Frankly Speaking Friday- Exotic Oils cont.- Wheat Germ Oil

We are finally at the end of the Exotic Oils series! The last one being Wheat Germ Oil. Now you may think that it is not all that exotic, but I hope to change your mind about it! So off we go....


Wheat Germ Oil, botanically known as Triticum vulgare, is an amber, brownish, to amber, pale yellow, depending upon whether or not it is refined. If it is unrefined it will posses a heavily nutty scent and taste, but that is not as pronounced if it is a refined oil.  This oil is cold pressed, and extracted from the germ of the wheat kernel, which, incidentally, only makes up 2 1/2% (by weight) of the kernel. The germ of a any cereal is the reproductive part, the one that germinates and grows into a plant, so it is the embryo of the seed. The oil in the wheat germ is what nourishes the plant embryo as it develops into a full grown plant. 


This oil is suitable for food or cosmetic use, but only for those without wheat or gluten allergies. It is an unrefined oil, and naturally contains high amounts of vitamins A, D, and E. It also contains vitamins B1, 2, 3, 6 and even vitamin F. It is also rich in essential fatty acids, (over 96%) proteins and minerals. Because of its richness, and because of the resulting regenerative and anti-oxidant properties, wheat germ oil is another wonderful addition to your cooking and your skin-care products.


On the skin, wheat germ oil serves as an emollient and natural moisturizing factor. Natural moisturizing factors mimic the function of healthy skin. They provide lubrication to the skin's surface, while they prevent the evaporation of moisture from the skin. Wheat germ oil also helps to stabilize the skin's inter-cellular structure, which prevents any surface irritation from going deeper into the skin. It also helps to keep bacteria out of the skin and bolsters the skin's immune and healing systems. In fact, a product called the Invisible Glove only lists three active ingredients, and one of those is wheat germ oil (benzoin extract and vegetable oil are the other two ingredients). The Invisible Glove is used to protect skin against chafing, irritation and dryness, and to protect hands from solvents and detergents. Nurses, outdoor workers, military personnel and bartenders, according to the product information sheet, use it as a barrier cream, applying it like a lotion before work.


As previously discussed, essential fatty acids are needed for our overall heath, and the health of our organs (skin is the largest organ we have). They are not produced by our body, so we must get them from dietary sources. Wheat germ oil is a simple, great dietary source. It can be taken alone, drizzled on top of salads, vegetables, pasta, pesto, or many other meals, just don't heat it or you will destroy all the great properties you are trying to get!


The essential fatty acids in the wheat germ oil will provide for health of the cardiovascular, immune, nervous, and reproductive systems, as well as the general health and maintenance of cells and bodily functions. It is, though, the vitamin E present in the Wheat Germ Oil that promotes skin cell formation, and is wonderful for nourishing and rejuvenating dry, mature, dehydrated, sunburned,  and damaged skin, as well as, reducing scars and stretch marks. It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects, which may be beneficial medicinally as well as in your cosmetics. In addition to those already mentioned, wheat germ oil has been shown to be effective for the treatment of; cracked skin, eczema, psoriasis, tired and overexerted muscles, poor blood circulation, high cholesterol levels, and poor lymphatic function.


Generally speaking, wheat germ oil has a shelf life of anywhere from 6 months to 18 months, depending upon how its stored, and whether or not it is refined.
Because of its high vitamin E content, which is a natural antioxidant that  helps to prevent rancidity, this oil is often added to other carriers to help extend their shelf life, but on its own, wheat germ oil, especially the unrefined  oil, is very sensitive and will degrade quickly when it is exposed to extremes. This means that any fluctuation in temperature, light, or oxidization (which means exposure to oxygen/air) will adversely affect this oil, therefore it is better to keep it refrigerated. Many manufacturers prevent rancidity by storing the wheat germ oil in vacuum sealed glass containers because the glass prevents oxygen from passing through it like plastic containers. So storing your oil in a dark, glass bottle, with as little air space as possible, may be the best storage technique. However, some of the refined wheat germ oil I have come across now appears to have stabilizing additives, so you will need to double-check the recommendations of your oil's manufacturer. 


Remember, a good quality wheat germ oil will be viscous (thick) and fairly deep in color. The unrefined oil will also have a very noticeable taste and odor. For these reasons you will need to consider its usage amounts in your formulas. While it has great skin benefits, it is not really practicable to have a 100% wheat germ oil massage oil. But, I think that you will find that an  incorporation rate of 10-15% will provide all the awesome benefits of this oil in a manageable consistency. It is recommended that you use it between 5-15% in lotions and creams, 5-10% in balms, 5-8% in hair conditioners, and 5-10%   or one ounce ppo in bar soap recipes. While some of the good stuff won't survive the heat of saponification, many believe that some of it will. Given the cost of this oil though, you may wish to save it for your other cosmetic formulations. :) 


One more thing about wheat germ oil, it is also a great dietary supplement for your pets! It promotes a lustrous coat, as well as healthy skin. You can simply mix a few drops of it in with the pet food. Studies have shown that dry skin and dandruff are greatly reduced in pets, and this includes livestock. Some even claim that it has helped with their animal's dry, cracked skin, eczema, and psoriasis.     


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Tripod Thursdays- Yard Flowers and a few new soaps

Here are some yard flowers and plants, a bird that was carrying a large stick and a couple of new soaps. I had some more to get off my camera, but the charger has been misplaced and the battery is dead. So hopefully the fairies will bring it to me soon!

Tomorrow we will be finishing the exotic oils postings when we discuss Wheat Germ Oil. Now I know that this oil is not nearly as expensive as most we have talked about, but none the less, it is one that will make a great addition to your cosmetics and soaps!

Teaching Tuesdays - Exotic Oils Cont.- Tamanu Oil

Tamanu Oil, botanically known as Calophyllum inophyllum and/or Calophyllum tacamahaca, is a light green oil with a rich, deep odor. The oil is made from the odorless, pale kernel, called punnai, that comes from the fruit of the Tamanu tree. The Tamanu tree gets beautiful, fragrant, white flowers twice a year. Later these flowers yield clusters of yellow-skinned, spherical fruit, its pulp tasting similar to an apple. Inside that fruit is where the nut is found, and inside the nut is where the kernel is found. Once harvested, the kernel is dried out in the sun for two months, where it becomes quite sticky with the dark, thick, rich oil that eventually becomes Tamanu oil. While the kernels are drying they must be protected from the rain and from humidity, so this can be a labor intensive few months. Once they reach the proper stage, the sticky oil is then cold-pressed to make the greenish yellow oil, similar in appearance to olive oil, that we know as Tamanu oil. It will take 220 pounds of the Tamanu fruit, which is about what one tree will produce annually, to yield just 10.4 pounds of cold pressed oil. This yield disparity is an important factor in the cost of this exotic oil. Currently that price is running at $130.00 per liter, and a liter is about 33.8 ounces, so that is roughly $3.85 an ounce. Not as high as some essential oils, but a lot when you figure how much oil goes into some products! 

The Tamanu tree is indigenous to tropical Southeast Asia, and is found in Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, South India, Sri Lanka, and the Melanesian and Polynesian islands. Historically, natives believed that the Tamanu tree was a sacred gift of nature, with gods hiding in its branches. This tree was their answer to skin protection from the ocean winds, high humidity and hot sun. As far back as the 18th century it has been documented that native Jamaicans used Tamanu oil to treat sores and wounds.  

Today, Indonesians soak the leaves in water, creating a blue solution that they give internally in cases of heat stroke. They also use this solution to (topically) treat inflamed eyes.    

In New Guinea the leaves are softened by heating over a fire, then they are applied to skin sores, ulcerations, boils, cuts and pimples. 

On Dobu Island the leaves are boiled and the solution is used to wash skin rashes.

In the Phillipines they soak the leaves in water and use the solution to treat hemorrhoids. They mix the sap with sulfur and make an ointment that they use on open sores, wounds, and boils.  

Fiji natives use Tamanu oil to treat  joint pains, arthritis, bruises, oozing wounds, chapped lips and even to preventing diaper rash. In the 1920s, Sister Marie-Suzanne, a nun stationed in Fiji, topically applied Tamanu oil to leprosy victims with positive results.

In fact, in most south sea islands it is utilized as an analgesic for sciatica, rheumatism and ulcers.
Pacific islanders apply Tamanu oil to scrapes, cuts, burns, insect bites and stings, acne and acne scars, psoriasis, diabetic sores, anal fissures, sunburn, dry or scaly skin, blisters, eczema, diaper rash and herpes sores--and even to reduce foot and body odor!

 Tamanu oil has anti-inflammatory properties, accelerates healing, promotes new tissue formation and healthy skin growth, reduce rashes, treats sores and abrasions. It’s pain-relieving properties have also been used to treat and relieve the pain of neuralgia and shingles. 

In fact, in Europe, sometimes called Domba oil, tamanu oil has a proven 70 to 75 percent success rate in alleviating rheumatism and scabies.  It’s also proven  effective as a gout and ringworm treatment, and can be applied to lesions of the mucous membranes.  It is known to heal chapped skin, post-surgical wounds, skin allergies, bed sores, wounds, rashes, abrasions, athlete’s foot, boils, cracked skin, and infected nails. It has even healed severe burns caused by boiling water, chemicals and X-rays.  

Tamanu oil possesses powerful bactericide and fungicide agents, and has proven antimicrobial qualities as well. This oil tests well against antibiotics in the treatment and relief of; bladder infections, wound infections, pneumonias, septicemia, conjunctivitis, infected burns, athletes foot, ring worm, jock itch, Madura Foot, urinary tract infections, and the cause of diphtheria. Additionally, Tamanu oil has been used to affectively reduce the appearance of stretch marks and scars. In one study test subjects with scars a year old applied this oil twice daily (and only this oil) for nine weeks. After six weeks there was significant improvement in the appearance of the scars, and after the full nine weeks,  the scar length was reduced by an average 0.28 centimeters, and width was reduced by an average 0.12 centimeters.    

This oil will store well under any conditions, but extreme heat will tend to lessen its shelf life. With proper storage it should last from 10-14 months. Given its high cost, this is probably not an oil that you would want to add into your soaps, but it does make a fine addition to your medicine cabinet and skin care formulary. It does have a pretty strong aroma though, so you will need to take this in consideration when developing your products. Also, the coloring may alter your cosmetics as well, so some experimentation is probably in line. The good news is that this oil is suitable to used directly on the skin, or mixed with other carrier oils, so your imagination is the only limit! 

Make It Yourself Monday- Aches and Pains Remedies

After weeks of daily rain, we here in the Buckeye state finally had a nice, sunny, 80 degree day. Yea! The problem? Many of the neighbors took the opportunity to work in their yards. While that is a good and necessary thing, the resulting muscular aches and pains is not. So today we will be making some massage oils for those stiff, achy muscles!

Please remember that before using ANY product that contains Essential Oil you should do a patch test. Take a small amount of the product and rub it into the inside of elbow. If it doesnt immediately irritate your skin, cover it with a band-aide and leave it for 24 hours. If after that time it still hasnt caused an irritation, then use the product with caution. If it does begin to bother you, wash the area with soap and water and do NOT use that product. If you are testing a single Essential oil, remember that you need to put one drop of the EO into a small amount of carrier oil before you test it. NEVER test an EO neat on the skin. There are [only] a couple of EO's that can be used neat, but you must have the proper education to do so, and even then, sensitivities can happen. When they do, they are life-long, so the safest thing to do is to simply not try it!


This first muscle rub is especially nice the day after a strenuous workout, when the muscles may be tight and sore. All you need to do is to mix all the ingredients together, then massage into the affected area(s).

1 drop Eucalyptus Essential Oil
1 drop of Peppermint Essential Oil  
2 drops Rosemary Essential Oil  
4 drops Lavender Essential Oil (I use Bulgarian lavender)  
2 oz of your choice of Carrier Oil   (Many people like sweet almond oil, apricot seed oil, soybean or jojoba)
 

This mixture is also good for aches and pains;

 1 drop Lavender EO
 1 drop Cypress EO 
 2 drops Black Pepper EO
 1/2 oz your choice of carrier oil
 

This one is great for backaches and other muscular stiffness;
 4 drops Marjoram (Organic is best) EO
 2 drops Ginger EO  
 4 drops Rosemary EO
 4 drops Lavender  EO  
 5 oz your choice of carrier oil
This one can be made with less carrier oil for a stronger ointment, but you will need to check for skin sensitivity with each adjustment. This should only be used twice a day, whatever strength you use.
 



 

Frankly Speaking Friday-Truth on a label?

As I previously discussed, I am in the process of writing a book on Essential Oils. Right now I have only written the first few pages, and am, in fact, still organizing notes and outlining.  Actually, I am still trying to decide just what all should be included in the book, and you can help me with this. If there is particular information that you would like to know, or things that you don't really care to see in another book, please let me know. I really would like this book to be user friendly, so it would be helpful to know what you would like included! 


Okay, enough about the book.  Along with my organizing notes, I have also looked over a few web sites this week and, once again, I have gotten my ire up when I found lies in advertising, and ignorance in the supposed experts. 


There is a National company, one that has a bee logo, that has been selling their "natural" products for years, and in the last few years, they have added some "natural" specialty soaps. These soaps carry a percentage of "naturalness" right on their packaging. So let's look at this, shall we?


Let us begin by stating that this bee company is actually owned by the chemical company, Clorox. Yes, the famous bleach company is now the same company that makes the "natural" bee soaps, lip balms, and body care items (they bought it in 2007). Does this make a difference? Well I think that you will find that it certainly can. And one of the first ways that it does make a difference, is in that percentage of naturalness labeling. Let me explain. As we have previously discussed, the phrase " all natural" is not legally regulated, only the word "organic" is. But, the company website really tries to sell us on this "new" labeling. Here is how, copied directly from their site.

"In order to help you identify truly natural products and maximize your well-being, Burt's Bees, along with the Natural Products Association and other leading Natural personal Care companies, developed The Natural Standard for Personal Care Products"


 Note that the bee company and the other "leading" companies developed the standards that have been set forth. The companies decided what they could and could not say in advertising and what would be defined as natural.


"The standard is a set of guidelines that dictates which ingredients can and cannot be considered natural and ultimately, whether a product can be deemed truly “natural.” Under the standard, any product labeled “natural” must meet the following four criteria:..."  


I challenge you to visit the site and look over the ingredient list that they consider natural. And while you are there, read the directions for getting a product approved as "natural" by this group. It is amazing......

"Natural: A product labeled “natural” should be made up of natural ingredients and be manufactured with appropriate processes to maintain ingredient purity."

Again, visit their site and see the ingredient list of what they consider natural ingredients to use. They are listed by manufacturer, and I will explain why in just a bit.

"Safety: A product labeled “natural” should avoid any ingredient that research shows may have a suspected human health risk." 

This is odd, since the bee company uses comfrey in several of their products.  Comfrey contains toxic substances that can be absorbed by the skin. It is  recommended that, even topical preparations should be used only for only a

 short time, and under the supervision of a knowledgeable health care provider.

 Additionally, comfrey should never be applied to open wounds or broken skin. 

You are not to use  comfrey at all if you have liver disease, alcoholism, or 

cancer. And children, the elderly, and pregnant or breastfeeding women are not

to  use any comfrey products,  under any circumstances. But on their website

they state that comfrey is known for its skin healing benefits, and is perfectly safe. I suppose that all of the countries which banned its internal use and warned of its toxicity when absorbed by the skin, must be wrong.

"Responsibility:

A product labeled “natural” should use no animal testing in its development

Sustainability:

A product labeled “natural” should use (bio)degradable ingredients and the

most environmentally sensitive packaging. Ultimately, The Natural Standard for Personal Care Products aims to clearly define what a “natural” personal care product is and what it is not. The standard encompasses all cosmetic personal care products as defined and regulated by the FDA."   

*This is their "standard", not the FDA's. They are just saying that they are using the word "cosmetics" to include all the items that the FDA calls cosmetics.

 "Simply put, as of May 1, 2008, The Natural Standard for Personal Care Products states that all personal care products labeled or branded “natural” must be made with at least 95% all-natural ingredients and contain only those synthetic ingredients that are specifically allowed under this standard and do not have any suspected human health risks." 

These are their guidelines, not the FDA's. This is important, and you will soon see why.

The standard also requires that companies be transparent, fully disclosing their ingredients accurately and truthfully. They should strive to maximize their use of recyclable and post-consumer recycled content in packaging. And finally, they should avoid animal testing of ingredients or products." 

This is rather funny, because when you look at their own label you will see that they do NOT fully disclose their ingredients.

"How can you spot truly natural products? Helping you to clearly understand and identify truly natural products is a key element of The Natural Standard for Personal Care Products. To easily identify those products that meet the standard, the Natural Seal has been developed. You can rest assured that products carrying the Natural Seal truly are natural. Be sure to look for the Natural Seal on Burt’s Bees products starting later this year!"  

Read on to see why this is a giant joke. Now, let's look at this a bit closer, shall we? What do you suppose it takes to belong to the "Natural Products Association"? I will tell you, it only takes one thing....MONEY!  If you do not belong to their association, the fee for submitting one product, one upc code, is $1500.00 Each upc code requires its own form and fee. But wait, if you use only the "approved" ingredients, you can get a nice discount. So, take a look at the approved ingredients. They are listed by manufacturer to make it easier on you. Of course, I had not even heard of most of the ingredients, which made me wonder. But I finally figured it out. These are the products that have paid their fee to become approved. They are not your general "vegetable glycerin" or "chamomile powder", they are specific products, by the large companies that are members of this group. So you can get a discount on your submission fee if you patronize the other members. One hand washes the other. Who is left out? We, the consumer, that's who! Think about this. Who can afford $1500.00 per upc to submit a  product line in the first place? Large companies of course. Clorox type companies Oh, but what about the membership discount? Well it is still a good chunk of change, half price if I remember correctly, but the annual membership fee is not disclosed on the site either, least wise that I could find. So I have to wonder about how much that could be too. And, again, I didnt even recognize most of the ingredients on the approved ingredient list.

Now let's look at a few more things. This is part of their actual add. 

"How it Works

Specially formulated with Buttermilk, this French-milled soap is gentle enough for everyday use. Leaves baby's skin clean, soft, and smooth. Pediatrician-tested. Hypo-allergenic. " 

This statement is also rather odd, considering that in the question/answer section of their web site, when asked if they had hypoallergenic products, they say, 

"There is no defined methodology to test for allergic reactions in beauty or personal care products, nor does the FDA regulate use of the term "hypoallergenic." Consequently, we do not position our products as hypoallergenic. A list of ingredients for each product is available on individual product information pages on this site."

Hmm, I guess they forgot to read their own questions and answers.

  Now, let's take a quick look at the ingredient list.

"Ingredients: vegetable soap base, parfum (fragrance), butyris lac (buttermilk powder, babeurre en poudre), avena sativa (oat) kernel flour, CI 77891 (titanium dioxide), limonene."

First off, I  wonder why they list their ingredients in French and English, especially since their plant is located in North Carolina, USA. But why digress?

Listed first, meaning that it is the ingredient with the largest quantity percentage, is "Vegetable Soap Base". This does NOT tell you what oils were used to make the soap. While many business owners dont want to share their formulas for fear of theft, the majority of people balk at this practice. So why would you accept if from a large company? Then there is the fact that they do list some of the ingredients, so why not all of them? You cannot pick and choose which ingredients you list, it should be all or none. So we are left wondering if this company knows what they are using, and if they do, then why arent they sharing that information? Why do they make a point in one section of their web site, to say that all of their ingredients are clearly listed, when in fact they are not?  And what happened to the mandates of their Natural Association? I guess since they are the ones that made the rules, they can bend or break them as they see fit.  

The second ingredient is parfum, which they then clarify as fragrance.  Parfum is the French word for perfume. According to Wikapedia, Perfume is  ".....a mixture of fragrant essential oils and aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents used to give the human body, animals, objects, and living spaces a pleasant scent...." 

Why is this the second largest ingredient in this soap? In my experience, and in my soaps, fragrance is never the second largest ingredient. In fact, it is almost always the next to last ingredient, the last usually being the colorant or viatmin E. How can this soap be 99.9% natural when perfume is the second largest ingredient?

While I see nothing of concern with the buttermilk powder, indeed I use it in some of my products, I wonder why they chose to use the flour over larger oats. But, since oats are frequently used to soften water and the skin, I don't see an issue with this either. I do, however, wonder about the last ingredient, Limonene. According to the Wikipedia, Limonene is increasingly being used as a solvent for cleaning purposes, such as the removal of oil from machine parts, as it is produced from a renewable source (citrus oil, as a byproduct of orange juice manufacture). It also serves as a paint stripper when applied to painted wood, and is also useful as a fragrant alternative to turpentine. Limonene is also used as a solvent in some model airplane glues. As it is combustible, limonene has also been considered as a biofuel. It is used as a botanical insecticide, and is added to cleaning products, such as hand cleansers, to give fragrance.  Even with these indications, limonene is a common ingredient in cosmetic products, is a main odor constitutant of citrus, is used in food manufacturing, and even in some medicines, as it masks the bitter tastes of alkaloids. So, while it may be used in other cosmetics, I don't think it is the best choice for a Baby soap that is being marketed as 99.9% natural.

I am not asserting that this is a bad product, nor am I asserting it is a good one for that matter. I just don't care for deceptive advertising. I like when you say something and then follow through and do that same something. I dont like it when the left hand fails to know what the right is doing. I don't like talking out of both sides of your mouth. And I especially don't like it when big companies get together and create their own club, write their own rules, hype their club, and then dont even bother to follow the rules that they just wrote. I want the same answer to be given to the same question, more than once. I want the honest, plain, unadulterated truth, not an ad agency's idea of what I should want.

Tripod Thursdays- Showcase of Products

It's Tripod Thursday! Today I am showcasing various Unique Garden Essences products. I had hoped to get out and take more pictures of Spring in Ohio, you can't believe how fast the grass has grown and the trees have filled out with their leaves in all this rain! But, because of all the rain, I have been unable to take th e camera outside! Hopefully next week.

What's Happening Wednesday-Exotic Oils Cont.- Shea Oil

What's Happening this Wednesday is that we are in the home stretch of the exotic oils series. So today we will be looking at Shea Oil.


Shea butter and shea oil both come from the seed of the African karite tree, better known as the shea tree. The shea oil is actually a byproduct of the butter production, where the fractionated oil is expressed as the seeds are pressed. The liquid oleins are separated from the thicker stearines, leaving a pretty thick oil. 


While many are familiar with the butter, the oil seems to be less known, but it  possesses all of the same beneficial properties of the butter, while having a lower melting point, which makes it easier to utilize in some formulations. In fact, shea oil is actually higher in fatty acids than the butter, which means that it is more moisturizing for our skin. And thanks to the higher oleic acid that it posesses, it also has more ant-inflammatory properties. It also has a higher level of linoleic acid, which allows it to repair the skin's barrier properties faster. It is high in vitamins A, E and F and presents with a deep golden color. Shea Oil provides skin with all the essential elements it needs for good balance, elasticity and tone. It penetrates the skin easily, and forms an environmental barrier, protecting the skin from harsh elements. Of course it also leaves the skin feeling soft and smooth. This oil is a proven skin  re-generator. It improves the elasticity of the skin, and provides relief from dermatitis, eczema, burns, rashes, wrinkles, scars, psoriasis, and other skin irritations. It is also said to promote hair growth. 


Shea oil stores well, lasting about one year, but extreme heat will lesson that time. Just as with the butter, this oil is great for superfatting your soaps, or you can use it as part of your base oils, up to 20%.