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Chances are you’ve probably heard something along the lines of this before, ”If it’s all-natural, does it work?”
We’re led to believe that natural means ineffective, which might be the furthest thing from the truth! With more and more research on the health hazards of synthetic products made of chemicals, people are starting to open their eyes to the benefits of scrapping harmful ingredients in favor of a healthier, more natural alternative.
From cleaning products and makeup to clothing and food, natural is the way to go—for your health and the planet.
But again, we go back to our original question—if it’s natural, does that mean it’s not as good?
The short answer: NO!
Natural doesn’t equate to ineffective, especially when it comes to recovery products and fitness supplements, and there’s a substantial amount of research to back it up.
So, we’re taking the time now to dispel the myth that natural products don’t work and diving into some of the research behind the products used in Revive Calm.
Ready to get started?
When we say no nutritional nasties in our products, we mean it. Revive Balm leverages the benefits of pure, wholesome ingredients to achieve maximum benefit for relieving tension and soothing sore muscles. It combinesessential oils,minerals, and otherplant-based ingredients into a product that’s equally as effective as any other synthetic recovery balm you’ll find on the shelves.
But what do we mean by all-natural?
A natural ingredient is something where the starting material is natural or naturally derived. Within the health and wellness market, there’s no concrete definition for natural ingredients, as theUnited States FDA has no strict regulation on what can be labeled natural. So, it may seem logical (and quite obvious) that natural ingredients arederived directly from natural sources—and that’s the principle we stick to.
Here’s our ingredient list—nothing less, nothing more.
Pretty pure, huh?
We’ll dive into the health benefits of each ingredient in another blog post, but to answer the question, let’s look at a bit of research onwhy all-natural ingredients are effective for supporting recovery.
If you’ve ever dealt with dry skin, you probably know that shea butter is one of the top moisturizers to apply. In its most natural and pure form, shea butter is rich in fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins that penetrate the skin to maintain the moisture barrier. It also contains five essential fatty acids (a good chunk from stearic and oleic acids), phytosterols, vitamins E and D, allantoin (great for healingskin irritations), and vitamin A. Certain compounds in shea butter can also helpneutralize free radicals and prevent cellular damage.
Just like shea butter, cocoa butter is the ultimate moisturizer. It’s derived from the cacao bean that’s found inside the cocoa pod. The seeds are dried, roasted, and pressed to extract the vegetable fat we call cocoa "butter." It’s solid at room temperature and has a long shelf life, making it ideal for spreading (and rubbing on in a balm). It’s a rich source of antioxidants that help protect your skin from free-radical damage. It’s alsoanti-inflammatory and helps to downregulate the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and their downstream biochemical pathway to help accelerate the healing process after injury.
Coconut oil has been touted for fixing practically every issue that arises—it’s kind of like the duct tape of the health world. But it’s the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects we love when it comes to recovery and your health. Lauric acid is the primary medium-chain fat that makes up coconut oil and is a powerfulantimicrobial. It may also help toactivate the anti-inflammatory nature of the immune response in the human body to mitigate damage and accelerate healing. Whether used topically or orally, coconut oil has potent benefits that make it a must in Revive Balm.
You’ve likely seen beeswax in lip balm and other skincare products before, which is exactly why it’s in Revive Balm. When used topically, natural beeswax (not the synthetic stuff) hydrates, conditions, soothes and calms the skin. How? Beeswax is a natural emollient and a humectant, meaning it draws water into the skin and seals it in, helping to retain moisture and prevent skin irritation. Some research suggests that beeswax may also have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, which can further accelerate healing.
If you’re looking for a natural and effective way to soothe sore muscles and reduce aches and pains, essential oils are a must. Depending on the essential oil, there’s a lot they can do. In Revive Balm, we’re interested in their abilities to reduce stress, relieve muscle pain, and induce relaxation post-workout. But how do they work?
When it comes to stress relief, the scent molecules in essential oils are inhaled and travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain, where they elicit actions in the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain, to help relieve stress and increase calmness and relaxation.
Where muscle pain is concerned, sore muscles develop due to microscopic tears in the muscle fibers caused by heavy exertion or unaccustomed movement. These micro-muscle injuries trigger inflammation to initiate the repair process. One of the most effective ways to stimulate repair is to increase blood flow, allowing inflammatory particles to exit the injury site and bring in more nutrients to accelerate healing and repair. But each essential oil has its own mechanism of action, where certain oils can stimulate regeneration while others inhibit inflammation.
Some of the best essential oils for healing and recovery (and mitigating muscle soreness) include:
And guess what? A few of those are in Revive Balm! But that shouldn’t come as a surprise.
The moral of the story here is that just because it’s a natural product doesn’t mean it doesn’t work or it’s less effective than a pharmaceutical or synthetic alternative. Often, the natural options—essential oils, minerals, etc.—are equally as potent as manufactured products but scrap the harm to your body.
If you don’t believe us, try Revive Balm and see for yourself!