Bye-Bye Dry Skin, Hello Shea Butter: Top 10 Ways to Eliminate Dry Skin

Suffering from dry skin this winter? Here are my tips for bringing saying bye-bye to dry skin! Make sure you see below for two-day sale on our bestselling shea butters.

Back Porch Soap Company's "Top 10 Ways To Remedy Dry Skin"

1. Skip the drying soaps and shampoos. Don't use any products that have sulfates in them. It is an irritant and drying agent that literally strips your skin of its precious oils. While you're at it, throw out any products with parabens or dyes. Remember to choose handmade soaps with high-quality ingredients.
   
   
2. Choose your moisturizer wisely. Our 100% shea butter (the pulp from Africa's karite trees) coats and protects the skin and is my first recommendation for those of you with a tendency toward super dry skin or even excema and psoriasis. Keep your ingredients simple. Toss any moisturizers that contain alcohol, sulfates or parabens.
   
   
3. Nix the long, hot shower. I know, it feels good. Especially on a cold day. But you are robbing your skin of moisture and oils. So cut it short - 5 minutes is plenty - and use warm water instead.
   
   
4. Take your Omega 3 EPA/DPA Fish Oils. In capsules, liquid, whatever it takes. Not only will it help your skin, your ligaments and joints are going to love it. Take two grams of fish oil daily. Also, flaxseed oil is a wonderful supplement for keeping skin healthy and glowing. Check with your M.D.
   
   
5. Drink plenty of water. Yes, it's true and you've heard it all before. Drink eight to 10 8 oz. glasses throughout the day. Your skin is the largest organ and needs to flush the toxins out daily.
   
   
6. Turn on the humidifier. Home heating takes the moisture out of the air during the winter months. A $30 humidifier will aid your skin and sinuses. Most come with an indicator. Try to keep it at 35%.
   
   
7. Moisturize after your shower. This is the best time, since your pores are open and ready for protection.
   
   
8. Take care of hands and feet. Remember to moisturize them as well. I recommend soaking your feet for a bit at night, then massaging them with shea butter and finishing off with a pair of cotton socks. You'll wake up with super soft feet.
   
   
9. Exfoliate twice a week with an inexpensive loofa or bristle brush. It aids circulation (start from the outer limbs and work toward your heart) and removes the surface layer of dead cells.
   
   
10. Cut down coffee consumption. Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it removes water from the body. A good rule of thumb is for every cup of coffee you drink, tack on another 8 oz. of water in addition to the 8 glasses you should be drinking daily.

Check out our two-day sale on 100% shea butter and shea butter body creams. Supplies are limited. Sale runs until 12/16/2010.

Turn Your Dry Hands, Feet and Legs Beautiful: "Top 10 Ways To Remedy Dry Skin"

Today I'm sharing the information I passed around at my Whole Foods vendor day last weekend. So many of you are suffering from dry skin this winter. Here are my tips for bringing your dry skin back to life.

Back Porch Soap Company's "Top 10 Ways To Remedy Dry Skin"

1. Skip the drying soaps and shampoos. Don't use any products that have sulfates in them. It is an irritant and drying agent that literally strips your skin of its precious oils. While you're at it, throw out any products with parabens or dyes. Choose handmade soaps with high-quality ingredients.
   
   
2. Choose your moisturizer wisely. Our 100% shea butter (the pulp from Africa's karite trees) coats and protects the skin and is my first recommendation for those of you with a tendency toward super dry skin or even excema and psoriasis. Keep your ingredients simple. Toss any moisturizers that contain alcohol, sulfates or parabens.
   
   
3. Nix the long, hot shower. I know, it feels good. Especially on a cold day. But you are robbing your skin of moisture and oils. So cut it short - 5 minutes is plenty - and use warm water instead.
   
   
4. Take your Omega 3 EPA/DPA Fish Oils. In capsules, liquid, whatever it takes. Not only will it help your skin, your ligaments and joints are going to love it. Take two grams of fish oil daily. Also, flaxseed oil is a wonderful supplement for keeping skin healthy and glowing. Check with your M.D.
   
   
5. Drink plenty of water. Yes, it's true and you've heard it all before. Drink eight to 10 8 oz. glasses throughout the day. Your skin is the largest organ and needs to flush the toxins out daily.
   
   
6. Turn on the humidifier. Home heating takes the moisture out of the air during the winter months. A $30 humidifier will aid your skin and sinuses. Most come with an indicator. Try to keep it at 35%.
   
   
7. Moisturize after your shower. This is the best time, since your pores are open and ready for protection.
   
   
8. Take care of hands and feet. Remember to moisturize them as well. I recommend soaking your feet for a bit at night, then massaging them with shea butter and finishing off with a pair of cotton socks. You'll wake up with super soft feet.
   
   
9. Exfoliate twice a week with an inexpensive loofa or bristle brush. It aids circulation (start from the outer limbs and work toward your heart) and removes the surface layer of dead cells.
   
   
10. Cut down coffee consumption. Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it removes water from the body. A good rule of thumb is for every cup of coffee you drink, tack on another 8 oz. of water in addition to the 8 glasses you should be drinking daily.

Sign up now to receive my monthly newsletter. Also, you'll stay up-to-date on new products, what's happening at Back Porch Soap Company, our soap making classes, and some exciting new things that are headed our way over the next few months.

Feel free to reprint this blog post with proper credit to Marla Bosworth, Back Porch Soap Company. Thank you!

Join Us for Our Two-Year Anniversary Celebration with Whole Foods!

Join Back Porch Soap Company as we celebrate another fabulous year with Whole Foods on Saturday, February 28th! Whole Foods carries our organic soaps, organic shea butters and all-natural gift sets.

We'll be handing out organic soap goodies and samples of our moisturizing 100% organic shea butter in the Hingham, Massachusetts store.

Our celebration takes place on Taste Local Day, which celebrates local vendors throughout Massachusetts. There will be free goodies from us from noon-3 p.m., so get there early, as the freebies go quickly.

Come meet me, Marla Bosworth, founder and owner of Back Porch Soap Co. I'm in my 12th year of making soap and bath and body products on the South Shore of Boston. Looking to become an entrepreneur? Come visit with me and I'll share tips on how you can build your dream into a business.

In addition to trying some terrific, wholesome products, I'll be handing out information on my soap making classes in Boston and around New England as well as online. Email me at marla@backporchsoap.com for more information.

Hope to see you there!

Fight Your Winter Beauty Blues with Our Sale; Top 10 Reasons To Use Shea Butter

Simply put, shea butter is amazing. To start, it is a natural, therapeutic balm for dry skin. And that's just the beginning. (If you are a complete shea butter expert and just want the deal of the month, scroll to the bottom of my post!)

Our shea butter is sourced from Ghana, West Africa. It is organic and 100% pure and natural. Besides being a superb moisturizer, it boasts exceptional healing properties for various skin conditions. Naturally enriched with Vitamin A and E, it is one of my top sellers.

From outdoor adventurists who battle nature's elements to nurses and doctors who wash their hands constantly throughout the day, our shea butter has been protecting skin for 10 years. Unlike lotions that wash off after first use, shea butter sinks into the layers of your epidermis and protects your skin throughout the day. Use it on your face before your daily beauty regime, on your hands, arms, legs, feet...anywhere you need to moisturize.

The Top 10 Reasons To Use Shea Butter:

1. Accelerates the healing of dry, itchy skin or dermatitis.

2. Acts as an anti-inflammatory against arthritis.

3. Natural anti-aging: helps reduce wrinkles, adds suppleness to skin

4. Regenerates skin appearance - wonderful before your beauty regime.

5. Softens feet and cracked heels.

6. Provides relief and in some cases cures Psoriasis and Eczema.

7. Heals wounds and burns.

8. Repairs skin damage from radiation.

9. Prevents pregnancy stretch marks and fades existing scars.

10. Protects skin from sunburn, cold weather, frost bite and oh yes, diaper rash!


Our shea butter is available in 4 oz. tins (shown above). At 100% strength, it is highly concentrated, so a small amount goes a long way.

For extra sensitive skin, I highly suggest our unscented shea butter. This is my recommendation for customers with allergies, who are highly sensitive, and also for children under 10. Our Provence Lavender shea butter is made with pure lavender essential oil, which is also adds healing properties. The bestselling fragrance by far is White Tea, which is light, soft, subtle and sexy. It's a sophisticated fragrance and is popular with both men and women.

For a limited time (through January 31, 2009 or until supplies last) get 50 PERCENT OFF your shea butter order. I've never offered this kind of discount before, so these could go fast. This is the time to stock up! Extra bonus...get free shipping on $60 or more. Get shopping and let go of those winter beauty blues!

Top 10 Tips for Alleviating Dry Skin, Excema and Psoriasis

This time of year many people complain about dry, itching skin - from arms to legs. It happens when we head into fall and winter. Homes and businesses start turning on the heat, which means less moisture in the air and less for our skin. Among other things, we tend to drink less water than in the warm summer months.

The good news is that there are 10 tips I'd like to share with you for bringing life back to your skin. (BONUS...scroll down to the bottom for a special promo on my handmade shea butter moisturizers.) Here's to an itch-free winter!



1. Nix the long, hot shower. I know, it feels good. Especially on a cold day. But you are robbing your skin of moisture and oils. So cut it short - 5 minutes is plenty - and use warm water instead. Besides, you'll save on your utility bill. And if you can, switch to showers every other day (for skipped days, wash your hair in a sink). You'll notice a difference in your skin.

2. Take your Omega 3 EPA/DPA Fish Oils. In capsules, liquid, whatever it takes. Not only will it help your skin, your ligaments and joints are going to love it. Dr. Andrew Weil recommends two grams of fish oil daily. Also, flaxseed oil is a wonderful supplement for keeping skin healthy and glowing. Check with your M.D. Even simply switching from salad dressing to extra virgin olive oil is another good move to putting good oils in your body for the benefit of your skin.

3. Drink plenty of water. Yes, it's true and you've heard it all before. Drink eight to 10 8 oz. glasses throughout the day. Your skin is the largest organ and needs to flush the toxins out daily.

4. Turn on the humidifier. Home heating takes the moisture out of the air during the winter months. A $30 humidifier will aid your skin and sinuses. Most come with an indicator. Try to keep it at 35%.

5. Moisturize after your shower. This is the best time, since your pores are open and ready for protection.

6. Choose wisely what you put on your skin. Our 100% shea butter (the pulp from Africa's karite trees) coats and protects the skin and is my first recommendation for those of you with a tendency toward super dry skin or even excema and psoriasis. It is a concentrated, therapeutic balm. You can find our certified organic shea butter here. I recommend Unscented for men and highly sensitive customers. For those of you who love fragrance, White Tea is my bestseller. It is light, sophisticated and rich. Do you have mildly dry skin? Then I recommend our shea butter body cream, which also contains soy, silk and aloe.

7. Skip the drying soaps and shampoos. Start reading the labels of these products and your skin will thank you. Don't use any products that have sulfates in them. It is an irritant and drying agent that literally strips your skin of its precious oils. Think of it as something you would use to degrease your car engine. While you're at it, throw out any products with parabens or dyes.

8. Take care of those hands and feet. Remember to moisturize them as well. Keep hands protect with gloves or mitten when outdoors. Protecting them from the elements makes a world of difference. Moisturize hands and feet when stepping out of the shower too, then again at bedtime. I recommend soaking your feet for a bit at night, then massaging them with shea butter and finishing off with a pair of cotton socks. You'll wake up with super soft feet.

9. Exfoliate twice a week with an inexpensive loofa or bristle brush. It aids circulation (start from the outer limbs and work toward your heart) and removes the surface layer of dead cells. Just think of it as prep work for applying moisturizer.

10. Cut down on Starbucks or your coffee of choice. Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it removes water from the body. A good rule of thumb is for every cup of coffee you drink, tack on another 8 oz. of water (in addition to the 8 glasses you should be drinking daily).

So you made it through all 10 tips! They will get you through the winter with soft, hydrated skin.

For blog readers, save 20% on orders of $40 or more. Hurry, this offer is only valid until Saturday, October 18! Simply use Promo Code SOFTSKIN upon cart checkout. In addition, spend $60 or more and get FREE SHIPPING! Now is the time to stock up for holidays and long winter months. This offer is valid for continental U.S. orders only.

my "meet and greet" at Whole Foods...

Last Saturday was my third "Local Vendor" day at Whole Foods in Hingham, Massachusetts. It's so much fun, because it means taking samples of my organic soaps and shea butters to hand out to customers and shamelessly promote my line (which, btw, is sold at this Hingham location).

I always end up meeting the nicest people, and it's fulfilling to me that I get to help customers with their dry skin dilemmas.

So I made two batches of my most popular organic oils soaps, Lavender & Spearmint and Almond & Shea Butter. Then I sliced them into perfect sample sizes, and packaged them up in nifty little bags with my logo.
I loaded up my Jeep with a few displays, the goodies, and headed out.

The parking lot was packed, needless to say since it was the day before Superbowl Sunday (we'll skip the sore loser Patriots comments here).

There were about 12 vendors, all food related except for me. There was a salad dressing vendor, Chilmark Dressing, also sampling. This is my new favorite dressing! I had to buy a bottle, and it really is delicious. Roasted sesame seeds give it a wonderful flavor and besides making salads extra scrumptious, it is delicious as a veggie dip or on a sandwich. Check them out at
http://www.chilmarkfoods.com/

Here's a picture of my table, which blends in nicely with the vegetable and chicken stocks behind it.

I handed out several hundreds of samples of soap and learned that a lot of Whole Foods buyers are restocking their shelves at home with sulfate and paraben free products (which mine all are). Sulfates are drying to skin, and parabens are chemical-based preservatives (there are natural ones such as Vitamin E and more) so check your labels.

I met so many nice people, and so many with dry skin! Everyone needed moisturizing. Good thing I was on hand with my 100% shea butters (quickly becoming my #1 selling product at Whole Foods).

Shea butter is an all-natural moisturizer full of vitamin E that helps heal dry skin, excema and psoriasis. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help alleviate arthritis pain.

So now get yourself over to my website and buy some, will you? http://www.backporchsoap.com/