With more of us beginning to understand how the cremes, soaps and makeup we apply to our bodies affect the way we feel and age, the number of unnatural ingredients in other products is coming under scrutiny. Washing up liquid, something many of us use every day to wash the dishes, is one of them.

Alma Win’s washing up liquid concentrate is an organic eco friendly alternative to the more toxic dishwashing cleaning products on the market. It uses ecologically sound production methods including green energy to reduce CO2 emissions, reduced water pollution and is packaged in recyclable materials. Derived from natural sources this washing up liquid is biodegradable, has no added preservatives, has not been tested on animals and is suitable for vegans. It is certified by ECO Garantie.

Many mainstream brands are filled with chemical ingredients, which when vaporised and inhaled as steam, can cause irritation to the eyes and respiratory tract. Alma Win products don’t contain optical brighteners, petrochemicals, phosphates, chlorine, bulking agents, colour additives, ethoxylated raw materials and any genetically modified enzymes.

Being a concentrate you only require a small squirt to do a normal load of dishes. Perfumed with certified organic essential oils this concentrate has a pleasantly light scent of lemongrass and eucalyptus. Alma Win doesn’t leave you with streaky glasses and with a bit of elbow grease it will scrub away the crustier grime from your roasting trays.

Aside from cleaning effectiveness a good washing up liquid must be gentle on the skin. The wheat proteins and glycerine (vegetable derived) found in Alma Win are skin moisturising.

Friendly on the skin, the pocket and the environment Alma Win is a good alternative to the more commonly used synthetic washing up liquids.

Organics Apoteke offer a range of ECOCERT certified organic beauty products. Their ingredients are ethically sourced and all products are approved by the Vegetarian Society. All packaging is made from post consumer recycled and recyclable materials. Knowing this made for an encourageable start to my Apoteke initiation.

For three days, twice a day I used the Buttermilk Cleanser (a hydrating facial cleanser and make-up remover), the Rejuvenating Face Cream (with skin firming and hydrating formula) and the Rasayana Rejuvenating Serum (for lines and problem areas).

I was fairly sceptical about the cleanser as I'd just trialled another brands organic cleanser which I'd found quite anti-cleansing. Thankfully it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The Buttermilk Cleanser was very gentle and light on my skin without leaving it feeling oily and more clogged than pre application (as the other cleanser had). It removed my make-up easily and left my face feeling clean but still soft. It also has an anti-oxidant rich formulation built into it for greater hydration and improved cell renewal.

The rejuvenating serum had a little less impact on me but this may be because 1) I don't usually use facial serums and 2) I only applied it for the three days so it's unlikely to affect the appearance of lines in such a tight timeframe and 3) I wasn't a fan of its apple scent (but this is a biased viewpoint as I have personal distaste for apple smelling beauty products).

On the other hand I very much like rose as a natural fragrance, which is why the moisturiser was more of an appeal. Made from organic rose oil and pentapeptide complex (derived from organic botanicals) this product does what it says on the packaging. My skin felt smoother and more hydrated. It was a perfect follow-up to the cleanser.

Overall the Organic Apoteke range is one of the best organic skin care ranges I've tried and I would certainly consider using the cleanser and moisturiser as part of my daily routine.