Muscle Balm

15g (£5) and 100g (£18) | Jar

A rich, warming botanical balm handcrafted in West Wittering from sweet almond oil, beeswax, cocoa butter, and tamanu oil — blended with pure lavender, rosemary, peppermint, and eucalyptus essential oils. Designed to be massaged into areas of tension after exercise or at the end of a long day, it glides on smoothly, absorbs beautifully, and leaves skin feeling genuinely comforted and nourished.

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Botanical comfort for body and senses

There's a particular kind of tiredness that comes from physical activity or a long day on your feet — a combination of tight, fatigued muscles and skin that's been through its paces. This balm was formulated to address both at once.

The base formula starts with sweet almond oil — a lightweight, fast-absorbing oil rich in oleic and linoleic acids that closely mirrors the skin's natural sebum. It forms the majority of the balm's base, ensuring the formula melts readily on contact with warm skin and absorbs cleanly without a heavy residue. Beeswax gives the balm its firm, scoopable texture — forming a breathable, protective layer on the skin's surface that helps lock in the nourishing oils while the essential oils do their work. Cocoa butter adds richness and depth to the formula, contributing natural cocoa polyphenols and a characteristic warm, slightly chocolatey note that complements the essential oils beautifully.

Tamanu oil is the standout active ingredient in this formula — cold-pressed from the nuts of the Calophyllum inophyllum tree and valued in traditional botanical skincare for its unique fatty acid profile including calophyllic acid and calophyllolide, compounds found in very few other plant sources. It's the ingredient that elevates this balm from a simple botanical rub to something genuinely substantive.

The essential oil blend is where this balm earns its name. Lavender brings its well-documented calming and skin-compatible properties — familiar, grounding, and universally effective. Rosemary adds a sharp, herbaceous energy that feels immediately invigorating on application. Peppermint delivers its characteristic cooling sensation — the naturally occurring menthol creating an instant feeling of freshness and relief that most people find deeply satisfying after exercise or prolonged physical activity. Eucalyptus rounds out the blend with a clean, camphoraceous note that amplifies the cooling effect and gives the balm its distinctive, purposeful scent profile.

Together these four essential oils create a genuinely therapeutic sensory experience — cooling, warming, calming, and invigorating all at once — that makes applying this balm feel like an act of genuine self-care rather than a functional afterthought.

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What's in it — and why

• Sweet almond oil (Prunus dulcis) — lightweight, fast-absorbing base oil; rich in oleic and linoleic acids; mirrors the skin's natural sebum
• Beeswax (Cera alba) — gives the balm its firm, scoopable texture; forms a breathable protective layer that helps lock in nourishment
• Cocoa butter (Theobroma cacao) — rich in cocoa polyphenols; adds depth and nourishment to the formula
• Tamanu oil (Calophyllum inophyllum) — cold-pressed; unique fatty acid profile including calophyllic acid; a valued ingredient in traditional botanical skincare
• Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia) — calming, skin-compatible, and grounding
• Rosemary essential oil (Rosmarinus officinalis) — sharp, herbaceous, and invigorating
• Peppermint essential oil (Mentha piperita) — naturally cooling; contains menthol which creates an immediate sensation of freshness and relief
• Eucalyptus essential oil (Eucalyptus globulus) — clean, camphoraceous; amplifies the cooling effect and rounds out the scent blend

Full INCI: Prunus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Kernel Oil, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Calophyllum Inophyllum (Tamanu) Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Leaf Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Oil, Limonene**, Geraniol**, Linalool** **Naturally occurring in essential oils

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How to use

Scoop a small amount and warm between your palms until it melts. Massage into areas of tension using gentle circular motions — the warmth of your hands activates the essential oils beautifully. No rinsing needed — just relax and let the botanicals absorb.

💡 Post-workout tip: Apply after a warm shower while skin is still slightly warm for maximum absorption and the most satisfying sensory experience.

✨ Evening tip: Apply to shoulders, neck, and feet at the end of a long day — the lavender and peppermint combination is particularly effective as part of a wind-down routine.

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The Puremess Promise

✔️ Handcrafted in small batches in West Wittering, West Sussex ✔️ Free from synthetic fragrance, sulphates, parabens, palm oil, phthalates and silicones ✔️ Natural and cruelty-free ✔️ Available in 15g and 100g jars

Made with love, in West Wittering.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to use this balm? It works beautifully in two key moments — after exercise when muscles are warm and skin is receptive, and at the end of a long day when you need to transition from busy to restful. The peppermint and eucalyptus create an immediate cooling, refreshing sensation that's particularly satisfying post-workout; the lavender brings a calming quality that makes it equally effective as part of an evening wind-down routine. Apply after a warm shower for the most absorbing experience.

What does the cooling sensation come from? The cooling sensation comes from the naturally occurring menthol in the peppermint essential oil — the same compound responsible for the cooling effect of mint in food and drink. Menthol activates the skin's cold receptors, creating a cooling sensation without actually changing the temperature of the skin. It's completely normal, expected, and for most people one of the most pleasurable aspects of using this balm. The eucalyptus amplifies this effect, giving the blend its distinctive, deeply refreshing quality.

What is tamanu oil and why is it in a muscle balm? Tamanu oil is cold-pressed from the nuts of the Calophyllum inophyllum tree, native to tropical Asia and the Pacific. It has a unique fatty acid profile — including calophyllic acid and calophyllolide, compounds found in very few other plant sources — and has been used in traditional botanical skincare across multiple cultures for centuries. In this formula it adds a depth of skin nourishment that elevates the balm beyond a simple aromatic rub, making it genuinely beneficial for the skin as well as comforting for the senses.

Is this balm suitable for sensitive skin? The formula is free from synthetic fragrance, parabens, and harsh synthetic ingredients. However it contains four active essential oils — peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary, and lavender — which are present at purposeful rather than trace concentrations. If you have very sensitive or reactive skin, we'd recommend a patch test on the inner arm before first use. The peppermint and eucalyptus in particular can cause sensitivity in some people.

Is this product vegan? No — it contains beeswax, which is an animal-derived ingredient. It is suitable for vegetarians. The beeswax is an essential component of the balm's texture and protective properties — it's the ingredient that gives the formula its firm, scoopable consistency and helps lock in the nourishing oils.

What's the difference between the 15g and 100g sizes? The 15g at £5 is perfect for a gym bag, travel kit, or trying before committing to the full size. It's also a lovely stocking filler or add-on gift. The 100g at £18 is the one for regular home use — significantly better value and enough for several months of daily application.