Pros:
Great for dry skin, wonderful smell, soothes irritated skin
Cons:
Contains animal products, may not be cost effective for full body use
Anyone who knows me already knows I complain a lot about my dry skin. I’ve been fortunate enough to not have major skin issues, but with Covid precautions and wearing a mask all day at work my lips are super chapped and I end up with some mild irritation around my mouth. After reviewing Bag Balm, someone from Zincuta reached out to me to see if I’d be interested in trying their balm as well.
Packaging:
This ointment comes in 2oz or 4oz tins. I was given the 2oz and I love that the lid screws on and off. It’s also a great size for a purse or backpack, but would probably be too bulky for a pocket. The labels feel durable and have a very simple overall appearance to them.
Uses:
On Zincuta’s website, they suggest the following uses:
– When you are burned by fire or the sun
– On cuts, scrapes, or raw sores
– When you are chafed
– After poison ivy blisters burst
– After shaving, for skin irritation
– When bitten or stung by insects and bees
– When lips & hands are chapped or cracked
– When you have eczema, psoriasis, etc.
There were only so many of those I could put to the test in the middle of winter in the Midwest. I do look forward to trying it on bug bites because I live close to a forest preserve and mid-late summer here is a nonstop party for mosquitoes.
While I do like it on my lips, I don’t feel like it’s necessarily something I’d keep with me while out and about just for that. It tends to be my ‘before bed’ lip balm. I did really enjoy the overall feel on my skin. I felt like it spread very nicely and soaked into most of my skin quickly without leaving me feeling like I just put on something heavy, which has been a big issue for me when it comes to some lotions and oils or oil based things.
On my face I was worried it would feel too heavy, but I was pleasantly surprised that even my oily spots didn’t feel heavy. I think the spot that really blew me away was my feet. I always have a hard time finding something that balances intense moisture without the waiting period to feel “normal” again and this knocked it out of the park for me.
I also had my husband and a friend try it out. My husband is a pretty big fan of Working Hands because it doesn’t have a smell to it, but did like this stuff. My friend also really enjoyed it on her palms, where she tends to get patchy spots.
Ingredients:
The Ingredients: Some of them I’ve definitely heard of before, but a few were new to me. The website and packaging list Axungia, Zinc Oxide, Styrax Benzoin, Beeswax, Slippery Elm, Essential Oils of Wintergreen, Lavender & Bergamot
Let’s take a closer look at these ingredients.
Axungia was the first one I had never heard of. This was probably the most interesting one for me to research. It’s a soft animal fat commonly used in pre-modern Western medicine. This formula is based on one from 1890, according to a company rep, and the axungia used today is derived from animal fat and used as an emollient, which is meant to soften or smooth the skin. The more I dug around on the internet, the more it seems like this is a generally common ingredient, just under varying other names.
Zinc Oxide is a powdery mineral commonly seen in sun protection and also commonly seen in creams and treatments for diaper rashes. It’s also used to treat other minor skin irritations such as burns and cuts, and itching associated with bug bites and other skin conditions.
Styrax Benzoin required a little more digging to learn about. In this application, its main purpose appears to be aimed at providing a topical relief for chapped skin.
Beeswax is a pretty common ingredient we’ve heard of. In topical applications such as lotions, salves, and lip balms, it’s used to help lock in moisture.
Slippery Elm has a lot of anecdotal uses dating back centuries, but I’m only focusing on the topical uses I could find for it. Research indicates it was used by Indigenous Peoples in healing salves for wounds, boils, ulcers, burns, and skin inflammation.
Essential Oils of Wintergreen, Lavender & Bergamot: I’m a little more familiar with essential oils than I used to be. In general they’re used in this capacity to add a scent, but they can also be beneficial. Wintergreen can help relieve pain and inflammation, and bergamot and lavender can help with acne, psoriasis, and eczema.
Overall
I don’t see the 2oz tin lasting more than a few weeks of regular full body use but for something on just specific areas you’d for sure get your money’s worth. If you’re looking for something that’s totally plant based this isn’t the product for you, but if you’ve got some tricky skin I think you’ll really like it.
Where to buy it:
You can buy it direct from their website, or from select retailers.
Sources: Wikipedia, Chemical safety facts, Mount Sinai
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