Lyonsleaf beauty balm* – handmade, 100% natural, preservative free and made in Somerset

I came across Lyonsleaf on Twitter a few months back, when the owner, Vicky, took pity on me complaining about a bout of eczema that was plaguing me – I have a particularly bad patch that comes back time and time again on my right foot. She sent me a pot of this Beauty balm, a pot of Calendula cream, and a bar of Goats milk, manuka honey & calendula soap. I LOVE the calendula cream (a post for another day) and am about to try the soap.

She explained to me that the chemicals found in some products, which you can be tolerant to for years, can suddenly turn against you and your skin becomes hypersensitive to it. She also told me when water is used to blend ingredients, preservatives are needed to keep the blend staying fresh and from getting mouldy. These preservatives can also cause skin irritation.

It makes sense to me – I know from smell whether I am going to have a reaction to a product or not – Boots no 7 and Olay both have a potent smell which I know my skin reacts to, and I wonder if it is a preservative. Sadly, I doubt that I will ever get to a point where I will be able to avoid preservatives altogether in beauty products, simply because they are everywhere, but I know I can avoid the worst offenders – parabens and phenoxyethanol.

Back to Lyonsleaf beauty balm – it is a handmade (on Vicky’s farm) blend of 95% organic ingredients – babassu oil, shea butter, macadamia nut oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, and essential oils – containing no water, and therefore no preservatives which can be used to cleanse skin or nourish or repair it. I like to use it at night on dry patches, on lips, elbows and feet. It feels luxurious and smells buttery (I think that is the shea butter).

I haven’t used it to cleanse skin yet – I wear too much make up and know I wouldn’t get it all off with just the balm – but will give it a try on make up free days. For now, I am happy to use this balm on lips and dry skin that looks like it may flare up into eczema.

A 55ml pot is £12.95 and can be bought here. It may seem a small pot but remember that it contains no water so isn’t bulked out by any other unnecessary ingredients.

* free sample sent to me by the owners.