10 Ways to Use Bybi’s Classic Babe Balm

Main Image – Live That Glow

Ever since a friend first recommended Elizabeth Arden’s 8 Hour Cream to me almost 20 years ago, I’ve loved the idea of a beauty so natural all it requires to reach glossed perfection is one product to slick eyebrows, gloss lips, shine cuticles and tame frizz; all in handbag-sized tube (so cosmopolitan).

And while in reality, I use a multitude of lotions, creams, washes and serums, that idea of a pared-back, natural approach to beauty is still one that I love, and I find myself drawn to multipurpose balms now as much as when I was 13.

That same love of natural ingredients and gentle formulas also makes me a fan of British cruelty-free skincare brand Bybi, so it didn’t take me too long to snuffle out their multipurpose product, the Babe Balm.

I was actually sent this by the brand after first buying the balm’s sister product- the Babe Balm Bronze, a universally flattering shea-butter-based coppery highlighter that I absolutely love (and recommend to anyone who will sit and listen to my skincare monologues for more than 30 seconds). So I was interested to see how this transparent balm compares.

The Brand

The creation of skincare formulators Elsie Rutterford and Dominika Minarovica, Bybi has been offering up 100 per cent natural skincare formulas at affordable prices since 2017 and specialises in bright packaging with sustainable credentials and a sense of fun; as well as formulas that I find seriously deliver.

Bybi Babe Balm

Containing just 17 ingredients, this balm comes out of the tube a slightly surprising bright orange (thanks to the carrot oil in it) in a thick formula which melts to a transparent gloss on contact with the skin.

With a slight floral scent, Babe Balm has an emollient (but not greasy) feel on the hands which melts down to a thinner oil texture when worked into the skin.

And although I find it does take quite a while to absorb because it’s so emollient I also don’t need to use a lot. And once absorbed the result of the shea butter, squalane, camellia seed oil and olive oil in this formula is skin (and hair and nails) that is softer and moisturised.

Housed in a tube made of sugarcane, both the tube itself and its cap are 100 per cent recyclable in domestic recycling.

10 Ways to Use It

Since this is a multipurpose balm there’s a lot of great ways to use it across the whole body. Here are some of my favourites:

 

1. Around the lips, nose and eyes as a barrier before using retinoid or strong retinols/acids etc

    

2. Worked well between hands and lightly run through lengths and ends of hair to defrizz and add control and shine (but use sparingly if you have fine hair

    

3. As a treatment before shampooing when used in larger amounts on the ends of hair (leave in from 30 minutes to overnight before washing)

    

4. As a face moisturiser when skin’s barrier has been damaged and needs extra emollients (for normal and dry skin types)

    

5. As a highlighter on cheekbones, eyelids or collarbones (this isn’t designed to stay in one place for long though so bring the tube with you to top up later if you’re out for a while)

    

6. A few days after sunburn to moisturise skin (don’t use oils on fresh burns as this can trap in heat and make them worse)

    

7. For moisturising and adding shine to cuticles

    

8. Taming eyebrows (leave in overnight for softer, fluffier eyebrows over time- I love doing this)

    

9. As a lip balm for moisturising and adding a subtle sheen

    

10. Post-pedicure for keeping freshly buffed feet moisturised (and delaying the next trip to the salon)
    
    
    

 

And Some Tips

• In colder weather really work well between hands, using their warmth to melt this balm

• Unless using as a hair serum or highlighter etc, this gives quite a shine so use it at night time and really let the balm work in and moisturise

• Since this contains a combination of different oils, oily or acne types may find this too heavy to use on the face
  
  
  

The Takeaway

As you can probably tell I’m a pretty big fan of Bybi.  Affordable, natural and effective, I also really like their efforts to make their packaging more sustainable.

While their Babe Balm Bronze is still my favourite for its shimmery bronzeness (not a word) on cheekbones and eyelids, the original Babe Balm is lovely for moisturising everywhere else, and I’ll definitely be rebuying.

I really look forward to seeing what Bybi come out with next!

Great for: Moisturising, highlighting and softening.

Not-so-great for: Oilier types, who might find this a little too heavy.

Bybi’s Babe Balm is £19 for 30 ml, Bybi and $23 for 1 oz/ 30 ml, Revolve Clothing US