Updated 4/04/2024
Article Summary: Explore face and body balms and key ingredients that comprise a standard balm versus our Good & Simple Face & Body Balms. Balms can serve as an excellent all-over moisturizer in a myriad of ways as shared by our customers, friends and family. Consider replacing your lotion, cream, salve or serum with a Good & Simple Face & Balm today.
WHAT IS A BALM?
A balm is a concentrated, waterless moisturizer for the skin composed primarily of hard fats and oils.
Balms are more firm than a lotion, cream, or salve and are an excellent way to lock in moisture and deeply hydrate the skin.
A balm is a concentrated, anhydrous moisturizer that is free of fillers -- including preservatives, water, and emulsifiers.
In fact, on average a balm is 2x more concentrated than its lotion equivalent. For example, if you remove the preservatives, water and emulsifiers from an 8 oz. bottle of lotion, you are left with a 4 oz. balm.
STANDARD BALM INGREDIENTS
A standard balm recipe consists of a few basic ingredients:
- Oils
- Butters
- Wax
Depending on your specific needs, additional ingredients may be added to enhance the properties of a balm. An example of another beneficial ingredient may be essential oils or herb-infused oils. These oils are selected based on their distinct properties and how they may benefit the skin and body to support optimal health and wellness.
GOOD & SIMPLE BALM INGREDIENTS
The core ingredients we use in G&S balms are:
- Tallow
- Oils
- Butters
- Essential & Botanical Oils
We begin creating G&S balms with premium quality tallow as this is our primary ingredient. Our definition of premium quality tallow is: tallow from grass-fed, grass-finished, pasture-raised cows from local Midwest farms practicing regenerative organic farming.
If you are new to tallow, please take a look at our post, "SPOTLIGHT INGREDIENT: Grass-Fed & Grass-Finished Beef Tallow" in which we discuss tallow and the various benefits for skin and body care.
In addition to premium tallow, we use a combination of various oils and butters to create balms that apply easily and readily absorb into the skin for maximum benefit.
If you have used a balm in the past, you may find our balms to be slightly more pliable and softer than a standard balm. A balm can sometimes be described as thick and waxy. G&S balms are a bit softer and glide on smoothly.
One important point to note: all essential oils used in our balms are kid, pregnancy, nursing and pet safe.
HOW TO USE A BALM
In general, Good & Simple balms can be used the way you would a cream or lotion.
For a simple daily skin care routine, begin with a pea-sized amount and rub between your fingertips of both hands to heat up the balm. Apply to your skin and add more as needed.
A little goes a long way. We hear this all the time! For areas with extra irritation, dryness, inflammation, etc - apply to the affected area and use more and as often as you see fit.
Applying Good & Simple balms after showering or a bath is the perfect way to help lock in moisture all year round.
You know your body best and you know exactly what you need. Trust your inner guidance.
HOW OUR CUSTOMERS USE G&S BALMS
We discussed the general use of a balm. But what are we hearing from our customers and how are they using G&S balms?
Below is a brief list of ways in which our customers are using our balms. The feedback covers everything from using a balm as a daily moisturizer and overall support to using for acute conditions.*
- DAILY FACE MOISTURIZER
- FULL BODY MOISTURIZER
- FINE LINES & WRINKLES
- SUN SPOTS (Chest, shoulders, hands)
- SEASONAL ALLERGIES
- FACIAL REDNESS & INFLAMMATION (Ie. Eczema, Psoriasis, Rosacea)
- TEEN/ADULT ACNE
- NEWBORN MILIA (Baby acne)
- POIKILODERMA (Sun damage condition)
- PORE MINIMIZER
- DRY PATCHES (FACE)
- CRACKED SKIN (Knuckles, heels, fingers)
- SORE/ACHY MUSCLES & JOINTS RELIEF (Ie. Rheumatoid arthritis)
- HEADACHES
- ITCHY BELLY SKIN (Pregnancy)
- SHAVING / GROOMING
- CHAPPED NOSE
- SUNBURN RELIEF
- BUG BITE RELIEF
- MINOR CUTS & BURNS (Ie. Baseball gravel/turf burns, curling iron burns, stove burns)
- MASSAGE
- SCARS AND BRUISES
- EXTREMELY DRY, ITCHY SKIN (Hard water)
- RASHES
- BLISTERS
- HAIR GROWTH (Facial hairline)
- EARACHES
- COLD SORES
- CHAFING
We have even used BARE Face & Body Balm on our own pups when they were suffering from various inflammatory conditions with excellent results. Customers have provided feedback that they have used BARE on their pets as well (ie. hot spots, redness/irritation between a dog's toes). BARE Face & Body Balm does not contain any essential oils and is very gentle.
As the list continues to grow and we receive more customer feedback, we will share this with you.
If you have used or are currently using a Good & Simple balm and found it to be beneficial in another way, please comment and let us know. We would love to hear from you!
DAILY ROUTINE - COUNTERTOP CLEAN-UP
A few products you can easily replace with a balm are:
- Lotion
- Cream
- Salve
- Serum
- Ointment/Gel
A balm may be used from head-to-toe. It is the perfect solution if you are interested in condensing your medicine cabinet or cleaning out that drawer full of old, expired (and often endocrine-disrupting and toxic) beauty products that have seen better days.
Trust us, we get it, because we went through that some time ago -- and it feels wonderful! Minimize your countertop clutter and know that what you are putting on your skin is clean, simple, effective and close-to-nature.
What we put on our skin is just one component of living a healthy lifestyle.
Support your skin and body with healthy, nutrient-dense skin care products.
G&S BALM INGREDIENTS
Interested in learning more about the ingredients we use in our face & body balms? Please take a peek at our Ingredients page where we give a brief overview of each ingredient along with products that use them as a part of the formulation.
We are 100% transparent and share all of the ingredients that we use in our balms. No hidden ingredients cloaked with "fragrance" or "proprietary ingredient" language. What you see is what you get. :)
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
If you would like to take a deeper dive into the wide world of balm and the benefits of using a balm as a part of your natural skincare routine, below is one of many available resources to get you started:
We always encourage you to dig in and do your own research. What your body needs and what suits you best will be unique to you - and this may vary and even shift as you move through life. Take time to listen in and discover what it is that you need.
Have comments or questions about balms or this article in general?
Leave a comment below, we would love to hear from you!
xoxo,
Anne & Jen
Owners, Good & Simple
[*Disclaimer: The statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. The list above is comprised of customer feedback.]
ABOUT GOOD & SIMPLE
Good & Simple is a handcrafted line of face and body balms formulated with premium, wholesome ingredients. Our balms are nutrient-dense, nourishing for your skin, and serve as a multi-purpose solution to your skin's unique needs. Yes, it can be easy.
Let go of complicated skin care and experience the ease of a simple, clean, nourishing skin care routine that you and your family will love. Clear your counters because in this instance, less is definitely more.
To experience Good & Simple balms, shop our store. Even better, sign up for our monthly-ish newsletter and get 15% off your first purchase.
