Miracle Balm is a facial balm sold by cosmetics company Jones Road. This balm comes in a wide range of shades, and the company describes it as “a wash of soft-focus moisture to perfect and enhance skin.”
But does Miracle Balm contain research-backed ingredients for improving skin appearance, or is this just a marketing claim? Does it contain any potentially unhealthy ingredients? How do real users rate and describe the effects of this product? And which retailer sells it for the best price?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Miracle Balm based on medical studies to give our take on whether it’s likely to be effective for enhancing skin quality, or if it’s a waste of money.
We’ll highlight some questionable additive ingredients, feature unsponsored customer reviews and provide a cost comparison to show which retailer sells Miracle Balm for the best price.
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Jones Road Miracle Balm are shown above.
There are a number of research-backed ingredients for improving skin quality.
Castor oil may have naturally exfoliating effects according to a clinical trial published in the British Journal of Dermatology.
Beeswax is clinically shown to have antimicrobial properties, as we documented in our Neutrogena Hydro Boost reviews article. This suggests it can be effective against acne.
Argan oil has an anti-aging effect when applied topically, and increases skin elasticity according to a clinical trial published in the Clinical Interventions in Aging journal.
Ginger oil has skin-protective effects according to a 2022 clinical trial.
Jojoba oil is clinically shown to enhance skin hydration status.
There are other active ingredients in this balm that have research backing, but for the sake of brevity, we will conclude here by saying that from an effectiveness standpoint, Miracle Balm is very well formulated.
We consider Jones Road Miracle Balm likely to enhance skin quality, skin hydration and to have an anti-aging effect.
However, there are also some inactive ingredients in this balm that may be questionable from a health perspective.
Red 28 is a synthetic dye, and a 2015 medical review documents how artificial dyes can be absorbed through the skin and may have harmful effects in the body.
Tin oxide was shown in a 2018 clinical trial to have a toxic effect on human cancer cells, although this was a test tube study which is a weaker standard of evidence than a human study.
Phenoxyethanol is a synthetic preservative that’s been shown in one clinical trial as being toxic to human cells, as we documented in our review of CeraVe Vitamin C Serum.
We do not currently recommend Jones Road Miracle Balm due to the inclusion of these inactive ingredients.
But how do real people rate and describe the effects of the product? We’ll feature some unsponsored user reviews in the next section of this article.
Real People Try Miracle Balm
A YouTube creator named Hannah Louise Poston has a review of Jones Road Miracle Balm that has over 100,000 views:
A YouTube creator named Lisa Monique has a video on whether or not this balm is a good option for mature skin:
Our Clean Skincare Picks
There are skincare products containing ingredients shown in clinical trials to be effective for reducing wrinkles and improving skin quality.
Annie Mak Vitamin C Serum is our top anti-aging serum.
It contains hyaluronic acid which was described as a "skin-rejuvenating biomedicine" in a medical review due to its ability to reduce wrinkles and signs of facial aging.
Ritual HyaCera is our top skin supplement.
It contains wheat oil extract which is clinically shown to "improve skin damages induced by aging."
Both of the products recommended in this section are entirely free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Jones Road Controversy
A YouTube creator named Angelika has an engaging video with over 100,000 views that documents some of the controversies surrounding Jones Road Beauty products:
Where to Get the Best Price
Jones Road Miracle Balm is sold at a variety of online retailers. Here’s a price breakdown for a one-time purchase at the time of publishing this article:
Walmart: $60 (link)
Amazon: $58 (free shipping, link to Amazon listing)
Brand website: $38 (plus shipping, link)
Even with shipping fees factored in, this balm is significantly cheaper (by around 22%) at the brand’s website than any third-party retailer.
Real Customers Review Miracle Balm
Amazon is a better resource for honest customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion.
Miracle Balm has been reviewed over 250 times on Amazon, with an average review rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars at the time of publishing this article.
The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named "Emily Whitley" who gives the product a 5/5 star rating and claims it's a good choice for mature skin:
"This is the third color I have ordered and love them all. Being older, my skin tends toward dryness and this give me a more moisturized look. These are great products"
The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named "cyril thomas bastian" who gives the product a 1/5 star rating and dislikes its texture:
"I was looking forward to this product, but I am so disappointed. I was hoping I could wear it with a little mascara instead of a full face of makeup. It is greasy and made my face itch. It has no real coverage or glow as advertised. Find another product and save your money."
Jones Road currently has an average review rating of 3 out of 5 stars on Facebook.
Jones Road Miracle Balm currently has an average review rating of 4 out of 5 stars on Google.
These average ratings are worse than most cosmetic brands we've reviewed to date on Illuminate Health.
Pros and Cons of Miracle Balm
Here are the pros and cons of Jones Road Miracle Balm in our opinion:
Pros:
- Highly potent formulation
- Many research-backed ingredients
- Should hydrate the skin
- Should have anti-aging effect
- Should help protect skin barrier
- Relatively affordable
Cons:
- Doesn’t appear clinically tested
- Contains tin oxide
- Contains phenoxyethanol
- Contains synthetic dye
- Mediocre online customer reviews
- Brand website charges for shipping