When it comes to feeling good, looking in the mirror and seeing your own natural beauty smiling back at you is sure fire winner. And despite the boom in cosmetic surgery, many of us are choosing natural products before synthetic or chemical heavy lotions.In 'Look Great Naturally …without ditching the lipstick', author Janey Lee Grace reveals that out of 1000 women, (26-65) an overwhelming majority choose natural ingredients over brand names, while two thirds prefer products that have neither been tested on animals nor contain artificial chemicals.
So, if it's natural beauty we're after, let's start with facial moisturiser. I've been trialling a few different brands to see how my skin responds to the claims. All the products I've tested are paraben free, contain natural ingredients, are free from sodium laurel sulfate (SLS) and are not rested on animals.
Purity Organic Skincare
I found this new British range in Superdrug of all places, sitting silently on a shelf, looking clear and pure but without a heavy price tag. With the EcoCert stamp of quality, Purity use "few ingredients that are high in quality". Their facial moisturiser is "a light whipped mousse using coconut oil, almond oil, sheanut butter and vitamin E with added beeswax. Paisley, the owner of Purity told me, " I am constantly listening to feedback and amending the ratio of ingredients, and will be increasing the apricot in the facial scrub to ensure premium but affordable quality". You can't ask for more than that!
My verdict - Easy to apply, quick to absorb and light to touch AND excellent value at £5.99.
Faith in Nature
These guys have been creating natural beauty products for over 30 years and are still going strong. I tried the Replenishing Moisturising Cream, enriched with organic green tea. Vegan society approved, this cream is highly absorbent and left my skin feeling baby fresh. Aware of the fine lines around my eyes I wanted to observe if, as claimed, these would reduce.
My verdict: Unsure about any reduction on fine lines (maybe need to use for longer) but loving the soft skin. As they've been around a long time, they engender trust.
Sukin - australian natural skincare
For reasons I can't quite explain, Sukin facial moisturiser is my favourite. Maybe it's because it smells divine without being artificial, maybe because it contains jojoba and avocado or skin healing rosehip... The quality is obvious and the care and attention to sustainability and the environment is worth every penny of the £7.95.
My verdict - Each time I massage this cream into my face I just know the days's going to be OK.
Shea Alchemy
I've written about this range and its Sheanut butter products before, but it's worth another mention in regard to skin care. Shea Alchemy's English Rose Light Day Cream is exactly that. A refreshing light cream suitable for most skin types and enriched with spf6. The dinky little pot makes it ideal handbag size so city dust or dry winds may need never sour your skin again. Sheanut butter is full of goodness and this cream is a pot of heaven.
Whatever your product, there's no reason to be slapping on artificial preservatives, SLS, parabens, animal cruel products or supporting companies that don't have an ounce of awareness about their carbon footprint. Be a wise consumer and go natural.