Baby Balm

I'm down to my last jar of Baby Balm, so needed to make another batch.
Baby Balm is fairly messy to make as it doesn't have water in it, so no emulsifier, which makes clean up more difficult. The Zinc Oxide seems to go everywhere!

I came up with the Baby Balm formula after reading about the old fashioned Zinc and Castor Oil Balm that people used to make years and years ago to protect babies tender bottoms.

I looked at other creams on the market and could only find balms and creams which contained petrolatum, or petroleum jelly (Vaseline). So many people want to avoid ingredients derived from petroleum, so I decided to create a balm which included an infused oil. Chamomile is the most soothing of the herbs, so I chose to infuse this in olive oil. To provide a barrier which prevents urine from sitting next to the skin, beeswax is my choice of wax. It still allows the skin to breath, unlike petroleum jelly.

Zinc Oxide is a natural mineral from the earth. It has mild antiseptic properties and acts as a physical barrier when applied to the skin. It's often used instead of chemical sunscreens as it absorbs ultraviolet light.

Castor seed oil comes from the seeds of the Ricinus communis plant. Castor seeds have been found in Ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 4000 BC being used mostly to fuel lamps because of the slow burning oil. Herodotus and other ancient Greek travelers have noted the use of castor seed oil for lighting, body ointments, and improving hair growth and texture. Cleopatra is reputed to have used it to brighten the whites of her eyes.

Added natural Vitamin E and Vitamin A make this balm more healing than others on the market. Vitamin E (D-alpha-tocopherol) is an antioxidant with skin moisturising properties.
It is also photoprotectant. In addition, it serves as a preservative for oils. Vitamin E is effective in preventing irritation.
Vitamin A is a keratinization regulator, meaning that it helps to improve the skin's texture, firmness and smoothness. Once absorbed into the skin the retin esters convert to retinoic acid and this provides anti aging benefits. This is why I use it in the Face Lotions and Rosehip Recovery Serum. Surface application of Vitamin A helps prevent skin dryness and scaliness. When combined with Vitamin E its skin regeneration properties are enhanced.

Skinflint Baby Balm contains a blend of essential oils. German chamomile, lavender and sweet orange combine to create a light fragrance that is soothing and has healing properties.
Check the ingredients of commercial balms. It's very unlikely they contain any herbal benefits, essential oils or vitamins.

At only $14 for a long lasting 100g jar, it's excellent value!