Shenui introduces hair and body care products for active adults

Earlier this month, Issaquah-based skin care company Shenui launched Sports Skincare, a five-piece hair and body collection created specifically for athletes. The new line consists of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, body oil and lip balm for active types who shower often.

Shenui's original skin care products are all customizable, which makes them more expensive than products with stock formulas. But the Sports Skincare line is all pre-formulated and -packaged, making the products less expensive than the custom formulas.

The Hair and Body Shampoo ($12 for 8 ounces) is 78 percent organic and contains emollient ingredients such as wheat protein and aloe vera. The shampoo is free of sulfates, so it is gentler on the skin, but won't produce much lather.

"Sulfate surfactants foam and lather extremely well, which is why they are so often found in body washes and shampoos," says Shenui co-founder Karin Bombeli. "However, they can dry out the skin, have a tendency to settle into pores and can cause skin irritations, and also eye irritations."

The Nourish and Repair Conditioner ($13 for 8 ounces) is 92 percent organic and contains botanical extracts, such as chickweed, oats and black willow bark, to strengthen and soften hair.

Both the shampoo and conditioner are mild enough to use more than once a day and lightly scented with the invigorating and slightly spicy scents of lemongrass and green tea.

Nongreasy, absorbent and highly moisturizing, the Replenishing Body Lotion ($19 for 8 ounces) contains shea butter and plum seed oil, which imparts a pleasant almond-like scent. The lotion is suitable for both face and body.

For the person who prefers body oil to lotion, the Relaxing Body Oil ($11 for 3.5 ounces) is a blend of organic oils, which absorb quickly to soothe and nourish the skin. The roll-on applicator makes the oil easy to massage into sore muscles and to take on the go.

The SPF 22 Lip Smoothie ($6) contains zinc oxide to block damaging rays, soothing bisabolol (the active component in German chamomile) and other protective ingredients such as meadowfoam seed oil and vitamin E to relieve chapped lips.

The Sports Skincare line is available at shenui.com. For a free sample, stop by the Get Out There and Tri triathlons June 27 and Sept. 19 at Cottage Lake in Woodinville.

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