What's the difference & how you use them:
The defining component that makes them different, is water; Creams contain water, and Balms/Salves don't.
Balms and creams can frequently have similar base elements concerning the wax, oil, and butter content they use, however, whilst those are mixed with water for creams, in balms water is omitted. Because of this, while a cream can be just about any consistency, from gorgeously thick to fluffy light, a balm will tend to be more solid and Vaseline texture-like.
How solid or ‘Vaseliny’ your balm is, will depend on the proportions of oils, butters and waxes they hold. The more solid (i.e., the greater proportion waxes or more solid butters) the more oils and softer butters the creamier or more vaseline like your final product.
Does it matter whether you have got a balm or a cream?
General On-skin performance:
Products work differently on your skin depending on wether it contains water or not.
Your skin secretes a unique blend of oil and water referred to as sebum. Sebum production is vital in the task of protecting your skin and keeping it moist. Simply put, everyone has different oil-water ratios on their skin. Those people producing more oil will tend to have oily skin and likewise, those producing little oil will tend to have dry skin. This is why products perform differently on different people, hence the difficulty involved in recommending products. In short, the closer the products blend to your natural, personal oil-water hydro-lipid (sebum & fats film protecting skin) blend, the better the product will work for you.
Your body often tells you what you need, that your hydro-lipid skin blend is not right, and you use oils and creams to put it right.
So a cream with both oil and water in it is far likely to work properly with our pores and skin. That’s the reason so many skincare products are made in the form of lotions and creams.
Why use a balm with no water in it then?
Balms have innumerable purposes. They may not be the best thing to act as a moisturiser or cleanser; but they are brilliant at preventing environmental and household products damaging your skin; or when you want to seal in moisture and repair damaged skin. That's the reasons we have Lip, and Muscle & Joints Balms.
Shelf life:
The biggest distinction between a balm and a cream is shelf life. The water content has a huge effect. Any product containing water will last only days, unless it contains a preservative. When choosing creams ensure you look for the preservatives it uses and the best before dates. We tend to use broad spectrum preservatives Plataserve E & P, our shelf life around 6 months on average.
By contrast, a balm, without water, doesn’t need a preservative. It’s shelf lifestyles can be around 6-12 months if treated well and used carefully and taking steps to keep away from contamination or water.
Rule of Thumb:
Balms will tend to have more of the active ingredients and are generally not used on the face, mainly because of it's thicker consistency, heavier feel and longer absorbtion rates, they are more often used on body (Feet, Muscles etc). Whilst creams are easier spread, lighter in feel and generally easier to absorb. For example, for dry skin on hands I would tend to recommend our Manuka Flower & Hemp hand cream. For face related lines, saggy skin, and/or environmental challenges I would go for the Face Creams, whilst for work related dry damaged skin the Foot Salve, for muscles & joints Muscle Balm or our Herbal Massage Oil.
Comments