I have been wanting to write this post for what feels like forever. I'm a huge lover of face balms especially in the winter. I thought I would do an overview of nine balms I was loving this winter. I'm always discovering new ones so I'm sure there will be a part two next winter. I'll start top left with Maya Chia The Super Blend Pressed Serum Concentrate. This has a less oily and thicker texture. The butters give this one a nice creamy, richer texture. This one has loads of antioxidants like superpower astaxanthin, CoQ10 & vitamin C ester. The shea & kokum butter combined with beeswax give this it's thicker texture. Chia seed oil is rich in omega 3 fatty acids plus it's high in antioxidants and is anti-inflammatory. Lupin extract is nice for firming and anti-aging. I talked about it HERE.
I discovered the Live Botanical Renewing Concentrate in the Art of Organics Subscription Box. This one has a very delicious melty balm texture. Unlike the firmer Maya Chia one this balm melts like an oil into the skin. It has no butters. Just oils and waxes for texture/moisture. This balm has chia, CoQ10 and lupine extract like the other but laso has antioxidant rich green tea, seaberry and rosehip oils. I love how light this one is. I could use this one all year long but it will be especially nice in the summer when I need a lighter balm. This is probably the lightest of the group. I talked about it HERE and it's top middle in the photo above.
Another delicious melty soft balm is the Lovinah Goddess Glow brightening Beauty Balm. This has a similar texture to the Live Botanical but it's a bit thicker. Only waxes, extracts and oils, no butters. The lighter texture is nice year round as well for me (hot and humid Houston). This is a multi-purpose balm. It's got antioxidants, brighteners (licorice and vitamin C), natural retinol and light exfoliants. The natural retinol comes from bakuchiol, moth bean and cacay oil. This also has antioxidants, CoQ10, astaxanthin, vitamin C & E, rosehip & seabuckthorn. The sugar cane, lemon, orange and sugar maple extracts give this a boost from natural exfoliants. These are all natural forms of alpha hydroxy acids. I really love the splash of 24 K gold on this. This is like the ultimate glow face balm of the group. It's top right in the photo.
May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon is the ultimate face balm. It's the Rolls Royce. This blue tansy balm is the ultimate sensorial experience. Blue Cocoon has butters so it's got a thicker hydrating texture. The best part of this balm is the anti-inflammatory and soothing properties it has. Blue tansy is great for this. Azulene is what gives blue tansy it's color and soothing properties. The aromatherapy associated with this balm is why you reach for this one time and time again. It was easily the one I reached for the most. If you want luxury (cause it's pricey) with a truly decadent experience this is the balm for you. It's the middle left balm in the pic above.
African Botanics Intense Skin Repair Balm is the heaviest of the lot but it's also the most nourishing. If you want a balm to hydrate and nourish your skin, this is it. This is perfect after an acid peel or some kind of treatment. This has multiple butters mixed with the oils so it's thick and moisturizing. This is the ultimate winter savior balm. When my skin is feeling dry and in desperate need of nourishment, I reach for this one. While Blue Cocoon is soothing and anti-inflammatory this one is repairing and deeply moisturizing. While heavier it's not greasy, just richer. It does take a while to sink in though. Read my review HERE. This is middle of the photo above.
OKOKO Sublime just got a delicious makeover. Sublime used to be a solid balm but jut recently it got a new whipped texture which is phenomenal. This bright orange balm has butters so it's thicker and richer as well. This balm has carrot seed & tomato oils, seabuckthorn, vitamin E, fermented willow bark (natural beta hydroxy acids for pore clearing), kaolin clay, calnedula and astaxanthin. The texture, color and ingredients are unique. I love tomato oil as it's rich in the antioxidant lycopenes. This balm is middle right in the photo above. Beware as this one can stain pillow cases. Let it sink in before going to bed.
Earthwise Beauty Yasuni Face Balm has the hardest texture of all of these balms but it's also remarkably light. I would put it in the top three for light texture. It's got a lot of butters (the most of all the balms) so it's moisturizing but also with an oddly light texture. It sinks right in and isn't heavy. This has antioxidant fruit oils like acai, cranberry & raspberry. Plus it has my favorite power packed antioxidant-green coffee bean oil. This was easily one of my favorite balms last year because it is so light and I adore all green coffee bean oil products. I talked about it HERE.
YOU Skincare Multivitamin Face Balm packs a punch with its lush rich creamy texture plus it has liposomal retinol. This balm is soothing and nourishing with it's antioxidants and vitamins. This one is unique in that it has aloe (so it's a hybrid balm-cream) and soothing rice bran oil. This balm has a few butters so it's got the thicker texture. It's also got carrot seed oil, seabuckthorn, acai, pomegranate and black cumin oils. The texture of this balm has been redone and it's smoother than what I have pictured. Review HERE. This one is bottom middle in the picture above.
Josh Rosebrook Vital Balm Cream is a balm-cream hybrid like YOU Skincare. It's first ingredient is aloe as well. Vital Balm Cream has butters so it's thicker. It has blue tansy, honey (antibacterial, nourishing), olive & avocado oils (very hydrating), borage, seabuckthorn, broccoli, ashwagandha (adaptogenic herb), turmeric, marshmallow, ginger and other herbal extracts. This balm has the most herbal extracts of any of the balms. The balm has a thick creamy texture. It very much feels like you mixed a balm and a cream. Indian Senna Seed is known as the botanical hyaluronic acid and it's number four in the inci list. It's hydrating and soothing but the lightest in terms of hydration from this lot of balms. Review HERE. This balm is bottom right in the photo above.
All these balms have similar yet different purposes. YOU Skincare & Lovinah are your retinol balms. The richest is African Botanics, followed by Maya Chia, OKOKO then May Lindstrom. The lightest balms are Live Botanical, Lovinah & Earthwise Beauty. Josh Rosebrook & YOU Skincare are hybrid balm-creams with aloe. Josh Rosebrook and May Lindstrom are you soothing blue tansy balms. All the balms are packed with antioxidants. May Lindstrom is the most decadent and expensive but the aromatherapy benefits are second to none. Josh Rosebrook has a very interesting inci list with a lot of unique ingredients. I wish these all came in mini sizes as it's hard to use a full size balm unless it's you only own one. I can only use them in the winter and then I have to store them away minus an occasional time when I want a nourishing balm after a treatment or peel. May Lindstrom, Earthwise Beauty, Lovinah & African Botanics were my favorites and most used from this group.
*Live Botanical gifted by Art of Organics Box. All others paid for by me. All thoughts are my own.
Ingredients:
Maya Chia
*Orbignya Oleifera (Babassu) Seed Oil, Supercritical Chia (Salvia Hispanica) Seed Oil and Haematococcus Pluvialis Algal (Astaxanthin) Extract, Butyrospermun parkii (Shea) Butter, Garcinia indica (Kokum) Butter, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (Vitamin C Ester), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil (and) Lupinus Albus Seed Extract, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Polyglycerol-3 Beeswax, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (and) *Achillea Millefolium (Yarrow) Leaf Extract, *Savia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, *Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Extract, *Utica Dioca (Nettle) Leaf Extract, Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10), Mica, *Rose Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens), *Citrus Aurantium Amara (Neroli) Essential Oil, *Aniba Roseodora (Rosewood) Essential Oil, Jasminum grandiforum (Jasmine) Absolute (hexane-free), Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel EssentialOil, *Citrus Reticulata (Mandarin) Essential Oil, Botanical Extracts
Live Botanical
Salvia hispanica (chia) seed oil*, Camellia japonica (green tea) seed oil*, Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) wax*, Euphorbia antisyphilitica (candelilla) wax, Attalea speciosa (babassu) oil*, Hippophae rhamnoides (seaberry) supercritical extract*, Rosa canina (rose-hip) supercritical extract*, herbal infusion of Rosa centifolia (rose) flower*, Matricaria recutita (chamomile) flower* and Lavandula angustifolia (lavender) flower*, Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil*, Lupinas albas (lupine) seed extract, Ubiquinone (CoQ10), Eriocephalus punctulatus (cape chamomile) essential oil*
Lovinah
Caryodendron orinocense (Kahai Nut Oil), Sugarcane derived Squalane, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Nigella sativa (black cumin) CO2 oil, Abyssinian (Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil), Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (Vitamin C), Phoenix Dactylifera (Date) Seed Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Nilotica Shea, Raphanus sativus (radish) seed oil, Rubus Fruticosus (Blackberry) Seed Oil, Rosa Canina (Rosehip) CO2, Sea Buckthorn Oil (Hippophae hamnoides) CO2, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil & Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract & Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract & Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract & Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract & Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Prunus Domestica (Plum) Seed Oil , Actinidia Deliciosa (Kiwi) Fruit Seed Oil, Bakuchiol ,Synovea (Hexylresorcinol),Undecylenoyl phenylalanine. Vigna Acontifolia (moth bean), Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Beta- Carotene, Alpha Bisabolol, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Ubiquinone, D-alpha tocopherol (Vitamin E),Haematococcus Pluvialis (Astaxanthin) Extract, Linoleic Acid, Rosmarinus officinalis Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Jasminum Sambac (Jasmine) , Cananga Odorata Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender), Boswellia Carteri (Frankincense) Oil,Commiphora Myrrha Oil, Vanilla Planifolia, 24K Gold flakes
May Lindstrom
*Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, ***Butyrospermun Parkii (Shea) Butter, ***Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, ***Sclerocarya Birrea (Marula) Seed Oil, *Adansonia Digitata (Baobab) Oil, *Tanacetum Annuum (Blue Tansy) Oil, **Commiphora Myrrha (Myrrh) Oil, *Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, **Boswellia Serrate Gum (Frankincense) Oil, *Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium Rose) Oil, *Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla) Co2 Oil, Schisandra Sphenanthera Co2 Fruit Extract, *Helichrysum Italicum (Immortelle) Oil, Ravensara Aromatica Oil, +Linalool, +Citronellol, +Geraniol, +Limonene
African Botanics
Trichilia Emetica (Cape Mahogany) Mafura Seed Butter*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Sclerocarya Birrea (Marula) Seed Oil*, Aqua (Water), Squalane, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter*, Beeswax, Jasmine Grandiflorum (Jasmine) Flower Oil, Adansonia Digitata (Baobab) Seed Oil*, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Oil, Isoamyl Laurate, Niacinamide, Rosa Damascena (Rose) Flower Oil, Citrillus Lanatus (Kalahari Melon) Seed Oil*, Helichrysum Angustifolium (Immortelle/Everlasting) Oil, Citrus Bergamia (Bergamot) Oil, Rosa Moschata (Rosehip) Seed Oil, Pichia (Resveratrol) Ferment Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate, Bulbinella Nutens (Bulbinella) Extract*, Aspalathus Linearis (Green Rooibos) Tea Extract, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Phospholipids, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Safflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, Ubiquinone (CoQ10), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), D-Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (Vitamin C Ester), Squalane. *Wild-Harvested, Unrefined and Fair Trade ingredients.
OKOKO
*Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, **Garcinia Indica Seed Butter, Dilauryl Citrate, *Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, *Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Solanum Lycopersicum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, *Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Aqua, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, *Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Lactobacillus Bulgaricus/Salix Alba Bark Ferment Filtrate, Kaolin, *Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Sterols, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, *Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil Expressed, Allantoin, *Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, *Pelargonium Graveolens Leaf Oil, *Citrus Aurantium Flower Oil, Bisabolol, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, *Citrus Bergamia Peel Oil Expressed, *Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Extract, *Jasminum Grandiflorum Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, *Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, D-Limonene, Linalol, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral, Farnesol, Benzyl Alcohol, Eugenol, Benzyl Benzoate
* Certified Organic
** Wild Harvested
Earthwise Beauty
Cold-press unrefined Theobroma grandiflorum (cupuaçu) seed butter†, cold-press unrefined Garcinia indica (kokum) seed butter†, cold-press unrefined Platonia insignis (bacuri) seed butter†, cold-press unrefined Astrocaryum tucuma seed butter†, cold-press unrefined Euterpe oleracea (açai) fruit oil†, cold-press unrefined non-GMO Vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry) seed oil (organic whenever available), cold-press unrefined Rubus ideaus (raspberry) seed oil*, cold-press unrefined Coffea arabica (green coffee) seed oil†, cold-press unrefined Sclerocarya birrea (marula) seed oil*, tocopherol (vit. E from non-GMO sunflowers), cold-press unrefined Mauritia flexuosa (buriti) fruit oil†, Sambucus nigra (elderberry) fruit extract.
*Certified organic. †Responsibly wildcrafted.
Certified cruelty free, vegan, handcrafted, small batch.
YOU Skincare
Aloe Barbadensis Juice, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Garcinia Indica (Kokum) Butter, Sorbitan Olivate, Lycium Barbarum (Goji) Seed Oil, Sambucus Nigra (Elderberry) Fruit Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Extract, Theobroma Grandiflorum (Cupuacu) Butter, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Fruit Oil, Orbignya Oleifera (Babassu) Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Lipids, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Glycerin, Euterpe Oleracea (Acai) Sterols, Euterpe Oleracea (Acai) Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Retinol, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil, Phospholipids, Nigella sativa (Black Cumin) Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid, Benzylalcohol, Citrus Sinensis (Sweet Orange) Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Oil, Litsea Cubeba Oil, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Oil.
Josh Rosebrook
*Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, *Mango Seed Butter, *Honey, *Indian Senna Seed Extract (Botanical Hyaluronic Acid), *Shea Butter, *Olive Oil,*Avocado Oil, *Jojoba Seed Oil, *Borage Seed Oil, *Evening Primrose Oil, *Sea Buckthorn Oil, *Vitamin E, †Broccoli Seed Oil, *Witch Hazel, *Ashwagandha, *Turmeric, *Rose Hips, *Goji Berry, *Calendula, *Black Cohosh, *Elderberry, *Bladderwrack, *Marshmallow Root, *Ginger, *Fenugreek, *Chickweed, *Licorice, *Raspberry Leaf, *Dandelion, *Sage, *Eyebright, *Milk Thistle, *Rose Petal, *St. John’s Wort, *Cat’s Claw, *Cinnamon, *Lavender, *Ginkgo Biloba, *Gum Arabic, §Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, †Blue Tansy Essential Oil, †Ylang Ylang Essential Oil, †Lavender Essential Oil, *Vanilla Extract.
Our Indian Senna Seed/Cassia Angustafolia extract is made in-house along with all of our herbal extracts and infusions.
*Certified Organic
†Organic
‡Wildcrafted
§Non-GMO Plant Sourced
Ohhhh do I have a few suggestions for the fellow balm lover 😉
Brand : Mono Naturoils ! They have 2 balms , one is the Tranquility Blue Tansy ( you'll use it and ask "Blue Cocoon WHAT ?!WHO!? ) and the 2nd & my favorite is the Sol balm ( goes on like a warm blanket of flowers on the skin ! I use it as a last skincare step ,as a protective balm if I'm hiking during winter OR before a heavier foundation if I have been using my prescription retinol ) . Then comes the heavy weight category called Siam Seas Elements beauty balm , I tend to use this as a once a week treat OR in winter months when the central heating really kicks in and my cheeks get a bit more red than usual .
Kisses xxx
I picked up Kari Gran Essential Balm at Lemon Laine (in the Heights!) and it's amazing. Sinks in very well!
This was really usefull when deciding between May Lindstrom and Josh Rosebrook - I decided on neither and going with African Botanics!