My boyfriend refers to it as "that magic balm stuff," it's cleared more dry flakes than my vacuum, and it's lasted me for (going on) four years. This jar might look ordinary, boring even, but inside is a formula that I've dragged with me on every holiday, applied on nearly every inch of my body, and insights sheer panic when misplaced. I'd like to introduce you to my most-prized beauty possession: Shiffa's Healing Balm.
Our love story started four years ago, when I got my hands on it while vetting the line for a startup beauty site. Our love grew with every scratch, bout of flaky skin, bug bite, allergic reaction, cracked knuckle, and ragged cuticle. If the dad in My Big Fat Greek Wedding had Windex, I had this.
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The secret to this magical balm is the blend of 15 botanicals, including St. John wort, chamomile, arnica, shea butter, jojoba seed oil, and lavender oil. The founder of Shiffa (which translates to "healing" in Arabic) is Dr. Lamees Hamdan, MD, a surgeon with a dermatology background who's based in Dubai. She set out to craft a balm that alleviates eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, breakouts, burns, wounds, stretch marks, and dry or damaged skin. I can personally attest to its efficacy for more than half of those claims.
The only issue? Up until this year, it was nearly impossible to track one down in the U.S.; only a few select boutiques carried it. That changed in January, when the brand introduced 14 products to Nordstrom, including my beloved balm. I'm still only halfway through my jar after nearly half a decade — making it well worth the price tag — but I'm sleeping easier knowing I can easily pick up another jar if mine ever goes "missing." (I'm watching you, boyfriend.)
Shiffa Healing Balm, available at Shiffa.