Dry skin in winter? Our Body Butter can help.

Dry, itchy skin is one the many symptoms experienced by peri, menopausal and post-menopausal women. Why is this? It’s all thanks to that common culprit, the hormone oestrogen. One thing oestrogen is responsible for is stimulating the formation of skin-smoothing collagen and oils. That's why, as menopause approaches and oestrogen production diminishes, dry, itchy skin becomes very common. However, the lack of oestrogen doesn’t just slow down your body's oil production, it also reduces your body's ability to retain moisture. No area of the body is spared, it seems. One client told me this was the only symptom she was experiencing.

Menomagic Body Butter

Our Nourishing Shea Body Butter has been formulated to help tackle this, using only natural

ingredients; Shea Butter, Lavender essential oil and Rose Geranium essential oil. So, how do these ingredients work together?

Shea Butter is dervied from Shea Nuts

Shea butter is fat that’s been extracted from shea tree nuts. It contains high concentrations of fatty acids and vitamins, which make it an ideal cosmetic ingredient for softening skin. Shea Butter also has anti-inflammatory and healing properties.

Sounds good so far? We think so!

So, what makes our body butter different to others? Well, it’s the combination of essential oils we use that makes it stand out as a real winner.

When I first started training as a Complementary Therapist, one of the initial assignments was to write an assignment on the timeline of aromatherapy. I was fascinated to learn that people who worked in lavender fields in the Middle Ages tended to survive the Black Death, and other plagues, because lavender protected them from the lethal bacteria. The power of lavender to stimulate and enable the body's healing forces is extraordinary. This is why we often refer to lavender as a powerhouse in the world of essential oils.

So, how does lavender help with menopausal skin?

lavender

- Anti-inflammatory - we often talk (and hear testimonials from clients) about the reduction

in stress and anxiety when using our products that contain lavender. Its calming influence is

not limited to how it makes us feel, but how it calms angry skin, too. Lavender has potent anti- inflammatory properties due to the presence of beta-caryophyllene in lavender essential oil. This helps is to soothe inflamed, hot skin – more important in the winter with gas central heating. Beta-caryophyllene in Lavender also has pain relieving and numbing effects to help soothe inflammation.

- Moisturising – great news for dry skin! The moisturising effects of lavender also helps to

lessen redness and irritation. Lavender does a great job at balancing your skin’s natural

moisture barrier, helping it to not be too oily nor dry.

- Anti-bacterial – with scratching dry, itchy skin, its easy for bacteria to get into our pores

making problematic skin worse, harder to heal and affecting our immune system. Lavender’s anti-bacterial properties can kill bacteria that penetrates pores.

- Promotes healing – when our skin is dry and itchy, we are more inclined to scratch it.

Fortunately, lavender oil may be able to help speed up the wound-healing process.

Research has shown how it can promote the healing of skin tissue, helping your skin to get

back to how it should be.

The second essential oil we’ve included in our Nourishing Shea Body Butter is Rose Geranium. This oil was used by the Egyptians for promoting beautiful, radiant skin. It has many of the same benefits as lavender, so by having both of these amazing oils in our Shea Body Butter you’re doubling your chances of their effects on your skin.

- Reduction in wrinkles - as a result of the menopause, and the aging process, skin loses its

elasticity. Rose geranium oil is known for its dermatological use for the treatment of aging,

wrinkled and/or dry skin. Research suggests It has the power to minimise the look of

wrinkles because it tightens skin and slows down the effects of aging. Therefore, using our

Shea Body Butter on your arms and legs could help with tightening the skin in these areas.

- Anti-bacterial properties - research has shown that geranium oil has potent antibacterial

and anti-fungal abilities against at least 24 different types of bacteria and fungi. These

antibacterial and anti-fungal properties found in geranium oil can help to protect your body

from infection. As stated earlier, with dry, itchy skin quite common during the menopause,

we might be tempted to scratch or rub our skin to alleviate any itchiness, which can cause

breakages to the surface of the skin, enabling routes for bacteria to enter our body,

compromising our immune system. When you use geranium oil to fight external infection,

your immune system can focus on your internal functions and keep you healthier.

- Anti-inflammatory - A study by Boukhatem et al (2013) found that rose geranium oil is a

safer and more effective ingredient for anti-inflammatory medication. Data supports that

rose geranium oil reduces inflammation in the body and when applied topically to the

surface of the skin, can have an anti-inflammatory effect, calming hot, itchy skin.

At the time of writing (December 2019) there is a special offer, with 20% off the usual £12.99 RRP, so why not take this opportunity to get yourself some and see why so many women are finding it a lifesaver for their skin. Whatsmore, you don’t have to be in the menopause to benefit from its moisturising, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

Steven x