Women shun big brands in favour of natural beauty

New research suggests we are entering an age of natural beauty. When choosing what to put on their skin, more than twice as many women say natural ingredients matter more to them than the brand. The survey also found that more than two thirds of women prefer products that are not tested on animals and are free from artificial chemicals. But when it comes to going completely natural, more than a third of women would refuse to give up their lipstick.

The findings, released today, come from an on-line survey of 1000 women who were asked about their attitudes to natural beauty. Seven out of ten of the women said they regularly use organic soap or shower gel, two-thirds use organic skin care and just over half use mineral make-up. Advertisers may spend millions on glossy ads promoting their brands but it seems that more and more women are rejecting them in favour of more organic, ethical and natural beauty goods.

Janey Lee Grace, author of Look Great Naturally …without ditching the lipstick (released by Hay House on 1st June) carried out the survey in conjunction with psychology Professor, Karen Pine from the University of Hertfordshire. Over a third of women, when asked which item from their make-up bag they would be most reluctant to give up, said their lipstick. Janey Lee Grace commented, “The words ‘beauty’ ‘glamour’ and ’style’ can be linked with the word ‘natural’ without a thought of sackcloth! We can still have our lipstick and a clear conscience. There’s a 100 per cent natural alternative to everything from nail polish to self-tan, so in fact it’s now easy for women to save their skin, their cash and the planet while still looking gorgeous.”
Professor Karen Pine, author of Sheconomics, said, “These findings indicate a shift away from expensively packaged and heavily promoted luxury brands to more ethical and natural products. This is a sign that women are responding to the downturn in the economy and concerns about the environment by making different purchasing decisions. We know that women still want to look good and treat their skin kindly but this shows that women are not being seduced by the big advertisers and are making conscious choices based on their own principles.”

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Other stats from the survey
• Only 6% of women say they are not committed to using natural products.
• One third of women are uncertain about advertised claims, half are concerned about lack of availability and three quarters fear the products might be out of their price range.
• More than twice as many women think natural ingredients are more important than the brand.
• Two thirds of women say lack of artificial chemicals motivates them to choose natural beauty products. Two thirds also say not being tested on animals matters a lot to them.
• More than a third of women would not give up their lipstick and over 40% would hold on to their foundation if they had to choose just one make-up product.

The survey was carried out between 1st and 8th May, responses were from 1000 women and the majority were aged between 26 and 65.

CONTACTS:
For interviews contact joburgess@hayhouse.co.uk

Janey Lee Grace is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

The CEW beauty awards sponsored by Boots on the 22^nd February will be judged by the members of the association following a showcase at the Royal Horticultural Halls in Victoria London.

Natural Empathy will be represented in 4 categories with 3 key products, namely ‘Everybody’ luxury hand and body lotion, Shea Luxury body butter, Care and Repair signature moisturiser for men and will also compete in the ‘best new brand’ section.

The Directors of this family owned natural skincare brand, Beverley Stuckey, Madelaine Stuckey and Philip Stuckey will represent the business personally along with experienced beauty therapist Valerie Baldwin.

We hope to see some of our fellow Ethical Junction members there but it is worth remembering that it is a ticket do!

Info from alice@cewuk.co.uk

Natural Empathy is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Suvarna sell 100% natural hair dyes which give lovely natural colours.  They are much safer and healthier – for your body and the environment – than the standard commercial chemical dyes.

Logona Natural Hair Dyes contain henna and other natural plant ingredients such as indigo, hibiscus and walnut shells. They feel nice to use and don’t have a strong chemical smell. They give a subtle natural-looking tint to your hair whilst improving the condition of your hair, increasing volume and shine.

Aubrey Organics hair dyes are similar to Logona. They are based on henna and indigo and they also give a lovely condition to your hair.

Palette by Nature Hair Dyes contain 100% natural and 50% organic ingredients.  In general they are more potent than the Logona and Aubrey hair dyes and give stronger colours and better coverage on grey hair.

At Suvarna we offer advice on choosing the right hair dye for you – contact us here or call 01695 728286

The Hazards of Conventional Chemical Hair Dyes
Conventional chemical based hair dyes contain highly toxic ingredients which can have very severe reactions such as rashes, burning swelling of face and neck and some reactions can be so severe that it requires hospital treatment and steroids, injections etc.  A bad reaction to hair dyes can happen suddenly even after someone has been dying their hair for 20 years and not had any previous history of allergies.

 p-Phenylenediamine (PPD)
p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) is the most common ingredient in hair dyes to cause allergic reactionsIt is a sensitizer that can instigate immune system response that can include itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering of skin. p-Phenylenediamine is a suspected carcinogen and mutagen.  PPD can also be known as phenylenediame, phenylenediame dihydrochloride or benzenediamine dihydrochloride or aminoaniline dihydrochloride.

Ammonia is used to open up the cuticle and allow the p-Phenylenediamine based dye to penetrate the hair shaft. In high enough concentration this can irritate the skin and damage your hair.

Other Toxic chemicals in hair dyes are Peroxide, Parabens, Resorcinol and Propylene glycol

BEWARE Of Some So-Called Natural Hair Dyes
Even some natural hair dyes which claim to be natural and are sold in health food shops or Asian shops can still contain chemicals such as PPD.  Before using a so-called natural hair dye always study the full ingredients list very carefully.

For more information visit our website http://www.suvarna.co.uk/natural-hair-dye.html

Suvarna is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more