Product Feature Number 4: Vanilla Moisturizer

Vanilla Moisturizer

Coconut oil, Beeswax, Avocado oil, vanilla beans

It’s no secret how beneficial coconut oil is for our skin.  It’s hydrating, has a natural SPF of 15, and anti-microbial properties.  Combine it with the nourishing and sealing qualities of raw beeswax and you have a perfect powerhouse of a moisturizer.  Avocado oil is rich in vitamins and helps keep the product spreadable in cooler temperatures. Finally, real food-grade vanilla beans give up their fragrance naturally as your skin warms them, creating a lasting yet mild aroma.

Use: If you are used to commercial moisturizers then read this carefully. Dahlia Bee lotions are powerful and effective, meaning that very little goes a VERY long way.  It is best to start with a very small amount and add more as needed.  If there is a lot of grease left behind then you have used too much.  You can wipe excess off with a paper towel, or simply spread the excess around other parts of your body until a comfortable level has been reached.  Below are some “serving” suggestions:

• Hands: A dollop the size of a green pea. Usually no more than a chic pea size is needed for even the driest of hands.

• 
  Face: Half a green pea to start, or dip a clean finger tip in. There will be a little bit of trial and error, since everyone’s skin is different. It’s best to start EXTREMELY SPARINGLY on the face. Most skin types, even “oily” ones, benefit from this moisturizer.

• Body: Think of your body in sections; each leg, each arm, torso.  Start with roughly a quarter sized dollup per section and work up from there.

Remember, you can always add more moisturizer, but it is not so easy to get excess off without wasting it. Many individuals have found that they need to use less and less over time, as their skin starts to protect itself and maintain its elasticity.

Product Feature Number 3: Nourishing Face Wash and Facial Scrub

Nourishing Face Wash

Honey, Coconut oil, Beeswax, Tea Tree Oil, Essential Oils: Bergamot, Litsea, Basil, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Cucumber Seed

Honey has many amazing properties.  One of the least known is how incredibly nourishing it is for our skin.  As the main medium for this product, it works in concert with essential oils and coconut oil to gently cleanse the skin of dirt and foreign oils, all while protecting your skin’s naturally healthy bacteria garden.  Beeswax seals in moisture and adds its own protective nature.  Tea tree oil and other essential oils: basil, eucalyptus, and peppermint add their microbe fighting power to the anti-blemish properties of litsea, and bergamot.  Cucumber seed oil brings it’s own healing nature and makes this wash a great way to fight acne and restore damaged skin.

Note: Some separation is natural. Product may need to be stirred with a clean tool before use.

Use: Wet your hands with warm water and pat lightly over the face.  You want the skin moistened slightly but not wet.  With clean hands or a clean tool, take roughly a quarter sized dollop of cleanser and spread over the face.  Start sparingly when applying, you can always apply more, but can’t take extra off.  The goal is to have a very thin, yet noticeable coating of honey across your skin. Everyone’s skin is a little different, so it may take a little trial and error. Massage in small circles and pay special attention to the “T” zone made by your nose and eyebrows.  Some of the essential oils may be irritating for the eyes, so it is best to avoid getting product in them, though it is generally harmless. After several seconds of massage you can rinse right away with warm water, or leave the product on for several minutes as a mask before rinsing. Pat skin dry with a clean towel. If your skin particularly damaged or dry, follow up with a light application of Dahlia Bee moisturizer to protect and hydrate.

For best results avoid using soaps of any kind on your face (except in cases of absolute necessity). Try to refrain from using products that contain alcohol and other extremely alkaline ingredients.  Most commercial soaps and acne treatments fall in this category, so take a little vacation from them while you try this product.  In one to two weeks, you won’t miss them.

How it works: Traditional soaps, acne treatments, make up removers, and face moisturizers often utilize very high pH ingredients.  They also tend to completely destroy all of the bacteria on the skin, including the ones that are supposed to be there to take care of it and protect it from infection.  That tight, dry feeling you have after using these products is actually the feeling of a barren and damaged wasteland (at the microscopic level).  The dried out alkaline conditions cause surface cells to die and flake, clogging pores and increasing risks of acne.  Stripped of it’s natural army of beneficial bacteria, the skin will overcompensate in oil production in a desperate attempt to protect itself.  Dahlia Bee products, on the other hand, aim to feed and maintain your skin’s natural ability to protect itself. Honey has antibacterial qualities, but is also close in pH to ideal skin conditions.  The enzymes, proteins, and sugars contained within nourish the garden of good, healthy bacteria on the skin.  The coconut oil in the product adds it’s own gently cleansing properties to that of the honey, as well as keeping the skin properly moisturized and protected from the sun.  Within the first few days, it is not unusual to experience some breakouts of blemishes or acne.  During this adjustment period, the garden on your skin is struggling to find its natural harmony, and small colonies of acne causing bacteria have a brief chance to take hold.  Most individuals see their skin clear up again within four to seven days. However it may take longer if you are still using soap or products with high pH. As your garden finds healthy equilibrium you should notice that your skin will feel hydrated but not oily, and a reduction in blemishes and flaking.  You may notice an overall reduction in pore size as they are less prone to clogging, and a generally healthy glow to your face.

Facial Scrub

Honey, Cane sugar, Coconut oil, Avocado oil, Tea Tree Oil, Essential Oils: Bergamot, Litsea, Lemongrass, Grapefruit, Sweet Orange, Cucumber Seed

Sugar may not be so great for your teeth and health but it works really well on the outside of your body.  As the main exfoliating agent, organic cane sugar is gently abrasive for the skin yet environmentally friendly and it won’t clog up your drain.  Suspended in honey with coconut oil, beeswax, and supportive essential oils. This blend  is a great way to gently scrub your face clean of debris and build-up.  Honey is incredibly nourishing for the skin and yet mildly anti-microbial, with a slightly acidic pH, making it the perfect cleanser and food for the natural garden of beneficial bacteria that live there.  Coconut oil lends its own anti-bacterial power to the mix as well as hydrate and protect the skin.  The gently cleansing power of tea tree oil and the blemish fighting power of bergamot and litsea support clear skin. Cucumber seed oil rejuvenates the skin and the beeswax helps to seal everything in and protect it.

Notes: For most skin types, it is not recommended to exfoliate the face more than 2-3 times per week. It is best to alternate this product with the Nourishing Face Wash to maintain your skin garden without over scrubbing.  Some separation is natural in this product, such as the sugar sinking to the bottom.  Stirring with a clean tool or finger is recommended before each use.

For best results avoid using soaps of any kind on your face (except in cases of absolute necessity). Try to refrain from using products that contain alcohol and other extremely alkaline ingredients.  Most commercial soaps and acne treatments fall in this category, so take a little vacation from them while you try this product.  In one to two weeks, you won’t miss them.

How it works: Traditional soaps, acne treatments, make up removers, and face moisturizers often utilize very high pH ingredients.  They also tend to completely destroy all of the bacteria on the skin, including the ones that are supposed to be there to take care of it and protect it from infection.  That tight, dry feeling you have after using these products is actually the feeling of a barren and damaged wasteland (at the microscopic level).  The dried out alkaline conditions cause surface cells to die and flake, clogging pores and increasing risks of acne.  Stripped of it’s natural army of beneficial bacteria, the skin will overcompensate in oil production in a desperate attempt to protect itself.  Dahlia Bee products, on the other hand, aim to feed and maintain your skin’s natural ability to protect itself. Honey has antibacterial qualities, but is also close in pH to ideal skin conditions.  The enzymes, proteins, and sugars contained within nourish the garden of good, healthy bacteria on the skin.  The coconut oil in the product adds it’s own gently cleansing properties to that of the honey, as well as keeping the skin properly moisturized and protected from the sun.  Within the first few days, it is not unusual to experience some breakouts of blemishes or acne.  During this adjustment period, the garden on your skin is struggling to find its natural harmony, and small colonies of acne causing bacteria have a brief chance to take hold.  Most individuals see their skin clear up again within four to seven days. However it may take longer if you are still using soap or products with high pH. As your garden finds healthy equilibrium you should notice that your skin will feel hydrated but not oily, and a reduction in blemishes and flaking.  You may notice an overall reduction in pore size as they are less prone to clogging, and a generally healthy glow to your face.

Product Feature Number 2: Chocolate Lip Scrub, and Blemish and Wound Care

Chocolate Lip Scrub

Beeswax, Coconut oil, cane sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate extract

Organic sugar acts as the exfoliating agent in this remarkably healing lip scrub.  A balanced blend of coconut oil and beeswax give the scrub it’s soft texture and hydrating properties.  Coconut oil is naturally anti microbial, protecting lips from cracks, as well as sunburn due to it’s SPF of 15. Beeswax seals in moisture and protects against dehydration.  A dash of chocolate extract and cocoa powder not only give it that sweet chocolatey goodness, but also ensure that it is safe to be ingested.  It will, however, wipe clean without staining the lips brown.

Note: May remove makeup from the lips.

Use: Depending on the temperature, you may need to stir the scrub with a small tool until it is soft enough to use. Apply quite liberally to the lips. Rub in small circles across your lips for several seconds until you feel that your lips are free of crust and/or makeup. If you have a particularly stubborn crack or scaley area, allow the scrub to stay on the skin for a minute or few.  Then try scrubbing for a few more seconds. Apply more if the sugar has melted (or you “accidentally” licked it off). For really persistent areas, hydrate the area with a healing lip balm and try again later.  Results will usually improve over time.

Blemish and Wound Care

Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Essential Oils: Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Bergamot, Litsea, Basil

This handy balm is designed with the care of minor skin abrasions and blemishes in mind.  The essential oils are not only antibacterial and anti-inflammatory but also help fight acne.  Coconut oil and raw beeswax nourish and protect the skin while sealing out harmful bacteria.  The hydrophobic nature of the wax acts as bandage, making it the ideal salve for scraped knees and knuckles, or anywhere that traditional adhesive bandages are impractical.

Note: This treatment is ideal for minor wounds and superficial abrasions only.  Deep wounds and bleeding cuts should be treated with traditional first aid methods to avoid serious infections.

Use for acne: Wash the face with either of Dahlia Bee’s facial cleansers, or a mild, ph balanced soap.  Use a clean tool to scrape up some balm, or use a clean fingertip to gather some up, similar to using a lip balm.  Apply liberally to blemishes of concern with a swirling motion of the fingertip.  Treatment may help reduce a blemish before it erupts. It can also be used to treat and seal a lanced blemish. Use as often as needed until cleared.

Use for minor wound care: Clean the wound with a mild soap, warm water, and vigorous rubbing with the fingers.  Cleansing should take at least thirty full seconds to a full minute, the idea being to rinse out debris and foreign bodies with little more than water and friction, rather than relying on harsh chemicals to sterilize the wound.  Pat the area dry with a clean towel.  Gather up some of the balm using a clean tool or clean finger tip.  Massage into the wound with a swirling motion.  Apply liberally, but avoid excess to the point that it can be easily wiped off by clothing.  For slightly deeper wounds (like a nasty cat scratch) it is advisable to pack the wound with the wax after cleaning it.  If the wound becomes inflamed, red, and hot to the touch, it may be necessary to switch to more traditional first aid treatments.

How it works: I created this balm with the intention of fighting scarring.  It is designed to feed, support, and protect the skin while it heals. Scarring can be caused by several factors, the shape of the wound, how much skin is intact, dryness of the wound, premature falling off of the scab, infection, and scratching. The harsh stringent properties of most commercial wound treatments may kill harmful bacteria, but they also strip away the strains that are supposed to be there to help your skin rebuild itself smoothly. The extremely high pH of those products also ‘salt the earth’ so to speak, around and inside the wound so that your body’s natural defenses have a hard time doing their job.  This can leave the wound vulnerable to infection, which is why it becomes necessary to use an antibiotic ointment for several days.  Now it is important to note that in a deep wound, the benefits of traditional first aid far outweigh the risks of not using them. An infection of a deep wound can actually spread to the rest of your body and cause serious complications, so it is best not to take the risk.  But scrapes and shallow scratches, light burns, pinpricks, superficial cuts are generally not at risk for life threatening infections, and often leave scars behind when treated traditionally.  This balm is ideal for these types of wounds because it is mild, hydrating, and nourishing for the skin, all which help minimize scarring. Many of the oils are antibacterial, but work within parameters that your body is used to dealing with.  The raw beeswax has trace amounts of honey which lends its own nourishment for your skin. Overall the balm hydrates the wound while fighting infection, and giving the skin the tools it needs to heal cleanly.

Development: Working in animal care for most of my adult life meant being bitten, scratched, scraped, and gouged.  Some really bad weeks would have my hands and arms in tatters, to the point where It was easier to wrap a whole hand than bandage each wound individually. Effective for treating the wounds, but impractical when I tried to keep working.  Liquid bandages were more effective for dexterity, but I found that I was susceptible to infections.  When my career had me working heavily with aquariums, where even the strongest liquid bandage would dissolve after only an hour or two, I had to come up with a better solution. I had some success using a medicated lip balm for the frequent coral scrapes and barb gouges (fish don’t like having their tanks cleaned one bit!) as the balm kept the tank water away for slightly longer than the liquid bandages.  I wanted something waxier that would not pollute the aquariums I was working in, and so this product was eventually conceived and THOROUGHLY tested.

Product Feature Number 1: Peppermint and Cucumber Citrus Lip Balm

Peppermint Lip Balm

Beeswax, Coconut Oil, Peppermint essential oil

Free of petroleum and perfumes, this limited ingredient lip balm is extraordinarily hydrating with a light, cool mintiness. Coconut oil is not only hydrating, but has a SPF of fifteen, which is perfect for protecting sensitive lips from sunburn.  The oil also has natural anti-microbial properties which prevents blemishes and encourages cracks to heal naturally.  The beeswax helps to seal in moisture and protect the delicate skin from becoming dehydrated over a long period of time.

Use: Apply liberally as needed. Depending on conditions, a single application may be effective for upwards of eight hours. For best results, use lip scrub beforehand to remove dead skin and build up.

Cucumber Citrus Lip Balm

Beeswax, Coconut oil, Essential oils: grapefruit, sweet orange, cucumber seed

The extraordinary healing properties of cucumber seed oil are utilized in this mild and limited ingredient lip balm.  Ideal for those who experience severe cracking and harsh weather conditions.  Cucumber seed and coconut oil are nourishing for the skin and promote healing.  Grapefruit oil works with the coconut oil to fight off microbes such as harmful bacterium and blemish causing viruses; not to mention adding it’s scent to the sweet orange oil for a fresh and pleasant aroma. Beeswax seals in moisture and protects the delicate skin from becoming dehydrated over long periods of time.

Use: Apply liberally as needed. Depending on conditions, a single application may be effective for upwards of eight hours. For best results, use lip scrub beforehand to remove dead skin and build up.