body balm

Headache Soother Badger Balm

admin — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:51:00 +0000

I suffer from migraines. They date from the eighth year of my life, but it took until my junior year as an undergraduate to get much-needed prescription drugs. After a three-day headache left me unable to leave the house, I squinted and hobbled to the nearest bus stop and took a shuttle to the student health center. The kind physician who met with me also suffered from debilitating migraines. “Do you twist your body into weird positions for relief?” he asked. When I immediately nodded my head affirmatively, he began nodding as well. “Only a fellow migraine sufferer understands what I mean.” He wrote a script, and a trip to Walgreens later, I began popping pills that have since saved me from indescribable pain.

As the years have passed, I’ve gained insight into my own condition. Several years ago, I began acupuncture treatments, which radically improved my physical and emotional health. I still get migraines, but they have decreased in frequency and intensity. As much as I’ve wanted to find relief in holistic tablets, however, nothing works for me like cocktails of ibuprofen and Excedrin or prescription sumatriptans. When I can’t call on my acupuncturist for needles, I get additional respite from cooling patches on my head and neck, shoulder, and foot massages from my brilliantly supportive partner.

Badger Balm makes a Headache Soother that—while not an all-in-one cure—is a palliative blend of peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, mandarin, and sandalwood oils. The scent alone is respite from distracting pain. The extra virgin olive oil-based balm rubs on with no resistance, and does not leave an unpleasant residuum that takes several hot showers to fully scrub away. Unlike the Tiger Balm my partner prefers for his achy shoulders, my animal-titled salve has no medicinal properties.

The Badger Balm tin features a badger resting by a stream, eye mask in place to block out intrusive lights that often aggravate headaches. It says that it can be rubbed “anywhere you feel a bit tense.” The one-ounce tin also says, “We hope you feel better soon!” Me too, folks.

Badger balms, oils, soaps, body butters, and sun care are made with mostly organic and 100% natural ingredients in New Hampshire. They also make products for babies and children, as well as lip balms in sticks and tins. While they do use beeswax in their products—as a vegan, this is admittedly problematic—they do not test on animals and encourage recycling. The W.S. Badger Company feeds their employees a 100% organic lunch every day, and company employees are paid to volunteer their time for local environmental causes.

While I am not a short-legged, wide-bodied carnivore, I feel a kinship with the badger. They burrow, and I’m also known to tunnel under the covers when my head hurts. They do not hibernate, though they can sleep for long periods of time. The longest I have ever slept in a migraine haze was seventeen hours straight, and only after persistent shaking could I be roused. One can only wonder how long I would have dozed. I hope my healing product’s namesake does not suffer as we humans do—and if they do, may it not be because of us.

Written by: Brittany Shoot, October 21st 2009

Shea Butter Hand Cream & Foot Cream / Ultra Rich Body Cream Rosebud

admin — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:37:00 +0000

By L'Occitane

Founded in 1976 in the small Provençal town of Manosque by Olivier Baussan, L'Occitane grew from his individual distillation of rosemary to its essential oil into an international organization offering an array of skin care and beauty products. The company partners with three women's cooperatives in Burkina Faso to obtain fairly-traded shea nut butter. Traditionally used to protect skin from dry winds and sand, women also apply it to their newborns to shelter delicate infant skin from the climate.

The best-selling Shea Butter Hand Cream combines twenty percent shea butter, honey, and sweet almond extract, scented with jasmine and ylang-ylang. This smooth balm soothes with apparent medicinal and cosmetic effects: hands that were once talons become hands again. Skin also benefits from vitamin E—excellent for gardeners, those in dry areas, or women who are exposed to toxic urban air. The Shea Butter Foot Cream relieves tired and sore feet through combining shea butter with antiseptic lavender essential oil to cleanse. Arnica, an anti-inflammatory, diminishes redness and irritation while mint cools. The Hand Cream is twenty percent shea butter; the Foot Cream, fifteen.

has released Ultra Rich Body Cream Rosebud—covering everything between the hands and feet—as a limited edition scent in celebration of the twentieth anniversary of its shea butter cooperative—now over 11,000 women participate. The Moroccan rose they use is light and reminiscent of rosehips, not heavy or too floral. For those who cannot plant a rose garden, it is a pleasure to hold one hundred milliliters of petals in your hand.

Written by: Erika Mikkalo, October 2nd 2009

3 Citrus Whipped Shea Butter

admin — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 20:07:00 +0000

By Prairieland Herbs

Dry knuckles? Ashy hands and elbows? Tried every lotion on the shelf? You need Prairieland Herbs' 3 Citrus Whipped Shea Butter. When I opened the little tin tub (which can be reused for multiple purposes), I was taken aback; it actually look like whipped butter! I had to resist sticking my finger in and giving it a lick. Compared to more solid shea butter, this is very gentle and airy—easy to spread and rub in.

As soon as I could, I put it to the test. My knuckles stayed moisturized throughout my daily routine much longer than conventional lotions. I didn’t notice dryness on my hands until five to six hours after I applied it. My knees and the rest of my body were smooth and moisturized until the next day. And it smells incredible. The “3 Citrus” in the name comes from lemon, tangerine and orange essential oils. As great as they smell, these and jojoba oil give it a slightly greasy feel until you rub it in, but it works so well that this doesn’t deter me in the slightest.

Prairieland Herbs has a wide assortment of shea butter products in addition to the 3 Citrus. Not only is their shea butter fair trade, but they are also committed to producing the most natural products possible. For someone who doesn’t like rubbing scary chemicals on her body, this was a major plus for me. This is perfect for dry winter days, or right out of the shower for smooth and deliciously moisturized skin!

Written by: Lillian B., July 8th 2007

Shea Butter Gift Set

admin — Mon, 21 May 2007 18:22:00 +0000

By Prairieland Herbs

Packaged in a cute bag, this little gift set arrived smelling great! After a long week at work, a few hours pampering were needed, and this set delivered a great scent and relaxation. Better than the scent is the feeling of soft and smooth skin that comes after a bath using the Botanical Bath Salts, a product that left this woman feeling great. Best of all, this is an all-natural product made from homegrown herbs and natural oils—no preservatives, synthetics or byproducts.

A spa experience in a bag, I started out running my bath with the Botanical Bath Salts. The tiny beads melt quickly into the water, leaving a relaxing bath that ended only when the water grew cold! The Patchouli and Orange Soap left a clean aroma on my body. It has a slightly gritty feel, exfoliating as it cleans and refreshes. The smell of this soap outweighs any that I have purchased in the past, each time I enter my bathroom I can vaguely smell patchouli, and I am loving it! Also of note, these products did not leave a ring around my tub!

I ended my experience by applying the Lavender Body Balm and, after a deep sigh, found myself ready to fall asleep relaxed and smelling great! The balm is thick and powerful, which left me feeling a bit greasy, but put moisture in my skin that was needed after a harsh winter in the Northeast.

The mother and daughter team that have dreamed up these wonderful products is to be commended. They have created a product that is useful, natural and feminine without compromising quality. They have reasonable prices and fast shipping! I highly recommend visiting their site today and finding out more about these great products—and more!

Written by: Angie Dobson, May 21st 2007