Stewart & Claire

We took a picture of our new summer lip balm out on the fire escape at 8:30, the night of the solstice. I love how it's still so beautifully light outside at that time of night. 

This balm is inspired by the backyard (or fire escape) summer herb garden, with basil and mint predominating. Coriander seed essential oil gives it a slight citrusy note and the lavender, we promise, does not make it smell like Laura Ashley in the 80s. It's added more a base note, so it's barely detectable. 

Mint scented lip balm is, admittedly, nothing new. But I find a lot of versions on the market to be super intense and harsh on my sensitive skin. I've been working on a balm with a gentler minty scent. 

Before I pour my mint balm into tubes, it looks like the photo above. It gets its lovely green hue from hemp seed oil, which is somewhat of a miracle substance. In fact, reading the description of the oil's health benefits makes me want to bathe in it. And drizzle it on my morning cereal.  

 I like hemp oil's non-greasy feeling in lip balms, plus its color matches the minty scent nicely, don't you think? -Claire

P.S. Mint played a big role in my lunch today Tanoreen, a fab and famous Middle Eastern restaurant in the Bay Ridge part of Brooklyn. Just thought I'd share.

Lunch at Tanoreen, from the top going clockwise: caramelized cauliflower with tahini sauce and pomegranate molasses, labneh with olive oil and pickled eggplant with red pepper and walnut sauce. The green flecks are herbs, often including mint.