Although you wouldn’t be able to tell it by the recent weather, spring is here. And with the changing weather comes changing needs for your skin. Here are some things you can do to keep your skin looking its best through the spring season.

First, replace your thick winter moisturizer with something lighter for the season. Spring is not as harsh and drying for your skin, so you don’t need the thick oily moisturizer that you would in winter. All that extra moisture can leave your skin feeling greasy and increase blemishes.

Second, make sure you exfoliate well before any hair removal. Shaving and waxing don’t occur as often in the “covered up” months, but now that bathing suit season is just around the corner, it’s time to get rid of some of that unwanted hair. The process will be much smoother (pun intended) if you exfoliate and remove that dead skin 24-48 hours before the hair removal. Plus, the deep cleanse is good for all your skin.

Third, it’s not too early for sun screen. Even though it may not be hot yet, the skies are open, winter clouds are gone and the suns rays are strong. You are also wearing less clothing. Take the time to put on sunscreen every time you head outside. Your skin will thank you. While you are at it, do an all over body check for moles and other out of the ordinary skin issues.

And last, take advantage of the skin benefits of all the fresh fruits and vegetables that are available this time of year. Stock up on leafy green vegetables which are great for your skin and don’t miss out on the antioxidant qualities of all those fresh fruits. It’s healthy for you-inside and out.

Take advantage of some of the great soaps on our website www.glynnesoaps.com They can help with exfoliating, cleaning and moisturizing your skin.

As always if you have questions you can e-mail me soapmaker@glynnesoaps.com

Jenn

Whew, I have been a busy puppy!

Thought I would take a few minutes to tell you about what’s been happening in my life. Then I’ll tell you a bit about the happenings here at Glynne’s Soaps.

As you probably already know, I am now going to day care two days a week. I love it! I’ve made a ton of new friends and we get to romp and play all day (on the days I am there). I also have made some great human friends while at day care. Dyana who owns Dog Club of Wilmington is a very nice lady…she calls herself my fun mom (don’t tell her but my real mom is pretty fun too). I am also friends with Jen who works at Dog Club of Wilmington. Jen is always good for a snuggle or two and she has good cookies

Several weeks ago, I began obedience classes at Dog Train here in Wilmington. I was worried when I first heard I was starting school. I wasn’t sure I was up for the challenge but Diane, the owner of Dog Train is very nice to me. I’m doing very good in class and learning a lot. Tonight I graduate and in a few weeks, I start graduate school. I know the plan for me is to be an agility dog; I can hardly wait to get started on that training. However, lately there is talk of also being a therapy dog (I really think I would like that).

For mother’s day weekend, we went to visit my grandma. I always have a good time when I am there. We did lots of yard work for her and planted her garden (here’s a picture of me working in the garden).

On Sunday, we went for a family picnic to Pilot Mountain State Park. I had lots of fun and met lots of people and pups. Here is a picture of the whole family -we were missing TW & Jenny but they are busy in Florida - at Pilot Mountain (I’m the really cute spotted one).

That is about all that is happening with me. Glynne’s Soaps is just as busy. We hope that by tomorrow we will be announcing the Front Street Brewery soaps. I know my mom plans to tell you why beer is great in soaps and all the benefits (she is a chemist & knows these things). I just know they smell and look great.

Our bug off soap is selling like hot cakes. It hasn’t even made it to our web site, yet and we can hardly keep it in stock (maybe you’d like to try it). You can always e-mail me Wrigley@glynnesoaps.com or give me a call 910.470.8693.

Until next time, this is
Wrigley
The Sales Manager

These days, it seems like the term “anti-bacterial” is on the labels of many of our cleaning products and soaps. Is this really necessary? What are the effects on the wider environment? We seem to be really fixated on bacteria. Without a doubt, there are bad bacteria out there, but there are also many kinds of good bacteria that we couldn't live without. There are approximately 182 strains of bacteria that live on your skin, and most of them are helpful. Think of them as an added layer of defense against germs. Repeated washing, especially with anti-bacterial soap strips your body of this defense mechanism. For example, there is at least one type of bacteria whose job is to help moisturize the skin. Anti-bacterial soap will kill these bacteria, causing your skin to dry out.

The next time you go to use your anti-bacterial soap, read the label. Some anti-bacterial soaps contain MIT (methylisothiazolinone), which some studies have found to be allergenic and linked to nerve cell death. Another anti-bacterial chemical commonly used is Triclosan. This chemical is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency as being a pesticide and is believed to destroy fragile aquatic ecosystems. So, not only is it bad for your skin, as it runs out of your shower and into the water supply it is very dangerous to the environment.

While anti-bacterial chemicals do play a role in professional health settings, they are not necessary in your home. Not only do they kill the good bacteria, but with overuse, harmful bacteria can become resistant.

The best thing you can do for your skin and the environment is to use a good all natural soap, like those found on our website www.glynnesoaps.com . Not only will you be clean, but your skin will be softer and the environmental impact is very low.

Feel free to e-mail me with your questions. If I don't know the answer, I promise to work hard to find you the answer.

Jenn
Soapmaker@glynnesoaps.com

If you've visited our website or regularly read our blog, you probably already know, we at Glynne’s Soaps are very environmentally conscious. We try to do as much as we can to make a positive impact on the environment. This is true for our personal lives and our business.

As I was reading some things about Earth Day, I found a web site called “Low Impact Living”. They have an impact calculator that I thought was worth a second look. Answer a few simple questions about your house and the calculator will show not only your carbon footprint but also energy, water, wastewater, trash, and stormwater runoff footprints of your home and lifestyle. It then gives suggestions about things you can do around your home to reduce these footprints. The suggestions were very practical and also included the cost and potential savings of the changes.

So, if you have a few minutes, check out the calculator and make some “Earth Day resolutions” to lower your carbon footprint.

When you are done with that, head on over to www.glynnesoaps.com and get some all natural soap. So many soaps in stores today contain a variety of fragrances and chemicals that have the potential to harm the environment. Some chemicals used in soap fragrances have been proven to cause birth defects and liver damage in animals.
These chemicals aren't the type of thing you want to risk using on your body unless absolutely necessary, let alone escape into our waterways. Even if the potentially toxic chemicals are in minute amounts and they may not build up on or in our bodies, they can accumulate in the environment. Our soaps are made with all natural ingredients, no chemicals, so they will not harm you, or the environment. What a great way to pamper yourself, your family and your friends and celebrate Earth Day.

Remember – free shipping on all orders placed before midnight tonight. Happy Earth Day!!

Once you bring your new soap home, there are some things you can do to help it last as long as possible. I know when I have a new soap that lathers great, smells wonderful and leaves me feeling soft and smooth; I don’t want to waste any of it. Just following these few simple tips will keep your soap (and you) happy.

1) Any moisture will dissolve your soap, even if you aren’t using it. Don’t let it sit in a puddle. A draining soap dish or a mesh bag hanging in the shower will help dry your soap between uses. If you don’t have either of these, minimize the area of your soap that come in contact with the wet area; sit it up on it’s side or prop it on the edge of the soap dish. Any air circulation will keep your soap happy.

2) The longevity of your soap improves if you use a loofah, washcloth or sponge instead of rubbing the soap directly on your body. You can purchase some nice accessories on our website www.glynnesoaps.com

3) Before use, store your soap in a cool dry place. Under the sink is bad because the soap can pick up moisture from condensation on the pipes. Some people store it in a linen closet or dresser drawer so the scent can freshen towels or clothing

Since handcrafted soap has no chemical preservatives, it deserves a specific care plan to insure the longest, happiest relationship possible between you and your soap.

As always, if you have any questions you can e-mail me at soapmaker@glynnesoaps.com

Jenn