Do you smell that? That funky earthy smell? What could that be?! Well, I have the answer for you! That funk, my friend, comes from the neem oil used in our Funky Fresh Tea Tree soap bars. What is neem oil you ask? Keep reading to find out!
Introduction:
First things first, I should tell the story of my introduction to neem oil. I am an avid plant collector and a few years ago I had an issue with some pesky gnats hanging around my house plants. The apple cider vinegar trick helped a little but didn’t seem to get rid of them. So I did a little research. One of the first things that popped up when I looked up how to get rid of the gnats was to use neem oil. What’s so special about neem oil that it can deter bugs away? Well… it’s that funky smell! Neem oil is notorious for its weird funky smell. Some describe it as almost a garlicky musky aroma. Some actually love it while most others do not. I am the first to admit that, yes, it is not the most pleasant of smells to experience. However I do believe that the benefits of neem oil are very much worth using in our cold process soap despite its funk! After learning about neem oil, continue reading to learn how we balance out that funk.
Neem Oil Benefits:
Neem oil is a magic ingredient in my book. It has a whole laundry list of nourishing and protective properties. Neem oil is an amazing ingredient to help balance skin oils and also reduce acne scars, hyperpigmentation, and inflammation. This wonder oil is one of the best tools I use to reduce acne with its antiseptic and antibacterial properties. And it doesn’t end there! Neem oil is also an incredible moisturizer. When used regularly, it can naturally improve the skin's ability to absorb other active healing ingredients. No matter what skin type you have, neem oil can assist in balancing out overly oily skin as well as dry skin types. And again, it doesn’t end there! Neem oil is also packed with Vitamin C which naturally helps boost collagen production leaving you with smoother skin.
Overall, I’m thrilled to use neem oil despite that funky smell. It is totally worth it! In order to help balance out that unpleasant smell, we use peppermint and tea tree essential oil in our Funky Fresh Tea Tree bars. Peppermint and tea tree are the perfect match to take on masking the funk. The funk will always be there but I must admit that I thoroughly enjoy the combination of peppermint and tea tree with the neem oil. Both peppermint and tea tree are also incredible essential oils that are packed with skin-nourishing properties.
Peppermint and Tea Tree Benefits:
Peppermint oil is a great pair with tea tree oil. It’s able to soothe irritation and itchiness of the skin but it also promotes wound healing and can help with soothing pesky bug bites. But the real magic is in the tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is one of the commonly used oils in helping reduce acne due to its antibacterial properties. Like neem oil, tea tree oil is helpful with both dry and oily skin. It is also one of the best essential oils to use for treating eczema and itchy skin because of its anti-inflammatory properties as well as helping greatly with skin conditions such as psoriasis.
Herbal Benefits:
With our Funky Fresh Tea Tree bars we wanted to make sure that this body and facial bar was packed with skin-loving nutrients. And some may surprise you! The magic combo that we use in our Tea Tree bars consists of nettle leaf, thyme, burdock root, comfrey root, and ground peppermint leaves. Each of these additives play an important role in our nutrient dense Funky Fresh Tea Tree bar.
First up is nettle leaf. Nettle leaf is one of the most underrated ingredients in my opinion! This powerhouse plant acts as an amazing natural astringent helping to tighten and firm the skin as well as speed up the healing process of any skin wounds. Like most additives used in this bar, nettle is packed with minerals and vitamins that ultimately leaves your skin looking and feeling healthy.
The second herb we use in our Funky Fresh Tea Tree bar is thyme. Thyme is a favorite herb to use because of its ability to kill unwanted bacteria that may be causing skin acne. I’ve found that it really does an amazing job in acting as a natural acne preventative.
Burdock root is also antibacterial as well as anti-inflammatory. Burdock is right next to nettle when it comes to being packed full of essential minerals and vitamins that our bodies need and love. I love using burdock root in this soap because it can significantly help with tougher skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, or dermatitis.
Next up is comfrey root! Comfrey root not only works to reduce inflammation but also holds the power to promote new skin cell production due to the leaves containing a chemical compound called Allantoin. With regular use comfrey root can ultimately help sensitive skin become more resilient. Cool, right? It is also very well known for healing bruises and wounds quickly and effectively as well as aiding more serious skin conditions. And that’s what we’re all about - Healing our skin one bar of soap at a time!
And last but certainly not least we couldn't pass up on using peppermint in our Funky Fresh Tea Tree bar. Peppermint helps improve the cleansing ability of our soap while soothing any skin irritations.
Final Thoughts:
I absolutely adore this soap!!! I am so excited that I get to make soap using natural ingredients packed full of nutrients that our bodies constantly crave. Our Funky Fresh Tea Tree bar is an absolute powerhouse bar of soap. Seriously. I use this soap regularly to wash my face and body and nothing has compared to its ability to leave me with beautiful healthy skin. No matter what skin type you have, this bar of soap is a must have!