Jumping into the oversaturated beauty market in 2017 is a bold move. There are "smart" hair brushes, magnetic face masks, machines that make your dream foundation — sometimes it seems like the next big thing is going to really have to change the game to be a hit.
But then something comes along, seemingly out of nowhere, and doesn't reinvent the wheel, but polishes it to a shiny, pretty, gorgeously-scented finish — and we find ourselves giddy with excitement. Such is the case with Balmyard Beauty, a five-piece skin collection inspired by founder Larissa Gunn's travels, which ticks every box on the It brand checklist.
Obviously, there's the millennial pink, palm-tree-printed packaging that will entice every girl who has ever taken a flat lay — if the names of the oils, including Moonlight Lover and Romantic Call, don't first. "We spent so much time on it — it's kind of sad to think it'll just be tossed," said Gunn when we met, but I assured her the boxes would go on to lead rich, fulfilling lives.
But appearances aren't everything (I mean, they're a lot...). The glass bottles, sachets, and pots hold face and body oils, bath soaks, and a cheek-and-lip tint made with all-natural ingredients — like coconut oil, hibiscus, jasmine, ylang ylang, and prickly pear seed, which are native to Jamaica — and sourced from sustainable farms there which are also benefitted by a portion of the brand's proceeds.
For me, the two heroes are the body oil and the two-in-one tint. There are hundreds of hydrating oils that aim to remind us of islands and vacation, but this one feels the most special and lingers on my skin the longest. It takes real effort to use it sparingly, so you just have to keep reminding yourself of the $82 price tag. And the lip balm might make you ditch your full-coverage lipstick forever; the hibiscus extracts leave behind a sheer, deep-red stain that looks like you've been eating cherry flavored shaved ice all day.
As for the name, the balm yard is a place of physical and spiritual healing in Jamaica. Gunn tells the story of a time she was sick and a local pulled some nearby plants and made her a brew. She drank it, jumped in the ocean for a swim, and was better by night. That's the romance of the simple island life — and this is the closest taste we're going to get of it in the big city.
Balmyard Beauty, $18-95, available at Balmyard Beauty.
Balmyard Beauty, $18-95, available at Balmyard Beauty.