Filed under: health
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.
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July 22, 2010
I have a confession to make. For the last couple of years I’ve been having an affair. Yes, that’s right, a love affair. Don’t blame me – you would, too. I felt in love with Green People – they are green, but they don’t come from Mars! Green People only do and sell the best natural and organic skincare products ever!
My new discovery is their SPF cosmetics range – ideal for the surprisingly hot UK summer this year! For the last month I’ve been testing three of their products with SPF 15, giving me additional sun care natural protection. My daily skincare routine now starts with applying the Day Solution SPF15 – a daily moisturiser with UVA & UVB protection with 85.10% organic ingredients. This gentle skin defence cream, rich in essential fatty acids, is formulated using UV Filters derived from Edelweiss extract, Titanium Dioxide and Cinnamon to achieve a sun protector factor of 15, protecting from both UVA and UVB rays.
Containing Aloe Vera, green tea, rosemary and chamomile extracts, as well as hemp, rose geranium and jojoba oil, this moisturiser nourishes the skin and prevents from premature ageing. It’s suitable for all skin types, especially sensitive like mine. I love the pump bottle, too, as it’s far more hygienic and comfortable to use. After just a few appliances my skin is left moisturised and re-balanced all day long.
I then move to applying the Green People No Scent Soft Lips SPF8, which is designed to protect and soften dry, chapped lips. I find it ideal for the hot summer weather, when the delicate skin of my lips needs some extra care to keep them soft and appealing. It’s a great nourishing lip balm with UV protection and 70% organic ingredients. My lips get natural sheen from berry wax and fairly traded Cupuaca butter. This mild no-scent formulation (no essential oils) is just perfect for dry, sore and chapped lips and looks fab over my lipstick for a subtle gloss effect! The Green People No Scent Soft Lips balm contains an SPF to provide effective UV protection from the suns harsh rays, while 100% pure plant oils offer long-lasting hydration for soft, supple lips skin.
What I find most exciting is adding some extra sun protection via my powder. The Green People’s Pressed Mineral Powder SPF15 is a 3-in-1 foundation, powder and SPF15 Sun Protection – effective and cost-saving, love it! Mine is honey-tinted, but it’s also available in Caramel or Maple. The 3-in-1 foundation, powder and sunscreen SPF15 gave my skin a natural complexion with a matte finish and no tide mark! Minerals reflect the light to minimise fine lines and wrinkles (I’m just over 30 now, so this is important for me).
Traditional makeup is made with a lot of unnatural, chemical ingredients, which resulted in skin problems. Green People’s Pressed Mineral Powder is 100% natural and gentle to the skin and don’t clog pores, allowing the skin to breathe. The added jojoba and sunflower oil beautifies the skin even more, making this powder my best friend from now on.
A little tip on how to apply it: Swirl, Buff, Tap! Swirl brush head twice around outer edge of the powder, buffing up the minerals, and tap off any excess powder. Apply in downward strokes moving inwards (the way your hairs go) starting with the left cheek, reapply powder and move to the right cheek, reapply, add to T-zone, reapply and cover under the nose and chin. As your skin tone changes between winter and summer, try blending Caramel or Maple with Honey for the perfect match!
Of course, if you expect to be in the sun for any length of time, it is still advised that you apply a traditional sunscreen product for maximum protection. Green People have a great range of sunscreens for both mums who love their skin and the give it the best possible (natural and toxic-free) care, but also for babies and children! Have a look at their full sunscreen products range here. There is free post during July!
See, I am sure you will now understand and won’t blame me for having an affair. My husband won’t even notice, as everything looks so natural on the skin, only making it look more healthy and beautiful!
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July 13, 2010
GreenKiddie launches an online eco-store powered by Amazon. The brand new section will recommend carefully selected natural, organic and eco-friendly products for babies & children as well as for the whole family. The products are split by categories from nursing and feeding equipment to “green” cribs and highchairs.
Promoting the eco-friendly and toxic-free products we love is a great way to continue being helpful source of information for parents who consider natural living and the best care for their children. We believe that providing a “green”, natural care for your baby or toddler is best for your child, and it’s also great for the environment.
The “green” eStore will mainly promote products which are oxic-free, completely safe for babies and children, and have already proved their eco-friendly efforts. There will be a special space for mums and mums-to-be, where everything as pregnancy music for relaxation, books on natural and stress-free birth, organic clothing and fabulous organic cosmetics and beauty products will be featured.
GreenKiddie’s online store is a one-stop space for green products, where parents could find everything they need to raise their children naturally and eco-friendly. The same way GreenKiddie is a trustful online media for parenting advice, the hope is for the eStore to become a number one choice for parents to purchase “green” and toxic-free products for their families.
The payment process is trustful and secure and it’s powered by Amazon.
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June 17, 2010
Touch is love and affection. It’s the simplest but probably the most significant way of showing love for your child. But massaging your baby and small kid not only helps with bonding, but it’s also very beneficial for your child’s health. It builds stronger immune system, helps with the muscles development, gives better body tonus, relieves, soothes and helps with the relaxation before sleep, and it’s so nice and pleasant experience for both mother and child!
It is really important when massaging your baby to use the right massage oil. What we need is pure natural and organic one, specifically designed for the babies’ delicate skin. 
Make sure you avoid chemicals-based, artificially scented massage oils, broadly promoted on the market. Be informed (rather than manipulated by the TV ads) and always read the ingredients. One way is to prepare massage oils yourself. But if you don’t have the time, use ready-made organic ones.
What I’ve found works best on my little one’s skin is the Spiezia Organics Baby Massage Oil! It contains 100% organic, carefully tested and naturally balanced ingredients such as Almond Oil, Chamomile Oil, Lavender and Roman Camomile Essential Oil. It moisturises and soothes, keeping baby’s skin healthy and comfortable. Gently massage the organic oil onto their body or add a few drops to their bath so that the organic Chamomile and Almond Oils, combined with Lavender, can work their magic, leaving them soft and smooth. If your baby has super delicate skin this formula is ideal, preventing irritation and helping to relieve skin conditions such as cradle cap.
Step-by-step guide to a gentle baby massage
- Take a few drops of the specially developed Spiezia Baby Massage Oil in your hands, warm it a bit and start massaging the top of the foot first – from fingers to ankle. Using you thumbs, start pressing gently under toes; then squeeze each of the toes one by one
- Continue with the legs. Using some more of the organic Spiezia Baby Massage Oil massage legs gently one by one, moving your right hand from tights to feet, followed by the other hand. This is called “hand over hand” technique. Do it for a minute with each leg or while your child feels comfortable.
- Tummy. Get some of the nourishing Spiezia Baby Massage Oil in your hands to warm up for a few seconds. Place your palm gently over the stomach and start massaging from just below the ribs. Always massage the tummy area clockwise, as this helps with digestion. Be careful not to push hard. If your baby is colicky, tummy massage may help and sooth.
- Chests. Lavender oil from the Spiezia Baby Massage Oil eases breathing and helps when a child has a cough or a cold. Place your hands over the chests. Using your thumbs, massage from middle to sides, “drawing” an “arc”-shape. This will “open” the chests and will allow your child to breath freely.
- Go on with the arms and hands. Start with the right hand, using the “hand-over-hand” technique from arms for wrist.
- Slowly move to the back. Turn your little one over, so she can lie on her tummy. You can now massage her back using a bit more of the soothing Spiezia Baby Massage Oil, as “dry massage” can damage the sensitive baby skin. The massage needs to be smooth and gentle. Place your right hand over her neck. Start moving the hand from the neck to the bottom, making sure you don’t push hard. You can also make small circular movements with your fingertips going gently up and down the back.
- Finish with a relaxing head massage. If you are massaging a small baby, be extremely careful with the area around the fontanel, which is very soft during the first few months. Using your palm, massage the scalp from top to neck with circular movements, making sure not to put any pressure. If you do it just before bed, the relaxing chamomile and lavender natural scent from the Spiezia Baby Massage Oil will help your little has a good night sleep.
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June 8, 2010
I love looking fresh and glowing. Well, we all love to feel pampered and indulge in a little luxury once in a while. But juggling in between my marketing career, my little girl (now 2 and very demanding) and then GreenKiddie.co.uk, is melting my “me-time”. I am currently looking for a new skin care line which doesn’t require much of my time and makes my skin look healthy and beautiful in days. Well I was, until I tried a few Kosmea products – all natural and organic.
I’ve been given Skin Clinic™ 100% Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil to test for a few weeks. So here we go – I started applying 3-4 drops to my skin morning and night after cleansing and before applying my daily moisturiser. The tip here is that when applying to slightly damp skin it will allow for the oil to absorb quicker and deeper into the skin.
This organic oil has no scent, making it ideal for sensitive skin. It’s very easy to apply from the bottle, only a few drops are needed to be tipped into the palms of the hands and massaged into the facial skin. It sinks into the skin straight away. Instantly loved the fact that it is 100% natural – it gives a sense of well-being. After the first few days I realised it has balanced my sensitive combination skin perfectly: my cheeks are soft and moist and my T-zone is smooth and non-greasy. I need to confess that I was a little bit concerned that my oily parts of the skin may not like the oil. Wrong! The organic Rose Hip Oil actually balanced my skin and made it look even and beautiful! It’s luxurious, gorgeous oil that moisturises and a little goes a long way.
I notices a few wrinkled around the eyes recently (which, by the way, made me scream in front of the mirror… and then made me think about all those moments of my early 20s when live was so much easier and “wrinkles” sounded like a never-will-happen-to-me abstract word). Applying the Organic Rose Hip Oil promises to help me reduce the appearance of these fine lines and wrinkles, so it will never go off my toiletry shelf.
After a few lovely sunny days (no complaining about that) you know how your skin becomes a bit dryer and skin tone looks uneven. I tried the organic Rose Hip Oil and felt the difference straight away – my skin felt so soft and nourished! It soothes and rejuvenates the skin when massaged in, and it leaves the skin feeling soft and renewed after use.
A very useful beauty tip: I also tried mixing the oil with my foundation (still looking for the perfect natural one, any suggestions here?), then applied onto my skin for a dewy, glowing look!
It’s a very worthwhile investment into your daily beauty regime. For more on Kosmea’s Skin Clinic™ Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil click here. You can purchase the products at www.mypure.co.uk but some more exclusive products like the 42ml RHO are only available from www.kosmea.com. It’s free delivery in the UK when you spend over £30 and it comes with a free figt of 20ml Eighth Natural Wonder Revitalising Serum valued at £30.
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May 31, 2010
I don’t have a favourite snack on the go – they are either yummy but too many calories, or healthy but not that tasty. 
Well, until now. Discovering the delicious Bear nibbles, I am amazed by the flavours and still 100% great-for-you ingredients in their products! There is nothing that I don’t like about Bear nibbles – strating from their website – easy to find what you need with funny grrraphics. I was then won by the packaging – so natural look and feel, clear design, and comfy size. Finally the magic of the taste: no other nibbles are like these!
I tried their delicious blend of whole grains and fruit baked into crunchy granola nibbles. The crispy granola Apple Crumble and Tropical Crunch were both so yummy! I can leave myself to the coconut flavour giving you a sense of exotic summer holiday – just what I needed! Digging into the pack, I found whole grain oats & maize, pineapple pieces, coconut (mmm), apple, grape (also cinnamon in the Apple Crumble one to warm up my senses) and absolutely nothing else! – No added sugar, no preservatives, no nonsense. As they say, 100 naked nature – huh, like that! Always in a hurry and always on the go, the Bear granola nibbles are my favourite
I need to be honest here – I know they are made to be eaten plain, but I also tried them with milk for breakfast and with yogurt as a desert – it was so yummy! I am happy because it’s healthy, so no guilt, and it’s also one of your 3 a day of wholegrains!
My little one was a bit jealous though – “Mummy, what are you eating? Why are you closing your eyes – is that that yummy? – I want to try, too!” So tried them as well as despite being a bit crunchy for her teeth (she is only two), she just loved it! But then I gave her something more suitable for her age to try (thank you, Bear, you have been so thoughtful to have snacks for kids, too). The oh-so-yummy yo yos in strawberry or peach flavour went just like this! As promised on the packaging, each yo-yo is one of kids’ 5 a day, so she had all her 5 at one go (there are two rolls in a pack)! I was wondering what’s inside the pack to make her that happy – apparently juicy peaches in a form of fruit pure with some mango, papaya, apple, pear for even healthier snacking…and sunny days! Hurray – healthy-tasty snacks for my little girl, too!
Why don’t you see for yourself? – It’s grrreat!
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April 29, 2010
GreenKiddie is holding a Twitter party on Sunday, 11th April between 9pm – 10pm!
We’ll be tweeting about what colic is, what causes colic in babies and how to treat it naturally.
Join us to share your thoughts, to seek advice, or just to have fun and chat to other mums. GreenKiddie will be giving away 3 prizes from BornFree, so don’t miss it!
How to join our #colic-free party?
- Log-in to your Twitter account (or create one if you don’t have an account yet)
- Type #colic-free in the “Search” field on “Home” tab. Click on “Save this search” so it’s easy for you to find it
- Click on your #colic-free saved search on 11th April, Sunday, at 9pm GMT and join the party!
- Follow me on Twitter @greenkiddie
- When I ask a question, tweet the answer to me and include the hashtag #colic-free
WHAT PRIZE YOU COULD WIN?
Twister brush set
The Twister Bottle & Teat Brush has an easy twist handle with a soft sponge to make cleaning faster and to eliminate the risk of scratching.
BPA-Free 9oz Baby Bottle twin pack
Twin-Pack 9oz. (260ml) BornFree™ Bisphenol-A Free plastic bottles, complete with the new innovative venting system that helps eliminate colic symptoms. Each bottle comes with a level 1 teat, sealing disk, and a cover. 
Breast pump adaptor
The Breast Pump Adaptor adapt most standard breast pumpts to fit BornFree™ wide-neck bottles. The Aadaptor is easy to clean and made of a safe Bisphenol-A Free plastic.
Twitter Party Tips:
- Download a viewing application for Twitter such as Tweetdeck for convenience.
- Follow new people, join the conversation and interact.
- Have Fun!
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April 9, 2010
The Edinburgh Evening News is looking for mums who agree/disagree with the French philosopher Elisabeth Badinter’s take on motherhood and feminism.
In her new book The Conflict, The Woman and The Mother, she suggests that “earth mothers” and the Green movement are setting women back with their desire to have mothers breastfeed for years, use “real” nappies and puree their own baby food. She argues that disposables, baby powder milk and jars of baby food help women retain their identities outside of motherhood by giving them more time to be themselves, not just a mother. All very controversial.
We are looking for mums who agree with her view – and are/have been mums who use such products to make life easier – and those who don’t. This would involve a chat with a feature writer and a photographer visiting your home to get a lovely pic of you and your child/children.
If you could call Gina Davidson on 0131 620 8683 we would be most grateful.
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March 28, 2010
GreenKiddie has teamed with Baby BornFree to give you a chance to test their products for free! We will select 5 mums who bottle-feed their babies (either expressing their breastmilk or using formula) and will give them the opportunity to try the BPA-free, anti-colic and anti-leakage BornFree bottles. After a month you will need to give us your feedback for us to upload on GreenKiddie.co.uk. Your chances of being selected for the product testing will increase if you have a blog yourself where you’d review your experience as well.
The brand, which is a best-seller in the USA, and also becoming a leader in the UK, offers a completely safe option for parents wishing to avoid any risks from BPA. And it’s not just the BPA-free materials used that has helped BornFreeTM to become number 1 choice for parents, but also the efficacy of the products themselves.
If you are interested in taking part, please email info@greenkiddie.co.uk with your name, baby age, feeding method and your blog address, if any. Another way to let us know you wish to test the BornFree bottles is to join our Facebook page HERE and explain WHY you want to test them!
Closing date: 26th March 2010. The selected mums will be announcedon 1st April.
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March 16, 2010
Over 70% of parents believe kids tend to get more infections when hygiene in the nursery is poor, but only 7% claim hygiene in their child’s nursery is outstanding. These are some of the results revealed in a recent parents’ survey, run by GreenKiddie.co.uk. The survey is part of GreenKiddie’s national campaign “Close2Nature” for better children’s health and well-being in nurseries. Close2Nature campaign aims to provide easy-to-use tips and advice for daycare providers and help them adopt our eco-friendly strategy for their premises in order to help with improving children’s health.
For this campaign GreenKiddie is partnering with Change4Life initiative run by the Department of Health, and focuses on 5 main areas:
- Provide better food and nutrition at nurseries
- Reduce toxics in the daycare premises
- Help children stay active
- Improve hygiene in daycare premises
- Help nurseries become more eco-friendly
There are over 850,000 children under 5 years of age in the UK attending either part-time or full-time daycare (DCSN, 2009). This means that nurseries’ environment plays crucial role for children’s health. Making nurseries more eco-friendly and encouraging them to reduce chemicals and toxics at their premises will promote better baby and children’s health and well-being, reducing the infections and straightening their immunity.”
The survey, based on the 514 parents’ replies, reveals that 18% of kids in nurseries are not having their 5 a day portions of fruits and vegetables, based on food being served at the nursery. Fish, helping children’s brain development, is being served on a weekly basis in only half of the nurseries, and 17% of kids are not being served the extremely important for kids’ growth high in protein food like meat and eggs. Some 15% of nurseries provide kids with very unsatisfactory amount of milk and diary products during their 10-hour stay at the premises, so kids are not able to get the calcium they need for this age. As little as 2 out of 100 nurseries serve organic food in every meal, where 15% of nurseries have never sourced organic produce for the kids. Home-made food has never been served to every tenth nursery, and in these cases processed food is what kids eat on a regular basis. Every third nursery adds sugar and/or salt in kids’ food, and only 4% follow the guidelines for avoiding salt in cooking for kids under 3-years old.
The eco-friendly efforts are outstanding in only 3 out of 100 nurseries, and are qualified as poor and unsatisfactory in 15% of cases. It looks like great percentage of nurseries are doing great when it comes to recycling, reusing and using eco-friendly craft-materials (42%), although improvement others is needed. When it comes to soaps, washing powders and cleaning materials about 20% will not even try to be eco-friendly. Most of the above soaps, cleaning sprays and washing powders contain harsh chemicals which not only reflect the environment, but are also toxic and irritating for the sensitive kids’ skin. Around the same percent of nurseries (20-25%) are not making any efforts to use BPA-Free baby/kids food equipment, biodegradable or cloth nappies (although in most of them parents are advised to provide nappies in their choice). About the same percent of nursery staff are willing to “go green”, but don’t seem to have enough information and knowledge on how to do that, according to parents.
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February 3, 2010
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