Soaps For Spring

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Happy Spring everyone! I can’t believe it is finally here with it’s promise of warmer, sunny days ahead. Today I thought we should address a very important subject, soaps for the spring from Apple Valley Natural Soap. What are important things to look for in your spring soap bar? What are the best scents to have in a soap bar for spring? We will talk about all of that in this post and give you all the links you need to make shopping easy and make sure your home is stocked with only the best for the spring season ahead.

Gardeners Citrus Basil Soap Bar

Back in time to take care of hard working green thumbs! The Gardener’s Citrus Basil Soap Bar is packed with ground apricot shells to effectively scrub off dirt and grime, black walnut powder for its antibacterial, antiviral, anti-parasitic, and anti-fungicide properties, plus moisturizing unrefined organic shea butter to keep your hands soft and silky.

Did you know that black walnut has rich levels of antioxidants and beneficial fatty acids can actually impact the health and appearance of skin? It has also been known to help clear up skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema, which makes black walnut a wonderful addition to this natural hand soap. You’ll also LOVE the warm, spicy essential oil blend of bergamot, basil, lemon, and grapefruit. The perfect bar for busy hands this spring!

“[I] gave this to friends who are always hard at work in the garden, all kinds of work maintaining [the] home and cleaning. They love how soft and moisturizing the lather is and how their skin feels. They said the scent lingers slightly on the skin later. Thank you AVNS, it’s a lovely bar for hardworking hands!!”

(Please Note: We make limited quantities of our Limited Edition soaps, so once they are sold out, they are gone for the season.)

Honey Carrot and Tangerine Face and Body Bar

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. 

“I have sensitive skin and have been using this for a month now. I love it! Creamy, gentle, moisturizing, and a delightfully delicious scent. What more could a person want? Its color makes it a beautiful gift and I actually gave several as gifts before I even tried it myself. I’ll keep buying this bar in the regular and half size for me and others! Please keep making this soap!”

Cucumber Lime Face and Body Soap

Cucumber lime, with a light, refreshing, “green” scent, features cucumber peel extract which acts like a skin toner, helping to freshen and brighten skin, tighten pores, and leave skin feeling soft and silky. We have also added Spirulina to the mix which has so many wonderful benefits for the skin, we couldn’t say no! 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. What’s not to like? Use this bar all over your body for the same beneficial effect everywhere.

“I LOVE this soap! It has such a wonderful smell and it gets nice and sudsy! One of my new favorites! I hope you keep making it!”

Symphony – The AVNS Signature Soap

From the captivating fresh scent and nourishing ingredients, to the beautiful variations of color, we hope our Symphony Signature Shampoo & Body Bar will remind you that beautiful things come in small packages, and that the simple pleasures are all you need. With beautiful colors, moisturizing natural ingredients & an uplifting scent, all components harmonize beautifully. Fall in love with this all natural soap which is made to retain all the natural glycerin from the natural oils & butters. A bar that gently cleanses while nourishing & rejuvenating hair, face & body. Beautifully scented, beautiful variations of natural colors & beautiful packaging, what’s not to love?

“I love everything about this bar! Color, scent, lather and how my skin and hair feels. Another great bar from AVNS. I recommend this one to everyone.”

Wether you are looking for something warm and floral or exfoliating and earthy, Apple Valley Natural Soap has all the bars for spring in your home. Spring is warm, wet and a beautiful promise of what is to come so make sure you are stocked up on soap that will not only keep up with the demands of the spring season (gardeners, I’m talking about you!) but add to your spring. And of course these bars only scratch the surface of what Apple Valley Natural Soap has to offer! Be sure to visit our website for not only spring staples but for fun products year round.

What are your favorite spring hair and skin care soap bars? What other products do you love during the spring season? Let us know what you thought in the comments below and let’s start a conversation.

If you found this post interesting, learned something new, or think of someone who might enjoy reading it too, please share this blog post with your family and friends. It means the world to us! You can also leave us a comment to let us know what you learned or share one of your favorite hair care or skin care tips with us. We would love to hear from you!

All my love and have a happy week,

Amanda

Our Favorite Soaps For Autumn

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It should be no surprise to any of you that at Apple Valley Natural Soap we love any excuse to celebrate the changing of the seasons. And autumn is no joke around here, we love all things cozy, warm, & pumpkin spice. Give us all the autumnal cozy vibes! This is why we created our Seasonal Fall soap line featuring all of our favorite things about the autumn season. Our Fall soaps are filled with pumpkin, apples, spices and everything we love about the cozy vibes of autumn and they are available now! We make limited batches of these natural Special Edition Soaps for the Fall season, specially formulated to not only bring the warmth of the season into your home, but to give your skin and hair the extra special care needed during the cooler & dryer months. They make the perfect addition to any home during the autumn season and they make amazing gifts for family and friends as well. Our fabulous fall soaps are around for only a limited time so stock up now!

Seasonal Pumpkin Spice Hand & Body Bar

Let’s kick this list off with a crowd favorite, everyones go-to autumn treat, Pumpkin Spice! If you are a pumpkin spice lover, then you will just adore this hand & body bar. Along with pumpkin, we’ve added rich baking spices like cinnamon, clove, and ginger to this amazing soap making this seasonal Pumpkin Spice Soap a feast for your skin. Lots of rich, fluffy lather and the scent of orange and clove will warm your body, heart, and soul. This natural soap bar makes a fun, practical hostess gift during the holiday seasons.

“This soap has an amazing lather and scent. Perfect for cool mornings as a way to start your day. I highly recommend this luxuriant fall special.” – T. Happel

“The scent was amazing and my skin felt clean and fresh.” – J. Yannuzzi

Seasonal Spice Cake Hand & Body Bar

There is nothing quite like a spicy baked treat to get you into the autumn mood! We love to celebrate autumn with a natural soap that smells just like freshly baked spice cake stuffed with ingredients which are good for your skin. Made with apple, spices, moisturizing mango and shea butters, our Spice Cake bar is totally natural and smells just like Grandma’s house on a crisp, autumn day. An added benefit of this bar is the light exfoliation power due to the salt, it makes a wonderful bar to have by the sink, or in the shower. Also, we don’t use any fragrance oil, instead we’ve created a blend of essential oils that smell sweet and spicy. Here for a limited time only, this natural soap bar also makes a fun, practical hostess gift during the holiday seasons.

“Oh my goodness I love the smell of this bar!! So wonderful and perfect for my bathroom sink in the fall!!” – Michelle

Seasonal Black Licorice Hand, Foot & Body Bar

Calling all black licorice lovers! This bar was made for you! The release of this fantastic soap was our first nod to the change of seasons and cooler months. This amazing black licorice soap is for those who simply just LOVE the scent of black licorice. Brace yourself for an incredible licorice scent along with a satisfying exfoliation experience from the black walnut hull powder, which also gives it the dark coloring. Licorice root not only smells great, but has many health benefits. The herb is used directly on the skin to help with eczema, skin rashes, psoriasis, and itchy, dry skin. Black walnut is also regarded to be useful in the treatment of skin diseases and complaints such as eczema, ringworm, athlete’s foot etc. It’s long been used as a natural remedy for acne, canker sores, psoriasis and other fungal infections. There’s nothing like it! Here for a limited time only, this natural soap bar also makes a fun, practical hostess gift during the holiday seasons.

“This is my favorite body bar. Light exfoliation and great for my skin.” – M. Hetrick

“I love the exfoliation, but not too harsh. I enjoy the smell. One of my favorite soaps!” – Melissa

Our Fall Soaps are filled with pumpkin, apples, spices and everything we love about the cozy vibes of autumn and they are available now! We make limited batches of these natural Special Edition Soaps for the Fall season, specially formulated to not only bring the warmth of the season into your home, but to give your skin and hair the extra special care needed during the cooler & dryer months. We are so excited that the autumn season is back again and cannot wait for you to try out our homage to fall with these seasonal, limited edition soaps.

Do you have a favorite way to celebrate the changing seasons, specially this autumn? Share with us in the comments below and let’s start a conversation!

If you found this post interesting, learned something new, or think of someone who might enjoy reading it, please share this blog post with your family and friends. It means the world to us! You can also leave us a comment to let us know what you learned or share one of your favorite autumn hair care or skin care tips with us. We would love to hear from you!

All my love and have a happy week,

Amanda

Your Shaving Routine – Featuring A Traditional Shaving Method

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Men and women have one (among many) very normal thing in common, and that is the need for quality shaving products that not only provide the smoothest and cleanest shave, but that are also clean and safe for your skin, hormones, and the planet. Apple Valley Natural Soap understood the assignment with their products for skin prep, shaving, and moisturizers to finish everything off. Keep reading for the next products to add to your shaving routine and for a traditional shaving method…

Step 1 – Prep The Skin

The preparation we give our skin before the shave is just as important as the shave itself! For facial shaving, prep your skin for the shave with a wash with an exfoliating soap such as Grapefruit Peppermint Luffa (Loofah) Body Bar or the Peppermint Patchouli Pumice Body Bar.

For body shaving, you can also give your skin a preparatory wash with the Grapefruit Peppermint Luffa (Loofah) Body Bar or the Peppermint Patchouli Pumice Body Bar or you can go straight for the Body Polish. Prep your skin with Apple Valley Natural Soap’s incredible exfoliating and moisturizing Body Polishes in blends like Sweet Rosehips or Sweet Berry, Citrus Sugar, Matcha Mint, and Sweet Vanilla.

Using only oils that are fabulous for absorbing right into the skin without leaving an oily feeling, these exfoliating, moisture-drenching polishes will leave your skin sweetly and delicately scented, soft, silky, and moisturized. No need for lotion! The exfoliation of the sugar crystals is very pleasant and soothing and will leave your skin glowing with health.

Step 2 – Shave (Traditional Shaving Soap)

A good shave requires a good shaving soap! These Nourishing Shaving Soaps are handcrafted with natural and organic ingredients and are created to build a luxurious and satisfying lather during a traditional wet shave. These soaps are perfect for both men and women for face and body shaves.

The key to a good shaving soap is a high fat content so skin is protected during the shave, it will also nourish your skin so it doesn’t become dry and irritated. A good shaving soap is economically a great choice as it lasts a long time, and it is a wonderful option for your skin because it adds, not detracts, moisture. Ingredients such as olive oil, shea butter and avocado will do just that, nourish and protect skin during and after the shave. We’ve also added bentonite clay which brings slip to help the razor glide over the skin, and colloidal oats which help protect and soothe.

The Classic Shaving Soap has a warm woodsy scent with a hint of spice. This shaving soap is great for all skin types, but Classic’s blend of essential oils may assist those with oily skin.

The Rugged Shaving Soap has a fresh outdoors scent with a touch of citrus and a hint of woodsy spice. This shaving soap is also great for all skin types, but the blend of essential oils may benefit those with dry skin.

Shaving Bowl & Brush Set

Available in limited quantities, our hand crafted, wheel thrown ceramic shaving sets are a must have for those who love a traditional shave. They are a perfect compliment to our round Traditional Shaving Soaps and offer an eco-friendly option for storing and lathering up your soap.  Made specifically for AVNS by 5 Elements Clayworks, “each piece is hand crafted and therefore no 2 are ever identical. Even similar forms and same glaze combos used can yield different results based on the kiln atmosphere or clay batch used, so you can always look forward to a unique piece. While it is not intended for food use, all glazes are food safe and non-toxic.” 

The brush is made from a top quality synthetic nylon that gives a soft, luxurious brushing experience. Plus, as the fibers are synthetic it doesn’t shed nearly as much as many natural hair brushes. These brushes are by nature vegan and perfectly suited for men who are allergic to animal hair or badger hair. When using a synthetic brush, it’s good to know that you will also need about half of the amount of shaving cream or soap compared to an animal hair brush.

Directions For A Traditional Shave

– Use one of our Traditional Shaving Soaps in our wheel thrown ceramic shaving bowls & brushes.

– Wet your brush under running hot water and allow it adequate time to absorb water.

– Don‘t tap too much excess water off the brush, then lather up the soap using circular motions directly in a container or vessel of your choice. At first, the bubbles will appear large, but as you keep going, they will increase in number and become smaller. After a short while you should have achieved a thick, warm lather.

– Apply and massage the warm lather with the soaped brush evenly across your face in circular motions. This will also increase the lather‘s density, soften your whiskers, and allow them to stand up, allowing the razor to sit close to the base of the hair follicle. The longer you whisk, the richer the lather, the smoother the shave and the more your skin will be protected.

– Empty excess water from the soap container and leave it open so it can air-dry.

Man 2.0 Natural Shampoo, Body & Shaving Bar

For those who are looking for another option or a 3-in-1 bar, we have got you covered with the Man 2.0 Shampoo, Body, & Shaving Bar. Men (and women too), you now can have your soap, shampoo, and shaving cream too. Made with organic olive oil, organic shea nut butter, and organic jojoba oil for an ultra gentle, moisturizing treatment, as well as bentonite clay for slip and silk on your face when shaving, this deliciously scented shampoo bar lathers like crazy and will leave you looking, feeling, and smelling like a million bucks in a few short minutes.

Step 3 – Moisturize

And finally, last but not least, you want to make sure you are fortifying your skin post-shave with amazing moisturizer and hydration for soft, glowing, and healthy skin. A few options I recommend are:

For Mature & Dry Skin – Reset Beauty Oil

  • Do you love soft, radiant, glowing skin? Penetrating quickly, our luxurious Reset Beauty Oil will help hydrate and firm skin leaving it soft, radiant and glowing. Rich in antioxidants and fatty acids with remarkable absorbency, these ingredients are known to nourish, moisturize and improve skin elasticity, tone and texture, while reducing the appearance of age spots. Perfect for dry skin that needs extra hydration, especially in dry hot areas and during winter.

For Combination to Mature & Dry Skin – Moisture Rich Face Cream or 100% Pure Organic Argan Oil

  • Do you love only having one lotion to cover many facial needs? Then this is the lotion for you! Watch it nourish and revitalize skin around the eyes & mouth, see it naturally deliver rejuvenation for beautiful, radiant facial skin. 
  • 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.

For Oily to Combination Skin – Unrefined Jojoba Oil

  • Looking for an all natural body lotion that will leave your skin luminous and softly scented? Our pure, organic jojoba is the most natural way to moisturize both skin and hair. The benefits of jojoba are numerous and unparalleled. Jojoba is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing and easily absorbed into the skin, leaving no oily residue, making it the perfect massage oil. It is used to maintain skin elasticity and leaves skin literally glowing.

There that is a need for quality shaving products that not only provide the smoothest and cleanest shave, but that are also clean and safe for your skin, hormones, and the planet. Apple Valley Natural Soap saw the need and worked to create a truly on-brand solution that both men and women can use and enjoy. From exfoliation and shaving soaps, to post-shave moisturizers and oils, AVNS has what you need for a beautiful shave that your skin will thank you for.

What are some of your favorite shaving products? Maybe you have a favorite razor that you would like to share with us? Let us know in the comments below and lets start a conversation.

If you found this post interesting, learned something new, or think of someone who might enjoy reading it, please share this blog post with your family and friends. It means the world to us! You can also leave us a comment to let us know what you learned or share one of your favorite hair care or skin care tips with us. We would love to hear from you!

All my love and have a happy week,

Amanda

Go To Battle Against Acne With The Acne Battle Face & Body Bar By AVNS

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We all know someone who struggles with acne, or maybe it’s you yourself who has been fighting against it for years. I know that I personally spent most of my teenage years trying to clear, hide, and heal my acne and the scars left behind. It is nothing to be ashamed of, everyone can struggle with it to varying degrees, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying or make you feel any less self-conscious about it. Enter, the Acne Battle Face & Body bar from Apple Valley Natural Soap. This bar has been specially designed to help you win your fight with acne and give your skin the boost it needs to fight, win, and heal.

What Is Acne & What Causes It?

“Acne is a common skin condition that happens when hair follicles under the skin become clogged. Sebum—oil that helps keep skin from drying out—and dead skin cells plug the pores, which leads to outbreaks of lesions, commonly called pimples or zits. Most often, the outbreaks occur on the face but can also appear on the back, chest, and shoulders… For most people, acne tends to go away by the time they reach their thirties, but some people in their forties and fifties continue to have this skin problem.” There are different types of acne breakouts such as Whiteheads, Blackheads, Pimples, and Cystic Acne.

Acne can be the cause of different environmental and internal factors from the quality of the air and the water, the cleanliness of our clothes and bedding, to the things we eat and drink, plus the products we put on our skin. Acne can also be caused by buildup of dead skin, excess oil production, and the growth of bacteria in the pores. And finally emotional factors like stress and hormones can also cause acne.

Stock Your Acne Fighting Arsenal

What do we need in our “Anti-Acne Battle Kit” to fight this annoying skin condition? First of all, soft and filtered water to wash your face with will help to make sure your skin is getting the best water with no added chemicals, chlorine, or harsh effects. Second, a good acne fighting cleaning soap! Some like to do the double cleanse method with an oil based cleaner to get all of the makeup or dirt and grime off from the day, and then an acne fighting foaming cleanser or soap to wash off the oil cleanser and clean the face. (Believe it or not, but an oil based cleanser is not going to make your breakouts worse. It has been shown that an oil based cleanser can actually help to balance out the excess oil production in your acne-prone skin.) Third, you will want to have a clean towel or cloth to pat dry your face after it has been washed. You can either use a clean wash cloth or make-up removing cloth, or some people opt for the disposable dry towel to make sure there is no added bacteria being put back onto their skin. Next you will want a nice gentle toner, either a spray, or one you apply with your hands will work well (just make sure your hands are clean.) Now, there are a variety of other products you can add to your routine such as serums, creams, and gels, each with specific goals in mind. But most importantly, you will want to finish it all off with a good, high quality moisturizer that will put wonderful anti-acne ingredients into your skin and protect your skin for the day or night ahead.

Our Favorite Acne Fighting Products

Acne Battle Face & Body Bar

We have mentioned this a few times, but we have to start off with our star of the show, the Acne Battle Face & Body Bar by AVNS. Acne can happen anywhere on your body, not just on your face. So this bar does it all, use it to cleanse your face morning and night as well as to clean your body in the shower to help fight against back and chest acne. It has the oils to help remove dirt and grime, plus the foaming cleansing power to refresh and remove residue.

We formulated this antibacterial soap for acne with special weapons like organic neem oil, a powerful anti-bacterial oil known to be highly beneficial for battling epidermal conditions. (This is what gives our Acne Battle bar its unique, nutty scent.) 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; 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.

All Natural Facial Toner

Follow your cleanse and prep your skin for your serums and moisturizers with an all natural toner from AVNS!

Calming Toner: This faintly sweet, citrusy toner is great if you have oily/combination skin. Neroli hydrosol 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. The combination of the Papaya and Mango extracts increase enzyme activity and are attributed with soothing skin irritations and exfoliating dead cells. Papaya contains arginine, which is an amino acid that smoothes skin and aids in cell regeneration and Papain possesses anti-inflammatory properties.

Naturally Clear Skin Face Lotion

Wether you go straight from a toner to a moisturizer or have more steps in-between, we could not recommend your final step in your acne fighting skin care routine to be anything other than the Naturally Clear Skin Face Lotion by AVNS.

Our Naturally Clear Face Lotion is a favorite of teenagers and young adult’s alike for keeping skin clear and moisturized without weighing it down. What do we love about about this lotion? Naturally Clear contains ingredients known to help keep acne at bay while moisturizing & revitalizing skin. Our Naturally Clear lotion is applied morning and evening after gently cleansing facial skin with any of AVNS soaps for combination or oily skin.

Directions: Apply morning and evening after gently cleansing and toning skin.

Whether you yourself or someone you know is fighting against acne, we hope this blog post was informative, helpful, and hopefully introduced you to some new products and ideas to try out. For many of us, this is a battle that might take many years to win, but know that you are not alone. Acne is annoying and can eat away at your self confidence, but it is truly nothing to be ashamed of. Just remember, your skin and the acne on your skin does not define you. You are beautiful both inside and out, and none of the worlds standards of beauty could ever take that away. You are loved!

What are some of your favorite acne fighting tips and tricks? What other products do you love to use to fight acne on your face and/or body? Let us know in the comments below and lets start a conversation.

If you found this post interesting, learned something new, or think of someone who might enjoy reading it, please share this blog post with your family and friends. It means the world to us! You can also leave us a comment to let us know what you learned or share one of your favorite hair care or skin care tips with us. We would love to hear from you!

All my love and have a happy week,

Amanda

Sources:

https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/acne

Soaps Of The Summer

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Happy Summer everyone! I can’t believe it is finally here in all of its warm and sunny glory. Today I thought we should address a very important subject, soaps for the summer from Apple Valley Natural Soap. What are important things to look for in your summer soap bar? What are the best scents to have in a soap bar for summer? We will talk about all of that in this post and give you all the links you need to make shopping easy and make sure your home is stocked with only the best for the summer ahead.

Kitchen Salt & Spice Bar

The best selling Kitchen Salt & Spice Bar is an excellent choice for cleaning odors from hands with its rich, spicy, fabulous scent. It is Marianne’s favorite bar for the kitchen, especially after chopping onions or working with garlic or peppers. It has two odor-killing ingredients: coffee and anise essential oil. This bar is also my dads favorite for getting the dirt and grime off his hands after working outside or in the garage, he says there is nothing like it! 

“Whether you are a cooking enthusiast, a gardener, a fisherman, or a mechanic, this is what you’ve been looking for!“

Need exfoliation? Ground coffee beans and salt will do the trick to get off stubborn dirt. But you’ll also want to keep your hard working hands moisturized, softened, and protected, so we have packed this bar with loads of unrefined shea nut butter. European spa salt makes this bar antibacterial, rock hard, and long lasting. No more mushy soap by the kitchen sink. Really, there’s nothing not to love about this bar.

Limited Edition Gardeners Citrus Basil Bar

Back in time to take care of hard working green thumbs! The Gardener’s Citrus Basil Soap Bar is packed with ground apricot shells to effectively scrub off dirt and grime, black walnut powder for its antibacterial, antiviral, anti-parasitic, and anti-fungicide properties, plus moisturizing unrefined organic shea butter to keep your hands soft and silky.

Did you know that black walnut has rich levels of antioxidants and beneficial fatty acids can actually impact the health and appearance of skin? It has also been known to help clear up skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema, which makes black walnut a wonderful addition to this natural hand soap. You’ll also LOVE the warm, spicy essential oil blend of bergamot, basil, lemon, and grapefruit. The perfect bar for busy hands this summer!

“[I] gave this to friends who are always hard at work in the garden, all kinds of work maintaining [the] home and cleaning. They love how soft and moisturizing the lather is and how their skin feels. They said the scent lingers slightly on the skin later. Thank you AVNS, it’s a lovely bar for hardworking hands!!”

(Please Note: We make limited quantities of our Limited Edition soaps, so once they are sold out, they are gone for the season.)

Limited Edition Camping Shampoo & Body Bar

This one is for all you outdoorsy, adventuresome folks who like to go camping and fishing, but still want get an all over clean right there at the campsite. The Camping Shampoo & Body Bar will clean you from head to toe, is biodegradable and safe to use at campsites near bodies of water. Please note that I said “near” not in!  The “Leave No Trace” guidelines state that even with biodegradable soap, the earth is needed to filter the soapy water, so it is strongly recommended that you shower or wash up 200 feet away from any body of water. (Read more about LNT.) When you go camping with this bar, you can rest assured that you are using a product which is safe for the environment and good for you! Plus, as it’s also made with fantastic bug repelling essential oils, there’s the added benefit of an extra layer of protection from little pests.

“…I tent camp an average of two months a summer. Often in rustic campgrounds. Looking forward to testing this out next summer. Looking forward to seeing the results of the bug repellent capabilities!…Love your products!”

(Please Note: We make limited quantities of our Limited Edition soaps, so once they are sold out, they are gone for the season.)

Lavender Lemon Salt Bar

Lavender and lemon – a summer match made in heaven! Marianne loves this bar in the kitchen and the bathroom. Also, have you ever wondered if you can use a salt bar for a shampoo? Well, the answer is yes you can!
This salt bar, plus our Lavender Rosemary Salt Bar make a wonderful shampoo for those with itchy scalps who have tried everything under the sun – including a wide range of our products to alleviate the itch. Even some of our team members who periodically get itchy scalps, find relief with these 2 salt bars. (If you do choose to try a salt bar as a shampoo, try a sample or half bar first as this bar won’t be for everyone.)

“I have this bar in the bathroom and love everything about it. I have not found a soap at Apple Valley Natural Soap that I dont love, and really enjoy trying new ones. I will be purchasing this one again!”

Pink Lemonade Shampoo & Body Bar

Pink Lemonade, name one thing that says summer more than lemonade! This bar is for all pink lemonade and summer lovers. It is sweet, bright and a great choice for normal to oily hair. It features rose kaolin clay which keeps skin hydrated, detoxifies, increases circulation, encourages new cell growth and reduces inflammation and irritation. Along with the amazing base oils and butters, its lemony scent essential oil tops this bar off perfectly.

“Just the name alone caused me to order this one. Come on who doesn’t love pink lemonade. This is a summer hair must. I love it! The look, smell and lather of this one are superb. It’s also a must as a body bar too. This is another re-order pick for me!”

Wether you are looking for something sweet and citrusy or exfoliating and moisturizing, Apple Valley Natural Soap has all the bars for your summer. Summer is hot, sweet and a ton of fun so make sure you are stocked up on soap that will not only keep up with the demands of summer but add to your summer. And of course these bars only scratch the surface of what Apple Valley Natural Soap has to offer! Be sure to visit our website for not only summer staples but for fun products year round.

What are your favorite summer hair and skin care soap bars? What other products do you love during the summer? Let us know what you thought in the comments below and let’s start a conversation.

If you found this post interesting, learned something new, or think of someone who might enjoy reading it too, please share this blog post with your family and friends. It means the world to us! You can also leave us a comment to let us know what you learned or share one of your favorite hair care or skin care tips with us. We would love to hear from you!

All my love and have a happy week,

Amanda

3 Natural & Easy Product Swaps

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Have you ever looked around at your skin care, hair care, and general everyday products and think to yourself, “there has to be a better option out there than this.” Well, you’re not alone! Many people are starting to come to the realization that the products they use in their homes and on their skin and hair play a much bigger role in their health than they first thought. If you have ever lit a new candle from Target or Bath & Body Works and soon after started to get a headache, there is a good chance they are connected. Maybe you got a new bath bomb or soap bar from LUSH and the fragrance oil used in the product made your head spin or your skin broke out in a rash after you got out of the bath. Again, there is a very good chance there is a connection to be made here. There are countless other examples I could make here but you get my point, there are things in our home and every day products that can cause unpleasant and even serious health issues. In this blog we are going to talk about 3 natural and easy product swaps you can make so that no matter where you are at with your health and natural living journey, you can have peace of mind knowing you are using products that are safe for you and your family and better for the planet.

1. Bath Bombs

Let’s begin with a popular one, bath bombs. Ladies (and men), most of us can say there is nothing quite like a warm soak in the bath after a long week. And to make the experience more enjoyable, we can throw a lovely bath bomb in for fun colors and smells. Well, did you know that most bath bombs contain fake colors, fragrances, and other ingredients that are toxic for our bodies? And we’re sitting and soaking our bodies in that… no thank you! Instead, you can swap out your bath bombs from LUSH, Target, and Ulta for Natural Bath Bombs from Apple Valley Natural Soap.

Our luxurious natural bath bombs are crafted from high quality natural ingredients that are gentle and nourishing to the skin. Our ingredients help to moisturize and soothe the skin, leaving it feeling soft and smooth. 

Many bath bombs being sold today contain harsh ingredients, chemicals and synthetic fragrances that are toxic to the body. These harsh ingredients can disrupt hormones, cause skin irritation, and other health issues. By choosing our all natural bath bombs you will avoid exposing your skin to these harmful chemicals and enjoy a safer, more relaxing bathing experience. 

We have 4 different bath bombs to choose from, plus the option to purchase all 4 in a beautiful gift box at a 15% savings! Give a loved one the perfect gift! Each bath bomb purchase comes wrapped in a waxed paper and sealed with one of our labels. Your purchase will also come with a beautiful card which contains a description and the ingredients for our bath bombs. Try them all and have fun finding your favorites!

Our bath bombs contain a base of Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Epsom Salts & Shea Butter, plus the essential oils. We have 4 different essential oil scented bath bombs to choose from, Lavender Eucalyptus, Grapefruit Mint, Cedar-wood Lavender, and Fresh Citrus.

2. Liquid Soap & Refills with Reusable Soap Pump

This is one many of you might be familiar with at this point, but let’s explore! Liquid Soap is probably one of the most common items you will find in any household. One in each bathroom and some might even change out their soaps to fit the season. Floral scents for Spring, Citrus for Summer, Pumpkin or Apple Pie for Autumn and Balsam Fir or Spiced scents for Winter. And while this might sound nice, there are a few things we need to consider. First, most of the places you might purchase your hand soap from such as Target, the drug store, or Bath & Body Works, are single use plastics, meaning that once you run out of that soap, you just throw away the bottle and put a new one in its place. This is not sustainable and can be harmful for the wellbeing of our planet. Second, these soaps are full of fake fragrances, colors, and other additives that are made to look like they are more moisturizing or anti-bacterial. These ingredients are toxic for our bodies and if the average person washes their hands 9 times throughout the day, just think about how much of that toxic hand soap you are rubbing into your hands. And what about your kids? Their little bodies don’t need all of that nastiness on their sensitive skin.

So instead, you can opt for a natural liquid soap such as Apple Valley Natural Soap’s Liquid Castile or Liquid African Black Soap. Not only is this soap safe for your whole family, it also comes in eco-friendly bottles made from bamboo and sugarcane pulp, which are not only 100% recyclable, but also 98% landfill biodegradable. Take it a step further by adding a reusable soap pump or foaming soap bottle to your kitchen, bathrooms, and wherever else you keep hand soap. This way you can just refill your hand soap whenever you run out and have peace of mind knowing you are taking care of your skin and the planet.

Liquid Castile Soap:

We specifically created this liquid soap with Organic olive oil as the main star, and then added a few other oils to enhance the soaps versatility. By adding other gentle and moisturizing yet cleansing oils, this liquid soap is perfect for hands, face and body, plus it may even help with household cleaning!

Try our natural Castile soap for a nourishing and effective cleansing experience for your hands, face and body. Add you own essential oils for a custom scented cleanse! Our premium Castile type liquid soap’s main ingredient is organic virgin olive oil, which deeply penetrates the skin, moisturizing and nourishing while cleansing. We’ve also chosen to combine the olive oil with a rich blend of premium oils to create a thick and versatile soap with creamy lather, gently cleansing while moisturizing, leaving skin feeling soft and smooth. We offer 3 different non-toxic scent options, Unscented, Lavender, and Lemon Verbena.

African Black Soap:

You can also try our African Black Soap, rich in unrefined Shea Butter & beautifully crafted by families in Africa using only ingredients hand gathered in nature. 

African Black Soap which contains a high quantity of natural shea butter is said to be one of the healthiest soaps for all skin types due to the purity of the ingredients used during production. Handcrafted in small batches with ingredients hand gathered from nature, this soap is created by families who cook over open fires, and the “potash” used to finish the soap comes from the fire pits. This version has no added essential oils, but has a mild scent form the natural ingredients. We offer both Unscented and Peppermint scent options in our African Black Soap.

For both the Liquid Castile Soap and African Black Soap, use with one of our Soap Pump Tops for ease of convenience right out of the bottle! Or select one our of Foaming Soap Pumps by Full Circle made of recyclable glass and bamboo!

3. Essential Oils

Last but not least, let’s talk essential oils. Now, this one is a bit controversial but we are going to look at this from a healthy living and toxic-free home perspective.

Essential Oils are quite simply the oil that is extracted from plants found in nature. There are a bunch of natural benefits, plus essential oils have naturally occurring scents and they smell divine! They are an amazing option for those who are sensitive to strong fake fragrances that you would typically find in candles, soaps, cleaning products, etc. There are so many uses for essential oils but I will highlight a few of my favorite. First, they are an easy swap if you are sensitive to the artificial fragrances in candles, air fresheners, perfumes, etc. Swap out your Bath & Body Works products for a diffuser and lovely smelling essential oils! You can even have fun mixing and matching different oils in your defuser to create new blends. Second, swap out your hand and body soaps that are filled with artificial fragrances for Apple Valley Natural Soap’s amazing soaps that are scented with natural essential oils. Third, swap our your cleaning and home products for those harnessing the power of natural essential oils such as the previously mentioned and very versatile, Liquid Castile Soaps, which are great for household cleaning. Add your own essential oils to the Unscented Liquid Castile soap for a super easy, cost effective way to clean. Have some fun and DIY your own cleaning supplies, laundry soap, etc.

Need some additional help to start? Look no further! At Apple Valley Natural Soap, we have made it our mission to make sure our products are non-toxic and scented with natural essential oils or natural fragrances. Plus, we now offer Organic Essential Oils and Essential Oil Roll-ons.

Organic Essential Oils:

Our Certified Organic therapeutic essential oils have many benefits for all areas of life, from cleaning and skin care to aromatherapy and speeding illness recovery. Essential oils have been used for thousands of years for medicinal and health purposes, and they continue to gain popularity as a natural and safe way to treat health concerns. Essential oils are also a safe and effective way to assist with daily needs such as cleaning and body care.

Why Organic essential oils vs non-organic? Organic essential oils are of a higher quality, being produced using high-quality, organic plant material and processed using natural, non-toxic methods. By choosing organic essential oils, you are also supporting sustainable agriculture and methods that are better for the environment. This all means that the oils are more potent, effective, and beneficial.

We offer a variety of organic essential oils such as Organic Eucalyptus Blue Mallee, Organic Lavender, Organic Lemongrass, Organic Peppermint Supreme, Organic Tea Tree and MORE!

Essential Oil Roll-Ons:

Essential Oils when blended carefully create a synergy between their individual properties, which can greatly enhance the individual oils. Our blended essential oils are carried in Organic MCT coconut oil for easy application and perfect for when on the go. All our Essential Oils are 100% natural and pure, plus they are packaged in 10mL dark ultraviolet glass bottles which are designed to block all harmful visible light while beneficial UV and infrared rays extend the freshness of what’s held inside.

We offer 4 different essential oil blend options all designed to help specific needs such as Clarity, Immunity, Lavender (Relaxing), and Serenity. You can use these oils to help with specific needs as well as smelling amazing with a great alternative to perfume.

These are just 3 of MANY product swap ideas we could explore but I hope that this helps to give you a good place to start as you begin your product swap journey. There are things in our home and every day products that can cause unpleasant and even serious health issues. From LUSH to AVNS Natural Bath Bombs, Drug Store Hand Soap to AVNS Liquid Castile & African Black soap, and Bath & Body Works to Organic Essential Oils, these easy product swaps make sure that no matter where you are at with your health and natural living journey, you can have peace of mind knowing you are using products that are safe for you and your family and better for the planet.

Have you made some product swaps in your hair care, skin care, or home care? Do you have favorite or ride or die product swap? Tell us what they are and start a conversation in the comments!

If you found this post interesting, learned something new, or think of someone who might enjoy reading it too, please share this blog post with your family and friends. It means the world to us! You can also leave us a comment to let us know what you learned or share one of your favorite skin care tips with us. We would love to hear from you!

All my love and have a happy week,

Amanda

Best Salt Bar For Summer – Lime Spa Salt Bar

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Lime Spa Salt Bar

Our Lime Spa Salt bar was not only voted one of our best smelling soaps in 2021, it was also voted a customer favorite in 2022! But what makes this salt soap bar made with european spa salt and an intoxicating citrus essential blend such a raging success? That’s what we’re here to find out!

Why Use a Natural Soap? Especially During the Summer?

Around this time of year, you’ll probably start seeing a lot of big brand soaps hit the shelves that claim they are, “extra moisturizing” or are “made with argan oil for extra hydration.” But if you were to flip over that bottle and take a look at the entire list of ingredients you’d see that argan oil is only one ingredient in a long list of chemical ingredients you can’t even pronounce. Putting one drop of argan oil in a five ounce bottle is not the same as a 2 ounce bottle of pure, organic argan oil. 

Unlike mass produced soaps which are made with filler ingredients, Natural soaps are made with natural ingredients which oftentimes have additional benefits and run a lower risk of irritating sensitive skin. We work hard to make sure every ingredient we use in a product is contributing some sort of health benefit for better, more radiant skin. Natural, small batch soap is also more moisturizing, due to the natural ingredients used (the natural oils such as coconut and olive oils and natural butters such as cocoa and shea) and the way it is processed allows it to maintain a higher ratio of those oils in the final product. 

It is essential to have a soap that will moisturize your skin in the summer, especially if you spend a lot of time outside as the natural elements like sun and wind can really do a number on your skin’s health. 

Additionally, it is important to use a soap with antibacterial properties. Warm weather means sweat and warm, damp places are the perfect host for bacteria. Salt has natural antibacterial properties, you can read more about that in this blog!

Description of the Lime Spa Salt Bar

“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. French green clay helps tighten pores as well as remove 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!”

Ingredient Breakdown: 

Saponified oils of 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!

Saponified oils of 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. 

Saponified oils of castor bean

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

European Spa salt

Antibacterial and detoxifying, this pristine salt will clean skin and pull toxins from the skin for a refreshing experience!

French green clay

This clay is known for its gentle yet powerful ability to remove oils from skin while also exfoliating the skin.

Organic spirulina

Full of antioxidants and vitamins that keep skin supple and maintain elasticity, spirulina is an algae superfood!

Essential oils of lime and organic may chang

Not only a purely refreshing scent combination, the citrus essential oil is also a gentle chemical exfoliator!

Try it to Believe it!

I tried this bar for the first time after it placed so high as a customer favorite and I can definitely understand the hype!

Much Love,

Nora

5 Natural Healthy Snacks For Your Dog!

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Did you know that over 50% of American households have a feathered, finned or four-legged family member? That’s right! Our pets give us so much love every day, if only we had a day to recognize and appreciate them. Oh, wait…we do! National Pet Day was this Monday, but if you’re an animal lover like me every day is National Pet day and what better way to celebrate your pet than with a fun surprise for them? Did someone say TREATS?!

You can buy all kinds of treats for your pet at the pet store, but just like human treats, mass produced treats have tons of processed ingredients and sometimes even contain filler ingredients that don’t benefit your pet at all!

Treats made from natural ingredients not only taste fantastic, they’re also full of nutrients that benefit your pet from skin and coat health to a healthy digestive system! 

Today we’ve got five easy to make natural treats for your dog!

  1. Frozen Pumpkin Cubes

The perfect way to cool down on a hot day, all you have to do is spoon canned pumpkin into an ice cube tray and let them freeze solid. Pumpkin is full of vitamins and minerals and is also an excellent source of fiber for dogs, especially if they’re having tummy trouble!

Photo by Trang Doan on Pexels.com
  1. Fruit Salad

Yummy yummy yummy. Did you know dogs can eat fruit?! Even more so…lots of them enjoy it! Fruit provides a lot of the same benefits for dogs as it does humans. A couple slices of apple (make sure seeds are removed) for fiber, a couple slices of banana for potassium, and a few blueberries for antioxidants makes the perfect fruit cup! You can even upgrade it to a parfait by adding one to two spoonfuls of some plain greek yogurt…a fantastic source of calcium and probiotics. 

  1. Bone Broth Popsicle

A great snack for your senior pup, “The glucosamine, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid in bone broth are nutrients that support joint health and integrity.” (First Vet). All you have to do is pour the bone broth into an ice cube tray and get creative with what you use as a stick! You could try a longer dog biscuit, a Greenie or other dental chew, or even a carrot stick (some dogs love carrots)!

  1. Good Breath Dog Treat

This treat targets stinky breath and uses natural ingredients! The full recipe is from Cook Eat Go and utilizes breath freshening agents such as mint and parsley!

  1. Healthy Homemade Dog Treats

These dog treats are packed with nutrients to support your furry pal on all levels! Olive oil contributes healthy fats (Olive oil also makes great soap, just check out our Castile soaps for the “hoo-mans!”), wheat germ for soft silky coat, and eggs for protein…just to name a few of the ingredients and their benefits. Full recipe can be found here on Wholefully!

Supplementing your dog’s diet is an extremely important part of pet care…but so is maintaining your dog’s physical hygiene. While natural treats are a great way to go, did you know that you have natural options when it comes to your dog’s bath time too?? Our Natural Pet Shampoo contains skin soothing, coat strengthening oils like coconut oil and olive oil as well as an essential oil blend that smells great and works to repel pests like fleas and ticks!

Much Love,

Nora

Customer’s 5 Favorite Natural Soap Bars Of 2022

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These natural body bars were ranked at the top of the list!

I would like to take a moment to genuinely thank all of the people who took the time to complete our survey. I truly enjoyed going through the responses and reading the feedback that people left on why they love our soaps. I love many of the same things about these soaps and it warms my heart to be able to hear from all of you and knowing you care enough to put the time in to help us create this list.

Wildflowers Coconut Bar

Not on our list of best smelling body bars for 2021, but I honestly don’t know why not…since it has definitely become a staple soap in my shower!

“I love the scent of the wildflowers and the coconut is so nice on my dry skin!”

– Satisfied Customer

Enjoy our hard, long-lasting, super sudsy, uber moisturizing organic coconut oil body bars made with 100% organic coconut oil and nothing else. If you’ve never tried one of these—well, you haven’t really lived. What is the Wildflowers Coconut Bar like? Softly sweet, floral, and feminine.

Ingredients: saponified organic coconut oil and essential oils of lavender, sweet orange, bitter orange, cedar leaf, cinnamon leaf, fragrance.

Lime Spa Salt Bar

This salt bar was voted 4th best smelling soap in 2021! And customers who love this bar would agree!

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, but our salt bars are absolutely lovely and make for a amazing spa day product!

“Scent is like taking a vacation in the shower and the texture is absolutely luxurious”

– Satisfied Customer

Honey Carrot and Tangerine Face and Body Bar

Is anyone surprised that this bar made the list? Voted 2nd best smelling soap, it’s kinda a no-brainer. Like everyone, I LOVE the scent of this bar, but also the wonders it works on my face!

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.

“I have rosacea it’s AMAZINGLY gentle on my face, but still leaves it clean”

– Satisfied Customer

Lavender Rosemary Salt Bar

People love this bar for its amazing smell and long lasting quality!

Lavender and Rosemary, what’s not to love with this scent profile? Floral and herbaceous, like a walk through the garden.

A multipurpose, brimming with goodness, HUGE salt bar!

Also, have you ever wondered if you can use a salt bar for a shampoo?

Well, the answer is yes you can!

This salt bar, plus our Lavender Lemon Salt bar make a wonderful shampoo for those with itchy scalps who have tried everything under the sun (including a wide range of our products) to alleviate the itch. Even some of our team members who periodically get itchy scalps, find relief with these 2 salt bars. If you do choose to try a salt bar as a shampoo, try a sample or half bar first as this bar won’t be for everyone. If you have a lot of hair, you may find that it doesn’t lather as much as our regular shampoo bars. A suggestion for this to still get the anti itch benefits from the salt bar, but also get a rich lather, is to use the salt bar gently against the scalp and lather as much as possible, do not rinse but follow with a shampoo bar. Use the shampoo bar until you have a think lather and then rinse with water. Follow with an acidic rinse if needed.

Giant bars of long lasting beauty. If you haven’t tried a sink salt bar, you haven’t lived.

Ingredients: saponified oils of organic coconut, organic shea nut butter, and castor bean, European spa salt, and essential oils of lavender and rosemary.

Black Licorice Hand Face and Body Soap

My favorite body bar!

Our Black Licorice Hand, Foot & Body Soap is a natural bar created for black licorice lovers only!

The release of this fantastic soap is our first nod to the change of seasons and cooler months. This amazing black licorice soap is for those who simply just LOVE the scent of black licorice. Brace yourself for an incredible licorice scent along with a satisfying exfoliation experience from the black walnut hull powder (which also gives it the dark coloring). Licorice root not only smells great, but has many health benefits. The herb is used directly on the skin to help with eczema, skin rashes, psoriasis, and itchy, dry skin. Black walnut is also regarded to be useful in the treatment of skin diseases and complaints such as eczema, ringworm, athlete’s foot etc. It’s long been used as a natural remedy for acne, canker sores, psoriasis and other fungal infections.

There’s nothing like it on the planet!

Ingredients: saponified oils of organic coconut, organic sustainable palm, organic olive, organic sunflower, unrefined organic shea nut butter, castor bean, non-gmo licorice root, organic black walnut hull powder, rosemary oil extract, and star anise essential oil.

“I have dry skin and very dry hair (yes, I use this on my hair) and it leaves both soft and silky. Hands down the best cleanser I have ever used on my hair (even if it is too superfatted for most people).”

– Satisfied Customer

See what happened when I used this bar on my hair!

Popular 2nd Favorites!

Honey Carrot and Tangerine were both extremely popular again, but we also had some new soaps take the spotlight!

Lavender Lemon Salt Soap Bar

Lavender and lemon. A match made in heaven. I love this bar in the kitchen and the bathroom. And the living room and the family room and the bedroom and the…

Giant bars of long lasting beauty. If you haven’t tried a sink salt bar, you haven’t lived.

Ingredients: saponified oils of organic coconut, organic shea nut butter, and castor bean, European spa salt, and essential oils of lavender and lemon.

“This bar has a nice, refreshing springtime scent which is amazing and wonderful to have especially during the long winter months in Minnesota. The scent in your kitchen and on your hands is calm and up-lifting.”

– Satisfied Customer

Cocoa Butter and Vanilla Bean Face and Body Bar

Voted best smelling body bar in 2021. People love this face soap for its scent!

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.

Kitchen Salt And Spice Bar

“First, it smells wonderful. Second, it really does remove smells from garlic and onion from your hands. Third, and unexpected surprise: it took beet juice stain off my hands, and a spot of spilled tomato sauce from fabric. I can’t wait to keep testing this on mystery spots in the laundry!”

– Satisfied Customer

This bar is an excellent choice for cleaning odors from hands with its rich, spicy, fabulous scent. It’s my favorite bar for the kitchen, especially after chopping onions or working with garlic or peppers. It has two odor-killing ingredients: coffee and anise essential oil. Whether you are a gardener, a fisherman, or a mechanic, this is what you’ve been looking for.

Need exfoliation? Ground coffee beans and salt will do the trick to get off stubborn dirt. But you’ll also want to keep your hard working hands moisturized, softened, and protected, so we’ve packed this bar with loads of unrefined shea nut butter. European spa salt makes this bar antibacterial, rock hard, and long lasting. No more mushy soap by the kitchen sink. Really, there’s nothing not to love about this bar.

Ginormous 8-9 ounce bars.

Ingredients: saponified oils of organic coconut, organic shea nut butter, and castor bean, european spa salt, organic coffee, organic coffee grounds, and essential oils of anise, cinnamon leaf, cassia, organic may chang, lemon, organic eucalyptus, organic rosemary, ginger, and clove.

Chocolate Orange Body Bar

People love the orange and chocolate combination! It’s a reason to look forward to winter when this bar hits the shelves again!

Loads of organic cocoa butter (almost 50%!) give this bar its dreamy, creamy feel on the skin and its rich, chocolatey scent. Sweet orange essential oil adds that luscious twist of heaven. Don’t miss this special edition bar.

Some of the wonderful benefits from the ingredients in this tantalizing soap:

  • Cocoa Butter is readily absorbed by your skin for superb moisturizing, as well as a great antioxidant to protect the health and youthful appearance of skin.
  • Coconut oil which is a super-oil full of naturally present antioxidants, it is an excellent anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. 
  • Olive oil which is packed with anti-aging antioxidants and hydrating squalene, making it superb for hair, skin, and nails.
  • Sunflower oil helps the skin retain moisture and is very high in vitamin E, an antioxidant which helps to protect the skin from environmental stressors.

Ingredients: saponified oils of organic cocoa butter, organic sunflower, sweet almond, organic coconut, organic olive, and castor bean, rosemary oil extract, organic cocoa powder, sweet orange essential oil, and mica glitter.

I definitely have to give the Lime Spa Salt Bar and the Kitchen Salt and Spice Bar a try! Which bars do you need to try next?!

Much Love,

Nora

New Products & Updates

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Give the Gift of Handcrafted Soap!

If you’re new to Apple Valley Natural Soap, welcome! As a small, online shop we take pride in creating custom natural products at quality prices that customers love. You’ve found this blog and/or our website at just the right time. Apple Valley Natural Soap products make for unique holiday and hostess gifts and we have a fantastic sale right around the corner! 

If you’re a loyal AVNS customer or blog reader, welcome back! This newsletter is full of info on our latest releases and upcoming events that I knew you’d want to know about. We’ve got some really exciting products on the shelf right now that you or a loved one needs to try!

New Products!

Signature Skin Collection

We’ve just released our first product in our new line of handcrafted skincare products! Marianne has been perfecting this line of products made with natural ingredients that work to bring your skin to perfection from any state! Keep on eye out for more products to follow.

Facial Toners

Our renewing natural facial toners are made from organic hydrosols and natural extracts. From our supplier of hydrosols; “We source only the finest quality organic hydrosols from highly regarded suppliers from around the world….A hydrosol is the aromatic water remaining after producing an essential oil via steam distillation. Steam distillation results in two complementary products – the essential oil and the hydrosol. When the plant material is brewed with water in the cooker, steam fills the pot, and as it rises, causing the plant’s glands to release its oils and essence into the steam. The aromatic water that was steamed with the original plant material is referred to as a “hydrosol”, which is like a much less concentrated essential oil. During this distillation process, the plant matter actually imparts the hydrosol with the water-soluble aromatic and therapeutic properties of the plant. They contain the essence of the plant in every drop, just like essential oils, but in a milder form.”

Hydrosols make fabulous ingredients for facial toners. Why? When you wash your face with cold process soap (which is slightly alkaline) and following 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. To these hydrosols we’ve added some amazing natural extracts which boost the skins ability to regenerate through enzyme and antioxidant activity.

Why is a toner needed in a skincare routine? 

A toner has multiple benefits for your skin and plays an important role in your skincare routine. A good toner can act on several levels adding and retaining moisture in the skin, gently exfoliating the skin for a bright fresh, clean look, and soothing the skin for a calm complexion!

Calming Toner – Organic Neroli (orange blossom) hydrosol, Papaya (Carica papaya) fruit extract, Mango (Manifera indica) fruit extract, Radish root (Leuconostoc) ferment.

This faintly sweet, floral, and citrusy toner is great if you have oily/combination skin. Neroli hydrosol 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. The combination of the Papaya and Mango extracts increase enzyme activity and are attributed with soothing skin irritations and exfoliating dead cells. Papaya contains arginine, which is an amino acid that smoothes skin and aids in cell regeneration and Papain possesses anti-inflammatory properties.

Restorative Toner – Organic Rose Otto (Rosa damascena) hydrosol, Glycerin, Rose Otto (Rosa damascene) petal cell extract, Radish root (Leuconostoc) ferment.

This very hydrating toner nourishes skin health and helps restore skin’s radiance, beauty and youthfulness. Rose hydrosol* 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 hydrosol from organic roses rejuvenates, hydrates, softens, and if used over time, can help reduce facial lines and wrinkles. 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. 

Rose extract also comes from the Rose Otto (Rosa damascene). It is extracted from the petals of rose flowers and contains over three hundred different compounds which not only help with premature aging, but also benefit skin in many other ways; anti-inflammatory, great for sensitive skin, treats redness and irritation, contains high amounts of Vitamin C, known to aid skins natural sun protection, promotion of good skin tone as well as improvement of skins elasticity. Plus let’s not forget about the wonderful aroma which is a known as a mood enhancer.

*Rose Hydrosol is often referred to as Rosewater or Rose Floral Water but is actually a different product. Where Rose Hydrosol is the distillation of rose essential oil made with fresh-picked fresh rose petals and contains the essence of the plant in every drop. A flower water or rosewater, by contrast, is water that has been scented using essential oils. In addition, rose water will typically have additives that rose hydrosol will not.

To use – After gently cleansing skin morning and evening, mist evenly onto the face, neck and décolletage and allow to dry. Follow with moisturizer or facial oil like our Organic Moroccan Argan Oil. The moisturizer/oil will lock in the toner, leaving your skin soft and glowing.

Liquid Soaps

We released our liquid Castile soap line several months ago, and we are adding two new varieties to the collection! One is limited edition so get it while you can!

Unscented Liquid Castile Soap

Our premium Castile type liquid soap’s main ingredient is organic virgin olive oil, which deeply penetrates the skin, moisturizing and nourishing while cleansing. We’ve also chosen to combine the olive oil with a rich blend of premium oils to create a thick and versatile soap with creamy lather, gently cleansing while moisturizing, leaving skin feeling soft and smooth. 

Try our natural Castile soap for a nourishing and effective cleansing experience for your hands, face and body.

For hands and face; fill one of our hand thrown ceramic soap pumps for everyday use by the sink, or dilute this soap with water and fill a foaming soap pump.

For body; use in the shower or bath as a rich and cleansing, yet gentle body wash. Some even love using it as a shampoo!

For the household; dilute with water and use it to rinse food, clean dishes, mop, wash your dog, as well as your laundry.

Made with all natural and organic ingredients, the uses are endless.

As with all our other soaps, this liquid soap is cruelty-free, synthetic-free, petroleum-free, free from sulfates, parabens, artificial colors and phthalates.

Ingredients: purified water, saponified oils of organic extra virgin olive, castor, organic coconut, organic unrefined shea butter, organic jojoba. Mediterranean Sea salt.

Spirit of Christmas Liquid Castile Soap

Relax into the aroma of Christmas, with warm spice notes from classic cedarwood, cozy cinnamon and clove, infused with a touch of sweet orange and vanilla. Our Limited Edition ‘Spirit of Christmas’ premium Castile type liquid soap is a wonderful festive scent for this Holiday season! 

Ingredients: purified water, saponified oils of organic extra virgin olive, castor, organic coconut, organic unrefined shea butter, organic jojoba. Mediterranean Sea salt. Essential oils of cedarwood atlas, sweet orange, cinnamon leaf, clove bud and vanilla dark.

Recent Releases

Limited Editions

Our Christmas and Fall Limited Edition Soaps are out now and won’t last long! This is also your chance to grab our WILDLY POPULAR Winter Skin Saver (the first batch sold out in just four hours). 

Re-stocked

Shaving bowls and Brush Sets

Restocked just in time for your stocking! We’re adding new shaving bowls and brush sets to our store. These timeless clay and wood pieces look elegantly classic in any bathroom as opposed to plastic and aluminium cans. 

Candles

Our candles are going to hit the shelves any day, they go quick so keep an eye out!

New Website Updates!

We are always working to make the AVNS website the most convenient, pleasant experience it can be for our customers. We don’t have a physical shop, so we want our website to feel like a welcoming and personable place to be! We are so excited to offer a new option at checkout called EcoCart. You can choose to add a small amount of money to your order and that amount goes toward offsetting your carbon footprint! One of our main goals as a natural soap company is to leave as small a trace as possible, which is why we work hard to create reusable and recyclable packaging…and we are so pumped for this neat, online addition!

Thanksgiving Sale!

Keep an eye out for our fantastic Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale! Details will be on social media and in our newsletter!

Pop-up Shop!

WE ARE SO EXCITED! Our products will be available at a pop-up shop coming soon! Check out our retail location list to see if our products are coming to you anytime soon!

Collective Grace

(Pop-Up Shop)

20784 Holyoke Ave

Lakeville, MN 55044

(612) 840-8664

https://www.facebook.com/collectivegrace

Nov. 18-20 | Nov. 27 (Small Business Saturday) | Dec. 2-4

Hours:

Thursdays 10-6

Fridays 10-4

Saturdays 10-4

You Know What To Do!

Do not wait to do your Christmas shopping until the last minute, take advantage of these deals and order now and during the sale so that you get everything shipped to you in time for Christmas!

Much Love,

Nora