So, some interesting gift idea and self-care launches in this month’s mix!
Pai’s brand new Sensitive Skin Toolkit (£40) and Fushi’s adorable mini oil Discovery Kit have both arrived (fantastic value from Fushi, 6 different 10ml oils for £24 in a bring-back-the-sunshine bag).
But I’m going to kick off with CBD, the wellbeing (and to an extent, beauty) trend that’s just on fire right now.
Bamford Grooming Department, who make superb products for men, have brought a new CBD oil to market which was created in partnership with KIKO HEALTH.
At 10%/1000mg this is a nice “average dose” – although in reality there are no average doses with CBD, it’s highly personal not one size fits all because our own endocannabinoid system reacts differently, per person, to CBD. Some need less, some need more, and it also depends what you’re using it for (sleep, anxiety, pain, etc – pain is a broader subject for CBD involving THC but that’s for another post!).
If you wanted a stronger dose, Bamford do a 25% version as well.
So one drop of this oil in the morning (under the tongue for 60-90 seconds) would give you 5mg, then another single drop in the evening another 5mg. If you’re new to CBD, the rule is always “start low and slow”.
Side note – the Swiss CBD brand Cannaliz gave me a tour of their Geneva laboratory while I was researching for a CBD Special Report (soon – after our awards have closed). Cannaliz’s packaging actually indicates how many mg per is in one drop according to the various strengths you can buy – which is extremely useful! It’s a nightmare calculating how much mg in is one drop if you’re just starting with CBD.
Brands that say “start with a few drops”? Way too vague. Much as I am huge fan of this trend, there’s a minefield that goes with it: dodgy brands, confusing marketing, PRs jumping on the CBD bandwagon to cash in on the trend that shows no sign of slowing down but cannot answer questions I send them…and more.
I’ve even seen Instagram CBD “education” accounts asking brands questions when they, supposedly an authority on CBD should know the answers – clearly non-authorites.
So yes, we are having a CBDwashing problem.
On my to-do list early next year is publishing a list of Beauty Shortlist approved CBD brands (i.e. sublingual oils, tinctures, edibles, etc).
Cannaliz’s 7+3 10% CBD oil, 5mg per drop
Brands through their lack of specifics on labels are making it harder for consumers to know how many drops to take – I wish it was mandatory for brands to include on the label how much mg is actually in a drop, it’s so much easier.
CBD can take the edge off a stressful day, help alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, aid sleep and more (take it an hour before bed) and I prefer a full spectrum oil which has a really minimal THC (the psychoative element). If you’re the slightest bit worried about drug testing eg for work there are CBD isolates with absolutely zero THC in them. Look for “CBD isolate” which is pure CBD with no THC – not “CBD full spectrum” which will contain varying amounts, even if minimal, of THC.
I think it’s only a matter of time until CBD becomes “the new aspirin” but a lot of people are understandably still unsure about this whole sector.
When I visited the Swiss lab (Cannaliz.ch) in Geneva they took me on a 40 minute tour and showed me how CBD is separated from THC, and how CBD oil is extracted – dark and treacley, decanted into large amber apothecary glass bottles then poured into their 10ml dropper bottles.
The cannabis plant and its close cousin industrial hemp is one of our most ancient medicinal plants and revered for its healing powers before the US and other governments stepped in to “control it” – I’ll write about the backstory to this but it’s a very similar parallel to the big Big Pharma scandal. Big corporations cannot “patent” nature herself and doctors and pharmacies get big kickbacks for selling Big Pharma products. The whole sector is contaminated with corruption.
Hemp can be used for fuel, to make paper and a host of other useful things so not surprisingly oil companies, paper companies, pharmaceutical companies and – tobacco companies! – don’t like seeing hemp in the spotlight. If we cultivated hemp instead of tobacco…I think the day will come as a sizeable section of society in certain parts of the world switches from cigarettes or even alcohol to CBD-related products.
CBD which is NOT cannabis as it doesn’t contain psychoactive THC – or just very minimal traces of it – is not dangerously addictive, like tobacco and alcohol and hard drugs.
It was a really fascinating tour, I could have happily spent a day there…seeing the sacks of raw hemp turned into CBD “elixirs”. (No PR/free samples – and I bought the 7% CBD Oil (3.5mg per drop) and then later, the 7+3 CBD Oil, ie their 10% oil (5mg per drop). Note: This brand is only available in Switzerland.
F U S H I W E L L B E I N G
Next up is Fushi’s new Discovery Set: 6 x 10ml pure oils for £24 HERE
I’ve been a “Fushi Fan” for years – this is a brand you can wholeheartedly trust with an interesting quite eclectic range that spans both beauty and natural health.
Their new “intro” set contains six really travel friendly 10mls of:
Organic Argan oil
Organic Camellia oil
Organic Jojoba oil
Organic Rosehip oil
Organic Avocado oil
Organic Sweet Almond oil
A dream gift for facial oil fans, this set would be a great way of testing how your skin gets on with each oil and Argan and Rosehip are my two autumn/winter favourites, rosehip is a wonderful healer and rejuvenator and can help fade scars while argan, although the argan story may have lost its lustre, is still up there in the League Of Superstar Oils.
Love the sunny bag, love the choice of oils. You can never go wrong with Fushi.
Another good idea, this time from Pai Skincare (speaking of rosehip oil) is this new Sensitive Skin Tool Kit (or “sensible skin” as the French say – lost in translation)…
Curated for sensitive or eczema-prone skin, the products would actually work well if your skin veers towards dry too.
It’s £40 and here’s what’s in it
CHA VOHTZ Age Defy + ULTIMATE WONDER BALM
A new launch from Green People founder Charlotte Vohtz, the Ultimate Wonder Balm is part of her signature range designed for women 35+ and quite far beyond, which is good.
I wrote about Charlotte’s new Cha Vohtz signature range last week (see the home page if you want to read more).
P A I S K I N C A R E
Pai was one of the early brands to enter our Awards, and I’ve watched Sarah Brown expand and grow internationally since then – along with the launch of Little Pai for babies and children (a Mama & Baby Awards winner).
One of the go-to brands if you have sensitive skin, skin prone to rosacea, breakouts, redness, etc, I think this is a great idea – the ultimate self-care gift for your skin if it’s reactive and needs a calming “plan”. The kit is £40 and it’s just arrived.
P A U L A’S C H O I C E
Also new in and part of the Anti-Pollution Skincare trend which is set to skyrocket as pollution levels in our cities escalate, is Triple Algae Pollution Shield.
Pollution skin damage goes further than pore-clogging, line-promoting car fumes and toxic particles in the air, it aggresses skin’s natural ph balance among other things.
HEV/Blue Light Protection products are on the up, too – which work in the same way. Sun, air pollution, and blue light are all skin unfriendly. I talked a bit about the Anti-Pollution Skincare trend in this month’s Natural Beauty News magazine, in SKIN CITY, a brilliantly written feature by Jane Wolfe. (Click on the link to read).
M E T T E P I C A U T
Swedish clean beauty brand Mette Picaut (Best Scandinavian Skincare Brand in the BSL Awards a couple of years ago) have just launched two new arrivals with a win-win combo of probiotic and crystal elements to them:
ROSE QUARTZ SUPREME PROBIOTIC RICH CREAM
AMETHYST OBSESSION PROBIOTIC BALANCING CREAM
I haven’t tried these yet (if we get them in for the 2020 Awards I’ll trial them).
Fingers crossed Mette will be launching in the UK next year as I think this brand would go down a storm here.
N E A L’S Y A R D R E M E D I E S
Neal’s Yard Remedies is brightening up autumn with 3 new arrivals for the sensitive skinned among us: its new capsule collection simply called SENSITIVE.
If this trio is calling your name, there’s a special offer on right now – save £28 if you buy all three products.
Again – I haven’t tried these (New+Noteworthy is more of a “this looks interesting” monthly feature versus in-depth reviews).
Happy October! There are less than 3 months till the end of the year, and with winter still ahead of us, now’s the time to (a) boost your immune system and (b) look at the 2019 goals that haven’t quite happened yet and focus on them. Three months is my favourite chunk of time for making things happen. Enough time for results without worrying about an impending soon-to-arrive date, yet capped at 3 months so that things don’t drag on endlessly all year.
I think our collective energy is arguably better now (even though we’re in the midst of a big change of seasons) than in January so now is a brilliant time to complete – or start? – something powerful, healing, life-changing or much smaller, but just as important.
A lot can happen in 3 months!
NEW from Neal’s Yard Remedies: The SENSITIVE trio (be nice!)
More here…
https://www.nealsyardremedies.com/skincare/shop-by-range/sensitive/
