Pucker up Eco Goddesses!

by Naomi


No-one wants to spend a season kiss-free so if the onset of Autumn/Winter means cracked and chapped lips then it's time to invest in a good eco lip balm! I've compiled a selection with something for every pocket.


Eco Beauty Bargain has to go to Filberts Lime & Coconut Natural Lip Balm (£3.70) which is made with Devonshire beeswax and oil and a free from synthetic perfumes and mineral oils.

Tempting Eco Beauty Treat is Burt's Bees' range of tinted lip balms (£5.99) perfect for keeping your lips super smooochable!

Eco Beauty Splurge would definitely be Andrea Garland's Lovely Lip Balms (£16 - £24)  - I have total eco envy over her creative use of vintage tins to store yummy balms.

Happy lip locking!

xxx

Wardrobe hero - Go nuts for Monkee Genes!

By Lorna

The old scool theory that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes (Pareto principle 1906) is certainly true in my wardrobe.. I definitely wear 20% of my clothes about 80% of the time!

Of course, it's lovely to have that awesome vintage dress/suit you picked up from that amazing Aladdin's cave shop, for a special party. For normal life however, we all have our Wardrobe Heros! This is the first blog I've written about about a wardrobe hero (there will be more)... I've decided that to qualify for this prestigious title, they must be ethical (obvs), must have been worn for six months, still look great and must be a key item (one of my 20%) This strict set of rules means you can truely trust my tried and tested opinion!

I can honestly say my fav pair of organic cotton black skinny Monkee Genes tick ALL boxes! They look great, still fit really well (despite frequent washing), have not faded in colour (as many high street jeans do) and I wear them to DEATH. Seriously.... I think I have a problem. They look great with tees, with jersey dresses over, with shirts, as leggings, etc etc.. they are my 'go-to' work outfit. I bought them for £50 from Topshop on Oxford Street (London) but they have their own website showcasing lots more lovely basic and fashion forward styles for guys and girls!

Skinnys have been the KEY shape for Denim for a long time now but as the 70s trend continues to grow in strength this summer, bootcut and Flares are getting more and more popular. Luckily the lovely (and ridiculously cool) people at Monkee Genes have got it all under control..

If I was to buy another pair now, I'd probably buy the organic lightweight chino jeans, chinos are big news at the mo, perfect for work and play!


Check out these fab WARDROBE HEROS here

Facts: Monkey Genes, awesome jeans, eco, organic cotton, £50, unisex

A handmade Monday treat

by Naomi

As promised last week, this Monday I am bringing you something I made with my own two hands!


Yesterday it was the birthday of my beautiful friend Emma.
I wanted to get her something special, and wasn't sure what...but then I saw this fabric and thought 'Oh Wow!' It's so cute - I knew she would love it!

I was given my first sewing machine (a beautiful shiny red number) for Christmas, and so decided to make a couple of cushion covers. Having passed textiles GCSE by the skin of my teeth, I knew I would need to find an easy-to-follow 'how to' guide. It came courtesy of the wonderful Cherry Menlove, who's blog on cooking, crafting and life in general is completely addictive!

I used her simple cushion cover guide and scaled it to the size of my cushions. I added in the bow detail by stitching two strips of ribbon across the corner of each cushion, before stitching the cushion panels together face-to-face.

Et voila!

I was really pleased with how they turned out and Emma looked very happy with them. The fabric was bought on eBay, but you could easily upcycle sheets and tablecloths found in charity shops. The cushion insides were taken from some old cushions and the zips and ribbon was bought from a local market.

Oh, and because birthdays always require something sweet, I made some scrummy Oreo Cheesecake Truffles (very easy and totally worth it!):

160g sleeve of Oreo cookies

100g full fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
150g cooking chocolate, broken into pieces

Put the Oreos in a food processor and whirl until they're powdered and then mix them with the cream cheese. Put the mixture in the fridge for about two hours to chill. Once cold, remove the mixture and roll it into small balls and place them on greaseproof paper. Once you've made the balls, chill them again for about 20 minutes. Melt the cooking chocolate, then roll the Oreo/cream cheese balls in the melted chocolate and place on clean greaseproof paper to cool.

 

Have a great week!

 

-x-


Facts: handmade cushion covers using recycled cushions and locally bought accessories.

A perfectly beautiful Monday treat

by Naomi

After the long, dark and cold winter, which I spent pretty much entirely covered in layer upon layer of clothing, there's nothing like sunny days and the prospect of summer to inspire me to make that little bit more effort with my appearance!

You may remember that a little while back that I reviewed a Bourjois liquid foundation; well after a while I got a tired of using liquid (it seems to come off on everything I come into contact with, although I would still recommend it if you're a fan of liquids) so the search for perfectly beautiful skin was back on!

I spied that Une had an offer on: buy any foundation and get a free Breezy Cheeks Blush worth £8.99. I love a good deal and I have been eyeing up their foundations for a while. I chose Une's 100% Mineral Powder Foundation, £9.99. 

I cannot recommend mineral foundation enough, and this one's a beauty. It gives even coverage and has a kind of dewy, glowing finish to it which makes it great whatever your skin type and will also work as a day-to-night foundation. It doesn't seem to block my pores or look cakey and the colours available are refreshingly non-orange! The pot is quite small, but you don't need a lot on your brush.

As for the blush, it's made from 100% natural ingredients, 10.2% of which are from organic farming, certified by EcoCert. I went for and the B 03 shade which is a sort of vintage dusky rose pink that's very in fashion at the moment, very light and summery, and which combined with the creamy texture gave a really delicate, subtle glow. The front of the case is also a mirror which is very handy if you like to do your make-up on the go!

I'm hoping that next week's Monday treat will be a super-chic crafty one - fingers crossed that it works!

P.S. I can't post without addressing the terrible situation in Japan. Our thoughts are with all of those affected. If you can spare even a few pounds, you can donate to help them here.

-x-

Facts: Une Beauty make up: on offer at Boots; buy any foundation and get a Breezy Cheeks Blush free (subject to availability); natural ingredients, some of which is derived from organic farming.

Velvety skin - oui s'il vous plait!

by Naomi

On a recent excursion to stock-up on my favourite make-up, I was gutted to discover that my trustworthy, amazing and super-cheap mineral foundation had been discontinued. I am a bit of a drama queen and make-up addict so this was relatively big news in my world, particularly as it suited my skin perfectly.

Anyway, needs must so I set about trying to find a replacement. Given the number of mineral foundations available, this would have been quite simple, was it not for the fact that I have really yellow-toned olive skin that cosmetic companies don't seem to cater for. Shades of foundation and concealer seem to go from white through to dark orange with a few weird pink/orange shades in the middle. Anyway, rant over, I was unable to find a mineral foundation the right shade, and was just about to resort to donning a paper bag for the rest of my natural years when this caught my eye:

It's a new liquid foundation by Bourjois called Bio Detox Organic. It's Eco Cert, with 98% from natural origin and 21% organic ingredients.

I was a bit reluctant to return to using liquid foundation as I love mineral so much, but I have to say I was impressed with this. It gives a really smooth, velvety finish and isn't too heavy. It smells really fresh and didn't sit on top of my skin as much as other liquids I have tried before. I did need to finish it with powder as my skin is oily, but the colour was a perfectly acceptable and non-orange shade of beige, if a teeny-weeny bit paler than I would have liked (I used shade 54).

It's on special offer at the moment in Boots for around £10.99 and normally it is £13.99. It contains chlorophyll and claims to detoxify your skin. I have no idea what detoxified skin would look like, or how much use chlorophyll is in foundation, but it's worth a try on the previous merits alone.

I haven't taken any pics to upload yet, but I'm hoping to do some eco-beauty looks in the coming weeks, and will add this into the mix!

Facts: Bourjois Bio Dextox Organic liquid foundation: Eco Cert, 98% natural ingredients, 21% organic ingredients, fresh smell, velvety finish, available from Boots and Superdrug, RRP £13.99.

Organic beauty find - number 3!

by Naomi

Beauty find alert!!

I have to be honest, I don't often visit 'health stores'. I generally find them confusing/ dingy/ strange smelling and they make me feel guilty for eating food not made from lentils. But these issues are worth putting aside in the quest for great beauty products! I recently stepped foot inside a local health store seeking Calendulon ointment (great for spots, scars and grazes when you fall off your heels!) and was pleasantly surprised to find a great selection of Weleda products.

If you haven't tried any of them out, I thoroughly recommend you start with the Skin Food - it's AMAZING. It is a balm that moisturises lips, hands, elbows, body - pretty much everywhere. It soothes dry skin and is a great nourishing night moisturiser - just be warned a little goes a long way! It is also a great protective cream, so perfect for the harsh winter weather that lies ahead!

Made with organic sunflower seed oil, and extracts of wild pansy, chamomile, calendula and revitalising rosemary extract, it is number 3 in our Top 10 Organic Finds. Priced around £8.50 it could be one of the best beauty buy you make this season!

Available at health stores across the UK and at Weleda.

Facts: Weleda Skin Food: nourishing moisturiser with organic sunflower seed oil.

Soft and smooth... it's no 8!

by Lorna

Wandering London’s Broadway Market today I found an absolute gem! Number 8 in our Top 10 Organic Finds is Shea Alchemy- a small natural beauty products company who LOVE shea butter and make lots of luscious creams and potions from it. It comes from the nut of the Karite tree which grows wild in Africa. In its unrefined, pure form it is a brilliant skin moisturizer and healer- excellent for dry skin, wrinkles and eczema.

The butter is bought from a Fairtrade women’s co-operative in Ghana and mixed up with lots of gorgeous organic and natural ingredients: Acwellsyke spring water which they get direct from the founder Sally's cousin’s farm in Rockingham Forest, organic cocoa butter, aloe vera, calendula, blackseed oil, horse chestnut extract and apricot kernel oil, as well as vitamins E & A! It naturally contains no parabens, no sulphates, no petroleum products, and there is no animal testing. As they are a small company (and plan to stay that way), all the products are cooked up by experimenting in kitchens and this means there is no middle man and no store mark-ups! With products from £6.50- £25 we likee!

And with a glowing write up in Marie Claire this week, who are we to disagree?! "We’re a little bit smitten with Shea Alchemy’s dinky little pots, especially its organic geranium Intense Hand Cream. Family-run with lots of heart, every product in the small range gets our thumbs-up – and we reckon no handbag is complete without one of these hand creams hidden inside."

Buy online or at various farmers and green markets around the UK. Check out their website here.

Facts: Shea Alchemy: natural, organic, shea butter, beauty creams, no parabens, no sulphates, no petroleum products, no animal testing.

Go organic, with our Top 10!

by Naomi

With the Soil Association's Organic Fortnight coming up (September 3-17), I figured it's my duty to all aspiring eco goddesses (ourselves included) to discover some of the best organic products out there.

Obviously eating organic food is one of the biggest contributions we can make, particularly as research has suggested that pesticides are causing a decline in the bee population. But the eco goddess cannot live on bread alone, and buying organic in other areas is just as important.

Over the coming weeks I will be listing my Top 10 Organic Finds, so if you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them! Simply email me at ecogoddess@live.co.uk

At number 10 is:

Organic Surge Hand & Nail Cream.

After my post on Mavala nail polishes, I have been on an additional quest to find great eco hand and nail products. The guys at BigGreenSmile.com were kind enough to send me a sample of the Gentle Meadow fragrance and it's B-E-A-Uuutiful.

It is 91% organic and naturally derived ingredients, and moisturises wonderfully without being greasy. The lavender and geranium essential oils make you feel like you could be in a meadow somewhere (even if it is grey outside) and more importantly - the bees are kept happy! At £3.91 a pop it's a bargain, and Organic Surge does lots of other lovely looking beauty products, which make great little gifts.

PS. BigGreenSmile.com is a great website in itself, with hundreds of green products, so check it out!

Facts: Soil Association Organic Fortnight September 3-17; Organic Surge Hand & Nail Cream in Gentle Meadow: 91% organic and naturally derived ingredients; BigGreenSmile.com.

Toxin free talons!

by Naomi

I love trying old classic beauty products - some of them work better than the new ones (cold cream, rosewater toner, Elnett hairspray). Unfortunately many are based on formulations created before our impact on the environment was really understood and so aren't particularly eco-friendly. Imagine my joy when I found out that granny's-dresser classic, Mavala offers nail polishes that are free from toluene, formaldehyde and DBP!

 

Their small size means that you won't end up with half bottles of dried up polish and they are perfectly sized to pop in your handbag. They glide on really smoothly and dry quickly. At only £3.95, you can try as many different colours as you like - and there are a lot to choose from!

You can pick them up in branches of John Lewis and on Amazon.

Having beautifully polished nails was never so cheap, easy or eco-friendly!

Facts: Mavala nail polish: free from toluene, formaldehyde and DBP.

Smooth summer skin

by Naomi

The weather is hot, hot, hot which means it's time to whisk our shorts and mini-skirts and bask in the sunshine! And no self-respecting goddess would be seen baring all without doing a little preparation, so I bring you a few beauty treats to help get your skin feeling smooth and summery.

Naturally Upper Canada is new to the UK and has a positively enormous collection of natural beauty products - you will be spoilt for choice!

For glamorous hands and feet, there are the All About Hands and All About Feet collections. The former offers luxurious hand soap, a moisture rich hand mask, triple action night cream, moisture hand was, exfoliating hand & elbow scrub and daily moisture hand lotion, to name a few! The avocado scent is really fresh and the hand cream has a light texture that absorbs quickly.

Peppermint oil is used in the All About Feet collection, which includes soothing foot cream, cracked heel treatment, exfoliating foot scrub and massaging foot scrub. They are also available in gift sets so perfect to add to your wish list or for your nearest and dearest! Prices range from £7 - £10.

The Naturally body collection is offers luxurious body beauty essentials, made from natural ingredients and in some scents that smell good enough to eat: Pressed Olive Avocado, Sweet Vanilla Fig, Wild Mint Lime, Cranberry Moro Orange and Warm Honey Nectar.

I am a big fan of the Pressed Olive Avocado, which is really sweet smelling (but smells nothing like the avocado hand range!). The body butter is rich and nourishing; it has certainly got me keeping an eye out for others in the range, such as the coarse salt scrub, foaming milk bath and nourishing massage oil. I tested the nourishing lip balm from the Warm Honey Nectar collection and it makes a great everyday moisture stick, made from beeswax, Shea butter, cocoa butter, and coconut oil. Prices range from about £5 - £10.

Naturally Upper Canada's products contain loads of natural ingredients and all are free from parabens, mineral oils, SLS and synthetic dyes. They are available from Amazon and soon to be elsewhere in the UK.

Facts: Naturally Upper Canada: beauty products made with natural ingredients, free from parabens, mineral oils, SLS and synthetic dyes.

For more information visit www.uppercanadasoap.com
With this lot to keep you busy, your skin will be soft and summer-ready in no time!

Something sweet for spring!

by Naomi

As much as I like the snow it feels like this winter has gone on forever! Fortunately I have come across these little beauties to get us in the mood for spring!

Nubar has created this mouthwatering set of polishes called Pastel Fever that are right on trend with this season's pastel shades. They are so sugary sweet I can't help but feel like spring might be on its way. Pink Creme and Lavender are my favourites! They are vegan and free from toluene, phthalate and formaldehyde - bonus! Buy for £8 each at www.beautyshed.co.uk

I came across Body America beauty products last week whilst having on one of those days where you wish you had just stayed in bed. Its pretty pin-up packaging combined with the fact that it uses 72 per cent organic ingredients caught my eye and the divine flavours really put a spring in my step. I have been using the Toast to the Coast lip butter, which contains passion seed oil, vegetable protein and Vitamin E, and it tastes so good I can't put it down! (Even my boyfriend likes it!)

Other yummy flavours include New York Cheesecake (strawberry and vanilla), Vermony VaVaVoom (green apple, maple and blueberry), and Southern Belle (peach and mango). Products include body butters, body washes, body mist and body scrubs. Everything is free from parabens, BHT and urea and it is all dermatalogically tested. Prices range from £4.99 for the lip butter to £10.99 for the body butters and scrubs: buy from Alesindi or Harvey Nichols.

Facts: Nubar eco friendly nail varnishes - phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde free, vegan. Body America - organic ingredients, paraben, BHT, urea free.

Eco gorgeous from top to toe!

by Naomi

If - like me - you over-indulged a little over this year's festivities (too much food, wine and make-up!) then January serves as the perfect time to have a little beauty MOT. Whilst beauty starts from the inside out, a little polishing of the outside can't hurt! Over the last few weeks I have discovered a number of wonderful eco treasures. So let's start from the top!

Having a hair-mare?
If you haven't already come across Aveda, then it is time you did. They produce plant-based hair care, skincare, cosmetics and perfume, and have done so since the 70s making them arguably one of the founders of the green-beauty revolution. I tried the 'Brilliant tm Shampoo and Conditioner', (both around £12) which deep cleanse yet add moisture - perfect for ridding my colour-treated and post-party hair of all the product build-up. Made with organic aloe, calendula and camelia, and packaged using recycled materials from manufacturers that use renewable energy, they are a good deed for your hair and your carbon footprint! http://www.wantthelook.com/

Face 2010 with a beautiful face!
Boots' Botanics range offers some great organic products including the Organic Rosewater toner (£3.91). It is simply fab; gentle yet effective, and the damask rosewater gives it a romantic and feminine scent. http://www.boots.com/

One of my favourite discoveries of 2009 has to be Dr Wendy's. New to the UK, the New Zealand based brand offers pure botanical skincare that is chemical free and not tested on animals. I had read that using oil-based skincare products could help combat oily skin, but I was a little apprehensive. However, having tried Dr Wendy's Gentle Moisturizer (£31.50) I am completely converted.The essential oils of Fragonia, Sandalwood and Tea Tree, as well as Organic Lavender give it a lovely smell and a texture that left my skin deeply moisturised without being oily. Since using it regularly my skin feels smoother and is noticeably clearer. There are ranges created specifically for different types of skin, and prices for cleansers, toners and moisturisers range between £18.50 and £38.80. http://www.lucyrose.biz/

Liven up dull and worn out skin with the Lush Charity Pot (£12.50). It is a wonderful all-over hand and body cream made with cocoa butter and almond oil, which give it a very sweet smell. It has light in texture and absorbs quickly, plus every penny paid for it after VAT is donated to one of the charities or organisations that Lush supports. These include environmental and conservation causes, humanitarian causes and animal protection. If partying the nights away in pretty but hopelessly impractical heels have left your feet in need of some TLC, before bedtime simply apply a thick layer of Charity Pot to your tootsies, pop on some old socks and leave overnight - et voila, a quick foot mask! (Don't forget to wash the socks before you try and wear them again though!) http://www.lush.co.uk/

Facts: Aveda plant-based hair and skincare, recycled packaging. Boots' Botanics Organic Rosewater toner, recycled packaging, organic damask rosewater. Dr Wendy's plant-based beauty, essential oils and chemical free. Lush Charity Pot, almond oil, cocoa butter.

Featuring the Best Eco Fashion from the Clothes Show Live 2009....

By Lorna

The Clothes Show Live is the biggest fashion and beauty event worldwide and serves to highlight the latest high street and designer collections in spectacular style.  It is held annually in Birmingham NEC, which boast a 6500 capacity fashion theatre for the live catwalk show. This is the 21^st year of the Clothes Show Live and I went along today to search out the BEST ECO STYLE that was on offer for all of us Eco Goddesses....

1. Environmental Justice Foundation

THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOUNDATION had a brilliant stall, which served as a sneak previous showcase for their new range of ‘Best of British’ designer collaboration t-shirts, featuring the designs of Alice Temperley, Richard Nicoll, Jenny Packham and Ciel. The stand succeeded in tempting even the most fashion conscious of girls in to find out more and buy a pre-release EJF t-shirt. I’m sure it had absolutely nothing to do with the posters of one of the male models from the catwalk show posing in an EJF t-shirt... no nothing at all! Ahem!

 I caught up with eco fashionistas Laura and India who were buying T-shirts and learning more from expert Larissa (from EJF), about the life changing pros of buying organic cotton... pictured below.

EJF believes children should not be forced to work in cotton fields and that cotton should be grown organically without pesticides, which poison the land and the farmers, which work on it. The proceeds from each of these designer collaborated t-shirts sold goes to support EJF in their work. To find out more about EJF's previous designer collection read Naomi's christmas wish-list post by clicking here.

2. Junk Jewels 

JUNK JEWELS were an amazing ethical find... as they design and make a veritable feast of gorgeous romantic, dreamy vintage-inspired jewellery! I met with Zoe Jones, founder of Junk Jewels who told me that they LOVE vintage and although some pieces are new they try and use as much vintage and recycled jewels as possible. There were literally swarms of girls trying on these beautiful trinkets and rightly so... as these one-off pieces are simple charming!

If you order online you can choose from two different chain lengths and bracelet sizes for you chosen vintage charm and the prices are unbelievably reasonable starting at just £6 for a bracelet and £8 for a necklace! 

If you’re a London dweller, check out the new Junk Jewels collection every Saturday at Portobello market, Notting Hill. You can even use their pick’n’mix service to create your own custom jewellery!

3.Komodo 

Unlike Junk Jewels, KOMODO are clothes show veterans and are an ethical brand, which has become massively well known worldwide.  Komodo have been in business 20 years, working with eco-friendly materials and following a philosophy of ethical business and social responsibility.

Although komodo are definitely worth checking out for their organic cotton shirts and range of winter warmers, which come in a variety of rich dark blues and warm earthy tones, I think their real strength lies in the beautiful organic cotton summer dresses they produce. Now it may sound odd, that I write that statement in December, when it is OFFICALLY FREEZING (at least in the UK it is!) but I do have a good reason!... If you check out the Komodo website they have an amazing sale on, featuring lots of beautiful summer dresses. If was you Eco Goddesses, I would show of my pre-planning skills, think well ahead and snap up a chic summery ethical bargain!!

Also ethically exhibiting at the clothes show live 2009 were The North Circular, Life's Not Fair But My Knickers Are and Terra Plana.

To find out more about EJF read our previous post by Naomi here or check out the EJF website http://www.ejfoundation.org/

Junk Jewels are available at http://www.junkjewels.co.uk/

Komodo clothing is available at www.komodo.co.uk 

Calorie-free chocolate!

Ok, the title is a little misleading. I haven't discovered chocolate that won't put paid to any plans of pre-Christmas detoxing. I wish I had, particularly since I have been using the news that Cadbury's Dairy Milk has gone Fairtrade as an excuse to eat chocolate!

What I am talking about is Nubar's new collection of nail varnishes, Chocolate Truffles, with shades delicious enough to have you running to the shop for a chocolate fix!

Nubar are experts at making unusual shades wearable; regular readers may remember my post about the launch of the Going Green collection. I have to say, brown on the whole is not really 'me'. However, I was really impressed with the Chocolate Coffee Bean shade, which is a sultry dark brown with a purple shimmer that adds a touch of glamour. They are carcinogen, phthalates, formaldehyde and toluene free as well as being vegetarian and vegan friendly, so at least they won't damage the environment, even if they do damage your diet!

For more information visit http://www.beautyshed.co.uk/

Facts: eco-friendly nail varnish, formaldehyde, phthalates, toluene and carcinogen free, suitable for vegetarians and vegans, Nubar.

Turning green

by Naomi

When Vogue announced that green was the must have shade of nail varnish for the season I was...well more than a little dubious. Having been morphed in a Saved-by-the-Bell style flashback to age 13 when the variety of my experimental nail colours was enough to scare small children, my initial thoughts were that this was not a colour I would be attempting.

But when the kind people at Nubar sent me a sample from their new Going Green range, launched just in time to celebrate the brand's arrival in the UK, I figured - well anything once in the name of fashion! Particularly given that it dropped onto my doormat just before a night out on the town - always good to road test things with friends first.

Nubar specialise in eco-friendly nail varnish, so of course testing it was something of an environmental quest as well as a style experiment! If you are wondering what eco-friendly nail varnish consists of, well it's more a case of what it doesn't consist of; Nubar's polishes are free from formaldehyde, phthalates, toluene and carcinogens. They are also vegetarian and vegan friendly!

The aptly-named Going Green range consists of six different shades, ranging from yellow-tone greens to deep emeralds. I tried out Reclaim (pictured left), an iridescent mid-green shade. I have to confess that I was really pleased and not just with the nail polish, which glided on and dried in no time. The shade looked really pretty on and I received lots of compliments from friends and colleagues. I was impressed with the polish's performance, which clearly hasn't been compromised by its green credentials; with two coats and a clear top coat it lasted all week!

 
The bright and bold Forest shade (pictured right) is ideal for those after something a little closer to the Chanel nail varnish featured in Vogue, and is perfect for banishing the winter blues. They are also a more pocket friendly price, at £8 each.

Nubar offer a plethora of shades that will have you unable to just pick one. Visit www.beautyshed.co.uk


Facts: Eco-friendly nail varnish, formaldehyde, phthalates, toluene and carcinogen free, suitable for vegetarians and vegans, Nubar.

Skincare and bees - a bee-autiful combination!

By Naomi

I have to confess that my cosmetic-purchasing behaviour has been less than eco-friendly over recent years. I used to get sucked in by the joy of trying the latest thing; products that I truly believed would somehow change my life for the better, but which usually ended up relegated to my ‘maybe one day I will need this again’ box. Hairsprays, mousses, body sprays, soaps, cleansers, moisturisers, make-up – you name it and I’ve got a redundant one. To make things worse, I have problem skin, for which I am perpetually trying to find a solution. Buying skincare for problem skin can be a headache. Do you go natural? Astringent? Expensive? Cheap? Do you stick with one product in the hope that it will eventually calm your skin, or change as soon as you think it isn’t working? And that is before you even get to the ecological and ethical aspects!

I am increasingly becoming converted to the ‘buy less, buy better’ school of thought. Skincare is now a considered purchase, rather than a lunch-hour splurge. I consider what the products are made of, where they are from, and how long they will last. It often feels as though you need a degree in chemistry to understand what is put into many products, even those that are supposed to be eco-friendly options. In my view, ingredients should be clearly labelled, in terms that make it easier to assess how eco-friendly and natural the product is. I was shocked to read that research shows that 60% of the ingredients we put on our bodies are absorbed into it.* Suddenly products that are loaded with chemicals and synthetic ingredients seem to lose their appeal!

Thankfully there is a brand out there that thinks the same! After being given samples of some Burt’s Bees products recently I have since become a huge fan of the brand. They are an ‘Earth Friendly, Natural Personal Care Company,’ that make products from beeswax, botanical and essential oils, herbs, flowers and minerals. They never use Petroleum (not renewable and potentially toxic), Sodium lauryl sulphate (a harsh and aggressive ingredient) or Propylene glycol. Furthermore, they never test on animals, work with many community projects and use recycled packaging. To help on your mission to be an Eco Goddess, each product’s ingredients are clearly explained and a little bar shows the percentage of natural ingredients – genius! Equally importantly, the products are fabulous!

My favourite is the Beeswax lip balm (100% natural). It smells of peppermint and the beeswax and oils keep my lips soft for ages. It’s also a bargain at a mere £3.42!

I was initially dubious about using the face products, as I thought they would be too rich and oily for my complexion, but I was pleasantly surprised. The Peach and Willow Bark Deep Pore Scrub (98.45% natural) - which utilises finely ground peach stone, sea algae and ginger extracts - left my skin feeling soft and deeply nourished rather than oily. It smells gorgeous too. Another favourite is the Soap Bark and Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream (98.8% natural.) It thoroughly cleansed my skin and left it soft enough to skip moisturiser!

Other products I tried include:

Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion – a light moisturiser that smells like holidays.

Radiance Day Cream – with royal jelly and retro-glam packaging.

Orange Essence Facial Cleanser – a rich cleanser that is great for normal to dry complexions.

Find Burt’s Bees products in John Lewis, Debenhams and Waitrose, as well as many independents.

Visit www.burtsbees.co.uk for more information.

*www.burtsbees.co.uk

Do you experience similar problems buying skincare? Have you tried these products? What did you think? I would love to hear your stories!