Sometimes you need a great balm or salve. Maybe your hands are dry, you need to boost your regular moisturizer, you've got a dry spot, your feet need something a bit more or you just need something to make your lips a little softer. Sometimes you just need a balm.

I currently have 3 on the go that I am really happy with and have been using for all types of heavy duty tasks.
Trader Joe's Head to Toe and Everywhere in Between Moisturizing Balm $3.99 for 57 g

First up is Trader Joe's Head to Toe and Everywhere in Between Moisturizing Balm.  That's a long title right? This baby claims to have no greasy residue and can tackle all your dry skin needs. It even says it is good for a fly away beard.

I will attest it is the least greasy of the three I am going to talk about, it also is the firmest. I have to really scrape to get some out, meaning a little will go a long way. It definitely has a dry finish to it, but I wouldn't go around touching stuff right after because there is still a bit of greasy residue, it just feels dry on your skin.

I love to use it on my cuticle and nails, then my super dry knuckles before bed time. I also get a lot of cracks on my skin, and often cat/dog scratches, so I also will often apply it there too.

It's main ingredients seem to be Shea butter and beeswax, while also containing some coconut and palm oils.

I generally really enjoy this balm, I just wish Trader Joe's would come to Canada already (oh man also their prices are so good, $3.99 is so great).

The Body Shop's Wild Argan Oil Miracle Solid Oil for Body and Hair $14.00 for 50g 

Next up is The Body Shop's wild Argan Oil Miracle Solid Oil for Body and Hair. Another long name. This one is nice and soft, I am going to guess that is because it is a solid oil and not a balm, which also means it melts really nicely into the skin before being absorbed in. It has a faint nutty smell (I am going to roll with the argan is what I am smelling).

I really like this one for my elbows and knees. I had a big crack in my elbow a few weeks ago that really hurt and it seemed to really speed up the heeling process as well as make it feel a lot better.

The Wild Argan line is now included in The Body Shop sales, so I highly recommend you wait for one, I got mine when they had a 40% off deal on.

Burt's Bees' Hand Salve $12.99 for 85g
Finally we have Burt's Bees' Hand Salve. This one is meant just for your hands, but I still use it elsewhere. Being from Burt's Bees you can rightly assume it has bees wax in it and has a honey type of scent as a result, but I can clearly also smell something herbal, I think menthol(??). It also has Sweet Almond Oil and Olive Oil in it, so all good hand loving stuff. I carry this one around in my purse. I have a travel size so it is just perfect for after work when my hands are dry and about to crack. I just love it.

It also is the slickest feeling of the three, I feel as thought my fingers glide over the product rather then dig into it.

While dealing with ridiculously dry skin isn't new for me, attempting to concur it once and for all is. I learned a great tip for dealing with my dry, dehydrated and peeling skin...layer my products. I was told that I should think of by body hydration the same way I do my face, serum then lotion or cream. So simple, yet it never occurred to me.  So, as the humidity left the Toronto air and the cold has set in, I finally decided to give it a go using Vichy's Idea Body Serum-Milk and Body Balm.

IDÉAL BODY SERUM-MILK:

This Serum-milk is an emulsion gel enriched with mother-of-pearl particles to enhance the skin. As a milk, it delivers hydration and comfort, as a serum, it has a very fresh, fluid and melt-in texture that is instantly absorbed. It is possible to dress immediately. -vichy.ca 

This is a light cross between a serum and a milk that absorbs really easily into the skin (something I love). It isn't heavy but it is really hydrating. I feel like my skin just drinks it up every time, and every time my skin feels and looks great after. I love the lack of effort needed to get it to absorb into my skin, definitely one of the best perks in this line.

IDÉAL BODY BALM:

This balm is ecognised for its excellence by Institut Vichy experts, enriched with nourishing and protective Shea Butter, the "cocoon effect" texture is smooth and enveloping. It melts into the skin on application, is quickly absorbed and leaves a powdery, non-greasy and non-sticky finish. It is possible to dress immediately -vichy.ca

The balm has all the wonderful qualities I look for in a body butter, cream or balm, it is thick, rich, creamy, dense, hydrating, oh so hydrating. It is just so wonderfully thick and soothing now that it is cold outside. It also isn't heavy or greasy, which lets it absorb easily into the skin. It is only lightly scented so I don't end up with irritated skin like I might if I were to use a butter that is focused on fragrance. It also blends in wonderfully well, not heavy or thick, taking a long time to absorb, but nourishing and hydrating, which I think is quite exciting in a balm.
Since using these two products together, my skin has gotten a lot better. It is no longer chap and flaky, I feel I finally found the dynamic duo I needed to keep my skin well hydrated without too much effort. My arms no longer look dry, they look soft and smooth, radiant and not something I am afraid to show in the winter months.

In addition my dry, 20+ years older then me looking hands have started to look more hydrated and plump, maybe only 15+ years older then me now (it's a start).


* denotes items were sent to me for review. My opinions are still all my own.

ColorBurst Lacquer Balm:
High Shine Lacquer. Moisture Rich Balm. A lacquer finish that’s beyond brilliant. Balm that’s beyond comforting. Our Triple Butter Complex of Shea, Coconut and Mango butters nourishes lips. In 10 collectible, crave able colours -revlon.ca

I was slightly skeptical about the Lacquer Balms after trying their Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains, I mean I love the balm stains, I own 9 of them after all, but would just a balm be as nice as the stain balm? The answer is yes, yes they are just as great as the Stains.
I have 115 Whimsical, which is berry-pink with a subtle silver shimmer to it.  Being a balm it swatches pretty sheer but on my lips it is quite pigmented. The texture is the same as the stains, smooth and simply amazing, one of my favourite formulas, it also has an extremely mild mintiness to it.

I received these products for consideration, it dose not influence my views on them.