What's In Your Lip Balm?

Note from Joy: I know that I don't have to worry about any chemicals getting into my body when I use this lip balm from guest blogger Kathrin. I'm also thrilled to announce we now have her lip balms at the joyous health HQ! Learn all the ingredients in her products and why it's important to consciously choose clean beauty products for the health and love of your body and mama earth.

By: Kathrin Brunner, Yoga Teacher, Holistic Nutritionist

"As a nutritionist, I spend a lot of time thinking about what's going in my body".

But that doesn't stop with what's on my plate or in my cup. What I put on top of my skin also finds its way into my body. That?s why I recommend reading the label on your cosmetics as thoroughly as the ones on your food.

Take lip balm, for example. Did you know most commercial lip balms use synthetic oils and waxes to create shine? One of these ingredients is petrolatum, a waste by-product from oil extraction often contaminated with carcinogens. Other ingredients to look out for are “fragrances”, an unregulated term in the cosmetics industry that can include hidden ingredients, like phthalates, known endocrine disruptors. Other ingredients hidden under the listing, “fragrance”, have been linked to cancer, asthma, allergies, hormonal imbalance and neurotoxicity. Preservatives used in lip balms may cause developmental and reproductive damage.

Does this mean a lifetime of chapped, dry lips? No way!

If you're like me, you want soft, silky lips without the chemical cocktail. Enter Smooth Like Butta Lip Balms. 100% natural and organic, made with ingredients to nourish and repair your skin. Let's explore each one:

Olive oil is an excellent moisturizer, capable of creating a breathable barrier to seal in your skin?s own moisture without clogging the pores. Therapeutic for itchy and inflamed skin.

Another excellent moisturizer, rich in fatty acids and antioxidants to deeply nourish the skin. The mild astringent action of this oil is beneficial for acne, burns, skin inflammation and rashes. Grapeseed oil has been found to promote cell regeneration and wound-healing, making it a therapeutic addition for damaged or mature skin.

A natural ingredient used to harden products and emulsify oils. Beeswax is antimicrobial and an emollient, adding shine naturally.

An African butter long prized for its moisturizing and protective qualities. Capable of penetrating deeply into the skin for long-lasting suppleness. Rich in fat-soluble vitamins and skin nutrients, Shea is a highly therapeutic ingredient for the delicate skin of the face and lips.

Raw honey is rich in enzymes and nutrients to moisturize, heal and protect the skin. Antimicrobial and astringent to heal and repair with a deliciously yummy smell to boot!

This fat soluble vitamin is crucial in protecting the skin from damage and premature aging. A natural preservative, it also extends the shelf life of cosmetics.

Now that's an ingredient label that makes my lips smile! Nourishing, healing, natural. No hidden chemicals. No synthetic additives. For peace of mind and soft lips.