Aloe vera is a succulent and evergreen perennial that originates in tropical climates. It is popular as both a decorative and medicinal plant that does well as an indoor, potted plant. These plants have thick and fleshy offsets with small white teeth that house the slimy, gel-like substance most associate with aloe vera. There are many countries across the world that produce aloe vera to support the massive demand for the item in the cosmetics industry.
The benefits of aloe vera include:
Anti-inflammatory
Helps heal burns or irritated skin
Clears acne
Fades scars
Eases sunburn pain
Moisturizes dry skin
Can heal cold sores
Evens skin tone
Fight signs of aging
Promotes minor wound healing
Reduces dandruff
Promotes healthy hair growth
Argan Oil
Argan oil is native to Morocco and derived from the kernels of the Argan tree. The Argan tree not only provides oil for cosmetics and culinary uses but these trees also hold great environmental and socioeconomic importance. The Argan oil industry supports up to 2.2 million people. With this sizable production, the trees are carefully looked after and cared for. The canopy of the tree is also far greater than the diameter of the trunk, creating essential protection from the sun for humans, animals and certain plants. In addition to all of this, Argan oil is great for your skin and is completely natural!
Benefits of Argan Oil:
Reduces signs of aging
Contains healthy fats and vitamins
High antioxidants
Known to treat inflammatory skin conditions
Strengthens brittle nails
Heals cracked skin
Anti-inflammatory properties
Promotes quick healing
Moisturizes skin and hair
May fade stretch marks
Used to treat acne
Conditions hair naturally
Baking Soda
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a common household item made up of sodium, hydrogen, carbon and oxygen. Sodium bicarbonate is a white, crystalline salt that is best known as a vital ingredient in many baked goods. Baking soda has a wide variety of uses besides baking. It can be used to control fungal growth and moisture, balance alkalinity in pools and ponds, clean and disinfect surfaces and even extinguish small fires. Baking soda is produced industrially from a naturally occurring substance called nahcolite.
The benefits of baking soda include:
Reduce acne breakouts
Anti-inflammatory
Antiseptic properties
Exfoliates skin
Evens skin tone
Unclogs pores
Helps remove blackheads
Brightens skin
Reduces chance of skin infections
Can ease skin rashes
Relives itching from insect bites/stings
Provides relief from sunburns
Beeswax
Beeswax is wax secreted from honey bees. The bees use this wax to form the structure of the honey comb. Beeswax is made up of fatty acids and various long-chain alcohols. Beeswax has been used for centuries as a waterproofing or lubricating agent, making casts for metal or glass, polishing wood and leather, as an ingredient in cosmetics, and so much more. It is common to see beeswax in personal products such as lip balms, lipstick, moisturizers, eye liner, eye shadow and more.
The benefits of beeswax include:
Seals in moisture
Keep skin hydrated
Natural exfoliator
Does not clog pores
Contains vitamins that promote regeneration
Soothes irritated skin
Conditions dry skin
Protects against the elements
Diminishes wrinkles and lines
Clears skin spots
Black Charcoal
Black charcoal has largely grown in popularity in recent years throughout the cosmetic industry. This charcoal is a fine, odorless black powder that has a multitude of valuable uses. It is commonly used in the medical field as patients ingest a small amount that then binds to any toxins in their digestive tracts. It can also work similarly for your skin! Charcoal will bond the toxins that cause blemishes, acne, excess oil and more!
The benefits of black charcoal include:
Draws out bacteria, chemicals and dirt
Fights and prevents acne
Clears unwanted blemishes
Speeds up wound healing
Minimizes pore size
Cleans skin without stripping natural oils
Great for all skin types
Deeply cleanses pores-great for cystic acne
Evens skin complexion
Balances oil production
Black Dead Sea Salt
Black Dead Sea Bath Salts hold many sought-after health benefits. As a natural way to treat many skin problems, these silky salts are infused with Binchotan White Charcoal. This special kind of charcoal is traditionally made from Japanese oak branches burned at a high temperature with little oxygen for a long period of time. The salt itself is gathered exclusively from the Dead Sea which is situated in the Middle East, between Israel and Jordan. This unique body of water is 9.6 times saltier than the ocean and contains one of the highest concentrations of salt and other minerals on Earth. Combining this with the Binchotan White Charcoal, creates the ultimate detoxifying blend.
The benefits of black Dead Sea salt include:
Anti-inflammatory
Protects and sooths skin
Anti-microbial
Promotes cell metabolism
Balances oil levels
Hydrates and moisturizes
Smooths lines and wrinkles
Calms inflamed nerves
Evens complexion
Treats and prevents acne
Relieves itchy, dry skin
Dark Red Brazilian Clay
Dark Red Brazilian Clay is unique in that it includes a multitude of naturally occurring nutrients that are great for your skin! These include copper, selenium, magnesium, zinc and magnesium. This clay is extremely fine-grain and great on all skin types. It helps the soap produce a silky lather that feels great on the skin. Brazilian clay provides a natural, but still vibrant, colorant for soaps like ours!
The benefits of dark red Brazilian clay include:
Absorbs excess skin oil
Removes impurities
Antioxidants
Anti-aging properties
Smooth and gentle on skin
Creates more lather in soap
Helps treat acne
Great for painful joints
Improves skin elasticity
Naturally lifts skin
Evens skin complexion
French Green Clay
French Green Clay in alternative medicine can be traced back centuries to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. This substance has been used to treat a wide variety of conditions, both internal and external. The clay is packed full of minerals that keeps skin healthy and clean. French Green Clay is gentle on sensitive skin and great for balancing oily skin. Along with its benefits, this clay creates a silky lather that feels great on your skin!
The benefits of French green clay include:
Absorbs excess oil
Draws out toxins and dirt
Stimulates skin for a healthy glow
Clears skin blemishes
Refreshes skin with vital minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium
Prevents flaky skin
Reduces inflammation
Boosts blood circulation
Encourages cell regeneration
Glycerin
Glycerin is a component of fat or oil. The Secret Garden glycerin soaps are 100% vegetable oil based. Glycerin soap is popular due to its transparency and benefits for all skin types. This soap base is made by melting the oil in a high percentage alcohol solution until the oil becomes clear and has a jelly-like consistency. The soap is then simmered in a sugar solution to make it more transparent before it is chilled in the freezer. Glycerin is great for sensitive, dry or irritated skin and will supply natural oils and vitamins to revive your skin.
The benefits of glycerin include:
Reduces oily skin
Heals acne and skin infections
Smooth wrinkles and fine lines
Moistens skin
Improves overall look of skin
Non-toxic (great for kids!)
Protects skin from further damage
Helps maintain skins natural water balance
Relieves dry, chapped skin
Won’t clog pores
Keeps skin soft and supple
Goat's Milk
Goat’s Milk is simply the milk produced by goats. It is the composition of the milk that is significant and what makes it such a popular ingredient in cosmetics. Goat’s milk has almost double the amount of fatty acids (around 30% fatty acid composition) than that of cow’s milk. These fatty acids keep skin thick and elastic while still moisturized. In addition, goat’s milk is full of calcium, vitamin B-12, proteins, potassium and phosphorus, all of which help control the pH of your skin and hold in moisture.
The benefits of goat's milk include:
Clears dead skin cells
Provides smoother, softer skin
Reduces lines and wrinkles
Controls acne
Heals dry skin
Can prevent skin infections
Prevents further UV damage to skin
Easily removes make-up
Gentle on sensitive skin
Relieves irritation and inflammation
Aids in skin healing
Honey Powder
Honey Powder (also known as dry or dehydrated honey) is white in color with the texture of corn flour. The honey is dried into a fine powder by spray drying it and subjecting it to extremely high heat. It is then stabilized using starches and sugars that make it last in this new form. This powder has the taste and benefits of honey but without the sticky, gooey mess! Honey powder contains a variety of vitamins and minerals that improve your skin’s overall health. These include vitamin B and C, calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium and selenium.
Hydrosol is the byproduct of essential oil production and the steam-distillation process and can be derived from a variety of plants. At the Secret Garden, we produce our own lavender, peppermint, sage and lemon balm hydrosols from the plants we grow right here on Old Mission Peninsula. We use a Portuguese copper still to force steam through densely packed plant material. The steam rises and collects a variety of nutrients and minerals from the lavender before it is moved into the condenser. Here, the steam is cooled and condensed back into water which is then collected in a glass container. As the container fills, the essential oil separates from the water and collects at the top. From there, the oil can be collected leaving behind aromatic hydrosol!
The benefits of Lavender Hydrosol include:
Anti-bacterial
Helps heal acne and irritated skin
Fights skin infections
Anti-inflammatory
Reduces pore size
Smooths skin
Gently cleans skin
Can treat sunburns
Reduces signs of aging
Evens skin tone
Clears blemishes
Uses: facial toner, hair rinse, sleep spray, natural cleaning additive, air freshener, ironing, pet care, etc.
Jagua Blue Extract
This natural colorant is commonly used in a variety of soap making techniques. It is derived from the Genipa Americana tree that are native to tropical forests of North and South America. At the Secret Garden, we try to be mindful of any ingredient we add to our products and only source our supplies from the best distributors. This is a great alternative to synthetic blue dyes and gives our soap a gorgeous color!
Magnesium Flakes
Magnesium flakes are made of magnesium chloride, a natural compound containing some of the most important minerals for the body. Magnesium is a necessary nutrient that regulates muscle and nerve function.
The benefits of magnesium flakes include:
Promote restful sleep
Encourages healthy skin
Promotes mineral absorption
Soothes tired muscles
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-septic
Great for children or sensitive skin
Diminishes stress
Matcha
Matcha has largely grown in popularity in the U.S. over the past 5 years. And for good reason! Matcha originates in Japan and is grown, processed and consumed differently than any other tea. First the plants are shade grown for at least 3-4 weeks. Because of this, the plant produces more caffeine and nutrients. The leaves are then harvested, de-veined and de-stemmed, and ground into a very fine powder. Unlike most teas we are familiar with, matcha is not steeped using a tea bag. The powder is suspended in water or milk so that the entire substance is ingested, allowing for maximum nutrient absorption. Matcha doesn’t just help your gut though. This unique green tea can work wonders for your skin!
The benefits of matcha include:
Anti-inflammatory
exfoliates
rejuvenates and brightens skin
evens complexion
Treats oily skin
Reduces signs of aging
Decreases skin redness
Evens lines and wrinkles
Moisturizes and hydrates skin
Reduces puffiness and swelling
Regulate natural oil levels
Protect from harmful UV rays
Prevent under-eye circles
Mica Powder (Various Colors)
Mica powder is commonly used as a natural colorant in many cosmetic products. It is made from a stone mineral with shiny flakes. Because of this, items that include mica powder are often sparkly or shimmery. This powder comes in a wide variety of colors and has been proven to be non-irritating to most skin types.
The benefits of mica powder include:
Calms irritated skin
Gentle on sensitive skin
Won’t clog pores
Supports overall healthier skin
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is not just a common, household item! Some might be surprised to find out just how versatile oats can be. Oatmeal is full of anti-oxidants, vitamins, healthy fats and proteins. Historically, oats have been used for thousands of years to sooth the skin and relieve irritation. Oat baths are the most popular use for oats cosmetically. However, oats can be found in a variety of cosmetic items such as bath bombs, bath milk, moisturizers, skin serums, hair treatments and ointments. See what oatmeal can do for your skin for likely no cost at all! Blend 1 cup of oatmeal until it becomes a fine powder. Gradually add the powder to a warm, running bath. Soak for 15-20 minutes and massage into skin.
The benefits of oatmeal include:
Helps heal acne
Treats dry and itchy skin
Lightens skin
Treats poison ivy and chicken pox
Naturally cleanses skin
Protects the skin from further damage
Treats dandruff
Great for sensitive or oily skin
Relieve symptoms of eczema and psoriasis
Exfoliates skin
Relieves sunburns
Moisturizes skin
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
This salt is widely known for its attractive color and variety of holistic health benefits due to its high concentration of minerals. Pink Himalayan Salt can only be found thousands of feet under the Himalayan Mountains in the remains of salt fields created from ancient oceans millions of years ago. The salt was encased in lava and ice and therefore untouched for centuries. Today, it is considered to be some of the cleanest and purest salt available and is used worldwide. Unlike commercial salts, this salt is unbleached, unrefined and unprocessed. The pink, sometimes orange, color is naturally created by the combination of trace minerals found in this particular variety of salt.
The benefits of pink Himalayan sea salt include:
Reduces puffiness
Promotes cell metabolism
Soothes and protects skin
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-microbial
Balances natural oils
Helps wound healing
Hydrates and moisturizes
Smooths lines and wrinkles
Rose Hip
This powder is derived from wild roses mostly native to Europe and western Asia. Rose hip is the fruit that appears in early summer and ripens through the season into autumn. The fruit looks similar to a more oval-shaped cherry tomato and is commonly made into jams, jellies, teas, pies and syrup. The powder is made by boiling down the fruit, straining, then drying it. Rosehip has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries now and proves to still be beneficial in a variety of culinary and cosmetic items.
The benefits of rose hip include:
Full of antioxidants
Anti-aging properties
Protects cells from damage
Speeds up wound healing
Reduces wrinkles and fine lines
Evens skin complexion
Encourages cell regeneration
Contains high levels of vitamins E, A, and D
Shea Butter
Shea butter is the extracted oils from the African Shea Tree. Shea butter is edible and can be found in many dishes throughout Africa though it is better known in the United States as a moisturizing ingredient in cosmetic product. After a Shea Tree is about 20 years old, the shea fruit can be harvested. These trees can produce fruit for nearly 200 years. The sweet fruit can now be eaten or cleaned off revealing a pit-like nut with an outer shell. This shell is cracked open and the nut inside is washed, dried, crushed into small pieces and roasted. Water is then added to create a whipped paste. The paste is purified with distilled water and high heat. The oil is separated from the fat and cooled to room temperature, becoming the shea butter we know and love.
The benefits of shea butter include:
Moisturizes skin
Reduces skin inflammation
Helps heal acne and blemishes
Restores elasticity of skin
Provides itch relief
Reduces razor irritation and bumps
Fades stretch marks
Treats split end and breakage
Contains vitamins A & E (both great for healthy skin)
Great for lip care
Natural remedy for diaper rash
Repairs damaged hair
Conditions and detangles hair
Can help control curly hair
Turmeric
Turmeric is a flowering plant in the ginger family. The commonly used turmeric powder is made of the dried and ground root. The perennial plant is native to India and Southeast Asia. Although mostly found in Asian cuisines, it's quite easy to find here in the United States. The yellow powder has a mustard smell and tastes similar to black pepper. This spice has been utilized for its medical purposes for decades now and continues to be a popular additive in cosmetics.