Written by Madison Butkus
Local weekly magazine reporter
Needham Free Public Library (NFPL) hosted a body balm event that taught participants how to make their own natural body balm.
This free event was sponsored by the Needham Library Foundation (LFN) and featured instructor Garine Arakelian, founder of Kulina folk art. As attendees filed in, their seats were filled with double-walled plastic containers, popsicle sticks, essential oils, and recipe cards.
Before everyone created their own body balm, Arakelian gave a brief explanation of the ingredients used and a detailed demonstration on how to create the balm.
She explained that because she is a potter, she noticed that her hands were very dry and irritated. When other balms didn’t work, she decided she wanted to make her own. After more than six months of research, mostly from local libraries, she created several recipes that ended up working wonders for her.
This particular recipe uses 1 tablespoon beeswax, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 tablespoon shea butter, 1.5 teaspoons olive oil, 5 teaspoons cornstarch, and 15-20 drops of essential oil. Arakelian pointed out that these measurements are not an exact science and the situation could be adjusted. She suggests testing out different things yourself to see exactly what each person likes.
To make the class go a little faster, Arakelian melted beeswax, coconut oil, and shea butter ahead of time for attendees to use. They added this melted mixture to a combination of cornstarch and olive oil that was mixed together in a jar. Once that was all combined, it was time for participants to choose the essential oils they wanted to include. Arakelian brought lemon, wholewood, lavender and geranium essential oils and encouraged participants to use two or three of them if they wished.
After stirring everything, just leave it alone and your body balm is complete. If attendees don’t use it right away, Arakelian suggested storing it in the refrigerator to extend its shelf life. She explained that as long as you don’t add water to the jar and use it without sticking your fingers in the container, it will last a very long time without getting moldy.
Participants left the event with their own body balm and its recipe, allowing them to continue making their own body balms at home. For more information on upcoming events like this at NFPL, please visit the NFPL website at www.needhamlibrary.org.
