Dirt, muck, grit, sludge, soil, dust, not something that you probably want to cover your face in but as our thirst for natural personal care shows no sign of letting up we'd better put some effort into getting to know the brown stuff a little better.

How Good Are Vegetable Oils?

"Petroleum oil clogs your pores, suffocates you skin, gives you pimples, gives you cancer and generally wrecks your life".

Taking a look at the back story behind all that glitters.

Cosmetics are supposed to be fun, a tool to help you express who you are, who you want to be, how you feel. With bright colours and soft textures to facilitate the telling of stories, celebrate beauty and frame nature's perfection.So what happens when you realize that all that glitters comes at a human price?

Beyond soap and toothpaste cosmetics are one of life's little luxury's available every day for a small price and what we hope will be a life changing transformation.The lipstick effect doesn't just keep the economy on a high it improves our mental health by boosting our self-esteem and allowing us to express our best selves. But what if that world of beauty didn't glitter for you? What if instead of ruby lips you see potential for exploitation and suffering? Welcome to the vegan dilemma.

It is safe to say that veganism is much more than just a way of eating. Indeed it could more accurately be described as a philosophy of consumption in all its guises, a pledge to tread lightly and to treat all living beings and systems as one. The Buddhist practice of the four immeasurable is a good place to start:

Spend a few minutes observing shopper behavior at your nearest department store cosmetics counter and you will notice that everything (and I mean everything) is picked up and sniffed.It doesn't matter whether it is shampoo, perfume, heal balm; wrinkle remover or mouthwash when it comes to personal care the nose has the final say.

The Mental : Part One :

One of the biggest environmental issues centers of the state of the world's forests and that is as it should be. Trees play an important role in managing air quality, play host to thousands upon thousands of species of flora and fauna, give us shelter, building materials, medicine and even spirituality - things we all know but that are somewhat forgotten in the endless pursuit of more.

Composition: Glycerin (vegetable Derived), Purified Water, High concentration fruit extract.
Actives: See individual Fruit for Active Constituents.

When it comes to beautiful, elegant and natural beauty nothing hits the spot better than a botanical extract. Plants are natural factories producing vitamins, minerals, moisturising fatty acids, anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, antimicrobials and much more and best still each one brings its own story and inspiration to your brand.

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?