If you want skin care products that are:
- absolutely pure and non-toxic
- made with short and simple ingredient lists (that you can actually read and pronounce)
- that are gentle enough for the whole family
... then you'll probably like today's giveaway from Apple Valley Natural Soap!
There are a growing number of companies making "natural" and "organic" skin care products. Many of them are now brand names that we are familiar with and they line the health food store aisles.
Many of these products are truly natural, made with carefully selected ingredients. But, as an avid ingredient-reader, I'm often surprised by how many aren't, and especially by how many still have those no-no ingredients that we want to avoid!
I haven't found fault with anything we've tried from Apple Valley Natural Soap. Not one bad ingredient. There is something to be said for a company where you can freely purchase what you need, without having to stop and analyze each individual product. That freedom and 100% confidence is what makes me willing to use them daily and recommend them to you over and over again.
Our family's favorite Apple Valley products
Shampoo and Body Bars
It has been about one year since we first began to use the Shampoo and Body Bars. They are all I use for my body and for my hair. I used to be a fan of the "no 'poo" method, and I still am in many ways, but my thin, fine hair was experiencing some dryness and breakage.
Since I switched over to the shampoo bars and my hair adjusted, those issues have gone away and my hair is much more manageable.
Organic Liquid Castile Soap
I've been a fan of castile soap for years, using it for all of my children's bathing and hair washing, as well as for cleaning my floors and my toilets. Apple Valley's castile soap is affordable, comes in several scents, and a big bonus... no bizarre, confused spiritual sayings on the package (all the Dr. Bronner's users out there know exactly what I mean!).
Organic Balancing Facial Serum
This is a product that I would have never purchased on my own, but Natalie sweetly sent me a bottle of the facial serum to try. She suggested that after I wash my face at night, I spray it with the Lavender Hydrosol (another product that I was unfamiliar with, but this helps to explain it a bit), and then put a small amount on my fingertips and rub it in. The hydrosol helps to spread it all over evenly, while acting as a toner.
This serum is perfect for night time use, as it soaks in and really nourishes the skin during the night, and when you wake up, any oiliness is completely gone. It's a very different method of moisturizing than most of us (including myself) are used to, but I've been surprised at how well it works and how luxurious it feels.
Organic Foaming Hand Soap
We keep this foaming hand soap in our main floor bathroom, and it is fantastic. The pumps work well and never leaves a mess. One pump of foam is the perfect amount. The smell is heavenly (we have Citrus Splash, but it looks like the scents have since changed- so maybe similar to Orange Blossom?), and it leaves my hands feeling soft, not dried out. Plus, no antibacterial chemicals-- a requirement in our home.
Essential Oil Blends
A couple months ago, my husband gifted me with a post-partum gift of an essential oil nebulizer. It's a high quality nebulizer and I love it, along with the oil blend he purchased for me at Saje, but I don't love the $26 price tag on the itty bitty 10 ml bottle. Apple Valley carries six of their own essential oil blends, 15 ml for only $10. That's my kind of price.
We're giving away a $75 gift certificate to Apple Valley Natural Soaps, good for anything in their shop!
These are just some of my favorite products, but they also sell handmade soap bars, facial masques, sea salt foot scrubs (oh yes, these were nice), baby wash and massage oil (which smells divine and makes my baby so very happy), lip balm, body scrubs, moisturizing butter bars, organic jojoba and argan oils, simple essential oils (only one oil, not a blend) and more. They are truly a one-stop shop for pure and simple skincare!
A few items currently on 20% off clearance include:
Organic Facial Serum
Liquid Castile Soap
Acne Battle Toner
Each month they offer Limited Editions, and June's include:
Organic Jojoba in the Lime Spa scent
Global Therapeutic Salt Soak in Lime Spa scent
Gardener's Scrubby Citrus Basil Bar
PLUS...
Use the code KOTHROCKS to get 10% off all full priced items at Apple Valley Natural Soap, excluding soap bars, for the duration of the giveaway!
Rather than simply leaving comments, I'm trying out a new method for entering giveaways. Click below to complete one Rafflecopter form, for all of your multiple entries, and then you're done!
**If you are reading this in an email newsletter: Please note that in order to enter, you will have to click the post title at the top of this email in order to visit the actual blog page, so that you can properly view the giveaway.
Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on Saturday, June 16, 2012.
I'd love to try the coconut soap!
I'd LOVE to try the Simply Shea Shampoo & Body Bar. I've tried no poo and unscented shampoos & they just aren't cutting it!
Ooh, bug repellant! The lime scrub sounds lovely too.
Love the bars! Thanks for the giveaways!
I would be so excited to get to try some of their stuff!
Would love to give them a try, especially the shampoo and lotion bars!
Oops - forgot to mention the why... I want to try the shampoo bar, mainly because I'm still trying to find a natural shampoo that I like the way it leaves my hair. And also, I meant body bars - not lotion bars. Sorry! :)
I'm truly intrigued by the bug repellant - the ingredients seem so great!
I wld love to try the salt soak in lime scent
I am usually very skeptical about acne treatments but I have bad skin and the acne battle toner sounds like something I would like to try.
Himalayan Pink Grapefruit Tea Tree Pedi-Scrub!! My feet need this!
I would really be interested in trying their shampoo and body bars. I've been "no poo" for a year now and love what I'm doing but this would be great to try when my hair gets dry or to help the DH take the plunge!
I would really like the bug repellant and anything for the avid gardener. Thank you.
I woul love to try the essential oils and Foaming hand soap!!
The bug repellant would be a blessing!
I would love to try Grapefruit Peppermint Luffa Body Bar because it sounds like it would smell amazing!
I Wulf like the Castille soap or maybe a relaxing Essential oil blend.
organic baby wash. I have a baby and would like something nice to use on her skin
I am interested in trying the liquid castile soap and the essential oils.
Id like to try the Lavender Buttermilk Shampoo and Body Bar.
I would like to try their all natural bug repellent because I hate all the bad stuff in commercial products.
So hard to decide: facial serum, shampoo bar or bar soap.
I would like to try their shampoo bar and baby products.
I would love to try the shampoo.
The shampoo bars look awesome! I'd love to switch to those!
Definitely the creamy butter lotion bar. My husband and I both have dry skin and this sounds perfect.
I would love to try their shampoo bars and essential oils!
Would love to be able to try some of their products! I had a hard time picking from their site, but I like the idea of the Lavender Hydrosol used with the organic facial serum. :)
Love the look of this company!!
Shampoo...
I would love to try the essential oils or the organic baby care products.
I really like the essential oil blends!
I would love to try the Serenity Oil blend! Thank you : )
I really want to try out their Castile Soap b/c I agree with you about the weird sayings on the Dr Bronner's bottles.
I've used their soaps in the past (love!) and I would like to try the bath salts. I've heard it is good for psoriasis and my elbows are always itchy and flaking.
I like the lip balms.
I would love to try them all.
I'd like to try one of their shampoo bars, I haven't found a natural shampoo to use yet.
I like to their their Organic Foaming Hand Soap.