Summer Valley Soaps
B0x 1215 V0H 1Z0 Summerland, BC, Canada

Wowsers! Found this information on a natural pharmacist website. Buy Summer Valley Soaps; Naturally made. https://www.google.com//20/10/02/is-your-makeup-toxic/amp/... Cosmetic Numbers. 4 pounds: Average amount of lipstick a woman will ingest over her lifetime. 11: Percentage of the 10,500 ingredients used in personal-care products that the U.S. government has documented and publicly assessed for safety. 1,110+: The number of ingredients banned in cosmetics in the European Union. 10: The number of ingredients banned in cosmetics in the United States. 600: The number of companies that have signed the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. 20: Percentage of personal-care products that contain at least one chemical linked to cancer. 22: Percentage of cosmetics contaminated with possible cancer-causing impurity 1,4-dioxane. $160 billion: Amount spent annually on skin- and hair-care, makeup, cosmetic surgery, fragrances, health clubs, and diet products.

I have been making a lot of soap lately and trying new recipes. I came across this website and wanted to share. The topic is on Castor oil. Castor oil is a humectant and draws moisture to the skin. In soap castor oil adds a nice lather and moisturizing quality to the soap. However, I was not aware of the environmental and human toxicity aspects of processing the castor bean into oil. I think I will use up the Castor oil I already have but won't be buying anymore in the futur...e. Here is the article I read. From Stephanie Greenwood's website http://chemicaloftheday.squarespace.com//8/5/castor-oil.ht Q. What do you think about castor oil? It is an ingredient in my favorite organic soap. I've read mixed things about it. That it contains a toxic protein called ricin at some stage of production but apparantly none of that remains in the final product. What do you think? -Phillip A. That's a great question. Castor oil by itself is not a bad ingredient, and is a widely used in soaps, lotions, etc all over the world with a long history of safety as an oil. However, castor oil production is not a safe or environmentally-friendly process. First of all, castor oil is in high demand because it's cheap and it has unique chemical properties that allow it to be used in many industries to make lubricants, inks, paints, greases, adhesives and other industrial products. Because of its high demand and low cost, the castor seed plant is, in many cases, genetically modified to increase yield and obtain certain fatty acid compositions. Genetically modified crops, as you may know, can weaken ecosystems and deplete soils (among other side effects). In addition, these crops require fertilizers and pesticides which pollute the soil and groundwater. The use of a certified organic castor seed oil would of course not contribute to these problems. However, there is still the problem of the processing. The castor seed contains the poison ricin (as you already know). Ricin is only slightly less toxic to the body than radioactive plutonium! The oil extraction process removes the toxin from the oil, but the waste material has to go somewhere---it can end up in wastewater and landfills which then pollute the entire environment. Much of the worlds' castor oil is processed in countries that don't have strict environmental safety standards. In addition, there are allergenic compounds found on the plant surface can cause permanent nerve damage, making the harvest of castor beans a human health risk for the workers involved. So, although as a finished product it's safe for use, we feel it's not a responsible ingredient to use because of the safety risks involved with the processing and harvest of the plant. We have found that other oils such as sunflower and coconut do just as good or better of a job at moisturizing skin and don't have these negative side effects! Sources: Http://Www.Linnaeus.Net/Problem_with_castor.Htm Http://En.Wikipedia.Org/Wiki/Castor_oil

The cosmetic industry appears to me to be rather loosely regulated. It is up to the manufacturing companies to ensure their products are safe and comply with their proposed claims. Home crafted cosmetics are definitely not regulated. It is an area where 'buyer beware' is very much a caution. Most home crafted businesses don't comply with Canadian labeling requirements and safety standards. I came across this quote which I wanted to share. Safety is freedom from unreason...able risk of significant injury under reasonably foreseeable conditions of use. Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) I try to adhere to the Canadian labeling requirements as best as I am able. I try to ensure that my soaps and body products are made in a clean environment with safe and environmentally friendly ingredients as best as I am able. I try to produce a product of which I am proud and personally ensure is safe for use as best as I am able. I want my customers to know that their safety and enjoyment in using my products is important to me and I welcome inquiries and comments any time. Jennifer

3 Buck Beer Bars soap sale at the Artisans of the Okanagan. Lots of different scents. Smell the chocolate one.

3 buck bars for sale starting September 13th until November 13th! Get handmade soap for $3 a bar at the Artisans of the Okanagan in Summerland. All bars are made with beer and there are a variety of scents. Try chocolate soap made with real cocoa or sage clay soap which is great for oily facial skin. Offer available only on selected bars while supplies last so don't delay!