The Perfume Bee

CHERYL LU-LIEN TAN has written an informative article about organic cosmetics for the Wall Street Journal Online. It is titled, “Turning Your Skin Green: Cosmetic makers want in on the organic craze, but sorting out labels’ claims isn’t easy”:

It happened with milk, produce and clothing. Now the debate about organics is hitting cosmetics, too.

Some of the biggest names in skin-care are jumping into the organic market, which until recently was a niche product for specialty stores. Estée Lauder, for instance, has nine products in its new Origins Organics line. L’Occitane en Provence and fashion designer Stella McCartney are also expanding into organics.

But such products are already raising some questions. One is whether organic cosmetics provide health or beauty benefits compared to nonorganic products. And for consumers who decide they want to go green, shopping can be confusing since the labeling isn’t consistent. Whole Foods Market and some environmental groups have formed a task force and are now pushing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to adopt standards for organic skin care.

You can read the entire article here: WSJ online

As always, I am delighted when I see the mainstream media writing about organic personal care products. The labeling of organic skincare products and cosmetics has become very trendy, and public awareness and demand for accurate information is on the rise. But this is a trend I am all in favor of, and hopefully in the not-too-distant future choosing genuinely organic make-up will be as easy as selecting a carton of milk.

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I recently tried a terrific moisturizer from the new organic luxury skin care collection, L’uvalla (from wellness company Yuvalla). It is called “Regenerating Age-Defying Day/Night Cream,” and it contains extracts of Calendula, Sage, Rosemary, Ylang Ylang flower, Thyme, Lavender and Lotus Extract. It also contains a variety of nutritious oils, such as hazel seed oil, sunflower seed oil, and wheatgerm oil.

In fact, the entire ingredient list is practically safe enough to eat. If you click here, you can see the list for yourself. I encourage you to check it out, because when you hover your cursor over an ingredient in the list, a pop-up will show you exactly what the ingredient is and what it is used for.

This rich cream goes on easily and is non-greasy; it’s almost matte in its finish. And it smells delicious! It has a lemony, rose geranium, slightly herbaceous scent that I found quite delightful.

This is a moisturizer which works extremely well and which you can feel good about using:

L’uvalla blends nourishing, chemical-free benefits of holistic skin treatment with the appeal of a premium skin care line. L’uvalla carries the stringent European Eco-cert organic certification and is natural vegan, cruelty-free, and formulated with active ingredients that are certified 100% organic.

Yuvalla, LLC, is dedicated to providing high-quality wellness products, services and information that empower people to create positive transformation in body, mind and spirit. Yuvalla is committed to the principles of integrative wellness, the use of renewable energy sources, sustainable and socially responsible business practice, the use of natural and organic products, and support of human and animal rights.

Evoking wellness on physical, emotional and spiritual levels is central to Yuvalla’s mission of providing high-quality tools for authentic living in mind, body and soul. In harmony with Yuvalla’s mission to aid in personal and social transformation and their wish to give back, ten percent of all proceeds will go to the Yuvalla Foundation which supports causes from the elimination of poverty to the protection of our environment and its wildlife (via press release).

Price: 1.46 FL OZ. (3 Month Supply) - $51.50

L’uvalla products are available at luvalla.com and at natural retail stores.

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According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the average adult uses at least seven different skin care products each day. And yet only 11 percent of the 10,500 ingredients in personal care products documented by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been assessed for safety by the cosmetic industry (according to the Environmental Working Group, Skin Deep, 2007).

As a result, many of us are choosing to use natural and organic skin care products. However, there are no federal or state regulatory requirements for organic or natural personal care products manufactured in the United States. It is incumbent upon us, the consumers, to analyze facts and labels try to make sense of what is safe for our bodies. I am always seeking useful information on this topic to share with you in hopes of making sense of this confusing world of labeling and natural skincare.

One handy resource I’d like to share with you is the collection of natural body care podcasts presented by Whole Foods Market. These informative, easy-to-listen-to podcasts cover a range of topics, from internal cleansing to Superfoods. The following 15-minute Natural Skin Care podcast provides a nice overview of natural skin care while drawing on the expertise of a 3 beauty experts: a nutritionist, an aesthetician, and a natural body care buyer.

 

 Natural Skin Care Options: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (184)

Disclaimer: Of course, The Perfume Bee accepts no advertising revenue from Whole Foods Market. I’m just passing along this information for you to use as you choose. For specific medical conditions, please consult your health care practitioner.

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Times Online writer Carolyn Asome has provided a very helpful guide to holistic and organic beauty products which she tested over a six-week period. She examined products from Dr. Hauschka, Stella McCartney, Spiezia, Neil’s Yard Remedies, Jurlique, Organic Pharmacy, and Alexandra Soveral. Her top marks went to Spiezia and Alexandra Soveral. The entire article may be read here.

Of the seven brands she reviewed, I am most familiar with Dr. Hauschka. In fact, last month I had my first Dr. Hauschka facial. It was unlike any other facial I’ve ever received. It began with a grounding spruce-scented foot bath. This was followed by rhythmic touch, lymph stimulation, aromatherapy and gentle exfoliation, all with Dr. Hauschka’s pure botanical preparations. It ended with a facial massage using soft bristled brushes to stimulate the facial lymph glands. It was a very relaxing procedure, and the funny thing I noticed while driving home was an improvement in my vision! I’m convinced it had something to do with the rhythmic stimulation of accupressure points around my eyes. It was a very nice bonus.

I am in the process of reading Awakening Beauty: the Dr. Hauschka Way, by Susan West Kurz with Tom Monte. I recommend this beautiful book as a great introduction to living a holistic-beauty lifestyle. It emphasizes that true beauty is an inside job and offers practical, detailed advice for caring for one’s skin using simple, homemade products. The book also includes meditation techniques, meal plans, and delicious organic recipes.

It amazes me that Dr. Hauschka’s products have been around nearly as long as I have (they are celebrating their 40th anniversary) and I am only now just beginning to get to know them. It’s like the old saying, “When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” I’d love to hear of your experiences with this line or any of the other six mentioned in Carolyn Asome’s article.

photo source of Dr. Hauschka products: Times Online
photo source of book: amazon.com

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