Hey everyone, hope you’ve all had a super-duper weekend!
Omg, how on earth have I not ever heard of LATHER…?! There are five retail store locations, including one in Atlanta- and I SO wish I had known about this brand when Jerry’s son lived there. Thankfully, the LATHER.com website exists- as it turns out, I’ve really been missing out. And if you haven’t tried the brand, YOU are missing out, too!
The brand’s founder, Emilie Davidson Hoyt, was a migraine sufferer who knew that artificial ingredients and synthetic perfumes in hair and skin care products contributed to her headaches. This is what led her on her journey to create natural products. She launched LATHER with a small line of pure olive oil-based soaps, and quickly gained a cult following (Lather, 2018).
Another thing I LOVE about the brand is their commitment to giving back- I have a “thing” for socially responsible companies, and Lather is no exception. They have partnered with Clean the World, a non-profit that distributes soap to impoverished countries and domestic homeless shelters. For every bar of olive oil soap sold, LATHER donates the equivalent of five bars of soap to Clean the World (Lather, 2018). LOVE!!
In addition to the Rose Tangerine Lavender Soap, I got to experience three best sellers- the Swiss Apple Wrinkle Remedy, Bamboo Lemongrass Foaming Body Scrub, and the Lavender and Eucalyptus Foot Crème. None of the products were disappointing!
The Rose Tangerine Lavender Soap was a perfect choice for me because regular commercial soaps tend to irritate my skin. I have idiopathic urticaria, and harsh ingredients tend to be aggravating and cause a lot of dryness and itching. Plus, I just had to try an olive oil soap since that’s what the brand started with.
The ingredients in the soap are palm oil, coconut oil, olive oil, lavender oil, tangerine oil, rose geranium oil, lemongrass oil, sage oil, bay oil, calendula flowers, orange mineral pigment, and rosemary extract. That’s it- nothing else, and nothing harsh. One of my favorite things about natural soaps is that the lather isn’t the fluffy drying kind-it’s thick, rich, moisturizing, almost creamy.
The fragrance of the soap comes from the pure natural and organic ingredients, and smells like heaven. My skin ends up clean, without feeling stripped and dry, so it drastically reduces the itching I tend to experience every now and then. Another plus is that this type of soap lasts a LOT longer than regular soaps. Even Jerry really likes this stuff!
The Swiss Apple Wrinkle Remedy is made with stem cells from the famed rare Swiss apple Uttwiler Spatlauber. I know, I know, it’s in a clear bottle- which would mean it’s prone to degradation, right? (Kauer, Kapila & Agrawal, 2007)? Wrong!
This apple, known for being rich in phytonutrients, proteins and long-living cells, is also known for its long life and storability. The components of these plant cells have components that help visibly decrease wrinkles and promote the skin’s ability to renew itself (Lather, 2018).
I’ll be honest- I have not noticed a visible difference in the very short time I’ve been using this (about two weeks), but I didn’t expect to. Given that I’m a blogger, I take excellent care of my skin, so I’ve already been using products with quality, proven ingredients- and visible wrinkle reduction takes a longer period to see.
The thing I’m so surprised at is how smooth my skin feels– I know it’s not a good thing to do, but I just cannot stop touching my face…lol! The serum is such a pleasure to use; it’s got a “slippery” consistency, and just glides right onto my face, and sinks into my skin almost immediately. I have oily/combo skin, so it’s quite astonishing to use something that my skin reacts so well with. The serum also seems to make my other products absorb better, too.
If you’ve been wanting to try a Swiss apple skincare product, go for this one. The Swiss apple is the third ingredient on the list, rather than the last, and the price is extremely reasonable. So, you’re getting a decent amount of the active ingredient without having to pay hundreds of dollars.
The Bamboo Lemongrass Foaming Body Scrub is a cult fave, and it’s easy to see why. As I mentioned previously, I have urticaria, so there are many products that cause irritation. Dry skin contributes to my itching, so I really like to use a scrub in the shower.
There are some fantastic formulas out there, but many of them leave a thin film of oil, which is actually a good thing. But, this tends to clog up my razor, and prevents me from getting a clean shave. This means I have to use the scrub after shaving, and many of them cause stinging or irritation on freshly shaved skin. Not this stuff!
I found that not only do these grains smell heavenly, but it doesn’t cause any irritation at all, despite containing walnut shells and bamboo. Also, with other exfoliants with similar ingredients, the walnut shells are often coarsely ground, which means the edges are irregular, making the skin prone to micro-tears, which can lead to stinging, irritation, and even infection.
With the LATHER scrub, walnut shells and bamboo are powdered– so you get the benefit of exfoliation, yet it’s very gentle. Along with the skin-smoothing properties, sea algae and herbal extracts, in addition to almond proteins, lift away impurities. Essential oils of lemongrass, geranium, petit grain, vetivert, and ylang ylang help revitalize the skin, encourage new cell production, and provide a light, refreshing, natural scent.
I can use the LATHER scrub before or after shaving- it does leave a slight layer of moisture, but not overly “gunky” like some other scrubs. I usually use it, though, after shaving- this way I’m not shaving off that layer of moisture, and my skin is left soft and moisturized without any stinging or irritation.
Finally, I chose the Lavender & Eucalyptus Foot Crème, which has been a dream! I work out a lot and I run 8-10 miles a day, several times a week. These activities wreak havoc on my feet- callouses, dry skin, and achiness.
The foot cream is a pearlescent green color, and kind of a thick, liquid texture, so it’s really easy to spread onto my achy tired feet. The eucalyptus is very cooling, and together with the lavender gives a relaxing sensation.
I like to use the foot cream right after taking a shower, when my skin is still slightly damp. When I rub it in, it turns into a whitish color when mixed with the water left on my skin, and absorbs very easily. The steam left over from the shower really brings out the herbal scent, and creates an experience that’s both uplifting and relaxing at the same time.
The only negative is that, as mentioned previously there is no LATHER location near me, so I can’t just go try products out, but it gives me an excuse to travel! Plus, they have a good return policy on their website for new or “gently used” products, so if you’re really unhappy with something or it doesn’t work for you, you’ll be taken care of.
Overall, I’m so happy with these products, I love that I can get results with good-for-skin ingredients, and feel good at the same time because of the brands ethics and willingness to give back. If you’re near a retail location, I encourage you stop by and try out their products. If you’re not, then head over to LATHER.com NOW and start spoiling yourself!
Click here to experience the pampering that is LATHER!
Sources:
Kauer, I., Kapila, M. & Agrawal, R. (2007). Role of novel delivery systems in developing topical antioxidants as therapeutics to combat photoageing. Ageing Research Reviews, 6(4). Retrieved March 24, 2018, from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.
Lather (2018). Lather, Inc. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from www.lather.com.
*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
