Based in San Francisco and distributed worldwide, The Balm has now become something of a cult brand. The company was founded by Marissa Shipman who taught herself to make makeup after realising there were a few essential products that she needed to feel glam.
Starting with the easiest, a lip balm (hence the company name) she rapidly found a lab, launched a website, hired staff and secured distribution in a few US stores. Since then the company has gone from strength to strength, and the launch of nail polish and skincare lines are imminent – we can’t wait!
We love The Balm’s imaginative names, retro style packaging and fabulous products which make us feel like silver screen goddesses when we use them. We also love their stance on office dogs, with pug Eloise ‘Wheezie’ Shipman appointed Chief Pet Officer, and a portion of proceeds from The Balm to the Rescue lip balm going to Pug Rescue.
Why we chose The Balm
We chose to stock The Balm because here at Bath & Unwind we felt we should have a range of cosmetics to choose from which are as fun to use as they are effective.
For many of us, makeup has become a routine part of the day, applied with little thought between combing our hair and cleaning our teeth. Using The Balm products, we can get back to that feeling of excitement first felt using makeup as a girl, and add a touch of old-school glamour to our day.
Why their products work
The Balm team are daily makeup users and artists and their passion for what they do is apparent in how they have developed each and every product so it delivers on its promises. The Balm ensure that only the best ingredients are used in their products to ensure a natural finish and their range is vibrant and fun to use.
Our hero product
We love getting value from our products, and you get just that with The Balm’s Mary-Lou Manizer, a multi-use product that can be used as a highlighter, shadow and shimmer. It is great used in the inner corners of the eyes and just under the outer edge of the brow to make eyes really stand out, and will also accentuate cheekbones when brushed or dabbed along the top of them.
For added oomph on a night out, use a large brush to gently dust a layer of Manizer over the face for a shimmery finishing touch.
