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Launched on July 21st, The Story of Cosmetics is the brainchild of Annie Leonard, a campaigner for safe cosmetics. This video may look cute but the message is serious – get toxins out of our skincare! Annie discusses how cosmetic companies get away with including ingredients that are potentially carcinogenic (cancer causing) in products such as baby shampoo and flow on effects of such action. The Story of Cosmetics will help spread the word to millions of people and in turn help effect the changes needed to ensure all the products we use are safe for us and our families.

At Vitale Natural we completely support Annie’s message and only stock toxic free skin care. Help spread the word by telling your friends about “The Story of Cosmetics“.

Ed note: This article is from the La Mav blog and is by Tarj Mavi, the creator of this wonderful brand. I have included it because it describes the 3 tier process Tarj uses to formulate her products and is the reason these products are so very effective. There will be more on this concept in up coming blogs:

An aging population – by Tarj Mavi

By 2020 more than half of our country’s population will be over the age of 40 and there will be more people aged 50 than any other age. Due to these startling statistics anti-ageing skin care products are becoming all the rage – there are even special diets, super foods and supplements all intended to reduce or reverse the things that we’re told time and again were inevitable: wrinkles, sagging (especially around the chin) and age spots (I’m getting depressed just thinking about it).

The main reason the skin starts to sag and forms wrinkles is that elastin and collagen network start to break down. Collagen and elastin are important proteins in the body that help the skin stay firm, supple and strong and without them, the skin loses its elasticity, forms lines, wrinkles and eventually sags (gloomy and dismal but true). Exposure to the sun and pollution can also cause further damage to your skin.

More and more attention is being centred on the ageing population and consequently many skin care companies are madly racing to flood retail shelves both online and offline without doing the necessary research before. As a result many products on the market don’t contain or don’t contain enough active ingredients to actually have long term and effective results on ageing skin. For a skin care product to be effective it must contain active ingredients that help to stimulate the skin’s repair process.

Every single ingredient that goes in La Mav products is selected on the basis of its properties to formulate the best skincare range for your ageing skin with high concentration of active ingredients to successfully aid in increasing elasticity and firmness of the skin. All of our products follow the unique La Mav Three Tier Formula™:

· Tier 3 – Active Constituents

· Tier 2 – Specialty Oils

· Tier 1 – Base Ingredients

The unique Three-Tier Formula™ consists of antioxidants, vitamins, essential fatty acids, therapeutic grade herbal extracts, carrier oils and very gentle and soothing Essential Oils that provide a potent, result-driven concentration for the repair, restoration and rejuvenation of skin at a cellular level.

La Mav is formulated with nutrients for the skin that your pores will drink up and use to produce & support new collagen and elastin fibres. When you use La Mav products your skin will start to look younger, healthier and more radiant so that maybe the next time a shop assistant tells you that your daughter looks like your sister, you will believe her.

Out and about in Paddington recently I came across what was for me a completely new concept in hair – a colour-only salon. Curious, as I tend to be, I ventured in and it was what I didn’t see rather than what I did that was interesting. Instead of the traditional mirror facing cutting chairs, I was seated at a large table with a floral display. There wasn’t a mirror in sight…well not until later anyway. There were also no hair cutters. This salon is for colour only. Popping up around Brisbane, colour salons are ideal for women, and men, that want color specialists to determine the best hair colour for them.

My appointment followed standard hair salon lines with a few nice treats thrown in. I was treated to a relaxing shoulder massage and then had an in depth discussion about what particular shade of brown I wanted my hair. I was given wine, nuts and numerous magazines to read while waiting for my hair to dye. I didn’t have to look in one mirror during this entire 40 minute or so process and I didn’t miss it at all! At the end of the consultation, I was moved to a styling room (with mirrors) and had my “hair do” completed.

Initially I wondered how a colour only salon would survive with so many standard cutting and colour salons to compete with. However, as I drank my glass of wine, I contemplated the many people that would suit this very concept and I decided that I was one. With curly hair, I only need a cut every 12 or so weeks. However, colour is another matter and I make a regular visit every 6 weeks for a “top up”. I also remembered the numerous times I have asked for ash brown and emerged with magenta or chestnut hair which just accentuates the red tones in my skin and makes me look like Ronald McDonald. With the focus across all industries on specialization, there is definitely room for technicians that specialize in matching hair colour to skin and eye tone.

So once complete, I made a follow up appointment and now I visit the colour salon every 6 weeks or so and see my regular hairdresser for a cut only every 12 weeks. And I am spectacularly happy with the colour of my hair! To experience this for yourself visit Micolor in Paddington for your very own colour consultation. (Tell Leah & Megan I sent you!)

Of course, another big trend is environmental consciousness. There is a growing awareness of the importance of ecologically sustainable products and all industries are “greening up”. However, expectations still remain high for the best in technological development and performance…and in the hair industry a natural henna dye just doesn’t cut it!

Finding the balance between environmental responsibility and modern technology is the challenge, and there are a growing number of haircare

brands that are meeting this challenge by creating products that address both. Ranges such as Eko Organica, Nature’s Symphony, H2 Colour, Organic Hair Systems and Essensity Care Collection are proving that they are not only viable alternatives from an environmental perspective but that they also provide the high level of performance that we all want.

Natural hair colours which are free from ammonia, fragrance, silicones, paraffin, mineral oils, parabens and formaldehyde-derivates used only be available in home DYI kits. I spent too many years with multi-coloured hair and hair dye stains on my bathroom sink to go there again. Fortunately now you can experience professional hair colour ranges in salons so you can have the best of both, great colour done by a professional and be pampered at the same time. Naturally Organic Hair Salons in Toombul uses Organic Hair Systems again with no ammonia, no parabens or sodium laurel sulphate. They see their salon as a viable alternative for those with sensitive scalps and skin. Micolor in Paddington uses the Essensity range. Krop Hair in Norman Park also uses ammonia free hair colours.

Have you had any unique salon moments, disasters or glamour moments? Tell us about your hair care experiences and the brands you love.

Recently I asked some of the inspirational women I know in the skin care/beauty industry what inspires and motivates them and keeps them moving forward. This on-line interview is with Tess Dingle, a naturopath, homeopath and the creator of Third Stone Botanicals (TSB). I have known Tess for 4 years now and admire her product creativity and the dedication she shows for TSB. More from Tess follows:

1.       Tell us a bit about your business and what inspired you to get started?

Third Stone Botanicals began 15 years ago as an exercise in self-sufficiency. I had some time on my hands and wanted to learn how to produce most of the consumable products that I used: growing vegetables and making bread, soy milk and tofu, paper, clothing and shoes, cleaning products and of course, skin care, soaps and shampoo. Some of these things turned out more successfully than others! Later on, when life got busier and I needed to buy these products again, I found that no commercial skin care could compare to the products I had developed myself in the kitchen. Add to this the growing awareness of potential harm caused by chemical and synthetic cosmetic ingredients and my motivation to turn TSB into a viable business was born.

2.       What makes your range special or different from other ranges available?

Holistic principles are applied to every aspect of TSB, from formulation to ingredient sourcing to manufacturing process to packaging. As a trained health professional, my knowledge of physiology, biochemistry, nutrition, herbal medicine, naturopathy, homeopathy and aromatherapy combine to create holistic products that work in harmony with our bodies rather than placing extra burden on our organs of detoxification and elimination. A big stand-out of TSB is our policy on no synthetic preservatives of any kind and we have achieved this through careful formulation and avoidance of unnecessary “filler” ingredients. Our ingredients are sourced fair trade and certified organic where available and Australian where possible, in consideration of reducing carbon miles and supporting the local economy.

Our packaging is also Australian made where available and 100% recyclable. All our products are made by hand at low temperatures in small quality-controlled batches. Every aspect of each product is traceable and we take after-sales service very seriously. All of this adds up to the top quality, highly effective, ethical skin care range that is TSB.

3.       What are your 3 must have skin care products?

· A gentle daily cleanser that removes everyday dirt and pollution without damaging the sebum content and upper structure of your skin.

· An organic moisturizer with high vitamin and antioxidant content to protect against UV radiation and preserve the moisture content of your skin. This is something you wear every day and is carried through your skin into your body so it should be at least as important as what you eat.

· An effective non-irritant aluminium-free deodorant, also a product most of us wear every day, so it is really important to find a non-toxic deodorant that works for you.

4.       What products do you recommend people new to your range begin with?

It really depends on your individual skin care needs. For those prone to oiliness and breakouts, I can’t stress enough the importance of using a mild cleanser that won’t strip the sebum from your skin, causing the problem to worsen. Rose Geranium Cleansing Gel is

ideal as it is detergent-free, based on organic olive castile and aloe vera. The Green Tea Cleansing Mask teams well with this product to deep cleanse your skin, repair damage from infections and refine pores. For drier and mature skin, a high quality nourishing daily moisturizer that is not too heavy and dragging on your skin is a must. Rosewood Moisture Lotion is a lovely light daytime moisturizer with the vitamin and antioxidant protection of certified organic shea butter. Rosehip Eye Balm would go well with this to prevent dryness and wrinkles forming around the delicate eye area.

5.       What is your most popular selling item and why?

Rose Geranium Moisture Balance. This moisturizer is a light gel consistency yet still contains certified organic jojoba, rosehip and evening primrose oils to help maintain the integrity of cell membranes, thus preventing moisture loss without being too oily. As the name suggests, this moisturizer is designed to balance oiliness and dehydration so it is particularly suitable for combination skin which actually is the most common skin type. It is also suitable for the lucky ones with normal skin as it will be neither too oily nor too drying. The light floral scent of lavender, geranium and ylang ylang is popular and a good quality moisturizer is everyone’s priority in skin care I think, so this product is a top seller.

6.       Tell us something about yourself you are proud of.

There are not too many mentors in this business and I have had to invent my role every step of the way. As a small business, the outlays involved in outsourcing are considerable and ethical control over those aspects minimal, so I have thus far done pretty much everything myself, right down to designing and printing product labels. This has demanded passion and dedication to my business which I hope will reward me by providing worthwhile employment for others and helping to shift consumerism towards ethical choices.