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Badger: Healthy Body Care on the Go

Road trip to PortlandMy past few weeks have been spread out across the west coast – from Oregon, where my line of jewelry was on the runway, to meetings in Sacramento, parties and photo shoots in Los Angeles and events in Bakersfield and Orange County. Finally, over three weeks later, here I am in San Francisco, at a friend’s kitchen counter – eating an organic wheat bagel and preparing to leave to find wifi at a nearby cafe.

I’ve always been what my aunt calls, “about as low maintenance as high maintenance can get.” It’s a family trait, and we’re a family of females. I have a high propensity to overworking myself and committing to too many things – particularly when it comes to travel. When I’m not traveling overseas, I’m traveling in the states, and I’m all too familiar with the sad sensation that comes from realizing that my time on the road has taken a toll on my skin, not to mention my well being in general.

I’ve been looking, for a long time now, for all natural products that are not only good for me, but easy to throw in my suitcase.

Fortunately, I discovered just what I was looking for in products from W.S Badger, a family run business out of rural Gilsum, New Hampshire. Badger started in the kitchen of Bill Whyte – a carpenter working outdoors in harsh New England winters. After having difficulty finding anything to heal his dry and cracked hands, he formulated Badger [Healing] Balm in his kitchen. When the formula was successful, he decided to share his products with others – thus beginning what is now known as Badger – a company of all natural body care solutions. Beyond their commitment to natural products, the company is open about their mission to further their vision for a healthier world through the expression of how they handle business through green initiatives and charitable giving practices.  And, I couldn’t be more impressed.

Badger offers a range of all natural products that I was anxious to try on the go – from their all natural bug spray (taking that one with me to Uganda to try out in September) to their headache cream that marketing manager Jentri Provenzano assured me would not just help with sudden headaches, but would also provide me with a calming sensation while I was on the go.

She was right. The company’s all natural headache balm is made from Eucalyptus and peppermint, and, after giving my skin a delightful tingling sensation, provides me with a calming sensation, a clearer head and helps me to breathe normally again when I’m about ready to burst over a model’s unfinished hair or a crisis backstage. Like all of their other products, Badger’s creams are USDA Certified Organic, and include all natural ingredients such as olive oil, beeswax and lavender. Provenzano said that, in a pinch, she even uses their headache cream as an on-the-go natural deodorant.

“Pretty much all of our products are meant to be practical travel companions,” Provenzano said.

Badger’s other balms include sore muscle rub, aromatic chest rub and sleep balm, among others. All their balms come in .75oz tins, which make them TSA compliant, and perfect for a girl on the go. Other unique all natural travel products include their aloe vera sunscreen lotion, their Cheerful and Stress Soother Kit and their all natural Moroccan mint face and body soap. All of their products FDA certified, and go through rigorous third party testing to make sure they are natural and effective.

“We want to be certain we’re offering the protection we advertise,”  Provenzano said. “We want people to be confident using our stuff, knowing that it really matters to us.”

Shop Badger in their online store.

Written by Shanley Knox

Founder/owner of the Nakate Project, an initiative bringing third world female artisans to high fashion. I am passionate about all things that are truly sustainable, and truly making a positive difference in the world around us.

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