As an organic fanatic, I apply the same quest for uncontaminated naturalness to skincare products as to food.
I don’t want to rub parabens (preservative linked to cancer) into my skin.
I don’t want my unctions laced with Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (chemical used in paint stripper linked to skin irritation and allergies), thank you very much.
About half of what you put on your body goes in your body.
Thanks to campaigning, the European Commission is considering a restricted ban on parabens.
However, worrying evidence already exists. Which is why organic standards have already banned parabens.
This is what I like about organic standards: they are based, o so sensibly, on the Precautionary Principle.
Does this ingredient pose a potential health risk?
Is this risk necessary? If not, then…
– don’t take it!
Thanks to the Precautionary principle, organic standards have already banned, as I said, parabens, and Sodium Laurel Sulphate. (And many more).
Factory-made chemicals with potential health risks are cheap to produce – they are in the small print on the packaging. The beneficial ingredients are in bigger lettering, shouted on the packaging, sounding as if they make up most of the product.
Organic skincare products avoid ingredients with health risks and have more active ingredients than non-organic products.
I am always happy to promote products that are as honest as they can get.
I work in PR but I’m also a campaigner. And luckily (could it be any other way?) I do both.
I have been working with Neal’s Yard Remedies, a campaigning (my favourite type) brand.
Please check out its up-to-minute information resource: NYR Natural Health News now edited by previous-Ecologist editor and investigative journalist and author, Pat Thomas.
This blog describes Neal’s Yard Remedies’ eco-factory at Peacemarsh, Dorset.
Neal’s Yard Remedies was founded 30 years ago by pioneering Romy Fraser.
Determined the company would not fall to greenwashing corporates, she sold it in 2006 to environmental campaigner, Peter Kindersley of Sheepdrove Organic Farm (which supplies Neal’s Yard Remedies with organic herbs). The organic products are now all 100% Soil Association certified.
Mini-digression: Romy Fraser makes soaps for Neal’s Yard Remedies, and runs courses on Trill Farm, her must-visit organic farm in Devon – with Daphne Lambert (for the-most-nutritious food education – and food).
Last month, we had a great evening at Neal’s Yard Remedies store in Bristol for Organic September.
We invited Bristol bloggers interested in organic products for babies.
Lovely people and what a great supportive blogging community. And yielding such fresh honest responses to the evening, such as from Tigerlilly Quinn’s night out, ShipShape’s review , Purple Ella, Knitty Mummy, and Circus Queen (moon cups and all!),
Brilliant to meet people previously only-met online. Despite being a social media maniac, I believe: Nothing. Beats. Real. Life.
Max from Neal’s Yard Remedies in Bristol gives Bristol blogger, Purple Ella, a hand massage.
Fantastic to have support from Neal’s Yard Remedies HQ in Covent Garden. Nicola Nolan gave a great talk about the company, and its Bee Lovely campaign to ban the lethal bee-harming and totally unnecessary neonicotinoid pesticides – please sign the petition.
Also, from Covent Garden, Jane Killingsworth.
Organic cheeses provided by Sheepdrove Organic Farm – its Butcher’s shop is just across the Whiteladies road.
The best of organic Mediterranean produce from artisan farms and cooperatives – breads sticks, dip-in spreads, olives. Thank you, Organico. (My fuzzy pic)
Me bee-hind the Bee Lovely campaign and Bee Lovely organic products stand.
Neal’s Yard Remedies is like an old-fashioned apothecary – rows of healing herbs and spices.
Thank you to all the Bristol bloggers and Tweeters.
Thank you, Nadia Hillman, for above fab photos – do credit her if you use them!
I took this one of Nadia!
Real Food Lover 
Thanks for that. Never heard of parabens before. Good to learn about them.
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Thanks, Paul. Yes, do examine the list of ingredients on your wash products with your food technology eye, and see what you think!
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It was a lovely evening, everything about it generously tinged with people-care and planet-care. Its a kind of madness – the lengths we go to to preserve our youth and beauty-especially when one scrutinizes the ingredients! These days with information such as is contained in your great blog – being so available, there is no excuse. Neal’s Yard is a great place to start.
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Thanks, Nadia – and for your great photos. I agree: the evening had a lovely atmosphere and I wonder if it is because we are gathering to do something good for the world and our health – if that does not sound TOO goody-goody! (We are baddy baddy too even if we like organic so fear not…)
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Elisabeth, you ARE so lovely and wonderful to help us all understand how important organic products are to a healthy lifestyle. And you make it soooo much fun! Thanks for all you do!!
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I am relieved it sounds fun! YES! Fun AND sanity! Why not?
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Elisabeth, I have always used Neal’s Yard rosehip oil diluted on my face for a couple of years now and I love it – it keeps the wrinkles at bay! Anything to do with Neals Yard, that’s me!!
Nina Gaskell
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Hi Nina – great to hear. Yes, I love Neal’s Yard Remedies too, and my absolute favourite is its Frankincense perfume. It’s so hard to find natural perfume with a great long-lasting aroma – this is it!
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For many years, the chemical industry denied that ‘dermal exposure’ – ie. exposure to chemicals through the skin – was something ordinary consumers should worry about. But that argument was entirely discredited when pharma firms began to produce contraceptive and nicotine patches. These rely entirely on dermal exposure – that is, the semi-permeable nature of human skin to transfer specific chemicals into our blood stream. Within the last five years the EU has begun to force cosmetic companies to prove their products do not contain substances that are known carcinogens, genotoxins, etc… In many cases, cosmetic firms have removed products or reformulated them because they’ve realised they do not have the necessary research data to prove the safety of certain ingredients. I’m convinced that a bestselling Clinique product I used to use every day disappeared for this reason. Parabens are cheap preservatives by the way – they’re a mainstay of the cheap-as-chips toiletries industry
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Erin, thank you so much for your informed comment as an environmental journalist. I did not know about the EU playing this health safeguarding role, and it ‘s kind of a relief to hear – balances out its role as a suppressor of traditional herbal remedies!
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Very informative article Elizabeth. I followed the link to Neals Yard and was interested to read to information about multi-vits for the over 50’s. I started taking then about 2 months ago, and was not sure if I was doing the right thing…….seems I am.
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Hi Tony
Yes, be reassured. Neal’s Yard Remedies are The Real Thing!
Thanks, Elisabeth
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