Vanity Rehab

Brand: Neev. Website.

Price: 30ml = 40/- INR, 100 ml =120/- INR and 200ml = 220/- INR.

About Neev: NEEV was born as a result of the questions that the founders 'Shikha jain' and 'Anurag jain' sought answers for, as a non-profit Trust in 2006. Through NEEV they were interested in finding a sane way of living, not only for the self but for the other too - for the Sociosphere, Biosphere and the Geosphere. 

After joining the "Krishnamurti Foundation of India" and getting inspired by the teachings of J.Krishnamurthi, They started 'NEEV School' for the urban and rural underprivileged children in the year 2006, to provide them with Integral Education.

Vision of the Brand: "Neev Herbal Handmade Soaps is a social enterprise based on Integral Living that reveres and celebrates harmony between man and nature. We aim to produce the highest quality handcrafted herbal products while providing a dignified means of employment for rural women and regenerating rural economy." 



My experience: 'Rose' fragrance on any label instantly attracts me. So, when i spotted this sample in the gift box containing soaps which i ordered for my sister, i just had to give it a try. And i am so glad i did! The strong Woody Rose-Geranium scent both relaxes and energizes my mind.

                                              After the disappointing experience with Aloe-Lavender version, this was a 'scent' of relief. It lathers and cleans beautifully and does not dry the skin out. The fragrance lingers on for quite a while. The only drawback is it's thin runny consistency. Because, more product is required to form sufficient lather on the loofah and this way, you are going to run out of the product very quickly. But, if you use your palms to lather it up like i do, it will last long.


Pros:

• That strong woody Rose-Geranium fragrance which both energizes and relaxes my mind. It does not fade after washing and lingers on for quite a while on the skin.
• Lathers well,cleans well and washes off really well.
• Does not strip the skin off all it's oils.
• Does not irritate sensitive skin.
• Budget friendly.
• Eco-friendly and Bio degradable.
• Simple, Safe and Genuinely natural ingredient list.

Cons:
Thin runny consistency. I wish it was more viscous.

Rating: 4.5/5

My Conclusion: I am on my 3rd bottle! That's how much i like it. If you are looking for a simple and no-fuss budget friendly genuine natural body wash that also smells really good, then.. just.. go.. grab it without any second thoughts! :)

• The fateful/boring soap. I used half a bar of the fateful Soulflower Milk Cocobar Soap.You can use an unscented soap to customise in whatever exact flavour you want.
• Grater.
• 4-6 drops of Essential oil. Your choice. I used vanilla, peppermint(used mint to freshen up the dull and dense milky odour of the soap i used) and a drop of patchouli too to spice it up a little(not pictured).
• 1 tablespoon of any Carrier oil/Butters like cocoa, shea, kokum etc.,(if available). Whichever suits you. Since the soap was moisturizing enough for the chennai weather, i used 1 teaspoon of the light weight jojoba oil. You can use almond oil to 'yummy'fy it even more.
• A bowl. Any metal bowl that can be used on fire will do. Microwave safe bowl if using it in one.
• Water. Filtered or bottled.1 cup for 1 cup of flakes.
• Fire/microwave.
• Blender jar or hand blender.

Step by step instruction with pics:

 1) Grab all the necessary equipment and ingredients.:P :D


 2) Grate the soap to get flakes like these. Don't use a grater with tiny holes because the soap's going to get pasty and will clog the tiny holes. Use the medium or big holes of the grater.

This is the answer for "Guess The Post! A Tub Full of Curls.." Yes..those were the grated soap flakes which i used to make this bodywash :)


3) Measure them with a bowl to get an idea on how much water to use in the next step. I got 3 small cups worth and so i used same amount of water measured with that very same cup. If you want a heavy and dense consistency of the finished product then just reduce the amount of water used to 3/4th or half.


4) Bring the water to a boil.


5) Turn off the stove/microwave and put soap flakes in the boiled water. Let it sit for a few minutes and keep stirring every now and then. If there are any unmelted flakes then you can heat the mixture in low flame/microwave it for another minute or two and stir again.

Warning: Do not, under any circumstances, use high flame to boil the mixture. Because, it will foam up and overflow. And also, it will damage the texture of any butters present in the soap(just like in chocolate).





6) Put the mixture in a blender along with whatever additional essential oils and carrier oils or butters you've decided to use. Whip it for 30 seconds or more until you achieve the whipped thick milkshake consistency or a dense 'mousse'ey consistency if less water is used.

Note: If you're using butters, melt them properly before use.






After a day, it sets to a light airy mousse. See the pic below. I made the mistake of pouring it in a tall tupperware container which made it super difficult to get the set body wash out. I had to start a violent shaking spree everytime i needed to use it. So, it's best if you store this in a jar as it will make it easier to scoop out however much you need.


As i went on violently shaking spree everyday, it affected the 'set mousse' consistency and thinned it out. See it in the below pic.


You can even make an antibacterial liquid hand soap using this recipe.Just add an essential oil which has antibacterial properties like Tea tree, Thyme, Eucalyptus, Lavender and many more.

You can also try this D.I.Y recipe with the leftover soap bits.Since you can't grate them,just cut them up to small bits and follow the same procedure.

Try this recipe in whatever combo you fancy. The possibilities are endless. Experiment. Have fun. This is going to be a super fun project to do in holidays/weekends with your friends/family.

Happy Upcycling :)

If you make your own version of this body wash, please share your experience with me. :)

Rating: 3.5/5

My Conclusion: I will not repurchase this because of its fragrance. Otherwise,it a good budget friendly natural bodywash. Go for it if you love lavender and patchouli scent.