BAG BALM!
Sweetassgal here, to bring you the best of all things natural and organic by way of Green Chi Tuesdays!
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Sorry Mr. Shakespeare...unfortunately in todays world a catchy name, along with name branding and target marketed packaging tend to go a long way! That's why I always find it remarkable when something with a name like Bag Balm packaged in a funky green can with a picture of cow udders emblazoned on the side seems to have such great staying power. Found in nearly every drugstore in the country, this gooey salve covers everything from a minor cut to major dry skin damage repair. And how do I know this you may ask? Well...if you've ever seen the way the father in "My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding" uses Windex, then you'll have some inkling of how my family has revered Bag Balm for decades.
At any crisis moment in my childhood I could depend on my Aunt Pammie to march me and my accident prone cousin Josh straight to the bathroom for a quick application of Bag Balm to ease our pain and suffering. Scraped knees, sun burnt shoulders from riding our bikes around all day with no sunscreen, no matter what the ailment out came the can and on came the goop! As the years went by I got used to the medicinal smell and began to notice the many other benefits the little wonder can with simple ingredients brought. Just a little goes a long way to cure severe chapped lips overnight. Heat rashes, chaffing, severe dry skin, cuts and scrapes, even use to seal new tattoos...anything that may scab. Bag Balm's antiseptic qualities help heal quickly while minimizing scab size and scarring. It's even known to be the get all end all cure of impossible diaper rash and end dry scaly patches on your elbows forever. Still, at the end of the day I'd have to say my favorite use is simply to coat my feet with a thin layer (that's all you need), put on my warmest, woolliest socks and go to bed. Wake up in the morning and even the roughest, dry heels are soft and ready to exfoliate. Any dry skin just rubs right off. This works especially well after a day walking barefoot at the beach. Dry sand and sea water can do a number on your tootsies and Bag Balm is always the solution.
I suggest starting off with the little 1 ounce can available in most places. As I said...a little goes a long way because its extremely emollient. Use too much and you'll have a greasy mess on your hands so keep it light. I think you'll find just a tiny tin will last for ages which makes it as economical as it is useful. Lips, elbows, as a cuticle conditioner and hang nail healing aid, rash treatment and razor burn, use it anywhere your cleaver little mind can imagine. It always works wonders. So yes, maybe the words "Bag Balm" might turn you off and I have to admit that the St. Patrick's Day green can aren't exactly the cutest thing you'll have sitting on your vanity, but I can guarantee that it will be the the best multi use tool in your skin softening arsenal!
Any more uses for Bag Balm that you know of? Maybe we don't have udders but we've got plenty of others skin softening opportunities! GLAM ON
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Reviews
I too grew up with this product. We raised sheep and the smell reminds me of their wool when we sheared them. We would rub our hands in the wool when we were out of Bag Balm. We also used it on the cows teets too! Multi purpose. I agree about starting out with a small tin.
Beste Hilsin
How lame is this? "Why was the selfish, mean young woman turned down when she wanted to be a milk maid? She had no feeling for udders . . ." Please tell me I didn't write this!
So, of course after reading this ringing endorsement I had to run out and get me some of this udderly perfect product -- but in the miserly 1 oz size, just in case. Well, I slathered it all over my ghastly, bunion-y, hammertoe-ridden, UGLY feet, on which, being a New Yorker, I walk miles every day. I cannot say that I instantly was blessed with tootsies a foot fetishist would drool for, but they were soft as butter in no time, and ready to shed the accumulated hard skin of the season. Not having any sheep in the immediate vicinity of the upper West Side of Manhattan, this will have to do!
I have always heard of this product, living in the Appalachian Mountains like I do. So I bought a tin and was promptly greased up like a pig. I quickly learned less is more. Love this product especially in the winter when I boil my skin with the hottest showers I can stand.
How funny--I just had a flashback to that flick, with the father soaking his elbow in Windex at the table while eating! Bag Balm works--period. I think you've covered all of the bases as to how to use it beautifully, and applying too much will indeed result in a mess (that's why you need the gloves I recommended last week). It has produced better results than very pricey items and I don't know anyone who hasn't treasured it. Thanks for bringing it out of the proverbial closet; it's an affordable gem!
My Mom got me this product when my Eczema was at it's worst on my hands. And I can't say it help much, it kind of made it worst. I think it was too greasy and I needed something much stronger. Cortisone :( I couldn't stand the smell of it either. Not a huge fan.
This stuff really does take care of dry feet! I recommend putting it on at night and wearing socks to bed. The results are amazing. But it is messy and greasy stuff. Be careful. Don't use too much. A little does go a long way.
This sounds like the balm of all trades! Does it have a weird taste like Carmex if you apply it on your lips?
It definitely has a particular flavor/scent. Not medicinal like Carmex. You'd have to smell it to know. I personally wouldn't like it on my lips but you HAVE to try it for your feet. Bag balm leaves me with the softest feet ever!
Love, hugs and shoes...Angie
nina, bag balm def has a particular smell. My dad uses it on his calloused hands. It's kind of.. earthy? haha. Personally, I love my Aquaphor, which doesn't smell, can be used on lips, hands, etc. And I use it ALL THE TIME! Comes in a squeeze bottle, travel sized tubes, and tub. I recommend the squeeze bottle and travel sized tubes. My brother slathers it on his fresh tattoos also (apparently it's the most recc'd product for that).
♥ bluedevilkittyhttp://mtycer.weebly.com/
The name is totally off-putting, and for just that reason, I have never even picked it up in the drugstore. But tonight, I was at a friends house, and my hands looked so dry from all the washing and anti-bacterial applications I have been subjecting them to in an effort to avoid the Swine Flu. She had a tin sitting on the table next to the couch I was on, and I tried some. It's amazing stuff! I swear it made my hands look 10 years younger. I'm actually going to pick some up tomorrow,