The entire range of MuLondon organic, vegan skincare products has been named Champion in a new report issued by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics announced today that MuLondon, together with 334 other cosmetics companies, has met the goals of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, the Campaign’s voluntary pledge to avoid harmful chemicals and to fully disclose product ingredients - a pioneering practice in the cosmetics industry.

Being named Champion by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics shows my dedication to bringing safe skincare products to the market. All the products in MuLondon range are cruelty-free, organic and effective and MuLondon will always be at the forefront of truly natural, safe skincare.
 

The report “Market Shift: The story of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and the growth in demand for safe cosmetics” describes the seven-year project during which the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics worked with MuLondon and hundreds of other companies in the personal care products industry to set a new high-bar standard for personal care products.  These best practices include: 
 

- Making products without using ingredients prohibited for use in cosmetics in other countries.    

- Disclosing all product ingredients, including those that make up “fragrance,” showing that it’s not necessary to hide these ingredients from the public.

- Working together with nonprofit health groups to increase market demand for safe, sustainable products and practices. 

See the full report:

http://safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=913

MuLondon’s all-natural range is fully compliant with the requirements of EWG's Compact for Safe Cosmetics. Check it out here:

http://www.MuLondon.com
 

MuLondon competed against thousands of other nominations for the best vegan products and services from around the world, and won in the category of best non-food product, which includes not only cosmetics, but also toiletries, shoes, clothing, household products, and services.

It feels amazing to have won The Vegan Society Awards. I have always believed in the power of cruelty-free and natural skincare, and everyone that voted for MuLondon shares that sentiment. MuLondon is, and always will be, a 100% vegan company. People around the world are changing towards a more compassionate way of living, and I am so proud and happy that MuLondon is a part of that movement!

The Vegan Society Awards were presented in October at the West Midlands Vegan Festival, the biggest vegan festival north of London. Check out MuLondon and winners in the other categories here:

http://www.vegansociety.com/about/vegan-awards/award-results.aspx

See all MuLondon products here:

http://www.MuLondon.com

What is your favourite vegan product?

What are you treating yourself to this Holiday season? Let me know by leaving a comment below.
 

For Her

If she loves lush, smooth, sensual and feminine fragrances, enchant her with MuLondon Organic Rose Moisturiser. With 100% certified organic ingredients and precious Rose Otto oil, this cream will pamper her skin like nothing else. If you add the Organic Rose Face Wash to it, she'll be over the moon!
 

For Him

Does he like woody, masculine, smoky perfumes? Treat him with MuLondon Organic Hemp Moisturiser. Packed with hemp oil and essential oils of cedarwood, vetivert and black spruce, this cream is ideal for male and oily skins. Great to soothe those nasty nicks and cuts he gets after shaving! Although, those cuts would probably not be there if he was using one of new MuLondon Organic Face Wash foams - perfect for shaving all over!
 

For Young Ones

For young and sensitive skin of all ages, make sure you treat it right and use mild products from the start! MuLondon Organic Lavender Moisturiser and Cleanser soothe and protect with 100% natural, relaxing ingredients.

 

For Mature Wise Ones

Dry, ageing and mature skin will benefit from MuLondon Organic Marigold, Frankincense & Myrrh Moisturiser. Its healing base of Shea butter and Jojoba oil is enriched with extracts of Blue Chamomile and Marigold and essential oils of Frankincense & Myrrh - to soothe and repair. Be as wise as the Three Wise Men, and give the gift of (Mari)Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh!
 

All MuLondon face cleansers are 100% natural and plant-based. They contain no ingredients that can irritate sensitive skin: detergents like SLS, alcohol, mineral oils, preservatives like parabens or sorbates, silicones, emulsifiers or other man-made chemicals. The cleansers are ideal for your morning and evening face cleansing routine or to wash your hands. Great for shaving, too!

The cleansers are a testament not only to my continued commitment to my customers, but also to the environment: All new cleansers come in recyclable HDPE plastic bottles that are free from phthalates, bisphenol-A and PVC, and contain no propellant gas. All cleansers are registered by The Vegan Society and PETA, and are completely free from Palm oil.

MuLondon cleansers come in three unique varieties:

Organic Rose - Foaming Face Wash - Luxury organic foaming face cleanser with Rose Otto oil, Rosehip Extract and Rosemary Antioxidant. This amazing trio will clean, balance and nourish dry, irritated and sensitive skin.

Organic Lavender - Foaming Face Wash - Mild and organic foaming face cleanser with Lavender, Jojoba Oil and Rosemary Antioxidant. Great for all skin types, including dry and normal skin.

Organic Fragrance-Free - Foaming Face Wash - Foaming organic Fragrance-Free face cleanser with Jojoba Oil and Rosemary Antioxidant, for the most sensitive skin types.

All MuLondon products are carefully and lovingly handcrafted and contain a unique combination of certified organic ingredients, herbal extracts and essential oils that heal, balance and repair all types of skin, even the most sensitive.

More information about the cleansers can be found at the link below, where you can place secure online orders, 24/7, with affordable worldwide shipping:

http://www.MuLondon.com/cleansers

"The Ecologist" is producing this supplement in an effort to inform, educate, and inspire current consumer groups to be more aware of their purchasing choices. "Behind the label" takes a look at common household products and food items by the ingredients they contain and how they may be helpful or detrimental to your health. Learn how safe your moisturiser is and how to read labels and avoid toxic ingredients for many popular products, from toothpaste and fabric softener to ketchup and cut flowers!

"The Ecologist" has previously reviewed MuLondon Organic Lavender Moisturiser, saying: "The lavender moisturiser doesn’t just smell fabulous, it’s also 100 per cent organic and PETA certified to boot."

http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/health_and_beauty/753664/pick_of_the_day_mulondon_organic_lavender_moisturiser.html

Get the MuLondon Organic Lavender Moisturiser here:

http://www.mulondon.com/moisturisers/organic-lavender-moisturiser.html

This rich, healing face & hands moisturiser is packed with Hemp seed oil and is featured in the latest edition of "Hemp Indutry Insider Magazine" - a monthly online magazine bringing you the latest stories, features and news about what is really happening in the hemp industry.

Get MuLondon Organic Hemp Moisturiser here:

http://www.mulondon.com/moisturisers/organic-hemp-moisturiser.html

Check out the "Hemp Indutry Insider Magazine":

http://hempindustryinsider.com/hemp-products/the-coolest-hemp-products-on-the-market-september/

How hempalicious to be on that list!

In their "The best of independent London - Veg out in London" section, presented by Wedge, they say:

"100% vegan, natural products for your skin, body and home, handmade in London. MuLondon have strong green and ethical values, including no animal testing and fair-trade policies. Try their new luxurious Organic White Chocolate Truffle Face Moisturiser for a truly decadent pamper."

Grab "The Big Issue" today for your chance to win a jar of Organic White Chocolate Truffle Moisturiser, and for an exclusive discount for all readers!

Get your very own yummy MuLondon Organic White Chocolate Truffle Moisturiser here:

http://www.mulondon.com/moisturisers/organic-white-chocolate-truffle-moisturiser.html

I looked at a number of products, but most of them contained the following chemical sunscreens:

PABA, Oxybenzone, Octocrylene, Octyl methoxycinnamate or one of many other available synthetic substances. They are either toxic to humans, or not even properly tested.

I moved on to natural alternatives, and started looking into other options, but even ones claiming to be "natural" contained one or more of the following:

Emulsifiers: Cetearyl glucoside, Sodium stearoyl glutamate, polysorbate 60, potassium cetyl phosphate

Preservatives: Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, potassium sorbate, benzyl alcohol, 1, 2-octanediol

Other crazy stuff: vitamin E (usually synthetic or solvent-extracted), cyclomethicone (and other silicones), VP/hexadecene copolymer (Copolymers of vinylpyrrolidone and long-chain a-olefins)

A couple of “natural” sunscreens looked great – as instead of parabens, they were using the following lovely-sounding ingredient: Honeysuckle Flower Extract (Lonicera Caprifolium/Lonicera Japonica). An article on Organic Consumers Association website highlights that these are essentially parabens created from highly concentrated extracts of the Japanese Honeysuckle: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_17679.cfm

In light of all this horror, I made the decision to make my own, all-natural sunscreen. I knew there were two minerals I could use to keep my skin from getting burned – either Zinc oxide or Titanium dioxide.

A lot of research show that Zinc oxide is the safer one out of the two, so I decided to go with it. Yay! - you hear me shout, but that's not long-lived, as you'll soon discover there's more to sunscreen than meets the eye.

Zinc oxide comes as a fine, white powder. That powder can be either regular or “micronised” Zinc oxide. Regular powder is made up of particles sized at between 200-1000 nanometer (nm). “Micronised” zinc particles are between 1-100 nm. This is what is commonly known as NANO-PARTICLES. As nano-particles can penetrate the skin, and there's not enough safety data on them, I was not going to use them. They are also not allowed in organic products.

The reason many natural skincare companies use nano-zinc is that it disperses much better than regular zinc, and it does not leave white streaks on your skin. I decided to risk looking ridiculous in the name of research, as I had to go with regular Zinc oxide.
 

There's a simple sunscreen recipe and an SPF chart at the website below, that I adapted to my own needs: http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-Sunscreen/

I did not use any emulsifying wax, and I would definitely advise against using any citrus oils in the sun, as with sweet orange oil suggested in the recipe. Citrus oils are phototoxic, and should NOT be used in the sun.

I made my sunscreen using only organic Jojoba oil and regular Zinc Oxide powder, which I mixed until Zinc had dispersed in Jojoba to form a milky liquid. Make sure you follow the SPF chart – I used 15% of Zinc to get an SPF value of around 12-19.

I poured this into smaller glass containers, and added an essential oil that is not only safe to use in the sun, but is healing for the skin, and is used to treat sunburn – Lavender.

I was expecting my face to be completely white from this lotion, but that did not happen. There were some white streaks, though – in the antecubital region, more commonly known as the “elbow pit”, and the “knee pit” - basically, wherever your skin folds. This is easily removed by rubbing the excess lotion in and around the area, and white streaks are prevented by rubbing the lotion in properly and not applying too much at once. You also MUST shake the bottle vigorously before each use. I could live with this, and would rather have a white streak or two than nano-particles and chemicals on my skin.

The most important thing, however, was that my home-made sunscreen worked – I did not get burnt! Experiment: passed!

I will get a lot of questions from customers asking me if my organic moisturisers contain any sunscreen.

All my creams are based on organic Shea Butter, which has a natural SPF of between 4-6. I also use Jojoba Oil which has an SPF of 4

In our climate, this is usually sufficient for most people. However, if you have very fair skin, a family history of skin disorders or any other any skin issues, you should consult a dermatologist and your GP.

Now, some naturalists like Dr. Holick claim: "And to give you an example of how powerful putting sunscreen on is, if you put a sunscreen on with an SPF of 8, it reduces your ability to make vitamin D in your skin by more than 95%."
 

Vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption and is essential for a healthy immune system. Our Aussie friends have learned this the hard way: due to their heavy sunscreen use, “MILLIONS of Australians are living with dangerously low levels of vitamin D, putting them at risk of developing fractures, bone disease and deadly illnesses.” http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/12/08/1196813083745.html

I personally believe that there is no need to use high SPF every day, especially if you do not spend the majority of your day outdoors. When you're on holiday, or live in a really hot, harsh climate with strong sun, it's a different story. You do not want to get burnt.

I hope this sheds some light on sunscreen for you!

Are you using products with SPF on a daily basis? What kind of product do you use when you're on holiday, and do you read the ingredients list on your sunscreen? I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments – let me know what you think!

The Simply Beautiful team shares with you some of the best natural beauty products on the market.

"A delicious, decadent, organic white chocolate face moisturiser. Indulge your skin and your senses in this luxurious spread, containing organic shea butter and jojoba oil, and extracts of cocoa and pure bourbon vanilla to especially spoil, pamper and excite. Look in issue 9 for a fantastic opportunity of winning some MuLondon goodies, as well as a promotional 20% off, exclusive to Simply Beautiful readers! www.mulondon.com"

Get the yummy Organic White Chocolate Moisturiser here http://www.mulondon.com/moisturisers/organic-white-chocolate-truffle-moisturiser.html

What is the difference between Bob's Red Mill Baking Soda and regular Baking Soda?

"Some other companies chemically produce their baking soda by creating a chemical reaction between soda ash and carbon dioxide. Our Baking Soda is from Sodium Bicarbonate which is naturally occurring in northwestern Colorado.  In the mining process, water is used to extract the sodium bicarbonate and no chemicals are used.  A closed loop process leaves the community and its surrounding virtually untouched."

If you're confused, as I was, here's some more information about the process. It's a very informative read:

http://www.enotes.com/how-products-encyclopedia/baking-soda

I've been using Bicarbonate of Soda, or as our American friends call it - Baking Soda - for years, and not only to treat heartburn. I use it for all sorts of stuff - toothpaste (mixed with some vegetable glycerine and a drop of peppermint oil), scrubbing the bathtub, and, of course - cooking and baking! I've now stopped using Baking Powder and instead only use Bicarbonate.

Quick comparison: Baking powder consists of baking soda, one or more acid salts (cream of tartar and sodium aluminum sulfate) plus cornstarch. (Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/bakingsoda.html)

Bob's Red Mill Baking Soda does taste different than regular Soda - and this could be the explanation: "Our Baking Soda is made from the deposits of mineralized sodium bicarbonate. It is extracted by an all-natural water process that uses no chemicals. When used in combination with acidic ingredients, such as buttermilk or, molasses, it releases carbon dioxide that causes the batter or dough to rise. It's also a great household cleanser and odor absorber."

It's flavour is a bit milder, more alkaline and the powder is very, very fine and dissolves easily.

It's a bit more pricey than your regular store-bought but chemically manufactured equivalent.  It's more than worth it though, especially if you use it for health or in cooking. It's priced at £1.44 for 453g ($2.31 for 16 oz).

As I still can't find this in the UK, I get it sent from the USA, from iHerb, as they ship worldwide. Their international shipping costs are very affordable, and in many instances, it's cheaper to order stuff from the USA and have it posted here, than to buy it in the UK.

http://www.iherb.com/Bob-s-Red-Mill-Aluminum-Free-Premium-Baking-Soda-Gluten-Free-16-oz-1-lb-453-g/9852?at=0

TIP: You can get $5 off your first iHerb order using the coupon code BOR192

In February 2010, owner Bob Moore announced plans to give the company to his employees using an employee stock ownership plan. Basically - the boss gave away his company to the workers. How fab is that?

Do you use Bicarbonate to treat heartburn? Or do you have other suggestions for its use? Let me know by leaving a comment below.