A balm is a topical herbal preparation for external application on the skin that is made from infused or macerated botanical oils blended with gently melted wax (which can be plant-based or beeswax – Zen Maitri’s balms are always made with candelilla wax, a sustainable and healthy plant-based alternative), and possibly essential oils.
Balms are a very effective way to apply therapeutic herbs to your skin, but they do tend to have quite a greasy texture – if you do not like this, a good alternative can be a herbal cream. Creams are preparations made by mixing oil-soluble and water-soluble ingredients together. Since oil and water don’t mix, an emulsifying agent is needed. If you have made mayonnaise, you know roughly what it takes to make a cream! Because of their water content, creams don’t keep as well as balms, but they tend to have a more cooling effect on the skin.