INGREDIENTS WE LOVE: Castor Oil, Cocoa Butter, & Avocado Oil (all organic of course!)

See you later, Humid Summer. Hello, Dry Winter! We’re starting to experience dips in temperature and with that comes the first few signs of skin dryness. Luckily for you, the Sally B's kitchen is stocked with many moisture-rich ingredients to ensure your skin stays soft and smooth all winter long.  Some of our favorites include Castor Oil, Cocoa Butter, and Avocado Oil, all of which are all edible! Though, we don’t recommend eating any of your Sally B’s products.

Castor Oil Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil

For centuries, Castor Oil has been used around the world to treat a variety of illnesses, though there’s a good chance you think of it as just a constipation remedy (thanks, Grandma!). Well it is, but Castor Oil is good for so much more, especially when it comes to the skin. It has superb antimicrobial properties, reduces itching, and can help strengthen the skin.

Extracted from the seed of the Castor Oil Plant (aka Palma Christi), Castor Oil is a triglyceride, comprised of fatty acids, 90% of which is ricinoleic acid. In traditional medicine, ricinoleic acid was used to treat skin disorders, sunburns, foot fungus, and more because of its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties.

We use it, however, to help balance the skin’s moisture since ricinoleic acid is a humectant, which means that it pulls moisture out of the atmosphere and into our skin. Castor oil might look thick, but it absorbs into the skin quickly and effortlessly, making this ingredient perfect for dry skin, especially in the lips!

Why We Love It: Castor Oil is to health as vinegar is to the kitchen. While vinegar seems to be able to clean almost anything, the more we learn about Castor Oil the more we realize its possibilities in curing ailments and illness.  We especially love the gloss that it gives our lip products without making them sticky or drying.

Find It In:Lip Yummies,B Glossy Lip Gloss,Lip Skinnies 

Cocoa Butter (Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter)

Cocoa Butter is a fatty butter derived from the cacao bean, native to the Americas, and has been used for hundreds of years by cultures around the world to moisturize, heal and protect the skin from the sun. Its unique makeup allows it to penetrate deep within the skin where the body is more adapt at retaining moisture. At the same time, however, Cocoa Butter is classified as an emollient, which creates a protective layer on the outside of the skin to keep it soft and smooth. This characteristic is particularly beneficial to those suffering from eczema or psoriasis.

Cocoa Butter is extremely rich in antioxidants (richer than green tea, in fact!) and a large percentage of its makeup includes flavanols, which offer even more protection against free radicals and their damage.  

Why We Love It: As research continues, new and beneficial uses for Cocoa Butter are becoming available. We love it for what it already does and are excited to discover more of its potential!  It's always a treat to use Cocoa Butter - the chocolaty warm aroma makes everyone drool a little bit.

Find It In:Lip Yummies,Lip Skinnies,Sugar Scrub,B Pinched,B Smudged

Avocado Oil (Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil)

In the same family as Jojoba Oil and Oilve Oil, Avocado Oil is an edible oil rich in Vitamins A, B, D, & E and contains carotene, lecithin, and linoleic acid.  It is extracted from the fleshy pulp that surrounds the avocado pit and since its discovery, it has been valued in the skin care industry for its regenerative and moisturizing properties

As a powerful antioxidant, it aids in the fight against free radicals. At the same time, Avocado Oil is extremely hydrating. It contains sterolins, which help it to penetrate deep within the skin to retain water, making it the perfect ingredient to eliminate dry, itchy skin. Sterolins also help to produce collagen and reduce evidence of age spots.

Another unique quality of Avocado Oil is its high levels of omega-3s, which studies have show to be a highly effective protector against UV rays.  Avocado Oil’s essential fatty acids work to promote proper cell function and decrease inflammation.

Why We Love It: Avocado Oil can be applied to so many different products and works so well with all skin types. It helps give our products their smooth silky feel.  It's a bonus product because not only does it moisturize beautifully, it also contains so many great things that science tries their best to reproduce.

Find It In:Intensive Eye Repair,Tinted Moisturizer,Carrot Facial Dream Cream,Natural Buff Cuticle Bar

By now you can see why we love these moisture-rich ingredients and highly recommend introducing these ingredients into your winter-time beauty regime. However, we can not stress enough that when seeking them out make sure you purchase them organically. All three are plant-based ingredients and are very commonly sprayed with pesticides to help aid the growing process. Purchasing products made from organic ingredients ensures that these toxic pesticides are not being passed on to you.