The post Video interview: Jayn Sterland appeared first on Natural Beauty Yearbook.

Natural beauty: The shock of the not new

The beauty industry is in a state of perpetual reinvention, the need for constant innovation and ‘newness’ unquestioned. To some extent that’s true for the natural and organic beauty sector too.

But just how sustainable is that relentless quest for the new? Not very, according to Jayn Sterland, MD at Weleda UK.

In a special video interview, Sterland, a participant at last week’s Natural Beauty Roundtable, says: “A really well established beauty brand will only grow their business, in the main, through adding newness. So a lot of the really mature brands will spend all of their time, energy and effort, and their main marketing effort, talking about the ‘new new’.

“How is that sustainable? Why aren’t we looking at last year, or even ten years ago, or 20 ­– and getting it right first time. I work for a company that rarely innovates, and when we do innovate it might take us 10 years to have a product that we know works. So, working to trends isn’t how we work.”

Sterland acknowledges that “what retailers want is something new and exciting every day, to get shoppers to come through the door, or go online.”But she says it creates an “imbalance” that natural beauty brands need to reconcile. “The critical thing,” she says, “ is to make a product relevant today, even if – like Weleda’s Skin Food – it’s 90 years old”.

“Organic and natural is just about the purity of an ingredient, it’s nothing to do with the whole process of the business”

Elsewhere, Sterland calls on the natural beauty sector to speak with a unified voice and pull behind a single certifying body. And she says that the wider natural beauty debate “needs to elevate itself away from the natural versus organic question, and instead be asking how sustainable is what we’re doing?” She adds: “Organic and natural is just about the purity of an ingredient, it’s nothing to do with the whole process of the business.”

Sterland also argues that natural and organic beauty brands should work harder to appeal to mainstream consumers “because the more mainstream we can make sustainability, organic and natural the more good will come of it.”

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The post Organic Monitor sees ‘golden opportunity’ in anti-pollution skincare for natural brands appeared first on Natural Beauty Yearbook.

Organic Monitor says it sees untapped opportunities for natural and organic cosmetic brands in the emerging category of anti-pollution skincare, with many new ingredients and finished products launching over the last 18 months.

Originating in Asia, anti-pollution skincare products are now being seen internationally, says the company, with large multinationals developing dedicated ranges to protect and heal the skin from pollutants. Procter & Gamble have teamed up with the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew to develop natural actives for this purpose, for example, and Clarins is growing dedicated ‘anti-pollution’ plants to produce natural actives for its skincare line.

But in spite of the growing number of natural actives – such as green tea, artichokes, acai berry and moringa – which offer high levels of antioxidants to protect skin cells, few natural and organic cosmetic brands have developed anti-pollution ranges, Organic Monitor points out. One reason for this are the technical issues associated with green formulations; developing green functional skincare products brings issues related to stability, preservation and performance, it says. However, it cites Derma E, REN and Tata Harper as natural brands that have been successful in meeting these challenges.

Organic Monitor says it believes green brands have a golden opportunity in this area. “Growing awareness of air pollution and its environmental and health impacts are stimulating consumer demand for such products. However, almost all such formulations are conventional; although such products are treating skin conditions caused by pollution, they can have a detrimental impact on the environment themselves,” says the company. “Natural and organic brands can create products that do not just protect the skin from pollution, but also have a lower impact on the environment and human health. Furthermore, such products could be marketed as truly sustainable.”

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The post Eve & Rose brings natural pregnancy skincare offer to UK appeared first on Natural Beauty Yearbook.

New to the UK is Eve & Rose, a range of luxurious, pregnancy-safe beauty products produced in France to meet the needs of pregnant women and new mothers.

Founded by Bérengère Tissot-Favre – who developed the brand after having difficulty finding non-synthetic skincare products that met her expectations during her first pregnancy – the three-strong range is based on organic active ingredients.

Nourishing Body Lotion Comfort & Firmness, includes moisturizing shea butter with nourishing argan oil, aloe vera and vitamin E.

Precious Body Oil Soothing & Anti-Stretch Marks, combines nourishing argan oil with soothing macadamia oil, white lily flower, carrot and vitamin E.

Anti-Stretch Marks Double Action Serum uses Centella asiatica to regenerate collagen fibres, aloe vera to help heal tissue, natural hyaluronic acid to repair skin density, along with arnica, butcher’s broom, green coffee, horsetail, meadowsweet, white lily flower.

Eve & Rose is a social business, with 50% of profits being donated to charity.

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The post Fresh faced award winners appeared first on Natural Beauty Yearbook.

Winners of the 2016 Beauty Shortlist Awards have been announced, with a raft of both new and experienced brand names and products on the list.

The coveted Best Baby Brand UK went to stalwart Green People, while Best Eco-Friendly Baby Brand was a joint win for both Weleda and Neal’s Yard Remedies.

A new launch from Pai Skincare with its Petit Pai Apple and Mallow Hair and Body Wash managed to scoop the top spot in the Best Shampoo and Body Wash category, raising the profile of its newly launched baby and children’s range “developed to help set the foundations for healthy, happy skin right from the beginning.”

“Our annual Beauty Awards and Baby Awards are always such a fantastic barometer of what’s happening in beauty ‘now’ with regards to new trends, in vogue ingredients, new recyclable packaging and formula innovations,” says Fiona Klonarides, founder of The Beauty Shortlist. “Entries for our Mama & Baby Awards in July were up almost 150 per cent on 2015, and even more interesting was the wave of 100 per cent natural and/or organic-certified products that poured in.”

“The message is getting through that clean, green and sustainable is the way, and it made my heart sing to see these new gentle green brands take part,” she continued. “I do, however, think we need to somehow clarify organic certification, and I wish there was one, definitive organic accreditation process available, as it varies so greatly.”

You can find more information, including entries and voting for the 2017 Beauty Shortlist Awards, here.

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The post Weleda brings back popular tooth gel for kids appeared first on Natural Beauty Yearbook.

Weleda’s Children’s Tooth Gel is back by popular demand, with a new improved formulation and flavour profile.

NATRUE-certified, the gel is developed with dentists and is natural and free from synthetic ingredients and fluoride. The clear base gel is made from non-abrasive hydrated silica, thickened with align obtained from seaweed, and is ideal for milk teeth.

A key ingredient is organic calendula, which is used in the Weleda Baby range for its mild soothing and healing properties, and is great for gums, and is flavoured with a child-friendly mix of essential oils including fennel and spearmint.

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The post Free From Skincare Awards winners 2016 announced appeared first on Natural Beauty Yearbook.

This, the fifth year of the Free From Skincare Awards, saw over 270 natural and organic skincare brands competing to win in 14 categories.

Cited as being one of the award’s most exciting years yet, 120 experienced Beauty Bible testers and a dedicated panel of Free From judges and experts took part in the process.

Kinvara took top honours, winning the Overall Award for Best Free From Skincare Product for its Absolute Cleansing Oil, with Sukin taking the award for the Best Free From Achievement Award, sponsored by Organii.

Kokomelt’s 24 Sugar Scrub Hand Cubes took the Men’s Grooming category, while JASON Gluten Free Shampoo won the Hair category. Terre Verdi FranChouliPom Body Oil triumphed in the Oils and Serums category, and Seascape Island Apothecary topped the Body Care Wash Off category for its Uplift Sea Salt Scrub.

Other category winners include: Benecos, Natural Hand & Nail Cream with Sea Buckthorn & Orange in the Hand, Nail and Foot Care category; The Naked Skincare Company, Mint, Rosemary and Spirulina Clay Soap in the Hard Soap category; BALMOLOGY, Calendula & Chamomile Comfort Balm conquered the Problem Skin category; and 001 Skincare, Rosa Damascena Essence Mist won the Fresh and Fragrant category.

“Judges noticed better standards of ‘free from’ and allergy-aware labelling this year,” said Alex Gazzola, awards administrator. “We also felt the quality of ingredients being used in cosmetics has improved. It has been encouraging to see so many small and upcoming brands winning a number of awards too. The future of natural skincare is in good hands!”

The awards were presented by beauty and holistic health guru, Janey Lee Grace.

For a full list of all the winners and runners-up, visit https://bit.ly/29GWgR1.

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The post True Organic of Sweden expands UK offer appeared first on Natural Beauty Yearbook.

Natural and organic skincare brand True Organic of Sweden which recently launched in the UK is to launch two new products this month: Face It and Undercover Agent.

Face It is an organic serum suitable for oily, combination and normal skin of any age and combines chia seed oil, thistle oil and rose hip oil along with vitamin E. Scented with Bergamot and Geranium essential oils, beneficial for troubled skin, the serum is packaged in a UV-proof glass bottle to protect the oils.

Undercover Agent is a long-lasting 99% natural and organic roll-on deodorant that, the brand says, really works. Free from harsh chemicals such as parabens, phthalates and synthetic aluminium, the deodorant consists of high grade potassium alum, a natural mineral salt that forms a protective layer on the skin to inhibit the growth of odour-causing bacteria.

“We’ve been delighted at the early success of True Organic of Sweden in the UK since its launch at the start of 2016,” comments company founder, Tina de Sousa. “It’s clear that the UK consumer is crying out for honest, natural and organic beauty products that they can trust to deliver not only in terms of their ethics but also because they really work too.

“Our latest two products – Face It and Undercover Agent – are truly innovative in this respect and follow in the footsteps of our award-winning, revolutionary rescue cream All You Need Is Me which hit salons and retailers earlier this year.

“All of our range is organic and at least 95% natural, unlike many so-called ‘organic’ or ‘natural’ products on the market which can contain as little as 1% of organic ingredients. Our aim is to provide clarity for consumers and for those in the health and beauty industry who only want to promote the very best in quality skincare and beauty products.”

The two new products will be showcased at Natural & Organic Products Europe this month on Stand B50.

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The post Living Nature’s loving the lips appeared first on Natural Beauty Yearbook.

Botanical Brands has extended the Living Nature certified organic lipstick range with the addition of two new vibrant shades of red.

Wild Fire is described as a versatile warm and classic matte red with an orange undertone, which can be worn day or night. Pure Passion is a rich, deep matte red with a subtle crimson undertone. Perfect for night time it is designed to add a bit of glamour and elegance.

Successfully creating a red lipstick from organic, 100% natural and carmine-free ingredients is no easy task, according to Botanical Brands’ Kim Allan. “A good red lipstick is a difficult colour to create from 100% natural and organic ingredients. To get the vibrancy of colour without using carmine is even more difficult. After years of working on this dilemma, Living Nature’s formulators have now succeeded. They have created two intense, vibrant red lipsticks that use really clever natural plant ingredients, including Melia azadirachta and Coccinia indica.   As an added bonus they are also certified organic by COSMOS.”

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The post AA Skincare enhances hair health with the power of Ayurveda appeared first on Natural Beauty Yearbook.

AA Skincare has formulated a range of plant-inspired shampoos featuring holistic Ayurvedic herb powders to boost hair health.

The shampoos combine essential oils, natural extracts and healing Ayurvedic herb powders such as rejuvenating brahmi to thicken hair, vitamin C-rich alma to strengthen roots, conditioning bhringraj to encourage growth, and tulsi for scalp irritations.

The five-strong offer consists of: Cedarwood & Peppermint Deep Cleansing Shampoo, an invigorating, naturally antimicrobial shampoo for oily hair; Rosemary, Sage & Burdock Lift & Repair Shampoo, an antioxidant shampoo which also incorporates bay laurel oil and geranium; Alma & Clary Sage Rejuvenating Shampoo, to nourish hair and strengthen roots; Peony, Bay & Brahmi Nourishing Shampoo, with tulsi to help boost growth and maintain scalp health; Ylang Ylang, Argan & Rosemary Conditioning Shampoo to help repair split ends and encourage softness, shine and volume.

“Natural, undone hair is now a style choice and our new, plant-inspired shampoo range will leave hair healthy, soft and manageable, perfect for this season’s ‘glam-grunge’ look,” says Woody Evans, director at AA Skincare. “Our new range contains Ayurveda herb powders – time-tested, holistic ingredients that have played a part in healthy hair care in India for more than 5,000 years. From solving scalp problems through nourishing hair to promoting growth, our new range will help condition and protect hair as well as boost scalp health.”

The shampoos are all natural and the packaging is fully recyclable.

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The post Modîe Haircare offers natural hair care solution appeared first on Natural Beauty Yearbook.

New haircare brand Modîe Haircare has launched to offer premium quality hair products for black women with natural hair.

“I went natural four years ago whilst living in Los Angeles,” says founder Janette Nzekwe, “and when I returned to London, I immediately noticed a complete lack of premium quality products for British women. Having worked for pharmaceutical companies for more than a decade, I began focusing my efforts on providing a premium quality hair product for black women with natural hair.”

The brand’s first product, Modiê Moisturizing Créme is an all-natural, premium hair product for afro hair. Combining castor oil, olive oil, organic amla and manoi oil the moisturizing cream is suitable for dry or chemically treated hair. The product is sulphate-, paraben- and silicone-free.

Nzekwe adds: “I was frustrated at seeing very few black women with natural hair represented in the beauty industry. By founding Modiê Haircare, we are engaging with other black women and creating a superior shopping experience for customers with natural hair. Modîe Haircare seeks to make the afro synonymous with beauty and sophistication, elegance and grace.”

The brand boasts singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae as a fan of the cream.

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