What's so Great about Shea Butter?
According to the American Shea Butter Institute, not only is Shea Butter known to be an excellent moisturizer for the face, body & hair, but it has healing properties as well. The Vitamin A in Shea Butter is important in improving a number of skin conditions, including blemishes, wrinkles, eczema & dermatitis. Additionally, premium Shea Butter cream has properties that can treat skin allergies (bug bites, poison ivy & poison oak), frostbite, sunburns and razor burns, and many other skin conditions. The Vitamin E in Shea Butter may help in anti-aging and be an anti-free radical agent, but more testing needs to be done. Unrefined shea nut butter has been found to act as a natural SPF of approximately 6. As you can see, Shea Butter is valuable for more than treating, itchy, dry skin, it can help heal small skin wounds and has been found to even have anti-inflammatory properties for those tense, sore muscles. www.sheainstitute.com
Where Does Shea Butter Come From?
Shea Butter is a fatty extract derived by crushing the seed of the Karite tree, or TREE OF LIFE. Native to Africa, it grows wild in the semi-arid Sahel region of West Africa. Many women in rural areas there make a more comfortable living for their families by making Shea Butter available to the rest of the world for it's amazing, all-purpose cosmetic and healing benefits. So much so, that it has been called "women's gold" for the economic benefit it brings directly to some of the poorest places in the developing world. Not many other developing countries can boast the same. In comparison, even without depressed prices in the world market, coffee, cocoa & cotton when exported as commodities tend to yield their benefits to the governments, corporations or middlemen. Shea Butter production and export are incredibly important in increasing access to global markets for poor, working women in a world where the majority of producers tend to be men and anything but poor, because the collection of shea nuts and the crushing of them into butter is considered women's work. http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/vol15no4/154shea.htm
What's so Great about Goat's Milk?
For thousands of years Milk has been used in a variety of skin care products. The most famous perhaps being Cleopatra, who is said to have preserved her renowned beauty that snared Mark Anthony by bathing in the milk of goats and horses. The soothing and moisturizing qualities of goat milk have been revered for centuries for it's gentleness to even delicate, damaged skin. So much so that the Greeks and Romans used milk products to treat skin injuries. In nineteenth century Europe, whey (the watery part of milk separated from the curd in the cheese making process) was a sought after therapy for skin in spas. From ancient times to today, milk and milk products have been an excellent source for nutrition, medicine and cosmetics. Goat milk is known to be well tolerated by those with allergies to cows milk, even those who react adversely to soy milk replacements. Due to it's high fat content, it lends itself well to the soap making process. Higher fat content translates directly into a better moisturizing cleanser. This is why Whole Goat Milk produced by our farming friends here in Central Wisconsin goes into our soap, not powdered milk. Because of Goat Milk's low pH, the alkalinity of soap is reduced preserving the acid mantel which healthy skin uses to reduce bacterial invasions. Some Dermatologists recommend Goat Milk Soaps to heal skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema and acne, as well as gently relieving dry, itchy skin. http://www.realfoodliving.com/goatmilk.htm, http://www.goatworld.com/articles/whygoatmilk.shtml
What's so Great about Handcrafted Bath & Body Products?
When handcrafting our Goat Milk Soaps and Shea Butter Skin Care Products, we use the small batch method. We feel we are better able to maintain the high quality standards that Dancy Rose Soaps has imposed on all it's products. It is more labor intensive and time consuming to do it that way, but anything worth doing is worth doing correctly, and for Dancy Rose Soaps, providing this level of quality across the board in safe, effective bath and body products is a labor of love. That's why you'll see "lot's of smiles" listed as the last ingredient on the products. Pride of this level in a product this intimate is a rarity in this increasingly impersonal world, and that is why ShineyGoat is so tickled to bring these products direct to you. Please see our About Our Soaps http://shineygoat.com/page/21444 page for additional information about what goes into our soap, and what does not. There you'll also find information on how to care for your soaps to make your investment last.
What's so Great about Cocoa Butter?
Cocoa butter is derived from the Cocoa Bean. As with most vegetable based oils, it is a beneficial moisturizer for the skin. Cocoa Butter has been rumored to help heal scar tissue or stretch marks, but the jury is still out. Cocoa Butter will how ever, help reduce or prevent stretch marks fresh stretch marks, such as during pregnancy, though old, existing ones may be another story entirely. It is a very stable vegetable fat and is very high in anti-oxidants, which will help prevent rancidity in other vegetable oils. It's smooth texture lends well to the creamy texture of foods and bath & body products. Cocoa Butter lends to the aroma of chocolate and helps it remain solid at room temperature, but to melt in your mouth. www.foodreference.com
What's so Great about Olive Oil?
Olive oil is used as an anointing oil by Christians and Jews alike. The ancient Greeks and Jews used it to anoint their kings or athletes. To those who follow Islam, the prophet Muhammad advised his followers to apply it to their bodies. It has also been used for every day health measures and is generally non-commedogenic (won't clog pores). The Greeks used oil to clean their bodies. In lieu of soap at the baths, olive oil was applied to the body then scraped off with special tools. In the time of Muhammad, putting oil on the hair may have been considered a health measure as it discouraged lice and seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff). Olive oil on the body may help prevent dry skin conditions and eczema and is a mild antibacterial agent just like your natural skin oils. www.oliveoilsource.com
What does "VeriSign Secured" mean?
We invite you to view our "VeriSign Secured" certificate. You can view our certificate simply by clicking on the "VeriSign Secured" Logo on any page it appears and a separate window will open. A SSL Certificate insures that a web site can secure your private information, in our case using a VeriSign SSL Certificate. Information exchanged with any web address beginning with https is encrypted using SSL before transmission. You can learn more about VeriSign and SSL encryption at http://www.verisign.com/verisign-inc/index.html and http://www.verisign.com/ssl/ssl-information-center/how-ssl-security-works/index.html .
How can I be sure my information is safe and secure?
We use VeriSign to encrypt your data as your order is processed. Please click on the VeriSign Seal on the left to view our certificate. Protect yourself while you buy online by always checking to see that the online merchant you are purchasing from has a current security certificate. You can learn more about SSL (Secure Socket Layering) by clicking on the text "about security cerfiticates" below the VeriSign seal. The best protection against fraud is an informed customer.
Our network utilizes a Linksys router, a division of Cisco Systems, Inc. This gives our network layers of security, with layering being the best form of security against hacker attacks. A few things about our network security:
We utilize 256-bit encryption protocol. This means that data is encrypted utilizing a 256-bit key before being sent. The recieving unit must have this key to unlock the encryption or the information cannot be accessed. The longer the key, the stronger the encryption. Our router cannot be accessed by wireless means by any computer without this key.
We utilize NAT (Network Address Translation) technology as another layer of security. Essentially, this technology hides any and all accessing computers behind the router so a hacker cannot see into the network and in essence, sees only the router.
Our network also utilizes SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection) as another layer of security. This is a firewall that inspects incomming data to be sure it corresponds to an outbound request for that data. If incomming data was not requested, it is rejected from the network and your data is safe.
As a final means of security, we suggest you inspect your monthly credit card statements. This way you can spot any potentially fraudulent activity quickly and contact your credit card agent to rectify the situation quickly before a thief can hurt your hard earned credit rating. Your security and confidence is our business and we do all we can to assure that your information is safe with us so that you can enjoy safe, hassle free shopping.
How can I avoid a back order on my favorite scent of Goat Milk Soap?
We suggest placing your next order as soon as you crack open the box for your last bar, or better yet, your next to last bar of soap. Handcrafted soap must cure and at Dancy Rose Soaps, soaps are aged a minimum of 3 weeks to assure mildness, and the small batch method helps assure first rate quality. As such, occasionally, due to a particular scents burst of popularity, we may sell out of our small inventory. We strive to bring you fresh, mild product. Remember this ordering tip to assure that even should your favorite scent be temporarily out of stock, that you'll receive your shipment before you are really "out" of soap. Bookmark us http://shineygoat.com/home
Yikes! My Shea Sugar Shine arrived melted! Is it ruined?
No way, it's ok. Keep in mind that one of the properties that makes shea butter such a great moisturizer is it's low melting point, about body temperature. So, if your Shea Sugar Shine was shipped in the warmer months, chances are it arrived melted. No worries. Simply place it in the refrigerator to set up and then stir to reconstitute the sugar. Ta-dah! Good as new!
Will ShineyGoat take Returns?
We cannot take returns on opened or used items, sorry. It is for sanitary reasons. Our supplier Dancy Rose Soaps goes to great lengths to provide a quality product that we are confident you'll be satisfied with. However, if you are unsatisfied with your unopened, unused Dancy Rose products in the first 30 days, please contact us at customerhelp@shineygoat.com with "Returns" in the subject line to discuss your issue with the product. We will not accept a return of product without return approval. We will do our best to accommodate you. Please allow 48 business hours for a personalized response. At ShineyGoat.com we appreciate our customers, we are here to serve you, and while the customer may not always be right, the customer always deserves to be heard. If you have a problem with us, tell us; if you're happy with us, tell a friend!
Can I Track My Order?
Of course. Use the link at the top of the page to access our "Track Order" page. We ship as quickly as we can, direct from our suppliers to be sure you're enjoying your purchases as soon as possible. http://shineygoat.com/tracking
What if My Question wasn't Answered Here?
If you have a question or need help that wasn't addressed here, e-mail us at customerhelp@shineygoat.com with "Questions" in the subject line. It is our promise to get back to you within 48 business hours with a personal response. Remember, we actually want to hear from you!
Want to submit a Testimonial or make a Product Request?
We'd be tickled to hear from you if you're happy with our site, our service or our chosen line of products. Have an idea? Need a gift basket for that special occasion? Just ask and we'll do our best to accommodate. Dancy Rose Soaps make great gifts! Direct these comments, requests and testimonials with the appropriate term in the subject to customerhelp@shineygoat.com and allow us 48 business hours to get a personal response to you.
Why the 48 Business Hours Wait for a Personal Response?
We keep manpower low to bring you the best prices we are able. This means there may be a small wait until we can make a personal response, however, we promise that we will always respond to you. Our autoresponder will make the initial contact, but a caring individual will always make the follow up.
