Let’s start with a warning: Read those labels people!
Since we’re having open conversations in connection with our celebration of parenthood and because of a surprising hero from the Mama + Baby line that saved the day, I thought the timing of this story was kismet.
I came across a product recently from what I thought was a good “natural” brand. It was a room and fabric deodorizer and I started using it immediately. The smell was ok, if a little overpowering. My wife wasn’t a big fan.
A day or so later I noticed a little itchy patch on my skin. Two days after that my torso was more or less covered in a rash. Unfortunately, I had no idea what was causing the reaction at first, so I continued to use the product. It was really only luck and boredom that finally led me to read that label, where I found the words, “Contains Fragrance Allergens”.
At least now I know and I learned my lesson. Trust, but verify.
I don’t remember the last time I had a rash this big and bad, but it’s pretty awful. I’ve gone through two travel tins of First Aid, which seriously helped. Not only did it fortify and replenish my skin, so that it could fight the irritation more effectively, it also relieved some of the pain and itchiness, while it protected my skin and helped it heal. I added some Good Goo massage oil into my routine after showers to help calm and replenish my skin and that helped a lot too.
Eventually, I ran through my cache of First Aid, which had me a little worried. So, I went digging through our Green Goo stash and that’s when I happened on our Belly Balm. It stuck out because we just reposted a blog about it and I was about to dismiss it as an option, when I paused.
My skin is stressed out and itchy. Check. Check. I need protection, relief, and help healing and I need something that’s gentle and non-toxic. Check, check, check. Long story short, it is working great.
That led me to wonder what else I might be able to use in a pinch. Our Poison Ivy Salve would work. So would our Baby Balm, Children’s First Aid, Pain Relief, and Dry Skin. Our massage oils do help, as I’ve said and our bath salts would offer some relief too. I almost took a soak with our Herbal Sitz Bath, but to be honest I didn’t feel like washing the tub. Regardless, I took some comfort in knowing I had options.
It’s not surprising I suppose. If you look up all-natural remedies for itchy skin you’ll find several of our ingredients. From aloe, jojoba, and chamomile to coconut and olive oil, Green Goo’s plant based ingredients have a variety of uses and benefits beyond their primary purpose in each of our skin or body care products. . . but to watch and feel it work on something this big was astonishing.
So there you have it. Read those labels! Be kind to your skin. And if you’re looking for relief it’s ok to think a bit outside of the box, especially when the products you’re using are non-toxic, plant-based, and gentle to begin with. You might be surprised how many uses a product has or how many harsh chemicals you can remove from your beauty regimen and medicine cabinet.
P.s. if you have any other home or natural remedies for itchiness, let us know. And if you’ve figured out how to keep yourself from scratching in your sleep, I’m nominating you for a Nobel Peace Prize.