These lip balms hold Whidbey windfall Douglas fir branches (traditionally used for skin soothing, antimicrobial, uplifting us emotionally and helping us feel welcome on earth), lemon balm (traditionally used because emotionally soothing, anti-viral, helps some folks with cold sores), plantain seed (our beautiful, beloved, forest and field dwelling, skin-healing support "weed"), and local cottonwood bud infused oil (traditionally used for skin healing and connecting to the land and each other plus smells great and prolongs the life of the balm), and local beeswax, organic olive oil and Shea butter, which are all traditionally skin soothing as well. This nourishing, softening lip balm is a celebration of local trees and forest's edge plants. No essential oils--just the natural scent of the tree branches, buds, and plants infused into organic olive oil, so the balm is gentle, nourishing, maybe even a bit comforting. And nothing else.

And, as with all new products, you should still start slow and make sure you/your family’s bodies like the plants in this balm. Discontinue use if your body isn’t happy. There is one drop of castor oil per tin of lip balm to make it silky smooth and even more softening. In very high doses, castor oil can be used a laxative, so please don’t sit down and eat dozens of tins of lip balm. Come to think of it, don’t eat even one tin of lip balm. The balm is for your lips not your belly. Please share this tip with children if the lip balm is shared with children.

Ingredients: Ethically wild-gathered local windfall Douglas fir branches and native black cottonwood buds, plantain leaves, and lemon balm leaves and soft upper stems infused into organic extra virgin olive oil, plus local beeswax, Shea butter, and one drop of organic castor oil per tin. 

Size and packaging: Lip balm is in a one-ounce reusable, food grade, round silver metal tin with a twist-off top. See our Packaging page for more details. The twist-off tops were chosen (instead of pull-straight-off tops) because if you accidentally forget them in your purse in a hot car, and the balm melts, the twist off tops help keep the balm in the container better. 

Medical Disclaimer: Western medicine advises that people with low thyroid disease not over-indulge in too much lemon balm. I have low thyroid disease and have no problem drinking lemon balm in tea and using this lip balm regularly--but that's me, not you. You may be different. The information on this page is for general reference for further exploration and study. It is not intended as a replacement for professional medical advice. See the Medical Disclaimer page of this website for more details. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This balm was created for peace of mind and dry cuticles by plants, lichens, and women who love humans--that is, lavender, rosemary, dandelions, oatstraw, usnea lichen, and me, supported by more herbalists, women, ancestors, plants, and trees than I could ever name. Moment of Wonder cuticle balm contains four deeply trusted ancestral plants for me plus our local usnea lichen who was new to me when I arrived here 10 years ago. I've been talking with usnea and studying them for only 7 years. They're a wonder and pure delight to get to know--like the most playful elder you've ever met.

The name "Moment of Wonder" is my wish for people who work so hard for others that they throw themselves under the not-getting-enough-rest-again bus regularly, and it also comes from my continued child-like responses to encountering old usnea in the woods. It's beautiful everywhere you come across it, and in really old forests it will stop even the busiest, most exhausted Me in her tracks and turn me into a curious, wonder-filled child for at least a few moments. "Who decorated the trees so beautifully?" my Kid Self wonders. Usnea is remarkably beautiful at any age, and at old age offers all the best that the word magical has to offer. (The older the forest, the longer the usnea lichen, the greater the unexpected beauty, the longer the mouth-dropped-open-in-wonder moment. Protect forests and old growth forests!!!)

We grow the lavender and rosemary and dandelions here at Ritual Mischief, and we gather dandelions from trusted nearby fields too. The oat straw I bought from Mountain Rose Herbs this year. Still waiting for a farmer on Whidbey to grow it, as we don't have room! We gather the usnea lichen off the forest floor here after winter windstorms. We never take this wise and slow-growing lichen off of standing trees--living or dead--because it is needed where it is. Instead, we pick it up off the ground and pull little bits off of windfall Douglas fir and cedar branches that we gather after winter windstorms. We leave plenty for the forest floor and the slugs who seem as in awe of it as I am. Usnea decorates trees here so beautifully. In truly old forests, it hangs loopingly down, from bow to bow, around and around, like the Christmas tree garland of my grandmothers' homes. Or, as I now understand: their Christmas tree garland mimicked wonder-inducing beautiful old lichens like usnea.  

To use: 1. Sit or stand beneath a tree or sky. 2. Look up. 3. Take a deep breath, rest a moment, and wonder. 4. Indulge your curiosity. What did/do you wonder? Name it. Say it out loud. Remember the value of being led by your own curiosity and wonder. 5. With clean fingers, rub a little of this balm into dry cuticles, as needed. 6. Take the You who breathes deeply, rests, wonders, and cares about tiny little things back inside with you. 7. Optional. When time, to extend these moments of wonder, learn more about the plants in this balm by visiting a local elder, reading a book, sitting with the plants and asking questions, or by leaning on a child's imagination.  

Ingredients: Whidbey-grown lavender and rosemary (grown here at Ritual Mischief), Whidbey dandelion flowers and windfall usnea lichen (from Ritual Mischief and gathered from neighboring fields and forests), and oatstraw from Mountain Rose Herbs infused in olive oil for 6 weeks (plants) to 4 months (lichen), plus local beeswax, and 1 drop per tin of lavender essential oil from Lavender Wind Farm on Whidbey. Topped with a little dried lavender and/or usnea lichen.

Size/packaging: Reusable 2-ounce, screw-top tin. See the Packaging page of this website for more details.

Medical Disclaimer: Wonder is good for you. Make time for it wherever and however you can. The information on this page is for general reference for further exploration and study. It is not intended as a replacement for professional medical advice. See the Medical Disclaimer page of this website for more details. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.