A closer look at Zoe Organics Extreme Cream

It has been a while since I have written on our blog, and I wanted to provide at least one more post to conclude our series on Eczema (although this is such an important topic, we will never really be done discussing it). As I was reading through some of the previous posts, I realized that although we posted survey results and heard so many testimonials from you regarding how effective our Extreme Cream is, I haven’t spent a lot of time talking about this “miracle” cream and why it works! So…I am dedicating this post to discussing our Extreme Cream and its potent organic botanical ingredients.

ingredients: butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter*, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil*, rosa rubiginosa (rosehip seed) oil*, persea americana (avocado) oil*, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil*, calendula officinalis (calendula) extract*, althaea officinalis (marshmallow) root*,  rosemarinus officinalis (rosemary) extract*. *certified organic ingredient

Let’s begin with the heavy hitter: organic shea butter. Shea butter creates this incredibly effective barrier on the skin. It is a beautiful, rich butter packed with vitamins A, E and F. Read what the American Shea Butter Institute has to say about the healing properties of this miracle butter:

WHAT SETS SHEA BUTTER APART FROM OTHER NATURAL OILS?

Most seed oils can be divided into two important fractions: (1) the first fraction is the called the saponifiable fraction, which contains most of the moisturizing (moisturizing fraction); (2) the second fraction is called the nonsaponifiable fraction, which contains most of the healing properties (healing fraction).

What sets Shea Butter apart from other seed oils is its exceptionally large healing fraction. The healing fraction contains important nutrients, vitamins, and other valuable phytonutrients required for healing. Depending on the source, the size of the healing fraction may range from 5% and upward. Some report the healing fraction as high as 17%. The larger the healing fraction the better the chances are for a good quality Shea Butter.

In other seed oils, the healing fraction is very small, often in the range of 1% or less. While other seed oils may have a good to excellent moisturizing fraction, these oils contain little or no healing fraction. Because Shea Butter has such a large healing fraction, in addition to moisturizing fraction, regular use of this natural cream can treat many skin problems, including blemishes, wrinkles, itching, sunburns, small skin wounds, eczema, skin allergies, insect bites, frost bite, and other skin conditions.

It is because of these unique healing properties that the Shea tree got its name, the karite tree, which means the TREE OF LIFE.

It is no wonder, we chose organic shea butter as the base ingredient for our Extreme Cream! But we didn’t stop there. We wanted to pack even more nutrients into this decadent cream.

Jojoba Oil – Jojoba oil is another one of our favorites. We use the highest grade certified organic jojoba oil available. The beauty of this oil is that it mimics human sebum and absorbs easily into the skin, without leaving an oily residue. It is rich in vitamins E and B complex, with a high percentage of iodine, which makes it excellent for healing. This oil also works as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.

Coconut Oil – Coconut has been getting a lot of attention. New coconut products keep hitting shelves as this nutrient packed nut gains recognition. This oil also mimicks our skin’s natural sebum and provides a lovely protective barrier. Coconut oil is a powerful antioxidant fighting against free radicals. Protective medium chain fatty acids help prevent infection and reduce inflammation.

Avocado Oil – Avocado oil is rich in vitamins A, E  and D and is a powerful antioxidant.

Rosehip Seed Oil – Rosehip seed oil is believed to be one of the best oils for skin rejuvenation. It is rich in vitamin A and essential fatty acids.

Calendula – Calendula is very effective in healing the skin. It is commonly used to disinfect minor wounds and treat skin infections. The antibacterial and immunostimulant properties of the plant make it extremely useful in treating slow-healing cuts and cuts in those with compromised immune systems.

Marshmallow Root – Marshmallow root works as an emollient. It soothes inflamed tissue and helps heal wounds by protecting against infection and stimulating cell growth.

If you have tried our Extreme Cream, you have discovered that the texture and consistency is very unlike conventional lotion! Sometimes this takes a little getting used to. Our Extreme Cream is not water-based, containing chemical emulsifiers and preservatives. That’s the beauty of it! It is 100% organic and natural and chemical free! The formula is highly concentrated, so a little goes a long way.

In addition to restorative, power-packed nutritious ingredients, the ability of a product to create an effective moisture barrier on the skin is critical for those with eczema, psoriasis or generally dry, cracked skin. Traditional lotions, made with up to 70% water, which quickly evaporate or are absorbed by the skin, providing only a very temporary barrier. An all butter/oil based cream, such as our Extreme Cream, has incredible staying power – protecting the skin for hours. Not only does it need to be applied less frequently, it also has time to rest on the skin doing its work!

Here are some tips for applying our Extreme Cream:

1. Apply after a bath or shower. Take advantage of this time to lock in moisture! While the skin is damp and soft is a perfect time to apply a barrier cream.

2. Add a drop of water or apply while skin is still damp from the bath or shower for easier application.

3. Apply as many times a day as necessary. For severe eczema, one may need to apply it throughout the day for maximum results. Our experience has been that as skin begins to heal, fewer applications are necessary.

4. Be consistent.

We’d love to give you one more chance to win a jar of Extreme Cream to try! To enter, please do the following:

1. Leave a comment on our Facebook page telling us something you like about our Extreme Cream (doesn’t mean you’ve tried it yet) or your own testimony, if you’ve already tried it!

2. Share this post with someone! You can do this by posting it on your Facebook wall, sharing on Twitter or your own blog. Please come back and tell us where you shared this post/contest. BONUS: each friend you refer, who participates, gives you an additional entry into the drawing!

AND…

There are many of you who have faithfully followed this eczema series and we promised that one of you would win our GRAND PRIZE!! This is the last (official) post of the series, meaning that when this contest closes, one of you who has participated in all of the posts will win a gift set of our baby products (worth $100)!

Winner for the Extreme Cream and GRAND PRIZE will be selected via random.org on Friday, June 24th.