A great all-purpose balm is a G+S staple, these are our top 3. Image Elise Hassey
- Beauty
3 G+S-approved all-purpose balms
Hardworking, all-natural and organic, for summer and beyond
By Jenny Ringland
Name a harder working handbag staple than the mighty all-purpose balm. It’s been an essential in our handbags since the arrival of children into our world, and now we wonder why it took us so long to discover. The beauty of an all-purpose balm is it combines multiple products into one, which saves on space, money, packaging and recycling, which if you are reading this article, are all extremely valid and important points for you, too.
Whether it’s smoothing down some unruly eyebrows, highlighting cheekbones, doubling as a glowy, sheer eyeshadow, soothing nappy rash or hydrating dry skin patches on any part of the body (that’s child or adult!) we can’t champion an all-purpose balm more.
Our criteria for an all-purpose balm is complex but the results are simple – it must be packaged so as to be easily located in a very large bag, it must contain organic and natural ingredients, be housed in low waste packaging, and most of all it has to bring us joy every time it’s used.
We’ve now sampled dozens of all-purpose balms and have narrowed it down to three favourites that meet aforementioned criteria, and that we return to again, and again.
This was the first natural all-purpose balm we tried on our Green + Simple journey and it’s still a favourite. It’s a beeswax and coconut oil based balm that uses the natural scent of honey and coconut, to evoke a holiday feel. It’s shiny enough for a lip balm, but dense enough for scratches, dry skin, insect bites and nappy rash. The recyclable tin is big – the size of your palm, but it’s the perfect size when you’re scrambling around in an over-filled tote, it’s locatable every time! We also commend The Great State’s partnership with Love Mercy Australia.
Biode is a game changer in the world of personal care, beauty and sustainability. It’s a home compostable lifestyle brand, with the ultimate aim of replenishing more to the planet than it takes. Its products are 100 per cent natural and certified organic, and its packaging is 100 per cent biodegradable, in your home compost, or even just buried in the garden. The clincher in this instance though is its Skin Salve-ation balm which is the all-purpose balm in a stick that works just as well for scraped knees and insect bites, as it does as a cheekbone highlighter.
Certified organic skincare aimed at mums and babies, Clemence Organics’ all purpose SOS balm is also housed in palm sized tin, which means it’s never far from hand’s reach in even the most cavernous bag. It’s naturopath formulated with Calendula, Rosehip oil and Jojoba, and free from parabens, sodium lauryl sulphate, petrochemicals, PEGs, artificial fragrances and nanoparticles.
