From concerns in our health to the environment, there are many reasons as to why we should use organic products. As more research is developing, it has been found that chemicals in many products we use can be dangerous to our health and put us at risk of developing diseases. Many people are beginning to switch over to using organic products because they are natural and better for the skin, and nothing spends more time against your skin than the clothes that you wear.
A product that is considered to be organic is made of materials that have been grown or raised without using chemicals, dyes, bleaches and is also allergy free. Natural compost, soil and fertilizers are used and natural pest controls have helped in growing the cotton. This has led to clothing which utilises this organically grown cotton; organic clothing.
Within recent years, new technologies have allowed bamboo fibres to be used in many fashion and textile applications. Bamboo clothing is typically made of a organic cotton yarn or a mixture 100% bamboo. Bamboo can also be combined with other textile fibres like spandex and hemp. Almost all types of clothing are available in bamboo fabric and organic cotton.
When people think of organic clothing they typically have visions of “eco-warriors” and “tree huggers” wearing dowdy long skirts, hemp jumpers and sandals etc. But these stereotypes are far from the actuality of it. Today organic clothing manufacturers are making stylish and fashionable clothing from these materials that rival many of the top fashion brands, and many are designer brands unto themselves. So you can be eco conscious and still look amazing.
Organic fashion has become more available in high street stores, but it is still something of a unique commodity and it is much easier to find online with websites such as www.buyorganics.co.uk stocking a large range of styles for all the family.
So why not give organic clothing a style and feel better about yourself and feel safer knowing your skin is being cared for as well!
When Sonia and I were discussing how to publicise the great ranges of men’s organic grooming products available on the buyOrganics website, we quickly realized that this was going to be one area where we couldn’t actually try and test the products ourselves! And we certainly didn’t want to simply quote the blurb off the back of the bottles and jars, as we always test and trial things ourselves to make sure they do exactly what they say on the tin! So… what to do!
Of course, this is where I had the absolutely brilliant brainwave of dragging my poor unwitting husband into the equation. Not only skeptical about organic skincare products themselves, his usual grooming routine consists of a quick shower in the morning using all manner of cheap and nasty shower gels (bottles collected from hotel business trips or bought three for a pound in the super savers discount basket), an electric shave using talcum powder of all things! and a spray of supermarket deodorant (if I’m lucky).
Love him to bits as I do, all my pleas about using organic skincare and natural grooming products are met with raised eyebrows and shakes of his head, so over time I’ve just got used to having to wait at least half an hour before going upstairs after he’s used the cheap deodorant filled with pungent, eye-watering chemicals, in order to avoid being suffocated with noxious fumes! And vacuuming up the mess from the talcum powder can get annoying – “it helps smooth the skin before I shave”, he reasons, despite me telling him about the gender-bending chemicals and pore-clogging filling and caking agents which make up the talc!
So, I threw down the gauntlet – swap all his regular high street cheap grooming products for a week with the same items but from the buyOrganics range of organic, natural products, to see if he preferred them or not!
Well of course, he was very happy to help me with my work, and being a typical alpha male, always likes a challenge, mainly the opportunity to prove me wrong! So he accepted the challenge with gusto and two weeks on, the Lynx has be relegated to the back of the bathroom cabinet and the words “Esselle” and “Green People” are tripping off his tongue like a pro!
So what did he use? Well not a lover of too many products anyway, I picked the bare essentials for him to start with – he usually likes to use a face wash and shower gel in the mornings and evenings, so I picked the Green People’s Organic Homme pre shaveface wash, which claims to prevent breakouts, lifts the beard (whatever that means!) and cleanses without drying, as well as preventing spots. Well hubby’s a little old for acne but he certainly loves the facewash as it is gentle, as well as not having a scent, which he normally dislikes in a facewash.
He was also really amazed that a little goes a long way with this product – of course I had to explain that most organic grooming products are naturally more concentrated, unlike high street cheaper brands which create a lot of froth and foam and need palm sized amounts to get the same clean, fresh feeling as a small blob of organic product. This pleased him, as despite loving the products, he was rather gobsmacked at the price compared with his usual pound shop varieties… however with them lasting several weeks rather than one or two, not only are the organic products still great value for money but dramatically cut down on packaging and therefore, waste.
He tried out the Ecosoapia hand and shower gels in the shower – this caused quite a bit of drama initially as the first one he used was the Peppermint flavoured one – still not used to the potency and efficacy of organic products, he used far too much and ended up yelling in shock as the zinginess of too much peppermint came into contact with his precious crown jewels… top tip for men, don’t use the peppermint one as a body wash! He also tried the lavender but again found the strength of the fragrance quite overpowering, and settled for the unfragranced version. We are using the peppermint and lavender to great effect as handwashes, antibacterial and smelling divine, they’re lovely for any cloakroom, kitchen sink or hand basin.
His absolute favourite product and “I will use this until the day I die” item was the Eselle Organic Aftershave ‘Razzamatazz’ – a discreetly fragranced rich oil, suitable as a pre- and post-shave oil to soften the beard before a visit from the razor, and afterwards to smooth and seal the skin. The small 30ml bottle is a great size for travelling too (and small enough for aircraft hand luggage!), and in two weeks just over a quarter of this tiny bottle has been used, making it extremely good value as well.
And the best find for me, was the Green People Organic Homme ‘stay fresh’ deodorant – quickly learning the organic less is more mantra, just a couple of sprays under each arm not only keeps my man smelling fresh and the house free from clouds of toxic fumes, but the important omission of aluminium in natural and organic deodorants, including this one, mean that his risk of contracting breast cancer is greatly reduced – men can also suffer from this disease, and aluminium has been identified as a very likely link between breast cancer, particularly of the nodes in the armpit and the side of the chest.
So ladies, if you want to convert your man and turn him organic, give it a try – if I can do it, anyone can! Not only will you be happier, but you will have a healthy, fragrant and eco-friendly fella to be proud of!
by Lisa Jackson
Twelve natural, healthy budget buys to beat the credit crunch!
Products such as organic skincare, organic bodycare, food and organic clothing are often unfortunate casualties of the lessening of our disposable incomes, but in fact, natural, healthy beauty can still be achieved on a budget!
Leading on-line organic lifestyle store buyOrganics (www.buyorganics.co.uk) offers their pick of the best quality, low budget organic skincare products to keep you beautiful and healthy through these tight times….
Facial cleansers which are not only organic and natural but cleanse the skin deeply without the use of synthetic chemicals and preservatives, include:
Essential Care Lemon & Tea Tree Organic Face Wash Cleanser £12
Includes balancing organic essential oils of lavender and tea tree together with extra virgin olive oil and aloe juice for clean, fresh skin. This vegan product is also Soil Association certified.
Raw Gaia Living Facial Cleanser £12.50
Made with cold-pressed oils of jojoba and wheatgerm, organic essential oils of sweet orange, eucalyptus and lemon plus organic floral waters of witch hazel, tea tree and juniper, this is a refreshing, purifying cleanser made with the purest ingredients.
Earthbound Organics Face Cleanser Cream £7.54
Combining rosewater, calendula, sunflower oil, carrot oil and beeswax.
Moisturising the skin after cleansing is essential for maintaining healthy skin:
The Earthbound Organics skincare range of five different face creams for different skin types are a real beauty bargain – just £8.89 and all beautifully formulated from organic ingredients and essential oils. A little really does go a long way, making your precious pounds last longer. Try from the range according to your skin: Nutritive Cream, Rejuvenating Cream, Jojoba & Vitamin E Cream, Carrot Cream as well as their ultra-moisturising Avocado Night Cream.
Other fantastic bargain moisturisers include the fantastic:
Raw Gaia’s For Her Daughters Moisturiser £10.80
Weirdly named but highly nutritive, this special female formulation contains 100% organic rosehip, evening primrose, Palma Rosa and fair trade cocoa butter.
Raw Gaia MSM Beauty Cream £10.80
Containing nutritive sulphur especially for mature and damaged skin, this is an incredible healing skin care preparation perfect for daily moisturising.
For a special pamper, a face mask and a scrub can provide the perfect pick-me-up:
Raw Gaia Chocolate Face Mask £8.20
Probably the most perfect face mask ever invented – great for skin and smells amazing. This living food for the skin contains detoxifying raw chocolate powder, sundried red clay, organic turmeric and organic amia fruit powder to nourish the pores.
Earthbound Organics Facial Scrub £6.54
With organic lavender, oatmeal and aduki beans for a natural, healthy organic skincare scrub.
Must-have items for skin repair and probably the most cost-effective anti-cellulite remedy on earth!:
Essential Care Baby Repair Lotion Natural Eczema Cream £8.94
Not just for babies but good for adults too – soothes and protects skin complaints such as eczema and dermatitis.
Earthbound Organics Anti Cellulite Oil £7.95
What a bargain – not only a snip price-wise but this skin care product full of organic essential oils such as geranium, rosemary, fennel and juniper, plus organic sunflower oil, ivy and vitamin E, to help stimulate the circulatory system, balance hormones and detoxify the skin.
Keep your body clean and fresh the natural way too:
Essential Care Aloe Vera Bodywash £7.99
Using corn sugar to mildly cleanse, this body wash is fragrance-free for extra care but amazingly moisturising and containing 100% natural ingredients.
Essential Care Deodorant Stone £5.95
With the health risks of aluminium chlorohydrate still proving controversial, this purse-friendly alternative contains naturally formed crystals of non-toxic potassium alum ensures no pore blockage or staining. Simply moisten the stone and apply to anywhere on the body – the stone lasts for up to 9 months making it true value for money.
All organic skincare products available at www.buyOrganics.co.uk
buyOrganics also stocks the Green People range of organic, parabens and synthetic preservative-free skin care products, with prices ranging from £3.24 to £14.99 including facial skin care, suncare, babies, men’s and bodycare products.
Performance quality makeup from Nvey Eco is also organic, paraben-free, cruelty-free with foundations, blushers, lipsticks, glosses, mascaras and eyeshadows in a wide range of shades and colours from £13 to £28 – the perfect healthy addition to any make up bag.
So splash it all on without splashing out, keep yourself healthy, beautiful and in the money with buyOrganics’ beauty budget know-how!
A product that is considered to be organic is made of materials that have been grown or raised without using chemicals, dyes, bleaches and is also allergy free. Natural compost, soil and fertilizers are used and natural pest controls have helped in growing the cotton. This has led to clothing which utilises this organically grown cotton; organic clothing.
