Hello and welcome to all our new subscribers since the last issue. Ever since my recent phone conversation with the senior producer of a national woman's morning television show (more on this as it unfolds ... ) I've been wondering how many of you still feel confused or uncertain about how to tell if a personal care product is truly natural, or how to make a meaningful comparison between a product you've used for a long time and a new one you're considering trying out. You see, during our conversation she revealed that their staff was constantly inundated with emails and letters from women expressing their concern and frustration about not knowing how to tell which products are ok for you and which are not.

As the creator of and a long-time advocate for, safe plant-based personal care products, I often take for granted that most people already know or can tell the difference --either by studying the ingredients panel or by direct observation of the difference in the comparative results they get from using different products. While web sites like the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database can at least provide a framework or starting point, I guess there is still a lot of confusion, fear and uncertainty around this subject --and maybe even a little lingering denial too.

Sometimes I wish I could just take a magic wand and POOF! make it so. I would make it SO easy for people to see and understand the difference that instead of spending their time fretting about making the right or best or safest choice, they would spend it indulging their senses and deciding which of the numerous products out there they like most. Please know that if you have a nagging question or concern in this area, I am all ears and happy to help you sort through any confusion you may have. That having been said, this week's article is about choosing the best lip balm ingredients for happy, not chappy lips.

Yours in health and prosperity,

Donya

FALL LIP BALM SPECIAL: 30% OFF Individual Lip Balms when you buy two or more

From Chappy to Happy: Discover the Best Lip Balm Ingredients to Keep You Smiling

The human body is amazingly resilient. It can take a lot of neglect and even a fair amount of abuse before the signs of damage start to show. But some parts of the body, like your lips, are a lot more delicate and sensitive, showing almost immediate signs of distress. And unlike the rest of your skin, which has the ability to hydrate and regulate moisture, your lips have no sebaceous glands or lipids (fats) to help them retain moisture.

What's worse is lips are at the front and center of your visage so when they become dry or cracked, not only do they look bad they feel bad too. So what can you do to keep your lips soft, supple and happy instead of chappy?

Some causes like overexposure to the elements --wind, sun, hot or cold dry air-- or chronic congestion that forces you to breathe through your mouth rather than your nose are often unavoidable. Other causes like frequently licking the lips or overuse of petroleum-based lip balms and glosses are easier to address.

Like the rest of your skin, your lips need a good balance of ingredients that are emollients (softeners) and humectants (moisturizers that attract and hold water to the skin). Read full article here.

Dropwise Essentials is a San Francisco-based manufacturer of pure aromatherapy and organic plant-based personal care products that give people a safe and effective way to relieve stress, increase vitality, improve confidence, or manage their emotional state any time or place without popping a pill. Our products are:

• Free of synthetic chemicals and petroleum ingredients
• Made with high quality certified organic oils and pure essential oils sourced from around the world
• Packaged in re-usable or recyclable materials
• Hand-made locally in northern California

Dropwise Essentials was founded by Donya Fahmy, a writer, producer, and consultant whose avid interest in the curative powers of aromatherapy and herbs ultimately led her to design and create the seven products and seventeen unique essential oil blends that make up the current Dropwise product line. She has studied aromatherapy with Carol Schiller - a successful author of several aromatherapy books - and with Dr. Daniel Penoel - a renowned expert in the field of medical aromatherapy.

Dropwise Essentials is a proud member of the Indie Beauty Network (formerly the Handmade Beauty Network), the Green America Business Network (formerly Co-op America), Green Product Alliance, Natural Ingredient Resource Center, and a Friend of PETA. We were among the first companies to join the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics by signing their Compact for Safe Cosmetics - which simply formalizes our existing commitment to formulate products free of known or potentially toxic ingredients.