By Britny Main
Organic and sustainable skincare is often overlooked and written off as “too expensive” or “not effective.” But did you know that the chemicals in drug store brands are actually harming your skin instead of helping it?
Why Organic Skin Care is Better for You
It’s been said over and over that eating organic is better for you due to the toxins that are often found in processed food. What most people don’t realize is that the soap and skin care they are using is also filled with those toxins. Your skin often absorbs more than 60 percent of the chemicals you put on it, so limiting your intake of harmful toxins can help your skin stay beautiful and healthy.
Organic Products at Local Skincare Store, Josiah’s Oils Photo Cred: Britny Main
So what can you do to make sure that your skin is being treated just as well as the inside of your body? Essential oils and organic products are the answer. Businesses around the country have taken off due to the high demand of these products. We even have one right here in Lancaster.
About Josiah’s Oils
Josiah’s Oils Photo Credit: Britny Main
Local small business, Josiah’s Oils, was founded in 2011 by Ninnete Jackson, a mother of five who wanted to prove that organic skin care is better for the user than the average drug store brands. The company got its name from one of the owner’s sons, Josiah, who happens to have Down Syndrome. Essential oils and green-living are proven to benefit those like Josiah so much that one of the company’s goals is to educate families about holistic health.
Josiah’s Oils CEO, Josiah Photo Credit: Josiah’s Oils Website
Supporting small businesses is great, but if you needed one more reason, a portion of the profits will assist children with special needs. Josiah’s Oils are distilled on farms around the globe in the plant’s natural environment and are then freshly bottled, and stored here in Lancaster, PA. The company’s oils and blends are purity tested and hand selected by a Clinical Aromatherapist who has over 11 years of experience. Their perspective is Biblical, they do not partake in any type of mystical work and all of their products are never tested on animals. They have everything from essential oils to hair care and everything in between.
Organic Products Are Even Better for the Environment
Not only are organic products better for your skin and body, they are better for the environment due to its reliance on sustainable farming. In a 2007 report, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations said, “Organic agriculture already uses less fossil fuel-based inputs and has a better carbon footprint than standard agricultural practices.” This is due to the fact that sustainable organic farming reduces its impact by avoiding pesticides and toxins that leak into the water, air, and soil and can become harmful.
How Can You Help?
When shopping for organic skincare products, you want to look for products that contain familiar ingredients such as:
- Aloe
- Oats
- Peppermint
- Coconut Oil
- Cinnamon
- Olive Oil
- Essential Oils
- Shea Butter
If you are having a hard time pronouncing what’s on the label, chances are it’s not organic. It’s up to the consumer to do their research and yes, we all want to look our best, but we can easily do that without harming the environment.
Organic Skincare Products at Josiah’s Oils Photo Credit: Britny Main
Poisoning our planet
A list of ingredients that negatively impact our environment.
Chemical Effect on Environment
| BHA and BHT | Known to kill fish and shellfish, cause genetic mutations in amphibians |
| P-phenylenediamine | Kills many aquatic species |
| Dibutyl phthalate | Kills aquatic life and plant plankton |
| Triclocan | Changes biochemistry of fish, aquatic plants, and amphibians |
| Diethanolamine | Fatally toxic to animal plankton, flatworms, fish, crustaceans, amphibians, and more |
Josiah’s Oils Moves To Bigger Location
Josiah’s Oils, a bath and body shop which features organic products, has moved to a larger shop in Neffsville. The shop, which opened in May 2014 in the Village at Fiddlers Green, is now in a 800-square-foot space just off Route 501, south of Lititz. With the move, the shop has added raw honey and probiotics, as well as diffusers. The shop also now has part-time employees who give massages and is offering a variety of classes using essential oils. To check out what other products they have, visit their website or stop by their brand new store.
Essential Oils 101 Class
Learn all about safe use of essential oils from Josiah’s Oils very own clinical aromatherapist. The topics covered in the class are
- What are essential oils?
- Safe topical uses?
- How to cook with oils (New topic)
- Oils and the sun
- Oils and kids.
- Oils and the elderly
- Safe diffusing
- Safe blending
The class is free and for beginners only. For more information and to check out their other classes, visit their website josiahsoils.com, or visit them.
Sources
https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/benefits-of-organic-soap/
https://www.josiahsoils.com/
http://www.goldgrasshome.com/blogs/blog/why-organic-skincare-the-benefits-of-natural-beauty
https://www.nourishorganic.com/blogs/blog/14255837-organic-skin-care-leads-to-environmental-savings