Tag: lip balm

Staying Healthy During Air Travel Blog Post

Staying Healthy During Air Travel

Posted on by Editorial Team

Staying Healthy During Air Travel

Air Travel is a fact of life for most of us. It has made it easy for us to travel around the world in record time and in relative safety. But many worry about staying healthy during air travel; after all, pathogens can travel around the world, too. With the advent of diseases like MRSA and norovirus, airline passengers want to protect themselves from contracting potentially deadly diseases.

Air Travel Facts and Myths

  • It’s been said that airplane air, being recirculated, can carry pathogens from one part of the plane to the other. This is only partly true. Some air is recirculated, but fresh air is also pulled in on a regular basis. The fact is that airplanes carry high-grade filters designed to keep air clean.
  • Airplane washrooms are never cleaned – the fact is that the washrooms are cleaned after every flight. There are portions of the plane that don’t get cleaned regularly, which I’ll go into later.

Here’s What You Can Do on Airplane Flights

  • Be prepared – don’t assume that things like blankets, pillows, headphones and other items are brand new and/or cleaned. Bring your own. There are many travel accessories like noise-cancelling headphones, eye masks, pillows, travel blankets, compression socks, breath mints and healthy snack packs that fit easily into a carry-on bag.
  • Carry sanitizing wipes for those surfaces that are used all the time, like seat belt buckles, headrests, tray tables and washroom door handles. If you can, avoid touching surfaces directly; use a tissue or paper towel. Unscented wipes like these are effective against airborne pathogens while keeping strong scents to a minimum. Wipe surfaces more than once, especially during long flights.
  • Airplane air is extremely dry at about 20% humidity, which can quickly dry out mucous membranes and make you more susceptible to infections. To avoid this, hydrate regularly with plain water or seltzer. Carry a small multi-purpose lotion with you. A lip balm like our Cucumber Melon Lip Balm will keep lips happy. One of our Body Balms is an easy solution for keeping nails, hair, etc. moisturized. Sealed ampules of preservative-free eye drops can be tossed in a bag or pocket to keep dry eye away. Cough drops with ingredients like eucalyptus oil, zinc and Vitamin C are great, too.
  • Avoid the aisle seat – while convenient, people using the aisle seat have been found to be more susceptible to airborne pathogens. If you do get the window seat, be sure to apply sunscreen before boarding the plane.
  • As far as meals go, avoid raw foods, deli meats, shellfish, dairy and ice cubes. These tend to be more problematic on busy flights. Bottled or canned drinks, fruits with thick rinds, and individually wrapped items are generally safe. Always go by smell; it if smells off, give it a pass.
  • Wear slip-on shoes and layer your clothing; airplane temperatures can vary widely.

With a little advance planning, you can make air travel a relatively pleasant experience. Staying healthy during air travel is really achievable.

References:
Time article on the dirtiest places on airplanes
Tripsavvy.com article about air quality

Tips for Soft Healthy Lips Blog Post

Tips for Soft Healthy Lips

Posted on by Lydia D

Tips for Soft Healthy Lips

In honor of National Lipstick Day, we’d like to provide some tips on maintaining soft, healthy, kissable lips. After all, they are a prominent form of expression and one of our erogenous zones. With a little extra care, they can remain softer, smoother and healthy for life. But first, let’s learn a little more about this important part of our anatomy.

Facts About Our Lips

The lips consist of three major components – the labius superium oris, the labius inferium oris, and the vermillion border (the outermost margins of the lips). The main muscle that moves the lips is the Obicularis oris muscle. The unique features of the lips include:

  • The skin is very thin compared with the rest of the body.
  • The lips do not have hair follicles or sweat glands. In this way they are similar to the soles of our feet and the palms of our hands.
  • The lips do not have oil glands, so they dry out more quickly than the rest of the body.
  • The lips are very sensitive to touch, warmth and cold.
  • Lips tend to have fewer malanocytes than the rest of the body, which allows blood vessels underneath to give them a pinkish hue.
  • Lips tend to get thinner as we age, due to the decreased production of collagen.

    • How To Care For Our Lips

    Because of these unique properties, it is important to protect our lips from the effects of the environment, harsh chemicals, and sunlight. The same environmental forces that can cause our skin to age is magnified on our lips. Hear are a few ways that you can keep your lips soft and healthy:

  • Moisturize regularly. Without oil glands, our lips are especially prone to drying and cracking. A moisturizing shea butter lip balm or other barrier balm can go a long way towards trapping moisture to prevent cracking.
  • Avoid products that can dry lips out, like alcohol, camphor, phenols, menthol, perfumes, salicylic acid and hyaluronic acid (which in low humidity can pull moisture from your lips).
  • Rethink using products that don’t actually moisturize like 100% petroleum jelly (which is highly refined and may contain other contaminants) and mineral oil. Choose moisturizing, penetrating oils like shea, olive and coconut oil instead with a natural wax like candelilla instead.
  • Exfoliate lips gently, especially during the winter months. The skin on the lips sheds, too, and regular exfoliation with a gentle scrub or a washcloth can help maintain a smooth appearance and helps lip care products absorb better.
  • Wear a sunscreen on your lips! Of course, it’s wise to wear sunscreen on all exposed areas when we’re outdoors, but the lips are especially vulnerable. A barrier sunscreen containing zinc or titanium oxide is best.
  • If you smoke, stop. After sun exposure, nothing ages skin more than smoking. It accelerates the breakdown of collagen and causes our skin to age prematurely. For the same reason, avoid excess sugar in the diet.
  • Use products that are proven to enhance collagen production. The jury is still out on whether or not supplements and powders can improve the skin. However, ingredients like antioxidants, peptides and ingredients like niacinamide have been shown to help with collagen production. For example, our Age-Defying Vitamin C Face Creme contains both antioxidants and niacinamide without the high price tag of other Vitamin C creams.
  • Stay hydrated. The same thing that can dry your skin also dries out your lips. If you suffer from chronically dry skin, lips, hair and nails, then it’s time to drink more water.
  • Eat a healthy diet. Foods rich in collagen precursors like glycine and proline include foods like fish, dark leafy greens, beans, cabbage, bananas and many other foods. Eating foods rich in these amino acids help the body maintain healthy skin, hair and yes, lips too.
  • Don’t lick your lips! It’s tempting to do when lips are cracked, but it only speeds dehydration.

    In addition to these tips, we also recommend that you read labels before applying any product to your lips. Many lipsticks, for example, contain synthetic dyes, lead, and other ingredients that may cause an allergic reaction or worse. After all, many of the products that we put on our lips can end up in our bodies. Let’s make certain that they are products that won’t do more harm than good. So pucker up and be smart about your lip health!

    References:
    Huffington Post article about lip facts
    Wikipedia article on lip anatomy

Lavender Tea Tree Body Balms group of four

Ten Uses for Body Balm

Posted on by Lydia D

We’ve received many compliments on our body balms, but some might be wondering just what a balm is. Other common names are “salve” or “cream” depending on who you ask. Essentially, a balm is a waterless cream designed to soothe, heal, and/or protect in some way. Because they don’t contain water, little to no preservation is required. We help the oils retain their potency with the help of Vitamin E and rosemary resin. We are very proud of our balms, which do all three and serve multiple functions. We’d like to list some of them below:

1) Facial moisturizer

– Our balm is non-comedogenic and can be applied directly to the face as a spot treatment for dryness before makeup, or at night before bed. A little goes a long way. Balms are particularly good for individuals with normal to dry skin.

2) Hair and scalp conditioner

– For those with dry, flyaway hair, the balm helps to coat the hair shaft. Ingredients like shea butter, olive and sweet almond oils quickly add moisture and shine. A little can be massaged into the scalp to soothe itching and irritation. Again, a little goes a long way.

3) Bug repellent

– A number of essential oils like lavender, tea tree and eucalyptus are effective bug repellents. Peppermint and neem oils are also effective against pests. We use only pure essential oils, not fragrance oils, in our balms. Fragrance oils do not contain the same botanical properties as essential oils.

4) Lip gloss

– Why buy a separate product when a balm will do just as well? Use it alone over your favorite lipstick for a little shine. It also soften and protects lips with candelilla wax and castor oil.

5) Cuticle cream

– Soften and protect dry nails and cuticles throughout the day. At bedtime, you can enhance the softening effect by smoothing balm on dry hands and donning cotton gloves. In the morning, your skin will be super-soft!

6) Barrier balm

– Smooth on one of our balms on your hands before washing dishes or working in the garden to protect skin and nails from harsh chemicals and other irritants. Excess water can cause nails to thin, while detergent cleaners can leave skin dry. Balms are a quick solution that repel water for optimal protection.

7) Natural lubricant

– Instead of synthetic-based products, you can try an all-natural and sustainable alternative to help relieve chafing, diaper rash, cradle cap and other skin conditions. Re-apply as needed.

8) Skin Salve

– Use a little balm to soothe insect bites, razor burn, athlete’s foot and other skin irritations. Our Ache-Relief Balm can help reduce redness and inflammation. Apply 3-4 times and as needed for immediate relief.

9) Bear balm/hair groom

– Our balm is fine for the guys as well. Use to condition hair and soften an itchy beard. It’s great for protecting skin after shaving.

10) Wood/shoe/bag conditioner

– Yes, our balms work on wood, shoes and bags! Just rub a little onto the item with a soft cloth. It leaves a protective shine and conditions without the need for toxic sprays or expensive finishers and petroleum or animal-based waxes.

Perhaps you will think of other uses for our balms. If you do, please let us know.