Articles

Many of our clients struggle when it comes to choosing a preservative for their cream, milk or lotion. In fact, it's such a source of anxiety for some they choose to avoid water-containing formulations altogether- a strategy that can sometimes work but at other times be very limiting.

Those wishing to be self-sufficient, environmentally friendly and holistic in their personal care regimens agree that all-natural toothpaste is a good place to start. After all, when you think of it, it is one of only two personal care products that the whole family rely on to assist in maintaining our health, fitness and wellbeing on a daily basis as we and what's more, the bit we spit out goes straight into our water supply. So what is the other essential product? The humble bar of soap!

I started working in the cosmetics industry in 1998 when the talk of a 'trend' towards natural ingredients was causing much excitement and re-formulating. I was based in England then, a market whose natural bent was focused on two branches of the same tree - The Body Shop and Lush (whose respective management teams had previously worked together).I continued to work for another five years in the UK market before leaving for Australia and during that time this 'natural trend' moved from a gentle jog to a respectable run at least in terms of actives - it seemed to me that it wasn't a cosmetic worth investing in if it didn't have a bit of green stuff in it. Well now, 15 years since I started reading labels that run has turned into sprint as companies everywhere hustle to add not only a bit of green-tinged fairy dust to their potions but natural surfactants, thickeners, film formers, emulsifiers, emollients and suspending agents. This begs the question, is beauty by nature a fashion trend or permanent fixture?