Soaps for Eczema and Other Skin Conditions

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Please note that although the natural soaps mentioned in this blog have worked wonders for many customers, none of them are intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease. 

The Benefits of Natural Soap

Dealing with skin conditions like eczema, acne, rashes, or even sensitive skin? Not a fan of expensive lotions, extensive skincare routines, and acne-kits that burn your face and bleach your towels? Try starting with a bar of natural soap. Natural soap is not a guaranteed miracle cure, but its unique composition and nature of ingredients has benefits that many of our customers agree have brought relief to skin conditions from acne to eczema. How is this possible? Natural soap is made in such a way that it retains moisturizing elements. Unlike many mass produced bar soaps, natural soaps clean your skin while also imparting additional hydration and moisture which helps soothe and strengthen skin. Natural soap is made with natural ingredients, the basic components of which are less likely to aggravate problematic skin. Natural ingredients also have so many natural vitamins and minerals that benefit your skin and keep it clean and clear! This combination of hydration and natural nourishment makes natural soap a wonderful starting point for skin conditions at a great price! 

This week I’ll go over some very common skin conditions that many people deal with. I’ve also pulled some of our top soap bars that have time and time again helped with customer’s biggest skin issues!

Eczema

Eczema can wreak havoc on the quality and appearance of your skin. Discoloration, dryness, bumpy or scaly texture, itchiness, and sensitivity are all symptoms that may accompany eczema. Eczema is caused by a gene variation that causes skin to be unable to retain moisture and keep bacteria and irritants out. Eczema often precedes asthma and can also be triggered by food allergies, especially in children. There is no cure for this condition, but supplying skin with moisture can help relieve symptoms.

Acne

Acne surfaces when your skin is clogged with oil and bacteria. Acne can range from mild whitehead and blackheads to deep cystic acne. Acne can be difficult to prevent, since there are so many factors that cause acne. Diet, hormones, and day to day contact with surfaces are all reasons why you might have acne. Over the counter acne remedies are expensive, only work short term and can oftentimes aggravate the skin further. Check out a great, natural acne routine here!

Sensitive Skin

Having sensitive skin varies incredibly from person to person. Sensitive skin is any skin that is abnormally prone to a reaction of some sort. Acne, rashes, dryness, and discoloration can all be the results of sensitive skin. Many people with sensitive skin have to be extra careful about what skin products they use because certain detergents, dyes, and fragrances can easily cause the skin to react. Finding products that work best for your skin is the easiest way to combat sensitive skin, but the road to finding those products may not be easy or enjoyable!

Calendula Castile

Uniquely formulated with organic virgin olive oil and calendula, this simple bar has been a wild success for many customers and is a huge hit with the babies!

“I had developed flaking skin around my nose and on my cheeks. probably an allergy. After using this soap for about 10 days, that condition is nearly gone. A wonderful product, would recommend it to anyone who has sensitive skin. Will buy it again.”

“I just love this bar of soap. It makes my 9-month-old’s skin soft and clean. He had a spot of diaper rash on his bum that was stubbornly hanging around and this soap moisturized it and helped it to heal. Hooray! It cleans us all up quite nicely and doesn’t leave behind any scent. I am all for simple when it comes to products that I use on my kids. Basically, I have tried to limit the things I put on their bodies and only use edible ingredients. Not that we *would* eat soap, but the ingredients are pretty simple nonetheless :-).”

“I use this bar on my daughter who has eczema, it is so mild and soothing for her skin. I use it on my 9 month old too. It feels good knowing that I am using something natural on their sensitive skin. Love all the products from Apple Valley Natural Soaps.”

Acne Battle Face and Body Bar

Neem oil, clay, and oats make this bar a powerful tool in combating bacteria, impurities, and build-up. 

“I have dealt with cystic acne on my chin for the past 15 years. It was so deep that nothing could quite go deep enough into the skin layers to deal with the inflammation, and the top layers of skin were thicker in the acne spots. Since using these soaps for the past 6 weeks as well as a exfoliator 2 times a week and tea tree oil applied each time, and It seems the layers of skin have been able to soften and bring up the cysts. 4 of the spots have healed completely already and 2 more are beginning to reduce and are much less inflamed. My skin overall is smoother and more even in skin tone. My skin’s moisture level seems much better balanced as well. I am looking forward to my chin being healed completely in the coming weeks. Thanks Apple Valley.”

“I just received my second order of acne battle bar. First off, the shipping is extremely speedy and the customer service is great. Second, the soap itself lasts a very long time. Third, it really does the job (just be patient and give it time) to heal your acne, cleanse your face and leave you feeling extremely refreshed afterwards. With acne there are no quick fixes but this soap has a combination of detoxing and cleansing ingredients that work extremely well. The neem oil (Indian plant that is known to be a purifier) is a nice touch that is hard to find in many western products. Try this soap out, I’ve recommended it to many friends and I’ll be buying this stuff for years. I can’t imagine using any other kind of soap. Thanks so much Apple Valley!”

“Ok I am 40 with seriously oily skin that is constantly broken out. Been dealing with this since I was in 4th grade. I try everything on the market just to see. I spend 150.00 a month on really expensive cleansing cream and acne cream to help. The routine was ok but I still had enough acne I would not go out without makeup on. My daughter (16) told me about the shampoo bars and I decided to try this acne bar. Again I try everything for this problem. I can’t believe my results. I was so worried it would make my acne worse but it has been a lifesaver. I am saving so much money. It’s so simple, one product. My face has just a few and I mean few small pimples. It isn’t dried out. I have yet to use an acne cream with it. And I can go without makeup because you really can’t even see the few pimples I do have! I could cry I am soooo happy. All my life dealing with this problem and this simple bar has taken care of my wreck of a face and turned it into something I can let the world see without embarrassment! If you have problems you really got to try it. It took only three days to notice a difference. I have used this now for two months. The only time I break out is well we all know. But even then it isn’t bad. I can’t say enough how wonderful this is”

Unscented Coconut Bar

Just pure coconut. Moisturizing and cleansing!

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

“I was plagued with eczema and numerous cysts that kept appearing and I had no answers from my doctors. Nothing was helping and I was so miserable. I searched and searched for a soap that was natural, scent free and made of only coconut. Natural coconut has antibacterial and antifungal properties that are so good for your skin. This soap leaves your skin soft and clean without that tacky soap feeling. I am happy to say my eczema and cysts went away within a week and have not been plagued with it since. I love this soap. Please do not stop carrying this product. It is the best I have found on the market.”

More Soaps That Could Change your Life

The following soaps have been reviewed continually for their skin-improving abilities! Feel free to read through the reviews for yourself!

Honey Carrot and Tangerine Face and Body Bar

Basil and Lemongrass Salt Bar

Cocoa Butter and Vanilla Bean Face and Body Bar

Charcoal Detox Face and Body Bar

Much Love,

Nora

Natural Products For Sensitive Skin

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Do You Have Sensitive Skin?

I embrace my sensitive skin!

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

What is Sensitive Skin?

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

Sensitive Skin Face Wash

Best Face Wash For Dry, Easily Irritated Skin

Unscented Coconut Bar

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

Ingredients: saponified organic coconut oil. No added scent.

Does it work?

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

– Happy Customer

Best for Sensitive Baby Skin and Sensitive Mature Skin

Calendula Castile Bar

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

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

Does it work?

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

-Happy Customer

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

-Happy Customer

Best Face Wash For Acne-prone Skin

Acne Battle Face and Body Bar

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

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

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

Does it Work?

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

-Happy Customer

Sensitive Skin Body Wash

Cocoa Butter and Vanilla Bean Face and Body Bar

Moisturizing for dry skin.

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

Does it Work?

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

-Happy Customer

Sensitive Skin Moisturizers

Moroccan Argan Oil

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

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

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

Lavender Lotion Bar with Jojoba Oil

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

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

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

Natural Deodorant Creme For Sensitive Skin

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

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

Made with safe, natural ingredients you can trust:

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

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

Does it Work?

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

-Happy Customer

Sensitive Skin Solved

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

Much Love,

Nora

An All-Natural Acne Skin-Care Routine That Works

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A skincare routine for your teens, 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond!

Having acne isn’t easy, it’s painful and deemed by society to be utterly embarrassing. Even if you’re on the warpath to defeating acne…those stinky, burning, drying prescription medications and specialized “acne kits” marketed and curated to cure acne can oftentimes do nothing for your skin and make the problem even worse. 

What if there was a natural and effective skin-care routine for acne that actually worked? Well, according to countless customer testimonies and some carefully formulated products, we may have found a solution for your skin whether you’re a teen or an adult.

Adult Acne

Acne as a teenager is common, but for some reason we are led to believe that once you hit those magic twenties all your acne vanishes (cue hitting a giant red button that says “WRONG!”). If you’re like me, you’ve probably realized that this isn’t the case and that acne could even be a lifelong struggle. 

Lifestyle Causes of Acne

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Even the most perfect skin-care routine in the entire world won’t cure your acne if there are external causes or habits contributing to acne. There are many factors that can lead to acne…from diet to what you wash your face with and it varies from person to person. Acne is often the visible reaction of your skin fighting bacteria. Paying attention to what you’re doing when you notice acne show up can help you prevent future acne flare-ups. Here are some common causes of acne that I have noticed in my day to day life that are mostly related to spreading bacteria to my face.

  • Constantly touching your face
    • Your hands pick up bacteria everywhere and every time you touch your face it transfers.
  • Not keeping nails short enough
    • Maybe having long nails works for you as a reminder not to touch your face, but since I am already a habitual face-toucher I try to keep my nails short so that the amount of bacteria that can linger and fester under my nails is limited
  • Not Routinely keeping phone or laptop clean 
    • Your phone and laptop are breeding grounds for bacteria because you touch them with your hands constantly and then you either touch your face or hold your phone up to your face…allowing those germs to travel!
  • Not changing your pillowcases often enough
    • Your pillowcase is your face’s main landing pad and that grime accumulates over the course of even a week.
  • Not drinking enough water

3 Step Natural Skin Care Routine For Acne

Once you’ve started combating the acne causing obstacles in your life, you’ll need a skin-care routine that takes care of the rest. Our recommended 3 step acne routine includes a natural cleanser, a natural hydrosol toner, and a natural moisturizer.

Natural Cleanser: Acne Battle Bar

Just wet your face with warm water, lather this soap bar all over your face and other acne problem areas, rinse with warm water, and pat dry with a clean cloth

This antibacterial soap was formulated for acne and contains a list of powerful natural ingredients and was created to be used on oily, dry and combination skin.

Organic neem oil: a powerful anti-bacterial oil known to be highly beneficial for battling epidermal conditions. 

Olive, grapeseed and jojoba oil: These oils 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

Essential oils like tea tree and lavender: are known for their anti-bacterial, antiseptic properties.

Customer Reviews

You’ve heard me say it before and I’ll say it again: honest customer reviews are the best way to evaluate whether a product may work for you. What I love about these reviews is that they offer honest dimension and are an example of how this bar works off the page. Yes, some customers only need this bar, some may use this bar in conjunction with other natural products to see the best results, some must use it for a longer period of time to let their skin adjust to the new routine!

“I swear by this bar! I am not someone who battles with acne on a daily basis but I use this bar to help prevent the occasional blemish! I’m on my 4th bar and will never try anything else!”

-Happy Customer

“I bought Acne Battle and Charcoal Detox soap and use both twice daily. I have dealt with cystic acne on my chin for the past 15 years. It was so deep that nothing could quite go deep enough into the skin layers to deal with the inflammation, and the top layers of skin were thicker in the acne spots. Since using these soaps for the past 6 weeks as well as a exfoliator 2 times a week and tea tree oil applied each time, and It seems the layers of skin have been able to soften and bring up the cysts. 4 of the spots have healed completely already and 2 more are beginning to reduce and are much less inflamed. My skin overall is smoother and more even in skin tone. My skin’s moisture level seems much better balanced as well. I am looking forward to my chin being healed completely in the coming weeks. Thanks Apple Valley.”

-Happy Customer

“I have been dealing with acne for MANY years. I’ve been on several different prescription and non-prescription treatments. I’m really liking the Acne Battle Bar. I started with a sample, and I’ve since ordered a full bar. The smell isn’t great, but it’s not an issue for me. It lathers well even with my hard water. As I’ve gotten older, my skin has gotten more sensitive. Also, I live up north. As the temperatures drop, my oily skin becomes dry. The Acne Battle Bar definitely agrees with my skin. Some reviewers have seen immediate or remarkable results. Unfortunately, I have not. I still have some pimples, but I believe they’re smaller and are healing more quickly than they used to. Plus, my goal was to get off ProActiv. I have accomplished that and me and my skin are both happy!”

-Happy Customer

Natural Toner: Neroli hydrosol 

You can spritz this toner directly on your face, or saturate a cotton round and then gently apply it to your face or affected area.

This hydrosol is made from orange blossoms – faintly sweet, floral, and citrusy. This toner is perfect for oily skin.

Neroli hydrosol also contains alpha hydroxy acids which help exfoliate the skin, and is anti-inflammatory so helps soothe and calm skin inflammation like acne, eczema etc. It is also antibacterial, which is another reason it’s great for treating acne, plus is highly astringent (works to dry bacteria), as well as rich in vitamin C…an antioxidant that protects against free radicals, combats fine lines and wrinkles, and encourages supple skin.

Natural Moisturizer: Jojoba Oil, Argan Oil, or Hemp oil

Just a few drops to a pump of one of these oils will go a long way when applied to your face. 

Each oil has countless benefits so knowing your skin type will help you determine which oil works best for you!

Jojoba Oil

This Oil Works Best For: Everyday use for every skin type and oily skin.

Mimicking natural healthy skin oil, jojoba won’t clog your pores. The benefits of jojoba are numerous and unparalleled. Jojoba is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing and easily absorbed into the skin, leaving no oily residue. It is used to maintain skin elasticity and leaves skin literally glowing. You can use jojoba to remove makeup, combat conditions like athlete’s foot, dandruff, eczema, skin bacteria and other skin infections. To read more about the wonders of Jojoba oil for hair click here!

Argan Oil

This Oil Works Best For: Dry skin, mature skin, and hair 

Argan oil is a 0 on the comedogenic scale, which means it is unlikely to clog pores. Argan oil is high in something called oleic acid and even though it’s still considered a “dry” oil, meaning it won’t leave an oily residue and will absorb quickly, it’s an oil which will keep the skin moisturized, help battle the loss of elasticity and reduce inflammation. Oleic acid adds a richness to oils, making argan oil an excellent deep moisturizer. 

I have used our Organic Moroccan Argan Oil to spot treat minor acne and acne scabs with great success. I usually dab a tiny bit right on the spot before bed and when I wake up I feel like crustiness, redness, and visibility of my acne is reduced.

CBD Hemp Facial Oil

This Oil Works Best For: Every skin type including oily, acne-prone skin

Our organic Hemp Facial Oil is a great place to start when exploring CBD products, this core product is a must for so many reasons (see below) and contains 400mg of CBD Isolate in each bottle.

Hemp Seed oil is perfect for most skin types as it can moisturize without clogging pores. It can even help to balance out oily skin, hydrating it and regulating the skin’s oil production. Hemp seed oil is made from the organic cold-pressed and unrefined seeds of the Cannabis sativa (hemp) plant.

Some benefits of our Hemp Facial Oil:

  • CBD Oil may help keep skin soft and supple.
  • CBD oil may Treat acne due to its anti-bacterial properties, and its ability to calm skin and reduce sebum production. Since hemp seed oil is another ‘dry’ oil with its light and thin consistency, it helps tighten, tone and firm skin. Its astringent properties help minimize large pores that secrete excess sebum which causes greasy skin, blackheads and pimples.
  • Nourishing and moisturizing. Hemp oil makes a great moisturizer because it has a comedogenic rating of 0, and our other acne preventing favorite Jojoba oil is a 2. Argan oil is also a 0.
  • Dramatically decreases skin dryness to alleviate itching and irritation. It also relieves common skin conditions such as bug bites, infections, scrapes and wounds.CBD oil may soothe sensitive skin, and studies indicate that it may even be able to help inhibit certain triggers of disorders like psoriasis and improve eczema-prone skin.

Did You Know?

Our Acne Battle Bar isn’t the only facial bar our customers love, you can check out our full range of natural skincare products and facial bars! If you have an AVNS skincare routine you swear by we want to hear about it! let us know which products you use in the comments!

Much Love,

Nora

How My Acne Made Me Beautiful: The Natural Way to Help Cure Acne

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I let acne define my beauty

As a teenager I spent a lot of time reassuring myself that when I was in my twenties I’d finally be beautiful. I’m not exactly sure how this hopeful and destructive mantra worked its way into my head, but I’m guessing it had something to do with my belief that acne problems disappeared when you became an adult. When I decided I wanted to write a blog about acne I wanted to include photo evidence of my own acne battle, as proof of the struggle that was most definitely real.

Taken on a camping trip in Ely circa 2015. Where are your favorite camping spots?

So for you, dear Reader, I made the long and arduous trek through my Facebook photos: a timeline of my most awkward and embarrassing years documented by photos posted with careless enthusiasm by a younger me.

I scanned every photo of myself, searching for the tell-tale traces of a bumpy forehead or a crusty, make-up coved chin spot…and came up empty. As expected, the girl on my Facebook is a total goofball (see grainy photo on the left), but unexpectedly, she’s virtually acne-free. How??

I tried to hide my acne


I grew up under a lens. At least, that’s how it felt. Facebook, Selfies, Snapchat, and Instagram are only a few examples of the visual and digital world that consumed my adolescence.

So how do you face this world when you feel like the face you have isn’t good enough? You put forth a face that isn’t yours.

So we cake on the make-up, we angle our cameras to adjust the parts of us that we don’t like, or we digitally make them disappear.

Hiding your acne won’t make it go away

I realized I didn’t need to find proof of my acne because it’s currently all over my face! And the only reason I don’t have pictures that prove I have acne is because I avoid taking them. (Although, I did find one. Please feel free to zoom in on the picture below so you can see the giant spot on the bottom right of my chin).

Taken in Bayeux, France in fall 2019.

Yes, that’s right. I’m almost twenty-two and I still struggle with acne.

And do you want to know something else?

That’s perfectly normal.

It’s okay to have acne

I am not abnormal for having acne, and neither are you. In fact, according to Mayo Clinic, “For many women, acne can persist for decades, with flares common a week before menstruation.”

Decades.

While this information is comforting in its unifying nature, it still won’t cure the actual acne.

Getting rid of acne

Acne, pimples, zits — like adorable puppies — come in many shapes and sizes, grow rapidly, and typically in batches. Puppies are pretty great, but if you had to walk around with five of them hanging off of your face and biting you, you’d probably change your mind pretty quickly.

Now, if all the puppies on your face happened to be labrador retrievers, you could probably get rid of them by throwing a stick. However, oftentimes we find ourselves with a variety of puppy breeds on our faces so even if you get rid of the labradors you still have four terriers gnawing your chin. This isn’t an easy problem to solve, in fact, I spent about half my life trying to figure it out.

I’ve tried just about everything to get rid of acne over the span of ten years. When I saw a dermatologist as a teenager I was given a harsh face wash and a salve that smelled like rotten eggs. I eventually tried a three step acne kit that cleared my face somewhat and bleached all of my towels.

When I got tired of smelling like a floor-cleaning solution factory, I gave up and tried water-only rinsing my face twice a day which worked until it didn’t. At this point, I became desperate and went into a chaotic DIY phase. I made homemade face scrubs from anything I could find in my kitchen (would not recommend) and once I even covered my face with peanut butter (would really not recommend). I disliked the thought of switching back to something with harsh chemicals, but I felt like I didn’t have other options.

A natural solution for acne

It didn’t matter if I had one tiny pimple or a huge acne flare-up. I realized that the problem had less to do with whether I had acne or not and more to do with how I let my appearance dictate my sense of worth and value.

A few months ago I tried a sample of the  Honey Carrot and Tangerine Face and Body Bar. When I woke up, the painful cyst on my chin was barely there so I continued to use it for the rest of the week. During that week I had the clearest, most beautiful skin I’ve ever had (included proof in the picture below). This bar smells like glowing memories: a warm, happy deja vu…and can be used with any skin type.

Besides minimizing my acne, I felt like the Honey Carrot Bar also brightened my complexion and lightened my darker acne scars.

I was so thrilled with the results that I ordered the next biggest size along with a sample Acne Battle Bar, because my skin tends to get oily and I wanted a cleanser that would tackle everything from whiteheads to cysts. The Acne Battle Bar is packed with antibacterial, moisturizing and exfoliating ingredients like grapeseed oil and oatmeal…and the reviews glow as much as I want my skin to. Of course, I didn’t want my roommate to be jealous when all my fantastic soap arrived wrapped neatly in Tiffany blue tissue paper, so I had to order a sample Calendula Castile Bar for our bathroom counter, perfect for my roommate’s eczema (and also for my sensitive skin!). 

Because Apple Valley Natural soap is made with natural ingredients, it doesn’t cleanse with harsh chemicals and detergents that dry out your skin. Instead, our soap contains natural glycerin, a byproduct of natural oils and fats. Glycerin works as a humectant and draws water into the skin while also strengthening it. Studies have shown that Glycerin hydrates and improves the skin’s ability to defend against harmful agents, allowing it to act as a natural and effective cleanser.

I went to art class right after picking my package up and decided to have an impromptu photo shoot with my soap and my art supplies.

These bars are working wonders and I love using a small pump of Organic Moroccan Argan oil for an extra moisturizing boost.

If you suffer from dry skin, the Antioxidant Beauty Facial Soap Bar is packed with vitamins that will pamper and brighten your skin. Regardless of your skin type, you should try to keep your skin hydrated and clean. I do this by trying to drink at least six glasses of water a day and changing my pillowcase every week. 

You define your own beauty

My acne is hormonal, which means that sometimes the only real way to get rid of it is time. My acne makes me beautiful because it reminds me that I am more than my appearance. I love, love, love using Apple Valley Natural Soap to wash my face. Even when there’s nothing I can do about my acne, washing my face makes me feel beautiful because it smells SO amazing and feels soooo dreamy.

As I scrutinized pictures of myself for flaws I could expose for the purpose of this blog, I continually caught myself on this heartbreaking thought: “She’s so beautiful, and she didn’t know it.” I still criticize my appearance all of the time, when I should be appreciating the beauty I already have. I celebrate my younger self for her beauty: her beautiful intellect, her beautiful humor, her beautiful thoughtfulness. God made everyone with natural beauty, inside and out. We hope that our products will encourage your natural outer beauty, so that your inner beauty can shine.