Standout Cosmetic and Body Care Products at Expo East 2022

Although most people came to Expo East for the food and endless snacks, there were also plenty of cosmetic and body care products that our team was eager to learn more about. 

From essential massage oils to bacteria-fighting nasal sprays to peppermint soap, these three brands we met at Expo East have got you covered from head to toe when it comes to natural and effective body care.

Olbas Herbal Remedies: Harnessing the Soothing Power to Breathe

Originating in Basel, Switzerland, Olbas Herbal Remedies has been relieving aches and pains, enhancing breathing, and calming coughs and sore throats for over a century (FYI, OLBAS is an acronym for Oleum Basileum, or “Oil from Basel”). 

While much of their product line is designed to be taken internally—like cough syrups and tinctures—Olbas also carries several external body care items, including massage oils containing peppermint, eucalyptus, cajeput, wintergreen, juniper, and clove.

Some of our team members agree that the oils do their job, as we took advantage of the complimentary massages given at Olbas to soothe our sore shoulders from hours of lugging around sample-laden bags and heavy camera equipment. 

Olbas also carries an analgesic salve for minor body aches and pains and therapeutic essential oil bath liquids to turn your tub into a Swiss spa.

During our visit, we met with Karen Page, National Sales Manager, who shared with us the “Power to Breathe” that comes with the Olbas Inhaler and other essential oils.  

The essential oils from Olbas easily diffuse into the air, providing valuable benefits to the nasal and bronchial areas, as well as being readily absorbed into the skin to stimulate circulation and soothe tired muscles. 

Dr. Bronner’s: Making Minty Magic

Even if you’re not familiar with Dr. Bronner’s, you’d probably recognize the colorful bottles with words wrapped around all available surfaces. 

In case you aren’t wearing your reading glasses in the shower, the original Dr. Bronner used his “magic soap” bottles to share philosophical statements about peace, kindness, and faith—no surprise that this was well-received by hippies in the ‘60s. 

Now, Dr. Bronner’s is the top-selling liquid soap in North America, with the Pure Castille Soap boasting 18 different usages, from typical hand and body washing all the way to teeth cleaning and dog bathing. 

At Expo East 2022, we spoke with President Michael Bronner, the original founder’s grandson, who explained that their products are made better with premium, ethically sourced ingredients—including their famous peppermint soap, which is like “getting hugged by a snowman,” according to Michael.

This tracks, as Dr. Bronner’s is a Benefit Corporation and a Certified B Corp, using their humble beginnings as a soap-making enterprise to become a business using their growth for good.

In addition to soap, Dr. Bronner’s also makes organic hand sanitizer, shaving soaps, lotions, hair products, toothpaste, and more. 

P.S. Don’t forget to try their new and delicious peppermint chocolate—but don’t worry, their peppermint soap wasn’t involved in the candy-making process as one of the 18 suggested uses.

Xlear: Clearing the Way for Healthy Breathing

Xlear has been a leading manufacturer of products based around xylitol since 2000, when people first started learning about the benefits of this natural sugar alcohol. 

Lois Mizdal, the Vice President of Sales of Xlear, extolled to us the benefits of xylitol—and informed us how to say their brand name correctly (Psst, it’s pronounced “Clear,” so you don’t have to make the same mistake we did).

According to Lois, nasal hygiene is just as crucial to our health as washing our hands—if not more.

As we breathe in about 22,000 times a day, it makes sense that we’d want to “wash our noses” as much as we wash our hands.

Products like the Original Xylitol Nasal Spray can help block viral and bacterial adhesion during these tens of thousands of breaths we take through our noses (sorry, mouth breathers, we’ve got nothing for you here).

Some other notable products we checked out at the Xlear booth were the oral care product line known as Spry—your dentist (and anyone close enough to smell your breath) will thank you for using these xylitol-based gums, mints, toothpaste, and mouth rinses.