Susan's Soap Scene
Welcome to the October issue of Susan's Soap Scene! I apologize for this issue being so late. It simply took longer than I thought and then I had technical problems with the coupon. Hopefully we will not be so long between issues next time.
The fall craft show schedule has begun. This month we will be at Southlake's Octoberfest, Rockport's SeaFair and then Market in the Meadows. If you make it to any of the shows I'm at -- make sure you stop by and say Hi. I'd love to meet you.
Now on to this month's issue:
-
Diving into the benefits of the Dead Sea
- Introducing my Dead Sea Spa Soaps
- Coupon for a free bar of my new Dead Sea Spa Soap
The Dead Sea is an endorheic lake of saline water approximately 401 sq. miles in area that is fed by the Jordan River. It is surrounded by Jordan, Israel, and the West Bank. The Dead Sea is the saltiest and deepest hypersaline lake in the world. The surface of the Dead Sea is the lowest point on the Earth's Surface at an elevation of 417 m below sea level.
The sea is called "dead" because its high salinity means no fish or macroscopic aquatic organisms can live in it, although bacteria and microbial fungi are present. The salinity of the Dead Sea varies according to depth with the surface water being approximately 15% saline (5 times the average ocean salinity) and water near the bottom being saturated, such that salt precipitates out of solution on to the sea floor. It eventually builds up pillars of salt that protrude from the surface of the water as seen in the lower photograph at right. The mineral content of the Dead Sea is significantly different from that of ocean waer, consisting of approximately 53% magnesium chloride, 37% potassium chloride and 8% sodium chloride (table salt) with the remainder comprised of various trace elements.
The benefits of the Dead Sea have been recognized since ancient times. In fact, Cleopatra went to great expense to obtain exclusive rights to the Dead Sea area and then had cosmetic and pharmaceutical factories built near the sea. Their remains can still be seen today at Ein Bokek and Ein Gedi. Today about 50 modern plants now manufacture cosmetics and skin-care products based on minerals from the Dead Sea.
The high concentration of the minerals in the Dead Sea are a large part of what benefits your skin. Magnesium is important for both combatting stress and and fluid retention, slowing skin aging and calming the nervous system. Magnesium deficiency has also been linked to psoriasis. Potassium helps to balance skin moisture. Sodium is important for the lymphatic fluid balance which is important for immune system function. Bathing with products high in Dead Sea Salt can help replenish the minerals which are critical to our skin's metabolism.
Yet another benefit that may be recognized from the Dead Sea was discovered by the scientists at NASA. They have isolated a microbe that grows in the Dead Sea and have discovered that it appears to be a master at DNA repair. Read more about it at the following link: Secrets of A Salty Survivor
Come on, dive in! The water's fine.
Bibliography:
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - "Dead Sea"
"The Benefits of Dead Sea Salt" by Amy K. McNulty, Ph.D.
"Cosmetic Advantages of Products from the Dead Sea"
We are proud to introduce our new Dead Sea Spa Soaps. They are designed to help detoxify and to incorporate minerals as part of your daily bathing routine. Both soaps are made with Dead Sea Brine and use essential oils that are noted for detoxifying and are beneficial for ailments such as arthritis and gout. Cypress & Corriander additionally has Dead Sea Clay swirled throughout while the Basil & Lime contains Moor Peat which is documented to be both detoxifying and healing. Moor Peat has been used scientifically in European Spas for well over a century. Both of these bars are aptly named as spa bars. They truly make you feel pampered.
Copyright 2004 Susan's Soaps & More