Beauty’s the game, evolve is the name…

If you’ve ever sat at home dreaming of the day when you could create your very own effective, premium skincare product using natural and organic ingredients, then listen up, because that time has come!

evolve beauty, a brand of organic, eco-friendly and affordable beauty products has opened up its product design lab to the general public, and is handing the reigns over to you! Now embarking on the first stages of creating its new facial serum due to be launched in 2011, evolve is inviting you to submit your best recipe ideas, and be in with the chance of getting your product actually made and sold in-store.

There are a number of manufacturing guidelines to keep within, which will help you out with the tricky technical stuff, but you get to decide on all of the exciting aspects from the name and on-pack description right down to what active ingredients are used, the fragrance and even the texture!

The best recipes will be made into actual samples, tried and tested by a panel of beauty experts, and the winner will then be manufactured and put on sale.

“We’ve always had consumer involvement with our product development by way of group tests, social networking and customer feedback,” says evolve’s founder, Laura Rudoe, “and this input has influenced the brand imagery, identity, product range and type of ingredients we use. It’s a great process for a small entrepreneurial company like us to help get a sense of what works, what our customers actually want, and to successfully appeal to a wide demographic.

“But, being involved in the creative process also helps our customers to more fully understand the sustainable angle to manufacturing, and encourages them to think more carefully about where ingredients are sourced from, and what goes into developing a range like evolve. Plus it’s incredibly fun!”

How to enter

* You have between now and the end of June to create your product recipe online at http://www.evolvebeauty.co.uk/kitchen/create.html

* All of the recipes submitted will be published in the evolve recipe gallery at http://www.evolvebeauty.co.uk/kitchen/gallery.html

* All recipes in the gallery are then voted on, and the top three products with the most votes by the end of June will be made into samples.

* Over the summer, a panel of beauty experts will test the three samples, before picking the product they feel has the most commercial appeal.

* The designer of the winning recipe will win £250 and a year’s supply of their product.

Award winner

Not one to settle for the norm, evolve has always been at the forefront of ethical packaging, and has pioneered the use of recycled plastic milk bottles for its sleek product containers. But the launch of its new 2010 line, which includes hair care, bodycare and a face scrub, also carries the new consumer-inspired strapline “Superfood nutrition for naturally beautiful skin”.

Consumers were asked to vote on an online poll to help decide on evolve’s new colour scheme and strapline. The success of this first foray into direct customer interactivity by evolve can be measured by its scooping of Best New Product Design award on Sunday night at Natural & Organic Products Europe exhibition at Olympia.

Congratulations to everyone involved.

Now, let the fun begin!

A splash of organic

Each year, Stella McCartney reinvents her 2003 namesake fragrance, Stella, with lush new notes to create a limited-edition version of her iconic rose scent. For 2010 the guest ingredient of choice to create Sheer Stella is none other than organic rose.

Now, unlike Care, Stella’s organic bodycare line, the perfume itself is not certified organic by Ecocert, but the organic rose is grown by an Ecocert awarded cooperative high up in the Persian mountains.

A conventional-based fragrance with a hint of organic rose is not ideal for all you chemical-loathing beauties out there, but it is a nod in the right direction. And it does reaffirm that organic beauty has staying power within the large cosmetic houses even during a recession, which is good news for us all.

Launched in early April, and intended to showcase beauty both on and off the body, Sheer Stella Organic Rose is packaged in a bottle designed by Philip Jones – an emerging British painter and sculptor.

Pucker up with the perfect pout

The weather might be miserable outdoors, but at Clean Green Beauty HQ it’s raining product launches! Spring is so nearly here, and with it comes the first buds of beauty inspiration, and luscious lips are the order of the day.

Not one, not two, but three fantastic new lip care ranges have now burst onto the UK high street boasting natural formulations, on-trend shades, and SOS lip remedies.

First up is the new Ecocert-certified range from Latvian brand, MÁDARA. Its two lip glosses — Moonkissed and Sunkissed — are now towing the line with a 100% natural reformulation, not to mention offering you more for your money with 50% extra volume for the same price as before – just £9.90.

Both the balms and glosses are made using Baltic herbs and plants, including rose hip, nettle and vitamin E in the Regenerating lip balm, and calendula, chamomile and sea buckthorn in the Softening lip balm. Mmm, lush!

Next up is Cotswold-based Apples & Pears Wild Rose Lip Balm. Straight from the 2010 Natural Health Beauty Awards where it scooped a highly commended, this ‘best of British’ lip balm is handmade from honey and beeswax produced in Apples & Pears’ Cotswold apiaries.

At a time when honey-bee populations are at an all time low, Apples & Pears practices ‘bee friendly’ beekeeping to help safeguard numbers, as well as produce fabulous, nourishing beauty products.

Using pure, natural capping wax – the type of wax that bees use to seal the honey in the honeycomb – these lip balms are made by slowly warming and filtering the wax, and then adding healing honey, cold-pressed plant oils, butter and plant extracts.

The result is a silky smooth moisturising lip balm. And if rose isn’t your scent of choice, opt for the Calendula blend, which contains essential oils of citrus fruits – perfect for dry, sore lips.

And continuing with our bee sting lip theme, last but never least comes industry stalwart, Burt’s Bees, with its latest launch — Super Shiny Lip Glosses. Infused with citrus and sweet almond, and all 100% natural, choose from four fabulous shades: Nector Nude, Pucker Berry, Sweet Pink and Zesty Red.

Said to be a favourite with SATC starlet Sarah Jessica Parker, you really couldn’t ‘bee’ more spoilt for choice…

Avon buys Liz Earle

“Cooee! It’s your Liz Earle lady calling!”

Yes, this week brought the rather unexpected news that American giant Avon (best known for its iconic door-to-door ‘Avon lady’ sales reps) has bought one of the UK’s leading natural beauty brands, Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare.

Although the all-cash deal has secured Avon a 100% acquisition, the co-founders – Liz Earle and Kim Buckland – will continue to manage the company as a stand-alone brand located in the UK.

We consumers have been assured that product development will continue as usual (with both a mineral-based sunscreen and hair care range in the offing for 2010), however the obvious main cause of concern for all loyal Liz Earle customers is that future development and growth of the brand does not come at the cost of its premium natural and organic ingredients.

Having successfully capitalised its sales via the television shopping channel QVC (the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser reportedly sells at a staggering rate of one a minute), it comes has no surprise that a direct selling business plan, such as one that Avon is a market leader in, would suit the brand well. Let’s just hope global expansion (aided by Avon’s presence in more than 100 markets around the world) doesn’t mean compromising on Liz Earle’s global fair trade ingredients sourcing practices as well.

Tried & Tested – Oskia Nutri-Active Day Cream

What it claims: An advanced anti-ageing multi-active day cream that not only provides long lasting hydration and essential nutrients to improve cell health and efficiency but is formulated to smooth out and help prevent the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, revitalise and repair, encourage healthy collagen production and protect DNA.

Clean Green Beauty verdict: I simply couldn’t wait to try out this Nutri-Active Day Cream, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. I’m usually loath to experiment with face creams as my skin is prone to blemishes if a product is too oily, but the list of premium ingredients in this product left me no option. I would expect any product that claims to “improve cell health” to contain the likes of hyaluronic acid, vitamin E and omegas-3 and 6 (as this cream does), but in total it contains a staggering 11 active ingredients, including Swiss apple stem cells and its key ingredient MSM (methyl sulphonyl methane), both of which help to repair damaged skin and boost collagen production. And after just a short period of use my skin is glowing. My complexion is smooth, hydrated, and completely blemish-free. You don’t need to use much (which is good as it’s fairly pricey) and it glides on beautifully absorbing into my skin quickly and leaving a soft, nourished feel with not even a hint of greasiness. It’s recommended to use the Day Cream in conjunction with Oskia’s Beauty Mineral food supplement (pure MSM, priced £29.50 for 45 tablets) for optimum results, which I have been doing, but this is certainly one of the best anti-ageing skincare treatments that I have tried.

Price: £52 for 30ml

Available from: Liberty’s of London, and online at www.oskiaskincare.com

(Complimentary product samples have been supplied to Clean Green Beauty for independent review – this is not a sponsored product endorsement)

NaTrue QR codes mark the end of greenwashing

Picture this: you’re walking through your local shopping centre one sunny afternoon in search of some natural hair care products when you spot a brand of shampoo you’ve never seen before. You like the look of it, the packaging says all the right things, and it’s certified by NaTrue but you’re still unsure whether or not to buy it. Hmm, what to do?

Well your dilemma is now over, as natural and organic beauty has officially entered the modern world of technology thanks to new and exciting advancements made by independent certifier, NaTrue.

In conjunction with a shiny new revamp of the website – www.NaTrue.org – the forward-thinking certification body has initiated the use of ‘quick response’ — two dimensional bar codes that allow information to be downloaded at high speed. By taking a photo of the code that is printed on each product using a mobile phone, your phone will automatically lead you to a product specific weblink, which will tell you everything you need to know about that product.

Now, although this technology has actually been in circulation since 1994, it’s still not a widely used or recognised method in the UK, so you could be left wondering why this development is so potentially revolutionary. Well, QR codes (as pictured on the left) can be used to denote any online information, but in the case of NaTrue it will give consumers immediate access to in-depth details on any beauty product certified by NaTrue, including ingredients, company information, their ethos and values, what environmental standards they adhere to, and whether or not they follow fair trade practices, etc.

In short, consumers will be able to take a detour around the fancy marketing jargon, the expensive brand image, and finally get answers to questions that usually can’t be answered when stood in a shopping aisle. This will empower consumers, and enable them to make unbiased purchasing decisions based on their own ethics. The days of greenwashing are over.

“We are turning the point of sale into a ‘point of experience’”, says Moritz Aebersold, president of NaTrue and director of biodynamic brand, Weleda. “This is an exciting development for producers, retailers and consumers alike. People want authentic products and the QR tags are a great way to find out. In depth information is just a click away.”

Almost 400 products have been certified under NaTrue since its launch in 2008, a complete list of which can be found here.

Neal’s Yard Remedies to launch NEW Soothing Starflower Collection

Few natural beauty brands have packaging so iconic that it’s recognisable from more than 20 paces away, but Neal’s Yard Remedies certainly does. Its blue, glass medicinal-like bottles are now so synonymous with the homeopathic company’s premium organic skincare that labels are on the verge of redundancy. But keep your eyes peeled for a few new blue bottles this April, as we anticipate the launch of Neal’s Yard’s NEW Soothing Starflower Collection.

Fragrance-free and dermatologically tested on sensitive skin, this new range has been specially formulated for skin prone to irritation and redness (and let’s face it, this harsh, cold 2010 weather has so far done none of our complexions any favours.) So if you’ve been blighted by sore, inflamed, dried-out skin, this could be just the range for you.

Bonus ingredients include Edelweiss, which acts as a protective barrier against harsh weather and pollutants (as well as reducing redness), and also liquorice, which soothes and hydrates.

However, this particular range’s key ingredient is starflower (also known as borage). Starflower is said to be the highest known plant source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a fatty acid more commonly associated with evening primrose oil, but often used in skincare for its anti-inflammatory properties. It helps to strengthen the skin, and serves to protect.

All three products in the Soothing Starflower Collection — Cleansing Milk, Daily Essence, and Daily Moisture — absorb into the skin quickly and effectively leaving no oily residue, and they smell divine too! Watch this space…

NEW 100% natural Lancome Juicy Tubes

It’s been a remarkable 10 years since Lancome launched its iconic Juicy Tube range, and to mark this incredible milestone the cosmetic house has collaborated with equally retro Japanese designer, Yayoi Kusama to produce its new Juicy Tubes Natural Origins Collection.

Six eco-chic shades all made with 100% natural formulations and sporting collectable funky designs are due to hit the high street in April 2010 when the Natural Origins line launches exclusively in Debenhams. Enriched with shea butter and honey to achieve its signature high gloss appeal, the outer-boxes are also made from 100% recyclable material.

Now this is not Lancome’s first foray into natural cosmetics. Last year it launched its line of Juicy Tubes Pure, which contained 95% natural ingredients and 100% natural-origin flavours. So the fact that these six new glosses continue the natural trend bodes well for future releases from this corporate giant.

Clean Green Beauty gives this anniversary range a big green tick.

Mother’s Day 20% discount on all Jo Wood Organics

Mother’s Day – a time in the year when we get to celebrate, spoil and indulge our truly fabulous mums for no other reason than the adorable fact that they are truly fabulous! So what better way to do it this year than to treat said fab mum to a little something from Jo Wood Organics – the epitome of floral, fruity, organic sophistication — a treat and compliment in one!

And because we at Clean Green Beauty are such avid fans of the rock ‘n roll chic range, we’ve got an exclusive Mother’s Day 20% discount to share with all our readers across the whole collection, as well as the chance to win £100 worth of Jo Wood Organics goodies in a free hamper give-away!

Encompassing moisturisers, body scrubs, bath oils and elegant candles the range has something to suit every special and discerning mum, including two exciting and exotic new fragrances joining the Jo Wood Organics 2010 Eau de Toilette collection. Certified organic by Ecocert, and formulated using organic orange water, which hydrates the skin as well as leaving a divine aroma, Tula and Langa are set to be the coveted must-have scents of the year.

Tula — A delicate, white floral fragrance, it boasts an exotic heart of frangipani and jasmine on an ylang ylang and sandalwood base.

Langa — A bright, zesty fragrance, it refreshes with notes of orange, Sicilian lemon and neroli on a cedarwood and vanilla base.

(This promotion has now closed)

Fairtrade beauty ingredients put to the question

Just two days left of Fairtrade Fortnight 2010 – have you swapped yet?

Today the Fairtrade Foundation is featured on The Guardian’s ‘You ask, they answer’ Green Living blog. Here’s their response to Clean Green Beauty’s question.

Clean Green Beauty asked: Beauty products are the most recent category to receive Fairtrade certification, which is fab, but the minimum percentage of Fairtrade ingredients required per product is pretty low. I understand that this was initially set low to encourage manufacturers and make Fairtrade beauty more accessible, but do you see the minimum percentage increasing any time soon?

Fairtrade Foundation replied: CleanGreenBeauty, thanks for your question on one of our more recent categories, I hope we are able to help you out with this answer:

Our rules state that for a product to carry the FAIRTRADE Mark, all ingredients that can be certified Fairtrade, must be sourced from Fairtrade certified producers under Fairtrade terms. Only the natural ingredients have the potential to be Fairtrade certified, therefore it is not possible for all ingredients of a beauty product to be Fairtrade. However, beauty products are usually made up of a combination of water, synthetic and natural (or naturally derived) ingredients and very often, natural ingredients make up a relatively low proportion of the overall volume of a product. Indeed water often makes up 80% or 90% of a beauty product, so the Fairtrade standards must fit with typical product formulations to be technically and commercially viable. For these reasons and those further explained below there are currently no plans to increase the minimum percentage.

The cosmetics policy covers ‘leave-on’ products (e.g. lotions, body oils, face masks and lipstick) and ‘wash off’ products (e.g. shampoos, shower gels, soaps and toothpaste). For each product category there are threshold levels, which specify the minimum proportion of Fairtrade content in the final product.

In determining the minimum threshold our aim is to secure the best possible opportunity for Fairtrade producers. The threshold levels were established following extensive research and consultation with consumers, industry, producers and other key stakeholders, and are meant as a minimum only – we expect companies to use the highest levels of Fairtrade ingredients possible, which indeed many brands already do.

These levels open up the potential market for Fairtrade labelling to 53% of the total cosmetics and personal care market and will allow a wide range of products to be formulated, including the best-selling volume lines. Setting higher thresholds would limit the overall volume potential considerably and therefore limit the ultimate benefits back to producers.

For producer organisations, the primary benefit of Fairtrade will be the development of long term and supportive trading relationships with the companies to whom they sell. While the Fairtrade minimum price and premium will help improve their stability of income and ability to reinvest in their communities, the Fairtrade system recognises that most beauty products are often heavily water-based and contain relatively small volumes of natural ingredients. The Fairtrade model for beauty products therefore seeks to add further value for producers by obliging companies to develop a partnership plan by which they commit to additional support for the producers of the raw ingredients. This could be additional financial support for producer business improvements or community projects, or technical support with market access, management or other needs, for example investing in value-added business activities, using UK expertise to assist producer organisations develop products for local market.

It is up to the farmers’ organisations to decide democratically how they wish to invest premiums they earn from Fairtrade and for many, ingredients that go into beauty formulations are a secondary source of income following many years of selling their crop into the Fairtrade market. Conacado for example have used their Fairtrade premium for a number of projects including: providing training courses for farmers to help improve quality and yield; constructing a new school and contributing to school repairs in five regions; running a healthcare clinic for the community including free medical check-ups; and providing interest-free loans and credit to members.

Kasinthula Cane Growers Association, Malawi have provided safe, clean water to the three villages that had to collect water from the Shire River, risking water-borne diseases and attack from crocodiles. The first borehole was dug in the village of Kapasule in March 2004. The 500-plus villagers no longer have to use the river or make the 2.5 km walk to Siseu village to collect clean water. A second borehole was dug in Chinangwa village in 2005. Significant premium money has been used to make electricity available for the first time in two villages where Kasinthula members live. Pylons and transformers have been brought in and the villagers have connected their houses to the supply. For the first time the villagers will be able to work in the evenings, without having to struggle to read and see in the dark and working hours can be extended so they will be able to earn more.

The increased sales that these producers will be able to make as a result of being able to access a new market sector will increase further the benefits that they, their families and communities will make from the sale of Fairtrade beauty products.