EOS Lip balm. Top USA Organic Beauty Products

My second discovery whilst on my California trip was a brand called EOS. These wonderful lipbalms have been designed with an ergonomic look and feel and are great for both men and women. The lipbalms are a Hollywood 'must have' beauty buy and I can see why.  I have been using the sweet mint flavour which is beautifully smooth, fresh and easy to apply. It kept my lips moisturised for longer than most lipbalms so there was no need to keep reapplying all day.

The packaging makes applying the lipbalm slick and fun. I am truly hooked and there is no turning back! EOS lipbalms are 95% Organic.  

You can buy EOS lipbalms in the UK from here: http://www.naturisimo.com/index.cfm?nme=eos

Juice Beauty. Top USA Organic Beauty Products.

I have recently returned to London after a beautiful, inspiring month in California. Whilst on my trip I decided to check out some of the best organic beauty brands stateside. Over the next week I will be sharing some of my favourite US discoveries....

JUICE BEAUTY 'TO GO' SET $29

Juice Beauty is a revelation. Born and bred in California these products bring high efficacy and authentic organic beauty to the masses. All products are made with certified organic ingredients including organic apple juice, aloe vera, honey, botanicals and plant oils from sustainable farming. They use support local farmers (their pomegranates sourced from central Californian farms), recycled packaging and soy ink, no animal testing and run all their labs from solar power.
I love this range and found it perfect for everday use. There is nothing luxe about this brand but it is clean, modern and functional and is results driven.The products are 95% organic and
the product line is huge with a great choice of products for all skin types.
Cleansing Milk 200ml $22.
The cleansing milk comes with a muslin cloth and is really lovely to use. Light, milky and very gentle it removed all my makeup and soothed my skin with calendula, chamomile and organic juices. I highly recommend this cleanser for all skin types.
Antioxidant Serum-50ml  $40
After cleansing I applied the Antioxidant Serum which is packed full of Vitamin C and peptides. It is a light, clear gel the pumped some life into my tired, slightly weather damaged skin. I personally prefer oil serums than gel on my sensitive skin as I find them more nourishing but this was nice and light and not sticky like some gel serums. This serum has been clinically proven to prevent free radical damage by 85% so is great for city living.
Hydrating Mist 200ml $22
I wasn't too sure about was the Hydrating Mist as it seemed to irritate and sting my skin. I think it may have been a little too astringent for those with sensitive skin. It is recommended for those who fly regularly to give your skin a moisture boost at high altitude. It contains aloe vera, organic white grape juice and rose hip fruit.
Nutrient Moisturiser-60ml $36
This moisturiser is great for dry and ageing skin and I found it very hydrating and nourishing. The consistency is perfect, it doesn't sit on the skin but absorbs quickly leaving my skin feeling beautifully soft. The moisturiser contains carrot seed (a powerful antioxidant), calendula, chea butter, borage seed, linseed oil, chamomile and evening primrose. This is one of the best moisturisers I have used this year. A real must have.
Green Apple Peel Sensitive 60ml $39
Wow! This peel blew me away! It was wonderful on my sensitive skin, gentle and rejuvenating at the same time. It has been tested for those people who have very sensitive skin and is particularly good for those who suffer with rosacea. I applied this peel to my cleansed face and left it on for 10 mins then I rinsed it off. It is crammed full of lovely ingredients such as lemon, organic white grape juice, algae extract and apple peel ofcourse. Left my skin feeling very bright and soft.

http://www.juicebeauty.com

Lotus Wei Flower Essences. Why I'm hooked.

I have tried using flower essences on and off for several years. In all honesty I have never been convinced by their effectiveness. That is, until now.
I recently read a great interview with the founder of Lotus Wei (Katie Hess) by fellow beauty/ lifestyle blogger Galina.  You can read the interview here; http://www.galinka.co.uk/interview-with-the-lotus-wei-founder-katie-hess/ 


I went to Being Content last week to buy a few skincare goodies before I travel to California for a month. I quickly spotted the bright bottles of Lotus Wei lined up on the shelf.
It feels like Katie Hess has managed to bring the art of blending flower essences into the 21st Century. Fresh, modern and effective.
My two favourite flower essences at the moment are the energy mists Infinite Love and Inspired Action. I spray them throughout the day to give me a boost, to centre me or to calm me.  They are crammed full of healing plant essences, Infinite Love for instance contains; Red Mandarin, Rose Absolute, Hong Kong Orchid, Lotus and gem essence of Pink Tourmaline.
I think Lotus Wei is particularly effective for city living. I, like many of you, spend hours in front of a computer with the rush of traffic and city chaos outside my door. I spray the Lotus Wei mist around my face and neck and inhale deeply, it works subtly and seems to break the frenetic energy of the city life. I shut my eyes I am transported to some other place, the delectable scent of bright flowers and nature surrounds me. Used over time these flower essence can revitalise the body and soul, encourage personal growth and help 'eliminate non-constructive patterns'.
I know, that's a big claim right?! But I am convinced they make a radical difference to your sense of well being and your energy levels. I am totally, utterly hooked to their delicate scent too. It is easy to sit back and say it's  hocus-pocus but I implore you, if you feel the world is getting on top of you, give them a go.  These beautiful, natural essences can make a real difference to your well being and may just astound that inner sceptic too!

As Paul Hawken's states far more eloquently:

"The variety and nuance of the different flower essences are a part of my daily life. I cannot imagine a life without them. They are as basic as salt and water, as needed as fruits and vegetables, as lovely as sleep and joy. They are not magic, they are a dimension of life, a portal to a world that has been exquisitely mapped and expressed by Katie." ~Paul Hawken, Entrepreneur, Environmentalist, Author of The Ecology of Commerce

https://www.lotuswei.com/shop/

http://www.beingcontent.com/

Andrea Garland. A review.

I decided to try out some Andrea Garland products after reading an article about her unique, natural skincare line. What is the appeal you may ask? Well, Andrea has a very unique take on skincare and aromatherapy, she has combined her love of vintage packaging and design with skincare to create what can only be described as a very eclectic, interesting beauty brand. Andrea began her skincare career on a market stall in East London and now stocks her products in the likes of the Conran store.
I tried three of Andrea's products; Lemon Balm Body Gloss, Rose and Hazelnut Day Cream and a Liberty Print Pill Box Lipbalm. There were some surprising results.

Lemon Balm Body Gloss 100ml £24

I think the first thing that strikes you about this body gloss other than the lovely packaging is the scent, it smells very strongly of lemon balm. I really like the smell but for some people I think it may be a bit too overpowering (so check you like the smell of lemon balm before you buy!). I found the gloss very nourishing but light and silky at the same time, it is a lovely consistency. This body gloss uses a variety of oils such as Avocado to help soothe irritated skin, Camellia to add a vibrancy to dull and lifeless skin and Coconut, Crambe and Broccoli Seed to help boost the radiance of the skin.  I can imagine this would be the perfect product to take on holiday and would be lovely to apply before an evening out in the summer as it adds a beautiful sheen to the skin, however this sheen only lasted about 30mins before it soaked in, leaving the skin feeling soft, moisturized and smelling of lemon balm and summertime.
The ingredients in this product are all natural, unlike the below product.

Rose and Hazelnut Day Cream 60ml £22.50
I have to say I really love Andrea Garland's unique quirky packaging and personally it was the best thing about this product. I'm afraid I really wasn't a fan of this day cream. The scent again was too overpowering and sickly sweet. I know this products uses benzoin, vanilla and rose, I think the combination is a bit of a overload of sweet scents. I only used this for about three days because I really didn't like the smell and I didn't see it having a positive effect on my skin. It's very light and watery but leaves a greasy film over the skin, I think it was too rich for my skin (even though I have dry/sensitive skin) I ended up getting a couple of pimples.
Unlike the body balm this product seems to be less natural containing the preservative Phenoxyethanol (which can cause skin irritation and according to the FDA can depress the central nervous system). I also discovered the list of ingredients of the jar was different to the list of ingredients on the website which is very misleading for the consumer. All in all I felt this was a real shame because I was hoping this brand would have avoided using such ingredients, especially as Andrea is an Aromatherapist and I presume understands about the health implications of this toxic ingredients. A bit of a let down I'm afraid.

Liberty Pill Box Lipbalm- £18
Other than the very cute Liberty print pill box tin, I was underwhelmed by this product. The lipbalm is 100% natural using sweet almond oil, shea butter, beeswax and rasberry seed oil (thumbs up). It was though very, very hard and was quite a job to scoop any on to my finger to apply to my lips. When I did manage to apply some it soon softened and was quite moisturizing. I liked the packaging and the little mirror, it's a sweet touch but I felt this product was worth about £10 max and I felt £18 for a little tin of lipbalm is very expensive.

The Verdict
Personally, I feel it is the quirky, beautiful packaging that has set Andrea Garland apart from other natural brands. It was a shame to discover not all of her products are as natural as I hoped. I think the unique packaging such as the replica vintage pill boxes, trinkets and rings make the products a very unique gift but I'm afraid this brand is just not for me.

Video - Tata Harper exposing the skincare industry

Neal's Yard Event. A meeting with Peter Kindersley

Last week I attended an event hosted by Neal's Yard with Peter Kindersley, the owner and chairman of Neal's Yard Remedies.

I was interested to go to the event because I really love Neal's Yard products and was keen to learn more about Peter's philosophy on organic farming and skincare. 

Peter also owns Sheepdrove farm in Berkshire and is passionate about organic farming. Peter explained the difference between products that are 'organic' and 'natural'. Natural produce is grown using nitrogen fertilizer and pesticides, in the UK alone we use 20,000 tonnes of pesticide every year. This is decreasing the genetic diversity of our wildlife. The Neal's Yard 'Bee Lovely' campaign was instigated in order to try and help save our bees. The campaign reached 100,000 signatures to try and ban the harmful use of Neonicotinoid pesticides that have been linked with the dramatic loss of the honey bee. British beekeepers have lost 80% of their bees, more than any european market. It is this pro-active campaigning for a better, healthier world along with the wonderful, organic products the draws the eco conscious consumer to NYR.

With the organic beauty market seeing rapid growth (10% in just the last year), Neal's Yard are at the forefront of organic skincare and even now are developing successful organic preservatives for their products.
Peter explained that all their products are hand blended at their eco factory in Peacemarsh, they grow many of the ingredients for their products in the UK and also Peter mentioned they grow marigolds at Sheepdrove farm, which are used for tinctures. This british, hands on, organic approach is what continues to make Neal's Yard such a success story. 

Peter is an absolute inspiration, he discussed organic farming in great detail, it is brilliant to know a person like Peter is making decisions on one of Britain's favourite organic, skincare brands. He is a bright, courageous and humble person who's passion for all things organic is contagious. 

Here are my top three Neal's Yard Beauty treats:

Beauty Sleep Concentrate £31.50 for 30ml
This moisturizer aids skin regeneration while you sleep. It is a lightweight moisturizer that is very nourishing. It has been proven in clinical trials to improve the skin's moisture by 98% in 12hours and I am a huge fan, I apply it after cleansing and toning at night and always wake with bright skin in the morning. I love the scent (Ylang Ylang, Patchouli, Orange, Benzoin and Clary Sage). It is no surprise this is one of the best selling Neal's Yard skincare products.

Frankincense Hydrating Cream £24.75 for 50g
A great moisturizer for everyday use. Personally, I think it is more suitable for those of us with dry skin. It contains rejuvenating Frankincense and Myrrh and is quite a thick consistency, it gives my skin a moisture boost on these cold, winter days.

Lavender Bath Salts £14 for 500g
I love long baths and these bath salts are a staple for me! Neal's Yard use a grey salt from the salt marshes in Brittany, France. The salts are great to soothe sore muscles and purify the skin. The salts are scented with Lavender and are perfect to help aid a peaceful night's sleep.

Intelligent Nutrients. A Review.

I have been interested in Intelligent Nutrients since reading about its founder Horst Rechelbacher's philosophy to create an effective, active, intelligent beauty line using only organic ingredients. Horst brings his vast experience as the founder of Aveda to this is brand. You can read more on his story here; http://liberateyourskin.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/aveda-founders-mission-to-clean-up.html

'Restore-Urgent' Total Body Elixir £22 50ml

I chose the 'Restore- Urgent' elixir as I have been feeling quite run down recently. This is a lovely elixir to apply after a bath or shower when your energy is low and you are in need of some nurturing. I found the scents warm, spicy and exotic without being over-powering. The texture is more like a serum and thankfully not too greasy, it is a rich, viscous oil which absorbs well and leaves the skin feeling moisturized for hours.  The oil contains spicy medicinal oils of Ravintsara, oregano, everlasting and cinnamon combined with rosemary and thyme for energy boost.

Harmonically Made Sambac Jasmine Total Body Elixir £50 50ml

I found this elixir quite incredible. The texture and consistency was similar to the 'Restore' elixir but it felt more luxurious to apply, a rich golden colour and an aroma to die for! The Jasmine Sambac is supercritically distilled and from sustainably wildcrafted Jasmine in India. Unlike a huge amount of other organic oils and elixirs the scent seems to fix to the skin. Perfect to apply before going out for the evening. I didn't need to wear any perfume when using this elixir and had so many people ask me what 'perfume' I was wearing. You can also use this Elixir in your hair to condition the ends. An intoxicating organic beauty product that is definitely going to make my '2013 Must Have' list.

Overall Thoughts on the Intelligent Nutrients
I really like Intelligent Nutrients but I think there is a bit too much going on in terms of information for the consumer, it took me quite a while to work out which products I'd benefit from and whilst I think Intelligent Nutrients is an incredible feat for the organic beauty industry I think they need to be careful to not make their brand too worthy, as this could turn off many consumers. Their organic certified skincare and haircare products are beautiful, sophisticated and effective and the consumer can buy and use them with absolute confidence. In an industry that only needs one ingredient to label a product 'organic' this 100% organic philosophy is all that really matters. Not to mention the range is suitable for guys and girls. I look forward to trying out more of the Intelligent Nutrients range.

Have you tried any of the Intelligent Nutrients skincare line? What are your thoughts?