It’s hard to believe that Lavera Faces has been around for over 12 years, it just goes to show that when brands launch products that work they’ll run and run.

Lavera put a huge amount of research into every single product they launch and are constantly striving to refine and improve their formulations.  For the Lavera faces range that means that 2012 is the year the entire range gets a complete makeover and the results are stunning.

Fresh and up to the minute packaging that clearly communicates what the product is supposed to do, and the ingredients that make it so effective, as well as the products organic credentials which are very high.  The entire Lavera faces range is certified organic by Natrue and is also suitable for Vegans too.

A simplified range that’s a vast improvement:

In an effort to de-clutter and simplify the range, cleansing, toning and scrubs have been divided into two groups:

Gentle, for dry, sensitive and mature skins, and the Purifying-invigorating line for Oily and Combination types.

Normal skin types (lucky devils!) can pick and choose whichever they like.

The cleansers remove make up brilliantly, but Lavera does also make an eye make up remover should you need it for extra stubborn mascara. The toners are refreshing without stripping and the Lavera faces scrub offers gentle effective exfoliation without a hint of scratchiness.

Choose what’s right for your skin type:

The next stage of skincare more closely matches the Lavera faces range skin types we have grown to love so well, but the formulations have been enhanced and brought right up to date for skincare that really feels like a treat for the skin.

Dry skin is nurtured by the Wild Rose range, it suits mature skins too, but these are now brilliantly catered for by the Lavera My Age line.

Normal to combination skin should choose the calendula range, which now boasts a new addition in the form of a special mask for combination skin, as well as an enhanced formula for the much loved Lavera Faces balancing cream.

The products for Oily skin are a vast improvement with a much more sophisticated formula for the moisturiser which helps to mattify the complexion but also features hyaluronic acid to give hydration without greasiness. The jewel in the crown however, has to be the Lavera Faces 2 in 1 Anti Blemish treatment. Previously just a lipstick style medication concealer stick that was hard to blend and felt heavy, it now incorporates two brilliant treatments in a handbag handy product. An organic serum packed with ingredients specially chosen to purify the skin and aid healing in a clever little roller ball that applies the product just where it’s needed. At the other end is a soft and creamy concealer in a neutral shade that’s easy to dot into position with a wand to be blended to perfection with a (clean!) finger.

I’m really delighted to see such a fabulous revamp of a much loved range and hope you’ll love it as much as I do.

If you feel like giving it a try why wait? UK delivery is Free so why not order some Lavera Faces Skincare and see for yourself?

If you’re not keen on clogging your pores with aluminium, whilst inhaling a cloud of irritating allergen laden synthetic fragrance, then you’ll probably want to steer well clear of the majority of antiperspirants you’ll find on the high street.

Does it really work? That’s probably the most frequently asked question about organic deodorant, and the short answer is yes. If you choose the right one (we can help with that!) and know what to expect then organic deodorant is great and has a lot to recommend it over its high street alternative.

If you don’t want to bother with the explanation and just want our top recommendations for organic deodorant that works then scroll down  the page, for those interested in why they work, read on…

Sweating & Smelling Are Not The Same:

Deodorants and antiperspirants are not the same thing. Deodorants help to stop us smelling while antiperspirants aim to stop us sweating. The super dry effect that we so often seek is the work of an antiperspirant.

Modern antiperspirants suppress the body’s vital function of perspiration by using aluminium salts like aluminium chlorohydrate to block the pores and prevent the perspiration coming out. Although we like the feeling of dryness under our arms this is actually a signal that we have prevented our bodies doing what they are supposed to. Sweating is one of the key ways our bodies get rid of toxins and blocking up our pores we are hampering this process.  

So perspiration is not necessarily a bad thing, but how to avoid being a smelly billy no-mates?

In fact perspiration does not smell bad; it’s the bacteria that feed on the dampness that cause the unpleasant smell. The way to avoid this is to use ingredients that will not allow the bacteria to thrive. Organic deodorant that works uses ingredients such as potassium alum, or ammonium alum, otherwise known as crystal deodorant to inhibit bacterial growth and prevent smelliness.

Organic deodorants won’t clog your pores or inhibit your body’s natural functions, but they will keep you smelling sweet! We test deodorants thoroughly before adding them to our range, because if it doesn’t stop you smelling then it’s not a deodorant is it?

Our Pick of Organic Deodorant That Works:

Our favourite and the first roll on deodorant that worked well enough to gain our seal of approval was the Gentle Control range by Green People. Rosemary has a warm herbal scent, Aloe vera is sweeter and fresh and No Scent is completely free from fragrance for those with extremely sensitive skin. There are also 2 versions for men, Stay Cool with mint, lavender and eucalyptus or Stay Fresh with thyme, lemon and clove It uses potassium alum to limit the growth of bacteria and essential oils to give a pleasant scent.

If you prefer a spray then Weleda’s deodorants are our top recommendation. They contain alcohol which limits bacterial growth and therefore stinkiness and they are great to keep in your bag for a refreshing spritz of the lovely natural scents throughout the day. Consumer trials found that the rose fragrance lasts up to 9 hours.

Why choose an organic deodorant?

• Conventional deodorants contain paraben preservatives which can accumulate in the body. None of our deodorants contain parabens

• Our deodorants are fragranced with essential oils which have skin care benefits rather than synthetic fragrance which can be irritating

• Modern antiperspirants suppress the body’s vital function of perspiration by using aluminium salts like aluminium chlorohydrate to block the pores, our natural deodorants do not.

What are you waiting for? UK delivery is Free so why not order an organic deodorant that works today?

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. 

We currently have some sample sachets of the new formulation and these will be given away with orders while stocks last.

We’re so excited about these new miniature bottles of nail polish from Orly. There are loads of great colours that are bang on trend and at only £5 a pop it’s really hard to exercise restraint when picking a favourite.

We use Orly nail polish in our organic beauty salon to complement our range of certified organic manicure and pedicure products. Unfortunately, there’s currently no such thing as an organic nail polish. The ingredients needed to make the nail varnish stay on the nail just aren’t available from organic sources, and the water based nail polishes we’ve tried are to put it bluntly, absolutely useless!

A product must first and foremost do what it’s supposed to, so nail polish that gives poor coverage or chips off in moments is not worth buying.

No such problems with Orly nail polish. The brand excludes the main undesirable ingredients usually found in nail polish, namely formaldehyde, DBP and toluene and it works beautifully. Coverage is excellent and applied properly with a suitable base and top coat we’ve found that Orly nail polish really lasts.

Although for professional use the large bottles offer the best value, we think that Orly minis are definitely the way to go for use at home. They are really great value so there’s no need to restrict yourself to just one colour and there’s plenty in these small bottles for the average home user. After all when did you ever get to the end of a bottle of nail varnish?

Take a look at the full range and “like” or “share” your favourites so we can see your favourites.

New Year, new you?
It’s that time of year when we all decide things are going to be different as we set out on the road to good intentions

Here are my simple beauty resolutions from my skincare routine that are easy to keep up with - and you will quickly see (and feel) the benefits!

Always cleanse at night…
Cleansing properly every night is the single most important thing you can do for your skin. Removing grime and makeup before going to bed allows skin to breathe and enables your skin’s natural night time renewal process to work as it should. Skin that is free from air borne pollutants, and make up residues can work on restoring its natural balance during the night. The most important thing is to cleanse daily with something that suits your skin. I remove all cleansers with warm water and a muslin flannel, as it gently exfoliates leaving skin super soft and using water helps to give a really deep clean feeling too. Muslins are a great way to save money as you can wash and reuse them, unlike cotton wool, and the gentle exfoliating action might mean that you could drop a product from your routine too. Organic Cotton Muslin Flannel - £3 each, 2 for £5 or 5 for £12.

Exfoliate regularly…
Exfoliation for the body is one of the things that is so easily forgotten and dropped from your body care routine, but one that pays huge dividends if you do manage to remember to keep it up. Although they still seem far away, the bare-skinned days of summer will be upon us. Before we know it and if you’ve started early with the buffing and scrubbing, when the sun takes us by surprise again on the those first glorious days of late spring sunshine, you will be able to bare your arms with pride (and only a hint of smugness!). Make regular exfoliation your New Year’s resolution and come summer you’ll be so happy you kept it up. Little and often is the best way to exfoliate, you want to polish your skin to a gentle glow rather than scratching it with harsh, rough granules.

For dry skin, my all time favourite body scrub is the Sensuous Sugar Scrub by Green People - £19.50 for 245g. Based on organic raw cane sugar blended with nourishing oils such as jojoba, rosehip and pomegranate this certified organic body scrub leaves skin beautifully soft and smooth as well as deeply moisturised.

Get the most out of your scrub and avoid wasting it by applying to dry or just damp skin while standing in the shower. Massage into the areas you want to target in circular motions and then turn on the shower and rinse away leaving silky soft skin. If you apply while the shower is running most of the product will be washed away before it gets the chance to do its job properly! Exfoliating in the morning is a great way to give yourself a boost of energy for the day too, and if you dare to finish off with an icy blast from a cold a shower you’ll really boost the circulation!

Use a scrub no more than a couple of times per week to avoid over exfoliation but if you do enjoy the sensation of light exfoliation then why not use a body buffer to apply your shower gel every day? It makes the shower gel go much further, enhances the bubbles and gives a light exfoliation at the same time. I use the Body Buffer by Urban Spa (£2.20) in my shower; it’s lasted for ages and is much better than the alternatives you may have seen on the high street.