MNN - Mother Nature Network

Thanks to Patricia West, a woman’s most beloved indispensables — chocolate and lip balm — are together at last. West, a cancer survivor, drew on the healing aromatherapy properties of cocoa (it’s known to elevate moods and calm nerves by stimulating serotonin) when she created Ganache for Lips, her line of all-natural lip balms made with real Scharrfen Berger chocolate.

 

The plant-based balms, which come in flavors like Chocolate Mint and Chocolate Mousse, protect sensitive lip tissue without any harmful — not to mention gross-tasting — petroleum-based additives that actually dry skin out and wreak havoc on the environment. Instead, she uses natural emollients like sweet almond oil, Vitamin E and raspberry extract. Even better news: she’s working on other product lines. Chocolate-chip cookie body cream anyone?

 

Story by Lisa Stasiulewicz. This article originally appeared in Plenty in June 2007. This story was added to MNN.com in August 2009.

 

Copyright Environ Press 2007