As the winter continues, I’m trying to heal my chapped hands and ragged cuticles, and I want to prevent those tiny, painful cracks that sometimes emerge on the tips of my fingers during freezing-cold weather. My latest weapon against these aggravating little seasonal afflictions is Badger Body Butter. It has a base of natural ingredients, including jojoba, olive oil, cocoa butter, and beeswax, and its Antique Rose fragrance is mixed from essences of rose otto, patchouli, cardamom, and blood orange.
If you are already a fan of Badger’s popular Chai Rose lip balm (with its scent of cardamom, rose, and vanilla), you will most likely enjoy this Body Butter. The two products aren’t identical, but they smell similar enough to please the same noses. In Antique Rose’s blend of essences, the spicy notes of cardamom and patchouli feel “warm,” while the scent of rose balances them with a gentle sweetness. The orange oil is barely noticeable, but the cocoa butter adds a subtle bonus, with its own bitter-chocolate aroma. I actually found this Body Butter a bit too thick for easy use on the body, but it’s ideal for hands and elbows. It works best as an overnight treatment, since it does feel greasy right after application. But all those natural waxes do sink into the skin after a few minutes, and the soothing fragrance remains.
Speaking of soothing things, I’ve finally identified yet another reason that I enjoy Badger products. The company mascot, as depicted on the balms’ and butters’ labels, reminds me of Frances, the heroine of Russell Hoban’s series of “Frances” children’s books (Bread and Jam for Frances, Bedtime for Frances, etc.). They’re not related, as far as I know, but a Badger product like this Body Butter can feel just as cozy as reading a Frances book.
Badger Body Butter in Antique Rose sells for about $10 for 1.7 oz. It is available through vitaminshoppe, uncommonscents, and the Badger Balm website.
Awww, my daughter LOVED Frances! I haven't thought of those books in ages; we had them all.
This sounds very nice, I've heard good things about this brand before, and I like a nice fragrance that's not overbearing. Thanks for the review.
I suffer from those fingertip cracks you speak of, and must share my cure: superglue. It is similar to surgeon's glue. Apply a drop to the crack, quickly swipe a tissue across to remove the excess, and let dry. It seals the crack, keeping water out and giving it a chance to heal. It seems no matter how careful I am, I still get these in winter.
Hi Rosarita! Superglue?! That is ingenious. I'm going to try to avoid the problem in the first place, but if it happens and I get desperate, I'll try this.
I really do like all the products I've tried from Badger. They're very effective, they're all natural, and they have great aromatherapeutic scents.
Hello, Jessica + Rosarita.
J, thanks for this review; I had never heard of the Frances books (being English), but now want to find and read them all myself! I also think I need to find some of that lovely-sounding Body Butter. I have the Sleep Balm + 2 others in those little tins – can't remember which they are, at the moment.
Superglue was originally developed for use during eye surgery, to seal up cuts to the cornea, I believe; it therefore makes perfect sense to use it for fingertip cracks (from which both my mother and I suffer quite nastily at times). Thanks for the tip, R!
Hi Tommasina! I highly recommend the Frances books, although the connection between Frances and the Badger products is strictly my own flight of fancy!
Those Badger Balms are classics. I'm glad to see the product line expanding slightly… but not *too* much. I wouldn't want them to sacrifice quality for the sake of quantity.
Frances!!!
Definitely a childhood favorite.
Nice review–very tempting (you know I'm already a fan of the Chai Rose balm). If I didn't already have four hand creams–and dozens more lotions and body creams–in rotation I'd probably buy this. It sounds like a much more easy-to-find and inexpensive version of Aesop's A Rose By Any Other Name oil (which smells quite similar to the Badger Chai rose–lots of cardamom).
Aesop is one of those brands that I try to ignore, because I'm afraid of finding more and more products that I'll want to own. However, maybe I should obtain just *one* for an NST review sometime soon. For the sake of research.