Artisanal Soapy Decadence with Passion Savon

 

How do I love thee ... let me count the ways ...

This phrasing comes to mind when thinking about the incredible creations of Passion Savon.  I found this delicious hand crafted soap company via facebook and have been a devout fan and client ever since.  Founder and creator Nia Hafsia wasn't kidding when she called her company "Soap Passion," as she very definitely exudes an incredible passion for her business, for the gorgeous products she makes and really just for life in general.  I have fallen in love with Nia and her exquisite bars.

The mill in France

Passion Savon is based in Bergerec, France.  The soaps are created on site at Nia's and husband Karim's charming french mill.  There, they have an atelier where the two work together to produce what I consider to be soapy masterpieces.  Oh to be a fly on the wall inside that atelier ... divine aromas wafting through the air, multitudes of color strewn all throughout the space, and free-spirited energy weaving through every molecule of the oils, homegrown fruits, botanicals, and gorgeous ingredients that through Nia's direction culminate in inspired works of art.

Nia in her atelier

Nia, with her creative ability and aromatherapy skills has been making soap and toiletries for over 25 years. It all started in Wales (UK), while pregnant with her second child (Dafydd) and “bored” Nia decided to take an aromatherapy course and study the art of understanding and blending essential oils and instantly had a natural aptitude for this wonderful therapy. She started experimenting with natural ingredients to create unique and special recipes and replaced the chemicals normally used in most personal care products with effective, natural materials.  With four young children (sons Gruff, Trystan, Dafydd and daughter Tirion --- you come to "meet" all of them through Nia's facebook page and realize the love she has for her family is even more expansive than that for her soaps!), Nia sold her first soap company to devote time to her children and her opera singing.  Later, Nia moved to France in September 2007, where she met and fell in love with a Frenchman (Karim). The two are happily married and settled in Bergerac where they create luxury soaps, natural skincare products and blend essential oils.

Nia and her daughter Tirion ... beautiful women

Now, I literally could go on and on about Nia, her beautiful family, her extraordinary talent for creating soap (truly more talent than any one person has any right to embody ... lol), as well as her exquisite bars of soap ... the smells, the colors, the swirls, the gorgeous ingredients, but it's probably better I let you discover Passion Savon the way I did initially .... through Nia's photos and descriptions.

Would encourage you to click images to enlarge to see better detail.

 

 

 

French Lavender: this extraordinary essential oil soap has so many therapeutic qualities. Passion Savon uses a high altitude Lavender (which is a superior quality) and this essential oil is famous for its ability to lower anxiety, calm and lessen stress. For the skin it is valuable for its healing properties and ability to promote the growth of new skin cells. It has a balancing effect on sebum (the oily secretions of the sebaceous glands that moisturises and protects) therefore making it suitable for all skin types, even the most fragile, sensitive and delicate. It is also said to have a healing effect on minor burns, boils, acne, eczema, psoriasis and fungal growths. Suitable for all skin types, even sensitive.

 

 

 

Chestnut and Chocolate Torte:  Nia describes this as her most extravagant soap and sooooo good for your skin. Superfatted with organic cocoa butter, natural vanilla seeds, double cream, honey, coffee liqueur, dark chocolate and the "pièce de résistance" are the chestnuts. Called Chestnut and Chocolate Torte, it will send your head spinning, smells divine and the lather is like silky satin.

 

 

Frosted Orange, Spring Collection:  The freshest, zestiest and more fruity orange blended with orange blossom, red mandarin, yuzu, cypress and peppermint for a real wake-up call to spring.

 

Kiwi and Lime:  The zesty, refreshing blend of 100% natural essential oils are de-toxifying, cleansing, astringent, perfect for normal, oily and combination skin types. You can really see the colours, the black charcoal almost has dark blue indigo tints in it mixed with shimmery green mica. With fresh, juicy, spicy and zesty citrus fruity essential oils. The natural fragrance of this soap bar has the true aroma of fresh Limes with refreshing and cleansing organic Green Tea. This tea has great therapeutic benefits, containing potent anti-oxidants called Catechins. The outcome of several experimental studies suggests that Green Tea has anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic potential, which can be exploited against a variety of skin disorders. Lime essential oils is gently astringent and toning for the skin. Nia also uses whole Kiwi fruit from a friend's garden in the soap, the peel and pulp with its tiny seeds, adds to the texture and lather. Kiwi fruit is packed with more vitamin C than an equivalent amount of orange. It also has strong antioxidant protective properties, keeping the skin healthy and energized.

 

Blackberry Passion:  Described as her most complicated soap, it has nine colours. Blackberry Passion smells like a true fine fragrance of the highest quality, but a clever in-house blend of completely natural essential oils achieve an incredible aroma. Gorgeous!

 

La Mer:  One of their most popular bars for men is La Mer, a sexy, seductive blend of herbs, spices and zesty fruits that women fall in love with too. Look at the textured surface of the freshly poured soap (left) which represents la mer, the sea in French.

 

Strawberries & Champagne:  What is more festive and special than strawberries and champagne and here it is in a completely 100% natural soap with inclusion of fresh strawberries and French champagne. The ultimate top luxe presant for somebody special. 100% natural soap with extra virgin olive oil, coconut, shea butter, sunflower oil and castor oil with essential oils. Handmade cold process without chemicals. No palm oil! One of their most popular soaps ... yes, can see why : ).

 

Kaleidosoap:  Limited edition previously, but now part of the standard range as it is so popular. Green aromas of pine, with fruity mandarin, cedarwood and a few spices thrown in with juicy cranberries, gorgeous. I completely fell in love with at Christmas.  The aroma and shimmery micas make this bar extraordinary.  I couldn't get enough of it ... truly.


If you have a penchant for artisan soaps, a desire to pamper your skin with the most lovingly created bars of nourishing oils, therapeutic botanicals and fresh fruits, or want to experience first hand a work of masterful art in all its beautiful glory, you must treat yourself to a bar or several of Passion Savon's exquisite soaps.  For the price (extremely reasonable, including the international shipping), you truly will not find a more decadent way to experience french luxury.  By the way, my two faves? Vanilla Bourbon Pomegranate ... oh. my. gosh!, and Kiwi Lime ... lively and scrumptious. Enjoy!  xo

Learn more about Nia and Passion Savon via facebook HERE

Explore all that Passion Savon has to offer via the shop online HERE

Mother's Day Gifts of Beauty

One of the things I love about gifting with beauty is it truly is a gift that keeps on giving.  And each time the recipient uses that item, it reminds them of the one who gave it.  I find that's especially true when the giver takes the likes and desires of the recipient in mind.  What I mean by that, for instance, is if your mom has been complaining about itchy, dry, rough skin on her upper arms and you know she also enjoys citrus, a verbena scented body scrub would make such a special gift. Right? Of course, right.

With that in mind, here are a few products I can recommend to you for gifting, each with its own special properties.

POMEGA5 ROSE SYSTEM
Have a mom who loves flowers, perhaps even the traditional and lovely fragrance of roses?  I promise you, you cannot go wrong with Pomega5's Rose System.  Readers already know Pomega5 is one of my absolute most favorite skincare brand out there.  Based on using the highly coveted pomegranate seed oil, this is a family run company that takes time to create high quality, gorgeous, effective products, often receiving inspiration for their products from their extensive home garden.  There's not been a single item I've been even the slightest bit disappointed in. Everything I've tried I've loved, cherished and delighted in. Each product contains its very own special properties and each smells so delicious you can't wait to use them. I truly believe in this brand!

While 60% of us buy flowers for our moms every year, this year we can give her roses through the sure-to-make-her-feel-good Rose System that’s actually good for her. Pomega5’s Rose System makes you feel calm and refreshed, and the pure, organic ingredients will help regenerate skin to its youthful and bright complexion. Available exclusively direct from Pomega5.  $135 for the set.

Includes:

Bulgarian Rose Moisturizing Beauty Bar (120 g)

Daily Revitalizing Concentrate (30 ampoules)

Bois de Rose Velvet Hydrating Cream (50 ml)

AMALA HYDRATE SPA VALISE
Amala Hydrate Spa Valise Set replenishes and sustains skin'­s moisture level with organic Egyptian Jasmine, renowned for its nourishing, smoothing and antioxidant benefits for skin. Amala's certified organic Jasmine is cultivated and custom distilled in Egypt by their own fair trade farm partner.  Your skin feels so refreshed, soothed and pampered. This is the gift of responsible, results-driven skincare. Rich in organic whole plants, the conveniently packaged, proven-effective treatments beautify the skin and benefit the earth.  Eco-luxe organic hemp and woven paper valise.  Available at Spirit Beauty Lounge.   $102 for the set.

Includes:

Hydrating cream cleanser 1.7 oz.

Hydrating toner 1.7 oz.

Hydrating face cream 1 oz.

ELEMENTAL HERBOLOGY D.I.Y. FACIAL RITUAL GIFT SET
Offering innovative prescriptive skincare, Elemental Herbology products address the changes that occur in the skin as a result of seasonal, lifestyle and hormonal change. Formulated to help restore equilibrium, the brand is committed to helping their customers achieve healthy and radiant skin. They are performance focused, yielding that ‘feel good factor’, their products combine clinically-tested bio-actives with over one hundred unique plant, mineral and marine extracts and pure delicately scented flower oils.

This is the perfect introduction kit to give you a wonderful discovery of this fabulous skincare brand. Love, love, love Elemental Herbology.  I can't believe this kit is only $55.  Available at Beauty Bar.

Includes:

Facial Glow Radiance Peel - Vitamin C/Papaya/Manuka Honey

This radiance peel is infused with a tropical cocktail of vitamins, enzymes and skin-brightening botanicals, to help exfoliate dead surface cells, stimulate cell metabolism and harmonise the skin tone to create a radiant and glowing complexion.

Facial Detox Puifying Mask - Malachite/Kaolin/Manuka Honey

Mineral rich organic Amazonian Clay helps eliminate toxins from the surface of the skin while gently exfoliating and softening. Although it has astringent properties it is not as dehydrating as conventional clays, leaving the skin soft, humidified and glowing.

Biodynamic Facial Souffle' - Rose Damask/Marine Collagen/Calendula

Rich in amino acids, collagen and reparative botanicals, this luxurious treatment mask helps soothe, plump, hydrate and repair parched skin to reveal a dewy, fresh and vibrant complexion.

CLARISONIC MIA
If your mom doesn't own a Clarisonic yet, this is the p-e-r-f-e-c-t occasion to treat her to one. From the Clarisonic family of sonic skin-cleansing products, the one-button, one-speed, one-minute Mia is perfect for those wanting a convenient, less costly (from the traditional Clarisonic system), yet effective way to cleanse while traveling--or anytime. This award-winning waterproof, rechargeable, professional-caliber brush uses gentle sonic micro-massage action to cleanse deeply. It works so well, it helps other skin-care products absorb better. It cleans pores--loosening dirt, makeup, and oil as it reduces the appearance of pores and wrinkles. It's proven to remove six times more makeup than traditional superficial cleansing, allowing serums and moisturizers to absorb better. Skin is left soft, pampered, radiant, and younger-looking--without harsh abrasion or chemicals. It's so gentle, you can use it twice a day.

Clarisonic Mia Systems retail between $124 - $150 and are available worldwide.  I recommend purchasing from b-glowing (looove them! great customer service and they include fabulous samples) and QVC (sometimes available with easy pay options).

JABONERIA MARIANELLA SOAPS
Handmade soaps, each with its own distinctive artistic flair and a childhood memory attached.  That's what Venezuelan-born Marianella Febres-Cordero has created with her gorgeous and luxurious line of soaps.  This is one of my very favorite places to shop when I have a gift to buy!  Each bar smells luscious and creates such a beautiful focal point, wherever you place it.  You just can't help but be transported to another place and time through the stories Marianella tells for each soap inspiration. Each bar is infused with its own special essential and fragrance oils. It's a sensual experience through and through. Truly lovely!

Current bars include:

Aranciata (my favorite) - Orange, Teakwood and Rosemary

Aura Elena (close 2nd) - Oak Moss, Coconut and Mulberry

Coqueta - Baby Powder, Vanilla and Grapefruit

Dama de la Noche - Lemon, Apple and the exotic Dama de la Noche flower

Desert Gardenia - Gardenia, Honey and Oak Moss

Lemonwood - Bois de Rose, Litsea Cubeba and Bergamot

Parchita - Passion Fruit, Polyantha Rose and Litsea Cubeba

Poncha Crema - Vanilla, Fig and Cinnamon

Sugar Cane Tea - Sugar Cane, Plum and Litsea Cubeba

Violet Fields - Violet, Bergamot and a hint of Menthol

Jaboneria Marianella bars (there's a men's line too) are available directly through them. $14

THIS WORKS "CRACKERS"
I love these ... and so unique. Love Lip Cracker contains a nourishing preservative-free balm that's been designed to melt at body temperature so it is easily absorbed into skin. With a rich formula packed with the earth's most moisturizing ingredients and an exotic blend of Monoi Oil, Rose Oil and Cocoa Butter, the balm hydrates lips, soothes and protects skin. Peace Eye Cracker contains a lovely little eye serum/cream that has garnered rave reviews for dark circle reduction and improvement in lines and undereye bags. The soothing blend of serum brightens and refreshes eyes using a fusion of regenerating and moisturizing glycerin, arnica, aloe vera and cucumber. Both are available at Beautyhabit. $14 each.

TALLULAH JANE NATURAL PERFUMES
Blended with botanical essences, resins and balsams, Tallulah Jane scents are an ever-evolving olfactory experience. No two vintages are exactly alike so your Tallulah Jane scent is always unique; designed my nature - especially for you. Tallulah, their signature scent, is the most fabulous jasmine scent I've ever tried. Creamy jasmine notes and heady tuberose combine for a scent that is timeless yet so ultra cool! And be on the look out soon for a feature on their newest creation, Hope. I can't wait to tell you more about it and the company's generous collaboration with the American Cancer Society for their Pink & Black Tie Gala. Tallulah Jane perfumes are available at Spirit Beauty Lounge. $48 - $58

LOVE + TOAST and TOKYO MILK CURIOSITIES
Such whimsical packaging, gorgeous formulas and sweet, decadent aromas are yours with a little purchase of Love + Toast or Tokyo Milk products. They feature an assortment of perfumes, soaps, lip balms and hand creams that are unlike any you've tried before. Experience scent combinations like mandarin tea, honey coconut, lemon mint, citrus gin blossom, or tantalize with a sophisticated blend of fresh greens, cassis, white iris and bronzed musk crushed and distilled to perfection. Love + Toast and Tokyo Milk and Tokyo Milk Dark are by beauty entrepreneur Margot Elena Wells, who also brought us Lollia. Her natural beauty line will be released soon, nectar + pollen - can't wait! Love + Toast and Tokyo Milk products are available at b-glowing and Beautyhabit. $6 - $28


Candles & Home Fragrance
Continue the heavenly scents experience for mom with a beautifully packaged candle or unique home fragrance idea.  Nothing warms the mood of a room or the essence of a soul quite like the candlelight.

AEDES DE VENUSTAS GLOW BOX
Presented in their signature black Aedes gift box the Glow Box contains their popular Lime Coconut Sea Salt Exfoliator, Claus Porto's Tuberose soap and a L'Artisan Parfumeur votive candle.  Available at Aedes. $80

L'ARTISAN PARFUMEUR PARIS VOTIVES COFFRETS
The exclusive and limited edition gift coffret contains three L'Artisan Parfumeur votives.  Les Best is composed of Orangers en Fleurs, Intérieur Figuier and Mûre Sauvage; Les Orientales is composed of Ambre, Thé et Pain d’Epices and Ile Bourbon. Available at Aedes. $60 (each set)

SLATKIN & CO.
Flower Shop is a delightful scent of fresh-cut spring flowers - sweet lilac, pink freesia and hyacinth layered with cooling greens.  This 14.5 oz, 3-wick candle has a burn life of 40 - 65 hours and is available at Bath & Body Works. Fresh Bamboo is another fabulous scent - very clean smelling. Special Sale Price: 2 candles for $30 any assortment of scents (reg. $19.95 each).

AVENUE CANDLE COLLECTION
Years of traversing the globe searching for extraordinary fragrances is the inspiration for Avenue Candle Collection; each unique candle brings the characteristics and mood of some of the most famous streets in Avenue's favorite cities into our homes.  Avenue's Regent Street highlights notes of Earl Grey Tea and Violet.  Bergamot Citrus and Black Tea leaves are married with a hint of honey and neroli for a deeply rich fragrance.  Available  at LAFCO New York. Burn time: 75 - 85 hours.  $48

SANTA MARIA NOVELLA SCENTED TABLETS
Here's a divinely unique idea.  Santa Maria Novella Scented Tablets are 100% organic and natural essential oils mixed with beeswax from the fertile Tuscan fields and bee farms of Santa Maria Novella. Too beautiful to be hidden, tablets can be placed in drawers, hung in closets (ribbon is already attached) or simply left out in the open on a tray to freshen and scent the surrounding space. Tablets are completely safe and organic and will not stain clothing or fabrics, however wax will become malleable at very high room temperatures (85+ degrees F).  Lavender and rose oils, lavender blossoms and rose buds for a fresh romantic scent. Available at LAFCO New York, and also available in the scents of Orange/Cinnamon and Potpourri. $30

Wishing you and your mothers a most fabulous Mother's Day weekend!  xo

earth day 2011 feature: celebrating with mōksa organics

I am so honored to be celebrating Earth Day with a feature on mōksa organics.  The first thing you need to know about mōksa organics is they are so much more than soap!  Allow me to delight your senses and inform your mind.

I have to admit it's really kind of hard to find a starting point.  Founder Melanie Martin has created such a rich melange of goodness with mōksa that one wonders whether a feature about the brand should begin with the products or the philosophy and non-profits they hold dear to the heart.  Melanie exudes so much passion and energy about her company one can actually feel it warming the heart and soul through everything she seems to touch.

Melanie and Haskell, her husband, Owners/Founders of mōksa organics, sum it up this way:

"We make soap. But not just any soap. Because regular soap is plain ol' boring. We've created a clean revolution."

There's no bulk packaging, wasted materials or lists of ingredients a mile long or that contribute to environmental hazards here.  Their products contain ingredients you recognize as pure, simple, natural.  They are certified organic. They also use fair-trade whenever possible.  Melanie is quick to point out that their products never include palm oils.  Why? Commercial harvesting of palms for their oil is the leading cause of ecosystem's loss of habitat and deforestation.  mōksa organics' ingredients are chosen with the least amount of environmental impact.  Their packaging is tree free.  They use post consumer waste, recycled materials and no virgin plastics.

mōksa organics has received federally recognized certification as a carbon neutral company.  All of their offsets are used locally to purchase trees for Alachua Conservation Fund.  mōksa's mission is to be an active part of solutions for a sustainable future.  Let me reiterate, when they say they intend to play an "active" part, they mean it.  When I first contacted Melanie she was dashing off to a local Sierra Club meeting (she's a board member), where they were busily planning for a campaign launch about Bottled Water awareness.



Melanie at the lake behind her house

 Melanie couldn't have been more gracious about supplying me with information (and product) to showcase mōksa for Earth Day, a month/day she shares is her favorite.  As I've gotten to learn more about her, I can't think of anyone or any brand better to feature on Earth Day than Melanie and mōksa organics.  They are the epitome of Earth Day celebration.  And as you might expect, giving back is a huge part of what they do through mōksa. More on that in a little bit.

"Our products allow us to do what we love and it allows us to work with progressive people and groups that help minimize our (society's) impact on nature and our eco-system.  Our mission focuses on habitat preservation and conservation...soap helps us accomplish that.  That's why we call it soapy love."

Allow me to introduce you to some of mōksa's gorgeous products.  Let me set the scene for these by telling you when I opened the package of soaps, my office filled with the delicious scents of essential oils, as if it had been transformed into my own little mini spa.  The chemical reaction between us (soaps and me) had ignited.  It was destiny ... I was falling in love ... quickly.

Bohemian Forest
A blend of wintergreen and woodsy aromas for that Bohemian experience. Check out this ingredient list (and note the shortness): Organic oils of olive, coconut, soybean, castor, hemp, babassu, shea butter; blend of pure essentail oils; organic rosemary extract.

It's named after the beautiful Bohemian Forest, which has a beautiful, diverse eco-system (all mōksa soaps are named after a cool spot on the planet).  The environmental advocacy group that it's dedicated to:  Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment  (ATREE).  Based in India, ATREE does much in the field of research, outreach and conservation. Melanie says, "They are one of those hard working organizations that few people know about and they fly under the radar.  They have a huge emphasis on EDUCATION.  They need support."

Abbey Road
A blend of sweet orange, clove, vanilla and English tea blends will transport you without moving from your shower to the green fields and quaint villages of Britian. Abbey Road body bar is the perfect remedy for fighting off the blue meanies or just getting the grit of the man off your back!  No environmental significance, other than "peace and love" that is associated with the musicians that frequent Abbey Road Studios.

It's dedicated to Aaranyak, another small organization Melanie says flies under the radar and is in need of support for its wonderful contributions. Aaranyak's mission is to foster conservation of biodiversity in Northeast India through research, environmental education, capacity building and advocacy for legal and policy reform to usher a new era of ecological security.

Lavender Avignon
One small whiff of the perfectly balanced blend of lavender and vanilla and you're headed straight to France.  Sometimes you've just got to keep it pure and simple. Take a break from your daily routine, slow down, and enjoy the simplest of organic pleasures.

Named after the lavender fields in Avignon, France, this soap is dedicated to The Sierra Club: Suwannee-St. Johns Group. This is an organization very close to Melanie's heart.  Hear her passion as she elaborates here:

 "I'd like to try and explain. The Sierra Club has a very well known national name. What people don't know is that communities around the country have LOCAL chapters within the Sierra Club. This is HUGE! We (mōksa) believe in local first and foremost. Local is the base where change happens. These local chapters around the 50 states are comprised of Board Members that lobby, attend state meetings at capital headquarters, and are an environmental voice for their community with regards to city and county laws, development, preservation of state parks, etc. I proudly serve on the Executive Committee here in Florida. Our group covers 15 counties and our members have done so much to protect and preserve Florida's local and state environmental gems."

The theme Melanie most wants to convey is that Sierra Club functions as a whole because of all the hard work of thousands of local groups around the country. Local Sierra Club chapters need support. Hence, the dedication and proceed/profit dedication to the organization she hold near and dear to her heart through sales of Lavender Avignon.

But Are They Any Good?
All this looks and sounds great, right, but what of the products themselves ... are they lovely to use?
I'm not sure I can fully express in a blog post just how incredibly gorgeous these products are.  These are substantial, big bars of soap, not slivers of product.  They are 6.5 oz in weight and much more in essence.  The bars provide a rich, luxuriously creamy lather.  They all smell divine.  You know how generally you'll smell a few bars of soap on display somewhere and be able to come up with a favorite from the line?  Yeah, you can't do that with these - they're all amazing. The blends of the essential oils in each bar are spot on ... not too much of one or the other to overpower the senses.  It may sound cliche', but using these bars truly does lend the experience of washing in nature. 

I mentioned to Melanie that my face never felt cleaner than after using her soap (I tried Abbey Road first).  I had a healthy glow to my skin I haven't seen since I was in my 20's - shocking!  I hesitate to even call the bars soap as that conjures up thoughts of something drying to skin.  There is nothing in mōksa soap bars that are drying to skin.  I'm telling you, I can't wait to jump out of bed in the morning to wash my face.  When a bar of soap can do that for a mood (especially for a mood of one who is in NO way a morning person), that's saying something.

L-R: hand before body butter, mōksa organics Lavender Bergamot Body Butter, hand with body butter

Don't think mōksa's soaps are their only product worth salivating over.  I had the good fortume to also try their body butter in Lavender Bergamot. Omgosh!! The consistency is a firm yet somehow whipped texture of deliciousness.  Ya know, lab produced, synthetic, amalgamations of chemically infused products just cannot give you these same results: simple, pure, healthy.

Well, clearly you see I am completely enamored with mōksa organics and its founder, Melanie. But really, who wouldn't be?  Honest, pure, back-to-nature (literally) goodness handcrafted from a place of integrity and heart.  It's just a winning combination all around.

mōksa soaps retail for $6.50 a bar and body butters for $14 a jar.  You may also seek out their body oils, bath salts, t-shirts and totes (they are "revolutionary" he he!).  Please do yourself a favor and check out mōksa organics online; your skin and conscience will thank you!  Products by mōksa organics are also available online at nimli.com, bellafloria.com and other boutique retailers.  Enjoy! xo

Relic Soap Company: Divinely Created Artisan Soaps

I'm a bit of a homemade soap addict!  Give me the choice of something I can buy in a store and someone's handmade variety with goat's milk and essential oils and I'll take the latter every time.  I like the visual appeal, the aromas of homemade soaps, the feel of their usually creamy lather on my skin and just the notion that they've been made by someone's hand, tenderly, lovingly and creatively. 

I stumbled about a soap diva perusing etsy not long ago and decided I had to try this woman's soaps.  They called out to me ... haunted my dreams ... I could smell them before they even ended up in my order cart.

Allow me to introduce you to Relic Soap Company. 

Relic Soap Company is a family-owned business that specializes in creating a one of a kind natural artisan soap that nourishes the body and dazzles the senses. Their natural soaps are cruelty-free and vegetarian-friendly. Most are vegan. Each soap has a complete ingredient listing. Their soaps are NEVER tested on animals!

Each bar of soap is packaged in an American-made virgin cotton cloth bag ready for gift-giving or to scent your linens before use. One exception - their salt bars, which are phenomenal by the way, are sometimes too large for the bags and are packaged in attractive glassine bags when needed.

I had trouble deciding which to try, and so opted for Karen's "Any 4 Bars for $20" offer.  Wow! What an incredible deal!  These are nice, big bars of goodness, each having a distinct scent, feel, look, texture all their own and I'm loving every single one of them.

Here, a sampling depiction of some of the ones I ordered, but there are many more to choose from at Relic Soap Company:

FROTH SEA SALT BAR

The first in their line of sea salt bars. Relic Soap spared nothing in this bar - adding tons of spa-quality ingredients to it. The bottom blue layer is chocked full of detoxifying dead sea mud while the top blue layer contains vitamin-rich Atlantic Sea kelp to nourish your skin. While this bar sloughs off dead skin cells and polishes your body to a glow, it cleanses with conditioning coconut and olive oils and invigorates with a brisk blend of citrus, lavender, mints, and other herbs. Froth makes an excellent after-shave bar, making your legs look and feel magnificent! Their sea salt bars are an eco-friendly alternative since there's no plastic or glass packaging to recycle. 100% biodegradable and 100% natural! I'm aboslutely loving this one!
 
 

THAI LEMONGRASS

Karen blended crisp lemongrass essential oil with various citrus and earthy essential oils for a gorgeous stick-to-your-skin fragrance. To make this soap extraordinary, they layered each soap with four distinct, Indonesian-inspired ingredients. Enjoy vitamin-rich banana, smooth coconut milk, silky yet exfoliating adzuki bean and detoxifying green tea leaves. Oh my gosh, are you dying to try this yet? Yummmmmm.

LAVENDER MINT SEA SALT

Due to popular demand of their debut sea salt bar, Froth, Relic Soap expanded their line to include some of their popular conventional soap scents, and Lavender Mint was surely a favorite to many Relic Soap fans.  In this bar, they blend sweet lavender essential oil with peppermint and spearmint oils for an instant pick up. Banish the blahs while restoring your glow!

 
HIPPIE CHICK

This is the bar that first called me by name! I even waited a bit longer for the shipment so I could have a fresh batch of this soap in the order. I just couldn't wait to dive into its decadence; so as soon as my lovely package arrived, I drew the soap from its drawstring cloth bag, carried it with me to the bar whiffing its delightful aroma with every step, then took full advantage a nice long soak in the bar-created patchouli waters. Oh my gosh, it was orgasmic! 

Enough of my experience, though, here's what you can expect from Hippie Chick.  The official scent of the 60's, but better. They use aged, smooth patchouli oil for an amazingly warm aroma. Relic Soap colors this soap with mineral colorants and mica, not fake, articificial dyes. Ready to pull your hair out?  This is the bar to grab to be transcended to a place altogether peaceful. Ohm...

GARDEN SCRUB ARTISAN SOAP

"If this bar doesn't get you clean, you're not doing it right!" was proclaimed by one of their farmers market customers.

This bar may be a workhorse, yet equally lovely for its fragrance and beauty. Half a dozen various citrus oils team up with spearmint oil to degrease and refresh your skin after a hard day's work. Ground luffa, coarse ground corn meal, kaolin clay and poppy seeds offer astonishing scrub power. They add a sprinkle of vibrant blue larkspur petals to the top of each bar making this bar a gorgeous addition to anyone's soap dish.


Any wonder why I'm in love with this gem on God's green earth? Relic Soap Company bars come sweetly packaged in cloth drawstring bags and range from about 4.5 oz - 5 oz per bar. They're nice and big and long-lasting.  Each sells for around $6 or choose to buy 4 bars for $20. Visit Relic Soap Company online and be sure to "LIKE" them on their Facebook page as well!

FYI -- just a little note that Relic Soap is on vacay until 8/31, but they'll be back and ready to dole out their bars to you in no time flat! xo