Make Your Own Moringa Super-Mask At Home!

The healing power of moringa is astounding – either consumed as a powder or capsule, applied topically as an oil, balm or lotion product for inflammation & itchy skin – or used as a powder for a facial mask.

Universally, moringa helps skin and body recover from imbalance and restores health.

You’ll have most ingredient for these facials at home in your fridge or pantry (or can find easily in your local supermarket).

Moringa Probiotic Hydrating Facial

Blend half a tsp moringa powder with 1 tsp plain unsweetened yoghurt, 1 Tbsp mashed ripe avocado and 1/2 tsp honey. Mix well & brush onto your skin for 10 – 15 mins. Add a few pumps of Moringa Healing Serum for very itchy skin.

Brightening AHA Facial Mask

(not suitable for sensitive skin, Indian skin types and some Polynesian skin types. Patch test first if this is you, or use without the pineapple & papaya).

Mash fresh papaya or pineapple (not canned or frozen). If you have papaya, you can strengthen the facial by adding a couple of brushed pips, but be careful of skin sensitivities.

Mix in 1 tablespoon plain unsweetened yoghurt, 1 teaspoon honey & 1 teaspoon moringa powder.

Mix well and apply to skin. For even more oomph, cover the mask with cling film and apply warm towels on top for 5 minutes.

Anti Inflammatory Mask

Grind oats to a very fine powder in a coffee bean or herb grinder. Add 1 tsp moringa powder, up to 1 tsp Moringa Healing Serum, 2 tsp juice from grated cucumber & 1 tsp very finely ground oats. Mix to a paste and apply cold. Leave 8 – 10 minutes and compress off with a cool compress.

What is Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW) and How Can It Be Treated?

TSW stands for Topical Steroid Withdrawal.

It’s a horrible situation that occurs when you stop using topical steroids.

Topical steroids are medical creams frequently prescribed by doctors for itchy, inflamed skin.

They stop skin itching by masking symptoms.

However, topical steroids do not resolve the reason for the itching and in doing so over  a period of time, topically applied medium to strong steroids also destroy your skin’s barrier function.

If you apply a steroid cream and it stings on application, you are very likely to get TSW if/when you stop using the cream.

Essentially, inflammation causing the itching has been managed but not resolved, and the skin’s barrier has been compromised.

Stopping with the topical steroid leaves you with the inflammation and less protection than you had before commencing treatment wth steroid cream.

The inflammation and the itching runs wild and free. You have very few good choices at this point.

It’s truly awful when the patient is a young child.

TSW can rage on for months – even up to a year, flaring regularly.

Is there an alternative to topical steroids to avoid TSW?

Happily, yes there is – our Moringa Healing Products not only help reduce itching and inflammation of all kinds, the products also help manage TSW and repair the skin’s barrier.

The healing power of Moringa is astounding. Moringa delivers over 90 nutrients to the skin and body, some of which are vital to cellular healing (and some that are vital for every day health).

As soon as you start applying Moringa Healing Products to your skin, the barrier function begins to repair.

It takes the skin 60 days to regenerate itself – a little longer in elderly people, so it’s not an overnight fix, but generally itching is under control quickly.

Treating TSW with Moringa Healing Products

The only way to avoid TSW is to wean yourself off the steroid cream.

Begin using Moringa Healing Balm, Salve or Serum several times per day – introducing it alongside your steroid cream.

Apply your Moringa Healing Product at the same time as your steroid cream as well as during the day initially. As a guide, apply when the itching starts. This will feel like it’s all day iniitally if you have TSW, but it will reduce over the first few days. Remember – you have an out of control situation.

Once you feel your skin is beginning to get stronger and isn’t as urgently itchy as frequently, skip ONE steroid cream application – using your Moringa Healing Product in its place on that one occasion. Maintain the regularity of application during the day in accordance with the itchiness.

Return to your previous routine for a few days longer (including your steroid cream), then go ahead and skin two steroid applications – either on alternate days or consecutive days. You be the judge of what you think will work for you.

Return to the previous regime and when ready, start reducing more of the steroid applications with increasing regularity as the skin barrier gets stronger and the inflammation reduces.

Once you are finally not using the steroid cream, continue to use your Moringa Healing Product a little longer, then put is aside, ready for TSW flares.

Treat flares with increased frequency of application. If you must, use the steroid cream sparingly, but you should be able to move through a flare without needing it.

If you’re not sure which product is the best for you – check the Moringa Healing Product Selector.

For people with TSW, or if the itching does not subside within 3 days, I recommend Moringa Healing Serum – the most active of the products (available fragrance free on request), and for maintenance I recommend Moringa Healing Lotion.

Every body it different. You are welcome to ask questions if you feel that would help.

The Connection Between Gut & Skin, and how it relates to inflammation.

I’ve spent a lot of time working with people to improve skin conditions, and also a lot of time in the area of sleep improvement.

Eureka moment – these two can frequently be connected, in a way you wouldn’t expect.

What we consume determines the health of our gut – the entire bowel/intestinal system (often referred to as the second brain for good reason).

This in turn determines (or at minimum influences to a higher degree that what we would like to believe), how we feel, act and behave.

Fatigue v energy, positive v down or negative.

I use the word consume rather than eat, because so frequently, gut issues are caused by synthetic introductions to our systems – medium or longer term medication is a perfect example (often necessary, but too often over-prescribed). Toxin overuse & consumption – even secondary exposure and high levels of prolonged exposure to stress all can impact the gut and reduce or prevent nutrient absorption.

Long story short, if your gut health is compromised, you are vulnerable to inflammation – which shows up on your skin, and in your quality of sleep, focus, mood, energy level. It’s pretty important to understand.

The connection between the skin and the gut is very close. They are our two largest organs. one reflects the other. Naturopaths will often diagnose by looking closely at your skin. Weirdly, dermatologists do not.

So – back to gut health restoration, because that is the way forward in truly managing inflammatory skin conditions.

I don’t profess to have professional expertise in the area of nutrition, but I do have a lifetime of experience in this very interesting area – and exposure to a large cross section of case studies.

The answer is simple. Eat LOTS of fresh green vegetables EVERY day, and look for meal options that avoid process foods & have TON of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.

I know when my shingles are getting ready to flare because I am drawn to toast, chocolate, coffee – all the inflammation foods.

Of course, they get me every time, and the shingles break out – reminding me to pull my head in and get back to the anti-inflamm foods.

Today I’m going to share one of my ‘go-to’ smoothies with you. Give it a try. I find it works really well. Have it in the morning. Sip it for as long as you can.

If you are really up for quick results, throw in a handful of fresh spinach. It tastes fine with banana (and I don’t like banana or spinach, but they taste OK together in a smoothie)

You might need to shop for moringa powder (it’s not hard to find). Don’t exclude it – it’s really that good at resolving inflammation.

Julie x

Oh – PS. If you are suffering from lack of nutrient absorption due to a medication (they don’t tell you about that part when they prescribe), many if not most nutrients can be absorbed into the blood stream via your skin. Baliba products have this as a focus.

Meet Moringa Oleifera – Also Known As ‘The Miracle Tree’.

I first met Moringa early in 2023. It was a chance encounter that was to change the course of the Baliba brand (and another brand I have that works in the active treatment skincare space).

It was in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. I was in Raro with Jennie – owner of Experience Rarotonga. Do check Experience Rarotonga out if you are planning a holiday in Raro. It’s an awesome place.

Anyway, we visited the moringa tree, with a view to grab some leaves to make moringa tea – we knew this would help fight inflammation & was ‘good for us’. Raro is that kind of place.

What we didn’t anticipate is happening upon Jennie’s friend (and now my friend) – the owner of the tree, who told us of his health journey from super-high ‘about to have a stroke at any moment’ cholesterol levels, back to normal levels in 6 months by drinking tea from his trees – specifically, moringa & soursop leaf tea. Amazing.

That story and his positive energy stayed with us for the entire trip and beyond.

How could a tree make such a profound change in a person’s life…

Needless to say, we drank lots of tea, dried a bunch of leaves and got them through customs back to NZ, and started experimenting with the power of moringa.

Here’s your short version of what I learned, and how I came to appreciate why moringa is known as The Miracle Tree, and what inspired me to create the Baliba Apothecary & carve an entirely new direction for the Baliba brand using the power of natural ingredients, partnered with the power of essential oils. Now The Miracle Tree has also changed my life – in a very different way:

Nutrient-Rich: Moringa leaves are chocka-block with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that play a pivotal role in nurturing skin (and body) health.

Among these, the presence of Vitamin A is particularly notable. Vitamin A supports skin cell regeneration and repair, promoting a smoother and more youthful complexion. It aids in maintaining the skin’s integrity by encouraging the production of new skin cells while shedding old ones. This process helps to reveal fresher, brighter skin underneath.

Antioxidants: Moringa is renowned for its potent antioxidants like quercetin, chlorogenic acid, and beta-carotene. These antioxidants counteract the damaging effects of free radicals, which are notorious for causing premature aging and skin damage. By neutralizing these harmful molecules, Moringa helps maintain youthful and vibrant skin.

Inflammation Soother: Inflammation is often at the root of various skin issues, from acne to eczema. Moringa contains compounds with anti-inflammatory properties, such as isothiocyanates and flavonoids. These components help reduce redness, swelling, and irritation, contributing to a calmer complexion.

Detoxification: Clear, glowing skin is a reflection of the body’s internal health. Moringa aids in detoxification by supporting the liver’s natural function and aiding in the removal of toxins from the body. This internal cleansing is mirrored in the skin’s clarity and radiance.

Hydration: Proper hydration is essential for maintaining supple and youthful skin. Moringa’s high water content, combined with its abundance of nutrients, assists in keeping the skin hydrated and moisturized. This can help alleviate dryness and create a natural, healthy glow.

Collagen Booster: Collagen is the protein responsible for maintaining the skin’s structure and firmness. Moringa is a source of the amino acids proline and hydroxyproline, which are essential for collagen production. By providing the building blocks for collagen synthesis, Moringa contributes to plump and youthful-looking skin.

Nourishing from Within: The saying “You are what you eat” resonates deeply when it comes to skin health. Moringa’s dense nutritional profile positively impacts overall health, which in turn reflects on the skin. When the body is well-nourished, the skin reaps its benefits, radiating health and vitality.

I’ve now created a number of products that include moringa oil and moringa extract, and am moving to create more that focus solely on moringa, simply due to its superior performance.

Now, 5 months later, I use moringa daily in my diet, and twice daily in my own skincare regime. I’ve worked in the beauty industry for decades – and have used top salon-only skincare brands & treatments.

I can honestly say that non of them come even close to what the simple serums & balms that I’ve created with moringa and other active ingredients & my skin has never looked better. I’m a firm advocate of natural + actives (peptides), where the actives/peptides replicate natural skin functions, but for the Baliba brand, I’ve stayed with natural only & used my knowledge of essential oils to add even more to the bounty of the natural ingredients. It’s my happy place without a doubt.

Essential Oil Treatments For Hair & Skin Rejuvenation

As much a relaxing spa treatment as a revival, essential oils are often overlooked as effective treatments for both skin and hair damage, yet are very frequently used as active ingredients in high-end skincare products.

In the case of skincare for mature and dry skin, using a drop of an essential oil blend of Lavender, Geranium, and Frankincense in your daily skincare routine, can achieve cellular rejuvenation, cellular repair & reduction of redness or inflammatory conditions – and also give it a really nice smell. Similarly, lemon and bergamot are frequently used for both brightening and sebum control in active skincare products. Citric acid by itself can balance oily skin.

Taking this to the next level, a weekly spa treatment for your skin is a wonderful addition to an afternoon or evening, can contribute to your skin’s health, while also reducing stress levels remarkably. It’s worth a try!

Essential oils absorb through the skin very easily through massage, as long as you use an oil with good absorption properties. Sweet almond oil is a good choice for ‘normal’ skin & easy to get hold of. For dry or damaged skin, see if you can find jojoba oil & for super dry and mature skin, apricot kernel oil is great (or a combination of all the above). If you don’t have these oils – or time to hunt them down, just go with whatever you have – or get some Cetaphil cream from the Pharmacy and use that instead.

Essential oils, when topically applied have a slow-release mechanic. Ideally, perform these rituals in the evening, then spend some time relaxing, reading, breathing, or just doing nothing while they are on the skin/scalp.

Use as little oil/cream as you can – you really are looking for absorption into the skin, so apply small amounts at a time and focus on long, firm upward moving strokes as you massage them in.

Essential Oil Facal Masks

Warm your oil or cream a little in the microwave (think warm – not hot), then add a drop of each of your essential oils.

You can use any brush to apply – I’ve used both a fan brish and a pastry brush (or even use your fingers if you need to, with small amounts each time).

Starting about 10cm below the clavicle bone, apply the warm cream or oil evenly to your skin using upward strokes. Apply first to your upper chest & neck, then refresh the brush, sweep across the jawline one side at a time moving from the ear to the chin. Thirdly, move your brush from the jawline up to the temple and cheekbones, working from the outside in. Finally, brush across the forehead from the temple to the brow centre line, up both sides of the nose, then along your upper lip with the remaining product still on your brush.

Next, move to massage each of those areas one at a time, with flat hands – one hand following the other, using a medium to firm pressure. Take your time & use broad long strokes, one hand following the other.

The mission is to absorb as much product as possible through the massage, so continue your upward sweeps, continuously moving around the zones above.

Once you have massaged in as much oil as you feel you can, massage any remaining product into the backs of your hands, relax for ten to twenty minutes.

All told, this ritual will take a little over 30 minutes. You can leave the oils in your skin overnight if you wish to, or remove them with a cleanser as you usually would.

Which Essential Oils To Use For Facial Masks:

Normal skin: bergamot, sandalwood, lavender

Dry or mature skin: Sandalwood, lavender, frankincense & geranium

Oily skin: cedarwood, lemon, clary sage

Combination skin: cedarwood, geranium, ylang ylang, lemon

Note: avoid the sun & any UV light source after using lemon or bergamot essential oil on your skin

Essential Oil Hair Masks

Hair masking can get messy if you use too much oil. Remember, you are applying the oil (or cream if you prefer). The easiest approach is to section the scalp and work on one section at a time, massaging more with your fingertips than your whole hand. Absorption through the scalp is faster than through the skin, so you won’t need to leave your mask on for quite as long.

Warm your oil (about 100ml should be plenty). Add a drop of each oil, blend the essential oil into your warm oil.

Use a brush to apply the oil, but dab rather than brush. Doing one section at a time will allow you to apply the oil, then massage it in with your fingertips on each section.

Once all sections have been done, if you wish to, use the heels of your palms to massage firmly in short upward strokes from the base of the skull (the occipital ridge). Use short strokes about 10cm long. Move around the head, starting at the back and moving to the sides – always with short, upward sweeping motions. You can use your knuckles if that’s easier for you.

Once you’ve completed massaging the oil or cream into the skull, place a towel around your head and relax for 10 – 20 minutes before removing the medium in the shower. To get the oils out of your hair effectively, use a tiny bit of shampoo directly on the scalp and emulsify before adding water & shampooing as usual. This will lift the oils out easily and leave your hair & scalp feeling great!

Hair Masks & Rinses

Damaged hair: bergamot, geranium, sandalwood.

Oily hair: bergamot, sage.

Dandruff: eucalyptus, tea tree, cedarwood

Thinning hair: cedarwood, rosemary (don’t use rosemary if epileptic or pregnant)

Remember: your oil application is on the scalp – not the hair. You don’t the need hair to be oiled. Generally, hair masks are easier if you use an oil  base rather than cream.

The science behind colour therapy or chromotherapy is interesting – and fits perfectly alongside essential oils

The first time I heard about this, I have to admit, I dismissed it, but then, after speaking to a number of therapists in different fields who use chromotherapy, I tried it, and I was surprised to find that it was a thing. I didn’t make the connection between the coloured lights on the Diffusers and the theory of colour therapy for a couple of years.

When I tried the colours in combination with essential oils, I was pretty impressed. Everything made sense – especially the halftones.

So, here are the colours and how they can impact:

• Cyan Blue – to reduce stress & enhance a state of rational calmness
• Red – to reduce feelings of hypertension & promote courage
• Yellow – to reduce melancholy or feelings of sadness
• Green – to enhance balance
• Mauve/Violet – to enhance restfulness
• Pink – to reduce feelings of anxiousness
• Silver/White – to enhance wellness

I must add at this point that many many institutions use these colours in clinic and therapy rooms to impact on a patient or client’s mindset.

Here is a little more on the theory of each of the colours used in colour therapy:

Blue is an intellectual colour. It helps promote feelings of calmness, a restoring of logic and of clarity of communication. Blue also helps remove emotion from situations – thus enabling a more rational state of mind and presence of mind.

Red is the colour of action. It is stimulating, but is also warming and delivers courage – assisting with a feeling of having control and fighting the feelings of being out of control.

Yellow is the colour of optimism, yellow helps where self-esteem is lacking. The flipside of yellow is that it can also cause people to hold back. Moving from yellow to red would be a good example of managing your day by colours.

Mauve/Violet is the spiritual colour of reflection and deep thought. it helps bring feelings of satisfaction, quality and a lesser focus on details or daily toils. Violet is useful at night when sleep is restless.

Colour Therapy and essential oils.

To match colours with oils will definitely have an additional impact. Here’s a guide to get started:

• Cyan Blue – to reduce stress & enhance a state of rational calmness | Essential Oils – Stress Less Blend, Marjoram, Frankincense, Sweet Orange
• Red – to reduce feelings of hypertension & promote courage | Essential Oils – Ylang Ylang, Lavender, Lemongrass
• Yellow – to reduce melancholy or feelings of sadness | Essential Oils Bergamot, Rosemary, Mandarin, Orange
• Green – to enhance balance | Essential Oils Geranium, Marjoram, Lavender, Orange
• Mauve/Violet – to enhance restfulness & recovery | Essential Oils Deep Rest Blend, Frankincense, Lavender, Ginger
• Silver/White – to enhance wellness | Essential Oils Eucalyptus, Lavender, Tea Tree, Ginger

This is a guide only and can vary by individual. The universal truth, however, is that the more you learn about essential oil and alternative therapies, the more they impact your life.

Essential Oils for Stress Management:

Essential oils can help improve sleep quality.

We’re a special breed – and weirdly, we appear to understand each other well.

Nothing takes the shine off your day like a crappy night’s sleep.

It seems that being excited, being sad, being worried – even needing to get up early to catch a flight can keep you awake at night.

Let’s look into the things that might help with sleep improvement – and yes, I am going to give you some essential oil blends to try, but I feel it goes broader than that.

Pre-sleep preparation guide.

1. Have a ‘finish work’ time, and stop cramming last minute jobs in after it.
2. Give yourself an after-I-have-finished-working task – like a short walk, a warm shower, a cup of tea and a lie-down or just standing outside looking at the clouds (or the moon) just pick something out that you enjoy doing and mark out 5 minutes to do it as a ‘finish the workday’ ritual.
3. Get your PulsePoint essential oil Deep Rest or Stress Less blend out and apply around your neck, the base of the skull, across your shoulders & clavicle. Optional extra – apply across the backs of your knees and ankles. Those are areas with lots of lymph. If you don’t have a Pulsepoint, use the essential oil blend and mix a drop or two into massage oil or moisturising lotion & massage that in.
4. Massage the oils in.
5. About an hour before bed, add a few drops of the essential oil blend to your diffuser.
6. Set the coloured lights on your diffuser (if you have coloured lights) to the deepest mauve colour you can get – mauve is the deep resting colour.
   1. 1. • Sit in a chair with both feet flat on the floor and work your way through this relaxation exercise:
           With one hand, pinch the other (meaning bring the thumb and first finger closer together, effectively pinching the space between each finger – first do the larger gap in between the thumb and fingers, then pinch the space between the phalanges bones between each of the fingers. Pinch and hold firmly. Count to ten for each hold. This should take you a couple of minutes. Also pinch the pad on the outside of the little finger.
         • Now lie flat (I do this on the floor with a pillow under my head) with your feet up (I put them on the chair). If you are more comfortable on a bed or couch that’s fine. Concentrate on allowing your head and shoulders to connect with the ground. It will feel like a long time. Stay in this position for at least 3 minutes. Close your eyes and try to bring that deep mauve colour of the diffuser into your closed eye vision.
         • Stay lying down for another 2 or three minutes and shift your focus to breathing to the bottom of your stomach – think about breathing in through your nose, filling your stomach with air – then slowly releasing it to a count of ten through your mouth. Do at least ten of those.

You will find that you are feeling calmer and that your mind has slowed down.

Keep your diffuser on during the night, even if you don’t have essential oils in it. The negative ions in the vapour will keep the air fresh & clean.

NOTES: you don’t have to have PulsePoint, you can just add your essential oils to a base (carrier) oil and do it that way, but you do not need much at all.
If your end of day ritual involves a bath, make it a warm bath and blend your essential oils in a heavy oil like flaxseed and add that to your bath.

Essential oil blends for sleep.

Evening – finishing after work: Deep Rest Blend or Stress Less Blend

• Boost with frankincense if you need an additional ‘unwind’ factor.
• Boost with mandarin if you are experiencing ‘racing mind’ or feeling anxious about something.
• Boost with sweet orange if you are feeling bloated or digestion is an issue.
• Boost with Bergamot if you feel a bit down (add Ginger if you feel really down, or if grief is a factor)
• Boost with lemongrass if you are feeling overwhelmed.

When ready to sleep: Sleep Support Blend

• Boost with frankincense if required
• Apply Deep Rest Blend PulsePoint if a boost is required

Essential Oils For Sleep Improvement