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IN2ITION MERCANTILE

Category: News

  • December Soap!

    December Soap!

    December Soap of the Month is Here!
    This chilly month of December, our skin begins to experience additional stress due to vast changes in temperature, especially when we are constantly moving from indoors to outdoors. This skin stress leads to irritation, sensitivity, redness, and of course, dryness.
    To combat dryness, we have included Safflower Oil in this month’s formulation as it contains lubricating properties which prompt the skin to retain water and moisture. Coconut and Olive Oils pack an additional punch of skin softening and antioxidants!
    In addition to the great moisturizing properties of the oils, we have used a touch of Madder Root Powder to help boost skin healing as it has been known to assist with problematic skin. It also offers a delicate reddish color to the soap.
    Carefully selected essential oils such as Tangerine and Dorado Azul refresh the senses and can soothe the emotional stress (and grief) as well as balance anxiety experienced during the holiday season.
    Each month we create a soap targeted to benefit the skin for that season. The essential oils are chosen to nurture the emotions generally arising during that month as well as provide skin nourishment. Let us know if you would like to formulate something special for your month!
  • Match Made in Heaven

    Match Made in Heaven

    September is National Honey Month!

    The end of summer is an especially great time of year to enjoy
    the fruits of labor of our bees on Long Island.
    They have produced honey and have also finished pollinating
    our lovely lavender fields.
    Using lavender and honey together could give us
    a double whammy of healthy benefits.

    Relieving Allergies:
    Apitherapists have used honey in the treatment of hay fever and allergies with the thought that giving someone a little bit of the irritant over a period of time enables them to become immune to it.  Honey from a local source is even better as it contains the same traces of pollen of the plants around us. Since lavender naturally relieves tissue congestion, these two paired together could make a great allergy fighter!


    For the Skin:
    Lavender is renowned for its ability to heal skin irritations, cuts and wounds. Add Honey to the mix and the skin can heal even faster. Pure honey contains an antiseptic substance called inhibine, which prevents any cuts from becoming infected.


    A Good Night’s Rest:
    The sedative properties of lavender make it a wonderful oil to diffuse for those suffering from insomnia.  The herb can also be added to a bath with a tablespoon of honey to create a soporific overall effect on the body.

    Delicious AND Beneficial to our Health!

  • Essential Oil Spotlight: Citronella

    Essential Oil Spotlight: Citronella

    Backyard BBQs and days at the Beach. This fun frolicking is filled with insects that love to bite our skin!

    And so the citronella candles come out. Did you know that citronella essential oil can also be used in bug repellent?

    Citronella is obtained from leaves and stems of different species of Cymbopogon, commonly known as Lemongrass. There are two different types of citronella.

    natural insect repellent spray bottleRepresentative image. Photo by Mockup Free on Unsplash

    Ceylon Type

    Obtained from Cymbopogon nardus Rendle, the Ceylon type used to be more widely produced. It is now considered the inferior type. This type has a stronger musty vegetation scent which is not desirable for perfumery. It also has a smaller percentage of citronellal than the Java type, which is the chemical component that bugs have an aversion to.

    citronella plantRepresentative image. Photo by Chandan Chaurasia on Unsplash

    Java Type

    Obtained from Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt, this type is superior to the Ceylon type due to a higher content of geraniol andcitronellal.  This not only makes it more desirable for skin applications, but the higher content of citronellal is more effective at keeping those bugs away!  The scent is much more pleasant and a great addition to our Harmony Insect Spray and new July Soap!

    Citronella has been effective as an anti-depressant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, deodorant, and keeps the skin glowing and healthy!

  • 5 Things We Learned About Beer

    5 Things We Learned About Beer

    We learned 5 ways Beer is Actually Good for Skin!
    1. Beer has a low pH, so it will help tighten hair follicles as well as remove dirt and grease from the hair. 
    2. Beer sediment (aka brewer’s yeast) can help improve symptoms of acne by slowing sebum production and killing off bacteria that triggers acne. 
    3. This yeast also helps maintain a balanced pH in the skin. 
    4. Beer has antioxidants that get rid of inflammatory substances from the skin, which helps slows down the aging of skin. 
    5. Beer is a good source of B vitamins, protein, selenium, potassium, iron, zinc and magnesium.
    Our beer soap has a warm mocha aroma…so no worries that it will smell like a dirty bar!
    craft beer soapRepresentative image. Photo by Adriette Benade on Pexels
    1. We started 2016 being Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed

      We started 2016 being Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed

      Coffee. The go-to beverage to get you started in the morning (or evening perhaps). Jennifer has never been much of a coffee drinker, yet loves the smell of the roasting beans. After researching the benefits of coffee in skincare, inspiration struck…

      morning coffee cupRepresentative image. Photo by Jakub Dziubak on Unsplash

      Research has shown that coffee provides great benefits when applied topically to the skin, such as:

      • diuretic qualities can help reduce cellulite 
      • antioxidants help boost skin’s natural defenses and protect from environmental damage (early research shows coffee applied topically to skin may help protect against UVB rays, but this has not been fully proven yet) 
      • promotes circulation, leading to healthy and energized skin 
      • increased circulation may effectively reduce swelling and de-puff areas of the skin 
      • can help prevent clogged pores and soften lines in aging skin

      Besides these topical benefits, the aroma alone with help wake you up!  We have coffee everything now…lol…soap, body scrub and even lotion!  See you soon – Nick