All posts by ruthsoaper

What are you putting on your skin?

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Seek Truth In All Things

Disclaimer: I am not a scientist, a dermatologist, an expert in nutrition or an expert in anything else for that matter. Mostly what I have learned has been through books, internet research (I concede this is not necessarily the most reliable resource), trial and error, and some of it is just common sense.

What you put on your body is probably as important as what you put in your body because many nutrients as well as toxins can be absorbed through the skin (to me this would be common sense).

Since many of us don’t even read the ingredients of the (packaged) food we eat, I have to ask, have you ever read the ingredients in the soap, shampoo, lotion, face cream or other skin care products you use? If you have succeeded at this than you are a better person than I, or at least you have better eyesight than I do. My attempts at  reading ingredients only serve to frustrate me because the printing is impossibly small and the words are usually things I have never heard of.

My answer to this has been to begin making my own skin care products. The ingredients are simple and while the term natural could be disputed, there are very few ingredients in my products that could not be eaten.

So continue following my posts and I will talk about some of the ingredients I use, why I use them, and what benefits they have for the user.

Thanks for reading. 🙂

Why Buy Handcrafted

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Handcrafted items are items or products that have been made by hand rather than being mass produced by machines. In my opinion there are many advantages to purchasing handcrafted items.

When buying handcrafted items you are usually buying something that is made by person who specializes in his/her craft. They have studied and practiced the art and  have become at least proficient if not a master of the craft. The crafter usually has chosen their craft because they enjoy it and find satisfaction in producing a high quality product made with tender loving care.

When you buy a handcrafted item you can and should get to know the person who made the  product. This allows you to ask questions about what goes into the product (materials or ingredients, time, processes) and you can determine whether or not you are getting you money’s worth. People usually love to talk about what they do and what they know. So ask questions.

It is easier to find exactly what you are looking for rather to make do with what is available. If you are looking for something made in a specific size, pattern, or to meet a specific need you are better off finding a handcrafter who will make what you want, than to spend your hard earned money on something that is not what you want.

When you buy from a handcrafter you know where your money is going. If you buy locally you are supporting your local economy.

An advantage to buying/using handcrafted soap is that the glycerin that is naturally formed during the soap making process is retained in the soap. Generally soap manufactures remove the glycerin from the soap and use it for other things.  So when comparing the cost of a bar of handcrafted soap, to whatever you may be using now, be sure to account for the added value of the glycerin.

There are a couple of potential disadvantages to purchasing handcrafted items. Many times the handcrafted items will be more expensive than the mass produced item. This is understandable considering that the handcrafter is not purchasing materials in high volume, also it  takes him or her much more time and effort to produce the product than if it were done by machines. But often the quality of the handcrafted product far out weighs the added expense.

The other potential disadvantage to purchasing handcrafted items is that you won’t find them in you big box stores. You will probably have to go to a specialty shop, a craft sale or seek out the handcrafter through other means.

Overall I believe there are great advantages to purchasing handcrafted items.

What To Expect

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My intention with this blog is to tell you about the products I make, the ingredients I use and the process used in making them. I will probably also go off the topic of soap and skin care often for example I have recently read some articles on the topic of grounding or earthing. Funny thing is we use to call it going barefoot. (being grounded was a bad thing) But anyway if you are not familiar with the topic check out this article http://wellnessmama.com/5600/earthing-sleep/ .

I will also start adding items to the store soon and instructions on how to purchase. If you are looking for something before I have that page up just send me a message here and I’ll get back to you.

Now get off your computer, go outside, take off your shoes, connect with the earth and feel good. Have a great day!!!