I don't use face balms every day. Don't get me wrong: balms are one of the most effective items you can use, since they're healing, calming and protecting the skin. But by nature they're thick and rich, don't need to be paired with another product, and can't be used under makeup or during the day if you plan to leave the house. But there's nothing like a quiet evening at home when you give yourself a facial and end it with a concentrated balm.
In Fiore Fleur Vibrante Face Balm Concentrate is the perfect product for this kind of pampering. Unlike more homespun balms (Etsy is full of such products, some of them quite good), the texture is a bit more elegant, melts at the touch and spreads evenly over the face. You only need a tiny bit: maybe half a pea size drop (and you'll have some left for your cuticles). Massage it into the skin slowly and enjoy the sensation. It actually works as a sealing layer for serums, and the most luxurious aspect is the scent: a rich jasmine with a wow effect.
In Fiore is a San Francisco-based line that's all natural. They believe in "perfume as medicine" and formulate their skin care to reflect that. Obviously, not IFRA-compliant, so if you're allergic to essential oils and natural ingredients you'll need to double check the labels. For the rest of us this is an incredible treat.
Vibrante Face Balm Concentrate absorbs slowly when used on my face and more quickly on hands, elbows, and such. I use it before bed or as an emergency treatment after coming home from a 17 degrees weather, and wipe away what's left if I need to make myself presentable again. I can attest to the calming and softening effect this balm has on even the roughest skin. It also helps with itchiness (this winter has done away with my dignity), and is also a nice post-peel option (again, if you're not sensitive to extracts and absolutes) . Waking up the morning after there's a visible difference in the way my skin looks and feels, and my entire bedroom smells wonderfully jasminy.
And it's Josephine-approved.
Ingredients: Cold-pressed Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil infused with Calendula Officinalis Flower*, Rosa Mosqueta (Rose Hip) Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Beeswax, Vitamin E, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract*, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Berry Extract*, Jasminum Grandiflorum (Jasmine) Absolute, Rosmarinus Officinale (Rosemary) Leaf Extract*.
*Certified Organic Ingredient
In Fiore Fleur Vibrante Face Balm Concentrate ($70 for the standard 50ml size, but you can also buy a 7.5ml travel size for $15 directly from In Fiore) is available at Twisted Lily, BeautyHabit and directly from infiore.net. The product for this review was part of a gift bag supplied by Twisted Lily.
I love this balm - it's great for soothing chapped lips and skin. I buy the travel size regularly. Since it is a natural product, it doesn't last indefinitely. I find that it turns rancid within a year, so buying the travel size ensures I always have a fresh supply.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm....interesting and impressive. I have never used face balms but upon reading this, I think I will give it a try. It seems like a great product to try out.
ReplyDeleteI love it, too. I have actually purchased many of the skin care products and really love the fragrances. Call me a "cat-nerd" but I was quite happy to see one of your cats in the photo! Her fur looks so soft and feathery.
ReplyDeleteShelley
Never have thought of using a face balm before, but with this endless winter of the White Witch, am thinking I should. This sounds lovely and jasmine reminds me of a childhood home where I went to sleep each night with the scent of masses of jasmine vines growing outside my bedroom window. Tropical heaven. And thanks for the photo of Josephine - balm for the soul. Beautifully posed photo and beautiful, sweet subject.
ReplyDeleteAnna