all of the above? Then we move ahead with bringing it all together, the carrier oils and butters, the essential oils and herbal extracts, they all help us reach that goal. It can be a lengthy process, but it’s so worth it in the end when a product is completed that meets an important criteria, a natural product that is needed. Many times we are not even aware of the need until the product has been released. Helping customers, making them happy, bringing joy. It blesses us when this happens.

Apricot Kernel Oil is rich in fatty acids along with vitamins A, C, E & K. Because of these properties, it is great for nourishing and strengthening hair follicles from the roots, plus increasing skin hydration and reducing dryness. This oil leaves hair soft and shiny, while stimulating hair growth.

Almond Oil (Sweet) not only softens rough or dry skin, but it also creates a protective layer on the skin. It also helps reduce inflammation and is a remedy for skin/scalp issues such as dandruff, acne, psoriasis, and eczema.

Argan oil, is rich in vitamin E, carotenes, antioxidants and essential fatty acids. It helps repair skin imperfections and restore texture, elasticity and tone. Argan oil is great moisturizer, and because of it’s high levels of Vitamin E and antioxidants, it is also used to fight both dandruff and dry scalp. This oil is often referred to as “liquid gold”.

Avocado Oil contains sterolins, which are natural steroids. These natural steroids may be effective in boosting collagen production and in treating age spots. Also, with its high level of vitamin E, avocado oil may reduce itching and inflammation, while softening rough and cracked skin. It helps rejuvenate and moisturize the scalp, deep condition hair, leaving it looking lustrous and full of life. Also, because it’s a rich source of proteins, amino acids and vitamins, avocado oil helps promote the growth of healthier hair.

Babassu oil can reduce the symptoms of a variety of scalp irritations, due to the anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also filled with antioxidants which help to restore lost elasticity and strength to hair and moisturizes the scalp. If is the perfect oil for treating damaged and brittle hair.

Castor Oil is one of the best things you can do for promoting hair growth and controlling hair loss. It can give you thicker and even longer hair as it contains ricinoleic acid and omega-6 essential fatty acids that improve blood circulation to the scalp, encouraging hair growth. Castor oil also has natural antibacterial, antifungal properties which makes it a great addition to any soap!

Cocoa Butter (Unrefined) gives hair increased manageability and moisture. It can help prevent hair loss due to breakage or an inherently fine texture. and can also help alleviate scalp itching and irritation. Cocoa Butter works to soothe dry, sensitive skin while reducing and preventing the appearance of scars and unwanted marks. It is believed to have photo-protective properties that protect against harmful UV radiation. Used in hair, Cocoa Butter moisturizes strands to make them more manageable. While repairing damage, it replenishes naturally-occurring oils, adds volume and shine, boosts strength and resilience, increases thickness, and reduces frizz. Medicinally, Cocoa Butter works as an anti-inflammatory moisturizer that offers relief to skin afflicted with swelling, irritation, and redness.

Coconut oil contains 2 chemicals that are known to have a broad spectrum of anti-microbial activity against virus, bacterial, and fungal infections, they are lauric acid and capric acid. Coconut oil also contains high levels of Vitamin K and E which are powerful antioxidants to help prevent skin damage. It is wonderful for dry, itchy and sensitive skin, can stimulate hair growth by getting deep into its follicles, promote scalp health by fighting against such problems as insect bites, lice and dandruff. It also moisturizes dry hair, adds luster, shine and softness to hair while preventing breakage and split ends.

Flaxseed oil is composed mainly of omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient that is known for providing a multitude of health benefits. The Lignans in flax are healing, and decrease inflammation which will also promote healing of skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, and acne, which aids with scalp health, and hair growth. Omega-3 fatty acids are also known for increasing the speed at which skin wounds heal.

Grapeseed oil contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. The linoleum acid and Vitamin E help build tissue and promote hair and skin growth. If your hair is brittle or weak, treating it with grape seed oil can help to restore its strength and shine. This oil is full of emollients and nutrients that can help nurture the growth of healthy skin cells, treating dandruff and other dermatological conditions caused by a dry, flaky scalp. 

Jojoba oil, so similar to human sebum, can help balance oil production. It’s easily absorbed, won’t clog pores, and leaves the skin feeling soft and supple. Jojoba is particularly good for dry, damaged hair, hair with split ends and is prone to tangling and damage. 

Mango butter protects skin from sun damage and is very versatile with range of wonderful qualities. It has the ability to hydrate skin for long period of times, lightening of age and sun damage spots, tightening skin and healing eczema, rashes, irritations and generally, brining back a healthy tone to skin.

Olive Oil is high in oleic acid, a good skin cell regenerator and attracts external moisture to the skin. The fatty acids that olive oil is made up of will also coat the shaft of your hair, helping to keep it healthy and protected.

Palm Oil contains the hard to find toctrienols, which are members of the vitamin E family. Vitamin E is a strong antioxidant that helps the skin to fight free radicals that damage the skin and cause fine lines and wrinkles. Palm oil contains lipids and saturated fats that feed the hair shaft, eliminating dryness. It helps remove oil and dirt from hair and skin and contains a refatting agent that helps restore natural oils to hair and skin.

Palm Butter has great antioxidant power. Along with a high content vitamin E, there is a large amount of Tocotrienols which do an even better job of preventing oxidization. Palm butter is a wonderful healing moisturizer for the skin.

Neem Oil has a host of benefits, it’s natural ingredients make neem oil a potent antifungal, antipyretic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. Neem oils beneficial fatty acids moisturize and nourish the scalp and hair, leaving it with a healthy shine. It restores moisture and repairs damaged hair. It moisturizes the scalp, kills harmful microbes, and reduces itching and flakes naturally. When used on a regular basis, neem oil regulates the oil secretion in the scalp for a healthier scalp and strong hair. Healthy hair grows stronger and thicker. It also strengthens the hair roots and revitalizes damaged hair.

Sesame Seed Oil is infused with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and healing properties which help in curing several skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. This oil contains the powerful antioxidant, vitamin E, which helps in preventing free radical damage. The essential fatty acids found in Sesame Seed Oil make this oil a great moisturizer while it heals.

Shea Butter strengthens your skin by stimulating the production of collagen, it helps make your skin more supple, more alive, nourished and radiant. Shea butter also soothes dry, itchy and irritated scalps without clogging pores, so hair can grow without any hinderances.

Sunflower oil is packed with high levels of Vitamin E and helps reduce bacteria which contributes to dry scalp. It also  acts as a natural moisturizer and reduces the occurrence of thinning hair. How, not only because it helps lock in moisture to the hair shaft, but it also contains Oleic Acid, another name for Omega 9 acid, known to be one of the essential acids that are needed for stop breakage and stimulate healthy hair growth.

Walnut Oil is high in both vitamins and minerals. It works wonders on the skin and is highly recommended for people who want a flawless and ageless skin. It also promotes hair growth because not only is it known to be a remedy to treat fungal infections as well as skin issues such as Psoriasis and Eczema, it’s also high in potassium, and potassium is essential because it helps the regeneration of cells and hence accelerates hair growth. 

Wheat Germ is excellent for hair because it is a ceramide oil. Ceramide oils work by creating a sort of protective barrier around the hair shaft. In turn it holds in moisture and protein all while also protecting the hair from heat damage and UV rays. In doing so, helps to “repair” or prevent further damage to the cuticle layers of your hair.

All of our products have the ingredients listed on the website, so if in doubt about a which product to try, use this as a handy reference to see which ones will fit your needs the best!

Certified Organic Ingredients and Sustainability – What does this mean?

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A large percentage of AVNS products use ingredients labeled as “Organic” and “Sustainable”, so what does this really means to us?  

Organic. This is a term thrown around a lot in today’s world, so how do we really know that something labeled as organic is really free from pesticides, hormones, chemicals or anything artificial?

Organic in it’s generic meaning is defined as something grown at a natural pace. The dictionary says organic is “relating to or derived from living matter”. So based on these definitions, anything grown, could be defined as organic in it’s generic term. But today, this is what we tend to view as “natural”, not necessarily organic.

When you see the term “organic” on a label, check to see if either the product, or the ingredients used are “certified organic”, then you know that the product, food or ingredient was produced with a set of farming and production practices defined and regulated, in great detail, by the USDA. Items grown from the earth must be certified by regulatory agencies that perform soil tests. Additionally, soil must have at least 3 years of no pesticide treatment before it can be certified to begin with. “Certified organic” guarantees no toxic synthetic pesticides, toxic synthetic herbicides, or chemical fertilizers are used in production, and no antibiotics or growth hormones are given to animals.

However, there are companies and farms that choose not to become certified, but still hold to, and many times exceed the regulations given by the USDA. I personally know some small local farms that do just this. I have gotten to know the farmers and am familiar with their practices, and know I’m getting fantastic products from them. Even though they are not certified.

At AVNS, even though we are not a certified organic company, we do use certified organic ingredients. Sometimes we choose to use a natural ingredient instead of one that is certified organic, but we try to weigh the cost/benefit ratio for our customers. We want to make the best possible products for a reasonable price.  On average, our products are made with about 80-90% certified organic ingredients. So you can rest assured that the products you receive are not only beneficial to your body, but are also competitively priced.

Sustainablility. Another word that can mean different things to different people. We use Certified Organic Sustainable Palm Oil in many of our soaps, and palm oil has come under a lot of scrutiny in the recent past. So how do we “vote” with our money? We purchase products and ingredients from companies that have verified their source of sustainable palm oil. AVNS supplier of organic palm oil is both certified by the Rainforest Alliance and the RSPO. This means for AVNS customers that they (and you from your purchase), are supporting the fight against deforestation and supporting the building of economic opportunities and better working conditions for rural people. Here’s a couple of links which will explain more about what this means in detail:

https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/articles/rainf…

https://rspo.org/about

As AVNS continues to grow and serve, we have at the heart of our mission to honor God, and then serve our customers with the best possible products that will nourish, heal and restore. All natural goodness from the top of our heads to the tip of our toes.

Until next time,

Marianne 🙂

Fabulous Friday & Glycolic Peel

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Have you ever had one of “those” days? 

You know, one of those days where you have great plans for everything you’re going to get done, but by the end of the day, even though you’ve been busy, you’re not quite sure how you managed to NOT get anything on your list done.

Well that’s been my day, well, it’s actually been my last week. At least it feels like it. 

Truthfully, I have been busy. Busy with the business (AVNS), busy with family, busy with life in general. But I don’t think I’m any more busy than most people, it seems to be the world we live in. But I guess that doesn’t make it okay. I’m starting to realize that when we’re busy, we miss out on so many things. So busy is okay for periods of time, then we need to do life with our family and friends.

Now I’m laughing at myself, this is NOT what I was going to blog about, but hey, welcome to my life!!!

This blog is over due, sorry! 

I thought it would be fun to give you all a recipe to try at home. We will eventually do some youtube videos, but we’re not quite there yet. So here’s a recipe I use at home on myself as a peel. Yes a homemade glycolic face peel, and I love it!

First, what is Glycolic Acid and it’s benefits?

Glycolic acid is simply an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) derived from cane sugar. It has many benefits, some of which are:

  • Removes blackheads
  • Purifies pores
  • Improves texture of skin
  • Gently exfoliates dead cells
  • Gets rid of acne scars
  • Brightens skin tone
  • Reduces hyperpigmentation

I’m sure there are more, but I was super excited when I saw how the texture of my skin improved after doing this only once. You may be tempted to try this every day, but don’t, that would be too harsh on your skin. Start with once a week and then eventually move up to twice a week if needed. 

The items you’ll need:

Sugar, brown or white. Lemon juice or Yogurt. Manuka honey (opt.). Small bowl and spoon.

Before we get started, here are some details about the ingredients and why:

I already talked about why we use the sugar, so I’ll move onto an ingredient we have listed as optional. Manuka honey. It is expensive, so that’s why I made it optional, but here are some of the benefits to consider:

It is a potent anti-inflammatory, so soothes inflamed skin while healing blemishes. It also helps balance the skin’s pH and contains amino acids which slough away dead skin cells, helping to keep pores clear. Another benefit I like is that Manuka honey has been shown to increase collagen cross-linking, promoting the structural growth of collagen in skin cells. And since amino acids are the building blacks of collagen, they also protect collagen. Healthy collagen means healthy, firm, youthful-looking skin. It is also a natural humectant, drawing moisture into the skin. This hydration helps to further enhance the skin’s elasticity and cell regeneration, as well as promote healing.

Lemon juice. We use this because it’s rich in vitamin C, plus it contains citric acid which helps with the effectiveness of the peel. But if you have sensitive skin, you may want to try plain yogurt instead. Yogurt contains lactic acid, it’s still effective with the peel, but more gentle on the skin.

The recipe:

1 T soft brown sugar

1 T lemon juice (or 1 T plain yogurt)

opt. 1 T Manuka honey (if you use the honey, reduce the lemon juice down to 1 tsp)

Small bowl and spoon

That’s it!

The process:

I use whatever sugar we have in the house, which is typically Muscavado. So I need to blend/grind my sugar down to a powder so it is more gentle on my face. But if you’re using a fine grain/soft sugar, you’ll be okay.

  • Put your sugar into a bowl and add the honey (if using), and lemon juice (or yogurt).
  • Mix together until they are well combined. 
  • Apply gently in circular motions to a clean and slightly damp face. Avoid eyes and mouth.
  • Let it sit for 3-5 minutes
  • Rinse thoroughly with warm water, pat dry and follow with a moisturizer.
  • Love your skin!!!

Let me know if you try it 🙂

Until next time,

Marianne

Our Story

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When thinking about whether or not I should start a blog, it really came down to, will I be able to write about things that people want to read? Ummmmm….hard to say. Will you be interested? Or have I already lost you? 🙂 

As many of you know, we already send out a newsletter every week, well, we try to anyway. That newsletter usually contains information about our company, our products, promotions, links to helpful information and so on. This blog will also contain some of that, but it’ll go more in depth. More “how to’s”, more behind the scenes and into our lives type of information. 

So to start this, I’ll tell you a little about us. Who are we? That is, who is the family behind Apple Valley Natural Soap? 

Back in 2010, I became frustrated with my options for natural skin and body care products. Why does it cost SOOOO much to use healthy products with healthy ingredients? That was the question that started me on the journey of creating recipes and products that wouldn’t cost us an “arm and a leg” to use. First came lotions. You may ask, how do you create natural lotions without all the “junk” in there? Glad you asked! The answer is LOTS of research. I used the EWG site to check ingredients and find those that will work, but that would also not have nasty side effects. I also turned the skin of a fewfriends orange in color (wish I had photos!!!!) from the organic carrot oil – pretty funny actually 🙂 Don’t worry, it washed off eventually. 

Fast forward a few years. Shortly after I became a customer of Apple Valley Natural Soap (yep, I didn’t start this company), I started making soap. I was inspired. Again, lots of research and funny “mishaps” but the soap recipes I landed on were awesome. That sounds like boasting doesn’t it? Hard to say something that you do, or own is great without it sounding that way….

Anyway, I was approached by numerous friends saying that I should sell what I was making. I didn’t feel ready, but both my husband and I felt that God was leading us down this road, so we took a step forward and started selling on Etsy.

Fast forward to 2015. We were approached by the owner of AVNS with the possibility of purchasing the company. Neither my husband or myself felt it was the right time for us to do so, even though our companies were very similar, it’s a big step to take on and take over someone else’s dream. 

Fast forward again to 2017. We were approached again about possibly buying AVNS. This time was different. Our son had been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in June, 2017 and we had started down a road of “alternative treatment” for him. Plus with all the other time and financial commitments in our lives, you may ask why we wanted to  embrace another business!?!  But buying AVNS seemed like an answer to prayer. Were we sure? Nope! But that’s where we stepped out in faith. We prayed for doors to open if we were supposed to do this, and for them to close if not. They flew open. Ummmm….so what do you do when doors open?  You walk through them. And we did. 

Owning Apple Valley Natural Soap for this short period of time has been a whirlwind and a blessing. I love being able to create what is good for our bodies, knowing that the ingredients aren’t harming, but nourishing and cleansing in a good way.  Some of our products can even help with detox, LOVE that! It pairs well with what we’d already been doing, we just got busier thanks to FABULOUS AVNS customers!!! 

So, this is only the beginning of our story.

What are some things you may see in the next few months? The use of more organics in the recipes, the reappearance of some past products that are loved by many, and the introduction of new products that will expand the Apple Valley Natural Soap line.  I love being creative with my products, and our customers get to benefit for all the “crazy” ideas whirling around in my head. Hopefully that’s a good thing!

Above all, our goal is to honor God. We also want to serve our customers with joy, continue to make the best products we can with the cleanest ingredients, and help those in need.  

Until next time.

Marianne