The Relief Bar
If I had to predict a future best seller, it would be this one. (See it here in the shop!)
The Relief bar was inspired by years of watching my son Leo’s eczema flare-ups, spending so much money trying every cream, every gel, every recommendation, and never finding lasting solutions.
Every parent who has watched their kids live with sensitive skin knows that we’re always looking for the “magic cream.” That one thing that works for their best friend’s sister’s neighbor’s aunt’s cat never seems to work for your own family.
We tried all of the recommendations from everyone. Creams, gels, cooling sprays, herbs, foods, and elimination of foods. Leo’s pediatrician was adamant that we find a solution before going the steroid route, for which we are so thankful. It was the consistent trying of this, that, and the other that led us to the herbalists at Earth Commons in Austin. It was there that we learned about the power of colloidal oats, calendula, and cooling his body from within.
My biggest takeaway from this truly seemed so obvious. Our skin is like a little movie screen, showing us on the outside that something is off on the inside. (Same goes for hair & nails, too!) A balanced system shows balance on the outside. Imbalance inside shows imbalance on the outside. Our bodies are always giving us signs, but we get overwhelmed by the 15 different IG influencers, pharmaceutical ads, and unwanted advice from the gal at the grocery store. It’s constant!
If you take away one thing from this post, let it be this: when your hair, skin, and nails tell you something, believe it. Spend the time and money looking inside before treating the outside.
What we eventually learned about Leo was that healing his eczema came down to understanding what was actually driving the inflammation, not just treating the visible surface of his skin. Eczema isn't just a reaction to an external stimulus, but to the heat within. Once we knew that, we focused on cooling his body in addition to calming soaps, salves, and baths, and he hasn’t had a flare-up since. I know it’s the combination of cooling the inside while treating the outside that made magic happen. (More to come on cooling the inside!)
The Relief bar is what I wish we had back then. I wanted something natural that calmed and soothed, without costing a week of my grocery budget. So, I made it! It’s reasonably priced while also full of healing, clean ingredients for skin that needs a little gulp of nourishment.
What’s in it?
Raw Manuka Honey — One of the most studied honeys for skin, with natural antibacterial and humectant properties that draw moisture in and help calm reactive, inflamed skin without stripping it. Read more about the brand I use here.
Colloidal Oats — I use finely milled organic oats that coat and protect the skin barrier; clinically recognized for relieving itch and reducing irritation in eczema- and psoriasis-prone skin
Calendula-Infused Castor Oil — Castor oil is deeply conditioning and forms a protective layer over the skin; infusing it with calendula adds the flower's well-known anti-inflammatory and skin-soothing properties, with fresh calendula petals throughout the bar for an extra dose of that same benefit
Vitamin E — A fat-soluble antioxidant that supports skin repair, reduces oxidative stress in damaged or chronically irritated skin, and helps the bar itself stay shelf-stable
Honey Soap Base — The foundation of the bar, gentle and moisturizing, chosen specifically because it does not disrupt the skin barrier the way many conventional soaps do
Even though Leo doesn’t face the eczema patches anymore, this bar is still in regular rotation in our house. Try it, share it, and as always, reach out with questions. :)
-Ashley
