So, it seems I'm a terrible blogger...
So bad in fact that I've now lost track of two blogs, as in, don't even know how to get into them, lost track of them. As in, years go by and I don't remember what I called them or what info I put them under. But do I give up and admit blogging is not my destiny? Nooooo. I just start again. Third time's a charm, right?
Sure.
So, anyway.... what's been on this Kansas chick's mind lately, you ask... a.k.a. what have I been completely obsessed to an unhealthy degree about, even if you didn't ask?
Allergies. A corn allergy, to be more specific. And all the ways the world tries to sneak it into our lives. And I do mean sneak. That little kernel goes by a thousand different names when people in white coats squish it and press it and milk it for all it's worth. A thousand might be a stretch but not by much, I assure you. And if you've ever tried to avoid that sneaky little devil, you'll know that it's a lot harder than ducking past the popcorn line with a mournful sigh as you enter the movie theater. In fact you practically need to earn one of those white coats yourself in at least two different science degrees, a nutritionists license, and a Sherlock Holmes level detective prowess, along with a really good pair of reading glasses.
If it hadn't been for the help of a few good bloggers (ones whom I assume don't lose track of their blogs through ages of laziness) I would still be crying with defeat on the floor of my supermarket with a magnifying glass in one hand and a can of peaches in the other.
Did you know there could be corn in a can of peaches? Diabolical.
And the ingredient dissection doesn't stop in the canned food aisle. That golden king kernel makes a bold appearance in the personal care department as well. It's often used in everything from hairspray to toilet paper. Sweet Jesus, Toilet Paper?!? Yup.
As it happens, and I'm sure you're grateful, this post isn't about how I made the corn-toilet paper connection. That just seems too personal for a fist post back on a third round of blog-tries. (Dedication is coming soon into my life, I'm sure. At least I'm hopeful.)
This post happens to be about a little company I am now completely in love with called Gluten Free Savonnerie! If you say it right, it rhymes. And I insist you do, it's worth it. I am in love with every product I've tried, with the ingredients being simple and simply stated, with the sampler collection that allowed me to try a full line of their products at a discount, and with the fact that it arrived on my doorstep no more than 49 hours after I placed the order!
The products arrived in a plain mailing box without bells or whistles, but each product was carefully wrapped or bagged as needed inside, and everything made the trip intact. I lined them all up and counted them. Fourteen products in all, one more than what I was expecting from the website description, and all of them hand crafted in Wildrose North Dakota.
Most of this sampler collection was full sized product which has stocked my entire bathroom with everything I need (minus the toilet paper). It's reassuring to find a company that pays such close attention to to the ingredients they use and how they might affect their customers. There's a whole section on their website detailing specific allergens as well as up front information about the sourcing of every ingredient that I might have wondered about.
It was refreshing to find assurance right there in plain language without having to email, call, or research like I have to do with most products lines. Call me old fashioned, but buying a bar of soap should not require a science degree or a seven day correspondence marathon!
At first I sat there clicking through their website debating and deciding which products to buy, which ones I would need most to rid myself of the corn irritation surrounding my skin, eyes, and senses. Finally I stumbled upon the specials link and found the collection that I eventually ordered. It's been about a week now and I have been grateful every day that I splurged on it.
I've been using the premium bar soap on my face and body. For a bar soap it's not drying at all, quite the opposite. I find that I don't need to lotion as much or as immediately as I used to after showering.
The moisturizing lotion is light and thin. At first I worried that it wouldn't be enough on my usually dry, irritated skin, but again I was surprised at how well it works! It feels great going on and soaks right in to do its job. After a week of using them together on my face I am thrilled to have none of my usual trying-something-new-breakouts! I would swear this stuff is straight from heaven if I hadn't seen the North Dakota post mark.
I'm also enjoying the shaving foam which seems like a liquid castille soap (?) in a foam pump dispenser... I normally just use my bar soap for shaving, so it's probably not something I would have ordered specifically but it was in the collection and I'm glad to try it. It's an interesting feel, not quite oily, not quite soapy, but more pleasant under the razor than regular soap suds somehow. After using it I will likely reorder when I run out.
There was also a tube of lip balm in the collection. It's currently my only reliably corn free lip balm aside from my homemade and is much handier in it's little tube than my reused Altoids tin balm for pocket use, but it does seem to disappear rather quickly after applying on my lips.
I'm still forming an opinion on the shampoo and conditioner. I usually wash my hair three times a week and while these products seem adequate at keeping it clean and shiny looking, it feels a bit dry and has some flyaway / static issues... This is springtime in Kansas, however, and the dusty wind could have something to do with that, so I'm not giving up on it yet.
There are still a few products in my collection that I haven't had a chance to try yet, but overall, I'm very happy with the Gluten Free Savonnerie, found at gfsoap.com and I hope I never lose track of their info!
Now, on to my quest for corn-free cosmetics that I might actually be able to wear without my eyes going all gooey and itchy! Any suggestions???
