FAQs
Q: Why do Balbec cleansers and hydrosols require refrigeration?
A: Like fresh and vital foods, Balbec cleansers and hydrosols are minimally processed and contain no preservatives or stabilizers; they are perishable. While preservatives prolong the shelf life of a product, they can detract from the overall quality of a product. Refrigeration and special violet glass along with the natural preservative properties of some of the ingredients are what keep Balbec products fresh and vital during their life span. Every ingredient in the cleanser is beneficial and nutritious for your skin; your cleansers are guaranteed for six weeks. Pure hydrosols contain no preservatives and must be refrigerated and used within two months to preserve their delicate properties. The trade off for the minor inconvenience of keeping your skincare in the refrigerator is the luxury of being able to care for your skin with the very best ingredients without compromise.
Q: What is probiotic skincare?
A: Probiotics are live microorganisms that promote a healthy microbiome, thus improving the health of the host organ. Probiotic skincare contains live microorganisms and is designed to maintain the skin's microbiome, making skin more resilient, less susceptible to harmful bacteria and pathogens, and improving skin functions. True probiotic skincare is live, and is not extract or a ferment. Cosmetic preservatives used to give a product a shelf life typically kill live microorganisms because they are anti-bacterial. At Balbec, we do not use added preservatives and thus maintain the live cultures of our clay and yogurt cleansers. To keep our cleansers fresh and active during their life span we use violet glass and refrigeration.
Q: Do the oils require refrigeration?
A: No.
Q: What is a hydrosol?
A: Fresh and complex, our single-ingredient hydrosols are pure flower distillates. Each drop is a tiny package containing over a hundred distinct beneficial chemical properties that make up organic rose, rose geranium, or lavender. Hydrosols present the gentlest version of aromatherapy and have a naturally acidic ph to soothe the skin and complement and protect the acid mantle. Both gentle and acidic, hydrosols are perfectly designed by nature for the skin and so we add nothing to them. They are particularly valuable for stressed skins that require a less-is-more approach in the healing process.
Q: What is the acid mantle?
A: The acid mantle is that lovely fine lipid layer made up of amino and lactic acids that gives skin resilience and protects it from harmful bacteria and environmental stress. When intact, it brings the skin's ideal ph to about 5.5. A beautiful acid mantle is yours, you were born with it, and it is forgiving. If you ruin it, you can get it back. When properly cared for, it is among your most cherished beauty assets.
Q: Does using skincare that is organic, wildcrafted, and or cultivated without chemicals really make a difference?
A: Using plants that are organic, cultivated without chemicals, and wildcrafted helps maintain environmental biodiversity and presents healthy, natural, and recognizable substances to our own personal ecosystems—our bodies. A plant that grows and survives without the use of pesticides or chemical enhancement is a healthier plant, with its own robust immune system and energies that are passed along to the product. In a world in which our agriculture is increasingly genetically modified, we don't yet know the full cost of this modification to our health and environment. Skin is our largest permeable organ, and what we put on it makes its way into our bloodstream. As we have become well aware of how unprocessed, fresh, organic, and live food benefits our bodies and environment, we are becoming evermore conscientious about what we apply to our skin.
Q: How should I use the products?
A: Simply cleanse, rinse, spray on the hydrosol, and use a soft cotton ball to remove all traces of cleanser from skin. While skin is still damp, apply your facial oil.
Q: How long am I supposed to leave the cleanser on?
A: Often I only have time for a quick cleanse. I massage the cleanser into my skin and then I rinse it off with warm water. My favorite way to use the cleanser is to massage it into my face at the beginning of my shower and leave it on as a mask until I am just about ready to step out.
Q: Do I need to use the wooden spoon, or is it okay to use my fingers to scoop out the cleanser?
A: The spoon is provided as a measure for keeping excess contaminants out of the cleanser. Simply clean the spoon after use. Please make sure to avoid using metal with the cleanser since metal disrupts the electrical charge of the clay and will diminish its efficacy.
Q: How much cleanser do I use at a time?
A: I like to use a spoonful each time I cleanse. Sometimes I use the cleanser twice a day, sometimes only at night. Sometimes to really relax into a full at-home spa experience I apply the mask as a full face, neck, and decollete mask.