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Embrace Beauty the Natural Way By Lisa HaynesWith the credit crunch forcing us to tighten the purse strings, our make-up bags may be suffering. But while some women are cutting back on cluttering their bathroom cabinets, others are veering towards the extreme of all-natural beauty. You don't have to be defined as a 'green gal' to reap the benefits of going au naturel. The interest in natural and organic products is reaching across every demographic group, even if sales are not always following, according to a new report. Almost 80% of those surveyed by market researcher NPD Group were interested in 'natural beauty' products but only 64% admitted regularly using them. "'Natural' is the most important word, but people want to know more," explains Karen Grant, NPD's beauty analyst. "They want to see certification or know what makes it natural or organic." NATURALLY INQUISITIVE Many people are keen to climb aboard the natural beauty bandwagon but don't know where to start. Some of the natural-style ingredients and terminology can seem a little alien to those why usually buy products according to the prettiness of the packaging. If you want to enter into a world of super-natural beauty, an informative but straightforward book like The Organic Pharmacy's new Complete Guide To Natural Health & Beauty is a good starting point. "Natural healing forms a hugely important part of taking control of your life," says author and founder of The Organic Pharmacy, Margo Marrone (pictured). But it wasn't until she was pregnant two years ago that the pharmacist started to overhaul her beauty products to complement her organic way of living. "I started to take an interest in what was actually contained in the cosmetics that my body was absorbing through my skin and passing on to my unborn baby," she explains. "At that point I changed my life and I haven't looked back since. "The benefits include reducing your toxic load, providing more nutrients for your body and helping your environment - all of which serve to improve your overall wellbeing." NATURAL BEAUTY ROUTINE The quest for beautiful, blemish-free skin doesn't have to involve hoards of expensive lotions and potions. Go back to basics with your daily skincare routine. Margo reveals her secrets: CLEANSING "The best cleanser is one that is oil-based," Margo advises. "Remove with a face cloth that has been soaked in hot water and wrung out. "The most important time to cleanse is at night, when I prefer to use a balm (oil-based cleanser). In the morning, I use a gentle face wash or milk. Regular soap can strip away the acid mantle, making your skin vulnerable." TONING "Use a toner packed with herbal extracts that repair the skin," she recommends. "Aloe vera and rose are great for all skin types; rose on its own is excellent for dry skin. "Use a combination of aloe with a herb such as lavender or calendula for oily skin; and with lemon or gotu kola for combination skin." MOISTURISING "You need two kinds of moisturisers," Margo says. "The first is a full-scale, cream-based moisturiser that includes lipid restorers and humectants. Star ingredients like propolis, aloe vera, calendula, and rose-hip seed oil all make miraculous components for full moisturising creams. "The second kind of moisturiser is a face oil, or for those with very oily skin, a gel that contains small amounts of oil. Remember quality is essential. Look for oils that are cold-pressed, organic and rich in colour," Margo advises. SKIN SUPERFOODS "There are some foods that your skin just cries out for you to eat, because they are so densely packed with the vitamins and minerals that it needs to stay healthy and look so beautiful," Margo says. She recommends drinking at least six glasses of water every day and eating lots of fresh, water-rich fruit and vegetables. Add these superfoods to your shopping list for a real beauty boost: ALFALFA: "Packed with calcium, magnesium, potassium, chlorophyll, beta carotene, B-vitamins and more, alfalfa is a great all-in-one source of antioxidants," says Margo. GREEN FOODS - BARLEY GRASS, WHEATGRASS, SPIRULINA AND CHLORELLA: "These foods are a combination of micro algae and sprouted grains. All are rich in chlorophyll, which has a unique ability to cleanse the cells of toxins." GOJI BERRIES: Margo favours these little berries because they are "packed with nutrients, which are the building blocks for proteins such as collagen and elastin, and minerals, such as zinc, selenium, calcium and iron". "This skin superfood rejuvenates and regenerates your skin's cells."
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