Hand Balm v Hand Cream
Our hands reveal our age much more readily than our complexions and unintentionally lack the daily dose of serums, oils, moisturisers and masks that we use on our face.
Most of us tend to forget about our hands, until now. Lots of handwashing, overuse of hand sanitizer and drying of hands has left skin sore, red and ‘snake’ like.
With regular use of a good quality hand balm, like our Mum Hand Balm – hands will start to become enriched, nourished and soft again.
So what’s the difference between a balm and a cream?
The answer is simple – water!
The critical difference between a cream and a balm is that one contains water and the other doesn’t.
Balms and creams may have similar base ingredients in terms of their waxes, oils and butters but while these are blended with water to form a cream, in a balm there is no water. This means that while a cream can be just about any consistency, from luxuriously thick to beautifully light, a balm will always be more solid and confusingly ‘rich and creamy’.
Balms have a myriad of purposes. They’re great for protection from household products or outdoor elements. Or even when you want to seal in moisture and prevent its loss, an important part of getting damaged skin back on track. The ingredients of a balm will gradually sink in and work with your skin.
That’s why you find balms in the form of lip balms, soothing eye balms and healing balms.
The second big difference between a balm and a cream is shelf life. It’s the water content that has a massive impact. Any product containing water will only last a matter of days unless it contains a preservative.
I recommend when selecting a cream, to always check the ingredients list and the preservatives it contains. If it’s made freshly with natural ingredients it’s a good idea to keep it in the fridge, preservative or not, and keep an eye on the use-by dates.
By contrast, a balm without water, doesn’t need a preservative in order to last! Its shelf life will depend on the component ingredients and may well be between 6 months and 36 months, if treated well.
We absolutely love balms for hands and baby bottoms. Our balms are 100% natural and made from premium ingredients. Best of all they contain no preservatives, they’re not needed!
Take Care
Rachel x