Our Best Organic Products

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acerola cherry, acid, ageing, balanced, breakdown, camomile, cells, control, damage, deas skin, dermalogica, Dermalogica Clearing Mattifier, Dermalogica Miltivitamin Power Firm, dirt, dry, efficacy, elasticity, Elemis, Elemis British Botanical Shower Cream, Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Gel Mask, Elemis Smart Cleanse Micellar Water, english rose water, exfoliates, external damage, fine lines, food, fruit acids, geranium, lavender, make-up, mask, micellar, moisture, oils, organic, palmarosa, prematurely, produce, regeneration, repair, retexture, shine, shine-free, skin, strengthen, surface, water

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Many of us have made the transition to using organic produce in our cooking, in order to avoid eating things which contain potentially harmful chemicals and pesticides which large-scale food producers so often turn to, so it makes sense to also switch to using beauty products which contain the same conscientiously sourced ingredients, too. Both Elemis and Dermalogica offer products which contain organic ingredients, and here are five of our favourites:

Elemis British Botanical Shower Cream

Shower and bath products are probably the thing which we use the most and usually over our whole body, so it makes sense that we’d want this product to contain the best ingredients possible. This nourishing shower cream from Elemis contains a mix of organic oats and essential oils such as lavender, camomile, geranium and palmarosa to cleanse and enrich the skin whilst adding a layer of moisture to dry skin.

Dermalogica Clearing Mattifier

Spot-prone, oily skin can be really hard to control and finding powerful products which contain organic ingredients can sometimes be tricky. However, this Clearing Mattifier from Dermalogica contains organic silicones which melt gently into the skin to help minimise fine lines, retexture the skins surface leaving it smooth, all while controlling shine and leaving your face shine-free.

Elemis Smart Cleanse Micellar Water

One of the things we love about this Micellar Water from Elemis is how effectively is manages to remove make-up while being incredibly gentle on the skin, and this is thanks in no small part to the organic English rose water is contains. It removes dirt, make-up and impurities but still maintains the natural protective barrier of the skin, giving you a clean but perfectly balanced complexion.

Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Firm

This formulation from Dermalogica is designed for extremely dry or prematurely ageing skin and offers a level of moisture which is much needed when the skin starts to lose elasticity. The organic silicones provide a layer of protection from external damage, helping to protect, repair, strengthen and improve smoothness of your skin.

Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Gel Mask

When your skin is starting to show signs of ageing, you need powerful ingredients to reverse those signs, which is why Elemis created this mask which combines targeted enzymes which encourage the breakdown of dead skin cells and promotes cell regeneration. It uses various fruit acids, including organic Acerola cherry acid which effectively exfoliates the skins surface adding to the resurfacing efficacy of the mask.

Spring Produce – What Should You Be Eating?

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Alzheimer’s, bones, brain, cancer, diet, fibre, food, fruit, hair, health, minerals, nails, nutrition, prevention, produce, seasonal, skin, spring, vegetables, Vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamins

Spring is a fabulous time for year for new fruit and veg as there are a whole bunch of new things in season which are great for your health. Here’s a guide to what’s in season, how they can be eaten and, most importantly, how they benefit your health and beauty regime.

Sorrel

Sorrel is a leafy veg which doesn’t make it into many day-to-day dishes, but it’s actually packed with vitamins and minerals while being very low in calories. It has a unique flavour which is a little bit ‘love it or hate it’, but if it’s your cup of tea it’s great when added to a leafy salad, or can even be chopped finely and used more like a herb to flavour other dishes. It’s full of vitamin C, with half a cup fulfilling your daily needs and also contains many cancer-fighting compounds.

Spring Greens

Probably the most obvious ‘spring’ veg, spring greens (also known as Collard greens in other parts of the world) are similar to kale and are best when cooked down and eaten hot, especially with some lardons and a little red chilli. These are an essential part of your diet if you have any sort of dairy intolerance as they contain high levels of calcium without the need for milk. They are also a great source of dietary fibre, which will reduce the risk of bloating, as well as containing a whole host of other vitamins and minerals.

Radishes

Radishes are largely under-appreciated here in the UK, consigned to being the bit of the salad that no-one eats, but they’re actually a tasty, nutritious and fairly versatile veg. They’re actually used in a lot of ancient medicines for their ability to cool the body and and hydrate the skin and they’re also full of cancer-fighting phytonutrients.

Rhubarb

Rhubarb is a fruit which is best known for being used in crumbles and pies, which is largely because the fibrous fruit (which is technically a veg!) needs to be cooked down a lot to be made palatable, but once you’ve prepared it, it’s both delicious and good for you. Every serving of rhubarb provides 45% of the daily value in vitamin K, which supports healthy bone growth and can limit neuronal damage in the brain, even to the point of Alzheimer’s prevention.

Jersey Royal New Potatoes

Popular opinion of potatoes is largely negative – many people think that potatoes are just a ‘filler’ which contain very little nutrients but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Jersey Royals contain complex carbohydrates which are essential for energy and just 100g of them contain 25% of your daily RDA of vitamin C, which is essential in the diet for maintaining healthy skin, hair, bones, teeth and gums.

January’s Seasonal Foods

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amino acids, fruit, minerals, produce, seasonal, veg, vitamins

Although the supermarkets would have you believe that strawberries are readily available all year round, when we eat fruit and veg out of season, it usually means that it’s been grown in a hotter country and flown all the way around the world, which is obviously terrible for the environment. Opting for produce which is in season not only allows you to do your bit for the planet, it can also help you to discover foods that you may not necessarily usually eat and add a little variety to your plate. Here’s what you should be looking for in January and February:

Salsify

Salsify is a root vegetable which is actually a member of the sunflower family and although the tough, black skin is practically inedible, the flesh beneath is tasty and full of nutrition. As well as being a good source of dietary fibre, which will help combat bloat, it’s also packed with vitamin C and potassium.

Blood Orange

Blood oranges may sound a little unappealing but are, in fact, simply named because of their dark red flesh. The dark redness is actually caused by a compound called anthocyanin, which protects against a number of diseases, such as cancer and liver dysfunction. They are also less acidic than normal oranges and have a sweet, almost raspberry-like flavour, making them ideal for anyone who suffers from digestive issues whilst being packed with vitamin C.

Pomegranates

Pomegranates are a bit of a love/hate fruit because they are fairly expensive and are pretty tricky to eat, but their nutritional benefits and versatility make them something you should definitely be adding to your shopping list at this time of year. Pomegranates are fairly high in sugar, as are many fruits, but they also have a relatively high fibre content too, which means that they release their energy slower and won’t cause big spikes in your sugar levels, something which is important for diabetics and non-diabetics alike.

Truffles

Okay, so this may seem like a rather “lofty” suggestion as truffles are a notoriously expensive ingredient but one of the reasons that they are so prized is that they are probably the most nutritious mushroom on the planet! As well as being 8.6% protein (fab for anyone trying to build muscle) truffles are also rich in minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, iron, sulphur, chlorine, silicone, AND amino acids!

Leeks

Leeks are often overlooked as a vegetable but they’re actually one of the most nutritious veg around! Part of the onion family, leeks contain a whole host of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and anti-oxidants. A 100g serving contains 39% of your RDA of vitamin K and 55% of your vitamin A, whilst only containing 61 calories!