As a mama, having a little one who suffers from eczema can be excruciating!

And this is typically true for both you and your little one.

For those who don’t have much experience dealing with severe eczema, you might wonder what the big deal is.

“Isn’t it just a little skin rash?”

Well, the answer to that is a big NO!

I totally get it.

I’ve been that mom with a child who was suffering from severe eczema. In fact, it had gotten so bad at one point when he was about a year-and-a-half old that he developed MRSA!

Now, if you’re not familiar with what MRSA is, it stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Sounds scary, right?

It is!

This antibiotic resistant skin infection, if not treated properly, can develop into a more serious, life-threatening illness. The big problem is – it can be very difficult to treat.

So you see, it’s not just a little skin rash.

But scary things like MRSA set aside, it’s still no fun watching your child suffer through bouts of eczema outbreaks and other inflammatory skin conditions if they can at all be avoided.

They’re itchy. They’re uncomfortable. Again, they’re just no fun.

Before becoming a Holistic Health and GAPS™ Practitioner, the only real solution I received from our pediatrician was to lather up a bunch of chemically-laden creams on the rash with the samples that were tossed at us as we left the medical office.

And believe me…this was no REAL solution.

HEALING ECZEMA FROM THE INSIDE OUT

There’s no avoiding the fact that the real solution to treating eczema and other inflammatory skin conditions is healing them from the inside out.

Eczema and other skin rashes or irritations – whether it be psoriasis, rosacea, yeast and, yes, this can even include diaper rash – at their root cause are due to an unhealthy gut and imbalance of microbes in the gut and skin.

Therefore, your first line of defense should always be to try and clean up the gut and get it back to a state of balance.

Unfortunately, this can be a rather lengthy process for many and, if you’re anything like me, I know that you would LOVE some sort of natural remedy to help soothe the discomfort and itch – and possibly even speed up the healing time – associated with these uncomfortable rashes immediately!

Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered 🙂

SOOTHING SKIN RASHES NATURALLY

Tallow balm is a wonderful all-natural, nutrient-dense option for soothing and healing the skin.

It’s safe. In fact, so safe that (minus the essential oils) you can eat it.

And it’s completely compatible with the skin.

According to an article titled Traditional Nourishing and Healing Skin Care by Andrew J. Gardner, it states:

“From biology, we know that the cell membrane is made up primarily of fatty acids, a double layer, to be exact. Saturated fats constitute at least 50 percent of the cell membrane. Since saturated fats tend to be more solid than unsaturated fats at a given temperature, they help give the cell membrane its necessary stiffness and integrity for proper function.”

The article goes on to say:

“Tallow fat is typically 50 to 55 percent saturated, just like our cell membranes, with almost all of the rest being monounsaturated, so it makes sense that it would be helpful for skin health and compatible with our cell biology. Another strong indication of tallow’s compatibility with our skin biology is its similarity to sebum, the oily, waxy matter that lubricates and waterproofs our skin. Indeed, the word “sebum” actually means “tallow” in Latin.”

I don’t know about you, but these sure seem like pretty compelling reasons to at least give tallow a try as part of a natural, skin care regimen.

HEALTH AND SKIN BENEFITS OF TALLOW

In addition to its compatibility with our skin biology, tallow has many benefits for general health and for skin health as well.

“Tallow contains the abundant natural fat-soluble activators, vitamins A, D, and K, as well as vitamin E, which are found only in animal fats.” (source)

“Tallow (especially tallow from grass-fed animals) also contains fats like conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as palmitoleic acid, which has natural antimicrobial properties.” (source)

So, the question is…are you ready to give it a try???

NOURISHING LAVENDER-TALLOW BALM RECIPE

The beauty of this nourishing, lavender-tallow balm is that it doesn’t only have to be used on dry skin, eczema, or other skin rashes. It can just as easily be used as part of your daily skin care routine to soothe and moisturize the skin.

It you prefer to buy tallow balm instead of make your own, check out my shop here for my nourishing, handmade whipped tallow balms.

Ingredients

• 4-ounces grass-fed beef tallow
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (extra-virgin, cold-pressed)
• Few drops of lavender essential oil *

* Essential oils are super concentrated, so use sparingly. Use only enough to give it a fresh, pleasant scent (as some find the smell of tallow a little unpleasant).

* Lavender essential oil is a good choice because it has traditionally been known to be healing to the skin, while also being calming to the mind. Really, any essential oil you desire can be used in its place for this recipe.

NOTE: IF USING FOR YOUR LITTLE ONE — PLEASE MAKE SURE TO USE AN ESSENTIAL OIL THAT IS SAFE FOR CHILDREN/BABIES.

Directions

1. Gently warm & melt the tallow over low heat, then pour into a medium sized bowl.

2. Mix in the olive oil & essential oils, then stir gently.

3. Allow the mixture to cool for about an hour at room temperature or in the refrigerator. (This option will vary depending on your desired consistency).

4. OPTIONAL: Whip with a hand mixture until to get a frosting-like consistency.

5. Place in a clean jar & store at room temperature.

6. Use as needed on rashes or simply as a nourishing moisturizer for your skin.

This nourishing, full-body skin balm can also be used on face, lips, hands, feet, and even those adorable little tushies. Enjoy!