Health & Beauty: New product launches from MÁDARA skincare

One of my favourite beauty brands, Madara has just launched two new products. The delicate Cleansing Milk & Herbal Deodorant and The MÁDARA Delicate Cleansing Milk.

Both products are ECOCERT[1] certified and contain typical herbs and plants from the Baltic region, which are known for their high level of active ingredients.

The MÁDARA Delicate Cleansing Milk (RRP £13, 200ml) gently cleanses the skin and is perfect for people with dry or sensitive skin. The formula contains 100% natural ingredients including oats, known for their skin softening and healing properties, and linden flowers, which are high in anti-oxidants.

The MÁDARA Herbal Deodorant (RRP £9.90, 50ml) is 100% natural, non-staining and provides all-day protection, even on a hot summer’s day! It doesn’t contain any alcohol, which can cause irritation, and its quick-drying anti-bacterial and soothing formula will leave your underarms feeling fresh, while hydrating the delicate skin in this area.

MADÁRA products can be purchased from Selfridges (London), Harrods, Fenwick, natural beauty apothecaries across the UK and from leading online stores including, www.amarya.co.uk, www.beautique.com and www.naturisimo.com.

Health & Beauty: Balancing Blooms

Ever feel like your life is a little out of balance or are you having a full-on crisis? Well balancing blooms are here to help. There is an essence for every possible ailment, be it a lack of confidence, romance issues, a lack of focus or even a case of the blues. Containing specific blended mixtures of various Bach Flower remedies, they work on a subtle level to eradicate your fear and create balance again.

If you have never tried bach remedies then I strongly recommend that you try them if there's anything that is currently causing you anguish, distress or anxiety. I actually used the remedies to clear my fear of flying, with a mixture of hypnotherapy and rescue remedy and they really help to keep your mind calm. Just remember to do your bit for the planet and recycle the glass and plastic bottle after use.

Health & Beauty: Bésame cosmetics

If the sight of old Hollywood glamour sets your heart aflutter and if you’re the kind to wear ‘rouge’ rather than ‘blusher’ you will no doubt be happy to learn of Bésame’s migration to England.

Gabriela Hernandez, founder of Bésame Cosmetics Inc strives to incorporate old fashioned glamour and natural formulas to create a beautiful collection of vintage inspired make up. Taking inspiration from her grandmother’s old lipstick tubes and her own love of art and design, Hernandez’s brand is packaged in stunning deco style.

Whilst using the same pigmentations and production techniques as those from the 30s and 40s, Bésame make their products with ‘A mix of today's cutting edge technology and some wonderful natural ingredients that have proven benefits to your skin.’ Not only is the use of these natural ingredients and organic oils beneficial for our skin, they also actually improve the staying power and performance of the products themselves.

Beautifully presented and now readily available from UK stockists, these lipsticks, powders and little pots of rouge will enable you to ‘remember to feel glamorous everyday’.

Poppy Sakulku

Forever Fashion: Comfortable, Cool and fragrant free, when working out in Bamboo!

Many moons ago on a whim, I bought some bamboo socks from my local health food store. Everyone in the shop was raving about them, I thought they must have dull lives or were on commission or something, but I bought them anyway to use for working out. It may sound daft, but it took a really long time for me to realise how good they are. When my feet are comfortable, I don’t notice them. One day I went to the gym and had forgotten my bamboo socks, when I came out my feet felt awful, puffy, sticky, saw and I had blisters. Then I realised.

With new found respect for my bamboo socks I checked out where they came from. A great little, planet supporting, carbon positive company called Bam and to my delight I discovered they do Bamboo sports clothing as well. As my old kit was starting to look like pyjamas I purchased a couple of tops and some shorts. They arrived the next day, informing me that they have planted trees in my name as a result of my purchase.

I put my new bamboo outfit to the test. One outfit, one week, 5 sessions, 1.5 hours per session, high intensity (lots of sweating). The results are impressive. To sum it up, comfortable, cool and fragrant free! Bamboo is 3-4 times more absorbent than cotton, so if those kitchen rolls have the power of 1 elephant in a sheet then my bamboo outfit definitely ropes in its family and mates as well. All the moisture is absorbed away from the skin, keeping it comfortable, the absorbed moisture in the material seems to work in a cooling effect so by the end of my work out I am not left feeling hot and sticky. Finally, at the end of the week my gear was surprisingly whiff free, there was a slight odour under one of the under arm areas! This is due to the anti bacterial properties of the bamboo which does not support the growth of bacteria, so no smell!

Check out Bam's full range of clothing here. Reading through their website alone gave me a giggle!

Lydia Vine

Health & Beauty: Japanese Rose

Korres Japanese Rose shower gel has a light and refreshing rose scent that lathers up a treat. With aloe vera, vitamin C, Vitamin E and antioxidant enzymes to take care of your skin and improve skin tone, this little number is perfect for soaping golden summer skin.

Health & Beauty: Green People Organic Mascara

A typical girl, I’m afraid I’m never quite happy with what I’ve been blessed with. At a push I’d probably have to say that my eyelashes are one of my best features and yet I still strive to make them longer, darker and thicker, as I’m sure we all do. Over the years I have tried out many a high street brand and often find that they either make little difference or leave me looking a bit ‘spider legged’ and clumpy.

For the last month however I feel as though maybe this search is over. Green People’s volumising mascara came to me as part of a wondrous goodie bag at the La Luminata launch and has been my make-up staple ever since. As well as making my lashes look positively false on application, being light weight and smudge free it is also gentle on the eyes. Made without synthetic colourants or harsh chemicals and enriched with Organic sweet almond and Shea butter it leaves your lashes feeling soft and silky.

Created as an antidote to the founder’s daughter’s allergies; ‘The Green People Mission is to promote an organic lifestyle and provide high quality, truly organic, natural health and home care formulations. To expand their range of certified organic product and also to support charities with related health and environmental concerns.’ As well as cosmetics, Green People also stock a selection of lovely skin and hair products suitable for men, women and young children.

Photographed without lash inserts...

Poppy Sakulku

Health & Beauty: A’Kin Invigorating Body Scrub

With the summer still playing peek-a-boo with us, the best bet is veer on the safe side as far as skin is concerned. In the instance of the sun coming out and shorts and dresses going on, A’kin’s body scrub is the perfect way to get your skin in shape. After months of hiding under layers of jumpers and jeans your skin can end up dull and dry.

Subtly scented with sandalwood, orange and bergamot oils, this product gives you an invigorating start to the day and leaves your skin beautifully soft and fragrant, sloughing off dead skin whilst at the same time moisturising. For those fake tanners out there, this award winning product also claims to be the perfect way to prep your skin to give you a lovely even tan.

A’kin makes up one part of The Purist Company, an Australian brand which has been producing high quality natural and animal-testing free products since 1987. With their newest ranges, pureBaby and pureMan, they manage to cater to all the family with safe and eco friendly hair and skin care.

 Poppy Sakulku