Conscious Choice: What's New?

August 2001 | Herbs for Health

What's New?

by Meg McGowan

What’s new? Good question. And I have a good answer — a lot is new. It is encouraging to watch the expansion of the natural products market and the ever-widening selection of herbal products available. It is a sign that more of us are shopping with awareness and making a difference with our dollars. Here are some new herbal products that I have found interesting, useful, and fun; and because it’s summer, I put a high priority on products that elicit those reactions!

Galilee Organics in Israel has recently introduced Hayleaf, an alternative to synthetic, over-the-counter drugs for people who suffer from hay fever and allergies. When a consumer using Galilee’s Mi-Gone Product for migraines experienced fewer allergy attacks as well as fewer headaches, researchers took note. Subsequent studies at Chelsea College for Medicinal Herbs revealed that tanatin, a flavanoid found in feverfew, is effective in preventing hay fever symptoms. By adding nettle and vitamin C to feverfew Galilee created a synergistic natural remedy.

If you are traveling this summer, you may want to try Galilee’s Queeze Ease, which combines vitamins B3, B6, C, and K with ginger to treat motion sickness. As with all of Galilee’s remedies, Queeze Ease and Hayleaf contain only organically grown herbs.

On the forefront as always, The Republic of Tea has created five delicious ways to enjoy the healthy benefits of red tea — Botswana Blossom, Capetown Harvest, Cedarberg Mountain Organic, Good Hope Vanilla, and Safari Sunset. Containing up to fifty times more polyphenols than green tea as well as a high level of vitamin C, red tea is naturally caffeine-free. Now you can easily find a flavor that makes it easy to slurp up those benefits.

Namasté Laboratories’ Organic ROOT Stimulator line is targeted toward, though not limited to, caring for natural African-American hairs. (I’ve found their Carrot Oil to be extremely beneficial in treating my midsummer sun-damaged hair and split ends.) While Namasté’s products are not entirely natural, they do place an emphasis on active herbal ingredients such as nettle, horsetail, lavender, basil, and green tea. They also support non-chemically-processed hairstyles. Most of their treatments are produced in a petroleum-free base. Their most recent introductions include Herbal Cleanse, a latherless shampoo that is helpful in caring for braids, locks, and twists, and Shea Butter Softening Lotion, which deeply moisturizes hair in any style.

The Mineral Herb Spa line from Masada combines the healing properties of mineral therapy, herb therapy, and aromatherapy in bath salt and body scrub-and-glow products. Triple Therapy bath salts come in six different formulations — Joint & Muscle Relief; Colds & Flu; Detox, M.D.; Stress Relief; Skin Calming; and Women Only. Each uses 100 percent Dead Sea mineral salts as its base, adding complementary herbs and essential oils to support the body in specific ways. The Colds & Flu blend contains echinacea, goldenseal root, and lemon balm to strengthen the immune system and alleviate pain, along with eucalyptus, tea tree, and thyme essential oils to ease congestion and provide antiviral and antibacterial properties. The Women Only formula includes chasteberry and dandelion root to relieve bloating and cramping, while ylang ylang, rose geranium, and sandalwood essential oils help to improve a blue mood. It is especially appropriate for moon-time bathing, though it could be suitable for either gender following a depression-induced eating binge. In all formulas, the Dead Sea minerals relax muscles; soothe aches, pains, and tension; stimulate circulation; soften skin; and draw out toxins.

Summer skin will appreciate soothing after-sun care provided by those diligent critters — I mean creators! — at the W. S. Badger Company. Bali Balm’s healing and anti-inflammatory essential oils are swirled into a creamy natural base. Essential oils of ylang ylang, orange, and lime are added to refresh, uplift and "give it that tropical vibration." Aloe-Ha Mist is a series of four cooling, after-sun sprays that blend organic aloe vera juice with lavender and other essential oils. Each blend — Tropical Lime, Lavender & Sweet Birch, Cardamom & Rose, and Linden Blossom & Orange — not only heals the skin, but imparts unique aromatherapeutic properties to the spirit and psyche as well. Personally, I can’t look at the label featuring Princess Kukulika Badger in a hula skirt, waving as gracefully as her two-dimensional badger forepaws could possibly wave, without chuckling. The company doesn’t make any claims, but I suspect the mists may also stimulate therapeutic laughter, increasing your health benefits exponentially.

Burt’s Bees continues to expand its Wings of Love Natural Cosmetics Collection. Earth-based colors and ingredients define the line, which now includes lipsticks, lip shimmers, and lip pencils, tinted moisturizers, blushing and concealing crèmes, loose powder, and powdered facial tissues. The tone is light with colors such as Adventure, Grace, Joy, Inspiration, Spontaneity, and Love. The focus is on enhancing personal beauty rather than creating an acceptable illusion. Products contain soothing, nourishing ingredients including vitamin E, comfrey, sunflower oil, beeswax, cocoa butter, peppermint oil, and rosemary extract.

Burt’s has also introduced a Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar that utilizes the natural lathering properties of yucca. Avocado and coconut oils condition hair; oat protein and pro vitamin B5 supply nutrients. Invigorating peppermint oil, also the namesake ingredient of Burt’s coordinating Peppermint Shower Bar, is a great choice for a morning shower — especially for those of us who are a bit slow to transition out of our dream state. The Shampoo Bar works best on short to medium length hair.

Playful and natural is definitely the approach that Herban Essentials has taken with its new Baby Kit containing Bum-Bum Rash Spray, Night-Night Mist, Teething Rub, Lavender Wipes, and Tummy Ache Massage Oil. Peppermint, eucalyptus, geranium, rosemary, and tea tree essential oils take care of baby’s needs from head to toe.

Adding a bit of much-needed levity to the realm of housework, Caldrea Home Care has created a collection of seven home-care products that get their power and scent from essential oils and take their name from Caldrea the cleaning fairy. (Yes, yes, I do believe in fairies.) All Purpose Cleanser, Window Spray, Liquid Dish Soap, Ironing Water, Wood Furniture Cream, Liquid Hand Soap, and Bar Soap are all available in three formulas — Relaxing Lavender Pine, Energetic Citrus Mint Ylang Ylang and Sensuous Green Tea Patchouli. The collection is actually rather upscale, synergistically blending Victorian-style nostalgia, simplicity, natural living, aromatherapy, and a bit of indulgent personal care resulting in high-quality, effective and enjoyable cleaning products. As someone who once owned a small, sweetly illustrated book detailing grandma’s recipes for cleaning but never once used it, I think it has great appeal. I like the idea of beautifully scented, natural cleaning substances. I like the reality of being able to purchase them in a ready-to-use form. Note: The Ironing Spray makes a nice room mist.

V’Tae’s Parfum & Body Care products usually speak softly of pampering and indulgence. Last year its line of body sprays (which included bits of colored glass, pebbles, and shells tinkling in the bottles) added a touch of fun to summer. Now V’Tae has developed the Endangered Species line. Drawings of friendly animals adorn the packaging of soaps, body buffs, and lotions. Each product is available in three herbal blends. Rejuvenating Rhino Rubdown features the Javan rhinos, of which only sixty currently survive in Indonesia and Vietnam. Hippo Glo provides toning benefits and spotlights the rare pygmy hippo of Western Africa. Lizard Luster treats dry skin and is dedicated to the pygmy horned lizards. V’Tae’s stated purpose in this line is "to give you a beautiful, environmentally sensitive body care product that reminds you to live with respect for our planet and its creatures. The labels are playful, but the contents and the message are serious."

Resources

Burt’s Bees, 800-849-7112

Caldrea Home Care, 612-371-0003

Galilee Herbal Remedies

Herban Essentials, 800-753-2038

Masada Marketing Inc., 800-368-8811

Namasté Laboratories, 888-766-8784.

The Republic of Tea, 800-298-4TEA (4832)

V’Tae Parfum & Body Care, 800-643-3011

W. S. Badger Company, 800-603-6100

DISCLAIMER: Choosing a holistic approach to medicine means choosing personal responsibility for your health care. Herbs for Health offers a doorway through which to enter the realm of herbal healing, an invitation to further investigation on the part of the reader. It is in no way intended as a substitute for advice from a health care practitioner.

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