Understanding Beauty Balms
Have you considered a multipurpose skincare product that offers more than just hydration? Beauty balms, also known as facial or skin balms, are rich, multitasking moisturisers designed for intense skin nourishment. Unlike water-based gel moisturisers, beauty balms typically contain skin-loving oils in a thicker, more luxurious consistency. Thanks to advancements in skincare formulations, non-comedogenic beauty balms are now available, absorbing easily into the skin without leaving a greasy residue.
These versatile products can serve multiple purposes, including acting as moisturisers, face massage balms, and primers. They are beneficial not only for facial skin but also for cuticles and hair. Beauty balms can be used as face masks, to heal dry skin, as overnight face packs, to soothe sunburns, and as cleansers to remove makeup, dirt, and grime. They are particularly nourishing for very dry skin or areas requiring extra attention, such as the feet, knees, and elbows. Their texture also makes them excellent for skin massages, promoting a moment of self-care.
Beauty balms align with the slow beauty movement, which advocates for a more thoughtful and mindful approach to skincare routines, aiming for sustainable, long-term results rather than immediate fixes. This is because beauty balms promote skin healing, strengthen the skin barrier over time, and boost overall skin health.
Exploring Popular Beauty Balm Products
Neal’s Yard Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm
This award-winning balm is enriched with organic wild rosehip seed oil and other plant oils. It provides intense nourishment and enhances skin radiance. This one-pot wonder can be used as a moisturiser, face mask, cleansing balm, cuticle softener, or for chapped lips and dehydrated skin, leaving the skin soft, supple, and with a natural glow.
Gisou Honey Infused Beauty Balm
This oil-balm blend, composed of 99% natural ingredients, melts into the skin like honey. It is packed with a botanical-rich active blend, a proprietary Mirsalehi Bee Garden Oil Blend, and the brand’s signature Mirsalehi Honey. This balm absorbs into the skin to instantly reveal a softer, smoother, and more supple complexion. It is lightweight and non-greasy, suitable for local application on dry, chapped skin or for highlighting cheekbones, eyelids, or the bridge of the nose for a subtle glow. It can also be used on hair to tame flyaways or on brows to shape them.
MAC Cosmetics’ Hyper Real Skincanvas Balm Moisturizing Cream
This lightweight, fast-absorbing cream strengthens and protects the skin barrier, promoting healthier-looking skin. It soothes and prevents visible irritation while providing up to 24 hours of moisture. Powered by rare Japanese peony extract, 2.5% niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides, it delivers immediate and long-lasting results. Mango and avocado butters leave the skin feeling soft, nourished, and conditioned. It can be worn alone or under makeup for a prepped, makeup-ready complexion.
SoulTree Advanced Kumkumadi Refined Radiance Facial Balm
Infused with 100% organic mogra saffron and 27 other precious therapeutic herbs, this nourishing face massage balm gently glides onto the skin. Over time, it rehydrates, rebalances, and restores the skin’s natural luminous glow. It can be used over serum and massaged into the face and neck in upward strokes until absorbed. It can also be used with a Kansa Wand for Marma point massage. This weekly ritual balm effectively reduces pigmentation, scars, dark spots, blemishes, uneven skin tone, and dry skin.
Wishful Honey Balm Jelly Moisturiser
A potent blend of honey, turmeric, and niacinamide creates this luxuriously textured crème balm moisturiser. It helps boost skin luminosity, minimise pores, and even out skin tone for a radiant and smooth complexion. Lavender-tinted pearls provide a visible glow and a dewy, glassy skin feel, while lavender oil enhances the self-care routine with a relaxing and calming effect. The Honey Balm is non-comedogenic, non-acnegenic, and suitable for all skin types.
Understanding BB Creams
BB cream, also known as blemish balm or beauty balm, is a makeup product formulated with skincare benefits. These benefits can include hydration, anti-aging properties, and SPF protection. BB creams are essentially all-in-one products that combine the functions of multiple skincare and makeup items.
Key Benefits of BB Creams
- Multitasking, All-in-One Treatments: BB creams are part makeup and part skincare, offering the benefits of several products in one application. They blend the qualities of a tinted moisturiser with those of an anti-aging moisturiser and SPF skincare product. They can contain a cocktail of beneficial ingredients such as mineral SPF (zinc oxide and titanium dioxide), skin-plumping hyaluronic acid, vitamins, and antioxidants, thus reducing the number of products applied to the skin and saving time.
- Natural and Dewy Finish: The coverage provided by BB creams is natural and dewy, never heavy or cakey. They can be easily applied with fingers, allowing the product to melt into the skin for a fuss-free makeup application. For those needing more coverage, BB creams are light enough to be worn under a layer of regular foundation.
- Cover Blemishes and Imperfections Without Irritation: For acne-prone skin, BB creams can be beneficial due to the soothing minerals often found in their formulations, which can help treat blemishes. Their lighter texture allows the skin to breathe, and they often have a shorter ingredient list compared to separate moisturisers, foundations, and sunscreens.
Choosing the Right BB Cream
BB creams are generally suitable for all skin types, including oily, dry, and acne-prone. However, individuals with oily skin should opt for BB creams with humectants for proper hydration. A caveat for BB creams is finding suitable shades for all skin tones, as some formulations, particularly those with mineral-based SPF, can appear ashy on darker skin tones.
BB cream can be used in your daily routine in place of foundation. If your skin tends to be oily, the moisturiser in a BB cream might suffice. For normal or dry skin, applying a moisturiser before the BB cream is recommended.
Recommended Application Steps:
- Apply BB cream to cleansed skin after any additional serums or moisturisers.
- Use a foundation brush, sponge, or your fingers to apply the cream. Using fingers can warm the product, aiding in blending.
- Allow the product to settle on your skin.
- Apply foundation for more coverage and concealer in any problem areas. BB cream does not necessarily require powdering, but concealed areas might benefit from setting with powder.
- Add an additional SPF product if prolonged sun exposure is expected.
Potential Downsides of BB Creams
- Skin Lightening: Some BB cream products may lighten the skin. It's important to read product packaging to understand their effects and avoid an ashen or pale appearance.
- Insufficient SPF Coverage: While BB creams offer SPF protection, most users do not apply enough product to achieve the stated SPF level. Applying additional SPF is recommended for extended sun exposure.
- Inadequate Moisturization for Dry Skin: Consumers with dry skin may find that the moisturising effects of a BB cream are insufficient and may require an additional moisturiser underneath.
Key Ingredients to Look For in BB Creams:
- Hydration: Hyaluronic acid and glycerin are humectants that add hydration. Cucumber and aloe offer soothing and hydrating benefits.
- For Oily Skin: Look for water-based formulas. For very oily skin, consider BB creams with kaolin clay to absorb excess oil without irritation.
- Avoid: Fragranced formulas. Opt for hypoallergenic formulas to minimise irritation.
- SPF: A nice addition to any BB cream.
It is recommended to swatch BB creams on your neck before purchasing to ensure a good blend. Consulting with an aesthetician can help find the best BB cream for your specific skin type and tone.
Popular BB Cream Products
- Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream: Affordable and suitable for all skin types, this BB cream smooths, hydrates, and offers SPF 30 protection. Available in light, medium, and deep shades.
- e.l.f. Cosmetics BB Cream SPF 20: Ideal for both dry and oily skin, it provides a natural look with even coverage and sun protection. Its lightweight formula is excellent for everyday wear.
- La Roche-Posay Effaclar BB Blur: Formulated for acne-prone skin, this oil-free, fragrance-free, and non-comedogenic BB blur minimises the appearance of large pores and covers blemishes, with SPF 20.
- Iman Cosmetics BB Creme: With a sheer hint of colour, SPF 15, and a creamy texture, this BB cream works well with darker skin tones, evening out the complexion and providing a glow. Available in various darker shades.
Solid Complexion Balms: A New Category
A growing category in complexion makeup are solid complexion balms, available in formats like sticks and compacts. These balms blur imperfections with a filter-like veil, allowing natural features to show through. They offer a fresh, even skin appearance without being overly radiant or matte, and often contain added skincare ingredients.
Top Solid Complexion Balm Picks:
- The Pro Favorite: Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder
- The Best for Details: Merit The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick
- The Editor Favorite: Fara Homidi Essential Face Compact
- The Best Skin Boosters: ILIA Skin Rewind Complexion Stick
- The Creamiest: Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Balm Serum-Boosted Skin Tint
SKIN NOVA COMPLEXION BALM from Vieve (DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS ONE ...) - Moody Eye Makeup
Makeup artist Danessa Myricks notes that balms are a texture people are not afraid of, appealing to those who appreciate their skin more and seek easy, skin-like application. These balms offer sheer simplicity, with baked-in skincare ingredients providing hydration and a soft, blendable application. Their solid, travel-friendly format makes them convenient for on-the-go touch-ups.
While formulations vary, solid complexion balms aim for a skin-like, natural-matte finish, moving away from the hyper-radiant trend of the past. They offer light-medium to medium-full coverage, with pigments suspended in a balmy base for translucency that diffuses discoloration. They are ideal for those who prefer a natural makeup look, though they may require touch-ups for extended wear.
Detailed Look at Selected Solid Balms:
Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Balm Powder
This product aims to mimic the advanced technique of applying powder before foundation. It has a unique, revolutionary texture and is praised for its natural skin look, often supplemented with concealer. Key ingredients include Upsalite for blurring and oil absorption, and olive-derived squalane and hyaluronic acid for hydration. It offers a slightly matte finish and is buildable, but not to full coverage. It comes in 13 tinted shades and a Universal translucent shade.
Merit The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick
This makeup stick features a small, finger-sized bullet for precise application. The cream-to-powder formula builds easily, disguises specific spots, and does not settle into pores or dry patches. It offers a semi-matte finish and buildable light to medium coverage. Key ingredients include glycerin for hydration and sea daffodil to help treat hyperpigmentation. It comes in 20 shades and is ideal for spot application rather than full-face coverage.
Fara Homidi Essential Face Compact
This refillable compact contains two sections: Smooth Veil Soft Matte for coverage and Shine Baume for highlighting or a luminous primer. It provides a velvety finish and allows for customizable matte, shiny, or in-between finishes. The coverage is very light but buildable to medium. Key ingredients for the matte section include rice powder and kaolin clay for blurring and mattifying, and Amazonian capuaçu butter for hydration. It is available in 15 shades.
Ilia Skin Rewind Complexion Stick
This large stick offers easy application for full face coverage or spot application. It provides medium coverage that builds up to near full coverage with a natural-matte finish. Key ingredients include ceramides for barrier strengthening, peptides for firming, winged kelp extract for luminosity, and butterfly lavender extract for reducing fine lines. It boasts the largest shade range with 42 options.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Beauty Balm Serum-Boosted Skin Tint
This translucent formula blends easily, offering a hydrating finish with a slight radiance. It provides light to medium coverage and is suitable for active individuals or quick errands. Key ingredients include hyaluronic acid, peptides for anti-aging, collagen-stabilizer for smoothing, and botanical oils, fatty acids, and shea butter. It is available in 16 shades and offers a glowy finish.