Tried and true lip balm. No need to reinvent this perfect little jar of satisfaction, right? A little beeswax, some coconut oil, shea butter, sweet almond oil, and the scent that gives you a lift every time you unscrew the lid. Scoop some on your finger, where it warms slightly, and the comforting smell of rosemary mint or lemon vanilla or sweet orange comes wafting up. Happiness in a container small enough to take anywhere. It’s the one product you reach for several times a day without fail.
What if it was for more than your lips? There are so many reasons that lip balm is a versatile powerhouse of ingredients, especially when the weather is cold and skin is dry and rougher than usual. And when you are not home or near your tin of our healing hand salve. Here are 12 clever ways to up the usefulness of lip balm:
1. Eczema? Rub a little onto those rough, itchy patches to calm things down a little and soothe the irritation. The ingredients help lock in moisture, which is essential in helping to treat eczema.
2. Dab a little onto your cuticles and massage it in as the balm warms and melts, especially before bed. They’ll be soft and pliable when you wake up!
3. Cracked fingertips during winter (does everyone have this? Without fail, my right thumb, every cold season): frequently cover the cracked area with a nice thick layer, to seal in moisture and protect the area. (I also cover with a bandaid before bedtime to let the additional warmth help the healing along).
4. Works wonderfully as a hand lotion substitute. Swipe some balm on really dry patches. Rub hands together to warm it up and make it more spreadable. Absorbs quickly.
5. Rough heels can be vexing, especially during sandal season. Rub it in, put on a pair of thin socks and let the beeswax, coconut oil, and other healing ingredients do the work overnight.
6. Dab along your cheekbones later in the day to shine up dull skin and look especially glowy.
7. Tap a little around your eyes to hydrate and minimize fine lines (high beeswax formulas may be too thick for this, although warming it can be helpful, and some clients swear by it. Although I think Marula oil is better suited for this task, lip balm is fine in a pinch).
8. Smooth a little onto wayward brow hairs to encourage them to stay in place. Brow wax!
9. Have a baby with diaper rash? Smooth a little balm onto the areas of redness on their bottoms, and voila! Protection and skin-soothing ingredients, all in one.
10. Tame flyaway hairs by using a tiny bit of lip balm as a pomade. Warm it in your hands first! (some customers/local hairstylists are devoted to Marula oil for this)
11. When you have allergies or a drippy nose and there’s no organic Herbal Decongestant Salve around, apply some lip balm after you use a tissue, to protect the skin from getting all red and irritated.
12. Put some on a Q-tip to clean up smudged eye makeup (avoid the minty kind, though). Be gentle on fragile skin around eyes.
Send us your favorite “off-label” uses of lip balm! We want to hear everything. :-)
Well, I was a little skeptical that it could be that easy to model how the body’s largest organ (our skin) drinks up and circulates what we put on it, but watching her reaction was kind of amazing! I’d never heard of this, had you? Worth a watch for sure (7 min video below).
This article is more encouragement to leave no stone unturned in the quest for healthy skin care. Just tonight I was studying preparations for the skin around the eyes, and another for soft, silky skin after bathing, and there are so many wonderful, naturally healthy options! I’ll let you know what I find under those stones. :-)
http://higherperspective.com/2015/02/garlic-feet.html?utm_source=MAM
Yes! Yoga is well-known to tone muscles, increase circulation and create the healthy glow we all want, and it turns out that there are 14 yoga exercises you can do to benefit your already-beautiful face. Forget the latest fad cream, just get in front of the mirror and make some funny faces! As the article points out, it’s the Ultimate Natural Facelift. I can’t think of any reason not to love it. <3
*Link to article is below photo*
http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/10-yoga-exercises-for-slimming-your-face/
Dr. Oz always has his thinking cap on. So glad he’s around to remind us of really simple (and some fascinating) ways to boost our immunity when everyone is dropping like flies from the flu! Thanks, Dr. Oz. You make us like being healthy.
Click on this link to see Dr. Oz’s post: http://www.doctoroz.com/slideshow/boost-your-immunity-naturally
#1 Interesting … “Larch” is not something I’ve ever heard of, but this is classic Dr. Oz. He’s not just repeating the same old stuff – he’s doing the work to dig up amazing and different things for us to try out. Remember when he was the first to tell us about resveratrol, the good-for-you stuff in red wine?
#2 – Oregano oil – is easy to find in the natural foods/supplements section of your grocery store/neighborhood co-op. I’ve used this in the past as recommended by my friend Charlotte the Amazing Acupuncturist, and have to say, it really seemed to do the trick!
#3 and #4 – Just hit the farmer’s market this weekend and pick up fresh veggies. The Barton Creek Farmer’s Market here in Austin has tons of amazing farmers bringing the goods into town, although you can find the cruciferous vegetables everywhere – they’re in season! Roasted cauliflower is on this household’s list for the next few weeks for sure. Organic is best, as pesticides and other chemicals can’t possibly be good for the immune system, whether you’re fighting viruses or not.
#5 – Avocados are out of season and tend to be more watery-tasting in the winter, but you can still find some in the larger stores. Mexico often still grows them into winter, but look for organic if you can.
#6 Ginger! Spicy, tangy, even kind of sparkly in the mouth. Favorite winter recipe: simmer cut-up ginger pieces in a small pot of water for a few minutes, add a teabag of green tea toward the end to steep for a couple minutes and pour the hot liquid into a cup. Stir in a tsp of honey and add a squeeze of fresh lemon (Meyer lemons make it super special and are available at farmer’s markets right now). Sip carefully while admiring the aromas.
#7 Currants. Will now be on our permanent dried fruits list!
#8 Oatmeal is just so flexible. Steel-cut oats make me pretty dang happy (chewier than regular), and you can cook up a large batch and eat from it for several days without spoilage (3-4 days max, though, just to be safe). Add bananas, dried fruits, coconut milk, cinnamon, walnuts… the options are endless.
#9 We were just discussing pomegranate seeds over Christmas! How is it that I’ve never had them fresh? They’re on the farmer’s market shopping list for this weekend, although I’ve seen them at our local co-op, too. And a major bonus: they boost the skin’s natural plumpness by promoting collagen.
#10 Pumpkin seeds are just sooo good. Get them, eat them. Organic ones are often available in the bulk bins if you’ll take a peek. Unsalted is best because we tend to take in too much salt, especially over the holidays. Take a break from it when you can.
#11 Sage extract is an expectorant? Leave it to Dr. Oz to blow my mind. On the list.
#12 Eggs for hair. Check.
#13 Graviola? This has been totally off my radar. On the list, although it looks pretty exotic. We’ll see what we find.
Also good for immunity: plenty of sleep, hydrate with water, take probiotics (current favorite: Kombucha!), get fresh air and exercise, brighten your surroundings to boost your mood (helps keep immune system rebooted), keep a bottle of Get Well Soon Room Spray around to naturally sanitize doorknobs and freshen the air in sick rooms (or any room), and spend time with your favorite people! <3
