9 posts tagged “organic skin care”
The beauty and skincare industry is a billion dollar force to be reckoned with. Many companies get away with putting all concoctions of chemicals together that may have been tested individually but may not have been tested in combination or tested to see what they turn into when they breakdown in the bottle. Slap on a smart label and a big or very small price tag and you have something – not sure what – in a bottle.
The natural and organic skincare and beauty industry is now a growing market for those who want purer products that do not carry all the growing hazards presented by high street brands. Instead of buying a bottle of chemical preservative with a few essential oils thrown in, consumers are getting savvy to what they are buying, and would rather buy a bottle packed full of pure nutrients for their skin with a little bit of preservative to keep it fresh!
So if you’re not on the band wagon yet, here are 10 reasons why you should give it a go!
1. High street brands contain 0.5 – 6% of active ingredients, the rest are made up of cheap ingredients that have no value for your skin or body, including mineral oil derived from petrochemicals, formaldehydes, synthetic preservatives ( parabens) and emulsifiers, colorants and fragrances that contain phthalates
2. Organic Brands contain on average approximately 80 – 90% active ingredients, ingredients include more expensive nutritionally based oils that are good for your skin such as Apricot oil, sea buckthorn oil, plant emulsifiers instead of synthetic ones, and essential oils instead of synthetic fragrance
3. Unlike the early brands of organic skin care and other and natural beauty products up and coming new brands are sophisticated and luxurious to use and yes, they do work!
4. The Soil Association has announced a new EU-wide, harmonised standard for organic health and beauty products. This is brilliant news for the growing organic health and beauty industry and also for the consumer as this is the first common standard in the world that will ensure clarity and transparency, so that everyone can understand what ‘organic’ means.
5. The ingredients in organic skincare products have been grown or produced without the use of pesticides, or chemical solvents, they are either wild harvested, grown from organic farms or handmade with care and attention
6. Organic skin care products are produced in a socially responsible way without harm to wildlife, the environment, people or animals.
7. Organic products tend to be Vegetarian or Vegan meaning you won’t be smearing animal fat on your face
8. Organic beauty products feed your skin rather than coating it with plasticizers or thinning it or chemically destroying it as other products can do
9. The saying you get what you pay for is very true of organic products. Sure they are more expensive than a non-organic equivalent, but at the same time you can be assured you are keeping your skin safe, are helping the environment and are pampering yourself with real luxury.
10. Organic products are non – toxic and do not cause the side effects associated with chemicals in high street products such as hormone disruption, depression, skin allergies and cancer.
Unfortunately as the Soil Association's standard has only recently been agreed, it means there are still some unscrupulous manufacturers out there that will label their products as “natural” or “organic”, yet they are no better for you than many non-organic products. The best advice is to look out for reputable brands such as Green People, Eselle Organics, Earthbound Organics and Miessence.
So what are you waiting for?
New to our shelves is the wonderfully natural, pure and certified range of organic skincare by Trevarno. Hand made in Cornwall, these luscious products will have your skin looking amazing, protected from the sun and all naturally!! Their special formulations are designed with the most sensitive skin in mind to retain the skins natural beauty but also to help cleanse tone and replenish skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
Trevarno’s first organic soaps were launched in 1998, followed by their skincare range in 2000. Their organic skincare is a high performance and sustainably produced range, which is competitively, priced which means that you no longer need to sacrifice or compromise luxury, style or affordability in choosing the natural skin care option.
At buyOrganics I am particularly pleased that, with increasing awareness of the benefits of choosing Natural and Organic products, and the escalating health concerns over the inclusion of synthetic ingredients found in the majority of high street beauty products, Trevarno’s organic skin care range is a tribute to their philosophy of producing chemical free, truly organic skin care. Trevarno’s ethical focus is on taking beauty back to its natural roots using long established, traditional ingredients and sustainable, production methods.
What’s even more delightful is that Trevarno’s skin enriching creams are blended with fully certified organic flower waters and deliciously scented essential oils to produce light and easily absorbed beauty essentials that you will not be able to do without. As well as these daily facial products, the organic sun care range from Trevarno has been developed to provide essential daily protection without the need for all the chemicals that go along with sun creams providing any shelter from the sun. With Trevarno’s Day and Rose & Jojoba moisturising creams both being available with SPF15, you will be able to easily nourish as well as defend your skin against the sun and its aging effects. These two products are highly effective in any natural anti aging organic skin care routine.
Certified by The Organic Farmers & Growers, Britain’s longest established organic certifier, Trevarno have met strict standards to gain formal organic certification which guarantees the range as pure, ethical and sustainable.
Trevarno is committed to sourcing ingredients of the highest quality, from, socially just and ecologically responsible suppliers for their skin care range. Just a few examples of these practices includes buying locally grown West country herbs and obtaining sustainable Palm Oil from a producer who works closely with the Worldwide Fund for Nature.
“Trevarno’s creams are actually creams not balms! Their cleansers are effective and remove all of the daily grind you expect them to and your skin is left feeling completely amazing in the morning after having used the night cream. Trevarno definitely gets the thumbs up from me; otherwise I certainly wouldn’t sell it!”
Sonia Kalia-Sagoo
Founder of buyOrganics
Many people think that organic and natural means the same thing and to some extents and in many instances it does. If something is billed as organic, then it is also natural; it uses natural organically grown ingredients, now the problem is that if something claims it is natural, it does not mean it is automatically organic in nature, or organically made; this is most apparent on cosmetics.
Currently cosmetic companies are not required to meet any formal standards when it comes to using the term “natural” on their products. This has led to many companies touting their cosmetics as natural to cash in on peoples desire to use healthier, chemical free organic makeup.
Marketing your products as organic cosmetics, along with other organic products such as organic skincare or organic mattresses for example, is regulated by organisations such as the National Organic Program in the USA but regulations in other parts of the world are only just coming into fruition.
So how do you avoid all the scam products and only choose the real deal when it comes to organic makeup or organic skin care? Well there are organisations that have their own standards that many companies in the organic products industry consider to be the benchmark for organic guidelines.
The Soil Association (UK), BDiH (Germany), Ecocert (France), Cosmebio (France), ICEA (Italy) and Ecogarantie (Belgium) have developed common standards for natural and organic cosmetics. So a stamp of certification from these on a product is a good guideline. However not all organic cosmetic manufacturers will have signed on with one of these, and that does not mean they are doing anything wrong.
So if you can’t find one of these standards on your product then see if it comes from one of the very reputable and recommended organic product producers. Some of the most respected, trusted and known brands include:
Inika – Providers of quality organic cosmetics such as blusher, eyeliner and foundation.
John Masters – Specialists in organic shampoo, organic conditioners and organic haircare.
Zoya – THE brand for toxin free, safe and natural nail polish.
Organic Apoteke – Leaders in organic cleansers and toners and other organic skincare.
Nvey Eco – Some of the best organic makeup and cosmetics on the market today.>
Earthbound Organics – Organic skin care including facial scrubs and creams which are kind to your body.
Eselle Organics – One of the best known brands of organic skincare for the face and body as well as other great organic products.
Raw Gaia – Amazing organic beauty products to pamper yourself with.
Essential Care – Pure organic washes, tonics, lotions and more as well as eczema treatments.
Spiezia Organics – Unique organic creams, ointments and soaps.
Green People – Cleansers, washes and organic toiletries along with Green People organic shampoo and conditioners.
One Group/Miessence – The One Group manufactures the Miessence range and is one of the most trusted brands of organic skin care, organic shampoo and hair care and many other organic products for your body.
Sticking to these brands will ensure you are not being duped into buying products which are not as organic or natural as they claim to be. There are of course many other reputable organic brands out there, and it can be trial and error, but these are a great place to start as you know you are in good hands.
Finally you could always drop an email to us at buyOrganics (mail@buyorganics.co.uk) and we will try to advise you as best we can and make sure you are getting what you deserve; true organic products.
Many stock lines reduced up to 50%. All excess stock must go in-order to make way for new lines.
Many of our women’s and men’s organic skin care lines are reduced, along with organic cosmetics and makeup, baby clothing, and maternity wear. The offer is only on current stock, so when it’s gone, it’s gone!
For the last few years we’ve been operating from home with the assistance of a pick and pack service to deliver your goods to you, but now all’s changing at buyOrganics in order to make things more efficient, provide better quality service and make some positive steps to provide you with more all round benefits. To begin with, we’ve moved into offices and are reclaiming the picking and packing, and lots more is planned to follow.
The move hasn’t been easy, we’ve been loading and unloading boxes, setting, up desks, shelves, computers, new systems, and trying to run the business with as little disruption as possible! Of course we haven’t managed to keep everyone happy, but we are working on making things better for you in the long run.
Orders are getting back to normal now and hopefully over the next few weeks you’ll see your orders being turned around a lot quicker than before. We will also be re-developing the website, bringing in new product lines, and bringing back the newsletters and competitions, all of which have suffered due to space and software issues!
So if you have any suggestions about changes you wish to see, and products you would like us to stock, or services you think we should offer, now is the time to tell us so that we can plan them in this year. Without your suggestions we cannot tailor our business to suit your needs and provide you with the service you expect, so your help is invaluable in making BuyOrganics a store where you want to shop. Every suggestion will be read personally by me and written into our action plan where feasible.
In the next few weeks we will be sending you all a little questionnaire as we try to get to know your needs better. I hope you will help us help you by sending this back to us.
In the meantime, please contact us at mail@buyorganics.co.uk with suggestions and improvements, or use the feedback feature on our site (top right hand corner).
Sonia x
When you’re worrying about the ingredients in your organic skincare it can be confusing when you don’t where to stop. How far do you go with cutting out stuff in natural skincarethat might be bad for you?
That’s exactly the question that many people get confused about when they’re trying to figure out what is safe and what isn’t.
And although you will be well versed in reading the backs of bottles and pots, you may wonder who to trust and who to believe. I remember when I was pregnant and first started buying organic and natural skin care products. I was checking the ingredients of everything to the point that I became paranoid about using anything. It was very stressful and scary. I had what felt like pre-exam nerves every time I went shopping! I was ordering stuff from across the ocean in USA just because the natural skincare products here didn’t seem pure enough. It was killing my bank balance and my confidence.
An interesting conversation I had with a supplier at this time is something I’d like to share with you. I was buying something to stock on my site and wasn’t sure if the ingredients were pure enough. The answer I got back was like a gush of cool air on a hot day!! He said:
“The fact that you are checking the ingredients and are avoiding the nastiest chemicals is good enough. If you cut out the major nasty groups such as Parabens, phthalates, petrochemicals and fragrances then you’ll be doing yourself and your customers a huge favour. Some preservatives for instance just can’t be avoided, but most of your customers will know that you are doing the best you can for them.”
Looking into things further I have found that its near impossible to avoid everything, even in natural skincare, because everyone is allergic to different things; any substance - natural or chemical can trigger a reaction. In addition, you will read about some substances within natural skincare products that are claimed to be unsafe or carcinogenic. There is nothing more carcinogenic than the cocktail of chemicals that currently grace high street skincare. A step towards natural skincare that lessens this burden is a step in the right direction. The main thing to watch out for is a complex array of chemicals gracing your natural skincare products that don’t look like they should belong there. That’s what I make sure I avoid when I’m picking products for the site. I’ve seen some other natural skincare sites that aren’t as scrupulous which is worrying.
You may not agree with me and I’d understand entirely, but my advice is not to get too hung up on every ingredient having to be purely organic and every ingredient having to be clear of all known allergenic reactions (unless you are allergic to that particular ingredient of course) otherwise you may find it very tough indeed to find anything to use in the bathroom everyday. You’ll find the majority of natural skincare products (even the ones we stock) to be as safe as can possibly be. Although it is the ideal standard that every ingredient should be certified organic, it is not always practical. If you demand a organic hair care product with no preservative you may be disappointed. Preservatives are necessary to stop the growth of dangerous bacteria that could make you ill, most natural skincare companies try and find preservatives that are as natural as possible.
I love natural skincare that has very little in it, just a few necessary ingredients that you can read in one sentence. That’s why Earthbound organic skincare tops high on my list of favourite natural skincare It may not have an organic seal of approval, but I just can’t see how a pot of cream made of four really simple things is going to harm me. I know Jo gets her beeswax from her local farm, it’s not certified organic, but I believe her when she says that it’s pure. She’s even started keeping her own bees and mashes the carrots for the carrot cream in her kitchen…..so my advice is to let common sense prevail and live a natural life, but not an obsessive one. Moderation is best.
Despite months of slathering on creams, protective serums, blocks and foundations to shield our skin from the harsh winter elements, all of us are no doubt desperate to get back to the fresh, sun-kissed glow that is now just a memory from last year’s summer holiday.
It’s not always about what you put onto your skin however – as we are all aware, most skincare products contain mind-bogglingly long lists of ingredients, many of which are synthetic and quite possibly harmful when absorbed into the skin and bloodstream, building up to cause allergies, irritancy and even disease.
Organic skincare is the perfect solution – and buyOrganics' range of carefully selected skincare products will set you up for the spring – sloughing off the winter and protecting new skin so you’re ready to face the world again! Two of buyOrganics’ ranges are perfect to ease this transformation – and expert advisors from both.Essential Care and Organic Apoteke have some great tips and advice as well.
Margaret Weeds of quality, affordable organic range Essential Care
says, “The skin is the largest elimination organ of the body, so using
chemical-free skincare products all year round will reduce toxic load,
but in order to slough off the winter from our skins, improving
sluggish circulations, focusing on exfoliation and extra moisturisation
with vitamin-rich plant oil products will pay dividends.”
Margaret suggests using the Essential Care Tea Tree & Green Clay organic soap or their Honey & Oatmeal facial bar to gentle exfoliate the face, and to use a fine scrub mitt, brush or loofah with any of their soaps, for the rest of the body. Splash on cold water to boost circulation and close pores the natural way.
Cleanse with an Essential Care organic cleanser, followed by Rose Petal or Citrus Tonic to gently tone the skin without stripping or irritation. Says Margaret, “For a fantastic glow and vitamin boost I strongly recommend finishing with a couple of drops of Organic Superfruit Concentrate.”
Left with dry, flaky or chapped skin from the cold, wind and central heating? Essential Care’s Ultra Rich Balm is economical and multitasking, suitable for use anywhere on the body. For particularly badly cracked hands or heels, and even according to customer feedback, psoriasis, use their Calendula Balm.
If you aren’t fussed about the pennies, then luxury organic skin care range Organic Apoteke offers several products which are pure pampering heaven – indulge in one or two special organic skincare treats from the range in addition to your everyday cheaper products for perfect skin which won’t cost the earth.
Dr Nitasha Buldeo, creator of the Organic Apoteke range, also offers a simple and fun weekend detox plan to get the whole body, inside and out, ready to face the world again. As well as drinking plenty of water, avoiding dairy, fried foods, preservatives and carbonated drinks, she particularly recommends the following Organic Apoteke products for glowing, toxin-free skin: for the face, Active Face Cleanse Gel and Active Herbal Toner, moisturise with their Active Face Hydrating Gel and even have a go with the super cleansing Detox Face Mask. Use the Organic Apoteke Body Cleanse Gel and Body Hydrate Oil both in Sicilian Orange & Mandarin to cleanse and moisturise the body.
Put the Spring back into your skin now!
Mineral makeup is THE biggest thing in cosmetics right now, and for once, the concept behind these flawless foundations, eyeshadows, lipsticks and even mascaras, seems to be going in the right direction, away from artificially produced chemicals and towards more naturally derived ingredients. Lowering our toxic overload from personal care products must be high on everyone’s beauty agenda right now, as we aim to create a flawless finish without clogging our pores, ingesting carcinogenic ingredients and polluting the environment with manmade chemicals. And what’s the point of spending all that time and effort using organic, toxin-free soaps, shampoos, deodorants and bubble baths when the moment we step out of the shower and get to the mirror, we start loading regular cosmetics onto our faces and nails?
But, don’t just grab your purse in panic and rush down the road to the nearest chemist to buy up stocks of the latest mineral makeup from the shelves! Despite claims of natural, healthy and pure ingredients, even the most cursory of scans of the packaging will prove that even in the so-called pure world of mineral makeup – once again, organic cosmetics stand out on their own not only for safety and consideration for the environment, but for purity and importantly, performance!
Organic mineral makeup products are made from a pure mixture of mica, iron oxide and titanium dioxide as well as a range of different organically extracted essential oils. Many high street brands are loaded with synthetic fillers and preservatives, such as talc, bismuth oxychloride, parabens and phlalates, which as well as being toxic, can irritate the skin and block pores.
Top luxury organic online beauty store buyOrganics tried and tested a number of products before settling on their new makeup range, which we are now delighted to introduce to you. We now stock the organic, vegan makeup range by Inika, which includes a range of twelve different shades of organic mineral foundation which acts as a foundation, concealer and powder, all in one.
We have found that even the most sensitive skins and those with visible facial skin complaints such as redness and rosacea not only benefit from the superior coverage of the Inika organic makeup, to name but one, but also the benefits of leaving pores able to breathe and the natural sun protection factor of the ingredients (iron oxide and titanium oxide are also used in organic sunscreens to provide excellent protection from both UVA and UVB rays). This means that as well as being safe internally, your foundation also has anti-ageing properties. They are so safe for use that they can even be used straight after facial cosmetic surgery.
What we particularly like about using mineral foundations is the ease of application and the fact that one pot will last a very long time, meaning a sharp decrease in packaging and necessity to keep buying the product – making it a true investment! Only the smallest amount is required and once you get the hang of controlling the brush to apply the powder, we guarantee this method of facial coverage will knock minutes off the usual time it would take to use a liquid or pressed foundation.
The real secret with mineral makeup, from foundation to eyeshadows and even lip colours is in the brushwork – you will become an artist in no time! The knack is to use either a flat foundation brush (buyOrganics stock the Inika vegan brushes) or a blusher brush, take up a small amount of the powder knocking it against the pot to rid the brush of any excess, then apply in bold, rounded movements to the face. You can either cover the entire facial area or simply pay attention to areas which need more coverage (which is where a concealer brush, again using the foundation powder under the eye area comes in useful), so one product goes a very long way, making your cosmetic bag light and simple, and less packaging too. Covering blemishes but allowing your natural beauty to shine through to give a healthy, glowing complexion can’t be bad!
Eyeshadows can be applied simply as powder with an eyeshadow brush or for more definition close to the lashes, or for a dramatic evening or party look, wet the brush, take off the excess water and dip into the eyeshadow powder for an effect similar to watercolours, you can build up the colour as you wish. Use a base colour such as Inika’s Bling Bling over the eye lid up to just below the brow line, then fill in the eye socket area with another colour – we love the depth of Inika’s Purple Haze. You can even use the eyeshadow as an eyeliner by dampening an angled brush and using the eyeshadow wet to create perfect lines of any colour you like. If you’re a stickler for your eyeliners though, Inika’s eyeliner pencils come in a range of shades – try Sage with your Purple Haze eyeshadow for a fantastic festive party look – and they come with a handy sharpener on the pencil lid – again cutting down on makeup bag bulge!
You mustn’t forget blusher, giving depth, definition and a healthy glow day or night. The Inika kabuki brush together with their blusher powder (four sensational shades) will complete your healthy look. With such gorgeous products giving fantastic effects and also vegan and organic, why would you choose anything else? It’s a no-brainer really! See the entire range of organic makeup from buyOrganics, including Inika, Miessence, Nvey Eco and just in – non-toxic nail polishes from Zoya – from buyOrganics and get the safest, purest beauty looks around!
Whilst you quibble over whether Chanel, L’Oreal or Estee Lauder is best, we’ll take a deeper look into the ingredients of those beloved lipsticks, blushers, mascaras and foundations that grace your cosmetic bag and your skin. It feels good when you open your bag and it’s full of beautifully packaged luxury makeup, don’t get me wrong, I’m not particularly singling out the above brands, just pointing out that when we choose our cosmetics, we are often choosing a brand that says more about our lifestyle than even our clothes - they are expressions of who we want to be and what our priorities are. We choose a brand that represents us.
We buy from places that we feel familiar and comfortable with, where we fit in. This can unfortunately play on our sense of ego and then bypasses our basic rights to being provided with products that are not polluting us. Often the primary factors that govern women’s choice is image, packaging, and price but If you’re going to eat about 6lbs of lipstick in your lifetime, I would say ingredients needs to figure as top of the list -make it sure it’s safe!
Although off the shelf products meet federal and government safety tests, because they tell you the toxin quantities are so small as not to harm you, imagine that you are ingesting this stuff over a whole lifetime, and not just through one product, but all the products you use. There is no evidence to suggest that when combined with other makeup and toiletries, the chemical concoction will not cause you harm. Also the chemicals that are ingested and absorbed through the skin can build up in our body and be stored in our fat cells only to be released later in life. No wonder certain cancers are on the increase!!
Here’s a quick heads-up on the chemicals that plague your cosmetics and what you need to avoid:
Phthalates:
Some side effects reported of exposure to phthalates are damage to various organs such as the kidneys, liver and lungs. These are used as plastic softeners in nail polish, hair sprays and many other toiletries. They also help the fragrance in your product last longer. Research has found that phthalates may have a disruptive effect on human hormones, possibly causing birth defects and liver damage. Both DEHP and DBP (the later is often present in nail varnish) are classified as class 2 compounds, toxic to reproduction, but are still present in many cosmetics
Parabens:
In a nutshell, parabens are used as preservatives in most cosmetics and skincare products, including foundation, eyeshadow, mascara, eyeliner and hairspray. There are several types of parabens that exist in common formulations; Methylparaben, propylparaben, butyleparaben and ethylparaben. As well as being linked to hormone disruption and various cancers, they can irritate the skin. They have been detected in human breast tissue as they can even act as oestrogen mimics -increased oestrogen levels are linked to cancer.
One, propyl paraben, has been shown to adversely affect male reproductive functions; at the “daily intake level” currently acceptable under EC law, it decreased daily sperm production. (Oishi, S., ‘Effects of propyl paraben on the male reproductive system’; Food and Chemical Toxicology, 40: 1807-1813 (2002))
VOC’s
A lot of makeup contains VOC’s, such as formaldehyde and ethanol. These have be shown to cause eye, nose and throat irritation, difficulty breathing, allergy symptoms and headaches. Formaldehyde is considered a probable carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the formaldehyde in your lipstick gets ingested. We probably eat about 6lbs of lipstick in our lifetimes – not so yummy!
Chemical Solvents
Amongst this nasty bunch of chemicals is acetone, toluene, butyl acetate, ethyl acetate and alcohol. They have been linked to many different health problems from headaches to liver damage whilst also causing harm to the environment.
Synthetic Polymers
Synthtic Polymers are ingredients such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). These synthetic substances are derived from petrochemicals and used in mascaras, eyeliners and hairsprays to ‘fix’ the product to your skin or lashes. Watch out for them in natural and eco-friendly hairsprays too; they have been linked to headaches, dizziness and allergic reactions.
buyOrganics founder Sonia recommends some Natural alternatives in Organic Cosmetics and Makeup to keep you looking a million dollars!
The Phthalate DBP and toluene, another toxic chemical is found in nail polish. This compound is flammable and can make the nails dry and brittle. Instead of using the chemical based polishes found on the market, you could use a natural water based polish, but these do not last long and have to be removed quickly otherwise they become impossible to remove!
I love Zoya Nail Polishes for totally natural nails because they are long lasting, don’t have to be removed quickly and come in over 300 shades, we stock around 80! Worn by the stars!
Choose mineral based eyeshadows such as Nvey Eco or Inika as eyeshadows traditionally contain a chemical called polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). This compound has been shown to cause an allergic reaction in some people. It is important to read all product labels before purchasing any brand of eye shadow and avoid those that contain PVP. Both Inika Eyeshadow and Nvey Eco Eyeshadows are totally natural and don’t contain synthetic fillers such as Talc or Bismuth oxyclorane or PVP either.
Lipsticks traditionally contain petroleum, chemical fragrances or FD&C colours and can contain formaldehyde, lipsticks containing lead and heavy metals can be especially dangerous for pregnant women. Children exposed to lead have been shown to have impaired school performance and lower IQ compared to children un exposed. Always choose natural organic lipsticks that do not contain synthetic colours or preservatives. I love Nvey Eco and Inika natural organic lipsticks, which come in a great range of natural colours without synthetic colours and toxins. Miessence has been cited by The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to be one of the purest ranges on the market.
When choosing a loose or powder foundation, its best to choose organic as the organic cosmetics do not contain talc which has been linked to cancer. No-talc powders instead use bentonite and/or kaolin as well as essential oils which have been extracted from plants that have not been treated with pesticides and herbicides. Organic foundations also do not contain paraben preservatives such as methyl parabens or propyl parabens. I love Miessence and Nvey Eco crème and liquid Foundations – the same mineral formulations in a cream format for people who like a cream rather than a powder. Inika Mineral foundations give such fantastic coverage that they can even cover skin problems such as acne, rosacea and scarring completely naturally.
"If I were to say I have always been an eco-friendly or green person (or as my ‘funny friends’ call me a tree hugger), I’d be lying.
Sure I’ve always had a love of nature, I would spend hours watching documentaries on wildlife (especially rainforests and anything to do with aquatic life) with my dad as a kid; but that was about it.
So what changed? Well as a student I finally fulfilled a dream and visit a rainforest myself. It was breathtaking, and just what my imagination had always led me to believe… well at least it was at first.
It was after I was show the devastation that had been made due to deforestation, and the effects it had on the wildlife that began to change my life (just look at the picture above, it saddens the heart). Since then my lifestyle has swayed greatly over the years to living it in an ecologically friendly way. It’s a cliché I know, that one person can’t make a difference, so why bother? Well because if everyone did bother then it would make a difference, and every small step, even from one person, is a move in the right direction.
Of course it’s not been easy. Where I live recycling has only just become a mandatory thing in regards to weekly waste collection (before that it was a trip to the recycling centre once a week) and the selection of organics products has been pretty poor, with the exception of organic food, which most supermarkets stock a selection of.
However food and recycling is only a small part of it and as a woman I wanted to see if I could go green on one of our biggest failings, skincare, cosmetics and toiletries. These items in normal life are so full of toxins and unnatural ingredients it’s surprising us girls aren’t responsible for melting the icecaps on our own.
Where to start? I mean organic skin care and organic toiletries? Where the heck do you get these things? Yes we know there are places that don’t test these on animals, but that’s not the same thing (though something I do applaud). My search took me online, and it was there I found that you can get almost anything you need for day to day life, all wrapped up in an organic, natural and eco-friendly little package (figuratively and literally).
The ranges of organic skincare on offer are huge with brands such as Eselle, Spieza, Miessence and much more beyond all doing facial skincare products such as moisturiser to facial cleanser and face wash to lip balm (yep something as simple as that has an eco alternative).Then there is body skin care, such as hand creams and lotions, body moisturisers and soaps and body washes all of which have “green” counterparts.
Toiletries and cosmetics are another must for us girls and we aren’t failed here either. Organics lipstick, eyeshadow, mascara and even foundation are readily available online. Organic toiletries are taken care of with organic deodorants, body powders, organic perfumes and more; the even have organic panty liners, towels and tampons in case you’re not sure.
Now the point is that these aren’t just good for the environment though. These things are all good for YOU. Many of the skincare and toiletry products we use, as well as cosmetics and make-up we apply are so full of chemicals and toxins you’d not be surprised about my statement that a women getting ready for a night out could kill half a rainforest on her own, and if it does that much damage to the environment, then what bout the toll it takes on you.
So come one girls, give it a try. It is true one person won’t make a difference, but if we all try to help the planet (and help ourselves and our bodies as well) even with just a few things where we can such as an organic skincare alternative, or some organic deodorant, or even organic cosmetics… then that is a start to making a difference."
Article by Kim WalshSelf confessed 'Tree Hugger' and proud of it!
