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      News — plantbased

      A Better Body Lotion

      A Better Body Lotion

      Many of our customers who use our Thera Wise Natural Skin Healing/Wound Care Ointment to help manage inflammatory skin conditions would often ask us what kind of moisturizer we would recommend. 

      Although there are many choices on the market, we wanted to offer a complimentary body lotion that would embody the philosophy and treatment principle of the Thera Wise Therapeutic Ointments. For those with sensitive skin, we developed a body lotion that addressed the below main functions;

      + Protection and maintenance of the skins natural microbiome
      + Retaining and balancing skin hydration
      + Improving skin barrier function
      + Rejuvenating skin cellular functions
      + Improving skin elasticity and surface smoothness

      It is my belief that if you are going to make a new product it should be something that will be better than what is currently available, with this comes one of the biggest challenges in keeping our price to the consumer within an affordable margin. I have heard the saying 'good health decisions are rarely good business decisions', and with this comes the reason our Thera Wise products are always cost a bit more.  Although our lotion may cost a bit more than the other brands, your skin will thank you for making a truly healthy and functional choice.

      Some key initiative to our Body Lotion was a desire to source science-backed bioactive plant extracts grown closer to home (in North America).  I believe the nature that surrounds us has a better bio-affinity with our bodies. What we are more recently learning is that these Northern plants contain previously unknown unique and rare properties that enable them to survive and thrive, can also protect, rejuvenate and benefit sensitive and delicate skin. 

      Another important consideration was to source raw material that reduces the impact on the earth's resources. Many of our plant extracts are grown without agricultural inputs such as our Meadowfoam Seed Oil and Daikon Radish Seed Oil, grown in Oregon under a local farming cooperative without water (apart from natural rainfall) soil additives, herbicides or pesticides.  

      Our Canadian Willowherb is another botanical extract that is ethically wild-harvested and supports a rural Northern economy extracted without petrochemicals. Our Algae Extract is grown in a remote area of the Canadian Northern Atlantic Ocean and is extracted and preserved using a biotechnological cold water fractionation process.  On the other side of the continent in the Canadian Pacific ocean, we use Glacial Ocean mineral water rich in over 60 beneficial minerals that help cleanse and nourish the skin. 

      At Thera Wise we have always recognized the importance of the skin's natural microbiome in the pursuit of better dermatological health, We add prebiotics that promotes the proliferation of beneficial bacteria (and reduce the bad bacteria), thus strengthening the skin barrier function and helping protect and rejuvenate delicate skin.

      Although not grown in North America our lovely combination of Mimosa Flower and Yuzu Citrus Peel Essential Oils add a subtle, gentle touch of elegance, tenderness and warm healing energy to complete an experience of a body lotion you cannot live without.

      Since the introduction of our new Body Lotion, we have been received rave reviews . We hope you can experience this luxurious body lotion as well, you deserve it. 


        

      A simplified Hemorrhoidal ointment comparison

      A simplified Hemorrhoidal ointment comparison

      At a recent trade show, I was asked a few times the same question.
      “Because your product is natural or plant-based how do I know if it works”?
      (In reference to our best seller HmR Natural Bio-Active Hemorrhoidal Ointment)

      I love questions about our products and was very grateful that someone took the time to stop by and ask. I first explained that HmR has a Natural Health Product Number (NPN) to which Health Canada requires us to prove safety and efficacy before a license can be issued.

      As I begin to explain the benefits of HmR Hemorrhoidal Ointment over the conventional brands I would then notice that their eyes begin to become glassy and they start looking for an escape from my passionate oration.  I know the topic is not the most fascinating for someone who just wants relief from an uncomfortable situation however I like to think that it would more informative than watching mindless TV ads that tell you nothing about how their product works? Maybe some expensive TV ads provide some level of assurance that the product works however I decided that when I had a few free minutes I would try to explain this in an easier to understand method. Here goes…

      Conventional hemorrhoidal brands consist of two main types of ingredients which are petroleum jelly/ mineral oil and a decongestant (also called a vasoconstrictor).
      • Petroleum jelly and mineral oil make up 86% of the total formulation! These ingredients are used as the base of the ointment and act as a lubricant to make bowel movements less uncomfortable. My thoughts on mineral oil here.
      • Phenylephrine, a decongestant with in my opinion some shaky research on its efficacy and safety (recommend to research this on your own if interested).

      In addition, this 50-year-old formula also gives you non-medicinal ingredients such as benzoic acid, BHA, corn oil, glycerin, lanolin, methylparaben, mineral oil, paraffin, propylparaben, thyme oil, vitamin E and lastly a pet peeve ingredient shark liver oil (from endangered deepwater marine sharks).

      Anyone who follows this blog or the Environmental Defense or EWG’s Skin Deep Database might have concerns about efficacy or safety at this point.

      So how does HmR Hemorrhoidal Ointment work, why is it a better, healthier choice?

      HmR Hemorrhoidal provides the following properties all in one 28g tube;
      (1)  Anti-inflammatory – to reduce swelling and pain
      (2)  Veno-tonic – to promote vein blood circulation and strengthen the vein cell wall
      (3)  Anti-itch – the olive wax base and natural emollients like argan oil, aloe, and seabuckthorn provide healing and protective properties for delicate and compromise skin tissue

      What kind of ingredient extracts do all of this?
      The well-established phytotherapy research on Witch Hazel, Butchers Broom, Organic Chamomile Flower Oil, Aloe Vera, Olive Wax, Argan Oil, Grapeseed Extract, Beta-Glucan (from Oats). 

      From this, you can understand why our product costs more especially as petroleum and its derivatives are so cheap to manufacture. I say who wouldn’t spend a few extra dollars to buy a more efficacious healthier product.

      Concerns about conventional Baby Oil

      Concerns about conventional Baby Oil

      In our opinion, traditional baby oil is one of the most ill-conceived personal products ever produced.

      Baby oil is simply mineral oil or liquid petroleum derived from black crude oil with an added synthetic fragrance. It is a by-product of petroleum in the process to make gasoline.

      Proponents of mineral oil or baby oil will tell you that it helps to prevent moisture loss by providing an occlusive barrier to the skin. There is no doubt it provides an occlusive barrier to the extent of completely blocking pores. As science tells us the main functions of the skin is respiration and elimination (toxins). The skin needs to breathe to heal, actually, our skin needs to breathe for us to survive. Mineral oil does not moisturize as many would believe, in fact despite the initial silky feeling on the skin, it will strip away the hydro-lipid layer of this skin requiring the use of more product due to continued dryness.

      A baby’s skin is very porous because it has not developed to the same extent the hard outer keratinized thorny layer of the skin called the epidermis (this accounts for that amazing soft skin that babies have). The epidermis is the part of the skin that helps prevent materials from entering through to the dermis (deep layer of the skin) and into the bloodstream. Babies actually have the same number of pores as adults, just condensed to a much smaller surface area.

      I would recommend if possible not using any product on a newborn, at least for the first couple of months. When dealing with diaper rash or other types of rash, first try a spot test of a plant-based butter or oil. We would suggest olive oil, rosehip seed oil or argan oil and let the area air dry. Plant-based ingredients will soak into the skin, moisturize and allow the skin to breathe and heal. Plant-based moisturizers have a bio-affinity with human skin and act in a way that our cells respond to.

      We know that mineral oil/baby oil is not a healthy choice for the human body or the environment (unsustainable and not biodegradable) so why is it still being sold, and why do companies insist on using it? The answer is cheap-cheap-cheap. Yes… it is almost the cheapest raw material in personal care.