Fun in the sun with Green People’s suncare for kids

Good is never good enough when it comes to looking after my little daughter – I want the best for her, as every mother. So now that the summer months are here and (thanks god) there have been liots of hot days already, for me it’s time to make my choice about her suncare.

I am sure that if you regularly read my blog you already know about my love affair with Green People and their lovely baby and kids skincare range. It’s all natural, organic, gentle to the skin, so it’s no wonder my preferred choice. I’ve been very kindly sent one of their No Scent Children’s Sun Lotion to try out – thank you, lovely Green People

The first impresion is that the lotion is no greesy, but light and creamy. Surprisingly (in a very good way though), there are no white marks when applied on the skin – it rather spreads smoothly and absorbs nicely.
My daughter used to have eczema and her skin is still very delicate and prone to skin allergies, so choosing a natural, free from chemicals and alergens sun cream is very, very important for me. This one is exactly this, so I’m happy to use it again and again – they use natural mineral sun filters and skin-friendly ingredients to effectively protect against UVA and UVB rays, without the need for synthetic chemicals.

Another benefit is that this sun lotion is naturally water-resistant and it offers broad-spectrum UVA & UVB protection generated through a blend of earth minerals, and a UV filter derived from cinnamon leaf and edelweiss.

As of July 1st the RRP is £15.95 for 150ml / Available from www.greenpeople.co.uk, or at John Lewis, Waitrose, Wholefoods, Planet Organic and independent retailers.
You may also want to try their Lavender Children’s Sun Lotion SPF25 or Children’s Aloe Lotion & After Sun.

Leave a Comment July 5, 2011

A Sensitive Subject

Sarah Heenan, natural beauty therapist and founder of online organic beauty boutique, www.lucyrose.biz, takes a look at the issues around skin sensitivities.

The last decade has seen a dramatic rise in sensitised skin and allergic reactions.  This is mainly due to pollution, environmental factors and altered immunity. Most skin responses to cosmetics are a result of skin sensitisation. This happens when the ingredients penetrate the skin too quickly and the skin’s natural barrier function is impaired.  Once the product is removed from the skin the reaction will subside.

In most instances of skin allergy, the skin can become itchy, inflamed, red and sore.  Many main stream products made with harsh chemical ingredients and synthetic compounds will exaggerate these symptoms, so it is good to search for products with organic and natural ingredients which will help the skin function correctly and not just provide a short term fix.

Quite often you can be happily using a high street product and then, out of the blue, will start to have skin sensitivity.  This could be down to a change in ingredients in the product or it could be a result of the body reacting to a combination of products being used.

Three Reasons to go Natural

• We find one of the biggest reasons people turn to organic and natural products is because they have sensitive skin and are finding high street products over-fragranced and too harsh.  With organic and natural products there are no harsh chemicals, no artificial fragrances, quite simply the ingredients are all chosen to be effective, gentle and help the skin work naturally.
• Organic and natural brands are very transparent in their communications and include a comprehensive list of ingredients on the product, so that you can see clearly what it is made of.  If you do have allergies to a certain ingredient, it is very easy to check this.
• It is also the case that an individual can be allergic to a completely organic ingredient (for example, people can be sensitive to some of the Essential Oils) so it is important to be able to see at a glance what is in the product you are using.

The Ingredients Minefield

Where there is sensitivity to Essential Oils it is important, when checking ingredients, to check out the source, especially with fragrances.  For example, Limonene is the term used for the synthetic fragrance, Lemon, but is also the name for Lemon Essential Oil. In order to differentiate, there is usually an asterisk or a comment next to the ingredient, stating ‘from natural essential oils’.

However, there are now many ranges which are free from fragrances and herbal flower extracts.  These include the Lavera Neutral and Green People’s Organic Base No Scent collection.

Everybody is Different

It is also important to remember that each of us are individual and hence our skin requirements are also very specific.  Just because the product is natural and organic and has worked for someone else, doesn’t mean it will work for you, so it is important to try and test the product first and find the best product for you.  At Lucy Rose you can receive one-to-one advice either over the ‘phone or via email, and just to be on the safe side, there is a free sample service so that you can try first.

Be Prepared for a Skin Detox

A few people find that when switching to more natural ingredients they experience a detox period of maybe a week, where the body adjusts and the skin may feel uncomfortable or may ‘break out’.  This usually lasts no longer than a week and once the skin has adjusted it will feel better than ever.

Leave a Comment July 22, 2010