I came across CeeCee & Bee on Natural Kath’s blog a little while ago, and my interest was piqued by their creativity, get-to-it-ness, and of course, their pretty, PRETTY all natural/vegan products. Based on the branding alone, I was ready to get on board. What really got to me, though, were the two sisters behind CeeCee & Bee, Charlene and Debbie, who wanted to make products that they could feel good about using. It’s these small steps taken by companies like CeeCee & Bee that start a chain reaction. As Jennifer and I know well, once you “know” about the side effects or potential hazards of some of the harsh ingredients in our everyday beauty and skincare products, it’s hard to “un-know.” So, two sisters who started a feel-good soap company, each bringing their own separate set of strengths, and voila: CeeCee & Bee was born. These two sisters at Unsullied think that’s pretty great.
Based in sunny San Diego, Charlene told me how she picks fresh herbs from her garden and infuses them in her products. Kind of wonderful, don’t you think? Ah, handmade goodness. For my fellow Californians, they’ll be at the Carlsbad Village Faire on May 4, and the Cardiff Dog Days of Summer coming up August 9, so catch them this spring/summer if you’re in the area!
OK, on to the products…read on for a discount code AND CeeCee & Bee’s DIY scrub recipe, if you’re feelin’ crafty!
The Crimson Rose Cocoa Butter Soap is a treat for your skin. It has lasted me so much longer than other natural, artisan soaps have, and this soap will give you a sudsy lather to rival the best of them. I still have the majority of the bar and I use it quite a bit: four weeks and counting now! Rich and nourishing, the high volume of cocoa butter really works well with the rose, rose hips, and castor oil for a nice clean feeling that feels decadent and efficient all at the same time. $9 for a generous block of premium artisan soap, and you’ve got yourself a really nice present for your shower or someone else’s.
Other sweet soaps worth looking at: the Rosemary Mint Cocoa Butter Soap, which is specially formulated for dry, itchy skin and smells like a spa. Also, the beautiful looking Lavender Cocoa Butter Soap, which is my personal favorite for nighttime showers, to get you nice and relaxed before bedtime. All of the soaps are made with cocoa butter which CeeCee and Bee says is “a natural antioxidant, fighting free radicals and toxins out of your skin.”
Last, but certainly not least, the Peppermint Detox scrub was a no-brainer buy for me: the amazing, uplifting smell of peppermint in my shower? Yes, please. Plus, anything with “detox” in the title and I am sold. Say no more. And at a modest $10 per container, it was pretty much begging me to give it a try. The scrub is cut up into individual “serving” sizes: seven, to be exact. I have been using one per week, and my skin has been thanking me. I really loved the process of mashing it up in my hands in the shower, getting a little water on it, and then really working it into my skin. It exfoliates well without stripping my skin at all: instead my skin is left smooth, but not filmy. Seriously, ask my skin, it sent CeeCee & Bee a thank-you letter. Really: baby’s bottom! Note that the scrub is currently sold out of CeeCee & Bee’s Etsy page, so check back soon if you’d like to pick it up for yourself.
Charlene was generous enough to share the recipe for another detox scrub with us, the Grapefruit Eucalyptus Sea Salt Scrub. YUM! What a treat: let us know if you make it!
Detox Scrub in Grapefruit Eucalyptus
- ½ cup sea salt
- 2 tbsp. CeeCee & Bee’s Simplee Cleen Soap in Grapefruit Eucalyptus, shredded
- 2 tbsp. cocoa butter
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil
- 2 tbsp. castor oil
- 2½ tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. bentonite clay
- 15 drops grapefruit essential oil
- 15 drops eucalyptus essential oil
- 5 drops lime essential oil
- 13 drops vitamin E oil
Start by shredding 2 tbsp. of Simplee Cleen Soap in Grapefruit Eucalyptus. In a double boiler, melt 2 tbsp. of cocoa butter mixed with the shredded soap. The soap shreds will not melt completely. Once the cocoa butter is liquefied, add the coconut oil and stir until all oils are liquefied and remove from heat.
Allow oils to cool on countertop. In a separate bowl, whisk together the castor oil, essential oils and vitamin E. Once the other oils have cooled yet are still liquid, add them to the bowl of castor oil mixture. All at once, add the baking soda, bentonite clay & sea salt. Stir until well mixed. The consistency will be very thick and clumpy. Spread mixture out onto a small cookie sheet or soap mold. Immediately cover with wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to two hours.
Remove from refrigerator and either remove from the soap mold, or I prefer to cut mine into small wedges which are easy to bring into the shower and use one or two at a time.
This recipe can be changed up to use any of your favorite soaps or essential oils. The baking soda, sea salt (or optionally, you can use epsom salt) and bentonite clay all help to detoxify your body while the castor oil aids your body in absorbing the minerals and beneficial oils. Shredded soap is added for extra cleansing power while antioxidant rich cocoa butter and coconut oils leave your skin feeling silky and moist all day long.
