Scottish Beauty
Scotland is all over the news this week, and today we go to the polls to decide our country’s future in the Independence referendum. Let’s leave the politics behind, but celebrate our fantastic little country, by celebrating Scottish beauty!
Here are a few of my favourite Scottish beauty brands out there. Who would you add to the list?
1. THE TRU BRAND
SaraJane Lynch is the founder/creator/drivingforce/guineapig for her own beauty brand which consists of a ‘holy trinity’ of three key products for your skin. SaraJane’s philosophy, in part thanks to her high maintenance skin, was to make skincare easy for women – what’s not to love.
The bubbly, infectious brand owner has a new phase of the range coming in spring 2015, as well as a signature facial (did we mention SaraJane’s also a trained beauty therapist?!). The Tru Brand made it on to Tatler’s beauty IT list, and has already won an award before it’s first birthday. Try the products and judge for yourself – Ultimate Two-Way Deep Cleanse (£25), Liftonic Toning Treatment (£28) and Holy Grail Facial Moisturiser (£42). All available at thetrubrand.com
2. ORGANIC SURGE
Founded by Alan MacKenzie, this Wick-based beauty brand promises natural and organic products, and is sold around the world. Free of nasties like parabens, SLS and synthetic perfumes, never tested on animals, Organic Surge have an amazing range of products for the face, body and hair.
They utilise the very best of Scotland’s natural ingredients in their range. Their hero product has to be their Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser (£13.95). They’re stocked in Boots, amongst others, in the UK and can be found at organicsurge.com
3. PURE LOCHSIDE
I’ve had a facial from Pure Lochside founder, Fiona Tutte, and it was heavenly. The inspiration behind her brand comes from three things: her experience as an aromatherapist, creating therapeutic blends, using active plant extracts and avoiding chemicals like parabens and SLS, and Scotland’s dramatic landscape and natural larder.
Pure Lochside have an amazing Organic Orange Cleansing Oil (£36), which dissolves all makeup and leaves your skin deeply cleansed and silky smooth. They also have a fab Revitalise Daily Face Oil (£59) an award-winning next generation serum moisturiser. Check them out at purelochside.com
4. ARRAN AROMATICS
Who hasn’t tried Arran Aromatics? Their products are everywhere, and this is one brand that has come along way since founder Janet Russell and her husband Iain began making soaps and body creams in the kitchen of their cottage on the beautiful Isle of Arran. Infused with original fragrances inspired by the landscape and scents of the island they so loved, they have developed their brand into one of the best-loved brands in Scotland, with a following that reaches around the world.
Their proud history spans a quarter of a century, and they are still based on the Isle of Arrane, and the Russell family are still Directors in the business and key figures within the Arran Aromatics brand. Their best-selling range is the After The Rain collection. Janet had a long-held desire to capture her favourite natural aroma – that fresh smell of a garden in the magically calm moments following a summer rainstorm. It took a while, but it was eventually realised in 2000 and since then After the Rain has been the brand’s most popular fragrance. Check it out and the rest at arranaromatics.com
5. SCOTTISH FINE SOAPS
2014 is big year for Falkirk-based Scottish Fine Soaps, marking their 40th anniversary! Derek Ross started the company in 1974, and they are now a multi-million pound business with products sold in over 30 countries around the world. They still create their luxurious bath and body collections on-site in their factory near the Ochil Hills.
I love this company, particularly their amazing soaps in the cutest tins (£4.96) – how fab are Bluebell, Oatmeal, Heather and Seaweed as soap scents?. And they love being based in Scotland, as they explain: ‘The Scottish Fine Soaps Company is lucky to be based in Scotland, in one of the most beautiful natural environments on the planet and we are committed to doing all we can to ensure it remains that way. We endeavor to undertake all of our activities in a way that minimises energy consumption and environmental impact. We are ISO14001 Environmental Management Certified and (as a group) have been Carbon Trust Certified since 2010.’ Well done them. To find out more, visit them at scottishfinesoaps.com
