Have You Seen A Castor Bean?

Actually, these are the fruits before the castor beans pop out, but I ask you...what could be finer?  These hardy plants have consistently performed in our landscape and this year is no exception. Beyond the landscape though, castor oil (from the beans) is an important ingredient in all of our premium natural bar soaps.  It conditions the skin, improves the lather and gives our soaps a creamy, luxurious feel.

Castor oil has also been used since pioneer days as a strong laxative, but you probably don't want to be reminded of that little fact.  Now do you?

The beautiful and useful castor plant has a deadly secret too.  Ricin, extracted from the seeds of the castor bean plant Ricinus communis, is one of the most feared substances on earth.  A tiny amount is enough to kill an adult, as witnessed in the bizarre "umbrella murder" carried out during the Cold War and feared during the mysterious ricin mail threat in the Senate back in 2004..  Ricin is classified as a biological weapon, and the castor plant even made it into Amy Stewart's dangerous new book titled Wicked Plants: The A-Z of Plants That Kill, Maim, Intoxicate and Otherwise Offend.  Oh boy.  Can't wait to get my hands on that one!

But in spite of all it's deadliness and doom, castor oil USP (the wonderful stuff we use in our soaps) is perfectly safe because the offending ricin has been totally removed.  Aren't you glad?  whew....

Everything's Coming Up Wildflowers

 

 Wildflower Soap reborn.

This new technique makes better use of our soap shavings. 

 Waste not want not.  What do you think?

When Only Premium Will Do

Sifting through the dizzying array of supposedly "natural" body care products on the shelf can be quite a chore these days.  The term "natural" is completely unregulated and many unscrupulous body care companies are taking full advantage of that.  But Whole Foods Market set out to change this back in 2008.  All of our natural soaps and natural body balms qualified for their Premium Body Care Standards at that time, and they still do.  We're pretty proud of that.  

Whole Foods Market Premium Body Care products are the most exceptional personal care products available because they meet the strictest standards for quality, environmental impact, efficacy, and safety.  Our premium natural native plant soaps are on sale for only $4.99 at all Whole Foods Markets in Texas now through Nov. 16 and our premium natural body balms are on sale online right now too.  They both make terrific stocking stuffers so load up for the holidays and save a bundle!  

And the next time you're wondering which truly natural soaps and body balms to use, choose A Wild Soap Bar with complete confidence ....when only premium will do.