Palm Oil – From a Fruit, Not Your Hands!

Since I include palm oil as an ingredient in all of my soap and lotions at Ember Cove, I felt it was time to explain the many beneficial reasons for doing this! This oil is amazing to use internally and also as a cooking oil and hair care product, but I will be covering the benefits for your skin.

Palm oil is oil collected from the fruit of oil palms, which are now grown in a variety of areas. It is rich in antioxidants such as vitamin A, and is recommended by dermatologists because of its high concentrations of vitamin E to protect skin cells and improve overall health. Because of saturated fats, palm oil is an amazing moisturizer for your skin. Your skin absorbs everything you put on it, and palm oil is a natural substitute for a chemical-based moisturizer.

Palm oil contains natural antibacterials which make it a great opponent against acne. Including this oil as an ingredient helps your skin maintain moisture, yet remain clearand blemish free. Dryness can actually cause the skin to become irritated and sensitive, which can lead to acne as well as a variety of other irritations. Palm oil is also beneficial to use if you have a cut or scrape on your skin, because the oil will kill germs. Even though it is an oil itself, it actually makes it easy to lift oil and dirt off your skin for an absolutely fresh feeling. Included in my soap and lotions for a reason, palm oil ensures your skin stays soft, supple and blemish free! Because it locks in moisture, this ingredient is essential to help heal and soothe many skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, rashes, burns and dry skin.

Palm Oil Fruit

Here is an interesting anti-aging fact about palm oil! It is rich in toctrienols, a higher form of vitamin E family which is extremely beneficial to your skin. The common form of vitamin E, tocopherol, has long been used to treat many skin ailments and is found in many anti-aging products. Vitamin E, as I have mentioned in my other blogs is a strong antioxidant that helps the skin to fight free radicals that damage the skin and cause fine lines and wrinkles. Dr. Betty Kamen, PhD confirms that as a stronger antioxidant than tocopherols, toctrienols have been proven to be more effective in preventing aging and damage from free radicals. Used topically, as with tocopherol, toctrienols are able to penetrate deep into the skin’s layers to enable healing and protection from the base up. Truly a wonderful addition to my soap and lotions!

These are the reasons I have included this amazing ingredient in my soap and lotions, and I hope this information has helped!

I highly suggest checking out the American Palm Oil Council’s website for more amazing information and a very informative and interesting video!

A thank you to my sources: eHow, Livestrong, B4tea,  SaranabuSa

Psoriasis – Not a Skin Condition

I have seen numerous websites advertising that goat milk soap cures psoriasis. However, this is not true. There is no cure for psoriasis but there are treatments for your skin (and this is where my special recipe of goat milk soap really helps). Psoriasis is a medical condition that occurs when skin cells grow too quickly and instead of just being a skin disease, it is an inflammatory disease of the immune system that appears on the skin. Faulty signals in the immune system cause new skin cells to form in days rather than weeks. The body does not shed these excess skin cells, so the cells pile up on the surface of the skin and lesions form.

There are five different types of psoriasis but none of them are contagious. You cannot get psoriasis from touching someone who has psoriasis, swimming in the same pool, or even intimate contact. Psoriasis is much more complex, and it is unknown as to why it forms. Scientists are still studying what happens when psoriasis develops. They know that the person’s immune system and genes play key roles. In studying the immune system, scientists discovered that when a person has psoriasis, the T cells (a type of white blood cell that fights unwanted invaders such as bacteria and viruses) mistakenly trigger a reaction in the skin cells. This is why you may hear psoriasis referred to as a “T cell-mediated disease.”

This reaction activates a series of events, causing new skin cells to form in days rather than weeks. The reason T cells trigger this reaction seems to lie in our DNA. People who develop psoriasis inherit genes that cause psoriasis. However, not everyone who inherits genes for psoriasis gets psoriasis. For psoriasis to appear, it seems that a person must inherit the “right” mix of genes and be exposed to a trigger. Some common triggers are a stressful life event, skin injury, and having strep throat. Many people say that that their psoriasis first appeared after experiencing one of these. Triggers are not universal. What triggers psoriasis in one person may not cause psoriasis to develop in another.

For some people, psoriasis is a nuisance. Others find that psoriasis affects every aspect of their daily life. The unpredictable nature of psoriasis may be the reason. Some people have frequent flare-ups that occur weekly or monthly. Others have occasional flare-ups. When psoriasis flares, it can cause severe itching and pain. Sometimes the skin cracks and bleeds. When trying to sleep, cracking and bleeding skin can wake a person frequently and cause sleep deprivation. Sometimes a flare-up requires a visit to a dermatologist for additional treatment.

Ember Cove soaps are specially made to help treat and soothe inflamed skin caused by psoriasis. The mixture of goat milk and honey along with my other all natural, gentle ingredients has been helping many of my customers with their psoriasis treatments, depending on how severe it is. A nice alternative for heavily medicated products, my hypoallergenic soap and lotion is extremely beneficial to treating this chronic disease.

Please note that I am not a doctor and will never claim to be one. Consult your dermatologist and ask them if my soaps and lotions could be right for your skin. Everyone is different and reactions to products vary from person to person. Always know what’s good for you and make your decisions based on how you know your skin reacts. If you experience any inflammation or irritation, stop use of any product you’re using immediately and contact a doctor or dermatologist.

A thank you to my sources: Psoriasis Speaks, Psoriasis Net, eMedicineHealth, MedicineNet, NIAMS, Medical News Today, Psoriasis Connections, National Psoriasis Foundation, Inside-Psoriasis

Food For Thought Friday – How to Make Ember Cove Soap Last!

Ember Cove Soap on a Sisal Scrubber

Hey everyone! I’ve been getting a lot of comments on how great Ember Cove all natural goat milk & honey soap is, and how to make it last longer. My bars of soap are naturally softer than any store bought brands, so it is easy to use too much and waste a lot of the soap if you are not used to it. I take a shower almost every single day washing my whole body with a bar of Ember Cove soap, and wash my face twice a day with the same bar. One bar of soap lasts me almost one month. So, here are a few tips on how to make your own bar last that long, and you should definitely see improvement on your soap’s lifespan!

A couple things to always keep in mind:

– Never leave your soap in running water, or in a pool of water. Make sure your soap dish elevates the soap enough so if it drips, the water won’t stay on the soap. Keep it away from where the shower will hit it at all times.

– A little goes a long way! The coconut oil in the soap makes a very rich and heavy lather, so you don’t need that much to get a good wash.

– Before using the soap, wet it enough and create a small lather with your hands. This way you won’t have to over-scrub to start a lather.

Different ways of washing:

Washcloth – Take your washcloth and soak it with water. Place the soap in the middle of the washcloth and fold it over. Scrub the soap between the two sides of the washcloth 7-10 times, then take the soap out and place it where it won’t be in running water. Wash.

Salux Cloth – Make sure the Salux Cloth is as wet as it can be. Take your bar of soap and place one end of the Salux Cloth on your palm. Scrub a circle pattern onto the cloth over your palm 7 times. Pull the cloth while still on your palm until it reaches a part with no soap. Scrub another circle pattern into this part of the cloth over your palm 7 times. Do this until you reach the end of the Salux Cloth (I usually have to repeat the step 5 times for a full Salux Cloth). Place your bar of soap some place where it won’t be in water. Do not put the Salux Cloth back in the water. Instead, if you are in the shower the water on your body should be enough to give you enough lather for a really good wash. (If you have never used a Salux Cloth I highly recommend them for use with my soap. It’s all I use anymore and it’s only $5.98 including shipping.)

Bath Pouf – Soak the Pouf then scrub your bar of soap in a circle pattern around the Pouf for 10-20 circles. Put the soap some place where it won’t be in water. Wash.

Sisal Style Body Scrubber (Big) – Soak the scrubber then circle your bar of soap in a small pattern on the bottom half of the Sisal Scrubber 5 times, then repeat on the top half. Place soap some place it won’t be in water. Wash.

Sisal Style Face Scrubber (Small) – Soak the scrubber then circle your bar of soap around the entire “face” of the Sisal Scrubber 5 times. Place the soap some place it won’t be in water. Wash.

Loofah – Soak your loofah in water. Scrub the soap up and down twice all the way around the loofah. Place the soap some place it won’t be in water. Wash.

Soap Saver – Get it wet and wash your body, then leave it somewhere not in water – preferably where it can hang and dry off.

Bar Itself – Just rub the bar all over your body, place it some place it won’t be in water, then scrub yourself with your hands.

What to do when the soap gets too small to use properly:

Don’t throw it away!!! Get your old soap sliver and a brand new bar of soap. Wet both bars and create a small lather with each. “Stick” the sliver of your used bar of soap onto a brand new bar while they are wet, and slide them together side to side a few times then let them sit and dry. After they dry, you will now only have one bar of soap and your sliver won’t go to waste!

If you have any other types of scrubbers or bath tools you’d love to see on here, please let me know! I hope these tips help, and I’d really appreciate any feedback on them. My soaps are meant to benefit your skin but they are also meant to last you about a month per bar. If they’re running out before that, try following these tips. If they’re still running out before that – email me and I’ll try help you out! :)

Coffee, Coffee, Wash That Body!

Ember Cove – Breakfast Soap

Many of us wake up to coffee in the morning, and a lot keep drinking it through the entire day. At Ember Cove, we want you to wake up to it a different way – using it on your body! Yes, you read that correctly. I want you to wash with coffee! Along with waking you up in the morning, coffee can also wake up your skin.

I wanted a soap that provided a bright, beautiful complexion, and after some research, came up with my Breakfast Soap recipe which is exclusive to Ember Cove. (It was also one of my very first recipes that got me started). The soaps contain two primary ingredients to make them special: Oatmeal, which we learned a couple posts back is extremely beneficial for your skin, and coffee. A bit odd, but coffee is actually extremely healthy for your skin, and rich in anti-oxidants. I try make products that compliment each other, and above all – benefit your skin. My Breakfast Soaps definitely will.

Not only can it destroy tough odors like fish, coffee has a number of benefits for your skin. From treating redness and inflammation, to reducing the appearance of under-eye circles, to getting rid of cellulite, caffeine really has all its bases covered. By incorporating caffeine into your skin care routine, you can reveal evenly toned, smooth skin all over your body. Because of its high levels of anti-oxidants, caffeine can help soothe and heal eczema, acne, and other skin diseases. It also contains phytosterols, which promote moisture retention and provide chemical-free sun protection. (To add to that, new studies are showing caffeine on skin may even prevent skin cancer).

Caffeine has potent anti-inflammatory properties that make it perfect for reducing inflammation and redness in your skin. According to Livestrong, In a 1981 study performed at the Seoul National University, researchers found that caffeine is able to reduce inflammation almost as well as aspirin! In a 1978 study performed at the University of Tennessee, researchers found that adding caffeine to anti-inflammatory creams significantly increased their effectiveness. Overall, use of skin care products containing caffeine will reduce and prevent inflammation and redness, leaving you with a beautiful, even skin tone. I just had to incorporate it into my soap, it was perfect!

I know we’ve all been there, waking up looking like a raccoon after a rough night’s sleep. These dark circles or bags under our eyes are caused by a number of things which include dehydration, lack of sleep or even allergies. By applying caffeine under your eyes with my Breakfast Soaps, it will help reduce the puffiness and inflammation which will make your skin have a more alert appearance. Caffeine also reduces the build-up of blood under your eyes which makes them have dark shadows.

For acne, caffeine again works like a charm while making your skin have a smoother, more radiant appearance. While soothing irritation and redness, it will also help heal wounds. It works as a gentle exfoliant, removing dead skin cells while allowing healthy regeneration of new ones. Caffeine is a vasodilator, which means that it constricts blood cells. While this sounds intense, it actually just means that it will reduce inflammation and firm and tighten your skin. This leads to reducing the appearance of cellulite. Quoted from Livestrong, In a 2008 study performed at the University of São Paulo, researchers found that an application of skin cream containing caffeine to cellulite reduced the size of cellulite fat cells by 17 percent. In addition, a 2007 study performed at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro found that caffeine cream applied to cellulite decreased the hip’s diameter in almost 70 percent of participants. While I’m not sure if Ember Cove Breakfast Soaps are that powerful, a nice coffee scrub in a wonderful bar of goat milk soap might just help!

What about you? Do you benefit from drinking coffee in the morning? It has some pretty decent health benefits internally as well, but I like to focus on the ones that apply to skin care. Personally I drink 2-3 cups a day, which has run in my family for decades. It’s more of a relaxing thing, and it really is nice and refreshing to wash my face with in the morning. I’d love to hear about some coffee stories, please feel free to share!

I love this disclaimer: Remember – I am not a doctor and I will never claim to be one. My posts are not here to replace any medical advice given to you by any professional. If you experience any kind of irritation you need to stop use of the product immediately and consult an actual physician or dermatologist. Everyone is unique and only you are responsible to know what is beneficial and healthy for your skin.

A thank you to some other sources: HubPages, Ezine Articles, CoffeeForums.com, Revitalize Your Health, Food Technology, Inside Cosmeceuticals, eHow, MedicineNet, Beyond Jane,

The Healthiest Oil On Earth – Coconut Oil

Before my old blog vanished without a trace, I had written a nice long post about the benefits of coconut oil. In doing my research on it, I became fascinated with everything that this oil had to offer for not only the body and skin, but for your hair, stress relief, immunity, bone strength and more. Since none of my bath products are ever meant to be ingested, I’m going to focus on explaining some of the benefits for the outside of your body.

I created Ember Cove because I want everyone to look their best and have the healthiest skin possible regardless of their situation. Coconut oil has been quoted as “the healthiest oil on Earth” and is the base of choice for my soap and a great moisturizing addition to my lotions and lip balms. Its natural cures have benefited people worldwide for centuries. Wonderful and hypoallergenic, coconut oil contains many beneficial properties that make it an outstanding choice for any skin type. (It also produces a wonderful thick lather in my soap). The oil is unique to any other and I will explain the exact reason I chose it for my recipes.

First, we have its Saturated Fats. These are Triglycerides that keep your skin smooth to the touch by retaining moisture content, preventing it from drying out and making coconut oil a really powerful moisturizer. This has been known to delay wrinkles and help maintain a youthful appearance. By keeping your skin moisturized, it keeps it from peeling or flaking which may cause painful cracking and bleeding. Second, are more beneficial saturated fats – Capric Acid/Caprylic Acid/Lauric Acid. These three fatty acids have strong disinfectant and anti-microbial properties. When coconut oil is applied on skin infections, it forms a thin chemical layer which protects the area from external dust, fungi, bacteria and viruses. By using coconut oil as a base in my soaps, you can be sure to be providing any infected area with a clean wash as well as an amount of protection. Next we have Vitamin-E. The benefits of vitamin-E on skin are well known. It is essential for healthy skin growth, repair of scars and stretch marks, keeping skin smooth and preventing aging. Finally the proteins. Coconut oil is rich with wonderful proteins that help keep skin healthy and rejuvenated.

These powerful properties that make up Coconut Oil are so beneficial that I couldn’t pass up including them in my products. Like most of my ingredients, coconut oil also helps treat a vast amount of skin conditions and irritations such as eczema, dermatitis, dry skin, burns, infections, lice, rashes, wounds, topical effects of psoriasis – just to list a few. The antibacterial and soothing qualities make it a perfect addition to a soap for those struggling with acne as well. According to the Coconut Research Center, coconut oil also kills viruses that cause influenza, measles, hepatitis and more. To add to this, it is also effective on fungi and yeast that cause ringworm, athlete’s foot and diaper rash. Coconut oil is even effective on bruises as it speeds up the healing process by repairing damaged tissues.

Not only is this an amazing alternative to some pharmacy medications*, it smells amazing – and even more amazing when added to my bath products!

I do not make any hair products, but I know some people use my soap in their hair which contains coconut oil. Coconut oil is very nutritious for hair. Its essential proteins help in hair growth and re-growth of damaged follicles. This nourishes your hair while giving it a healthy and shiny complexion. It also helps ensure your head is free of dandruff, lice, and lice eggs, even if your scalp is dry. If you don’t want to wash your head with a bar of soap (which most people don’t), I strongly suggest finding a shampoo and conditioner with all natural coconut oil. I might try my hand at making a shampoo and conditioner combo some day with coconut oil, but I’m not going to worry about it at this moment.

I’d be interested to hear about anyone’s experiences with coconut oil on their skin as well as the benefits internally. (please don’t ingest my products, I mean if you’ve ever had coconut oil in a food or drink). I don’t really care for the taste unless it’s mixed with something else, but I know it’s extremely healthy. What product would you be interested in trying if I made another with coconut oil?. Feel free to share! :)

*Remember – I am not a doctor and I will never claim to be one. My posts are not here to replace any medical advice given to you by any professional. If you experience any kind of irritation you need to stop use of the product immediately and consult an actual physician or dermatologist. Everyone is unique and only you are responsible to know what is beneficial and healthy for your skin.

A special thank you to some sources: Organic Facts, Care2, Coconut Connections, Earth Clinic, Acne.org,

The Healthy Benefits of Oatmeal

Oatmeal is another breakfast food that is amazing. It is healthy as a food by being a great source of fiber and known to lower cholesterol levels as well as boost your immune system. Even though it has a rather bland taste to a lot of people, a healthy diet that includes oatmeal is strongly recommended and may even help burn body fat more quickly. Researchers have actually found that oatmeal can help increase endurance when eaten a few hours before you work out.

But why do I add it to my soap? Oatmeal contains many beneficial qualities that make it the perfect all-around skin irritation remedy. Known to nourish your skin, it is the perfect ingredient to mix with goat milk and honey to make you look absolutely radiant! Oatmeal contains something called “polysaccharides” which is quite a mouthful but is actually a complex carbohydrate. When mixed with water, a gel forms that softens and moisturizes the skin which protects it from drying out even after the oatmeal is washed off. It has long been used to promote healthy, rejuvenated and beautiful skin. Gentle enough for babies and your pets, it is strongly recommended to soothe and heal dry, itching or cracked skin, sunburns, poisonous plant irritations, eczema, chickenpox, bug bites and reducing inflammation.

Your skin is a natural barrier against harmful pollutants, and oatmeal helps strengthen this barrier which keeps not only your skin healthy, but you healthy as well. The natural fats contained in oatmeal keep your skin moisturized which helps soften and repair damaged tissue. Oatmeal naturally makes removal of surface dirt easier by naturally absorbing and removing it. This makes it a perfect wash for acne and blackheads as it gives a deep natural cleanse that heals your skin and opens your pores while protecting it with its natural gel barrier.

Oatmeal naturally and gently exfoliates your skin as you wash. It effectively removes dead skin and leaves behind softer, smoother looking skin. After washing with an oatmeal soap you’ll see a noticeable glow to your skin! (If you’ve never washed with oatmeal soap, try it – you’ll see the glow too!) Exfoliating is an important step to ensuring your skin is looking as healthy and radiant as possible, and using an oatmeal soap is by far one of the most pleasing and relaxing ways to do it with noticeable benefits right away!

When making my oatmeal soap, I make sure that the oats are completely cooked in the mixture so the benefits are completely infused. Even after the oats are all gone, the soap continues to provide your skin with the luxurious qualities the oatmeal provided. Try this relaxing soap today, with satisfaction guaranteed there’s no going wrong!

Remember, if you have an allergy to nuts please be careful when using any kind of oatmeal product. Every skin type is different and it’s up to you to know if it will irritate you. If your skin is irritated at all by any product or any ingredient, discontinue use of it immediately and consider consulting a dermatologist before testing something else.

As an added bonus –

My Mom’s Oatmeal Quick Cookie Recipe:

What you’ll need for part 1:

– 1/4 cup cocoa
– 2 cups sugar
– 1/2 cup milk
– 1/2 cup butter

Have pre-measured out for part 2:

– 1/4 cup peanut butter
– 3 cups oatmeal
– 1 tsp vanilla

Part 1:

Mix everything from part 1 in a pot and take it to a boil. Make sure it’s on a full roaring boil then time for 1 minute.

Part 2:

After it boils for one minute, take it off the heat and add 1/4 cup peanut butter, 3 cups of oatmeal, and 1 tsp of vanilla immediately. Mix thoroughly. Spoon onto wax paper or foil, let cool and enjoy!

Be sure to let me know what you think if you use this recipe, and I’ll pass the good word on to my mom! :D