What is the Perfume Project?

This blog is a constantly evolving forum for thoughts on perfume, perfume-making, plants (especially orchids and flora of the Pacific Northwest) and life in general. It started out chronicling the adventures of Olympic Orchids Perfumes, established in July 2010, and has expanded in other directions. A big part of the blog is thinking about the ongoing process of learning and experimentation that leads to new perfumes, the exploration of perfumery materials, the theory and practice of perfume making, the challenges of marketing perfumes and other fragrance products, and random observations on philosophy and society. Spam comments will be marked as such and deleted; any comments that go beyond the boundaries of civil discourse will also be deleted. I am grateful to all of you, the readers, who contribute to the blog by commenting and making this a truly interactive perfume project.

Monday, October 19, 2015

MASS-MARKET AROMATHERAPY BY BADGER BALM

Here is Azar's Mass-Market Monday post. Enjoy!
----------------------------------
Headaches, insomnia, stress - aargh!  What to do? After years of suffering, relief finally arrived at my local drugstore in the form of mass-marketed aromatherapy by the W.S. Badger Company, Inc., New Hampshire, USA.  Badger Balm aromatherapy salves and balms really do work for me. The most dramatically effective product I've tried from their line (mind you, my results are totally personal and anecdotal) is their Headache Soother scented with lavender, menthol, peppermint, eucalyptus, mandarin peel and sandalwood (Santalum album!) compounded in a salve of olive oil, beeswax, castor oil, sunflower oil and rosehip extract.

When I feel a migraine or a sinus headache coming on I whip out my little tube of this miracle balm and dab some on my face, head and the back of my neck.  While Headache Soother does not totally get rid of a headache it really does soothe and relax the pain away.  Another great product from the same company is Badger Sleep Balm made with essential oils of bergamot, lavender, rosemary, ginger and balsam fir.  This stuff has helped me conquer my chronic insomnia.

All of the Badger Balm products use organic ingredients.  Many of their formulas are 100% natural (botanical?) and, as far as I know, all are certified organic.  The scents of their aromatherapy salves are very discreet and will barely be noticed even by those invading your most personal space. I apply the Headache Soother as needed and a single application of the Sleep Balm is enough to send me to dreamland.


Not only do these products work for me but I find the packaging well done and extremely charming.  In addition to aromatherapy balms W.S Badger also sells body and facial moisturizers, massage oils, lip tints and balms, soaps, pomades, muscle and joint salves, hair and beard oils and an array of attractive gift items.

For a history of W.S. Badger Company and to shop the full product line check out their website or swing by your local drugstore, health store or organic food market.

Today's Mass Market Monday Question:  Have you tried mass marketed aromatherapy products or medicinal salves (other than Tiger balm and Vicks Vapo Rub)?  Have you found any that work for you? 

Azar xx
-------------------------------------
Ellen's note: Badger Balm has certainly managed to exploit the badger by anthropomorphizing it and making it look cute. However, I suspect the real "badger" in its many genera and species throughout the world is a pretty unsavory character that raids garbage cans at night, much like an opossum. How about Possum Perfumes? I couldn't resist adding the photo of an American opossum living in a grand piano for Azar (a pianist in her other life) to enjoy!


[All images are from commercial websites or Wikimedia. If you wonder what the badger is sniffing in the photo, it is mashed potatoes. Don't ask me why they are on the sidewalk!]
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , ,

4 comments:

  1. AzarOctober 19, 2015 at 1:55 PM

    Ellen!

    Lord help us! An opossum in the piano...YUCK!!! I imagine that no one ever played that instrument - either before the possum or afterwards. If on the remote chance that I ever found one of those creatures in any of my pianos we would have a serious dispute and I would win one way or another. Perhaps I would enlist the help of Jasper! I'm sure he could do serious damage to any unfortunate possum that crossed his path.

    A Possum Perfume? For possums or people? And yes I was wondering what that badger was sniffing...some sort of mashed potato balm?

    Azar xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. EllenOctober 21, 2015 at 9:15 AM

      I would hate to imagine the condition of that piano after the opossum lived in it.

      I guess Possum Perfumes would be a line of products that smell like garbage, rotten fruit, and/or roadkill. Think how cute they could be with their little ratty prehensile tails and little beady eyes shining pink in the dark!

      Delete
  2. AnonymousOctober 20, 2015 at 2:22 AM

    I love Badger Balm! I think the concept of various aromatherapeutic remedies in the form of a soothing solid balm is great. I adore the tangerine lip balm - it puts a smile on my face and would really love to try the Madagascan vanilla one.
    I'll have to try the sleep one you've been saying good words about - I am very sleep deprived :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AzarOctober 20, 2015 at 9:27 PM

      Hello Neyon,
      The Sleep Balm is definitely worth a try if you are an insomniac like me or sleep deprived for any other reason. If it doesn't work for you at least you have the lovely fragrance to enjoy. I'm going to apply a little bit of the Sleep Balm right now. Good night :)
      Azar xx

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)