What you will find here
The skincare section brings together natural and organic products for face and body, most of them from a UK natural health and beauty shop. Rather than a long list of creams, the range leans towards oils, balms and simple tools, so it helps to know which sub-category does what.
- Essential oils are the largest group: single essential oils in 10ml bottles, carrier oils such as jojoba and sweet almond in 50ml bottles, amber glass bottles for your own blends, and ceramic oil burners.
- Mists mostly holds further single essential oils, plus a pillow mist and a conditioning hair mist.
- Balms covers ready made organic cleansing and body balms and skincare gift collections.
- Exfoliators has a face polish, a wooden body brush, a lava foot stone and a beard brush.
- Scrubs is small and currently lists a natural foot stone.
Where to start
If you are new to natural skincare, a plain routine works better than many products at once: a gentle cleanser or cleansing balm, a moisturiser or oil suited to your skin, and sun protection in daylight. Add one product at a time and give it a couple of weeks before judging it, so you know what caused any reaction.
Essential oils need diluting before they touch skin, usually at about 2% for the body and 1% or less for the face. If you want to mix your own oils, read how to dilute and store them first, and pick a carrier oil to suit the job.
Before you buy
Check the full ingredient list on the product page, especially if you have sensitive skin or allergies; nut oils such as sweet almond are common in natural skincare. Patch test new products on the inside of your forearm. If a rash, persistent redness or a skin condition is the reason you are shopping, a pharmacist or GP can help you decide what to use.
Common questions
Are natural skincare products better for sensitive skin?
Not automatically. Plant oils, essential oils and botanical extracts can irritate sensitive skin just as synthetic ingredients can. Read the full ingredient list, patch test, and choose fragrance free products if fragrance bothers you.
What does organic mean on a skincare label?
It refers to how the plant ingredients were farmed. Water and minerals cannot be organic, so a product is usually described by the percentage of certified organic ingredients rather than as 100% organic.
Can I use essential oils neat on a spot?
It is safer not to. Neat essential oils can irritate or sensitise skin. Dilute them, and see a pharmacist if you are trying to treat a skin problem.