Organic Beauty Week 2017 - organic round-up

3 min read

We’re in the middle of Organic Beauty and Wellbeing Week 2017 – so I thought it might be nice to have a wee round-up of some organic beauty brands.

This year’s campaign from the Soil Association, who run Organic beauty week, aims to weed out the true organic from the fake. The Campaign for Clarity highlights the massive issue in the beauty industry with ‘organic’ beauty product mislabelling. A recent survey revealed that 76 per cent of consumers feel misled by labelling on beauty products.

So, the Soil Association has identified beauty products and brands that are doing just that – with major brands including Boots, Dr Organic and Faith in Nature being named as culprits of what they call ‘greenwashing’.

There are no legal standards for using the term organic on beauty products. This means anyone can call a product organic, even if it contains virtually no organic ingredients at all. And, worryingly, many of these products actually contain ingredients that the Soil Association identifies as the ‘Terrible Ten’ – things like phthalates, sulfates, parabens and more.

Our ‘Terrible Ten’ research is the tip of the iceberg. The labels on products we encountered were littered with confusing terms. Our consumer research shows that it is very difficult for consumers to know they are making the right choice when doing their shopping – Soil Association Policy Director, Peter Melchett

So, products that are certified organic and have ingredients that are certified organic are the ones to look for if organic beauty is your thing.

One of those brands is Organii, who produce certified organic body products, including a range of shower gels with great skincare benefits. Try their Organic Argan Shower Gel to nourish and soften the skin  (£5.95, pravera.co.uk). Their packaging is fab, and they also do a range of organic sunscreen.

Organic Beauty Organii

Irish brand Voya is certified organic, and utilise the natural resources of Irish seaweed in many of their products. The brand’s roots lie in Co.Sligo, and the Walton family-run seaweed baths that opened in 1912. Their hero product is, of course, their Lazy Days Seaweed bath (£17).

Organic Beauty Voya Seaweed Box

They do also havefull skincare ranges for all skin types, and some gorgeous body products. I have hand and foot psoriasis, so using organic body proucts is important. The Voya True Tranquil Relaxing Body Wash (£18) smells amazing – gorgeous lavender and rosemary fragrance. And the Invigorating Seaweed Soap (spearmint and rosemary), £12, is the perfect way to waken the senses in the morning shower.

Organic Beauty Voya Body Care

Organic beauty products are perhaps not seen as ‘luxury’ but it’s a misconception. Former investment banker, Olivia Thorpe, created the Vanderohe No1 Nourishing Face Serum (£88, www.vanderohe.com) because she wanted something truly organic, but also luxurious. Her multi-correctional face serum is made from the highest grade, Soil Association certified organic cold-pressed oils and enriched with eight active 100% pure, organic and wild harvested, steam distilled essential oils.

Vanderohe No1 Nourishing Face Serum

Inlight are another organic brand certified by the Soil Association, and formulated with no beauty ‘nasties’, but created by Dr Mariano Spiezia, who brings botanicals and science together in his beauty line which includes skin and body care products from £24 to £170. Try the Superfood Mask (£32), with spirulina, rose seed oil, carrot root and barley leaf as the star ingredients. The packaging is lovely on this brand.

Inlight organic beauty

 

Organic makeup can be harder to come by, but Australian brand INIKA are a full colour brand, with brilliant shades of eye colour, full range of base products, and excellent vegan lip tints, as well as bold lip colours. They are certified organic, and available at Whole Foods stores amongst others.

Inika Organic Beauty Brand

If you want to sign the petition to make the beauty industry regulate labelling of organic products, then you can do so at the Soil Association website. www.soilassociation.org/comecleanaboutbeauty.