We knitters/crocheters/spinners/fiber artists abuse our hands a lot. We not only use them nonstop while pushing the needles through the loops, and then we handwash our knits in cold water. We dye our yarns and rovings in hot water, or grab and pull on the roving while we spin. Needless to say, after the long sweater weather season, our hands get dry and need extra TLC. 

I was given this lotion bar from Daven at Milk + Honey for this review.  Lately, I have been using my own blend of organic lavender and rosemary essential oil diluted with organic sweet almond oil, so I really appreciated this lotion bar scent. It smelled very natural and not at all perfume-y.

Daven started selling handmade goat milk soaps and beeswax lotion bar in 2005. I saw Milk + Honey's booth at TNNA during summer, and was really intrigued by the scents and the appearance of the lotion bar. The lotion bars and the goat milk soaps are all hand-poured in the most beautiful molds. 

the owner takes care of the goats and the bees herself, and her children get to play with honey, chew on the beeswax, experiencing what the nature gives everyday! What a life!

Ingredients (lotion bar): Pure beeswax, coconut oil, almond oil infused with certified organic calendula flowers, essential oil.

Ingredients (goat milk soap): Certified organic extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, goat milk, sodium hydroxide (lye), honey, essential oils, beeswax, and Certified Organic calendular flowers.

Calendula flowers have really excellent skin healing qualities, good for dry and itchy skin, and can be used for breast-health massage! As a first-time mom-to-be, and a daughter of a breast cancer survivor, this really caught my eyes. 

Beeswax is also found in a lot of beauty products these days, for its antiseptic, moisturizing and healing qualities. The website even said that the lotion bars were "tested" on their animals and were great for paw-care! I'm going to test it on Candy and Bagel for sure. Bagel's paws get really dry sometimes and sweet almond oil has been great for him. 

My Test:  I used the lotion bar once everyday, after the usual after-dinner dish-washing routine. I kept the tin next to where I keep my wedding ring before doing the dishes so that I wouldn't forget. I just rub my hands over the lotion bar, massage it in, and then inhale the scent from my hands for aromatherapy. I can definitely start knitting right away if I wanted to, since the lotion bar absorbs quickly, but I usually don't because I really enjoy that massage time. :)

I also rub it all over my BELLY, as my belly is growing rapidly these past weeks. It's really easy to use, and WAY less messy than my usual essential oil routine. I can immediately put my shirt over my belly because it absorbs super quickly, and I found myself keep feeling my belly under the shirt because it feels so soft and moisturized without feeling greasy at all. I think Logan really appreciates the massage time too. He sometimes pushes his little feet or hands into mine slowly when I massage my belly.

I also really like the ingredients in the goat milk soap. Since about a year ago, I have been avoiding products with sodium sulfate laureth after learning about its drying effect (especially for my dry scalp!). I've tried other products that say they're all oil-based, with no detergent ingredients, but found them to be difficult to use. This goat milk soap has sodium hydroxide (lye) which makes this a real soap, not a detergent. The ever popular Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap also uses sodium hydroxide. Whenever I wash my hands at the sink, I feel like I'm washing my hands with lotion, not a soap. I've only used the soap for two days but I'm looking forward to using it more often!

Milk + Honey products may be available at your LYSes, or you can order from Milk + Honey website too. Right now, you can save a little by ordering three together from their website!

Disclaimer: This product was sent to me to review by Stitchcraft Marketing and Milk + Honey, Santa Fe, NM. The opinions in this post and blog are entirely mine, and I was not otherwise paid, compensated, contracted, or obligated to review this product.