To get to each topic in General Product information, just scroll down.

1. What is a Natural product?
2. Massage Oil or Massage Wax?
3. Toxic chemicals in mainstream  skincare products.
4. Allergenic Reactions and safety.
5. Storage and shelf life
6. Plastic containers and  recycling.

1.  What is a Natural Product?

The word "natural" is perhaps one of the most widely used words in the English language and defining "natural product" isn't as straightforward as it might seem.  At a time when city populations are increasing and wilderness areas are shrinking worldwide, people are looking for ways to be in touch with aspects of life that are in keeping with their original biological make-up. Consequently, large industries have arisen in the areas of food and medicine that attempt to serve the genuine need for natural products, natural solutions and natural lifestyles.
 
But the question "What is natural?" is by no means simple to answer. There is a widespread and glib usage of the word that seems to pre-suppose that we all know and agree upon what "natural" means. But while we all have a personal, intuitive sense of the meaning of "natural", the way that manufacturers in the food and health industries use the concept is in fact remarkably varied.

Some manufacturers imply their products are natural by presenting images of nature like sunshine, blue skies, trees and flowers. They might associate happy, healthy, energetic activities with their products and the inference will be that the product is or promotes something natural. But the product, although it might give benefit to someone, might also be a synthetic, "man-made" substance.  Similarly, companies might call their product natural or "naturals". These products might have say 30 ingredients of which maybe 20 were originally created in a laboratory. On the basis of one or two "natural" ingredients, like aloe for instance, they might strongly promote their products as natural.

At the other end of the spectrum, a company might produce an organically certified product, which in New Zealand means that 98% of all the ingredients would also be certified as organic. Such a company might also want to call its product natural.  "Natural" is a very large topic with many angles. In a world with industrial and consumer pollution, a world with advanced scientific, manufacturing, technological and farming practices, the natural basis of any natural ingredient is something for potential scrutiny.

In the end it is up to consumers to choose based on the information they can access.
 
2.  Massage Oil or Massage Wax ?

For years people have been using oils to create lubrication and glide when performing massage. Oil has been synonymous with massage and that has gone relatively unchallenged. Yet there have always been inherent difficulties when using oils and traditional thinking has seldom investigated these.

But there are alternatives and Tui Massage Wax is clearly one of the best. A blend of natural beeswax and high quality vegetable oils, our Massage Wax provides all the lubricating advantages of regular massage oil with none of the handling problems. It can be smoothly applied and reapplied without disrupting the flow of the massage. It is particularly good for deep tissue massage because the consistency of the medium gives more control.

The use of the Massage Wax instead of carrier oils will be felt differently on the skin of both the therapist and the client. After the massage, the skin will feel 'drier' than after a massage with oil. Many therapists cite this as a major advantage because many clients don't  fell like being left 'oily' after a massage.  Additionally it nourishes, moisturises and helps keep the skin conditioned.
Therapists will almost always meet with a positive response from the client, with the client often asking what is being used, because it is different to an oil and feels great in use!

The semi-solid consistency of our Massage Wax eliminates spillage while making it easy to judge the desired amount for use. A hot wash removes residues, if any, from sheets, towels or clothing. This constitutes a major advantage over massage oil. The fact is, massage oil spills easily. It can slip through the hands dripping on to the person who receives the massage and often spreads over sheets and towels. Oil containers may tip over onto the bed, table or floor. This can be an issue for both professionals and people doing massage at home. Massage oil may become so concentrated on bed linen that it proves impossible to wash out. Basically, oil is not so simple to manage. We're just used to it.

In addition, many therapists find that because there is less skin and hair absorption than with regular massage oils, an equivalent amount of Tui Massage Wax lasts much longer, making it particularly appropriate for use on men with extensive body hair.  The problem with hair knotting into 'little balls' particularly in the lower back  region is virtually eliminated.

One objection to using Massage & Body Wax might be that people wish to mix essential oils with their carrier oils. Essential oils enjoy a deserved popularity these days for their inherent, natural healing qualities. While we already make seven Massage & Body Waxes carefully formulated with a variety of essential oils, our versatile unscented Massage & Body Wax can be spooned out into a bowl for easy blending with your own essential oils. Simply stir and re-pot the mixture for a truly creative and personalised blend retaining all the advantages inherent in our range.

3.  Toxic Chemicals in Mainstream Skin Care Products

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that some of the most commonly used ingredients in modern cosmetics have hazardous effects on your skin, although the conclusiveness of this evidence is not necessarily established unequivocally. Typically though, skin care products can contain potentially harmful petroleum derivatives. These could be vinyls, plastics and even plant-derived chemicals in toxic compounds etc. Resulting effects from regularly using such products can range from damaging the skin and making it older, all the way to more severe allergic reactions and illness (e.g. cancer)

Petroleum derivatives

Petroleum derivatives may coat the skin with a "plastic" layer, inhibiting its ability to breathe. It is contended by some scientists that this results in hormonal disruption, immune system malfunction and premature aging. Examples of petroleum derivatives are mineral oil (often disguised to the average person as the exotic "liquidum paraffinum", paraffin wax, paraffin oil or petrolatum), PEGs (polyethylene glycol's - used as a surfactants, cleansing agents, emulsifiers, skin conditioners or humectants), solvents like propylene and butylene glycol.

The PEGs in particular contain small amounts of chemicals like ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane that some believe are increasing the incidence of uterine, breast, brain and skin cancer, as well as leukaemia.  Other than petrochemical ingredients in cosmetics, you'll find parabens and diethyl phthalates.

Parabens

Paraben preservatives are used as inhibitors to microbial growth and to extend the shelf life of products. Widely used, despite increasing evidence of their toxicity, they have caused many allergic reactions and skin rashes. Most concerning of all, there is evidence they are reacting as oestrogen mimics in the body, prompting growth of breast cancer cells in test tubes and leading to the conclusion they may generally elevate the risk of developing cancer. They are also suspected of affecting a male child's later fertility where mothers have been exposed during pregnancy.

Diethyl Phthalates

Diethyl Phthalates (1,2benzenedicarbolic acid, diethyl ester) are believed to act as hormone mimics, disrupting healthy hormone functions. They may cause birth defects. They soak easily through the skin and build up in the body over time, potentially causing high toxin levels in later age.

Other Chemicals

Others chemicals like urea and formaldehyde derivatives also fall into the hazardous category (being a carcinogen, causing headaches and fatigue). Even part plant derived chemicals like isopropyl palmitate (a fatty acid from palm oil combined with synthetic alcohol) cause skin irritation and dermatitis and promote acne.  Even lanolin in skin care products may be contaminated with all the chemicals sheep are exposed to (i.e. organo-phosphate pesticides and insecticides).

Silicone derived emollients also bring up the toxicity discussion and their possible carcinogenic effects on humans. They are occlusive, coating the skin and trapping sweat beneath it. Some synthetic emollients are known tumour promoters and accumulate in the liver and lymph nodes.

These are only a few of the hazardous chemicals most commonly used in the cosmetic industry. There are in fact thousands (last count about 85 000 and even more of them are developed every day. Testing and warning seems to get more and more neglected, while paradoxically the strictures on registration of natural products seems to get harsher.

4.  Allergenic Reactions and Safety

Our products are very safe to use and are generally non-allergenic. Over the years we have had very, very few allergic reactions reported to us. Where warnings are appropriate (as with Bug Balme to avoid contact with eyes), they are clearly displayed on the jar. Most of our products are genuinely safe to eat, although we are not recommending this! However, human beings are remarkably varied in their individual responses to substances, so it is impossible for any manufacturer to state absolutely that all individuals will be free of reaction, under all circumstances.

The most common question we are asked regards the safety of beeswax. There is no bee venom in the beeswax we use, nor do we use bee venom at all. The only other bee product we use is propolis, which occurs only in Bee Balme. (Propolis is not really a product made by bees, but is the resin and gum of plants collected by them). Consequently, even people with allergies to bee stings should have no problem with our products. However, the choice is always in the hands of the individual.

The main nut allergy that exists is to peanuts. We do not use peanuts or peanut products at all. But we do use almond oil in the massage waxes. It is surprising that allergy to peanuts does go together with allergy to tree nuts, because peanuts are closely related to peas and beans and not closely at all to tree nuts. Nevertheless allergies seem to ignore the botanists and their classifications in this. No one knows why. If you are allergic to peanuts you're far from certain to be allergic to the other nuts, but the risk of it seems to be higher than in people who don't have peanut allergy.

Otherwise all ingredients used in Tui products, including the essential oils, are included at levels considered appropriate and safe (according to mainstream recommendations in the aromatherapy and herbal industries). We have selected our ingredients so that they are a safe alternative for children, babies and pregnant mothers. But commonsense is still required with applications of Cough & Cold Relief, Inflammation Relief, Aches & Pains Balme in particular. These products can cause sensation on the skin and should be kept away from the eyes and mucous membranes as they could cause discomfort particularly when treating very young children.

There is one information source for essential oil safety that we have relied upon above all others.  It is:
Essential Oil Safety - A guide for healthcare professionals
Authors: Robert Tisserand and Tony Balacs
Publishers: Churchill Livingstone 1995

This is a substantial science-based publication. It is endorsed by John Caldwell, Professor of Biochemical Toxicology at St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, in his forward to the book.
 
5.  Storage and Shelf Life
 
Despite the fact that all Tui products are protected with anti-oxidising vitamin E, they are still prone to rancidity if not stored correctly. We recommend that all jars be stored in a cool place, away from direct sunlight, or close proximity to another intense light source. If this is done we will guarantee a shelf life of two years and expect longer. To really keep products for a long time, just put them in the fridge!

Rancidity in a product is usually indicated by a sharp smell or by a lightening in the colour of the wax. All the products do vary in colour though. This is because of the different ingredients used and seasonal variance in the appearance of such basic ingredients as the olive oil. So a light colour alone is not necessarily an indication of rancidity. To check for the production date, look at the batch sticker on the bottom of the jar. The last number indicates the year in which our guarantee expires and the next two numbers refer to the month.

6.  Plastic Containers and Recycling

You will find that your package comes with shredded paper or corn starch chips protecting your products. Whilst there are many packaging fillers on the market, for us this is the most enviromentally friendly. One of the first principles is re-use. Our products come from New Zealand protected by shredded paper, which the community get from local schools and businesses from their throw away paper. Thus before it even gets to the UK, it has been re-used twice!  We then use it (along with more which we get from local schools here) in our packaging to you. If you then had to re-use it (starter paper for your burner, bedding for you pet, mulch for the garden etc ) it will have been re-used at least 4 times. If you choose to recycle it at the end and it gets to the correct recycling facility, it will start the cycle all over again!

We also use starch based filler - it looks a bit like polystyrene but is completely biodegradable. This you can use in the garden or put in your organic waste basket along with your potato peels and egg shells.

Currently our products are supplied in recyclable PP plastic containers. We are aware that this creates a waste problem, despite the fact that the containers are recyclable and potentially reusable. Unfortunately, receiving back containers to recycle is not an option for us, as we do not have the comprehensive washing facilities that would be required, and the products are currently manufactured in new Zealand. Glass is not an option when creating a product to be used on the body and we haven't found much in terms of recyclable containers. However,  Tui Bee Balme Co-Operative are involved in a research project  with partners in trying to create environmentally friendly tubs from natural sources. As you can imagine, this is a huge undertaking and is a work in progress. More about this in the future.