Neal's Yard Review: 3 Favourite Cosmetics (Organic Beauty Week)

Au Naturel

I'm not the sort of woman who uses lots of cosmetics. I don't ever wear make-up (in fact I don't even own any). I don't have a problem with it, by which I mean for me it's not a polemical feminist choice not to wear it: it's not a statement as far as I'm concerned, I just can't muster any enthusiasm for it. And besides, I was alway useless when I tried to put it on to go out in my younger days. 

Neal's Yard Organic Skincare

However, I do like good skincare, and I am trying to take better care of my skin as I get older. I've dipped in and out of Neal's Yard products over the years (when I dipped out it was because I could't afford it), but I do have a few favourites amongst their delightful range, so I thought I'd share them with you here, in time for Organic Beauty Week next week- which I am delighted to discover exists: 

What's so great about Organic?

There is a great explanation on the Neal's Yard website, which you can see here- I can't put it any better!

My Three Favourites: 

Rose & Almond Night Cream: this is an intense, nourishing cream which smells heavenly and comes in a delightfully old-fashioned tin tube. It's probably best for drier skin, but I find it absorbs easily enough and makes me feel like I'm really ready for some restorative sleep. 75% organic ingredients, and packed with anti-oxidants and vitamins. 

Wild Rose Hand Cream: 92% organic, this cream again smells divine. It is easy to apply, and is well absorbed whilst leaving your hands delicately scented. Plus, it has really pretty packaging. Perfect to counteract anything strenuous you might do with your hands.

Starflower Cleansing Milk: I'm pretty sure that one of the things I used to love about this cleanser was that it was a splash-off sort of thing. This seems to have disappeared from the instructions for use, however it is still a lovely light cleanser which doesn't leave a residue or let your skin feel overly dry. At 95% organic it is reassuring to know that you don't need man-made synthetic chemicals to leave your skin feeling bright and awake. 

Something for all skin types

Do click the banners to go straight to the Neal'sYard site. With a comprehensive range of products there is bound to be something which smells delicious and suites your skin type. On my list to try is the Palmarosa Purifying Face Mask to tackle congested skin. 

Organic Make-Up

If you are more interested in make-up, you might be interested to know that you can organic too! Click below!

The Down Side

My only comment about ordering from Neal's Yard online would be the over-the-top packaging that everything seems to come in- think huge boxes full of padding, and thermal envelopes. Seriously, is that the most economic and eco-friendly way of sending things...? I wonder.

Incidentally, in case you are wondering, also pictured is the delightful ikat clutch bag that I won from Teixits Vicens, in the instagram competition they ran to showcase items made from their stunning fabrics. Thank you Martina! 

Review: A Visit to The Eden Project

The Famous Eden Project Biomes

Why Visit?

To my slight shame, we have lived within striking distance of The Eden Project for over a year and had not visited until recently. As clichéd as it is, we actually had no idea what we were missing!

A Riot of Colourful Plants 

A trip to this attraction is not just a botanical and ecological education. It is also a trip around the world, as well as, paradoxically, a real dose of Cornish fresh air, as witnessed by the pair of calling buzzards we saw wheeling about in the huge expanse of blue above.

It is a delight to see the sheer creativity and ingenuity that have come together to create the place. And most of all, it is a really pleasant stroll through the most beautifully maintained gardens and greenhouses imaginable. 

We have now been twice, and as I mentioned, I'm quite embarrassed that we weren't expecting it to be very engaging.

The Welcome: 

Without fail, all of the staff we have encountered at The Eden Project have been friendly, polite and helpful. Top marks for customer service!

Welcoming Faces 

Getting Around:

Two words: 'sensible shoes'. The paths are wide and well-maintained, and there is a land train to help you get around this attraction. However, there is no getting away from the fact that to really take in the magic of the Eden Project you will need to do some walking. Ok, perhaps a lot of walking.

Exotic Floral Beauty

Looking after yourself:

Part of the magic of this place is that it is built in a converted industrial landscape. You can't even see it, despite its grand scale, until you are in it: think of a large crater. This means that in summer the Eden Project is a hot place, and there isn't much shade. And of course, the tropical biome (golf ball shaped greenhouse) is just that: tropical. There is a small water fountain, and plenty of places to buy a cooling drink, but I would thoroughly recommend that you wear a hat and sunblock, wear clothing in layers which you can take off as necessary, and take your own supply of water.

Mediterranean Tiles in the Biome

Eating:

It's so refreshing that the quality of the food served here is amazing. We had a burrito (prepared in front of us in a completely open plan area) which was served with the freshest salad. Both were extremely tasty. We might possibly have indulged in carrot cake too, which was also yummy. 

Shopping:

I was surprised at the quantity and variety of things to buy at various shops around the site. I am no gardener, but even I was really thrilled by the selection of plants for sale. What a great concept in souvenir shopping: your very own piece of Eden!

Geometric Leaves

Added to which, there were plenty of shopping bags, eco kitchenware, foodstuffs, recycled glass, jewellery... etc. Basically, a great place to find unusual gifts, and everything oozed quality. There was no cheap 'tat', which was really refreshing, but I'm not sure what you'd do if the kids are expecting a novelty pencil to spend their pennies on. Perhaps I missed that section- the main shop is huge so it's quite likely.

I was excited to see a selection of clothing by eco brand Braintree too.




Plus, Pukka teas are for sale (see below for more on this).

Cost:

To visit the Eden Project with a family as a one-off would be quite a pricey day out. Personally I would say that it is worth the cost, as you could happily spend the whole day there. However, if you think there is any chance you might return within the year, it would be better to buy an annual pass (for the same price as one-day admission). 

The Highlights:

The Eden Project is a huge attraction. Most of the time I was too enthralled to even take photos, and there's no way I've seen everything it has to offer, but here are just a few of my highlights:

1: The smoothie bar in the Tropical Biome. Yum yum!

Yummy Smoothies

2: The Mediterranean Biome: I loved this area. If you've ever been to the Med and walked around the countryside this will be a really nostalgic experience. If you're having a staycation, or just missing some sun then have a wander through here and drink in the atmosphere and the smells and make believe!

3: The Roul Rouls and their delightful little chicks: they scamper around the Tropical Biome, pecking at fruit, and are just too cute. But, you'll have to see them for yourself, as I couldn't get a single photo as I was cooing over them too much!

Thoughtful Details: even the floors are beautiful!

I'd thoroughly recommend the Eden Project for visitors of all ages and all interests. There are play areas and story telling for the little ones, as well as plenty of space for them to run off steam. There are too many facts hidden amongst the foliage for one person to ever tire of, and even poetry if you look for it. Whether you are interested in taking in all of the engaging information on offer, or just admiring the immense botanical beauty, I expect that you will have a fantastic time. 

Oh, and even the piped music in the café space is a treat, if you care to listen out for it! 

Pukka:

Pukka teas evidently have a relationship with the Eden Project, and there is a little section devoted to the magnificent herbs and spices which are oh so good to drink. I found this really fascinating: seeing things like vanilla pods and cinnamon growing in front of me was quite exciting, as I normally associate these great-smelling things with jars and essences.  

Following on from this, there was also the biggest imaginable range of herbal teas for sale in the shop. Quite handy for me, as these are my favourite teas! I indulged in a box of liquorice and cinnamon, and I'm very pleased that I did, as it is supremely tasty. 

Pukka Teas for sale in the Eden Project Shop 

Cinnamon 

Vanilla Pods 

Pukka spices

Pukka Merchandise 

Girl Talk, Lidl & The Oeko-Tex Standard

Whatever you want to call it...

If you are anything like me, the last thing you will want to spend time thinking about is your sanitary protection, feminine hygiene, or whatever other euphemism springs to mind. 

Sea Urchins have nothing to do with tampons, but this blog post was a little difficult to illustrate!

Tampons: a textile product

I confess that beyond safe disposal, I haven't given a thought to the ecology of tampons, so when I grabbed a box in a discount supermarket I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed the Oeko-Tex 100 Standard on the box. Of course these things are made from cotton, and therefore we should be concerned about where that cotton comes from. 

And after all, due to the intimate way we use these products, shouldn't we be diligent about ensuring they do not contain harmful chemicals...? Now, I have absolutely no proof that more mainstream brands of tampons contain chemicals, but I don't see them rushing to reassure us that they are not. 

Don't flush them or they will end up here!

The Oeko-Tex Standard

In case you are not familiar with the Oeko-Tex standard, it is an assurance that the product has been thoroughly and independently tested for legal and illegal harmful substances. The end use of the product and the intensity of the contact it will have with the skin is taken into account then applying the test criteria. Again this is reassuring given that we are talking about tampons. 

The Oeko-Tex 100 is not a comprehensive test for all-round ethical production (it is not a fair trade or organic certification), but, it is a lot better than having no assurances at all. And if there are no nasty chemicals in the end product, that's a good sign that the environment has been respected along the production process. 

You can read more about the Oeko-Tex standard here. 

Best Brands of Eco Tampons:

Lidl's own 'Siempre' brand of tampons, then, seem like a good bet- well done Lidl! However, if you don't shop in Lidl here are some alternatives:

Natracare, soil association certified organic cotton tampons, available from Greenfibres (don't forget to use PIXIE10 discount code): click here

Organyc applicator cotton tampons, available from Natural Collection (click banner to the left)

Veeda natural cotton sanitary products, available from Boots

Coral Colour Pop!

Trend Alert: Coral

Seasalt scarf from a charity shop, People Tree stripes,
and floral fabric from the V&A, from which I sewed a top.

I am really loving the current trend for all things coral. For those of us who aren't that fond of pink, coral is an accessible way to feel feminine and spring like. Coral is flattering on all skin tones, and whilst it typically has a more lighthearted, holiday vibe, I reckon you could you could work it into a formal wardrobe with careful selection of the right pieces. 

Whistles silk dress: a few years old but still lovely! 

My Coral-coloured Wardrobe:

Handmade top, crops from People Tree

Top from People Tree, handmade skirt

Linen top from Sweaty Betty

How do you wear coral...?

You can of course wear head-to-toe coral, if you are having as much of a passion for the colour as I am. But in the unlikely event that you want to dilute it just a little bit, coral seems to work well with cream, grey, and (my other favourite) indigo blue. 

You can go for just a small accent, a whole block of colour, or even patterned separates. Stripes are always good.

How do you wear yours?

Where to shop for coral colours:

Ethical style from around from around the web:

There are plenty more coral-coloured beauties on the People Tree website, or, try my picks below: 

Coral Cowl from Greenfibres

Organic Jute Tote, from East

Recycled Plastic Ring from The V&A

Chilli Chocolate from the Design Museum Shop

Debbie Bliss Eco Baby Yarn

Click below to shop more great ethical styles from East:

New Plan: Buy Less, Buy Responsibly

Slow Fashion:

I've been harping on about slow fashion for years, since I was studying for my Fashion degree. The concept is having a bit of a zeitgeisty moment right now which I am completely behind, and it has got me really thinking again about what it means to be an ethical consumer, as well as helping me think about what I want to use my blog for. See Slow Fashion by Safia Minney as a prime example. 

Sustainability

Wikipedia tells me that "Despite the increased popularity of the use of the term "sustainability", the possibility that human societies will achieve environmental sustainability has been, and continues to be, questioned- in light of environmental degradation, climate change, overconsumption, population growth and societies' pursuit of indefinite economic growth"

So, that's cheery: we talk more about sustainability but in fact we are getting further from it. 

It's a Beautiful World, lets protect it!

Why is it important?

As I see it, there are two main strands to the argument for ethical fashion. Firstly, there is the human cost: people all over the world are exploited in order to make cheap clothing. Sometimes it is working in exploitative conditions which even causes their death (remember the huge factory collapse in Bangladesh?). This is unacceptable. I totally don't buy the argument that an exploitative job is better than no job. No, what is better is a supported community, where nobody's health has to be damaged by the job that they do, children are able to receive and education, and workers are fairly paid. 

The second strand is environmental: copious amount of chemicals are used in garment production, from plant growing, to dyeing, printing and distressing fabrics. Many of these are not exactly environmentally friendly, and this is just the tip of the iceberg- for example what about the emissions used to transport all those garments that we don't even need...? What about the amount of water required to grow crops? Not to mention pesticides... 

Ethical Fashion

Isn't it limiting to buy eco fashion?

Yes, in some ways it is- it is difficult to find absolutely everything you need from a responsible source. It is also more pricey. I won't say it is too expensive, as I feel we have got used to unsustainably cheap garments, and the prices asked by ethical companies are much more in line with what is fair. Higher prices are also likely to limit the amount of stuff that you acquire, and this might be a good thing as many of us have bad habits when it comes to the quantity of things we own. Another plus about a heftier price tag is that as a consumer I feel if you have more invested in an item then you are more likely to hang onto it for longer, and use it until it really does wear out. 

Having said that, there are some really exciting brands producing wonderful ethical fashion. This brings me neatly back to the subject of my blog: keep an eye out for more posts about these in future... I am going to buy ethically if at all possible from now on, and I look forward to sharing my finds with you. 

Organic Stripes from Seasalt

Home Making:

I've long believed in the make-it-yourself ethos. I feel lucky that I have the knowledge required to make my own clothes and accessories, and this is something that I have really loved passing on to other people over the years I have been teaching. It does take a lot of time to make your own clothes, and sometimes it can be an unsatisfying process. I know I am still learning whenever I make something to wear, but when I have come up with something really successful it is thrilling, and I am proud to wear homemade often now. 

If you have never sewn a garment of knitted a jumper, let me tell you it is an eye opener: the amount of time you will have to invest may shock you. I know domestic methods are not exactly comparable with industrial processes, but even so, you might be surprised just how many seams there are in a jacket!

I know not everyone is able to make their own clothes, but if you can, I urge you to. I am planning to share some general tips, but if you are stuck on a project please consider asking me for virtual help. I am not an expert, but if I can put my education and experience into assisting you then I will. 

A Hardy Handmade Skirt

But this brings me to an important question: 

Is it green to be a crafter?

I have a stash of fabrics and yarns. It isn't exactly a stock pile, but it is more than I can use in the short term. In my defence, this is from when I was designing a lot, and I did genuinely believe I was going to be able to use everything up imminently, but life happened. I know I am not alone in stashing crafting supplies. The briefest of glances through the ravelry forums will vouch for this, as will any chat with a keen crafter. 

But... surely there is the same problem with over-consumption of raw materials as there is in over-consumption of anything? I suppose it is unlikely that small children have been employed in sweat shops to make yarns in the way that they can be exploited for other industries, but can you be absolutely sure that the people who looked after the sheep for example were fairly treated by the supply chain?I know there has also been an outcry in the past over the production of angora- any industry involving animal products must naturally lead us to question the treatment of livestock. And what about fabrics? Do you know for sure what has happened along the supply chain of that pristine bolt of cotton? The answer in short is that I do not know. Some of my fabrics are made or printed in England, where I am pretty confident in the welfare of the factory workers, but what about the environmental concerns? Again, I just don't know. I'd like to look more at this, so I am on the hunt for ethical craft suppliers as I write. 

So, here is my plan: I stopped acquiring new things for intended projects some time ago, which I feel good about. And now, when I have an idea to make something I am really strict with myself about whether I can make it from the materials I already own. Then, if I really do need to get hold of something, I will try to source ethical fabrics, yarns and even threads. I'm really looking forward to sharing my discoveries in this area with you too. 

Ethical Dressing from People Tree

Feel Good Fashion

Way back when I wrote this post, I was already thinking about how to dress more ethically, more rewardingly and more sustainably... or how to dress 'better', if you like. 

Well, I've done ok since then; I've made quite a few items, picked up the odd bit from a charity shop or a boot fair, or second hand on eBay. Of course, I haven't totally stuck to my rule of not buying anything (I'm not that strong willed), but I don't routinely head to the shops either. 

My hand-making has had to take a bit of a back seat for a while now though, so when I discovered that I could order this gorgeous parcel from People Tree, and actually feel like I was doing something positive for the world at large then I was thrilled. Plus, it was in the sale and I had a discount code too- did I need a further excuse...? I thought not.

Ethical Fashion

Judging a Book By Its Cover

The first thing that I loved about this happy package was the brown paper post bag with cute brown paper tape. There was no help for it: I was predisposed to love the contents. 

Fashionable Stripes

Here's a confession: I have no real interest in fashion. As I mentioned above, I don't go shopping, I don't consume the fashion press (or, shockingly, very much press at all), I don't listen to style icons, self-appointed or otherwise, I don't care about 'on trend', and I don't care about the celebrities. 

Don't get me wrong, I have a fashion degree! I love the art that is high-end couture, I'm intrigued by the semiotics of what we wear, I love clothes, I love design, I love colour, I love interestingly-cut patterns, I am intrigued by how things are made, I really enjoy seeing someone with fantastic style, I love feeling that something is a great-quality garment, I love interesting contrasts, and I'm extremely fussy about what I wear... but that's not really fashion is it? 

The reason I mention this is that apparently stripes are fashionable. They must be I guess, as they are everywhere- including People Tree, hurrah! I sense a whole other blog post about stripes coming on at some point, but I'll just mention here that I love them (if you're a regular reader you might even have noticed a few on my blog before), and I feel they are particularly appropriate for my Cornish life. 

People Tree Stripey Dress

A Happy Dress

Needless to say, I love my People Tree stripey dress. It is the perfect weight to wear over tights on a sunny March day, and I anticipate wearing it many times to wander around Cornish harbours and suchlike. 

The dress is beautiful quality, and I am over the moon that is ethically made: fairly traded and made from organic cotton- you can even find out who by on their website.

It is extremely comfortable: the loopback jersey is quite plushy and the fit is great. Two of the key features as far as I am concerned are the pockets (LOVE pockets!), and the full-length sleeves (so much easier to put a jacket over). 

I have long and sloping shoulders so not everything fits over them, but this is just roomy enough to be comfortable without being baggy. My go-to petticoat slip which I wear under most dresses was too long, but that didn't matter as it didn't seem to get caught on my tights like many others do (to my great chagrin). 

The neckline was flattering and neither too high or too revealing, and the sleeves were a great length and diameter. I feel like I could work layers both underneath and over the top if I needed to. I love that being quite snug, this dress will fit well under my longer waterproof parka-type coat for inevitable Cornish rain showers. I also love that it is not encumbered by those annoying back-neck zips which seem to have plagued beautiful clothes like this for a while now.  

Another feature I love is the blue/black colour of the stripes themselves. 

People Tree Organic Cotton Dress 

Accessories

I completed the outfit with my vintage Levi's jacket (from a boot fair many years ago), my Zerelda shawl which I designed and made for 'Knit Now' a couple of years ago, and leggings from GudrunSjoden, plus plenty of Celtic silver.

Stripey dress with Accessories

Crochet Shawls

Cornwall has been bathed in spring-like weather this week. I've really enjoyed going for a less-coat-more-shawl vibe. This one is my Abellona. It's stripey...

Crochet Shawl: Abellona