“This Stuff Is Magic”: Why The Gentle Label’s Organic Healing Balm Is The New Cult Classic

Can one clean, genius product revolutionize your entire routine?

When I ask Genevieve Tan about the kind of feedback she’s getting for her wonder product, an understated tube of Organic Healing Balm, she replies simply, “this stuff is magic.” And as the do-it-all salve celebrates its first birthday this month, loyal fans of her London-based brand The Gentle Label might be onto something.

Like a stepped-up version of the Paw Paw ointments makeup artists and models swear by backstage every NYFW, the Organic Healing Balm brings another power player into the mix. Derived from papaya, natural enzymes resurface lips without the need for chemical exfoliants, while Tan’s addition of nourishing calendula heals dry, chapped skin. “Conventional balms create the illusion of moisture, while their harsh ingredients can cause skin to become irritated, dry out, and age much more quickly than it should,” she shares of her instinct to nix petrochemicals from the recipe.

Its main purpose? Multi, of course. “It can be used anywhere from hair to heels,” Tan explains of her goal to make a unisex, streamlined product with the potential to be the only moisturizer you need to pack. “It soothes and heals cuts, burns, and bites, and it even provides relief after a fresh wax or new tattoo,” she notes of the lip-balm-meets-primer-meets-hand-cream-meets-makeup-remover-meets-wonder-salve. Below, a few of Tan’s bonus tips for maximizing the modern minimalist’s newest essential:

1. Apply a thin layer to lips and leave on while doing the rest of your make-up. Blot off just prior to applying lipstick for a smoother canvas and stronger, longer-lasting colour.

2. Dab onto a cotton swab to clean up eyeliner mistakes or smudged mascara without having to remove all of your eye makeup at once.

3. Turn powder pigments into a natural, dewy blush or tinted lip gloss by blending with a bit of balm.