From budget buy to luxury treat – we put three multi-tasking beauty balms to the test

CRACKED heels? Sun burn? Blisters? Chapped lips? What if I told you there’s one product that can soothe them all: A multi-use balm. After weeks of testing, these are three of the best. BUDGET Mixa Cica Repair Multi-Use Recovery Balm, £7.99 for 50ml Credit: Boots Mixa Cica Repair Multi-Use Recovery Balm, £7.99 for 50ml, boots.com: This balm became an unexpected staple in my routine when the brand launched in the UK. Sign up for the Fabulous newsletter Thank you! It’s fragrance-free and hypoallergenic, so suitable for both sensitive and reactive skin types. Plus, it contains a combination of glycerin, panthenol, squalane and cica that’s clinically proven to speed up skin healing – and because of the price, I don’t cringe when I slather it over my feet or large areas of dry skin. MID-RANGE Malin + Goetz All-purpose Moisture Balm, £18 for 30ml Credit: Space NK Malin + Goetz All-purpose Moisture Balm, £18 for 30ml, spacenk.com: I have chronically dry elbows, and I’ve been reaching for this non-stop to help make them look less dehydrated. The buttery balm texture transforms into something that feels more like a dry oil as you rub it into skin, so there’s no greasy residue left behind – making it great for cuticles, or in place of a hand cream during winter, as you don’t have to worry about leaving sticky finger prints on everything you touch. LUXURY Neal’s Yard Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm, £44 for 50g Credit: Neal’s Yard Neal’s Yard Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm, £44 for 50g, johnlewis.com: It’s been on shelves for over 20 years, so it’ll come as a surprise I’d not used this balm until a few weeks ago. Most read in Fabulous It’s packed with rosehip seed oil, which moisturises and brightens skin thanks to its antioxidant properties as well as a host of other botanical extracts that condition and soothe skin, such as antibacterial rosemary leaf oil. It’s thick, but not too oily, and is the only one of the three I’ve dared to use on my acne-prone face – it’s not caused any spots so far. PICK OF THE WEEK Starting this week, bespoke cosmetics brand Dcypher is bringing its AI-powered, mixed-to-measure foundation services to John Lewis stores Credit: supplied IF you’ve ever struggled to get the right colour foundation, what I’m about to tell you will change your world. Starting this week, bespoke cosmetics brand Dcypher is bringing its AI-powered, mixed-to-measure foundation services to John Lewis stores, with the nationwide roll-out expected to be complete by spring – so you’ll never get the wrong shade again. Buy now in store at John Lewis. Comment now