www.womanthismonth.com June 2020 9 PEOPLE | interview products may seem expensive but may last six, nine or even 12 months, so are actually cost effective in the long run. Not all brands make equal products. Many of the products I sell have been copied since I introduced them to the region, with inferior ingredients. Unfortunately unethical people do not make ethical products. What are the main ‘villains’ of the beauty industry, that your products avoid? There are many ingredients that we rule out. • Sulphates that are artificial foaming agents and very drying. • PEGs are generally used for thickening agents that are not natural and can irritate the skin at best and be a carcinogen at worst. • Parabens are used in approximately 80 per cent of commercial brands as a preservative and have been linked to hormone disruption, skin ageing, DNA damage and breast cancer. • Petroleum is often contaminated and can cause irritation and allergies. • Silicones, found in many beauty products, can impair fertility and disrupt hormones. There are also many natural alternatives, such as Broccoli Seed Oil, that have the same effect and are nutritious. • Aluminium can be found in many beauty products and is believed to have negative effects on your organs and hormones as well as neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s. • Artificial fragrance has been linked to many health problems like asthma, allergies and cancer. • DEA and similar compounds can cause mild to moderate skin and eye irritation and, in laboratory experiments, high doses have been shown to cause liver cancers and precancerous changes in skin and thyroid tissue. Your products seem to be very high quality, is there anything for someone wanting to adopt this lifestyle with a lower budget? Cut down on the number of products you buy and use. Quality over quantity. We sell many different ranges with differing prices but it is worth remembering that the better quality product is very potent and a little goes a long way. Eating clean, exercising, meditation and a positive mental outlook all serve your overall health too. On the makeup side, does the lack of harmful chemicals lead to a loss in staying power? Generally, I would say no. I use the products I sell every day and rarely need to touch up my makeup at all. Do you ever have visiting experts in-store and demonstrations of the products? This is something we plan on within our [coming] new, larger store. We have more space for workshops and interactive talks and will be bringing internationally renowned experts in. It will be about four times the size of the old store, we are expanding our offering to include more brands and wellbeing products, clothes and accessories, an organic salon and workshop space. I wanted to create a safe, positive space where everyone is welcome. GREASY SKIN Amly Botanicals City Screen Protective Face Serum contains star ingredients, awardwinning echinacea concentrate, marine algae, ginseng and white willow – BD35 – from an organic farm with highly silver-rich water. AGEING SKIN Agent Nateur holi (oil) Youth Serum – intensely hydrating oil that evens out skin tone, minimises wrinkles, dark spots and hyperpigmentation with wildcrafted Bulgarian roses, organic rosehip oil and calcium – BD48 – from Los Angeles. Alison Recommends DRY SKIN Leahlani Bless Beauty Balm – free from water, wax and emulsifiers – it is packed with 100-percent skin nourishing ingredients, including shea butter, cacao seed butter, argan oil, camellia seed oil and marula seed oil – BD25 – Leahlani comes from Hawaii. MAKEUP BAG ESSENTIALS Josh Rosebrook’s Tinted Nutrient Day Cream SPF 30 is a MUST HAVE (BD24), along with a dramatic mascara from Lilylolo (BD6.5) and Gressa’s multi-tasking lip tint in Bare (BD14) that I use on my lips and cheeks to give a healthy, natural glow. NORMAL SKIN Jane Scrivner Skin Elixir Facial Moisturiser which contains organic jojoba oil and essential oils of frankincense, lavender, myrrh, Ylang Ylang and sandalwood – BD16 – an award-winning British brand.
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