The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Daily we are bombarded with chemicals and toxins on our skin and in our bodies, yet we are amazed that we are unhealthy. I’m amazed that the different soaps that I see on the aisle of stores and the ingredients that reportly are natural and organic. To begin with, let me tell you there is no such thing as soap without water, oil or lye. These are the basic ingredients of soap. The oils are vegetable oils or tallow made from animals. Vegetable oils producw a moisturizing rich, softer bar of soap and tallow make a great harder bar of soap.
Again, there is no such thing as 100% Shea Butter Soap. If its 100% then it will be butter instead of soap. Soap is a salt and it is the saponification process of mixing the water, lye and oils together that creates Soap. The chemistry of soap making is pretty exact and intricate. To get the right balance of the ingredients lye calculators must be used so that you do not produce soap that will irritate the skin. So what does that mean about glycerin soap? Glycerin is the natural by-product of oil, water, and lye mixing together. So even to produce glycerin, water,lye and oil must be saponified. Shea Butter soap is excellent for moisturizing the skin. Shea butter soap recipes are now the rave for all soapmakers. Yet, finding a company that puts that right amount of Shea Butter in its product to have Shea Butter benefits is a horse of a different color. As a formulator, and a Shea Butter enthusiasts, when I create shea butter soaps for Laeh Shea, I maximize the amount of Shea Butter that I can put into my shea butter soaps. Far to often, Shea Butter products on the market do not have enough Shea Butter to qualify as moisturizing. It is imperative if you are using Shea Butter products for skin disorders , eczema, or shea butter for hair that you make sure that you are actually getting Shea Butter in the product. Most products are only 1 to 3% Shea Butter based. Obviously, not enough to treat skin conditions such as eczema, acne, rashes and psoriasis condition natural hair.
If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you can start purchasing your own Shea Butter from Certified Grade A retailers, like Laeh Shea and adding your own Shea Butter to products. Shea Butter hair products are the best products you can find for dry damaged hair. Shea butter soap is treat that you should treat yourself with daily. Laeh Shea will begin posting Shea Butter recipes to give your power to take control of the products your put on your body.
Until another day, happy Shea Butter living, Dr. Harris