Natural Beauty

After my visit to Harrogate's Home & Gift show, I realised the trend for natural bath and body product; especially those that are organic, sulphate and paraben free.

Since then I have investigated to see if the media has picked up on this;  

The above is an article from the METRO [09/08/2012], explaining the importance of moving the bees from Greenwich Park to Covent Garden to ensure their health and well-being while the park plays host to Olympic events.

Our dwindling honeybees aren't just a crucial part of nature, they're at the heart of sensational skincare too. The beauty industry depends on honey and royal jelly, as well as flower, fruit and nut oils from the plants bees pollinate. 

So, in an effort to protect some of these "buzzy friends", the Greenwich bees have a temporary home on the roof of the Melvita flagship store in St Martin's Courtyard, Covent Garden, where the French beauty brand - the country's largest organic certified - already has two hives as part of it's current global conservation project.

Bernard Chevilliant, biologist and bee-keeper says;

"Our knowledge about the effects honey has on the skin and hair, as well as its reparative properties, trace back to ancient times. I was able to look at bees and what they produce with a scientific eye, then see what it was possible to create working with those ingredients that would be beneficial to us without disturbing their ecosystem".

      

Below you'll find several of the Metro's favourite honey-based products out there;

For your FACE we have:

• Korres Thyme Honey 24-H Moisturising Cream - packed with a Greek honey variety. 'Thyme honey is rich in vitamins and amino acids so it nourishes dry skin and attracts and absorbs water' says Lena Korres, co-founder of Korres. [£19, www.lookfantastic.com]
• L'Oreal Age Perfect Intensive Re-Nourish Extraordinary Restoring Serum - utilises sugars and vitamins to boost m0isture levels in dehydrated, ageing skin. [£19.99, www.loreal-paris.co.uk]
• Heaven Bee Venom Eyes - uses bee venom to relax muscles and honey to give skin a firmer appearance. [£55, www.heavenskincare.com]
• Manuka Doctor ApiNourish Rejuvenating Face Mask - boosts blood flow to help repair damaged skin cells. [£49.99, www.hollandandbarrett.com]

and for your BODY...

• Bee Lovely Body Lotion - packed with honey and uplifting orange and mandarin oils. 'Honey is fantastic in bodycare because it's healing and antimicrobial, so really boosts the skin's health' Fran Johnson, formulator for Neal's Yard Remedies. [£21, www.nealsyardremedies.co.uk]
• 24 Hour Milk & Honey Body lotion - Burt's Bees has worked with designer Richard Weston to create a limited edition scarf [£170] and matching packaging for this bestselling product. [£9.99, www.burtsbees.co.uk]
• Apricosma Ultra Nourishing Body Balm - Melvita's blend of acacia, thyme and orange blossom honey melds their best qualities into a strengthening complex. [£22, www.melvita.co.uk]
• Lanolips Golden Ointment - Massage in for irritated patches. [£17.99, www.victoriahealth.com]

[HINT: WHEN IT COMES TO ORGANIC BATH/SHOWER GELS, THE FASTER THE BUBBLE MOVES TO THE TOP WHEN THE BOTTLE IS TIPPED UPSIDE-DOWN, THE BETTER THE QUALITY!]