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Local Botanist Christina Bunting on Duration’s New Skincare Range


For Valentine’s Day Duration launches a New All Natural Skincare Range

Embracing Wild Nature with a Trio of Balms AVAILABLE NOW

Duration have teamed up with Ethica Skincare to launch a line of body balms for beer lovers inspired by the re-enchantment of the Norfolk woodlands.

A trio of of beard, hand and lip balms to soothe and protect made with all-natural and majority organic ingredients beautifully presented in Shaun Lynches nostalgic illustrations.

Here, we talk to Christina Bunting Ethica Skincare founder and West Acre resident about her love of Norfolk and what beer lovers can expect from these beauty balms made especially for Duration.

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Christina, tell us about your business Ethica Skincare

Ethica is the culmination of my love of natural cosmetics, a bit of alchemy, spell making from my childhood, and every beautiful garden I have sat in.

What inspires your products?
Developing new product recipes start with an idea, and inspiration can come from many places. Scent is so evocative for me. We can transport us to a specific time and place through fragrance: Morrocan rosebuds in the souks of Essaouira, Neroli from the orange blossom growing in Greece, the unforgettable smell of lemons in the market in Venice, and, the swathes of lavender in Provence in the heat of summer. Fragrances are my maps and memory banks.
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So what inspired the Duration Balm Range?
The inspiration for Duration balms was Bates’ and Miranda’s love of all things wild, from being outside the city in fields of barley to the microbial networks that bring provenance to their beers. Because of this, there is a very natural theme to the 3 balms developed using oat oil, hemp and pumpkin seed butter, and the sweet herbal fragrances of vetivert, cedarwood, sweet birch, orange, and spearmint.
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Like beer, the balms are a little of Norfolk in a tin, to nurture and nourish. Tell us more?
Finding the correct consistency and melting point for a balm is an important factor and the right viscosity will make the balm either be absorbed to nourish or seal to act as a barrier. We worked on 3 balms; for beards, hands, and lips. The lip balm is the firmest giving a coating layer of protection. We gently whipped the hand balm for softness, and the beard balm is the most fluid, with pumpkin seed butter to help it melt very quickly.
Lip balm
Where can people find out more about your products?
I have a website called ethicaskincare offering ethical, effective and essential beauty products, natural and organic ranging from clay masks to balms, hand creams to face serums. Over the years I’ve treated everything from hyperpigmentation to psoriasis – the power of plants is limitless. I firmly believe that beauty comes from within, good food, as much raw veg as possible, plenty of water, and as few toxins as you can manage.
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Can you share a photo and its story with us?
This photo of me was taken in Venice outside one of my favourite places in the world, an apothecary. I am drawn to them and I simply cannot resist their divine and heady mix of fragrance and promise!
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What’s your favourite spot near Duration Brewery?
Westacre and the community within it are very important to me. I spend most of my summer co-managing Bradmoor Woods. It is an ancient woodland housing and festival site that sits in the centre of the incredible rewilding project run by the Westacre estate.
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It’s sculpted into the natural environment to be a reenchanting outdoors getaway. There is peace, nature in abundance, and at times wild and happy partying. A place of contrast and fluidity to be creative and revel in the wilds of west Norfolk.

We know it well. It is the location where we filmed our launch video that see’s our founders enjoying an informal drink and cook out with friends ahead of a look around the brewhouse

CHECK OUT THE SHORT VIDEO HERE

Tell us what ingredients have gone in to each balm?

Tame The Wild Beard Balm (60g tin)

Oils & Butters:

Kukui oil is great for any severe dry skin condition, while Rosehip is great for acne and Borage oils is a favourite in skin rejuvenation and scar treatment. It can be absorbed quickly with minimal grease making it ideal for use on the face – often found in anti-wrinkle eye contour serums. Calendula oil has many properties including being antibiotic and anti-inflammatory, it stimulates the immune system, assisting the body in fighting infections and promoting skin tissue repair. Pumpkin seed butter in Europe is highly valued for its skin healing properties specifically sores and is high in protein, zinc, and polyunsaturated fats.

Essential Oils:

Vetivert as an essential oil has an earthy, woody scent derived from roots in the earth. With a rich, sweetly satisfying note that is both warm and masculine. Cold-pressed lemon has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, great for cleaning purposes. Can help relieve nausea, improve digestion and nourish the skin. Cedarwood from the Pinaceae family is fresh and woody with a slightly sweet scent known to have energising qualities to increase concentration, but also relieve stress and tension cloaking the body in a shroud of calmness. It is classed as a base note and blends well with camphoraceous, citrus, earthy, floral, herby, minty, spicy, and woodsy oils.

Gardeners Rest Hand Balm (60g tin)

Oils & Butters:

Oat oil is high in glycolipids, and vitamin E. A rich fatty acid profile good for moisturizing full of Omegas and unsaturated fatty acids, oleic and linoleic. A natural anti-itch ingredient that soothes and softens the skin. Olive oil creates a protective layer over the surface of the skin, protecting it from the elements. We worked on a slow absorption into the skin to produce a barrier on the skin without clogging pores. Hemp seed butter is also one of the driest natural oils available, being absorbed quickly into the skin to provide high fluidity and excellent lubricity without being greasy. With four essential fatty acids beneficial to the skin LA, GLA, LNA, and SDA, one of the highest essential fatty acid contents at 76%

Essential Oils:

Sweet birch oil is a member of the Betulaceae family with a sweet, woody, minty scent that blends well with camphoraceous, citrus, earthy, floral, herby, minty, spicy, and woodsy oils. Helps to reduce pain in the joints and muscles, as well as pain associated with headaches and toothaches. It is also antispasmodic and relieves cramping throughout the body. Lavender oil is a member of the Lamiaceae family both sweet and fresh. Lavender blends well with citrus, floral, spicy and woodsy oils. Lavender has remarkable effects on the body packed full of antiseptic, anti-fungal, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, making it one of the most versatile essential oils. Its scent is known to calm, relieve stress, and encourage sleep.

Vanessa Atalanta Lip Balm (30g tin)

Oils & Butters:
Oil and hemp butter (as above) with spearmint and lemon essential oils to create a fresh and uplifting scent, the mint is naturally lip plumping.
Essential Oils:
Spearmint is known for its anti-nausea and soothing effects it can have on the body. It is also known to help clear the sinuses, increase energy levels and alleviate headaches. Cold-pressed lemon purifies, is antibacterial, and anti-fungal making it excellent for cleaning. It is also known to help relieve nausea, improve digestion and nourish the skin.

Pick up all 3 balms in a simply presented Trio Balm Box for £36 (kiosk only) or purchase them individually online along with your beers.

Tame the Wild – Beard Balm (60g tin) £14 >> BUY HERE

Gardeners Rest – Hand Balm (60g tin) £14 >> BUY HERE

Vanessa Atalanta – Lip Balm (30g tin) £8

 

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