Niki's Organic Balms

In the past week I've noticed that my usually already dry skin has been very affected by the changing weather and it has become tighter and itchier than ever before. Even moisturising twice a day (once in the morning, once in the evening) with the body creams I normally use doesn't seem sufficient anymore. It's very frustrating not being able to find a proper relief for my skin, so I jumped at the opportunity to put some new products to the test.

Niki's Organic Balms is a collection of balms designed to soothe, relax and moisturise. The range features five balms - Original, Lavender and Chamomile, Warming, Rose and Baby Bottom - which are infused with natural ingredients, including cinnamon, sandalwood and rosemary essential oils. The products are all handmade in the UK and do not contain petroleum, parabens or anything else that you really wouldn't want on your skin.

The Original Balm is very zesty and the strong lemony scent is one that stays on the skin long after the balm itself has been absorbed. It worked well as a moisturiser on areas of my body that were very dry. It especially softened the tougher skin on my heels and elbows but I wouldn't recommend it for the face because of its strong smell. The Lavender & Chamomile Balm is very similar to the Original but, unsurprisingly, with a soothing hint of lavender and chamomile running throughout.

The Warming Balm was the one I was most looking forward to trying but it left me a little disappointed. While the deliciously spicy cinnamon scent was certainly wintery and warming, I didn't feel that using the product warmed up my body. It was also the most greasy of all the balms I tried, making it wholly unsuitable for the face. Even after applying it elsewhere, such as my arms and legs, it left an unpleasant sticky filter a long time after use.

Of the products from the range I tried my favourite was the Rose Balm. It was the least oily so I was able to use it on my face without any problems. The product was absorbed quickly and left my skin feeling soft and hydrated much longer than the body creams and lotions I usually use, making it perfect for the current weather conditions. The scent was also very delicate meaning that while it left a pleasant fragrance straight after application, it didn't linger too long.

After trying four of the balms I was surprised by the differences in both scent and use for each, as I had expected them to be far more similar. I struggled a little at first with applying the product as I found it difficult to spread over a larger part of my body but I got used to the consistency after a while and it became an easier task. Each of the balms did leave the hand I'd been using to apply it with very oily, but this was easy to wash off.

Also good to know is that the pots come in a variety of sizes, which is very handy. The smallest of them all, which contains 10ml of the balm, is perfectly sized to fit into any handbag without adding to the weight. I've popped one into each of the bags I regularly use so I have a remedy against (unexpected) dry skin at hand whenever it may be necessary.