Herbal Balms vs Essential Oils
I make a lot of different products, my favorites to make are herbal balms. I sometimes add essential oils, sometimes I let the herbs speak for themselves. But which one is better? When would you want to use a herbal balm vs something with essential oils? I am often asked this, or people seem confused when I tell them that two products are the same, one just has essential oils. There are a couple of different reasons why I offer a plain herbal balm vs one with essential oils though, and it’s important to know what you are looking for in a balm before choosing which one you want to use.
Things to ask before choosing a balm
Who am I using this for?
One of the biggest reasons that I offer an herbal version and an essential oil version of my balms is age. A lot of people want options for their babies or newborns, and you just shouldn’t use essential oils on a newborn, I also caution against using essential oils with young babies as well. Babies are young and still developing and adjusting to the world, there isn’t a need to overwhelm them with essential oils, especially as a newborn. I offer an herbal alternative for those who want something that will be effective for their babies, with less of a risk to them. While many of my products are kid-safe, I also wanted to offer some that are even safer. So if you wanted something to use with a newborn, a simple herbal balm would be a better choice than something with essential oils.
What are my expectations?
If you are expecting something that is going to work more quickly and effectively, and you aren’t working with a really young baby, you may want to pick the balm with essential oils. While I also do tell people that when switching from traditional products to herbal ones will have a bit of an adjustment period (and they honestly might seem like they are hardly working- or maybe not working at all if you have picked the wrong product) it is important to note that dose matters here. A simple herbal balm will help some, but something with essential oils is going to be a little more powerful than an herbal-infused balm. This is because essential oils are potent and depending on dilution there will be more of those properties to help with whatever ailment you have than an herbal balm will have. This isn’t to say that one is better than the other, but this is just the truth when it comes to herbal products. There are varying levels of potency when it comes to the different herbal products. I will include an herbal flow chart (I have previously shared this) below so that you can see the different products and their potency, and also when the best time to use them is.
What are the risks?
There are risks to almost everything in life, so you want to be well-versed in what the risks are when choosing a product. If you choose a magnesium lotion for pain that has wintergreen, and you have any of the contradictions that wintergreen holds- it is probably not worth your time to use this product. For example, you will not want to use Wintergreen if you are pregnant/breastfeeding or on blood thinners. You would probably be more comfortable using plain magnesium lotion in this case, and honestly, if you are looking for magnesium as a pain relief oftentimes the magnesium alone will help if what you are needing is just a little more magnesium in your daily routine.
What am I using it for?
This is a good question as well, I offer 2 varieties of balm that would be good for soothing skin ailments. One with essential oils and clay, and one with just the herbal-infused oil and beeswax. If you want to use the balm on more sensitive areas, just the herbal balm might be a good choice. Especially on young babies. If you are more prone to reactions from things, the herbal balm would be a better choice. While both balms would do wonders to soothe the skin, the herbal balm could be more useful to those who are more sensitive, or who want to use it with more sensitive areas of the body. Thinking about how you want to use the product is a good idea before committing to one or the other.
There are a variety of reasons why an herbal balm might be for you, or why a balm with essential oils is your go-to. Whatever product you decide on, just remember to look into if it would be best for you and your family. Feel free to reach out with any questions as well, or for help in choosing the right product for you.
Thank you so much for reading, support means a lot. If you have any questions feel free to email me at holisticary@gmail.com or call/text me at 641-631-6355This blog post was meant to educate and entertain, it is entirely my opinion and not meant to treat or diagnose anyone or to be taken as absolute unwavering fact. Please seek proper medical care and advice. Some links might contain affiliate links, this is at no cost to you and helps the blog.