Due to the wax we were getting from our hives we began to venture more into body care products. Once on this journey we were shocked to see how many ingredients a store bought lotion product contained. For a time we did make our own Lotion product but we were dissatisfied with the preservatives and other ingredients you needed in order to prevent mold and bacteria build up in the product. Did you know that most Lotions contain about 30% water and thus need preservatives? As unbelievable as it sounds it’s true. Water helps to hydrate the skin but serves no other real medicinal purpose. If you were to take a 4oz bottle of lotion and take away the water, preservatives and emulsifiers you would probably be left with just 2oz of product that actually did something for your skin. All of our Balms are concentrated, waterless moisturizers that deliver oil directly to your skin. This means your skin only gets treated to natural, wholesome ingredients that provide natural benefits to your skin. Balm has various super powers besides being waterless and concentrated, it provides the skin with moisture and it helps to retain it! We all know oils help nourish the skin but it also helps to soften skin.
Why is Beeswax important in Waterless Lotions, especially on Aruba? Well, one of the most important attributes of Beeswax in cosmetics is that it helps to lock in Moisture and provides a barrier from the air, shielding skin from the elements. Aruba is a very dry climate but also has a lot of Sun as well as Wind. As you can imagine these elements can affect our skin if we don’t take care of it. Another important aspect about Beeswax is that it has a high melting point, meaning that it needs to be extremely hot in order for it to melt, which is great for Aruba since we are already a warm weather climate. Beeswax and oils are a great combination because while lotions can wash off immediately, a Balm provides longer moisture and protection. Since we only use food grade oils you can actually eat our Balms, although we do not recommend it.
Here are two techniques for using Balms that you may find useful.
Rub: Using the heat of your finger tips, gently rub the balm and then transfer a little to the skin. Repeat again if you need to add more to an area.
Digging: This technique is recommended if you need to add a lot of balm to a given area. Use the nail of your thumb or a cosmetic paddle or even a small wooden spoon to dig out a chunk of balm. Then warm it up between your palms to liquefy. Apply it anywhere you need it. This is the preferred method for addinga lot of balm to a certain area of your skin.
Another reason we use waterless skin care is because we do not need to use plastic containers. Many Lotions come in plastic containers in order to keep the water in and not have it evaporate quickly. Plastic containers allow the water in the lotion to be squeezed out all in unison. When we used to make Lotions we were actually using paint tubes that are metal. They worked great but were difficult to fill. We decided to stick with the balms since it provided so many benefits without all the added ingredients just to keep water inside. So when you purchase a Balm product be proud that you are giving your skin the most concentrated nourishment possible without using preservatives.
