What is Body Balm?

What is Body Balm?

Body balm is a rich and concentrated moisturizer designed to provide intense hydration, nourishment, and protection for your skin. Most body balms are formulated with a combination of natural ingredients, such as butters, oils, and botanical extracts to create a thick and luxurious texture that melts into your skin.

Body balms play a role in caring for your skin by providing deep moisturization and restoration. Its rich and emollient texture helps to build a barrier on the skin's surface, preventing moisture loss and protecting your complexion from environmental aggressors. Body balm is particularly beneficial for addressing dry, rough, or sensitive skin, as it helps to replenish moisture and promote overall skin health.

What are the benefits of using body balm?

Intense Hydration

Body balm intensely nourishes and hydrates the skin, leaving it soft, smooth, and supple. Its emollient properties help to restore the skin's moisture barrier, preventing dryness and promoting long-lasting hydration.

Nourishment and Restoration

A rich blend of natural ingredients, body balm provides essential nutrients and vitamins to the skin. It helps to replenish and restore your skin's youthful vitality, improving the texture and overall appearance.

Protection and Barrier Function

Body balm forms a protective layer on the skin, shielding it from harsh environmental stressors, such as cold weather, wind, and air pollution. This barrier function helps to lock in moisture and protect the skin from external irritants.

Soothing and Calming

Body balm often contains soothing ingredients, such as chamomile, lavender, or calendula, which help to calm irritated or sensitive skin. It can relieve itching, redness, and inflammation, promoting ease and comfort.

Targeted Treatment

Body balm can be used to address specific skin concerns, such as dry patches, rough elbows, or cracked heels. Its concentrated formula allows for targeted application, delivering nourishing benefits precisely where needed.

What sets body balm apart from other moisturizers?

Compared to other forms of moisturizers such as lotions and creams, body balm contains a higher concentration of nourishing ingredients. While lotions and creams tend to have a higher water content, making them lighter in texture, body balm contains a higher percentage of oils and butters.

The richer formula allows body balm to provide more intensive and longer-lasting hydration. Thanks to its thicker consistency, body balm works wonders for areas that require a little extra attention, such as elbows, knees, and heels.

How to choose the right body balm for your skin

Determine your skin type

Finding an effective body balm is easier when you’re confident of your skin type. Whether you’re prone to skin that’s dry, oily, or some combination of the two, body balm has just what you need to nourish your complexion from within.

Skim the ingredients list

Keep an eye out for body balms that contain natural, nourishing ingredients such as shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, and more. You also want to avoid products with harsh chemicals, artificial fragrances, or potential allergens that may exacerbate sensitive skin.

Consider your skin’s needs

Most body balms are formulated for extra dry skin that’s in need of a little extra TLC. Moody Sisters Dry Skin Body Balm is a soothing salve with a faint fragrance of lavender, formulated to renew and regenerate sensitive skin.

Opt for added benefits

We love a good multitasking product, and body balms are no exception. Built-in sun protection? We’ll take it! Added hydration for extra dry patches? Can’t beat that! Nourishment for skin sensitivities like eczema or psoriasis? Who’d pass that up? If any or all of these selling points sound enticing, you’ve got to introduce body balm to your routine.

Factor in fragrance

If you’re sensitive to strong smells or just generally prefer unscented products, opt for a fragrance-free or naturally-scented body balm. Since artificial fragrances are a common irritant for sensitive skin, be cautious of overpowering scents.

Best ingredients for body balms

Though there are a number of nourishing ingredients available to treat dull, tired skin, a few standouts are well worth a try. If you’re on the hunt for the perfect body balm, be on the lookout for the following:

●     Shea butter

●     Cocoa butter

●     Coconut oil

●     Jojoba oil

●     Almond oil

●     Aloe vera

●     Calendula extract

●     Vitamin E

●     Beeswax

●     Essential oils

Incorporating body balm into your skincare routine

Select the best time of day to apply

We recommend applying body balm immediately after showering. This is an optimal time as your pores are wide open and ready to receive the benefits of each individual ingredient.

Use body balm sparingly

Unless your skin is dryer than Death Valley, body balm is intended to be used sparingly. Remember that a little will go a long way, so start with a small amount and add as needed. Pay extra attention to areas prone to dryness and irritation, such as your elbows, knees, and heels of the feet. 

Consider the texture of your body balm

If you’re applying a body balm that feels too thick or greasy on your skin, try warming it up between your palms a bit beforehand. This will soften the balm's texture and make it easier to apply and spread evenly. For those who have a hard time adjusting to using a body balm, start with a lighter formula and work your way up as you see fit.

Allow some time for absorption

Don’t expect to apply body balm and get dressed immediately. Most body balms take some time to fully absorb, so be sure to factor that into your getting-ready routine.

Adapt your routine to different seasons

It’s necessary to adjust the way in which you use body balm based on the changing of the seasons. During the colder winter months, opt for a denser, more protective body balm to combat dryness and irritation. In warmer months, switch to a more lightweight formula, or consider mixing body balm with a moisturizing lotion for a lighter application.