Oct. 25, 2009
Virginia Soaps and Scents TOS
Posted in Reviews
  I have spent several years trying to find the right methods and products for my hair and I thought I had found the perfect combination for me,but I'm proof that old dogs can learn new tricks. Because of Virginia Soaps and Scents, I learned a few things about hair that will change what we will be using for our hair in the future. It seems that most shampoos and conditioners contain plastics and other substances that coat your hair and make it unhealthy. We were sent : Honey and Oatmeal, Coconut and Lemongrass, and Fresh Orange soaps ($4.50/ 4.5 oz bar), unscented shampoo bar($5.50/ 5.5 oz bar),and laundry soap kit($4.95-makes 2 gallons) My daughter confiscated the oatmeal soap and took it to her bathroom as soon as we opened the box. Lemongrass is one of my favorite scents, so that one ended up in my bathroom, and our son got the orange one for his bathroom. The shampoo bar came to our shower because my husband is the only one in our house that shampoos his hair daily- the rest of us have dry hair that doesn't like daily washings. DH has such oily hair that he sometimes has to wash his hair twice a day if we are going somewhere in the evening. He liked the way his hair felt clean and looked clean, but the shampoo bar didn't help his dandruff problem. By the way- VSS currently doesn't have a "dandruff" shampoo bar, but they are working on it. In the meantime they suggested the clarifying shampoo because it has helped others suffering from dandruff. I used the shampoo bar every 2-3 days because I have thick wavy/curly hair that looks like straw if I shampoo daily. My hair felt like straw the first time I used the shampoo bar, and I was ready to let my husband have the bar all to himself until I read the advice of some of the TOS crew. It seems that some hair types, especially thick, curly hair , need help to make hair the best it can be. In my case, an apple cider vinegar rinse was the key to soft manageable hair- just be careful that the vinegar is sufficiently diluted. I also learned about "plopping" my hair to encourage nice looking curls. Before trying the shampoo bar, vinegar rinse,and "plopping", I would have to use styling products and a diffuser to get the same curly results, and I would have to wash my hair that evening because I can't stand going to bed with gunk in my hair. I had been using the shampoo bar for several weeks when the results were first tested. Recently we went out of town and brought dandruff shampoo because everyone in our family can use it and only one bottle has to be packed. I used the dandruff shampoo with and without the vinegar rinse, but still had an itchy scalp and a head full of tangles. When I plopped my hair, the curls weren't as well defined and my hair looked lifeless. Some crew members didn't seem to have the same results, maybe it had something to due with hard water. Soaps are affected by hard water, but detergents aren't. Because all of us like the way the shampoo bar cleaned our hair, we thought about making our own and use natural ingredients for dandruff control, but there are some roadblocks. 1) Because lye is being used for illegal purposes, it is very difficult to find, regulated and usually expensive. 2) Lye is extremely caustic and great care needs to be taken when working with it. 3) Some of the recommended oils can only be found in special health food stores. 4) Good essential oils are expensive. 5) It takes about three weeks for the soap to cure so you can use it. We are going to try making soap because we try to make things ourselves to see how things work, but many times we find it is better stewardship to buy from those that know what they are doing- this may be one of those times. We have been making our own laundry soap for about a year. It started out as a science experience, but we've kept it up because it works and is much cheaper than store bought detergents. My son seems to be allergic to most laundry soaps, but he's never had a problem with the homemade stuff. Virginia Soaps and Scents has put all the ingredients (except the water) together in a convenient kit so that everyone who wants to make their laundry can. Sometimes it is difficult to find the washing soda locally, and the Spargurs have done the time-consuming job of grating the soap bar already. We live near three major cities and can usually find the ingredients without too much trouble, but for those who don't , VSS's laundry soap kit may be a good option. My children liked the hand soaps, but I'm partial to liquid soaps because they seem to make less mess. VSS does sell a wooden soap dish that keeps the soap up and away from the excess water, thereby reducing the "goo" factor. As a whole, our family liked the soaps and if our foray into soap making flops, VSS, here we come! To see what other crew members had to say about Virginia Soaps & Scents click here. P.S.- VSS is a homeschool family owned and operated business- they do everything. They even do their own printing on the premises. This is a family that, with God's grace, has turned a tragedy into a God honoring business. As part of the TOS crew, I was sent this product free in return for my honest opinion. |
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