I stumbled upon a truly authentic product line recently. I marvel at product lines that show their authenticity from the product you purchase all the way up to their corporate culture. These companies are rare, but this one seems to be just that.
W.S Badger and Company in tiny Gilsum, New Hampshire produces a line of 100% clean balms, potions and natural remedies called Badger Balms
I got a tiny care package in the mail from one of their Senior product people and was amazed at the amount of material there was to read. Even more amazing was that I wanted to read it. All materials printed on what looks like recycled paper and with low key, earnest messaging. "We are a small company working hard to do good things in the world" or "Balms,Potions & Natural Remedies Formulated & Produced with Care"
The company was founded and is run by a former carpenter who in 1993 developed product to help with his chronically cracked hands. He liked to work with natural remedies and created the first product in his kitchen calling it "Badger Healing Balm". It healed his fingers and "a business was born"
The main ingredient in most of the products Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. They believe it to be the most therapeutic of all skin care oils. All of the essential oils are naturally processed and most are organically grown. And Badger doesn't simply purchase its ingredients, it has a personal relationship with the single supplier of this Oil in Spain where Bill and others from the company go, help harvest the olives and get a first hand look at the quality and care that goes into the organic growing of their main component.
In my package was the Lip Balm (wonderful, penetrates straight into the lip tissue creating a soft feel without sticky or overly wet feel), Evolving Body Balm, Badger Body Butter in antique Rose and Sore muscle Balm. Each one of these products has the instant feel of being the "real deal" It's not just what you read in the labels (though as I've said already, reading is believing. These labels do authenticate the 100% clean formulations) It is the way these products absorb right into the skin leaving no sticky residue. The fragrance of each product is light, but distinctive as only purely made products can be.
The packaging was a little too "home-spun" for my tastes. When I had all the products out together it looked a little like a Beatrix Potter scene and more of a children's line that one for me.
The body butter, made with Wild African Shea butter, cocoa butter and a variety of herbal botanicals is a rich balm for the whole body. It comes in an aluminum tube with its own "key" - a gift from the lovely folks at Badger to ensure I get the very last drop of butter. When the butter is gone, they don't do a hard sell to get me to buy more, they tell me to use the key on another metal tube I might have in order to waste as little product as possible ending the note with "waste not, want not" I really like that kind of sell. And you know what? I'm gonna buy more.
The evolving Body Balm is designed to help young pregnant women with stretch marks all the way to helping with the cracked and dry skin that comes with aging. This is lighter than the body butter and contains pure rose oil, seabuckhorn berry, calendula, and rose hip extracts. As with all herbal and natural products, the same product will have benefits for many different kinds of complaints. I could imagine having Evolving Body Balm in various parts of my home. Diaper rash, foot balm, under eye dryness, quick overall face mask, cuticle fix, ........not to mention the actual body itself.
The sore muscle rub with cayenne pepper extract, ginger, cardamom, rosemary and lemongrass essential oils really did soothe my lower back after a strenuous yoga class. The fragrance was my favorite of all the products I tried.
One last item that has endeared this company to me: I discovered that the company provides an organic lunch each day for it's staff. This is a company that seems to practice what it preaches. I plan to try a few more of their potions and lotions.
Badger Balms seem to be available mostly in smaller retail locations and at Whole Foods. I personally had never seen a display of this product and still have not since trying it myself. You can find their retail locations on their website http://www.badgerbalm.com
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