When it comes to moisturizing your skin, you’ve probably experimented with a wide range of different kinds and textures. Is there a real distinction to be made between, say, a salve and a herbal lotion? Moreover, why should you be concerned?
We’re going to examine the differences and advantages of each of these four types of moisturizers, despite the fact that they all sound the same.
Body Butter Versus Herbal Lotion
Body butter and lotion are two different types of moisturizers, so let’s look at the differences first.
Generally, lotions tend to be a little more watery, whereas butters tend to be a little more thick and creamy. As a result, butters may be more difficult to use because of their heavier consistency and longer time to soak into the skin.
While shea butter and cocoa butter are common ingredients in body butters, a herbal lotion is more likely to contain water as well as lighter moisturizers like squalane and glycerine.
Body butter isn’t the only type of whipped butter out there. It is common for a body butter to be made up of butters, oils, herbs, and seed oils, as well as antioxidants like vitamin E or mixed tocopherols. Nevertheless, beeswax is not enough to make it a body balm!
Whipped body butter, on the other hand, has a lower density than body butter. To get a whipped cream-like texture and appearance, the main ingredients include butter, vegetable and herbal oils, as well as antioxidants that have been whisked using a beater or mixer. The majority of these are free of beeswax.
Herbal Salve Versus Balm
It is more therapeutic and restorative to use herbs in a salve or a balm than it is to use them in lotion or body butters.
Vegetable or herbal oils and antioxidants are added to the beeswax base of a body balm. These products are great for relieving typical aches, pain, and muscular tension because of the thick consistency of oils and beeswax, which provides a protective barrier on the skin.
These balms are often enriched with essential oil and vitamin supplements, which can help alleviate symptoms such as aches and pains, as well as minor colds and joint swelling.
In the Fire and Ice Balm by Wise Woman Herbals, for example, beeswax is combined with organic olive oil (as well as shea butter and vitamin E), arnica, St. John’s wort, white willow, and essential oils of wintergreen and peppermint to support joint and musculoskeletal health.
A higher percentage of herbal oils than beeswax is used in making salves, which makes them softer and smoother. Additionally, oils from plants such as tamanu or coconut are sometimes used.
In many cultures, salves have been a common remedy for a variety of ailments including:
- Sunburns
- Dermatitis
- Chapped lips
Natural herbal salves contain medicinal elements that are not normally petroleum-based. For minor skin irritations like chapped or dry skin,
All-Purpose Salve contains therapeutic plant elements like olive oil, beeswax, calendula, comfrey, vitamin E, and vitamin A from organic sources.
Choosing the Right Moisturizer
You can see that these different types of moisturizers have a wide range of benefits based on your skin type. For really dry and cracked skin, which is frequent during the cold and dry winter months, you might choose for a thick and hydrating product like a butter or a salve.
With oily skin or during the warmer months, you may want to use a daily lotion that absorbs quickly and doesn’t feel greasy on your skin. In the summer, removing lotion from your body is not fun!
When looking for topical relief for minor ailments and wounds, you may want to consider checking into the healing powers of several salves.