Face Balms: An Overview

Green, or more natural-based, skincare lines have been known for pushing the boundaries as well as our expectations of what see in our products. Sometimes, this does not just extended to the ingredients that are included (and not included) in their formulas but the particular type of product itself. one such Green Beauty-spun product that you don't often see equivalents of in the market is a a face balm.

When the eco-beauty scene really began to become popular on social media, many people were surprised to see the lack of traditional cream or lotionlike face moisturizers available in those brands, especially in the indie or luxury side of the market, and to this day, traditional creams can be somewhat of an anomaly in these types of skincare ranges. What they often have instead are face balms. Face balms are solidified blends of natural oils and butters that restore to a liquified state with the heat of the fingers as you work it into the skin. In this way, they act very much like cleansing balms, and in fact most can usually double as a cleansing balm. Just be wary of using ones with a large percentage of fragrant essential oils on the eye area, especially citrus oils. But the truest purpose of a face balm is to be a slow- release, skin-nourishing moisture layer.

Unlike a traditional cream or lotion, face balms are anhydrous, meaning that they contain no water. This not only helps to preserve the potency and efficacy of the oils of the solid balm (making apt them last longer than even a liquid face oil) but also helps to guard against the phenomenon of trans-epidermal water loss, which is the water in the base of most face products attracting the water stored inside our skin cells, leaving our skin feeling drier once the product we put on our face has absorbed and over time. This makes face balms an excellent choice for the driest skins to use, especially at night when the skin is more "relaxed" and may be more prone to water loss overnight. Face balms are also wonderful for those with frequently sensitive or sensitized skin or skin with a compromised barrier as the slow release of pure lipids from the oils really helps to rebuild and repair the skin barrier and helps to decrease skin peeling and flaking. I know from experience that this is quite true from my experience with a sample of the cult favorite May Lindstrom's the Blue Cocoon, which really helps to calm redness as well as keep flaky skin at bay. Other healing balms of this type that are particularly good for soothing skin through acute dryness and times of inflammation or encounters with environmental stressors include Arcana's Holoscene balm ( a new beloved product of mine) and the recently-released Isadora from Earthwise Beauty, which is said to be a very weighty, rich face balm good for people who have chronically dry skin or who may struggle with conditions such as eczema and dermatitis as well as those concerned with smoothing wrinkles. As a side note, Earthwise Beauty as a brand is particularly known for their array of face balms, especially ones used for more as skin treatments rather than solely being occlusive moisture steps, which we will get more into.

Since balms require some working into the skin to set them to absorb, they are also a great means to encourage lymphatic drainage and healing into the skin. Certain balms, like both the Tigress and Green Leaves face balms from Earthwise Beauty, are widely praised for acne-prone skin and even acne-prone skin that is also oily, and oftentimes, these balms that are geared more for oily skin are much lighterweight than you might expect and can also work as wonderful cleansing balms. This is something I am really finding out trying and loving Green Leave Face Balm from Earthwise Beauty as a makeup-removing or calming and clarifying cleanse.

Other balms like Inlight Beauty's Tea Tree and Propolis balm are marketed targeted as spot treatments for both things like acne as well as things like bug bites and stings to treat the area while keep keeping the skin around the area from being stripped as it might become when using a spot treatment that may contain alcohol, clays, or some very drying ingredients. Massaging the pure potency of the clarifying and restorative oils in these balms to an inflamed or clogged area of the skin. can boost circulation to the affected areas as they are worked in with the deep massage required to apply them. for faster healing and soothe away inflammation and pain associated. Likewise, more maturing skin find face balms not only good for moisture and barrier protection but also for adding firmness back into the skin and evening discolorations which can become more noticeable as we age, regardless of our skin type.

Other balms like Earthwise Beauty's Yasuni as one example even contain fruit enzymes , rice grains, or other mild exfoliating agents for a super gentle resurfacing. I find face balms and even cleansing balms that contain enzymes or other resurfacing ingredients to be among some of the most easily tolerated yet effective ways to exfoliate my skin, as because of the (solidified) heavy oil content, the skin is very well cushioned as the enzymes slowly work their way through my dead skin and make my face feel extra smooth. And as some one with both dry yet easily irritated skin, having the most gentle exfoliation possible, especially to use on a regular or even sometimes daily basis, is such

Face balms are an area of skincare that I was certainly unfamiliar with before I came to researching more about Green Beauty. They are a wonderful way to encourage a relaxing facial massage and address skin concerns in a really restorative way. I am looking forward to trying some samples of a few more in the coming months or so, and I will definitely report back on what I find.