Review of Rebel Farm Products

       This is a review of some 'all natural products' from a local family business in Ashland, KY called Rebel Farm. They specialize in homemade cleaning and beauty products. I was fortunate enough to be able to try out several of their items. 

Laundry Detergent--

I typically use a dye & fragrance free laundry detergent. My 'go to' is from the brand All. I like that it leaves the clothes with no odor, it tends to not fade the colors (from what I can see) and seems to get rid of most, if not all, spots.

The Rebel Farm laundry detergent comes in a few different scents: fresh, tea tree, lavender & citrus. I chose tea tree oil because of it's antibacterial properties. With a (almost) 7 month old, we tend to have poo in our laundry often. Before making this decision I smelled the detergent to make sure there wasn't an over powering scent of the oil in it because I have a sensitivity or allergy to certain smells. You can only smell a hint of tea tree oil when you open the container, which was perfect for me.

  The detergent comes in a large container, that if you bring back they will refill for a discounted price. The label in the picture says $8 but recently they have reduced the price to $6. The container itself was a little difficult to use for pouring directly into the washer. However, Rebel Farm recommended that if I was having trouble to put it into a regular empty detergent bottle for easier pouring.

The mixture itself is a little lumpy. It's advised to shake well before using. The consistency it's self did not hinder the detergents ability to clean though. The instructions state to use 1/2 - 1 cup per load. This is certainly enough. The water doesn't bubble up like with store bought detergent, but that to me is encouraging indicating less chemicals.

Comparing it to my typical detergent All, the Rebel Farm brand did the trick! My laundry was cleaned and came out without a tea tree oil smell (which I prefer). The clothes that would have been stained are stripped of their dirt and look pretty darn good. Baby E's sensitive baby skin is not at all bothered by the switch. (which I had worried out it). All of our clothes feel clean and everyone seems happy about the switch.

Overall I give the detergent a 4.5 out of 5 and would be happy to continue using it.

Healing Salves: Small $5 Large $9

Calming--

The "calming salve" is labeled for calming, relaxation and headaches. The first time I tried it I had a horrible headache. I used a very small amount on my finger and rubbed it into both of my temples. 

The smell is not overwhelming, but you can smell the lavender among other herbs and oils. The texture is smooth just like a store bought salve. The container is small and portable and costs $5. 

      The effect isn't immediate but as I'm rubbing the salve into my temple I can feel my headache ease. The combination of the lavender scent and the rubbing is definitely making a difference. The relief is sadly temporary. The easement of my headache lasts for about 10-15 minutes once I've stopped applying it to myself. 

The second time I used the salve, I used it as a replacement of Baby E's night time lotion. On occasion we use a lavender scented lotion to help calm her after her bath and before she goes to sleep. 

Using my finger I rub a small amount onto her chest and back. Her sensitive skin is not bothered. She seems to be enjoying the scent (I let her smell the container). Baby E is ready for bed after this. I believe the familiar scent helps her calm down before she's ready to nurse.

Over all I would rate this salve 3 out 5. I will continue to use it for headaches, as I believe it helped with that the most. 

Muscle relief--

The muscle relief salve is labeled for pain, inflammation and arthritis. Since I have all 3 in my hand regularly, I was eager to give it a try. I purchased the large container, which is $9. 

The smell of the essential oils is not over powering, which is a relief because I hate the smell of "muscle rubs". It's like constantly inhaling the smell of mint and sweat. I have a longstanding injury to my right hand from a car wreck in 2006. However, over the holidays I sat in a chair that broke & reinjured the same hand (yay me & my unfaltering clumsiness). My hand ached from my finger tips to my elbow even a week later. So I grabbed my Rebel Farm salve. 

       I used about a dime to quarter size blob of it. Using my left hand I rubbed the salve into my right hand. I rubbed it starting at the base of my fingers and all over my thumb, down to about half way between my wrist and elbow. I continued to rub until I felt a slight tingling/warming sensation (as I was instructed). The sensation helped my muscles to relax and overall the pain wasn't as bad. 

My main concern is that the salve leaves your hand quite oily. So I wouldn't recommend using it right before you need to do something like paper work or something you don't want oil on. I allowed my hand to just sit and rest afterwards.

Overall I give the muscle salve a 4 out of 5.

Congestion--

The last salve I got I have not had to try yet (thank goodness). It's the congestion salve, labeled to treat congestion, croup and cough. It's similar to Vicks, but without the smell. So if you don't want to use a minty Vicks rub, I would suggest trying this one instead. 

Overall it looks and smells great, but I'm not going to rate it because I did not actually try it. 

Soaps-- 

Lastly I tried one of their bar soaps. For $4 each (or 2 for $6) you can get a decent size bar of soap. They come in many different scents (lavender & sage, unscented, patchouli, and lavender & oatmeal).

I was a little worried at first. I purchased 2 scents, one for me & one for S. I chose lavender & oatmeal and he got patchouli. While wrapped in their packages, the smell of the soap seemed a bit strong. I actually sat them in the drawer for fear of a headache. It seemed to be a mix of both of the bars I was smelling.

Once I unwrapped my lavender & oatmeal soap, I was happy to find out the scent seem to dissipate and not be quite as strong. The appearance is nice. The soap is in a good shaped rectangle bar, and is this baige sort of color. Which is great because that means there's no coloring added. 

I used it to wash my hands. There were minimal suds and it easily cleaned my hands. The scent was not strong on them after I was finished (yay!). The added oatmeal also left them feeling rather soft. 

Overall I give this soap a 3.5 out of 5. 

All in all, I really enjoyed all the Rebel Farm products. I'm sure to be a repeat customer & look forward to whatever else they may come out with! 

If you are interested in any of these products please contact your local business, Rebel Farm on facebook.