Myroxylon Balsamum Resin is a resin obtained from the Balsam Peru tree that grows in El Salvador Myroxylon balsamum (L.) var. pereirae, Leguminosae. This resin, composed of about 250 constituents, repairs cracks in the tree. The same plant is used to make a cosmetic product called Tolu Balm or Tolu Balsam with almost similar characteristics but different INCI names.

Cosmetics

It is used on all continents for different purposes, but the most popular use is perfuming in cosmetic products. It is a restricted ingredient as a Relevant Item in the Annexes of the European Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 or not subject to restrictions. It depends on the composition.

Film-forming agent. It produces a continuous ultra-thin film with an optimal balance of cohesion, adhesion and stickiness on the skin or hair to counteract or limit damage from external phenomena such as chemicals, UV rays and pollution.

Fragrance. It plays a decisive and important role in the formulation of cosmetic products as it provides the possibility of enhancing, masking or adding fragrance to the final product, increasing its marketability.  The consumer always expects to find a pleasant or distinctive scent in a cosmetic product.

Hair conditioning agent. A significant number of ingredients with specific and targeted purposes may co-exist in hair shampoo formulations: cleansers, conditioners, thickeners, matting agents, sequestering agents, fragrances, preservatives, special additives. However, the indispensable ingredients are the cleansers and conditioners as they are necessary and sufficient for hair cleansing and manageability. The others act as commercial and non-essential auxiliaries such as: appearance, fragrance, colouring, etc. Hair conditioning agents have the task of increasing shine, manageability and volume, and reducing static electricity, especially after treatments such as colouring, ironing, waving, drying and brushing. They are, in practice, dispersants that may contain cationic surfactants, thickeners, emollients, polymers. The typology of hair conditioning agents includes: intensive conditioners, instant conditioners, thickening conditioners, drying conditioners. They can perform their task generally accompanied by other different ingredients.

The following products are on the market, with and without restrictions, bearing in mind that the cosmetic safety rating expressed may differ from study to study, composition to composition. As can be seen from the table below, only 4 out of 9 ingredients have no cosmetic restrictions, but even for these, the safety considerations I outline below apply.

Safety

It is considered an allergen even though not all of the main allergens have yet been identified because in addition to benzoic acid, cinnamate, eugenol, at least 10 others are unidentifiable. However, the allergic contact dermatitis it causes (1) is known to be among the most frequent sensitisers that can cause periocular contact dermatitis (2).

See     Balsam of Peru

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) Nanda, A. and Wasan, A., 2016. Allergic contact dermatitis to balsam of Peru. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 117(2), pp.208-209.

(2) Temesvári E, Pónyai G, Németh I, Hidvégi B, Sas A, Kárpáti S. Periocular dermatitis: a report of 401 patients. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2009 Feb;23(2):124-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2008.02949.x.