Oil as moisterizer or other recommendations?

[Caneel]

I have had super dry skin my whole life and I recently switched from regular bar soap to EVOO/water/honey/Dr. B’s mixture.

This has made a HUGE difference in my skin but I still have just enough dryness that I need a moisturizer. (Our city water is super chlorinated, which doesn’t help matters.) Eliminating soap has completely cleared up my 21-month old son’s skin. He was prone to dry patches and rashes, even when I used the “best” baby washes.

I am using a bottle of name-brand light seseame oil but I see the ingredients contain chemicals in addition to the oil. I will finish the bottle but am looking for a more natural alternative.

Do certain oils work better than others as skin moisturizers?

I read a lot about shea butter but am unfamiliar with it. (I am brand new to this area of body care) Might that be a good choice for me?

[Spastica]

Dr. B tends to be drying sometimes (I hear that some formulations are especially drying, like the one with peppermint oil in it), so you may want to up your other ingredients and use less of the Dr. B. You may even want to try the bar version of castile soap instead of the liquid. Dr. B has coco betaine in it, which can be drying.

Sesame oil is good for moisturizing and so are: coconut oil (good for summer, otherwise it can be drying), jojoba oil, apricot seed oil, grapeseed oil, extra virgin olive oil, cocoa butter, mango butter, shea butter, avocado butter, etc.

Oils work really well right after you exfoliate in the shower (or at least just shower) and get out. The oils soak into your skin and utilize the moisture from your shower.

[Caneel]

Maybe not looking at the right butter

I think I somehow deleted my first attempt at a reply so sorry in advance if I double post.

I am getting ready to mix up a new batch and will cut back on the Dr. Bs. I am using the Eucalyptus version so I suspect it could be more drying. I will ask the local shop to order me in a different formula.

The cocoa butter I found at the local big-box looked like butter in name only. The list of ingredients reminded me of the moisturizer I stopped using. I suspect I wasn’t looking at the right stuff and it may be possible real cocoa butter isn’t sold at big-box-mart.

Do you have an internet source that you like?

[Spastica]

The other mamas can help you out there with the online companies. I only know of one, but I hear it's expensive compared to others: www.fromnaturewithlove.com.

I'm a single gal and I just pick up stuff from the grocery store or farmers' market as I need them. I'm not even so picky about some of my products like some of them are. The cocoa butter I have is just Palmer's cocoa butter, and the coconut oil I'm using for summer isn't organic or extra virgin or anything, it's just good quality edible coconut oil, without anything else in it.

[Taedareth]

Shea butter works great for me. I bought some (quite inexpensively, actually) from an online store that imports fresh, unrefined shea butter from Ghana (their current batch was made in April!) It has approx SPF 6 and its natural healing properties are intact as well (these fade after 18 months of shelf life, but it is still a good moisturizer after that time frame has passed.) The store is: https://shop.agbangakarite.com/splashPage.hg

[milky_mama]

I also have dry areas on my face and have found that shea butter works great!

[Caneel]

Shea butter in blocks

Thanks for the link. Does it really come in big blocks as shown on the website? I am wondering how I will store it.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by Spastica

Dr. B tends to be drying sometimes (I hear that some formulations are especially drying, like the one with peppermint oil in it), so you may want to up your other ingredients and use less of the Dr. B. You may even want to try the bar version of castile soap instead of the liquid. Dr. B has coco betaine in it, which can be drying.

Since when does Bronner's liquid soap have a betaine in it? That's a new one on me, I thought Bronner's was just the product of water, KOH, and saponifiable and fragrance oils.

If it does have coco betaine (sure it's not cocamidopropyl betaine? Both are in common use, but the amidopropyl's milder & more effective), it must be as a lime soap dispersant, and I don't think the betaine would be any more drying than the same soap without the betaine.

Robert

PS: I did some searching and I think you're mixed up with Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds, which does have coco betaine.

[Petersmamma]

I use jojoba oil. I really love it. I use it only at night, since I use a moisturizer with SPF during the day. I got a bottle at Whole Foods for about $8, I have had it since ~April, and I'd say I've used about 1/8 of it. It really lasts a long time!