What’s In The Pot – Hand Balms

Our hand balms are popular all year round, but especially so as the winter months roll in. This year, with the need for increased hand hygiene, it’s more important than ever to look after the skin on your hands.

If you’ve ever experienced dry, sore, cracked hands, you’ll know how deeply uncomfortable it can be. The best approach is to stay on top of hand care early, before they start to suffer, with a rich, nourishing moisturiser.

All our hand balms are carefully crafted using hydrating, soothing natural ingredients that do wonderful things for your skin. Plus, all our butters and oils are plant-based, so you’re getting a vegan moisturiser that is good for our planet too.

Take a look at what’s in the pot and find out why we think our hand balms are the bee’s knees!

 

Mango butter

A superhero ingredient you’ll find in lots of our products! Mango butter comes from the seed kernel of the mango, and is wonderful for moisturising, soothing and healing.

It’s got lots of Vitamin A and Vitamin E, along with antioxidants and essential fatty acids which help to heal cracks and wounds, so important if you’ve got busy hands like us!

It’s also brilliant for combating dry skin, dermatitis and eczema, which can easily flare up on hands in the colder months (or if you’re doing lots of washing/sanitising during a global pandemic!).

 

Calendula oil (extract in sunflower seed oil)

The herb calendula is recognised as helping to heal damaged, cracked and sore skin. We use a calendula extract that is made by soaking the flowers in sunflower seed oil.

We feel this is a great way to get all the benefits of calendula without the sometimes overpowering aroma, and sunflower seed oil is a fantastic carrier to help transport all this goodness into the skin (perfect for healing hands).

 

Organic jojoba oil

A beautifully light oil which is incredibly moisturising and has natural antibacterial properties. Jojoba oil (which is pronounced “hoh” + “HOH” + “buh” if you’re unsure) hydrates the skin and balances sebum production, which itself is really important for skin health.

It comes from the seed of the jojoba plant, which is found mainly in Central and South America. It’s another ingredient that’s packed full of healing and nourishing vitamin E. We use an organic jojoba oil, which has been certified by the Soil Association.

 

Organic borage oil 

Used for hundreds of years, rich and hydrating borage oil is extracted from the borage wildflower aka starflower.

It’s great for treating inflammation (so is perfect for sad hands), and it’s packed full of an essential fatty acid called Gamma-Linolenic Acid which restores softness and elasticity, fights dryness and replenishes the skin’s lipid barrier.

Ours is certified organic by the Organic Soil Association.

 

Illipe butter

Another beautiful nut butter – you’ll find the Illipe tree in the forests of Borneo. Incredibly moisturising, this is another great ingredient for those looking to help their hands feel more supple and soothed.

 

Rice bran wax

A by-product of rice bran oil production (so great for sustainability), rice bran wax helps to hold our hand balms together.

It’s a natural vegetable wax that’s solid and pale yellow, until we melt it and mix it with all our lovely butters and oils.

 

Natural Vitamin E

Vitamin E is great in hand moisturisers as it not only hydrates the skin, but it also helps to protect against UV radiation and pollutants.

It’s also full of natural antioxidants, which help to smooth and firm the skin.

 

Beautiful essential oils

Depending on your hand balm of choice, you’ll also find a carefully chosen selection of essential oils – the only exception being our essential oil free Pure hand balm.

 

What you won’t find – parabens

Parabens are a much-debated ingredient. A preservative that’s used in over 75% of skincare products, they keep bacteria growth at bay in products that contain water.

Although parabens are officially approved for use under the Cosmetics Directive (76/768/EEC), there have been several studies that question their safety. Denmark has also banned two types of parabens in products for children, due to these concerns.

The great news is, all our products are paraben-free. We don’t put any water in our products, so no need for preservatives that prevent bacteria growth.

So if you’re looking for a paraben-free hand moisturiser, you can choose any of our balms and have complete peace of mind that you won’t find any parabens in the pot.