I decided to try the Gryph & Ivyrose Seal the Deal(TM) Moisturizing Balm after I had been experiencing a wrist rash for about half a year. It was suspected to be a metal allergy, but the rash unfortunately persisted months after I stopped wearing the suspected bracelet. The rash was annoying, a little embarrassing, and I was willing to spend more to try make the allergy rash go away sooner. I found this balm in the Saks Fifth Avenue online store for US$49 before tax.
Gryph & Ivyrose is based in Miami, Florida, United States. The Seal the Deal (TM) is advertized as “High-performance & multipurpose healing balm that combats dry, irritated skin & symptoms of eczema for all ages. Nourishes, soothes, and protects dry patches, cracked nails & rough cuticles, stretch marks, softening of scars, chapped lips & cracked heels & elbows. Safe for all ages!” That sounded promising.
The packaging is a thick glass jar with a plain white plastic screw-on lid. This balm is very smelly but is indeed moisturizing. It seems too oily to use on the face, and it felt uncomfortably oily when I got some on my face by accident.
I probably used this balm another 6 months before the rash eventually faded.
Is it moisturizing? Yes. That is probably the sesame oil and the beeswax to hold it in.
Is it very non-reactive? While it does not have artificial fragrances and is non-comedogenic, it has a lot of ingredients: 11 botanicals, it brags. The more ingredients, the more likely there is an ingredient that gives someone with allergies issues. I do not think this product is excellent for people with many allergies, particularly plant allergies. I fall under that category.
In terms of use, if the skin is already rough and dry, one has to keep reapplying fairly frequently because it gets absorbed quickly; in that case, I would find basic Vaseline at 1/25 of the price better for overnight. If the skin is not already rough, the Seal the Deal balm seems to work nicely because it absorbs quickly and is no longer a bothersome ointment one can feel.
I do not feel that the Seal the Deal balm was significantly better than any other balm one could find at a lower price. I also do not think that any special properties of the balm helped my allergy rash fade any faster. I actually think the long list of ingredients makes this riskier to people with allergies.
As far as travel, the glass, elegant and environmentally aware it may be, is heavy. If I wanted this for a trip, I would keep this jar at home or depot some into a smaller container.
I personally probably would not buy this again because I expect no allergies at certain price points and I suspect I have a slight allergy to this. For everyone who does not have my allergies, this balm can be worth worth trying if one needs something natural and moisturizing which absorbs quickly, but I also think there are more cost-effective alternatives.
