Nova Scotia Fisherman's Rescue Balm Body Balm & Xtreme Lip Care in Sea Salt and Caramel Reviews

"Did it go bad?" Husband asked one night when it saw me open up my tin of Nova Scotia Fisherman's Rescue Balm body balm. I told him no, that this product just looks like it's started to rot.

While its packaging is attractive, this balm is not. It's a greeny browny colour and though it starts off with a smooth, slick surface, usage renders this product soft and almost mushy. It's not pretty but it's also a look that's not uncommon among products that are truly natural (meaning they contain no petroleum or other artificial ingredients) like this one.
Nova Scotia Fisherman is big on ingredients that are actually all natural and mostly certified organic. Says the company, "all-natural Rescue Balm is made with raw ingredients nurtured by the sun and sourced as close to the Earth as possible." These ingredients include sea kelp, aloe vera and all kinds of oils including olive, coconut and jojoba.

While the Rescue Balm might look unappealing, the texture and its results are not. The balm melted into my skin and instantly made it feel hydrated, without leaving it looking or feeling greasy.

Nova Scotia Fisherman says that this balm is, "Intense care for troubled areas such as chaffed, callused, cracked or sore; can be used on hands, feet, elbows and more." I used it on my dry elbows and feet and it did provide initial relief, softening and soothing my skin. However, after repeated nightly uses, I didn't notice any longterm, ongoing benefits. Because of that, I consider this a good but not a great product.

As with most natural products, this one also has a distinctive scent. With clear notes of tea tree oil and lavender, and many others that I can't name, the smell is simultaneously clinical, soothing and herbal. I don't mind, in fact I kind of like it, but I can see some people being turned off by it.

And speaking of scents that ruin products, let's take a few paragraphs to discuss Nova Scotia Fisherman's Xtreme Lip Care in Sea Salt and Caramel. This could be an amazing product. For one thing, it has a really smart design. "Our larger size creates better coverage..." says the company and it's true. The product's short, stubby cylinder did provide excellent coverage and was successful in "sealing in moisture to protect against nature’s elements."

As with the body balm, the lip care is made only of truly natural, often certified organic, ingredients. The main ingredient is certified organic beeswax, with jojoba oil, shea butter and coconut butter (also all certified organic) next in line. The result is a balm that glides on easily and felt terrific on my lips.

Unfortunately, because of this product's scent, that feeling didn't last long because I had to remove the balm to keep from throwing up. This item smells extremely strongly of sea salt and caramel. While I don't mind eating these two items, particularly when combined with dark chocolate, the scent of them is a bit much for me. Initially I thought that the scent would disappear once it was on my lips but nope, it stayed and stayed and eventually I had to wipe this product off.

The lip balm retails for just under $7 while the body balm runs just under $12 (note that a portion of each purchase is donated to the Nature Conservatory of Canada). Both products can be purchased online and select real world retail locations.

Would I buy either of these products: No.

Should you buy either of these products: If you love the smell of sea salt and caramel, you'll want the lip balm. The body balm though isn't something I would go out of my way to purchase.