wembe Giveaway Winners

Thanks to our friends at wembe (and the random.org number generator) the Assai eco-lux soap sets go to Pam and Darcy C. - thanks to all of you for entering and for being part of the Beauty Banter! xo alex.

GIVEAWAY: wembe Eco-Lux Assai Berrry Soap Set

I first wrote about wembe’s incredible soaps about a year ago – an “eco-lux” soap collection created in Paraguay and inspired by the rainforest, made with locally grown organic plants and essential oil blends.

With over a dozen soaps to choose from – to exfoliate, nourish, soothe and moisturize – my favorite has to be the loofah exfoliating blend. Made with almond oil, dill and essential oils, the soap contains a vegetable sponge at its core. Like an earth friendly buff puff, it exfoliates and it nourishes, without petrochemicals, parabens, sulfates, silicone or synthetics.

Their latest creation, the Assai Berry bar, is made with powerful antioxidants açai berry and mango, and skin firming jojoba oil. To celebrate the new addition in their collection, wembe is giving away Assai Berry Antioxidant sets (a $21 value) to TWO lucky BB readers!

To win one of these fabulous sets:

 - become a Facebook fan of wembe & Beauty Banter

 - tweet about your entry in the eco-chic @_wembe_ giveaway at @BeautyBanter!

 - then leave us your name and email in the comments below! 

(The contest ends at 8PM Pacific on March 2^nd. Open to US residents only.) 

Good luck! xo a.

WASHING UP: Eco Soaps from Wembe

Kim Carlson of EarthSmartConsumer says that a simple step towards eco-awareness is to buy soap and other skincare products in bars because they require little to no packaging and disappear as you use them leaving no footprint. Pretty genius, right? The only problem is there are many bars out there that are far from environmentally friendly, containing sulfates and petrochemicals, and often stripping your skin of natural moisture.

When I received a box from Wembe, the amazing aroma as I opened the package told me this was not your everyday cake soap. Big, chunky blocks created with essential oils and moisturizing butters from the Amazonian rainforests, Wembe crafts their soaps “following the aroma-therapeutic principles of each plant, so each bar of soap and each ounce of salt or scrub is more than just a perfumed hygiene item, it's a work of art hand crafted to alter the mood and smoothe the spirit.”

Wembe has created over a dozen soaps including the Citric Cleansing Blend with Cupassu butter, lemon and orange, and Seaweed Cleansing Blend with Jojoba, Seaweed and seaweed extracts --- both ideal as daily body washes. The Mbocaya Cleansing Blend is made with two types of coconut and is great for both oily skin and as a shampoo.

Hands down, my favorite is the Loofah Exfoliating Blend: almond oil, dill and natural sponge combine to make the perfect way to scrub away dead cells and moisturize dry, winter skin. And it has this wonderfully fresh and clean smell, no synthetic fragrances. Simply clean.

All Wembe soaps are free of parabens, synthetics, silicone and animal byproducts. I’m curious to try the 100% Olive Oil Castille bar as well as the Snow bar which seems perfect for winter colds with its blend of eucalyptus and mint. Ranging from $7-$11.85, the bars are a hefty 3.75 ounces (the round Loofah bars are three ounces). Order online at www.wembe.com and join their Facebook page to stay updated on what’s new with this up and coming brand.

Although less packaging is a good thing, it doesn’t mean less can’t be fabulous. Wembe soaps are packaged in minimalist kraft paper and a set of three come boxed in a kraft paper box with a “W” embossed in kelly green wax. They’re the perfect holiday gift set to go! xo alex.