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.

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.

Our most recent addition to our deodorant range is the Madara Herbal Deodorant. It has a large and comfortable roller ball and pleasant herbal fragrance and is fast becoming a best seller. 

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 on orders over £30 so why not order an organic deodorant that works today?

Without the summer sun to give us a glow, many of us find that blotches and uneven skin tone are more of a problem in colder weather.  To even things out and restore radiance a foundation is a better bet than a tinted moisturiser and mineral foundations allow you to build up coverage as much as you like without ever feeling heavy or caked.  Lily Lolo Mineral foundation is a real find. The finish is as good, if not better, and the application is as easy as any other mineral powder foundation we’ve tried (and we’ve tried a lot!) and the price is just a tiny £14.99 a pot.

You really need a kabuki brush to apply mineral foundation. The super kabuki from Lily Lolo is £15.99 and works really well, the silky bristles feel wonderful on the skin and are vegan friendly too.

Blend together eye shadow shades of gold, brown, bronze and taupe to set the autumnal tone for your look. Lavera eyeshadow quattro's in either Indian Dream or Cappuccino Cream are ideal and from only £12.50 for 4 beautiful shades are ultra affordable too.

Choose eyeliner to complement your eye shadow shades; Lavera for soft and smudgy, and Dr Hauschka for something slightly firmer (but certainly not hard) to enable you to draw a more precise line.  Finish off your masterpiece and frame your eyes with good mascara. Our top picks are Dr Hauschka Volume Mascara in black for maximum definition and build, and Lavera Volume mascara in black or brown to lengthen and separate lashes with silky sheen.

In colder weather, a good lipstick can help protect your lips from the elements whilst finishing off your look perfectly. Organic Lipsticks are a real treat to use; they glide on silkily to leave lips soft and smooth with colour that really stays. For a glossier finish the Lavera Brilliant Care lipsticks are heaven, they feel just like wearing lip balm and come in 4 gorgeous shades all of which complement the autumn colour palette beautifully.

Revive your make up bag for autumn and get a Free Make Up bag worth £14.99 when you spend over £30 on make up while stocks last.

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 make up 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.

Muslin face cloths 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. £3 each, 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 Acorelle Body Scrub - it's a bargain at just £12.99 for 200ml. Based on crushed olive stones and apricot kernels blended with nourishing aloe vera this certified organic body scrub leaves skin beautifully soft and smooth as well as deeply moisturised with theinvigorating scent of lemon.

Lots of So Organic customers use the Mooncup. This little cup is made from soft silicone, which is derived from silica, a naturally occurring compound from the earth. Some people worry of exposure to pesticides, chemicals or bleaches when using tampons or pads but the Mooncup menstrual cup contains none of these.

Non-organic cotton accounts for a quarter of the world's pesticide use. As one of the main ingredients in tampons this is a scary thought. Organic tampons are great though do still absorb (in addition to menstrual fluid) the natural moisture that maintains a healthy vaginal environment. The menstrual cup does not absorb; it only collects flowing blood.

By reusing the menstrual cup every month you contribute fewer tampons to the sewerage system and less pads to landfill. Plus think of the energy required to source, manufacture and transport the material used in what is estimated to be around 10,000 tampons and pads in one woman's lifetime. The menstrual cup is a perfect little sanitary device. You save your body from unnatural substances, you save money and you save the environment all at the same time!

Learn more about the Mooncup menstrual cup >>>

Nothing has the ability to put a smile on your face and feel like a brand new you as a fabulous new lipstick. For spring 2013 the choice simply has to be the new Dr Hauschka Lipstick range. Originally launched as a limited edition in 2012 these gorgeous glossy lipsticks proved so popular they're here to stay!

With a choice of 3 infinitely wearable shades and a silky texture that feels just like slicking on your favourite lip balm, these luscious new lipsticks are a real treat.

The base is packed with nourishing organic oils of Castor, Jojoba, Rosehip, Apricot and Sweet Almond combined with beeswax to give a waxy, creamy consistency which really moisturises your lips.

Easy to apply and wear all day long

The new Dr Hauschka Lipstick colours are sheer so you can either slick on single layer for the effect of a strong gloss, ideal for summer daytime wear, or apply to lined lips with your favourite brush, blot and reapply for a greater depth of colour and staying power.  

3 Beautiful Shades for Summer 2013

Dr Hauschka Lipstick 13 - Red Quartz - A glossy terracotta shade that is infinitely wearable and will suit most skin tones.

Dr Hauschka Lipstick 15 - Violet Marble - A soft and delicate plum shade, that's subtle not shouty so perfect to day long wear. Top with a juicy gloss to take it into the evening.

Dr Hauschka Lipstick 16 - Pink Topaz - Wears like a strong gloss rather than a bright pink. Build up the layers for more intense colour, or simply slick on a single coat for a gorgeous natural glossy pink.

Silk Duvet Review: "I have slept under a long fibre mulberry silk filled duvet for the last 6-7 years. It is feather light and drapes beautifully keeping me wrapped in comfort all night long. It is warm in winter, cool in summer and is very breathable allowing me and my husband to both feel comfortable. Even though with regular duvets we prefer different weights, we both love our 9 tog silk filled duvet and use it all year round. When staying away from home no other duvet ever comes close, even when staying at good hotels we always can’t wait to get home to the comfort of our silk filled duvet! Unfortunately the company we used to get our Silk Duvets from is no longer around. I am so happy to have found Natalie and Snow Blossom to be able to once again offer our customers the joy and comfort of sleeping under silk. The quality of the Snow Blossom products is the best I’ve ever seen."
Sam (So Organic Founder)

 I had never heard of bedding containing bamboo before coming across a luxurious bedding stall at one of the country shows. Just touching a sample pillowcase made of this fibre was very intriguing. It seemed to take away all heat from my hand. Sleeping all night in a heat wave does not diminish this curious phenomenon and both hubby and I awake not at all grumpy!

Panda lovers need not worry, as it is not the same genus of bamboo that the dear creatures like to eat – it is harvested especially for fibre production. I did ask that question as there has been so much fuss and worry about panda feeding habitats.

Happily Snow Blossom bamboo bedding and silk filled duvets and pillows are now available here at So Organic. If you need some advice in choosing, please call our product specialists on 020 8465 5600, they'd love to help.

At just £8.99 these lovely lipsticks are less expensive than many high street brands yet contain none of the usual nasties such as petroleum based oils, parabens and synthetic fragrance. Instead their fragrance free formulation includes nourishing vitamin e, rich plant waxes and organic Jojoba oil.

These are natural creamy lipsticks for beautiful and nourished lips. They apply beautifully with a smooth, even, cream application that just glides on.  Each shade gives a stunning natural glow while protecting your lips with the natural antioxidant properties of Vitamin E and Rosemary extract.

6 On Trend shades:

Intense Crush – A natural, coral peach.

Demure – A natural, peachy beige.

Romantic Rose - A rich, rose pink.

Love Affair – A dusky, brown pink.

French Flirt – A warm, mid-toned red.

Desire - A cool, intense red.

Since 2005 Lily Lolo has been leading the field in high performance affordably priced mineral make up. The long awaited lipsticks are a real delight and already attracting a lot of attention. We’ve got our fingers crossed that mascara will be next on the Lily Lolo agenda.

If you fancy giving the new Lily Lolo lipstick a try all 6 gorgeous shades are available now with free delivery.  

It’s rare to find a range of organic products that ticks so many boxes at such a tiny price. Beautifully package, certified organic formulations which are suitable for vegans and do exactly what they supposed to.

The Skin Blossom products range starts at £4.95 and nothing costs more than £7.95.

Now with 10 products, the Skin Blossom products range has been re-launched for summer 2012 and includes:

 Organic Skin Care:

• Organic Face Wash £5.95
• Organic Cleansing Milk £5.95
• Organic Replenish Moisturiser £7.25
• Organic Nourish Moisturiser £7.25

Organic Body Care:

• Organic Hand Cream £4.95
• Organic Body Wash £6.95
• Organic Body Lotion £7.95

Organic Hair Care:

• Organic Shampoo £6.95
• Organic Conditioner £7.95

We’ve put them through their paces and are thrilled to be able to say that we love the lot. The bumper sized 350ml bottles of Body wash, Body Lotion, Shampoo and Conditioner are around the lowest priced in our range so Skin Blossom products are perfect if you’re looking for big bottle value for the whole family.

If you fancy giving them a try there’s no better time. Spend over £20 on Skin Blossom products while stocks last and receive a free Skin Blossom organic eye cream to complete your routine. UK delivery is Free too.

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?