Being a family member and employee for Mountaineer Brand certainly opens the door for new learning experiences. I know pretty much everything there is to know about proper beard care and I'm confident that I could be efficient in answering customer service emails in a deep slumber. I can tell you the order in which to use all of our products while pecking away on my keyboard to write a blog and keep myself up to date on the latest styles and trends in the bearded community. I'm pretty good at making beard kits, pouring oil and soap, and packaging the orders you find on your doorstep. I've learned a great deal in a short amount of time. It makes me feel like a jack of all (bearded) trades- minus the beard. Lately I've been putting more focus on our Granny Vicars line- the all natural family care products we offer- by researching the benefits of the ingredients within them. It's no secret that organic is better, but I want to be able to explain why. I wouldn't expect a person to pitch a product my way and simply say "this is better than ____" and be on their merry way. I'd want them to tell me why it's better. Why should I use this on my body? What benefits have you personally seen from using this product?
I want my knowledge of these all natural family care products to be equivalent to my knowledge of beard care, so thus began my journey...
I started with the ingredients. Each product has it's own unique base and is then infused with essential oils that benefit target areas on the body.
Ah, the fast growing trend of essential oils. I have had a handful of people recommend the use of essential oils for things that I experience personally, but I never actually considered it until very recently. After starting my research to answer the "why?" I talked about, I learned some really interesting facts about the relief that they provide.
For example, our Slumbertime Balm contains Lavender, an essential oil proven to lessen tension, relieve pain and enhance blood circulation. While I don't personally struggle with chronic pain, I am known to be a rather tense individual, so I decided to give it a try. After massaging the product into my pressure points, I sat down to relax for the evening. I found myself with my wrist beneath my nose numerous times to enjoy the pleasant aroma. Finding myself unwinding more quickly than usual was a great relief. This product truly offers a nice, calming sensation. Now it's a part of the whole family's bedtime routine! Must be those essential oils, eh?
Okay, I found one oil to be effective. What other benefits do you have for me?
Let's move onto Granny's Sore Muscle Rub. This product is a sassy one, with a base that contains Cayenne and Ginger and infused with Peppermint, Lemongrass, Rosemary and Sage oils.
Research time! Turns out this was the perfect combination for yet another effective product. Peppermint provides a cooling relief while Lemongrass has analgesic properties. Rosemary is known to help alleviate muscle pain and Sage reduces inflammation. Presto... an all natural version of Icy Hot. My husband has occasional back pain, and at times it can be quite severe. I handed him the container of Granny's muscle magic, and shortly after applying it, he noticed a difference in his level of pain. This is where we turn when the back pain starts to creep it's way in. We also find it to be helpful after a grueling session at the gym (which doesn't happen as often as it should, but hey, it counts for something!).
I have one more that I'd like to mention, and this is by far my favorite. Granny Vicars' Healing Salve. This contains Pine Tar, which is known for it's antiseptic effects. Also infused with Lavender (whose benefits were previously mentioned above) and Eucalyptus (known for antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties), this product holds truth to it's name. Customers have given it great ratings and have used it on things from scrapes and burns to eczema and poison. I can personally testify that it works wonders on eczema. My daughter and I both get patches of it on our skin, and it has been more effective than any steroid cream that a physician has prescribed. Hang on, this is where my not so crunchy part comes in...
I've come to appreciate the gifts mother nature has to offer, and I plan to make great use of them to benefit my family and myself. However, I will still give my children Tylenol and antibiotics when they're sick, I'll still eat a greasy burger jam packed with unmentionable ingredients, and Ulta Beauty and it's not so organic cosmetics and perfumes will still be a dear friend of mine. I guess you could call me a hybrid human, just not the cool X-Men/Suicide Squad kind. Hopefully this balance of natural and not so natural is the right fit for me and my family. We appreciate nature and believe in it's power, we just don't have much crunch.
