BEAUTY Keeping skincare natural

Keeping skincare natural


Beauty
Maggie Gibbons

Considering our skin is the largest organ in the body, it’s amazing how little we respect it, dolloping on all sorts of lotions and potions without a thought to what’s in them. Through lengthy research I recently have become more aware, and now read the ingredients carefully before I purchase. The chief culprits are parabens, which are cheap preservatives and apparently highly toxic.
Thankfully, organic ranges are both extensive and freely available. Best of all, many of the really good ones are Irish made.
Pixy Natural Skincare is an Irish company based in Mallow, Co Cork. All products are handmade using fresh, natural ingredients. I’m a huge fan since getting a gift of the Skin Softening Oil (€9.95), which contains jojoba oil, rich in antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities. Jojoba can be used on all skin types, even very oily skin, and it smells gorgeous.
Their tin of Rose Cleansing Mud (€9.50) is packed full of beauty ingredients like Rhassoul clay and red clay, both from Morocco. The product is full of minerals that benefit your skin. Everything Pixy makes is free from parabens and Sodium Lauryl Sulphate. The peppermint foot scrub (€8.49) smells great, and is full of smoothing scrubbing particles – a real treat for hard-working tootsies. Products are available at a huge selection of chemists nationwide, and can be ordered online at www.pixy.ie.
Green People skin and hair care products can be used by all skin types. Their Award winning Mum and Baby Rescue Balm (€10) was a ‘must have’ in the 2012 Tips Awards. This  multi-functional product can help cradle cap for junior and sore nipples for mum.  They do a marvellous Organic Babies range, as they believe we can give our children the best possible start on life with pure, organic products. The rates of eczema and allergies among children are on the rise, and the early introduction of harsh toiletries onto sensitive skin may be a factor. For more infrormatioj, contact info@iaccesscorp.com or call 021 4821106.
Biofresh Skincare’s extensive range of skincare products is 100 percent natural – so no artificial fragrances or preservatives. That means paraben-free too. They offer a brilliant skincare range. The prices are excellent, and the quality of their range is superb. I am particularly partial to the Anti Age Serum Cream (€38) which was rated as one of the top five anti-ageing products by Xpose (though, I’m not sure what criteria they used!). The entire anti-age range, including its fav Anti Age Bio Serum (€36), contains the rare and expensive Rose oil of Bulgaria as its main ingredient. For more, visit www.biofreshskincare.ie.
VOYA is a very successful family-run seaweed baths business in Strandhill, Co Sligo. They have created a full range of seaweed-based organic products, carrying the unique qualities and effects of seaweed into their new beauty and skincare ranges. I’m using their ‘Bright Eyes’ eye cream, which is designed to make the appearance of tiredness disappear and give a youthful look to tired peepers. At €52 for 30ml it’s not cheap, but if I look ten years younger soon I won’t be complaining! Check out this great Irish success story on   www.voya.ie.

Maggie Gibbons is an Image/Style Consultant based in Louisburgh. She can be contacted at living@mayonews.ie.

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