Editorial
Front Page - Friday, October 22, 2010
What'll they dream up next?
Omnibalm Daily Foot Therapy
Misty S. Brown
My hippy aunt who once helped run a family restaurant before the economy took a drastic hit, always made fun of me when I’d invite her out to eat at a corporate restaurant or tell her I was shopping in a chain store.
As I’ve watched our economy go down the tubes, people losing their jobs and the big companies expanding like the beltline of a fat kid who loves cake, I’ve learned that some of her hippy ways aren’t necessarily a bad thing.
More and more, I’ve discovered that the best service and best products come from mom-and-pop-owned venues, rather than the large conglomerates. That’s why I really like to keep things local whenever I can.
On top of using local vendors, one thing that is important to me is that products I ingest or put on my skin be of natural origin and not tested on animals. My skin tends to be extra sensitive, so the more natural the product, the better it is for me. When I came across Omnibalm Daily Foot Therapy, I was impressed that the company was headquartered in my hometown of Little Rock, Ark., and a local pharmaceutical researcher created it.
What it is
Omnibalm Daily Foot Therapy is a non-greasy foot cream that is infused with tea tree oil to help soften and repair dry, cracked skin, leaving healthy feet and fresh-smelling shoes.
How it works
The proprietary formula combines moisturizers with 13 percent of the highest quality tea tree oil. The tea tree oil is derived from the Melaleuca alternifolia, which is native to Australia, and is known for its antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal properties.
The cream should be massaged onto the feet, with special attention made on rough-er, thicker areas. It can also be used on the elbows or on other areas where the skin is itching or burning.
Pros and cons
If you have never smelled tea tree oil, you’re in for a surprise. The scent of tea tree oil is rather strong and overpowering, so it is a good thing this product is meant for your feet. It does contain a cucumber melon fragrance that somewhat offsets the powerful scent, but you can certainly tell it is a natural product. It does keep your shoes smelling fresh though.
The thing I like most about this product, aside from it being local and natural, is that it works and does exactly what it claims to do. My feet feel clean and soft after one application. The tea tree oil also helps diminish any itching in my feet that might be caused from not wearing socks with my dress shoes or showering at the gym in flip-flops.
This product is also effective at alleviating itching caused by insect bites. If your feet become hot at night or your rough skin catches on the sheets, this is very soothing to apply just before bed. Also, foot care is a crucial area for diabetic patients, and this product can be used for normal and diabetic foot care.
One negative thing about this product is that my shoes aren’t used to my feet being so moisturized, so my feet slip around a little bit in my heels if I don’t let the cream absorb completely before donning my shoes.
Also, the high concentration of tea tree oil might be toxic if ingested, according to the American Cancer Society, so it should be kept away from children and pets. That means being extra careful to wash your hands after applying the product and not allowing it to be mixed with food or on surfaces that children or pets might put in their mouths. I would presume this is to mean that significant amounts of the product shouldn’t be on your hands when you pet an animal since they use their mouths to groom.
While the cream comes in a three-ounce bottle, a little bit will go a long way. It might be a little pricey, but it will do the trick.
Where to buy
Since this is a local product, the availability isn’t as wide as name brand, mass-produced products. In Arkansas and Tennessee, it is available at SuperD and USA Drug stores. There are select towns in Arkansas where it is available at other retailers. The product is also available in Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Florida, Missouri, New York and Ohio. You can also purchase the product at the company’s website at www.omnibalm.com for $13.99 for three ounces. If you like the foot cream, the skin relief cream is also available for $12.99 for 1.75 ounces.
Submissions
Send your comments and questions to misty@dailydata.com.
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