This is the first of three blogs in our Simple Swap series, where we will recommend creative ways you can substitute Hugh & Grace products in place of products that have high toxin counts. By doing this, you can drastically reduce your exposure to harmful Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, or EDCs. It’s also eco-friendly and wallet-friendly!
Our hydrating and nourishing Body Oil helps to strengthen and protect your skin from daily pollutants. Rich in vitamins and anti-inflammatory properties, the Protecting Body Oil softens, soothes and hydrates, while protecting and strengthening your skin.
The Body Oil is formulated with Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Sea Buckthorn Oil, and Ylang Ylang Oil, which have unique anti-inflammatory properties to reduce redness, swelling, and help skin regeneration. Grapeseed Oil, Rosehip Oil, and Vitamin E provide superior antioxidant power to protect the skin, fighting free radicals and hormone- disruptors to hydrate and brighten.
Above all, Hugh & Grace’s Protecting Body Oil helps to lock moisture into your skin for hours. It penetrates your skin’s protective barrier and helps your skin maintain a radiant glow throughout the day.
But did you know that you can also use the Protecting Body Oil in the following ways?
- Moisturizer
- Cuticle Oil
- Hair Oil
- Bath Oil
- Massage Oil
- Help Prevent and Reduce Stretch Marks
- To Help Soothe Skin Affected by Diaper Rash
- To Help Soothe Skin Affected by Eczema
- To Shave
- Bug Repellant
- Hydrating Lip Oil
- Après Sun
If you’d like to learn 12 creative ways you can use the Protecting Body Oil as a substitute for products you already use, then please keeping reading!
We hope you enjoy our Simple Swaps!
Simple Swaps
1. Moisturizer
While the Protecting Body Oil contains more added benefits than your average moisturizer, it is an amazing hydrator that will leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and luxurious.
You can use the Body Oil anytime, but we recommend applying it after the shower. When your skin is damp, moisturizing products are better able to permeate the skin barrier and leave you feeling extra hydrated. The Body Oil works by locking in the moisture that sits on top of your skin by creating a protective barrier.
To maximize the amount of moisture your skin retains, remember to cleanse and exfoliate your skin before you apply the Body Oil.
Apply a generous amount of the Body Oil all over your skin.
2. Cuticle Oil
A newly emerging study by Duke University and EWG (Environmental Working Group) has revealed that many nail polishes contain a potential endocrine disruptor called Triphenyl phosphate, or TPHP. Particularly concerning to the authors of the study is the impact that TPHP may have on metabolic and hormonal health for women.
Proper cuticle care can strengthen your nails and it can prevent painful hangnails, dryness, and cracking. The cuticle function is to protect new nails from bacteria when they grow out from the nail root. The area around the cuticle is delicate, and can get dry, damaged, and infected. Applying a cuticle oil can strengthen and nourish your nails, as wells as increase the circulation around your nails, stimulating nail growth.
If you use the Protecting Body Oil on your cuticles, you can avoid using cuticle polish or oils that may contain TPHP. Also, by keeping your cuticles healthy and neat, you may be more inclined to ditch the nail polish all-together in favor of a more natural look.
To apply, pump 1-2 drops of the Body Oil into your fingertips and gently massage it into your nail beds on your fingers and toes.
3. Hair Oil
Hair products are notorious for being packed full of EDCs, including parabens, fragrances and phthalates, and other chemicals. These EDCs can cause breakouts, allergic reactions, and contribute to your chemical body load.
The Protecting Body Oil can be used as a substitute for hair oil, or even conditioner. Not only will the Protecting Body Oil hydrate and nourish your hair, but it will also protect your particularly vulnerable scalp from absorbing EDCs.
To apply, pump 2-3 drops of the Body Oil into your palms and use your fingers to comb through your towel-dried hair, evenly distributing the product. You can then style your hair or leave it to air dry.
You can also use the Body Oil on dry hair, in which case we recommend focusing the product on the ends of your hair.
4. Bath Oil
We know that taking a nice, long bath can be a luxury, so why not step up your game by adding the Protecting Body Oil to your bathwater.
Fill your tub up with warm water and drop 5-7 pumps of the Body Oil directly in the water. While you relax and soak, the Body Oil will nourish, hydrate, and protect your skin.
Not only will you leave the bathroom feeling relaxed, but you can feel productive knowing that you’ve also worked to reduce your chemical body load. Now that’s something to feel good about.
5. Massage Oil
Massages not only promote relaxation, but they boost our immune system. Detox massages are used to help restore immune functions by focusing on the lymphatic system, which is a network of tissues and organs that help the body get rid of toxins, waste, and other unhealthy materials.
Massages can be great techniques to reduce your chemical body load and using the Protecting Body Oil as a massage oil will up your game even more. Your skin will feel soft, and you won’t be applying any harmful EDCs.
To apply, pump a generous amount of Body Oil into your palms and massage it directly onto your skin, focusing on sore areas. To perform a detox massage, focus on your lymph nodes, which are in the neck, behind the ear, armpit, and groin area.
Don’t forget to drink lots of water after a massage to help your body flush out the lymphatic drainage, which contains toxins and waste.
6. Help Prevent and Reduce Stretch Marks
Some independent studies suggest that Grapeseed Oil may stimulate the regeneration of scar tissue. In this way, it may help to heal minor skin wounds or blemishes as well as reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks.
Drastic changes in estrogen levels that occur during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause make the skin susceptible to damage, reducing natural collagen and elastin production levels, leading to thinner, less elastic skin that is prone to stretch marks. Using hormone-safe products, like the Protecting Body Oil, can help balance your estrogen levels, preventing unnecessary or excessive changes in hormone levels.
Stretch marks are easier to prevent than they are to get rid of, so we recommend using the Body Oil on any areas of your skin that may be susceptible to stretch marks, as well as areas that stretch marks already appear.
By the way, stretch marks are a symbol of how amazing and resilient your body is – it is not our intention to recommend that you prevent or remove them!
To apply, pump 2-3 drops of Body Oil into your palms and gently massage it into your skin wherever you have developed or may develop stretch marks.
7. To Help Soothe Skin Affected by Diaper Rash
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children are at particular risk when they are exposed to EDCs, stating that “The potential for endocrine system disruption is of great concern, especially in early life, when developmental programming of organ systems is susceptible to permanent and lifelong disruption.”
The healing properties of the Protecting Body Oil can help reduce irritation caused by diaper rash, and it is safe for use on Babies and Kids, 6 months and older. However, when it comes to your baby, we always recommend talking to your pediatrician first before trying a new product.
Grapeseed Oil, Rosehip Oil, and Sea Buckthorn Oil have anti-inflammatory properties and can help reduce itchiness. Your baby’s skin will feel soothed, and the Body Oil will help speed up the healing process.
To apply, pump 2-3 drops of Body Oil into your palms and gently massage it into your baby’s rash to calm and heal the skin.
8. To Help Soothe Skin Affected by Eczema
Eczema can be a particularly difficult skin condition to treat. Many prescription treatments aren’t gentle enough to treat eczema and may end up exacerbating the rash over time.
The Protecting Body Oil is gentle on the skin and can reduce irritation by calming the skin. It can be extremely effective when used to help soothe skin affected by eczema and atopic dermatitis.
Grapeseed Oil has anti-inflammatory properties and is also known to protect the skin and reduce itchiness.
Rosehip Oil contains a high number of antioxidants and unsaturated fatty acids. These ingredients help make it an effective topical treatment for skin conditions like eczema. Sea Buckthorn Oil contains 190 bioactive compounds and is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Studies have shown that Rosehip Oil has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities, which offer benefits such as smoother, more elastic skin.
When it comes to skin conditions, we always recommend talking to your doctor first before trying a new product.
After consulting your doctor, pump 2-3 drops of Body Oil into your palms and gently massage it into any irritated patches of skin.
9. To Shave
Many shaving creams contain sulfates, emulsifiers, phthalates, fragrance, formaldehyde, and parabens. Shaving foam in a can may even contain propylene glycol, a chemical found in antifreeze and brake fluid.
The Protecting Body Oil can be used as a substitute for shaving creams and lotions. The Body Oil will create a silky surface that your razor will glide right over, reducing irritation, preventing razor bumps, and hydrating your skin.
To apply, pump 5-6 drops of Body Oil into your palms and massage it into wet skin. Shave as you normally would.
10. As Bug Repellant
Most insect repellents on the market are loaded with toxic chemicals, including DEET (diethyltoluamide), which is so poisonous that even the Environmental Protection Agency says you should wash it off your skin when you return indoors, avoid breathing it in and not spray it directly on your face.
Oils are a natural bug repellant. The slippery surface that oil creates makes it difficult for bugs to latch onto your skin, which can reduce the amount of bug bites you’ll have.
Bugs can also carry diseases, and harmful pollutants, so protecting yourself from these bites goes even deeper than wanting to avoid an itchy blemish.
Before going outside, apply a generous amount of the Body Oil to your exposed skin.
11. Hydrating Lip Oil
Dr. Mehmet Oz has revealed that the average woman will use (and consume) about 6.6 pounds of lip products (balm, gloss, lipstick) every 10 years. The American Food and Drug Administration did a study on lipsticks and found trace amounts of lead in 400 lipsticks from commonly used brands. Other than lead, lip products can contain sulfates, parabens, fragrance, and artificial colors.
The Protecting Body Oil can be used in place of a lip oil, lip balm, or even lip gloss. You’ll still ingest the same amount of lip product, but the ingredients you will consume are hormone-safe.
To apply, pump 1 drop of Body Oil onto your fingertips and gently massage the product into your clean lips or over color.
12. Après Sun
Fresh air is so healing for the body and soul. However, too much exposure to the sun without the proper protection can lead to skin cancer or early skin aging.
The Protecting Body Oil will hydrate your sun-kissed skin, promoting your body’s natural healing process which will reduce any redness, dryness, or burning.
Sea Buckthorn has lots of vitamin E and beta-carotene that promote healing and skin regeneration, which can really help heal a sunburn faster. Meadowfoam Seed Oil, and Ylang Ylang Oil have unique anti-inflammatory properties to reduce redness, swelling, and help skin regeneration.
Apply a generous amount of the Body Oil to your skin, anywhere that was recently exposed to the sun.
Don’t Just Take it From Us!
According to our H&G Advocates, the Protecting Body Oil is luxurious to apply, not sticky, and has a smooth texture. After just a few weeks of use, their skin felt more hydrated, brighter, smoother, more restored and more even. Also, our Advocates described the Body Oil pump as easy to use and reported that it dispensed the right amount of product.
