(Please note that this is a personal review, and I am not endorsed by any of the companies mentioned below.)
For quite some time now I have been on the hunt for natural body-care products – that work – to replace ordinary off the pharmacy shelf, mass produced products. It is not an easy task, especially when one has become accustomed to using the products easily accessible and well known. However, it became vitally important to me. Have you looked at the ingredient label on common ‘household brand’ body care products? Its quite frightening! They are stuffed with chemicals and preservatives.
Now considering that our skin is the largest organ of the human body, and adsorbs everything it is exposed to – do you not think we all need to be more careful about what we subject it to? I personally had a motivating factor to get this right. I have an auto-immune condition called Hashimoto Thyroiditis. I have managed until now to keep the condition in check with altering my diet, but the next step to keeping a flare-up at bay was to stop feeding my body any harmful chemicals through my skin. My body does not need to work extra hard all day long mopping up the rubbish. No ones’ body needs the extra work – with or without a condition… but that is how my journey began.
The first body-moisturising product I reached for once I had tossed my common brand in the trash, was pure coconut-oil – cold pressed and extra virgin. I was super happy about this choice because it was a simple and completely pure product. So, without doing too much research I began using it liberally on my body everyday after my bath or shower. I used it for about two months, but as time went by a curious thing began happening. I was having to use more and more, because my skin no longer felt moisturised enough with the original amount I applied. At the time I put this down to change in weather – after all, winter was approaching, and in winter my skin is always drier. By the way – I have dry skin, always have – so a body moisturiser is an important body-care product in my arsenal. Anyway… about two months in, one night after my bath, as usual I applied the coconut oil. An hour later I began feeling an uncomfortable itching sensation on my skin. I kind of ignored it, because it was not too bad and put it down to it being possibly caused by something else. However, the following night, the itch returned and was worse. It was then that I figured something was up with the use of pure coconut oil!
So began a deep search on Google to see if this was the case, and if it was common and most importantly why! To my horror I discovered that coconut oil can cause the skin to dry out and stop the natural production of your own skin oils. I am not going to go into the science of it – instead, I am going to give you a link to click if you are interested – this is one of many accessible on Google. Alas, at that point, my journey with pure coconut oil as my choice of moisturiser ended, and back the drawing board I went…
Here is one of many Google search writeups – https://blissoma.com/coconut-oil-causing-dry-skin
Rather disappointed, I went off to my favourite natural product online store – www.faithfultonature.co.za I love this shop because there are so many products to choose from, and they are all natural and environmentally friendly. The only problem with shopping here is choosing what to buy… but its fun. I chose several products and then waited like an excited little girl for my box to be delivered to the door. I then took a few weeks to try them all – and eventually I found a winner! Yay!
Simply Bee is a South African company, and I am most suitably impressed with their products. Here is a statement from their site:
‘Simply Bee’s products offer all-natural handmade products, free from harmful chemicals, synthetic fragrances and parabens. Making it safe and environmentally friendly.’
To learn more about them please visit: https://simplybee.co.za/home/ (I must admit now that finding their direct link for this review, I see they have their own online store – and it looks exciting – there are so many beautiful products on offer!)
My experience of using this particular body butter was blissful. I have been using it for a good few months’ now and I have no complains – only praise. It is smooth, silky, absorptive, moisturising and it smells beautiful. The perfume is of a blend of local sweet herbs – that is the only way I can describe it – most pleasant! The other upshot to using this product is that I know that I am not causing my body any harm and I am also not causing the environment any harm by supporting this brand. They state that the product uses no animal testing, has no synthetic colourants, no sulphates, no pollen harvesting, no royal jelly harvesting, no palm oils, no chemicals, and no parabens. They are proudly responsible beekeepers.
Well then – there you have it. A beautiful product that I can highly recommend. Yay!