With the pandemic, we have had to adapt to face masks which meant that we ditched wearing lipstick. But pandemic or not, beauty treatment shouldn’t be ignored. You might not be wearing lipstick, but you should be wearing a balm. Lip balms hydrate lips and protect them from cracking and drying. They can also be used on other dry patches like elbows and cuticles. Check out these five local eco beauty brands which each offer a great balm or two.

PURE INDIGENOUS

Pure Indigenous is a passion project born from a deep love of our country and the incredible eco diversity of its plants and peoples. With fragrance being such a visceral experience, linking us to a time and place, what better way to connect us to our own earth, than a range of products using only our local indigenous essential oils. To boot, the indigenous plants from which the essential oils are steam-distilled have powerful healing properties and have been used since ancient times by our people for health and healing. The brand is 100% committed to using local indigenous essential oils, natural ingredients and environmentally-conscious packaging. Pure Indigenous sources raw materials locally, favouring those that are extracted locally and buying its essential oils directly from farmers who do the growing and steam-distillation.

Proudly producing eco lip balms that have been formulated for deep moisturising that lasts and absorbs easily, this brand uses a blend of beeswax, avocado butter, coconut oil, macadamia oil, shea butter and sunflower oil along with a variety of indigenous essential oils to add both fragrance and healing properties. Try these:

• Love Lip Balm uses African Wormwood (Artemisia Afra) for its anti-microbial and anti-fungal benefits whereas
• Happiness Blend lip balm with its delightful rose-scented geranium, is the ideal for dry lips with added benefit of indigenous essential oils known as mood lifters.

Products are in the mid to premium price range, with a lip balm selling in the region of R45. You can get them online at Pure Indigenous website.

LULU & MARULA

Lulu & Marula creates conscious, scientifically-formulated skincare that works with your skin to balance and boost its natural processes. L&M use recyclable and reusable packaging, are not tested on animals and their products are sold “naked”, i.e. not individually boxed to avoid excess packaging. Only pure botanical and plant-derived ingredients are used. Indigenous to Southern Africa, marula oil is at the heart of Lulu & Marula. Chosen for its unique skincare benefits and ties to Southern Africa, marula oil is one of the richest natural sources of antioxidants, polyphenols and vitamins C and E. L&M uses raw ingredients that are extremely high quality. Their products are made with mango butter, marula oil and olive squalane to deeply nourish, hydrate and protect the lips from cruel environments. Try one of these options:

• Naartjie lip balm rejuvenates and softens the lip with its pure naartjie oil.
• Mint lip balm with pure peppermint oil tingles and refreshes.
• Turkish Delight lip balm deliciously scented lip treatment.

Priced at R75.00 and you can get them online here. Also available from select Woolworths and Foschini stores.

NATURALS BEAUTY

Naturals Beauty produces handcrafted and made in small, fresh batches beauty products. The Naturals Beauty ethos is committed to making products that are free from petrochemicals, parabens, synthetic fragrances and harmful chemicals. They use the highest quality natural and organic ingredients sourced suppliers across Africa. They have adopted a policy of no mass-manufactured products, not testing products on animals, nor any of their source products tested on animals. Naturals Beauty offers ethical, effective and affordable lip balms to consumers with healing and restoring powers for dry, damaged lips and skin. Try these:

• Coconut mint lip balm is a deliciously minty lip balm made with ingredients; coconut oil, beeswax, avocado butter and peppermint essential oil.Good for dry, damaged skin and lips.
• Lemon bliss lip balm promises moisturise and healing for luscious lips with its blend of Avocado butter and sweet almond oil.
• Tea tree lip balm restores life to dry, chapped lips. It contains jojoba seed oil making it super nourishing for your lips.

Products pricing from R60 and for availability see here.

KATAVI BOTANICALS

Katavi Botanicals is a South African all-natural, anti-ageing skincare company that has been operating for 29 years. Katavi uses highly active and effective, ethically-sourced indigenous African plant extracts as key active ingredients, combined to create a perfect synergy with cutting edge pharmaceutical ingredients containing no parabens, no artificial colourants, no perfume and no petroleum-derived ingredients. They use packaging that is environmentally-friendly, and recyclable airless pump bottles.

The Shea Lip balm is their specialty, one of the must have lip balm for your handbag. The lip balm is like a “heal all”, ultra rich, super hydrating and brings relief to not only the driest chapped lips but anywhere that needs some gentle care while leaving a supple and soft feeling. Katavi products are dermatologically hypoallergenic.

• Shea lip balm is a blend of shea butter, cocoa seed butter, beeswax, baobab seed oil, sweet almond oil and

Price is from R50 and available here.

ECO DIVA

Eco Diva Natural is a proudly South African clean skincare brand. Offering [pH] balancing professional skincare solutions that work to calm and heal skin 100% naturally. Their driving ethos is kindness. Kindness to skin, to animals and to the environment. Vegan, cruelty-free, eco-friendly, organic, and for all human skin. All packaging is environmentally appropriate using recycled, recyclable, biodegradable or up-cycled materials. 100% natural anti-oxidant ingredients including shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil and vitamins E and A to effectively heal and nourish dryness while creating fresh, healthy, kissable lips. Most ingredients are sourced locally.

Eco Diva lip balms are multi-use, can be used for eye glow with the little left on your finger after applying to luscious lips, dab the remaining product under and around your eye area for a little rejuvenating and revitalising. It can also be applied to cheekbones for highlighting, glow effect the perfect alternative to chemical-based bronzers – better for your skin, better for your health, better for the environment.

• Hydrating lip balm made with shea butter and organic coconut oil, is naturally designed to moisturise and hydrate lips without worrying about swallowing any harmful chemicals. Nutrient-rich ingredients feed skin to maintain moisturised, healthy, glowing lips.
• #DIVAGLOWSHIMMER is a blend of sweet almond seed oil, coconut oil, shea butter, sunflower seed oil and a lot more. 100% Natural Lip, Eye & Cheek Shimmer-an ultra-luxurious lip, cheek and eye shimmer with a touch of natural gold/bronze shimmer magic.

Price range for our lip balms are between R160 and R180. Available on the website www.ecodiva.co.za and Truworths

Credits