Since 2005 we have loved bringing you the best the UK natural and organic market has to offer but it’s time for things to change.

Our strength has always been our knowledge of our brands and advising organic fans about the very best products for their needs. We will continue to do this, researching the market to bring you the latest & best organic products.

But in the future when you click on products on our website you will be taken to another UK supplier to pay for and complete your order.  They will then send out the goods to you.

Think of us like your Organic Personal Shopper, we’ll help you choose the products, but we are no longer going to be the shop. 

This will enable us to list many more products and spend much more of our time on what we do best.

It has been fun, and it’s not over, just a little different. Change is good.

Lots of love
The So Organic team. 

PS. The official changeover to the new way of working will happen week commencing 10th December 2017. Until then everything is as before just with 30% off everything while we sell of the last few bits of remaining stock. If you would like a bargain grab it now, it won't last long. 

The area of natural and organic cosmetics ingredients is very complex and it can sometimes be a minefield for customers trying to work out whether products are as natural as they claim. It comes as a surprise to many people that the word organic is not legally protected in relation to cosmetic products in the same way that it is for food, which means that there have been lots of brands jumping on the green band wagon and making organic claims for products that contain very little in the way of organic ingredients.

On the other hand, cosmetic products are very different from food and we expect them to perform and last in a totally different way. You would not expect to open a pot of yoghurt, keep it at room temperature and dip your fingers into it daily and still expect it to be safe to use 6 months later, yet this is exactly what we demand from our skincare. Therefore, some technical ingredients are essential to preserve products, stop the oil and water based ingredients separating and also to make them foam in the case of washes and shampoos.

Generally, it is the number of these technical ingredients (which cannot be called organic as they are not farmed or grown) necessary to make an effective product that determine what % of organic ingredients the product contains.

When choosing whether to recommend products and add them to our website we make decisions on a case by case basis. We always take into account how technically difficult it is to produce an effective product to decide whether to accept a particular formulation onto our website.

For example, it is very easy to make a totally organic lip balm and many brands offer them so we would never recommend a lip balm product that was not organic. However, when it comes to hair styling products or nail polish things are a little trickier. These products are technically very complicated to make and since effectiveness is crucial, we do accept a far greater number of technical ingredients in these products. They are as natural as they can be for their product type, whilst still working effectively. Because who wants hairspray that doesn’t hold or nail polish that peels straight off, it’s pointless, even if the ingredients are pure. We will not recommend products that we don’t believe are good enough to do the job as it is very wasteful and bad use of the planets resources for customers to be buying and throwing away unused bottles of ineffective products.

Many of the products in our range are independently Certified Organic, when they are not, please be assured that we have vetted them carefully and considered that for their product type their ingredients are necessary and in line with our ingredients policy. If you ever have questions or concerns about ingredients, please get in touch, we love talking to people who love organic products and will be happy to assist you.

There is a lot of confusing information going around the internet about the similarities/differences between Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and Sodium coco sulfate (SCS) in particular.

We have recently received a number of enquiries about our ingredients policy in relation to SLS and other foaming agents, with some people expressing concern that some of the items that we stock have names that sound similar to SLS – a harsh detergent that lots of people wish to avoid.

Our reason for being is to supply clean, green products that we would be happy to use on our own skin and that of our children.

In choosing the products to stock we always keep this principle in mind. Read on to find out more about the complexities of foaming agents and why you can trust the products in our range.

There are lots of different surfactants (detergents & foaming agents) used in cosmetic and household products, many of which have names that  sound similar to SLS but are very different in terms of their irritancy to the skin. These can be made in similar ways and have similar names but they vary massively in terms of how harsh they are to the skin. Sodium Coco Sulphate, SLES, Ammonium Lauryl Sulphate (ALS), Sodium Myreth Sulphate, and Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate to name but a few.

If we specifically look at SLS (sodium lauryl sulphate) versus SCS (sodium coco sulphate); both ingredients are made in the same way, by treating fatty acids with sulphuric acid and then neutralising with an alkali.  The difference between them is that SLS is made using purified and isolated Lauric acid, whereas SCS is made using whole Coconut oil. 

The result of using these different starting materials is that SLS is a relatively simple molecule and has a small molecular mass enabling it to easily penetrate the outer layers of the skin and cause irritation to underlying living skin cells.  On the other hand SCS has a more complex molecular structure which has a much greater molecular mass.  This prevents it from penetrating the epidermis, and means that it has far less irritancy as it cannot reach the living cells under the skin surface.

This difference is recognised by international authorities, and in fact these two molecules do have different CAS Numbers (Chemical Abstracts Service which identifies all chemical compounds in an internationally approved database).  The CAS Number for SLS is 151-21-3, but for SCS it is 97375-27-4.  This can be confirmed by checking the official EU Cosmetic Ingredient Name (CosIng) website.

We do our own research into cosmetic ingredients as well as taking the advice and guidance of the various organic certification bodies. Sodium Coco Sulphate is permitted by the OFF & Soil Association who certify Green People & Skin Blossom products, some of the brands that use sodium coco sulphate. These brands are very well respected in the organic industry and make highly effective products. They pay very close attention to the ingredients that they permit into their products and we have absolutely no hesitation in selling them and recommending them as we use them ourselves.

There are lots of other foaming agents that natural brands use such as decyl glycoside and cocamidopropyl betaine, which are much gentler on the skin than SLS & SLES; you will often see these ingredients in the body care products that we sell too.

Sometimes, it is worth taking a moment to consider why a source of information might be claiming that a specific ingredient is undesirable. At least one of the pages that we have read criticising SCS comes from a brand that sells products that don’t use this ingredient.

All of their foaming products are soap based (saponified oils are soap) and that is why they don’t need to use any detergents or ingredients such as sodium coco sulphate or its alternatives. These types of products feel different in use and don’t perform in the same way as a regular shampoo or shower gel, soap based products can sometimes feel drying on the skin too as they are alkaline rather than acidic like the skin’s own oils.

If you are concerned about a particular ingredient each of the products on our site lists the ingredients in full so that you can see for yourself and make an informed choice before you make a purchase.

We hope that this has helped to explain this complex area, but of course if you do need any further help or advice choosing products, please don't hesitate contact us or call one of our product specialists on 020 8465 5600. We are here to help.

Shop for SLS FREE SHOWER GEL on Amazon. ]]> Thu, 14 Sep 2017 16:18:22 +0000 http://www.soorganic.com/community-blog/why-choose-organic-lip-balm/ If you can't get enough of your lip balm but your lips are still dry and cracked read on...

Conventional lip balms are usually made from mineral oil which is derived from petroleum. It feels soft and silky but doesn’t benefit your skin. It clogs pores and creates a barrier that stops your own skin breathing.

If you or someone you know is a lip balm “addict” with perpetually dry flaky lips no matter how much lip salve you use, it could be that a petroleum based lip salve is to blame.

Truly natural or organic lip balm brands won’t touch petroleum based oils; they use the much more costly but infinitely superior plant oils and sometimes beeswax instead.  These ingredients nourish and condition the skin and because they are similar in structure to your skin’s natural oils these ingredients tend to work better with the skin.

It doesn’t matter whether you prefer a stick, a tube or a pot, at So Organic we have an organic lip balm to suit and it won’t break the bank either, even our most inexpensive natural and organic lip balm works like a dream.

If you’re vegan we have lots of beeswax free options too, so do your lips a favour and treat them to a pure organic lip balm this winter, you’ll be so glad that you did.

Once you make the switch to organic, if you're still addicted it will only be to the new found beautiful silky skin and gorgeous natural flavour of your new favourite balm!

If the changing seasons have left your skin feeling out of sorts, it could be time to add a little extra pampering to your routine.

When the temperature changes, skin can be left feeling parched. The featherweight serums of summer just don't have enough oomph to leave your skin comfortable once the colder weather arrives. One simple solution could be to boost to your skincare routine with the addition of organic facial oil.

Packed with essential fatty acids, which help to nourish the skin and protect the skin’s natural acid mantle, facial oils deliver an intense moisture hit to your skin. Applied to freshly cleansed damp skin they absorb beautifully, and will not leave your skin greasy. Go sparingly just 1 or 2 drops massaged in until absorbed, is usually enough.

Facial Oil can often be the perfect solution if you find your foundation is not sitting well on your skin too. Particularly if you find it absorbs too quickly and feels like its dragging as you try to blend it. Simply apply a couple of drops of facial oil and then put your foundation on top. it will help the foundation spread smoothly over the skin and then as the oil absorbs it will leave your foundation beautifully blended with a dewy finish.

Seed & kernel oils such as jojoba, rose hip, argan and borage, have a fine texture which make them absorb rapidly in to the skin without leaving feelings of greasiness, even on skin prone to oiliness.

Our organic face oils are packed with pure organic seed oils with amazing skincare benefits rather than highly refined and processed oils that contain additives and petroleum based by products. They really are a treat for your skin and are a sure fire way to give your summer skincare routine an upgrade. 

It is important that sunscreens protect against both UVB and UVA radiation to give protection from the burning (UVB) & the cancer causing / ageing (UVA) rays. The cosmetics industry considers that the UVA protection of a product should be in relation to its SPF.  This means that that the level of UVA protection provided by a product is at least 1/3 ratio of its SPF.

The star rating system was created by Boots and is only licensed to brands that are stocked by Boots in exchange for a license fee and is therefore not something that the organic brands can take part in. That is why you don't see the stars on their packaging. There is a very telling article about this here.

The industry wide symbol for UVA protection in a sunscreen product is a small circle with the word UVA inside it.

We have obtained statements from our 3 main sunscreens brands regarding their UVA rating and these are as follows:

Lovea: “The Lovea sunscreens have the highest possible rating for UVA protection.  This is because the UV screening ingredients are made up entirely of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Both these ingredients offer the highest possible protection from UVA & UVB.”

Lavera: “Our UVA filter is a 1:3 ratio, so for every 3 UVB rays the sun product protects you from it will also protect you against 1 UVA ray.  There is also a UVA logo on the front of the sun product to show that it protects against UVA as well.”

Green People: “Our UVA protection is equivalent to 3 stars but unlike the conventional brands our products are packed with great ingredients and help sensitive skin. They are extremely well tolerated by eczema & allergy sufferers too.

• Under testing our SPF30 sun lotions filtered out 81.6% of UVA rays and gave a UVA/UVB ratio in excess of 0.60 of the claimed SPF level which is the standard set in the EU Recommendations.
• SPF15 filtered out 78.2% of UVA rays under testing. Because the SPF is lower, this still exceeded the 0.60 ratio and came in at 3-Star protection under the Boots system”

The advice in the media is to look for the highest SPF possible to protect ourselves and our families. But many people are surprised to find that an SPF50 does not in fact offer double the sun protection of an SPF25. The reality is that an SPF30 sunscreen already offers 97% protection against UVB rays, moving up to an SPF50 only offers 98% just 1% more. 

For some people wearing a high factor such as an SPF50 gives a false sense of security and tempts them to reapply less often and stay in the sun longer than is really sensible. Something they won’t do if they are wearing a lower SPF.

Staying out too long without reapplying seriously increases the risk of UVA sun damage because in order to achieve efficacy of the UVA protection the most important thing you can do is reapply frequently and liberally no matter how high the SPF factor.

We highly recommend the sunscreens we stock at So Organic and we use them on ourselves and our children. If you need any advice or help in choosing the right product please don’t hesitate to get in touch or call us on 020 8465 5600.

Knowing whether organic and eco friendly products really deserve their label can be a minefield. And even when you are clued up enough to look for products with an organic certification symbol, the vast array of symbols and icons now in use can be really confusing.

To help make things a little clearer we've just created a whole new infomation section where you can learn all about the various certified organic icons and other eco labels that are widely used and feature on the products that we recommend. Come and take a look...]]> Fri, 11 Apr 2014 08:27:30 +0000 http://www.soorganic.com/community-blog/greenpeoplegentletone/ Green People have been making their Gentle Tone for years, but spring 2012 sees it get a whole new lease of life, with a more appropriate new name, gorgeous revamped packaging and new certified organic formulation. 

It was always a bit of a funny product. You expect your toner to be a liquid in a bottle or a spray so a gel based toner seemed a bit weird.

In fact Gentle Tone has always been a serum, a lovely lightweight gel formulation that adds a wonderful hydrating boost to any skin care routine. But for very oily skins or hot and sweaty summer skin it’s sometimes just right on its own, to give skin a lovely refreshing moisture hit without a hint of oiliness.

This new formulation is a real treat for the skin featuring seaweed and South American Tara Bush extract which have powerful moisturising properties to help your skin feel firmer and more elastic.

Fans of the original Gentle Tone are sure to love this super charged new version but with its now more fitting name its set to attract a whole new following too.  The gentle alcohol free formulation is suitable for all skin types; use it for face, neck and décolletage in conjunction with facial oil or moisturiser. It makes a lovely make up primer too. 

However, strong detergents like sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) can strip away too much of the skin's natural protective oils, leaving it dry or irritated.

Those with sensitive skins should really consider whether much of their sensitivity is caused by these harsh foams and avoid them altogether. Babies and children’s skin, which is much more vulnerable than adults can often become dry and inflamed if used frequently.

These foams are also non biodegradable in the water supply,  ending up in rivers and the sea.  We really do not know the long term effect of this but it seems such a shame to damage our wonderful sea life for a foamy bath!

At So Organic we only sell products that combine specially chosen plant based detergents from coconut or sugar so that they complement one another, giving an effective yet skin friendly cleansing action.  They do not foam as much as the synthetic detergents but still give a nice foam, so you can wallow in your bath with a clear eco conscience.