True beauty comes from within and not from a bottle (regardless of what the label might say). Being kind to your own body, the environment, fellow citizens of planet Earth, plants and animals is an act of beauty in itself. However, as our skin is a vital part of our whole body, attention to its needs is also important.

It is recognised that our skin (the largest organ of our body) absorbs more than 60% of what we put on to it. But unfortunately the world of cosmetics is not regulated as strictly as the food manufacturing industry. This means that it is very likely that most of the cosmetic products we see on the shelves are actually, in one word, harmful. Most countries don’t have the same “safe cosmetics” standards for their citizens as the European Union has for European citizens. Think about this. There are some manufacturers that create two versions of the same product: A safe one for European citizens and another for the rest of the world. Sucks if you’re part of the rest of the world, doesn’t it?

With this in mind, why would I choose very carefully what I put in my mouth and not what I put on my skin?

By making your own fabulous 100% natural beauty potions you are caring for yourself and our wonderful planet at the same time, not to mention that whisking up a beauty potion is also an enjoyable craft and lots of messy fun!

Remember that even so-called natural cosmetics aren’t always as natural as they sound: they may still contain high percentages of chemicals and, even when active botanicals are listed on the label, very often they are highly processed and their ‘natural’ power is completely diluted by the time they end up in the same jar on the shelves. The word ‘natural’ has no legal definition within cosmetic law.

Thus, anyone can use it. And they do.

One of my main rules is: if you don’t understand what is written on the list of ingredients (and who can? Most of the words are unpronounceable!) then those are most probably chemicals that should not be on your skin.

Truth is, you can make your own beauty and skincare products simply by using what’s in your garden or by selecting what’s in your fridge and cupboard. I am not saying that there is no space for shop-bought cosmetics, especially when we have a busy life and when there ARE some truly natural products out there. But there are some amazing alternatives to what you buy over the counter that are easy and fun to make and heaven to use.

If you

• are horrified at the synthetics, petro-pharmaceuticals toxic chemicals, fragrances etc. that end up in commercial skincare products (even in those labelled ‘natural’)
• want to know exactly what’s on your skin
• have sensitive skin
• care for our amazing planet, its people and animals
• love herbs, flowers, spices and plants
• are able to make a salad dressing, boil an egg, brew a cup of tea and melt chocolate in a double boiler
• chose organic and local but don’t wish to pay a fortune

then you will enjoy this little column and the little advices in the forthcoming issues of this magazine.

This column is written by Paola from Essential Skincare