What makes the ingredients in the Beesilk lotion bar work so effectively for dry, cracked skin?

In this presentation, Renee shows us the origin of the 3 primary ingredients, and what part each plays in the production and function of the lotion bar.  From the shea nut tree in Africa, to the wax rendered from the honeycomb, each ingredient has an important role.

Watch the entire presentation here:

Notes on the Interview

Shea Butter:

• it's a tree nut but it's not a common allergen 
• mostly grows in Africa, where it's used as a cooking oil
• can be substituted with cocoa butter or mango butter in a lotion bar
• watch at minute 2:29 and try to figure out why this Sengalese man is fully covered in shea butter
• shea butter offers immediate relief on contact
• no pain in applying shea butter to the skin
• is extremely nourishing
• based on feedback since 2009, customers prefer shea-based MadeOn products for eczema
• it's edible!
• mostly unscented (except completely unrefined shea butter, which can have a smokey scent - I personally find it comparable to burnt rubber)
• we use naturally refined shea butter due to the fact that it works better in our products, has no scent or graininess, and still maintains the healing properties of unrefined shea butter
• If used alone, it can feel sticky.  So we add.....

Coconut Oil:

• fractionated coconut oil is liquid all the time
• a coconut is a drupe: fruit with one seed in the center (like olives or peaches)
• coconuts are sometimes referred to as a nut, fruit or seed
• coconuts are found all over the world - Southeast Asia, India, Madagascar, Mexico, Brazil, Africa
• forms of coconut: oil, coconut milk, coconut water, flesh, coconut vinegar, coconut wine
• coconut oil is great for the skin!
• used in soap, lotion, hair butter
• melts on contact into the skin
• makes a great eye make up remover
• use it for oil cleansing or oil pulling
• edible!
• 76 degree coconut oil is what we use. 
• If used alone, it feels greasy... so combine it with shea butter and then add....:

Beeswax:

• makes a solid bar
• white beeswax means it's been bleached (we don't use bleached beeswax)
• beeswax comes from the comb and caps
• can be found locally from a beekeeper although you may need to filter and clean it before using
• used in candles, skincare, food wraps, shoe polisher, wood wax
• it's great in a lotion bar because it seals everything into the skin
• it acts as a bandage to heal and fix splits and cuts
• this is what makes the bar "hard" - but using it in the bar makes the lotion last in the skin all day long
• we adjust the beeswax in the bar during the summer months (we add more) to compensate for the warm temperatures
• beeswax is one ingredient with an incredibly long shelf life
• the subtle aroma of honey from the wax is warm and inviting

Together, shea butter, coconut oil and beeswax make the ideal skin healer and protector.

Watch at minute 19:00 to find out what other products we made with this base of ingredients, including Simply Soothing (key ingredient: zinc oxide!) and BeeCool (menthol is the hero in this one).