PHOTOGRAPH: STOCKSY. FOR STOCKISTS, SEE PAGE 129
Everyone has a type. Tall, dark, brooding? Short, kind, boyish? Well, the same goes for our health and beauty proclivities. I am an absolute sucker for a goodlooking green beauty brand (add eco credentials, and you have me at ‘hello’), but I have, admittedly, been swiftly seduced by lofty holistic promises. (Grounding? Balancing? It’s true love!)
I’ve found some real heroes over the years – from the beautifully rich and moisturising Jason Organic Coconut Body Wash, £8.95, to RMS Beauty’s dreamy creamy ‘Un’ Cover-Up, £28. However, I’ve also learned that, when it comes to green beauty, it’s a potentially thorny rose. Even my beloved Jason Organic product contains certain things purists would discount – phenoxyethanol, for one – a low-risk, synthetic preservative permissible in products with organic certification. The other thing is, natural does not always equal effective or safe. I have friends who have suffered allergic reactions to essential oils, and others who have been seriously sunburned while using all-natural blocks. So, how to play the green field?