TL;DR hydration that lasts – but at what cost?

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A Deeper Look

Before you read this, it’s important to understand two things: 1) my serendipitous discovery of this conditioning balm came about in research for my Black-Owned Beauty Brands to Support post and 2) founder Dana Jackson’s story is truly, unequivocally inspiring. I encourage you to read it.

Coincidentally, this balm actually has much in common with another black-owned and female-founded company’s offering — the KNC Beauty Supa Balm (also featured in aforementioned post).

Like the Supa Balm, the BYM formula is a gel that comes in tube, not stick, form (itself a risky undertaking in COVID times, but presumably one day we’ll be able to trust our hands to not poison us). Like Supa Balm, this balm hydrates deeply and obviates the need for reapplication for hours. Like Supa Balm, Remedy is free of many harmful ingredients now fashionable to exclude (and, of course, announce their exclusion): parabens, petroleum, PEGs, p-etc.

Like Supa Balm, it deals heavily in my new favorite balm ingredient: moringa seed oil. (Someone please send me this compound in raw form so I may bathe in it. Thank you.)

Lastly, and unfortunately, like Supa Balm, the formula leaves behind little “balm beads” that you can either a) vigorously rub to absorb into your lips, b) pick off and stuff back into the tube to reckon with at a later date or c) resign yourself to their inevitable journey through your esophagus and into your intestines.

However, that’s where the similarities end (for better and for worse). The elements that differentiate the two are a mixed bag, a potpourri of pleasant nuances and off-putting choices, if you will.

A positive difference: the packaging. The BYM balm comes in a metal tube, meaning entirely recyclable — perfect for the Sustainable Sallys among us (I’m one of them!). The formula is also slightly thicker, requiring you to use less per application and making it (at the same weight and price point) a slightly better bang for your buck.

(Another notable positive, though less discernible: its star ingredient, ximenia oil, a rich seed oil derived from African plums that acts as a skin protectant.)

A not-so-positive difference (and a complete unforced error, in my opinion): the taste and, consequently, the smell. The product page boasts of the “yuzu and green mandarin” in the formula, but I imagine these are also the ingredients that give me the unsettling feeling of applying a sterile cleaning solution to my lips. I would go so far as to liken both the taste and the smell of this balm to a cold cream meant for unsavory medical conditions, rather than something to protect your lips.

Are my lips satiated? 100%. But are my taste buds and olfactory senses offended? Indubitably.

Important: Sulfate-Free, Cruelty-Free, Contains Beeswax, Contains Shea Butter