Safety disclaimer
The limits of what Trebalm can tell you: not medical advice, not a safety assessment, not legal advice, plus the workshop hazards worth respecting.
Trebalm publishes technical reference material about cosmetic balms and salves. That is a useful thing to have, and it is not a substitute for several other things. This page sets out where the line is.
This is not medical advice
Nothing on Trebalm diagnoses, treats, cures or prevents any condition, and nothing here should delay you seeking care. Persistent chapping, cracked or bleeding skin, a rash that spreads, swelling, signs of infection, or any change to skin or lips that will not settle needs a clinician who can examine you. If you have a diagnosed skin condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, are treating a child, or are managing diabetes or circulatory problems affecting the feet, take professional advice before acting on anything you read here.
Where we discuss evidence for an ingredient, we are describing what the published literature does and does not support. That is not the same as a recommendation for your skin.
This is not a safety assessment
If you sell or give away a cosmetic, obligations attach to you. In the UK and the EU that includes a cosmetic product safety report written by a qualified assessor, a responsible person, a product information file and notification before sale. In the United States there are registration, listing, labelling and substantiation requirements, and some products cross into being regulated drugs. Our pages on selling in the UK and EU, US labelling and cosmetic versus drug claims are orientation so you know what to ask about. They are not legal advice, they are not a safety assessment, and the rules change.
Formulas are starting points
Every formula on Trebalm is a tested starting point, not a validated product. Ingredients vary between suppliers and between batches, equipment differs, and your climate is not ours. Make a small batch first, keep notes, and test it on yourself before anyone else. If you intend to sell, the formula must go through whatever assessment your jurisdiction requires, and changing an ingredient changes the assessment.
Allergies and sensitivities
Any ingredient can cause a reaction in someone. Balms commonly contain known allergens including beeswax and propolis, lanolin, tree nut oils, wheat-derived materials, essential oils and fragrance components. If you make products for other people, declare your ingredients in full. If you are using something new on yourself, patch test on the inner forearm and wait 48 hours. Stop using anything that stings, burns or itches, and see balm stings or burns.
Workshop hazards
Molten wax and fat sit between 70 and 80 C and stick to skin, so a splash keeps burning. Always melt in a water bath rather than over direct heat, never leave a melt unattended, keep children and pets out of the room, and have cold running water within reach. Wax is flammable at high temperatures and a wax fire must never be doused with water.
Other hazards worth taking seriously: powdered pigments, zinc oxide and clays should not be inhaled, so weigh them carefully and consider a mask; essential oils are concentrated and can burn undiluted skin and damage eyes; capsaicin and menthol transfer easily from hands to eyes; and glass containers can crack under thermal shock.
Safety around children and animals
Camphor, menthol and eucalyptus should not be applied to or near the face of children under two. Essential oils, and tea tree in particular, are not safe for cats and are risky for dogs. Honey should not be given to children under one year, and by extension we do not recommend honey-containing lip products for babies. These points are covered on the relevant pages, and none of them is optional.
Accuracy and liability
We work hard to be accurate and we log our corrections in public, but we cannot guarantee that every figure is right or current, and material properties genuinely vary. Trebalm and its contributors accept no liability for loss, damage or injury arising from use of this material. You are responsible for what you make, what you apply and what you sell.
Related: editorial standards, methodology, corrections.