How can I be sure that my beauty product is natural or organic?

Our friends at Salt of the Earth explain what to look out for.

Did you know that your skin is the largest organ in your entire body and that what you put on it is likely to be absorbed into the bloodstream?

Alarmingly, any beauty product can be labelled as organic or natural as there is no legal standards for the use of the term. Therefore, even if it only contains 1% of natural or organic ingredients or materials, it means that it can be called organic.

Water isn’t organic

This may come as a surprise but water cannot be organic. That means that a beauty product such as roll-on deodorant which may contain lots of water, would only have a low percentage of organic or natural materials.

As a result, products labelled as organic or natural could still have lots of synthetic ingredients and have a low amount of natural or organic ingredients.

Certified organic

The exception to this is the certified organic products. These are products that are natural and organic but also guarantee environmentally sustainable sourcing and production as well as only containing natural ethos ingredients.

cosmos natural certification infographic

Infographic explaining which products don't have natural certification

With natural cosmetics rising at a fast pace, many are forgetting what it means to be natural. This has led to lots of misuse and confusion of the word and amplifies greenwashing. It also presents an issue to customers who are purchasing these products with little ways to know if the product is natural or organic.

So, to be sure, only products with independent certifications to a recognised standard guarantee that the product is genuinely organic or natural. Make sure to look out for COSMOS Organic or COSMOS Natural next time you’re shopping.

Salt of the Earth

All Salt of the Earth UK manufactured deodorants and foaming hand washes are certified as COSMOS Natural through the Soil Association. This means you can be assured their products are truly natural and free from harmful chemicals.

Products with this COSMOS Natural certification:

  • have been assessed against a rigorous, third-party standard
  • don’t contain any harmful ingredients

Products with the Soil Association COSMOS logo guarantee:

  • NO animal testing
  • NO GM ingredients
  • NO controversial chemicals
  • NO parabens and phthalates
  • NO synthetic colours, dyes or fragrances
  • NO synthetic micro plastics
  • NO harmful effects to marine life nor the wider environment when washed down the drain
soil association cosmos natural logo

This certification evaluates the entire supply chain for its environmental footprint. It involves scrutinising packaging materials and mandating the use of exclusively non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning products in manufacturing facilities. Licensees are required to implement an environmental management plan aimed at minimising waste through reduction, reuse, and recycling.

To uphold these standards, all licensees undergo a rigorous yearly inspection.

Don’t be greenwashed by organic and natural claims; look for a reputable certification logo – such as COSMOS, or alternatively, ECOCERT or NATRUE which have strict certification standards too. These certifications offer a consumer guarantee for buying genuine organic and natural cosmetic products.

Shop Salt of the Earth products.

Copper: An eco friendly cleaning material

When it comes to keeping your home neat and tidy without harming the planet, there are a few materials available like cellulose sponge, loofah and coconut fibre.

But have you considered copper? Copper was a traditional material found in Victorian kitchens before it fell out of fashion. Its unique properties make it a really great choice for lots of cleaning tasks and in this blog, our friends Seep will explore why.

Durability

Copper is very durable, especially when used in the form of copper cleaning scourers. These scourers can withstand heavy use and abrasive scrubbing. Whether you’re trying to shift ingrained residue or a greasy, crusty lasagne dish, copper scourers can handle the job efficiently and don’t lose their effectiveness over time.

Three Seep copper scourers stacked against each other with the packaging in the background.

Eco-friendly

Copper is a natural resource that can be endlessly recycled, reducing waste in the long run. Some councils will recycle copper as part of your normal collection, others will have a waste metal recycling centre. Alternatively, you can take them along to your local scrap metal merchant and they may even give you some cash for them.

Copper can also be used as a slug and snail deterrent, so when you’ve finished using the scourers in your kitchen, you can wind them around your precious garden plants to protect them.

Corrosion resistance

Copper’s natural resistance to corrosion sets it apart from many other metals. You can confidently use copper scourers with water and various cleaning solutions without worrying about rust or deterioration.

This corrosion-resistant property makes copper scourers suitable for a wide range of cleaning tasks, from stainless steel appliances to ceramic surfaces. If they do tarnish a little bit over time, you can brighten them up quickly in a bowl of warm water and a few spoons of citric acid.

Antibacterial properties

Copper has innate antibacterial properties that help you keep things hygienic. Bacteria and germs have a tough time surviving on copper surfaces, making it an excellent choice for cleaning areas where cleanliness is super important, such as kitchens and bathrooms. It’s the reason that copper was used for milk jugs many years ago.

Heat conductivity

Copper has amazing heat conductivity which makes it a versatile choice for cleaning really tough messes with hot water. Don’t forget, if you want to protect your hands while using copper scourers with hot water, make sure you use some gloves.

In summary, copper’s durability, corrosion resistance, antibacterial properties, heat conductivity, and eco-friendliness make it an excellent choice for cleaning scourers.

We also think they’re really pretty when placed next to your sink!

Save during Veganuary

Throughout January we’re offering 3 for 2 across the Seep range. Purchase three (or more) items from the the range to take advantage of the discount. For every three items you purchase, the cheapest item will be free.

Offer ends 23:59 Wednesday 31st January 2024.

How to choose the perfect Naturtint shade

For many, the dawning of a new year sparks feelings of wanting a ‘new me’, bursting in to the new year with a fresh new look and hopefully, a fresh new confidence.

One of the ways we can boost our confidence is by making sure our hair is looking the best it can, and for many that means colouring away those pesky greys or enhancing our natural shade.

Naturtint box dye and hair colouring kit

If you’re colouring your hair for the first time or thinking of making the cost-saving switch from salon to home colouring, it can be a little daunting knowing where to start trying to choose the right product and importantly, the right shade.

Well fear not.

It is very easy to make the switch to a home hair colour and in this blog post we’ll share some of Naturtint’s top tips for happy home colouring. 

What type of hair colour do I need?

That depends on what you need the colour to do. If you don’t have many greys and you want to enhance your natural colour a little, a semi-permanent might be best. It washes away in around 10-12 washes.

If you have more than the early signs of fine grey hair or you want to change your colour more dramatically, you’ll need a permanent hair colour. Like the Naturtint Permanent Hair Colour Gels.

How do I choose a shade?

Understanding the colour code on the box is the key to choosing the most suitable colour. The code is simple – almost all (there’s always an exception to a rule!) shades are given a code that consists of a number and then a letter.

The number tells you how light or dark the colour is, with 1 being the darkest and 10 the lightest. The letter after the number tells you what kind of tones you can expect. 

Visual guide to the Naturtint colours and tones

So, for example 4M is on the darker side of the scale. Five is the mid-point, so think mid-brown. The M means mahogany, so it’s a dark, plummy red brown shade, or Mahogany Chestnut to give it its official title.

What if I want to lighten my hair?

As Naturtint is free from ammonia and designed for at home use, it cannot lighten hair by more than two shades.

To use the colour code to determine which shades you can effectively use, start by deciding which N shade is closest to your natural colour.

If, for example you think you are closest to the 5N Light Chestnut Brown, you will have a base 5 shade. So, if you want to go lighter you can use a 6 or a 7. If you want to go darker, you can go as dark as a 1 but most skin tones generally suit one or two shades darker than the natural colour.

If you decided you wanted to go lighter but also a little warmer, you could then look at colours like the 6G and 7G. These colours are lighter than a 5 but also rich in warm golden tones as they are from our ‘Gold’ family of tones.

The Naturtint codes follow industry standards. So, if you are already colouring your hair and want to make the switch to Naturtint, chances are the codes will be very similar.

How do I use Naturtint hair dye?

Read the instructions first. It may sound obvious but it’s important that you read the enclosed instruction leaflet carefully and completely before you apply the colour.

You should carry out a skin sensitivity test 48 hours before every application. Even if you have coloured your hair or used the same shade before. Hair colours are complex products and sensitivities can develop at any time so plan ahead and take the time to carry out your own skin sensitivity test.

What will the colour will look like on my hair?

We recommend that you carry out a colour strand test at the same time as your skin sensitivity test. Particularly if you are colouring your hair for the first time or trying a new shade.

A colour strand test will show you just how the shade you have chosen will develop on your own, unique base shade. The same colour will always look a little different from one person to the next. The final colour result will vary based on the colour, thickness and condition of your hair.

You can also use the colour strand test to determine how long you need to allow the colour to develop. If for example your grey is quite stubborn, you will need the full 40 minutes development time.

What’s in the box?

In every box you’ll find a 60 ml bottle of colourant and a 60 ml bottle of developer. The developer bottle can be used as a mixing vessel and colour applicator, so it may look half empty This is so the colourant can be added and there is room for the two liquids to be blended by shaking the bottle.

You’ll also find a Quinoa Mask in every box of colour. This is designed to prolong your new shade and boost shine.

Lastly, attached to the instruction leaflet you’ll find some protective gloves – make sure you wear them throughout the colouring process to prevent staining.

Visual and text description of the contents of every naturtint box.

So now you know how to choose the perfect Naturtint shade for you, we look forward to welcoming you to the growing tribe of Naturtinters!  

In celebration of Veganuary, get 20% off Naturtint hair dyes until the end of January.*

*Offer ends 23:59 31st January 2024.

Authentic Bread Company Product Recall

This recall impacts the Authentic Bread Company Luxury Gluten Free Organic Christmas Pudding 450g (Product code 306817) with a Best Before Date of 20/09/2024. The reason for this recall is that the product has incorrectly been advertised as suitable for vegans but it contains egg and is therefore not vegan. The product is labelled correctly.
If you have purchased this product from us and the presence of egg is an issue for you, please contact us to arrange a refund.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Introducing Asquith London

History of Asquith

Asquith has been producing ethically made eco activewear for yoga, Pilates, sports and living in for 20 years, opening in 2002. When Asquith launched in 2002 activewear was mostly(and still is) made from chemical-laden fabrics, synthetic fabrics. The aim was to create something different, by using natural breathable eco-friendly fabrics to create pieces that kept you feeling secure on your mat, and would also love wearing everywhere for years to come. Everything they do is multifunctional so you can enjoy them as long and as much as possible.

Continue reading Introducing Asquith London

Scrubbingtons – washing solutions for mud magnets everywhere!

Scrubbingtons was created by two friends who wondered why they were still washing their children using bubble bath with a picture of a baby on the front when their children were not babies anymore, and why their children were not washing themselves? And that was how Scrubbingtons was born!

Continue reading Scrubbingtons – washing solutions for mud magnets everywhere!

Product Recall – Suma Organic Prunes

We have received a recall notice from Suma with regards to their Organic Prunes. This is due to some packs going mouldy well before their best before date.

Suma Organic Prunes – 500g with a best before date of 15/04/23, Batch – CP615, Product code – 36403

(If you also have any stock left of the two previous batches, CP601 & CP604, best before January 2023, then we would advise you to check this stock also.)

Continue reading Product Recall – Suma Organic Prunes

LoofCo – Plastic Free Brushes underpinned by ethical practices.

We are proud to be working with LoofCo to promote a more sustainable solution to cleaning and washing. Find out more from Lois Clark:

We all know the importance of finding more sustainable, plastic free alternatives when creating an eco-friendly lifestyle. When we founded LoofCo in 2017, our mission was to create products that offer simple, affordable switches while helping to reduce household plastic use & waste including the microplastic particles released by plastic washing-up scourers, sponges & brushes.

Continue reading LoofCo – Plastic Free Brushes underpinned by ethical practices.

Fashion Revolution Week 2022 –  Money Fashion Power 18th – 24th April

Fashion Revolution Week (FRW) happens every year in the week of the 24th April. The 24th April is the date of the Rana Plaza collapse in 2013; one of the biggest industrial disasters in history.

The Rana Plaza was a building in Bangladesh which housed some major garment factories for some of the biggest fashion brands. It employed around 5000 people and more than 1100 people died when the factory collapsed and an additional 2500 people were injured. Many of the victims were young women.

Every year FRW has a different theme to highlight how problematic and damaging the fast fashion industry is. The theme for this 2022’s Fashion Revolution Week is MONEY FASHION POWER.

Continue reading Fashion Revolution Week 2022 –  Money Fashion Power 18th – 24th April