Save20% this month on our salves with code SOS20
Constant hand washing, hand sanitizer, and cold, dry weather lead to less than ideal conditions for your skin. This could be the understatement of the century. No one likes scaly, flaky, and itchy skin, but so many of us are currently suffering from it. In our current situation we have no control over the factors that are drying us out. So what can we do to fight back effectively?
The largest organ of your body
Let us first take a look at the skin itself and what’s going on. There are three layers that make up skin, but the one we are concerned with here is the epidermis, the outermost layer. This is the layer that creates our skin tone and makes us waterproof. Life would be very bad if we were not waterproof. The epidermis is made of lipids and proteins. A lipid is an organic compound that is insoluble in water. Examples of these include fats, waxes, and oils. Proteins are the building blocks of our bodies. The primary protein in the skin is keratin. Lipids and proteins are what forms a waterproof barrier on the skin. This prevents water from evaporating out of your skin. Put a pin in this.
Dry skin occurs when too much water evaporates out of the epidermis. If our skin dries out too far we get dry, flaky, and cracked unhappiness. These cracks can compromise the integrity of our skin and can eventually lead to infections and other problems.
What is causing this evaporation: Drying Factors
Climate
For us in the Northern Hemisphere it is the coldest time of year. This cold also typically leads to less humidity. Cold air heated with furnaces is especially drying. In addition, for those of us that live in high humidity climates, this is the driest time of year.
Handwashing
Harsh soaps, especially those made with synthetic ingredients, and hot water are extremely drying to the skin.
Synthetic Body Care ingredients
Many synthetic cosmetic ingredients are petroleum byproducts. These are known irritants that can lead to dry skin. Main offenders include parabens, cetyl alcohol, and SLSs. Many of these ingredients are synthetic preservatives. (Put another pin in this.)
Alcohol
No matter if you’re drinking it or putting it on your skin, alcohol is dehydrating. Hand sanitizer, is powerful and powerfully dehydrating.
Fighting Back
Remember the components of the epidermis are lipids and proteins? These compounds are insoluble in water. This is what keeps water in your skin, and keeps it hydrated. Applying ointments and other emollients that contain fats, waxes, and oils onto your skin mimic your own lipids and keep moisture in your skin.
Remember those cracks that form when skin gets too dry? Emollients can also act as a sort or spackle to help fill in the cracks until the skin is rehydrated and repaired. Choosing a quality emollient to use on your skin, especially right now, is critical.
How we may be able to help
We make awesome salves!!
People often ask what a salve or balm is and why we make them and not lotions. Lotion is oil and water emulsified together. Once you introduce water into a formula you need a preservative to prevent bacteria and mold from forming. Salves are just oil and wax, no water is used, so no preservatives are needed. To date there really are no satisfactory natural preservatives. So when formulating products, salves beat out lotions due to the desire not to include any synthetic preservatives. Plus in my experience salves last longer than lotions.
We have two salve formulas in our Voodoo Goo line; Miracle Salve and Blessed Balm. Let's explore how they are similar and how they are different.
How they are similar
Both are made from highly nourishing natural ingredients. Coconut oil, cocoa Butter, shea butter, and beeswax are found in both formulas. Each of these ingredients were chosen for their soothing, hydrating, and protective properties. Each also provides a good dose of vitamins, and beneficial fats to you.
Both of our salve formulas contain an essential oil blend of lavender, bergamot, and amyris. These oils are all soothing and anti-inflammatory. Each of these oils also produce a very hostile environment for bacteria and other microbes. They not only provide anti- inflammatory benefits to you, they are acting as a natural preservative.
How they are different- oil bases
Miracle Salve- Miracle Salve is formulated with a powerful blend of olive and avocado oil. This is the most potent plant based all natural salve in the line as these are both heavier oils. If it would take a miracle to help your skin, this is the Goo for you.
Blessed Balm- With a lighter blend of sunflower and apricot oil, Blessed Balm is Miracle Salves lighter, silkier little sister. Suitable for everyday use, this is my personal go-to Goo. Blessed Balm has regenerative and anti- aging properties.
How to use two of the three tenets of V is For Voodoo to eliminate dry skin
Number one, what you put on your skin is just as important as what goes in your mouth. Choosing quality emollient, salve, balm, whatever you want to call it, right now is crucial. Choose something that does not contain known allergens, or components that dehydrate as ingredients. If you don’t know what an ingredient is, don’t use the product.
Number two, what you put in the world determines what you get out of it. This means two things here. First, only use products made with quality ingredients. Secondly, what you put in your body determines what you get out of it. Make sure to maintain proper hydration. Drink plenty of water people! Also increasing the amount of foods that contain Vitamin E can help prevent dry skin. These foods include seeds and nuts.
During January use code SOS20 to receive 20% off of Miracle Salve and Blessed Balm.
This holiday season has been rough for us all. There’s no need to add extra misery by needlessly having dry, irritated skin on top of it all. Hand sanitizer on top of cracked skin is no fun at all. We need to keep sanitized now more than ever. The best we can do is educate ourselves on how to protect our skin in this environment. Using a quality emollient along with a couple of dietary tricks will go a very long way. Afterall, our skin is the largest organ we have and its primary function is to protect us. We should do our best to protect it in return.