Virginie Claire explains how parabens effect your skin

As I have been facialist and skincare specialist for over 20 years I get asked quite a lot by
my clients ‘Virginie, Why should I choose a natural skincare or makeup?’

Virginie Claire (Right)

My answer is simply ‘Why not choose a natural quality product if you have the choice?’ It is up to us to take control of our skin through:

Consistency and Commitment
Ingredients
Knowledge & Education

There can be a lot of confusion and concern regarding ingredients in our cosmetics, one of
the most talked about is parabens. Here I hope to inform not alarm you on what they are and why they are used in cosmetics. So you can choose your products based on an informed choice. Virginie, V Claire Natural Cosmetics.

What are parabens?

Parabens have been in use since the 1950, and are frequently added to cosmetics to prevent the growth of bacteria. The majority of cosmetics use a combination of them because they are cheap and effective.

What are parabens made of?

Parabens are man made, they are a chemical compound of para-hydroxybenzoic acid. They regroup into methylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben.

What are the effect of parabens on our wellbeing?

Parabens are xenoestrogens, meaning they mimic oestrogens in the body and unsetle the body natural hormones. Also, they can be stored in the body, resulting in a cumulative effect that can damage health overtime.

This overload of oestrogens has been linked to health issues such as breast cancer and reproductive disfunction, including early onset of puberty and reduced sperm count.

What is the natural alternative to parabens?

Many ingredients can be used to preserve cosmetics such as:

Benzyl Alcohol, Salicylic acid, glycerin, sorbic acid, essential oils such as thyme, oregano, rosemary, clove cinnamon, tea tree and many more.

Using a few parabens is harmless, but using a multple amount of cosmetcs including parabens may afect your wellbeing.

Take control of your skin and wellbeing by KNOWING THE INGREDIENTS your cosmetic is made of. Be curious and ask questions, then you can make the right choice.

December 5, 2017/0 Comments/by Alison

Beauty, Essential Oils

10 AMAZING ESSENTIAL OILS FOR BEAUTIFUL AND FLAWLESS SKIN

Essential oils are growing more and more popular these days. And if you’re a beauty enthusiast, you’d know how in-demand they have become, especially to those who have acne prone and sensitive skin.

However, since essential oils come in a wide range of varieties, you have to know first how to find the best essential oil that can address your needs.

One of the things you have to consider is the essential oil’s purity. Since there is no strict guideline as to what makes an essential oil pure, your best bet is to buy from retailers that specialize in selling oil. They are more likely to be involved in the processing of the oil.

When buying, you should also be more thorough in checking and reading labels. Look for the manufacture and expiry dates as well as the origin of the oil. Read the list of ingredients so you’ll know exactly what you’ll be getting.

Take note of what tests the oils have undergone as well as their grades. A product that has a therapeutic grade or clinical grade is considered superior to other brands.

In addition to assessing the quality of oil, you need to know what type of oil you should invest in when it comes to your skin.

The list below can help you get started.

The oils listed help with everything rom acne to firmer skin and oils like camomile have been shown to help reduce scars too. Theres an oils for every skin ailment so find what suits you.

Hannah Do is the founder of Thank Your Skin , a beauty blog dedicated to provide honest skin care advice and information. She aspires to help her readers achieve their most beautiful skin by sharing personal tips learned through both years of experience and thorough research. Check out her latest article about Best Products for Rosacea . You can find her on Twitter , Pinterest and Facebook

June 14, 2017/0 Comments/by Alison

Beauty, Healthy body

A NATURAL FOUNDATION THAT PLUMPS, HYDRATES AND IS ANTI- AGING TOO!

THE NEW HYDRA JEUNESSE NATURAL FOUNDATION BY COULEUR CARAMEL

As we move into spring it’s the perfect time to lighten the load in every way. Spring is the perfect time to spring clean our mind, home, wardrobe and even beauty routine.

During the winter months I tend to use a slightly heavier foundation so at Springtime I like to make a switch and lighten my make up. As everyone knows I’m a huge fan of topical health and wellbeing and by that I mean the products we put on our skin.

Our skin is our largest organ so a lot of the toxins go straight into our blood stream from the products we use. Recent research by Bionsen, a natural deodorant company, found that the average woman’s daily grooming and make-up routine means she ‘hosts’ a staggering 515 different synthetic chemicals on her body every single day.

Becoming more mindful of this will help your overall toxic load. Even if you switch just some of your skincare to more natural alternatives you will be doing something great for your overall health and wellbeing.

I have teamed up with Couleur Caramel – a 100% natural and organic make up range to tell you about their new foundation. Couleur Caramel helped launch my book last year (buy here) along with Phyts natural skincare as there’s a chapter on natural beauty in it (BUY HERE) and I have been using their products and working with them ever since.

This foundation is light and fresh but it also has sufficient coverage. In this picture I was tired, had a cold sore and some spots as I have been travelling a lot and my body was screaming at me to rest. As you can see it gives a really nice healthy glow. There is absolutely no filter used here either and its before I powdered.

It has been formulated with natural hyaluronic acid, Juvenessence (brown algae) and organic inca inchi oil. The main thing I need with my own skin as I age is plumping and hydration and this does both because the hyaluronic acid plumps and hydrates the skin and the Juvenessence and inca inchi oil nourishes and protects against the signs of aging (sign me up!!). The result is velvety smooth skin and a glowing, revitalized complexion.

You can set this with their silk powder, which is so incredibly fine, natural and effective. It literally disappears and does a great job at setting your foundation. I struggle finding a good powder that doesn’t sink into the fine lines and wrinkles especially around the eye are but this a goody!

This natural foundation comes in 6 shades; No.21 Porcelain, No.22 Rosy Beige, No.23 Skin Beige, No. 24 Sand, No. 25 Ash Blonde, No. 25 Amber Blonde €34.00

Check out Couleur Caramel for stockists nationwide or buy online and Couleur Caramel is also available in Nourish Stores nationwide

#ad #collaboration

March 14, 2017/0 Comments/by Alison

Alison TV, Be Beautiful, Beauty, Newsletter

LESS IS MORE, NONTOURING AND NATURAL MAKE UP!

In todays video we take a look at switching to a more natural make up brand and the benefits this has for your skin. We will also be talking about my lifelong pet peeve which is wearing too much make-up!!

“Less really is More”

As a young model in London, Paris and New York we were taught to embrace our natural beauty and highlight our features. The clients would have just sent you away if you turned up orange and full of make-up. It really is time to embrace our natural beauty and teach our young girls about self esteem and confidence and encourage them to see and embrace their natural beauty. There is incredible personal power in feeling comfortable in your own skin.

We are also chatting about heavy conturing which works great in a studio with strong lights but in our every day life this look is difficult for most people to achieve and it is very simply not normal to put so many layers of make up on our face.

For more information on all products from the Couleur Caramel range check out their website.

What do you think? Is less really more? Do you like heavy contouring? Let me know in the comments box below

Thanks

Ali xxx

January 24, 2016/0 Comments/by Alison

Competitions

AND THE WINNER OF €200 WORTH OF PHYSICIANS FORMULA IS

I’M SO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE WINNER OF THE AMAZING MAKE UP HAMPER FROM PHYSICIANS FORMULA WORTH €200 IS

SALLY CONWAY

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR HAMPER AND WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR. PLEASE MESSAGE ME YOUR DETAILS

ALI XXXX

January 3, 2016/0 Comments/by Alison

Competitions, Newsletter

WIN A BUMPER HAMPER OF PHYSICIANS FORMULA WORTH €200

I’m so excited to be giving away a bumper hamper of Physicians Formula worth €200 to one lucky reader.

Physicians Formula is a natural make up brand that I absolutely love. The brand consistently injects the fun and glamour into its broad range of cosmetics that allows women to both look and feel beautiful. With over fifty new products developed each year it is no wonder Physicians Formula is America’s number 1 bronzer brand, face powder brand, mineral brand, kit brand and natural and organic brand.

To enter simply comment below with your name to let me know you have followed me on social media:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

December 14, 2015/0 Comments/by Alison

Be Beautiful, Beauty, Healthy body

COULD YOU BE MORE NATURAL?

As we start to lean towards healthier lifestyles I feel it’s important to think about our skincare too, after all the skin is our largest organ and a percentage of what we put on our skin is absorbed into the body. I have seen people turn into freaks about food. They ask a million questions in restaurants and cafes and read every tiny detail of every food label in the supermarket. Then they return home and spray toxic deodorants, shower and lather themselves in perfumed products and as women we use make up with an incredible amount of toxins in them??

RIMMEL LONDON reveals collaboration between Rimmel ambassador Kate Moss & FASHION ILLUSTRATOR HAYDEN WILLIAMS

WHEN MAKEUP INSPIRES FASHION

I am so excited to tell you that Rimmel London has revealed a new partnership with Fashion Illustrator Hayden Williams. I am a huge fan of Haydens and if you follow him on social media believe me you’ll see why!

I absolutely love that Rimmel actually discovered him via his impressive Instagram portfolio. It just shows that social media works and if you’re talented it is now another way into your dream industry.

They will be working together on Kate’s very first eye Collection, Idol Eyes and we can’t wait to see the finished product.

For those of you who have never heard of Hayden Williams, he is a 22 year old fashion designer and illustrator from London who has been drawing since the age of 3. Inspired by women, fashion and his childhood, his illustrations all have his signature style with a cartoon feel. I don’t know about you but I love them and can’t wait to see the new collection!

Kate Moss says “I am so excited to be collaborating with Hayden on my first eye collection. I love his drawings and it was great fun to work with someone who could so perfectly bring our looks and ideas to life on paper”.

On his new partnership with Rimmel, Hayden comments: “As a British fashion illustrator and designer, I am very proud to be collaborating with Rimmel London and Kate Moss for the launch of her new Idol Eyes collection. It is a definite highlight in my growing career, to be asked to work so closely alongside such an established cosmetics brand and iconic supermodel. It is a huge achievement and i look forward to sharing all of the visual content that i have created for this project with my fans and also with the Rimmel customers.”

Follow Hayden’s incredible work on his social media platforms.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haydenwilliamsillustrations

Tumblr: http://haydenwilliamsillustrations.tumblr.com/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/hayden_williams

June 18, 2014/0 Comments/by Alison

News & Events

BODY SHOP has 30% off for Black Friday

Get on your marks,

for the biggest shopping event of the year, bargain hunters! The Body Shop will be celebrating Black Friday, this November 23^rd, with a 30% discount off all products across the store. So whether you are looking to pamper yourself or treat your loved ones, give joy this festive season with a purchase from The Body Shop.

This season of goodwill The Body Shop will be brimming with sensational gifts, special edition goodies, fun stocking fillers and on-trend winter make-up all designed to give joy, to your loved ones and to the world. You won’t be stuck for gift ideas with The Body Shop’s amazing selection of Christmas gifts and with 30% off you can spoil yourself or those closest to you guilt free!

Kick off the Christmas season and let the shopping begin with Black Friday at The Shop Body!

November 22, 2012/0 Comments/by Alison