I get asked this a lot…So many people are buying balms like kawakawa that ‘seem to be miracle cure-all’s’ or a friend has bought and they have been convinced it is what they need.
Kawakawa balm has become soooo popular over the last few years with lots of people making it, some with little or no formal qualifications and are pushing it hard on social media saying it will cure everything. What I want people to understand is that yes, most balms even one just made out of olive oil with no herb in it, will have a benefit to dry skin but…
Kawakawa Balm is not a cure all. It is hydrating and acts as a protective layer BUT… if you apply it to unclean skin you are trapping potential bacteria in which will reproduce. Also qualified practitioners will tell you if you want to treat a chronic condition such as eczema you should NOT use a BALM! Why? Balms trap things in. The skin doesn’t breath – it can’t discharge what it is trying to get rid of. Balms also heat the skin. SOOOO if you have been using a balm and it appears your chronic condition is improving, it might be that you have been hydrating the area, but you need to treat the cause otherwise you will find that it is going to come back or spread in some cases !!!! If you want to treat chronic skin conditions with medicinal herbs then creams are what a qualified practitioner would be advising you to use. They would also be advising you about your diet and what the maintaining cause is of the problem. Treating the whole person”.
Your skin, the largest organ of your body, breaths, discharges and absorbs. It is an amazing filter and protector. That’s why it is so important to get the right topical application for the different conditions your skin may be needing help with. Here are some examples. If you have any questions please ask, email us at practitioner@manutukeherbs.co.nz
CREAMS | do NOT HEAT the skin. That is so important. Especially if you are wanting to treat a condition that needs to discharge and release fluids and form new skin. Creams absorb easily and deliver the herbs to the top layer of the area applied. At Manutuke Herbs we use certified organic or spray free plant materials. If you are not getting quality product, you are adding poison to your biggest absorbing organ of the body. KEEP IT ORGANIC or SPRAY FREE. If you are buying a cream and the supplier can not guarantee you that it is organic or spray free – put your money back in your pocket and walk away.
BALMS & OINTMENTS | great for covering an area and applying a protective coat. Balms DO HEAT the skin. While they heat the underlayer that they are applied to they are releasing the herbal ingredient to the area. Balms are greasy and don’t easily absorb. Balmss are great for deep acting action. So if you have deep aches in the muscle ointments will be ideal. But DO NOT USE ON ECZEMA as eczema is the body discharging toxins and allergen’s from the internal body. You need a cream and an oral treatment – you need to work from the inside out. By putting an balm on eczema you could make it worse. If you are using an balm on dry skin that is split and cracking I understand how you might think a balm would work. It is a wonderful way to hydrate your skin, but it is also Heating your skin and stopping toxins from being released. You need a cream for cooling and soothing or a cream with a gel added – like Aloe Vera.
OILS | great for soaking into the skin. One of my clients gave me a book to read called ‘cures from the bible’ and it mentions olive oil as a healer for arthritis, as it penetrates deep into the body and to the bones. If you are using ESSENTIAL oils you must, must, MUST dilute them. There are only a handful that are safe for direct application; and some are toxic for your animals so do your research if using a diffuser around inside pets.
LOTIONS | wonderful dilutions of water and herbal extracts (based in alcohol usually). Lotions are safe to directly apply to the skin/wound or sensitive body part (say after childbirth). Lotions are a wonderful soothing and gentle treatment. You can use them to cleanse an area before you apply a cream/ointment.
Amanda Macrae is a qualified Homeopathy who has studied many other health modalities. Amanda has specialised in the manufacture of natural health products and worked for several pharmacies designing products for the health industry.
With over 20 years experience and a true love of what she does – Amanda is happy to share her knowledge with you.
You can contact her on practitioner@manutukeherbs.co.nz
