Earthwise Beauty - Imhotep&

Imhotep's Balsam Face Mask

Regular price$14.00
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  • Description
  • EARTHWISE BEAUTY

    Imhotep's Balsam is a finely milled powder mask that turns into a pleasantly sticky, easy-to-spread, comforting roots-and-herbs paste once you add water. The powder is a blend of laboriously ground Hawaiian alaea salt, nourishing chickweed, and redness-calming chamomile flowers, plus soothing and hydrating mucilage-rich roots of marshmallow and comfrey, brightening licorice, and more. This is a moisture-replenishing, barrier repairing, deeply conditioning mask for all skin types, especially dry, imbalanced, stressed, or with a compromised skin barrier.


  • KEY BIOACTIVES:
    • Birch bark:Ā The bark of white birch, also known as peeling birch, has been known in Poland since pagan days as the herb to use if one wants beautiful, bright, healthy skin and strong, abundant hair. The sustainably obtained, dried, and milled bark has a characteristically invigorating scent reminiscent of wintergreen. Birch bark contains a high concentration of betulinic acid, which has been studied for its stimulating effect on collagen synthesis and for its elastase-inhibiting properties, making it an outstanding ingredient for the care of mature skin concerns such as wrinkles and skin sagging.ā€” For more on birch bark, seeĀ The Science Behind Our Ingredients.
    • Astragalus root:Ā This spleen qi tonic and immune-supporting herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine has a special affinity for the skin. People who consume astragalus as part of their herbal regimen often notice an improvement to the clarity, texture, and moisture level of their skin.
    • Marshmallow root:Ā Mature roots are rich in mucilage with soothing, softening, hydrating properties. American herbalist Matthew Wood recommends marshmallow root for breaking up hardened tissue.
    • Licorice root:Ā This root is an ingredient in most classic herbal formulas in Traditional Chinese Medicine. One of its properties is that it makes other herbs work better. In cosmetic science, licorice has come to be known as a skin lightening ingredient for addressing brown spots and sun spots.Ā§ For more on licorice root's medicinal effects, seeĀ The Science Behind Our Ingredients.
    • Chickweed:Ā This ubiquitous herb is considered a nutritional powerhouse (it is a favorite of the American folk herbalist Susun Weed, who recommends eating it daily in salads). Chickweed improves skin moisture levels, reduces surface redness, and alleviates itching.
    • Comfrey root:Ā The comfrey plant, especially the roots, is rich in allantoin, which is a well-established, reliable cosmetic ingredient with moisture-retention, protective, and soothing properties. In Western herbal tradition, comfrey is thought to be particularly regenerative and useful when working on scars. Comfrey is an excellent ingredient to alleviate dry skin and has balancing properties for eczema and psoriasis.
    • Plai:Ā This plant from theĀ Zingerberaceae plant family (the same family as ginger and turmeric) grows in abundance in Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia, among other countries. It has been studied for its analgesic (pain-reducing), antibacterial, and antioxidant properties. Unlike ginger and turmeric, which are warming, plai is cooling. Its scent is spicy, cool, uniquely richā€”unforgettable! We are using wild plai essential oil in Imhotep's Balsam in part because it is a very sustainable ingredient (plai is an invasive plant in many countries), and because it can be helpful for painful conditions including facial neuralgia and some types of acne blemishes.
    • Elemi:Ā This resin comes from the tree Canarium luzonicum, which belongs to the same family as frankincense, and is thought to have wound-mending properties. Filipino women have traditionally used elemi to ensure youthful-looking, supple skin.
  • INGREDIENTS:
  • Aloe barbadensis leaf powder*, Sodium chloride (red alaea salt)ā€ , Matricaria recutita (chamomile) buds (organic or *), Althaea officinalis (marshmallow) root (organic or *), Stellaria media (chickweed) leaf and stem (organic or *), Astragalus membranaceus root (certified organicĀ whenever available), Betula lenta (paper birch) bark (* or ā€ ), Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) root*, Symphytum officinale (comfrey) root (organic or *), Cedrus atlantica (Atlas cedar) extractā€ , Canarium luzonicum (elemi) resin essential oilā€ , Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. (plai) essential oilā€ .

    *Certified organic. ā€ Responsibly wildcrafted.

    Certified cruelty free, vegan, handcrafted, small batch. Gluten free.

  • HOW TO USE:
  • Measure out 1 teaspoon of the powder and mix with just enough water to achieve a workable, moist paste. Apply onto freshly washed, towel-dried skin and leave on for 30 minutes. Mist with a hydrosol or face toner while wearing the mask. Remove with cotton rounds or a wetted face towel.

    For an even more nurturing mask, add 1 to 4 drops of a facial oil or oil-based serum to the paste, such asĀ Magical Babassu Face OilĀ orĀ Ruby Face Oil. Replace the water withĀ Cistus and Moonlight Face MistĀ for yet another variation and an interesting scent twist.