Healing Balm

The drawer in which I store my spare lotions and potions is full to the brim (although typically not with anything I need when I actually need it!) and one of its main inhabitants is an extensive collection of multipurpose, intensive substances that are designed for caring for those irritating little dry bits.

The past few months in the OMUA household have consisted of what feels like a perpetual cycle of runny noses, coughs and general grottiness (one of the many joys of having a toddler!). All this culminated, as usual in dry, cracked skin and soreness around my (and nobody elses I might point out) nose and upper lip. Time for action... Bring on the Healing Balms!

Odylique Calendula Balm by Essential Care

Having suffered enough I raided my extensive stash of little pots of cream and decided upon this, one of the newer additions to my collection which I received two or three months ago as part of a press pack for the launch of the new Odylique collection from Essential Care.

Described as a soothing and repairing Multi-tasking balm that can be used on areas of skin that are prone to drying, cracking and chapping such as the elbows, knees, heels, hands and lips. Rich in hydrating raw Shea and calming chamomile, it is perfect for skins that are prone to Psoriasis. Previously known as the Essential Care Calendula Balm, the Odylique balm has undergone some minor formulation changes however it is essentially the same product.

Not generally one for exaggerating when it comes to things like this, I have to say that the sense of immense gratification I received from my nose when I applied this balm was astonishing. My cracked skin felt almost instantly soothed and hydrated. Within a couple of days of regular application my sad skin was happy once again; cracks healed and dryness alleviated (albeit still a little on the pink side).

Derived from natural plant oils and extracts, the balm has an quite powerful calendula based scent that is not in the least bit unpleasant - I personally find calendula a very calming and soothing scent. The texture (certainly in my pot and as it's an organic product it may well vary from pot to pot) is initially quite granular however it smooths out and melts quickly when worked into the skin - this literally take seconds.

As yet I haven't been prepared to part with the balm long enough for the balm to make it into my kit and given the relatively short shelf life - approximately six months, I don't suppose I will actually keep a pot in there. I will however recommend it to clients if they are looking for a product along these lines and of course purchase where necessary for a shoot but I will certainly be investing in a pot myself when this one runs out!

Priced at £14.00 for a 50g recycled tub (that apparently used to be a milk bottle!) or just £7.00 for 20g. Available online from Odylique (Essential Care) or in store at many health food stores and pharmacies.

Odylique (otherwise known as Essential Care - est. 2003) were established in 2013 in Mildenhall, in my home county of Suffolk. The products themselves date back to the the eighties when Margret Weeds, the founder of this family run business, rekindled a lifelong love of aromatherapy and herbal medicine. All of the products from the multi-award winning Essential Care range are produced using plant derived ingredients, are cruelty free and the majority are certified organic by the Soil Association.

www.odylique.co.uk

Related posts: Behind The Brand - Essential Care; Essentially Day 2 Night; Concealed

Ingredients:

(*denotes certified organic)

Cocos Nucifera Oil*, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil*, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter*, Cera alba*, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract*, Citrus Sinensis Peel Oil*, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil*, Limonene*(in the orange essential oil)

Main Image: Wildfeuer via Wikimedia Commons - Calendula

Body Image: Laura Jane Sessions - Organic Make-up Artist