Pucker Up with BellaPierre Lipstick

Lipstick. Valentines. It's all so predictable. Interestingly, I'm a bit contrary and seem to veer wildly away from things that I suspect I'm supposed to do. But just as I am contrary, you will also see I am inconsistent and so here you go - a Valentine's Day themed post. About smoochy-coochy lips. Pucker up folks... I'm coming to getya!!!!

I've always shied away from lipstick. Firstly, I prefer to emphasis my eyes. Secondly, traditionally lippies only dried out my lips. Which looks crap when you deliberately draw attention to them. And thirdly, if you need one, it's a bit... obvious for me... Trés cliché!

But recently, and as a bit of a surprise, I have started to enjoy sporting a red lip. (Love referring to the plural as singular. ) I do like red lips when I see other people wearing it. So I thought to hell with it. Me too! It's that Forties glamour and a Fifties flirtiness thing. Trés cool.

So to avoid ingesting a kilo of chemicals (have you any idea how much lipstick the average woman 'eats' in a lifetime? Anywhere up to 9lbs. Thats apparently 23 tubes. Or maybe like, half your arm or something, if you think about it. Or an ankle's worth. Or maybe a knee. Or two knees!? Anyway. It's horrific!) I was determined to find a decent natural lipstick to reduce my lifetime consumption to a few fingers worth. (Weirdo)

Looking for a decent natural lipstick was harder than I assumed. A lot of them are neutral shades for a more subtle look, lacking the impact I was after. Or they are stuffed full of glittering mineral pigments which look pearly (yuk!) or frosted (yuk again). If I wanted to channel Pat Butcher it would be just darling! But I don't. So they suck.

The first one I found that looked a proper, serious red was by natural cosmetics brand BellaPierre, called 'Ruby'. It's a beautiful, slightly blue - toned red which I prefer as it helps teeth look whiter and that's never a bad thing really.

So great colour and it's long-lasting! In fact I was quite surprised how long it did last considering it feels quite juicy. It goes on very smoothly but doesn't have too much shine to feel like your in a Robert Palmer video (glossy and red - so Eighties!) It's versatile too - you can dab it on lightly with a pinky for a pretty bitten look or you can layer it up thick with a brush for the full-on femme fatale. Or the Robert Palmer video. 

It does do that drying thing which I can't seem to get around. But I think that's my own issue and not really the lipstick's fault. 

However! Something terrible has just happened and I have been deliberating for days what to do about this. The ingredients aren't too bad but whilst having a look for this post I noticed there within lurks a rather naughty little preservative - Japanese honeysuckle or Lonicera Japonica, to use it's latin name as stated on the packaging. This is a natural preservative but guess what? It's identical to parabens. So if it acts like a paraben, be it from nature or not, should it be in there? And do I want to use it? 

This is a bit of an oversight on my part, annoyingly. As I might not have bought it if I had realised. In fact I know I wouldn't. And I really wasn't sure about whether to go ahead with this post or not.  But I've thought long and hard about this and I've decided I won't get mad, or get even. I'll just see it as a halfway house. It's better than most of your common or rubbish high street lipsticks so I'll continue to use it whilst struggling ever onward to find an improvement! Everything else in it is good, it's just very disappointing to realise you REALLY need to read the labels! Even at the revered House of Natural - Wholefoods Market, where I bought this.

So there you go - let that be a lesson to y'all! Kiss kiss.


P.S

Do share the love! What are your favourite natural lipsticks? I'd love to hear suggestions! And what do you think about Japanese honeysuckle - this so-called natural paraben - being used in cosmetics? Bothered?

P.P.S
I plan to do a bit of unearthing on this matter for another post so do watch this space! 

Brenda Anvari Products

As a rather unknown brand, Brenda Anvari products are probably something I would never have discovered if it weren't for my easy persuasion when reading other blogs. One of my favourite sites,  A Model Recommends (see link below) reviewed the lovely hand made range of skincare by Brenda Anvari and here I am using the Pomegranate Raspberry and Patchouli shower gel and feeling pretty happy about it too.

Before I launch into a flurry of adjectives, I'll tell you about the brand.

The range includes skincare, bodycare, bath products and candles too. The packaging is both simple, almost humble in its handmade charm and yet sophisticated and chic. Created by Brenda Anvari who, after a long career with Elizabeth Arden, opened her own treatment salon, Visage House in Exeter.

Now then, the important bit, what is it like? Well, it lathers like velvety mousse made from the sweet clouds of heaven and the first dawn dew. It's lovely and leaves skin feeling soft and fresh. But the smell is what intrigues me the most, a rather fascinating blend both fruity and musky. It's quite unisex, almost quite a man-type smell, but also floral. Actually it's very masculine, but with a delicate finish. A challenge to describe, what do you think Jilly Goolden?

Jilly? I said, what do you think? 

Intermission while I fetch it from the bathroom and sit here sniffing it...

Nevermind, Jilly...

Curious as to what made this dream-foam, I have researched what is quite a (reassuringly) short ingredients list. The main foaming agent, thankfully, isn't SLS (otherwise I wouldn't go near it with a barge pole! Nor any kind of pole for that matter and certainly not in a shower/bath situation). It is in fact cocoamidylpropyl betaine. This is a common replacement for SLS but isn't quite on the good side of natural. It is derived from coconut oil but is the result of that oil being mixed with another chemical far too long for me to try and type here! It is still a detergent but a much gentler one. That said, those with extreme sensitivity could still see irritation.

On the other hand, it also contains quilaja saponaria which is Soapbark. As you can guess, this is a natural soap (hoorah!) and so I won't let cocoamidylpropyl betaine take all the credit for that lovely lather!

Brenda Anvari say all products are paraben free and many have Soil Association preservatives and organic aromatherapy oils. And none are tested on animals.

All in all I am very satisfied with taking a little leap of faith and testing out something I can't see, smell or touch until it arrives on my doorstep. And I may just do so again!

Brenda Anvari Pomegranate Raspberry and Patchouli Shower Gel £7.95 for 250ml
Available from www.visagehouse.co.uk

My favourite beauty site:
http://www.amodelrecommends.com/

Scientific Experiment Involving Trilogy Everything Balm

Right, so back on the Trilogy Everything Balm post I promised to test out whether or not this product can be used like as a cleansing balm. This is not a suggestion made on the packaging but in the wake of a new era in cleansing, the balm now seems to be very real option. Yes, there is a new era in cleansing. And I think that this balm might just be up for the challenge. So in the name of being a bit experimental. I've tried it out.

Before we go on, let me present to you by means of a bullet pointed list how my current cleansing routine goes. I am alternating between the 'Usual' and the 'Alternative'. The 'Usual' is as follows:

• Superdrug very cheap "natural" eye make up remover (it isn't really natural but it doesn't have parabens in and it doesn't sting so that's why I'm using it but I'll be straight with you here, I have suspicions about it, result pending)
• Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish
• Liz Earle Skin Tonic
• Neal's Yard Frankincense Hydrating Cream
• REN Active 7 Radiant Eye Gel

And the 'Alternative' goes:

• Superdrug very cheap "natural" eye make up remover
• Neal's Yard Chamomile Cleanser
• Bit of Trilogy Everything Balm
• Neal's Yard Frankincense Hydrating Cream
• REN Active 7 Radiant Eye Gel

So then. The important bit in the above scenario is what happens between Neal's Yard Chamomile Cleanser and Bit of Trilogy Everything Balm. Sounds mysterious.

Well, at first I was removing make up with Chamomile Cleanser and then rinsing with water as it says on the pot. Often I would introduce a flannel at this point or a muslin cloth for extra but gentle exfoliation. So, water, rinse, pat dry. Then, warm a bit of Everything Balm in my hands and lightly lay over entire face before proceeding to the Neal's Yard and the REN.

But cleansing with Chamomile Cream was taking ages and I was going through whole farms worth of cotton wool pads. And although I like it- it was kind of dragging my skin a bit. Now I'm 27, I won't lie. I'm getting worried about 'the state of things on my face' aka Ageing. Therefore I decided I needed a New Cleansing Technique- the Balm. 

Neal's Yard do a very luxurious Wild Rose Cleansing Balm, but it's a bit steep at £30-odd and I already own the Trilogy Balm. I'm sure it's similar. Why not give it a whirl? 

So cleansing routine 'Alternative II' goes like this:

• Superdrug very cheap "natural" eye make up remover
• Bit of Trilogy Everything Balm but all over my face to dissolve make up
• (hot water + flannel or muslin cloth)
• Neal's Yard Frankincense Hydrating Cream
• REN Active 7 Radiant Eye Gel

Well, the results were very impressive. I would like to present you a graph of my findings but I'm not sure how to plot either axis so I will describe. I was not faffing around for ages with bits of cotton wool stuck to my face. I was not dragging the skin around my precious eyes, which have seen far too much rough handling to make a good story, and I was very pleasantly satisfied with the removal of the day's grubbiness. Wonderful. The balm is so gentle, very silky (loving this word), really dissolved the cake of foundation I was wearing and was very easy to remove with a hot cloth. My skin felt so comfortable after this, not tight, not just a tiny bit tight, not squeaky, not sore, not red, not oily, not dry. Just comfortable and light and fresh. With definitely no need for moisturiser which is a first. But as you will see from the above set of bullet points, I continued in the rest of my routine and when I woke up next morning I felt slightly less worried about 'the state of things on my face'.

So, after that very scientific experiment, I can recommend the Trilogy Everything Balm does indeed have one more use. A very lovely and very simple cleansing balm. Well done Trilogy. 

Trilogy Everything Balm £10.50 for 45ml available at Naturisimo 

Neal's Yard Wild Rose Beauty Balm £35.25 for 50g available at Neal's Yard online and in store.

Daniel Galvin Jr Organic Haircare

The haircare issue is one I have found quite hard to get my head around (gah!!). Going natural on moisturisers and shower gels is reasonably easy if you know what to avoid and you shop in the right places. But I have previously been rather underwhelmed with the alternatives to haircare. Many shampoos that avoid the common chemicals found in shampoo and conditioner left my hair feeling a little lack-lustre. OK, but not great. And by the second day, or sometimes even just after washing, my hair often felt too flyaway or static. Now, this may be due to other factors, like central heating and such like, which does cause havoc with my hair, but these days are over. For I have found Daniel Galvin Jr. Amen.

So, what is so good about Daniel Galnvin Jr. Organic Haircare. And what is so bad about conventional shampoos? We're talking about pretty much the same ingredients as skincare, but lets ask Graham (remember Blind Date?) for a quick reminder...

SLS or SLES is a harsh detergent that strips the skin (and hair) of its natural moisture and protective layers, leading to dryness and potentially irritating skin conditions such as eczema. 

Parabens are the oestrogen-mimicking preservatives which can disrupt the natural hormone balance, which has put it under question in relation to breast cancer - excessive oestrogen is a factor in developing breast cancer.. 

Petroleum / mineral oil, can wrap skin, and hair for that matter, in a plastic like film, clogging pores and hair shafts and anything in its wake, upsettig moisture levels and potentially leading to dryness and chapping. 

Synthetic fragrances, something I haven't actually gone into much before but I should. These can be any number of chemicals, mostly undesirable for their carcinogenic properties. As fragrance ingredients are never itemised, this goes unvetted and therefore is completely untrustworthy. In my opinion.

Synthetic colours, again something I haven't banged on about but should. These are often listed as FD & C  followed by a number and they can include numerous carcinogens. 

And another new one which I promise will get its seperate post, Triethanolamine or TEA.This is a biggy. And also includes cousins DEA and MEA. It can be suggested on labels (the very cheek of it!) that this comes from a natural source - coconuts - often listed as cocomide DEA for example. But don't be fooled. As well as possibly causing skin and eye irritation, redness etc. it can combine with another ingredient -amines and form nitrosamines which are highly carcinogenic! Arghhh.

And there is one more to mention, especially relevant to haircare this time (although it blights many skin moisturisers etc.) silicones. Anything ending in -icone is genrally a silicone I believe. These are in conditioners as it gives the sense of silky hair. But your hair isn't silky. The silicone is. This might not bother some and certainly when you research it there are plenty of silicone supporters. But it is interesting that there is a move away from it. Tresemme for one have launched a 'natural' range. I use quotation marks there to highlight my scepticism on that but I will look into it. 

Anyway. That about covers the basics...

So Daniel Galvin Jr. Organic haircare. It avoids all these. I'm using the Hairjuice with honeydew melon extracts, suitable for all hair types. Same for the conditioner too. So it lathers beautifully. Smells delicious and very shampooey. All tropical and fruity. It rinses as you would expect and the conditioner performs in just the same way. Nothing untoward. A normal hairwashing experience. I highlight this because in days gone by, where natural formulations weren't that hot, what you would do for a little bit of lather was unmentionable. This, however is frustration-free. Happy days. And the results are just as satisfying. Clean, happy hair, no frizz, no tangles (at least no more, my hair loves a fight with itself) and a very silky finish. It looks good. Not just nice, not just like hair but lovely hair. If I do say so myself. The best bit. They cost about a fiver. AND you can buy it in the supermarket, at least you can if you shop in Waitrose. The range also includes products for coloured / treated hair and a range called Hangover Hair for sorting out stressed out locks. Thanks Daniel. And while we're here, if you fancy going for luxury level, his sister, Louise does a natural haircare range too...But I haven't tried that yet so we'll see...

Daniel Galvin Jr Organic Hairjuice £3.99 at Daniel Galvin Jr

Also availalbe at Waitrose.

Green and Spring

I just managed to delete a whole post on Green and Spring and now I have to re-write the damn thing. So I will try to write in a calm manner but you will understand if my enthusiasm is blighted by anger and my sentences are short with a general sense of annoyance and impatience for the whole tedious task of repeating myself.

So here goes... 

Ohh, look at the lovely little birds (this isn't how the original went, it was less sarcastic) Aren't they pretty sitting on the lovely packaging... (there was more of this, less flippant)

What a lovely range of natural products. No they really are and I'm not being fair to Green and Spring because they are a lovely company. Let's hear more... 

Green and Spring are a British company where only native plants and herbs are used in the chemical-free, natural formulations. The range is all hand-made and includes your usual bathroom products, skincare, hand and nail care and natural wax candles too. They also only use 100% natural plant material, without parabens, SLS, SLES, petrochemicals, PEGs, glycols, synthetic colours and fragrances. 

Most of the products are available in three fragrance blends, Relaxing with lavender, comfrey and rosemary, Indulging with rose, jasmine, elderflower and red clover, or Revitalising with peppermint, dandelion and fennel.

I have been using the Indulging Shower and Bath Foam which is just gorgeous. A great product, lathers very well, smells incredible, doesn't leave skin tight or dry after showering. 

Along with this I have been enjoying the Relaxing Body Lotion, another amazing fragrance, it's difficult to choose between them all. The lotion is light, easily absorbed and the fresh fragrance lingers a little which is nice so you feel like you've been rolling around in a fresh springtime meadow full of flowers and butterflies. (That wasn't in the original.)

I also have a teeny tiny travel candle also in Relaxing, its burning very happily (it was, I put it out days ago shortly after beginning this post) and although the fragrance isn't immediate I have on very firm recommendation that Green and Spring candles do deliver a good strong aroma. Some natural candles burn more fragrantly as they get lower because the essential oils sink down through the wax during the cooling process. Interesting.

There are also quite a variety of gift sets, including the bumper deluxe wooden birdhouse (nice) complete with 12 fullsize bestsellers nestling inside. All for £275! If you can't quite stretch to that!? there are loads of beautiful little sets that make really lovely gifts which won't require a remortgage or the selling of any organs. On the whole, the range is perhaps a little more than your average brand but it has by no means a super-luxe price tag for the quality and the ethos and the delightful packaging! It all makes a wonderful present or a well deserved treat for yourself in this dull, dreary winter. Roll on (Green and...) Spring! 

Clever.

Green and Spring Indulging Shower and Bath Foam £18 300ml (more in the bottle than your average brand too)

Green and Spring Relaxing Body Lotion £22 300ml

Green and Spring Home Candle £29 Travel Candle sets £18 for 3

All available at www.greenandspring.com and Liberty's

Phenoxyethanol

What a lovely looking chemical compound I hear you say! And you'd be right, but what exactly is the deal with phenoxyethanol...

During my research for the last post I got diverted trawling through ingredient lists and noticed that an ingredient I've seen popping up in natural products that I use and have mentioned- phenoxyethanol- was now popping up on all over websites reporting worries over its safety. Uh-oh.

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative and is present in many formulations where parabens have been shunned.  For a while all was well. The cosmetics industry has welcomed phenoxyethanol into the fold and held a party in its honour.

But the Japanese have been putting limits on its use. The FDA in America warned that it can cause the shut down of the central nervous system! vomitting! and contact dermatitis! The European Union classifies it as an irritant! All this whilst I was slapping it all over my face! Blimey.

So what is the story...The issue lies in the concentration levels of this ingredient. Many things that are deemed safe are only so if the concentration is limited. And phenoxyethanol seems to be one of these things. Typically the concentration in cosmetics is 1% or less. But that means in an average 200ml bottle of lotion, body wash, whatever, there's a teaspoon's worth of pure phenoxyethanol. I think that seems like quite a lot. And you must consider this - does it make a difference having that teaspoon all at once or consuming it gradually over the course of a few months?

It's inconclusive, but there is a question mark over it now. The cosmetics database make clear that any reactions studied were caused by phenoxyethanol itself and not by products containing it. So that's comforting!  It seems it is something I'll have to keep an eye on... Just how many times did I write the word phenoxyethanol?

One last time. Phenoxyethanol.

'Big Bad I Said NO!'

This isn't actually about Stop it and Tidy up. It's nothing to do with it. It's about the ingredients in products I generally try to avoid...

There is a lot of information out there on these so if you wish to know a little more do have a dig around. I won't go into too much detail because, in all honesty, I don't actually have a chemistry degree. But it's good to have a little bit to go on...

These are almost in order according to me...