I have had eczema all of my life. One of my children apparently inherited that vulnerability from me. She happens to be the child with an autism diagnosis.The more I learn about toxins, the less I want gasoline on my skin. Every time I read the ingredient "petrolatum" or "petroleum" on a label, an image of a gas pump pops into my mind.
For years, I used prescription and over-the-counter steroid products on my eczema. The minute I stopped, the rash returned. Seems the steroid temporarily suppressed my rashy reaction, but didn't cure the rash. Now, I know that the skin is the largest organ, and it is important for detoxification. Rashes are viewed as part of the detoxification process by some alternative and complimentary professionals who don't advocate suppressing a rash with a steroid cream.
Still, my skin and my daughter's skin is dry, and, while we've gotten a handle on the foods that contribute to our eczema, we still need a soothing something, sometimes, a soothing something that does not contain chemicals, certain allergens like soy or sunflower, and that is organic.
I'll stop right now and make a disclaimer: I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice.
I am a mom who has struggled with eczema my whole life who avoids products like petroleum jelly and Vick's Salve because of the petroleum, but who misses petroleum jelly and Vick's Salve. I'm a mom who has
Leslie McCann is a mom who understands. She created a concoction for a child, who like me and my daughter, is challenged with painful and itchy rashes. She came up with an entire line of organic, chemical free products. And now McCann is making her products available to moms like me.
Allow me to introduce to you her company and product, My Mama's Love. McCann sent me at no charge, in order to review, a 1.7 oz jar of Complete Skin Ailment Curative; a 1.7 oz jar of Mama Nose Best; and two .50 oz tins of Fixx-My-Lipz, one peppermint flavored and one orange flavored. The full product line is here., with lists of ingredients, which you can browse from the comfort of your computer. Shop here.
Complete Skin Ailment Curative is priced at $9.oo for a 1.7 oz jar.
Mama Nose Best is priced at $10 for a 1.7 oz jar.
Fix My Lipz are $3.50 per .50 oz screw-top tin.
I like the products that McCann sent me. The nature of the oils she used in each formulation means a little goes a long way. There are no chemicals or artificial ingredients, and the jars are glass. (Plastic means more exposure to toxins. From what I've read as I've researched, glass containers are better.) Remember when Vick's Salve used to come in heavy glass jars? They're heavy -- McCann wrapped them well -- and the cost of shipping concerns me, but I locate the bubble-wrap-lined-envelope and shipping on the package of four items that McCann sent me is under three dollars. McCann tells me that "the .50 and .85 ounce sizes are $1.50 to ship and the 1.70 and 4.0 ounce sizes are $2.00 to ship." The company facebook page mentions a new option to recycle their containers for reuse.
I am tickled to pieces to find a Vick's Salve / Mentholatum substitute! I missed those products. My husband, whom I very rarely include in my blog (his preference), tells me matter-of-factly as I am playing with the jar of Mama Nose Best, that, "Vick's is all about the scent." when I tell him it's an organic and chemical free substitute for Vick's Salve. (He misses Vick's, too, I think.) I opened the jar of Mama Nose Best for him to sniff -- he says it's pretty good. ;) He generously gave me permission to share that with you. (He is testing the Complete Skin Ailment Curative with me, too.) The scent of Mama Nose Best is more subtle than the store petroleum brands and I like the hint of mint in it. Mint is not as strong as eucalyptus. I used it on my sore nose this week during a bad cold/cough, and I rubbed it on my chest at night. It's nice! ;) Mama Nose Best is scented with essential oils (not synthetic scents).
I'm using the Complete Skin Ailment Curative on some stubborn dry spots that tend to flake. It does not break out my skin or irritate my skin and it's soothing. It's firmer at room temperature and melts in my hand. I use it at night, and yes, I feel an improvement in my skin. I need to get in a routine of using it every night.
Fixx-My-Lips lip balm is soothing, not too heavy, and the peppermint flavor is not too minty. One natural brand from a trendy specialty store known for natural products is too minty and burns my lips -- Fixx-My-Lips does not give me that burning sensation. I prefer a stick of balm, but the ingredients in Fixx-My-Lips are probably not firm enough to make a stick. I gave the orange flavored Fixx-My-Lips balm to my middle schooler. She likes it and says it soothes her lips.
I like products made by moms, particularly when those moms understand our situation because they live it, too.
If you're avoiding petroleum products, looking for natural and organic, and have a long list of allergens to avoid, check out My Mama's Love Organic Skin Care - Leslie McCann's probably got a product that fits your needs.
Leslie McCann blogs here. You can become a fan of My Mama's Love on facebook.
2 comments:
Wonder if she has (or would consider making) something for severely dry skin? I may try some of her stuff. Can't wait. :)
No matter what your age, the right balance of natural beauty and makeup may be summed up like this: the less makeup you can get away with using, the better! Using heavy mascara regularly can be tough on your eyelashes and may actually cause them to thin by the time you're in your twenties. Using eyeshadow and eye liners requires that they be removed each day, which stretches this delicate skin. Do you really want saggy, wrinkled skin around the eyes before you're thirty? Foundations and face makeup causes your skin to age prematurely.
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