Body Care

To be a truly organic beauty brand you have to have something really special. So many brands have dabbled in organic product lines, but few have truly stuck to the brief. True Organics of Sweden are here to put organic beauty on the map and prove that chemical free doesn’t have to mean results free.

True Organics of Sweden have a clear philosophy when it comes to their products; love your skin, love our planet. They source the best, certified organic and natural ingredients they can find, with the goal of creating natural skincare products that have as few ingredients in them as possible and still deliver amazing results.

The way they see it, what you put on your skin will e
ventually wind up in your bloodstream. When you use organic skin care you are working with natural ingredients that work harmoniously with the sophisticated natural systems of your skin. Well I’m sold.

I guess you could say they stick to the concept of ‘less is more’ and you can truly see that when you scan their product portfolio. It’s home to just three products. That’s right, three. No doubt they’ll increase this as time goes on, but it’s great to see a brand taking the time to get things right and producing three outstanding products instead of rushing to get a full range up and running.

So let’s get down to the nitty gritty; the products themselves. My personal favourite from their capsule collection is the All You Need Is Me Balm 50ml. Think Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream and you’ll get the concept here. This baby boasts just six ingredients and nothing more, but is a truly versatile product that can be used for just about anything. From chapped lips, dry cuticles and dry skin patches to split ends on your hair, this balm/ointment has them all covered. It’s a real multi-tasker and is a must for your handbag.

There’s been a few mentions in the press for a while now about the adverse effects of aerosol deodorants and their link with cancer in women. So if you’re looking for an alternative that you can rest assured contains no nasties, you’re going to want to reach for Undercover Agent 50ml. This roll on deodorant is natural, safe and smells really fresh. It gives genuine, long-lasting protection without synthetic aluminium and alcohol. This stuff really works.

Last but not least, it’s their Face It Serum 30ml. This is a real luxurious organic serum for radiant and glowing skin that is formulated with the finest blend of pure organic oils. It’s rich in antioxidants which helps promote cell renewal, stimulates new collagen production and improves skin tone, texture and pigmentation.  It is truly nourishing and revitalizing and best of all it’s perfect for any type of skin.

If you try just one new product range this Autumn, make it True Organics of Sweden. They are a true champion of organic skincare and they create outstanding products that your skin will thank you for.

Why not say Hej (Swedish for hi!) in the comments and let me know your thought’s on this new range.

xoxo

Sun skin safety. It’s not the most glamorous of subjects and granted, it does have the similar dull ring to it as the dreaded ‘health and safety’. That said, it is really something that we need to think seriously about. Obviously I don’t want to start sounding like your Mum here, making you wear a t-shirt in the pool; so instead I’m going to talk you through all the key things you need to look out for with your suncare products.

Most of us will only start thinking about suncare in the weeks leading up to our summer getaway to sunnier climates. However, regardless of whether you are sunning yourself on a yacht in St Tropez (I wish) or just sitting in the park in cloudy Britain, everyone is exposed to the sun in some way. Up to 40% of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation reaches the earth on a completely cloudy day, leaving us exposed to the sun even when we don’t realise it. That’s why we should be putting sun protection in place on a daily basis to help protect our skin. After all, the sun’s rays may be invisible to the naked eye, but the effects on the skin are clear.

So, what should you be looking for when it comes to skin protection? Most of the time, it feels like suncare brands are just throwing acronyms at us left, right and centre. So let’s cut through the jargon and break it down.

You should be looking for two different levels of protection. SPF is the level of protection given against UVB rays (these can alter your skin cells’ DNA and cause sun burn). In simple terms, if your skin usually takes around 20 minutes to redden when unprotected, an SPF15 lotion will extend this time by 15, providing coverage for up to 5 hours.

Meanwhile, UVA protection levels (UVA rays cause allergies, ageing, dark spots and wrinkles) can be recognised by star ratings on the bottle. Five stars is what you’re after here of course. Products with both UVA and UVB coverage are known as ‘broad spectrum protection’.

Regardless of how long your protection claims to last, no suncream should be expected to keep skin protected for longer than 2 hours without reapplication. Plus of course, your suncream is only good as your application technique, so be generous people.

With suncare, I truly believe you get what you pay for. I’ve tried them all, from budget to premium brands, and it’s clear that the professional brands have got it right. In fact, cheaper high street brand suncreams can include sunscreen chemicals that are harmful to the skin. Very often, they are actually the cause of the dreaded prickly heat. So I urge you, invest in your suncare and you’ll never look back. Let me share 2 of my favourites with you:

Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport. This is a sheer cream that has enhanced SPF performance and counteracts moisture loss triggered by extended daylight exposure. I love this one because it doesn’t feel greasy and also doesn’t stain your white tops as so many creams tend to.

Thalgo Age Defence Sun Lotion SPF30. This rich cream provides optimum sun protection from the first days of exposure. It’s a really creamy, velvety lotion with a fine and ultra-light texture that allows you to develop a lasting tan safely.

So, no excuses. Make sure you’re #sunsafe this summer.

xoxo

The effects of menopause can affect each woman differently, but one thing is for sure; it’s a period of change that is a challenging and difficult process. This is especially true as menopause not only affects the internal body, but it causes changes in your skin too. This can be a side effect to the menopause that many women do not expect, so I thought it might be helpful for me to use this blog to guide you through the most common issues affecting menopausal skin

Let’s start with the most basic question; what does menopause have to do with your skin? One word people. Hormones. Yep, those dreaded hormonal changes that you thought were behind you are having a bit of a revival. The hormonal changes that occur during and after menopause tend to change the way your skin behaves in new and different ways. For those of you who like to know the technical stuff, the decline of B-Estradiol is the main culprit in the accelerated ageing of skin. It results in lowered oestrogen and progesterone production, which inevitably leads to changes in the skin.

So what changes can you expect to see and how should you combat them?

1. Oilier Skin

During menopause, as your levels of oestrogen decrease, testosterone is no longer masked in the body. Testosterone can then stimulate your sebaceous glands to secrete thicker sebum, giving the appearance of oily skin and possibly mild adult acne (take a look at my dedicated Adult Acne Blog). To treat this issue, the best thing you can do is apply a mask to the skin 2-3 times per week to help control the secretion of sebum from the skin. I recommend Thalgo Absolute Purifying Mask 40ml. Apply to the face for 10 minutes then rinse. You can also apply this one exclusively to the T-Zone.

2. Facial Hair

As another nasty side effect of the unmasking of testosterone some women may develop facial hair, particularly in the chin area. Don’t worry ladies; I’m only talking a few tiny hairs, not a full on beard. No need to borrow his beard trimmer. Waxing or threading the area is best to help rid yourself of these nuisances. Step away from the razor though if you ever considered it, this will just make the hairs thicker, darker and grow back more frequently. Top tip: try Thalgo Anti Regrowth Solution for Sensitive Areas. This helps to slow down hair regrowth after hair removal services.

3. Elastosis

During menopause, lowered estrogen levels result in less production and repair of collagen in the dermis of the skin, which means that we lose our skin’s resiliency. Lower collagen levels are also the cause of skin ageing and those pesky fine lines and wrinkles. To help combat this Thalgo Silicium Concentrate is an intensely re-sculpting serum that fights the appearance of visible wrinkles and skin slackening. It should be used three times per year as a one-month course.

I won’t mention the hot flashes. But please don’t worry; the occurrence and intensity of the side effects vary from woman to woman. For most, these side effects stop within a year.

One thing is certain though; your skin is at a critical stage when going through the menopause with a number of key changes. It’s important to revise your home care routine to help support your skin.

If you have any questions or specific concerns, leave a comment and I’ll be in touch.

xoxo