Every balm is made from the same core ingredients: organic jojoba oil, olive-derived squalane, refined shea butter, white beeswax and natural vitamin E.
Original is unscented. Each of the other six balms is scented with a single essential oil sourced from Japan.
01
Organic jojoba oil
Jojoba comes from the seeds of a hardy shrub native to the dry landscapes of the south-western United States and northern Mexico.
Although usually called an oil, jojoba is actually a liquid wax. Its unusual structure gives it excellent stability and a smooth, light feel on the skin.
Jojoba is widely valued in skincare as an emollient and skin-conditioning ingredient. It helps soften and condition the skin while giving the balm smooth glide and spreadability without making it feel unnecessarily heavy.
The jojoba oil I use is organic and 100% natural-origin.
02
Olive-derived squalane
Squalane is closely related to squalene, a lipid naturally present in human sebum. Historically, commercial squalene was often associated with shark liver oil, but today it can also be produced from plant sources.
The squalane I use is derived from olives.
It is a lightweight emollient and skin-conditioning ingredient, valued for the soft, smooth and silky feel it gives the skin. In the balm it works particularly well alongside jojoba, adding glide and conditioning without excessive heaviness.
03
Refined shea butter
Shea butter comes from the fruit of the shea tree, which grows across parts of West Africa. The shea used in the balm is sourced from Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso before being refined for cosmetic use.
Shea has a long history of traditional use for skin and hair and has become one of the best-known botanical butters in modern skincare.
Its rich emollient character helps soften dry-feeling skin and gives the balm body, richness and staying power.
I use a refined grade so the natural shea aroma stays quietly in the background rather than competing with the essential oils.
The refined shea butter I use is 100% natural-origin.
04
White beeswax
Beeswax is the natural wax produced by honey bees and has been used for centuries in balms, salves and ointments.
It plays two important roles in the balm. It gives the oils enough structure to form a balm that stays solid in the tin, and it helps form a light protective layer on the skin that reduces moisture loss.
I chose white beeswax rather than yellow beeswax because I wanted the base itself to stay as neutral as possible.
Yellow beeswax has a stronger, slightly smoky wax aroma that can compete with the delicate character of the Japanese essential oils. White beeswax gives me the structure and protective qualities I want without overpowering those scents.
05
Natural vitamin E
The vitamin E I use is a natural blend of mixed tocopherols in sunflower seed oil.
Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant in the formula, helping protect the botanical oils from oxidation and supporting the stability of the balm.
It is also widely used in cosmetics as a skin-conditioning ingredient.
06
Essential oils from Japan
Each scented balm contains a single essential oil rather than a blended fragrance, allowing the character of each particular plant and place to remain distinct.
Setouchi Lemon uses lemon essential oil from Hiroshima Prefecture on Japan’s Seto Inland Sea.
Yuzu comes from Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku.
Hakka Mint comes from Takinoue in Hokkaido.
Todo Fir and Akaezo Spruce come from Shimokawa in northern Hokkaido.
Hinoki Cypress is sourced from Japan.
Together they bring six very different aromatic characters to the same core balm — citrus, mint, wood and northern forest.
The scents are naturally more restrained than a conventional perfume blend, allowing the character of each essential oil to come through in its own way.