Today we’re going to share a more personal insight into our product development process with you. I’m so excited to introduce you all to our new and improved ‘Mom and Baby Balm’ formula. The original idea for this product came when I went through the pregnancy and birth of my first son, Rohan. I couldn’t believe that most of the products at the baby store included ingredients like propylene glycol and silicones, even the nipple creams that claim to be harmless for ingestion and breastfeeding. While a lot of these ingredients won’t kill our kids, they certainly aren’t helping them or their newly developing bodies. Our intention in the Camille Beckman Research & Development Department is always to create needed, quality products that aren’t already penetrating the market. This one hit the mark; it was time to create something with the perfect consistency and ability to soothe, that also smelled good and was made with only all natural ingredients. No small task!
Our first version of the balm, released in 2017, came in a jar and included eight ingredients. As Rohan got a little older and started helping me in the lab and bathroom, I realized I had a problem! He loves to play with and ‘sample’ products, and before long I had messy balm all over my bathroom floor instead of on us where it belonged. Besides the container being a mess, it also struck me that a thicker formula, which could be rolled on or rubbed between the fingers to create an oil, would be better for application and more easily soak into the skin through all the seasons, snow or shine. Inspiration struck when I walked in on him playing with my deodorant one day and having a much harder time making a mess; a deodorant stick was the answer to our problems! So, we set out to re-make the formula to be a better consistency and repackage the product to be easy to apply and relatively mess-free for all our multi-tasking mamas out there.
Rohan is now a toddler of two with a newborn brother and I am so happy with how well these changes have served us! I used our new formula throughout my entire second pregnancy with no sign of stretch marks, and through two years of breastfeeding with no chapped or bleeding nipples. I am so proud we created another product that has stood the most intense of tests, saving my chest from unspeakable pain on more occasions than I’d like to admit! We also use it on both boys multiple times a week. As a toddler, Rohan can self apply it and loves putting it on me and his new brother as well. Lastly, it smells AMAZING thanks to the organic, fair-trade cocoa butter we use to formulate the base. I always have a stick in the bathroom and in my purse; even my husband asks for it on occasion! Below is a list of all the ways we use this product; we’d love to hear your feedback and any ways you’ve used it that we may not have thought of as well! Wishing you all the best, from our family to yours.
Roshan Jihan
VP, Head of Product Development and Daughter of Susan Camille
•Lip Balm
•Nipple Balm (Works well on the entire breast. Apply with stick and massage to help ease tissue and release pain)
•Stretch Mark Balm (applies easily to the tummy and even the backs of thighs thanks to the innovative stick application!)
•Diaper Balm (melt between fingers to use as an oil instead of using the stick. Also helps with newborn’s dry skin between the thighs)
•Sores, bruises and small cuts (Apply and leave to heal in air or cover with a band-aid)
•Face Cream alternative for those with very dry skin (Saved my skin in the mountains this winter!)
•Hair Conditioning mask (yes, it’s true! Melt between your fingers and apply to end of hair)
•Toddler’s Hair Styling Aid (Again, melt between the fingers and comb or tousle through baby’s hair to help keep it styled and in place).
•Cracked heels
•Cuticles and Nail beds
•Dry Skin on the knees, calves and elbows
