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BIOBALM is a 100% natural skin care balm and adaptogen for the skin. Great as a night cream. It is also an intensive skin healing balm that relieves very dry skin, eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, skin rashes and rosacea. Suited for the routine care of sensitive skin prone to allergies and to soothe any parched and thirsty skin. Dissolves damaged and abnormal tissues, triggers skin regeneration and is a powerful antioxidant. |
 50 Gram Bottle: $55.95 |
Scarlet Balm is a plant in the mint family with the 'latin' name of: Monarda Didyma, also known as beebalm, bergamot or sometimes Oswego tea. It's latin name comes from Nicholas Monardes (1493-1588) a physician and botanist living in Seville, Spain who described the american plant in his work, American Floras, in 1571.
The common name bergamot comes from the resemblance (at least to somebody’s nose) of the plant fragrance to the bergamot orange. Beebalm comes from its ability to attract and apparently soothe bees while Oswego tea became distinguished when a Quaker botanist, John Bartram, sampled a tea made by Native North Americans from the leaves at Fort Oswego, New York.
Oswego Tea became such a popular tea during the colonial period, the colonists hardly missed their black tea when it was sacrificed during the Boston Tea Party in 1773.
As was often the case, early North American settlers learned of the medicinal properties of this genus of plants from the natives of the land. Native Americans treated skin disorders and inflammations with poultices made from various species of Monarda. They also used teas and steam inhalants made from the leaves to treat respiratory difficulties.
A Native American Adaptogen for Your Skin - Scarlet Balm = Oswego Tea
Wild scarlet balm tastes like oregano and mint. The taste of bee balm is reminiscent of citrus with soft mingling of lemon and orange. The red flowers have a minty flavor. Any place you use oregano, you can use bee balm blossoms. The leaves and flower petals can also be used in both fruit and regular salads.
During the American Revolution in 1773, the colonists protested the tea tax with the Boston Tea Party-therefore not drinking English Tea. To satisfy their craving for tea, they drank tea made from scarlet or bee balm leaves. This was introduced to them by the New York Oswego Indians, and is now called Oswego Tea. So, is Oswego Tea the same as Earl Grey Tea?--for Earl Grey Tea's main ingrediant is monarda!
The leaves can be dried, although they loose some of their flavor, for tea. The tea is used for relieving mentrual cramps, nausea, and gas. A steam bath with monarda will help broncial problems and sore throats.
Monarda has as many uses as it has species, variety, and folk names. The flowers make an attractive and tasty addition to soups, salads, baked goods, jellies, and beverages. The flowers and leaves can also be used in dried floral arrangements. The essential oil is often used in perfumery and in cosmetic preparations, particularly those formulated for dry skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
Modern herbalists recommend scarlet or bee balm tea for sore throats, coughs, nausea, and menstrual cramps. The essential oil of scarlet balm also has antibacterial and antiseptic applications.
Monarda didyma and M. punctata contain thymol, which has shown to be effective in repelling intestinal parasites and in destroying bacteria. There have also been studies which suggest that M. didyma may inhibit the action of herpes simplex and other related viruses. However, this constituent has not been standardized to a level of therapeutic benefit without undesirable side effects and use of the pure form can produce vomiting and diarrhea. Usually, a synthetic form of thymol is now used in formulas intended to be ingested.
There are at least 17 species of Monarda, which are actually mints belonging to the family Lamiaceae. Monarda didyma, one of the most popular species due to it's vivid scarlet color, grows abundantly in the woodlands of the Eastern United States. This is the variety that forms the hub of the traditional garden designed to attract hummingbirds.
Lemon bee balm (M. citriodora) is naturalized in the Appalachian Mountains, and the Southwest is home to M. fitulosa, known as wild oregano. This species possesses the taste and aroma of true oregano to such a likeness that it is often sold as a substitute for the "real thing."
