The last few weeks I’ve been trying out a couple of skin balms from a company called ‘Natural U’. Natural u is a company founded by Catherine Matthias which specialises in ‘making quality skincare products that are 100% Natural and Organic’. The company was founded in 2009 by Catherine and her friend Nicola after discovering they shared a mutual difficulty with dry and cracked skin on their hands.
After scouring the shops for products to hydrate and heal poorly hands; they found that many of them contained ingredients and preservatives that were altogether unnecessary and potentially doing more harm than good. From that moment on they endeavoured to create a natural product to hydrate and soothe the skin and after two years of extensive research they came up with the ‘All Purpose Balm’. Catherine now runs the company by herself, but remains close friends with Nicola, and that is a short history of how natural u was formed!
The two products I was kindly sent to trial were the All Purpose Balm and the Daily Body Rub. Both products are certified by the Soil Association; this means that they are 100% natural and organic. The All Purpose Balm is a multi-purpose moisturiser that softens, soothes and hydrates the skin. It’s suitable for sensitive skin, and can be used on babies (from birth) to soothe skin irritation caused by nappies. The key ingredients of the product include shea butter, beeswax, lavender and manuka honey!
I have been using this product as a lip balm, cuticle softener, general moisturiser and eyebrow/eyelash smoother. The balm has a gorgeous scent (I can really smell the lavender and honey), it has a great texture which melts to a silky smooth consistency when warmed by the skin’s natural heat. The product comes in a variety of sizes, all of which are great value for money. If you want something to slip into your handbag and use with ease, I would go for the 5g trial size which is only £2.99! You can also purchase the 30g size at £9.99, and the 50g size at £15.99. I love multi-purpose products, and the All Purpose Balm did not fail to impress me. Working for the Body Shop has really made me realise the importance of using natural and ethical products, and this product is perfect for those of you who are conscious about those two things; you don’t even have to worry about breaking the bank!
The second product I’ve been trialling is the Daily Body Rub which is perfect for those of you who love a massage, but hate the potentially greasy mess of using sticky oils! I just have to find someone willing to give me a massage as it’s not the same trying to DIY it!
It has a gorgeous peppermint scent, and is perfect for massaging into the temples when you feel a tension headache coming along (forget tiger balm, this is much nicer!). Key ingredients include; olive oil, eucalyptus and tea tree. The magical infusion of Eucalyptus, tea tree and peppermint gives this balm a really invigorating kick, and once I’ve applied it to my temples I feel immediately more alert and positive. You can also use the balm to relax and ease tense muscles; it would be perfect for a foot massage as the peppermint and tea tree will help to neutralise any odours (gross I know!). I have applied the balm to my temples whilst writing this and now feel I could start a novel or take over the world (overkill?!). The pricing of the Daily Body Rub is slightly different to that of the All Purpose Balm; the 5g trial size retails at £2.99, the 30g at £10.50 and finally the 50g at £16.50.
I have really enjoyed testing these two products out, and will definitely continue to use them until they’re empty. They are now a firm favourite of mine and I will be stocking up once my current pots are all used up!
