Feelgood - Irish Examiner

More documents

Recommendations

Info

TERAPROOF:User:jaycarcioneDate:27/10/2010Time:14:09:29Edition:29/10/2010FeelgoodXH2910Page:14 Zone:XH 14 Beauty These days natural ‘goes beyond’ the product ingredients Emily O’Sullivan XH - V1 The news on ... SPARKLING STUFF RIGHT, so we’re not big fans of sparkle and glitter, but that’s just us and we’ve a feeling that teenage girls are probably going to absolutely love this new product from The Body Shop. Decked out, boudoir-style in a pink bottle, the new Sparkler, 19.95, is filled with sparkle dust complete with an atomiser that will poof it all wherever you want it. It’s glittery, it’s sparkly, it’s completely over the top, but if nothing else, it’s good fun. STUFF WE LIKE Jurlique is one of the oldest natural companies around. For the last 25 years, they have used hand-grown botanicals grown on their own farm in Australia. Now the brand covers skincare, bath and body, hand, aromatherapy, hair and baby. Try the Moisture Replenishing Day Cream, 30.70, one of the bestsellers, which uses calendula, chamomile as well as rosehip and avocado oils. Launched in 1995, Korres has slowly increased its presence worldwide and is now one of the leading natural and organic skincare brands. Its star products include White Tea Fluid Gel, 17.60, Pomegranate Cream, Feelgood A FRESH OUTLOOK IT SAYS a lot about the changing nature of the beauty industry that the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit is now in its second year. Things are happening quickly on the beauty front. Consumers are getting savvier. And companies are having to respond to a market that demands a “kinder” approach, in terms of ingredients and the environment. Whereas once upon a time, most people wouldn’t have the first idea what parabens were, now people are familiar with the potentially harmful chemicals that are put into the majority of beauty products. And companies that are taking a more natural approach are going from strength to strength — green means business, it can mean increased profitability and increased success and brands that are tapping into the zeitgeist are reaping the rewards. It’s all about making money at the end of the day, after all. Yes To is one company that has had a meteoric rise to prominence over the last four years from a tiny clutch of products to a globally recognised brand that is sold in 29 countries, with sales of nearly $50m (35.8m). Chief executive Ido Leffler was in Dublin last week before delivering a key note address at the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit in Paris. And Leffler is in no doubt about what sustainable and natural means for cosmetics brands today. “Natural these days goes beyond the ingredients,” he notes. “It also means being ethical and sustainable, it means being a company with strong corporate governance — you need to be a good corporate citizen and give back to the community.” For consumers, wading through the mound of “natural” beauty companies to find out which ones have the right ethic is the kind of research that few of us are prepared to do. Looking up a beauty brand to check whether they have “good corporate governance” is unlikely to happen. Furthermore, with such confusing messages about packaging, organic and natural ingredients and potentially damaging chemicals, it can begin to look like something of a quagmire. I put it to Leffler that while an “ethical” company such as Yes To might use recycled and recyclable packaging and use natural ingredients, they are still flying ingredients from around the world to put in their products. “I think you’ve got to pick your battles as a company,” Leffler explains, “With us we’ve set up our three pillars of sustainability — people, product and company success, it’s what we put in our product and it’s how we treat our people and how we treat our consumers, it’s important that we give back and we’re not just a greedy entity. We source our ingredients as much as possible from sustainable sources, or fair trade suppliers.” It’s quite clear that beauty companies are not perfect, but in a world that is far from ideal, companies that are trying to promote responsibility and sustainability are starting to get themselves heard in a competitive market. Yes To might use Dead Sea mud in their 23.20, Fig Showergel, 9.80 and Evening Primrose Eye Cream, 32.70. Products are free from parabens, minerals and silicone. We are also slightly in love with the Almond Proteins Leave-On Conditioner, 13. Many “natural” companies aren’t too upfront about their environmental policies, but Lush isn’t one of them. Creative in its approach (it was the first to come up with a solid shampoo bar), the company is fastidious about reducing packaging and about half their products can be taken home with no packaging at all. It also aims for all their packaging to be recyclable or compostable. Try the famous Bath Ballistics. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010 products (which has to be flown to the States where it is manufactured), but they also use FSC certified paper, recycled and recyclable packaging and biodegradable wipes. Most of the products in the range are over 95% natural, and a full list of the ingredients in each product is available on their website. “At some point we do have to transport something, we do have some kind of environmental impact but it’s all about how we offset that, how we deal with it, how we behave,” Leffler explains. If you simply prefer natural ingredients, you’re worried about the environment but like using beauty products or you’re after a product suitable for a vegetarian lifestyle, then the new breed of “natural” cosmetics companies could be the way to go. Under the umbrella of Carrots, Yes To are Yes To Cucumbers, Yes To Tomatoes, Yes to Blueberries and the soon to be launched Yes To Baby Carrots for little ones. We’re very partial to the excellent Yes To Carrots C Me Smile Lip Butters, which are 100% organic, excellent at keeping lips supple and cost just 3.50. Aveda is a pioneer, a product of the hippy ’70s that has gone on to be one of the world’s biggest selling beauty brands. Deeply committed to the use of botanical ingredients, they are the first beauty company to receive a Cradle to Cradle Certified sustainability endorsement. They have a strict approach to packaging and are also the first beauty company manufacturing TAKE THREE BLONDE BOOSTING PRODUCTS IF YOU’RE looking a little dull, but you seriously can’t afford a trip to the salon right now, don’t panic. There are ways of giving your highlights a bit of a boost without spending a fortune. But don’t expect miracles — these products will help a little … but not a lot. John Frieda Sheer Blonde Blonde Hair Repair, 5.99. Blonde hair can go a bit ratty and raggedy especially if it’s been highlighted repeatedly, so make sure you keep your locks looking sleek and luscious with a good conditioning treatment. This one is a great bet, and needs to be left on for only two to three minutes. Botanics Shimmering Blonde Shampoo, 3.49. It’s not going to work any wonders, this one, but it has a lovely scent and it does seem to make blonde highlights a little more shiny and radiant. Redken Blonde Glam Dream Whip Protective Softening Mousse, 23.80. Mousse feels really 80s, but this one doesn’t leave your hair in any way crunchy (although resist any urge you might have to scrunch dry into an enormous diffuser). Light and bright, it helps to eliminate brassiness and strengthen hair. with 10% certified windpower. Bestsellers include their Rosemary Mint Shampoo, 28, but we’re quite partial to their Caribbean Therapy Bath Soak, 32. REN outline their five guiding principles on their website: right ingredients, right science, right attitude, right product experience, right environmental impact. The products contain no petrochemicals, sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrances or colours. They’re really a delight to use, although they can be expensive, but it’s definitely worth it for a treat. We like the Guerande Salt Exfoliating Body Balm, 33. Yum.
TERAPROOF:User:jaycarcioneDate:27/10/2010Time:14:12:14Edition:29/10/2010FeelgoodXH2910Page:15 Zone:XH XH - V1 Natural health 15 Megan Sheppard Do you have a question for Megan Sheppard? Email it to feelgood@examiner.ie or send a letter to Feelgood Irish Examiner City Quarter Lapps Quay Cork QMY hair, skin, and scalp are all very dry. I was wondering if this is a sign of a certain deficiency, or if there is something topical which will help. A. I believe that you are on the right track in looking first towards your internal health. Often this can be as simple as a few dietary changes — both the inclusion and exclusion of certain foods and habits. Getting enough of the essential fatty acids (EFAs) is crucial when it comes to treating dryness, and we can only source these from the diet since the body cannot manufacture EFAs. If you eat fish, then be sure to include tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel, and trout in your diet at least 2-3 times weekly. Otherwise sea vegetables (seaweeds), algae supplements (spirulina etc.), nuts, and seeds are great sources. Other options include taking a supplement, such as those made by Healthy and Essential (www.healthyandessential.ie; 045 892267). The other important consideration when it comes to nutrient deficiency is digestive health. You can eat a wonderful diet that is rich in nutrients, but if your digestive health isn’t up to par then your body cannot effectively unlock the health benefits from your food. Digestive enzymes are a brilliant way to kickstart your system back into health and ensure that you are absorbing all of the nutrients from your food — I really like products which utilise serrapeptase, but there are many great combinations of enzymes available. Both Solgar and Udo’s Choice have digestive enzyme combinations, and Serra Enzyme have an enteric coated serrapeptase supplement. All of the above products are available from Here’s Health (www.hereshealth.ie; 021-4278101) who offer free shipping throughout Ireland with no minimum order. The other important factor in gut health is of course, beneficial bacteria. Once again, there are many great probiotic products available — in your case I would go for Threelac (also available from Here’s Health), which has proven very useful in situations where the bacterial balance is seriously compromised. Q. I understand acupressure can help with painful periods — is this something I can do myself, or should I visit a qualified practitioner for effective pain relief? A. Acupressure, and indeed acupuncture, can make all the difference when it comes to period pain and other symptoms such as fatigue, mood swings, and bloating. This system of healing utilises certain points on the body which help to rebalance the flow of energy (referred to as “Qi” or “Chi” in Traditional Chinese Medicine). You can certainly treat yourself effectively using acupressure; the point you are looking HEAD START: Fish, nuts and seeds are a good source of essential fatty acids, which are crucial to maintaining ahealthy scalp, hair and skin. Picture: Getty Images for is located on the ankle and is known as SP6, or Sanyinjiao. SP6, or Spleen 6, is located at a point where the three Yin channels of the leg meet — about a hand breadth above the ankle bone prominence on the inside of the leg. Use a firm pressure and apply for six seconds, then release for two for a duration of five minutes on each ankle, then repeat (a total of ten minutes on each side). You need not press so hard that it causes pain, but you do need to press firmly enough to stimulate the Qi. Sanyinjiao, being the intersection of three channels, is important in balancing energies. As well as regulating menstruation and relieving pain, it helps with digestion, elimination, bloodflow, liver function, urination, and induces a state of calmness. This point is also used to bring on labour, so should not be used during pregnancy without professional advice! Q. I would like to avoid getting the flu at all costs, but I am not interested in getting the flu shots. There must be a natural remedy which is effective in boosting my defences? A. Tried and true, vitamin C is a great way to ward off colds and flu naturally. The important thing to get right is which type of vitamin C you choose. I am a big fan of plant-based nutrition, so I recommend the Amazonian fruit, camu camu, which is the second highest source of natural vitamin C. It is about 8% by weight — 30 times that of oranges — and it is easily absorbed and assimilated by the body. Rio Health, the specialist supplier of Amazonian plant foods have a camu camu supplement, where 60 vegecaps (500mg) cost 12.20. The highest plant source of vitamin C is a native bush fruit of Western Australia, known as Gubinge, which is 13% by weight. Studies have shown that supporting nutrients are also important for immune health, in particular vitamin E, selenium, and zinc. So get plenty of nuts and seeds in your diet, and include foods such as leafy greens, avocado, and broccoli. Wheatgerm is a good oil to use as a dressing for salads as it assists with the uptake of fat-soluble nutrients and is a good source of vitamins E, A, and D — all beneficial for immune health. While we are on the subject, vitamin D is crucial to immune functioning — and this sunshine nutrient is lacking in most people living in Ireland. A study from Finland in July of this year showed that vitamin D helps to ward off respiratory infections, and a recent Japanese study in schoolchildren showed that children taking 1200IU of vitamin D3 daily had a significantly lower chance of getting the flu. So you will need to take a decent dose of this supplement (far higher than the recommended daily dose of 400IU, currently under revision), around 3000IU daily for a healthy adult, more if you are diagnosed deficient, or significantly overweight. Rio Health’s Camu Camu and a range of vitamin D3 supplements are available from Here’s Health. Megan puts the spotlight on: LAST week we looked at the healing benefits of some common vegetables found in most gardens. This was only scratching the surface of the health goldmine available to us all, so this week we continue to uncover ordinary heroes on our dinner plates. Butternut Contains: vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6, C, K, E, betacarotene, folate, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc, fibre and protein. You just need to look at the glowing colour of butternut squash to know that it is rich in betacarotene, which the body uses to produce vitamin A. It contains additional carotenoids, which is why it is considered by many nutritionists to be one of the useful foods in reducing the risk of certain types of cancer. It is also a good vegetable to eat in protecting the prostate (as are pumpkin seeds), and is particularly useful to help reduce the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Broccoli Contains: vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6, C, K, E, betacarotene, biotin, folate, calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and fibre. We have all heard about how powerful broccoli is with regards to inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, due to the compounds, diindolylmethane (DIM) and sulforaphane. It is also a great vegetable to choose when you are dealing with infection of any type as it has antibacterial and antiviral More value from your veg properties. It provides nutrients for the health and repair of bones and eyes, plus it strengthens and supports the immune system. Broccoli is well known as a super vegetable, and it certainly lives up to the hype. Carrot Contains: vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6, C, K , E, betacarotene, biotin, folate, calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc and fibre. Another popular vegetable when it comes to health benefits — particularly for eyesight, since it has a long-standing reputation for aiding night vision. As with butternuts, the betacarotene is converted to vitamin A, which is important in eyesight, skin health, reproductive health, and immune support. Carrots are also a great way to help reduce cholesterol levels — you only need to eat two a day to improve your arterial health. Asparagus Contains: vitamins B1, B3, B5, C, K, E, betacarotene, biotin, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc and fibre. Asparagus is used in Ayurvedic medicine for many health reasons, particularly in addressing female reproductive health. It is rich in folic acid, so it certainly will help during pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects, and it works as a mild diuretic. High in antioxidants, the only reason not to include this valuable vegetable in your diet is if you have an aversion to the taste. Feelgood FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010
Page 1 and 2: TERAPROOF:User:jaycarcioneDate:27/1
Page 3 and 4: TERAPROOF:User:PAULOKEEFFEDate:27/1
Page 5 and 6: TERAPROOF:User:gregmccannDate:27/10
Page 11: TERAPROOF:User:jaycarcioneDate:27/1

Feelgood - Irish Examiner

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?