S is for September. Back to school, first term at uni, new fashion, hello autumn beauty – AND Organic Beauty Week at The Soil Association which kicked off a couple of days ago!
Lots of lovely organic-certified brands are in the spotlight this week so I thought I’d share some of the products I’ve tried and tested over the years and still really rate.
Balm Balm Rose Geranium Lip Balm
Balm Balm fans will know what I’m talking about! Best described as a protective glossy coat of Turkish Delight on your lips, this lives in my handbag on a semi-permanent basis. Comes in a pot or a mini tube.
Botanicals Mandarin and Lemongrass Hand Wash
I love this coconut oil and glycerine-based handwash! With its aromatherapy hit of mandarin and lemongrass it smells of the brightest days of summer (even in mid-winter) and it’s gentle enough for all types of skin.
Herbfarmacy’s Mallow Beauty Balm
When people ask me to reel off a few good green facial balms, Herbfarmacy’s Mallow and Mullein Beauty Balm normally springs to mind in the top three or four. It’s an anti-wrinkle facial balm but it performs beautifully as an all body all-rounder to fend off dry patches and rough skin, too.
Neals Yard Remedies English Lavender Shower Gel
I really do like the clean, comforting very British scent of NYR’s English Lavender Shower Gel – for me it’s an antidote to being “ON” all the time – it’s a good one to keep in the shower if you’ve got sensitive skin because it’s made with calming chamomile and oat extracts.
Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser
I use this cleanser…a lot! It’s creamy, moisturising, sweeps off eye makeup too (very conveniently – zero sting!) and it’s one to look at if you have dry or more mature skin although technically it’s designed to keep most kinds of skin happy, including sensitive, rosacea-prone and combination skin types.
Suti’s Rejuvenate Facial Oil really flies the flag for “luxury organics” – it’s my first defence against winter, when frosty mornings and central heating don’t do skin or hair any favours! It’s like a Neroli and Tangerine-scented cashmere wrap, full of fruit, plant, nut and flower oils and considering its amazing ingredients list, it’s extremely well priced.
Therapi Orange Blossom Honey Gel Cleanser
Another great cleanser. Occasionally during our Awards judging, one particular product gets high marks from all the judges across the board and that happened with Therapi’s Honey Gel Cleanser this year. Tanya Hawkes’ new skincare brand has literally taken off – and she’s 150% passionate about bees, so I’ve learned a lot from her about the life of bees and why it’s so important for the planet that they thrive (so we can). The consequences of losing bees are too dire to think about – which is exactly why we should, and why it’s so good to support brands that work to save our bees.
I’m still a fair way off 65 but I think it’s great that brands are starting to cater for older age groups – we don’t suddenly disappear off the face of the earth when we reach 50 or 6o. But we do need and want better-performing, skin and health-adapted skincare and supplements as we enter a new decade. So, kudos to Viridian for creating such a targeted supplement. I think we’ll be seeing more specific age-targeted health and beauty launches in the next couple of years. Bring them on!! I believe it’s more about looking and feeling better over the years and not trying to look 30 (yawn – cue stretched face, trout pouts gone wrong, eerie Madame Tussauds look, permanently surprised eyebrows, etc.) when clearly you have been alive for at least five decades.